INSECURE Season One, Episode One: At the Root of Resentment, A Flashback, A Review

29-year-old Issa is tired of the same old, same old. Five years out of college, she is working at the non-profit, We Got Y’all, amidst a sea of white people, who are out-of-touch with the realities of people of color. Feeling that her presence meets a “minority-quota” she believes she is there to be a recognizable face when her and her work partner make presentations at urban schools, as well as be the subject-matter expert who answers the “black” questions her white coworkers have about urban colloquialisms and customs.

Molly and Issa are besties. Issa refers to Molly, who is an attorney, as “the Will Smith of corporate.” She esteems Molly for going after what she wants, and low-key laments at the love and admiration that both, Blacks and Whites, have for Molly. Molly’s “fierceness” makes Issa question her own life’s mistakes.

And, Molly is everything that Issa says and more. However, Molly is having trouble with establishing a love life. It’s the unchecked box on her list of “Things to Accomplish.” We find her in the middle of being dumped via text by an Arab guy that she really liked, while talking to her lackluster-ass work colleague, who is “other” and soon-to-be-engaged to a black man.

It’s Issa’s birthday, and outside of being awakened to a text from Daniel, a friend from her past, Issa is doing nothing special—dinner with Molly and a show with her longtime boyfriend, Lawrence, who is in-between jobs.

Issa and Molly are debriefing their respective workdays and the Arab guy comes up. Molly doesn’t want to open up about it as to not spoil Issa’s day, however, Issa insists. Molly reveals the way she’s dumped by the Arab guy and her greatest fears of being alone due to a combination of her expectations and standards AND the fact that people are...well...trash. In a way of lightening the mood, Issa tells her it could be that her “p***y is “broken.”’ They laugh together. But Molly reflects.

Issa returns home to find Lawrence undressed on the couch looking at YouTube videos. He acknowledges Issa’s birthday, but immediately goes into the story of how he’d bombed the job interview he had earlier that day. Issa reminds him of the show they are supposed to attend at 10:00pm. Lawrence doesn’t want to go, and instead, suggests that they pick up a movie from Redbox and chill at the crib.

Issa admits that being “aggressively passive” is what she “does best.” Her mode of expression is writing raps. As the day closes on her 29th birthday, she’s 1) dealt with workplace micro-aggressions, 2) listened to her friend’s relationship woes, and 3) faced her ever-growing disconnection with her emotionally-absent, live-in boyfriend. Again...ALL ON HER BIRTHDAY.

Meanwhile, a conversation between Daniel and Issa is commencing and is causing her to perk. So, the next day, while lurking on Daniels FB page, she comes across a flyer of an event that he’d be attending. She wants to see him, but cannot verbally admit to that. And under the GUISE of wanting to cheer up Molly, suggests that they go to the event to hear local artists.

As Issa is getting ready to leave, Lawrence—who has moved from the couch to the table, eating cereal—comments on her appearance. Issa tells him of her plans to take Molly out, as well as reveal components of Molly’s difficulty in dating. Lawrence admits that he isn’t surprised and accuses Molly of having standards that are “too high.” At her wits’ end, Issa 1) admits to lowering her standards for Lawrence, 2) questions their relationship, and 3) dumps Lawrence before they can have a conversation about what was just said. BUT, before she leaves, she lets him know that she’ll be staying at Molly’s.

The girls make it to the spot. It ain’t Molly’s usual scene, but she’s appreciative of her friend trying to cheer her up. As the night unfolds, Molly ends up being approached by a guy named Jered. Issa takes her cue and heads to the bar where she positions herself to see Daniel and pretends to be shocked by their serendipitous meet-up. Molly sees the exchange between Issa and Daniel and discerns the real reason they are there. Issa is encouraged by Daniel to jump on stage and freestyle for the clubgoers; he reminds her of her gift of lyricism.

Issa, clad in a deep-teal, shiny two-piece, gets up on the stage, opens her mouth and to the tune of Kelis’ “Bossy” delivers this chilling bop:

“Love rookie, she give ’em all the cookies
By cookies I mean p***y, this girl is kinda loosey
Dudes take her off the shelf, and they put her on credit
30 days later, they return it and regret it
Used like a dish rag, dumped with a hashtag
I blame it on the p***y, that s**t must be bad
Broken p***y, broken p***y”

(And if THAT wasn’t enough...)

“Maybe it’s dry as hell, maybe it really smells
Broken p***y
Maybe it’s really rough, maybe it’s had enough
Broken p***y”

(AND, the nail in the coffin...)

“No-body wants you ’cause you got a broken p***y”

(One more for the road and the people in the back...)

“No-body wants you ’cause you got a broken p***y
Broken p***y, broken p***y”

Molly is horrified, Jered leaves Molly propped up against the wall, and Issa leaves the crowd with burning hearts, desiring more.

Issa and Molly are driving back to Molly’s place as Issa discussed how thrilling that experience was for her, and asks Molly to confirm whether or not she was “pretty good up there.” Issa can tell Molly is BIG MAD, but still manages to ask Molly if she could still stay at her house.

Molly lights Issa’s ass up, telling her: “You made a joke of my heartbreak up there.” Molly reminds Issa that men cross boundaries that a best friend would never. Issa laments that it was not her intention to hurt Molly and that she didn’t “think about it like that.” Molly retorts with the accusation that Issa doesn’t think about how her actions affect others. Issa, while texting Daniel about meeting up later, refutes Molly’s accusations and argues that she is always concerned about how her actions affect others. After their altercation, Issa heads to Daniel’s house.

A very awkward exchange between Daniel and Issa reveal that they aren’t necessarily on the same page at that moment. Issa, having been in a relationship for all of her 20s, is using language that suggests to Daniel that she might be looking for something more than a hook-up. Issa realizes that it might not be a good idea to pursue anything with Daniel at this moment and leaves.

Issa can’t go home to face the boyfriend she broke up with earlier. So, she returns to Molly’s house with a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos and ranch dip. It’s suggested that they don’t necessarily talk about the crossed boundaries, failed expectations, misunderstandings, lapses in judgement and stresses of their relationship. They commence to doing “bestie s**t” like nothing happened.

A slit in the veil.
A loose thread at the seam.
A pinhole under the arm.
A small run in the hose.
A slow leak.