I feel a bit strange for becoming so invested in a Netflix show that I want to write about it, but I haven’t enjoyed a series this much since discovering Grace & Frankie about a year ago.
On the surface, The Bold Type seems like a fairly standard, somewhat stereotypical storyline; three besties meet in the heart of the hustle and bustle of the big city as they work their way up the chain in a modern magazine ‘Scarlet’. However, it quickly proves to be about so much more than that. Across a healthy four seasons, the Netflix series explores themes such as health, sexuality, feminism, friendship and politics.
One of the first things that really struck me in the show was how realistic it can be, which is refreshing. In attempt to pursue her passion, Sutton progresses within Scarlet to a Fashion Assistant. However, with the job offer, she finds that the salary is lower than that of her previous position, which makes her reluctant to accept. Naturally, she negotiates but fails and, as a second attempt, negotiates beyond the salary to perks and guaranteed performance reviews. This sounds like a small touch but it really stood out to me in particular as this is very much a real-life struggle for many. A little later in the series, Jane feels it’s time to move on from Scarlet and joins a new company, Incite. This career move turns out to be disastrous, and so Jane attempts to come back to Scarlet, where she’s disappointed to find that there is no room in the budget to have her back. Again, these are small details but I was pleasantly surprised to see the representation of the fact that you can’t always get what you want just like that.
As the characters and storylines unfold, we’re introduced to Kat’s puzzled sexuality. Having always felt that she was straight, she finds herself unexpectedly falling in love with Adena. As the two eventually enter a relationship, Kat finds herself needing to explore this new chapter of her sexuality with other women and, by doing so, she later finds that perhaps she’s bisexual. She eventually eludes to the possibility of being pansexual. This, among other themes, brings out the series’ contemporary touch.
The series proves to go beyond a big city magazine publishing articles about how to improve your sex life. Through the three protagonists Jane, Kat and Sutton, we are able to experience far more poignant issues. For example, Jane finds out that she’s at a high risk of developing breast cancer in her early adult life. As a preventative measure, she undergoes a double mastectomy, which leads her to experience severe body image issues. Post-surgery, she doesn’t feel like herself, as though her false breasts are physically not a part of her. We see her fall into a form of depression after trying everything to come to terms with her new body. Kat, on the other hand, discovers so much more than her sexuality. She runs for local mayor, which opens her eyes to how much of an activist she is and how much she truly cares about social issues surrounding, among others, race and equality, which we’re glad to see she pursues even though it came at a cost of losing her well-established role at Scarlet of the company’s first every black female department director. Lastly, there’s Sutton who, following her long-lasting career struggles, marries 14-years-older Richard at the age of 26. Just as her career finally starts to take off and only four months into the marriage, she experiences a miscarriage. Interestingly, this makes her realise how much she didn’t want the baby, which wasn’t quite a typical perspective to learn.
I only have one criticism of the series; whilst I was dreading reaching the end, I really feel that the last six episodes were unnecessary. I actually didn’t realise that there are 16 episodes in the last season and not 10 like in seasons 1-3, so I was mentally prepared to say goodbye on season 4 episode 10. It felt like such a natural ending, too, with Sutton and Richard’s wedding, their plans to move away, Jane’s promotion and Kat finding her feet again after being fired, so the purpose of the following six episodes is unclear.
Supposedly, we will be graced with the fifth and final season of the dramedy later this year and I can’t wait!
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