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| Britt Robertson as Sophia Marlowe. |
Netflix has been dishing out some quality television series as of late from the heart-wrenching 13 Reasons Why to the second instalment of a personal favourite of mine, The Get Down. But every now and then there’ll be a show that isn't really up to standard with everything else that they're releasing and right now, it's Girlboss.
You see, Girlboss sounds like it would be an upbeat success story with characters you can invest in and feel a genuine need for them to triumph. However, it's just not that.
Girlboss is based "loosely" on the life of Sophia Amoruso the founder of Nasty Gal. The beginning of the episode tells us this, I had no idea. After becoming intrigued by the company, I learned that they have filed for bankruptcy and been taken over by BooHoo. They have also had some rather controversial moments which include it being called a "toxic work environment" and firing employees for becoming pregnant. Awesome.
If the story you're attempting to present to me in real life sounds awful, it's likely that the show will be too. I'm sure the creators of the show will somehow, unfortunately, forget to depict those things mentioned above about Nasty Gal, but a simple Google search by anyone interested in it will make viewers realise that the story isn’t all that truthful. It should be noted that Amoruso is an executive producer for the show despite no longer being linked with Nasty Gal, as she stepped down as executive chairwoman in 2016. I’ll let you think of that what you will.
The show is set in San Francisco back in 2006, not only because this is when the real-life events took place, but also because Netflix may want to pursue further seasons of it, I'm praying that they don't.
Despite all of this, I watched the first episode twice. The first time was with two friends, the second time I was alone to take in everything the show was offering. Just for context so you can understand what my first experience watching Girlboss was like, my two friends and I couldn't even remember the main character’s name, any significant moments or the main plot of the show. Yeah, pretty bad.
My second viewing was slightly different. I picked up on character traits, small plot points (very small) and learned a few things along the way.
The first thing I learned is that our main character, Sophia Marlowe (Britt Robertson), is similar to another Netflix original main character, Piper Chapman of Orange is the New Black. Now, I love me some Orange but one thing I've always been sure of is that Piper is annoying. She sucks the life out of every scene she's in and has very few likeable characteristics. Sophia is the same.
During the very first scene, Sophia’s car breaks down and a tram ends up stuck behind her. The tram driver asks if she would like some help with her car. Instead of accepting this help that she did need, she gave the tram driver the middle finger. Immature.
Sophia: Adulthood is where dreams go to die.
The only positive point of the episode comes when we’re introduced to Rosie (Louise Fletcher), who doesn’t give Sophia her name, I just looked it up so I didn’t have to refer to her as an old lady. Rosie is by far the best character of the first episode and to be honest, likely the entire series. She slaps Sophia, tells her that whining about the world is stupid and that she’s glad she’ll be dead soon due to Sophia being part of the new generation. I love Rosie.
But, this whole scene is an attempt to be symbolic to how part of the current generation relate their problems whether big or small to be the end of the world, whereas generations prior just view it as a dramatic overdose of self-pity because times were tougher back in the day. It's also pandering to an older demographic that I'm sure is not sitting down to watch this show, meaning it’s pointless.
If I were the creator of this show, I’d just scrap the Sophia idea and stick with an entire season that just follows Rosie during her daily life. I imagine it would be a lot more interesting than listening to Sophia bitch and moan constantly.
Everything goes downhill from here I’m afraid as we become acquainted with Sophia’s friends.
First up is Annie (Ellie Reed). I had to look up what her name is because I started to zone out and wonder why I’m bothering with this show a second time round. After watching her on screen for roughly three minutes, I already know she’s asinine, seems rather dimwitted and is getting on my nerves.
Next is Dax (Alphonso McAuley), he’s Annie’s new lover who works in the bar they’re currently stood in. He’s the first person of colour to be shown and of course, instead of this being a positive character, instead, he’s subjected to Annie almost blurting out something that was going to be mildly racist. I so badly wanted him to stand right there in the bar and educate her on why what she was about to say is wrong, instead, they suck on each other’s faces. Sigh.
Finally, we have Shane (Johnny Simmons). Now, get ready because things get intense pretty quickly here. Shane is a drummer in a band that is playing in the bar where Dax works. He is also Dax’s new roommate because the only way to intertwine these four characters beyond the confines of said bar is if Shane is inserted into Dax’s life, who is suddenly in Annie’s life, who is in Sophia’s life. Got all that? Yeah, terrible storytelling.
Introducing your main characters is such an important part of any first episode, yet here everything was rushed, we bounce from one character to the next, none of whom show you anything of substance or redeeming qualities, including Sophia. There’s an incredible lack of responsibility for anything or anyone from all of them, which isn’t necessarily bad, but coupled with Sophia’s immaturity and inability to accept help when she’s down makes her come across as a brat.
Did I forget to mention that Sophia is being evicted? Probably because it’s brought up in a joking manner and not in a super serious “I’m about to be homeless” way. I understand this show is a very weak attempt at comedy, but please, look up the statistics of homelessness in America. It’s not a funny subject.
After saying hello to Shane, Sophia ends up in his bed. They don’t have sex as she stops that dead in its tracks, but she does force him to make ocean noises so she can fall asleep. I think they were trying to do something funny here, but I didn’t laugh.
Before they can have the awkward “morning after we didn’t have sex” talk, Sophia dashes out the door to work. This is the smartest decision she has made thus far and it’s so minor. Once at the shoe store where she works, we are offered a small hint at what the point of this whole thing is as Sophia looks up vintage clothes on eBay. FINALLY, AN ACTUAL PLOT POINT.
To be fair to the actual human this is based on, selling items in order to make money when you’re broke and having an eye for things that are worth more than they seem is a pretty decent skill to have.
Just as I thought things were starting to pick up and Sophia was actually trying to be an okay human for five seconds, she ends up getting herself fired from her job after taking a personal phone call from her father who was inviting her to dinner, instead of dealing with a customer. She’s also super rude to her boss so she completely deserved it.
If you think this scene couldn’t possibly get any worse than Sophia acting like a five-year-old, you’re wrong. There’s even an attempt at menstrual humour as her boss claims that the behaviour in which Sophia has displayed has caused her period to start early. Right in the middle of their conversation. Just there for no reason. I’ve never wanted to pull my eyeballs out of their sockets more in my life.
The dialogue is a big issue for the first episode as a lot of the conversations have very little believability about them. Do I really think Sophia’s boss would just blurt out this unneeded comment as she’s about to relinquish her of her duties? No. Would Dax ignore the obviously racist implications his new girlfriend was about to bestow upon him? Absolutely not.
After walking out of the shoe store, Sophia immediately texts her best friend Annie that she quit, she didn’t, she was fired. But, as she’s speaking to Annie about what just happened, there’s a moment of self-realisation as Sophia calls herself an “asshole” and ponders why she is one. It’s pretty redeeming for a small amount of time because maybe she realises how deep she’s in now as she is soon to have no home, now has no job and her car is broke down somewhere.
It’s weird, watching the main character cry and come to terms with the fact they’re not the best person in the world is what this episode needed. Without it, all I’ve done is watched someone act immature and do things to further create chaos in their own life.
Store Owner: Okay, we have to check all donated clothes for mouse turds.
Cashier: Is that a problem?
Cashier: Is that a problem?
Store Owner: Uh, it's the number one reason why people give us their clothes. It's like, "Hey, white people, you think you'd never worn a shirt with mouse turds? Think again.”
Second plot point incoming. Sophia visits what appears to be a vintage clothing store to I assume make herself feel better about what has just transpired. She finds a jacket, that honestly isn’t that appealing, but I guess that’s the point. She offers the store owner nine dollars for it and some free business advice, which is weird because the store owner accepts it despite him not knowing a single thing about Sophia. How does he know she knows anything about business?
Turns out she does, however, as that jacket she just purchased is a “1970’s original East-West calfskin motorcycle jacket in perfect condition” - her words, not mine and tells the store owner he should “know what your shit is worth” and walks out. Again, impressive skill to have.
That mind-numbing feels quickly returns as Sophia climbs into a dumpster to retrieve a half-eaten bagel and then steals a rug. This woman is so confusing, one second she’s making smart decisions to help better her future by finding bargains in clothing, the next she’s eating food from the trash. I feel conflicted. The mind-boggling part of all this is that the rug store owner didn’t even call the police. Either they’re loaded and don’t mind losing one rug from their inventory, or he’s incapable of remembering the phone number for the cops, whatever the case, it’s unrealistic.
Remember earlier when I mentioned Sophia is about to be homeless? I guess she wanted to test out what that feeling is like as she falls asleep on her stolen rug in a park until she’s woken up by the park ranger who wants her to get out of the park. I don’t blame him. After asking for the time, she realises she’s late to dinner with her father (Dean Norris), so she rushes off with her rug in tow to get a real meal, not one from the actual trash.
They sit and dine in one of the fanciest restaurants I’ve ever seen in my life, which is what makes it so difficult to believe any of Sophia’s struggles because clearly, she has family members who would be willing to help her out if she would just let them. Which leads me to the main issue of this whole episode.
I completely understand the feeling of wanting to be independent and steer clear of your parents once you’ve passed a certain age as no one wants to rely on them forever. But, Sophia’s father genuinely comes across caring towards the position in which his daughter is clearly in. You can be an independent person but also understand and realise when you need help, it’s part of the growing up stage.
Even though her father is being kind towards her, he’s also a little bit too laid back throughout this scene, especially as Sophia explains to him what her day has been like so far. She yet again rejects help, only this time from her father instead of a tram driver and leaves the restaurant to head home because she thinks he doesn’t believe in her, even though he has zero reasons to believe in her so far.
For someone who is seemingly broke and about to be kicked out of her apartment, Sophia sure does have a lot of stuff she could get rid of in order to make money to stop her situation escalating even further.
Third plot point. Sophia realises that the reason people aren’t bidding on certain clothing items on Ebay is due to the way in which they’re presented. If she wants to make money from the jacket from earlier, she’s going to have to do better than just put it on a clothing hanger. So, she uses the stolen rug to create a backdrop, sets up a light and puts on some makeup. She then photographs herself wearing the jacket as if she were a clothing model and puts the picture on Ebay in order to sell the item. It’s genius, really.
As she showers to get rid of the smell of the dumpster she was in earlier, the bids must have been flying in as once she gets out and checks how things are going, the bids are up to $185. The episode then ends off with Sophia finding her driving license, ignoring a call from her father and exclaiming “bring on adulthood motherfucker”. The very thing she has been avoiding all episode.
This first episode goes through many ups and downs with multiple different conflicting character traits from Sophia. On the one hand, she’s a smart and independent woman who knows a lot about fashion or at least enough to centre her future around it. On the other hand, however, she’s immature, inconsiderate and lacking the ability to be responsible for her actions.
The recurring people in her life all seem to be no better either. Her best friend Annie so far has only enabled her bad decision making and coupled it with crass, childish forms of humour. While her father, although caring, was slightly too nonchalant about the fact his daughter admitted to committing crimes and losing her job.
Independence and avoiding adulthood kick off the episode, yet as we journey further into the seriously messed up life of Sophia, she has her moments of realisation where she notices how dire her situation is, so she tries to improve it and it finally reaches a full circle with the last sentence of the episode.
It’s no easy feat to introduce a character that has very few good qualities about her, yet Girlboss attempts to do so. I’m not sure if I’ll continue to watch the show based on what I have watched so far, but I imagine there are people out there who thoroughly enjoy this due to how much it panders to a specific audience, one that I don’t feel I personally fit into even if I share some of the details such as age range with the main demographic it is aimed at.
This is one Netflix series that I don’t think I’ll be recommending to anyone anytime soon.
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