Parents' Guide to

Insecure

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Raunchy, funny comedy explores stereotypes, Black culture.

TV HBO Comedy 2016
Insecure Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 7 parent reviews

candycep.jackson
candycep.jackson Adult
July 3, 2022
age 18+

Great show, just not for kids, tweens or teens.

Don’t get me wrong, I love this show!! However, I’m an adult. There is a lot of adult content, language and sex. Mature, adult audiences only. I’m shocked at the reviews here saying its appropriate for teens. Never would I let my teen watch this.
shazdiva24
shazdiva24 Adult
September 8, 2020
age 17+

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

INSECURE is a HBO series starring YouTube celebrity Issa Rae as Issa, a 29-year-old woman trying to figure out her life as she lives it. After years of working in the non-profit world and staying in a dead-end relationship with boyfriend Lawrence (Jay Ellis), she's thinking more about where she wants to be in her thirties. Meanwhile, friends like high-achieving friend Molly (Yvonne Orji) struggle with their own issues. As she navigates her way through awkward hookups, relationship woes, and career drama, Issa also showcases how she defines her life as a Black woman in Los Angeles.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This series, inspired by Rae's online series, Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, offers a humorous-but-insightful point of view on what it means to be a Black woman today. It also rejects the notion that all Black people want the same things, define their community the same way, or hold the same beliefs about themselves and the world around them.

The fact that Black culture is as diverse as it is rich is successfully woven throughout the relationship mishaps, girlfriend-to-girlfriend exchanges, and work conflicts featured here. Not all viewers of Insecure will easily identify and appreciate this message, but those who do will enjoy a series that's both funny and insightful.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Insecure uses swear words and other strong content to be funny. Can the show's point of view be revealed without it? Would it make it less funny?

  • Where do stereotypes come from? Why are they so frequently used to define people in the media?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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