TVSquad

In the DNA of all soaps is the idea that every story reflects the morality of the times. There are lessons to be learned from both the good characters as well as the villains. This is Soap Opera 101. Lately, though, I've noticed a nasty streak of overt righteousness and insufferable superiority creeping into some of the most complex, morally challenged characters ever on The Bold & the Beautiful – Brooke and Ridge. It's gotten so bad that I've had to wonder, what's going on with Bradley Bell and his staff of scribes? Is this the residual effects of the Writer's Strike because a few of the core elements of B&B are out of whack and need to be addressed?



Why is Ridge Forrester suddenly the moral authority in the family? He's determined that Storm Logan, who fired a gun at Ridge's mother Stephanie to pay for what he did. Storm was wrong to do what he did, but Stephanie survived, and she had done more than enough evil to the Logans to explain why Storm was moved to violence. But the bigger question here is this -- who the hell is Ridge Forrester to cast stones? He's been involved with two killings -- Phoebe's lovelorn stray, Shane McGrath, and Andy, the sleazy lawyer who raped Brooke -- in the recent past and even let his half-brother, Nick, get thrown in jail for Shane's death. Ridge thinks Storm is dangerous. What about the guy in the mirror?

Then you have Brooke. A year ago she was begging Taylor to testify on her behalf in a custody skirmish with Ridge and his family, to assure the court that she was fit to care for and keep her two younger children. Dr. Taylor Hayes, all together at that point in her life, was wishy-washy on the stand and didn't help Brooke one bit. Now, in true soap fashion, the tables are turned. Taylor, who's had a mini-nervous breakdown after learning that through a lab error, the anonymous donor egg implanted in her was Brooke's, is fighting to retain shared custody of the baby she gave birth to. Her chief ally, in another shocking twist, is Brooke's eldest child Rick. So here you have Taylor in court trying to prove that's she's responsible when not long ago, she was in the position of authority determining Brooke's psychological competency. And who is calling out Taylor as a danger to the baby -- Brooke! The switch up is maddeningly bizarre and completely irritating to viewers.

The moral compass of B&B seems completely off-kilter right now. Brooke and Ridge are characters that should be more self-aware of their own failings to ever look askance at the flaws of others. Where's compassion? Where's putting yourself in the other person's shoes? Where are faith, trust, generosity and there but for the grace of God go I? If I sound a little outraged, I am. B&B may occasionally drift off the road a bit with cockeyed storytelling -- the whole Phoebe-Constantine-Rick music contest was a farce for sure -- but essentially the ground rules laid down by the creator of the show, Bill Bell, have held true. Stephanie is a morally ambiguous character, but her motivations are always for the love of her family. She can be mean and petty and vindictive, but she is always forgiven and remorseful.

On the other hand, while Ridge and Brooke can have lapses in judgment -- that's natural -- they aren't meant to be cold and vindictive. Like when Ridge allowed Nick to be jailed for Shane's "murder," he was beside himself with guilt. He went to Paris, but he couldn't stay there, knowing the truth. He returned to L.A. to face the music. He did the honorable thing...eventually.

The bottom line is that when Ridge and Brooke act the way they are right now, it's out of character. They shouldn't get high and mighty and act as if their sh*t doesn't stink. Sorry to be so crude, but that's how it's playing. They have been on the show since day one. They've been through all kinds of stuff and by now they should have learned a little something. They're not in their 20's anymore! They have to show some growth. They have to show the wisdom to accept that they are not in a position to judge anyone.

Morals on soaps are a good thing. I don't want to watch a show where the characters are all base and soulless. But I also don't like it when writers who should know better mangle the nature of their characters with hypocritical and simplistic storytelling.