B&B: Week of August 04, 2008

[YRBB]

Discuss life in L.A.!

[y&r_fan]

I hope Ashley (Abbott, as opposed to Jones) is on this week. I've been really worried since they took her out of the opening.

[MarkH]

Total speculation, but she'll be 13 weeks shy of her 2 year contract anniversary in early November. I see her moving to Y&R then, so that Ashley returns to GC permanently in early December. This is just guesswork, but I feel it in my bones.

[Queen]

I'm to the point now where I believe no matter where Ashley turns up she'll be featured less than Victor's dog. Why these writers can't do anything with Eileen, I'll never know.

[Cat]

^^ You and me both. Eileen is totally compelling to watch.

[bandbfan]

Today was just very okay, IMO. Nothing exciting. I do wonder where they're going with Eric, though. I guess that could just make Donna's resolve even stronger.

[baller]

Good to know....and on the Eileen thing, I hope she does end up on Y&R, though they might do something with her (Hogan) because she's never fit for me on B&B.

[MarkH]

Maybe she needs unknown twins/quadruplet siblings...or at least multiple personality?

[Evan]

I think an Ashley/Thorne SL would work, Eileen and Winsor Harmon look good together.

So bored with Katie/Nick/Bridget, that triangle is dragging B&B down, and it has little fan support on the boards.

Nick having boinked a supposedly dying Katie? That pretty much puts the final nail in his coffin! Nick is the most ruined character, the writers have done a real hatchet job on him.

I don't mind Heather Tom, but too much Katie ain't a good thing, where are Stephanie and Taylor?

[MarkH]

Unpopular opinion: I don't think Winsor Harmon is very good.

Yes. Nick is the male Brooke. Which tells me Nick and Brooke are the end game. They should re-unite and sail the Shady Marlin 'round the world.

Sadly, Heather's best chemistry is with Flannery. (Isn't everyone's?). So, with Flannery ostensibly retiring, I don't see a lot of other potential for Katie. She and Nick COULD have been something...if there weren't the Bridget factor.

Taylor...dear, ruined Taylor...I only want her back if she becomes miraculously sane again....and stays that way. Taylor was the one who refused to enter an affair with Eric because it might hurt her friend Stephanie. THAT is the Taylor I want...not the one who sleeps with her daughter's ex-boyfriend.

[Sapounopera]

Ridge and Taylor should remarry and he could run FC with Brooke. A Thomas recast is welcome in order for Ridge and Taylor to have a big family. I am willing to forget all the madness (Taylor & Thorne, Taylor & Nick, Taylor & Rick), but these three people (Ridge-Taylor-Brooke) should be the center of the show when SF retires. This doesn't mean that we will get a Ridge-Taylor wedding and a Ridge-Brooke annullment every year. There are other types of story.

[MarkH]

I have partial agreement.

Taylor needs to be the sane moral center of the show. She has three offspring (Thomas, Phoebe, Stephanie) who can be the next generation of Forrester. NONE of the actors are right (and not even Stephy, IMO, who is not clicking with me). Thomas should have been played by Brandon Beemer, who should be the next playboy-Ridge. I think Ridge should not be married to Taylor, but he should be a strong (read: interfering, ala Stephanie Sr.) father. Ridge can be free for dalliances, but they should not be front burner. I'd like to see Ridge NEVER AGAIN in a committed relationship, quite frankly.

I cannot believe that I'm saying this next thing: Brooke (my all time favorite in the glory days) needs to sail off with Nick on the Shady Marlin.

Donna needs to leave town with Owen. When she returns, she needs to be a step closer to the Carrie Mitchum style (in other words, less sexual, more perky). Or she can just go, because she has EATEN the show and she is not the best actress.

I'm digging Marcus...Texas Battle is so green, but he has this infectious charm that I love. I don't mind his relationship with Stephy...and I don't actually mind his chemistry with the current actress...maybe if they went slower.

I want Charley Baker Jr. to be the father of Marcus. (Yes, the ages work....Mykel Shannon Jenkins is around the same age as Gareis). I will accept plot twists to make this fit.

With that, the Baker clan becomes the "poor family" anchor clan that the Logans used to be. I'd love it if Lt. Baker is wife-less (widowed or his wife left long ago).

IMO, Thorne needs to leave and go back to Italy, where his last happy memories of Macy reside. He can visit Sally there. And (if my wish that Stephanie retires to Italy comes true), he can head up Forrester International too.

That leaves Felicia. I'd like to see the nasty Forrester siblings run Forrester...and brother-sister team that is lethal, cutting edge, etc. To tie the Bakers into the fashion scene, I'd have the GORGEOUS Charley Baker be "discovered" (though he is old to be a model). His fashion sense and good looks makes him the new front for the men's line. I'll accept that.

Rick and Ashley need to go to Genoa City. There, Rick can remain in Ashley's orbit and ... more importantly ... Amber's orbit.

With Stephanie gone, I don't know what to do about Eric. Well, yes I do. He needs to die. Sorry, but Ridge and Felicia should be the new senior leaders of the show.

This may require some SORASING of Felicia's son, but I would accept this.

Now, I'm torn about Katie and Bridget. No I'm not. I hate this Bridget. I haven't liked Bridget since Jennifer Finnegan left. I haven't liked Bridget since she fell for her brother. She needs to go back to Copenhagen for more medical training.

Katie...well I love Heather Tom. But I only want to see the smart, sassy PR lady. All the rest of this nonsense can stop.

So, what are we left with:

Forrester side: Ridge (single), Felicia, Taylor, Thomas, Stephy, Phoebe.

Logan side: Katie (all others gone). I can see Katie as part of the Forrester team.

Baker side: Lt. Baker, Charlie, Marcus, and all others they can dream of

Now, we need the Forresters to have a campy, underhanded rival. Yup, Spectra.

With Nick gone, though, I don't think Jackie should be running it.

I like the idea of bringing CJ back, now self-discovered to be a somewhat flamboyant (shades of Sally, and also CJ's own slightly goth leanings) gay leader for Spectra. (Not my idea...I stole that from someone here). I picture him as a slightly stronger version (Sally-ish) of the gay assistant on Ugly Betty. Spectra returns to being a knockoff joint. C-Gay is fully out and proud and has tortured, melodramatic romances. I'd have Clarke stick around as his talk-to. I might bring back Mark (not sure), no longer an MD (after helping Stephanie fake her heart attack) as his "Thorne"...but I'm not sure it is needed.

I would not bring back Kristen, but I might bring back Zende. I do miss Deacon A LOT...and I wonder if there would be room for him and "Little D" at Spectra. He could ramp up the ruthlessness feature.

To accomplish this, I really think there needs to be some mass devastation that clears the canvas. Eric's death could be it. Or a Tsunami :-). I wouldn't necessarily kill off most people, but B&B is clearly international.

If you remember the early days of the show, and what made it such a HIT in Europe and elsewhere, there were two elements:

- good girl vs. bad girl in the fight for Ridge (Brooke and Caroline...later substituted successfully by Taylor)

- manipulative matriarch (Stephanie)

And, then, B&B hit its heights when Spectra was introduced and, later, when Sheila-then Amber-and-Deacon stirred the pot.

These three elements (a tortured triangle that divides the audience 50-50, not incestuous...it makes sense that the 'bad girl' would come from the other side of the tracks, and so should therefore be a Baker; a meddling matriarch who will STOP AT NOTHING [Felicia]; a campy rival) could restore this show.

I honestly don't believe there is the creative will at B&B to do this. Their asset is the "family" thing they have going on...substantial behind the scenes loyalty and some in-front-of-camera loyalty. But, like Y&R, that is the source of their stagnation. I don't think they should bring in outside help (LML!!), but they need a major shakeup.

[Cat]

Oh, no! Don't lose Owen! He's the only part of the show I'm enjoying right now.

(Yes, I'm superficial that way).

[SOAPSFOREVER]

Boring day, in my opinion. I've sick of all the tears. Where's the fun B&B we used to know and love????

[SOAPSFOREVER]

Boring day, in my opinion. I've sick of all the tears. Where's the fun B&B we used to know and love????