The Bold Type Season 2 Episode 3 Review: The Scarlet Letter
Yana Grebenyuk
at
.
Sometimes going back home isn't as easy as it looks.
Although, The Bold Type itself represents a home that we are all getting comfortable in again.
Everything is fitting into place again, every character's story is laid out for us perfectly. In between all that though are the uncertain parts, Jane and Jacqueline's future specifically, that make us wonder what will happen next.
During The Bold Type Season 2 Episode 3, Sutton struggled to convey to Kat that Adena may not be the right person for a photography job at Scarlet. Kat's insistence created a conversation between her and Adena about her friendships.
Meanwhile, Jane is in search of a new job and trying to find it again at Scarlet doesn't go as well as expected.
As for Jacqueline, she is starting to feel the presence of Cleo, or more specifically the presence of Cleo's bad ideas.
Related: The Bold Type Season 2 Premiere Review: Back To Where It All Started
Jane
That went as well as expected. No? Just me?
It was obvious that Jane's position at Incite was a temporary thing, in fact, it didn't last beyond her first article. From there it was like all signs pointed to Scarlet, but did they?
To me, I expected Jane to hold out a little longer. Seeing her back in the Scarlet office so soon was strange considering how passionately she made a case for why she had to leave.
There is nothing I wanted more than Jane to be back at Scarlet with everyone else, but she was the one that didn't want to.
Jane's choice was why it made sense for us to follow her along on her journey, and it was why Jacqueline refused to hire her back right away.
Jacqueline made a very fair point about how Jane needs to allow that fear of not having a job consume her. She wanted to write more politically angled pieces, which is exactly why Scarlet can't be a safety net for her anymore.
Turns out TIny Jane is not so good at being unemployed.
Jane
As much as Jane pushed to leave, it was almost like she still had her old job in her back pocket. She can't truly fail if she thinks she has something to fall back on.
Jane deserves the chance to explore everything she was willing to leave Scarlet for; her passion demanded it all through Season 1.
By not letting Jane back, Jacqueline did her one of the biggest favors in her career. In a way, more doors are open to Jane now because she is that much more desperate to find something that she can do.
Maybe Jane will still find a safe position in some other magazine, yet something tells me that that walk back out of Scarlet is going to fuel her.
More than that even, Jane has continuously wanted to prove to Jacqueline why she deserved to write more pieces about politics.
It is her chance to show herself and Jacqueline that she is fighting for something that she wants.
Very similar to Sutton, Jane has this dream, and she needs to pursue it no matter what. Taking a chance, especially one so risky that doesn't have a guarantee, that is a brave choice to which Jane has to commit.
Related: The Bold Type Season 2 Preview: It's About To Get Real
Sutton
Sutton getting recognized for her great ideas and talent will never get old.
She not only can do this job, she does do it remarkably well. Sutton continuing to kickass isn't exactly a hardship to watch, and hopefully, we will get to see more of her relationship with Oliver.
It is obvious that he knows she has talent, yet it still wouldn't be so bad to see him mention it more. Or even just them working on projects together, it is always great when we get more insight into the kinds of things Sutton is doing.
Outside of that though, Sutton and Adena got to spend a little more time together.
This tastes like dish soap.
Sutton
Adena has been around Sutton and Jane, yet it feels like they never spent time together. That could be because they didn't, which is why this episode was strong in the way it introduced that shift.
Sutton and Adena working together helped their relationships with Kat, but it also helped build something between them as well.
It made sense for Sutton to worry that things had to be done the exact way Oliver instructed. But an idea could always become something better, even if she has to put it all on the line.
Sutton still shot the original idea because she is good at her job, this isn't just her trying to push herself forward. Sutton has a genuine love for Scarlet and the fashion that comes with it, which is why this episode did a good job exploring that further.
Kat
The Bold Type continues to explore Kat and Adena's relationship naturally, and honestly, it is still the absolute best.
There is something incredibly meaningful about the way that Kat and Adena are the constant right now. Sutton and Jane aren't in that place at the moment, so Kat and Adena continue to represent a healthy and happy relationship on the show.
Kat supporting Adena's work was such a pure moment, but Sutton had a point about this being a big thing in her career that she can't mess up.
Still, Sutton and Kat figuring out this point in this friendship opened up a great discussion between Adena and Kat.
Having them talk about how Adena knows that Kat's relationships are important to her; it was a lot.
Kat: How's it going?
Sutton: We're getting naked.
It meant so much to the core of Kat and Adena's newly forming relationship that they referenced her friends. Sutton and Jane mean so much to Kat, so it is great to have Adena reference that.
Going forward, Kat and Adena continuing down in this domestic bliss will keep being the best gift that keeps on giving.
Them living together, officially or not, seems to be going well and it is a constant highlight.
It is all about those small details, the way that these two can talk about anything and the happiness they continue to have for each other.
Jacqueline
One of the greatest parts of this new season is how much more of Jacqueline we are getting.
In fact, it is getting more clear how she is essentially one of the ladies with a story.
It was great to have her appear when one of the girls was in need, but there is something even more special about her having her own arcs that we get to now follow along.
Still, her moment with Sutton made me really wish this will be a pattern.
Jacqueline was a mentor to Jane and a boss to Kat; the lines were very clear about both of these relationships.
With Sutton it is more ambiguous since Oliver is Sutton's boss, Jacqueline doesn't need to interact with Sutton as much as she does. That is why their relationship growing in recent episodes means so much; these women are supporting each other even if they aren't in the same place.
Body positivity is about self-love, self-acceptance - which is very healthy.
Jacqueline
It also adds more to Jacqueline's character, now more than ever we see how much she genuinely is looking to help women in whose place she once was.
Anyway, it was her interactions with Cleo that left the mark, both on her layout and on her writing.
Getting to see Jacqueline writing more about what she is passionate about is fascinating because of the pish that she needed to get back into it.
It is obvious that Cleo doesn't come from the same empowering place; she isn't looking to help the women that are reading the magazine.
Cleo has a health and fitness agenda, one that doesn't correspond with what Scarlet is all about.
I can't figure out where this complication is headed, besides the obvious Jacqueline up for a board position spot. It doesn't have to, and probably won't happen this season, but it is something to keep in our back pockets for sure.
For now, though, Jacqueline is feeling empowered to defend her magazine in a way that she hasn't before. It is lovely to see, and yet it also worries me about what this all means.
It's a journey though, much like Jane, this is something that Jacqueline has to discover for herself, and I am excited to follow her as she does.
Related: The Bold Type is "A Good Time," Says Cast and EPs at ATX Festival
Stray Thoughts
-
I don't know about you, but I would have killed to see Adena's photographic vision with smashed up candy. It would be so freaking badass.
- Jane and the good (looking) doctor are officially the next power couple of the show. Jane deserves some kind, intelligent, and super sweet. He already won me over.
- Who else was not expecting Adena to get naked? A great approach to make sure everyone else felt comfortable, but also so randomly funny.
- Cleo is not my favorite. In fact, she is my least favorite, and I refuse to budge on that. That article was brilliant and deserved to be published; body positivity should not be compromised for a view of how a "healthy" woman should look.
- Adena's more permanent place on The Bold Type is definitely noticed; she fits better than even expected. It was a wonderful idea to keep Adena around, especially with the way that her character is shaping more with every episode.
What did you think of the new episode? Where you shocked that Jacqueline didn't offer Jane her job back? Where do you see Jane headed next? What did you think of Jacqueline getting back into writing after struggling over a piece with Cleo?
Did you agree with Sutton about wanting to stick to a vision? How much did you love Kat and Adena's talks? What do you wish you saw more often? What do you wish you saw less often? Let us know what you think below!
And don't forget that you can watch The Bold Type online, right here on TV Fanatic.
Yana Grebenyuk was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in April 2021.
