Credit: Howard Wise/JPI (3); CBS Screenshot (2)

I’ve long said that Ridge is the absolute worst, and as Taylor’s return continues to play out on The Bold and the Beautiful, he’s proving it on a daily basis. Meanwhile, we actually got two stories this week as Hope’s increasingly jam-packed love life got even more complicated. We got some incredible acting this week from two of the show’s strongest players, too… I just wish the storyline in which it was featured made any sense whatsoever. Read on for my take, then hit the comments with yours.

To Tell the Truth

There aren’t words to express how upset I am with Ridge right now. There is absolutely no excuse for him to be spending so much time with Taylor and not filling in Brooke on the situation. Yes, Taylor wants to keep this under wraps. But Ridge should 100 percent be saying to her, “Listen, I understand how you feel, but given our very long and complicated history, I have to tell Brooke what’s going on.”

Heck, Taylor should be insisting to Ridge that he tell his significant other!

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When the show brought Taylor back in the form of Rebecca Budig, I hoped that maybe, just maybe, we weren’t going to retread the tired triangle with Brooke. But here we go again. Sure, Taylor insists she’s not going to pursue her ex, and he insists he’s totally devoted to “my Logan.” But…

Yeah, we all know where this is going, right?

The New Frenemies?

On the plus side, I’ve really enjoyed recent scenes between Brooke and Steffy. Each is kinda sorta trying to see things from the other’s point of view, but neither really truly trusts the other. That makes for a fun dynamic that’s at least a little bit different from what we’ve seen play out between them in the past.

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I’d rather watch Brooke and Steffy navigate the ties that bind them than listen to Finn and his wife go on and on about how precious and perfect their love is. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: Finn needs to be more than just this perfect hero figure who coos over his wife and looks good stripped down. Well-defined characters have both histories and flaws, neither of which Finn has.

Well, unless we count him being such a good guy that he keeps putting himself in bad situations, like with Sheila or Hope. Speaking of whom…

‘Lope’ For the Future?

Hope and Carter have worked together for years, yet all of a sudden they have this irresistible pull toward one another? This feels like nothing more than the writers looking around and saying, “Hey, these two characters are single… let’s throw them together!” Why? Oh, so that Hope can have Liam come knock, knock, knockin’ on her door wanting to reunite.

Liam has had absolutely zero story since he and Hope broke up. But one word from Will, and he’s suddenly pining for Hope again? And is the audience supposed to watch all this and say, “Thomas who?” I assume that at some point, Thomas — probably sans Paris — will be thrown back into the mix. And while that wouldn’t mean much in terms of a disruption to a budding Carter/Hope romance, it would create major waves if she and Liam had reunited.

Random Thoughts

• So I guess Poppy is just… gone now, aside from the occasional update from Li. When this show is done with a character, it is done with them. (See also: Luna.)

• My favorite scenes this week were Liam and Will at Il Giardino. These two feel like real siblings, and it’s so great to see some humor! And while I loved the way Liam cringed when Sheila put her hands on his shoulders, here’s a thought: Stop going to a restaurant where the town psycho is living with and working for the owner!

• Carter has made it clear — with Paris, Quinn and Zoe — that he wants to be married. Seeing as everyone knows Thomas and Hope broke up because she wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment, shouldn’t Carter and his would-be girlfriend maybe have this talk?