Insecure Season 3 Episode 3 Review: Backwards-Like
Olivia Popp
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On Insecure Season 3 Episode 3, Issa, Molly, and Daniel all struggle with their satisfaction with their work lives at their respective workplaces -- but in different ways. Insecure shows us that the glamour of adulthood isn't all that it's cut out to be.
This episode offers viewers a more nuanced look at Issa's life as she reconsiders her current state -- without an apartment, bored with her job, and confused about her romantic life.
It also signals that maybe it's time for a bit of change in her life or a shift away from the norm. Even her friends recognize it -- getting back together with Daniel seems like the logical thing to do for her, but there's some complicated history.
It’s not like we fucking! Not even a little bit. I mean, has the thought crossed my mind? Yeah. Do I think about it a lot? Duh. Am I thinking about it right now? No. …Yeah.
Issa
It's frustrating to see Issa continue to struggle with decisions that she's clearly made up in her mind, like moving away from We Got Y'all or leaving Daniel's apartment. After all, we're already three episodes into the season.
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Nevertheless, "Backwards-Like" gives Issa a bit of growth which is mirrored by Molly's and Daniel's job struggles, but they realize it's not as easy as they expect either. Both opportunities that they thought would be fruitful turned out to be more disappointing than they expected.
This is where the magic of Insecure really comes into play. The show hits at everyday issues that plague many young adults, and Insecure depicts them through personal stories -- life isn't all smooth sailing.
Issa: But…we’re not about to waste time on white people. No offense.
Frieda: No. We’ve given white people enough time.
It'll be interesting to see where Molly's story intersects with Issa's more directly. Right now, she's currently in her own story bubble, joining Issa to work out each of their issues.
I’m with Molly on with this one. We have to do better! We can’t just leave it all up to Chadwick Boseman.
Tiffany
Yet Molly's storylines have proved to be incredibly fruitful and very insightful and continuing to make her an integral part of the Insecure world is vital. Currently, she's off doing her own thing, but we need her to stay close to Issa.
It doesn't matter whether that's them getting into trouble together or them exchanging advice. Molly's two-season story is just too much to lose and too much to leave stranded by itself until it resolves.
There's the possibility that Issa will find a new love interest now that Daniel is out of the picture, but considering her fantasies about him, it seems unlikely. Diving back into a Daniel spiral feels like a poor move on both Issa's and the show's part, considering that the viewers have already seen this.
Issa: Y’all, this is the first time that there is nothing in the way of us getting together! So isn’t that worth exploring?
Molly, Kelli, and Tiffany: No.
Kelly: Uh-uh.
Issa: So y’all just gonna Greek chorus on a bitch?
Molly, Kelli, and Tiffany: Yes!
Kelli: Ya dumb bitch!
This season has also not been able to reintroduce Kelli and Tiffany in a meaningful way as of yet, only including them as comic relief or when Issa needs to have a long personal conversation, but she and Molly have been talking for too long by themselves.
Issa: Bitch, you got a blueberry facial for your dog?
Molly: Mmhm. And a paw massage.
Issa: Well do they take walk-ins? Cause Flava-Flav is gonna look better than me.
It's a bizarre gag that's humorous but serves no actual narrative purpose -- it'd be great to get a Kelli narrative or something, even if it's tangential to Molly's or a smaller part. Right now, they're thrown in as needed and their roles feel wasteful.
Insecure has dived so far into Issa and Molly's stories that it's tough to find a spot for other characters, especially now that Lawrence is completely out of the picture. With the potential for Issa to leave We Got Y'all, Frieda may also be out of the picture.
Now that Issa has potentially found a job that she truly cares about, it'll be a race to see whether this helps her in other aspects of her life. Nevertheless, this episode gives us hope for a new beginning with Issa and her job.
Nevertheless, it's an exciting prospect to see Issa work at a new job as well as potential troubles with her new property manager job. She could barely deal with her neighbors before -- what makes her qualified to do it now?
Here's hoping that Issa will make some new friends at the building and get a new start with a new job and new home. Make sure to watch Insecure online and catch the third episode of the eight-episode season!
Will Issa leave We Got Y'all? Do you think Molly will stay with her new firm? Will Spyder choose Daniel's track over Khalil's? Hit us up in the comments below!
Olivia Popp was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She left the site in September 2018.
