Each week I have a handful of readers who ask me the age-old question of why I still watch this show that seems to drive me insane every week and get sillier by the minute. Good question and I fair one as well. Well, here's your answer...
10- I love watching how easy it is to manipulate time and rapidly age all these babies born in the world of soaps. One day they are a cute little bundle of joy born in a cabin or the back of a car and the next they are plotting the takeover of their father's company! Amazing, isn't it? The parents get to skip all the messiness of diapers and late night feedings and the kids get to skip over the same. Wasn't it just yesterday that Bridget and little Hopeless were born at Big Bear? Ahhh, memories like the corners of my mind....oh, wasn't it just the blink of an eye when Rick shot Grant as a tween? As sure as I sit here the writers should have Little E/D come back and wreak havoc on LA. He could come back and ask Rick why he didn't fight harder to keep him from drunk Deacon. He could be the new 'angry young man'. Hey, if we can't have Deacon, at least bring Deacon jr. back!
9- I am hoping that if I keep watching that I will solve the mystery of the 'left eye only tear duct' of Brooke's. Is it just me or does she only muster that one signature tear out of the left eye? I can't be that crazy that I am imagining it!
8- I love watching Susan Flannery grace the screen every time there is some choice meddling to do. I may think Stephanie is a nasty harpy much of the time but that is exactly why I love watching her portrayal of her. She is the best actor on this show, hands down. Even the scenes this past week while she was trying to hide the evidence on the carpet of Shane's demise or when she was talking to Detective Baker...I swear she makes it look effortless! I would truly be sad if she left the show (I know it is inevitable but I can't even picture it). Perish the thought...
7- I keep waiting for Sheila to come back (again) and tell us all that Bridget is really Ridge's daughter due to her fixing of the test results long ago. Come on...aren't we all waiting for this? I want to see Ridge's face when he realizing he made out with his kid!!! EWWWWW!!! A twisted new low for B&B if they actually expose that!
6- I keep waiting for Bridget to be axed...her character is by far the most annoying on the show. Since the original actress left years ago, it just hasn't been fun watching her. She minds everyone's business and is totally obsessed with everything Nick. She is becoming Brooke Jr. Enough already.
5- I keep watching to see if I can get a glimpse of the black hole that all these good characters have fallen into over the years. It has to exist, right?? I counted at least 15 folks that have fallen victim of it. Of course, Brooke, Ridge, Eric and Stephanie are immune somehow.
4- I also watch in hopes that one day Jackie will stop calling her grown adult son 'Nickee'. A woman can hope, can't she?
3- I am waiting for the day that Brooke hits the 100 men mark. At this rate, that won't be long. A week, perhaps?
2- I also watch in hopes that I may finally see the day when Ridge doesn't talk with his 'praying jazz hands'. What is that move and WHO taught him to do that in every scene he's in? UGH! Make it stop!!
1- And the biggest reason I keep watching week after week...I believe in the half-hour escape from reality that this and all soaps provide us. I watch this on my lunch hour and while I get frustrated by many of the things I have written above, I still love watching hot romance (though until now it's been spotty) and people living lives more screwed up than my own.
Now, as for last week's question...I asked if the original four have outlived their usefulness on the show. Let me clarify one thing before I divulge my answer...as always the Taylor-haters out there emailed and asked why I don't lump her into the original four characters. Ok, let me make this simple and clear...she's NOT one of the original cast-members! Yikes, people...just because you hate her doesn't mean she fits into the question. I swear, if I titled nest week's column 'All The Reason's Why Taylor Should Disappear From Existence', there would be parades in my honor. Whatever...
Anyway, believe it or not, it was a tie...about half thought they need to stay for a sense of continuity of the show and the other half are just plain sick of all of them. I personally think all but one should stay...Ridge. Brooke is necessary as she moves the plots for everyone in some way or another (usually through sex, but that's beside the point). You need Stephanie and Eric in the same way all shows like this need those venerable and misguided parents that keep everyone else from going insane. Ridge has become a nasty, ego-centric bore that gets crazier with each passing year. Axe him.
The Soap Box
Catherine says: 'I think that Ridge and Eric are unnecessary to B&B. Ridge is just a lousy character and it would have been great if Shane had killed him off. Eric doesn't do much these days. I thought they were going to do something with Stephanie's sister and him but I guess that is done now. Stephanie and Brooke are still necessary simple because they have so many children on the show and have such a rivalry. I think they have one of the longest rivalries on soaps. They are the glue of the show. But it can do without Ridge for sure.'
Telisha writes: I would like to quote a classic line from Stephanie to Brooke that had me in stitches. "You know the eskimos have 16 different ways for saying snow, I bet you have twice as many for dropping your panties." LOL
AussieJudith says: 'All I can say is "BRING BACK DEACON" and MASSIMO to stir the pot - I love Nick and Taylor together - I'd love Brooke to fall for Mass and marry him - then she"d be Ridge and Nick"s stepmum - love from Downunder'
Have a great week!!!
