‘Insecure’ Recap: Issa and Lawrence Get Closure + Molly Stumbles

Inglewood is in the middle of gentrification.

The episode opens with Issa in downtown Inglewood, eating yogurt and walking on a street. She gets approached by someone passing out vouchers for coffee from a new coffee shop. She’s told that new businesses are opening in the vacant storefronts, and that street will be turned into a promenade. The woman, who is also white, refers to Inglewood as I’wood. Issa declines the voucher and walks back down the street taking in the changes.

30 days with Lawrence.

The beginning of their 30 days start in Long Beach. Lawrence is running the Long Beach marathon with his co-workers. During the race, Lawrence sees Issa and Molly watching the race. They don’t notice him because they are too busy having a conversation about something on Molly’s phone. 3 days later, Lawrence and Aparna are chilling in his apartment, cooking.

She also tells him that they couldn’t have run the race without his leadership. He’s inspired by the marathon to look for expansion in his career. Aparna tells him that he could become a biz developer on an app at work. He agrees, and they have a passionate moment on the kitchen countertop.

Days later, they are at dinner and she is getting on him for buying a home stereo system before getting a couch. She then asks how his new position is going, and mentions she heard about his performance from Colin. Colin is a guy at their job she slept with. She says that sleeping with him was not a big deal. Lawrence felt otherwise.

“That’s literally as close as you could get.” – Lawrence

He asks what she saw in Colin, and she says he always made her laugh. Meanwhile, Lawrence gets quiet when he sees Molly on a date in the same restaurant.

Next, Lawrence is at his desk being offered cookies. He sees Aparna and Colin talking by the water cooler, laughing at his jokes.

Chad and Derek come over Lawrence’s place to hang his new TV on the wall.

When everything is settled, Chad wants to watch the Due North finale. They get settled, and Derek mentions that Tiffany is over Issa’s to watch it. He apologizes for bringing her up, but Lawrence is chill about it. Chad then asks about Aparna. Lawrence lets him know about Colin and Chad gives him more advice, which usually does not turn out well.

“Whatever it is, you gotta kill that s***, bro, right now. Don’t get caught slipping again.” – Chad

Derek jumps in and says he had a similar situation with Tiffany at her job. However, he no longer doesn’t, because he “dealt with it.”

Lawrence takes the advice, as he and Aparna are sitting in traffic on their way to a movie. Lawrence notices Aparna laughing, and he had enough.

“Is Colin really that funny?” – Lawrence

Aparna tells him she wasn’t laughing at Colin.

Lawrence then tells her that he “doesn’t want to be out there looking stupid,” low-key accusing Aparna of lying to him about Colin.

Aparna then checks him.

“But that’s your pile of s***, not mine.” – Aparna

At this point of their argument, Aparna wants to be let out of the car. Just then, Issa calls, with Aparna replying, “Oh, there’s your pile of s***.”

She then hops out of the car. Next we see Lawrence walking up to Issa’s soon to be old apartment.

30 days with Molly.

Molly and Issa are cheering on Kelli at the Long Beach marathon. They are waiting to see her run. While they are waiting, Molly tells Issa that Quentin (played by Lil Rel) is coming to LA in a few weeks. She then shows Issa a photo of Quentin, and Issa can’t think of much to say.

“He has a beard. That’s what’s up.” – Issa

Suddenly, they get a text from Kelli to meet her at the finish line.

Next, Molly is interviewing with a black law firm. According to the interviewers, Molly is acing the interview.

“You know Molly, you look great on paper. But, now that we’ve met you, we’re impressed.” – Attorney Interviewers

She goes out on a date with Quentin in LA. He is encouraging her to take the money from the firm that offers the most. While at the restaurant, she sees Lawrence out with Aparna. Quentin takes this time to lay it on Molly thick, and offers to take her out when she is in Chicago a week later.

Things get awkward after Molly calls him her “homie.”

Molly is recapping the date with her therapist, who is still cautioning Molly from using the word “should,” in describing her expectations. The therapist also thinks that she and Quentin would actually work out. She finally agrees with the therapist, at least seemingly. While in the session, she gets a text from Dro.

“I miss you.” – Dro

Molly is then in Chicago with Quentin. As they are working on a case, they appear to be taking a break, as he brings over two glasses and a bottle of Hennessey. They end up sleeping together on the couch.

Molly then recaps her moment with Quentin with Kelly and Issa, and also talks about her interview with the black law firm. She feels that she likes the firm she interviewed with and would fit in well there. Kelli warns her about working with the black firm, saying that black people like to get to personal. She also warns that a white firm will require her to prove she’s not too black, which can also be just as daunting.

Molly then meets with the partners at her current job, and they don’t want her to leave. However, instead of the raise she asked for, they give her a “rising star award,” and placement on their company website.

Disappointed, Molly is in the bed, waking up from a tryst. It is not yet revealed who came over. Issa calls her to tell her something happened.

30 days with Issa.

Issa, Molly and Tiffany are looking for Kelli at the finish line. They see her at the medical area, wrapped in protective foil. Kelli embarrassingly tells them her period started during the race, causing her to not finish since it was heavy and ruined her clothes. However, they all praise her for running the first nine miles of the race.

Tiffany then mentions that she and Derek are having a baby, who was conceived after Issa’s wine down. Meanwhile, Issa notices Lawrence and Aparna cheering and celebrating at the finish line. She then brings up how she is moving out of her apartment at the end of the month.

Next, Issa is at work with some of the Latino students from 41st High School. Issa’s supervisor asked why they are using their conference room on the weekend for tutoring instead of the school, and Issa brings up they are getting kids that aren’t being serviced during the week.

Issa then tells her about Vice Principal Gaines and his prejudices against Latinos, and keeps Freida’s name out of it taking all of the blame. Her supervisor lets her know that they are now opened for a lawsuit and as a result, Issa may no longer be trusted to work out in the field.

Issa is now with Kelli and Molly watching Due North, and they all get texts from Tiffany about the show. They talk smack about her for not showing up. Then, Issa gets her friends to help her pack. Kelli asks if she talked to her friend about moving in together. When Issa tells Kelli that she wants to live alone, Kelli snaps.

“B**** where?! You ain’t got no money!” – Kelli

Molly says she got a point, because they feel she has to move far out, and they give a suggestion to sell some of her things.

Next, Issa is back at work and her boss Joann is announcing the person who was selected for the Director of Outreach position. When she announces Freida for the position, Issa is the only one clapping for her. Their co-worker Ken cries and then storms out of the meeting. When everyone else leaves, Issa congratulates Feida telling her that she deserves the position. Issa offers to take her out for a drink, and Freida says, “Lets go somewhere in I-Wood.”

Issa side-eyes Frieda and she gets the hint.

“I won’t ever call it that again.” – Freida

Next, Issa is having her yard sale and her brother is there getting on her for selling broken appliances and a blanket “from Target,” with a mustard stain. However, Thug Yoda has his daughter buy a “Brock-Pot” for $5 and a EBT card. Another guy buys the blanket with the mustard stain, grossing Issa out when he tells her he likes the smell.

Neighbor-Bae sees Issa and tells her he will miss her. His female friend asks for the couch, but she doesn’t sell it. Instead, she calls Lawrence to let him about the move and to offer the couch. The apartment is packed up and she’s ready to move. Issa tells him the times she’ll be gone so he can come by without seeing her.

Finally, it’s move out day and Issa is being driven by her brother to the place one more time. He is laying down the ground rules, which includes “keeping Kelli on a muzzle when you bring her to the house.”

When they get to the place, he tells Issa she has ten minutes for the walkthrough.

However, she gets up to the unit one last time and walks in to see Lawrence standing on the wall to the kitchen, waiting for her. After an awkward hello, he asks about the burn mark in the ceiling.

Lawrence tells Issa that he didn’t like the way things ended.

“I feel like I’m f***ing up things right now.” – Lawrence

After they finish joking about the white people moving into the neighborhood, Lawrence apologizes and tells Issa that he shut down after failing to meet expectations he made for himself.

“I’m sorry for being who you expected me to be.” – Lawrence

“Lawrence, I wanted to be better for you… but, somewhere along the way, I depended on you to be better for the both of us.” – Issa

She then says she didn’t know how to be mature for the both them, and cheating was the worst thing she could have done to him.

Issa gets even more emotional.

“I wish I could somehow convince you that it wasn’t about you. You only loved me and expected me to want the best for you, and I promise I did. I still do.” – Issa

Both become tearful at this point. They tell each other they love each other and hug it out. After wiping his eyes, Lawrence says he’s got to go and Issa walks him to the door. When He says bye, Issa begins to picture a future where he proposes in the doorway. She dreams about them getting married and having a baby together.

Issa then snaps back into reality and it sets in that he’s moving on from her for good.

At the end, Issa and Molly hang out, wearing Moroccan clothing and eating Moroccan food. The next day, Issa has a night bag and a backpack heading to a Lyft ride. Then we see Molly trying on lingerie for a night in. When the doorbell rings, she answers it. It’s Dro at the door and they kiss. Lastly, Issa is back at Daniel’s door knocking. When he answers, Issa tells Daniel that she’s sleeping on the couch.

Daniel says, “I know.”

 

What are your thoughts on the episode?

 

In related news, Issa confirmed on Twitter that it’s really the end of Lawrence and Issa:

Ouch. When you imagine the life you’re never gonna have … #InsecureHBO

— Issa Rae (@IssaRae) September 11, 2017