‘The Girls on the Bus’ is a Mixed Bag
The highs and lows in this Max original.
The Girls on the Bus follows a group of female reporters who are on the trail during the Democratic primary. Along the way, they learn a great deal about themselves, each other, and the impact of their work.
Some elements of this series are incredibly strong. The writing is witty and engaging, as you would expect any show about journalists to be. The show follows four female characters who are all unique, engaging, and three-dimensional. As the show progresses, it touches on many topics that we’re grappling with today, including the importance of journalism, threats to democracy, women’s rights, and more.
The Girls on the Bus is very idealistic, which I don’t mind. In an age where we are all growing more and more cynical when it comes to politics, some idealism can be refreshing to see.
Sadie McCarthy (Melissa Benoist) is incredibly idealistic about journalism and believes that she is playing a vital role in democracy through her reporting. She looks up to famed writer Hunter S. Thompson and seeks to pave her own way in a male-dominated field. She wants to be like the journalists of yesterday who spoke truth to power and bravely exposed corruption. But Sadie also encounters many obstacles along the way that make it hard for her to do so.
