What I’m Watching: Insecure (Season Finale)

Insecure: Season 2, Episode 8 “Hella Perspective” (B+)

The opening and general structure of this episode made it feel more artsy than it usually does, but in a very good way, with Issa noticing that her neighborhood is being gentrified at an alarming rate. I think it speaks to the potential of this series to rise well above being just a comedy, though it has already inspired plenty of goodwill in my mind, with this second season serving as an improvement on the still perfectly great first year. I didn’t know where the “thirty days with” intro was headed, and I like that it all started from the run where Lawrence, Molly, and Issa were all present with their lives continuing from there. Issa and Lawrence’s relationship was fully on display in this episode, with the latter realizing that he missed the former when he kept seeing her, while she was obviously pining for him since she isn’t even close to over him after she screwed things up by sleeping with Daniel. Waiting around for her rather than just taking the couch was a sign that he was willing to consider something, and he looked like he was getting choked up when Issa was honest about how it was the worst thing she ever did. I didn’t think that him getting down on one knee and proposing, following by a flash-forward to them having a kid together, felt right, and of course it was just Issa’s imagination running wild again. She’ll have to settle for a friend request from him and a somewhat surprising decision to come stay with Daniel, who she seemed like she was never going to talk to just a few episodes ago. Issa’s career took a big hit when Joanne reacted poorly to her owning up to what Joanne unfortunately called “segregated sessions,” and at least Frieda has developed as a character, making her promotion over Issa an understandable if lamentable development. Molly’s hard work getting other offers didn’t pay off at all, with a measly rising star award as her reward rather than a track towards partnership. She’s also dressing in lingerie and answering the door to Dro, indicating that their relationship has turned more into an affair than an acceptable open-marriage situation. This has been a very solid year, and I look forward to revisiting all three of these characters and their extended worlds next season.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Issa Rae