Comfortably banal and vaguely compelling, _The Girls On the Bus_ is just interesting enough to grab your attention but not deep or sophisticated enough to stand out. It's the perfect example of what one TV executive has called a "gourmet cheeseburger." Normally that's just fine (not everything has to be "Prestige TV"), but the opportunity that this series had - to center women in a story about national politics & media - makes the mediocrity feel like a disappointment instead of a comfy sweater.

The cast is all great and each character has a few moments to shine. (The [spoiler]abortion[/spoiler] storyline is especially compelling and is handled with a sensitivity & practicality that is rarely seen on TV.) But the sometimes-corny dialogue, occasional inane story beats, and numerous breaks from realism constantly pull you out of the show. It's like driving down a highway with potholes- you can just never quite get up to speed. And it starts to get frustrating.

All of that said, the first (only?) season was mostly a fun watch. Here's hoping that the writers are able to smooth out the bumps in (a possible) season 2.

this is a ‘political drama’ in the shallowest, blandest context. literally just a show that couldn’t care less about the specifics of the story it’s telling. and i don’t understand the pulsating contempt the writers seem to have for their characters, the gen z caricature lola in particular. yes all the characters are faded sketches of better and more compelling characters of old but the scornful writing wrt to lola really stands out. could’ve left her out if this was all they were going to give tbh. but other than that i guess it’s nice to watch some low stakes, well lit, primetime fare (call it what it is—the faux prestige brand that almost every show gets these days, simply by being on a streamer is a little bit hilarious especially when bestowed on bland give nothing productions like this) but i do actually want it to be good. the actresses are doing their best but tepid quips, forgettable characters and shallow development make watching more of a chore than it should be.

It’s been a while since MAX (formerly HBO Max) released an original show that I’ve actually liked.

That’s finally changed though. The Girls on the Bus is incredibly enjoyable to watch. The talent and chemistry amongst the cast is magic. Melissa Benoist shines in every scene she’s in.