Closer Look at Zombie Bill, Do-Nothing Sheila, Taylor’s Hysteria, Deacon’s @#$%! Pizza and More Things I Never Want to See Again
Last week on The Bold and the Beautiful, all hell broke loose at Forrester Creations when the latest Hope for the Future collection got a bad review, leading Thomas back with an offer to save the day, while Katie made another attempt to get through to Bill and Finn rejected Sheila’s peaceful overtures.
This week, Taylor confessed to shooting Bill to Brooke and Katie, Steffy forbid her mother to turn herself in, and Katie and Sheila had another catty confrontation that ended with a threat.
I need a break!
Since we’re stuck in the episode-after-episode-of-recapping mode B&B is famous for, let’s do things a little differently this week, shall we?
Because between you and me, I will lose what’s left of my mind if I have to churn out another column about the lack of any discernable story on this show.
Instead, let’s take a closer look at some of the characters in play who need a bit of a shake-up and some new direction – and one who’s just fine where he is.
Bill Spencer, aka Duller Bill
I still don’t understand why this moment is when is Bill “at his most vulnerable.”
Why now? What does it even mean?
None of this has been explained beyond “Brooke and Katie said no,” and yet the entire focus of B&B is now on the effect of that rejection on the suddenly tender-hearted Bill.
Sometimes he’s awake and normal, sometimes he’s in a waking coma. I have no idea what’s up with Bill and I’m not convinced the writers do, either.
I guess Sheila could have performed a lobotomy on Bill during their magical night on the beach. Or is he just in need of a laxative?
Hoping next week the writers might allow Bill to speak again and explain to us what’s going on.
Whatever the reason is for Dollar Bill to become Duller Bill, it’s incredibly tedious to watch.
Sheila Carter, aka Psycho Granny
Sheila is the only woman in daytime to have three men begging for a taste, which is no mean feat when Brooke Logan is single.
No other soap character has had more men falling at her feet, more romance or more sex than Sheila since last year.
I still can’t wrap my head around that!
But after weeks of husky whispers and repetitive dialogue, it’s time to get Sheila moving forward.
She used to be the jealous type, so why not play on that? Sheila could be worried Bill might choose Katie, or maybe Deacon has “reconnected” with Bridget.
Try as she might, we know Sheila can’t and shouldn’t stay sane for long, and that makes for all kinds of good DRAMA!
Deacon Sharpe, aka The Convict
Apparently, Deacon was working off-screen to buy Il Giardino and even got some unnamed investors to help him make his dream come true.
Who are Deacon’s investors? Do they trust an ex-con with no experience running a restaurant?
Finding out who gave Deacon financial help could be a great place to start an actual story.
Maybe Finn secretly gave him the money in gratitude for saving him and Steffy after the shooting. Maybe Donna gave him the money because she’s bored of sitting around in a bikini at Fort Forrester waiting for Eric to wake up from his nap.
Maybe an old prison pal knows about Deacon and Sheila and has blackmailed him into using Il Giardino as a money laundering operation.
Nope, not a word or a story in sight. Just more @#$%! pizza.
Katie Logan, aka Second Best
For some reason, Katie is still really convinced Bill is a good person and that makes no sense.
The youngest Logan has been repeatedly disappointed by Bill in that regard, so why hasn’t she wised up and walked away for good?
I’d love for Katie to stop begging Bill to turn away from the dark side and decide to take matters of Sheila into her own hands.
Katie could wear a wire to record Bill and Sheila talking about everything they did to keep Sheila out of prison.
But Katie hesitates to give the recording to Chief Baker because she knows Bill could wind up in prison.
Then teenage Will (I’m not giving up on that!) comes back and steals the recording from his mom, who doesn’t know Will knows about it.
But is Will protecting his dad or does he have his own scheme?
Katie’s raison d’etre is being a good and protective mom to Will, so get him in the story mix instead of just talking about him.
Related Links:
Get SoapsSpoilers’ new post notifications
Subscribe to SoapsSpoilers’ newsletter
B&B opinion: What’s Bill getting out of being with Sheila?
Carter Walton, aka Mr. Nuptials-R-Us
Maybe it’s all the times he’s acted as the wedding officiant on B&B, but Carter is downright obsessed with marriage and babies, in a way that even Brooke would think is a bit much.
Just a few weeks after true-love Quinn’s off-screen exit, Carter is rushing through courting Katie, who is still very much attached to Bill.
Despite weeks of grinning and talking about other peoples’ problems, there’s not enough heat between Carter and Katie to make a nun sweat, so what’s the point of their relationship besides more recapping opportunities?
Carter should be as viable and messy a romantic lead as the people he works for. There’s no excuse for him not to be looking for love in all the wrong places.
Expecting us to believe a smart, well-paid man with a rockin’ body like Carter can’t find an unattached woman in Los Angeles who wants to have his baby is preposterous.
Ridge Forrester, aka The Dressmaker
No complaints here. I like Ridge right where he is – off-screen and only mentioned in passing.
Taylor Hayes, aka World-Renowned Psychiatrist
Taylor’s “I don’t know what came over me” explanation for shooting a man in the back was a major let-down by soap opera standards.
It sounded like she was blaming attempted murder on some outdated idea of “female hysteria” without actually saying it, which no competent psychiatrist would diagnose.
Taylor could say “I wanted Bill dead for what I thought he did to my daughter. And I’m starting to feel that way again!” and just about everyone would still stand by her.
Taylor and her kin are no strangers to taking the law in their own hands. So, make us wonder if Taylor is going off the deep end again.
Paris Buckingham, aka The Alternate Bride
When you listen to what she says, Paris sounds like a total vixen.
When she’s not showing up late and blowing off work meetings, she’s helping Thomas get his job back by sharing company information and manipulating Hope into thinking taking Thomas back is her only choice.
Sounds like a schemer to me! So why is this character being played so… blah?
The directing and the acting need a little more oomph to make Paris an integral part of the storytelling for the younger set and a character who drives story.
Paris could be so much more than just a convenient talk-to and alternate bride.
Thomas Forrester, aka The Dressmaker’s Crackpot Kid
I’m fine with Thomas having his arrogant rich boy who never apologizes for anything like his daddy Ridge… if that’s what he’s supposed to be.
But is that what the writers want us to see? Because that’s what I see.
At Forrester Creations, Thomas seems to be getting a lot of credit and attention for his designs, while Zende stands to the side and is barely mentioned.
Thomas is the prince royal of Forrester and Zende is the spare.
Sound familiar? Not to the writers, who seem to ignore every potential for in-family conflict.
What is the point of Thomas and Zende both being designers if there are no rivalries in work and in love to bring out the worst in them, as it did for years with Ridge and Thorne?
To be clear to anyone at B&B reading this, I am not asking for a return to over-the-top BWA-HA-HA mustache-twirling Thomas!
I’ve learned the hard way you must be very specific with your demands of this show.
Quote of the week!
Sheila, to Katie: “I think you are really smart and you’re courageous. I don’t know why men don’t like you, at least not for long.”
That was the worst thing Sheila’s done since the shooting!
What do you think?
Will Sheila ever actually be scary?
Have we seen the last of Deacon’s @#$%! pizza?
Will Brooke and Taylor get matching best friend necklaces?
Leave a comment and feel free to read more of my opinions on B&B on SoapsSpoilers, which includes some fun alternative storytelling ideas!
Feel free to Subscribe to SoapsSpoilers’ free newsletter which appears in your email inbox once daily around 8 PM EST.
Or if you like, you can sign up for SoapsSpoilers new post notifications which send a notification to your cell phone when a new post goes up. (It’s 4 times per day, except when the spoilers or comings and goings come in which could add one or two more notifications on those days.)
Either option is free, and you can unsubscribe at any time or try each and use the one that works best for you.