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To My Loyal Readers (Both of you):Last time, I promised you a column on The Bold and Beautiful’s Brooke/Thorne/Macy triangle. And, here it is. First, let me lay out what I think are the keys to a successful triangle. There are two directions in which a triangle can go. One is to present the possibility of two couples that are both potentially interesting. This means that both couples should be able to draw a sizable fanbase. There should be a sizable amount of chemistry between both potential couples. There should be a sizable amount of potential long-term story for either couple.
The other way is to have a triangle where there is only one favorable choice. This is a triangle that consists of the two lovers destined to be together, and the third wheel. The third wheel can be sympathetic or a conniving schemer. But, in the end, there is no way that the third wheel can come between the fan-favorite couple whose love is written in the stars.
And then, there’s a third way. This way is not the recipe for a successful triangle. This triangle presents two potential pairings, of which neither are rootworthy. In fact, both of them are cringeworthy. In this case, at least one (sometimes all three) of the players involved are completely unlikable, making it impossible to care about who they end up with. This is the route B&B has chosen with the Brooke/Thorne/Macy triangle.
Thorne and Macy were the couple to root for. Unfortunately, since the decision was made to replace Jeff Trachta, the original actor who played Thorne, with Winsor Harmon, the current actor who plays Thorne, the chemistry between Thorne and Macy has disappeared. Nothing against Harmon as an actor, but it’s just not the same. Perhaps Head Writer/Executive Producer Bradley Bell realized this as well, and decided to essentially break Thorne and Macy up, and try Thorne with other female characters. Unfortunately, Thorne’s pairings have consisted of a mercifully brief whatever-it-was with Taylor. Taylor was Ridge’s then-former flame and current wife. And now Brooke. Brooke is another of Ridge’s former flames. Brooke was desperately in love with Ridge. Brooke was also married to both Ridge and Thorne’s father, Eric. She has two kids fathered by Eric. Would you fall madly, deeply in love with a woman who has been involved with your father and older brother?
Well, Thorne would. And we know Brooke would, given her history with the Forrester men. At the time, Thorne’s off again/on again relationship with Macy was supposed to be on again, but somehow, Thorne just couldn’t resist the charms of Brooke. (Perhaps Thorne just wanted to see what all the fuss was about.) Knowing it would devastate Macy, and anger the rest of his family, Thorne proceeded into a secret relationship with Brooke, while pretending to still love Macy. Thorne’s mother, Stephanie, found out, and went stark-raving mad--literally. (This was the stuff Stephanie's portrayer, Susan Flannery, won the Emmy for.) Stephanie had a stroke, and when she recovered, she had no memory of ever learning about the tryst to begin with. Pressured by Eric and Ridge, who had also learned the truth, Thorne continued to keep the tryst a secret. He did refuse to participate in a shot gun wedding to Macy that the family organized around Christmas. But that’s about where he drew the line.
Here’s where it gets really nauseous. Following the wedding bell bust, Macy eventually figured out that Thorne wanted Brooke and not her. Macy bowed out, and didn’t tell Stephanie the truth, out of concern for her health. Eric and Ridge, however, wanted the Brooke and Thorne relationship over, and Brooke out of the picture for good. Ridge, usually the dumbest character on the show, actually devises a good plan. (Well, good for these purposes, anyway.) Ridge,Taylor, Brooke and Thorne are going to Venice on business. While in Venice, Ridge and Taylor pretend they’re having marital problems. At some point, Taylor will tell Brooke that their marriage is over for good. Then, Ridge will put the moves on Brooke, and Brooke will give in, because deep down she still wants Ridge.
It worked. Even better, Thorne caught Brooke giving into Ridge’s plan, when he spied her kissing him. Thorne was steamed; Brooke was busted.
Everyone returned home, except Thorne, who disappeared after witnessing what happened. (Actually, he didn’t quite disappear. He wandered around Venice for a week, in the rain, crying, and screaming “WHY!” louder than Nancy Kerrigan with two whacked knees.) When Brooke finally caught up with Thorne, she gave him a half-assed explanation about how she’d been set up, and how everyone was out to get them and destroy their love, blah, blah, blah. Thorne seemed to be buying it, but there was one problem; he had married Macy on the rebound.
Recently, we’ve had to endure Thorne and Brooke trying to make the best of what happened and forget their undying love. (They couldn’t.) We’ve had to witness everyone try to keep secret the real reason Thorne married Macy, from Macy. (They didn’t.) And when Macy found out, we had to see if she, a former alcoholic could resist the temptation of returning to the bottle. (She didn’t.) Now, Thorne realizes he wants to be with Brooke, but he still feels loyal to Macy, and fears his leaving will send her back to the bottle for good.
Thorne and Macy are over. That’s a given. Macy is no longer in love with Thorne, she’s dependent on him. And he feels sorry for her. And why did Macy, who bowed out of Thorne’s life, remarry him so quickly, with basically no questions asked? Throw in Macy’s fall off the wagon, and she’s now a drunken moron. Stick a fork in this couple, they’re done.
But Thorne and Brooke? As mentioned, Brooke has been with every Forrester man she can get her hands on; Thorne was just the last one in line. Deep down, Brooke wants Ridge. It doesn’t matter what plot Ridge cooked up. He didn’t force Brooke down on the bed,and he didn’t pull her lips to his. Brooke herself has admitted this, yet still manages to play it off as a moment of weakness. Does Thorne want a woman who could forget him so easily for his older brother? Does Brooke want a man who would dump her, and remarry his old flame at the first sign of trouble?
Harmon and Katherine Kelly Lang, the actress who plays Brooke, do have chemistry. But, it’s not the “We’re so in love, we must be together” kind the writers are promoting. It’s the “Damn, you is hot! Let’s get it on” type. The writers write love; the actors portray lust. Lust may be the stuff of hot sex scenes, but it doesn’t make for long-lasting, rootable couples.
So, I can’t root for Thorne/Brooke. They’re two mismatched dogs in heat. I can’t root for Thorne/Macy, because they’re pathetic and clingy. And if I can’t root for anybody, then this is just a big waste of time. (And since this is one of a mere three storylines that B&B has going on right now, I mean this a BIG waste of time.)
*Sigh.* I wonder what AMC is doing right now.
Snark, who can still be reached at: snarkieposter@yahoo.com