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Everything You Need To Know About The Love Triangle On Insecure

Photo: Courtesy of HBO.
Insecure is many things: A love letter to Los Angeles, a catalogue of great (and Solange-chosen) music, and a parcel of rapid-fire funny. But at its most basic, it is a romantic comedy about the trials and tribulations of being a young woman in love in Los Angeles. Most of the show's drama revolves around Issa's (playing herself) dwindling relationship with Lawrence (Jay Ellis), and her potential-maybe-sorta relationship with Daniel King (Y'lan Noel). It's a love triangle, plain and simple.
Season two of Insecure premieres Sunday July 23, and the love triangle shall be resurrected! In light of its return, it's time we revisited the glory of the Lawrence-Issa-Daniel triangle.
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The Bad Birthday
You know how you're forced to reevaluate your life on your birthday every year? That's how the malcontent begins — on her 29th birthday, Issa is already feeling insecure (get it?) when Daniel, her ex, reaches out to say happy birthday. (That's another thing about birthdays. They awaken the past and invite in all sorts of no-good very-bad feelings.) Then, Lawrence cancels birthday plans with Issa because of a bad interview.
"Sometimes I don't know what the fuck we're doing," Issa tells Lawrence the next day. He insists he's working on his business plan, which he's been doing for the past four years. (We never find out what this plan entails. Such is the nature of nascent projects.) It's a half-breakup — an unconscious uncoupling, if you will.
Maverick's Flat
THIS IS IMPORTANT: Issa, free of Lawrence, heads to a show in Inglewood with Molly (Yvonne Orji) because it features an artist that Daniel works with. During an open mic moment, Issa takes the stage and raps, something she usually does in her bathroom mirror. The rap is about a "broken pussy." Issa enjoys doing it; Daniel likes watching her rap.
Observe: Daniel, The Idiot
He enjoys watching her rap so much that he asks her to "come thru," and Issa obliges. During the come-through, he kisses Issa. The kiss breaks an emotional dam, and Issa starts blabbering about how confused she is, how she doesn't want to jump into a new relationship right now...
Hold up: Daniel doesn't want a relationship.
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Cue Issa going to Molly's, uncoupled and upset.
The Prodigal Girlfriend Returns
Issa stays with Molly for two days to recover from what happened with Lawrence. During this stay, Lawrence falls into an equally insecure morass. Is his business plan ever going to get done?He gets an interview with a headhunter so that he can maybe straighten his life out.
Issa slinks home after two nights away and one slightly awkward kiss with Daniel. Things are uncomfortable.
"Just cause I'm back here doesn't mean everything's all good," Issa reminds Lawrence.
Lawrence's Lady
Remember this: Lawrence earns an admirer in bank teller Tasha. She's supportive. And validating. (Things that Issa is not.)
The Upslide
Reeling from an almost-breakup, Issa and Lawrence begin to climb the relationship charts again.
"I'm in this," Lawrence tells Issa. It's cute!
Lawrence gets a job at Best Buy. They decide to invest in a new couch after Issa spills on their old one while watching Conjugal Visits. They're doing the montage-y thing that couples do when romance is at its peak. Holding hands! Snuggling in furniture stores! Excessive use of 'I love you' ! You know the drill.
But then...
Daniel's Apology
Creepily, he shows up at her work to apologize for his "eek, I don't want a relationship" post-kiss reaction. Advice for everyone out there: This is poor form. Conveniently, Daniel is at We Got Y'all just long enough to get roped into "career day" for We Got Y'all.
Daniel is officially back in the game.
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Getting To The Bottom Of The Pussy Rap
Remember Issa's "broken pussy" rap? It ended up on YouTube, and there's really only one person who can fix the situation: Daniel. After meeting Daniel at Maverick's Flat to try to determine the source of the video, Issa rides with him to his studio. At the studio, Issa raps.
She also sleeps with Daniel.
The Aftermath
Guilty. As. Fuck. (That's actually the title of the episode right after Issa sleeps with Daniel.) During the aftermath, Lawrence takes Issa on a date. On said date, he peruses the engagement rings. Marquis cut, to be precise. Issa cooks him breakfast and begins overcompensating for her crimes. Then, when he's just the slightest bit kind to Issa, she erupts in tears.
"You Were Just An Itch I Needed To Scratch."
Oof. Issa's been ignoring Daniel for three weeks while she frolics with Lawrence. Daniel shows up at her We Got Y'all fundraiser just to figure things out. Then, Issa drops this bomb: Daniel was just an "itch." Which, maybe. (Would that we could scratch our itches without hurting multiple people.)
Lawrence In The Know
It had to happen. The truth comes to light, right? After meeting Daniel at the We Got Y'all gala, Lawrence does the interrogating. The truth comes to light.
Then, to finish the season, Lawrence sleeps with Tasha.
It's all a can of worms.
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