These three things stood out to me the most.
1. Nothing is difficult when I make stories.
Most writers see things as individual elements of a story they work on with specific hardships and effort to use. Many can tell you where they struggled, where they had blocks, and why certain things didn't feel right. They can also tell you when things worked out well, and how much of a "flow" they got into for making a scene, writing or otherwise.
This tells me he's hiding or giving a nonsense answer, or he's actually not trying. Playing it safe, even. I get that you need to cut the fat, that's part of editing. But making scenes? This should have a series of answers of good/bad, easy/hard, fun/painful to go through. Either he didn't do it, or he's hiding something.
2. Only Main Girls are relevant to the main plot.
Tell me how Maya or Josy are relevant to the Main plot. Or Bella. Or Jill.
- Maya had her time, but then what? (She might blow open the prostitute ring?)
- Jill had her arc, but then what? (Unless it's later connected to drugs/Quinn?)
- Bella? She just resolves whatever crap the MC was in that episode.
- But...Josy? The hell? She's worthless. Take her out and the main plot/conflict goes by just fine.
Sage at least is related to the Burke's and HOTs, that I can see being
relevant. But how the heck are those other 4 related as MGs? What pivotal scene did Josy do? Or Maya? Bella? Jill?
Wait, what pivotal scene was Sage in? Again, a few had their stories in certain episodes...but how are they Main Girls?
And then there's Zoey. Who isn't a main girl? But can come in and ruin all the relationships? So she's not a Main Girl? What is she then, just a technical experiment made into a character?
What is the main story/Main Girl role exactly?
3. DPC doesn't do lazy writing.
Josy's main dialogue wah moment from Episode 11 with Maya:
"I don't know who I am anymore. I feel like I'm following the stream. Just tagging along. I don't know if the things I do are for me or someone else. Like college, I used to think I wanted it. But am I here for me, or am I doing it to make Dad proud? Do I want this? What am I even good at? I feel like I'm mediocre at everything. If someone asked me what my skills are, I wouldn't know what to say."
The only indication she felt this way was asking Heather about being lost in a previous scene, in Episode 11. It comes out of nowhere. Previously likes economics and is taking more courses in it. She's the most thoughtful, honest, and confident girl of the MG's. She's gaga for MC, even when not on her path.
This is lazy writing. DPC may think it's not, but he seriously needs an editor (OR 5) to give him a second opinion.
There are plenty other dangling threads (Mona, restaurant/prostitution ring/Cathy relapse, etc.) but to say he isn't lazy is either a lie, he's ignorant, or has no idea how to write a beginning-to-ending plot. All of these threads could have been addressed throughout the series, at least lampshaded, alluded do, maybe even addressed and developed. But you just don't introduce elements and then forget about them
for years and then proclaim "I don't do lazy writing".