I absolutely hate how The Bold and the Beautiful keeps playing with Liam’s life like it’s a plot device

I don’t mean to be dramatic, but I’ve had it with The Bold and the Beautiful and its constant playing with Liam’s life like some morbid game show—either he’s having a meltdown or he’s lying on a hospital bed, rinse and repeat.

I ultimately feel the show is suggesting that Liam is only a way for the writers to wrap up a story together. Once everything is wrapped up and the stagnant storylines have nowhere else to go, they can simply toss Liam into the cleaver—and poof—the future of the show is back in motion.

I get that they have to create drama on soaps, but there is a difference between suspense and simply manipulating the audience, and they probably crossed that line a while ago.

Now, when Liam finds himself in the hospital, I don’t feel fear or sadness. I simply feel frustrated. Why is that? Because nothing appears to have high stakes anymore. How can one invest themselves in whether Liam lives or dies when they have already seen too many “dance with death moments?” I fear this whole process will also rob Liam of the emotional impact he once carried.

Liam’s life is not a plot, it’s a shortcut on The Bold and the Beautiful

Let’s back up. Liam’s in critical condition again, and the doctors are uncertain if he’ll make it. Finn announces that his scans remain unchanged, and then everyone goes into a tailspin.

Then, out of nowhere, Dr. Grace Buckingham shows up with a possible solution, a nebulous medical procedure that could save Liam but ruin his quality of life. Ever wonder what all this is? It’s soap science at its worst, injected not to deepen characters but rather to put audiences in the dark in the most artificial manner possible.

We’ve seen Liam drug through many love triangles, custody battles, and moral dilemmas. But now the writers have seemingly either exhausted all organic opportunities to have Liam involved in the front-burner plots or are just getting him out of the way by knocking him unconscious or with a vague medical issue.

The writers of The Bold and the Beautiful have bought time to animate and then prolong reactions from Hope, Steffy, Brooke, Finn, and Carter, without the obligation to write a complicated story. In the end, it’s lazy writing as Liam is nothing more than the shell of a major character, no longer a character with agency or meaningful growth.

There’s no emotional payoff, it’s just manipulation on The Bold and the Beautiful

When a character dies on a soap opera, it’s supposed to be a gut punch. I like being on the edge of my seat, hoping that the character survives, reliving all the emotional moments they experienced, and concerned for their children.

None of that is happening right now. I’m watching Hope gleam at the bedside, while Carter is trying to shame her over overheard conversations, as I quietly roll my eyes because I’ve seen this before. And before that. And before that. There is no emotional weight anymore.

It also doesn’t help that the show often leaves the storyline feeling unfinished. Remember Liam’s last serious health scare? It was resolved conveniently within a week, and never even mentioned again. That is what makes this plot even more infuriating.

The Bold and the Beautiful is using the sadness of Liam’s potential death just for shock factor, but it’s an empty shock. The shock is not a result of meaningful story arcs that have been building up slowly over time. And once Liam survives (which, let’s be honest, he will), none of this will seem to have mattered.

Fans can watch The Bold and the Beautiful on CBS.

About the author

Preethika Vijayakumar is a Daily Soap writer at Sportskeeda with a keen interest in pop culture. Although a law student, her curiosity about the world and passion for writing inspired her to explore and analyze the complex narrative and diverse character arcs that define the daily soaps.

With experience as a legal content writer, Preethika also achieved a notable accomplishment as her work was published in a book about criminology and victimology. As a fellow binge-watcher, Preethika aims to provide insightful analysis based on her firsthand viewing experiences, ensuring accuracy and relevance in her writing.

Outside of professional endeavors, she enjoys reading, playing guitar, and creating ceramics. Her favorite celebrity is Jensen Ackles, and if given the opportunity, Preethika would love to be a part of his show, Supernatural, although she isn’t sure she could last until the end.

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Edited by Ankita Barat