DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A THINKPIECE!
The fifth episode of Insecure's second season aired Sunday and, like every episode this season, it's left many viewers scratching their heads. The most common gripe is that it isn't the same show that piqued interests last fall. This is not a totally unfair assessment. However, I'm realizing that we may have its theme muddled in the first place.
Season 1 of Insecure played out like a show about a couple of late-20-somethings working through life together, with auxiliary characters and storylines for fluff. Yes, Molly has been a very important character since the premiere, but it never really felt like any of this was about her. She is a close friend of Issa so it just makes sense to see her personal life, too. While this may be true for the other two ladies in their friend group, it's not exactly accurate when discussing Molly.
By this time last season Issa had already ruined her relationship with Lawrence, she just hadn't told him yet. She'd been struggling with the thoughts of their future, both together and separate, and ended up on a quest to feel better about her own choices/mistakes by the start of season 2. Lawrence began a very similar quest by the season 1 finale. If you think about it, Molly has been the most inhibited, uncertain character on the show up to this point (minus the end of "Hella Shook"). Her journey started immediately.
So, the show is about Molly? No. Well, mostly no. It's not truly about any character, specifically. It's about that feeling that causes these individuals to do the things they do. It's why Issa felt she needed to #ReclaimHerTime, and why Lawrence really decided to get with Tasha in the first place. It's why Molly thought celibacy was her best option and why Tiffany refuses to talk about whatever past drama she had with Derek. It's why Kelli will bang any legal, breathing man. They are all anxious, fearful, or unsure. Everyone you see on the show is insecure about something.
There's a high volume of copulation in this season, although some is unfulfilling, and a large part of that is because our main characters (Issa and Lawrence) aren't as comfortable as they once were. Issa doesn't seem capable of being alone. She got scared and acted too rashly, and now she's painted herself into a 'whore-ner'. Lawrence, it appears, is the most confused person on the show. He misses Issa but his damn masculinity won't really let him discuss it or let it go. He's even started doing some Facebook reconnaissance, albeit long after Issa did hers.
Insecure is most definitely different from the show we all watched last year. If it was the same, that would make for some shoddy television. With this season more than halfway over, I'm very curious about where they will take the story for the final few episodes. There's been a virtual dissolution of "teams" among characters because, honestly, they're all messed up right now. We have a cast of characters still trying to successfully navigate an adult life, like most of us who watch, so their individual trial and error is meaningful.
Season 1 of Insecure played out like a show about a couple of late-20-somethings working through life together, with auxiliary characters and storylines for fluff. Yes, Molly has been a very important character since the premiere, but it never really felt like any of this was about her. She is a close friend of Issa so it just makes sense to see her personal life, too. While this may be true for the other two ladies in their friend group, it's not exactly accurate when discussing Molly.
By this time last season Issa had already ruined her relationship with Lawrence, she just hadn't told him yet. She'd been struggling with the thoughts of their future, both together and separate, and ended up on a quest to feel better about her own choices/mistakes by the start of season 2. Lawrence began a very similar quest by the season 1 finale. If you think about it, Molly has been the most inhibited, uncertain character on the show up to this point (minus the end of "Hella Shook"). Her journey started immediately.
So, the show is about Molly? No. Well, mostly no. It's not truly about any character, specifically. It's about that feeling that causes these individuals to do the things they do. It's why Issa felt she needed to #ReclaimHerTime, and why Lawrence really decided to get with Tasha in the first place. It's why Molly thought celibacy was her best option and why Tiffany refuses to talk about whatever past drama she had with Derek. It's why Kelli will bang any legal, breathing man. They are all anxious, fearful, or unsure. Everyone you see on the show is insecure about something.
There's a high volume of copulation in this season, although some is unfulfilling, and a large part of that is because our main characters (Issa and Lawrence) aren't as comfortable as they once were. Issa doesn't seem capable of being alone. She got scared and acted too rashly, and now she's painted herself into a 'whore-ner'. Lawrence, it appears, is the most confused person on the show. He misses Issa but his damn masculinity won't really let him discuss it or let it go. He's even started doing some Facebook reconnaissance, albeit long after Issa did hers.
Insecure is most definitely different from the show we all watched last year. If it was the same, that would make for some shoddy television. With this season more than halfway over, I'm very curious about where they will take the story for the final few episodes. There's been a virtual dissolution of "teams" among characters because, honestly, they're all messed up right now. We have a cast of characters still trying to successfully navigate an adult life, like most of us who watch, so their individual trial and error is meaningful.