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Bold & Beautiful Finally Gave Taylor Back Her Brain… Kinda — Plus, Aspen, Here We Come!
Friday, September 30th, 2022
Credit: Howard Wise/JPI, CBS Screenshot (2)
This week, Bold & Beautiful had someplace to be (Aspen), so they decided to turbo charge the only story they’re focusing on right now. So buckle-up, because we’re on the fast-track to Aspen. But first, let’s discuss the road we went down to get there.
Reasonable Doubt
I fully expected that we would have at least two or three weeks worth of talk about Thomas wielding that machete knife, but Bold & Beautiful had places to go and plot points to hit, so we had to settle for a few days of discussion. Then we had a day of Child Protective Services talk before, boom, they showed up on Eric’s doorstep armed with questions.
Conveniently enough, it turned out that Ridge and Thomas knew a former employee who happened to now work for CPS… and who could access all of the relevant records, including a recording of the original call, from his phone in about two minutes!
Did I mention we need to get to Aspen, pronto?
Here’s the thing, though. Are we really supposed to believe that if Brooke called CPS — which I think we all know she didn’t — she’d just blurt out her name when asked? At the very least, she — like any of us — would have said, “Do you really need that? Isn’t what’s important that there’s a child in danger? His father had a machete knife, for heaven’s sake!” But no, we’re supposed to believe that Brooke just casually gave her name, consequences be damned.
Smart Woman, Foolish Choices
Taylor came about thisclose to having an honest-to-God epiphany during Thursday’s episode. “I have just been hit with some common sense this week,” she admitted to Steffy. “Everything about Ridge and Brooke and where I fit in.” She went on to add, “I am not a consolation prize” and “I’ve been on this marriage-go-round for decades. I want to get off!”
As I sat there cheering Taylor on, she seemed to be seeing things clearly. “I’ve been in love with [Ridge] for over 30 years, and so much has happened. But I’m the other woman. I am on the wrong side of history on this one. Brooke is married to [him].”
It was all going so well! “I know how this story ends,” Taylor sighed, having clearly been watching old episodes. “Lots of drama, tears for days, and you dad ends up with Brooke.”
Yet there was Steffy, undermining her mother’s progress at every turn. Seriously, how messed up is it that this grown woman can sit there and listen to her mom weep about the pain inflicted upon her over and over by Ridge and still say, “Yeah, but y’all belong together.” As a world renowned psychiatrist, Taylor should be able to see that her daughter is in desperate need of help.
Next Stop? Aspen
In keeping with our theme of pedal-to-the-metal, Bill just happened to call and announce that he was selling his Aspen house. So when Taylor decided she needed to get out of town for a while, well, how convenient was that? But perhaps sensing that if her mom went alone, she’d continue to have smart thoughts about moving on, Steffy was like, “Oh, hey, let’s both go to Aspen!”
Forget the fact that Steffy’s husband literally just returned from the grave, or the fact that she has two children and is the co-CEO of a major fashion house. Her mom is in desperate need of gaslighting brainwashing help, so screw it all and pack your bags, ’cause we’re going to Aspen!
Random Thoughts
• The show obviously couldn’t flash back to Ridge and Taylor’s St. Thomas adventure, but it was fun having her reminisce about it with Steffy. And it was cute that her daughter had clearly heard the story so many times, she could recite parts of it along with her mom.
• I nearly choked on my post-lunch, pre-dinner, Bold & Beautiful-timed snack when Brooke gave her little lecture about how the needs of a child must be put above everything else where parenting is concerned. Call me crazy, but Brooke seemed to put her own needs above those of Hope and Bridget when sleeping with their respective beaus, Oliver and Deacon. (Yes, yes, the Oliver/Brooke thing was an “accident,” but Brooke was definitely putting her “needs” above those of Hope when she opted to have public sex — with anybody — at her daughter’s birthday party!)
• Shouldn’t those CPS officers have talked to someone other than Douglas, Ridge and Thomas? Like, maybe they should have chatted with Brooke to get more information before closing the case? Or some of the (never seen) servants, who’d know what’s going on in the house? Or Eric and Quinn, who actually own the house?
• So does Paris now work for Zende? I thought she worked for the Forrester Foundation, but she seems to spend all day tagging along with her ex, modeling his fashions or just… randomly attending meetings with him.
• If Liam really believes Thomas is such a huge threat to Douglas, shouldn’t he maybe talk to Steffy about reducing the amount of time her brother spends with Kelly?
Yes, “knifegate” made our updated “Best and Worst of 2022 So Far” list. To find out what else made the cut — pun intended — from all four shows, check out the gallery below.
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<p>And the winner is… <em>General Hospital</em>. Yes, the show threw out some duds in 2022; such is the nature of the beast. But ABC’s daytime drama is the only one that consistently surprises us (RIP, Brando!), dares to ring in the new (viva la Josslyn and Dex!) and does what so many soaps have forgotten how to: keep us on the edge of our seats waiting for that first kiss (“Sprina” FTW!).</p>
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<p>The moment Victoria Grace’s Wendy appeared on the <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ spinoff <em>Beyond Salem</em>, we were both hooked and somewhat relentless in our determination to have Li’s little sis brought over to the mothership. You’re welcome. </p>
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<p>Since first being introduced back in 2011, <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Chelsea has been… let’s go with “complicated.” So in the wake of her depression and attempted suicide, having the character not only seek therapy but go on an apology tour was a great idea. Except for one little thing… </p>
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<p>When <em>Young & Restless’ </em>Chelsea apologized to Billy for having drugged and raped him when first they crossed paths in Myanmar, his response was appalling. “I walked on the wild side and enjoyed every minute of it,” he quipped. To say <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/654808/young-restless-chelsea-rape-billy-story-fan-reaction/">fans were displeased</a> would be an understatement. </p>
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<p>It only took them three decades, but <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Brooke and Taylor finally realized they both deserved better than Ridge. Of course, we’ll see how long their resolve lasts… </p>
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<p>Like <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Britt, we’re not entirely sold on Cody. We love, however, his companion Comet! The set on which the gorgeous horse lives is an odd amalgamation of human and pony habitat, but we’re always happy to visit! </p>
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<p>We didn’t see Sloan and Eric’s sex-fueled romp coming, but once <em>Days of Our Lives </em>went there, all we could hope was that these two would keep coming back for more! </p>
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<p>Our jaws definitely dropped when <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Devon and Abby suddenly started going at it on the couch… and the stairs… and against the wall… </p>
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<p>What does <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> want us to think of Bill after, in a matter of minutes, he begged Brooke, then Katie to take him back? “Pathetic” is a very new and different look for the onetime power player.</p>
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10/116
<p>It was all the way back in March of 2021 that <em>General Hospital </em>killed Elizabeth’s beloved Franco so they could introduce Austin. Since then, Austin/Maxie and Liz/Finn have both proven to be duds, leaving us to wonder yet again… what was the point? </p>
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<p>To say that most fans were upset to hear <em>Days of Our Lives </em>would be moving from NBC — where it had aired for over five decades — to streaming service Peacock would be a massive understatement. </p>
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<p><em>General Hospital</em> has kept us waiting for so long for “Sprina” to really happen that we’ve started to wonder whether the characters will be AARP members by the time they get together. That said, we’re pretty sure it’ll be worth the wait. </p>
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<p><em>Bold & Beautiful </em>finally took us back to the runway with a fashion show which gave us everything we’ve come to expect from the folks at Forrester Creations. </p>
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<p>No, we’re not saying <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Sally and Adam don’t have a shot at happiness. We’re actually showing you the reason she and <em>Nick</em> will inevitably hit the skids! </p>
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<p>We get that <em>General Hospital</em> didn’t have long-term plans for Rory and Trina. But why kill off the appealing newbie rather than keep him around, either to redeem Esme through a rebound romance… or to join her on the dark side?</p>
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<p>We assumed when <em>Days of Our Lives</em> had Alex hit the sheets with Chanel and Allie, viewers would rise up in protest. Instead, most seemed willing to go with the sexual flow. </p>
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<p>We get why <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Nikolas looks so dumbfounded. We, too, were stunned when Elizabeth claimed to be carrying his baby. Sure, she “fixed” the situation by saying she’d miscarried a few days later, but by then, the damage already had been done. </p>
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<p>If <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Brooke thought Thomas using a knife to peel his apple made him a danger to son Douglas, imagine how freaked out she must be whenever someone breaks out a carving knife to slice up the Thanksgiving turkey! </p>
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<p>At the 2022 Daytime Emmys, <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Mishael Morgan (Amanda) became the first Black nominee to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.</p>
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22/116
<p>If <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> had to (temporarily) kill off fiery Li, at least Naomi Matsura’s character got one hell of a send-off, going up in flames — literally! — while being pursued by Finn’s <em>other</em> mother, lunatic about town Sheila.</p>
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23/116
<p>We’re not sure which twist we liked better… <em>General Hospital </em>dropping some pretty big hints indicating that Felicia was Esme’s mom… or the shocker that Heather’s tryst with Ryan had resulted in the hellion’s conception! </p>
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24/116
<p>Having listened to Carter pour out his heart for ages, <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Quinn knew he wanted nothing more than to marry someone — pretty much anyone — and start a family. So her dumping him weeks after they got together because they wanted different things made no sense whatsoever. </p>
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<p>It was a long time in coming, but <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Stella and Portia finally discussed the racial ramifications of Esme’s having framed Trina. “I’ve lived in this world long enough to know how elusive justice can be for people who look like Trina,” sighed Stella, kicking off a discussion many assumed the show wouldn’t dare have.</p>
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<p>The final moments of <em>Beyond Salem: Chapter Two</em> revealed that bad girl Megan had been keeping Bo on (literal) ice since his death, leaving us to wonder if he and Hope might get a real reunion following that swoonworthy dance they shared in heaven. Now that both are slated to return to <em>Days of Our Lives</em> in 2023, we’ll finally get our answer!</p>
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<p><em>Yellowstone</em> ended Season 4 with a bang, alright — with Beth forcing Jamie to kill biodad Garrett. But after the thrill ride that was Season 3’s finale, it seemed like more of an “Oh, OK” than an “OMG!” climax.</p>
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<p>Hands down, it goes to <em>Days of Our Lives</em> for its over-reliance on easy-access masks that can transform anyone into… well, anyone. Heck, if one of our rivals got their hands on one, this whole entry might have been added by an editor from one of our competitors!</p>
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<p>It may have taken a few years to get there, but the moment <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Thomas and Hope agreed to co-parent Douglas, we knew they’d eventually wind up butting heads over custody of the boy. </p>
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<p>As much as <em>Days of Our Lives </em>fans dislike Gwen — and boy, do they! — we kinda like that when the chips are down, she and Xander know they can call on one another. While we know we’ll get a whole lotta crap for saying so, it’s hard not to acknowledge that he’s a better fit with Gwen than Sarah! </p>
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<p>The year wasn’t even two weeks old when <em>General Hospital</em> had “conniving bitch” Nina talk to the hand — <em>Carly’s</em> hand, as you can see. And needless to say, Nina did not like what the hand had to say.</p>
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<p>After <em>Young & Restless</em> gave Michael a Very Special Episode to celebrate Christian Jules LeBlanc’s anniversary with the show, we feared that he wasn’t so much being put out to pasture as he was already there. So imagine our surprise — <em>and</em> excitement — when Victor decided to put the sneaky bastard’s unique skills to better use.</p>
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<p>It was with mixed emotions that we tuned in to the February episode of <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> in which Krista Allen’s Taylor was finally able to ditch the wig that she, we, <em>everybody</em> had had such a good time laughing over. On one hand, we’d miss the chuckles. On the other, c’mon! Au naturel was gorgeous.</p>
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<p>Only the last flashback of the final episode of <em>This Is Us </em>revealed the “secret” of the Pin the Tail on the Donkey game: Rebecca had insisted they buy it because the three children on the cover reminded her of their own brood. </p>
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<p>Why didn’t <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> have Deputy Chief Baker monitoring infamous psycho Sheila at all times? Do L.A. cops really think that this particularly rabid leopard has changed her spots?</p>
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<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ possession storyline may have put viewers through hell, but could anyone argue that Johnny didn’t make a sin-sational host for Satan? Didn’t think so.</p>
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<p>Soon after <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> cast Cassandra Creech as Paris’ mom, we learned that Grace was both a doctor and single. Yet Grace was given nothing to do but fret about her daughter’s love life. Worse, once Paris was left at the altar by Carter, Grace vanished entirely! </p>
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<p>That would be the one in which <em>General Hospital</em> refused to release viewers from the endless — and endlessly loathed — Peter storyline. We never imagined we would start another year complaining about that one, and yet… there we were. And when the plot <em>finally</em> came to a close, it delivered the…</p>
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<p><em>Young & Restless</em> had Billy hatch a cockamamie plot to stick it to Adam and Victor, then had him not bother to follow through. Perhaps the powers that be realized just how cockamamie it was and didn’t want to read any more critiques of the storyline? And if you think <em>that</em> was anticlimactic, wait…</p>
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<p>The reason <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Billy wanted to get back at Adam and Victor in the first place was because they upended his cush job at Chance Comm. But since everyone in Genoa City is rich, powerful and related, he wound up immediately being hired anew to work with the same person (girlfriend Lily) in the same office. So yeah, <em>totally</em> sensible and relatable impetus for revenge, guys. Nailed it.</p>
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<p>Loved <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Johnny as the devil, yes, but didn’t at <em>all</em> like the rape-y way that the demon forced kisses on Gabi with the ultimate goal of bedding her. Also, wouldn’t a supernatural force <em>that</em> omnipotent have a grander plan than having sex with a random hottie?</p>
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<p>Answer: Because <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> is written based on plot necessity, not history or logic. Question: Why did Brooke make such a big deal of keeping secret from Ridge her drunken kiss with Deacon? This is the same Ridge who basically laughed it off when she mistook daughter Hope’s masked boyfriend for him and schtupped the young buck against a wall at a party.</p>
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