Soap smackdowns

Taylor and Eric should be dealing with Rick and Phoebe together. Taylor has plenty of experience dealing with an older person going for her younger child.

I can't remember when I have seen more explosive confrontations and smack-downs than I did last week! YIKES!! Rick vs. Ridge, Stephanie vs. Pam, Taylor vs. Brooke, Nick vs. the World, etc. The writing sure has gone up a few notches, that's for sure! But for all the clashes, there is one scene that was the most interesting for me...Rick and Brooke. The boy sure has grown up into a fine man, huh? Too bad Brooke doesn't see it.

I'll go on record now that I have tried to give Brooke the benefit of the doubt on more than one occasion and it's a matter of record. Having said that, I have never really commented much on her relationship with her oldest son as it was rarely very interesting in the first place. She never approved of Amber, Rick's first girlfriend/wife. She didn't seem to like Kimberly that much and Caitlin was viewed by her as another mindless distraction for her son. We all know Rick hasn't had the best luck in the romance department. Last week our favorite Ridge-programmed FemBot decided that her premarital harmony was more important than her son's happiness. It's so sad to see her act like this...I sometimes get a glimpse of her trying to resist Ridge's overblown and threatening behavior but then it fades away just as quickly. Rick obviously likes Phoebe and Brooke, who has made a career of 'following her heart' (gag), sees no good in anyone else doing the same. That could actually be said for everyone she has left in her wake, but I digress. Rick has even hit her and Ridge with the dreaded Bridget make out sessions and still no one will cut them a break. Brooke needed to stand up for her son and tell her jailor-to-be to ZIP IT! The spineless wimp of a mother even allowed Ridge to throw Rick out!!! AHHH! Doesn't that woman have any brain cells left? I guess she is not that confident in the strength of her relationship with Ridge for her to be so spineless. Food for thought, huh?

As a mother of a son myself, I would never let anyone treat my child that way no matter what twisted version of events are being presented. I have already addressed the 'they are not related' issue, so I won't revisit that again but honestly people!!!!?? They are both of age and you would think that Ridge, being the great parent he is (can you spell 'absentee'?), would have put it together that throwing down the gauntlet like this is going to do little more than push them together. That's Adolescent Parenting 101, for goodness sake! Now they are viewing the other as 'forbidden fruit' and sex is mere moments away. But all the 'smarter' adults in this situation will be the first to yell 'incest'!! Brooke should never have played the 'do it for me and my happy life' card when pleading her case to Rick. It makes her look desperate and cheap. You want to build a good argument? You start with logic first and instead she played the 'single tear' card. But even all this begs an even bigger question that I have been asking myself for two weeks now...where the Hell are Taylor and Eric in all this mess???

Stephanie got to weigh in with her oh-so-informed opinion and she's only the grandmother! Has nobody thought to let Eric in on what his son is up to? And only today did Taylor even really address the subject with Ridge. What's going on here? These two have 2 sets of parents (for better or worse) and yet Ridge and Brooke are in control of all this mess! Those two are the least equipped to handle this kind of a situation! Talk about the blind leading the blind, huh? Taylor and Eric should be dealing with these two and figuring out if this is really a viable romance or puppy love (which can be dealt with by letting it peeter out on its own). Let's all keep in mind that Taylor has plenty of experience dealing with an older person going for her younger child (Amber and Thomas ring any bells?). Taylor reappeared right as that was reaching its breaking point and as usual Ridge only made thing worse by threatening and manhandling Amber (hmmm...and people say Nick has anger issues...yeah right). Brooke was no help either. My point is that the writers need to bring Taylor front and center with this. Maybe Eric and Taylor wouldn't approve either but my guess is that they would handle it TOTALLY different than Ozzie and Harriet Screw-up.

Ok, so they kissed and decided to say 'screw everyone...we are in love' after their karaoke night? We all know by watching hours and hours of soaps that they won't last and it's simply a plot device to cause friction between Ridge and Brooke. I guess that's why I haven't reacted too badly to the scenes. They are kind of funny actually. I like the dialogue and the whole cutesy angst angle the writers are playing but I suppose I am paying more attention to Taylor and Nick these days and for darn good reason! I hear they are going to finally do the deed this week on the Marlin. I would have rather it be in a more romantic spot but then again Nick is not about pretense as Ridge is. I just can't get enough of them, I swear! I know some of you have emailed saying you don't see the spark but I do. I did with Brooke, too, and everyone out there knows that, but it's obvious that Brad has no intention of putting them back together any time soon. So why not have someone on this show getting some action, huh? I keep hoping and hoping that real romance would come back and now it has. Love' em, love 'em, love 'em!!! Let's just hope they are wearing floatation devices before the Valdez II hits them!

Ok, so Pam has finally hit a wall with Stephanie's attitude? I can't believe it took THIS long! You know I watched 'The Wonder Years' and I would never have thought Kevin's Mom could stand toe-to-toe with Stephanie but she has. I am loving her more and more with every scene she is in. I do think it's kind of sad that she has formed a crush on Eric...I'm beginning to believe he'll never wrench himself from the old lady any time soon. Pam had every right to blast that old windbag for being so nasty and left-handed about her feelings of having them in LA. What is Stephanie so afraid of anyway? She had it easy not having to take care of her high-maintenance mother, so why should Pam have a life of her own? And it's obvious ol' Queenie doesn't like having anyone around her that gives it right back. For the few folks I hear from that seem to think this column has to be 'fair and balanced', I have to say again that if you want that, read a news story, not an opinion piece. I say plenty of positive things about the show and just because it's not positive talk about Ridge and Brooke it doesn't make it any less real. There will likely never be any positive talk about those two ever and I have all the reasoning in the world to back it up. But, in the interest of proving my point, here are...

ALL THE THINGS I LIKED LAST WEEK (AND LOTS OF HAPPY THINGS):I loved the strip poker game between Nick and Taylor. I even loved that he took off the necklace Brooke gave him...it's time, sailor. I love that Taylor's character is getting written better and better these days and that she is not afraid to admit her insecurities where Nick's past with Brooke is concerned. Brooke isn't capable of the same. I loved the acting between Alley Mills and Susan Flannery...just amazing! I thought Phoebe and Rick sounded pretty good together doing their best Sonny and Cher. I think it's cute that Rick drives an old beater rather than a Ferrari when he's home...it shows he's more grounded than I gave him credit for. I liked that there was little sign of Bridget except to open the door to the Malibu Beach House. It was super cool to see CJ again and I hope they consider bringing him back SOON!! See? I'm just a literary ray of sunshine!!

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Should Ridge ditch the homeless man look and shave or do you all think it looks good on him? A couple of months ago he could have passed for Shane on the side of the highway the way he looks now but that's just my opinion.SOAPBOX Nicole writes: 'I sure hate Brooke and Ridge. I used to be a big fan of Brooke, but once she went back to Ridge, I threw up my hands in disgust. And I switched over to loving new Taylor! I never liked Taylor before, but new, sexy, flirty, backboned Taylor is much more fun. I really enjoy her with Nick (and I was like you, I thought Brooke and Nick were great together), and I really enjoy seeing her stick it to Brooke. Someone on the writing staff has stepped up, because Taylor and Rick, and even Nick and Phoebe, are saying things that we want them to say.I love new Rick. He's cute (though not the hair) and sexy and not afraid of the Big Bad Pervert. I cheer when he stands up to his pathetic mommy and that jerk, even though it doesn't always last. I really could not believe that Brooke would ask her son to do what Ridge asks just so SHE wouldn't have to deal with the stress on her relationship. Doesn't she see how awful that is?? Are things really that fragile that she has to beg for Ridge's bidding to be done so Ridge won't dump her sorry butt? Oh my gawd. I hate them. Bring on Ashley.' Ginger says: 'Ashley coming to the B&B... I'm all for ANYONE not related to Ridge & Brooke coming on the show. I'm sick of all the... ahem... family sharing on this show.'

Pam Allen writes in: 'I was extremely saddened when the Ashley character was replaced years ago and elated when Eileen Davidson was brought back. Again, I had to wonder what the powers that be were thinking when they fired her from Y&R. Thank God B&B has the good sense to get her on board. If given the chance, I see her as a major character. She's capable of it and I am one fan who's rooting for her!!'Sorry for the late posting this week...my laptop is on its last legs and thanks to the Geek Squad, I was able to keep it from the trash pile. I think a new computer is in my not-so-distant future!Have a great week everyone!!

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