When Amy Chozick started her career, she left for New York City with no money — only a stack of newspaper clippings. Fast forward several decades, Chozick achieved a respected career in journalism as a writer for The Wall Street Journal and a reporter covering the Clinton campaign for The New York Times. Equipped with this experience, Chozick wrote a book called “Chasing Clinton,” which inspired “The Girls on the Bus,” a television series with Vampire Diaries creator Julie Plec. 

“(When writing the book), I never really thought this (was) going to become a TV show,” Chozick said during a roundtable interview. “It just ended up at Warner Brothers. We’re very grateful. I think being an observer of human behavior translates well to writing in this medium. A lot of great journalists go on to write (for television and film).” 

The series follows a group of four female journalists during their time covering a presidential election: Sadie McCarthy (Melissa Benoist), Grace Greene (Carla Gugino), Kimberlyn Kendrick (Christina Elmore) and Lola Rahaii (Natasha Behnam). While the show appeals to younger audiences, incorporating social media influencers and the exploration of sexual fluidity, the delivery often falls flat. 

The show’s incorporation of Lola, a social media influencer on the campaign, offers a modern take on political reporting. Her medium juxtaposes the traditional journalistic styles — broadcast and print — that the other women employ. However, the character, portrayed by Natasha Behnam, comes off as stereotypical and disingenuous. Not only do the other journalists not believe in her work, but they even dismiss her with lines such as “She doesn’t have a job, she has a phone.” It’s hard for the audience to stand by her as the writing portrays her as a caricature of social media personalities, who in reality work hard to give people factual information.

“The Girls on the Bus” excels at exploring the intricacies of covering politics as a journalist and the moral and ethical questions raised when covering a presidential campaign. Audiences question if the women will succumb to pressure to advance their careers or report with morality and integrity. Additionally, many shows do not offer the perspectives of female journalists, whereas “The Girls on the Bus,” led entirely by women, offers a unique portrayal of women’s experiences in the political sphere. However, the portrayal of Lola’s character comes across as insincere and cliched, rendering the show at times superficial. 

3 buses out of 5