Wow. Just watched some old clips… (show's history)

[Lulubee]

I always knew this, but part of me questioned if I was mistaken about some of the history of the show.

i just watched a few old clips from mid 1980s-2002/3 maybe and I mean the b&b then and the b&b now are indeed two completely different shows. It is unbelievable. Even the conversations were different and actually meaningful and not just repetitive. Ridge literally chose Caroline and Taylor over Brooke a few times over her, and she was always the one pining and scheming. It literally took his 1st and 2nd wife to die for him to choose her…and then the last time taylor came back Bell Jr made sure to destruct Tridge and make Brooke a hero.

not only the plot and script, but the characters were actually interesting and the subplots were interesting.

After young bell took over it became all about the Logans and and the show took almost a complete 180. The subplots are incredibly boring and predictable and the only reason people watch now is to see the feud between steffy and hope and Brooke vs whoever falls for ridge. Not only that but my goodness the fashion element is completely gone from the show - it is rare we get to see people actually working at Forrester and/or have a fashion show.

i just really hope we can go back to the real b&b soon. If not then they really just need to rename it because this is not the OG b&b. Simple as that.

[RedheadTeacher]

It's quite shocking to look back at the show in its heyday, isn't it? We had multiple story lines going on and actual character development. There was an ebb and flow in power, although the one consistent thing was that Ridge always chose to ignore Brooke's flirtations and go home to Taylor. The didn't fill up precious minutes with repetition or flashbacks and characters didn't disappear for months at a time with no explanation.

That's the show that hooked me into watching. Now, it's out of habit and hope for glimpses of the glory days.

[Lulubee]

Very true and very sad. I always hold out hope that someone will save b&b and bring back the magic. Sooo much history has gone out the window and it happened so abruptly.

[dichiat]

You are right about the flashbacks. How many times must we see Brooke and Deacon kissing and Sheila switching the labels on the Champagne bottles?

[Possum1]

I’ve been watching old episodes recently as well and feel exactly the same as the previous posters. I’m probably skating close to the line in criticising the writers but when you compare the show from the glory days to recent years you realise the quality of writing has really declined. The constant rehashes and flashbacks are just plain lazy. Today when Ridge was talking to Taylor I got a glimpse of the past. They actually had a conversation and it was decent dialogue, I’ve been enjoying Thomas in the past day or so too. His mocking tone when describing Brooke’s behaviour was spot on. I hope it’s a change that will stick. More witty and meaningful dialogue and less stock soap lines like ‘nothing and no one will tear us apart’ , ‘my marriage will be over forever’ or ‘this means war’

[Lulubee]

There is a YouTube clip of ridge finding out taylor betrayed him and he goes to Brooke’s. She consoles him but automatically assumes he is going to leave taylor for her and insists that they belong together and that he loves her. Ridge tells her he is in love with taylor and she needs to let go. He gets back home, Tridge kiss and makeup and the three kids look on from upstairs.

Honestly Brooke was not ever the love of ridge’s life. It was either Caroline or taylor, and he would go to Brooke as a diversion (his words) or second choice after his wives each died. But currently the show feels like some sort of Logan fan fiction.

[AnnMagda]

I love the old clips and I think it's great that the official youtube channel is posting the show from the beginning.

The show back then was truly a different show. The writing, the character development, the number of storylines going on at once, the long-term planning and narrative structure, the form of each individual scene (every scene advanced the plot or explored the characters and there was usually a narrative turning point in each scene, justifying its presence), the vocabulary in the dialogue, the variety of plots, the variety of characters, the many sets, the actual fashion being shown... everything worked together to make a really compelling show. All that has been lost now.

The only downside to watching the old show is that it doesn't exactly motivate me to keep up with the present show.

[JTDMom]

The older episodes are truly like viewing a different soap. I couldn’t wait to watch every day. It’s been fairly recently (7 years or so) that characters, histories, and narratives have been utterly changed. Anyone who has watched since day one can’t help but see the huge reversals, and new storylines that are not supported by history. It’s a conflict, and almost impossible to ignore.

[B-Hold]

I too mis the fashion elements. The layered plots and characters. Everything seems to be one note now.

[maryg]

Maybe the newer writers are watching the old shows and realizing the history of the show was changed. Maybe they have decided to change it to better align with what really happened.

[Lulubee]

I hope so!

[ABeth]

I really hope so. That would be a good first step toward improving the show.

[Emerald Greens]

Fortunately the older clips and episodes exist. So yes you can see how much they have tried to rewrite but it’s not accurate. Ridge wanted a life with Caroline and then Taylor. He was more amused by Brooke than in love with her . It’s worth to watch some of it you know what the show was really about.

I agree Brooke just managed to outlive Caroline and Taylor although Taylor returns .

[creation]

You are 100% right in everything you said, and anyone who knows the real history of B&B, and how it was written back then, and not now, knows it too.

[Emerald Greens]

I think Bell counts on newer viewers not know the history or long time ones not remembering or caring . Can’t get rid of the footage!

[Nichole43119]

Think that's exactly what he expects. The problem is there's not a lot of new viewers. So all of us long time viewers know the Bridge destiny crap is total rewrite. I wish Bell Sr and had put someone else in charge.

[Emerald Greens]

Or just ended the show and let the network bring on a new show whatever it would be. It hasn’t been the same without Bell Sr .

[AnnMagda]

As for that old Bridge vs Cridge and Bridge vs Tridge debate - am I the only one who saw it like this?

Caroline was clearly Ridge's first choice and Brooke was his second.

BUT then after Caroline died Brooke was Ridge's first choice and Taylor his second (he basically had Taylor on standby for a year while pining after his father's wife Brooke and then having an affair with her, and Brooke, Ridge, Stephanie and Blake were ALL working to reunite Bridge and Stic). He proposed to Taylor several times as a direct reaction to problems with Brooke.

It seems most people who supported Cridge support Tridge, and that Bridge supporters are Bridge supporters no matter what.

So am I the only one who watches the old episodes and sees Cridge>Bridge>Tridge?

[mahsa]

Except for the fact that there´s some things that makes Cridge>Bridge>Tridge not work.. And that's the SLs regarding Bridget´s paternity and Thomas paternity.. Ridge married Taylor and stayed with Taylor after they found out about Bridget being his kid.. Ridge married Brooke and left Brooke when he found out about Thomas paternity.. Look up clips where Ridge flat out rejects Brooke and then tells his parents that he isn't over Taylor, eventhough she´s supposedly pregnant with his brothers baby and engaged to said brother.. And my absolute favorite, Ridge is so drunk and complaining to Brooke that he wants Taylor so bad, she spills a glas of alcohol on him and he has to take his shirt off to get it washed, somehow they end up in Brooke´s bedroom and even drunk, Ridge still wont boink Brooke (who's ready willing and able) because it feels like he's "cheating" on Taylor..

It might have been Cridge>Bridge>Tridge for a few months between Cridge and Tridge, but during those months Ridge also pursued Brooke´s brothers fiancé..

[AnnMagda]

I haven't come that far yet. So far I'm at 1991 and by then it's obvious Ridge is more into Brooke than he's into Taylor. I try to keep an open mind and see if that changes down the road.

[Anotherwoman]

Absolutely. I agree. Taylor was never a first choice. She knew that.

[DepecheMode_Fan]

I'm loving the throwback episodes being uploaded on YouTube. As other posters have mentioned, every episode moved the plot forward or developed the characters. No episode felt like a waste of time or filler. I'm several episodes behind, but I'm in the middle of the storyline of Ridge's shooting as Lt. Burke gets closer to the truth. I know how the storyline unfolds, but it's great watching it all over again. It's leagues better than what's being aired right now.