BY: DANIELLE GERMAIN
Issa Rae and Yvonne Orji share the spotlight in HBO's new series, Insecure. The show focuses on two best friends, as they navigate their way through life's endless moments of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Insecure does an incredible job of looking at the friendship between these two black women in an authentic and unconventional way. Through comedy, the show brings up various social and racial issues that black people often encounter. Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, the comedy series was originally based off of Rae's widely popular web show, "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl."
This season focused on the career and relationship experiences that both Issa and Molly face. Issa works for We Got Y'all, a non-profit organization that focuses on helping middle-school students of color in the Los Angeles area. While dealing with her co-workers and a boss who thinks she's the "spokesperson for all black people", Issa is also working on a five- year relationship with her boyfriend, Lawrence. To make things more complicated, she's also dealing with her "What if Guy/Ex- Boyfriend", Daniel. Issa also writes raps that not only relate to the things she's going through, but also get her in a bit of trouble throughout the season.
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Molly, on the other hand, is a corporate attorney, who has a success career but a not-so successful history with dating men. Signed up on every dating website she can find, Molly is looking for love and she just can't seem to get it right. In the first episode, she powerfully comments on dating the black community in this modern age.
"It's, like, it doesn't matter what I do, Issa. If I'm into them, then I'm too smothering. If I take my time or try to give them space, "Oh, I didn't think you were into me." Fine. Sex right away. Lose interest. Wait to have sex. Lose interest. If I don't have sex at all motherf**ker, no! I'm a grown-a** woman. I did not sign up for that bulls***," Molly says, venting to Issa after yet another bad date. Issa then sparks a whirlwind of problems when she simply suggests to Molly that maybe her "Pu**y is Broken." This eight episode season takes us through many awkward circumstances, but it never fails to keep the audience on its feet. Laughing through life's trials and tribulations, both women are trying to deal with the complexities that come along with black womanhood in America.
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At HBO's 2016 Television Critics Association session, Issa Rae spoke about the show saying the following: "We're just trying to convey that people of color are relatable. This is not a hood story. This is about regular people living life."
I strongly suggest if you haven't started watching Insecure, you should really get on this new wave. Even though Season 1 is over, HBO has already renewed them for a second season. Issa Rae tweeted about her excitement and eagerness to get back to work as soon as the news broke.
Excited AF.#InsecureHBO, from creator @IssaRae, will return to @HBO for a second season. pic.twitter.com/kbcHAFOYzk
— INSECUREHBO (@insecurehbo) November 14, 2016
The show will return in 2017 for a ten-episode run.
"Alls my life I has to fight, ni**a. Alls my life I...hard times like God, bad trips like: "God!" Nazareth, I'm f**ked up; homie you f**ked up. But if God got us we then gon' be alright."
The first episode of the series opens up with this verse from "Alright" by Kendrick Lamar. All I kept thinking about when I heard these lyrics was that just like Issa and Molly, I too will be "alright." Being a black woman, is exhausting. Constantly trying to keep your head up, every time life hits you, is not an easy task. But Insecure is in the process of building black women back up. It's telling us that we're not alone, and that there are so many of us going through similar struggles. If we don't keep fighting for what matter to us, who will?
Insecure, you have given me many things. You've given me Issa and Molly, characters that I can not only relate too, but can also learn from. You've given me hope in "black love." Black love is complicated and difficult, but it's so beautiful. And you've taught me not to give up in finding that for myself. Most importantly, you've made me embrace my real life flaws. Life, is unpredictable. There are things that are out of my control, but you've helped me realize that life is not about what happens to you, but how you respond to it. I'm not going to get everything perfect, but it's in those moments, I find strength, confidence and security.
Insecure, you've made me proud to stand up and call myself an "Insecure" black women, and I'll never be able to thank you enough for that.
Cover: InsideSpelman via Flickr Creative Commons
