Has your week been bold and beautiful? Did you sing "Another One Bites the Dust" only to bite the dust? Did you decide you wanted the man who finally stopped begging you to come back? Did you once again try to switch fiancées in the middle of wedding prep? These and more situations faced the Forrester-Logan-Spencer-Finnegan-Nozawa clan this week!
It's summertime, Scoopers! And you know what that means -- rockin' out at a killer outdoor concert. Emphasis on killer. Someone wanted Tom dead, but suddenly, there were a lot of unrelated suspects. Meanwhile, Batie gave resurrection vibes for a relationship that was over eons ago -- and our other Tom took Hope's accusation of Copy > Paste literally! Y'all ready? Let's Scoop about it!
Poppy was so insistent that Tom wasn't Luna's father, I almost believed her. But she's getting increasingly sketchy as her airtime goes on, isn't she? I have no doubt Li fooled with Luna's paternity test; I just don't think she did it to throw the scent off of a homeless guy. Li could only be so vitriolic about the whole thing if she were protecting Finn. And I find Tom to be a red herring in these paternity sweepstakes.
After Tom swore that he'd follow up his comeback performance with a world premiere to Luna, Tom ventured into the Il Giardino crowd (hey, we never see the Insomnia anymore; why shouldn't IG feature musicians?). And didn't we see some unexpected faces? Justin, who basically hasn't been seen since he kidnapped Thomas and tried to take over Bill's business, cruised by to take in some mini-Coachella.
And daddy Jack Finnegan showed up out of nowhere just in time to buy Li a drink! They toasted to Finn, but Li stuck around an awfully long time, considering she was only there to pick up food. Someone needs to speak to Deacon about how long it takes for customers to get their orders. First, Finn had time to take in a wedding while waiting for a meal, and now, Li a concert. If Domino's can do 30 minutes or less, Deacon, so can you!
Anyway, Mr. Tom Starr, who apparently was quite the showman in his day, ended up having quite the opening act. Some leather-gloved someone managed to get "backstage" and dump something in what turned out to be Tom's trademark ice blue sports drink, from which Tom drank generously as he began his show. He was grateful to be back in front of the mic after so long. Unfortunately, I can't say I was.
I'll be kind: "H.O.T.T." was not the best lead-off performance for this concert. Anyway, he montaged his way through his set, which everyone (including Sheila!) seemed to love, except for Jack, Justin, and Li, who each regarded the camera menacingly. Tom finished his drink, but moments later, the drink finished him, and Tom went down like a single plummeting off the Billboard 100.
But no death scene, Tom! Things picked up with Finn (who wisely refused to engage Deacon in any conversation about Sheila) reporting to Deacon and Hollis that Tom had died! Here's your hat, what's your hurry! Poor out-of-mothballs Hollis had better keep his eye on his Perrier. Any reason we can't give this hunk a story? There are lots of women in B&B's L.A. who would snatch him up...and maybe some guys, too.
Deacon revealed that Tom had been a drug addict, but also that Tom had been in recovery. Pretty ironic, considering Deacon was in Alcoholics Anonymous for years but has been seen off the wagon in recent times without any mention of his own lost sobriety. Maybe it's time for Deacon to sell IG to Hollis. First, two nearly dead people end up in his alley, and now, his first musical act dies there! And then there's the slow service.
I would guess that Zende needed something to do, because he got a surprise scene with Luna, of all people. Mercifully, nothing came up about their night of minty freshness, but they were awfully friendly, given all the drama that caused. Zende had heard that Luna finally found her father in Bill, and Luna gleefully relayed that Bill had offered to adopt her, making her a true Spencer.
Does that mean Luna will get her own sword necklace? Hell, Bill had duplicates made for Steffy and even Brooke, so why not for Luna. For Bill's part, he got too distracted by Poppy popping him off to remember that he had started his talk with her by asking why she was all boo-boo face. I guess Luna puts on a pretty good act herself. Though not so much when Bill's phone flashed an unanticipated notification...about Tom!
Yep, the death of a busboy who had barely been off the streets two months got his own news story in people's feeds. Not quite sure that tracks. If Tom Starr was that noteworthy as a musician, wouldn't someone have recognized him eating out of garbage cans and offered to help long before Deacon found him? Boppy's sexy time came to an end with Bill taking off to talk to Katie, which Poppy didn't love.
Poppy thought of Tom and cried, flashing back to their dalliance at the rock festival some 20 years earlier. I think I'll skip saying anything about the consistency of Tom's vocals and the supposedly younger Poppy and Tom. "I'll always carry a piece of you inside of me," Poppy gushed to Tom. We'll have to take that to mean Luna, unless we're being led astray by such a declaration.
And speaking of purposely misleading statements and scenes, Tom's death and apparent connection to Luna have certainly provided several of each -- which is fine, because it gives us a bit of a mystery to solve. Poppy seems to be the obvious murderer, but then, her shock and tears appear to indicate otherwise. "I'm so, so sorry," she sobbed to the ether. Sorry Tom was dead, or sorry she had to make him dead?
But if it's not Poppy, there are so many other people it couldn't be. Sheila will likely get blamed, the way she did when Bill was first shot in 2018, but, even though Sheila had had "words" with Tom, Sheila style, she did relent; Sheila was supportive of Tom's gig and was the first to offer him medical aid as a former nurse. Then there's Justin, who had no connection to Tom or the Nozawas whatsoever.
I mean, unless Justin knows they're a threat to Bill somehow, and he's trying to make up for screwing his former friend over. Then there's Jack and Li. Jack may well know who Luna's father is, but I can't see him offing Tom. Li, on the other hand...we've seen that Sheila is her spirit animal, and we've seen Li go to extremes on behalf of Finn before. What if Li killed Tom to keep him from demanding another DNA test that would rat Finn out as Luna's pop?
One thing Poppy's presence has done has been to awaken things in Katie that really needed to remain sleeping. With her and Carter splitting off-screen, it's very evident that she's being pushed in the direction of reuniting with Bill. Katie wouldn't take Bill back even when he debased himself by begging, and now that Bill's in deep with an old/new girlfriend, it's like Katie thinks no one can have Bill but Katie.
It's not an attractive look. Yet, when Bill arrived for their chat, Katie complained that, with Poppy in residence, she felt like an interloper in her own home. Um, news flash, Miss Katie -- that hasn't been your home for many years now. Then Bill and Katie did a complicated dance where they each tacitly admitted to lingering feelings for each other, yet acknowledged each other's right to move on.
Bill even admitted he was sending his ex mixed signals by calling her "my Katie," and Katie asked Bill why he was talking like that while Poppy was in love with him -- which he wouldn't confirm he was. Batie flashed back to happier times, and when Bill called Katie the love of his life, Katie had him repeat the sentiment...which Poppy happened to overhear. Rut-ro. Cover your sports drinks, Katie!
Batie is played out, and I still haven't forgiven Bill for locking Katie in a tower, knowing she had a heart condition, back in 2012. He mock cheated on her with Steffy and full-on cheated with Brooke. The youngest Logan even went #DrunkKatie because of Bill's continuing love for her sister. Why would Katie want to go back to the burn? I'd appreciate it if we can not reboot Batie again, please. Hollis is available!
I found it kind of hilarious, though it must have been unintentional (it would be ace if it was on purpose), that Tom's big number was "H-O-T-T." We use Thope now, but in 2010s English, the smoosh name for Thomas and Hope was "HOT." And hot is what Steffy was, as in under the collar, as she bitched Hope out for not committing to Thomas...with Thomas standing right there.
Thomas implored his sister and ex to stop fighting as he left to pick up Douglas, but Steffy resumed her Hope-dissing so much that Hope finally roared that she was tired of Steffy messing with her life. Later, Thomas returned, admitting to Hope that he didn't like the way Steffy had spoken to her. Hope switched topics and asked Thomas not to rush into marrying Paris.
Wait, what happened to Hope's hot doctor hands fantasies of just three weeks ago? Was her growing desire for Finn supposed to just be something to fill the void left by Thomas? So weird how that's been summarily dropped. Hope went on to accuse Thomas of copy-pasting Paris into the place in his life that Hope had occupied! She drew a lazy line on his ample chest and reminded him about their passion.
That's a Brooke move, for sure. And it gets to my point -- Hope was just grooving on the sex. I don't care if she proceeded to tell Thomas that she still loved him and was sure he still loved her, too. Damn it, soap gods! We were well out of this stepsibling lovers storyline! Because if Bridge ever remarries, that's what Hope and Thomas will be. And now we're dredging this ratchet romance back up again. Please and no thank you!
The best part, though, was Paris walking in on Hope and marking her territory. See, Paris had just been in talking to Katie, confessing that she knew what it was like to commit to someone who couldn't commit to her. That was kind of crazy, since Paris was talking about Carter, and Katie had just friend zoned Carter. The ties that blind! Additionally, Paris told Katie that Thomas had been up-front with her about Hope.
So, when Paris descended on Hope, all bling and nails ready to attack, she showed a fire I don't think I'd ever seen in her before. "You're out of line," Paris started politely, navigating around Hope's claims that Thomas was a one-woman man...hinting that that woman was not Paris. Lady Buckingham described how she and Thomas would lie in bed and talk about the future and children, which Hope and Thomas never had done.
I'm liking Paris' confidence, but surely Paris can't be forgetting about how the engagement went between Thomas and her sister. Zoe and Paris must not be talking right now, because Zoe, who was dumped for Hope at her own wedding to Thomas, would be telling Paris to run, not walk, to the nearest exit. Still, I'd rather have Paris getting sloppy seconds from Thomas than Hope returning to shagging her stepbrother.
Hey, with all the fireworks going on, why not throw a Fourth of July party? That's exactly what Eric did, but in between red, white, and blue cake pops, there were some strange interactions. First off, Carter and Paris encountered each other for the first time since he ditched her at the altar for Quinn, and Carter was glad that Paris had found happiness, "after...everything." What is it about these people and trading up during nuptials?
Ridge toasted to Thomas and Paris, which nearly made Hope hurl (why was she even there?). Then -- get this -- Thomas asked Eric if he could marry Paris in Eric's crib! Gee, isn't there still a scuff mark on the floor from where Thomas threw Zoe over in that exact spot? And Eric one-upped Thomas by asking Carter to officiate the wedding for the girl Carter nearly married! Not to be outdone, Carter said he'd be honored.
I know soap family trees are tangled, but these people have got some serious root rot going on. Hope darted out and pretty much had a panic attack, leading Brooke to follow and ask Hope this $64,000 Question: did Hope wish she had said yes to Thomas' marriage proposals? And, if Thomas were to pop the question yet again that second, what would Hope do?
We didn't have to wait long to find out, because, as Paris stayed behind to talk wedding plans with Eric, Ridge, etc., Thomas flashed back to Hope rejecting him, and just then, Hope approached him. Ramping up her previous request for Thomas to delay his wedding, Hope plain out asked him not to marry Paris at all! Thomas knew his two attempts to wed Hope had failed...
..."How about I give it a third try?" Thomas queried. And try he did, asking Hope to marry him right then and there! If California doesn't have some statute prohibiting a person from proposing to someone while already engaged, it ought to for this bunch. Hey, at least Thomas bypassed the wedding this time and saved himself the ceremony!
If I had to hazard a guess, though, I would say that this is another one of Hope's fantasies coming to Technicolor life. After all, she's been pretty handy with them since last year. If Thomas really means his proposal, then he's been using Paris the whole time, just like he did Zoe, which is all the more reason Hope shouldn't marry him!
And I'm sorry, but despite the show telling us Hope had turned Thomas down twice, it was three times. So, this latest proposal is number four! Again...if it's real. I'm rooting for Paris here and am hoping that we're only flirting with a Thope reunion. On the other hand, like Thorne suggested in 2010, maybe Thomas is gay! He wouldn't be the first guy to go to extreme lengths to deny his sexual orientation. Did I mention Hollis is available?
What are you buying tickets for, Scoopers? Did Poppy off Tom, or is she a too obvious choice? Do you think there was any truth to Tom's claim that he was Luna's father? Should Katie go back to keeping her romance with Bill in the past, or do you feel Batie deserves yet another chance? Do you like the new, stronger Paris? Was it bizarre that Carter was asked to officiate the wedding of his own ex-fiancée? And did Thomas' latest proposal to Hope seem real, or like one of Hope's fantasies? Get a hand stamp in the Soap Central message boards, or simply click here to submit feedback!
Once again, it is time for me to bid you adieu for another two weeks. But as these two Tom tales tally, I fire up this brand-new tune for ya: "(Keep Watching, Be Alert, and Most of All) Be Bold"!
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