Well, friends, the highly-anticipated final season of Insecure premiered and while we’re all sad to see the critically acclaimed masterpiece go, we’re equally as eager to see what Issa Rae and team have cooked up for their final season. Here’s a recap of the season opener.
The opening episode can be summed up simply with one word: friendship. Last season we experienced a series of highs and lows, with much of it being around Molly and Issa’s friendship. And while we aren’t instantly welcomed with a resolution, we are greeted with a car ride from Tiffany and her boo Derek, and Kelli. They’re all en route to Stanford for their 10-year reunion. They let us know all we need to know… our two girls haven’t made up in the two months that have passed. And that’s to be expected. This show has lived in real-time when it comes to such issues as navigating friendships, so I was totally prepared for us to enter the episode addressing the cliffhanger we were left on.
Throughout much of the episode, the crew walks through Stanford’s campus, reliving college memories, and ultimately coming across an old friend, Cheyenne, played by The Oval’s Taja V. Simpson. And y’all, let me tell you this; sis is a good time until she ain’t. Knees like Megan, and an energy that let’s you know this gang of friends turned out any party they entered in undergrad, buttttt we can see exactly why this is the kind of friend you leave in college. While the ladies relieved the moments of their failed rap girl group, shit hits the fan when the girls decide to go to a reggae party off-campus and invite Cheyenne. New-old homegirl flips the script, setting Molly and Issa up to be robbed outside the liquor store. And that’s the true gag. She waited until they got all the necessities, then made sure to get things going. Damn, damn, damn!
And despite the pure terror we’d all experience when being robbed, the comedic undertone shined during this high-stakes scene. It’s clear that up until this point, Molly and Issa were skating on egg-shells in their friendship, not really sure how to get that “old thang back,” and yet, it was this weird ass experience that would be the bridge that brought them closer to their normal. The two ladies make their way back to the car, Molly shoeless, Issa still awkwardly serious as ever, and break the news to Kelli and Tiffany. And any tension that may have been a thing through the episode, seemingly went away, even if for a moment. These four ladies and the five years we’ve spent with them, paid off in this scene. From them laughing to talking shit, we’re instantly reminded about what’s most important: friendship.
The one thing we really don’t get into until the last few minutes of the episode is the status of Issa and Lawrence. And while we knew they were still together as a result of little bread crumbs throughout the episode, it was Lawrence picking Issa up from the airpot that let all of us know… something was up. And let’s just take a moment to celebrate the depth of both of these characters. We didn’t have much of them together in this episode, but the moments they were on our screen… sheesh! Feelings were high and these two put on their acting boots. While at Stanford, Issa had a hell of a time sharing her journey to being an entrepreneur on a panel. Fumbling over words, with pauses of revelations, Issa began to have bouts of clarity that would only make sense when she was with Lawrence. And while they don’t say anything specific, they ride the silence of their watery eyes, combined with what we know, Lawrence has a baby on the way, and Issa has accepted that she does not want to be a part of this next phase of his life. *insert sad face*
And that’s where we are. Set up for a season with all of these ladies and gents prepared to move forward. For Issa, life as a business owner and single. For Molly, life living in the moment. For Kelli, life as a woman with some serious questions (shout out to the Prenny Preguntas podcast; ICONIC). For Tiffany, life as a mom balancing friendships. And Lawrence, life as a dad. Whatever happens, I’m ready for the ride. As a person who is in a relatively similar place age-wise and career-wise as most of these folks, it’ll always be a beautiful experience to see young Black folks thriving and shining and having a little fun along the way.
Here’s the wine down for the week with the original 3: Showrunner Prentice Penny, Director and EP Melina Matsoukas, and Creator, EP, and star Issa Rae:
