The Bold Type season 4 episode 14 review: Speak your truth

A whole lot of truth bombs were dropped on The Bold Type this week. And odds are, the fallout will spread far and wide in the lives of Kat, Jane and Sutton.

The truth will set you free.

This week’s episode of The Bold Type was aptly titled, but it seems prudent to remember the various second halves of that quote.

There was Gloria Steinem’s, “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off,” which is fitting for this show. But personally, I’ve always been partial to the version of, “The truth will set you free but first it will turn you inside out.”

And boy has it been turning people inside out on The Bold Type these last few weeks.

Sutton’s truth this week? She wasn’t just relieved to not be having a baby right now; she’s happy to be able to choose not to have one at all.

It takes her a bit to arrive at this clarity, as she starts the episode more than happy to have Richard’s sperm frozen, so they have a better chance at conceiving at a later date.

As she marvels at how that later date could actually be 15 years later, Richard starts to spin out. He doesn’t want to be an old dad. He doesn’t want to wait more than five years before revisiting the idea of having kids with Sutton.

Strange, how a pinky promise can feel so serious, right? But for Sutton, this promise of five years is when half of her truth clicks into place. The second half comes as she’s running point on a Scarlet shoot, soaking up the moment and realizing that this is her dream – the way things are.

Here, we have to give it up to The Bold Type once more. It’s okay for a woman to not want children. It’s entirely possible to have her mind made up, knowing she won’t change it, at 26 years old. It’s a concept that deserves to be normalized on television.

And once again, it’s handled as it should be. I’ve found myself missing the typical lightness of The Bold Type in the last few weeks, but this isn’t necessarily a topic that can be handled lightly.

The truth set Sutton free, but it sure pissed Richard off. That said, his reaction is a very real and valid one.

Of course, that’s assuming that he isn’t angry at Sutton. But it’s hard to believe he would be. He can be angry at his circumstances but to be angry specifically at Sutton for not wanting kids? It doesn’t track for Richard, and I certainly hope they don’t take him down that path.

As it stands, seeing him whip his phone at the wall was jarring. I was ready for Dad Richard; it’s hard to see Sad And Mad (smad?) Richard.

But while we’re on dads, let’s give. it. UP for Papa Sloan.

When Jane calls him requesting an old photo, he knows right away that something is up with her. So, some miles and an empty seat later, Jane’s father shows up at her door, photo, and the actual dress her mother wore in it in hand.

I’ve got to confess, I was a bit perplexed at the news that Jane’s father would be the one helping her through this week. After all, how could a man – even one so close to Jane’s heart – help Jane through the struggle of being comfortable in her body following a double mastectomy?

That concern was happily proven unwarranted. Papa Sloan knew exactly what Jane needed: A new planner.

Jane likes to plan, she always has. And that’s the angle her father takes in his pep talk. He reminds his daughter that because of her brave choice, she gets to plan for all the days ahead without fear.

And so she does. Jane’s planning to learn to cook pad thai and run a marathon, and, yes girl, we saw that “Become editor-in-chief at Scarlet” on that list. (She’s got a ways to go on that one, but we support the dream).

Jane and her father have a beautiful relationship, and it was simply a joy to watch unfold.

Sadly, Kat saw the end of a relationship this week. And for what it’s worth, I’m mad about it. We finally learn that this girl’s name is Marissa, only for her to dump Kat at the end of the night?! Rude.

Granted, Marissa had a valid reason. When you say another girl’s name in bed, there’s really no good chance that it’s going to end well. And what is that name that Kat let slip?

In news that surprised no one, it’s Ava! Because, in other news that probably surprised no one besides Kat, Ava is a lesbian!

She confirmed the fan theory while chatting with Kat for her podcast. Because, once again surprising no one, of course, Ava was Kat’s first guest. But honestly? I can’t even be mad at how predictable this arc has been, because it’s still been fun to watch.

Getting Ava to agree involved Kat jumping way out of her comfort zone and attending one of Ava’s republican mixers. While Kat did relatively well, a conversation surrounding the LGBTQ+ community caused her to snap pretty quickly.

And it was only after this moment that Ava agreed to be on the podcast. How Kat missed the sign there, we may never know.

But that enemies-to-lovers trope is looking awfully good right about now, and I’m ready to watch it continue to unfold.

The Bold Type airs on Freeform on Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST.