HOLLYWOOD—This week’s Leading Ladies Gold Standard goes to two beautiful actresses on CBS’s “The Bold and the Beautiful,” whose characters made the decision not to just take abuse lying down. Lesley-Anne Down, who portrays Jackie Marone on the soap, performed brilliantly, as Jackie fought back and took back her power. Down is one of the most outstanding actresses in daytime television. Katherine Kelly Lang, who portrays Brooke Logan Forrester, is the most underrated star in television. The beautiful blonde stunner makes her role fresh and appealing, even though her character is often left in the same predicament time and time again.

Lesley-Anne Down showed viewers this week that she is always ready for her return. We’ve not seen the British beauty very much on the show lately, as Brad is busy writing for so many wonderful characters and of course we have to have the young people featured as well. However, whenever Brad brings on Down, viewers know that we are in for a treat. This week Jackie found out that Amber had stolen Forrester Creations’ designs and pawned them off to Nick as her own.

Jackie then decided with her handsome husband’s help to approach her son Nick with an offer to return to the fashion house and to save the faltering company from the brink of bankruptcy. Down’s amazing energy is boundless and exciting to watch. She may be an actress over the age of 40, but she’s still one of the sexiest and most exciting actresses to watch. Her performance this week left me breathless, and I’m excited to see Lesley-Anne’s return as Jackie, the Century City-based cougar.

When you are considered the sexiest woman in the world, where else can you go from there but down? Brooke Logan has been down for the count so many times, that I cannot count them all. However, the talented actress who portrays Brooke stretches the boundaries of imagination and becomes one of the most exciting ladies on TV to watch. This week Katherine Kelly Lang was placed yet again opposite one of the most talented beauties in TV to spar with. Hunter Tylo, as Taylor is always prepared as an actress and the exciting scenes they played out really seemed exciting to watch. Brooke and Taylor catfights are legendary, and Lang’s ability to make each one fresh is extraordinary.

“B&B” is one of the best shows on the air, and Bradley P. Bell, the two-time Emmy winning producer and writer knows what it takes to keep daytime viewers entranced with his very own daytime drama.

“B&B” airs weekdays on CBS.

Photographs of Lesley-Anne Down and Katherine Kelly Lang are Courtesy: Gilles Toucas, Bell Phillip Television Productions