Characters are unlikeable because writer is unlikeable

The show is a disgusting mess, and Dunham isn't nearly as clever and relatable as she thinks she is. And, of course, like always, these comments will be hated saying that "we don't understand the show" and "if we don't like it, don't watch," blah, blah... Bottom line is that the show essentially sets women back a few notches. These are spoiled, entitled brats. While I have quit watching the show, I cannot wait for it to be canceled, so that it is no longer a news-piece.

She thinks narcissism, entitlement are funny because it's how she is.

If their weren't a thousand think pieces about the show and Lena wasn't a hated celeb personality no one would be criticizing the show for unlikeable charecters. The charecters from Seinfeld,How I Met Your Mother,It's Always Sunny etc are all total ahole's you would never want as your own friends but no one criticizes those shows even 1/10th as much as people critcize this.

I agree LD has a lot of issues and doesn't seem like a very empathetic person. She obviously considers herself a feminist but she doesn't represent any brand of feminism that I want to be a part of. Having said that, I think it's a bit out of line to accuse a complete stranger of having a mental illness. I think we should criticize her work and views, but not resort to personal attacks. All the people saying she's hideously ugly, that she looks like she smells, that she has "mental problems" etc really need to take a look at themselves before criticizing her IMO.

Here's the thing, she clearly has social anxiety, because she has verbal diarrhea and just spews out whatever she thinks is funny or whatever she can think of to fill empty spaces and it gets her into trouble. A lot. And then when she gets nervous and overshares personal stuff in inappropriate venues.

Remember when she randomly told the world she had reproductive problems and was a sexual assault survivor onstage at the DNC while standing next to the impressive America Ferrara who was speaking about relevant topics like immigration and the American Dream? Like, those would have been fine topics to discuss if they were actually discussing those issues, but they weren't? She just felt like getting some attention, wanted to slip it in there for no apparent reason.

Obviously, she's not exactly like Hannah, but it's disingenuous for people to claim she's nothing like Hannah. Her sense of humor and voice comes through in the character. And Hannah does this exact same thing!

And let me tell you, that 'apology' Lena gave that man after tweeting that he wouldn't talk to her at the Met ball (bc she assumed he thought she was fat and ugly) gave me so much second hand embarrassment that it was almost WORSE than her unintentionally racist, objectifying tweeting to begin with. An apology stops being about the other person after the first two sentences, and once she started to go into her whole childhood struggle with her self-esteem and then began talking about the 'white gaze' entitlement to 'black male bodies' I felt like sweeping her off the stage like at the Apollo.

THIS is why people can't stand Hannah or Lena. She makes things about herself that should be about other people. Remember when Hannah's editor died and she spend the whole time thinking of herself instead of mourning him?

THIS!

I don't pay much attention at all to Lena Dunham, but based on what I get wind of from time to time I don't care for her public persona (I have no idea about what kind of person she is in her personal life). I certainly don't hate her though, and I continue to like the show. In any case, here's no show that is universally loved/liked, so that some people hate it doesn't mean much to me.

As for unlikability, I like compelling characters. Likability for me has nothing to do with whether or not I would a character personable in real life. I didn't care much for Hannah in the last season, since although she has never been mature, she was just too childish this time around.