"Insecure" Season 3, Episode 4 Recap: Girl, What Are You Doing?
Read weekly recaps on HBO’s “Insecure” every week on The 94 Percent.
The first three episodes of this season have been a drag, but things are picking up this week! Issa is moved out of Daniel’s and on the verge of a breakthrough with her career. Things can only look up for Molly at her new law firm. She can’t possibly mess up more than she already has.
The raptress is back! Part-time property manager Issa is dropping bars in front of her new medicine cabinet mirror in her new bathroom in her new apartment. Her cypher is interrupted by knocking on her door. It’s Daniel. You curved ol’ boy, and he still helped you move?! I don’t know to feel right now.
Issa shares her gratitude with Daniel, and Daniel is really not trying to hear it. There isn’t a single thing Issa can say or do to soften the blow of heartbreak. On his way out, he bumps into Molly. AWKWARD. Molly does what any good girlfriend does when you run into someone that’s not good for your homegirl. With her cold stare, she reminds him to go when he leaves! Y’all, this might be the last we see of Daniel. Damn.
Issa is unpacking while Molly is purging Issa’s belongings. It’s clear that Issa is slow to celebrate her newfound independence. It’s hard accepting strides in your life when you’re one mistake from squalor and we know mistakes are coming! Unpacking and purging is interrupted by Trina, the resident she was warned about during her interview. There’s a squirrel in the walls. I already regret this part-time gig for Ms. Dee.
Molly is home. She’s going to bed. It’s just her and her dog Flavor Flav. Singleness is beautiful, but it has its low points. She doesn’t have to dwell in singledom for too long though. She has a job that she needs to make the best of after a slew of missteps. She’s in a firm-wide meeting, and her colleague Taurean is showing off and talking over the women in the room. Rude. I mean, he’s a Morehouse alum. Molly and two of her female co-workers Stacy and Felicia bond over Taurean’s arrogance. Yay! Molly might have some allies in the office after all.
The blessings keep on flowing for Issa. She gets word from Frieda that she’s allowed back in the field on behalf of We Got Y’all. Issa gets a celebratory taco from her favorite taco spot during her lunch break. She runs into Nathan. Yes, fine-ass Nathan from the Party Lyft disaster in episode one. Sexy, scrappy and chivalrous? Yes, Lord! Issa and Nathan are flirting up a storm. The flirting is so good, Issa forgets that she’s Lyfting during her lunch break and has a full-time job she has to return to eventually.
First, the pair tour the historically-Black Leimert Park neighborhood. Most of us have seen or heard of Leimert Park on TV since “Moesha.” Issa is showing Nathan all of her favorite spots. The conversation is flowing. He’s not boring. Yes! Also, we learn that Nathan is a mobile barber from Houston. Houston? As much as he complains, I thought Nathan was from New York. I get to say this because I’m from New York and New Yorkers be complaining.
Because we only can take so many consecutive minutes of romantic chemistry, we see Molly venting her frustrations about work at therapy. Side note: I’m so glad that Molly is continuing to see her Black woman therapist. Molly’s therapist challenges her to stop obsessing over her need to dominate at work. Despite Molly’s strides in therapy, she fails to tell her therapist about Dro. Girl, why are you still trying to be perfect at therapy?
Meanwhile on the day date, Issa and Nathan are still exploring different Los Angeles neighborhoods. They’re now strolling down the palm tree-lined “hood.” The conversation takes a serious turn during the walk. Men are always trying to play ‘Truth or Dare’ with women. Issa, like most cautious women I know, picks ‘truth.’ No matter what you choose, issa trap! Nathan asks Issa about her most-recent relationship. Issa is honest about her five-year relationship with Lawrence and the fact that she cheated. Nathan doesn’t pass judgement. Imagine more men being understanding and/or forgiving of women’s transgressions? I mean they expect these things from women without question.
As well-versed as Issa is about this particular “hood,” she’s not even from there. Of course, Nathan wants to see where Issa grew up. I need Nathan to get on a hop-on-hop-off tour bus, because my goodness. Issa caves in and cancels her afternoon work meeting with Frieda, citing a fake illness that has just come over her.
Issa, nooooooooooooooooooooooo! You don’t shirk your responsibilities, i.e. work, to go run off with some man you’ve known for a few hours. I know you two are vibing, but what has this man done in three hours for you to forget about your job? Nathan is fine or whatever, but I implore you to wake up and stop being dickstracted (no typo) so easily.
Issa and Nathan trek to Issa’s childhood home in what I assume to be the Baldwin Hills neighborhood. Life wasn’t always struggly for Issa. This house is big and nice! It holds bittersweet memories for Issa though. She moved out during her teenage years because of her parents’ divorce. She also never took full advantage of the then newly-built pool. Nathan hears pool and his mischievous spidey senses go off. Continuing this game of ‘Truth or Dare,’ Nathan dares her to break into the backyard. Ma’am, stop doing everything this man suggests!
Behold the pool. It’s lovely. Nathan’s vagabondry is rubbing off on Issa. She dares him to jump in the pool naked. He obliges after a weak attempt at giving pushback. Nathan dares her to join him in skinny dipping in the pool of the property they’re trespassing on. I’m really trying to be happy for Issa as she enjoys this spontaneous and adventurous afternoon with this new eye candy, but Issa is trying to get her life together. I just want her to stay focused.
When I tell you Issa and Nathan are having a whole-ass exchange in this pool. Issa is sharing childhood memories and reveals she likes to rap, and Nathan explains why he moved to California. It’s part being displaced by Hurricane Harvey and part wanting to escape the culture of complacency he was experiencing in H-Town. Something about Nathan relocating to Los Angeles on a whim awakens something in Issa. She’s yearning to take a leap of faith in her life too. White people finally realize there are trespassers in their swimming pool and threaten to call the police. Thank God Issa and Nathan escape unharmed with all their clothes. You know how awry things can get when white people call the police on us.
Molly is taking her therapist’s advice and making herself more available at work. She offers to assist Stacy and Felicia on a tedious case. Good job, Molly! Do whatever you can to get out of timeout at office.
Issa and Nathan finally pick up their tacos, which are now cold and soggy. Issa offers her microwave as a solution. YOU AIN’T SLICK ISSA. Nathan doesn’t mind though. He doesn’t want the evening to end either. As they’re eating tacos in Issa’s not-yet furnished living room, all the tension built up from the day leads to a kiss. Awww. It’s short-lived, however, because residents come knocking. It’s a nosey young boy coming in the spirit of “My mama said…,” effectively throwing a wrench in Issa and Nathan’s pseudo-day date. Good news: Nathan wants to see her again. It’ll probably have to be after the girls trip to Coachella though. I’m not counting Issa’s coins, but how did she find money for a weekend in Palm Springs? TV magic.
Back at Jackson, Johnson & Washington (A reader suggested that I add Washington.), Molly’s female co-workers take Molly up on her offer to help on this Patterson case. Too bad Molly can’t help right now. She’s also assisting Taurean. This is what Eddie Levert would call a backstabber. Molly connected with her female co-workers over their mutual disdain for jerk face Taurean, and you’re going to turn around and help him? That’s low, especially since you betrayed other women in your office. Your invite to ESSENCE FEST is rescinded. Molly needs to find a new job or start her own law practice, because this is painful to watch.
It’s a new day, and Issa is at work taking in her surroundings. My gut is telling me she’s about to make a brash decision. She does. Issa quits her job on the spot. Whether or not quitting a job that no longer serves you without having another job lined up is stupid is subjective. The bill-paying part of me is like: “You don’t have enough savings to make these kind of decisions.” The other part of me that did this very same thing two years ago is like: “Follow your heart, because God will see you through this.” Here’s to hoping she lands on her feet.
What are your thoughts on Nathan? How can Molly get back in the good graces of her female co-workers? Was it a good idea for Issa to quit her job? Comment below!
