The Bold and the Beautiful debuted on March 23, 1987, and this year will mark its 38th anniversary. Viewers are still deeply invested in the characters’ rich history, especially the Forrester family, who’ve endured many trials and tribulations over the years. Let’s take a look at what makes the seminal soap so special.
The Forresters Are the Backbone
Bradley Bell is currently the executive producer and head writer, owing much to his parents, William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, who created the series along with The Young and the Restless. What sets the show apart from other soaps is its unique throughline which is centered around the fashion industry and the Forrester family. Eric (John McCook) and Stephanie (Susan Flannery) started the fashion house Forrester Creations (with some financial help from her dad), setting the stage for generations of family drama.
Eric had the design skills and Stephanie the business chops, a combination made in heaven, turning FC into one of the most successful design houses in the world. Their children include Ridge (Thorsten Kay) and Thorne, and their grandkids, Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood), Thomas (Matthew Atkinson), RJ (Joshua Hoffman), and the late Alexandria. Ridge’s tumultuous romances over the years would drive many storylines, including his love triangle with Taylor (Rebecca Budig) and Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang).
READ THIS: Find out what’s going to happen next on B&B.
Redemption Stories Abound
Brooke is part of the Logan family, and she and her sisters Katie (Heather Tom) and Donna (Jennifer Gareis) have been intertwined with the Forresters for ages. Currently, Brooke’s daughter Hope (Annika Noelle) has been at the center of a story that nearly tore Forrester Creations apart. The Spencer clan have also had tumultuous relationships with the Forresters, including billionaire patriarch “Dollar” Bill (Don Diamont) and his sons Liam (Scott Clifton), Wyatt (Darin Brooks), and Will (Crew Morrow).
Deacon Sharpe (Sean Kanan) had been in constant trouble over the years, getting embroiled in the drama and becoming Hope’s father. But, he turned his life around and runs the popular Il Giardino restaurant with his wife Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown), who seemingly renounced her calculated and murderous ways. As such, the show’s redemption stories allow characters who may seem unredeemable to earn a second chance. (Learn Deacon’s thoughts on Sheila’s redemption.)
Family Is Key
Other characters include Carter (Lawrence Saint-Victor), FC’s COO, until he pulled a coup and stole the company, eventually giving it back out of guilt. Among the younger generation are Zende (Delon de Metz) and RJ, who are the family’s chief designers now. Will is also part of the gang, enjoying a relationship with Electra Forrester (Laneya Grace).
There are so many characters who’ve come and gone over the years, and the stories that have unfolded are a testament to its ability to stay relevant. At its core, B&B is about family bonds, and the show continues to entertain viewers with tales of rivalries, love, and personal struggles with a fashion edge that’s unparalleled. (Find out if Hope is going to dump Carter.)
Soap Hub sends its congratulations to B&B on its big 38th-anniversary celebration! Here’s to many, many more years of watching the Forresters, Logans, and others battle it out in fashion in the fictionalized Los Angeles.
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