[yasr_overall_rating]
“Insecure” follows the awkward experiences and racy tribulations of a modern-day African-American woman.
I was suspicious that the new HBO show “Insecure,” created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, was going to be an aimless show in the same vein of Lena Dunham’s “Girls.” My feelings about “Girls,” are intertwined in this love and hate battle, wanting to champion it and its creator one minute and then die of embarrassment for reserving even a sliver of space in my heart for the show. With Issa Rae’s “Insecure,” I am confident to say there will never be such a battle, as aimless it is not, and funny as hell and real it is.
The show opens with Issa (Issa Rae) before a group of middle school kids in an “urban” school as a representative of the non-profit organization “We Got Y’all.” While expounding upon all the opportunities and activities the organization can provide, the kids are more or less interested in Issa herself, specifically why she talks like a white girl, does she want her hair like that, and whether or not she’s single. While she gets flack from the kids, Issa must also deal with being the token black employee at “We Got Y’all.” And apparently, when you’re the only black woman in the work place, you automatically become the sole collective representation of all black women, forced to take on all the asinine questions of those who are dopily unaware of their underlying racism. Issa takes it all in stride with heavy doses of get-me-through-this-bullshit humor.
It’s apparent that Issa is at a crossroads, she’s restless with her situation. She’s 29, been at the same job since graduating college, and had the same boyfriend, Lawrence (Jay Ellis) for most of her 20’s. Her friend Molly (Yvonne Orji) has a different set of problems. Molly is loved by everybody, white folks and black folks, she’s just got it like that. She’s a 3rd year law associate at a great firm and to the average onlooker would by all means be considered successful. But Molly has hit a plateau when it comes to love. She’s either too thirsty or not thirsty enough. She’s faced so much rejection that she can’t act normal in even the most normal of situations, but it’s not all her, the men out there are flat out trifling. They’re so trifling that Molly can’t recognize when she finally snags a good one.
When it comes right down to it, “Insecure” is about a ride or die friendship between Issa and Molly and how they’re navigating through their careers and relationships (or lack there of) while checking and calling each other on their bullshit. “Insecure” is grounded and relatable, while staying flush with humor, constantly giving side-eye commentary to “wider society.”
By the end of season one, Issa manages to finally flourish at her job by successfully pulling off a fund-raising event, which renews the faith of her boss who initially gathered Issa’s heart just wasn’t in “We Got Y’all” anymore. But in regards to longtime boyfriend Lawrence, Issa may have pulled the trigger a little hastily and has to deal with the blowback of uncertainty and heartbreak. And although her and Molly have had a few jabs at each other that left more than a sting, in the end, they know what’s real and got each other.
“Insecure” had me dying half the time. I can definitely relate to Issa and all her trials and tribulations. Aside from the dialogue being brilliant, the music and the locations are just as dope. Realness all around, and it’s much appreciated. I’m looking forward to catching season two this summer.
Now available on Blu-ray & DVD
