'Insecure' Season Three, Recap of Episode One's 'Better-Like'

Insecure season three promo.

Insecure is back!

What would summer be without the raucous, sexy, awkward, humorous duo of Issa and Molly? The glow up is on lock as the two besties enter this new, fresh season sans Lawrence (and boy are #LawrenceHive upset). The focus on female empowerment is commendable. In the first episode alone, Molly and Issa need each other. The confidante layer of their friendship has always been a strong, regenerative factor. Plus, the chemistry between portrayers Issa Rae and Yvonne Orji remains golden.

Issa (Issa Rae) can't sleep with the commotion. She goes out to Lyft. Only the passenger pukes in her backseat.

In the opening of "Better-Like," written by Issa Rae and directed by Prentice Penny, Daniel's sexual prowess is bringing the house down. For a moment, the sweat induced session appears like the old friends reunited, that Issa's strictly platonic stay turned hot and steamy real quick. Unfortunately, Issa is lying on the couch in utter disbelief, trying to silence Daniel and his night visitor's throes of passion with pillows. The next morning, Daniel is off putting and Issa takes the jab.

Issa's rap alter ego in the mirror is hard to bring out in a roommate situation, but Daniel might like catching the act every once in a while, especially seeing as his studio is struggling to bring talented musicians.

"Guess the color of my shirt?" Daniel (Y'lan Noel) asks the "very observant" Issa. She guesses completely wrong.

Like Daniel's sister, we wonder why Issa chose to stay with Daniel. Yes, her brother sucks. However, she has three other girlfriends. She probably couldn't stay with pregnant Tiffany and her husband, Derek. Kelli would be a riot. Molly isn't over her broken vase, but still is willing to have Issa stay. Co-worker Frieda would have been a good option if Issa hadn't damaged their friendship last season. Then again, they rarely hung outside of work functions. Why Daniel? Issa admits to having lingering feelings for him. The delicate situation between them is filled with unresolved tension. They can play as friends (they have a history), but where can a former non-couple head towards after a friends-with-benefits situation? Daniel definitely still has a thing for Issa (which Issa takes advantage of) and Issa has yet to grow and mature as an intimate partner. Her "me time" is appropriate for right now.

Molly (Yvonne Orji) had a nice, relaxing getaway and even scored a "Vacation Bae" (Chris Brew).

In other relationship messes, Molly is back from her vacation and into the mistake with married man, Dro. Again, it is that same scenario as Issa-- except Daniel isn't married. When it comes to Dro, Molly believes that she can have the cake and eat it too. Yet it is Dro that has the most just desserts. After he spends a night at Molly's, Dro suggests his infamous pancakes and Molly is in. Until his wife Candice calls. Molly has changed her mind on the pancakes. In fact, she wants a strictly physical relationship. None of the manipulation tactics Dro uses to coerce Molly into doing things she doesn't want-- like making her pancakes, everyday calls and texts, and other lovey dovey behavior. Dro is good at cajoling her. This is how this tawdry affair began in the first place. He preyed on her emotional weakness and she caved. Now she is having the hardest time cutting him off because the man doesn't respect her boundaries.

"I don't like him no more," Issa had stated earlier at the diner.

Same.

Except the disdain began at the proposition. How dare an old married friend make such a request?

By the end of the episode, Molly and Dro have a screaming match. She has apparently told him about the Lyft fight (again she still lets him in on the intimate friendship level). He lets himself in Molly's apartment with her keys since she hadn't responded to text messages (disturbing, beyond creepy). Dro is a big kid that treats Molly like a toy that he cannot stop playing with. Candice is in the box for later, but Molly has that shiny, new thrill. Molly kindly asks for her key back. Dro, obviously wanting to keep the key/Molly access, simply cannot fathom why.

Molly bluntly lays it out in the open. At the mention of Candice, Dro takes immediate offense.

"First of all, don't talk about what me and my wife do!" He retorts.

The pink elephant has escaped.

Molly has to restate boundaries to get it through Dro's thick skull. Dro gives Molly her key, having had it attached to his personal ones, a rather symbolic gesturing of his options-- a wife or a mistress.

He makes a leave to go, but stands for a moment, as if waiting for Molly to change her mind.

And she doesn't.

The pleasure before the reckoning: Molly (Yvonne Orji) and Dro (Sarunas J. Jackson) . 

While Molly has her professional game together complete with her terms agreed and settled at a new law firm, Issa has been demoted at We Got Y'all, doing remedial desk duty. It is unsettling that despite their fragile office relationship, Issa asks Frieda for help. Issa's unprofessionalism jeopardized her camaraderie and the students relying on We Got Y'all resources. She is fortunate that she still has a job. At the same time, she deserves better and can have better if she pushed herself into believing both. When the schools start dropping We Got Y'all services, Issa takes the initiative (underhanded yes, but necessary) to see why. Joanne, her boss, is upset at Issa's gumption, looking very intent on firing her on the spot. Issa keeps her job. Yet her dignity is falling below the waste side.

At Issa's makeshift home, she and Daniel have reached an understanding.

The Party Lyft was hilarious. Issa's side hustle game has hits and misses.

Things to love: the new obsessive show within a show called "Kevin" starring Erika Alexander, Daryl Bell, and Bill Bellamy, Daniel's sister braiding her daughter's hair between her knees and not liking her parting efforts, Daniel playing guitar and relishing the playback with a glass of Jameson, and rider Nathan (How to Get Away With Murder's killer "Caleb," Kendrick Sampson) beat up a big man in Issa's Party Lyft and tipped her $50.

Also, the cinematography is downright amazing. Some shots alone can be framed artworks. Perhaps one day, there will be a published book on the art of Insecure.

Gorgeous shot of Issa...

followed by a beautiful portrait of conflicted Molly.

Overall, Insecure is off to a fabulous start.