Credit: Howard Wise/JPI (2)

The nightmare toward which she’s heading is one of her own making.

The Bold and the Beautiful has spent quite a while turning Thomas around from the skeevy Hope stalker that he once was. But now the daytime drama is poised to slap a black hat on his head once again — and for doing something that makes sense.

That Thomas would want to have son Douglas around more is a no-brainer. Now that he’s not imagining mannequins flirting with him, why wouldn’t the designer want his little boy under the same roof? Of course he would. This is a nonissue.

Matthew Atkinson, Django Ferri"The Bold and the Beautiful" Set CBS Television City Los Angeles, Ca. 08/04/22 © Howard Wise/jpistudios.com 310-657-9661

“It’s called father/son bonding. Get with it!”

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

What is an issue, however, is the way that Hope is reacting. Yes, Thomas made her Douglas’ legal co-parent. But that doesn’t mean that she gets to allow Thomas to spend more time with his son or not. They are co-parents, not the parent in charge and the parent who should be grateful for whatever crumbs she lets fall from the table.

Hope is behaving as if Thomas is trying to yank her child from her arms — and he isn’t. He’s just attempting to be a better father than he has been to the boy that they share. Hope should be applauding this, not acting as if Thomas wanted to send Douglas swimming in a vat of acid that’s also full of piranha.

bold hope shocked reaction screenshot

“But… but… Douglas is mine, all mine.”

Credit: CBS screenshot

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Ironically, the person who is most going to be hurt by Hope’s behavior is likely to be Hope herself. Because the way that she and mom Brooke are demonizing Thomas is creating battle lines where there needn’t be any. What’s more, Hope’s inflexibility stands to turn Thomas back to the dark side. And when that happens, heaven help her!

Thomas, no longer feeling any compassion for or obligation to Hope, could sue for full custody of his and Caroline’s son. He’d probably get it, too, by explaining that he made Hope Douglas’ co-parent when he was suffering from mental-health issues that have since been addressed. Even his mother, the world-renowned psychiatrist, could testify on his behalf.

And where would that leave Hope? Sorry as hell that her rigidity and lack of understanding reawakened the monster that Thomas had worked so hard to tame.

Review Thomas’ bonkers life story in the below photo gallery.