The Bold Type: Big Buzz

What is it about The Bold Type that has all of social media abuzz? What makes it so special that Freeform renewed it for not one, but two new seasons?

As far as premises go, The Bold Type's is pretty basic: a trio of twenty-something women working at a prestigious fashion magazine called Scarlet. To be completely honest, it's not the Highest Quality television out there. There are plenty of shows with better writing, acting cinematography– better song choices, even. But right from the pilot, one thing was clear: someway, somehow, this show was going to be important.

If there's anything The Bold Type deserves praise for, it's for the consistently and unapologetically female voice. Everything about it is firmly anchored in women's perspectives. Arguably the most solid thing driving the success of this endeavour is the strong friendship between the main trio – Jane (Katie Stevens), Kat (Aisha Dee), and Sutton (Meghann Fahy).

Throughout the season, all three experience their fair share of conflict, both as separate individuals within the trio. Nevertheless, their firm unity as a group has never once been called into question by the show. When they disagree, they work to understand each other, instead of flying off the handle for ~dramatic tension~. When one girl needs help, the other two are right there. There's no question: the relationship that comes first on the show is always, always the trio.

It goes a long way towards showing that female friendships can be portrayed as the cornerstone of media works without being reduced to the crude (and far too commonly-employed) level of Device For Creating Unnecessary Drama Between Women.

One hotly discussed aspect of the show is the romance between Kat and Adena (Nikohl Boosheri), a lesbian Muslim photographer whose work is featured in Scarlet. Undoubtedly the best thing about Kadena is that they're not just a token WLWOC feature. They're frequently given screen time that is 100% their own. They have their own plot lines, often branching out from what's happening in the Scarlet offices.

In developing this relationship, the show touches on several important issues like sexuality, censorship, religion, and even xenophobia. True, not all of these are handled as deftly or impactfully as could be. Even so, the show succeeds in establishing the Kadena connection with heartfelt love and deep respect. It's no surprise that this pairing has won over so many hearts.

Despite its faults, The Bold Type isn't just another pink-glad dramedy with a spunky female lead. The show's got real heart and soul to it, one that you can't help but be won over by in its best moments. On the whole, it's a lovely, vibrant season that the cast and crew have created, brimming with earnest truths and fierce ambition, and I for one can't wait for more.

A/N: If you want to catch up on The Bold Type (r just relive all the magic all over again), Season 1 is currently up on the Freeform app for free viewing!

Review by Melissa Lee