Sex sex sex. Shows centering on women’s sex lives have always been “controversial” and “progressive” for their time. “Sex and the City” is a show from the 90s that focused on four strong, independent women in their 30s whose casual sex is a large premise and theme. While at the time the show was progressive for its blunt dialogue and the breakdown of the “only men have casual sex” stereotype, it was problematic. All of the women were thin, White and straight –– great because that matches a majority of women, right? Wrong.
Fast forward to “Girls,” an HBO show that launched in 2012. This show had potential. This time, not all of the women were thin, and it focused on women in their mid-20s. Again, the women were White and straight.
When Mindy Kaling announced she wanted to create a diverse show about women and their sex lives in college, I was ecstatic. As someone who is sex-positive and wants to see themselves represented on screen, I was ready. Well, the wait is over, and I have some thoughts on the first two episodes of “The Sex Lives of College Girls.”
“The Sex Lives of College Girls” is set on Essex campus, a college that is located in New England. It follows four college freshmen Bela (Amrit Kaur), an awkward and aspiring comedian writer; Whitney (Alyah Chanelle Scott), a rockstar athlete; Kimberly (Pauline Chalamet), another awkward and financially stressed student; and Leighton (Renee Rapp), the primadonna princess who has a secret. Together, they are roommates. And, while they are not the best of friends, they are intimately a part of each other’s lives because they live together.
In the first episode titled “Welcome to Essex,” viewers are introduced to the show with an opening scene of two people making out and the blunt phrase “I want to fuck you.” Throughout the first episode, we are introduced to each character. Bela is an Indian-American woman who is a sexually inexperienced newbie, but is eager to live the “college experience.” Then there is Kimberly who is in a long-distance relationship. After that comes Whitey, an African-American student-athlete who is sexually experienced, but is in a sticky romantic relationship. Lastly, there is Leighton, a closeted, stuck up student trying to stay popular and relevant.
Throughout the first episode, viewers are thrown into the messy sex lives of these four college girls. In the realm of being sex-positive and empowering, this show is on the same levels as its predecessors. However it has one thing going for it, it’s much more diverse. Viewers are shown women of color, specifically Desi women who have been neglected from the sex-positive scene, embrace their sexuality. With added LGBTQ representation, viewers also finally get to see a woman who is struggling to come out — which, yes, people still struggle with. This sort of representation is what modern television desperately needs.
However, there are some misses with this show. Generally, it is a little unrealistic in the sense of how much sex is involved in college students; lives. Yes, sex is very prominent. But, the first thing four suitemates would likely talk about is not sex. It usually takes a few weeks to bond together and feel comfortable enough to share intimate details. Also, most college students are not invited to “naked parties” like the girls in the show are.
One of the better parts of the show is the acting. Kaur is the standout of the crowd. She does a phenomenal job portraying that awkward girl who is eager to be involved and have the college experience. She takes the role and makes the audiences grimace when we need to, laugh when we need to and smile when we need to. Rapp throws viewers back to the mean girl who only wants to be popular. While the archetype may be a little outdated, she does a great job with the material given. Chalamet and Scott are both solid actors; at times it feels like they are reading a script, but there are moments where you can feel them get into their characters. The dynamic between the four actresses feels a little forced, but that could be because it’s the start of the show. Maybe as the episodes go forward, the flow and relationship between the girls becomes more seamless.
In the sense of being an empowering sex-positive, it can be a little cringe-worthy, and it takes the stance that to be considered sex-positive requires engaging in a sexual activity or talking about sex all of the time. That is in fact not the case. I would like to see the integration of the whole sex-positive spectrum, and I want to see the women’s friendship become stronger, instead of petty. Additionally, I hope to see Leighton go through some extreme character development with their attitude and confidence in their identity. These areas have a lot of room for improvement, and I am excited to see where the show goes.
Overall, this program has a lot of potential. It hits the demographic that has been historically missed in television, the early 20s scene, and it is very diverse. Once it finds its groove and the dialogue becomes a little less cringey, it could be a show that people laugh and connect over. Currently, the show is on HBO Max, and the next set of episodes will be released Dec. 2, with the finale planned for Dec. 9. In the end, the show is meant to have 10 episodes, and there is no comment on whether it has been renewed for a season two.
If you are someone trying to find a blend between “Sex Education” and “Never Have I Ever,” then this show may be the one for you!
