HOLLYWOOD —Daytime television dramas were shortened due to holiday interruptions both this week and last week, so soaps had to pack a punch with shorter duration than usual. Leave it to 2009 Emmy-winning drama “B&B” to do so with gusto. This week’s leading ladies who handed us gold standard performances were Katherine Kelly Lang, who portrays Brooke Logan Forrester and her sister Donna Logan Forrester, played by actress Jennifer Gareis. They worked hard to keep their husbands’ secret plan to destroy Bill Spencer’s company and hid it from their youngest sister Katie, who is married to Bill Spencer. With Ridge and Eric Forrester solidly behind the ball in trying to drive Bill Spencer’s company into the ground by producing outrageous and tacky designs for the upcoming Dare Fashion campaign, both Brooke and Donna were front and center in trying to divert attention away from their handsome spouses and to try to convince their CEO sister and her billionaire mogul husband that Eric and Ridge were doing a wonderful fashion campaign.

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Lang’s character Brooke is always up to something or another on the show. The devious diva learned how to fight dirty from her mother-in-law Queen Stephanie. Brooke has been on the receiving end of many of the matriarch’s most divisive plots, so Brooke is a pro when it comes to covering things up and trying to hide secrets. Whether it’s her many affairs or her husband Ridge’s most recent plot, she’s able to do so with ease.

Throw in sister Donna and plans tend to go awry. Who’d ever forget Donna in her show stopper gown going down the runway of Forrester Creations when her nemesis Pamela, who just happens to be Queen Stephanie’s younger sister, decided Donna deserved to be shown for the trophy wife she is. Donna found herself covered in five gallons of honey and gold-glitter all over her beautiful gown. That’s the type of trouble Donna unwittingly finds herself in from time to time. Hiding secrets is not her specialty, but she gave it a good try this week.

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Eric loves his wife Donna and she is very much in love with Eric, but involving her in this plan may back-fire. Donna’s not smart enough to outwit younger sister Katie and she’s not as good as Brooke at keeping a secret. Then again, Brooke’s biggest troubles have come from her inability to keep secrets from monster-in-law Stephanie. This is a storyline Bradley P. Bell, the show’s talented head-writer and executive producer is going to drive with excitement. Fans are on for the ride and looking forward to our regular scheduled five-episodes next week. Trust me, you wont want to miss it.

Katie’s no fool, Brooke is the master of deception and Donna’s the brainless but beautiful Logan girl who usually gets everyone into trouble. What great stars these two beautiful actresses, Lang and Gareis are. I may pick on Donna a lot, because I’m such a fan of Her Majesty Queen Stephanie’s but let me assure you, Gareis does not receive any of my ire. I hold this beautiful Italian beauty in great esteem and therefore put Jennifer Gareis alongside one of daytime’s most beautiful and talented actresses, Katherine Kelly Lang, who plays older Logan sister Brooke.

“B&B” airs on CBS weekdays and is helmed by one of the most exceptionally talented producers in television. Just because “B&B” is a soap, please don’t place any prejudice on the talented actors and extraordinary writers and producers they have. Bradley Bell goes up there with the greats in writing and producing. Plus his stars are some of the best actors in entertainment today.

Photos Courtesy: Katherine Kelly Lang and Jennifer Gareis by Gilles Toucas, Bell Phillip TV Productions.  Gareis [Donna], Flannery [Stephanie] and Mills [Pamela] by JPI Studios.