Issa Rae's "Insecure" HBO show

feels wrong to just keep posting about how good this is in the Larry Wilmore thread (he's a producer but whatever)

agreed 100%

some of the dialogue on this flies by so goddamn fast, I know I'm missing like 25% of the jokes/references

like Lawrence's buddy that he's staying with, just non-stop rapidfire

I enjoy this show, but I would like for Lawrence to not be in it anymore.

What is the point of Lawrence. The man has no characteristics.

he's "conflicted"!

loved Issa's Humpty Hump shirt ("Make America Gyrate Again")

I burst into applause at Tasha's speech telling Lawrence off in the most recent ep.

Also the episode before that used "You Better Tell Her" by Teedra Moses!

the only time i felt anything for Lawrence was when he asked if amplified music was allowed in the park. <3

Last ep was kinda dopey

should we read anything into the fact that "Lawrence" is often shortened to "Larry" and Larry Wilmore is the co-creator of the show?

love this show was wondering if anyone here watched it

idk Larry and Lawrence don't seem v similar to me

as characters/personalities

It's spelt Rae btw

My bad, can a mod fix plz?

this show is good

it's good but man Lawrence fucking sucks

Issa is a total class act

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIkWRup2MjM

issa has an amazing t shirt collection, always look forward to see what shirt is next

Haha yes

I've been a little unfair to Lawrence. He has shown some characteristics. But it's still not clear why anyone is drawn to him, other than that he's good-looking. Why did Issa like him? Why do his friends like him? He's not shown to be funny or interesting in any way. Maybe that's the point--if you're a tall, attractive man, you can get away with just being blandly nice on the surface even if you're also kind of an inconsiderate user. But that still wouldn't explain why his friends would ever want to hang out with him.

Lawrence reminds me of one of those serious partners people fall for, sometimes for the convenience of mutual attraction and then realize later that they won't change their demotivation until you leave them. It's kind of a trope, but it's definitely out there

I like how Issa's work subplot has played out so far. The real-talk between her and Lawrence outside the party was brutal, mostly because they were both right.

The way the whole uh blowjob thing played out was very o_O (no pun intended)

am I the only one who thought Issa was being unfair there? I mean, she had his dick in her mouth she was p much in control of the situation, and idg how his coming would um come as a surprise, he said he was going to

Seemed like an honest mistake + intense overreaction from her that was reinforced by Molly and later by his apology, really weird

i'm not sure how I feel about that scene. Earlier in the ep there was that conversation about only giving head if you felt intimately close to the person (correct me if I'm wrong on the detail there). It seems like when Issa did it she was breaking her own comfort zone, but maybe felt degraded in the end?

she's also still getting over Lawrence..anyways, not trying to pretend I understand her headspace here fwiw

am I the only one who thought Issa was being unfair there? I mean, she had his dick in her mouth she was p much in control of the situation, and idg how his coming would um come as a surprise, he said he was going to

― Οὖτις, Wednesday, September 6, 2017 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I think the unspoken/unfilmable on HBO thing here is that Daniel aimed at her face.

Because otherwise her reaction and his apology do not make much sense.

agree that's the implication, from the way it was shot it didn't really look like that but idk

xp

haha I'm glad y'all are talking about this because it totally messed me up too, I even started talking about it with my wife even though she doesn't watch the show.

i had no idea there was a thing among black women about white women giving a lot more oral sex.

hadn't seen episode 7 since i responded, so feeling kinda foolish atm

maybe she doesn't like getting jizz shot in her eye just a thought but you geniuses probably got it sussed out

Nobody likes that, it's more a question of assigning blame

I'm gonna...pull out of this...cuz I feel like one of you Jizzmaster Generals is p close posting some Momus ass shit

no way man, i side with how Issa feels on this

Ok whatever just thought it's been a weird plot point

Yeah on re-thinking this it's pretty clear that Daniel is 1) not behaving as though this was an accident (even the night of) and 2) consistently saying things which can be read as supporting Issa's assumption that it wasn't. Whether Issa overreacted initially to an "accident", Daniel does a pretty terrible job reading the situation/communicating her from the get go which escalates everything.

glad this show exists

will a mod ever fix the title to the correct "Rae"

So happy to hear Dawn Richards in the last EP

how was this season compared to the first? I found the work + friendship focus of the first couple of episodes way preferable to the relationship/partner focus of most of the rest

this seasons deeper, it's less focused on the relationship/partner, but more focused on trying to get on without a partner or the relief of a good friendship w/ Issa and Molly. Better season overall

maybe that's poorly articulated but i like to be spontaneous and this season has proved that friendship is important for better or worse

S3 ... not promising

S3 debut, I mean

i just got HBO and started watching this
i love it!

only through the first 4 (5?) eps so far but i am enjoying the workplace lols + the whole show tbh

the broken pussy song was stuck in my head for at least a week

i can totally relate to the horror of students seeing one's musical exploits, lol

xo

solid show, despite some odd ups and downs

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/issa-rae-write-star-perfect-strangers-film-remake-1259519

issa is one of my favorite hollywood people; will basically try anything she's involved in

Whatever happened to that movie she was making with kumail nanjiani?

Agree she’s fantastic

i finished Insecure and loved it -- would also try anything she is involved in
i even watched the wine downs

wait is insecure over??

i meant that i watched every ep that was there, no idea if there are more forthcoming

s4 in 2020

whew ok, wouldn't be the first time hbo bailed on an amazing show

i love rae but i think, given the way s3 played out and the example set by other young showrunners, s4 is going to be diminishing returns primarily because she's dealing with so many other projects simultaneously.

Agggghhh the most recent ep w the block party & Issa/Molly fight made me so sad :(
Realizing full well that I’m not its intended audience, I can still say honestly that I love this show.

the movie with Kumail is due out on Netflix later this month

Forgive the thread spam, but I wanted to note that this show's 2020 season is nominated in the 2020 ILX TV poll:

ILX's Best Television of 2020 Poll / VOTING AND CAMPAIGNING THREAD / Voting Ends After January 29, 2021

If you like this show and you'd like to see it have a good showing in the poll (running in February) all you need to do is submit a ballot including it and your other favorites (3 minimum, 25 maximum, ranked by your favorite to least favorite) to forksclovetofu at gmail. It'll take five minutes; get to it!

bump

i am finally on the insecure train - binged S1 this weekend and loving it

i will report back when i am caught up bcz i am obv WAAAY behind

oh yay this seems like a show you will love

i am dragging out the last episodes because i don't want it to be over. i love this show!!
did not vote in the above poll though

i keep seeing the tweet storm every sunday and was like, ok i need to be on this

and Keke Palmer was on Desus & Mero not long ago & they were legit as excited as they were for Bobby Shmurda

s2 finale

just a short recap of where i am at

issa is a MESS good god
i love molly SO much…also a mess
lawrence can fuck off, he is like a handsome bowl of cold oatmeal
daniel idk but here’s nut in your eye (sorry)

muffled (- dro is crazy hot-) muffled
but my god he is like a human flesh-eating virus suuuuuuuuch a bad idea molly no

i looooooooooooove this show

everyone in this show is so attractive & have much good teeth, it makes me want to put on a dress & leave my house lol jk i wont

ok i am caught up

Issa & Nathan zzzz
I mean, he’s alright and is nice to her when he’s not shutting down but idk it just doesnt feel like anything much.

Issa is still a mess, she is not off the hook.

I am annoyed that Lawrence STILL in the picture? Jfc. She just circles these dudes like dishwater in a drain, I wish she’d just find a cool new dude

Lawewnce is so … trifling.

Molly & Taurean tho!? YES
He is grown & she has grown … v good
Molly’s shit has been really intense & i love seeing the changes her character has gone through.

Overall I love this show, I love the vibes, sure its patchy & frustrating at times & this season has been weird but it has really hooked me in! its been a real joy finally watching it

The latest episode bugged me a lot. When you’re this close to the finish line don’t be fucking around with narrative gimmickry. Just gimme plot plot plot and RESOLVE EVERYTHING. Tie it up in a bow and send everyone on their way.

it's been a bad season tbh. the molly/mom stuff is tonally all over the place and issa's back and forth love life doesn't stick to any recognizable narrative. it's engaging in its worst habits and stringing out a season that could have been a closing movie if there wasn't $$$$$ to be had

I sort of agree? At least, I don't feel very invested in it. I thought S4 was great in its exploration of Issa and Molly drifting away from each other. There doesn't seem to be the same kind of coherent narrative arc this season.

i think insecure was a great show at one point and its willingness to explore friendship among women, mental health, impostor syndrome and a host of black community related issues makes it a still important show but, except for issa rae's continuing reign as queen of physical comedy, there's not much exemplary going on here that matters, especially in terms of how the narrative is being structured.

I'm an episode behind rn, but the girls' party episode was so good I kept thinking I wish that had been the series finale.

yeah that was a great episode

The finale was kind of whatever, but high Taurean in the episode prior might have been the funniest thing on the show

yeah i was kinda “eh”

but there is sonething really touching about the character journeys of Issa, Molly, even Lawrence. Like where they started and where they ended up, personally, emotionally etc.

The Kelly reveal in this ep was a bit much. too hand wavey, “yada yada and then this happened” like ok *whatnow*!??

The documentary special was pretty cool tho, lots of nice interviews w crew & showrunners. gave me a better feeling for the finale like “aw you guys”

Very disappointed by the Issa parts of the finale. A huge amount of Lawrence's assholishness was just handwaved away. I mean, he was shit from episode 1 and now he's there at the finish line? And Issa's the stepmother to his kid and ...happy about that? That said, Kelli's storyline was interesting, Molly's storyline was good... very much a mixed bag. But it made me laugh really fucking hard several times, especially when Lawrence called while Issa was in the bathroom and mirror-Issa said in full death metal voice, "DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE".

yeah that was good

also Kelli smacking Ahmal’s cup out of his hand at the birthday party

i can’t stand lawrence really at all but in the context of the show & Issa they really do seem to love each other so 🤷🏻‍♀️

slightly better nathan’s ghosting ass

Plot points aside this show ALWAYS makes me laugh, like a real LOL laugh. I am on ep 9, 10 min in and I already loled at Issa biting into a too-hot mac & chz ball. Relatable! That's part of what I love about this show.

i cant remember which episode but when she meets lawrence at that bar & falls flat on her face in front of everyone - i felt v seen in a delightful way lol

issa rae is pretty much my favorite physical comedian

Yeah, she's amazing. Her comedy feels so natural.

Forgive the thread spam, but I wanted to note that this show's 2021 season is nominated in the ILX TV poll, with voting ending this weekend:

ILX's Best Television of 2021 Poll / VOTING AND CAMPAIGNING THREAD / Voting Ends After January 31, 2022

If you like this show and you'd like to see it have a good showing in the poll (running in February) all you need to do is submit a ballot including it and your other favorites (3 minimum, 25 maximum, ranked by your favorite to least favorite) to forksclovetofu at gmail. It'll take five minutes; get to it!

Since this is the general issa rae thread -- is anyone watching RAP SH!T?!?! i am in love with this show. the episodes keep getting better and i don't think cliff is going to last after this last one. yikes.

i haven’t started yet but am looking forward to it!

Picking up the Rap Sh!t talk, this show is v v good

I was surprised and delighted to see there’s a new season!!

Season 2 isn’t quite the laugh riot of season 1 but it is still very enjoyable

Having watched ep 6 i had to go to the chat shit podcast

Lots of stuff happened in ep 6

chat shit hosts otm about duke/chastity and mia's mom
actually they are otm about everything but ^^^ is what i went to the chat shit for
also

oops i forgot to finish that last part -- also otm about mia and lamont

Ooh I guess I’d better dig into Chat Shit, I’m very curious what they have to say