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2 • October 24 - 30, 2021 Screen & Stream By Kyla Brewer TV Media A ll good things must come to an end, as the saying goes. Unfortunately, that's even true in prime time. A critically acclaimed televi- sion series prepares to take its fi- nal bow with one last season, and viewers won't want to miss a sin- gle moment. Issa Rae ("The Hate U Give," 2018) returns as Issa Dee, a some- times awkward Black woman struggling to find her footing in life, in "Insecure," airing Sunday, Oct. 24, on HBO. The episode marks the premiere of the popular show's fifth and final season. Based on Rae's web series "The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl," which premiered online in 2011, "Insecure" was co-created by Larry Wilmore ("The Bernie Mac Show") and premiered way back in October 2016. Rae serves as an executive producer along with Prentice Penny ("Girlfriends"), Michael Rotenberg ("Silicon Valley"), Me- lina Matsoukas ("Queen & Slim," 2019), Dave Becky ("Russian Doll") and Jonathan Berry ("A Black Lady Sketch Show"). The show follows Issa and her best friend, Molly (Yvonne Orji, "Spontaneous," 2020), who appear to lead very differ- ent lives. While Issa works for a non-profit and struggles with her confidence, Molly is a successful corporate attorney. However, the women, who've been friends since their days at Stanford, share a close bond as they experience life as Black women in South Los Angeles. Mixing comedy with drama, the show has been praised by fans and critics for its exploration of social and racial issues as the women strive to find professional success while looking for love. In January, HBO broke the news that Season 5 would be the show's last. "Issa [Rae] has turned insecuri- ty into an iconic form of comedy," HBO executive Amy Gravitt said in an official release. "The show is as incisive as it is heartfelt, and it has resonated strongly with its audience because of the deeply personal work that Issa, Prentice, Melina, the cast and the writers have put into it. This talented team has conceived a brilliant final season for 'Insecure,' and we look forward to having many more stories to tell with this sin- gular group of collaborators." While it has come as sad news to fans of the series, there may be some comfort in knowing this was always meant to be. Shortly after it was revealed that the show was coming to an end, Rae explained to Deadline.com that the intention was always to tell the story in five seasons. Still, it's a bitter pill to swallow for those who've connected with Issa and friends' relatable stories. Since the show's debut episode that followed Issa on her ill-fated 29th birthday when she began to question everything from her job to her relationship with longtime boyfriend Lawrence (Jay Ellis, "Es- cape Room," 2019), "Insecure" has chronicled Issa's life, punctu- ated by awkward moments, mir- ror raps and relationship drama. "As we laugh and cringe with recognition, their stories make us all feel a little less alone in the world," Gravitt explained. In addition to Issa, Molly and Lawrence, viewers have come to relate to Kelli (Natasha Rothwell, "Love, Simon," 2018), one of Issa's college friends who isn't afraid to speak her mind, and Tiffany (Amanda Seales, "I Be Knowin"), another college friend who seems to have it all as a wife and mother. And last season, Molly ended her relationship with Andrew (Alexander Hodge, "Modern Family"), so it's unclear whether he'll return in Season 5. To discuss heavy decisions like this in a world still affected by COVID-19, the writers met via video chat to work on the fifth season in a virtual writers' room. Table reads occurred over Zoom as the cast got together to go over the scripts — and fans are likely anxious to find out what those scripts reveal. Last season, Lawrence revealed that his ex-girlfriend is pregnant, leaving Issa to decide what to do next. While the nature of Issa and Lawrence's relationship remains unclear, it looks like Issa's ex, Nathan (Kendrick Sampson, "The Vampire Diaries"), will make an appearance in Season 5. Actress Keke Palmer ("Scream Queens") is also slated to guest star, but de- tails about her role had not been released as of press time. In other Season 5 news, award-winning actress Kerry Washington ("Scandal") will return to direct the fifth episode of the season. She was welcomed into the "Insecure" family when she directed a Season 4 episode entitled "Lowkey Trying," which won an Emmy for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series. It looks as though fans are in store for another stellar season of the show that has been topping many critics' lists since its debut — the American Film Institute named "Insecure" one of the top 10 programs of the year in 2017, while the fourth season received particularly high praise and nabbed eight Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Comedy Series. Rae has also been nominated for two Golden Globes and two Primetime Emmys for her acting on the series, which won a coveted Peabody Award in 2018. See what critics and fans are talking about, and find out what fate has in store for the friends in the final season as Issa navigates the ups and downs of life as a young Black woman in the final season of "Insecure," premiering Sunday, Oct. 24, on HBO. Cover Story Alexander Hodge and Yvonne Orji in "Insecure" Fond farewell: Kicking off the final season of Issa Rae's 'Insecure'

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