Source: Merie W. Wallace/HBO / Merie W. Wallace/HBO
First things first, why the hell are we watching Season 5 of Insecure so damn late? New episodes drop at 10 PM EST and that’s an hour past my new bedtime which is 9:00 P.M., in order to be fully charged for the week ahead. For someone who is used to keeping really late hours, it’s a responsible thing to do. This recent episode is all about “Growth, Okay?!” Yet, with this late watch time, I feel like I’m getting no support. However, it is refreshing to see Issa getting support from Molly. It has been a longtime coming.
Issa has canceled Lawrence and taken The Blocc to the next level. Tonight’s show focuses on the balance and sacrifice she must strike for her latest pitch to materialize. She becomes frustrated as she attempts to satisfy the men involved while maintaining her own standing. Seth, who is financially backing her latest event, doesn’t trust her vision and Crenshawn (Kofi Siriboe), a formerly incarcerated artist and designer, doesn’t trust her compromise. Seth believes she is doing the most with the least and Crenshawn believes she’s being a sellout.
Molly dwells on the intensity and controlling aspects of her character She is triggered when she reactivates a dating app. An in-app questionnaire resurfaces the cynicism and critique she is known for. She does a bit of self reflection, then comes to terms with how her behavior has put a wedge between herself and past lovers and her relationship with her parents. We love to see it.
In their angst—or rather their insecurity, Issa reaches out to Nathan and Molly slides back into dating. But not so fast, can we really call this “Growth, Okay?!” Both Issa and Molly are looking to men—or rather masculine energy to be salve and savior in their time of loneliness and sadness. This brings me back to the very curious opening that flashes forward to one year into the future. Molly texts Issa asking if she wants to meet up for pasta. Knock on wood—Issa texts the Lady and The Tramp Giphy. Isn’t that lovely?
We see the iconic scene where two pups share a bowl of pasta and end up nibbling on the same string of spaghetti that leads to an innocent yet romantic kiss. Isn’t that lovely?
And while it’s no big deal, we also see the two besties Netflix and chilling. Molly, who keeps snoozing, decides to go to bed. Issa offers her an extra pillow for comfort. The pillow in this scene is both symbolism and segue to pillow talk that doesn’t occur as Molly sleepily sings a tune, Issa hushes her with a finger to Molly’s lips. Isn’t that lovely?
This affectionate energy isn’t rare for the closest of friends, yet my spidey senses and close reading with a womanist lens (shout out to Alice Walker), suggests that we might be viewing the genesis of an organic love affair between two best friends; A love that has eluded both Issa and Molly over the course of five seasons. Isn’t that lovely? We’ll just have to wait and see.
