Freeform’s “The Bold Type” Is Up to Its Eyeshadow in Surprises

At first glance The Bold Type seems to check all the stereotypical teen drama boxes attractive young women New York City fashion magworthy outfits but when given a deeper look one of the many elements that set this show apart from everything else on TV right now becomes blatantly clear amp160The women depicted here arenamp8217t spending their time tearing each other down amp160In fact itamp8217s quite the oppositeAlthough The Bold Type is based on Colesamp8217 life at Cosmo it mainly focuses on three Millennial best friends Jane Sloan Katie Stevens Kat Edison Aisha Dee and Sutton Brady Meghann Fahy all of whom work at Scarlet the fictional version of Cosmopolitan in New York City amp160Stevens Fahy and Dee are pictured at top left to right amp160Their editorinchief is the confident caring and occasionally intimidating Jacqueline Carlyle Melora Hardin lately of Amazonamp8217s Transparent pictured below left with Fahy Stevens and Dee amp160The pilot follows Jane on her first day as a newly promoted writer and apparently Jacqueline can and will regularly push her out of her comfort zone as a both a writer and a personIf I took one thing away from this series itamp8217s that it is up to its eyeshadow in surprises amp160For example I expected a Gossip Girly show depicting entitled rich chicks duking it out over shallow BS in opulent environments surrounded by impossibly attractive peers amp160Instead I saw a show that at its core is about a trio of close friends that most women would probably kill to be a part of amp160When Jacqueline Carlyle is initially introduced I thought she was going to be a pain in the ass for our young leads in a Devil Wears Prada kind of way amp160The truth was quite the contrary Jacqueline is firm yet supportive tough yet nurturing amp160She doesnamp8217t have any ulterior motives amp160She mainly exists as a mother figure of sorts and seems to have figured out how to successfully run a competitive business without having forgotten how to be a real personJacqueline runs Scarlet on a platform of amp8220stealth feminismamp8221 which again speaks to the ethos of the show amp160amp8220Hereamp8217s the next great mascara to give you bigger eyes to see the worldamp8221 she proclaims amp160amp8220Hereamp8217s a fabulous pair of jeans now go climb a mountainamp8221 amp160The point is that underneath the makeup and pretty clothes thereamp8217s a series thatamp8217s smarter and funnier than we society have been trained to think it would be based on its aestheticsFeminism gender equality sexual fluidity and everything inbetween are important discussions that need to be had but are often mishandled amp160Many pretend to champion these causes as a way of looking and feeling amp8220wokeamp8221 and in the process end up heavyhandedly delivering messages that they donamp8217t even wholeheartedly believe in ie the fastest way to lose your audience amp160TBT approaches these topics in organic and easily understood ways that when combined with its sneakily clever humor make for a refreshingly entertaining experienceOne of the showamp8217s cleverest tactics is its absence of a discernable bad guy amp160I was so certain that Sam Pageamp8217s character Richard was going to end up being a dick no pun intended that I wouldamp8217ve put money on it amp160Page is pictured above with Fahy amp160As it turns out heamp8217s actually a pretty good guy amp160I already mentioned how I originally thought Jacqueline was going to be the big baddie of the show but I was wrong there too amp160Sure itamp8217s early in the game with only two of the four episodes Iamp8217ve already seen having been telecast at the time I write this but thereamp8217s still no sign of a straight up enemy for our beloved trinity of femininity amp160It seems that the enemy if there absolutely has to be one is life itself and its alreadypresent circumstances ie the hurdles of selfrealization confusion regarding sexuality and identity preexisting prejudices based on race gender and sexual orientation etcThese are the things that truly plague these trendy twentysomethings on a daytoday basis and with all the reallife negative politics and rhetoric aimed at women in general these days thereamp8217s more than enough to fill the void left behind by this physically nonexistent foe amp160These women donamp8217t have to being tearing each other down amp160The worldamp8217s already doing thatSpeaking as a guy not a amp8220progressiveamp8221 guy but just a stereotypical guy I can see how this show might not have ended up on my radar amp160But as someone whoamp8217s seen it though I can honestly say that Iamp8217m glad it crossed my path amp160Itamp8217s surprisingly funny and smart and even taught me a thing or two amp160Iamp8217ll never forget that Yoni egg scene amp160Google it amp160Freeformamp8217s The Bold Type is about young women finding their voices in the modern world and in an effort to make that point the show itself has found a unique voice of its own amp160I hear you ladies loud and clearThe Bold Type is telecast Tuesday at 9 pm ETClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160amp160

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Freeform’s “The Bold Type” Is Up to Its Eyeshadow in Surprises

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Ainsley Andrade

"About That with Carl Mayer": Involved Media Connected Audience Fall 2024 Report (Episode 5) - By Carl Mayer

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Freeform’s “The Bold Type” Is Up to Its Eyeshadow in Surprises

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Ainsley Andrade

"About That with Carl Mayer": Involved Media Connected Audience Fall 2024 Report (Episode 5) - By Carl Mayer

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