B&B: Old/Classic Discussion & Articles

[sheilaforever]

First and foremost: Thanks to everyone who contributed to the Vault this year and special thanks to @ChickenNuggetz92 for building this treasure trove.

I have reached #1800 (end of May 1994…) and wanted to share my comments: the show is still interesting to watch, but not that different from one of the better 2021 or 2022 periods. The actors and some episodes are wonderful, yet this edge of your seat feeling from 1993 is missing. Some stuff is indeed repetitive and the focus on Ridge and Brooke’s love live is showing wear and tear. (In all honesty, I felt the same about 1988 and 1989 episodes with Ridge & Caroline!) Plus, some stories or directions for characters come out of nowhere. E.g. I don’t buy Stephanie & Eric in whatever kind of relationship status they are now. She harps about being sooo lonely in her house, yet she is still with Jack!? Eric issues all kinds of accusations at Sheila, yet at this period it is him who is showing his wife the cold shoulder and spending all his time with Stephanie. This leads to some far-reaching events like James’ fascination with Sheila and her zest to take more extreme measures. The build up to what is to come is good (I always pictured Dr. Garvin to die muuuuuuuuuch sooner and the Houdini dungeon wayyyyyy later), but the initial switch of positions for all these character was rather sudden.

 

Seeing the first episodes of Dylan (what a 80s DYNASTY style hairdo!) and Jessica (sheesh, what a green “actress” and out of this world characterisation!!!) made me realise that I was watching B&B fulltime by then. I must have started right around Taylor’s plane crash because a lot of these scenes and episodes look very familiar to me all of a sudden. As a new viewer (of young age no less) who had previously only watched occasionally, I was absolutely spellbound by these episode. Now my verdict is way less favourable. The entrances of Dylan and Jessica in particular are already super boring and I’m dreading their romance.

 

[JamesF]

Have to agree with pretty much everything you've said on 1994 (I'm just up to Brooke and Ridge's wedding so slightly further ahead).

On the one hand, the period holds some affection for me because it's the era that Channel 5 started from in the UK and when I was first able to watch. The channel launched in March 1997 with lots of publicity for Sunset Beach on the daytime schedule but not quite as much for B&B which I was far more interested in. I'd been able to get my 12 year-old hands on some Aussie soap mags for a couple of years so had a fairly good grasp of the characters and where stories would lead but lots of gaps in between.

I recall a 30 minute catch up episode to get new viewers up to speed (would love to see that appear on YouTube one day) and then straight into 1994 the next day. Rewatching these eps, I can't pinpoint which episode but I do know it was the run up to the wedding, Sheila was seducing Connor and Taylor was just getting her memory back. 

Watching as an adult and with the 1987-1994 eps under my belt, I can't say it's a hugely engrossing period although seems to be picking up around the wedding. The Princess Laila storyline is even more contrived than I remember - it's not a well laid out plot at all and plays up to the worst perceptions people have about soaps. 

Sidenote about the wedding: I'm sure at least half of it is done with green screen which I absolutely did not notice when I watched on a 14" TV back then.

Sheila is an interesting one in this period. Objectively, the way in which Eric/Stephanie treat her through 1994 really is despicable. She also seems to have lost her sinister edge (temporarily) and is being played far more as a sort of Aaron Spelling show trophy wife, smiling and schmoozing the family while seducing the lawyer to get pregnant. It's a watchable shift but in true Brad Bell style, relies on Connor losing any sense of character to fit the story.

If our hugely generous uploaders continue, I'll be fascinated watching on from this point and seeing how my take on things has changed.

Edited December 31, 2022 by JamesF

[Maxim]

Prepare for the most boring and unbearable 200 episodes. From 1850 to 2050 I was close to stopping watching but my partner kept asking to watch more. The whole Omar storyline was executed like an animated children series. It was so low quality dialogue and disgusting repetitive monologues. After 2050s now... till 2100 it has been getting better and better. 

I love Maggie and the actress that plays her. I didn't expect to like her.

Dylan has become manlier and more interesting as a male Heartbreaker. He was very boring before . Jessica is more interesting now.

The only storyline that was cartoonih was the Armando Macy stalker killer storyline. I LOLed couple of times during "tense" moments. It wa soooo cheap.

But I will say with the Brooke Stephanie war starting up again... I would say the series is 6/10... when the last 200 300 episodes was 2/10. I never expected such boring year as 1994 and I would compare it to the worst years of BB ever. My memories were different... when I watched as a child. So I would really rate 1994 as the worst season I've ever watched.  Really. And the Omar Peincess Leyla storyline the worst ever on this show. The cringe was... next level. I guess if I was 9 or 12 I would have been interested but watching as a 28 year old... it's cartoon. There are no real human characters. It's so shallow. So shallow. Bradley bell is talentless as..... it's a shock after a year like 1993. 1300 to 1700 was the most amazing period. I can't wait to start watching from the start again.

Happy holidays to you guys.

I've added lots more english subtitles. So anyone can start watching from 2065 when videoland gets to that point soon if you don't want to wait.

Happy new year and be bold and beautiful.

 

Huge thank to all the angels and especially @ChickenNuggetz92

And @rsclassicfanforever

And all the unknown angels.

[Marquise]

Happy New Year from me too! Wish you all the best!

[DRW50]

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[AbcNbc247]

Hahaha thanks for the warning.

I'm on 1845 right now. Jessica's birthday party and the aftermath of it, and I feel like I'm watching an episode of 90210 

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Edited January 1, 2023 by AbcNbc247

[sheilaforever]

This is something we should always remember: it was the high point of BH90210 and Melrose Place craze back then and - I think - the similar style of B&B was part of an attempt to cash in on it. B&B had great household ratings on CBS but rather lackluster rating in the demographics…

[Maxim]

OK well.. it's episode 2121 and I will say that Bold is finally Back. Brooke painted as a  bad mother is interesting... Dylan and Maggie's relationship is good. Stephanie plotting with Taylor against Brooke is amazing. Macy and Thorne are finally together again... Sally is thinking of stealing.... I will rate the show as 7.5/10. And it's great agter it was 2/10 for so long. I hope it lasts.... but I doubt it.

[AbcNbc247]

I noticed that while watching.

It seemed like they tried to capture the MP demographic with Karen and Connor and then the 90210 demographic with Dylan and Jessica. Idk if it helped back in 1994, but I feel like it's changing the show and not for the better. It never really works when the original show or whatever starts to borrow from another, later show. 

That's happened a lot on DOOL in 2022, and I didn't like it there either

[kalbir]

 

It cannot be emphasized enough that Bradley taking over coincides with time slot rival Reilly's Days taking off in the ratings. That could be why 1994 was trying to cash in on the Spelling Fox shows which were at their peak that year.

Bradley's big storylines culminated in the first half of 1995 but the tanking began in the second half of 1995.

[Videnbas]

I feel a little differently about this period - although I felt the second half of 1994 was slow and the Princess Laila/Leila/Layla? (did we ever get an official spelling of that name?) not nearly as good as I remember it, I am really enjoying what I've seen so far of the end of 1994 and the first part of 1995. It seems that around Christmas 1994, all four storylines are *finally* showing some movement - the secret of Taylor being alive starting to come out as James puts two and two together, Sheila starting therapy with James, Thorne and Macy rekindling their romance and getting an actual storyline besides a studio session every two weeks (and I do love the Rotterdam episodes), even the supremely boring Jessica and Dylan storyline gaining some momentum with the trial.

I am looking forward to seeing the first part of 1995 in its entirety, with Taylor's return to LA, Sheila's going off the rails, and Ivana's murder storyline. The first half of 1995 contains some of the soapiest moments in the show's history.

I personally really like the whole psycho Anthony story - it is even one of my all time favorites (bear with me here, lengthy explanation ahead!). Sure, it's over the top but in an "archetypal" or fairy tale way that makes total sense to me because Anthony is as pure a "Big Bad Wolf" character as I've ever seen on this soap. After watching Anthony's introduction storyline a while ago I am appreciating his exit storyline even more since I realized his psycho killer storyline is really a twisted repeat of his first six months on the show, but magnified and played *in reverse*. Anthony is basically retracing his steps throughout this storyline. There are so many "mirror scenes" one and a half years apart that make for excellent foreshadowing (like the dead cat scene, or the bathing suit/wedding gown "pranks", or the obvious parallels between his first and his last meeting with Macy). Also, I really like the parallels to Shakespeare's Othello at the end.

[Maxim]

I respectfully disagree. It was over the top and very badly written and acted... the idea itself was a B thriller movie from the early 90s... The dialogue quality was absurd. The way Thorne escaped prison was... I mean... IDIOTIC and so unbelievable. The show had so many cringe and unrealistic moments... I was shocked with the dip in quality. 

 

Its now episode 2132 and I will say... I LOVE IT again. I love the fights and the drama with little Eric. I am happy that I didnt stop watching. Its getting better and better. 

[AMCOLTLLover]

I Love the Princess Story about Taylor. I will always have fond memories of it. It’s not worse than everything that came out on Dool during the last 2 decades!

Second half 1994 to Mid 1995 was fire! I loved the storys and the camp

[Videnbas]

Yes, we will agree to respectfully disagree! 

Anyway, I'm really excited that we've come this far in the show's history with complete years up until 1994 and (soon) beyond! It is a dream come true!

[Maxim]

Guys.... its episode 2133 and let me say... WOW: THE SHOW IS back at prime amazing BOLD. it's solid 10 out of 10. I love the drama, the script... the plot. I LOVE IT. Bill Bell must have done something! So... for anyone bored watching videoland episodes... know that the show makes a comeback! Dont stop watching!