Our three favorite New Yorkers, Sutton, Kat, and Tiny Jane, are back on Freeform’s The Bold Type and the next phase of their lives continues as though no time has gone by.

With a change in showrunner and such a long wait between the first and second season, tuning into The Bold Type season 2 premiere was definitely nerve-wracking. Would it live up to the hype of season 1, or would it crash and burn without the creator helming the future of the series?

After watching the first two episodes of season 2, it’s safe to say that, while no future season may hold a candle to season 1, it’s definitely the same show we all remember.

The biggest change is definitely Jane’s new job. Her writing position at Incite could not be more different from Scarlet, and her writing definitely shows that she’s feeling this change. Whether that’s positive or negative, you’ll have to see for yourself.

Jane is also so desperate to prove she made the right choice in leaving Scarlet, as anyone who takes an enormous risk is, but sometimes this desperation leads Jane to cross the line in more than one way.

I’m hoping to see a return to Scarlet in Jane’s future, but this current path is going to offer up a multitude of opportunities for Jane’s future, and it’s exciting to see all the potential avenues she has to make her mark on the world. Without Scarlet behind her, Jane’s free to channel her writing in whatever way she wants without the guidelines of Scarlet’s fashion world always lurking.

While I’m a solid advocate for Jane to eventually return to Scarlet, I don’t want this return to happen too suddenly. Jane needs to explore the world.

Likewise, the return brings back the relationship between Kat and Adena, which is stronger than ever. During the first season, the way the writers failed to balance Kat’s time at work with her relationship with Adena created a disdain for the relationship in my own eyes, but season 2 has definitely improved this dynamic completely.

There’s a balance between Kat navigating her newfound relationship with Adena and her career as Social Media Director at Scarlet magazine. It was always possible, so it’s exciting to see the new struggles Kat faces as she’s thrown into her job, but her relationship is still a heavy storyline for her. What does it mean for Kat to be with a woman?

Will she label herself and her sexuality? I can tell you, without giving away any spoilers, that Kat struggles with labels or the lack thereof on season 2 episode 2 and that’s partially what brings her parents to town. It’s a tough time for the Edison family.

As for Sutton, though we saw in the preview that workplace relationships are no longer forbidden or frowned upon, romance is far from Sutton’s mind. She’s soaring through the fashion world… to the point where it’s making others bitter, jealous, and determined to tear Sutton and her accomplishments down at every turn.

Sutton’s handling of these situations is incredible to watch, and so far this season, Sutton is the standout character. Since she moved to the fashion world, Sutton has quickly grown to be (potentially) the greatest character on the show, and season 2 isn’t straying from this pattern.

It’s no longer about Sutton’s mistakes in the fashion department; it’s her time to shine, and shining is what she’s doing best at Scarlet magazine. (Also, for those who have wanted a special mentorship scene between Jacqueline and Sutton, be aware that in the latter half of season 2 episode 2, we finally get a one-on-one scene where Jacqueline is giving Sutton the advice she needs to succeed, much like we’ve seen for Jane and Kat.)

What’s different from season 1 is the focus on secondary characters. Jacqueline, for instance, is dealing with her own issues at the magazine, and while her original role has not completely gone, much of her time on-screen is being used to develop Jacqueline on her own, not for the three girls.

Overall, while there are some noticeable changes, The Bold Type season 2 premiere shows that the series is living up to the first season, even if exceeding it isn’t possible.

Particularly in regards to developing the supporting characters. Fans of Adena, Richard, and Jacqueline will all be very happy with the extra focus on these characters, but, most importantly, this development benefits the girls and isn’t coming at the cost of time on-screen that would have been solely about developing Jane, Sutton, and Kat in season 1.

The Bold Type premieres Tuesday, June 12 on Freeform.