In the writers room
Initially, this episode was going to be the finale.
So we decided to shift this episode into the 7th spot.
My mom loved ALL of it.
Credit: Anne Marie Fox/HBO; Inset: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Additionally, in real life, Baldwin Hills/View Park is mostly an African-American middle class neighborhood.
We made a joke in the episode that Molly notices more white people were moving back into the neighborhood.
(In the 1930s-1950s, the neighborhood was mostly white.)
Everything looks good on paper, but in real life shes a mess.
We wanted to talk about African-Americans aversion to therapy.
Sometimes our solution is just, Girl, go to church.
We think talking about our problems to a therapist is weak, or something only white people do.
I think thats Mollys viewpoint about it, which is also lot of African-American peoples opinion.
Ironically, its the one thing Molly needs in her life.
We wanted to bring that up without hitting you over the head with it.
Shes slowly starting to figure things out.
In the beginning of the season, shes apathetic about work and is in a bad relationship.
Over the course of the season, we wanted to see her start to get her life together.
With the exception of having sex with Daniel (and thats a big exception), she does.
Life gives you the yin, but it also gives the yang.
So while she may be doing good at work, her personal life is about to fall apart.
We knew that Lawrence was starting to put stuff together, but he doesnt know all the details.
Lawrence doesnt knowifthats actually Daniel or the real nature of that relationship.
We wanted the audience to see Lawrence piece things together.
Hes not stupid, but he also cant make a leap.
Once we figured that out, we wanted to create as much tension as possible.
Initially, we decided to set the scene in a bathroom.
I think us keeping the dialogue to just two lines and letting the silence play achieved it.
We always wanted to show black women have healthy relationships.
They also hadnt had any argument since the pilot.
However, we knew that both of their situations were coming to a head.
The core of this show is that friendship, and we wanted to test it.
The line where Issa says, Are you just jealous I can actually keep a man?
was HEAVILY debated in the room.
Some felt the friendship could never recover after that line, while others felt differently.
Our motto in the room was, If it makes us uncomfortable, lets do it.
Im glad we did.
The break-up
The Issa/Lawrence break-up was a difficult scene to write.
We had fallen in love with these characters and were pulling for them.
I remember writing that scene in my office.
I had closed the door and was pacing around as if I was Lawrence.
I was muttering to myself and putting myself in that situation (which wasnt hard).
I remember finally sitting at the computer and feeling almost as raw as Lawrence.
That scene was so key to get right.
I was like, CAUSE THATS REAL!!!
In hindsight, I did have too many.
However, we usually never see black men this vulnerable.
When we filmed that scene, I was soamazedat how much Issa and Jay Ellis went there.
Thats when I said, Oh, Issa and Jay are amazing actors.
If you watch that scene and dont go, Thats some real s!
then I cant help you.
As of right now, shes lost her best friend and her boyfriend.
She is all alone.
Sometimes life happens so fast and the decisions we make in a split second have long-lasting effects.
I think thats something you realize when youre in that 29-year-old age range.
You realize you cant just do whatever you want.
Insecureairs Sundays at 10:30 p.m.
