Soap Hub Performer of the Week for B&B: John McCook

John McCook has been playing Eric Forrester’s marital strife on The Bold and the Beautiful for nearly 35 years. The wives may change but McCook’s performances as a man struggling to find the good in his mates never have. For his performance as a betrayed husband who opted to give his adulterous wife Quinn yet another chance, Soap Hub bestows Performer of the Week honors for B&B on McCook.

Soap Hub B&B Performer of the Week – John McCook

A few weeks ago, in a powerful and also understated performance, Rena Sofer’s Quinn Fuller Forrester visited Eric in his office to tell him she was moving on and would accept whatever settlement he offered. Clearly, that visit resonated with Eric and perhaps took the wind out of his sails. He pondered life without his dynamic wife and came to the realization that he didn’t want to live it without her.

Recently, Quinn dropped by Eric’s home and spotted the late Stephanie Douglas Forrester’s (Susan Flannery) portrait up on the wall over the fireplace where hers once hung in a place of honor. Sensitive to Quinn’s feelings, Eric explained the picture switch happened in honor of Finn (Tanner Novlan) and Steffy Forrester’s (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) wedding, given Steffy’s close bond with her late grandmother. Once again, Quinn calmly but emotionally laid out her feelings for Eric, saying she’d always care about him. She had no idea that her husband was having a change of heart. In fact, it was the last thing she suspected as Quinn was committing herself to Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor), the man with whom she committed adultery.

Quinn explained that she didn’t set out to hurt Eric by sleeping with Carter. While those words may have sounded hollow and meaningless before, they had an impact this time. Maintaining eye contact with Quinn, Eric said he believed her and that he could hear her sincerity in her voice. All that was left to do was sign the divorce papers, but Eric surprised Quinn by telling her not to. He said he’d been thinking a lot about the role he played in pushing her towards Carter.

“Everybody deserves forgiveness,” Eric told Quinn, who was stunned to hear him say these words. In a heartfelt speech, Eric relayed to Quinn that he was happier with her than he’d been at any other time in his life. Quinn couldn’t believe her ears.

Ironically, these scenes took place in the same location that Eric learned of Quinn’s infidelity – the Forrester mansion. When John McCook played Eric’s pain as he learned of her betrayal, he had other family members — namely, Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) — quite frankly, chiding him on, openly expressing their negative feelings towards Quinn. This time, Eric chose to look at Quinn with new (and forgiving) eyes.

“I love you,” Eric said. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about what happened here. I was hurt so badly, but then I was able to think back about what we said on our wedding day here. I promised to love and protect you, and I’ve fallen terribly short in that regard.

“I miss you and I want to forgive you,” Eric emotionally added. A gob-smacked Quinn wasn’t expecting this and, frankly, neither were we. Eric told Quinn he wanted her to move back home and embraced her. This unexpected twist, which in McCook’s experienced and capable hands, came off as totally organic and believable, has reunited Eric and Quinn much to Carter’s dismay. (Our hearts broke for Carter Walton after Quinn told him about Eric’s change of heart.)

What will happen if and when Eric discovers that prior to their reconciliation Quinn continued her passionate affair with Carter? Might he continue to forgive her or will this news give him cause to rethink his position? Either way, we can only imagine it will result in more powerful performances from John McCook!

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.