Careers, friendships, fashion, and relationships — they're all the building blocks of a great women's magazine. They're also the building blocks of Prime Video's brilliant new show: The Bold Type.
The Bold Type premiered in the UK on 9th February and follows three young women carving out careers at the glittering New York City glossy, Scarlet. There's Jane (Katie Stevens), a fledgling writer with grand journalistic aspirations; Kat (Aisha Dee), the confident risk-taker who's just achieved girlboss status thanks to her promotion to social media director; and Sutton (Meghann Fahy), an editorial assistant who is still figuring out where her ambitions lie.
Leading them all is the magazine's editor-in-chief, the charismatic yet authoritative Jacqueline Carlyle (Melora Hardin). It's Jacqueline who pushes Jane to reach her full potential as a female journalist, giving her assignments that both challenge and empower her. Whether you're a student intern or a career veteran, it's hard not to come away inspired — or at least entertained — by the lessons Jane and her friends pick up along the way.
And while the show is unabashedly glam and aspirational — an early scene involves champagne and a fashion closet, ooh la la — it also gets real about media careers in a way that past Hollywood projects haven't.
Here, we break down which journo truths The Bold Type gets right. And don't worry: A little dose of reality doesn't spoil this smart, soapy fantasy. Happy viewing!
All 10 episodes of The Bold Type are available to watch on Prime Video.
It's all about that hustle
If you want your career to go anywhere, you have to be willing to go above and beyond the call of duty — whether that means travelling to the far reaches of the earth internet to track down a source or, in Jane's case, chasing down an ex-boyfriend or spending your off-hours road-testing the trendiest erotic accessory on the market, even when your own sex life is sub-par.
Flexibility and the ability to break out of your wheelhouse are major media skills. The best journalists — and employees, full stop – are willing to break out of their comfort zones. Complacency, or shrugging your shoulders and mumbling "that's not my job" as you leave the office at 5 on the dot, won't make you a valuable member of the team.
A great journalist also knows to pitch, pitch, pitch and not wait for the work to come their way. While it's easy to be discouraged, that persistence typically pays off in the end. Case in point: Yours truly got her very first writing byline after volunteering for an article that a fellow magazine intern had turned down on the grounds she didn't know anything about— and didn't want to research — the topic. Seize those opportunities!
Photo: Courtesy of Prime Video.
Female bosses aren't all villains
There have been countless movies made about plucky rom-com leads who toil at glitzy magazines run with an iron fist by a domineering dragon lady with a severe haircut. One day you're dreaming of being a famous reporter, the next you're working for Pol Pot and her poodle.
It's not that scary female bosses don't exist, but to portray them all as villains is such a tired trope that undermines the important accomplishments of the real women who have climbed to the top of the media industry ladder.
That's why it's so refreshing to see Scarlet EIC Jacqueline Carlyle portrayed as a woman who is intimidating, ambitious, and forthright without being hellbent on making her minions' lives pure hell. Inspired by Hearst Magazines chief content officer and The Bold Type executive producer Joanna Coles — a native Brit who has previously been editor-in-chief for the American editions of Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire — Jacqueline is a career woman who expects nothing less than the best from her team. That doesn't mean being a ruthless tyrant; rather, she's willing to both nurture and challenge a writer to extract the real talent lurking within. She can go toe-to-toe with the humourless male publishing bigwigs at Scarlet, but she can also be supportive and quick to champion an employee who gets it right.
Every editor is different, but Jacqueline — someone who you may not love 24/7, but can appreciate and learn from — is a much more nuanced representation than what we typically see.
Photo: Courtesy of Prime Video.
Social media truly is that important
It's mind-boggling how, not so long ago, "social media" wasn't even really a thing, let alone a legit media job title. Now, most publications live and die by their clicks, online presence, and ability to generate buzz in unconventional new ways.
The Bold Type feels so fresh because it acknowledges this transition. Having Kat be a social media director is a stroke of genius that speaks to the reality of how the media industry now ticks in the era of Facebook Live videos and Snapchat. Which story will go viral? Do journalists have an online authority and tons of Twitter followers? How can Instagram engage readers in the most innovative way possible?
The show gets that the 360-degree magazine experience isn't just about some fresh-faced journalist chewing thoughtfully on her pen while a supermodel fashion shoot takes place behind her desk. It's also about what Kat refers to as "click gold". There are strategy sessions and social media campaigns, one of which Kat orchestrates in the first episode. Jane also sees one of her (highly personal) articles blow up online. Later, she's targeted by vicious trolls and gets a taste of online shaming, something that many female journalists in the public eye are subjected to.
Scarlet may be a print magazine — and thus, a reportedly dying breed — but its brand is very forward-thinking and plugged in.
Photo: Courtesy of Prime Video.
You have to earn your stripes
All three of our Scarlet stars began as assistants four (FOUR!) years prior, because, as in real life, patience and paying your dues is part of the game.
Shortcuts and so-called overnight success stories are rare. Most "breakout" journalists have cut their teeth on underpaid intern and assistant roles and writing clips that offered nothing more than a vague promise of exposure. It can take years of thankless grunt work and piles of rejection letters and ignored CVs before an editor finally gives you a shot.
The good news is that starting from the proverbial bottom gives you time to develop your skills and build relationships with people who can give you work. But even then, a career in media is no walk in the park.
While the show paints Scarlet in a mostly glamorous light, it also doesn't shy away from addressing some of the industry's less favourable facets. Contrary to popular belief, media salaries — especially on the editorial side — are far from lucrative. Journalism isn't a field people go into for the money. (Those fab outfits? More often than not, they're freebies and goodie bag castoffs, discounted sample sale finds, and cute knock-offs.)
There are late nights and rewrites, and layoffs are, unfortunately, a constant worry. And while not all publishers are the sort of decrepit sticks-in-the-mud we see on Scarlet 's board, magazines are a business and the bottom line can often trump creativity. If you can't stick to deadlines or adhere to your company's rigorous editorial standards, this may not be the job for you.
Photo: Courtesy of Prime Video.
There can be some ridiculously glam moments
We've established that media jobs require a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Why do people do it, especially in the era of "fake news"? Creative expression, a firm belief in society's need for a free press, and — hmm, maybe the odd cocktail party or celebrity interview.
Amid all that work, there are some serious perks, especially if you work for a lifestyle or fashion magazine. In the case of Jane, Kat and Sutton, it's trips to the fashion closet and black-tie galas. For others, it might be the opportunity to work with hugely influential and interesting people, or get insider access to a world you're truly passionate about. Whether you're a celebrity journalist interviewing movie stars on the red carpet at premieres, or a fashion writer ogling designer dresses as they stream down the runway during Fashion Week, there's always some pinch-me thrill to take your mind off your deadlines and non-stop emails.
And trust: When you've been pulling all-nighters getting the issue to press or have just finished your sixth draft while your editor peers over your shoulder, literally any event with an open bar and a goodie bag not filled to the brim with dry shampoo (WHY is it always dry shampoo?!) certainly sweetens the pot.
Oftentimes, though, the biggest buzz of all is seeing your byline on a piece you're really proud of. Joan Didion, eat your heart out.
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