Soap Hub Performer of the Week for B&B: Heather Tom

Brooke Logan can’t take her blinders off regarding Quinn, and Donna’s still in love with Eric Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful — so neither of them can really help the Forrester patriarch in the way he needs. Fortunately, the youngest Logan sister Katie can be objective while still being Eric’s supportive pal as he grapples with the new parameters of his marriage. For her performance as a compassionate and compassionate ex-sister-in-law, Soap Hub bestows Performer of the Week for B&B honors on Heather Tom, who plays Katie.

Heather Tom – Performer of the Week

Tom is tied with Erika Slezak (ex-Viki, One Life to Live) with the number of Daytime Emmys won for performing on soaps, which is no surprise. The actress delivers whether the show has handed her a heavy front-burner storyline or something “smaller” like playing Eric’s (John McCook) nurturing friend – and goodness knows, the man needs one!

At first, Katie went to excuse herself upon finding out that Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) and Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) were no longer at the Forrester mansion. But then, Eric mentioned that Quinn Fuller Forrester (Rena Sofer) wasn’t home. Curious, Katie decided to stick around and offer Eric some support as she could clearly tell something was going on with the Forrester patriarch. She complimented him, telling Eric that he was kind and forgiving — perhaps too much so. She pushed back a little when she asked Eric about his wife, “Where the hell is she?” not knowing that Eric had given Quinn permission to go have mind-blowing, awesome  sex with Carter Walton. (Lawrence Saint-Victor) and his arms of steel.

When Ridge and Brooke, AKA the “Buttinsky’s of B&B” grill Eric about his union with Quinn, they come off harsh, judgmental, and hypocritical even though they may not mean to be. Katie didn’t soft-pedal her approach with Eric but she was able to reach him by being honest and respecting his feelings for Quinn even though she may not agree with them. “I don’t think she knows how lucky she is,” Katie told Eric about his wife. “She married well above herself.”

Eric met Katie with the reminder that if anyone would know about complicated marriages, it’d be her given her tumultuous history with Bill (Don Diamont). “Okay. Fine. That’s true,” Katie acknowledged. Eric told Katie he knows that she cares. She says she didn’t want to hit him with a lot of “Quinn negativity.”

“I just think it’s important for you to know how loved you are,” Katie implored. While Quinn was out getting her needs met (granted with Eric’s blessing), Katie was giving the man the boost he needed noting what an accomplished designer, family man, businessman, and mentor that he is.

“You’re an icon and the best thing is that your best years are still in front of you. You don’t have to settle,” Katie passionately stated. She asked him what was going on…Eric may have been tempted to open up about what’s going on but instead, he gently told Katie it was late and thanked her for listening. While Brooke and Ridge would have stuck around and pushed further, Katie proved what a good friend she truly is by taking Eric’s cue and exiting.

Time will tell whether or not Eric can live with this, shall we say, “unique” dynamic he’s come up with regarding Quinn and Carter. But these recent scenes have shown us that he has an objective yet caring source of strength as this story unfolds – Heather Tom’s Katie, a woman capable of being sensitive, supportive, and truthful, which is exactly the type of person we all deserve in life.

The Bold and the Beautiful (BB) airs weekdays on CBS. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Los Angeles, check out all the latest that’s been posted on B&B spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.