The Bold Type Season 5 - What We Know So Far

The Bold Type contains something of a double meaning. On one hand, the name of Freeform's acclaimed series refers to its central cast of characters, essentially described in the show's title as bold in disposition. On the other hand, the setting for The Bold Type is the office for a New York City magazine called Scarlet, inspired by real-life magazine Cosmopolitan. Therefore, its title also refers to a typeface a publisher might use to highlight important words or titles of articles.

Series producer Joanna Coles, who was once Cosmopolitan's editor-in-chief, explained in an interview with Bustle that the show is loosely based on some of her real-life experiences. Though the struggles of show's central characters may not mirror hers exactly, Coles' life nevertheless serves as direct inspiration for the career highs and friendship-straining lows that define The Bold Type's more dramatic moments.

Four seasons of The Bold Type have been released since the series premiered in 2017, and a fifth is on the way. Here's everything we know so far about The Bold Type season 5.

The Bold Type will return to Freeform for its fifth season on Wednesday, May 26 at 10 p.m., according to TVLine. The series' fifth season will both be its last and will only number six episodes rather than the 10 or 16 episodes of prior seasons.

Previously, The Bold Type's fourth season was supposed to run for a total of 18 episodes, but it was cut down to 16 when the ongoing pandemic got in the way of production. The pandemic also caused a delay in the airing of the final batch of episodes in season 4, such that there was a significant gap leading into episode 11, which ultimately picked the series up roughly two-and-a-half months after episode 10 aired. The series' producers have yet to detail whether pandemic complications influenced the decision for the fifth season of The Bold Type's shorter episode order.

The cast of The Bold Type season 5 was first unofficially announced in a short video of a table read for season 5 that all but confirmed the return of the series' main players. Then, a press release for the season shared by Freeform officially announced the inclusion of the series' stars.

At the heart of The Bold Type is a central trio of characters — Jane, Kat, and Sutton. Jane is portrayed by Katie Stevens, who is arguably most well-known for competing on American Idol's ninth season. Kat is portrayed by 2018 Teen Choice Awards nominee Aisha Dee, whose prior credits consist of TV roles on The Saddle Club and Channel Zero: The No-End House. Finally, Sutton is portrayed by Meghann Fahy, who was previously in One Life to Live and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Rounding out the cast are Stephen Conrad Moore as fashion editor Oliver Grayson, Nikohl Boosheri as photographer Adena El-Amin, and Melora Hardin as Scarlet Magazine's editor-in-chief Jacqueline Carlyle. Pre-reboot Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's Carson Kressley will also appear as himself in the first episode of the new season, per Freeform.

Freeform's official press release for The Bold Type season 5 describes its final six episodes picking up with its central trio "on the brink of defining who they really are and how best to leave their mark on the world," noting that "their love and support for each other will never change." While this synopsis is relative vague, it sounds like the protagonists' careers and friendships with one another are slated to end on a high note.

Some of the plot threads from season 4's finale likely to be explored upon the series' return include Sutton becoming involved once again with a married ex-boyfriend, Kat breaking up with her partner Eva, and Jane attempting to combat the suppression of a workplace transgression. Series showrunner Wendy Straker Hauser told TVLine that The Bold Type wants to remain culturally relevant, even if that means having "uncomfortable conversations." So, modern workplace politics will likely play into season 5 to some degree as well upon its May 26 return.