The Bold Type is Freeform’s newest original series. Though it was inspired by the life of Joanna Coles, Cosmo’s former Chief content editor, the show actually revolves around three millennial employees who work at the fictionalized Scarlett Magazine: Kat, Sutton, and Jane.
It’s already been dubbed a replacement for Pretty Little Liars, which unfortunately ended this year. With tons of drama, fierce fashion and forbidden romance, it definitely has all of the needed elements to fill that PLL shaped hole in your life. But don’t get it twisted—The Bold Type is carving out a lane all its own. Here’s why you need to check it out!
(The rest of this article contains minor spoilers for The Bold Type’s series premiere.)
Awesome Characters
The Bold Type follows the lives of three women that all started together as assistants, and have each been promoted in their respective fields within Scarlett. Picture perfect wardrobe aside (which we’ll get to later), these girls are definitely not living in a fairytale. Journalism is a hard business and The Bold Type addresses some of those realities.
Jane is Scarlett’s newest writer. Near the beginning of the episode, she’s totally beaming about walking into Scarlett’s headquarters as a writer, instead of as just an assistant. Her enthusiasm is short lived, however when Jacqueline shoots down all of her pitches, leaving her a little defeated. And when she finally gets assigned her first story, Jacqueline encourages her amend it because it’s not “personal” enough.”
Speaking of Jacqueline, as the Editor-In-Chief, she’s totally the HBIC– and she knows it. Silence immediately falls over the board room when she arrives, and she totally demands the respect that she’s earned. That said, she’s no Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada). There’s a huge heart underneath her designer clothes, and she does her best to balance being a total boss and mentor to Jane and the other writers. (Though it’s probably not realistic for the EIC to have the time to personally mentor a newbie writer, her insistence on doing so is admirable.)
Then there’s Kat. She is Scarlett’s feminist, uber stylish social media editor, who’s all about gender equality and female empowerment. She says what’s on her mind, even when it’s to her own detriment. During a board meeting, she quips, “It’s not 2006,” when the health editor asks the room’s opinion on the word “va-jay-jay,” garnering her a cold stare. She also lands in a little international trouble after encouraging a Muslim photographer named Adena to smuggle vibrators into her country (where they’re banned), a decision that gets her detained at the airport. Then Kat wants to use Scarlett’s Twitter account to bring attention to Adena’s emergency, against the advice of another employee.
Finally, there’s Sutton. She’s a high-level assistant, who works directly with Jacqueline. Only thing, she doesn’t want to be an assistant forever. She’s got big dreams and she’s not afraid to go after them. She first goes after a job in the ad department, but she soon admits that she really wants a job in the fashion department. She’s also dealing with a conflict of interest, as she’s secretly sleeping with an exec from the ad department.
The Friendships
The premiere of The Bold Type showed us that the friendship between Kat, Sutton, and Jane is just as important as their career aspirations—as it should be! Whether it’s Kat and Sutton helping Jane stalk her “unstalkable” ex for a story, or Kat apologizing to Sutton for not being enthusiastic about a career change, it’s clear that their differences are not more important than the things that bring them together.
The Realistic Relationships
No matter how many preconceived notions we may have about what love will mean to us, there really is no right way to do it, as the characters all learn. Sutton’s secret affair with an ad exec named Richard becomes a source of conflict between her and the girls. Kat, who self-identifies “proud hetero,” finds herself questioning her sexuality as she spends time with Adena, who’s a lesbian. And Jane, well, she’s totally dealing with getting over her ex-boyfriend who just totally ghosted her. Relatable much?
The Glamour
The Bold Type definitely focuses on the sexier aspects of journalism. Between the shots of NYC’s high rises, the glossy pages of Scarlett, the industry parties and the gorgeous fashion, it’s safe to say that The Bold Type is super glamorous.
Speaking of the fashion, The Bold Type has been garnering comparisons to Sex And The City since its trailer was released. And while I’m not sure if Kat, Jane and Sutton’s lives mirror those of Carrie and co.’s (at least not yet), they’ve definitely given them a run for their money in the fashion department. Allow yourself to live vicariously through these ladies by checking out the show’s Instagram account.
After that, give The Bold Type a watch or two (if you haven’t already)—and revel in designer digs, supportive friendships, and spicy flings hopefully, for years to come.