'Girls' Season 5 News, Spoilers: Kitty Genovese Episode Airs Days After Killer Dies in Prison
Sunday's episode of "Girls," which was titled "Hello Kitty" after murder victim Kitty Genovese, aired just days after Genovese's killer, Winston Moseley, died in prison at the age of 81.
Genovese, who was 28 at the time of her murder, was stalked, raped, and killed by Moseley on March 13, 1964 at her Kew Gardens apartment in Queens, New York. Moseley, who had been in prison for 52 years, died at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, on March 28. He was one of the state's longest-serving inmates.
The Kitty Genovese murder received widespread media attention for the apparent lack of concern from Genovese's neighbors, who failed to come to her aid during the attack by Moseley. The incident prompted many to study what came to be known as the bystander effect or the "Genovese syndrome."
"This is one of the weirdest coincidences the universe has yet so serve up in my short time here on earth," "Girls" star and creator Lena Dunham wrote in an Instagram post on Monday, April 4. "Last night's @girlshbo is about the Kitty Genovese murder. Today we learn her killer has died #spookytiming #RIPkitty" she added.
On Sunday, the actress posted about the upcoming "Girls" episode, letting fans and Instagram followers know that "Hello Kitty" "involves an exploration of the Kitty Genovese murder of 1964—one of New York City's most notorious crimes which led psychologists to coin the term 'bystander effect.'"
"We honor Kitty, a tough gay girl making her way in the city, a woman ahead of her time #RIPKitty," Dunham wrote.
Meanwhile, in a preview for next Sunday's episode, titled "Homeward Bound," Hannah (Dunham) goes on a road trip with Fran (Jake Lacy) that gets cut short, Marnie (Allison Williams) and Desi (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) come across obstacles while navigating their professional relationship, Shosh (Zosia Mamet) receives a wake-up call, and Adam (Adam Driver) and Jessa (Jemima Kirke) fight about Hannah while babysitting.
"Girls" airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.