Okay, so you know when you were growing up, and how on TV there weren’t a lot of people who looked like you, or acted like you, or were from similar backgrounds as you? Maybe the characters were all of the same racial group, or were from a nuclear family, or all had similar body types… well, I’m here to tell you that “The Bold Type” represents everything those shows did not.
Freeform’s “The Bold Type” represents nearly everyone. Not only that, but female empowerment is one of the show’s overarching themes, and they portray it well.
The show features three main characters, Jane (Katie Stevens), Sutton (Meghann Fahy), and Kat (Aisha Dee), each of whom are in their 20s and working at “Scarlet” magazine (a magazine that would be in the same genre as “Cosmopolitan” or “Her Campus”).
The show deals with multiple, hard-hitting issues but does so in a way that doesn’t make viewers and the audience feel uncomfortable. Some of the most popular topics are rape culture (super powerful episode during the first season!), white privilege, racism, sexism, delayed conception due to medical issues, and way more.
As the show enters its third season (with premiere date TBD), here’s a bit of recap:
(Left to right: Meghann Fahy, Sam Page, Katie Stevens)
Jane is currently in a predicament over whether or not to further her romance with prior love, flaky bad-boy “Pinstripe” (Ryan), or to stay with her loyal, sort-of boring, super hot doctor boyfriend, Ben. Jane is a journalist at “Scarlet” magazine; after learning that she may have contraception issues she has to start thinking about childbirth options–in her mid 20’s.
As for Kat, her pre-TV lifestyle consisted of only dating men. Beginning to explore her sexuality as a young, liberal black woman in NYC, Kat dates a photographer named Adena and learns more about herself in the process. She works as a Social Media Director at “Scarlet.” As the series progresses, she decides what is truly best for her.
Lastly, Sutton (the redhead of the bunch) aspires to become fashion royalty while struggling with her feelings for Richard (a board member for “Scarlet” magazine) throughout the series, all because she wants her career to be taken seriously and does not want to be seen as the type who will sleep around to get ahead. The second season wrapped up with an ending for Sutton and Richard that is almost guaranteed to tug at the heart strings.
If all this hot tea still hasn’t convinced you to watch the show, then take my word for it. I can promise you that this show has everything your favorite rom-com has and then some–including the tearjerkers, the hysterical laughter, and the occasional cringe-worthy punchline.
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