An ode to ABC Family (+ their most binge-worthy show).
Where all my Freeform fans at?! (Judge my taste of television all you want, but me and the YA soap network go way back.)
ABC Family has been my go-to channel for years, dating back to my early teens when reruns of Gilmore Girls aired every day at 4pm, just in time to grab an after-school snack and settle in for an hour of witty Lauren Graham banter. I was always excited when the 13 Days of Halloween rolled around each year, followed by the 25 Days of Christmas a month later—even though I must've seen every one of their holiday movies at least fifteen times by the time I graduated high school. ABC Family gave me a few of my favorite childhood shows (including Boy Meets World) and even introduced me to my first on-screen crush (Smallville's Tom Welling). Years later, the popular high school drama Pretty Little Liars would catch my eye and carry me through a post-college slump. (Again, judge all you want, but that shit was addicting.)
I'll admit, I was a little confused when ABC Family changed its name to something lame and pretentious like Freeform, but I can't say I blame their marketing team for wanting to put distance between itself and the "family-friendly" label of yesteryear. The shows now are much more Desperate Housewives' sex and scandal than 7th Heaven's family values, but that's what it means to keep up with the times, I suppose. And in the interest of staying relevant, I should probably get to the point of this post: Freeform's The Bold Type (now on its 3rd season) is my newest religiously watched TV show. Just in case you need a new teen adult drama to binge, here's 8 things I love about it:
1. It's so wonderfully feminist, I could cry.
While I do claim to be a feminist, I've grown tired of the childishly simplistic "men are all sexist pigs" mentality that has swept the nation recently as a result of the #MeToo movement. (WHICH, FYI, IS A MOVEMENT I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF. Please don't @ me.) But in my opinion, The Bold Type conveys feminism as the positive, powerful force it has the potential to be without throwing masculinity under the bus—or making women out to be helpless victims. Like I've always said, men and women working together to create a better reality for everyone is what I like to see, and TBT does this well.
2. It's not afraid to be bold, hence the name.
I won't spoil any of the storylines, but from the beginning of the first season, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth in which the show covers "hush hush" issues like sexual assault/harassment, career insecurities, societal pressures, racism, and women's health—you know, the hard-to-talk-about but oh-so-common shit that a lot of women battle these days. Tough topics in television can easily come off as overdone or reductive, but TBT's writers manage to tackle these real-life struggles with grace and tact—all the while showcasing both the vulnerable and fierce sides of its female characters.
3. It makes me miss working in publishing.
Hard-hitting deadlines, high-end cocktail parties, emergency gal pal meetings in the fashion closet, and badass female editors who rival Yoda in wisdom... TBT makes the corporate publishing world look SO glamorous, and part of me can't help but miss the fast-paced life I used to dream about being a part of.
4. It reminds me why I got out of publishing.
Office politics, mandatory weekly events, long hours with minimal pay, and the stress of always having to be on your A-game? Yeah, I'm so over that lifestyle. (Can't say it's not fun to watch though!)
5. It takes place in New York City.
Okay, so this isn't unique to TBT. But I have a special place in my heart for the Big Apple, and I love any or all shows set there. (Takes me back to my love affair with this show in particular.) Even though I'm not sure I would ever realistically want to live in NYC, there's something about the thrill and adventure of a big city that sucks me in every time.
6. It's risqué without being trashy.
Rated TV-14, TBT doesn't shy away from sex, but I don't catch myself blushing halfway through every episode either (hello, Sex and the City!). These characters aren't saints, by any means—and honestly, where's the fun in that?—but they know how to keep it classy (for the most part).
7. It has style.
Fashion really isn't my thing (consider me Andy Sachs, pre-makeover), but even I notice all. the. gorgeous. clothes. Every single one of the characters has impeccable taste, and I never get bored of seeing which outfits each episode will bring! I'll go so far as to say that the show has inspired me to upgrade my own style choices recently... Jeans are a step up from yoga pants, yeah?
8. It's about sisterhood, first and foremost.
As someone who has experienced the power of sisterhood in so many ways, I can't help but get behind any TV show that puts female friendships at the forefront of its plot. The three main characters, although a world apart and so very different from my own circumstances, remind me a lot of me and my two besties and the impact we each have on one another. That's the beauty of sisterhood: it's universal. No matter where you live or what your life looks like, most of us can relate to the light-as-a-feather feeling of pouring out one's heart and soul to another woman (whether it be a mother, sister, close friend, or colleague) over a bottle of wine or pint of ice cream. I'd take that over a run-of-the-mill romance any day.
Photo by Freeform/Jonathan Wenk.