B&B: How it All Began Disc 1

Here are my thoughts and a summary of the first disc of "The Bold and the Beautiful" set entitled "How it all began." The first disc is the first four episodes of the series that aired in March 1987.

While their are summaries of the early episodes online, they didn't match what was on these discs. That's why I am including a short write up of each show.

Episode One: March 23, 1987

Eric Forrester (John McCook) has a fashion show. It is stated that he's had his fashion house Forrester Creations for 20 years. Margo (Lauren Koslow now Kate on Days) is Eric's assistant. We also meet Ridge (Ronn Moss) and Thorne (Clayton Norcross), Ridge is a designer while Thorne works behind the scenes, the brothers speak about the possibility that their father is cheating on their mother Stephanie with Margo. When alone Ridge criticizes his father's work as not sexy enough, but Eric contends that women buy most of their clothing not the men in their lives. There is also a reference to "rags", which was a working title, though that concept took place in Chicago and not California.

Bill (Jim Storm), who walks with a cane, threatens Ridge and says he will not be with his daughter Caroline (Joanna Johnson) telling the younger to break up with his daughter tonight or else. Instead Ridge proposes to Caroline, as she's waiting to have sex until marriage.

Katie (Nancy Sloane) has a fantasy about a boy on a teen magazine. She has severe acne, but in her mind the guy who she dances with doesn't care about that. Her dream is short-lived as Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) comes in visibly bruised with a ripped outfit. There is a knock at the door, and it is Dave (Stephen Shortridge), Brooke's boyfriend. He heard what happened to her on dispatch and convinces her to share her story. Thankfully Brooke was able to fight off her attackers, but she may not have been that lucky.


Episode Two: March 24, 1987

Margo and Eric speak at the office, while he is the boss he doesn't treat her as a subordinate. After they leave work, and Eric goes home we meet Stephanie (Susan Flannery) as she didn't go to Eric's fashion show. The relationship between the married couple is strained. Before they really get into it, Caroline and Ridge show up interrupting their conversation. The newly engaged couple share the news with Ridge's parents as they toast with champagne.

Margo and Bill are together at Bill's place discussing Caroline and Ridge. Bill is certain is plan worked. Margo thinks it will backfire though she agrees that Ridge is not a great guy.

Storm (Ethan Wayne) and Katie are talking, Brooke came in but she left before she shared what happened to her with them. Brooke met Dave at the police station to look at head shots. After Brooke and Dave get back to the Logan house, Storm is told what happened to Brooke. Brooke doesn't want to tell her sisters or mom what happened, though eventually Storm convinces her to at least explain it in detail to the younger girls.

Episode Three: March 25, 1987

Bill and Margo are still talking about Caroline and Ridge, and are interrupted by  the newly engaged couple. While they are driving to see Bill, Ridge tries unsuccessfully to get Caroline to sleep with him. Margo takes her leave as Caroline shares the "happy news" with her father. Caroline and Ridge come by to share their news. Bill is upset about the engagement, but tries not to let on to his only daughter. Their wedding day is two weeks from Friday. Thorne finds out from Stephanie about Ridge and Caroline's engagement. This surprises Thorne as Caroline isn't Ridge's type and doesn't seem like the kind of person who would settle down with one woman.

Storm is studying when Katie comes into the Logan house. Their mother Beth (Judith Baldwin) is in the kitchen. Beth tries to convince Katie that there is nothing wrong with her as she is upset again about her acne. Brooke and Storm join them, and Beth notices the bruise. Donna (Carrie Mitchum) interrupts Beth's questions. Beth has to leave for work. When the girls are alone, Brooke shares with them what happened.

Episode Four: March 26, 1987

Eric and Margo are working together at Forrester Creations with a model. After Eric leaves, Margo and Bill speak over the phone. Bill tells Margo that even if Ridge and Caroline are engaged it doesn't mean there will be a wedding. Thorne congratulates Ridge about Caroline. Ridge tells Thorne about Bill's ultimatum, and Thorne feels the marriage isn't starting the right way as he didn't propose for the right reasons. Caroline and Bill speak again also though he isn't honest about his reservations about Ridge.

Dave and Brooke are outside at the college in a courtyard with a fountain. They talk about what can be done about her attack. Perhaps she could be bait as the guys she ran away from threatened to find her and hurt her.

While Beth and Storm are talking about their lives, we find out the ages of the Logan siblings. Storm is 23, Brooke is 21, Donna is 18 and Katie is 16. Once their father Stephen abandoned the family, Storm as the oldest brother started taking a parental role with her sisters.

General thoughts about the episodes:

There are references to Bill and Caroline only having each other since her mother died. Though years later we meet two more of Bill's children, Bill Jr and Karen.When we see Bill's beautiful apartment and the Forrester mansion, we see vistas of California, which are very pretty. None of the outside scenes take place outside. The first three episodes take place on the same day, and the fourth is a new day.

The stories with the Logans seem isolated from what is going on in the fashion world. So at this point it feels like two shows in one. There has yet to be a crossover between the haves and have nots. The Logan house looks extremely suburban and unlike any house on B&B these days.

Since the shows are in the 80s obviously the clothing fits the time. I'm surprised they had Caroline in horizontal stripes, though I think what she was wearing fit how prim and proper she was. Stephanie's wardrobe wasn't too far off from what we see years later. Though her hair is still long in the second episode, she wears it up and yes she has a brooch. Margo seemed to be wearing the most high fashion stylish clothing, and the Logan girls were in very "normal" clothing.