‘The Bold Type’ Changed Kat’s Story in the Finale Following Criticism
The Season 4 finale of The Bold Type aired on Freeform on July 16. Two days before the finale aired, Aisha Dee, who plays Kat on the show, published a lengthy Instagram post where she called out The Bold Type for its lack of diversity behind the camera and questioned Kat’s story line in the latter half of Season 4.
Her Instagram post came after weeks of criticisms by fans. To try and change course, The Bold Type made a last-second change and edited the ending of Kat’s Season 4 arc.
[Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for Season 4 Episode 16 of The Bold Type.]
Aisha Dee criticized the show on Instagram
On July 15, Dee published an Instagram post consisting of 10 images. She spoke out about her experience in the entertainment industry and on The Bold Type. She also explained how she did not agree with Kat’s recent story line in Season 4.
In one photo she wrote:
“The decision to have Kat enter into a relationship with a privileged conservative woman felt confusing and out of character. Despite my personal feelings about the choice, I tried my best to tell the story with honesty, even though the Kat I know and love would never make these choices. It was heartbreaking to watch Kat’s story turn into a redemption story for someone else, someone who is complicit in the oppression of so many. Someone who’s politics are actively harmful to her communities.
I’m critical because I care, because I’ve seen firsthand the incredible impact of this show, and I believe in its potential to be better. The Bold Type has done so much good, but it struggles to understand the intersections many of its characters live in.
The truth is, these issues are not exclusive to The Bold Type. The entertainment industry has operated this way since its inception.”
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‘The Bold Type’ responded to Aisha Dee’s criticism
Dee also criticized the lack of diversity on the set of The Bold Type. Following her Instagram post, Freeform, Universal TV, and producers of The Bold Type released their own statement, writing:
“We applaud Aisha for raising her hand and starting conversations around these important issues. We look forward to continuing that dialogue and enacting positive change. Our goal on The Bold Type is and has always been to tell entertaining, authentic stories that are representative of the world that Kat, Jane and Sutton live in—we can only do that if we listen.”
‘The Bold Type’ changed the Season 4 finale
For the past few weeks, some fans of The Bold Type criticized the blossoming relationship between Kat and Eva. This was due to the characters’ conflicting political views as fans found it unlikely progressive Kat would ever be attracted to a conservative woman.
Vulture reported that Freeform replaced the media screener for the Season 4 finale with an edited version right before the finale aired. In the original version, which still aired in Australia, Kat and Eva sleep together and Eva texts Kat to ask “if their relationship is too ‘risky’ for her. Kat replies that it’s risky for both of them.”
In the edited version that most fans see, Kat ends her relationship with Eva over text citing that things are “too complicated” between them. The Bold Type is not yet renewed for Season 5, but if it is renewed, it seems doubtful that Eva will show up at all.
