Season One Verdict: ‘The Bold Type’ [Freeform]

Here’s a radical idea: how about, instead of pitting venomous women against each other, we throw these twenty-somethings into healthy friendships who’ll give each other a leg-up any day of the week?

The CEO of your childhood-dream of a company invites you into her own house after you’d just yelled at her in the office. Up-and-rising social media director has to face firing her first intern, and can barely bear to do it. A long-suffering assistant wants to pursue her dream job, but is scared she won’t have enough money to even make rent. They’re all in the mid-twenties, and one of them is even having a sexual orientation crisis that involves watching obscene pornography.

These women are your bold type. They’re also the best, funniest, grounded trio to hit the streets this year. We can say that with most confidence.

If you’re looking for something as cutting and down-putting as ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ (because the trope of the nasty boss has never been used before) or indeed ‘Sex and the City’, except the girls in this actually have ambition, then look no further. ‘The Bold Type’ is this: it’s absolutely crude, and utterly imperfect. The soundtrack is soaring, boppy and inspiring. It’s good for a cosy night in, but if you want twisting worlds like ‘Game of Thrones’, check out the ‘Freeform’ symbol on the screen.

Concisely, here’s why you should watch (we’ll elaborate further). Isn’t it time we see supportive female characters who want nothing but the best for each other? To see world-wary, savvy women taking control of themselves, their sexualities, their ambitions—and be able to do so? Yes—with the support of men! Does it sound like equality yet? Don’t you want to see Aisha Dee fish out a Yoni egg from Katie Stevens’ vagina?

(You were supposed to all say yes…)

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‘The Bold Type’ is more relevant than anything you’ve seen, but it doesn’t preach loudly into your faces.

There’s a fine line between preaching to your audience as if they’re hare-brained muffins or simply sending out good vibes. We’d argue ‘The Bold Type’ is more than just a feel-good summer show, as every single outlet has labelled them as. Weekly, ‘The Bold Type’ tackles issues such as immigration, racism, cyber-bullying, and…well…Trump. The only criticism we have is that the Trump episode should probably have been a two-hour special (there’s just too much).

New York City in ‘The Bold Type’ doesn’t always seem like New York City. It’s quite obviously shot elsewhere. But every minute contains the grittiness, wry humour and boisterous nature of the place. It’s fun, sexy and modern. The dialogue isn’t forced. And that’s hugely down to the natural rapport Stevens, Dee and Meghann Fahy possess. The writers’ room is consisted of excellent brains, but sometimes we get the feeling the trio just talk, stick Yoni eggs up their vagina, and Sarah Watson films them as she snickers. What a job.

RELATED l ‘The Bold Type’ Four Episode Challenge

But in all seriousness, the show’s relevance is important. Representation as sweet and earnest as Kadena’s is needed in a television world where same-sex couples are still discriminated against. Racism is abundant. Trump is alive. ‘The Bold Type’ is fun but it doesn’t mean it skims over the ugly parts of professional life. It isn’t a dreamy fantasy. Rather, it’s powerful hope because we connect to Jane, Kat and Sutton. We’re allowed to hope that if they can make it through their never-ending struggles, that never feel too contrived, then so can we. And what is television if not meant to allow us some optimism as well as escapism?

We’re talking about a show that dares to tackle apparently controversial subjects. Out of the thousands shows on television, Sarah Watson had a revolutionary idea. She depicted the lives of actual people in New York City. Granted, it’s far-fetched. Face it: it’s New York City. But she doesn’t shy away from homosexuality, job troubles, a boss who’s actually a boss, strong female characters. Even when Kat and Adena finally have their sex scene, Dee and Boosheri reveal all. Scrap the dodgy camera angles and half-hearted kissing. If Alex and Sutton can have sex, why can’t Kat and Adena? Properly? Why must it be sheltered because they’re a same-sex couple?

‘The Bold Type’ isn’t just the most fun show of the summer: it’s the boldest. It’s raw, rough, and important. This isn’t faux-representation—it’s real.

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There are gorgeous relationships on the show—not just between the three girls, though notably they have the closest bond.

After raving about the core trio and Melora Hardin’s Jacqueline, we must give room to the incredible supporting cast. We don’t know about you, but minus a few blips and facepalms, the casting couch has gotten pretty efficient recently. Sam Page’s Richard is the perfect mix of romantic, mature and understanding. But there’s only so far he can go. We all love Sutton, but it’s difficult not to feel sympathy for Richard, who clearly still loves her, when they break up. And that’s what’s nice about this show.

No break-up is nice; this break-up happened to be civil. It gets messy, too. However, shipper or not, nobody can deny the inevitability of the duo. Page’s depiction of Richard is soothing and gentle—just like his lawyer voice. He regularly bails the girls out of trouble. And he might be young, but it’s not difficult to glean why he’s so successful.

Perhaps the best relationship is between Jacqueline and the girls. Gone is the nasty twerp in Burberry knickers. Jacqueline is the kind of boss everyone wants. Firm, fair, understanding—and never one to forget she went through her twenties, too. She lets these girls live. Why not? She lived, and she was successful. Some of Jacqueline’s dialogue is hands-down the most beautiful in the show.

The speech Hardin so expertly delivers at the end of the first episode is genuine, tear-jerking stuff. Her quoting Jane’s application wasn’t a sign of her and Jane becoming best buddies. It was proof: Jacqueline cares about ‘Scarlet’. And like she says, every single person who works for her is ‘Scarlet’.

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We really can’t finish this without #Kadena, otherwise we’ll get lynched and someone will burn our imaginary offices down.

Her name is Nikohl Boosheri, and one look from her turns you jelly-legged.

That’s an actual fact.

The decision to have Kat, a woman of colour, fall head-over-heels with defiant Adena, a Muslim woman, did not feel forced. Don’t lie to yourselves: the moment they started packing dildos(!) in the night, you were screaming for a kiss, weren’t you? It’s a testament to how brave the writers were in putting the two together. And ‘brave’ isn’t a word we should be using now. In this world, women and men from all different religions and colours and sexualities fall in love. What this show has taught us, through Kat and Adena, but also the girls, with Jacqueline—is that love is pure. And what is wrong with that?

They face their hurdles. There’s the timely ex, ‘gay panic’, bad decisions, late decisions. But what ‘The Bold Type’ nailed was the deportation storyline. It didn’t just happen over an episode and it was fine. They’re in New York. Trump’s going on about a wall. Of course it came back, and Boosheri played heartbreak to a point where TV After Dark will hand out fifty dollars to someone who didn’t cry (in Monopoly money).

The synergy of the duo is unrivalled. Kat and Adena teach and reveal things about themselves that are sometimes insignificant, and sometimes heartwarming. Adena’s just as strong-willed as Kat. They have their challenges, but like many would, Adena doesn’t bend to Kat’s will. She’s independent. But what truly sets them apart is their willingness to learn from their mistakes. Mostly, it’s Dee and Boosheri’s acting. They just fit. We could ramble on, but we don’t need to. ‘The Bold Type’ hit the jackpot with these two. And that’s that.

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FINAL VERDICT: The best love story since Romeo and Juliet has just hit our screens, minus the double suicide…this is ‘The Bold Type’.

By all means, this is a love story—between three girls. The core of ‘The Bold Type’ lies with Jane, Kat and Sutton. Each week, they all have their own subplots. And when they don’t, they’re getting their fingers stuck in the plot pie of each other’s. This is a show where they’re such good friends that Kat will fish a Yoni egg out of Jane’s vagina. It’s the kind of story you want to grow up to have. A reason why ‘Friends’, apart from the nostalgia, was such a success was because you literally watched a close-knit family do nothing. These girls live in the real world. They work, they fail, they succeed, and they try again. Kat probably has the running record of ridiculous things to say, such as asking Adena how to ask for the WiFi password in Persian. They also have this:

Sutton: “I’m Nora Ephran, bitch!”

The soundtrack is soaring. Every episode features a song you’ll find stuck in your head, so credit to the music department. Sarah Watson’s development of this show has been incredible. This is girl power. We have imperfect leading ladies. There’s a boss who’ll nurture rather than destroy (hey, ‘Ugly Betty’). If you’re going to write about a magazine workplace (with some drama) then do it! Furthermore, if you’re going to write about female empowerment, how about let the girls help each other up? Have the guys cheer them on! Zoom in on the proud boss!

As Jacqueline says, “You don’t just work for Scarlet…you are Scarlet.”

We’ll drink to that.