The many characters that appear in the HBO series Insecure can be best understood when looked at through the lens provided by Myers-Briggs®.
Insecure is one of the best series to have aired on HBO in recent years. With its perfect blend of comedy and drama, it provides a powerful view of the lives of Black women in contemporary America. As with so many other successful shows, what makes it work so well is its phenomenal cast, all of whom bring out the richness and complexity of their respective characters.
Thinking about them through the lens provided by the Myers-Briggs® system allows for an even more nuanced appreciation of their characteristics and ways of looking at the world.
Issa is undoubtedly one of the best characters in the show, and she frequently manages to get in her own way, undercutting her efforts to form a successful relationship and career. Gradually, however, she finds her groove as a community event organizer.
She has many of the traits associated with the ENFP personality type, particularly in her drive and ambition, her fundamentally outgoing nature, and especially in her ability to always see the possibilities of life. These ultimately help her to attain the success she has always desired.
While Molly and Issa have some similarities, they are also incredibly different, and there’s no doubt that Molly is one of the most intelligent characters in Insecure.
She also exhibits many of the traits associated with the ENTJ personality type. She is, like Issa, very outgoing and charismatic, but she is also the type of person that wants to see things done in a certain way, and in addition to assuming leadership positions very easily, she is also very forceful when it comes to presenting her ideas to others.
The relationship between Lawrence and Issa is one of the most important in the series, and for most of its run, it’s unclear whether they will ultimately end up together. While Issa is very outgoing, Lawrence falls more within the ISTP personality type, which is more laid back and relaxed.
However, as the show goes on he also demonstrates many of the other traits associated with his personality, particularly once he enters the tech world and shows just how adept he is at synthesizing knowledge.
Kelly is also a very funny character in Insecure, and she has some of its funniest lines. She has a very outspoken and at times blunt personality, which sometimes puts her at odds with her friends. At the same time, she has a profound love for them all, and her bond with Tiffany is especially powerful.
As a result, it is easy to see her falling into the personality type of the ENTP, particularly since she is both very adept at understanding others and also impatient with boredom of any kind.
Even though she is not as fully developed as some of the other characters on the show, Tiffany still shows that, of the core group of friends, she has a good head on her shoulders.
In particular, she demonstrates the ISFJ’s personality traits with how she treats others. She not only understands and cares about the needs of everyone–both her family and her friends–but she also does everything that she can to ensure that her home life is as harmonious as it can possibly be.
Along with Lawrence and Nathan, Daniel is one of the most important men in Issa’s life, and his career as a musician is very important to him. While he is clearly very talented, however, he tends to let his own ego get in the way, and he tends to believe that his artistic vision is worth protecting, no matter how much it might damage him professionally.
This very much aligns him with the INTJ personality, given that this type has very high standards and are very impatient when those aren’t met.
At first, it seems as if Molly and Taurean are fated to be enemies, but they gradually grow closer to one another and, ultimately, marry. Their relationship works because they are complementary in many ways.
While Molly is an ENTJ, Taurean is an ISTJ, with a commitment to his obligations that makes him a perfect fit for the law firm. He has a very practical nature that ensures that he can help to keep Molly from getting lost in her own feelings and insecurities.
Even though Molly ultimately ends up with Taurean, there are times when it seems like she might also make a life with Andrew. As an ESFJ, he is a good balance for Molly, especially since he shows that personality type’s ability to see what others need and tries to provide it.
Unfortunately, it is precisely the fact that he is so willing to give into Molly’s demands for what their life should look like that ultimately dooms their relationship, since she is unwilling or unable to do the same for him.
Nathan is also one of the most important people in Issa’s life, and he is the one who nudges her toward the career path on which she ultimately finds success.
He has many of the traits that are commonly associated with the INFJ, particularly in his ability to forge intense personal connections. Even though he has his struggles, he is able to see the path to the future that he wants, and he is willing to do what it takes to make sure that he gets there.
Frieda only appears in the first few seasons of the series, but she shows in that time that she has all of the traits that are commonly associated with the INFP.
In particular, she has that personality type’s idealism, which helps to explain why she is part of the same non-profit that Issa works for (and why she is such a likable Insecure character). However, that doesn’t mean that she is a pushover, and she is very willing to fight for the ideals that she believes in, even if that means putting herself in opposition to Issa.
