B&B: Patrick Duffy's return for this story.....

[BoldBeauty]

Patrick Duffy and Robin Riker returns as the Logan parents the week of April 12 for the continuing of the Alzheimers storyline for Beth.

Spoilers say Beth and Stephen returns with sad news. Beth is getting worse. They temporarily moves in with Eric, Donna (and Stephanie). The two matriarch of course hit the collition course with each other and have an argument. Later, Beth´s irrational behavior is taking over. Stephanie decides to ignore Beth, but that turns out not to be wise. Beth´s aggressive sides caused by her illness sets in and the two women end up in a physical situation and an accident takes place. While Stephanie tries to voice her side of the situation, the happenings may cause a rift between Ridge and Brooke concerning their mothers. And it may lead to serious conflict between the Logan family and the Forrester family.

[DRW50]

This story would work if Beth was around for longer periods of time and viewers saw her decline. Or if viewers had more reason to be involved. Robin Riker doesn't seem like a great fit for this role. I don't know why they couldn't have kept Nancy Burnett.

[YRBB]

Is this going to end in Beth accidentally pushing Stephanie down the balcony and getting blamed for it?

[MichaelGL]

Why couldn't they bring Nancy Burnett back?

[BadZoe]

Poor Taylor she married Whip and now won't be able to be Ridge's rebound girl after he and Brooke have a "marriage threatening" argument.

[bellcurve]

*sigh*

I know alot of people accuse soap fans of overreacting, but if what I've been hearing about how this will play out is true, this story is so trashy, disgusting and offensive to their older audience who may already feel fear or insecurity about living with or knowing someone with Alzheimer's(or Dementia, depending on whether they have actually addressed it on the show). Not to mention downright disgusting to the legacy of Bill Bell.

I'm not saying Brad Bell hasn't had his trashy or offensive moments over the years(you're talking to someone who defended Ridget and SIL Boink), but to piss on your late father's illness like this for cheap thrills, silly giggles(provided by whatever cheesy camera angles and directing Deveney provides for this nonsense) and temporary ratings upticks is just vile.

Beth with Alzheimer's would have been so much more powerful if she would have made sporadic visits over next year or so and maybe with Brooke/Katie/Donna torn over whether or not they support their mother killing herself before it gets worse or whether they want to convince her to live(endgame) and then ship her out, but continue to make sporadic visits over the years, raising awareness about this illness.

Brad Bell cannot tell social issues, I'm completely aware of that. But this was his chance to rise above his usual flash-in-the-pan, smoke and mirrors, telenovela bullsh*t stories and tell something personal and gripping while surrounding that with his usual lighthearted inanity.

And what is with Brad Bell's over-reliance on death as a means of pushing or developing story?! Haven't we seen enough death on this show? This show was always supposed to be the spunky, kid sister to serious Y&R. Why do the Bell shows insist on copying Jill Farren Phelps' formula of murder for sweeps points? Killing someone every three months does not a solid Emmy Reel make.

[Rakesh]

Well said, BC. Btw, are you saying Beth is going to die?

[bellcurve]

I heard that Stephanie and Beth get into an argument, there's some sort of struggle and Beth falls into the Forrester pool. Stephanie, angry and in a huff, leaves her there. Beth's Alzheimer's in that moment of panic makes her forget how to swim and she drowns and dies in the pool.

What a fuucked up way to raise awareness for Alzheimer's!

[DRW50]

It's even more unpleasant because of the history between Beth and Stephanie -- Stephanie has basically always won and Beth has always lost.

I don't like the constant stunt killing for stories that go on for about ten minutes. Like when Storm committed suicide to give Katie his heart, which basically told viewers that suicide is noble. Then that went nowhere, unless you count that crapola story about Nick recreating Katie's prom by pounding her on the beach. And Ann's death was also basically a quickly forgotten stunt. It's a narcissistic producer's fantasy land because he can pat himself on the back for these oh so special little moments that make him feel like an artiste, without bothering to tell these in a way that have an impact for viewers.

This is probably going to be like when they had the ten minute rape story for Brooke.

It doesn't help that I just don't buy the Logans as a family. I still see Grandma Logan and old man Stephen and Nancy Burnett. Patrick Duffy is playing the same character he's played all his life and just using his usual charm and good looks, which invalidates the whole point of Stephen, which is that he was this boring, useless guy Beth never really loved.

[Eric83]

WTF?!

[Rakesh]

OMG, that is so fucked up! OMG!

[bellcurve]

Not to mention that we have been over this before...with Stephanie and Jackie.

This event is supposed to drive a wedge between Eric/Donna and Brooke/Ridge in yet ANOTHER ambigious "Did Stephanie really want Beth Logan to drown and die? Did she know Beth forgot how to swim"? Which I guarantee is the way they shot this(as they did with Brooke getting raped because of Stephanie's throwaway line to Andy and Jackie M falling over the banister).

These events should have provided years of dramatic material for everyone involved. Not to say Katie should be crying in a hospital bed every episode, but they should have used this event to show how strong Katie could be while finding love again. Nick/Katie was never a problem for me. It was her stooping low and sleeping with her niece's husband that did me in.

Ann's death happened to capitalize on the Betty White lovefest. I hope they completely shut her ass out of the nominations.

Which ended with her using her violent attack to seduce a man.

I'm just so Goddamned irritated with this show. So much wasted potential.

[bellcurve]

Exactly. What kind of message does that send to their older audience that may have the disease or may know someone who does?

I mean, look at the demos. Metamucil drinkers and Depends lovers are watching this show. Did that not register with him when he decided to give this story the greenlight?

[dragonflies]

Makes me glad I don't watch B&B cause my grandmother had dementia and it always makes me mad when a show can't do a story like this right and basically does it for shits and giggles

[bellcurve]

It's even more offensive knowing that this trash is coming from a man whose father suffered in his final years with Alzheimer's. This shouldn't have been a PSA or pamphlet story by any means, but it just seems so sad that there are real people who constantly live in a state of fear of something like this happening to them and seeing that realized on a tv show. Especially a TV show that is popular with that age demographic.