Has your week been like The Bold and the Beautiful? Did you scoff at Jiminy Cricket’s credo “let your conscience be your guide”? Did you find out that your husband liked to keep it in the family? Did your Get Out of Jail Free card include a new job? These and more situations faced the Forrester-Logan-Spencer-Walton-Finnegan-Nozawa clan this week!

Hope was living her queen era on The Bold and the Beautiful

Show proper respect for the crown, Scoopers! Hope, the apparently former good girl of B&B, didn’t like that everyone was trying to tap into Carter’s sense of right and wrong. What’s next, the sustainable Hope for the Future being made with non-biodegradable plastic straws? Meanwhile, Finn finally confessed to climbing his aunt hills, but his new psycho daughter was busy meeting another psycho! Two for the Pryce of one? Let’s Scoop about it!

Love General Hospital, B&B, DAYS or other soaps? Join the conversation on our SC boards! Click here to connect with fans and dive into discussions now

Gotta use the throne

Hope was not happy that her mom had started to echo Carter’s words about how unethical it had been for Carter to snatch Forrester Creations away from the namesake (and name only) Forresters. The former poster child for virginity insisted that she and Carter were only trying to detoxify what had become a toxic working environment established by Steffy, and then Ridge.

Though Brooke continued to drive home the point that Carter shouldn’t have screwed over his best friend, Hope was mad that Carter was experiencing guilt over that and protested that Carter wouldn’t have taken control of the company if Ridge and the others had given Carter’s luxury brand proposal a chance. Hope was worried that Carter could be influenced now that he was having second thoughts about the coup.

No matter what Brooke said, Hope felt she was going to have to protect Carter from himself. It’s odd, isn’t it, that Hope, of all people, is torqued that someone wants to do the right thing? Hope’s behavior has been bizarre since 2023’s summer trip to Rome, but we’ve never really been shown why the change in her temperament. I never agreed with Ridge that Hope was manipulating Carter, but now I’m starting to wonder!

The man himself popped in to Forrester just in time to see Carter cut his hand by smashing the glass necklace that Carter had had Electra make for Hope. Ridge snarked that Carter had blood on his hands in more ways than one, but I’m surprised the Dressmaker didn’t pick up on the parallel. After all, Ridge sliced his own hand, shattering a Spencer Publications award when Bill took over the place in 2010.

Still, I’ll give Ridge and B&B points for having him retroactively recall when Carter stayed on his couch after Maya left him. Nice touch! And how au courant, considering Maya’s portrayer, Karla Mosley, is about to premiere as Dani on Beyond the Gates! Ridge did a tricky balancing act between continuing his verbal beatdowns of Hope and appealing to Carter through the now-withered friendship they had shared.

Ridge couldn’t understand how Carter could have taken power and reinstated HFTF when Carter had been ready to kill the line himself. Carter addressed the discontinuity by divulging that he had changed his tune when he heard Steffy threatening Hope over Hope’s assumed seduction attempt on Finn. I’m glad the script took a moment to bridge the gap between Carter’s two viewpoints.

Once Ridge doubled down on his contention that Hope had only started talking to Carter because she needed something from him, Carter countered that he’d had to relieve Ridge and Steffy of the design house because they had bullied Hope, describing her as a bitch and a slut. Carter’s not wrong on that one. Steffy, I can almost understand because she and Hope have been feuding on and off for years, but Ridge’s caustic putdowns of Hope have been out of character, even for the legendary hothead.

To Ridge’s credit, he correctly stated that Carter always fell in love hard and turned a blind eye to any red flags that might be flying. I’m surprised that, in Ridge’s assessment that Carter had good instincts but not good morals, Ridge didn’t bring up Carter’s affair with Quinn behind Eric’s back because that would have been an excellent illustration of Ridge’s sentiments.

Carter wanted Ridge to come back to Forrester, saying that he missed his “brother.” Ridge and Carter have never been that close on screen, but at least they have been established as BFFs for well over a decade. Carter threw his arms around Ridge, and wouldn’t you know, Hope walked in and saw it! Usually, discovered embraces are of the romantic variety. Would have been funny if Hope thought Carter loved Ridge instead of her!

Dude! Chill

Ridge’s sass wall went shooting back up as soon as he caught sight of Hope, who didn’t appreciate her occasional stepfather again opining that Hope had gotten into Carter’s head. After some verbal sparring with Ridge, Hope changed her tack and admitted that she realized how hard the takeover had been on Ridge. To that end, Hope announced that Ridge could return to FC any time…as long as Ridge aligned with the new power structure!

Ridge snorted that he wasn’t about to answer to Hope, which was enough for Hope to take herself off the leash. She reamed Ridge for calling her a bitch and laughed to scorn Steffy, who had deemed Hope a slut “when we all know her past!” Whoo doggies! Hope’s not wrong, is she?! How I’d have loved it had Hope added, “How many paternity tests did Steffy have to have? At least when I was pregnant with Beth, I knew who her daddy was.”

Hope then shifted her focus to Brooke, berating Ridge for dropping her mom for Taylor yet again and accusing him of being too insecure to stand by a powerful woman. I can’t say I completely disagree, though he usually buckles next to powerful women (Stephanie, anyone?). Hope declared that she and Carter were the future of Forrester, and no one would stop them! “You don’t wear the crown at all, do you?” Ridge mockingly asked Carter.

It certainly does seem, at least now, that Hope is wearing the designer pants. I had always seen Hope as simply supporting Carter’s power grab, but maybe Hope is allowing herself to be affected by that very power because she does seem to be the only one in favor of the overthrow at this point. Is it “absolute power corrupts absolutely,” or do you think Hope has been pulling strings from the beginning?

The only string Brooke was concerned with was the frayed one connecting her and Ridge, so she stopped Ridge in the hall to implore anew. La Logan reiterated her rationale for becoming CEO under Carter and asked Ridge to come home, but Ridge still couldn’t seem to get that Brooke had done what she’d done for his benefit. And I don’t feel like that tracks.

Ridge’s head has always been as hard as the Hope for the Future diamond I have to assume is collecting dust in a vault somewhere, but he’s typically had enough of a soft spot for Brooke that he could at least see her point of view to some extent, at least until recent years. He should believe Brooke when she says she planted herself as a double agent to wear Carter down. He should. But he doesn’t.

Ridge wanted Brooke to control Hope. Too bad Brooke didn’t tell him that’s exactly what she’s been trying to do by impressing Carter’s sense of guilt upon Hope! Ridge grumbled that “they” (meaning Forrester) had “made” Hope…which there is truth to. Hope was still in high school when she got a shot at leading her own line – while Steffy had had to make do with starting in the mail room. I can see Ridge’s stance there.

Brooke advised Ridge that they couldn’t keep arguing over their children’s problems, and boy, she didn’t have to say that twice! That was old in 2011 already when Ridge and his two wives kept having it out over Hope’s virginity. Brooke was proudly able to say that while Ridge had turned to another mate, Brooke hadn’t – which, given Brooke’s history of needing men, is saying something. Still, Ridge left all sad and what-not.

No filter

Over at the Forrester mansion, Steffy was deep in conference with Zende, but also with Daphne, who really didn’t need to be there, and also Taylor, who doesn’t seem to treat patients anymore. Steffy’s audience listened as she once again sang Brooke’s not-praises, crowing about how Brooke only ever cared about “the Logans” (so sick of seeing Steffy draw that line). But Zende had his doubts. And so did Taylor!

Surprise! Zende gave his intel on Brooke during the debriefing and reported that the old and new CEO was not relishing her position; she was actually quite miserable serving in it. Bitchy Steffy naturally presumed Brooke’s downcastness had only come from Ridge giving her the boot yet again – prompting Taylor to pipe up that Brooke may indeed be becoming Carter’s one-woman ethics board after all!

Ever unmoving, Steffy insisted that whether through Daphne, “the lawyers,” or Carter coming to his own senses, the Forresters would get the company back. Which makes me want to ask, why are none of them really doing anything to achieve this aim? At least, when Brooke took 51% of Forrester over the disputed ownership of her BeLieF patent (I’ve been watching those 1993 episodes on YouTube lately), Ridge worked with Brooke on her then-new men’s line to thaw out her icy resolve.

Aside from complaining and siccing Daphne on Carter only to pull her back just as her scented charms seemed to be working, the Forresters haven’t done much but sit in the mansion and lick their wounds. It’s boring. Steffy had a lot more gumption when Bill snatched FC in 2009, tapping into Bill’s hormones to get her way. Surely, Eric, who has lost control of his design house several times over the years, should be taking a more active role in regaining that control.

When all is said and done, snotty Steffy may truly have Brooke to thank for reinstalling Steffy as co-CEO, because it was Brooke pouring Miracle-Gro on Carter’s suppressed remorse that has gotten the ball rolling on Mr. Walton wanting to restore leadership to the Forresters. Hope could see Carter was leaning toward surrender, and she didn’t like it.

Perhaps giving credence to Ridge’s claim of Hope’s crown-wearing, Hope took Carter’s concern about Ridge and turned it around, wondering why Ridge’s dignity mattered more than theirs, especially after the way Ridge had treated her. Hope would not answer to Ridge or Steffy ever again! Carter reminded Hope that they needed designers. This hasn’t been handled the whole two months of their regime? Is the implication here that Zende has been called upon to turn out a whole couture line…and HFTF?

Hope yelped that they would get designers (how about putting in a call to Amber? Or Clarke Garrison – wouldn’t that be great?), adding that Ridge suggesting Carter was being led around by Hope was insulting, as it said that Carter couldn’t think for himself. Carter just couldn’t give the power back to people who wanted Carter to fail. Forrester Creations was theirs! But, like Ridge, Carter looked all sad and what-not.

Going back to Zende for a second, he was once again paired with Daphne as they spied Brooke pulling Ridge into an office and called it in to Steffy. Are we looking at a Zende/Daphne pairing? So far we’re not playing into any sparks, but Zende’s overdue for a romance and Daphne’s not doing anything except spritzing perfume – and Steffy’s bidding. Could Daphne and Zende work, you guys?

Cut out of the will

Steffy and Liam got through doing some of their off-screen co-parenting of Kelly (who, by SORAS standards, should just about be done with high school by now). Liam made note of having to pick up the slack at Spencer Publications with Bill always out, but it was just as well, Liam sighed, since, outside of that and helping to raise Kelly and Beth, Liam really had nothing else going on.

It was rather apt for the show to acknowledge this! Liam has been floating free since he ditched Hope for letting her tongue roam Thomas’ in Rome in 2023. Sir Cooper Spencer lamented that he spent his time working out and reading. Maybe he’d get a parrot! That was hilarious. Liam’s love life was dead, too…because Steffy was with Finn, and Hope was with Carter.

Wait, so Liam considers the rivals his only options? This with millions of women as L.A. residents? And what’s Ivy, chopped vegemite? Despite the fanfare attached to Ivy’s return, all she’s done is fill folks in on Electra’s backstory and serve as her sounding board. There hasn’t even been a single Liam/Ivy scene! Maybe they could try a legit reunion now that Ivy doesn’t need a green card and Liam isn’t hung up on Steffy or Hope.

Liam’s life kinda sucked, he said. It had been his birthday the day before, and all he got was a call from Wyatt! (Great inclusion, though.) You mean Bill and Steffy and Hope, and even Beth and Kelly, forgot Liam’s B-Day? That’s cold. Steffy tried to atone by bringing her Cha-Cha-Cha a big cookie with a candle jammed into it, which was sweet, no pun intended.

But B&B doesn’t typically engage in random scene sharing. Liam proclaimed that Steffy and Finn were meant to be together forever. In Soap Speak, that means, “Y’all are gonna tank super soon.” Does that mean Liam will be there to pick up the pieces when Steffy gets rocked over Finn’s Luna news? And is Ivy supposed to keep cuddling up to a boomerang to keep herself warm at night?

Ice ice baby

Despite having a whole mansion to play around in while under house arrest, Luna was going a little bonkers because of the confinement. She wanted to beach it or at least hang out at the pool, but her ankle monitor was being a major killjoy. And like, the A/C was out; like, major first world problems. Ms. Nozawa told Bill, who was busy trying to get a heating/cooling repairman out, that maybe she deserved to be back in jail after what she did to Tom, Hollis, Finn, and Steffy.

I can’t quite get a read on whether or not Luna is selling Bill a bill of goods with her consistent contriteness. I’m thinking she is, but regardless, the statements of self-reproach have gotten pretty old. Luna gave voice to her thought that it would be nice to be on the outside again with a family that didn’t hate her. Is Luna’s sudden bout with cabin fever an indication that she’s about to make a break for it?

I mean, prison sentences are only a suggestion on our soap in the last few years. Take, for example, repeat offender Sheila, working her unjailed self at Il Giardino…where fellow convict Remy showed up asking for his old job back! Hold the soap phone! We know young master Pryce was arrested off-screen, but was he really released only two months after stalking Electra and sabotaging her life with deepfakes?

That just doesn’t seem right somehow, though I should have known Christian Weissman’s tenure wouldn’t be up after only six weeks on air. Sheila spoke for Deacon and said that her hubby wouldn’t be likely to return Remy to the payroll (hey, convicted felons get jobs now! Get with it, IG!), but she did feel for Remy, being able to see a bit of herself in his mischievous machinations.

Then Bill, who you’d think would stay away from the bistro considering how much he hates both Deacon and Sheila (is the bistecca alla Florentina that good?), swaggered in to pick up an order, griping about how difficult it had been to get someone in to fix his air conditioner. Remy asked the mogul if he had checked his unit’s filter, which gave Sheila an idea. She cast Remy as an expert, “Dario”!

And not only did Bill hire “Dario” without asking for a single reference, he paid the kid in advance! The hell? In recent years, Bill has been shot by Taylor, usurped by Justin, and has lived with two criminals, Sheila and Luna. He ought to be giving retinal scans to everyone he encounters, but here he simply brought Remy into his home with nary a look at a driver’s license or a Social Security number or anything. Since when is Bill such a nut magnet?

Luna had been obeying her almost-papa’s stay-out-of-sight directive until now, but for some reason she ventured out to have a look at the A/C repairman. (What’s gonna happen when it turns out “Dario” doesn’t have the expertise he supposedly came with?) And lo, Luna was recognized by Remy! But, like…how? Has he been following the arrests of every young woman in Los Angeles, maybe trolling for a girlfriend?

Heh heh, this can’t be good. It’s two, two, two lunatics in one. Luna wants Will, and Remy wants Electra. I foresee them pairing up to reach their twisted love objectives. And what’s up with Sheila being all mothering toward “Dario”? Wanna bet there’s a deeper connection there? I’d love it if Remy turned out to be Deacon’s son Little D/Little Eric, except he’s kinda too young. But Remy’s gotta have a connection to the canvas somewhere!

The heir looms

Finn decided to change clothes in his office, of course long enough for lusty Poppy to waltz in. Luckily for her, Finn was still dicking around about telling Steffy that Luna was his daughter, as he was the last time I columnized for you two weeks ago. This gave Poppy the opportunity to make another attempt at getting Finn to keep quiet, even hinting that Finn was suddenly working a lot of OT as a way of avoiding revealing the truth to his wife.

Finn knew being honest wouldn’t be easy. First, he’d brought Sheila into Steffy’s life, and now he had to unveil his familial tie to Steffy’s latest captor. “I keep bringing Steffy pain,” Finn bemoaned. Poppy kept trying to warn Finn about the risks of coming clean (no hidden motives there, Popster), but Finn wasn’t having it. He walked out on his auntie and left her crying. Which is the state Poppy was in when Li found her.

Instead of wondering why Poppy was in Finn’s office (!), Li made her apology tour even longer than Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and again asked to be forgiven for assuming Poppy had been shagging Li’s husband under their own roof. (Wait ’til Li finds out Poppy was shagging Li’s adoptive son instead!) Li offered the downtrodden Poppy a shoulder, even with Li adding that she didn’t deserve her sister’s trust.

Li also conjectured that had she not been such a shrew to Poppy and Luna, people might not have died, and Finn might not have hated his…cousin. Oh, the tangled roots of B&B’s family trees. The body-slamming medicine woman had no idea that Finn was at his house that very moment, telling Steffy all about the reasons their anniversary had been moved from August to February – nah, for real.

Appreciatively, Finn finally stopped beating around the bush and made known to Steffy that, when he was eighteen, he had an “Oh, What A Night” moment with a woman, though it hadn’t been late December back in ’63. It had been with Poppy! Steffy, who had championed her brother boning the stepsister he had been raised with, barely batted an eye. Finn and Poppy were only related by adoption, not biology. So who cared!

But wait, there’s more! Get this tawdry confession within the next 30 minutes and you can have another tawdry confession absolutely free! Operators are standing by! Having gotten his auntie-climactic devirginizing off his chiseled chest, Finn let Steffy know that there was a second component to his “forgive me Steffy for I have sinned” ritual. And this one Steffy wasn’t gonna like at all!

Are you good with all this heir conditioning, Scoopers? How do you think Steffy will react when she finds out the girl who left her in a cage to die is her daughter-in-law – and Sheila’s granddaughter? Is the road being paved for another Steam reunion? Should Liam really be without companionship when Ivy made her intentions toward him known during her visit last spring? Is Hope’s adamance over keeping control of Forrester genuinely because she feels she was wronged by Ridge and Steffy, or has Hope begun to buy her own hype? Were you glad to see Remy back? And is there some link between Sheila and Remy yet to be revealed? Turn up the cool in the comments below!

Beyond the Gates begins on Monday, and I am super jazzed to announce that I will be doing up Two Scoops columns for that soap as well! Plus, as in our B&B section, I will be maintaining character profiles for GATES and offering up other articles about the new daytime drama. Keep updated in our soon-to-be-a-lot bigger Beyond the Gates gated community, where you can also grab all the info you need to be ready for the first soap to premiere since 1999!

As for B&B, the combination of Luna plus Remy can only add up to mayhem for our televised residents of Southern California, so keep watching, be alert, and, most of all, be bold. And remember – no matter color, creed, heritage, religion, gender identity, or orientation, we’re all beautiful.