Dates below refer to the original U.S. broadcasts. Where an exact date could not be verified, I give the month or year.
Season dates and episode count
Season 18 runs from September 20, 2004, to September 16, 2005, covering episodes #4388–#4640: 253 episodes. The show’s official uploads identify the finale as S18 E253. Its streaming archive currently displays “251 episodes,” so that catalogue counter should not be confused with the original season total. 2004 (S18 E1) FULL EPISODE 4388
Characters and actors — alphabetical by surname
The following is the season’s principal and recurring character roster, including the children. I could not securely establish an exhaustive list of every minor guest role or all infant performers, so the unresolved credits are identified separately below.
Taylor is filed under Hayes; Darla under her married surname, Forrester.
| Character portrayed by actor |
|---|
| Megan Conley portrayed by Maeve Quinlan |
| Dante Damiano portrayed by Antonio Sabàto Jr. |
| Connor Davis portrayed by Scott Thompson Baker |
| Morgan DeWitt portrayed by Sarah Buxton |
| Natalie DeWitt portrayed by Pat Crowley |
| Heather Engle portrayed by Shari Headley |
| Bridget Forrester portrayed by Ashley Jones |
| Darla Forrester portrayed by Schae Harrison |
| Eric Forrester portrayed by John McCook |
| Felicia Forrester portrayed by Colleen Dion |
| Phoebe Forrester portrayed by Keaton Tyndall, then Addison Hoover |
| Rick Forrester portrayed by Justin Torkildsen |
| Ridge Forrester portrayed by Ronn Moss |
| Ridge “R.J.” Forrester Jr. portrayed by Jacob and Lukas Manos |
| Steffy Forrester portrayed by Kylie Tyndall, then Alex Hoover |
| Stephanie Forrester portrayed by Susan Flannery |
| Thomas Forrester portrayed by Drew Tyler Bell |
| Thorne Forrester portrayed by Winsor Harmon |
| Clarke Garrison portrayed by Daniel McVicar |
| Taylor Hayes Forrester portrayed by Hunter Tylo |
| Priscilla Kelly portrayed by Linda Gray |
| Samantha Kelly portrayed by Sydney Penny |
| Brooke Logan portrayed by Katherine Kelly Lang |
| Hope Logan portrayed by Amanda and Rachel Pace |
| Dr. Mark Maclaine portrayed by Michael Dietz |
| Jackie Marone portrayed by Lesley-Anne Down |
| Massimo Marone portrayed by Joseph Mascolo |
| Dominick “Nick” Marone portrayed by Jack Wagner |
| Jarrett Maxwell portrayed by Andrew Collins |
| Ambrosia “Amber” Moore portrayed by Adrienne Frantz |
| Gabriela “Gaby” Moreno portrayed by Shanelle Workman |
| Dr. Kevin Namura portrayed by Kipp Shiotani |
| Caitlin Ramirez portrayed by Kayla Ewell |
| Hector Ramirez portrayed by Lorenzo Lamas |
| Jimmy Ramirez portrayed by Chris Warren Jr. |
| Prince Omar Rashid portrayed by Kabir Bedi |
| Deacon Sharpe portrayed by Sean Kanan |
| Sally Spectra portrayed by Darlene Conley |
The adult cast is supported by cast histories and contemporary listings; the twins’ correct assignments are Addison Hoover as Phoebe and Alex Hoover as Steffy. Some older online lists reverse them. Wikipedia
Credits requiring qualification
| Character / performer | What remains unresolved |
|---|---|
| Alexandria “Aly” Forrester | The infant performers appearing specifically between September 2004 and September 2005 could not be securely identified. Early casting histories name Matrix Springer, Haven Jude Cain and Cole Pettit, but those credits cannot automatically be assigned to this season. |
| C.J. Garrison portrayed by Mick Cain | His last 2004 appearances were in September; I could not establish whether they fell before or after the September 20 season premiere. |
| Dr. Johnny Berlanti portrayed by Jim Davidson | Two appearances are recorded in 2005, but their placement within Season 18 could not be confirmed. |
| Dr. Caspary portrayed by Jacqueline Hahn | A 2005 credit is recorded, but the precise season placement remains uncertain. |
Harley Graham’s portrayal of Aly belongs to a later period. Kristen and Zende’s documented October 21, 2005 visit falls in Season 19, so Tracy Melchior and Daniel E. Smith are not added to this roster solely on the basis of their 2005 credits. en-academic.com
Main plots
- Forrester Creations versus Spectra. Thorne’s frustration with Ridge and the family business drives him toward Spectra. Sally’s company becomes a serious rival, with Felicia, Amber and Clarke involved in its fortunes. Fashion competitions intertwine professional ambition with the Forrester family’s personal disputes. The Bold and the Beautiful
- Thomas and Amber. Amber’s relationship with the teenage Thomas causes strong opposition from his family. Her attempts to undermine Ridge include trapping Ridge and Bridget in a mineshaft, hoping to manufacture evidence of an inappropriate relationship and destroy Ridge’s marriage to Brooke. Clarke reluctantly helps her. wiki.km6slftech.com
- Jackie, Deacon and Massimo. Jackie’s affair with Deacon devastates Massimo, who suffers a stroke. During his recovery, Deacon becomes involved in the household. Massimo’s eventual recovery leads to retaliation against Deacon and further damage to his marriage to Jackie. The Bold and the Beautiful
- Morgan kidnaps Ridge. Morgan encounters an amnesiac Ridge and takes him to Venice, where she convinces him that they are lovers. Amber discovers the deception. Morgan’s mother, Natalie, intervenes, and Ridge returns to Los Angeles while Morgan is placed under care. Fandom
- Taylor returns alive. Taylor’s reappearance overturns her presumed death. Prince Omar had removed her from the hospital and kept her alive while she was in a coma. Her return revives the Brooke–Ridge–Taylor triangle and calls Ridge’s marriage to Brooke into question. en.wikipedia.org
- Stephanie’s fake heart attack. With Dr. Mark Maclaine’s help, Stephanie pretends to be gravely ill to push Ridge back toward Taylor. Ridge and Taylor renew their vows at her hospital bedside. Jackie and Brooke investigate, and the deception is exposed during another attempted Nick–Bridget wedding, producing a major family rupture. The Bold and the Beautiful
- Nick, Bridget and Brooke. Bridget falls in love with Nick, but his feelings for Brooke repeatedly threaten their future. Several wedding attempts fail. Bridget’s pregnancy and her false claim that she has had an abortion intensify the conflict. Dante, who knew Bridget in Italy, becomes another romantic possibility. By the finale, Nick’s attachment to Brooke remains unresolved. soapcentral.com
- Thomas and Gaby’s immigration marriage. After her mother dies, Gaby becomes close to Thomas. He marries her in Las Vegas to protect her from deportation. Their marriage develops into a romantic relationship and creates conflict with Ridge and Taylor. Fandom
Recasts and SORAS
SORAS means Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome: a character’s age is advanced faster than ordinary time.
| Character | Casting change | Date | Nature of change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridget Forrester | Emily Harrison → Ashley Jones | December 17, 2004 | Adult-to-adult recast; not SORAS. Harrison’s last appearances had been in July 2004, before this season. |
| Phoebe Forrester | Keaton Tyndall → Addison Hoover | April 22, 2005 | Recast with an older teenage performer, continuing the character’s accelerated aging. |
| Steffy Forrester | Kylie Tyndall → Alex Hoover | April 22, 2005 | Recast with an older teenage performer, continuing the twins’ accelerated aging. |
The twins’ changes are best described as child/young-teen to older-teen recasts, rather than child-to-fully-adult replacements. soapcentral.com
Thomas’s major aging and Drew Tyler Bell’s introduction occurred on January 9, 2004, in Season 17. Likewise, Amanda and Rachel Pace had already taken over as Hope in May 2004. Those changes should not be counted as Season 18 recasts. Soap Opera Network Community
Births
No major on-screen birth of a continuing character was verified within this season.
Bridget’s pregnancy is a significant Season 18 story, but her daughter Nicole’s birth belongs to the following season. R.J. and Aly were already born before Season 18 began. Felicia’s baby, Dominick, is introduced during her later Season 19 return; his off-screen birth cannot be given a securely verified Season 18 date. en-academic.com
New characters
| Character | First appearance / date | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Natalie DeWitt portrayed by Pat Crowley | March 15, 2005 | Morgan’s mother, involved in resolving Ridge’s captivity in Venice. |
| Gabriela “Gaby” Moreno portrayed by Shanelle Workman | March 24, 2005 | Daughter of Stephanie’s deceased housekeeper, Helen Moreno; later Thomas’s wife. |
| Dante Damiano portrayed by Antonio Sabàto Jr. | June 16, 2005 | Artist who knew Bridget in Italy and becomes involved with the Forresters. |
Heather Engle, portrayed by Shari Headley, also makes her appearances during this season, in December 2004–January 2005. Jarrett, Caitlin, Hector, Jimmy and Priscilla had been introduced before Season 18 began. wikiuatu.ddns.net
Departures
| Character | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Felicia Forrester | Late 2004 | Colleen Dion’s stint ends. Felicia’s later return with Lesli Kay belongs to Season 19. |
| Deacon Sharpe | February 22, 2005 | Sean Kanan’s original run ends amid the fallout from Deacon’s relationship with Jackie and Massimo’s retaliation. |
| Morgan DeWitt | April 2005 | The Venice story ends; Morgan is placed under care. |
| Natalie DeWitt | April 6, 2005 | Her brief guest storyline concludes. |
| Amber Moore | April 14, 2005 | Adrienne Frantz’s original B&B run ends. |
| Samantha Kelly | April 2005 | Sydney Penny’s run concludes. |
Gaby’s departure on October 27, 2005, and the Hoover twins’ final regular appearances on September 29, 2005, fall in Season 19. soapcentral.com
Returns of former characters
| Character | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Bridget Forrester | December 17, 2004 | Returns with Ashley Jones taking over the role. |
| Morgan DeWitt | March 2005 | Returns for the Ridge kidnapping/amnesia storyline. |
| Priscilla Kelly | March 2005 | Linda Gray reprises Samantha’s mother for a short guest stint. |
| Rick Forrester | April 20, 2005 | Returns from Milan for Bridget and Nick’s wedding preparations. |
| Taylor Hayes Forrester | April 25, 2005 | Hunter Tylo returns as Taylor, whose apparent death is subsequently reversed. |
| Prince Omar Rashid | Spring 2005 | Returns as part of the explanation for Taylor’s survival. |
| Connor Davis | 2005; exact date unverified | Reappears in connection with the legal complications surrounding Thomas and Gaby. |
Weddings and vow renewals
| Couple | Date | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Forrester and Gabriela Moreno | June 24, 2005 | Completed wedding in Las Vegas, initially intended to prevent Gaby’s deportation. |
| Ridge Forrester and Taylor Hayes | Late June 2005 | Vow renewal at Stephanie’s hospital bedside, prompted by her supposed medical crisis. |
| Nick Marone and Bridget Forrester | April 22–25, 2005 | Wedding begins but is interrupted by events surrounding Taylor’s return. |
| Nick Marone and Bridget Forrester | June 2005 | Las Vegas wedding plan is abandoned; Thomas and Gaby marry instead. |
| Nick Marone and Bridget Forrester | July 25–27, 2005 | Another ceremony is disrupted by the exposure of Stephanie’s fake heart attack. |
The Thomas–Gaby date is documented in the contemporary Soap Opera Digest recap. The Ridge–Taylor event is a renewal of their existing marriage, rather than a first wedding. Soap Opera Digest
Nick and Bridget’s completed wedding takes place on September 23, 2005 — in Season 19. TV Episode Calendar
Deaths
| Character | Date | Circumstances |
|---|---|---|
| Helen Moreno | March 2005; exact date unverified | Gaby’s mother, Stephanie’s housekeeper, dies in a car accident. Her death provides the background to Gaby’s introduction. |
No principal cast character’s permanent death was verified within Season 18. Taylor’s storyline reverses an earlier presumed death; Stephanie’s heart attack is fabricated. Fandom
Y&R / B&B Crossovers
B&B characters appearing in Y&R
| Character | Actor | Y&R broadcast date | Story |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Forrester | John McCook | August 11, 2005 | Eric visits Genoa City and warns Michael Baldwin about Sheila Carter. |
This appearance falls within the Season 18 broadcast period. Eric’s later visit for Michael and Lauren’s wedding, in December 2005, falls outside it. en.wikipedia.org
Shared character returning to Y&R
Sheila Carter portrayed by Kimberlin Brown returns to Y&R on August 5, 2005. Sheila originated on Y&R and subsequently became a major B&B character. This is therefore a return of a shared character, rather than a guest visit by someone concurrently appearing in B&B Season 18. Kimberlin Brown
Y&R characters appearing in B&B
- Joanna Manning portrayed by Susan Seaforth Hayes is credited with B&B appearances in 2005, but I could not establish their exact dates or securely place them within Season 18. Her appearance should therefore remain unconfirmed for this particular season. Fandom
- Katherine Chancellor portrayed by Jeanne Cooper appears on October 31–November 1, 2005, which belongs to Season 19. en.wikipedia.org
- Lauren Fenmore’s May 2004 B&B visit belongs to Season 17.
Thus, Eric’s August 11 visit to Y&R is the securely dated crossover within Season 18; a Y&R-to-B&B guest appearance within the same boundaries could not be securely confirmed.
