Credit: Howard Wise/JPI (3)
At long last, Bold & Beautiful finally told us what Thomas has been up to since the day he was booted from Forrester… even as they set him up for a triumphant return. Meanwhile, several missed opportunities and bizarre storytelling moments left us wondering if a really, really important detail wound up on the cutting room floor.
Fashion (Flash) Forward
I was completely baffled when suddenly, Hope and Steffy were sitting around waiting for reviews of the latest Hope for the Future line. But it turns out that after ages of not releasing anything at all, HFTF apparently put out two lines within two months of each other. I mean, no wonder the reviews on Eric and Zende’s version were so awful… they only had two months to push those new designs out!
More: The easiest way to solve the very big Thomas issue
And then it hit me: At some point over the past two months, Bold & Beautiful must have jumped at least a few months into the future. How else to explain that yet again, the fate of Forrester Creations rested on the shoulders of Hope’s line? The more I thought about this, the more it made sense. After all, the Thomas-designed fashion show held in November was for buyers. So in order for Eric and Zende’s line to be out there in the universe awaiting reviews comparing it to the work done by Thomas, a fair amount of time must have passed.
Time Marches On
Looking at the canvas as a whole, my time-jump theory made even more sense. When it was first revealed that Bill and Sheila were a couple, I — like most viewers — asked when this relationship was supposed to have formed. She was, after all, living with Deacon at the time, and he was doing his darndest to keep tabs on his housemate. She was also keeping his bed warm at night, which would seem tough to do while also forming a close, intimate tie with Bill.
If, however, there was a time jump between when Deacon booted Sheila from his broom closet and when she began playing house with Bill, things make at least a little bit more sense…
The Friend Zone
Expanding our view of the canvas even further, a time jump would also help explain how Paris and Zende went from canoodling at the holidays to their current status as pals. Bold & Beautiful is known for rushing relationships as well as for telling us things instead of showing them to us, but this might be the first time they managed to rush a couple into and out of a relationship almost entirely off screen!
More: Why is Eric Forrester keeping such a huge secret from an ex?
Think about it: Zende and Paris were happily coupled up at Eric’s Christmas party. A day later, Thomas was fired by his family and booted from Eric’s home. Now, less than a month later in real time — let alone on the show, where a single day can often unfold over multiple episodes — Paris and Thomas are living together and she’s become his biggest cheerleader.
More: The real-life loves of your favorite Young & Restless stars!
Speaking of friendships, a time jump would also explain the fact that Hope and Steffy are now gal pals. In much the same way that Taylor and Brooke became BFF’s overnight, so have their daughters. Steffy even went so far as to side with Hope over Thomas when discussing his future at the company!
Kiss Me, Katie!
Did you sort of expect Friday’s episode to end with Katie planting a kiss on Bill as Sheila watched? Just how far is she willing to go in order to get her ex-husband away from Sheila… and how far is Carter willing to letter her go?
More: Is this what made Sheila the bad person she became?
Over the past two weeks, we’ve seen everyone in Bill’s life beg him to get rid of Sheila. When Brooke tried reminding him of the past they shared, it seemed as if maybe, just maybe, she would be the one to reach him. But the fact is that despite Bill being drawn to Brooke time and again, most of us would agree that Katie is his one true love.
When we discussed Bill’s women with his portrayer, Don Diamont, he agreed with that sentiment. “There is no doubt that Katie is the love of his life,” he said. “One of the greatest struggles Bill has faced [has been] trying to be the better man that she wants and deserves without losing who he is.”
So watch out, Sheila, ’cause if anyone can derail your plan, it’s going to be Katie!
Daddy Issues
Watching Finn play with Kelly and Douglas was absolutely adorable, and the kind of thing I’d love to see more of. It’s nice when not everything is plot, plot, plot. But when Liam and Finn sat down to talk about families in general and fathers in particular, I was annoyed that the whole conversation basically revolved around how Thomas had disappointed Douglas yet again.
This would have been a great opportunity for Liam and Finn to talk about their own fathers. Liam’s dad has turned everyone’s lives upside down thanks to his involvement with Sheila, and Finn’s pop was the one who brought the former nurse back into all of their lives in the first place courtesy of their long-ago affair. But instead, because the episode in question was all about Thomas’ desire to get his job back, of course this conversation had to be Thomas-centric. That’s just how this show operates.
Random Thoughts
• Given that Sheila was bedding both Bill and Deacon, am I the only one who’s surprised the show didn’t do a “Who’s the daddy?” storyline?
• Shouldn’t Ridge have come running back to town upon finding out that Sheila was no longer behind bars? Isn’t protecting his two families more important than “finding” himself?
Want to check out the real-life partners of your favorite Bold & Beautiful actors? Of course you do… and by clicking below, you’ll be able to do just that!
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