Watch Hard Times for an American Girl: The Great Depression

Possible description: Hard Times for an American Girl: The Great Depression is a historical drama miniseries from HBO that explores the impact of the notorious economic downturn of the 1930s on the lives of ordinary women in the United States. Set in various cities and towns across the country, the six-episode series follows the story of Emily, a young woman from a middle-class family who faces increasingly dire challenges as the Depression deepens and spreads. Through Emily's eyes, the series exposes the harsh realities of poverty, unemployment, displacement, discrimination, and resilience that shaped a generation and a nation.

The series begins in 1929, when Emily is a bright and optimistic college graduate with dreams of becoming a journalist. She lives with her parents and younger brother in a comfortable house in a New England town, where her father works as a banker and her mother as a homemaker. Emily's boyfriend Jack is a charming and ambitious salesman who wants to marry her and move to New York City. Emily and Jack share a sense of adventure and curiosity about the world, but also some differences in values and perspectives. Emily is more idealistic and curious about social justice and political change, while Jack is more pragmatic and focused on success and pleasure.

As the stock market crashes and the banks fail, Emily's family's fortunes decline rapidly. Her father loses his job and their savings, and her mother struggles to keep the household afloat. Emily tries to find a job as a reporter, but faces competition and rejection from male peers and bosses who doubt her abilities and dismiss her ideas. Jack's business also suffers, and he becomes more critical of Emily's progressive views and her reluctance to support him financially. Emily's brother, who has autism but is not diagnosed or understood, becomes more isolated and vulnerable as the family's stress and poverty increase.

The series then follows Emily's journey as she leaves home and tries to survive and make a difference in different contexts. She first goes to New York City to live with a friend from college and pursue journalism opportunities. She finds herself in a cramped and noisy apartment with several other women, all struggling to make ends meet and avoid harassment or abuse. Emily meets a group of activists who are part of the Communist Party and fight for workers' rights, racial equality, and gender justice. She is initially skeptical of their radical ideas but soon sees the value of their solidarity and courage. She also covers the stories of people who are homeless, hungry, sick or desperate, and learns about the flaws and limits of the government's response to the crisis.

The series then takes Emily to other regions and communities where the Depression has different effects and challenges. She travels to the Dust Bowl area in Oklahoma and meets a family of farmers who have lost their land and their health due to drought and dust storms. She witnesses the discrimination and violence against Mexican-American workers who are blamed for taking jobs from American citizens. She also visits a relief camp in California where homeless people are housed and fed by the government but are treated like prisoners and suffer from disease and violence. Emily meets a variety of characters who represent different social groups and ideologies, such as a black jazz musician, a white supremacist leader, a feminist artist, a wealthy philanthropist, a labor organizer, and a Hooverville mayor.

Throughout the series, Emily faces personal and ethical dilemmas as she tries to balance her own survival, her aspirations as a writer, and her commitment to social justice. She also grapples with her relationships with Jack, whose career and temperament change dramatically, and with her family, whose tragedies and secrets haunt her. The series blends fictional and historical elements to create a vivid and nuanced portrayal of a turbulent and transformative period in American history. The series also features a diverse cast of actors and creators, including an executive producer who is a descendant of a Depression-era family.