Edited September 6Sep 6 by Maxim

No matter how hard Rebecca Budig tries, I just don't see Taylor in her performance. I'm still struggling to see Thorsten Kaye as Ridge as well, despite him being around for so long. This triangle is already well past its prime, but to try to re-create it with two out of three characters recast makes it even more difficult.

2 minutes ago, I Am A Swede said:

No matter how hard Rebecca Budig tries, I just don't see Taylor in her performance. I'm still struggling to see Thorsten Kaye as Ridge as well, despite him being around for so long. This triangle is already well past its prime, but to try to re-create it with two out of three characters recast makes it even more difficult.

Absolutely.

And even though I know that this was inevitable (Ridge choosing Brooke)... I still cringe at how pro-chauvinist this show is. Women stripped from any dignity and qualities just to boost an ego trip for a man.  

And... a crazy part of me still pities this fake Taylor. It's just so pathetic... to see someone get their hopes up... get used like this (including for sex) and then tossed to the trash. Men like Ridge put people in psychiatric hospitals and sometimes even worse. Not everyone can just move on. Some people really break after a certain amount of heartbreak.

I expect this will now repeat the storyline of Thomas vs Brooke that we've seen now for two or three times.

 

The Bold And The Beautiful circa 2025.

Mmmmmmmm Thomas...

That bad wig on Lang is a choice......

14 minutes ago, Taoboi said:

Mmmmmmmm Thomas...

I'm telling you... I think one of these days they'll find a second doll in his apartment or whatever that creep lives... But this time it will be of Brooke. He is so obsessed. Obsession often leads to this kind of crazy hate... but deep inside it's just a creep that wants something he can't have. LOL. 

Thomas the rapist and obsessive stalker is just a *no* for me.  
Despite whoever the actor was/is.  The character is a *no*.
Ever since Thomas raped Caroline2 and then Bradley tried to say it wasn't rape.

I strongly objected to the show portraying Thomas' obsession with Hope as a romantic thing.
I was fine with Hope discovering her inner sexual nature and having a *brief* hot fling with him, maybe a one-night-stand.
But I was *not* okay with Thomas controlling her and his constant obsession with her.

The creepy mannequin fantasy in 2020 that was written in as a result of COVID protocols preventing actors from touching each other -- was an unusual way to write around the pandemic reality.   But it was still gross.

For me, there is nothing "romantic" about a character being with their stalker.   I thought "Thope" was a horrid pairing because of that.

Edited September 7Sep 7 by janea4old

Just now, janea4old said:

Thomas the rapist and obsessive stalker is just a *no* for me.  
Despite whoever the actor was/is.  The character is a *no*.
Ever since Thomas raped Caroline2 and then Bradley tried to say it wasn't rape.

I strongly objected to the show portraying Thomas' obsession with Hope as a romantic thing.
I was fine with Hope discovering her inner sexual nature and having a *brief* hot fling with him, maybe a one-night-stand.
But I was *not* okay with Thomas controlling her and his constant obsession with her.

The creepy mannequin fantasy in 2020 that was written in as a result of COVID protocols preventing actors from touching each other -- was an unusual way to write around the pandemic reality.   But it was still gross.

THIS. 

Back in 2011 he was pathologically obsessed with Brooke. He would drool on pictures with her... and then kiss her while she was asleep. After he and Brooke crashed on that island... and got accidentally drugged by psychedelic berries... coming back to LA... he lied to his father and the family that Brooke seduced him on that island and that they had sex. Which was not true. All of this was just a lie, planted by Stephanie who promised him power in the company. So he basically lied about sleeping with a woman and destroyed her whole life with it. She had no way of defending herself, because she had no memory from when she was drugged.  

 

On 9/5/2025 at 11:44 AM, Maxim said:

Exactly. JMW has been given such repetitive matronly material the past few years... it's laughable. Nobody who has watched the show for longer than 5-6 years believes that Steffy could naturally grow to be this geriatric, uptight... conservative biddy. She used to be THE Brooke-wannabe. The new generation vixen. The one who sleeps with the wrong men...  walks around in bra and panties in the Forrester building, looking from the corner for any of Hope's boyfriends. I specifically remember how she preyed on the fact that Hope is a virgin and was using that to OFFER her own body for sex. It was disgusting. She was not a girl's girl. She was the ultimate soap opera man-stealing ho. Only rivaled by Brooke, of course. And now... what do we have - this 24/7 angry face who talks nothing but negative stuff about people and is paranoid about everyone in her life. I don't know how Finn has not cheated on her. Every day it's another person who he cannot talk to or engage with. I preferred the old Steffy... she seemed more real than this one right now. Don't get me wrong... this doesn't make JMW's efforts any less meaningful.  She, just like KKL, makes the best out of the bad material she's given. I can easily differentiate between a character and an actress and I would never bash JMW just so I can put a blame on her for something out of her reach or power. Quite frankly, I didn't like her acting style years ago, and I didn't even get her Emmys, but she has grown on me. To a point that now I can't imagine Bold without her. I would miss her dearly if she departed from the show. Of course... if I have to choose between JMW or KKL in terms of which departure will affect the show the most... I would always choose to keep KKL. She is the last remaining thing that is left from the OG Bold and Beautiful DNA. She's given almost 40 years of her life to this show and I love her for it. You say the name Brooke Logan anywhere in Europe... and people's heads turn. She is a household name. Never forget that. 

 

52 minutes ago, janea4old said:

Thomas the rapist and obsessive stalker is just a *no* for me.  
Despite whoever the actor was/is.  The character is a *no*.
Ever since Thomas raped Caroline2 and then Bradley tried to say it wasn't rape.

I strongly objected to the show portraying Thomas' obsession with Hope as a romantic thing.
I was fine with Hope discovering her inner sexual nature and having a *brief* hot fling with him, maybe a one-night-stand.
But I was *not* okay with Thomas controlling her and his constant obsession with her.

The creepy mannequin fantasy in 2020 that was written in as a result of COVID protocols preventing actors from touching each other -- was an unusual way to write around the pandemic reality.   But it was still gross.

For me, there is nothing "romantic" about a character being with their stalker.   I thought "Thope" was a horrid pairing because of that.

Cannot strongly agree enough with these two posts (except, I'm sorry, I cannot agree with any praise of the Steffy actress' performance). The writing for this entire branch of the family is sick. 

43 minutes ago, Maxim said:

Back in 2011 he was pathologically obsessed with Brooke. He would drool on pictures with her... and then kiss her while she was asleep. After he and Brooke crashed on that island... and got accidentally drugged by psychedelic berries... coming back to LA... he lied to his father and the family that Brooke seduced him on that island and that they had sex. Which was not true. All of this was just a lie, planted by Stephanie who promised him power in the company. So he basically lied about sleeping with a woman and destroyed her whole life with it. She had no way of defending herself, because she had no memory from when she was drugged.  

And he did the same thing when he set her up with the CPS lie, not to mention lying about Hope's daughter being alive. And now I guess the direction the story is hinting at is because of his psychological problems, Ridge has to stay with Taylor, otherwise Thomas might get upset and he can't be held responsible for any violence that occurs, which will be either Hope or Brooke's fault for not giving him what he wants.

14 minutes ago, BoldRestless said:

And he did the same thing when he set her up with the CPS lie, not to mention lying about Hope's daughter being alive. And now I guess the direction the story is hinting at is because of his psychological problems, Ridge has to stay with Taylor, otherwise Thomas might get upset and he can't be held responsible for any violence that occurs, which will be either Hope or Brooke's fault for not giving him what he wants.

I had forgotten about that. How despicable. And with the deep-fakes and AI stuff we see on the news lately... you have to reeeeeeeeeeeally be the lowest of the low to impersonate a woman's voice... steal her identity... once again to try and ruin her life. Taylor's kids are a bad look for her as a psychiatrist. Her son is a complete loon and her daughter is one very... very unhappy and bitter woman. And she seems unable to help them or even advise them in any sufficient way. They only get worse with time... It's like they feel they need to protect their 60 year old mother like she is some kind of child. It's really bizarre. 

Thorsten Kaye looks even more bored out of his mind than usual.

OMG, Taylor is hitting a new low. The man is basically telling her - Ok, I had some fun, had my yearly break from Brooke, but now I'm bored with you and eating salads and vegan burgers everyday and I want to go back to fast food and McDonalds, so BYE.  And her reaction - It's BROOKE'S FAULT! Ridge is somehow under her "spell" and she WILL NOT ALLOW him to leave her again. LOL. 

Again, ALL of the blame is for the woman. Always. Just like they were blaming Hope for everything Carter was doing. THE MEN are pure and innocent, they just happen to be so stupid and naive so that these "evil" women manipulate them. BULL! This is just incredibly frustrating to watch. And pathetic! Just look at this and tell me have you seen someone humiliate themselves more than this? 

When someone wants to break it off with you, you swallow your tears, keep your head high and MOVE ON. You don't beg and tell him that you basically don't allow him to break it off. Now what is chapter 2 - your crazy son is going to attempt to kill Brooke? Just because your entire family can't process the fact that NOT Brooke, but RIDGE is the problem. The problem is within, it's your own idiotic, self-centered, chauvinist father Ridge. 

Brooke is no angel, but this is just getting too ridiculous. 

 P.S Rebecca Budig is giving her all these past 2 episodes. She better be careful not to get nominated for an Emmy! Because we all know what happens next, right? (Just joking.)

 

Oh for heaven's sake, this is pathetic! This is such horrible, degrading writing. Does Brad Bell really think anyone wants to see this? Anyone?? To call this misogynistic doesn't even begin to describe it. I'm sure Brad Bell thinks of Ridge as his alter ego and fantasizes about having two women fight over him. It's nauseating.   🤢