HBO‘s “Insecure” is set to air the first episode of its fifth and final season on October 24, 2021 with the final episode airing on December 26th. In advance of the season premiere, show co-creator and star, Issa Rae along with her co-stars have been putting in work promoting the show.
In addition to interviews provided by Rae, Jay Ellis who plays the key role of Lawrence Walker, checked in with GQ and didn’t provide any hardcore spoilers (of course), but provided some details on the season’s timeline relative to last season and also provides a sketch of the challenges his character is facing.
Just for a very recap, in the final episode of season four, appropriated name “Lowkey Lost,” Lawrence revealed Condola Hayes (Christina Elmore) was pregnant, the baby was his and she planned to keep it. As the episode drew to a close, Issa joined Molly for dinner at the Ethiopian restaurant Merkato where they almost crossed paths earlier in the season when their friendship was hanging on by a thread.
If you don’t want any hints about the upcoming season, stop reading here! If you don’t mind a little context and even some hints at what’s to come, continue reading!
Characters Returning For Season Five
Even prior to Ellis’ interview, HBO released a featurette, which begins by revealing that character Issa Dee (Issa Rae) is “building off the success of the block party.” Part of her success is reflected with her inclusion at a panel discussion at Stanford University where she’s also celebrating a 10 year reunion. As well, Issa and Molly Carter (Yvonne Orji) are working on rebuilding their friendship, a relationship described by Orji as “the backbone of the show,” perhaps an indication they will find a way to patch things up.
Also spotted in previews are Tiffany (Amanda Seales) and Derek DuBois (Wade Allain-Marcus) and Kelli Prenny (Natasha Rothwell). As for exes, the season five preview also includes Nathan Campbel as played by Kendrick Sampson. Telling viewers to expect nothing less than a roller coaster, Sampson explained in the featurette, “There were so many moments last season that threw us for a loop. There are no less this season!” Andrew Tan (Alexander Hodge) is nowhere in sight in any previews, leaving fans of his relationship with Molly sweating it out. There’s also no sign of as Daniel King (Y’lan Noel).
New actors who will appear for the first time in season five are Kofi Siriboe, who some are hoping will be an Issa love interest, and Keke Palmer, who appears to be a friend of Condola or a member of her family.
One Year Later
In terms of the passage of time, season five begins one year after the final episode of season four. Prior seasons haven’t been perfectly chronological either. Case in point, season one of “Insecure” started with Issa’s 29th birthday while she celebrated her 30th birthday during the finale of season three. For what it’s worth, Issa and her friends in season three attend Beyoncé‘s Coachella performance, which took place in 2018, and season four shows a memorial mural of Kobe Bryant, who passed in January 2020.
According to Ellis, his character begins the season still on unsure footing, even a year out from finding out he’s a father. Describing Issa as his one true love, Ellis explained, “Damn, this is my soulmate and here I am in this situation where, am I gonna be involved with the baby? Am I asking her to potentially be a stepmom?”
Putting the kibosh on fan theories that Condola kept the baby for nefarious reasons, Ellis explained, “She wasn’t maliciously plotting to get Lawrence caught up and break up this relationship, but I do think that the character, in some ways, serves as a placeholder for all the things that get in between two people.”
Growth!
And while Condola can’t be faulted for her decision to have the baby, Lawrence will struggle with the role. “That’s a big part of what we see him go through,” explained Ellis. “Is he going to force it or work with Condola and figure out how to co-parent in a healthy way?”
Naturally, Ellis doesn’t give away how the show ends or whether he and Issa find true love, but based on his hints, there will be growth, which includes Lawrence learning how to be a good father. “My hope is that by the time we get to the finale, everyone sits back and looks at these characters and goes, ‘Oh, they found security in their insecurities,'” Ellis explained. “But to me, growth is the biggest thing. I feel like Lawrence was a kid who could barely match two socks when we met him, now he’s about to be taking care of another human.”
Adding a note of caution, Ellis added, “It shows how we, as people, are never going to be the same. There are things and people who come in and out of our lives for reasons.
Check out the official trailer below. The featurette can be found on hbo.com.
