Inside Secrets of the ‘Becoming Bold and Beautiful’ Docuseries

Michael Maloney April 24, 2020, 4:30 pm

CBS is getting creative in how to fill the time slots of their two soap operas, Bold and the Beautiful and Young and the Restless, which have run out of original programming due to production shutdowns. But it’s not just classic episodes they’re presenting to their loyal viewers — for two consecutive days, CBS will air Becoming Bold and Beautiful, a docuseries that has elements of reality TV, during the show’s regular airtime.

Directed by Casey Kasprzyk, B&B’s supervising producer, Becoming Bold and Beautiful takes viewers behind the scenes on a Monte Carlo remote shoot and shows not only how the show is put together, but also gives viewers a glimpse into the program’s worldwide popularity.

(Photo courtesy Sean Smith)

“Whether you’re a longtime viewer or someone who’s newer to the show, this will give people a chance to see how a daytime show is put together,” Kasprzyk tells TV Insider.

Cast members included in the two-part special are the same performers who traveled to Monte Carlo for the remote – John McCook (Eric), Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy), Scott Clifton (Liam), Darin Brooks (Wyatt), and Rena Sofer (Quinn).

“I also interviewed Cindy Popp, our producer/director, who is just amazing,” raves Kasprzyk, who also appears throughout the special. “Every time we’ve shot in Monte Carlo, Cindy has been there. She always rises to the challenge. Viewers will see the camaraderie and the sense of family we have at B&B, which starts at the top with Brad Bell, our executive producer/writer.”

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Storywise, Steffy is wed to Wyatt, but can’t stop thinking about unresolved feelings she has towards his half-brother, Liam. Meanwhile, Quinn and Eric’s early romance is at a critical point. Eric’s on the fence about whether or not it should continue, and Quinn’s unexpected arrival catches Steffy’s curiosity.

In addition to showing how remote shoots are staged (Steffy chasing after Quinn, for example), viewers will also see other aspects to the trip to Monaco – including the cast doing press and meeting Prince Albert, who hosts the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, where B&B has won the festival’s coveted Golden Nymph Award on more than one occasion.

During a press panel, actors take a page from Jimmy Kimmel Live! and read mean tweets about their characters that have actually been posted. It’s fun watching the actors read the biting tweets, but Kasprzyk says the show’s true funnyman is his boss.

(Photo courtesy Sean Smith)

“I learned how funny Brad is on this remote,” Kasprzyk says. “We encountered unexpected weather on our second day when we had this whole beach scene planned. Brad’s famous deadpan line was ‘Rain is expensive so…just use it.’ So, we had our actors running in the rain and it just added to the atmosphere of the scene.”

Another snafu was the show hiring an actor to play a chauffeur, only the performer didn’t actually know how to drive! “He needed to learn how in 10 minutes,” Kasprzyk recalls. “You can see this guy driving around the set while we’re trying to shoot. Also, we got interrupted by a protest march! We had to hold long enough for them to walk past us.

(Photo courtesy Sean Smith)

“These episodes are also a gift to our audiences,” Kasprzyk adds. “Nothing will ever beat an original episode of B&B, but this is a nice opportunity to show something we hope will be an exciting alternative.”

Becoming Bold and Beautiful, Monday, April 27 and Tuesday, April 28, CBS

Bold and the Beautiful, Weekdays, CBS