We are down to the wire of Insecure’s Season 3 and these 30-minute episodes are more precious then ever with the season finale upon us next week. Will Lawrence and Issa reconvene? Will Issa find out what happens with Nathan? Is Molly going to find love in a hopeless place? All these questions and more are left to be answered. So let’s get into this week’s group chat discussion with Jouelzy and Panama Jackson.
Jouelzy: After last week’s high hilarity, we pivot towards exactly where I was hoping we would not: Issa being super duper pressed after Nathan ghosted her. Insecure really sheds light on how judgmental we all are, because as much as I wanted to be like “what in the BLUE FUCK is wrong with you, Issa?!?” I also have to double back and acknowledge I have been there. Not “all the way snooping in his bedroom” there, but “checking the phone, doubting myself” there. This might be the most second-hand harassment I have ever experienced in one 30-minute TV show. I was hurt for Issa.
Panama: I watched this episode with my fiancé and her homegirl and they were high-key stressed watching this episode. There were constant utterings of “Issa ... nooooo ....” Meanwhile, I just munched on some popcorn. She really does nail that awkwardness though. Somebody get Issa another award.
Jouelzy: Now Sister Issa, we are definitely too grown in the age of HomeGoods, Marshalls, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and your wealthy and established friends to be rocking with a cardboard box as our nightstand.
Panama: I try not to judge too harshly what other folks are going through. Plus, anytime I see her struggling with the simple things in life, I just think back to her credit score—which can’t have risen by this point—and realize she’s come along way from ridin’ couches, listening to her kinda-boo bang out another chick’s back. She has a makeshift nightstand in her own space. Issa is winning.
Jouelzy: “I’m not pressed, I’m not pressed ... [singing] I’m not pressed.” That was triggering, especially when Issa cycled through how little Nathan had done for her but how open she was. As a person who is working towards being comfortable with their emotional vulnerability, because I hate it, Issa was a lot of me as she processed the ghosting because it is embarrassing even if it shouldn’t be. Damn, even down to the burner Instagram account I share with my homegirls.
That account been deleted, but I’ve definitely been there ... moreso to follow private accounts than DMing negroes eggplant emojis, though.
Panama: You know, I wanted to say that was something women would do (the burner IG account) but Kevin Durant was out here fighting battles defending himself with a burner account. And apparently politicians create burner accounts, too. Turns out, I’m the late one there. I only had one random Twitter account ever in life, named “Deep Nigga” where I was going to post deep musings. That lasted all of 13 seconds.
I will say this: What she did illustrate is just how many mental gymnastics you can go through because folks just won’t be straight with you. That’s supremely frustrating and I’ve been there. I’ve long been one of those folks who claims that “closure” is overrated, but the truth is, as humans, we just want to know what happened. WHAT HAPPENED, NATHAN!!!
Jouelzy: I am still all the way over Lawrence, but if Lawrence being back means more of Chad, I will deal. Brother Lawrence got burned with the most common STD and thought it was time to be saved by the blood of Jesus. Chad hopping along to church for “bitches,” guaranteed it would be a worthwhile scene.
Panama: Listen, for all the annoyance that is Issa and Molly, the peripheral characters more than make up for it. Chad’s rapid-fire cadence and straight-no-chaser attitude are everything. Ain’t nothing deep for that man, it is what it is. He’ll go to church, but for the bitches, but you know what ... it gets him there. Chad makes me happy. Can you imagine Chad and Kelli with a podcast? It would be nonstop shenanigans and we’d all be better for it.
Jouelzy: They really had ... wait, I don’t know if I want to reference him being Bubba in Forest Gump or Drunk Troy in Waiting to Exhale, but that dude as the pastor! I’ma go with Drunk Troy because quoting “you ole’ raggedy bitch” seems so appropriate for that lackluster sermon he delivered on Insecure. That was the quintessential “throw in an antiquated big word and a few pop culture references without saying anything” sermon that you can find in any given church today.
Chad is so shallow, it makes sense he was moved by that surface sermon to join the church.
Panama: Mykelti Williamson. HIS NAME IS HIS NAME! As a sidebar, one thing that I always struggle with on shows where they bring in church is that they almost never have folks deliver good sermons. For instance, I love Greenleaf, but everybody on there who gets to preach on the show sucks. I think that’s why we almost never hear Grace preach. She’s supposed to be the prodigal daughter, so to speak, as her preaching is supposed to be life-changing, but we all know she’s gonna be trash. Back to Insecure, it was a trash sermon and Chad joining made SOOOOOOO much sense to me. That man gets saved and all the women his heart desires? Church was made for Chad. Also, that church sucked.
Jouelzy: Molly on a date with Asian Andrew. “You got baby hairs, nothing thug about you,” took me out. Andrew is grown and comfortable with himself, and Molly is too damn sensitive throwing shots that she can’t take herself.
Panama: I like Asian Andrew. He’s definitely playing up the swagu, like he has nothing to lose. I respect it.
Jouelzy: Molly is also a better friend than I ever ever ever would be letting pressed and feigning Issa convince her into one of the most immature plots to pop up on Nathan ever. Driving to, I am assuming, SOUTH Los Angeles to Burbank with a box of desserts for Andrew. Traversing 20 miles north in LA traffic, so Issa can snoop through a grown man’s bedroom. Wow.
Panama: I hated them both with all the disdain 50 Cent had for Ja Rule in 2003. Also, if I’m Andrew ... I’m stopping all that shit. Naw bih, you cannot come in and use the bathroom. Why? Because your girl Molly-on-Molly was trippin’ last night actin’ a whole ass. Take your ass to In-N-Out.
Jouelzy: Andrew was taking no bullshit from Molly and pulled her card quickly. We know she’s hurt, but please, we need to see her back at the therapist. She needs to work through whatever is blocking her relationship blessings.
Panama: Andrew realized he didn’t want to deal with her shit, so he hit her with the realness. Kelli for president, Chad for press secretary and Andrew for chief of staff.
Jouelzy: At least Molly was able to pass on whatever sense Andrew pulling her card gave her to Issa. She was cracked out feigning over Nathan! Issa had to be pulled back from that ledge but I don’t know what to make of her and Lawrence having coffee. This is normal for long-term relationship ex’s to do? Do I trust Issa in this scenario? Hmmm ... probably not.
Panama: Y’know, to me they seem like they both still care and maybe Lawrence more than Issa. Or at least she’s trying to convince us that she’s over him. I do like how they fall into their norms quickly.
Let me say this though: We have one more episode left and I have no idea where this show is going. But this episode annoyed the ever-living shit out of me. This has been an odd season of television and the only thing I know is that the only characters I care about are not the reasons we all tune into the show weekly. I’m not sure what that means, but I hope next week is awesome.
‘Til then!