Hope for the future?

Hope's certainly shaken things up with her internship, without even trying! She's already a pawn in the Forrester/Logan feud, as well as Katie's plan to oust Steffy.

Has your week been bold and beautiful? Did you catch an employee making a move on your man? Did you get caught in the middle of your wives and daughters? Did you suddenly age ten or eleven years? These and more situations faced the Forresters this week!

Or, if you're listening to Steffy, Taylor, and Stephanie, "these and more situations faced the Logans this week because the Forresters are being edged out." What's going on with all this anti-Logan rhetoric? Is it an in-joke for TPTB (The Powers That Bell) barely writing for the Forresters these days? Maybe, but Brooke is a Forrester now (and again). So is Donna. And Brooke and Donna both chose to deceive Katie with the "Dare" line, which proves they're supporting the Forresters, not trying to usurp them. Yet this week there's this sudden new wave of Logan-bashing, which seems odd. Brooke is right - why are Taylor and Steffy trying to pass the feud to the next generation? Well, to keep storyline going, of course...except it's the Forresters who are acting like the enemy. The Logans didn't take over Forrester - Bill did that. Why are Katie and her sisters being blamed for it?

It was really disappointing to not see the "Dare" line come to fruition - yet another example of stories moving too fast. Wouldn't it have been cool to see a full-on "Dare" fashion show? All those gaudy designs on the runway, Bill thinking it's great, everyone else gaping in horror? That would have given Bill something to be furious about. Wrapping it up so fast seemed like a cheat - I know budgets are super-tight on all the soaps now, but fashion shows are a B&B staple. They used to spend a couple of months working on one. At any rate, the failed coup caused Bill and Katie to argue and Steffy to again smooch the Bearded One. Ah, Steffy, thou doth protest too much. She really does have a thing for him; it's not just because she wants to wrest Forrester away from him.

But how does stealing Bill from Katie get the company back? That makes less sense than most people said the "Dare" line did. Yet, here's Thomas with that troublemaking glint back in his eye, suggesting his sister use Bill's attraction to their advantage - Bill had better check his car for explosives. This scheming is not helping the Forrester kids' cause - and it makes them look hypocritical when they slam the Logans (which Steffy did no less than four times this week). Does someone need to remind them that they're not even Forresters by blood, but Marones?

At least the lightning-fast stories had Katie catching Steffy in her swordfight flirtation with Bill. Did Steffy want to get caught? First she 'fesses up to Thomas in Katie's office and then leaves its door open while she bats her eyes at Bill. Dock this girl a few more IQ points and let 'er rip, Katie! Yet, Katie should be careful herself. Not because she wants Steffy gone, but because of the way she made up with Bill. Doesn't she know the first rule of soap operas? Never say "never"! "I will never walk out on you again, Bill...we will never let anything come between us." In soap language, that means both will happen - and soon.

Interesting, though, to hear Bill confess his fear of abandonment. I always like to find out what makes characters tick, especially ones that lean toward the dark side. Bill's desire to strike back in business now makes complete sense, and the admission added a layer of vulnerability to a character that could easily be drawn as a cartoon. And how refreshing is it to see Bill wear something besides black or blue? Red was a nice change of pace, and I'm guessing as symbolic as putting his sword necklace back on. So far Bill has resisted Steffy and I hope it stays that way...if he crosses the line, it'll ruin all that nice character development. Keep it in your wallet, Dollar Bill.

Across town, Sandy finally told cousin Whip about her rape, and shared with Nick that she wants to keep it from Bridget because she doesn't want to taint her pregnancy experience. That's honorable on some level, but it's rather flawed logic, and it just makes Nick complacent in the secret. Sure, secrets are what drive soaps. But Nick is privy to it, as is Brooke...now Whip...Bridget is going to be the last to know, and she ain't gonna be happy about it.

As for Whip, Stephanie let it "slip" to Ridge that Taylor is dating the PR guru. Really? Because we haven't seen them out together so far this year. And it shows. I think there must be asbestos or some other mood-altering substance in the walls of Forrester (or at least Ridge's office), between Taylor's returning hostility and Stephanie becoming a shrew again in a single episode. Somebody better send in a HazMat team, or at least get Taylor some cool Whip to cheer her back up!

Over at Jackie M, we got an out-of-nowhere scene with Jackie and Owen, who spent all their time talking about the junked "Dare" campaign - and watching a promotional video for it online! When did the Forresters have time to make that? And it ended with Jackie suggesting Owen talk to his needy friend, Steffy, which is doing nothing to change my opinion that B&B is trying to turn into The Steffy Show.

Speaking of rapidly aged children, "the role of Hope Logan is now being played by Kimberly Matula." (Interesting that Heather Tom was given that voice-over...I know Bern Bennett is retired, but I really miss his recast announcements!) You already know I didn't approve of SORASing Hope, so it's eating a little crow here to admit that...I like her. So far, anyway. She's spunky and sassy, but not bratty; she's wholesome and grounded without being cloying. And she seems to be the only sensible one in the bunch - she was the voice of reason when everyone was fighting about her coming on as an intern. Best of all, her rather mature demeanor makes older stepsister Steffy seem even more childish!

Why is Steffy suddenly drawing dividing lines between Forrester and Logan? Oh - because she's worried she won't be able to spend as much time with Daddy. While I concede that her admission clues us in to her motivation, she's what - twenty? Well, since Ridge, Thorne, and Felicia all consistently whine about their Mommy and Daddy not being together, no wonder the kids do the same. Does Steffy actually think she's a junior Stephanie because she "tells it like it is?" Hope's right - Steffy should work with Stephanie at Jackie M! Stephanie would set her straight in about two seconds! Which I'd love to see, of course...

As for Hope, she's certainly shaken things up with her internship - without even trying! Her first day and she's already a pawn in the Forrester/Logan feud, as well as in Katie's plan to oust Steffy. I have to say, I enjoyed Katie purposely choosing the "Hope for the Future" proposal over Steffy's "Afterparty." But why are the head of PR and an intern being tapped for new design concepts? Isn't that Eric and Ridge's department? Hope's presentation did look unprofessional next to Steffy's (maybe that was the point) - and how did she get it put together in a couple of soap hours, even with Katie's help?

Still, it was all worth it to see the look on Steffy's face when she got shot down - except when newbie Graham offered his condolences. Why do all the new men on this show have to cross paths with Steffy for chemistry tests? Well, even I don't wish Graham on Steffy, knowing what he did to Sandy. That would be like Hope's theorizing that everything would be better if Bill up and died! It was kind of charming the way Hope delivered it, but, um, Ridge? How is that statement a "positive attitude" on Hope's part? Bill, you've got even more reason to watch your back - especially now that Katie and Steffy are onto each other and are about to open up a can of you-know-what!

That brings us to the Friday cliffhanger. Taylor predicts Ridge will leave Brooke when he finds out Hope's concept was chosen over Steffy's? Ridge blows up when he finds out and declares to Brooke that "it's over?" What's over, Ridge? I guess we'll find out, but it makes me nervous that suddenly there's all this hinting about putting Ridge and Taylor together again, because that triangle is beyond played out...plus Whip hasn't even had his chance yet! Step carefully, TPTB...be like Katie. Don't choose the rehash concept...go with the fresh, exciting one..."hope for the future"!

Well, Scoopers, that's all I've got this week. Lots of intriguing stuff going on, so let's see where it goes. Will Bill hit the sheets with Steffy after all? What will happen when Sandy crosses paths with Graham? And, with Hope being prominently placed, can Deacon be too far behind? Don't forget to voice your own comments on the soapcentral.com message boards, and I'll see you next column. In the meantime, whatever you do, don't forget to be bold!