Issa Rae’s comedic-drama “Insecure” is loved by many, including myself. The show follows the lives of Issa and her close friends, depicting common troubles within friendships, relationships, workplace environments, and so much more.
The show debuted in October 2016 and ended in December 2021. However, I started and finished the show in 2023. I already heard so many good things about the show from friends and family, but wasn’t moved to watch it until now. Despite the show exceeding my expectations, I’m glad I watched it when I did and here’s why.
The show’s main characters are all in their late twenties to early thirties, but for some reason I was still able to connect to a lot of their issues and I wondered why. What could these people in a completely different phase of life have in common with me? For some odd reason when watching the show, I didn’t feel so alone in my issues and anxieties surrounding life and all its troubles.
One of my biggest takeaways from the show was its way of displaying friendship amongst Black women. Seeing the dynamic between Molly, Issa, Kelli, and Tiffany was refreshing and relatable to say the least. The depictions of real feelings I’ve experienced with women in my life felt so organic and made me feel seen. Whether the content of the show was negative or positive, it proved to me that Black women are capable of not just strong friendships, but handling the challenges that come with it too.
Lawrence and Issa’s struggles within their careers was also something that stuck with me. Right now, in college, it’s so easy to feel like you have nothing figured out; life is happening so fast and you have no control over it, whether you like it or not. It’s so easy to be discouraged by the speed in which everything is happening all while comparing yourself to the people around you. Both Lawrence and Issa’s experiences were raw and organic. It encouraged me to stay focused, eager, and sure of myself and my capabilities. You don’t have control over life or the speed in which things happen for you but you do have control over your approach to these hardships and as ugly as things can get, it’s relieving to know you still have some control over your narrative.
Being that I was only twelve when the show was released, I don’t think it would’ve been very appropriate to indulge in such a mature show. However, even if I started watching in high school, I don’t think I would’ve been able to appreciate the show for what it was worth. I hadn’t experienced the right amount of life altering occurrences. Don’t get me wrong, I still have so much to experience in this life, but when I watched Insecure, I couldn’t get enough. I resonated with it so much and knew this was the perfect time for me to have watched it. That brings me to my final point and reason behind why I think so highly of this show. It’s timeless. You’ve either been through it or you’re going through it and it makes it that much more entertaining and iconic.