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Insecure season 3 doesn’t end with a bang but, like past seasons, Issa finds herself distancing more from the show’s name and into a good place.
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| Network | ||
| HBO | ||
| Director(s) | Regina King | |
| Writer(s) | Issa Rae, Natasha Rothwell | |
| Air Date | 9/30/2018 | |
| Characters Introduced | ||
| Condola | Christina Elmore | |
| Andy | Harry Lennix | |
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Summary
Featured Characters: Issa, Kelli, Molly, Condola, Lawrence, Chad, Jared, Andy
It’s Issa’s 30th birthday and while discouraged that her block party won’t happen, Kelli and Molly have her back. They plan a movie outing, in a cemetery, hosted by Tiffany’s friend Condola, and it started as a good time. That is until, paraphrasing Kelli, the cemetery becomes the ghost of exes of everyone’s past. I’m talking Jared, from SEASON 1 showing up. Also, Lawrence, Chad, and some dude we’ve never seen before. And, of course, mad people Kelli had sex with because you know how she gets down.
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But let’s focus on Lawrence for a second. We meet his dad, Andy, this episode and they talk about relationships. Leading to, as usual, Issa being brought up and us waiting to see if that seed will ever grow. Which it doesn’t, by the way. However, it does set up Lawrence learning from his dad noting how hard marriage is, and Chad getting back with Lea, maybe Lawrence isn’t working hard enough to keep a good relationship.
Now, before you go there, that doesn’t mean Aparna shows up and he gets back with her. Issa can go back to men she was interested in from high school. Lawrence doesn’t have that option, he has to move forward. Hence why Tiffany’s friend, Issa’s new best friend, and now Lawrence’s love interest, Condola, enters his life.
Oh, and why is Candola noted as Issa’s new best friend? Two reasons: First and foremost, Molly is on some other stuff right now. At work, she has fought her way to the top and now no one wants to bother with her. So, it seems to gain more control over her personal life, she is trying to make sure her friendship with Issa doesn’t end up threated or damaged like Tiffany and Kelli’s. First by shooing away Nathan, who we’ll get to in a second, and then really bogging down Issa wanting to do the block party.
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Leading to Issa talking to Candola who is not only friendlier than Tiffany usually is, but also more supportive than Molly. Which isn’t to say Issa is about to swap Molly out but Candola has a purpose. You know, like if the ladies want to party, you have to call Kelli. If you want something done right, and are willing for it to be a bit much, get Tiffany. So with Candola, when it comes to getting vendors, musicians, and dealing with permits, Candola is her girl. Now, whether she may evolve past that? It’s hard to say. However, with Lawrence dating her and her becoming close to Issa, that awkwardness definitely pushes the idea Candola might be a series regular for season 4.
Hoping back to that Nathan topic, he tried to give Issa flowers but got sent away by Molly, but contacted Issa later on. In their face to face conversation, he explains disappearing for a month because he was in a bad place. Sounds like depression, but he doesn’t use those exact words. Which could explain why Issa just thinks he is playing games and doesn’t invite him in for some birthday sex. But, even with him being left outside, don’t think he may not be back again. We haven’t seen Jared since season 1 and he returned, Daniel has been MIA for half the season and I’d bet you he’ll be back, so those who ship Issa with Nathan, there might be hope.
Commentary
The Deconstruction of Molly: Molly, Issa, Andrew
I feel like as good things happen to Issa, Molly’s life becomes more and more wobbly. Every time Issa gets a man, Molly is in that place of wondering why she can’t get someone good yet Issa can? Issa finds a dream and really has faith in it, Molly has to question why she is still struggling despite her education and skills? Making it really seem that as Issa slowly becomes secure, Molly assumes the role of the show as the insecure character.
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But, there might be hope for her. She does apologize to Andrew, with the kind of hair which Prince and Andre 3000 tried to perfect all their lives, and it seems therapy is doing something for her. Not immediately but it’s a process unlearning healthy coping mechanisms. And let’s be real, Molly has ruined many a good relationship and she is so stubborn that you have to rub the idea she was wrong in her face to learn her lesson.
Which may very well make this Issa and Condola friendship help Molly see that Issa may need you to keep it real, but not run her life. After all, as said many times this episode, you two aren’t dating. So maybe some distance could do them some good. Molly needs to learn how to make friends anyway. Reminding me, where are all those dudes she knew when we got introduced to her in season 1?
Trying To Start This Next Decade Right: Issa, Condola
Daniel called out Issa for not having a thing so she rediscovered her passion. Issue is, as the lady at the permit desk pointed out, getting something done is easier said than accomplished. Hence why Condola’s event is in a graveyard nowhere near Inglewood. But, despite her being Tiffany’s friend, it seems she isn’t as bougie and particular. Meaning, she is approachable.
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Giving us the kind of friendship Issa needs right now. Molly is a good friend but I think through Condola we get to understand why Molly has Tiffany in her life. It isn’t just so that she can see how the other side lives, for Issa didn’t seem to grow up poor, it’s more so to see what is possible and get inspiration from it. Problem is, what Tiffany is into doesn’t line up with Issa so they have no reason to trade expertise. Condola, on the other hand, she likes to do event planning, Issa has good taste, so they make a good match.
Also, Condola’s entrance into Issa’s life helps further how complicated friendships get when you are entering your late 20s, and into your 30s. You start needing friends whose goals align with yours and not always the ones who are always down for a party or hanging out. Not that you throw them to the wayside but they become less of a priority. Plus, one thing that makes Condola especially valuable to the show is the same thing which made Nathan valuable – no baggage. While Condola may know something about Issa through Tiffany, she doesn’t have the same ability to judge her and try to protect her from potentially failing but learning something in the process.
Something that is becoming a problem with Molly for, on one hand, you can see Molly being negative when it comes to Issa’s block party and a hater when it comes to Nathan. Yet, on the other hand, as Issa’s best friend, that protection comes from her knowing Issa and not wanting her to repeat her mistakes. Never mind having to hear Issa vent about something Molly has been hearing her say for years.
So here is to what Condola may bring to the table.
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Is The Ho-Phase Over?: Lawrence, Andy, Chad, Condola, Issa
Though the show’s title easily represents what the ladies of the show go through, it also seems to strongly apply to Lawrence as well. Especially this season when it comes to relationships. For like with Molly talking about how her last relationship messed her up, the same goes for Lawrence. So now he is a bit insecure about what could happen if he ever did get serious with someone. Because getting cheated on is no joke.
Which brings in a need to say Lawrence is a mix of both Issa and Molly in a way. Molly in terms of how he handles his professional life and Issa in terms of his personality. I’d even say his Kelli is Chad and his Tiffany, naturally, is Derek. Now, the reason I feel the need to say that is because Lawrence increasingly feels like a character who is breaking off from the rest of the show but things are being put in place for you to see how connected he is to everyone else.
The easiest thing to note is the Molly and Issa comparison, but then there is Condola. Someone who is divorced and who has a mutual interest in starting over. Plus, like how Molly seems a bit jealous of Issa’s luck sometimes, I feel like Lawrence felt that way towards Chad. Here Lawrence is, doesn’t cheat or nothing, but he can’t find a wife type. Yet Chad can be a straight up whore and keep someone like Lea sticks by him after just a month of apologizing.
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Consider that a wake-up call, alongside Lawrence’s dad, Andy, clearing up love may not be meant to be a second job, but it isn’t easy either. So here is hoping, as much drama as you know Condola dating Issa’s ex may cause, Lawrence may get to show he has grown as a person as much as Issa has.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- It’s noted a month passed between episode 7 and 8, how much time usually passes between episodes?
- So, the girl Lawrence met at church, is she in rotation, benched, or has she been cut? What’s going on with that?
Highlights
- Issa making a new friend in Condola.
- Molly starting to realize the error in her ways, from Issa calling her out of all people.
- Lawrence coming to the realization that he hasn’t been working hard enough for the kind of girl he wants to have in his life.
On The Fence
- Chad kind of gets to have a moment, but not on a Kelli or Tiffany level.
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