THE BOLD TYPE: Four Invaluable Learning Experiences from “The Scarlet Letter”

One of the things that we love about Freeform’s THE BOLD TYPE  is how relatable and empowering it can be at the same time. This week’s episode was full of wisdom, particularly from Scarlet editor and show mentor Jacqueline Carlyle. So what invaluable learning experiences did we take away from this week’s episode? Read on and find out!

1. Live in your failure for a bit

Personally I feel like the most significant take away from this latest episode was Jacqueline gently letting Jane down and declining to rehire her after Jane approached her about getting her job back. Jane gave her former boss a big speech about how she took Jacqueline’s mentoring for granted and that she loved Scarlet and wants to return. (Uh no offence Jane, but if you loved it so much and were so happy, you wouldn’t have left.) She may no longer be her boss, but Jacqueline was still looking out for Jane when she told her that rehiring her would be the easy thing to do and that Jane needed to live with her mistake for a bit so she wasn’t going to simply rehire her. Jacqueline was not wrong – Jane had only been unemployed for a couple of days when she went to Jacqueline.  Jane may not see it now, but Jacqueline is doing the right thing. Jane needs time to process the choices she has made and know that she can pick herself up from everything that has happened.

2. Work favors + Friendship = Awkward

Even the best of friends sometimes don’t see eye to eye and this week Kat puts Sutton in an awkward position by pressuring her to hire Adena for a shoot that Sutton was organising. Sutton wasn’t comfortable about hiring Adena because she’s her best friend’s girlfriend and shared that with Kat, but Kat couldn’t see what the problem was and it caused a bit of tension between the friends. Thankfully everything worked out in the end, but it could have been a lot worse so yeah, work favors for friends = super awkward.

3. Take risks

Sutton was uncertain about hiring Adena because Adena did not have experience with the particular type of photography that Sutton required. It was a risk but risks are good and sometimes by thinking outside of the box can give you a fresh perspective and an even better outcome, which was the case in this episode. Even Sutton’s boss commented that it was a risk but it did pay off and just goes to show that sometimes you’ve got to be brave and just go all in. Helping Sutton reach a decision about hiring Adena was Jacqueline, who shared a story about her own personal experience. Jacqueline revealed that she got her big break when the Scarlet editor-in-chief decided to give Jacqueline a break and hire despite Jacqueline not having experience at the time – she saw something in her and decided that she was worth the risk and now years later, look where she is! Just goes to show that sometimes taking a risk can pay off.

4. Play the game without selling out

Another lesson we learnt from Jacqueline this week was that it is possible to play the game without compromising your beliefs. Excuse us while we eye roll when new board member Cleo showed up in the Scarlet office and was looking at the layouts and advised Jacqueline to ditch a feature about being fat and fit in the magazine’s body positivity issue. Jacqueline took the high road and said she’d take her observations on board and see what they could come up with. At the end of the episode, Jacqueline reveals that in place of the feature she was inspired to bring back the editor’s letter, which is a platform that gives her the opportunity to share her thoughts on things she’s passionate about. Guess what her first editor’s letter will be centered around? Yep, a certain topic relating to body positivity. Take that, Cleo!

THE BOLD TYPE airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Freeform.

Related links:
THE BOLD TYPE: Four Lessons Learned in “Feminist Army” & “Rose Colored Glasses”
THE BOLD TYPE: Refresher and Sneak Peek
THE BOLD TYPE: The evolution of the leading ladies in “Carry the Weight” (and why we need a Season 2 already)