5 television duos that show us how powerful female friendships can be

Molly and Issa from Insecure

HBO’s Insecure gives us a representation of Black female friendship through Molly and Issa (played by Yvonne Orji and creator Issa Rae, respectively), something that wasn’t really common before Girlfriends began airing in the early 2000s.

And although season four left us feeling that Molly and Issa’s friendship might not last, this doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be on the list. Friendships go through ups and downs, especially when you have known someone for a long time. In the season finale, Issa and Molly’s relationships ended, and there is probably no way of working it out — but the episode ends with Molly and Issa finally sitting down to talk about their friendship. That alone is an important piece of true friendship, and it’s great more series are showing it.

Outside of the meaning within their relationship, Molly and Issa are important to American television. Insecure is written by Issa Rae, a Black woman, so the dialogue between the two friends resembles how real Black girlfriends talk to one another.

And before the fallout from season four, Molly and Issa stood by each other when the other had to make a hard decision. They showed each other unconditional love, even when they made huge mistakes. Molly and Issa are both flawed women, and in season four, their perception of each other’s flaws made it hard for them to be there for one another. The question is still in the air if their friendship is worth pursuing, but whatever the two decide, there’s no denying how impactful it’s been on both of their lives.

It’s also worth noting that Insecure focuses on Issa and Molly’s relationships with men and their relationship with each other with about the same level of attention. Wondering if Issa and Lawrence will get back together is as important as knowing if Issa and Molly will stay friends. In this way, the show places importance on female friendships and shows us that life wouldn’t be as fun if we didn’t have our girls with us.