Insecure had its funniest episode Sunday under Natasha Rothwell's direction

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"Insecure has always been one of HBO’s funniest shows, but that can often be forgotten in the midst of the show’s focus on character development, relationship drama and character dynamics," says Ashley Ray-Harris. "Of course, Insecure always has jokes, but gags like Kelli peeing herself at Coachella haven’t had a place in recent seasons. 'Tired, Okay?!' is a near perfect example of Insecure when it leans into both comedy and emotional growth. From the moment Issa throws Lawrence’s baby and Flo Milli starts playing, this episode cemented itself as one of Insecure’s funniest. Is it any shock that it was directed by Natasha Rothwell? Rothwell brings a Kelli-like sensibility to Grace Edwards’ script that only makes the episode’s moments like Molly Time and Issa’s quest to get Nathan to say 'I love you' even funnier. Rothwell knows you don’t quite know what to expect from these characters: Issa very well might walk up to Lawrence and Condola to talk, even though that’s a horrible idea. Molly might make the mistake of sleeping with her boss on a work retreat."

ALSO:

• Natasha Rothwell on making her directorial debut: “I wanted to direct TV," she says. "I wanted to direct a movie. I want to be in that space legitimately and be a player in that space. And so when it came time to direct during the season, I had a fire that I don’t think I would have had prior to the pandemic. It was an activator in a very real way.”
• Issa Rae pulled Rothwell episode after she was heavily involved with producing “Lowkey Happy" and told her, “You’re ready": “She just looked at me and I burst into tears, because I was just like, 'I think I am too,'" says Rothwell. She adds that the themes of Sunday's episode really resonated with her. “This idea of owning your choices is a huge theme of the season," says Rothwell. "Like, making those decisions, being autonomous and feeling like you have agency in those decisions. And I think it’s really an episode where we see decisions coming to a head, which is exciting.”
• Leonard Robinson says Black Twitter was right about Taurean and Molly: “I was a little surprised to see Taurean and Molly become something more,” Robinson tells TVLine. “Fans on Black Twitter called this seasons ago, because they picked up on the tension and connection early on. But it makes sense, I guess, because they both are good at what they do, and they spend so much time together at work. It was only a matter of time. Fans will see what twists and turns happen next in Episodes 7 and 8.”
• Thug Yoda actor Tristen J. Winger recalls getting cast on Insecure after starring in Issa Rae's The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl: “I remember when I first did my scene,” says Winger. “First couple takes, Issa approached me, she’s like, ‘Hey, you look a little stiff, just relax into him.’ What actually happened was when she said that I was being stiff, I was just thinking about how we came from YouTube and now we have this whole HBO production in the middle of Inglewood and this is unreal. That was just me being like ‘wow’ and taking it in.”
• Jean Elie sought to portray Issa's gay younger brother carefully and authentically: “What did he read? Who did he look up to?” asked Elie, who is heterosexual. “I just wanted to be able to fully submerge myself in Ahmal and who Ahmal is, what he stood for, how he holds himself, and how he carries himself throughout the world.”