Thomas Is The Obvious Choice For Hope On B&B (Please, No More Romance With Liam)
Hope Logan (Annika Noelle) has a major decision ahead of her on "The Bold and the Beautiful." She can either remain faithful to her long-time love, Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton), or she can finally give in to the temptation of Thomas Forrester (Matthew Atkinson). Hope has always had a goody-two-shoes image and, to put it plainly, it's overstayed its welcome. Hope so desperately wants to be the polar opposite of her mother, Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang), that she's become borderline insufferable.
Recently, Hope's intrusive thoughts and desires regarding Thomas have proven that she's human like everyone else. Even though she wants everyone to believe that she would never make a romantic mistake like her mother, Hope is nevertheless finding it harder and harder to fend off her feelings. While she loves Liam with every fiber of her being, they don't have the spark that she and Thomas currently share. Their chemistry is undeniably electric, and that's fine.
Hope should be able to give in to her darkest emotions because it's something she's never allowed herself to do before. Hope's spent her entire life trying to prove she's incapable of making a mistake. Not only is that taking a serious toll on her, but it's also incredibly boring to watch. It's unfathomable that she could never be wrong or have an error in judgment. Hope needs this. At this point, the only way to make her an interesting character moving forward is by finally pairing up Hope and Thomas.
Hope and Liam have hit a dead end as a couple
Hope Logan having an affair with Thomas Forrester would absolutely cause her to have an existential crisis of morality. Growing up in the shadow of Brooke Logan, who is known for her exuberant displays of sexuality, forced Hope to go in the opposite direction. That's likely one of the reasons she's holding on so tight to her relationship with Liam at all costs. Deep down, there will always be love there, but whatever the initial spark was between them years ago is now nonexistent.
How much longer can they sit cooped up in their cabin talking about Thomas? That's all they seem to do. Liam expresses his valid concerns about how much time she's spending with the man who had an unhealthy obsession with her, and Hope gives him a litany of reasons why it isn't an issue even though it clearly is. Hope's even been having visions of Thomas lately, picturing him as her lover during her most intimate moments with Liam.
This is a major red flag. From a viewer's standpoint, though, it's the best thing that could happen to a character that has unfortunately gone stale. For Hope, however, it's her worst nightmare. Liam is the safe option. Liam is like a meatloaf. It's not the tastiest option on the menu, but it's one you can always go back to like a homecooked security blanket. Thomas is the option with the most unknowns, and while that terrifies Hope, it's time.
A cheating scandal could give Hope a new edge
"The Bold and the Beautiful" is always touting Hope Logan's fashion line, "Hope for the Future," and the positive messages that come along with it. However, what happens when that squeaky-clean image gets tainted by a cheating scandal? When abstinence and pride become adultery and shame, what sort of transformative impact could it have on Hope? For Thomas Forrester, it wouldn't make much of a difference. During Thomas' obsession with Hope, he went to the darkest depths of deception and was shunned.
Hope isn't built for that. Despite going through great trauma, nobody's ever witnessed Hope's character come into question. A shocking affair and subsequent coupling up with Thomas could rock the foundations of Hope's life. She'd be forced to contend with the fact that perhaps she is more like her mother than she ever thought possible. The presentation of Hope in the present is bland. There's no spice and no edge to her, and if her scenes didn't take up most of the 30-minute series, they'd be easily fast-forwarded through.
Instead of watching paint drying personified, Hope could finally go in a different direction. With a shattered public image and a troubled man, new life could be breathed into the character. This is a do-or-die scenario for Hope, and hopefully, the powers that be think twice before going the safe route (yet again). They've teased the possibility of Hope and Thomas being a real couple for years, and there's never been a more opportune time.