Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Insecure’ on Netflix, The Moment When Issa Rae Went From Viral Sensation To Major Star

[Editor’s Note: The review you’re about to read was originally published back in October of 2016, when Insecure first debuted on HBO. We are republishing it in honor of the recent re-release of Insecure on Netflix.]

“Black women aren’t bitter… they’re just tired of being expected to settle for less.” Issa Rae has shown herself to be a force over the last few years, most notably coming into the public eye with her hit web series The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl. Now she’s made the leap to HBO with Insecure, a new comedy created by Rae and Larry Wilmore. The show depicts a fictionalized version of Rae as she navigates life in Los Angeles. We’re here to let you know if her latest work is worth your time. 

INSECURE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Quick cuts of Los Angeles scenery paint a picture of our show’s setting, and we finally settle in with Issa Dee (Issa Rae) addressing a classroom full of students.

The Gist: Issa Dee is a 29-year-old woman living in L.A. and working at a non-profit called “We Got Y’all”. At work, she’s surrounded by well-intentioned yet casually racist liberal coworkers who consult her on all things pop culture or otherwise, and home, she is weighed down by her dead-end, 5-year relationship with bum boyfriend Lawrence. Aided in her antics by charismatic, chronically single best friend Molly (Yvonne Orji), Issa attempts to navigate the end of her 20s.

Our Take: When we heard that Rae and Wilmore were creating a show together for HBO, we knew it’d be good – and this pilot does not disappoint. From the moment we are introduced to Issa having to deal with a classroom full of middle schoolers questioning her about her personal life, we feel connected to her and the situations she endures over the course of this pilot’s half hour. We want more for Issa than her deadbeat boyfriend, we want Issa and Molly to stick it out through thick and thin, we want Issa to get up on stage and rap (which she does – and it’s entirely too much fun).

What’s truly great about Insecure is how it makes everyday life interesting. Issa and Molly’s friendship is honest and flawed and funny. Molly’s coworkers are gratingly realistic. The moments that we get glimpses of Issa’s inner self – her raps and trying on multiple different characters with her lipstick choices in the mirror are an added intimate bonus that many shows don’t bother to indulge with. We’re invested in our protagonist, no matter what ridiculous shenanigans are thrown at her – and that’s what makes Insecure so wonderful.

Sex and Skin: Issa briefly makes out with Daniel in her car, but once she realizes he’s not interested in a relationship, she backs off and reevaluates.

Parting Shot: After Issa has a fight with Molly and drives to see Daniel, she realizes that she’s not sure what she wants. She shows up at Molly’s door with Cheetos and dip as a peace offering, and the duo makes up.

Sleeper Star: Yvonne Orji’s performance as Issa’s best friend Molly offers a range of emotional highs and lows that make her one of the most valuable cast members on the show. Her comedic timing is unparalleled by anyone else in the pilot, and her character development (and hopefully love life development?!) is sure to be a fun one over the course of the series.

Most Pilot-y Line: “I don’t have time to waste.” This line is about the closest that the episode comes to delivering pilot-y dialogue, only because Issa emphasizes how desperate she is to make the most of her life so many times.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Rae has a way of making even the most mundane of activities interesting, and there’s a relatable sincerity present that should not be missed. “Isn’t it sad that it’s revolutionary?” Rae asked NPR. “It’s so basic… but we don’t get to do that. We don’t get to just have a show about regular black people being basic.” And that’s exactly where the strength of the show lies. Don’t miss it.

Jade Budowski is an indecisive sometimes-writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.