Prior to writing this week’s column, I was chatting to Ope (The Floor’s EiC) about how we felt like this season has been monumentally different from the others.
It’s been slower in a number of ways but ultimately we both felt as though it’s been seriously lacking closure. For a final season, you’d expect all those tricky loose ends to be tied away; Issa and Lawrence, Issa and Molly, Issa and her future.
So far this season has left us with so much open-ended content, but it appears that this latest episode shows hopes of tying it all together.
This episode returns to the root of sisterhood that ‘Insecure’ is so well known for. Over alcohol and “soggy” blunts, we delve into fears over relationships, the future of friendships and what the future holds in general.
‘Chillin’ Okay?!’ opens with a girls' night in and finally it would appear that all the fences have been well and truly mended. Nothing feels uncomfortable and we’re given a script that reminds us why the dynamic of Kelli/Tiffany and Issa/Molly works so well. It’s a bittersweet reunion of sorts and one in which you could tell that the walls are starting to cave in.
On the other side of town, we’re catching up with Lawrence and Condola who have had an effective breakthrough in their own relationship and are co-parenting like pros.
I think at the start of this season I was quite unfair to Lawrence, I felt as though he was acting out and really wanted to have his cake and eat it too when it came to co-parenting with Condola, but I’m really glad that he’s mellowed out and that he and Condola seem to be making it work (not that I’m invested in their relationship at all).
But back to the girls night in, we’re treated to a number of sweet moments which really feel like they’re beginning to wrap up the show. At one point there’s even a four-way hug which feels less like acting and a lot like real emotions about the show coming to an end after 5 years.
We learn that Tiffany may be moving to another state as her husband has a new job offer, and in reference to another episode that really showcased the bond the 4 share, Tiffany explains that she’s scared to be without her girls because “What if we want to have more kids? What if I get depressed again?”. They swiftly remind her that they would be there in a heartbeat if needed and that their bond is more than their proximity to one another.
But sweet moments aside we also have scenes that work to further develop plot lines and give us a great change of pace.
This season Molly has been on a journey, she seems more comfortable in herself and perhaps is even ready to pursue a relationship again. I don’t know how I feel about this. I think Molly and Taurean make a great team and sometimes it’s okay to like someone and make a grown-up choice to not pursue that relationship romantically. But with encouragement from her girls Molly takes the plunge, let’s hope it pays off.
We also get some Nathan/Issa closure, which Issa needed but we also have another opening with Lawrence calling Issa in the final scene (this spells trouble).
I think we’ve been gearing up to this moment and as the show draws to a close and I really hope that Issa sticks by the decision she’s already made. I’m Team Nathan all the way. The romantic in me really wanted an Issa/Lawrence ending, but seeing Lawrence and Condola settled with Baby Elijah I think this final season is mirroring the real world and sometimes you don’t end up with the person you want, no matter how much history you may have.