The Bold Ones
I've watched B&B since the first episode, actually by accident. I had forgotten about the CBS schedule reshuffling and ended up watching it. I was all set to turn it off, but something made me stick around. The look reminded me of Santa Barbara and Loving, the cast had two actors who had been favorites on other soaps, John McCook and Susan Flannery, and so I stuck around for the rest of the half-hour. Basically my first experience with the show sums up how it has always been for me. For some reason I don't turn off the show, I don't know why. The writing staff is not as polished as older sister soap The Young and the Restless, the show was often cheesy and focused on those luxurious location shots instead of the quality of the scripts and talent. A show set in one of the most active and largest cities on the West Coast couldn't keep new blood to save their lives. The show constantly reminded me of Loving, which I actually could barely stand, so why did I continue to watch? Well, once and awhile, the show would do something smart, interesting, entertaining, and something I could emotionally invest in. Whether it was CJ's romance with Becky, Rick learning about Amber's baby switch, Sheila's reign of terror, or Ridge and Catherine's romance, sometimes the show pulled my heartstrings and I actually felt the need to watch the next day instead of it being part of my obsessive compulsive viewing ritual.
When I decided to write a column about the show I was going to do it before my column about harsh criticism towards actors because frankly, I didn't want to seem like a hypocrite. I wanted the chance to really tear into this show with both barrels and then make it sound like I had an epiphany afterward about my cruelty. But I didn't simply because I knew the big reveal about Ridge's paternity was coming up and it was best to wait. But then, something interesting happened. Usually when I decide to focus on a soap, the soap's quality drops even further south. This time, all of the sudden all of the things I would have picked on without mercy a few weeks ago, vanished.
To go from bad to good seems like the way to go so let's deal with the things that still need work. This Darla story is well weird. First I should point out I'm not a Macy fan or a Macy/Thorne fan. Don't hate them, don't love them, often don't care, and I was really not interested in Macy's return. That said there is nothing wrong with the story per se but it is just stilted, cliché, and very unnecessary. I mean how many times have we seen the best friend carrying soul mate's baby story? And even moments that should have more tension like Darla coming to Macy and coming this shy of revealing who the father of her baby was, it was well, uninteresting. Well, at least it was to me; I can't speak for those who actually something invested in any or the entire trio. Previously interesting was the trio of Deacon, Amber, and Rick. Well that was before April. The point of the doppelganger story is what? While Deacon may still have some mileage, it would take a real writing overhaul before Amber and Rick can climb out of the storyline sewage they've been stuck in ever since they got back together.
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