Bold & Beautiful Finally Got Down and Dirty Even as It Set up a Major Twist — Plus, Why What Just Happened Makes Absolutely *No* Sense

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

At long last, Bold & Beautiful’s Brooke stopped wondering what would happen if Ridge ever found out the truth. What happened next was downright thrilling… until it was beyond maddening. 

In This Corner…

Who could have predicted that when Brooke finally confessed to an already-in-the-know Ridge, he would basically say, “Yeah, ish happens, but I love you, Logan.” Fine, I suppose anybody who saw him essentially shrug off her boinking Oliver at Hope’s birthday party might have anticipated him giving her a free pass on kissing Deacon were it not for one thing: Ridge hates Deacon as much as he loves saying “I told you so.”

Above: The only thing that could have made this fight better was popcorn.

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

More: The twist that might just anger some B&B fans

For a hot second, I thought Bold & Beautiful was going to pull a Young & Restless on us. You know, build up to something juicy and dramatic only to then take the least interesting path possible. But no, Ridge went to confront Deacon and the fight scene that unfolded might have been the best I’ve ever seen on daytime. The sound effects were a bit exaggerated, sure, but I’ll be darned if I wasn’t totally invested and sitting on the edge of my seat during the entire sequence.

Just Walk Away

Just as I bought Ridge forgiving Brooke for having kissed Deacon, I bought him walking away from his wife when she — after everything — defended Hope’s dad. More often than not, Ridge is a pompous jerk who I kinda want to see suffer. But Thorsten Kaye kinda broke my heart when Ridge asked why he wasn’t enough for Brooke.

Above: Based on Ridge’s hand placement, we assume he finally figured out what is Brooke finds so attractive about Deacon.

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

More: The surprising person who’ll bring Sheila down

For that one moment, it was easy to see Ridge not as the high horse-riding, accusation-throwing guy he’s become but the character we’ve watched forgive Brooke for sleeping with Deacon and kissing Bill and having grief sex with Nick and on and on. That’s not to say Ridge is perfect, not by a mile. But simply that the moment was charged in that way the best soap moments can be, and unlike so much of the plot-driven but empty things which happen regularly on this show, I understood why he had to walk away from her.

History Repeating

Of course, Ridge ran straight to Taylor and their kids, and this is where the screaming starts. Oh, not them at one another, but rather me — and, I suspect you — at my television. It started when Steffy and Thomas began essentially using emotional waterboarding to convince their dad that he should come back to his “real” family.

And at this point, I want to stop and offer Taylor — who seems to have been given no opinion in this matter — a bit of advice. Taylor, honey, I want you to look at your history with Ridge. When your destiny causes you so much pain, betrayal and confusion, over and over again maybe it’s time to check yourself and ask why you think you deserve that past. I think you deserve so much better.

Above: Those who do not remember the mistakes of the past are doomed to make out with them again.

Credit: CBS screenshot

More: Taylor, we have some bad news for you!

Oh, wait. That’s not me speaking at all! That was a direct quote from Taylor to Ridge. Physician, heal thyself! Because I can think of no reason that you would let this man back into your life.

But… okay, fine, let’s just assume that despite everything, Taylor still loves Ridge. Why would her children, who have witnessed first hand the pain their dad has caused their mom, wish that upon her again? At the very least shouldn’t someone say, “Hey, how about if we take a breather? Dad’s been separated from his wife for approximately 12 seconds, so this might not be the best time to be making big life decisions… especially given his track record!”

Above: “Sure, mom and dad could take their time and make a smart, informed decision… but that’s not how we roll in this family!”

Credit: CBS screenshot

I absolutely love Krista Allen’s take on Taylor, and I can’t deny that she and Kaye have great chemistry. But I could not hate more the way that Taylor is being written as a weak-willed woman with absolutely no autonomy whatsoever. It’s sad to me that we’ve been repeatedly told that Taylor has had no life since leaving Los Angeles. She’s thrown herself into work while pining away for Ridge.

And let’s not forget that even during the various times that Ridge was free and could have sought out Taylor, he instead made out with Quinn and married Shauna.

I have to assume that this instant reunion between Taylor and Ridge is the soap setting up something much bigger. In fact, I stand by the theory I threw out in last week’s column that killing Ridge is the much-discussed big twist Bold & Beautiful has coming down the pike is

Random Thoughts

• We’ve asked this before but it bears repeating: How is Sheila supporting herself? She seems to spend all day either cackling to herself in her hotel room or stalking Deacon at work.

Above: It’s all fun and games until…

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

• I’m not even kidding when I say I laughed aloud when Thomas asked Brooke, “What are you gonna do, push me off a cliff again?”

• Speaking of history, I really wish this show would allow characters to use it more often. When Steffy was throwing Brooke’s past in her face, I really needed her step mom to point out that she’s not exactly eligible for sainthood. But no, they just made Brooke stand there and take the verbal abuse.

That’s my take on this week’s episodes, and I’m dying to hear what you think. Are you as annoyed by the way they’re writing Taylor as I am? Do you think I’m right in suspecting that they’ll soon be killing Ridge? Sound off in the comments below, then check out this fun photo gallery in which we look at couples who are no longer together… but we can’t help wishing they were. And yes, that includes Steffy and Bill, as well as Liam and a woman other than Hope or her chief rival!