The Girls on the Bus showcases the lives of journalists and skillfully integrates topical issues
The drama T.V. series launched earlier this month follows four female journalists investigating flawed presidential candidates
The Girls on the Bus is available to stream on Crave in Canada. (Crave/Claudia Culley)
As the United States braces itself for what promises to be a tumultuous and historically significant presidential election cycle, The Girls on the Bus arrives on the scene, courtesy of Max and Crave in Canada.
Drawing inspiration from Amy Chozick’s Chasing Hillary: Ten Years, Two Presidential Campaigns and One Intact Glass Ceiling, the T.V. series introduces us to four women navigating the complexities of covering a fictional primary for various media outlets. However, there’s an influencer in the mix.
True to its title, the show aims to offer a female-centric counterpart to Timothy Crouse’s seminal work, The Boys on the Bus, with a dash of Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72 thrown in for good measure. Amidst encounters with stonewalling press secretaries, cutthroat colleagues, and personal demons, their journalistic endeavors take a backseat to the chaos of their own lives.
Despite its nods to pressing issues like double standards and authenticity versus impartiality, the series prioritizes emotional entanglements over substantive reporting. With a smorgasbord of relationship dynamics, an emerging mystery, and obligatory campaign trail dalliances, The Girls on the Bus resembles more of a hybrid between Scandal and The Sex Lives of College Girls than the weighty tomes it draws inspiration from.
While the tonal shift may be deliberate, it feels incongruous, particularly considering the show’s heavy borrowing from Chozick’s work. Melissa Benoist leads the cast as Sadie McCarthy, a reporter grappling with past mistakes and professional redemption. Yet, the series veers into soap-operatic territory, blurring the lines between journalistic integrity and personal drama.
The focal point of the narrative centers around Benoist, whose portrayal solidifies her status as a relatable everywoman, a reputation she cultivated through her titular role in The CW’s Supergirl. She excels at embodying characters who maintain a sense of innocence, despite enduring the harsh realities of life.
Each of the “girls” individually grapple with their own cringe-worthy subplots. Grace, played by Carla Gugino, contends with her unruly daughter, which eventually pays off satisfactorily. Christina Elmore’s Kimberlyn attempts to plan a wedding that fails to evolve into anything significant while on the road with her hunky fiancé, Eric, played by Kyle Vincent Terry, who remains persistently bothersome.
When the characters unite in various combinations, the actresses deliver stellar performances. The friendship between Sadie and Grace serves as the show’s emotional core, with Benoist’s hopeful innocence harmonizing perfectly with Gugino’s sharp cynicism. Gugino and Elmore captivate as Grace and Kimberlyn engage in journalistic squabbles, while Gugino and Natasha Behnam’s Lola portray an unexpectedly endearing bond.
In essence, while Benoist may hold the leading role and serve as a producer, it’s Gugino who acts as the linchpin, elevating the overall quality of the show. Behnam and Elmore also deserve recognition for imbuing initially grating roles with depth and sympathy as the season progresses.
The supporting cast contributes significantly to the series, particularly Scott Foley, who portrays the most intriguing background candidate.
The series caters to an audience unfamiliar with journalistic terminology by defining key terms within the dialogue. While this effort is commendable, it also engages viewers by dropping references to real-world journalists and politicians, prompting some to conduct further research.
The Girls on the Bus skillfully integrates topical discussions on subjects like abortion, gender disparities in media, and the political landscape of 2024. By referencing renowned works, the show encourages viewers to explore these literary classics. Even amidst its occasional moments of cheesy romance, clunky drama, and predictable plot twists, the series succeeds in sparking intellectual curiosity and engagement, and I’m excited to see more of it.
