Brooke and Ridge Went Too Far (Again), But This Time Someone Might Actually Stop Them — Plus, Sheila’s Finally Met Her Match

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI (2); CBS screenshot

If this week’s episodes had a theme song, it would be the 1985 tune “Obsession” by Animotion, ’cause everyone on the canvas seemed to be fixated on something. Thomas transferred his unhealthy emotions from one unavailable woman to another (who might be a lot more receptive), Sheila stared at her phone the way I do cruise ship brochures, and the Righteously Indignant Duo (aka Brooke and Ridge) found yet another person to boss around. Read on, and we’ll discuss all the action.

Second Verse, Same As the First

Brooke and Ridge were downright exhausting this week. When Ridge completely ignored Eric’s heartfelt pleas that he and Quinn be left alone, instead ordering his mother-in-law out of the house, I was ready for his dad to call security, have the blowhard escorted off the property and then change all the locks.

Above: In case you can’t tell, they’re judging you right now. Yes, you. And trust me: They’ve found plenty to criticize.

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

More: Brooke stabs her sister in the back!

Had Ridge taken a different approach, I might actually have been able to side with him. After all, he wasn’t entirely wrong… Eric is clearly hurting. How could he not be, what with sending his beautiful wife to sleep with another man, let alone one he knows she has feelings for? Were Ridge not in attack mode, he might have been able to help his father through this difficult situation. Instead, he all but guaranteed Eric would defend Quinn against his son’s relentless attacks.

Later in the week, Ridge swung by his place long enough to pick up Brooke so they could head over to Hope’s for another episode of The Judgmental People’s Court. This time, the Righteously Indignant Duo decided it was their duty to boot Deacon out of Hope’s house despite the fact that he was there at her invitation.

It was at this point that I realized what their combined superpower is: bringing people together. Because even people who have hated the Eric/Quinn/Carter storyline found themselves wanting to smack Ridge, and they then managed to distract our attention from Hope’s borderline moronic move (more on that in a moment) by redefining the word “insufferable.”

I am sick of the Ridge and Brooke all knowing couple who have done twenty times over what they are so indignant about. HYPOCRITES.

— laurie mertz (@ethellaurie) October 8, 2021

I honestly don’t understand what we’re supposed to think about Brooke and Ridge at this point. Do the writers think that the couple is somehow the voice of the audience? What happened to the freewheeling Brooke and Ridge who were as sexually adventurous as they were self-destructive? Now, they come off as hypocritical at best and unbearable at worst.

Would love to see them become a total psycho Bonnie & Clyde, terrorizing Los Angeles in designer clothes and speeding around in the Mercedes. Possibly drug-addicted caused by Sheila-so they could be redeemed, of course, and avoid prison. Or not? #Boldandbeautiful

— GC Buzz (@gc_buzz) October 8, 2021

Welcome Home, Deacon

Unlike with Sheila’s return, Bold & Beautiful did a pretty decent job of keeping Deacon’s reappearance under wraps. Sure, the promo in which they showed a man walking along a cliff clued many viewers in, and Sean Kanan himself put the news out on Twitter and Instagram a day before his alter ego strolled in on Thursday. But I suspect a fair number of viewers were as surprised as Brooke, Ridge and Liam to see Hope’s daddy.

Above: “Liam, you and my dad both just got out of prison. Maybe you can compare notes.”

Credit: CBS screenshot

More: What landed Deacon behind bars this time

The real problem with this story is that, like most things on this soap, it’s completely plot driven and makes no sense whatsoever. Are we really supposed to believe that Hope has been secretly corresponding with her father for months? Or that she invited this dangerous man with a lengthy criminal history  back into the lives of her family — including the children — without consulting anyone?

Obviously, this was done to bond Hope with Finn, who is also dealing with an unpopular parent. But here’s the thing: Hope’s seen how the family reacted to Sheila over the past few months. In what world did she imagine Deacon would get a warmer welcome… especially when sprung on everyone out of the blue! It would have made much more sense for Hope, fresh from her conversations with Finn, to reach out to her father, maybe visit him at the prison. But the writers clearly wanted the dramatic moment, logic be damned.

The New Scheme Team

Despite the clumsy way Deacon was reintroduced to the canvas, immediately connecting him to Sheila was smart. Better still, as the twisted twosome bonded over drinks, it became clear that they are, in a weird way, exactly what this show needs more of: aspirational have-nots. Sure, what they aspire to is nothin’ but trouble, but how could I not love this exchange in which they called out the very hypocrisy we’ve been talking about so much of late?

Above: We’ll have what they’re having… which is a heck of a good time.

Credit: CBS screenshot

DEACON: The Forresters. You know, they’re so high and mighty!
SHEILA: It’s like they’ve never done anything wrong in their privileged little lives.
DEACON: Are you kidding me? They have had more scandals than everybody in this [restaurant] combined!

What made Friday’s final scene so delicious was that Deacon isn’t some innocent rube sucked into Sheila’s wicked web. He knows full well who she is and what she’s capable. And Kanan’s performance made it clear that while Deacon may be making a deal with the devil, he’s doing so reluctantly.

This might just turn out to be the most fun plot since Thomas started making doe eyes at that mannequin.

Hope Who?

Meanwhile, despite having two major storylines unfolding at the moment (Eric/Quinn/Carter and Sheila/Finn/Steffy), the show gave us two solid days of Paris-centric fluff leading up to Thomas seeing (and hearing) her in a new light thanks to her performance at Dodger Stadium. There are more than a few issues here, not the least of which is that Zende probably should have said something along the lines of, “Oh, wow, you’re the second person I’ve known to perform the national anthem there… a few years ago, I was there with my ex-girlfriend, Nicole, when Rick’s wife Maya sang it!”

Above: The more things change (like the fact that Zende was played by Rome Flynn when Maya sang at Dodger Stadium), the more they stay the same.

Credit: © Howard Wise/jpistudios.com©

More: Star ‘blindsided’ by court’s ruling

I mean, is there no other venue in all of Los Angeles that Paris could have sung at? And why does Steffy seem to be thrilled by Thomas’ interest in Paris, knowing as she does that the young woman is involved with Zende? This might make sense if Steffy had even the vaguest sense that her former houseguest had been fantasizing about Finn, but we’ve been given no indication that she caught on to that.

Random Thoughts

• When Finn declared Friday, October 8, “Steffy Forrester Appreciation Day,” she countered that it was actually International Puppy Day… which is a real thing, but falls on March 23. The writers would have been closer had they gone with National Dog Day, which is August 26. Personally, I’d have gone with my personal favorite which actually falls on October 8: National Fluffernutter Day.

• Liam had a whole lotta nerve saying that Deacon had “only ever failed” Hope.

Above: Paris mentioned having just come from the “monthly cybersecurity refresher.” How forgetful are these folks they need this meeting every four weeks?

• I’ve criticized a lot of the fashions worn in the past by Bold & Beautiful‘s character in general and women in particular. But man, I dug the tube dress Paris wore at one point. (Given that I know as much about fashion as I do advanced physics, which is to say diddly squat, I have no idea if that’s actually what the garment is called!)

• Make sure to come back on Sunday to check out a very special gallery. Summer may be officially over, but given that Bold & Beautiful takes place in Los Angeles, it’s still swimsuit season… and we’ve got the pics to prove it.

Now that you’ve heard my take on this week’s events, visit the comments section and share your thoughts. Then check out this gallery in which we say a bittersweet goodbye to summer with photos of your Bold & Beautiful faves in outfits that are designed to make life a beach.