THE BOLD TYPE: All About Love in ‘Love’

Last night’s episode of THE BOLD TYPE was a powerful one exploring the complexities of love. Acting as the penultimate episode of the season (the back half of season four cut short due to COVID-19), this episode was set up differently than usual with five short stories taking over the period of the same 24 hours and all exploring the different types of love. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Forbidden Love

Following Ava’s revelation last week that she’s a lesbian, Kat is feeling a little awkward around her, which intensifies when she and Ava end up doing a photo shoot together to promote the podcast. Despite the awkwardness, The Belle team are happy with how the photo shoot turned out and have high hopes for the podcast, largely due to Ava’s involvement. Kat goes over to Ava’s to thank her and to also question why she doesn’t use her status to help the queer community. Once again this difference in opinion causes friction between the two, that is until Kat kisses Ava and Ava reciprocates. Like we didn’t see that one coming!

First Love

Jane and Scott are working on a story together, involving Scott’s friend who was terminated due to sexism. Jane is eager to dive into the story and tells Scott that writing is her first love. While they’re working on the story, Scott casually admits that he understands the difficulties of working with someone you’re attracted to. Jane is stunned and finally clues in on what the rest of us can already see, but before she can respond, they’re interrupted by Sutton calling her.

Rekindled Love

As we know, Jacqueline and Ian have gotten back together and are working on their marriage. In addition to counselling, they’re also doing activities together. Old habits are hard to break though – Ian arrives at the office to pick Jacqueline up for a tennis date and she’s distracted by work and running late. Then when they do start playing and he offers her advice on her form, she is reluctant to take it and is insistent on going back to her old ways. Ian is clearly frustrated at this point, and then when Richard calls and Jacqueline ends up leaving to go and meet him, Ian tells her that she was complaining about not being seen but she’s doing the exact same thing to him. It’s through being a sounding board for Richard that makes Jacqueline realize her own behavior. When she goes back home to Ian, she admits that she doesn’t like giving up control or being wrong because it makes her feel vulnerable but she will work on it. Fun fact: actors Melora Hardin and Gildart Jackson, who play Jacqueline and Ian, are actually married in real life!

Complicated Love

Alex and Alicia are still dating, which is nice to see. Alex previously admitted that he’s intimidated by Alicia and how she is a strong independent woman. The pair go out to support colleague Andrew at an amateur night. Alex is getting drinks for himself and Alicia when a stranger starts hitting on her and won’t leave her alone. Andrew ends up stepping in and even hits the guy with his handbag. When they’re walking home, Alex tells Alicia that he feels a bit uncomfortable about how the night went down and how he had to resist the urge to step in. Alicia admits that she was scared and wanted Alex to step in and is well aware of how hypocritical that sounds when she had previously told him she can handle her own. Oh the complexities of new relationships and trying to figure out where you stand!

Unconditional Love

The last story of the episode and the most dramatic was that of Richard and Sutton. Their story picks up right where we left off last week where Sutton told Richard that she didn’t want kids and he’s pretty upset about it. Their argument gets even more heated with each yelling about the sacrifices they’ve made in the relationship, as well as each having their own perception on whose career is deemed more important in the relationship. They go to bed having not resolved things and it’s a pretty uncomfortable atmosphere the following morning. Richard ends up confiding in Jacqueline, while Sutton shares her woes with the bartender from the club Alex and Alicia saw Andrew at the night before. Richard tells Jacqueline that he and Sutton didn’t listen to each other – the signs were there before they got married and now he needs to decide what does he want more… Sutton or to be a father?

When Sutton arrives home, they apologize to each other and have sex. We are lead to believe that it’s make-up sex, but then realize it was goodbye sex when we see Richard leave with a suitcase and Sutton calling Jane and Kat and telling them she needs them because Richard left her. Our hearts are breaking! So much for unconditional love. But was it Sutton and Richard’s relationship that the show was referring to when they talked about unconditional love? This Nice Girl thinks that the true love story of the show is the friendship between these three women. When one of them is in need, the rest of them drop everything. Jane and Kat picked up the phone to take the call and will no doubt leave their love interests in the dust to go and comfort Sutton. Nope, Richard and Sutton aren’t the Unconditional Love story of the show – the three women are.

THE BOLD TYPE airs Thursdays at 10/9c on Freeform.

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