Ivy’s becoming tightly wound on The Bold and the Beautiful, and it’s raising some red flags. There should be a middle ground in her protective nature as she helps Electra navigate her first big romance. But Ivy’s begun to dictate how Electra spends her time, and how she should feel about the choices Will makes. Her behavior is reminiscent of her late cousin Aly, who’d went from being a shy, reserved, and open-hearted young woman to a judgemental, controlling, and violent person who attacked their cousin Steffy. Considering Aly lost her life in the confrontation that stemmed from a mental breakdown she was suffering at the time, perhaps we should be worried about Ivy.
Key Takeaways
- Examining Ivy’s sudden insistence on what’s proper.
- How Ivy’s personality shift mirror’s Aly’s.
- What Ivy’s interference could mean for Electra and Will.
Proper Ivy Forrester
It’s strange that Ivy (Ashleigh Brewer) is now concerned about what’s appropriate. While she had entered B&B new to romance and intimacy, she’d kept her views squarely on what was right for her. She waited until she was ready to spend the night with Liam (Scott Clifton), and she did exactly what Electra (Laneya Grace) is doing now with Will (Crew Morrow)—occasionally sleeping over and hanging out at his home most of the time.
As the years went on, Ivy no longer worried about being proper. In fact, she had more than one story beat that saw her throwing decorum out the window. So, this sudden tip back toward what’s proper is ringing alarm bells, especially since she’s trying to influence Electra’s opinion on what’s appropriate in her own relationship.
Their phone call in the Wednesday, January 28 episode was eyebrow-raising. Ivy supported Electra’s feelings about Dylan (Sydney Bullock) living on the same property as Will, but she didn’t try to soothe her concerns. Instead, she reiterated that the arrangement wasn’t appropriate and made Electra feel worse about the situation. It was a sharp contrast to Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood), who acknowledged how Electra felt but also reminded her that Will’s in love with her and Dylan’s her friend.
Ivy, who was supposed to be sick, drove to the beach house to “check up” on Will and Dylan. For someone so focused on appropriate behavior, what she chose to do was highly inappropriate.
The Danger of Ivy Becoming Too Invested in Electra’s Love Life
While Ivy did catch the roommates in a compromising position, the fact that she was outside the window spying on them proves she’s far too involved in Electra’s relationship. Her repeated refrain of “it’s not proper,” made it seem like that’s something she’s stuck on mentally for some reason.
Aly (Ashlyn Pearce) went through a similar issue when her mental health was deteriorating; she’d fixate on the relationships her family members were in. She’d make judgements about their lifestyles and angrily lambast them for their choices. When her condition worsened, so did her caustic words and insults, until finally, she became violent. Aly’s anger issues were based on the loss of her mother, Darla (Schae Harrison), and the bullying she endured while in school.
Ivy’s growing investment in Electra’s love life might be due to her not having her own romance. She wants a connection with someone, but it hasn’t worked out. The kisses she shared with Liam at Il Giardino didn’t lead to a rekindling of their romance, and when she tried to pursue him after his near death experience, she learned his heart was set on Hope (Annnika Noelle).
It’s doubtful Ivy is trying to live vicariously through her niece, but their age gap does mean she has influence over her. She may be asserting her opinion because Electra listens to it. But dictating how Electra should feel is a slippery slope. It could cause Ivy to spiral if she’s no longer being listened to.
Getting too close to someone else’s romance is never a good idea. If Ivy’s grip on what’s appropriate for someone not involved loosens, she could find that she’s the one that breaks her niece’s heart and not Will. Encouraging Electra to give into her insecurities and worst tendencies is exactly the behavior that would send anyone running for the hills.
We’ll be keeping an eye on Ivy. Hopefully, she isn’t headed for a mental breakdown like Aly.
