Thanks for the foolishness

What a week for The Bold and the Beautiful! Not only was it iced out the chance for a fourth consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Show, but Liam still couldn't decide between Hope and Steffy. Yes, the never-ending triangle goes on and on. But, there's always next week!

Let's all sing together, shall we? "Thanks for the foolishness, the dumb Aspen remote, the annulment papers that float, the wintry hills, the popping pills, and soapy stories to promote, how silly it was!"

Yes, what has become of the once boldest soap on the air? With tales like this one, B&B wasn't even good enough to warrant a nomination as Outstanding Drama Series from the Emmys, after winning the prize three years in a row! How the mighty have fallen, it seems. It had to be depressing in Brad Bell's office this past week when the nominations were revealed and his "baby" was left out. He probably demanded a recount, but what he should have done is look at the past week's episodes and realized the problem isn't with Emmy voters, it's with these storylines. Or should I say, one storyline...the one that turned into the never-ending story.

Brad, the show has screeched to a halt because of this Hope-Steffy-Liam fandango. It's turned into a winter carnival of unbelievable storytelling that seems to go on and on without a resolution. I give Brad Bell props for casting three lovely young actors and putting them into this triangle. However, this round robin has been going nowhere fast, and many of the viewers are nauseous from the ride!

My heart truly goes out to Steffy and Hope. I've decided that if Steffy does wind up with Liam, I'm good with that. It clear that there's a real passion between them. They have a lot in common, and when Steffy has stopped chasing Liam like he was a fox and she was a hound, I've liked their story. Those scenes in Aspen by the river were adorable, although their singing was really, really bad! Somebody should have listened to the original song and coached these actors! Still, there was real chemistry between them up in the snow, much more so than the crazy scenes in Cabo with the mariachi band and the ATV chase on the beach. That was so juvenile that I was embarrassed for Steffy and pulling for Liam and Hope to reunite.

But after Steffy's accident on the slopes, she seemed to be a new woman. Maybe she realized how ridiculous it was to chase a man who simply cannot make up his mind. Steffy wised up, and I hope she stays that way.

Back in L.A., I also liked that Hope decided to move out of the cliff house. She finally resisted the pressure to hold onto Liam in a way that felt inappropriate for her. Premarital sex is okay for many people, but not Hope. She's got a hang-up about it and finally came clean with her fianc. And Liam didn't fight her; he understood. Of course, now that they've been lovers, the abstinence thing is out the window, and Hope probably realizes she caved in to peer pressure on that one.

My major cause of frustration in the triangle is Liam -- or should I call him Ridge Jr.? They are writing Liam in the exact way they have Ridge since day one. Liam, like Ridge, is a man incapable of committing to one woman. He's a man who vacillates to the point of distraction. Woe to the women who love this indecisive man. Just as Ridge has vexed Taylor and Brooke for years and years, you can imagine Liam doing the same thing to Hope and Steffy.

But here's why I don't respect Liam. He's let himself be in intimate situations with Steffy while engaged to Hope. Then he was drawn back to Hope after he had married to Steffy and couldn't stay away from her. But after he left Steffy to be with Hope, he continued flirting and canoodling with Steffy (at the Bikini Bar) without ever once telling Steffy to stop pursuing him. Would you put up with that kind of behavior from your significant other? I wouldn't! Liam enjoys being chased and wanted and, as a result, he's untrue to Hope and Steffy. That's not right.

Liam doesn't have the self-awareness to just step away from these women and admit that he's too immature for a serious relationship. Maybe he needs some time on his own to figure out what kind of a man he wants to be.

His father is pushing him to settle down with Steffy, a woman Bill once coveted, which should make Liam want to hurl. Where's Liam's backbone? Wouldn't you love to see him stand up to Bill and say, "You are a sick man if you're trying to vicariously be with Steffy through me!"

How else can you explain Bill's passionate detestation for Hope? She's not Bill's kind of woman. She's everything he despises, starting with her morals. Bill really hates that Hope wanted to be a virgin on her wedding night. But it's deeper than that, if you ask me. Bill still has sexual urges for Steffy. He wants her in the family and in his universe, but it's not normal to feel that way for a daughter-in-law. He's a lecherous man getting aroused by Steffy's sexy lingerie ads in the pages of Eye on Fashion, and to that I say, "Eww!"

But what if Bill's hatred of Hope isn't about his lusting after Steffy? Considering how he feels about Hope's "addiction," and I question if she's really an addict after 20 pills max, are we going to find out that maybe there was an addicted ex-love in Bill's life who broke his heart? Maybe that could explain his feelings. Otherwise, it's irrational for him to be this angry about a human frailty. After all, Hope had no idea that taking a pill or two would undo her the way it has. She didn't seek out medication to deal with her problems. She's also never done drugs or turned to booze. She's not an addictive personality. Bill is making it out like she's Lindsay Lohan or Charlie Sheen, for goodness sake!

Not only does Bill need to get his nose out of Liam's life, but the same goes for the rest of the parental units. They're all way too interested in who winds up with whom. This past week, even Stephanie got in on the gossiping, becoming Steffy's sounding board. Where was the wise grandmother to give Steffy some sage advice?

After all, who better than Stephanie to realize that youthful romance is not the be-all, end-all of human existence? Wouldn't it have been refreshing for Stephanie to tell her namesake that if she loves Liam, give him some time to grow up and he'll eventually come back to her? Or perhaps suggest that Steffy would be a more attractive alternative to Hope if she had some substance in her life, like working with the homeless or volunteering at Dayzee's or reading the to blind! Steffy is all-work and some-play, with very little real life mixed in.

All these young folks are privileged kids who work in a glamorous industry, have more money than they need, have no concerns about getting a higher education or -- God forbid -- worrying about repaying student loans -- and are obsessed with their emotional and sexual lives. An old bird like Stephanie should really be disgusted with the whole lot of them! After her cancer scare and recommitment to a worthwhile life, why is she cheerleading for one granddaughter over another ('cause Hope is like a grandchild to her)?

The same goes for Ridge and Taylor and Brooke. Adults, please, get a life! Brooke can't stop with the wedding plans, and now she wants to do Hope's nuptials in Italy! What's the matter, Mars wasn't available? Hey, Brooke, here's a thought; go find out if RJ is still alive? That kid is probably going to come downstairs one of these days and be older than Hope!

Lately, Ridge and Brooke haven't even mentioned their son. Shouldn't Ridge be teaching him how to surf or play water polo, you know, something rich and Californian? As for Taylor, I guess she's still dating Thorne and practicing psychiatry, but you'd be hard-pressed to prove it based on anything she's done on screen. Her scenes of late have been reacting to Steffy then reacting to Brooke for her reactions to Steffy. Excuse me while I nod off...

In other plot points, few though they are, Rick looked wonderful in high heels. Maybe it's time for this show to embrace a male gay character? They're bringing on Crystal Chappell to play a lesbian, but clearly there is room for a gay fashionista of the male variety. What if Rick is bisexual? That would be revolutionary, don't you think?

But I really don't think Rick is gay. He's a narcissistic idiot as played by Jacob Young, but not homosexual. The fact that this Rick cannot figure out that Amber is playing him again just defies logic. How many times does she have to scam him before he gets wise?

As for Caroline, well, she's a new kid and doesn't really know these Forrester people or even some members of her own family. Bill's a virtual stranger to her. That little dinner party at Liam's was a nice change of pace. In fact, Ridge barbecuing chicken was also refreshing! Imagine, those characters actually did something real; they made dinner and ate together. What a novelty! I thought it was strictly coffee at Dayzee's and drinks at the Bikini.

Well, that's it for this week. I'm sure we'll have more reasons to give thanks in the weeks to come as Brad Bell rights this runaway romance train and gets B&B back on the right track. The Caroline has two moms storyline can't come soon enough for me.

So, that's it for now. Please share your thoughts with me about what's going to happen in the weeks ahead Your comments are always welcome at Soap Central, so stay in touch. And tell me which other characters you want to see fixed or changed, or return to the show. Contact us at Soap Central. And keep on reading Two Scoops every week!

Meanwhile, here are some letters from the readers!

• If I didn't know any better, I would think that Bradley Bell has a death wish. It is all so sickening now and if the past year's episodes and storylines are to be offered as evidence, it is no small wonder that they were not nominated for an opportunity to four-peat. Who could imagine that the aforementioned Mr. Bell would have crafted all of the major plotlines of last year around Steffy, Hope, and Liam? Except for the Thomas/Brooke deserted island adventure. Regarding the personality and motivation for each character, I agree with what one of your writers said about Bill Spencer. Bradley Bell is writing for him as though he sounds campy and over the top. And it has never been explained why Bill despises Hope so much. That storyline just doesn't wash. As far as Hope, Liam, and Steffy are concerned, it sometimes seems like I am watching Groundhog Day. The same basic storylines just packaged a little differently. It has gotten so bad in our house that my wife has even thought about not watching anymore. Maybe Deacon Sharpe will liven things up a bit. -- Philip

• That Liam is a bobblehead...each (and every) time the wind blows, he's obsessing over a different woman. It is certainly not entertaining or inspired story telling -- it's waffling. Soap fans are all for suspense (even cheesy suspense) but this just seems to have turned into a bait and switch. Liam is a giant flake! - Mama.

• I AM SO SICK of STEFFY.... let it go already. Now they are going to pull this again like Ridge and Brooke. It would be thrilling to see Bill finally get his. One final note, Taylor and Brooke are no paragons of fidelity....They should shut up already and mind their own business. - Loren

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