INSECURE - PILOT OUTLINE

This pilot takes a good look at a relationship in a rut. It also strikes a good balance between friends, workplace, and romantic stories. Strong lead but also strong supporting roles.

Written by Issa Rae & Larry Wilmore

1. STUDIO APARTMENT: Issa scrolls through the happy birthday messages on her Facebook wall. We learn that she’s an awkward black girl, and we see a guy named DONNEL message her.
2. BATHROOM: Issa raps about how no one cares about her birthday
3. INTERCUT BATHROOM AND LIVING ROOM: Issa reads Donnel’s “I miss you message.” She likes it. Also she raps in the mirror. Issa is about to respond to message when SOMEONE grunts from the bed and she leaves.
4. COMPANY VAN: Issa looks out at a struggling middle school as she talks to FREIDA, her co-worker. 
5. MONTAGE OF ISSA’S JOB: Voice over explains the problems at WE GOT YOU, the non-profit she works at. They are not the most racially sensitive. They are all white.
6. CLASSROOM: She pitches WE GOT YOU to kids, but they just respond with invasive questions. We learn that she has a BF and this is not her dream job.
7. BATHROOM CUTAWAY: Issa raps the rebuttal she wish she delivered to the class.
8. BACK TO CLASS: Issa delivers a comeback but the kids laugh at her. Issa wonders in V.O. why she can’t be like her friend Molly the corporate lawyer.
9. MONTAGE OF MOLLY’S FIRM: Every ethnicity loves her. 
10. SCHOOL: The teacher of the shitty class apologizes to Issa. There might be a spark there.
11. MOLLY’S FIRM: Molly texts a guy she likes. He basically breaks up with her via text. Also we learn that Molly’s co-worker DIANE is dating a black guy. 
12. RESTAURANT: Molly and Issa joke about the guy but then Molly gets upset: there’s no winning with these guys. Issa reveals she’s thinking of breaking up with Lawrence, her BF. Issa tells Molly that Molly has a broken pussy and they laugh.
13. APARTMENT: Lawrence tells Issa he bombed an interview. he’s generally shitty. Issa texts Donnell back, saying she misses him too.
14. MOLLY’S PLACE: She watches reality TV with her dog, alone.
15. WE GOT YOU OFFICE: Issa imagines that they’re talking about how educated black women struggle to get married. Then she steps forward and volunteers to build a program for the at-risk kids at the school she was at. People there respect her because she’s black. She gets a text back from DONNEL, he wants to hang, and that makes her happy.  
16. MOLLY’S LAW FIRM: Molly learns that Diane’s black boyfriend proposed. She stumbles out and calls Issa.
17. ISSA’S CUBICLE: Issa picks up Molly’s call. Meanwhile D invites Issa to a show that night. Issa uses Molly’s upsetness as an excuse to go to the event to “Take her out.”
18. APARTMENT: Issa tries on different outfits, different personalities. Settles on being herself. 
19. APARTMENT LATER: Issa tells Lawrence she’s taking Molly out that night. She soft-dumps Lawrence and then leaves. 
20. CLUB; it’s not as nice as Molly expected but Issa tells her to roll with it.
21. CLUB LATER: Molly gets hit on by a guy. Donnell approaches when he sees Issa.
22. BAR: D and Issa talk. They have a history from HS. He goads her into going up and rapping so she does.Issa raps about Molly’s broken pussy. The guy with Molly catches on that the song is about her. 
23. ISSA’S CAR: Issa apologizes. Molly gets pissed b/c she realizes Issa lied to get her out to the club where D would be. Issa denies it but then she gets caught texting D DURING the conversation. Molly gets out.
24. DONNEL’S APARTMENT: She pulls up and he gets in. They kiss. Then she says she’s not ready yet. Then he tells her he’s not looking for a relaitipship and he’s sorry if he gave her the wrong idea. Kind of a blow to Issa…
25. MOLLY’S PLACE: Issa shows up with snacks and they make up.They make a joke about Molly’s broken pussy and the show fades out. 

LESSONS LEARNED: Like a lot of good pilots, this one poses a big question early and basically explores that throughout. What’s Issa gonna do about Donnell? We should definitely try to apply that technique whenever we can, because it adds so much nice tension to the script. Also this pilot does a great job of setting up Issa and Molly and their relationship. Their ups and downs are the A story, and Donnell is the B story, which works great b/c obviously Molly is going to be a more important character in this show. Also, the Donnell question is raised basically in the very first scene, so they don’t waste any time setting up that tension and mystery and big question, and that seems smart too.