Image via Complex
When we weren't following Universal Pictures and AMC Theaters having static over Trolls World Tour, we were trying to fit watching all of this television and film into our schedules. Never easy, but hey, it's not like we're going anywhere anytime soon.
This week, we saw the finale of one of the most beautiful television series of the modern era, the growth of another series' major conflict, and a film starring one of Hollywood's most promising rising stars alongside some of our current favorites (and legendary folk to boot). What the hell would we even do without quality TV and film during the quarantine szn?
You know how it works; we watch a bunch of stuff, hit you with our picks for the best, and you mark your calendars accordingly. Simple. You provide your own popcorn, though.
'Insecure' - "Lowkey Thankful" (Season 4, Episode 3)
Where to Watch: HBO Now
Season 4 Lawrence is leveling up. During Insecure’s first season, we see him as a guy going through a funk, if we’re being generous. In reality, he was a man that lacked ambition and real commitment to his relationship to Issa. Throughout the series, we’ve seen their eventual breakup catalyze his self-growt—he gets a well-paying job at a tech company, goes through a fuckboy phase, and finally found a potentially solid partner in Condola, Issa’s business partner/friend. This week’s episode dedicates more time to Lawrence for us to see exactly where he’s at but also where he really wants to be.
The opening shot is a closeup of Lawrence rehearsing a speech to ask for a promotion at work—Condola is all cuddled up at his place and they discuss their respective Thanksgiving plans. Lawrence, in his quest to be a good and involved boyfriend, asks to join the Friendsgiving that she plans to throw—the first time that he’ll meet her close circle of friends. A good sign.
All is good—things are moving at a nice pace and he’s showing commitment to her. But of course, we still have the missing Issa piece. Any scene between Lawrence and Issa now has us wondering where exactly their relationship is headed now that it’s inextricably connected through Condola. They’re on good times and there’s no bad blood; they bump into each other at a café and they riff on each other by spoiling movies for another (sidenote: the chemistry between Jay Ellis and Issa Rae is unreal, you really feel like they know each other to their cores). But the scene takes a subtle yet brilliant spin when Condola pops up and we see a slight twinge of jealously and FOMO on the parts of both women. Condola sees a version of Lawrence that’s fully themselves with his ex while Issa sees an upgraded version of Lawrence that she never got to experience during their relationship.
We can’t forget about Molly. The friction between Issa and Molly continues to grow as they make increasingly pernicious jabs at each other (accusing your friend of “fucking for free weed and toiletries” is uncalled for). They plan to patch things up on Thanksgiving Day over a plate of pie but Thanksgiving is the time to hash out drama with families, not best friends. Molly tells her family about Andrew and also tries to forgive her father for his past infidelity. Issa has an impromptu Thanksgiving at a Mexican restaurant with her brother. They’re starting to do their own things and a conversation seems less necessary as the day goes on.
Meanwhile at Condola’s Friendsgiving, Lawrence shows up as the model boyfriend: fixing her sink (to disastrous results), wearing his best shirt, and getting along with all of her friends. But his insecurity gets the better of him when he asks Condola whether she’s over her ex-husband. Condola then brings out a valid counterpoint that, if anyone, she should be worried about Lawrence and Issa. When she asks him whether he would still be with Issa had she not cheated, we see him think. It’s an alternate history that Lawrence had never truly considered before until this very moment, in front of his new girlfriend.
And then there’s Lawrence sliding into Issa’s DMs. It may not be fully self-destructive but it’s the itch that gets exacerbated upon every scratch. The episode ends with Issa immediately responding, with Lawrence smiling at whatever fiasco is about to happen. Feelings are still there. Or, more specifically, the possibility of reigniting something under better circumstances exists and is impossible for them to resist. The disaster has begun. —Andie Park
'Better Things' - "Listen to the Roosters" (Season 4, Episode 10)
Where to Watch: Hulu
With each new season of Pamela Adlon's Better Things, we see the series' creator/director/writer/mama bear really coing into her own. I'm talking true FX auteur levels of excellence. It's a magical series, one that hits you in the feels then brings you back in warmly with laughs and delicious meals.
In this, its Season 4 finale (those 10 episodes really flew by!), we get a nice bow on the Xander situation. If you recalled in Episode 9, Sam invited her ex-husband (who is noticeably absent for the majority of his daughters' lives) for dinner at her's with the kids. In a fitting situation, the girls actually took off to the beach for the day, leaving Xander at Sam's to get expertly shaded by Phil. If that wasn't enough, Sam—who's been financially supporting Xander in their split—gave him the finale check, for a cool $60,000. It's amazing to see; to have to kick bread back to this deadbeat for years must have been wack, and as we've seen throughout the season, her relationship with that whole divorce has been waning on Sam. It made sense that, set to the perfect R.E.M. song, we get to see Sam and company (including a nude Phil!) celebrating in their own unique way, while the girls reflect on life on the beach.
(Keep in mind, this says nothing of the other gems in the episode, like the nightmare of getting home from a Dodgers-Yankees game or Sam finishing her documentary, with loads of clips of women describing their first periods as well as hitting menopause. Adlon knows how to slide in real talk for real women and real parents while also giving you the major A-story arc we've been dying to see come to an end.)
With the way the world is set up right now, it's hard to know what we'll be doing in the next two months, let alone what 2021 is looking like, so I'm not necessarily surprised that a Season 5 for Better Things hasn't been picked up yet. I wouldn't even want to put that kind of stress on Pamela Adlon, even if in my heart I know I'd love for this show to continue on. That said, if she wanted to cap it at four seasons, this was as beautiful of a send-off as you could give it. Chill, low-key, with everyone seemingly calm and serene after a testy 10-episode season. Cheers to Better Things. —khal
'All Day and A Night'
Where to Watch: Netflix
Being a movie lover of a certain age, I've seen my share of street life tales. I'm not saying that to say I had formed an opinion on Netflix's All Day and A Night before pressing play, but I've seen this story enough to know how it goes. Color me surprised when this tale, which was helmed by Black Panther co-writer Joe Robert Cole, flipped that tale on its head, building its lead Jahkor (beautifully played by Moonlight star Ashton Sanders) from the ground-up in a non-chronological web, giving us glimpses at all of the scenes and situations that lead to where he ended up.
Sanders is a shining star, with the ability to put an entire film on his back and truly make you feel what Jahkor is feeling. He was brought up with the rod, and only knew violence, but you could tell he was making moves to make a better way for himself and his family. Without going into spoiler territory, it was dope to see how the story twisted and turned. It was also dope seeing Yahya Abdul-Mateen II having fun being a criminal who also loved to get his chef on in the kitchen (with actual food, not dope). Truth be told, everyone brought it, even the shitty "part-time rapper, full-time hustler" Rick Ross-looking ass character (you'll know him when you see him).
My only qualm? For a film that's a hair over 120 minutes, I wish we got to ease into the final confrontation a bit more. The pieces for how the film truly ends are all there, but I would've loved a final conversation between the players before this film came home. That said, this film felt like home; it's always amazing to see people who look and act like folks you grow up with have their stories—many of which never get examined in this way—up there on the screen. Peace to all of the Jahkors out there; there's always a better way, dog. —khal