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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
After last week’s episode of Insecure, fans are brought back to speed on the timeline of matters. Issa Rae and Prentice Penny’s hit HBO comedy-drama series comes to shake things up. Season 5’s fourth episode is titled, “Faulty, Okay?!” Executive story editor Syreeta Singleton serves as the writer of the teleplay, while Mo Marable returns as the director.
In this review, I will be discussing the fourth episode of Insecure Season 5. There will be no spoilers present, as the title of this article suggests. Nonetheless, please read ahead at your own discretion.
Plot Synopsis
According to Warner Media, here is the synopsis of Insecure Season 5 Episode 4.
Issa treads awkward waters with her new man and plays defense against online attacks, while Molly juggles multiple suitors.
The Cast of This Week’s Insecure
As usual, Issa Rae portrays Issa Dee. Yvonne Orji and Kendrick Sampson return as Molly Carter and Nathan Campbell, respectively. Natasha Rothwell portrays Kelli Prenny, while Courtney Taylor returns as Issa’s assistant, Sequoia “Quoia”.
Cameron Fuller, Rose Han, Brandon Mitchell, Briana Starks, and Rasheed Stephens star in this episode.
Brittany Ayona, Tiffany Daniels, Ryan Rashawn Davis, James Earl, Curtis Hamilton, Ruffin Prentiss make guest appearances.
Discussion
I will admit that I did not – at first – partially feel the tone that the episode was going for. The narrative begins with the comedy trying to outweigh the drama, even when something potentially groundbreaking happens. It is not until the story shifts to the next location setting that the drama starts to kick. By the end, it hits you, or at least, that’s what it did to me. A second watch of the episode might be needed to see how elements are sunken into place.
“Faulty, Okay?!” is – as with previous episodes of the season – a rather clever title. Insecure fans will not know until they watch it, but it does point fingers to who had been at fault two episodes ago. I like one line of dialogue that is congruous with the episode’s theme: “Switch it up, shake the system, stay off the grid”. It’s great on the writers’ end, otherwise, it would be all a huge coincidence.
Carolina Costa returns as the director of photography, while series producer Mark Sadlek also serves as the editor. Their work, along with Saadiq and Lehman’s musical composition, makes the episode feel somewhat in place, more so as it progresses. It isn’t until its final scenes that the viewers pick up the emotions that characters had pent-up inside of themselves. With the writing, cinematography, and scoring combined, the build-up to what is felt is strong here.
Additionally, appearances are everything. Nichelle Young returns as the key hairstylist. Michelle Bear and Brittany Ingram join Starlynn Burden and Alyssa Hudson, who both return as make-up artists. Reshena Burch and Jasmine Bautista join as set costumers. Taylor Bakkenson and Lyndrea Price join as costumers. I have to commend these teams for a job well done!
Performances and Character Developments
Rae remains as awkward as ever, allowing this, as always, to be all the more laughable. Her professional choices in the season’s second episode have lured her into hot water. This proves difficult currently, but I am sure she will get out of it. Also, her conversations with Molly are cute, especially one in particular where they are moving towards a new direction in their story.
She shares the spotlight with Sampson’s Nathan Campbell in this episode. We get to see a little more of his background and the type of person he had been before becoming who he is now. He is still a tad reserved about what he is going through, although he does get vocal as well. Singleton and the writers’ room did an awe-inspiring job at unveiling something not previously known about the character. He doesn’t necessarily develop per se, but (as was the case with Lawrence and Daniel), I hope to see at least a bit more focus on him over the next several episodes.
Orji and her character do fine in this episode, but her story honestly needed another minute or so of runtime. I also want to know what Rothwell’s Kelli Prenny has going on in the background. Her role in the episode is utterly hilarious, and I believe she has indeed developed behind-the-scenes of the show.
Final Thoughts
The episode’s presence of both comedy and drama render “Faulty, Okay?!” a fierce contender with last week’s. There were points where I felt it was the writers speaking to the audience than it was the characters speaking to each other. Nathan’s condition – as opposed to using terms such as “circumstance” or “predicament” – is too relatable that it hurts. I did not believe this with the character last season, but he shows that he is something to care (and be concerned) about. Like his experiences, finding the thoughts and the words for what we see takes time, rather than declaring this feat difficult.
It will be hard to come back from what last week’s episode offered to fans. However, this week’s episode definitely pulls us back into a zone of comfort, and it reminds us that we aren’t alone, no matter what happens.
Insecure Season 5 is available to watch on HBO!
Have you seen this series yet? If so, what are your thoughts on it? Let us know! For more comedy and drama-related news and reviews visit and follow The Cinema Spot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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