‘TV’s Top 5’: ‘Insecure’ Showrunner on Wrapping the HBO Comedy and What’s Next

Welcome to Episode 141 of TV’s Top 5, The Hollywood Reporter’s TV podcast.

Every week, hosts Lesley Goldberg (West Coast TV editor) and Daniel Fienberg (chief TV critic) break down the latest TV news with context from the business and critical sides, welcome showrunners, executive and other guests, and provide a critical guide of what to watch (or skip, as the case may be).

This week’s five topics are:

1. Netflix’s busy week.
Hundreds of Netflix trans employees and allies walked out of work this week in protest over the streamer’s handling of the controversial Dave Chappelle special as co-CEO Ted Sarandos made the apology tour — but only after reporting better-than-expected Q3 earnings. Netflix also revealed this week that it would change how it reports viewership, though the streamer’s new methodology makes algebra seem like a cakewalk. (With apologies to our high school math teachers.)

2. IATSE contract update.
THR‘s labor reporter Katie Kilkenny joins the show again for an update on where things stand after IATSE and the studios reached a new three-year contract. The tentative deal still needs to be ratified by members of the union, with a large contingent expected to vote no on the agreement. So, is the threat of a strike and production shutdown over?

3. Why, Y?
In a surprising development, FX has canceled its long-gestating take on Y: The Last Man. The news, which came as the adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan’s beloved comic still had three episodes left to air, was a rare move by FX to cancel a show without having a clear picture of its full-season performance — including with viewers prone to binging a show. This segment explains what happened and looks at the odds of the show surviving to Eliza Clark’s vision of a five-season run.

4. Showrunner Spotlight.
Prentice Penny joins the show this week to discuss the final season of HBO’s Insecure. In the wide-ranging interview, Penny opens up about when he and creator Issa Rae knew that five seasons would spell the end of their hit comedy, the show’s legacy and place in TV culture and what’s next for the showrunner after he departed his pact at HBO to become the first overall deal with Disney’s newly launched Onyx Collective. “We knew we wanted an emotional ending for Issa,” Penny says. “The series arc has to be somebody who is uncomfortable in their insecurities learning how to be comfortable in her insecurities. Knowing they don’t go away; that they’re always part of you at every level. It’s about how you manage them. That was the only north star as a theme.”

5. Critic’s Corner.
As usual, every episode ends with Dan’s thoughts on what to watch (or skip). This week, he weighs in on Apple’s Invasion, HBO’s Insecure and Netflix’s Inside Job.

Hear it all now on TV’s Top 5. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to never miss an episode. (Reviews welcome!) You can also email us with any topics or Mailbag questions you’d like to be addressed in future episodes at TVsTop5@THR.com.

Coming next week: Don’t miss our Halloween Spooktacular, featuring the showrunners of AMC’s The Walking Dead, Syfy/USA’s Chucky and Amazon’s I Know What You Did Last Summer as TV’s Top 5 celebrates spooky szn.