The Bold Type Review: Babes In Toyland (Season 4 Episode 4)
The staff at Scarlet has been sweet, but lacking spice this season. Even with the backdrop of a sex party behind it, The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 4, “Babes In Toyland,” suffers the same fate.
It’s totally understandable that a regular cable network can’t get too raunchy in the 9 pm timeslot. But for some reason, this sex party serves exclusively as a vehicle to repair Jane and Pinstripe’s relationship — at least for now.
Jane kisses sex party guy with Ryan’s silent permission and realizes it is a horrible experience she feels guilty about. That’s a great lesson that would have so much more impact if it involved Jane running through the streets of New York City in lingerie to confess her mistake to her boyfriend, put his mistake behind them once and for all, and have sex.
Instead, Pinstripe shows up at the sex party and they may have sex, but the storyline falls flat.
Ryan isn’t there to make Jane feel guilty and drag her home. The Bold Type is too progressive for that.
Presumably, he’s there to tell her one of two things. Either he would rather she come home, or he wants to officially accept her invitation because he doesn’t want her there alone.
Either option takes the autonomy and power of Jane’s choice to stay with him and really move on from the kiss away. Coming from The Bold Type, that’s incredibly disappointing.
Ryan never gets to say why he’s there because Jane just wants to take him to one of the naughtier rooms to have sex. Viewers can be rooting for JaneStripe to be together and still be disappointed in those circumstances. Jane gets to take a shortcut with her followthrough and the emotional impact of the story suffers as a result.
Plus, anyone can guess that sex in their own bed is better than sex at a party technically surrounded by other people. It’s just….unbelieveable.
On the contrary, it’s quite believable that an erectile dysfunction billboard would be considered perfectly acceptable while a female-focused sex toy billboard faces an uphill battle in this country.
To that end, viewers should get to see Kat interview the masturbating women at the sex party post-orgasm. It’s a better use of screentime than the bar scenes or even the scenes with Jane and Pinstripe.
The whole message of this storyline is that females should feel empowered, that they don’t need a man to pleasure them, that there is no shame behind it. So, why not talk about female orgasms for real? Everyone is supportive of the idea on the episode, but the scenes cut before they actually broach the topic in depth.
The Bold Type fans love dives into these subjects without looking back. It defies tropes by daring to talk about topics no other show has dared to tackle.
On Season 4, it’s entering dangerous territory by not exploring topics like the female orgasm with enough depth.
Sadly, it’s downright trapped in the “women can’t have it all” trope by going forward with Jaqueline’s divorce storyline.
I’m not a fairweather friend, though. I’ll stick by The Bold Type, holding on to hope that it will dust itself off and get some of its sexy back soon.
The Fine Print
- This season needs more Alex, and yet his podcast plot gravely disappoints.
- Sutton and Richard’s long-distance relationship really isn’t working for me. But a vibrator that your partner can control is the sexiest idea on the episode.
- Sadly, there are already hints that it’s going to be a rocky road to the altar for Sutton.
- Friends who put down vibrators to go to sex parties with you are real friends — the bold three’s friendship is keeping the season afloat so far.
What did you think of this episode of The Bold Type? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Bold Type airs Thursdays at 9/8c on Freeform.
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.