Insecure Season 3 Ep. 4 Recap: 'Fresh-Like'

Photo: HBO

"Hey mirror bitch, you lookin' real clean. You lookin' real bad. You lookin' like a queen." It took four episodes, but Issa's finally busting out a bathroom freestyle, spitting some bars about her new spot to her reflection. Her revelry is interrupted by Daniel, who hands her the last of her things. They exchange a few words and he's out the door and, for the moment at least, out of her life.

The departure of Daniel, a living embodiment of Issa's past, sets the tone for "Fresh-Like," which focuses on letting go of the old, both literally and figuratively. Molly is excited about Issa's new place, but Issa pumps her brakes when she starts all that talk of her now being "a make no mistakes bitch."

"I just feel like every time I claim a new me I end up in some old shit," she says. It's a new attitude for Issa. While in the recent past she wanted to be Ms. Give No Fucks or be on her hotation shit, now it appears she has enough self-awareness to just try to be a better version of herself, not attempt a complete identity overhaul. But speaking of old shit, Molly points out if she really wants a fresh start, she needs to dump her copy of Sex Chronicles, her Forever 21 jewelry and most importantly, the mix CDs of Adele Lawrence made her after their first date. Issa agrees, but later takes all of her old stuff out of the trash, then pulls out her high school rap journal. "Oh Issa, you were so simple then," she says, reading her teenage rhymes.

But in the present day, life is a little more complicated than telling that trick you don't want her ashy ass man. Despite Frieda finally convincing Joanne to allow her back into the field, Issa is still unhappy at work. During her lunch break, she drops her beloved barbecue salmon taco thanks to Lyft Bae, otherwise known as Nathan. Instantly a playful, electric chemistry is crackling between them, and while they wait for a new taco order--an hour? Must be an L.A. thing--she plays hooky and takes him on an impromptu tour of the city, from the all-black boho Leimert Park and The Jungles to her childhood home of Baldwin Hills.

Issa is remarkably candid throughout what is essentially a first date. She admits to cheating on Lawrence, her private freestyle raps, her parents' divorce and her dissatisfaction with her job. Nathan is less forthcoming, but we learn he's a barber from Houston who left after his apartment flooded during Hurricane Harvey to start a new life. Issa is impressed by this, and Nathan encourages her to bring the same boldness to her job. His advice probably feels like a breath of fresh air for Issa after living with a man who felt he "always had to save her from some shit." Though in Daniel's defense, he's been backstage and seen Issa at her worst, so he has a perspective (albeit a flawed one) on Issa Nathan doesn't.

But I digress. The next day, Issa throws out both her old stuff and her job, telling Frieda she's quitting. Issa is making big moves (and smart ones, because mama had a new gig that came with a new apartment already in place). Leaving We Got Y'all opens up a new world of possibilities for both Issa and Insecure, and it's exciting to see what will happen next.

Meanwhile, Molly's still floundering at work. She's being talked over in meetings by Morehouse Man Taurean and generally fading into the background. Not to mention Felicia and Stacy have "'the woman thing' on lock" as she later rants to her therapist, a telling remark we'll get to in a minute. "I should be having gumbo with the partners' wives by now," she complains. Mmph, there's that word again...should. "I just feel like I'm starting all over again." Well, because you are starting all over again Molly. Rather than accept she's in a new environment and needs to establish relationships with her co-worker so she can get access to the work she wants, she believes she should be a star already. But even Beyonce didn't become Queen Bey in a day. Calm yourself.

Molly appears to have taken her therapist's advice to focus on how she can helpful at first, offering to assist Stacy and Felicia with a case. Later, however, she blows off working with the two women because she's decided to align with Taurean, without even bothering to tell them. Really Molly? You're gonna curve the two people at your job you have the most rapport with for a guy who talks over you in meetings (and does a mic drop afterward...a mic drop), has a reputation for being arrogant and will probably take every drop of credit for whatever work you do? Aight then.

Molly railed against the boys' club mentality of her old firm but is playing right into at her new one by attaching herself to a man because she believes it'll take her further. While her rise to the top may have been slower with Felicia and Stacy, I'm willing to bet it would be a lot less treacherous than banking on Taurean. I just don't see this ending well for Molly. But do you boo.

Next week it's Beyonce or bust bitches!

Other Thoughts:

• The entire tour of L.A. was beautifully shot and insightful, especially for outsiders like myself. The walkthrough of Leimert Park, in particular, shows how much Issa truly loves and wants to support black culture. She is passionate about something, she just needs to find the right outlet for it.

• The two songs that bookend the episode--Kali Uchis' "After The Storm" and Janelle Monae's "I Like That" perfectly summed up Issa's arc, the former preaching self-reliance and the latter a celebration of self.

• Issa leaving We Got Y'all also means we won't see Joanne or most of the staff again. But given that Frieda's gotten more screen time, maybe she'll join Issa at The Beat Crew? At the very least I hope she finally gets that cat.

• So Molly never told her therapist about 'Dro? Chile.....

Those One Liners Tho'

• "A bitch out here gettin' donut alerts? Ok."

• "What you got against cheap black love?"

• "That was hard to watch. Yea, living it was harder."

• "What y'all doin'? Eatin' tacos and kissin' on the mouth?"

• "I was like can't y'all stay together for the kids...to swim?"

• "Comin' for you like rat, tat tat tat, tat tat, tat tat tat!"