During its run from 2016-2021,Insecurereceved praise for its coming-of-age portrayal of modern life.Issa Rae’s HBO series follows a group of Black women juggling different aspects of their lives while coping with the sometimes triumphant and sometimes awkward, and always relatable, experiences. Partially based on Rae’s hit webseriesAwkward Black Girl,Insecurefollows Issa (played by Rae herself) and Molly (Yvonne Orji) as they move through adulthood without a clue in the world.
Some have tried comparingInsecuretoGirls, but the only similarities they share are the age of the protagonists and the overall goal of the show.Girlsfollows a formula and ends with the main character having a baby, seemingly marking the end of her journey of growth and settling into a new life of motherhood where her role is clear. On the other hand,Insecurehas no such ending to the growth in sight. Nominated for a plethora of awards, including Rae’s Golden Globe forBest Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy,Insecurehas made its way to being considered one of the greatest TV shows of all time. Here are five reasons why.
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Approaches Difficult Topics With a Sense of Humor
WhileInsecureis indeed a comedy that has garnered a great deal of attention for the hilarious GIFs that have come out of it, it’s not just a simple sitcom. It covers some of the most difficult topics, from race relations to the invisibility of the Black woman voice, and it manages to do so without making the viewers weary from the level of heaviness that the show brings. The show has been described time and again as poignant and humorous, managing to find the balance between the light-hearted moments and the heaviness of socially-conscious topics.
Provides a Realistic View on Life
Things don’t just figure themselves out on their own, and sometimes it takes some weird things to keep ourselves afloat, like Issa’s freestyling pep talks in the mirror. It requires a lot of careful navigation and growth to figure things out.Insecuredoes a marvellous job in explaining that in adulthood, it takes a while to figure things out and sometimes you may never have anything figured out at all.Insecureis wonderfully ambiguous in the way “problem-solving” is handled, which is true to life. Life is not simple, there is no one answer to any question and no one right way to solve a problem, nothing is clear—andInsecuredoes a wonderful job highlighting this. Part of this may come from the fact that thestorylines always come from the writers’ personal lives. Drawing from personal experience is one of the best ways to get across a relatable, authentic story that viewers will be invested in.
Offers Nuance in the Milestones Each Characters Meet
The series follows no formula. Much like modern life, people don’t just get a job, get married, have a baby and then meet a peaceful end. Real-life is far more complicated.Insecurehas no concrete milestones for the characters to meet. There is no final goal for Issa and Molly, but rather there is a theme to be covered over each season. Rather than reaching milestones as most expect, the women are faced with circumstances beyond their control, one of which being Issa going broke and being forced to stay on her ex-fling’s couch. Obviously, this was not a part of her plan, but life happens and sometimes it’s a kick to the face and you just need to accept it and try to move forward. This free approach to the show allows for audiences to feel more in line with the characters, it also releases the social pressure that is placed on young adults to be at a certain point and hit certain milestones by a certain age when they may not want that at all.
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Mines Fully Realized Narratives From Small Moments
There is no need for a passionate love affair or someone to be poisoned by the butler in order for drama to occur.Insecurefinds the drama in the small things that most shows would simply ignore, but that is true to real life. The real drama can come from the smallest things, like a relationship that turns sour simply due to growing apart. This is more relatable to the audience as that’s how drama begins; with the tiniest seed of drama being planted where you would least expect it. Like when Kelli gets too rowdy after getting high and starts a fight, eventually leading her to be tased by security. This is a funny situation but is also a dramatic situation that anyone could find themselves in.
Amplifies Black Women’s Perspectives
Issa’sInsecurefollows the lives of Black women, a largely underrepresented group in the entertainment industry.Black women praised the showfor breaking the stereotype that black women are strong and confident and can in fact be awkward, giving every Black woman the representation that they deserve. It also targets issues Black women face that no other group may face, raising awareness to race relations or even how big of a role the culture plays in their lifestyle and choices. That said, many of the struggles Molly and Issa face throughout the series are universal to adults in their twenties and thirties. The struggles of young adults navigating the confusing maze of life without any concrete confirmation of the meaning of life or your personal purpose.
