The Bold Type's Meghann Fahy Talks Gun Ownership Episode

The Bold Typetackled the hot button issue of gun ownership in its most recent episode, but this time around, the issue of the week ended up putting two of our favorite gal pals at odds thank to their difference of opinion.

In a surprise twist, Sutton (Meghann Fahy) revealed that she owned a shotgun called Betsy that she kept locked in a case in her closet. As her roommate, Jane (Katie Stevens) was obviously disturbed that she'd been living with a gun in the house without her knowledge, but she was even more disturbed that Sutton was a "gun person" in the first place.

While The Bold Type did incorporate points about Second Amendment rights and school shootings, this episode pivoted more towards Sutton's need for control and the sentimentality she still had for growing up in a place where guns were not demonized but part of everyday culture. The resulting debate wasn't completely satisfying since neither Jane nor Sutton really touched on the actual topic of gun control, but it was nuanced, which is something The Bold Type excels at.

The Bold Type Cast Is Totally Down for a Musical Episode

TV Guide talked to Meghann Fahy about what this episode meant to her, and how it painted a more clear picture of Sutton's upbringing and backstory.

How did you react when you found out you guys were doing a gun episode, and it would be Sutton who actually owned the gun?
Meghann Fahy: I was actually really excited about it because I was really happy that we were going to learn stuff about Sutton's background and where she came from and sort of who she is, which we didn't really get into very much during the first season. So it was pretty exciting.

Why do you think it was beneficial to put Jane and Sutton at such odds over this issue?
Fahy: Part of why it was important is because it is such a hard topic to talk about for so many people for so many reasons. The show really is through the lens of the friendship of the girls, and I think what we really wanted to touch on is how could we have a productive but hard conversation about something that you disagree on. And how do you come through with a better understanding of each other? I think that the girls do succeed in that. I think that they really love each other and they both really had to listen to what the other one was saying, and it was really beautiful.

Did you worry that people would find it hard to relate to or agree with Sutton since this is such a tough issue?
Fahy: I'm sure that there are people who will and that's the thing that's so great about the show. We're not really trying to shove an opinion down anyone's throat, we're trying to represent two sides of an argument. I'm sure there are people who are going to disagree with Sutton and there are people who are going to disagree with Jane. I think that's sort of the point; to say it's not black and white, everyone has a different opinion, everyone has a different reason for that opinion, and if we disagree with that, how can we still try to communicate and be productive as a team as friends in an environment that is so intense right now.

The Bold Type Cast Is Totally Down for a Musical Episode

How do you think this knowledge about the way Sutton's mother was so absent from her upbringing shaped Sutton as a character?
Fahy: I think it's huge. I think when you're a woman and you don't have that support system in your life growing up, it definitely changes the way that you move through the world and the way that you carry yourself. I think that you have to learn at a very young age to be completely responsible for yourself. Her passions, her successes, her failures - she didn't really have anybody to pick her up when she fell. She does now with Kat (Aisha Dee) and Jane, which is what's so amazing about their friendship. But yeah, I think that shaped a lot of who Sutton is, and I think there's a lot of pain there that we'll see later in the season.

Will we ever get to meet Sutton's mom in person?
Fahy: I'm so excited that I can tell you yes, we do meet Sutton's mom! And her ex-boyfriend. It's very exciting. I haven't seen that episode yet actually, but I'm really, really excited about it. We had an amazing actress come in to play [Sutton's mom] and it was really lovely, so I hope people enjoy that moment.

Speaking of ex-boyfriends, what can you tease about Sutton and Richard's (Sam Page) relationship in the rest of the season? Are there still some lingering feelings there?
Fahy: There are lingering feelings, and I think we see Sutton dealing with that in the first half of the season. Again, the only reason that they're not together is because she doesn't want to sacrifice her reputation for the relationship, but if that weren't a part of this then they would totally be together. They're two people with a lot of mutual respect and adoration between those two characters, and I really do hope that on Sutton's journey she'll figure out how she can have love and a career because I think women can have that and do deserve that.

The Bold Type airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Freeform.