Summer watchlist: Watch the 25 hottest new shows of the season
By Sundi Rose
The Bold Type – July 11
Starring: Melora Hardin, Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee, and Meghann Fahy
Premise: The Bold Type is based on the life and career of Joanna Coles, former editor in chief of Cosmopolitan magazine. The fictional Jaqueline, the Coles character, works at the (also fictional) women’s magazine Scarlett. The story is mostly about her underlings, and the havoc she wreaks on their lives by being mean and nasty. The friends negotiate love, life and career in New York City.
It looks a little like a cross between Sex and the City (but much younger) and The Devil Wears Prada. Of course it’s much more modern than these, making use of contemporary tropes like Twitter, Uber, and feminism. It’s glossy and editorialized, so there you’ll probably have to go in suspending your disbelief in a lot of ways. Otherwise, it’s bound to be cute and whimsical, and appeal to Freeform’s bread and butter: women aged 18-35.
The buzz: It’s early still, but it has potential. It is certainly from the Freeform brand, and might skew a little too young or feminine for some audiences. However, it’s quick and clever, and could make for a fun summer jaunt. Executive Vice President of programming at Freeform Karey Burkes says, “The Bold Type is our love letter to modern feminism and aims to be a destination for authentic female friendship and empowerment.”
Where to watch: Freeform