The Bold Type Review: Leveling Up (Season 4 Episode 11)
The cold open of The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 11, “Leveling Up” is arguably the best one of the entire series to date.
The Bold Type loses depth by condensing Jane’s whole recovery process into about two minutes, even though they are beautiful. We have been with Jane since she found out she had the BRACA gene. Two lovely minutes isn’t a payoff.
It’s understandable that a TV show would speed past the ugly parts of life. But Jane, Kat, and Sutton’s journeys would benefit if we were forced to lean a little bit farther into pain with these women we already love so much.
Intimate details of recovering from a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction are present in the scene — from bloodstains to Jane struggling to regain her range of motion to Sutton brushing Jane’s hair.
Pinstripe is there too, even if it’s just via text message. Post-breakup or not, that is true to life.
He was meant to be her carer, of course he’s going to think of her while she’s recovering if he has an ounce of humanity in him. It turns out he does.
There is no better soundtrack to the scene than Oh Wonder’s “Better Now.” It’s the perfect balance of mellow and optimistic.
Jane’s not dying. In fact, just the opposite — she made a life-affirming decision.
So, with that in mind, it’s nice to follow Jane to her new venture at Scarlet for most of the episode. But it’s quite disappointing that her new vertical makes absolutely no sense.
Scarlet is a woman’s magazine that has always had feminism at its core. It’s a complete waste of a chance to amplify Black or other marginalized voices to create “Failing Feminist” with Jane at the helm.
She’s also skipped at least one stepping stone to get where she is for the sake of entertainment. As a writer who is very aware of the untold stories that deserve a platform and what The Bold Type is capable of, Jane’s new position is a hard pill to swallow.
It’s both satisfying and relatable to see her off her game on her first day back at Scarlet.
Jane understandably has boobs on her mind and running a vertical is a big deal, no matter the topic.
Nerves are to be expected. I’m much more willing to forgive all of her jitters while interviewing writers than the fact that she’s considering hiring Scott at all.
We have to accept the fact that Jane is running a feminism vertical at a feminist magazine; why on green earth would the second writer she hires be a man?
Scott would be the perfect writer for a vertical full of men challenging toxic masculinity. But the second hire for a vertical about feminism?
It’s insulting to think that fans will not see what his real purpose on the show is. But even though Scott’s attitude is reminiscent of Pinstripe’s he definitely doesn’t have the charm to match.
There are subtle hints that Jane and Alex’s relationship might deepen. It’s above and beyond the call of a roommate to delay your move and lie about it just to be there through someone’s recovery.
Knicks tickets are certainly an expensive — or at the very least grand — way to say thank you for that gesture.
Alicia is amazing, Black love needs to be normalized on all shows, and Jane deserves better than Sutton’s sloppy seconds.
Even if there is chemistry between them, Jane and her new boobs need to be single for a while.
The Fine Print
- It’s obvious Sutton is pregnant, this episode gets points for not making that a cliffhanger.
- Ali Stroker lights up all of her scenes, even as a no-nonsense boss.
- I really hope Kat finds a purpose soon, her activism is most effective when it’s focused.
- It’s really nice to see Jaqueline’s mentorship as the focus of her story with her personal life in the background. That’s what works and should never have changed.
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 10/9c 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.