The Bold Type Review: The Scarlet Letter (Season 2 Episode 3)

On The Bold Type Season 2 Episode 3, Kat puts on for her boo, Adena, and cinches a photography gig for her at Scarlet, Sutton hits another assignment Oliver gives her out of the park, and Jane gets rejected when she asks for her old Scarlet position back.

Eh. That last one kind of doesn’t fit the cheery mood of the first two clauses, huh? It seems like Tiny Jane can’t catch a break.

Is it wrong that I’m absolutely loving this?

Not for the reasons you may think. Although Jane isn’t my favorite, I have respect the heck out of that woman.

Jane has an amazing eye for a good story, has the writing talent of a goddess, and she has such a sweet soul.

However, one of my biggest complaints about The Bold Type last season was the fact that Jane didn’t have lasting consequences and here we are! Consequences that have lasted for more than 2 episodes; I’m living.

Jane has been sheltered a lot of her life. Similarly to Kat, there are certain things her privilege has kept her blind too. And similarly to Kat, Jane has to grow out of her comfortability with simply doing and saying whatever she feels.

I respect Jane for speaking the truth and acting as a true journalist that seeks honesty over sensationalism. However, there’s a time and a place and live television are neither the time or place to say your publication was wrong to frame a story they way they did.

That’s not to say that Jane’s Incite boss wasn’t wrong, because, of course, she was wrong in many ways.

She forced Jane to change who she was by forcing her into that lumberjack outfit. She completely changed Jane’s article without telling her and published words into Jane’s mouth that she doesn’t believe in.

And lastly, instead of listening to Jane’s reservations about the article when it first went live, she just told her to get over it. The Incite Editor-In-Chief isn’t going to win any boss awards of the year.

However, this doesn’t make Jane’s confession on live air okay.

Please understand that when I say this I’m not trying to be polarizing, but only Jane’s white privilege led her to believe she could do whatever she wanted without consequences.

At a young age, it becomes apparent to people of other races that they have certain liberties, and when they cross the line, consequences will be swift to follow.

Yet, Jane hasn’t experienced that — at least on The Bold Type her actions and season 1 don’t signal that she’s ever experienced extreme adversity that didn’t get solved because her heart was in the right place.

So, yes. I’m happy Jacqueline told Jane that she would have to ride this wave out, and I’m happy she told her this for the exact same reasons Jacqueline told her.

Jane does have some growing up to do, and adversity is the best teacher.

Not to mention she has a wonderful support system in Jacqueline, Kat, and Sutton to help her through this. As I explain in my review of The Bold Type Season 2 Episodes 1 and 2, I have no doubts Jane will get through this and come out of the other side the better for it.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Adena tried something new and branched out into a world she hadn’t experienced before by photographing for Scarlet and she killed it.

Isn’t Kat the most thoughtful and sweet girlfriend ever? Her confidence in Adena is so inspiring and #goals worthy.

I always knew Adena would figure out a way to make it work because you don’t publically identify as a lesbian, middle eastern artist without having to adapt to curve balls thrown your way.

And Sutton being so resistant to Adena’s ideas was definitely a curve ball.

I get Sutton’s apprehension. I, too, am a control freak that has the driving need to excel at everything I do. However, she didn’t really give Adena a chance to show her her idea before Sutton kept trying to tell her that they should stick to the script.

I do understand that Adena wasn’t listening fully when Sutton kept trying to guide her away from the “new” vision, but Adena did say that if Sutton didn’t like what she had planned then she would scrap it and they could go back to Plan A.

So, what would’ve been the harm?

Regardless, Sutton and Adena came out the victors of this episodic issue of Oliver leaving all of the responsibility on Sutton at the last minute.

With Sutton’s ideas and Adena’s vision, there was no way Oliver wouldn’t absolutely love the end result. And what a result it was! I absolutely loved the message Scarlet wants to send about body image positivity that’s still a rampant issue.

Self-love is a health issue, as Jacqueline kindly explained to the “fitness guru,” Cleo… multiple times. Fitness isn’t just physical, it’s mental, as well.

And without anything physical flying other than her left eyebrow to her hairline, Jacqueline mentally outclassed Cleo’s attempts to undermine her vision for the magazine.

We stan a Queen who can say everything without saying anything at all. If looks could kill, honey.

Jacqueline did not come to play with Cleo. I hope she gets the picture now, but I doubt it. What would be the juicy drama in Cleo knowing her place without more schooling lessons from Jacqueline to show her the light?

Our ladies came to kick butt and take names this episode!

Yes, that includes Jane, even in the face of Jacqueline’s rejection, because she wrote a kick-ass article about the also very important topic of women in low-income families trying to find appropriate health care for their bodies.

Even when Jane gets knocked down, she’ll always write an amazing and much-needed article as she falls.

And like her mentor, Jacqueline, and her two best friends, Kat and Sutton, nothing can stand in her way when she puts her mind to something, and I mean nothing.

Stray Observations:

• Did anyone else notice how much Sutton was sticking up for herself in this episode? Whew! What character growth.
• Jacqueline’s outfits always slay the day.
• Jane and Dr. Chow have so much chemistry it’s crazy. I need that ship to go ahead and sail already.
• Kat and Adena continue to be ship goals, but here’s to hoping that next episode’s preview doesn’t spell danger for them.

What did you think of this episode of The Bold Type Season 2 Episode 3? Do you think it’s fair Jacqueline told Jane no? Do you think Sutton was wrong for getting impatient with Adena? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

 

The Bold Type airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Freeform.

Follow us on Twitter @telltaleTV_

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!