'Insecure' Season 3 Premiere: What We're Loving, Missing, And Dissing

In case you missed it, last night HBO premiered Season 3 of Insecure — and if you “stan” for the show as much as I do — it was almost everything you could’ve asked for. Almost.

Don’t get me wrong! I’ll take what I can get, but the season premiere definitely left me with more questions about what wasn’t included rather than what was, making me wonder: Where exactly is everyone?

Here are the five things we’re loving, missing, and dissing about the Season 3 premiere of Insecure. Friendly warning: The following contains spoilers.

1. LOVING: Live, Laugh… Lyft?

With every season of Insecure, we see more and more of Issa’s Los Angeles, which is radically different from the glamorous L.A. portrayed in movies or on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. This new season is no exception. Now that Issa (Issa Rae) has become a Lyft driver for extra cash (the struggle is so real!), we’re given glimpses into the lives of the people living within her proximity. Although these people only make brief appearances, they give the episode some of it’s funniest moments.

But, who can blame Issa? She needs the money.

Yes, Issa’s still working at We Got Y’all, the non-profit organization that helps children of color succeed in their schools and communities, but even that’s on shaky ground. Issa’s been put on light “desk duty” and has been taken off the “squad” of community game changers. (It’s pretty bleak.) And, now that Issa and Lawrence have officially split and she’s moved out of The Dunes, our heroine desperately needs to make money so she can stop crashing on Daniel’s (Y’lan Noel) couch!

You remember Daniel, don’t you? That chiseled God of a man Issa cheated on Lawrence with? Well, Daniel’s given Issa the generous opportunity to stay on the couch (rent-free)… while he sleeps with other people! (More on that later.)   

What we have here is a humbled Issa. She’s starting from the absolute bottom, which means only one thing: How long until she reaches the top? 

2. MISSING: Where the eff is Lawrence?! 

I personally wouldn’t consider myself Team Lawrence (overall, I’m more in Molly’s camp for Team Dro), so it definitely took me by surprise that I was so shook over his absence this episode. And I get it — Issa Rae has said in interviews that his absence is to emulate “real life break-ups”… but I’m not buying it.

For the first two seasons of Insecure, we closely followed Issa, Molly, and Lawrence’s storylines independently from each other. We’ve been with these three specific characters more than even Issa’s other two best friends: Tiffany (Amanda Sales) and Kelli (Natasha Rothwell). 

So then, why the sudden decision to drop Lawrence’s point of view, storyline, and character entirely from the show? Couldn’t he lead a separate life from Issa (as he does for most of Season 2) and still be part of the kinetic energy that makes up Insecure? 

I know Issa Rae must have something up her sleeve for Issa and Lawrence. After all, they do say absence makes the heart grow fonder. But right now I’m concerned the show’s being redirected to more of a Girls or Sex in the City vibe. That’s unfortunate since its original chemistry felt unique, and also permitted each of these three characters (Issa, Molly, and Lawrence) to bring something special to the show. They represent twenty-somethings, both men and woman, with all their insecurities at the forefront.

Also, where in the world are Tiffany and Kelli?! We didn’t see them once this episode.

3. LOVING: Sistas Before Mistas: Molly & Issa (Friendship Goals)

One thing is for sure: Molly and Issa are everything.

Molly and Issa’s friendship is quickly becoming something of its own classic — a definition of friendship unlike any other we’ve seen on television. These girls can yell and cut deep into each other in one breath, then find themselves in a pleasant exchange the next. They can discuss their relationship issues with each other, bicker over their differences in opinion, then set it all aside to focus on their own time together. 

Molly and Issa’s friendship is the closest thing to what real life best friends look like, act like, and I’m here for all of it. 

No questions asked. 

4. LOVING: Molly Knows Best

Though Dro is in an open relationship with his wife, this still doesn’t sit well with Molly. So, with a little help from her therapist and some personal growth, Molly decides to give Dro an ultimatum: They’re either going to be friends without sex, or be acquaintances with sex. Of course Dro chooses the latter, which means no cuddles afterwards or morning pancakes. 

We can’t help but wonder how long these two can operate under this arrangement and how long their relationship will last. If Dro’s response to when Molly asks for her apartment key back is any indication, the answer is not for very long. 

Seeing Molly take these steps towards what she really wants is a much needed breath of fresh air in this episode. As Molly grows stronger, you can’t help but hope some of it rubs off on Issa. 

5. DISSING: Daniel and Issa? And Do We Even Care?

From the moment Season 2 ended with Issa landing on Daniel’s doorstep homeless, we knew this spelled trouble. What we didn’t know, however, was Daniel and Issa’s relationship would be non-existent. 

Watching Issa try to sleep through the sounds of Daniel with another woman in his bedroom not only makes you feel bad for Issa, but makes you wonder why she would ever admit she still has feelings for him. (Especially when Daniel asks Issa if she still likes him and she denies it!)

Daniel and Issa’s relationship is the most wrenching thing about the entire episode. This is interesting, since prior to the Season 3 premiere, we had a good sense of who Daniel and Issa were, and, most importantly, who they were together.

Even I thought Daniel was a good alternative to Lawrence, but coming into Season 3, that seems to have fallen by the wayside. These two barely seem to know each other.  Of course I’m going to stick with Insecure for the rest of the season, but I hope — no, I pray — Issa gets back on her feet and no longer has to ask for a “heads up” before coming home after a long night of Lyft driving. 

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