The Bold Type Season 4 Midseason Report Card: Tick-Tock Worthy Moment, Best Pop Culture Reference, MVP and More!

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The Bold Type Season 4 is only halfway done, and it is already the strongest season of The Bold Type yet. 

It is sexier, sassier, funnier, and more emotional than ever. 

Read on as we discuss the highs and the lows of the season so far! 

Tick Tock Worthy Dance Moment: The Bold Babes Bachelorette Dance-Off Routine

Bold Babes Forever -- Long - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 9

Leave it to The Bold Type to manage to exceed all expectations when The Bold Babes celebrate Sutton's Bachelorette Party on The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 9

I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical when the ladies threw on their best 90s gear, fanny packs and all, and hit the town just the three of them. Part of me questioned why the rest of the Scarlet crew like Sage, Andrew, Alex, or Oliver weren't invited.

The Bold Babes are at the best when it is the three of them, though. I'm pretty sure the three of them could have a good time given nothing but a cardboard box, but luckily they had a little more to work with than that.

The Bachelorette Party Dance Off might have been the coolest Bachelorette Party activity I have ever seen. 

If we never got to see the dance routine in full, there would have been riots across the country. Thank god for Alice Night, making all our dreams come true. 

The ladies rocking it out on RhiRhi's music video set to "Blame it on Your Love" by Charli XCX is one of my favorite moments from the entire series. Aisha, Katie, and Meghann nailed everything about it. It was playful, fun, and memorable. 

The Bold Type always manages to work in the talent of their leading ladies in a way that doesn't feel like they are shoving it down our throats like some other shows (looking at you Riverdale). 

MVP: Jacqueline Carmichael

Jacqueline Carmichael - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 2

Andrew has always been an underrated masterpiece, but his character is a whole other level with the debut of Jacqueline Carmichael. 

They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery, and if that is the case, then Jacqueline should be completely honored that Andrew formed his alternative persona around her.

Who wouldn't want to walk in Jacqueline Carlyle's shoes for a day? Or at least for a performance.

Not only was Jacqueline Carmichael fabulous to look at, but Andrew's sheer excitement over getting to be featured in Scarlet and being accepted for who he is was too precious for words. 

Bold Babe Making Us the Most Proud: Kat

Kat Looking Good - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 7

Kat is constantly evolving and growing as a person, but on the first half of The Bold Type Season 4, Kat's journey of self-discovery has been one of the highlights.

When Kat chose herself over both Tia and Adena at the end of The Bold Type Season 3, it was hard not to worry that she would fall right into another relationship. However, Kat has made it clear that it is not what she wants. 

Kat's exploration of her sexuality has always been one of the most important aspects of The Bold Type. Kat meeting Cody and coming to the realization she is bisexual is such an important storyline to be shown.

Kat: Maybe I might be bisexual. And you guys know I hate labels, but this one feels important right now to own the space I’m in and to make sense of it.
Sutton: If you need a label, pick a label, any label.
Kat: Thank you.
Jane: Bisexual, lesbian, queer, Kat, we love all of them as long as you’re just being you.

Bisexuality is rarely depicted on television, and having a lead female character embrace that label gives other people who identify as bisexual someone to see themselves in. 

Kat has never been one to shy away from fighting for what she believes in and what is right, so watching her stand her ground against Adena shaming her for her sexuality and against RJ trying to silence her and Adena was incredible to watch. 

Most Improved Character: Alex

Alex the MC? - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 4

Alex has been a fan favorite since The Bold Type Season 1, but he has always been relegated to the background. Finally, on The Bold Type Season 4, he has really gotten the chance to come into his own. 

Ask Alex moving to the livestream format was a genius idea to help give Alex his own storyline in a way that felt authentic given the direction Scarlet has moved in.

The Ask Alex voiceovers are reminiscent of Carrie's voiceovers from Sex and the City, which feels like a perfect comparison given how The Bold Type feels like the twenty-somethings' version of Sex and the City.

It was hard not to be disappointed in Alex when he let his insecurities get in the way of his relationship with Alicia, but he more than made up for it when he worked through them and confessed his mistake to the world. 

Hopefully, the writers can continue Alex on the path they have him on and don't put him back on the shelf. 

Storyline We Never Want To See Again: Sutton and Oliver Fighting

Just An Assistant? - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 7

Sutton and Oliver's dynamic is one of the best parts of The Bold Type and has been since the moment Sutton set her sights on a position in the Fashion department. 

The two of them have gotten in a few tiffs throughout the series, but when Sutton crossed the line with Alice Night, it felt different. They always have been able to work through things, but Oliver's silence was deafening. 

Regardless of how much Sutton claimed that her brief decision to move to San Diego was because of her love for Richard, it felt clear that it was because she felt like Oliver would never forgive her. 

Thank god these two were able to reconcile and have Oliver play a pivotal role in Sutton and Richard's big day. Here's to hoping that we never have to go through a fight like that again with them. 

Favorite Guest Star: Ianne Fields Stewart as Chloe

Beautiful Smile - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 3

Chloe's struggle as a transgender woman blocked from qualifying for the New York Marathon because she didn't qualify under the male requirements was heartbreaking and a reminder of the adversity that transgender individuals still face every day.

Ianne's portrayal of Chloe was perfection every step of the way. She brought the character to light and made viewers instantly fall in love the second we met her. 

It would be amazing to get to see Chloe make an appearance down the road. 

Moment That Made Us Squeal With Joy: Richard Proposing to Sutton

Suttard Rising - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 2

Richard and Sutton are an epic love that is impossible not to root for. The two of them have gone through their fair share of ups and downs but have managed to come out the other side stronger than ever.

When Sutton pushed Richard to follow his dreams and move across the country as a Suttard shipper, I may have yelled at my TV. Suttard has already been through so much. We needed them to get the chance to be happy.

Richard proposing to Sutton in the place they first met with "Lover" by Taylor Swift playing cemented the fact that regardless of what the future throws at them, they are in it for the long hall. It left Suttard fans rejoicing! 

Pairing We Need to see Much More Often: Alex and Andrew

Time Out - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 3

Put the two most criminally overlooked characters together on screen, and what do you get? Magic! 

Andrew and Alex are the pair that we never knew we needed, but once we got a taste, we wanted more. All of their mini competitions throughout The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 3 were amazing, to say the least.

I would not be opposed to the two getting their own spin-off, or at least a series of online shorts. 

Out Of Character Moment That Had Us Applauding: Jacqueline Dancing to “Push It” in the Bar

Jacqueline Getting Down - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 7

Jacqueline Carlyle. In a bar. Dancing to "Push It." Are you intrigued yet? Because you should be. If you didn't rewatch Jacqueline's dance 50 times after it happened, are you even watching The Bold Type the right way?

Jacqueline has come out of her shell in significant ways during Season 4 so far. Her separation from Ian allowed her to revisit a side of herself that has been buried deep inside her.

Hopefully, now that Ian and she are back on good terms, she doesn't lose all that progress she has made. 

Also, can we please get Andrew as Jacqueline Carmichael recreating the full dance before Season 4 is over? 

Best Pop Culture Reference: Olivander’s Strap-On Shop

New Friend? - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 5

Harry Potter meets The Bold Type? What a perfect combination.

Sutton: How do you choose?
Kat: Maybe it’s like a Harry Potter situation -- the strap on chooses you.

The last place you would ever expect to hear a Harry Potter reference is at a sex toy shop, but The Bold Type writers pulled it off effortlessly. 

Character With The Best Sassy One-Liners: Andrew

Andrew - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 2

Andrew might not be in a lot of scenes, but he makes use of every single one of them. 

Sorry I didn't know that frumpy Fridays were a thing I would've changed.

Andrew

Andrew's best lines always seem to come from trying to get under Jane's skin, but you know deep down the two love each other. 

Long live Andrew -- King of the sass. 

Moment That Broke Our Hearts: Jane Finding Out Ryan Slept With the Woman

JaneStripe Playing Pretend? - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 10

Jane forgiving Ryan for his infidelity during The Bold Type Season 3 was a huge deal. It went against everything Jane's brain told her she should do.

The moment that Ryan showed up at the sex club during The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 4, many fans, including myself, felt their spidey senses tingling. It was clear that Ryan had come there to tell Jane something, but Jane never gave him the chance to say it. 

As the episodes went on, it felt like the giant elephant in the room every time Jane and Ryan were together. Through all of their happy moments, it was impossible not to wonder when the other shoe was going to drop, and the truth was going to come out.

Jane learning the truth couldn't have been more devastating. Regardless of if you are a JaneStripe shipper or not, watching Jane go through that on top of the anxiety of her looming surgery was extremely hard to watch.

Jane choosing to end things with Ryan felt like the right decision. It is hard to imagine a world in which they manage to get past this. 

Moment That Had Us Saying “Awww”: Richard Walking Down the Aisle to Sutton

Taking in the Moment - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 10

The Bold Type loves to take on important issues like gender stereotypes and gender roles. Who knew that would come up in something like Sutton and Richard's big day? 

Sutton made it very clear early on in the wedding planning process that she didn't want to be just like every other bride, and she managed to defy the norms as Richard walks down the aisle to her.

It might not have been her intention to switch things up, but it felt so right at that moment. It may have been gotten a little dusty in my living room.

Character We Are Thrilled To See Go: RJ

Wedding Dates? - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 10

Ding dong the prick is dead -- or at least no longer at Safford Publishing, which is more than enough for me.

RJ has been a thorn in Scarlet's side since his first appearance, and probably long before that too. Scarlet is such a progressive magazine, and RJ constantly made it his mission to try to hold them back.

When he fired Jacqueline and gave Patrick her job after they created a groundbreaking issue of the magazine together, it was evident that RJ needed to go.

Kat may have had to sacrifice her job to bring his true colors to light, but it was worth it.

Biggest Career High: Sutton Getting Promoted to Stylist

Sutton in the Closet - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 9

Sutton Brady was born to be a stylist. She has had a passion for fashion since she was a little girl, and it was only a matter of time before Scarlet realized she is an invaluable resource. 

The fact that Sutton got as close as she did to leaving Scarlet was terrifying, to say the least. Leave it to Oliver to save the day in the nick of time. 

We have seen Sutton kick serious ass as an assistant, but now it is time to watch her take her career to the next level. 

Lowest Career Low: Kat Being Fired

Proud Mamas - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 6

We have seen a Bold Babe leave Scarlet before, but it never felt permanent. This feels different.

Kat breaking the law to obtain RJ's tax information and then using that information to expose him to the world is not something she can easily come back from. She will be lucky if she doesn't end up in jail.

Kat will bounce back, she always does, but losing her from Scarlet is going to change the dynamic drastically. 

Worst Episode: “Legends of the Fall Issue”

A Happy Jacqueline - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 1

The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 1 was not a bad episode by any means, so calling it the worst episode of the season thus far says a lot about just how good the rest of the season has been. 

"Legends of the Fall Issue" ends up feeling like it is trying to undo the events of the Season 3 finale, and because of that, it suffers. 

When The Bold Babes found Scarlet in disarray on The Bold Type Season 3 Episode 10, it felt like massive changes were coming to Scarlet. Still, instead, everything felt the same by the end of "Legends of the Fall Issue" just with Scarlet becoming purely digital. 

It is hard not to wonder what the rest of the season would have looked like had they committed to the changes that they presented. 

Best Episode: “The Space Between”

Alicia Knight - The Bold Type Season 4 Episode 7

Everything about this episode is absolutely perfect. It was a monumental episode for all three of The Bold Babes. 

Jane both simultaneously let go and took control of her life by deciding to get a double mastectomy. Watching Tiny Jane liberate herself from her Type A personality is always a joy to see, and this was no exception. 

Kat fully embraced her bisexuality and took a stand against Adena's attempts to shame her for it. It was not only an important step for Kat, but for all viewers watching that see themselves in Kat in this situation.

Sutton taking her first swing at getting a styling credit may not have ended how she would have hoped, but it set in motion a series of events that would eventually lead to her getting the promotion she has been dying to get. 

"The Space Between" goes down in the books as one of the best episodes of The Bold Type.

Uncomplicated Dating - The Bold Type

Season 4 Grade So Far: A+

The Bold Type has really managed to find its stride throughout the first three seasons, and The Bold Type Season 4 has felt like the culmination of that. 

The show continues to push the envelope taking on issues that feel prevalent to twenty-something-year-olds today while also feeling authentic to who twenty-somethings are. 

I can't wait to see where the rest of the season takes us. 

Over to you, Bold Type Fanatics! 

What have been your favorite parts of The Bold Type Season 4 so far?

Where does this season rank for you? 

Comment below and get ready for the second half of The Bold Type Season 4, premiering June 11th! 

Meaghan Frey was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in September 2020.

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The Bold Type Quotes

Adena: You know, there's a lot more inside of a woman than what you can see on the outside.
Kat: Yeah I know, there's a lot more inside of me too.

And I expect you to unleash holy hell on anyone who tries to hold you back because you don't just work for Scarlet, you are Scarlett.

Jacqueline