S01.E02: Messy as F**k

[formerlyfreedom]

After the unexpected events of the previous night, Issa tries to decide what to do about Lawrence, while sticking to her plan to embrace a bolder side of herself. Molly treats herself to a “fancy day” and goes on a promising date. Lawrence gets advice from an unexpected source.

 

[Sheenieb]

I'm continuing to love this show. Molly's dog being named Flava Flav with his clock collar and Issa having the nerve to ask Lawrence for his Rite Aid card had me rolling.

I don't know if Molly was on Awkward Black Girl, but if she wasn't, Issa has a great rapport with her.

Lord, there's legit a dating app that requires a waiting list?

[Keepitmoving]

I love the show too. The best moment this episode was the guy from the club calling Molly "Broken Pussy" and she turning around knowing that was her name, LMAO. Then there's little Flava Flav  complete with his clock collar.

Love it.

Edited October 17, 2016 by Keepitmoving

[tenativelyyours]

I found this was a big leap in quality over a rather superior pilot.  I do feel some of it is a little challenging in a way.  But in a very good way.  There is a slick way to the undertones of a lot of Issa's feelings.  Both as she struggles with her relationship and with her work.  I love that she is able to both convey the frustration at her co-worker's ineptitude and cultural deafness on one hand and still show that she also struggles knowing much if it does come from a good place of sorts.  Not many could manage to both do a mea culpa and still carry through how mind numbing such a workplace can be.  And keep a nice amount of humor regarding all it there constantly.  It would be so easy to go the "easy" route and I think it doesn't is all due to Issa.  I know Larry Wilmore is involved and I loved Larry but I often saw him go the easy route on his show when the topic didn't interest him no matter how pressing it might be to the public at large. 

I'm still grateful to what Larry did and is doing in regards here though.  but I am new to Issa for the most part and two episodes in and I am shocked how much fun it is keeping up with her here. 

I'm also really loving Molly.  Though I was wondering about the wine bar guy because I was waiting for him to turn around and say the right thing and maybe fix it or put a bandage on it and was pleased and surprised to be pleased when he didn't.  And then the guy from the club turning up.  I'm not sure how long the office bit with the co-worker's engagement can last for me, but her dating life is interesting, entertaining and done so well just two episodes in.

Keepitmoving what I found funny was the actress did this great job of turning around, and for me, had this little moment of "I just recognized myself as Broken Pussy to a call out on the street".  It was done so perfectly. 

I grew up with German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers.  I love big dogs as companions.    But Flava Flav is a perfect addition to my growing crush on Frenchies. 

Her asking for the discount card was kind of a punchline type joke and yet Issa played it with the right amount of plaintive tone that I have had to nibble a little humble pie with on occasion.  So I was shaking my head and going "uh huh" at the same time.

[DrivingSideways]

I kind of wish Molly was the main character and Issa was her wacky friend.  I did like seeing Issa all confident about her choice to leave her boyfriend, but once her job seemed to be in jeopardy, she wanted to fall back into the safety of her relationship.  That seemed like a realistic scene.

I'm from LA and it seems unlikely that someone who grew up here would NEVER have seen the ocean?  Especially since it sounds like Molly is from the Crenshaw area and it's literally like 10 miles away.  I'm guessing that's true and it fascinated me.

There were a few scenes where the characters talked so fast that I had no clue what they were talking about.  Maybe that was intentional but I hope I didn't miss any great dialogue.

Between this, Atlanta, Better Things and High Maintenance, there are so many great 30 minute shows on my viewing calendar lately.  TV is so much better than it used to be, and it's because they are telling stories about people that used to be ignored.  It's telling that of that list, half of them were web series first.  

[RedKoolAide]

I kinda love that even though Issa and Lawrence are having relationship issues she couldn't pass up a chance at a discount with his RiteAid card. A girl after my own heart.

Poor Molly on that date. He seemed good on the surface but he was really terrible. I'm glad Molly is realizing her pussy isn't broken, lol.

I'm really enjoying this show.

[Ohwell]

Maybe it's my hearing, but I'm having a really hard time understanding the actors, mainly Issa and Molly.  They're either talking too fast or they're mumbling.  I've even turned up the volume and that helps a little, but I'm still having trouble.  I want to like this show, but that really annoys me.  

I'll give it one more episode and then I might have to bail.

[Empress1]

Molly never having been to the beach despite being from LA was weird to me. Not swimming, ok (I can't wait for the line in the preview - "Why don't they swim?" "Slavery") but never going? I have family in Barbados and one of their friends there told me she only goes to the beach once a year - but she goes!

Issa and Molly in the nail shop made me laugh. I love their friendship. Molly's "Oh shit, i am 'Broken Pussy'" moment was brilliant. That dude is cute!

(I loathe the p-word. Hate the way it sounds, the way some people hate the word "ointment." Between this and Trump, it's not a good week for me and that word.)

[DrivingSideways]

31 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

Maybe it's my hearing, but I'm having a really hard time understanding the actors, mainly Issa and Molly.  They're either talking too fast or they're mumbling.  I've even turned up the volume and that helps a little, but I'm still having trouble.  I want to like this show, but that really annoys me.  

I'll give it one more episode and then I might have to bail.

It's not just me?  I WANT to hear everything, but some stuff is just unclear.  

[Negritude]

Multiple ABG alumni sightings all through this episode! Baby voice Daryl, Cici, the guy with the glasses who was asking about Molly's coworkers wedding plans. 

Sadly, I'm from LA originally and grew up in SoCal and the whole "never been to the beach" thing is real. Not in my case, but I know quite a few folks who are like this. I won't even get into all of the LA things I've never done lol.

2 minutes ago, DrivingSideways said:

It's not just me?  I WANT to hear everything, but some stuff is just unclear.  

Try closed captioning

[Empress1]

I love the ABG sightings! I think her boss is her ABG boss too.

[AuntiePam]

2 hours ago, Ohwell said:

Maybe it's my hearing, but I'm having a really hard time understanding the actors, mainly Issa and Molly.  They're either talking too fast or they're mumbling.  I've even turned up the volume and that helps a little, but I'm still having trouble.  I want to like this show, but that really annoys me.  

I'll give it one more episode and then I might have to bail.

Same here.  I don't have a problem with Issa but I catch very little of what Molly's saying.  And that's a shame, because I really like these characters.  Maybe it's time for me to figure out how to do set up closed captions (and to find the manual for the TV).

[huahaha]

3 hours ago, DrivingSideways said:

It's not just me?  I WANT to hear everything, but some stuff is just unclear.  

Yeah, I desperately wanted to hear the conversation between the guys at the bar but caught very little of it. I think it's a combination of a lot of slang and in-jokes with fast talking. I assume continuing to watch will bridge the gap. Losing the voice of the show because not everyone is used to it would be a shame.

[DrivingSideways]

Having to set up closed captioning to watch Insecure will probably be the whitest thing I ever do!  I'm so embarrassed.

[Negritude]

23 minutes ago, DrivingSideways said:

Having to set up closed captioning to watch Insecure will probably be the whitest thing I ever do!  I'm so embarrassed.

Don't be embarrassed. I use close caption all of the time because I miss things and end up rewinding. I wouldn't want you to give up on the show.

[pasdetrois]

Liking the show so far. Appreciate the writers delving into the office stuff and not making it too cartoonish. I do wish they would drop much of the profanity, as I think it's lazy scriptwriting. I appreciate the boyfriend's characterization - many of us have dealt with decent partners who are stuck in life - but I like the part of the show that is about something other than romantic relationships. Women are so much more than who they date.

ETA: meant to say that here in DC there are lots of kids and adults who never visit a Smithsonian museum, the Washington Monument, the Capitol, etc.

Edited October 19, 2016 by pasdetrois

[Ohwell]

15 hours ago, Negritude said:

Try closed captioning

Yes, that's an option but the problem with that is that you're so focused on reading the words that sometimes you miss seeing what's going on on the screen.   

Would it be that difficult for the actors to speak just a leeeeetle slower and clearer?  I don't think it would do any harm to the show.

[tenativelyyours]

9 hours ago, Ohwell said:

Yes, that's an option but the problem with that is that you're so focused on reading the words that sometimes you miss seeing what's going on on the screen.   

Would it be that difficult for the actors to speak just a leeeeetle slower and clearer?  I don't think it would do any harm to the show.

 

I do think that is a risky gamble.  They are doing such a great job with the visuals in terms of facial expressions and just body language in carrying characterizations and the small but significant plot points. 

I had to go back and watch the scene again with Lawrence at the dumpster and the guy with his kid because I thought there was so much going on and I kept laughing and missing tiny parts. 

It is definitely a two-watch show for me so far because I do miss things the first time.

[briochetwist]

I am so not the demographic for this show, but I absolutely love it. 

I can buy the whole not going to the beach thing. I live a couple of hours away from the mountains and can't remember the last time I went there.

[pasdetrois]

Can someone explain the "B" and "C" conversation that Lawrence had with the father of the young child - the neighbor? I think it had to do with gang affiliation?

[huahaha]

1 hour ago, pasdetrois said:

Can someone explain the "B" and "C" conversation that Lawrence had with the father of the young child - the neighbor? I think it had to do with gang affiliation?

Bloods vs Crips, I assume?

[lulugirl896]

4 hours ago, pasdetrois said:

Can someone explain the "B" and "C" conversation that Lawrence had with the father of the young child - the neighbor? I think it had to do with gang affiliation?

I had to look it up and apparently it's actually a thing. They replace the letter if the word starts with their rival's initial. Lol!

Quote

Rapper YG, a Los Angeles native, purports to be a member of the Bloods street gang.

Due to this affiliation, YG explained why members of the Bloods street gang replace C words with the letter B.

“I didn’t make up “Bompton,” he said during an interview with Vlad TV. “But I’m the first one to come out with a song called ‘Bompton’ or ‘I’m from Bompton.’”

YG further explains, “In Los Angeles, if you ‘su-wooin’ that’s common across the globe. We change our C words to B’s. It ain’t no disrespect. And the Crips change all their B’s to C’s.”

Such words that have been changed from their original spelling, YG explained, include bicking it (kicking it), What’s bracking (what’s cracking), that’s bool (that’s cool),

“Serious, even thought that ain’t a C word, we say ‘berious,’” he said. “We say bomedy for comedy. Kool-aid, boo-laid.

[numbnut]

On 10/17/2016 at 5:23 PM, Ohwell said:

Maybe it's my hearing, but I'm having a really hard time understanding the actors, mainly Issa and Molly.  They're either talking too fast or they're mumbling.  I've even turned up the volume and that helps a little, but I'm still having trouble.  I want to like this show, but that really annoys me.  

I'll give it one more episode and then I might have to bail.

I also had trouble catching some of the dialogue. It's a combination of fast talking, weak enunciation and a poor sound mix. Not a good cocktail for a comedy that relies on clever banter.

[Ohwell]

Exactly!

[aradia22]

My issue with episode 2 was that a lot of it felt like other sitcoms or even an episode of the Real Housewives except the characters talked differently. I feel like diversity in creators should result in more interesting stories and yet TV that's built around a "personality" (like a comedian's show vs. Mad Men) ends up just telling the same stories. Like The Mindy Project sold me on a premise about an OB/GYN and then it was just about her love life. 

The part with the guys from all the different sites was kind of cute. And they got a laugh out of me for "Lawrence, we are not about to be the black couple fighting in Rite Aid."

I like her little pep talk mirror raps but they don't do anything for the show compared to something like the musical numbers in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I don't know. I feel like it's not just bringing me in so I actually care about the characters. And I was still struggling to understand the mumbled lines.

From her entering work in her boss lady outfit to her imagined/passive confrontation with her co-worker in the break room, I thought the episode was finally doing really great. And then when Issa lost control for being underprepared, I feel like the episode lost control too and just went to a cringey, awkward place. Which is fine. But I lost track of what I was supposed to feel about all those pitching their ideas. Were those jokes? I did think that situation was an interesting way of highlighting how you get some points for your background but other people are also eager to stomp all over you. Countless shows have talked about it but it's that whole 'you have to be better to be considered equal' thing.

I don't need Lawrence's neighbor to be a thing but I liked that bit, especially the spelling of the bad words in front of his daughter. 

I liked Molly's date. I still don't think that actress is as naturally charismatic as Issa but it still rang true for her to find a guy who seemed great... only for him to ruin it. That scene was nothing new but I liked the way they played it.

It was an improvement from the pilot but I'm not in love with this show yet.