The Bold And The Beautiful

In Wednesday’s #BoldAndBeautiful, Eric has a big ask, Katie has a big decision to make, and Bill… Bless his heart, he was unusually funny. Read all about it in our recap of the episode:

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As the episode begins, Brooke asks Ridge if he’s given any more thought to Eric’s surprise retirement party. Sorry, what? They’re surprise retiring him? That won’t go well. Right on cue, Eric enters with Donna and reminds his son that his name is on the building. Seconds later, the lot of them hear Bill hollering in Katie’s office about how badly mistreated she’s been. Once again, he implores her to come to Spencer, aka “your true family company.”

Ridge and Bill Take Turns Blowing Their Stacks

Ridge immediately works himself into a lather. He doesn’t like Bill roaming the FC hallways. The dressmaker can’t take it, he has to go confront his nemesis. How far away is Katie’s office, though? It seems to take Ridge ages to get there, considering he could hear Bill from across the hall. Why is Bill there? Ridge wants to know. “To defend the woman I love,” Bill says. Can you imagine being defended at a job where your to-do list includes… not having to do diddly? Sign me up.

After the commercial break, Bill lights into Ridge about him and Brooke bringing in an outside PR firm. “You treat Katie with disrespect and a lack of appreciation,” Bill huffs. Does Katie feel the same way? Eh, kinda, she says. Ridge admires what Katie does. “We all do.” “We” who? Bill asks. Ridge, Brooke, Zende? (Poor Zende… one shout-out, and it’s a dis.)

Eric Gives Ridge’s Sketches a ‘Meh’ Review

In the CEO’s office, Brooke explains Ridge’s dismissive behavior by saying he’s super busy. Eric can help; he just needs to be asked. When Ridge returns, he rants about Bill filling Katie’s head with the notion that she’s underappreciated. Eric wants a word with his son — right then. Ridge is busy but never too busy for the founder of the company, he assures Eric, cooling down.

‘Later, the patriarch says that he doesn’t like feeling like a guest in his own building. That wasn’t the intention, Ridge replies. But every time they start to talk, he gets pulled away by another business call or text. Eventually, Eric offers gentle criticism of Ridge’s new designs. “What are you getting at?” he asks as if it wasn’t obvious.

Donna Pleads Eric’s Case to Brooke

In the showroom, Brooke and Donna look over Ridge’s new sketches and agree that he’s never happy till they’re perfect. That and taking on most of the CEO duties is getting to Ridge. Why doesn’t he lean on Eric, “the man who taught him everything he knows”? Donna asks. (Poor Zende, we learn is working on HFTF even though Deke has been chosen as the new “anointed one.” Now there’s a character who needs defending — Zende. But I digress… )

Donna goes so far as to suggest that Ridge is less concerned with Eric’s legacy than his own. Her spouse “wants to be an important part of this company again,” Donna says. He wants to be a designer, not a mascot. She explains that he’s always sketching at home, and he wants to be part of the couture design team again. What about the pressure? Brooke asks. “It’s who he is, Brooke.”

Huh… So maybe the spoiler that the show released about Eric’s health was a red herring?

Eric Wants to Rejoin the Couture Club

Back at Spencer, Bill is still ranting and raving about how Katie is always cleaning up the Forresters’ messes. “Is this about you, or is it about me?” she asks. It’s about her, Bill insists, then apologizes for letting the volcano explode. What does Katie want? As the episode draws to a close, he backs off for fear of pressuring her.

Katie appreciates Bill standing up for her. “Whatever you do,” he promises, “I’ll do anything I can to help you.” She doesn’t need him to fight her fights like a superhero, she points out. He’ll always be there nonetheless — “cape and all.” Unusually witty episode, no, between this and Bill laughing about Ridge having “confidential business” to attend to (what? “Hemming a dress?”).

In Forrester’s main office, Eric compliments Ridge on the job he’s doing as CEO — mostly singlehandedly. He’s doing too much, though, Dad says. “You’re drowning in it.” Eric hopes the most important thing he taught Ridge was the value of collaboration. So “let me back in,” he asks his son, “not as some figurehead, as a co-designer. You and me together — let’s make history again” on the couture line.