From its glamorous fashion shows to its iconic weddings, there are a million reasons to love The Bold and the Beautiful. We don't have space to list them all, but we do have space to list 35 -- and that's rather fortunate, considering the CBS drama series is celebrating its 35th anniversary on Wednesday, March 23!
1. Globally Famous
B&B is literally the most watched soap opera in the world, and that's a fact that has been backed up by Guinness World Records on multiple occasions. The CBS soap opera is shown across five continents and is especially popular in places like Italy, where many of the show's stars are mobbed when they visit.
2. Gold For Our Golden Girl
The late Betty White won the world over with her comedic talents, but B&B gave her the opportunity to show off her dramatic capabilities, as well. Her turn as Stephanie and Pam's ice-cold mother, Anne, still gives us goosebumps, as do the emotional scenes in which Anne's daughters finally granted her forgiveness as she passed away on a beach in Malibu.
3. Puppet Master
The characters on B&B are always getting dolled up, but sometimes that's not just an expression. The soap made headlines around the world when it revealed that in order to resume production during the COVID-19 shutdown, it began using mannequins in intimate scenes. When that became a bit of a joke, the show decided to run with it and wrote a creepy story in which Thomas fell in love with a Hope mannequin. But mannequins began making appearances on B&B long before COVID: back in 2005, Ridge wasn't convinced that Taylor was really dead, and he was proven right when he dug up her grave and found a wax dummy in her coffin!
4. A Home for Everyone
When executive producer Bradley Bell decided to feature a storyline in which Stephanie tried to understand the plight of rough sleepers, he went to L.A.'s Skid Row and hired 25 real-life homeless people to appear in the story and an additional 30 homeless people to appear as extras.
5. All by Design
Because it's a show about fashion, it totally made sense when B&B announced that it had hired über popular stylist, fashion influencer, model, and Emily in Paris star Erica Pelosini Leeman as an executive fashion consultant. Some fans love the wardrobe choices made by Leeman while others detest them. But it seems everyone agrees that the Italian fashion expert didn't miss the word bold in The Bold and the Beautiful! Meanwhile, did you know that iconic fashion designer Valentino became obsessed with B&B and used to call Ronn Moss (ex-Ridge) several times a week to chat about the show and the clothing seen on-screen?
6. Man, I Feel Like a Woman
Soap operas have always been at the forefront of LGBTQ+ storylines, but B&B was the first to feature a regular transgender character on a soap. Maya, who had been born Myron, was the girlfriend of legacy character Rick, and fans sat on the edges of their seats to see how he'd react when Maya told him the truth about her identity. Ultimately, Rick decided that love was love, and he and Maya went on to become husband and wife.
7. A Second Life
Some soaps have characters come back from the dead every other month (here's looking at you, Days of our Lives), but B&B rarely resurrects characters from the grave. That's why it was super shocking when fan favorite Macy was revealed to be alive long after viewers saw her perish in a horrible car accident. The shocking moment was so good, fans would die to see it again -- well, as long as they could follow in Macy's footsteps and come back to life, too!
8. Location, Location, Location!
B&B has always had some of the most glamorous location shoots on soaps, from Thorne proposing to Brooke in Venice, Bill and Brooke's wedding in Dubai, and Steffy and Liam's wedding in Australia. The latter even inspired a travel company to put together a B&B-inspired travel package to Down Under!
9. Drama en Español
Recognizing the growing LatinX population in the U.S., B&B made history in 2001 when it became the first and only American daily drama to transmit in both English and Spanish, using Secondary Audio Programming technology (SAP). The show hired a full second cast of almost 20 LatinX actors to dub its SAP episodes, the first of which included a scene where Darla showed Sally how to program a TV remote to SAP. B&B has also featured many Latino and Spanish-speaking actors over the years, including Mario Lopez, Sandra Vidal, Lorenzo Lamas, Antonio Sabáto Jr., and Erik Estrada. The show also made a bilingual learning tool for language students and professors in 2005 that used Spanish language DVDs of B&B episodes and B&B scripts written in both English and Spanish.
10. Change of Heart
Imagine B&B without Katie and the multiple Emmy-winning scenes that portrayer Heather Tom has given viewers. We wouldn't have had either if it weren't for Storm Logan, who sacrificed himself in 2008 to save his ailing sister, who he had accidentally shot. Wracked with guilt and knowing that Katie would die unless she had a heart donor, Storm shot himself in the head and gifted his heart to his sister so she could go on living.
11. Paws for Thought
Nobody will forget the "aaawww!"-inducing scenes in which Liam and Hope bonded over their passion for pet adoption, especially because they included a special appearance by late The Price is Right host Bob Barker, who consistently hailed the importance of getting pets neutered. B&B filmed on location at a California pet shelter, which reported that the special episode increased their pet adoption visitation by 10%!
13. All Set for L.A.
Originally set in Chicago, from which the Bell family originates, B&B changed its location to Los Angeles just before taping. That allowed the soap to have a very different feel than its daytime counterparts, which take place in cold climates. It was very important to co-series creator Bill Bell Sr. that the sets reflected the warm, sunny atmosphere of Southern California, and he mandated that panoramic views through their windows were a must! Meanwhile, the family has used its own real-life homes for taping on many occasions: Bill Bell Sr. and Lee Phillip Bell used their property as the exterior of the Forrester Mansion, Brad and Colleen Bell's home was used as the exterior of Brooke's house, Lauralee Bell's home was used as the exterior of the Marone mansion, and Bill Bell Jr.'s home was used as the exterior of Bill Spencer's place.
14. Like Mother, Like Daughter
Some of B&B's most memorable storylines have bordered on incestuous, like the time Bridget was shocked to discover that her boyfriend, Deacon, had slept with (and fathered a child with) her mother, Brooke. Or the time Oliver attended a costume party and accidentally slept with Brooke, thinking it was her daughter, Hope!
15. Famous Friends
A lot of recognizable faces have shared the screen with the Forresters, Logans, and Spencers. In addition to the aforementioned Betty White, they include Alley Mills, Chaz Bono, Christopher Knight, Drew Carey, Fabio, Fred Willard, Phyllis Diller, Richard Karn, and Robin Givens. But wait, there's more! Constantine Maroulis, Hal Linden, Joe Lando, Julia Michaels, Tamar Braxton, Melissa Rivers, Morgan Fairchild, Wayne Brady, Sheryl Underwood, Patrick Duffy, Orson Bean, Linda Gray, Kiké Hernandez, Justin Baldoni, Gina Rodriguez, Jim O'Heir, Monica Horan, Erin Moran, Don Most, Dawn Wells, Daddy Yankee, Obba Babtundé, and Patrika Darbo also make the looooong list.
16. Ultimate Wedding Crasher
B&B knows that if you're going to incur the expense of a location shoot, you better get as much bang for your buck as possible, and that's exactly what it did when filming Bill and Brooke's 2014 wedding ceremony in Dubai. Ridge crashed the nuptials and dragged Brooke into a nearby helicopter, not knowing it was piloted by Bill's right-hand man, Justin, who sharply banked the aircraft and caused Ridge to fall out and plunge into the Persian Gulf below.
17. Fight Club
Nothing beats a good soap rivalry, and when it comes feuding foes, B&B is always in fighting form. From Stephanie versus Sally, to Taylor versus Brooke, fans have soaked up every slap, insult, and brawl like it's candy.
18. Bear Necessities
Pam is the princess of punishment, as we all know from the time she decided to make Donna pay for coming between Eric and Stephanie. Because Donna called Eric her "honey bear," Pam kidnapped the blonde, covered her in honey, and ushered a bear into the cabin to eat her alive! Owen saved the day, but Donna still bears the emotional scars.
19. Pass the Peace Pipe
Though it does rivalries well, B&B really shines when it comes to sworn enemies burying the hatchet. Stephanie hated Brooke for years before finally deciding to forgive the blonde for all the trouble she'd caused the Forrester family. Stephanie's gesture of forgiveness came just as her lung cancer returned, and she spent her final moments on earth together with Brooke in beautiful scenes that aired in 2012; the pair went for a walk together near Big Bear cabin, and Brooke sang to Stephanie as the matriarch took her last breath.
20. Model Crossovers
With fashion being at the forefront of B&B, there's a lot of necessity for gorgeous people to play models and other fashion-related characters. Rather than calling on ordinary "pretty faces" to play these short-term roles, the soap instead cross-promotes by casting stars from other CBS series such as Big Brother, The Price is Right, and The Talk.
21. Three Is Never a Crowd
With so few characters on the canvas, B&B doesn't have a lot of options when it comes to forming romances. Hence, the show has become the King of Threesomes in the soap world. We've seen the trios Ridge/Caroline/Thorne; Hope/Liam/Steffy; Rick/Caroline/Thomas; Rick/Amber/C.J.; Nicole/Zende/Sasha; Sally/Wyatt/Flo; Stephanie/Eric/Sheila; Stephanie/Eric/Jackie; Stephanie/Eric/Donna; Brooke/Ridge/Taylor, Brooke/Bill/Katie; Brooke/Thorne/Macy; Brooke/Nick/Taylor; and Bill/Brooke/Ridge -- just to name a few!
22. Weather... or Not
Daytime fans see a lot of natural disasters on soaps, from blizzards to tornadoes, but B&B rarely relies on meteorological conditions to amp up the tension. The show had a character named Storm, but that's pretty much the extent of its weather-related drama.
23. Family Ties
Every soap cast says they're like family, but B&B's actually is family. Or, at least, it has been several times over the years: Katherine Kelly Lang's (Brooke) real-life son Jeremy played the role of Eric Forrester Jr. from 1990 to 1995, while her son Julian played baby Bridget in 1993; and Heather Tom's (Katie) real-life son Zane has sporadically appeared as Will Spencer since his birth in 2013.
24. Adam and Eve
Quinn has always been a pretty overbearing mother, but she went the extra mile when her son Wyatt wanted to be with Steffy. In an attempt to keep Wyatt's half-brother Liam out of the picture, Quinn knocked the guy unconscious and dragged him off to a cabin. The bump caused Liam to develop amnesia, so Quinn tricked him into thinking he and she were a married couple named Adam and Eve! She kept her "Garden of Eden" ruse going for months -- until Wyatt unexpectedly showed up at the cabin and saw his mom kissing his brother!
25. Fun and Games
Drama reigns supreme at B&B, but the soap dishes out a lot of comedy, as well. A couple of standout scenes include the time Steffy and Stephanie got smashed and cut Stephanie's hair; the time Ridge and Brooke hung on a ladder and witnessed Eric and Stephanie have a pre-nookie pillow fight; the time the Spectra staff had a dance party to the tune "Mustang Sally"; and the time the show released a previously unaired 21-minute episode featuring all the deleted scenes of one of its longest-running cast members, Reggie Watts.
26. Usher'ing in Fame
Singer/songwriter Usher is a very big deal in the music world. He's responsible for massive hits like "Love in This Club," "You Make Me Wanna...," and "DJ Got Us Falling in Love," plus he discovered and manages Justin Bieber. B&B knew he was special very early on and cast the Grammy winner for a twelve-episode arc as an up-and-coming singer named Raymond who romanced Amber Moore.
27. Goodbye, Old Friend
Justin Barber had been Dollar Bill Spencer's faithful henchman for years, so it was a super shock to viewers when, during the Vinny hit-and-run storyline, Justin decided to throw his boss under the bus and take his spot as the top dog in town. No one was more shocked than Bill, however, and he didn't hold back his tears when he banished Justin from his life forever.
28. An HIV Storyline
Tony Dominguez learned that he had contracted HIV from his previous girlfriend, Ellen, but he had viewers' blood boiling when he didn't immediately tell his then-girlfriend, Kristen Forrester, about his devastating diagnosis. With a little help from psychiatrist Taylor Hayes, Tony finally worked up the courage to tell Kristen, who ultimately accepted his HIV status and agreed to be his wife.
29. Oh, Baby Baby
Baby swap storylines are a soap staple, but B&B pulled off one for the books that involved Steffy, Liam, and Hope. The latter two thought that their baby Beth was stillborn, but in fact, she had been kidnapped and sold to Steffy, who began raising her as Phoebe. Months went by before the truth was revealed, and the storyline had a beautiful ending in which Liam ran to Steffy's nursery, cradled his daughter in his arms, and was joyously shocked when the baby looked up at him and cooed, "Dada." An added bonus: the baby Beth reveal week saw B&B take the top spot in the key Women 25-54 demographic for the first time ever -- and not just in the soap category! The week's episodes topped the all-important demo among all daytime programming, which includes soaps, game shows, and talk shows.
30. Stunt Casting
There's never a dull moment in the casting department at B&B, especially because they regularly chase after headline-grabbing additions. Remember when gossip columnist Perez Hilton was cast as a clergyman for Eric and Quinn's wedding? Or when the show snatched up Monica Ruiz to play a doctor after she rose to fame in a controversial Peleton commercial? Or when the Fiji Water Girl from the Golden Globes, Kelleth Cuthbert, showed up for a cameo appearance? We're still waiting for our Soap Central founder, Dan Kroll, to be cast as an Internet sensation -- and when that happens, maybe we will have space to list a million reasons to love B&B!
31. Unforgettable Weddings
From Brooke riding up the aisle on horseback to marry Ridge, to Jackie and Owen's intimate Hawaiian ceremony, to Steffy ziplining into her Australian wedding to Liam, the CBS soap has aired countless marriage moments that have become iconic.
32. Batting a Thousand
Want some baseball with your soap? B&B hits that home run. Avant sisters Maya and Nicole both sang the National Anthem at Dodgers games, while L.A. Dodgers players such as Mike Piazza and Enrique Hernández, as well as the team's official game organist, Dieter Ruehle, have made special guest appearances on the CBS drama series.
33. Project Runway
You can't have a list about what makes B&B special without mentioning the soap's fashion shows! The daytime drama revolves around fashion and thus has pulled off countless runway moments in its three and a half decades on the air. B&B's fashion shows have taken place everywhere from Los Angeles to Lake Como to Monte Carlo, and they've been at the center of a lot of the show's major stories over the years.
34. Cold Heart and Snake
When villainess Morgan DeWitt slithered onto the screen at the turn of the century, viewers knew she'd be trouble. But little did they know just how much. Enraged that Stephanie had convinced her to secretly abort Ridge's baby when she was a teen, Morgan arrived on the scene desperate to get pregnant with the designer's baby for a second time. She went to great lengths to make this happen, including trying to eliminate her then-boyfriend, Clark Garrison, by dropping her pet python, Patsy, onto a fashion show!
35. The Originals
B&B retains many of its original characters, including the Forrester brothers Thorne and Ridge, and the Logan sisters, Brooke, Katie, and Donna. Most of those roles have been recast over the years, but John McCook and Katherine Kelly Lang are still in the shoes of Eric and Brooke, respectively. The CBS soap honored McCook and Lang during its 30th anniversary, and to mark its 35th, it's dedicating a special, stand-alone episode to Lang's Brooke and five of her true loves: Eric, Ridge, Bill, Jack, and Thorne. Be sure to tune in for the special episode, set to air on Thursday, March 24!
What do you think about our list of 35 things that make B&B special? Are there any glorious moments from the soap's history that you think are missing? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
