Zoe116

This is where B&B’s size/makeup really does it a disservice, I think. Flo, Shawna, Zoe and Xander couldn’t really have more motivation because they’re newbies. They barely know Hope and Steffy, and they have zero history, so it’s not like they could keep the secret out of hatred or revenge or whatever. And even if show came up with something, they’re newbies, so would anyone care? At least involving Thomas added some amount of history/stakes to the reveal. But you also can’t make the perpetrators of the lie too close to the victims because then you run into an All My Children situation where the man who raised a stepson from birth and has thought of him as his own son is keeping secret the fact that the stepson’s baby is alive for... reasons? ATWT was able to pull off that right mix of investment, but Emily and Meg weren’t so close to Jen that it destroyed their characters the way the baby switch on AMC did to so many. And B&B really only has newbies with no ties or someone who is literally family. The only options who could potentially do something like this to Liam and/or Hope that we would give a crap about (aside from Thomas) would be Taylor (I assume as a result of a nervous breakdown to get Steffy her baby), Ridge (though, much as I dislike him, I’d still call character destruction if he knew from the beginning, on account of Brooke... he’d have to find out after Steffy already had Phoebe) or Quinn (for... reasons?) Anyone else would tell Lope straightaway or be the victim of extreme character assassination. What they definitely should have done is actually shown us Flo bonding with her family. Spend the 4th barbecuing with Katie and Bill while Katie told her about her best holidays with Storm. Have lunch with Brooke or drinks with Donna. Do something to show us there actually is some great Logan bond that Flo is terrified of losing.

Yes, he definitely had help. Still, it’s gross that everyone thought it was AOK for him to use Phoebe as a replacement baby, but when Hope did it, it was cause for concern. (I mean, yes IRL, it’s cause for concern, obviously, but for both of them.) I’m fanwanking it that they left that part out so that Liam can deliver that honor. It was a small moment, but the part that really struck me was when she repeated Emma’s name in anguish after Liam told her Emma was the only one with the decency to tell her the truth. It was equal parts sadness for her friend, despair that the truth could have come out weeks ago, and guilt that she was inadvertently involved in Emma’s death. Just one word and one reaction shot, but it was a perfect moment in a week of stellar moments from AN. My money is on Rick. He can be as vengeful as Thomas, with the only difference being he actually gives a shit about his sister, and he has the added advantage of proximity.

TBH, when Hope was trying to pull them apart, part of me thought she was the one who would go flying off Bianca Montgomery style. Based on the way they’ve been acting recently, I can see this happening. Hell, given how weirdly martyrish Hope has been and how much lip service Steffy has given to concern for Hope, I could see them berating Flo more for each other than for themselves. (With no one sticking up for Liam, of course, as per the norm. Ridge was condescending af and completely wrong about the situation, but he wasn’t wrong that no one has given a crap about Liam dealing with his grief. I mean, Hope goes to hold Phoebe once and everyone fears a mental breakdown, but Liam thinks of himself as her father upon their first meeting, and everyone thinks that’s dosh garn cute and totally normal?) Speaking of, they did a real disservice by not having bill on for weeks. I’m anticipating his reaction, but that’s all a testament to DD’s abilities. in the hands of a lesser actor, it would mean absolutely nothing since Bill hasn’t been around to see his son’s grief in basically months. (Oh, you give a crap bout Liam, Bill? Then where have you been? Even if he was staying away because of their broken relationship, give us a quick scene or two where he’s pumping Wyatt for information about how Liam is really doing.) There was something poetic about Hope being reunited with her baby atop Steffy’s blanket of sad. Regardless of whether or not 250K is an absurd amount for an adoption, Taylor (I don’t think Steffy knew this part?) sure as hell should have known something was wrong when her baby broker wanted the money in cash.

100%. I will give JMW a little bit of props though. One reason why her Steffy has been infuriating over the years is that she usually plays Steffy with this smug confidence that she knows she’s hot shit and superior to all around her (she is her parents daughter) even when she SHOULD be portraying that Steffy has some insecurity over one thing or another (like, say, a guy who put another woman’s ring on her finger). But she played it right today. It was clear Steffy was just trying to talk herself into believing what Ridge was saying. Speaking of, I can’t decide whom I would prefer getting to wipe the smug off of Ridge’s face with the truth. Both Liam and Brooke deserve the honor, but I’m leaning toward Liam because he’s less likely to be nice about it. Agreed. Plus, steffy’s Answers to Liam’s questions about the adoption (the half knowing, assuming this is how things are) were dumb when you considered she was adopting a child, but understandable when you consider that Taylor is her mom, she trusts her, and she wouldn’t think her mother was leading her astray when it came to something so important. Plus, Steffy can just get custody of Douglas, and we all know babies are purses, so they’re totally interchangeable and everyone should be fine. I am thoroughly glad that the show took an episode-long interlude to the constant drama for the worlds most ridiculous fight scene. MA did well, but he runs funny. But im a little bitter... doesn’t chekhov’s rule say if you introduce a rooftop in act one, someone should get thrown off it in the last act?

She told him he can’t have expectations of her. He yes yesed her while making it clear he had expectations of her. She told him Liam is the man she loves and the man she will always love, then told him he’d been at her house awhile. He was like, “Is that your way of kicking me out?” And Hope was like yes, obviously. (Ok, fine, she said it nicer than that, but the intent was clear.) Then Liam, fresh off a pep talk from Brooke—who rightly pointed out that if Hope actually became Douglas’ mother and not just a maternal figure, she would never leave him—came home, and they had a delicate conversation about their marriage. (Basically, he didn’t try to steamroll her into anything, but just tried to gently prod her into having an actual conversation and not just wringing her hands about the children). then they cried together over Beth’s sonogram because, y’know, months of that is totally why people watch soaps.

The next time Ridge tries to tell Brooke that Douglas can be a replacement child for Beth who can heal Hope, Brooke should ask him if being Hope’s father figure healed him after losing Phoebe 1. Because he is the world’s worst stepfather. I don’t mind if he would prefer Steam—of course he wants Steffy’s happiness. I don’t care if he wants himself and Brooke to stay out of it— given everything they went through with Stephanie, I get it. But gaslighting Brooke that this is all Hope’s idea and Thomas had nothing to do with it when he knows better? OH HELL NO. That was some grade A emotional manipulation, Hope. “Steffy, I don’t care if you made a mature decision to extricate yourself from a toxic relationship you wasted years of your life on in an effort to give your daughter a more stable childhood than our mothers provided us. I don’t care if you’re happy and confident and content in your life choices. You MUST get back together with Liam because that’s the only way I’ll be able to fight my way out of the darkness and not kill myself.” i mean, I get that she’s mentally ill, but geez. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop with Steffy. I actually like this version of her, but there’s no way it can last. Especially with literally everyone pushing her toward bad habits. Excellent. Wyatt had sex with Flo. We’re one plot point closer to the eventual reveal.

The derisive way Steffy said “because of Thomas?” was great. But someone explain this to me: Steffy: just because you and Liam divorce doesn’t mean we automatically get together. Hope: Oh, I know. I could never dictate what the two of you do. But... Hope? This whole plan doesn’t work without you dictating just that? What? Even if I was a person who loved Steffy/Liam together, I would want him to stay the hell away from her just out of spite for everyone who is supporting this stupid plan.

He doesn’t like Lope. He just really effing hates Thomas. It’s his best feature. Adult Thomas has always seemed to be just his NotSteffy child to Ridge. Still, when RIDGE is the only person saying, “What about Liam’s feelings for Hope?” You know your show has problems. I did love when Ridge not only pushed back on this idea of a family unit being the be all end all, and how you can’t just discount who someone is as an individual, but most especially when he was like, “yeah, yeah, Hope likes Douglas... but does she like you?” Because seriously dude, Hope went YEARS without sex. She can do it again. Watching these Thomas scenes, I can’t help but think about what would have happened if somehow PF were available and wanted to come back. Would this story even be written this way, or would they have gone with the Thomas/Sally/Wyatt/Flo quad? And if they did write this inane story, would he have been able to make it work? (Ok, “work” is a stretch, but would he have been able to project any amount of believability onto Thomas’ sudden feelings for Hope/insanely narrow minded construct of what families are?) im not actually happy to see Steffy, but I’m happy we’ll get some slightly different dialogue. Also, there’s at least the possibility that this could at some point end.

I am not in any way surprised that in the three seconds Douglas has been back in Los Angeles, Brooke did a better job decorating a room for him that felt like it belonged to a real child than Bill did for his son in the entirety that Will has been alive. Because I still can’t get over that curtain. And, from where I sit, Douglas’ room was the only thing worth talking about today. (Except maybe Sally’s hat. Who wears hats when they’re working late at night? How had that not become a messy bun by that point?)

So, the Spencer brothers were the only worthwhile part of today’s show, yes? Dont get me wrong, Wyatt is being ridiculous, and I wish Liam had asked him to clarify if Sally knows things are fully done with them before going on a date with Flo because if not that’s gross, but at least Liam is a person in Wyatt’s life who pushes back a little and doesn’t just say he’s the bestest. Plus, Thomas bashing. so my new head canon is that instead of Thomas going all rapey, his manipulation of Douglas should reach a point where he accidentally puts the kid in danger/Douglas gets hurt. Then the Spencers can decide they’ve had enough, and Liam/Hope can sue for custody of Liam’s cousin’s kid (with Karen/Dani backing their play), and they can use all of Thomas’ manipulations about how Douglas thinks of Hope as a mother, and totally win. then if they want to continue the Taylor/Logan feud or reignite Steffy vs. Hope (and kill Steam for good) or have a reason to break up Bridge or whatever, they at least have a new reason to do so. Bonus points if Bill and/or Brooke use their knowledge of Taylor’s attempted murder of Bill to neutralize Team Thomas in some way.

TBH, Bill’s reaction makes sense to me. I would find it more ridiculous if Bill found out about the test and did dump Katie for it. He’s always been an end justifies the means kind of guy, and tends to have tunnel vision about it, and right now, the end he wants is marriage to Katie. So I don’t think he’d give two shits how it happened as long as it happened. Now, if he found out about the test after he’d already mentally moved on to someone else, that’s a different story. If this baby switch story wasn’t mucking everything up, I could really love Shauna. I love the way she had zero qualms about scheming with Katie, threw herself into it and then was a zillion percent invested in the outcome. I’ve always enjoyed those low stakes schemers on soaps, and I think a friendship with someone with a penchant for goodnatured mischief would be good for Katie. most importantly, I’m glad a house is opening up for Lope. Unfortunately, I assume this means Thomas will suddenly decide he needs to move into his grandpa’s for reasons. can someone explain will’s bedroom set to me? More specifically, can someone explain will’s curtains? (I’m surprised they didn’t really go for it and give him a comforter with a dollar bill design.) I was so happy to see Hope included in the Logan family scenes, talking about someone else’s problems. Eric is rich, right? Is his community gated or is his house? I feel like Flo should be able to put Zoe on some sort of do not let in list. She should just tell Quinn that Zoe is stalking her and see how quickly Zoe gets fired. It’s not like Zoe can tell them why she’s stalking Flo (and she DOES have a history of it.)

I’m very glad that Liam would not let the “Thomas is a manipulative jerk” thing drop and refused to compromise on that. Also, that he mentioned a realtor. Don’t get me wrong: I do not want to go back to the days of everyone up in Lope’s business... but how is Brooke not aware of everything that’s happened with Thomas? That’s ridiculous. I would really love it if Maya turned up randomly and mentioned the nanny cam she keeps in Brooke’s living room because she recently changed nannies for Lizzie. Because that conversation Thomas had with Douglas is well deserving of a public shaming. Flo should have been jumping up and down at the thought of moving. it’ll keep Zoe from being able to barge into her home at all hours, attempting to dictate her decisions and whining about how she has the right because it’s her dad’s apartment. It’s a stupid storyline, but I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes with Katie rationalizing her stupid plan, Shawna basically being like, “whatevs, I’m down for whatever,” and Brooke’s exasperated, “how am I the adult in the room?” attitude. Instead of the same old “sad sack Katie gets kicked by Bill moving on with someone else” storyline, I could get on board with one where Bill totally sees what Katie is doing, and then they just increasingly try to outsmart each other in a series of wildly ridiculous scenarios that pulls in every adult character on this show. At the very least, it would give Liam and Hope something new to talk about.

I actually would love for Liam to make that clear. Everyone is treating it as a foregone conclusion that if Hope leaves him to make a family for Douglas with Thomas, that he'll automatically go back to Steffy. Given his history, I understand that, but I'd love for him to lay it out for her: He wants to be married to her. She can make the choice to leave him, and he can't stop that but he does have autonomy, and even if they divorce, he will not return to Steffy. He'll continue to coparent with her, but he wont repeat mistakes of the past and marry someone when he's in love with someone else. And that, frankly, he has too much respect for Steffy to do that to her (especially given how important it's become to Steffy not to be like Taylor ever since she had Kelly) and if all of these other people truly loved and respected Steffy, they wouldn't want that for her either. So Hope can break up their family, but she should be real clear eyed that she won't be doing it to give Kelly and Phoebe a nuclear family because that's not happening.

I don't think she is being trampled to prop Flo (who is clearly heading for a big fall given both Fullers' repeated and exaggerated insistence on Wyatt's never-before-mentioned need for absolute and complete honesty) but I do think she is being trampled on for plot points. Everyone else has a point of view; some of those points of view are crazy, but they exist. Liam loves Kelly and Phoebe, but he also loves Hope and wants to be with her; Hope loves Liam, but she feels guilty about the kids; Thomas will do anything to possess Hope; Wyatt doesn't care how this all shakes out as long as Liam is happy; Flo feels guilty for what she did (but not enough to tell the truth) and wants to mitigate any further pain in Hope's life; Brooke is team Lope forever; Ridge doesn't want to get involved, but he hopes no one gets hurt and would secretly like Steffy to be happy; Zoe wants to cause Hope as much pain as possible. But Sally? There's no consistency to her. One day she's insisting to Wyatt that Thomas has a point and she kinda agrees with him, plus Liam totally loves Steffy too, and the next day she's all "Thomas, Liam is back and he's never gonna let you have Hope." She doesn't seem to have her own thought process, but instead is just there to counterpoint whatever her scene partner says because that's what the writers need her to do. Which makes it hard to hate her, but also makes it hard to root for her, too. I don't know where this "Tom" business came from, but I like it. Liam was just fantastic today, although you can tell he's Bill's pacifist son because if someone had spoken to me with such self righteous condescension about how they're morally right and completely entitled to break up my marriage, and dictated to me what my feelings were toward my spouse and my ex despite me never having a single serious conversation with them, that person would be on the floor. Strike that, Thomas wouldn't have even finished his elevator pitch and I'd get my dad to drop a building on him. i wonder if AN got her script and paged through it like, "so where are Hope's lines?" I did love how SC kept planting himself between Thomas and Hope anytime he wanted to have actual conversation with her though. But, correct me if I'm wrong because I blacked out with rage, but did Thomas start one of his speeches with "I won't speak for Hope because she's her own person" and two sentences later say, "Hope wants this too"?

The "babies are purses" mentality is annoying enough with any babyswitch story, but compounding that with the "husbands are purses, too" mentality of this show is rage inducing. I would become a Steffy fan for life if she returns to some large gathering where everyone is debating whether Liam should be with her or Hope, and she's just like, "lol, but I don't want Liam? This is my hot new French boyfriend!" its amazing how refreshing it is to see liam when we're allowed to miss him a bit. From "what were Caroline and Sally, intermission?" to his concern for Wyatt's relationship to his reaction when Thomas said Lope were a couple, not a family--this is a guy deserving of being the show's leading man. Hope looked so uncomfortable when thomas walked in, and then her soft way of trying to get rid of him, which he just knowingly bulldozed ever. It was a classic example of everything that's wrong with our culture today, and all of the crap women go through, and I'd actually be interested in a show exploring that, but I don't even think these show writers realized what they actually wrote and put on screen (which, sadly, seems to be a pattern for the way they write Thomas). Flo has done terrible things, but I still can't seem to hate her if only for the fact that I think this is the first time in any of these merry go round triangles of who people should be with (and not who they actually want to be with) that someone just asked: what do you feel toward person b?

OK, so I know Flo was mostly motivated by guilt over what she did to Beth and now potentially causing Hope's divorce, and that's mostly why she said what she said, but she was still the sanest person on today's show. Hope, you don't divorce your husband for a creepy stalker. Quinn, you don't get to be outraged on Liam's behalf ever. Wyatt, you knew perfectly well when you called your mother what would happen, and you still did it anyway. Also, if you're so concerned about Liam's marriage, perhaps instead of calling Quinn, you could've called Hope, checked in with her, saw where her head was at, been a friend? You're usually actually pretty good at that. Also, since you're unaware that Thomas has laid out his plans to Hope, you might've warned her what Thomas is planning? Thomas, you are just massively not sane. Sally, you were mostly sane today--the words you were saying were sane--but it's pretty obvious that Thomas is too far gone to reason with, so I'm not sure why you bothered. Perhaps a better use of your time would've been literally anything else.

Brooke and Ridge can choose to "stay out of it" all they want (lol, Ridge, have you met Brooke?) but if Brooke doesn't kick Thomas out of her house, I call shenanigans. He can go stay with Eric, or Steffy has a whole house just sitting empty. He's not homeless or destitute. Can you ever imagine telling your employer's ex that he should dump his grieving wife and go back to the employer? Liam, the only reasonable response to that is, "Stay out of my business. Steffy pays you to watch the girls when her family isn't around, but I'm here, and Steffy and Taylor will be back soon, so why don't you go see the Eiffel Tower or something you weirdo?" Hope, I get that you're shocked, but when a dude goes on and on AND ON about his love for you, showing you a ring, and you try to let him down gently, and he STILL doesn't get it, going on and on AND ON about how he'll so generously give you time to think through your decision, the only reasonable response is, "I won't need that time. I made my decision a year ago when I married my husband. There is no choice to make here. You are not a factor in my love life, you creep." This version of Thomas is the definition of "nice guy," thinking he's entitled to your feelings just because he has some himself. Wyatt, Sally's ridiculously long monologue about how you're the best boyfriend ever and deserved honesty and transparency was your cue to say "I kissed Flo" if only to put a merciful end to that verbal flogging Sally was doing. But also, thank you for being sane. And, you know what? I can't even be mad at Wyatt because sure, Sally told him Thomas is making a move on Hope, but she didn't even tell him the worst part that she knows: that he's drawing pictures "from Douglas" to manipulate her. Without knowing that, I could maaaaybe buy her thinking, "Thomas loves Hope, but as long as he doesn't do anything to cause her breakup with Liam, that's ok. But should Hope and Liam decide to break up, it makes sense for them to move on with thomas and Steffy, and would be nice for the kids." That seems to be Ridge's position, and, with the information he has, and being Thomas and Steffy's father, I kind of get it. But whereas Ridge may just suspect Thomas is being next level shady, Sally has way more information and knows that for a fact. She can't pretend anything about this is innocent.

If he doesn't come clean about the kiss tomorrow, that's BS. But I'll give him a pass until then. It makes sense to me that Wyatt would want to find out what Sally is hiding before confessing (it's a little manipulative, since she's more likely to come clean if she's not pissed at him, but Wyatt's always been strategic) and then the sheer crazypants nonsense Sally was spewing sidetracked him. Also, I buy this could be a deal breaker for Wyatt. While the Spencer brothers have not always been the greatest toward each other, Wyatt chose Liam over Bill (in the only triangle I have given a shit about on this show in at least a decade). If he can cut Bill out for hurting Liam I have no problem seeing why he'd do the same to Sally. So not only is Thomas trying to break up Liam's marriage, he's using Liam's dead cousin to do so? Okay then. I am so here for Steffy getting a new love interest. Plus, she might not be a favorite of mine, but JMW has been on the show more than a decade and the only love interest she's had that was hers first was... Marcus? I think? She's due.

Oh, Thomas. You are TERRIBLE at this. Look, you are vile and gross and ridiculous, but you declare your intentions to Hope after two drawings, a video, one picture and while her marriage to her husband is still on firm ground? If you're going to be a villainous snake, at least be good at it. Go on some fake dates with Hope and Douglas--family stuff like group bowling or the craft fair at the park, go to some kids movie together. Really use your kid: engineer it so he falls asleep on Hope's lap and she carries him up to bed. Don't settle for a stock photo of Steffy and Liam. Have your psycho mom take some candids of Liam feeding one of the girls with a look of pure joy on his face. Or one of Steffy handing Phoebe off to Liam, or the two of them hugging or something. This is just pathetic. I don't like the story, and don't particularly care to see it play out, but we're still in the first act...how the hell did Thomas jump to act iii? Also, his eyes are small and beady. Words I literally never thought I'd see myself write: when does JMW get back? One thing I am glad about though: That Flo got a second to herself to express happiness at having an Aunt Brooke. She's sort of the new Liam in that everyone is telling her how she feels or should feel, and I'm glad we got a moment to see her actual reaction to her newfound family.

No question she should tell Lope first, but it doesn't make it any less crappy that she's keeping such a huge secret that affects her bf's brother imo. And I really just meant that at the time Sally and Wyatt got in their fight, he'd been pretty aboveboard with his relationship with Flo. Yes, they spent a lot of time together, but it was basically as a supportive friend, and Sally's been well informed throughout. I think Flo tried to kiss him once (before she knew about Sally and he immediately told her he was in a relationship)? There really wasn't much for Sally to be territorial about at that point. As for Flo's potential redemption, they can always go the old "Beth needs a lifesaving transplant" route, and cousin Flo is the only match. There could be some complication, Flo almost dies, the Logan sisters cry about how it's Stormy's history repeating itself, but then she pulls through.

If Flo got a job at Spencer Publications, Bill or Justin would figure this secret out in three seconds flat. I realize Wyatt ended the episode kissing Flo, but Sally really had no right to get in a snit about Flo considering the crap she's hiding for Thomas. Also, I hold out hope that Wyatt will not be a true waffle. Kissing Flo was bad, obvi, but he comes by it more honestly than Liam. He was all in with Hope, but she loved Liam more. He was all in with Steffy, but she loved Liam more. He was all in with Ivy, but she randomly loved Liam more... and, also, cheated on him with Thomas. Between his history of his girlfriends leaving him for their exes and that text he saw, I don't begrudge him a little insecurity in his relationship. The part that makes no sense is Wyatt is the type of guy to confront Sally, not kiss his ex behind her back. You can tell that Flo and Hope are related because Flo's "I don't care what anyone says, Hope deserves to know the truth!" And Hope's "I don't care what anyone says, I felt connected to Phoebe from the start, and now I know why!" Sound exactly the same at this point. It's all white noise. Also, when the baby thieves were counting how many people would be sad if they kept the secret, it's bad enough that they didn't count all of Flo's newfound Logan relatives, but they didn't even count Liam? Or are these bitches on the "Liam is Phoebe's dad" crazy train, too?

Calling it now. Steffy and the girls return from Paris and someone gets suspicious about Beth, and does a secret DNA test. Maybe it's even Steffy because they're leaning into this Steffy redemption arc. She doesn't tell anyone yet because she wants to be sure first, but confides in Thomas who has successfully broken up Lope and convinced Hope to insta marry him. Steffy's results arrive the day of the wedding, but before she can see them Thomas steals them. He has to hide them quickly though when someone walks in, so he stuffs them behind Stephanie's portrait ( the wedding is at Eric's obviously, and Quinn consented to hanging Steph's newly restored painting because she's OK with it when she can suck up to Eric's progeny with it.) Before the ceremony, Brooke tearfully approaches the portrait about whether this is the right path for Hope, blah blah, give her a sign, blah blah. Mid ceremony, probably the speak now or forever hold your peace part, Stephanie crashes to the floor. Hope picks up the results (or Steffy, who is Thomas' best man... Flo is naturally up there too as Hope's MOH). Because Stephanie is still the only character on this show who can move a story along. Bill and Katie, man... what was the point? If it's to "end" Batie so they can move him onto Shawna, they didn't need to. Batie never really restarted, so they didn't have any loose threads hanging. And if it's the start of a Batie story where he proves to her he actually loves her and isn't just doing this to give Will a family, then... WTH? Will put more effort into their fake dates than Bill Spencer puts into a proposal? I mean, really?

Sally very much needs to commit these sentences to memory: Yes, I stole a few dress designs, but you know what I didn't do? Push my ex husband off a cliff. Or custom design a dagger, fully intending to murder my son's brother with it. Oh, and I also never kidnapped that same brother and raped him. I can usually tolerate Quinn in extremely small doses, but any time she gets smug and condescending with anyone, it just reminds me that I'd rather she just die in a fire. Talk about a character badly in need of a redemption arc. Liam only had to wait like eight years or so, right? If Ridge really wants to redeem himself, I hope he realizes exactly what Thomas is up to and cockblocks the crap out of him. It's probably too much to ask that he tell Hope and Brooke, but I would thoroughly enjoy Ridge popping into Hope's place to borrow some sugar every time Thomas is there. Or Ridge inviting himself to their candlelit dinner. Or Ridge deciding the co-CEO needs to be in every HFTF meeting.

OMG, I forgot how much that pissed me off. Thomas is just the worst and nothing about him makes sense. The only upside to this whole thing is drawing pictures for a grieving mother and pretending your grieving son did them is such an over the top villain move that there's no way we're possibly supposed to root for this, right? So, that means the show is framing Lope as the root-for couple? And look, I liked PF's Thomas. He was my favorite character once upon a time. But even if I didn't, how do you take your leading man's only adult son and turn him into this? how is Thomas not a legacy character you build a show around? I know he has an insane history, but that makes this all the more mystifying. How has the last decade not been about building Thomas into a major player? It's such a waste. I could watch an entire show that's just the Brothers Spencer.

That's my recollection, too. What is with Taylor's kids falling in instalove? At least Steffy almost got killed by her bathtub--what's thomas' excuse? OK, Sally? I would've felt bad for you for Thomas basically saying he loved someone else the entire time he was with you (that's bs, but whatever) but Liam told you and Wyatt that bit about the no sex in the strictest of confidence. That's not something you go gabbing about with people. She at least redeemed herself with her "How the eff was I attracted to this" look when Thomas was going full on crazy at the end there. What was hope's outfit? Specifically, what was Hope's necklace with Hope's outfit? So is it a rule that this show can only rehab one character at a time? If so, I'm so glad it's Liam's turn. SC is great, and Liam was great today. Caring and considerate, but also taking the time to express his needs in the relationship. Obviously, Hope is the one he most needs to say "I need you" too, but I'd love it if he gets to say it to some of the "you once loved Steffy" crowd. It's so great to see him actually take agency in his relationship, and have some actual self reflection for a change. I will happily keep this version of Liam.