‘Insecure’ Season 3 Episode 5 Recap: “High-Like”

There were tons of surprises (so don’t read this if you haven’t watched yet) in the air on this week’s Insecure, so let’s hop to it!

Issa

Issa is in one of the most uncertain periods of her life after quitting We Got Y’all. She’s still driving Lyft to earn extra cash and of course, managing the apartment complex, but what does she want to do next? What I love about this show is that it accurately portrays what many people feel in their late 20’s/early 30’s. You’ve spent years investing in a career that you aren’t motivated by for various reasons, and when you finally take a chance on yourself, it’s challenging to know how and where to start. Issa pushing for this girls’ trip to #Beychella is two-fold: a way to escape her current reality and the chance to hang with Tiffany before life dramatically changes with the new baby.

Nathan hasn’t been sweating her, so naturally, this makes Issa even more into him. They connect at Coachella and everyone (minus Tiffany) takes Molly and edibles and get so high that they can barely function. For Issa, it heightens her sense of touch and that sexual chemistry with Nathan was everything. They get on the Ferris wheel and have a mile-high club experience. Issa is into him, and Nathan is definitely feeling her but felt like he came on too strong before. I mean, I get it but I also wish he would’ve just said that. It’s never easy to be vulnerable, especially with someone you just met, but they got to know each other in an intimate way before, and consistency is key! They’re definitely feeling each other, so I am curious to see how this proceed? Will Issa allow herself to be free with whatever wherever this budding relationship goes?

When the high becomes too much for her friends, she needs to rush to be with them. Oddly enough, she’s blaming herself for everything and I don’t think she should be so hard on herself. No one could’ve predicted just how quickly things would go left and let’s be honest, Kelli’s rage got them into this, LOL.

Kelli

So, Kelli, super high is really is just normal blunt, fun-loving Kelli times 100. She seemed fine most of the night until a white couple took their spot for Beyoncé. Kelli, clearly not being aware of her own strength, drags this woman … literally. Fight breaks out amongst all of them, with Tiffany just yelling for it to stop. Of course, security comes and Keli is questioning why their white counterparts aren’t being kicked out of the festival too. Valid question, but she is distracted by the sound of Beyoncé’s set from afar. She makes a run for it and is tased to the ground, wetting herself in the process. Kelli’s comedic timing and delivery continue to be one of the best things about this show. She’s ridiculous in soooo many ways, but you have to love her honesty and the fact that you always know where you stand with her. When she comes down from her high, she thinks that her getting tased was a dream, and Issa and Molly let her believe that for now. Why does it smell like urine, Kelli?

Molly

Molly is pushing fiercely to be the star at her new firm, so much so that she initially opts out of the #Beychella experience, to take on extra work at the last minute, just to show executive leadership her skills. Issa talks her back into the girl’s trip, promising that she will help keep her on track. Molly finishes her work on their restful Friday evening in, and is so pumped that she finished, she really lets loose at #Beychella. So much so, that she confesses her love life needs serious help, and she misses all of the additions and notes from management about her brief. When they’re escorted out of the festival, all she can do is focus on the brief. When Issa returns, she knows that Molly’s document isn’t coherent and forces her to give it a break. Will her coworker take her shine from this project as well? Will Molly stops using work to avoid having to deal with the ramifications of her fallout with Dro? I wish Molly was sober enough to realize she should’ve been talking to Nathan’s cute Asian friend.

Tiffany

Tiffany is always the voice of reason and being the only sober friend makes her a little more of an outsider on this Coachella experience. When everyone is leaving the festival, Tiffany confesses that she had a small piece of the weed brownie. She is sad, upset, and I can’t tell if she ate the brownie because she was hungry, or if she was trying to keep up with her friends. My feeling is it was a little bit of both. When Issa comes home and finds her crying on the phone with Derek, she knows she’s not okay. After Issa puts everyone to bed, the next day, Tiffany wakes up to find no water in the house. This is the moment you see something shift in her.

Tiffany mentioned at their dinner weeks before that she knew the other girls were leaving her out of stuff, but this episode she had a vulnerable moment with Issa, where she confronted the current and upcoming changes head-on. Tiffany is about to become a mother and the dynamic of her relationships with the girls is changing fast. She isn’t sure that they will continue to be friends in the same way or even at all once the baby comes. This is the side of Tiffany I would love to see more of. That perfect image that she’s crafted for herself and Derek’s lives leave us always questioning who she really is. This glimpse into her insecurities really humanized Tiffany in a way we haven’t seen before and I hope they lean into this more. Will we ever discuss if this baby is actually Derek’s?

Issa & Lawrence

After Issa’s chat with Tiffany, she runs into the store to get her water. She runs into good ole Chad who, of course, isn’t alone. Lawrence turns the corner! I was genuinely shocked when Lawrence popped back up, and this is perfect, peak ex-timing. The realness of an ex-coming crashing back in when you least expect it and are exploring with someone new, is something everyone can relate to. It’s almost like an alert goes off to exes that you are happy, healthy and they spin right back in. Just when the #NathanNavy was rising, the #LawrenceHive came back with! a! vengeance! It’ll be interesting to see what lies ahead for these two. Have they forgiven each other enough to consider a reconciliation? Does Issa even want to backpedal or press ahead with Nathan? Can Issa and Lawrence just be friends?

I loved that this episode focused on the new dynamic of the women, while also setting Issa up for more challenges in love. The complex realities of life are something this show does incredibly well and I know will continue to do. Molly just talked to Issa about fresh starts, and she was able to walk away from Daniel because it wasn’t right. When she did that, it opened up the possibilities with someone new. With Lawrence back, will she be able to say no again? Should she? This season is about growth and comes in many forms. Also, this time around, Issa is the one without steady employment. We saw how encouraging Nathan was about her pursuing her dreams, would Lawrence hold her down the same way she did for him when he was figuring it out? Guess we will have to see how this unfolds on next week’s Insecure!

Kay-B is a journalist, writer and podcaster living in New York City. She enjoys all things TV & film, world travel, great food and delightful books.

Watch Insecure Season 3 Episode 5 ("High-Like") on HBO Go