‘Insecure’ Season 1 Finale: Great Expectations

This finale was excellent, and a real stunner. I disagree that the ending "seems calibrated for male approval." It was left wonderfully ambiguous, which is a testament to the intelligence of the team behind this show. If anything, I would say that at the end we feel sad for Issa, and sad for her and Lawrence's relationship. We have no indication whether they are done for good or if they can both reconcile and move on together, reinforced by the rocky patches.

Great finale, great great show. So glad it's been renewed.

This and the fantastic thriller "Berlin Station" on Epix (which NYT gave a sour review but it's a powerhouse!) are the best new shows.

Issa Rae is a tremendous actress (and writer) and it's easy to root for the Issa character even as she makes dumb choices. By the end of the show I was also back on Molly's side. Enough of Lawrence. She messed up, now let it be over. I was more freaked by Molly messing up with her last boyfriend over the "gay" experiment. But both of those relationships and how they played out seemed entirely believable in context.

Thanks to Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore. "Insecure" is a delight.

(I agree with people who don't care about "Divorce" - a terrible, nasty, immature show...)

I'm not sure about the timing of that last scene. When Issa saw the messed up bed it then flashed to the scene of Lawrence and Tasha, but we're assuming that happened that night. It's possible that Lawrence and Tasha had already hooked up before Lawrence called Issa from the strip club. Maybe after getting Tasha out of his system and his encounter with the stripper he sincerely missed Issa and the call was genuine. Remember Lawrence wasn't expecting Issa to come back home immediately and see the bedroom in that state.

Is everyone sure that that was Tasha Lawrence was with at the end? I thought he was boinking the stripper who gave him the lap dance at the club. Also, no matter who it was, there was nothing intimate about their coupling. That was anger sex. Lawrence has to get back at Issa somehow and doing another woman is a start.

But deep down, isn't this what Issa wanted? It didn't go down the way she intended, but we began the series with her wanting to break up with Lawrence. He won us all over, but even with him getting his career together, I still wonder whether she still was playing it safe by staying with him. In S2 they might flirt with getting back together but I have a feeling Issa needs to be on her own for a while. But I do agree the misogynist remarks at the club were troubling. With or without Issa, I hope Lawrence doesn't become a cad like that.

Gave this show a look after seeing Issas Rae's interview on Charlie Rose. Not that they are in any way similar but, 'Insecure' is superior in every way to HBO's other half hour rom-com, 'Divorce'. 'Insecure' is tough, willing to not give the viewer the easy story line. As a a mid-50s white couple watching the show, we have been reminded about the crappy choices you sometimes get when you are young in your career and your relationships.
I have to say this - I know nothing of the experiences of the lead characters in 'Insecure' but I would rather spend time and get to know them over the cardboard characters on 'Divorce'.

I honestly can't believe Lawrence gave Issa that false hope and then did what he did... I hope he deteriorates into a worse person, losing his admiral traits.

Tremendous show. Just started watching two weeks ago and binge-watched the season to catch up. Quality tv that I hope gets renewed for another season.

These write ups generally provide a good summary but somehow always miss the mark.

Issa uses humor well, the music selection is great, and for once we have fairly well rounded black characters who aren't always either pleasantly perfect or fully flawed.

Also, it's a comedy! Just have fun with it.

They only drove from Malibu to LA, so as Issa says in the show, the drive is under an hour back to her apartment. Furthermore, the name is correctly spelled Stacey Dash, not Stacy.

The ending of the season completely broke my heart. Issa was definitely in the wrong for her actions, and I'm not sure I fully believe her yet when she tries to get Lawrence back, pleading and telling him he's sorry. It clicks for her when he calls her from the club but looks to be too little too late from Lawrence's point of view. I am a hopeless romantic and hope their relationship is mended next season, but not sure that's realistic given the ending. Great job Issa and Melina! Those last few scenes shocked and tore me up!

I enjoyed the first season. Much of the first season content was familiar and honest. I do feel like the story for Issa and Lawrence should end. I don't want next season to be about reconciliation because in real life what happened in the show is what happens. Betrayal is the worst and it is hard to come back from that without the show losing real to life credibility. There are enough characters in the show to explore a different storyline. Seems to me the show is perfectly positioned to do that.

“Why are you looking at me like you’re Stacy Dash and I just told you you’re black” is one of the funniest lines of the series thus far.

Yes indeed :-)

LOVE this series. It feels so real with the characters, language, setting and relationships.

Perfect mix of comedy and drama as it explores friendships, love relationships, work issues and coming of age.

I relate to it as a black woman, but find the ups and downs of life and the navigating of it to be universal.

Thank you Issa for a brilliant show. Looking forward to season 2.

The finale totally stuck the landing. Great first season and I am glad it was already renewed.

Nice series. Hope it's renewed.

For what it's worth, I disagree with your conclusion that Lawrence will do a 180. I see him entering into a monogamous relationship with the bank teller or someone equally deserving.

True to his character, he seemed revolted by the $200/$400 deal offered by the dancer. His disposition is fundamental and people don't change that dramatically.

The Best Buy shirt WAS a very nice touch!

Lawrence calling Issa and saying he misses her is pure theater. He wouldn't call her and then get on up Tasha. There's no reason to call if he's going to clean out his stuff and head to Tasha's. Lawrence would never be that calculated. He's all emotion. Even if he wants to leave his old skin behind, he would just leave the club and move on. The call was the only way they could set up the mechanics of Issa coming home early. Good season but flawed and tonally shaky at times (oh, those silly wabbit racist white co-workers!) Too many predicable setups like the parallel hot tub, strip club scene--guy/woman doing some peeling back over booze. BTW, not sure how the show "excels" at depicting sex when it's basic heated vanilla sex we've seen a hundred times before on premium cable.

I didn't see that ending coming at all. Well done Issa Rae!