Today fans of the acclaimed HBO series, Insecure, learned the show’s fifth season would be its last. The show’s co-creator, Issa Rae, told Deadline that she and her co-creator, Prentice Penny, were so grateful that HBO believed in their show and that they were able to see it to the end. Not too many shows get that luxury. Just ask one of the several shows canceled by Netflix after their first season. It's because of this that this announcement isn't really bad news. There is nothing wrong with getting in and out when telling a story. Not every show has to have 22 episodes and 24 seasons!
More importantly, it seems as though Issa Rae and Prentice Penny feel at peace with the stories they’ve been able to tell over the last four seasons, and I can tell you as a viewer I’ve enjoyed them. Hopefully, I'll feel the same way about the final season too. Shows are always at their best when burnout can be avoided. I'd hate for Rae or Penny to continue to churn out seasons if they feel there is nothing left to say in the universe they've created.
Insecure has been a staple for Twitter discussions that have lasted well into the week after the episodes aired on Sunday nights. I’m sure the creator of the hit Youtube series, AWKWARD BLACK GIRL, has a plethora of content on the way to keep that energy going. Meanwhile, an announcement was made about Rae’s HBO mini docuseries, SEEN & HEARD, going into production over the summer.
The series will cover the history and evolution of Black television while including original interviews and showrunners to talk about the importance of diversity across the field within entertainment. This has the makings of a vital docuseries because we wouldn’t have Insecure without the Black television pioneers who came before it was ever a thought. Getting to know these creators and what they encountered while forging their paths should inspire future Black storytellers to come. There will be much to discuss with this project and so many others to come from Issa Rae, who is never not busy.
All good things must come to an end. With Issa Rae’s trajectory, maybe now that Insecure is coming to an end, she’ll have some time to consider her next big adventure. Maybe she'll be the next Batman villain! We’ll be getting those until the end of time because there is no ending that saga of broken pearls in an alleyway. I’m making peace with saying goodbye to such a talented cast and crew, and I can’t wait to see what else they do.
