EPISODE RECAP: ‘Insecure’ Season 5 Episode 1 ‘Reunited, Okay?!’
After several iconic seasons, Issa Rae’s hit series ‘Insecure’ is in its final few episodes. Follow Culture Editor Bianca Gregg each week and she laughs, cries, and recaps all the things you need to know before the next episode airs.
The ladies set out to their Alma Mater, Stanford University, for a reunion. Issa has been selected to speak on a panel about her new company, The Blocc which she is very excited about. Upon arrival at the school, Kelli has trouble getting her name badge and finds out that the school has killed her off. She has a page in the program dedicated to her and she is in a video montage during the alumni party later that night. As the episode goes on, we realize Kelli does not find the mix up to be very funny, especially after hearing the random things people remember about her, specifically a kale allergy.
Molly and Issa are still in a patched up yet awkward space. Both wore matching Stanford sweatshirts that seemed to add a bit more weirdness. Andrew and Molly are definitely done. It appears two months have passed since the break up and Molly is dealing by posting abstract selfies and inspirational quotes. Issa is dealing with her lack of confidence within her career choices. Molly seeks advice from Kelli on how she and Tiffany repaired their friendship. Kelli admits there was a lot of fake being okay before the pair was actually okay again.
At the alumni party, the ladies run into an old friend, Cheyanne. She is definitely a party girl and has actually been spending her time as a professional dancer for several different artists. We got such a glimpse of Blackness in the midst of the ladies reuniting with Cheyanne, very much a group of Black girls at a PWI moment.
Molly is reintroduced to her college friend with benefits, Amari, who is recently divorced. He jokes about Molly letting him get away back in college. He promises he is different from back in the day and the pair eventually exchange numbers.
The day of Issa’s panel presentation, she talks to her college self in the mirror. Young mirror Issa is excited to see grown Issa got her braces removed which is hilarious because people real life love talking about Issa’s teeth. Young Issa inquires about her friendship with Moilly and asks if Issa became a lawyer. She is unimpressed by grown Issa’s body so Issa fires back by telling her that her boyfriend is cheating on her. This moment was funny but something that hits home for many of us 30 somethings. Sometimes we wonder if we have done enough. We think about all the bold ideas we had for ourselves at 19 years old and often kick ourselves for the varied paths life takes us on. I appreciated this scene.
At the panelist event, things go a little south for Issa. The host pronounces the name of her company wrong, for starters. Issa awkwardly sings Tupac’s “To Live and Die in LA,” which is a personal favorite of mine so I was right with her! The crowd was hard on Issa about her honesty around waking up one day and realizing maybe she took the wrong path in going into business for herself.
Issa was preaching if you ask me, but people would rather hear superficial quotes these days.
After the program, Issa and Molly slide off for a little alone time. Something we have been wanting for since season 4. Molly admits to Issa that she reconnected with Amari but her mind automatically jumped to him being divorced and what caused the divorce. Molly wants to be able to focus on herself for now and admits she wishes she could have been like Issa on the panel, just being honest. The ladies reminisce about how they became so close. Issa is being hard on herself about where she is in her new career but in my opinion Issa downplayed the block party she put on, which further displays her lack of confidence in her decisions. Over food, Molly asks if they are going to be okay? Molly wants the both of them to just be cool again.
Cheyanne invites the ladies to a party at a Reggae club. The car ride is fun as the women sing The Dream “I Luv Your Girl.” The ladies poke fun at Kelli being upset about everyone thinking she died. She is very focused on her phone during the ride and the situation has me a little concerned for our fav, Kelli.
Issa, Molly and Cheyanne go into a liquor store. On there way out, the ladies are robbed at gun point but once the robber calls Chey by her name, Issa and Molly put it together. When Molly and Issa return to the car, they tell Tiffany and Kelli they were robbed. Molly and Issa laugh hysterically at the situation and this moment feels real.
The following day, everyone goes out to eat and they have a wake for Kelli. All of the women give Kelli her friendship flowers and I love to see it. When leaving the diner, Issa gives Molly her flowers for the person she had met at Standford. She talked about how free and self aware Molly was. Molly admits she thought she had all the time in the world then. The two women admit they just want to move forward.
Kelly starts a podcast called “Prenny’s Preguntas” and the yell I still let out every time I hear the title…
This show should not be this funny! Lawrence picks Issa up from the airport. Issa seems a little standoff-ish and we quickly see why. When the pair arrives at Issa’s, she admits she has been thinking with tears in her eyes. She pauses and Lawrence knows exactly what it’s about. Issa grabs her bag and goes inside, alone.
Takeaways:
Episode one did not have to be this good!
I love seeing the layers of Kelli. She is such a show favorite so seeing her in a more serious light was good.
Molly and Issa coming together again is exactly what we needed. After all that is Issa’s most important relationship.
I think we saw Lawrence and Issa’s end coming. She gave it a couple of months. Do I want to see Issa with Lawrence, I did. I wanted it in season two but by season three I did not care for the reunion. But then in Season four, “Lowkey Happy” made me want them to be together again and BOOM, baby. The way this show has given us an evolution in relationships, friendships, career and life is so well done.
