And you thought I was gone

Caroline wanted to tell the truth. Katie didn't want to hear the truth. But Stephanie had some posthumous truths to tell thanks to the digital age. Not only was the Queen back, but Two Scoops' Mike is also back, after several weeks, to get down to some serious B&B business!

Has your week been bold and beautiful? Were you a minnow that tried to go up against a shark? Were your lips the topic of many conversations? Did you really, truly get in the last word? These and more situations faced the Forresters et al this week!

All right, Scoopers, I'm back. It seems a lifetime since I last sat here columnizing for you; it's definitely been a real-life soap opera these last four weeks. But I just want to thank all of you who took the time to offer me words of comfort and support over losing my friend Christopher. That total strangers would come to the aid of some guy who pops off about a soap twice a month...it really moved me. I'm still grieving, and I have a long way to go, but I'll never forget all the love I got from you guys. Insert smile emoticon here.

Now, I admit, I hadn't looked at B&B since before Christopher died. I still can't watch Stephanie's final episodes, and also, I was very busy playing Lumire in Beauty and the Beast (which was fun, and a real lifeline, by the way). That means I'm just a little vague about recent B&B events, but I'm caught up on this week's episodes, so let's all of us get back up to speed together.

Since when does Caroline think she's Superman, fighting for truth, justice, and the American way? I think her insertion into Bill and Rick's web of lies regarding Liam and Hope is too obvious an attempt to give Caroline something to do. It's just not ringing true. She wants to expose Bill, yet she's okay keeping Rick's misdeeds to herself? She barely knows newfound relatives Bill or Liam, and she wasn't even around for the first incarnations of Leffy/Lope. Is any of this her business?

I think I'm extra resistant to Caroline telling Liam and Hope how their relationship was sabotaged simply because I'm desperate not to take another ride on the Leffy/Lope merry-go-round. Besides, the lies and deceptions are so convoluted from the storyline's overexposure that it's not even worth exploring anymore. Liam is with Steffy now; just leave it alone already. At least this week there was a balance between the Triangle That Wouldn't Die and B&B's other stories. Finally.

I knew this whole "irrevocable trust" thing would come back to bite us in the ass. A quick Google search defines such a trust as one that "can't be modified or terminated without the permission of the beneficiary." Thomas certainly didn't amend it, so I'm not sure what loophole Stephanie found in the Articles of Incorporation to void it, or how she would have any power to override Ridge's decision to name Thomas as interim CEO. B&B thinks we won't question these things...but we do.

That said, I took great pleasure in the look on Thomas' face when Stephanie had her last word via DVD! Look, I know a lot of you think Taylor's kids always get screwed over, which may or may not be true. But the fact is, Thomas had no right to those shares. He obtained them immorally! They were a bribe he accepted to lie and destroy his own father's marriage. The first thing Thomas should have done when Stephanie died was hand them over to Ridge to make up for what he did.

But, no, instead Thomas is crying foul. "I want what I'm owed!" he whined. Did you ever hear such arrogance? Yes, Rick's being overbearing in his gloating, but Thomas' sense of entitlement has brought me back to hating Thomas the way I did all through Taboo. And now he's declaring war on "the Logans" -- this after he kissed Brooke's ass to the point he alienated his mother and sister? Sounds to me like he's just still pissed that he didn't get any from Brooke. How else am I supposed to interpret it?

All wonky legalities aside, I couldn't be more pleased to see Eric back in control of Forrester! And that has nothing to do with Thomas -- Rick shouldn't be CEO, either. Eric has run the company since its inception, and John McCook is clearly loving giving Eric a chance to step up and take command. Forrester Creations should belong to the entire family. There's so much divisiveness and infighting that I wonder how they have time to design at all!

It was great...but then B&B blunted the impact by having Eric challenge "Team Brooke" and "Team Taylor" to a fashion competition that would determine who became president of Forrester. Oh, come on -- again? Eric proposed just such a showdown around 2004 when Ridge and Thorne were vying for the presidency. Not long after that, Ridge challenged fledgling designer Thomas to a similar "duel" that would decide if Thomas would work at Spectra or go back to school. And what about the Portofino Challenge in 2002?

Getting back to fashion on B&B should be exciting, but the rehash element has me feeling really disappointed. Not to mention, now we have these people drawing battle lines in immature and black-and-white ways. Thomas saying Rick is a Logan, when Rick is the full-blood Forrester that Thomas isn't? Rick declaring "we are going to get our company back"? From whom? Taylor, who'd just called for the family to not adopt an us-versus-them mentality, hoping to "put Brooke and her kids in the basement where they belong" a few minutes later? Wow. Just wow.

There are only two more things I'll say about this new fashion challenge. One, it's obvious Thomas is doing all this because he's butt-hurt about losing Caroline to Rick (and let's face it, the way she pulled a Liam and waffled over to Rick, Thomas deserves better anyway). And two, once again Thorne is being overlooked -- as CEO, president, as every position except janitor. I'm not a business major, but why does a company need a CEO and a president? Just sayin'.

B&B needs to stop the whole "who owns/controls Forrester" stuff. You know what I'd love to see? The entire cast is at Forrester during the challenge, when suddenly an explosion rips the building apart. Most live, some die, unlikely combinations of survivors pull together, and, in the aftermath, some characters vow to rebuild Forrester stronger than before, while others defect to start their own fashion house. B&B needs a disaster. Imagine the months of drama they could mine out of it!

It seems a lot has happened regarding Brooke/Bill/Katie in my absence, much of which has come to a head this week. In reading the recaps, I did think Katie was recovering from her postpartum depression awfully fast, so I'm pleased to see she's continuing therapy. Taylor really has helped her -- she is definitely at her best when she's on the job. It's just that as soon as Brooke enters the mix in any way, shape, or form, Taylor goes nuts.

Were Brooke and Bill right to kiss? No. But, as far as they knew, Ridge was gone, and Katie left a note telling Bill she wanted a divorce! Not only that, but Katie admitted she was trying to set Brooke and Bill up as a romantic couple! Katie has no one to blame but herself for this one, and I dare say there are those who still feel Katie has some karma coming her way regarding Bridget. What better way than to have her own sister interested in her man?

Speaking of Bridget, I do have to admit that Brooke and Bill's "we can't be interested in each other" conversation was very reminiscent of the days when Brooke and Nick fought their attraction while he was involved with Bridget. So that makes this rehash, too. Yet I can't help being intrigued. Not that I want Bill and Brooke together, but it might be cool to watch a Katie/Brooke smackdown. It would be like the '80s, when Katie scuffled with Donna over Rocco, only times a thousand!

That smackdown may be coming, thanks to Taylor. Why do they always have to put Taylor up in Brooke's business? Even B&B seems to know that these ladies are out of things to fight over, as evidenced by their very interesting chat on the subject. And who knew Hope and Steffy could have sharp insights about their mothers' rivalry? (See how much more interesting they are when Liam is out of the picture?) I'm glad Taylor's getting more airtime, but was she within her rights to blab to Katie about the kiss?

I honestly don't know. Sure, Katie had a right to the truth. But Taylor acted more like a friend than like Katie's doctor. Not to mention, Taylor is too personally involved given her disdain for Brooke. Taylor seemed like she just wanted to make Brooke the bad guy. If Taylor wanted to broach this with Katie, she should have made Katie take some responsibility for trying to replace herself with her sister. Naturally, Brooke and Bill have responsibilities in this, too. But Katie set the wheels in motion, not Brooke.

It dawns on me that Brooke seems to like the idea of falling in love more than the idea of being in a long-term relationship. Brooke never gets past the infatuation stage. And what was up with her telling Bill that their kiss taught her she could be with someone besides Ridge? Hadn't Brooke learned that eons ago with Eric? Thorne? Deacon? Nick? Hey, did anyone else see sparks between Brooke and Eric? I think it would be cool now if they reunited -- the remaining Core Four together. Need a new name for them, though. The True Two?

Katie's denial of Taylor's reveal astounded me. Katie knows Bill keeps secrets (boy, does he! How many is he keeping right now?). Katie knows that Taylor would have no reason for making things up. And Katie should remember the day Taylor came to her with the true news of Bill and Steffy's "affairlet." So why the ostrich routine? At least Katie finally called Brooke on the carpet -- literally -- to verify the authenticity of the kiss. Brooke's single teardrop spoke volumes. "Do you have feelings for Bill?" Katie demanded.

We won't know until Monday, but chances are the Battle of the Logan Sisters is just beginning. Well, until Ridge comes back, anyway. Though I hate to admit that his absence has at least stirred things up a bit!

There's quite a backlog of your comments, a smattering of which I will include here. Do you have something to say about B&B as 2012 comes to a close? All you have to do is click and type to let us know. Perhaps you will see your words proudly displayed in a future column! Like these!

• "Please put Brooke and Eric together. Liam and Hope and Ridge and Taylor. Rick and Caroline. Send Steffy out of town..." -- Dora

• "I have watched B&B since 1988. I was so upset [over Susan Flannery's departure]...like so many others (myself included), she was not happy with the story lines...I can't understand why all of the characters have moved on so quickly and don't even talk about Stephanie anymore. She was the family matriarch and fully involved in Forrester Creations. Doesn't she deserve a mourning period?...Another example of how this show keeps spiraling downward..." -- Gordon

• "Am I the only one who asks the question why Caroline is on B&B? She is an incredibly boring character [who] I feel has no chemistry with anyone on the show...people [watch soaps] because they look forward to watching distinctive characters with traits...Jacob Young's acting ability is being wasted on having to act with this character and in this story line..." - L.B.

• "I think Stephanie did a good thing by giving her shares of the company to Eric. I'm also glad that Eric [stepped] up when it came to Thomas and Rick. I hope that Eric keeps up that strong attitude with his family...I think that Liam and Hope need to know the truth about what Bill did and what Rick did to both of them. But Liam and Hope shouldn't get back together. They don't work as a couple...Brooke and Bill, they are not in love with one another at all. Ridge is gone again. So, Brooke does what she always does when Ridge goes. [Find] the nearest man...Taylor should be brought up on charges with the Medical Board. [She] brought her personal feelings in when treating Katie...she was too close to the people involved in the situation. Another doctor should have been brought in..." -- Pamela

• "...I was so excited about the possibility of a love story being told between Brooke and someone new (Jon Hensley, who got bumped to contract status, perhaps) and then Brad Bell writes Brooke into this scandalous mess. Again. Does [he] know how to tell any story aside from sensationalism? [And if he's] getting ready to set off on another year-long [Leffy/Lope] whirlwind tour, he's going to have to do it without me. I'm not signing on for that ride twice..." -- Gerry

• "I am sick to death of the [triangles] between Brooke, Ridge, and Taylor and now Hope, Liam, and Steffy....[Taylor] has always been second best to Ridge and why any woman would be OK with that is beyond me...[Hope] needs to grow up and move on. I do not like Steffy at all but it is very obvious that Liam is better off with Steffy; after all, why shouldn't she settle for second best just like her mom. Liam is Ridge Junior and all his waffling back and forth drives me up a wall...Brooke needs to understand the world does not revolve around her and I think a new man (not Bill) who is not easily led around would do the job...I really wish the show would develop a storyline around Bill's sister and the love of her life or do something more with some of the other characters. NO MORE LOVE TRIANGLES PLEASE!" -- Michelle

Now, let's really restore normalcy with some Points to Ponder:

Is that all these people do: look at pictures and have flashbacks?... Bill reverted to form, sending Liam out of town to prevent Caroline telling him the truth and insisting Liam and Steffy belong together. The more things change... It was impressive that Steffy owned her "sins of omission" and the trouble they caused. Likewise, it was impressive that Brooke admitted she'd made a lot of mistakes, especially in regard to acting on impulse...

I liked that Bill wouldn't let Taylor play "cat-and-mouse" with him, and just made her get to the point. But just how many glasses of whiskey did he pour himself over the course of that "day"? You'd think he'd have been toasted by the time Taylor got there... Funny how the closest we got to reminding audiences how Thomas got the stock was Eric and Brooke merely saying Stephanie had tried to hurt Brooke. What's the matter, Brad Bell -- afraid to mention the berries? You should be...

Are we really to believe that Steffy, whose only experience at Forrester was the mailroom and then PR, is actually designing the Intimates line and a ski line by herself? She never once expressed any desire to be a designer... Loved how when ungrateful Thomas bitched about only owning five percent of the stock, Rick said "That's five percent more than I have!"... What was up with Caroline approaching Eric and trying to stack the deck in Rick's favor? Why do I get the feeling Caroline might be more of a Spencer than she's led everyone (including us) to believe?

Be sure to "tune in" here at Soap Central next week, when Allison kicks off the year-end festivities with her Best and Worst column for 2012. Then tune in for real to Soap Central Live to hear all of us columnists review the year that was on December 21 (Best Of) and December 28 (Worst Of).

Don't forget you can also share your opinions on our new 24/7 feedback line (especially your picks for the best and worst of 2012). Call 267.341.7627 and record your comments or questions, and they may appear here in a future column, or they could be played during our weekly all-things-soap radio show, Soap Central Live!

Last but not least, I'll be back with my own Best & Worst column December 31 -- and you know that when it comes to those, I don't pull any punches! How will B&B close out what has become a non-Ridge, non-Stephanie year? Keep watching, be alert, and most of all, be bold!

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