Bold & Beautiful’s 2022 in Review, From Ridge’s Master Class in Waffling and Finn’s Enviably Long Nap to Sheila’s Toe-Die-For Madness and Thomas’ ‘App’-alling Stunt
Monday, December 26th, 2022
As you contemplate your New Year’s resolution, consider making it… avoiding the colossal blunders to which the Forresters, Logans and Spencers were drawn in the last 12 months.
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Regrets, they’ve had a few. Quite a few, as a matter of fact. In 2022 alone, the movers and shakers of The Bold and the Beautiful made mistakes that were so ginormous, they could hardly see over the last one to spot the next one coming!
But maybe there’s a silver lining in their plenitude of remarkably poor choices. Maybe within them lies a teachable moment, one from which we could benefit. After all, it wouldn’t be a very good look for us to just trace their missteps, jaws agape, only to marvel and laugh at their lunacy, now would it?
“Umm… we prefer to judge than to be judged, thanks.”
Credit: Howard Wise/JPI
So as you peruse the below photo gallery, a mega-recap of the last 12 months on the CBS soap, don’t merely titter at the way that Ridge let a pine cone decide his “destiny.” Go beyond guffawing at Sheila’s decision to cut off her toe rather than hoof it out of town. Slow your roll in judging the speed with which Steffy took off for Aspen after her beloved husband was resurrected. And try do more than facepalm at the way that Thomas really, really thought that he could get away with CPS-gate.
Instead, resolve to learn from their mistakes and do better. At least better than death-by-bear as a Get Out of Jail Free card. To review the year gone by on Bold & Beautiful, just click here or on the gallery below. Then hit the comments with favorite/least favorite moments.
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Image: Howard Wise/JPI
1/57
<p>After Brooke vowed to prevent Sheila from being part of her extended family, Finn’s mom decided to help the blonde kick off 2023 in high style… by tricking the recovering alcoholic into falling off the wagon!</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
2/57
<p>Thanks to Sheila switching out fake champagne for the real deal, Brooke wound up sharing a smooch with a Santa-hat wearing Deacon. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
3/57
<p>The two most uttered lines of early 2022? Brooke asking, “Why did I drink?” and Douglas insisting, “I saw grandma kissing Santa Claus.” It would be months before anyone realized these two statements were connected. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
4/57
<p>Upon learning that Hope’s mom and dad had kissed, Ridge — no stranger to locking lips with someone other than his spouse — handled the news in the calm, rational way one would expect of him. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
5/57
<p>Paris’ newly-arrived mom, Grace, took one look at Zende and knew he was the right guy for her daughter. Unlike that Carter fellow, Zende was handsome, had a good job, hadn’t been involved with Paris’ sister… hey, wait a minute! </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
6/57
<p>Mother may know best, but the heart wants what it wants… and what Paris’ wanted was Carter. Sure, he was only a lowly CFO with abs for days and a desire to settle down, but for some reason, Paris was willing to settle. Grace, however, was having none of it. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
7/57
<p>At just about the same time that Brooke was asking, “Why did I drink?” for the thousandth time, Thomas was putting the pieces together and not-so-subtly pointing the finger at Sheila. Not that he shared what he knew with anyone… </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
8/57
<p>In March, the show found two ways to celebrate 35 years on the air. Brooke had a dream in which many of her great loves swung by for a noctural visit, and the soap itself received a two-year renewal! </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
9/57
<p>Having never read <em>How to Make Friends and Influence People</em>, Sheila took completely the wrong approach in trying to form a familial bond with Steffy. Told that would never happen, Sheila whipped out a gun and… </p>
Image: CBS screenshot
10/57
<p>As Sheila would repeatedly try to explain, she hadn’t meant to kill son Finn… she was aiming for his annoying wife! For some reason, nobody seemed to accept that as a logical defense for her actions. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
11/57
<p>So grief-stricken was Sheila by what she’d done — to Finn, not so much Steffy — that she tried jumping off the hospital roof. With hindsight being 20/20, Taylor would only later realize just how big a mistake she’d made in preventing the loon from taking a flying leap. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
12/57
<p>So traumatized was Steffy by Finn’s death that she blocked it out and, for a brief time, allowed herself to believe that she and Liam were still married! To say that Brooke and Hope were not big supporters of this delusion would be an understatement. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
13/57
<p>With his marriage to Quinn still on shaky ground, Eric began spending a lot of time playing pickleball at the club. Thrilled that her hubby was getting in his daily exercise, Quinn failed to realize the only thing getting sweaty was the sheets between which he and Donna were getting busy! </p>
Image: CBS Screenshot; Howard Wise/JPI
14/57
<p>When Steffy’s memory finally returned, she and her parents set a trap into which Sheila gleefully walked. And yes, even as she was being dragged away in handcuffs, Sheila tried convincing everyone it was all one big misunderstanding. (Hey, it coulda worked… right?) </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
15/57
<p>Perhaps the biggest shock of 2022 came with the reveal that Li wasn’t just refusing to mourn her son… she was keeping him alive in a hotel room! Private medical care? Dude, hope you have great insurance! </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
16/57
<p>Determined to put a ring on it — and not particularly picky as to who “it” was attached to — Carter decided that if he couldn’t have Quinn, he’d propose to Paris. Despite being in love with Carter, Quinn — unaware of Eric’s unique definition of “pickleball” — vowed to remain in her marriage. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
17/57
<p>A grieving Steffy decided to take the kids and leave town for a while. Unable to decide between his favorite wives, Ridge used concern over his daughter as an excuse to spend time with Taylor… and Brooke injuring herself as a reason to spend time with her! </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
18/57
<p>Upon finding out that Paris and Carter were involved again, Grace threatened to report him to Forrester’s HR department. This left us wondering if the company even had one, given how many wildly inappropriate relationships had developed at the company over the years! </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
19/57
<p>Guilt finally convinced Eric that he and Donna should end their affair. Not that they actually did, proving that sometimes, good intensions pave the way not to Hell, but to sexy time. </p>
Image: CBS screenshot
20/57
<p>As you can see by the look on Quinn’s face, she found the rules to pickleball very confusing upon finding Eric and Donna together. And as you can see by the look on Bridget’s face, she understood the rules all too well. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
21/57
<p>After spending approximately 12 seconds discussing the end of her marriage to Eric, Quinn hopped on a bike and pedaled over to Il Giordino, where, Carter was about to make Paris his instabride. (Good thing L.A.’s such a small, easily-traversed town, huh?) </p>
Image: CBS screenshot
22/57
<p>Just as Carter was about to make things official with Paris, Quinn ran in and suggested an alternate ending. Paris — who only a few short months ago had no interest in marrying anyone, let alone Carter — was clearly not pleased by this development. Charlie? He just wondered if there would still be cake. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
23/57
<p>Grace did something she’d been wanting to do for months. No, not swat away that pesky fly, but slap Carter for having left her daughter standing at the altar. As for Paris, she was so devastated by the turn of events that she… </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
24/57
<p>… happily allowed Zende to escort her home so they could pick up where they’d left off. After all, being a handsome, rich dude in a tiny town like Los Angeles, it wasn’t as if he had other dating opportunities to pursue while Paris was preparing to marry someone else. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
25/57
<p>Meanwhile, after Li rather casually used the wrong tense while discussing her “dead” son with a jailed Sheila, the loon got an assist from her old pal Mike and was soon “helping” Li care for the man both staked a claim on. </p>
Image: CBS screenshot
26/57
<p>Occasionally, Taylor would wander by Il Giardino to throw sparks with Deacon. The two had great chemistry and the potential to make Ridge’s head explode, but he would soon find himself otherwise occupied… </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
27/57
<p>if we’re being honest, Li sort of brought the thrashing Sheila gave her upon herself. Why? Because she tried calling for help, but didn’t bother to actually leave the hotel room before doing so! </p>
Image: CBS screenshot
28/57
<p>When Li tried to beat a hasty retreat, Sheila gave chase. And while we never really understood what caused Li’s vehicle to burst into flames, the fire of unknown origin caused her to take a long drive off a short pier. Like son Finn, Li would be declared dead. (And yes, we’re doing a bit of foreshadowing there!) </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
29/57
<p>Realizing that Li was as dead as Steffy believed him to be, Finn began plotting to get away from Sheila. She, on the other hand, insisted it was too soon. When did she believe he’d be well enough to leave? Checking her calendar, she suggested the twelfth of never. The thirteenth, at the latest. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
30/57
<p>Having no idea that the woman he’d found in an alley was Finn’s mom, Bill — known far and wide for his empathy and big-hearted nature — brought her into his home. When finally she regained the ability to speak, she told everyone that being resurrected ran in her family. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
31/57
<p>Bill proved a pretty valuable pal to have when he reunited Li and her son, then suggested Finn jump on the Spencer jet and head to Monte Carlo to reconnect with Steffy. As for Sheila, she managed to escape yet again. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
32/57
<p>While all of this was going on, Wyatt… basically vanished. Occasionally, he’d pop up to share brunch and bon mots with Bill and Wyatt, but for the most part he was off screen, presumably living his best life with wife-to-be Flo. </p>
Image: CBS screenshot (3)
33/57
<p>Concerned about a deeply depressed Steffy, Ridge and Taylor headed to Monte Carlo in order to <span style="text-decoration: line-through">make out</span> provide her with comfort. While there, memories of the past (and proximity) led them to share the kind of kiss that his wife definitely would not approve of. </p>
Image: CBS screenshot
34/57
<p>Finn searched everywhere for Steffy, only to share a grand, romantic reunion when finally she emerged from a church to catch sight of her “dead” husband. Their nightmare at long last at an end, they returned to Los Angeles. </p>
Image: CBS screenshot
35/57
<p>Posting a picture of herself with Deacona and Brooke caused Ridge — you know, the guy who’d refused to commit to a life with his wife — to lose his ish. How, he wondered, could she “betray” him?</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
36/57
<p>Suddenly deciding he wanted to play a way bigger part in son Douglas’ life, Thomas suggested he and the boy move in with Eric. While Hope loved the idea of the two bonding, she wasn’t quite so enamored with the thought of Thomas taking his son back full time. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
37/57
<p>Wanting their parents reunited, Steffy and Thomas began pushing — hard — and doing a little behind-the-scenes manipulating in an effort to make that happen. Although Taylor told her kids to butt out, she didn’t put up much of a protest when Ridge was there every time she turned around. </p>
Image: CBS screenshot
38/57
<p>The Forresters were skeptical when they heard that Sheila was really, most-sincerely dead. But when Detective Sanchez whipped out a toe and claimed it was all that remained of Sheila following a bear attack, they allowed themselves to believe it. (Amateurs!) </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
39/57
<p>Only after hooking up with a sexy redhead he’d met at Il Giardino did Deacon find out he’d bedded Sheila, who’d cut off a toe in order to fake her own death. Moving into his tiny pad, Sheila swore she had access to untold millions… yet never actually seemed to have any money. </p>
Image: CBS
40/57
<p>The battle between Brooke and Taylor got messy — in a literal sense — when they engaged in a paint battle. Meanwhile, Thomas tried to color Hope’s opinion of him by pointing out that unlike Liam, he was a one-woman man. And in case Hope needed it spelled out, she was that woman. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
41/57
<p>As Steffy prodded Eric into throwing almost nightly Forrester family gatherings, Liam and Brooke became very aware that they weren’t receiving invites to the shindigs. Meanwhile, fans wondered if Brooke might soon cross the line with another of Hope’s beaus! </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
42/57
<p>Because nobody in Los Angeles ever locks their doors, Sheila was able to don her “Lina” disguise and walk right into Steffy’s house to play with Hayes. Good thing he didn’t want to play “this little piggy” with his nine-toed grandma!</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
43/57
<p>Already wary of Thomas, Brooke freaked upon seeing him use a knife to <span style="text-decoration: line-through">stab to death</span> slice an apple in Douglas’ presence. Deciding he was a danger to the boy, Brooke threatened to call Child Protective Services. And hey, wouldn’t you know it, someone sounding like and claiming to be Brooke did exactly that! </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
44/57
<p><em>The Young and the Restless</em>‘ Nikki swung by to pick up a dress from Forrester Cretions and pick former Genoa City resident Deacon’s brain for info about his past with her nemesis, Diane. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
45/57
<p>Following their wildly successful collaboration on her fashion line, Thomas misread the situation and tried to kiss Hope. She, however, made it clear that while they were very good at co-parenting, she loved her husband and always would… even if Thomas did look super hot in his leather pants. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
46/57