‘The Bold Type’ How Freeform’s New Show is Doing EVERYTHING Right

Alright ladies, it’s time to gather up your closest friends, crack open a bottle of wine, and watch an empowering woman take on the world. And no, I am NOT talking about The Bachelorette. Freeform’s new show The Bold Type is redefining everything we’ve ever wanted in a fierce, inspirational television show. 

The hour-long drama showcases three best friends, Jane (Katie Stevens), Kat (Aisha Dee), and Sutton (Meghann Fahy), as they take on both professional and personal challenges in New York City. Working for the Cosmo-inspired magazine Scarlet, Jane accepts a new position as a writer, Kat continues to slay the position of Social Media Director, and Sutton struggles with her next step after being an assistant for way too long.

Now, what exactly makes this show soooo good?! In my opinion, there’s three things that contribute to its awesomeness:

1. The characters (Katie Stevens is a complete goddess!)
2. The environment (A fast-paced publication like Scarlet makes for a great backdrop.)
3. The handling of social issues (i.e. feminism, stereotypes, prejudices, etc.)

Let’s start with the characters. There’s nothing better than seeing three independent, strong women take the professional world by storm. As Jane struggles to connect with her editor, all we want as an audience is to see her work her hardest and succeed. And man, does she work hard! Kat is faced with tough decisions in her role of Social Media Director. She has the power to drastically change Scarlet’s social image at any given moment. Thankfully, she knows what she’s doing. And when a woman gives up so much (including a hot date with a very attractive gentleman) in order to strive for her dreams, you know she’s going to do great things. She may doubt herself along the way (don’t we all?) but she proves to be the strong role model we all love. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the gift that is Sutton Brady.

These characters work well together for many reasons. For one thing, they definitely value their friendship above everything else. That in and of itself is something to admire. It’s no secret that sisterhood is inspiring to us all. Secondly, the smart and thorough decisions that they make remind us how we should be living in this crazy world of ours. Whether it was Jane deciding not to drunk dial her ex or Kat deciding not to cause a social uproar with a controversial tweet, we know these women are positively representing us all.

The next element worthy of our praises is the setting of the show. The bold and fabulous environment of a women’s magazine in New York City is the perfect foundation for a show like this to blossom. Nothing attracts a strong female audience better than putting these electrifying characters in a setting filled with glamour, fashion, and feminism. Scarlet provides a fast-paced environment that both fascinates and challenges these girls. Jane even explains in the pilot that Scarlet was there for her during her entire childhood. It was a sense of hope and guidance for her and it is now the perfect setting for her to express herself as a writer. The same environment that excites Jane, challenges Sutton to choose her path in life quickly while she is doing a million other things. The behind-the-scenes approach of a magazine that empowers women everywhere is both visually and intellectually interesting for this audience. Things will always be changing for our three main girls.

Finally, the show handles many social issues in a very real and responsible way. This certainly  goes along with the behaviors of our main characters. For example, one major plotline we saw in the first few episodes of the show involves Kat having a sexual identity crisis as she starts to develop feelings for a woman she is working with on a project. Once this storyline was introduced, I immediately thought the worst. Here we go again. Another story about a girl hiding her feelings from her friends because she’s embarrassed and scared about what she might be. Thankfully, the show had the respect to give Kat a little more confidence than that. Kat goes straight to Jane and Sutton for advice about her mixed feelings. And here folks, is a perfect example of a show owning diversity and inclusivity in the RIGHT way.

Several other issues come to light regarding feminism and the magazine’s real purpose. This is quickly resolved in the pilot episode as Kat explains the ideals and beliefs behind Scarlet. No longer a magazine about makeup and how to please a man in bed, Scarlet works to empower women and teach them how to own their lives and take advantage of every opportunity.

Issues of stereotyping Muslim women also appear as the character Adena (Nikohl Boosheri) is introduced as Kat’s love interest and new friend. But again, the show handles this situation with awareness and acknowledgement of the social concerns and the ethical decisions made by our three leading ladies.

Now I know what you all are thinking. We’re only a few episodes in. There’s plenty of time for things to get messy. You are not wrong fellow Bold Types. However, I do have some faith in where the show is headed. With a strong foundation like this to start with, let’s hope Jane, Kat, and Sutton continue to empower all of us into being…(you guessed it)…BOLD.

The Bold Type airs every Tuesday at 9 pm on Freeform.

Stream The Bold Type on Hulu