Insecure has done some serious emotional heavy lifting for its dedicated fans during its 10-episode season that just wrapped up this past Sunday. With an ongoing global pandemic at hand, along with the national crisis of systematic white supremacy that has reared its ugly head with the contentious relationship between the black community and police, the uncertainty of tomorrow has left most people feeling down. Sunday nights became the safe haven where for 30 minutes one could lay down their burdens and escape into the imaginary world of Insecure that Issa Rae created.
“I’m so relieved that [people still want to watch] because I would hate to air during a time when nobody wants to see it. So I think it is oddly comforting that people find comfort in us. I’m so grateful for that,” Rae said of the show airing during this difficult time. “It’s allowed me solace of kind of escaping with other people to the show because I know when the protest first hit and it started getting world-wide attention, I guess I was a bit more anxious about how to continue to produce, or how to promote the show that we’ve worked so hard on, and if people would even be in the mood to watch it. So the notes that I got in confirmation were really reassuring. It’s just good to know that people are still there for us.”
Honestly, she and her team showed out this season. It was a wild ride. This season tackled friendships, reconciliation, mental health, and much more. Unlike seasons past, the relationship between Issa and Molly, this season, became the primary focal point and to watch their journey was familiarly painful. Friendship typically takes the back burner to romantic relationships but in this instance the gradual corrosion of their relationship made for great storytelling. “This is a story about two Black women, and who better to understand that than other Black women? To bring the beautiful touches that sometimes we may miss in the writers’ room, or we may not think about … to have it realized by other Black women is such a treat. It just feels very ‘for us, by us’ in that way,” Rae explained in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar.
The season finale was something else and looking ahead to season 5 Rae encouraged frustrated fans to remember that Issa’s journey is about so much more than the drama.
“We always talk about taking Issa on a journey to becoming secure in her insecurities in a way, because I think that’s part of fully accepting yourself, flaws and all. Like, I know who I am, I know where my issues are, and I’m fine with that, and I’m happy with who I am. So much of Issa’s journey has been about denying who she is, not being honest about her feelings, and just really being obviously insecure about so much of her life. So a happy ending to me would just be Issa feeling happy and satisfied to give her whole self to the world.”
Cheers to a dope season and as always the fits were fire.