Oh, boy, more pretentious literary adventures in Iowa! Who's up for it?

The previously on is all about how much Hannah hates Iowa and doesn't want to learn anything, and also Elijah's mooching.

As it turns out, she's enjoying Iowa a little better now, mostly due to copious amounts of free time. Also, Elijah is still inexplicably living there. She FaceTimes Jessa, who is still perpetually bored with everything around her. She's still in AA and has been talking with Adam, unlike Hannah. Gratuitous shots of Jessa's bum appear.

Aaand we are finally back in New York. Marnie whines about Desi to Ray, who gives her a harsh dose of reality. See, she's under the impression she's not a real mistress, which she totally is, and has a boatload of excuses to deal with it. Using some very mixed metaphors, Ray attempts to get the message across, but Marnie is not having it. She instead goes back to the time she and Ray supposedly slept together (wait, I've totally forgotten this) and how they betrayed Shoshana. She then pounces on him and they indulge in sweet fellowship.

Shoshana has an interview with a jewellery company, which seems to go pretty well. In fact, Shosh seems to be getting a bit over-familiar, but she is all but promised the job anyway. Unfortunately, the dumbfuck blows it by telling her prospective boss that it was just a "trial interview" to brush up on her skills, and she's actually above this company. Okay, seriously, who the FUCK does that? Is she really so fucking privileged that she would turn down a good job in a place that sounds really cool? I'm calling bullshit, Lena, serious bullshit.

Marnie and Desi demo their terrible music to some execs. Inexplicably, they seem to love it. It looks like they'll actually get a record deal and everything. They're also captivated by the singers' supposed love story, and quickly lose interest once Desi mentions his girlfriend. Marnie makes it worse by being her usual foot-in-mouth self.

We finally catch up with Adam, at an AA meeting with Jessa. They're totally going to hook up, right? For a while, they discuss Hannah's lack of boundaries and pedantic conversation style, at least until Jessa gets hit on by some creeper. Adam's still a bit hung up on his girlfriend, which Jessa has no patience for.

Desi and Marnie argue about the botched meeting. It's boring and full of psychobabble. She does get up the nerve to tell him to shit or get off the pot, relationship-wise, so go Marnie. Desi attempts to weasel his way out of it with excuses. Looks like this may be history, assuming Marnie has any sense.

Adam and Jessa continue to get friendly, this time talking about birthdays. Apparently, Adam is too pretentious to have one. Jessa's is coming up and they decide to have fun. Also, Adam has a thing going on with some lady. Jessa decides to pee in the street, because

and has the bad luck to do so while a cop is driving by. Jessa attempts to protest the city's lack of toilet facilities, but is given a $50 fine anyway, which is fair if you ask me. Of course, she does not realize her good fortune, but instead rips it up and tries to walk away, whereupon the cops arrest her whiny ass. Adam thinks they're hurting her and tries to get them to back off. He is also arrested. Frankly, they're both lucky they didn't get beaten up. Is this Dunham's witty commentary on the events of the past year? If so, spare me.

Hannah triple-locks her bike and goes to a poetry party with Elijah. She's starting to feel sick and disillusioned with the writer's life. She doesn't like the other people in the program and wants to be alone. Meanwhile, Elijah is in his element. He assures her that life isn't perfect and her concerns are normal.

Ray gets a dramatic phone call, but we don't know what it's about. Hannah hangs out with all her snobby classmates and realizes she doesn't fit in. She does get in a couple of good zingers, but takes it way too far as usual. Way too far. Everyone sits in awkward silence. Ray turns out to have been summoned to collect Jessa and Adam (and pay $3000 in bail) from the police station. He gives it to them with both barrels, dubbing them "barbarians". That $50 fine is looking better and better, hey?

Also, Adam tells her to grow up and friend-dumps her. He also trashes her whole character while he's at it. (He doesn't take responsibility for his own dumbfuckery in this matter, though.) She begs him to be her friend.

Hannah's eternal bad luck results in yet another bike theft. She hitches a rather more stylish ride home - in a Mennonite buggy.

I must say, the Iowa plot is wearing a bit, but it looks like Hannah's cooked her goose there, so we'll see. Desi and Marnie are a hilariously awful train wreck, Jessa is even worse, and Adam is still a very twisted champion of the world. Even good old Shosh appears to be turning into a bit of a brat. Not my Shosh - say it ain't so. At the moment, the show kind of feels like it's treading water, especially with its lead halfway across the country. Will our girls be back together anytime soon? Find out as we continue with this season (already a quarter finished!).

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