I've always suspected that the Forresters and Logans have a wedding supply warehouse behind the corporate offices because with little notice or prep time, they're always ready with chairs, flowers, food, and ministers. It's no trouble whipping up a wedding in a matter of days! I wouldn't be surprised if they could do it in a couple of hours. ...Well, this week we had the impromptu Marcus-Dayzee nuptials, although it seemed to me that impresario Bradley Bell was doing this one on the cheap!
Case in point, where on earth were the guests? We've been told that Dayzee has a zillion friends from the coffeehouse and the homeless shelter. She's good and kind and generous...hiring the needy and making them feel worthy. Did you see any of those folks at the Forrester mansion? Dayzee didn't even have any girlfriends to help her get into the dress and do her hair and makeup. I don't know about you ladies out there, but I needed three friends to get me into my wedding dress, and another woman to do my hair and apply my makeup. There were also three sisters and my mother, future mother-in-law, and the sister-in-law from hell (but that's another story). Where was Dayzee's support system? Stephanie was her only ally, and she didn't even spring for a new pantsuit!
No, it seemed that the show was budget-conscious for this affair. Extras and day players cost money. I was shocked that the minister spoke more than a couple of lines, but I guess there was no way to avoid that. He had to conduct the ceremony. Did you notice that there were huge holes in the storytelling at the wedding?
For one thing, Dayzee had told Stephanie how important it was for her to have Anthony walk her down the aisle. Yet on the morning of the wedding, Dayzee didn't even ask if Anthony was there. Wouldn't she have wanted to make sure he was there and dressed in a suit? And when she did finally go down the aisle, Dayzee was unescorted! She hadn't even asked for Eric to fill in for Anthony. No, the entire plot point was dropped. Sorry, but that's just sloppy.
Another cheapo element at the wedding was Brooke with a video camera. First of all, Marcus presumably had the money to pay for the wedding -- he is Eric's son and has a very good job at the company -- so couldn't he have hired a videographer and photographer? Honestly, even the worst Bridezillas, the type who have rinky-dink weddings in condo party rooms, hire professionals to record the event. Who would trust Brooke, who seemed technologically challenged by a simple camcorder, to video the wedding? Most people want an expert behind the camera, someone who will add a musical score in post-production so the wedding video is Oscar-worthy!
Call me picky, but there were other abnormalities at the wedding, like why were guests eating before the ceremony? Did you notice that Katie had a plate of food while chatting with Brooke? Dayzee hadn't come down the stairs yet. In the background, you could see people drinking and being served. What kind of wedding is that? Usually you have to sit through at least an hour of ritual before you get to the pigs-in-a-blanket or a glass of champagne!
Of course, we have to deal with what happened prior to the wedding: the accident. In a storyline that really popped up out of nowhere, we learned that Marcus is a text addict. This is a relevant topic, and an important issue to be addressed. I will admit that I'm one of those cranky types who don't understand why some people can't walk two feet without a phone in their hand. Having the capability to send and receive messages instantly, not to mention a veritable mini-computer to access the Internet, is remarkable. But like many things, people have taken it too far. And you don't need to watch a public service announcement to know that texting while driving is a recipe for disaster.
Apparently, Brad Bell wanted to make it a plot point. Therefore, Marcus was presented in one episode as being so hooked to his phone that he wouldn't go anywhere without being hooked up. Even Dayzee was shown as dependent to the phone, even using it for her alarm clock. Naturally, this was just a setup for something catastrophic to occur...and it did.
Marcus was driving at night and texting at the same time. He never saw Anthony crossing the street and ran right over him. Marcus was horrified by what he'd done and -- fortunately -- reacted in a responsible way. He called for help got Anthony to the hospital. Anthony was in serious condition, but he survived.
Up until that point, Marcus had done the right thing after the accident. However, once at the hospital, why did he suddenly go brain dead? Marcus is not alone in the world. He has parents, Justin and Donna. He also has extended family, Eric and Stephanie.
His first instinct -- once he knew that the doctor was treating Anthony -- should have been to call his family. They would have helped him through the trauma. Instead, he was alone. And when the cops appeared, he answered their questions. It wasn't until the following morning that he sought advice. And to whom did he turn for counsel? Thomas.
Okay, I like Thomas. I understand that Marcus considers Tom his best buddy, a confidante. But would you take advice from Thomas? This is the same Thomas who lied about his time on the island and being intimate with Brooke. This is the same Thomas who got himself exiled to the purgatory of the Forrester basement and lost his Taboo line for being underhanded and sneaky. Marcus had a front row seat for all of Thomas' misdeeds and misjudgments, and yet he listened to him for advice? Why?
It would have made more sense for Marcus to turn to Justin or Eric. Justin is his biological father (and a lawyer), and Eric is his adoptive father (and a rich and powerful business tycoon). They would have protected Marcus and given him sage advice. Marcus has been presented to us as a smart young man. The way he responded the morning after, when he should have been clear-headed, was just stupid.
Playing this out, what's going to happen next? I suspect that Marcus will be charged with some crime -- distracted driving or vehicular homicide -- and Baker will attempt to make an example of him. It'll look bad for a while, then Marcus will be given a fine and community service.
Dayzee will be devastated that Marcus kept this from her on their wedding day, that he chose not to confide in her. And she'll be right. Marcus acted like a scared boy, not a grown man. Dayzee will also be guilt-ridden about Anthony. You can hear it now, "If Marcus hadn't been texting me, Anthony would have never been hurt."
But watch for this to be wrapped up swiftly because the focus of the show is going to return squarely to Steffy, Hope, and Liam. That's right, the triangle that you thought would never end is going to continue to be never-ending! As long as Liam plays both sides against the middle, we're doomed to a romantic isosceles triangle of epic proportions!
Hope showed a lot of class and grace by forgiving Steffy and Liam for the wedding day interlude in Italy, but she was honest enough to say she didn't have much choice. What else could she have done? Dissolve her marriage after a week? Of course, Liam shaded the truth from Hope, and that's going to come out in short order. The video, the one that magically was recorded without benefit of a person pushing the record button, has not been deleted or permanently erased. It will find its way to Hope, and she'll see what really happened and the words Liam actually said.
When Hope realizes how close Steffy and Liam came to running off together, she's going to be filled with insecurity. The entire Hope and Liam love story, in fact, is built on shaky ground. Liam may say he loves Hope. He may feel he loves Hope. Ultimately, though, he can't keep away from Steffy.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Steffy and Hope should both drop Liam like a bad habit. He's too young to be a married man. He needs to spend a few years alone to figure out who he is and what he wants in a life partner. Right now, I don't think he has a clue. He keeps bouncing around from woman to woman like a playful puppy, eager to please whoever is holding the chew toy! He doesn't have any gumption to make a decision and stick to it. Weak, soft, mushy, and a mess...that's Liam!
By the way, there was another thing that irked me, and I was wondering if you felt the same way. After Brooke finally forced/nagged Liam into telling Hope the truth about Italy, why did he choose to tell Hope backstage at the fashion show? Could there have been a dumber time and place for a serious conversation? Was Dodger Stadium in the middle of a baseball game unavailable? Maybe they could have pulled off the side of the highway during rush hour for a heart-to-heart talk; that would have been a good spot.
When you see ridiculous scenes like that unfold, don't you want to scream? Liam didn't even have the wherewithal to pull Hope into a dressing room or the ladies room or a broom closet to give them a little privacy. Nope, they just stood there in Grand Central Forrester as he sputtered and stuttered and tried to get the words out. When he finally did, he only gave her half the story. He said he kissed Steffy a few times. He didn't tell Hope that on the same day he took vows with her, he was ready to run away with Steffy.
No matter how mature Hope tries to be, that bit of information will undermine her feelings for Liam. Every time she has a disagreement with her husband, she's going to wonder if he's turning to Steffy for comfort and understanding. And unless and until Steffy finds a new man in her life, it's going to always be like that.
You know why it's gotta be like that? Because that's how Brad Bell chooses to write it! He could easily let Steffy be swept off her feet by a new man, and I know just the guy -- Jon Hensley!
Holden -- I mean Hensley -- was back as surgeon Dr. Meade, who was caring for Anthony last week. Why not keep him in the cast and make him an eligible bachelor? Couldn't Steffy go to see him for a follow-up visit to check on her knee? Couldn't he ask her out to dinner? I would so enjoy Steffy with a sexy older man like him, wouldn't you?
It could spice up the triangle, too, especially if Liam was jealous of her being with an accomplished, gorgeous doctor! How would lightweight Liam stack up against a hottie like Dr. Meade? And wouldn't it be great for Steffy to get off on being pursued by a man instead of waiting around for Liam? She deserves a man of her own, instead of Hope's leftovers.
Finally, a word about marriage and couples on the show... Ridge acknowledged that he and Brooke are not married and need to have another wedding. Goodness knows what they'll come up with this time. We've had the Aztec ceremony wedding and the beach nuptials. Could they try an underwater wedding in scuba gear? That might wreak havoc on Ridge's hair!
We also heard Eric and Donna musing about their failed marriage, and poor little Donna seems very much a sad sack without a man in her life. Stephanie, on the other hand, was so blunt and candid about her marriage to Eric that it seemed like she was trying to scare Dayzee! I liked the scene because it felt realistic, but on a soap opera, how often do you hear characters suggesting that romance isn't all it's cracked up to be? How about rarely...
So, that's it for now. Please share your thoughts with me about what's going to happen in the weeks ahead. Your comments are always welcome at Soap Central, so stay in touch. And tell me which other characters you want to see fixed or changed, or return to the show. Contact us at Soap Central. And keep on reading Two Scoops every week!
Meanwhile, here are some letters from the readers!
• The Steffy, Liam, Hope trio is sickening. Enough already! Stop trying to make Hope out to be a saint. I can't stand her angelic character. Stop making Steffy out to be a love-starved puppy. Liam isn't even worth it. He is not that good-looking, he has no backbone, he's a dork! Steffy was better off with Bill. What happened to Thorne and Taylor? Please bring back the core characters. But please do not center on Brooke and Ridge. Also, please do not give Amber another story line. She is the most irritating character. Thanks for letting me vent. Hope the show gets it together soon so I can enjoy it like I used to. -- Anna
• I love the actresses that play Steffy and Hope, but I am very weary of the story line of the love triangle between these characters. Everyday my sister and I say to each other, "how much longer will this story line be dragged out?" I would love to see Hope happy and for Steffy to find a "real" man. That would make Bill and Liam jealous. It would have been interesting to see Steffy get pregnant on Hope's wedding day. I would pay good money to see Bill get caught for what he did to ruin it all! -- Cindy
What are your thoughts on The Bold and the Beautiful? What did you think of this week's Two Scoops? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
