soap opera: Electric youth; The Bold and the Beautiful Two Scoops for the week of November 4, 2024

Has your week been bold and beautiful? Did you decree that your word was law? Did you have a WTF moment with your BFF? Did you pop up just time to fiend for your “pop”? These and more situations faced the Forrester-Logan-Spencer-Finnegan-Walton-Nozawa clan this week!

Holy power trip, Scoopers! Steffy was willing to battle Katie, Zende, and even Eric as long as it meant Forrester Creations remained Hope-less. Meanwhile, there was a crack in the Bridge, and Zende wondered when he'd ever get his. Will and Electra were too busy turning each other on to notice the familial in-fighting...and suddenly Luna came back to shock all of us with her continuing obsession with Bill! Let's Scoop about it!

You ain't got the right watts

Steffy wasted zero time in purging anything Hope-related from FC. She had Charlie take Hope's photos down plus invalidate Hope's security credentials, and Steffy personally saw to deleting Hope's e-mail account. And Ridge just stood there, taking it all in, while Taylor offered a running commentary. Didn't Taylor and her Broken Heart Syndrome have anything better to do? Maybe a chakra-healing session to get to?

Taylor also made me side-eye her when she said she didn't want people taking sides in the Steffy/Hope hullaballoo. Please. Taylor has drawn plenty of anti-Logan lines before. It's too bad this is what Taylor was given a third iteration to do — trade her potentially juicy health crisis in for a lame psychological condition only to hang around Ridge like a puppy dog needing scritchies.

The Taylor we knew and loved in the '90s would have at least encouraged Steffy to dig deeper for answers about how Hope ended up in Finn's lap. Not that it would have worked; Steffy's vision was distinctly tunneled, as even the confronting Katie got an earful about how Hope had made another move on Steffy's husband. Did Steffy take even one second to ask Finn what had happened?

True, Hope's non-answer didn't help anything. But Finn didn't even speak up. He knew damn well that Hope fell on him. That boy is so whipped. As for Steffy, she made sure to remind “Logan” Katie that “I run the company alongside my father.” It's official -- B&B forgot that Ridge gave Brooke his co-CEO seat this summer! Have they really become that bad at keeping track of the stories they themselves are telling?

Hope went straight to Brooke to fill her in on her firing, with Carter in tow. And Hope confirmed my thought that Steffy had forced Hope to do a perp walk out of the building in front of models to humiliate her. Steffy didn't need to be that cruel. I'm beginning to wish she was still locked up in Luna's cage. I said in my last column that Steffy was being written as a one-dimensional shrew, and this week did nothing to change my opinion of her.

Carter told Brooke that he was pissed with his best friend. He couldn't understand how Ridge could have allowed Steffy to fire Hope. Well...maybe because Ridge isn't supposed to be co-CEO anymore? I hold that this would have been much more interesting if it were Brooke who was still sharing that position with Steffy; imagine the conflict as Brooke and Steffy warred over Hope, given their history.

Brown out

The show made a different choice, plugging the conflict into Brooke and Ridge. Now, because B&B couples can't have clashes that cause only internal consequences -- there's always an interloper ready to step in when things go wrong -- I can only imagine it'll be a matter of time before Ridge does his famous waffle back over to waiting-in-the-wings Taylor. Because, well, B&B characters can't learn, either.

And Ridge was certainly shaking the structure of Bridge, as he wouldn't budge where Hope was concerned. Brooke tried to talk to him about the problem at hand, but Ridge had taken Steffy's word for Hope's lingerie leap and decided that Hope no longer knew what was appropriate. (Like Ridge does?) Brooke worried what would happen should Steffy suddenly decide she wanted to similarly eject Brooke and her sisters!

Brooke wouldn't let Ridge slide, reminding him that it wasn't just his children who deserved seats at the FC table. In fact, Brooke insisted Steffy and Hope were equals. Ridge balked and cried that the sometime stepsisters and rivals weren't even close in that regard. In terms of position, I suppose it could be argued they're not: Steffy has been co-CEO for years, and Hope has only ever run one line, not even designing it herself.

But Brooke wasn't having Ridge's hard line about their daughters. La Logan exclaimed that, as her partner, Ridge needed to support her, listen to her, and honor her. And Ridge didn't! I thought that was a little extreme; Brooke made it sound like Ridge's dismissiveness had been an ongoing problem. This was really their first major spat in quite a long while. Though Ridge is being, to put it in layman's terms, a total butt.

Not the brightest bulb

Steffy came home to the always chiseled Finn and assured him that she knew he didn't have anything to do with what had happened with Hope. There Steffy goes, speaking for Finn again. Not that he wasn't, indeed, innocent in Hope's literal trippin', but Steffy simply made the statement, and Finn didn't say word one to clarify anything one way or another.

Nay, he just engaged in kissy time with his wife and then sexy time, never once mentioning that Hope hadn't actually made a move on him. Yep. If Finn were any more whipped, he could be dolloped on a slice of pumpkin pie in a couple of weeks. Imagine if Sheila knew how much Steffy was running roughshod over her son! I'm actually glad Sheila has reined in the psycho, but even a mentally healthy mother-in-law would be none too pleased to see her son constantly bulldozed by his wife.

Over at Carter's loft, Mr. Walton groused about how he and Hope were Forrester outsiders. For all his talk about wanting the Forrester-Logan wars to end, comments like that certainly don't do anything to defuse them. The one thing I'll agree with him on is his supposition that “the Logans” shouldn't at all be considered inferior, given what Brooke had done for the company.

It's true — love her or hate her, Brooke was co-CEO from 1993 to 2003. She helped found Forrester International, and she created the men's line. She also brought in a ton of cash from starting Brooke's Bedroom, even if she only did that to entice Ridge when he was married to Taylor. And then there's the fact that Brooke discovered the wrinkle-free formula BeLieF, which I would assume Forrester is still using three decades later.

Hope declared that Carter should run with his idea to restructure Forrester. For his part, Carter promised Hope that “something would be done” to reverse Hope's firing, though he didn't hint at what that something would be. Hope couldn't believe how Carter was standing up for her and told him that he really was the man of her dreams. Then she told him she loved him and they made some sweet, sweet love!

Wow, Hope! Did you catch Rush Into Relationships Disease from Carter? I mean, that's how he rolls. Though it's safe to say our show rushes all its characters into relationships anymore. All enamored folks do is kiss at the office and decide not long after that they're in love. Man, how I miss the slow burn of soap couples. A flirtation here, a tease there, maybe some dates before going full throttle? If I were Carter, Hope being “in love” with Thomas, then Finn, then him in just over a year would have me worried.

Power generator

Eric's probably really regretting just staying at home with Donna these days. And he must be having flashbacks galore to his endless arguments with Stephanie, who also could not be moved when it came to anything “a Logan” did. Channeling Gangsta Granny thusly, Steffy vehemently disagreed when Eric told her -- twice -- that it wasn't right for her to make business decisions based on personal grievances.

Even Eric entreating that Hope was family did nothing to sway Steffy. Can you believe there was once a time that Steffy deemed Hope, Liam, and their children with Liam a blended family? And that was before Finn happened along! Granted, Hope was super out of line to be making goo-goo eyes at Finn, so it's not like I don't understand Steffy's upset. Steffy's just being so ugly about it all. You don't sass Eric!

Steffy also refused to listen once Eric left and she was joined by Ridge and Carter. Although, to be fair to Steffy, Ridge had his earplugs in, too. When Carter reminded his bosses that “Hope's line is the gateway to the younger demographic” (which I would have bought more when high school graduate Hope created it, not so much now that Hope is in her 30s), Steffy replied that Carter needed to be very careful!

So what, now no dissension will be tolerated at all? I'd say who Steffy sounds like, but I'm exhausted enough from this week's election and the color orange as it is. Carter swore that he wouldn't allow Steffy to do “this” to Hope. Duh, Steffy, if you needed the answer Hope wouldn't give about who she was gussied up in lingerie for that wasn't Finn, you just got it. But you didn't catch on 'cuz you were too into being salty.

Carter intimated to Hope that he had something in mind if his appeal to Ridge didn't work, and I'll be interested to see what that is. Many of you want to see Carter and Hope start up a fashion house of their own, and I would be here for that. It's boring that Forrester is the only game in town and that all of the backbiting comes from within. Brooke had a Logan Designs once before; maybe it's time to reboot that!

Steffy stormed out so hard her high heels left holes in the carpet, leaving Carter to attempt that appeal to Ridge. But when Ridge scoffed at the idea of asking Steffy to apologize to Hope, Carter sighed, “I think of you as my best friend. But maybe you don't.” And it's actually a wonderful consistency about B&B, as the first time Ridge and Carter entered BFF territory was 2015.

That was when Ridge learned that Maya was transgender and shared that bit of need-to-know info with Carter, Maya's ex. Theirs is a friendship that hasn't been explored enough, but it's been there all these years. Unfortunately, given Ridge's snottiness toward Carter, maybe there's merit to Carter feeling the union may have been more one-sided than we ever saw on screen. Why is Ridge being such an ass to everyone?

Hell, Ridge even repeated Steffy's “be very careful” threat and told Carter to get back to his regular work, spitting for a second time on Carter's idea to transform the company before walking out on him! No wonder steam was shooting out of Carter's ears. The way Ridge and Steffy are acting, it's all the more making me want to see what Carter has up his muscled sleeve. It better be good, Carter! It better be good!

Then there's Zende. When he was suddenly brought up to speed on the Steffy/Hope brouhaha, I thought, “Well, he's on contract, and they have to give him something to do, but this is so lame.” But then Zende made the valid point that, as the replacement lead designer of Hope for the Future, brought in after Thomas peaced out, Zende was left without a position with Steffy killing the line!

This point was bolstered when Steffy inexplicably barged into the Logan manse, presumably to gloat, only to face Zende's exasperation. The Z Man jogged Steffy's memory that he was a Forrester as well (and maybe more so, since he was adopted by an actual blood Forrester) -- had Steffy considered him at all when she took an axe to HFTF? Would he ever get anywhere in the company, Zende wondered?

I find myself starting to come over to Zende's side now. This time last year, when he was whining about being done out of a design collab with Eric in favor of R.J., Zende came off as entitled and petty to me. But here Zende finally got a second shot at HFTF, unimpressive as the results apparently were, only to have Steffy pull it out from under him like Lucy always yanked that football away from Charlie Brown. Maybe Zende's right! Good grief!

This sucker's electrical

Will looked like he was about to get sucked into the Steffy/Hope vortex. But, as it turned out, he opened the door and ran smack into Electra yet again! Oh, OK -- it's a thing between them now since they nearly knocked each other down when they met. Still, you'd think interns hooking up at Forrester — which happens pretty much every year now — could start out with a little more originality.

Speaking of interns hooking up...! This Lainey girl who's been around lately drooled over Will and then invited him to come over to her house to “talk”. Is that what they're calling it these days? I dunno, I remember, back in the '90s, Forrester had a strict no-dating-the-models policy. Shouldn't they have something like that in place for interns? They're supposed to be working, not working each other.

Said Lainey also managed to put her foot in her mouth by snarking that Electra “had to start somewhere” with Electra's hire onto the jewelry line, only to find out that Electra was a Forrester. Sure, Lainey, if you think Will likes stuck-up princesses, you just made some major headway. Electra noted how into Will Lainey was, but somehow, Will only had eyes for Electra.

This from the boy who proudly and openly took an internship at Forrester over a job at Daddy's publishing empire strictly and exclusively to ogle girls! That testosterone leveled out really fast. I certainly do see potential with Will and Electra, but again, we're speeding into it. How am I supposed to root for a couple when I haven't been given ample time to invest in them? And what message does it send to audiences, having couples fall in love almost instantly?

While we're on pushing things through, our video glimpse into next week shows that Electra has some kind of stalker, who I understand is named Remy. Can Will and Electra at least hit a Starbucks together first before we throw an assumed ex-boyfriend into the mix? But hey, in 2018, Xander Avant's obsessed ex, Zoe, showed up, and before long, she became a model. Remy's already got it made!

State of shock

Christmas isn't for another six weeks yet (ho ho ho, didn't 2024 just start?), but what to my wandering eyes should appear but...Poppy Nozawa? I thought she was ditched permanently when she and Bill (who had absolutely no faith in her) broke up. And Poppy turned up in prison, where she'd gone to visit...Luna?! Usually, B&B criminals, unless you're Sheila, never appear again once they've been escorted to a cell!

I'm not sure how necessary it was to see Nozawa Power again, but here they were, and at least it was unexpected (despite the spoilers they'd be back, I know). Apparently, Luna had been trying to get in touch with her mom, only to be ghosted — appropriate, since Luna turned both Tom and Hollis into ghosts. Poppy couldn't deny her maternal instincts, though, and she needed to see how Luna was doing.

Luna swore that her murder spree — and her attempt to pin those murders on her own mother so she could steal her mother's boyfriend -- had been a temporary lapse in sanity. Could Poppy forgive her? Poppy couldn't say, but when Luna revealed she'd been appalled by her actions, Poppy could say, “You should be!” Was Luna back to her pre-nutso self? It seemed so...until she asked about Bill.

Speaking of whom, Katie appeared to have a side hustle as a carrier for the U.S. Post Office since she, out of nowhere, brought Bill his mail. The former Batie, just as suddenly, got to talking about the whole Luna experience, just as Zende had brought his wannabe bae up while talking to Brooke and Katie. I think Luna's reappearance would have landed harder if these breadcrumbs hadn't been dropped first.

Anyway, Katie left, and Bill found, among the stack of credit card offers and membership invitations from the AARP, a letter from Luna. She didn't really express much in the way of remorse, but she did reiterate how Bill had been the man she hadn't had around in childhood and more than once told him that she needed him. Bill decided his fireplace needed more kindling, which Luna's pages ended up serving as. Smart decision, Bill. Burn it!

However, when the incarcerated Luna learned that Poppy and Bill had split, Luna smiled real big. Oh, no. The Bill's my daddy/no he's not/he's my lover thing is over and done with. Do we really need to go for a Round Two? And this, as Electra looks to have crazy pants in her life as well? Maybe Luna will escape and take up with the likely-to-be deranged Remy! And then Sheila will see them, look at herself, and think, “Ah, how the mighty have fallen...”

Are you plugged into any of this, Scoopers? Is the fracas at Forrester poised to break Bridge up yet again, cutting a path to Taylor, yet again? Has Steffy just gotten too bitchy for her britches? What do you think Carter's “plan” is now that his attempt to reason with Ridge has fallen on deaf ears? Do you feel it's too soon for Hope and Carter to talk about being in love? Are other new couples, like Electra and Will, being likewise rushed? And would you welcome a Luna return, or do you think her chapter already wrapped up neatly? Electrify your thoughts on the Soap Central message boards!