It’s easy to understand why The Bold and the Beautiful star Heather Tom is one of the daytime genre’s most respected actresses, given recent scenes in which Katie erupted with rage after finding out her sister, Brooke, had conspired with her husband, Bill.
TV Insider is bestowing on Tom our Daytime Performer of the Week honors for her performances in what is arguably Katie’s most powerful story ever!
Last week, Katie was in the driver’s seat at Logan Designs. She used Spencer Publications, Bill’s (Don Diamont) media company, to take shots at rival fashion house Forrester Creations as Logan announced the hiring of Zende Forrester Dominguez (Delon de Metz).
Bill and other members of Katie’s family are concerned about just how much she’s reveling in the shots taken at Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang), but Katie sure isn’t.
Tom has dug into scenes like they’re a delicious piece of dessert. Katie is loving that Brooke is on the ropes. Not even having to deal with her son Will’s (Crew Morrow) girlfriend Dylan (the terrific Sydney Bullock), talking to her about a potential job, could ruin Katie’s good mood.
CBS
Dylan walked in confidently to Katie’s office, acknowledging that her future at Logan Designs was dependent on what Katie wanted — not Will.
Her arms folded defensively, Katie let Dylan talk, hoping the young lady would hang herself with her own words. Katie’s not entirely ungrateful to Dylan. She thanked her for opening up a line of communication with Zende, which led to her joining her team. Still, Tom had her character say, “Thank you,” however, as if it were the last thing in the world she wanted to do.
Katie reminded Dylan that she’d been a “fan” of Spencer Publications for years. (Why is a dig to call someone a “fan” when they’re nothing but a supporter?)
Katie didn’t mince words with her rival. “I know women like you, Melissa…you’re basically the Midwest version of Brooke Logan,” she snarked. Dylan tried to accept that as the compliment that Katie didn’t it to be, which only made the room more tense.
Dylan realized she wasn’t going to get anywhere with Katie, so she backed off and started to leave.
“Nicely, well-played,” Katie snarked at Dylan, prompting the young woman to remain. Katie told Dylan that she was going to run to Will and badmouth her. “Cut the act. If I don’t hire you, you’ll play on Will’s goodness…and get your hooks into him even more.”
Dylan told Katie that she didn’t want anything that Katie wasn’t willing to give. “Except my son,” Katie shot back. (Burn!)
Dylan maintained her composure and was as honest as she could be with Katie. Alas, Dylan’s just not going to win with Will’s mom because she reminds her of Katie’s own sister, Brooke, who has betrayed her one too many times.
In presenting herself to Katie, Dylan said she couldn’t apologize for having dreams. Before she could finish, Katie shot back that Dylan merely wanted to “follow her heart.”
That’s when it was clear that Katie was always going to view her son’s girlfriend the same she sees Brooke. Dylan promised never to hurt Will, but Katie stoically said, “Don’t be fooled. Someone always gets hurt.”
Katie was, of course, referring to how Brooke had hurt her when she slept with Bill. Seeing Tom play Katie’s history with her family is like watching a master class in acting. Part of Tom’s success is that she keeps the focus on the scene — and not solely her character.
Katie couldn’t help but be impressed by Dylan’s passionate words about how she wasn’t after her son’s money. Tom’s a giving actress. She doesn’t need to have her character always win the scene for the scene to win.
Katie’s drama continued to escalate in scenes with Diamont’s Bill. Katie was humorously surprised that her husband wanted her to back off from going after Forrester as such behavior was the antithesis to Bill’s business method of operations.
Katie was able to put Bill’s indiscretion with Brooke in the past. They had remarried and were moving into the future together. Tom’s Katie lit up when Bill walked into the room. She shared with him the frustrations she’d had with her siblings.
When Bill suggested she make amends with her family, Katie told Bill that he and Will were her family. Katie felt safe with Bill, as she saw him as both a loving husband and a like-minded business colleague.
“Let [Brooke] think I’m coming for her,” Katie stated. “Maybe I am. I am making a name for herself far, far outside my sister’s shadow. Maybe she should get used to standing in mine.”
Katie was confused by Bill’s change of heart. “Are you in there? Where’s my husband?” Katie asked.
Then, Katie’s world fell apart when she saw Bill’s phone and became suspicious after seeing who was texting him. “Why would Brooke be texting you?” Katie asked, her voice trembling.
Katie defiantly held Bill’s phone up to his face, unlocking facial recognition so she could view the text exchanges between her husband and her sister. Her reaction was as if she’d walked in on the top of them in bed together.
“Is that a stallion?” a betrayed Katie stated. “This is why you want me to go easy on Forrester! Because of her! Because of Brooke!!”
CBS
On Friday’s show, Katie rightfully ripped into Bill for “taking Brooke’s side.” Katie screamed that Brooke would reach out to the one person (Bill) who would always come running to her side, “or should I say, ‘galloping!’”
Rather than crawl into a hole as others might do, Katie decided to confront Brooke at Forrester Creations in the CEO office. Instead of feeling defeated by another betrayal by her sister, Katie arrived with a bottle of champagne, which took Brooke, understandably, by surprise.
Had Katie arrived with a peace treaty? Not quite. She hurled the bottle of bubbly at a window in the office. The stage has been set for an epic showdown on Monday!
Brava to Tom for reminding soap opera viewers just how dramatic and powerful the daytime genre can be!
The Bold and the Beautiful, Weekdays, CBS