The #LawrenceHive got to sing praises and rejoice when Lawrence popped up on Issa at the convenient store in Episode 5. Now his storyline is back and in full swing (both literally and figuratively) on Insecure. We also get to see a bit more about the (d)evolving relationships of the Fearsome Foursome. Let’s roll into this weekly discussion with Jouelzy and Panama on season 3 of Insecure and one of the most enjoyable episodes of this season.
Jouelzy: We are two for two with the hilarious episodes, so much so that I’m sad there are only two episodes left. We are just getting into our groove. Dropping Daniel and the Nordic flute was really the change we needed.
Panama: Here’s how bad we needed that change. Daniel JUST disappeared and I already forgot about him. Daniel is literally the epitome of grand opening/grand closing. I’ll check out his SoundCloud page, though. One can never have enough jazz flute in one’s life.
Jouelzy: Everyone had something to say about Lawrence being back, myself included. But do you know who I am most happy to see? Chad is back!! Chad is the bestest, funniest, conniving-ist, slithering lightskin house cat of a negro I done ever encountered. I enjoy him as the shitty friend to poor Lawrence. I even feel some sympathy for him after his fiancé dropped him—at what appears to be the altar—after he titty fucked some strippers at his bachelor party. The cackle I just let out! There’s a tinge of sympathy laced into my laughter. Welcome back, Chad, welcome back.
Panama: I don’t even know what else to say other than if Chad and Kelli got a spinoff show called With the Shits, it might literally be the funniest black show of all time. It would basically be the equivalent of Kevin Hart and Regina King in About Last Night.
Jouelzy: Two seconds into this episode and we’re getting a great view of Lawrence bending over, spreading legs and blowing out backs, while getting all the sex scenes they ain’t giving to Kelli. I will get off the “give Kelli a sex scene” horse eventually, since there’s a good chance the actress Natasha Rothwell, who plays Kelli, doesn’t want to do the full-monty sex scenes that HBO requires. But at least we know she’s bumping pelvic bones with the black guy from Coachella...a lot! get it sis!
But the writers’ room definitely pays attention to the social media conversation around the show. They took that “Where are the condoms?!” discussion and put it on its nose with Lawrence making good use of that sentimental couch he bought with Issa and ending up with chlamydia. Y’all got your PSA now!
Panama: Long live Lawrence, though. That man was out here living his best life, sticking and moving all over LA. And he paid for it, giving new meaning to Usher’s “Let It Burn.” Lawrence on the phone calling everybody to tell them he has “the clam” (I’ve never heard anybody actually say this, but according to STDCheck.com, this is a nickname for chlamydia) actually started a debate amongst my friends in real time about whether or not you should make that call or not. I suppose we should call that growth and accountability, though clearly Lawrence is padding his stats since he’s calling chicks he didn’t even sleep with.
Jouelzy: Issa really popped some molly, got an idea and is now running with doing a block party in her hood. Hey, everyone’s road to growth is different. This is Issa’s growth.
Panama: Issa loves her a good bad idea, but motivation comes in many forms. I applaud her get up and go. I give her 4 stars for effort.
Jouelzy: We know very little about Nathan and they’ve already progressed to the “this is really real” stage of dating. Nathan’s her man and all he had to do was stare dreamily into Issa’s eyes.
Panama: I really can’t think of a better place to say this so I might as well say it here. Never trust a lightskinned barber with a bad haircut. So far this man fought in her car, had her breaking and entering, had her missing work, fucking in a Ferris wheel, and trying to ascertain what really real is. Issa! You in danger, girl!
Jouelzy: Did Nathan officially ghost Issa? If she was calling him and the phone ringed once before going to voicemail, but Lyft was able to get in touch with him? Well. Oh girl, I hope Issa don’t mope around for too long with hurt feelings. Who am I playing, I know those fell-into-my-lap-situation-ships be deadly and I have shed a few thug tears over their ultimate demise, because hope is a powerful drug, even when it’s built off nothing.
Panama: What the fuck Nathan is doing will keep us talking until next week. Meanwhile, here’s my theory: Nathan ain’t shit and ain’t gon’ be shit and if dudes are out here doing this regularly, then I totally understand why women be ready to stab everybody. I so hope he legit wasn’t trying to bae her up to get a good word in for the legalities of that Lyft case.
He seems a bit out of sorts anyway so maybe he read an article about ghosting—they’re literally all over your Facebook feed—and is trying to decide if that’s what he’s doing. Except he’s doing it and doing it and doing it well. He seemed so genuine though. I guess. I don’t know. I’m a dude and I hope this ain’t the norm. All I know is that nigga’s haircut was trash and he’s a barber.
Jouelzy: Everything about the baby shower was so perfectly Tiffany and delightfully funny. I really want to applaud how they were able to weave everyone’s story line into this party and it still be the quintessential bourgie self-adsorbed event Tiffany deserves.
Tiffany and those Photoshopped celebrity inspired pictures tho...wow.
Panama: Listen, the pictures, the pictures, the pictures. I aspire to that level of self-indulgence. Her confidence is what dreams are made of and her ridiculousness is the thing that keeps unicorns running through Atlanta. I am in awe. I can’t even slow clap that one, I just clap with my whole heart. Bravo, Tiffany for being that far gone. Tiffany kind of redeemed herself to me since I pretty regularly disenjoyed that character. And no, disenjoyed is not a word.
Jouelzy: Issa advocating for Molly to give this Asian guy a chance is such trolling on Issa Rae’s part! She’s finna have the whole ankh-right crowd in a tizzy again, and I’m sure Issa will enjoy every moment of it. But by all means, Molly needs to move on officially, officially from Dro, who showed his whole ass at the baby shower. Juxtaposed to how Issa and Lawrence were able to calmly converse, Dro is clearly hurt and can’t even keep it cute with a “Hello, I’m good, enjoy love.” Dude has a whole baby on the way and is still pressed.
Panama: She put him out. It was probably cold outside or even raining. Can you imagine how mad you must be to get put outside when it’s raining? In southern California? It’s not supposed to rain there and here goes getting put out. Maybe in the rain. Shit’s deep, homie.
Jouelzy: Kelli with the Gladys Knight lightskin cupcakes with the sprinkling of chocolate chips to remind her friend that she’s “still a nigga.” The audacity of Tiffany’s light, bright backup friends to not midnight train them cupcakes over to the main display table. What kind of friend is Tiffany to Kelli, when the moments she has to defend Kelli and their friendship, she just gives her a sullen look? You can’t even respond to how you left Kelli out of the baby shower planning after she asked/offered to be there for you?
Panama: Not to defend Tiffany too hard here, but things definitely change. Friendships change, the people around you change. Be that as it may, while much of the changes happen organically, efforts can be made. Tiffany definitely views Kelli (and Molly and Issa) as being “different” now, and too different to fully grasp what her life is like now. It almost seems like she’s keeping them around for old time’s sake.
Jouelzy: I’ve definitely been Kelli, where a friend has me in one circle and another subset of friends more for “appearances.” We’ve all been there when we’re transitioning through tax brackets at a different pace then our friends. It’s not out of the norm for us to have different levels of friendships that fulfill different roles. But with a character like Tiffany, who is very much so about appearances, her inability to at least merge her friends around this pivotal point in her life, is unfortunate. I take back all the sympathy I had for her moping in the car with Issa about them leaving her behind. No, she’s the one leaving her friends behind.
Panama: You know what, you’re right. Tiffany is a bad friend right now. That’s OK though, Kelli, girl...I’ll be your homie. I’LL REMEMBER YOU DIFFERENT!