Insecure
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the YouTube spinoff Insecure is a mature comedy about a black woman entering her thirties. It features strong, continuous cursing (including the N-word), lots of sexual innuendo, some arguing, and lots of drinking. Positive themes include giving back to the community, friendship, and why it's important to address racial stereotyping.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Smart
A Funny Addictive Show
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?
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
- Premiere date: October 9, 2016
- Cast: Issa Rae, Jay Ellis, Yvonne Orji
- Network: HBO
- Genre: Comedy
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Available on: DVD, Streaming
- Last updated: June 25, 2020
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
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