Caray, Caray!

Ohh - the novela is good right now. I hope Rod the Bod and Gaviota see each other in the fields- that would be so romantico. Aarons jealousy over Minnie is hilarious too, those two crazies deserve each other!
 

Thanks for the recap...I didn't get to see last nites, thanks for all the awesome detail.

Say I was wondering is it wrong for me to suggest that perhaps Pammy was not in the upper 90% of her class? I don't just mean cause of Aaron, but doesn't she seem a bit slow? I mean she seems very child like. It seems like the left side of that bell curve would just be insurmontable for Pammy.
 

Thanks for the recap. Pamela is being played by a bad actress. She is nowhere in the same category as the actors playing Aaron or Minerva. Any woman who gets involved with Aaron is slow!
 

Romantico liasion in the agave fields between our two lovers? No doubt..Does anyone recall Issy and mamacita talking about Isadora making an impromptu visit to the hacienda?

Pammy? Vulnerable & somewhat naive it seems.Just never been a big fan of Joanna Benedek (not sure of her last name)..If one having closeups on the novela (any actress or actor),it would be good to have some teeth whitener for those great closeups.Much needed here..The hair color in so many ways ruins her character.Lynne said," bad actress"..Agree..
 

The person playing Pam was in La Fea Mas Bella on a few occasions. Don't know why she had a few showing on that show; however, she was a flawless beauty on there. she did have pumped up lips that were abit overdone though.
 

Doesn't it seem a bit odd that Esa is so jealous at the idea that Rod might be with Gaviota, yet she is preg by one of three men DUH??
 

In defense of the character played by the lovely Martha Julia--Isa always liked Rod best, but she has sexual needs like everybody else. At this point, she is an economic hostage, held there more by her parents' failings than even by her own avarice. Gaviota is a bigtime threat to her economic security, and, to a lesser extent, a reminder that Rod doesn't want her.
 

Moreover, (and correct me if I'm wrong, all of you have seen every ep)--Isadora was the aggressor ONLY in her relationship with Hilario, after being dissed multiple times by Rod. Both Aaron and Frankie came on to her very strongly, especially Aaron --whom she initially resisted. Now if she were a man denied sex by his wife--who would blame him? I did notice some progress in the double standard, however--in Destilando Amor, even the good girls can all have extramarital sex and one--Sophia--gets to have more than one partner. In the question, Isadora--victim or whore? I say--victim.
 

Interesting discussion we've got going here. I guess my question is....why are there only two categories?...women are not only victims or whores and the character of Isa, as written, doesn't fit neatly into either of those boxes.
She did marry Rod for financial reasons, to benefit both herself and her parents....but it's certainly possible that if he'd been a loving husband, she could have been a loving wife...or not...who knows?
However, in the simplistic formula of telenovelas...I presume we're supposed to see her as bad, bad, bad and as an impediment to Rod and Gaviota's pure and blessed happiness.
But sure, Destilando, she's been dissed repeatedly. However, the one lover she treated badly was Hilario, because he was beneath her socially...so I assume we are supposed to view her as bad, bad, bad...and so we obligingly do.

Judy B.
 

Jardinera^^^Thanks for a great recap...as always!!! You are a peach. Thanks for all the giggles you gave me. As for the Isa discussion, if a guy asked me to marry him after telling me that he had only ''onetruelove'' and would never have sex with me...HELLO... I would say , ''Que the hell..nice knowing you.'' Isa knew exactly how Rodrigooo felt before she married him. Rod was completely honest with her , and Isa went into that marriage knowing how he felt. I think she smugly felt that she would be able to easily seduce him, but he let her know that was not going to happen have she had put on that red silk shorty robe and given it her best shot...several times. As for Rod's feeling for the hacienda, I can relate to that. I grew up on a farm , and with our mother's recent death, my sister and I now own it. My hubby and I bulit a house on 2 acres that my dad gave us when we were first marreied. Whenever I am at the farm, I feel just like Rod feels...safe, protected, away from the world, part of my past, part of my parents, part of the land. I go there '' when the world is too much with me.'' Although I never made love under a tree in the potato or corn fields [no agave here in the northeast] , I still think of the young lads who took walks with me through the fields and swam with me in the pond. Scarlett O'Hara knew it , too, when she kept going back to Tara...the land is what lasts,,,it will be here after we are all gone. So, Rod,shout out to you, amigo. I know where you are coming from , Honey. It is only a matter of time before you and Gavi are raising babies on that land you love so much...and I , for one, can't wait. I missed the first half of this episode , so I missed Isa's belly. I'm with you Jardinera...I cannot get used to seeing pregnant bellies. During my 3 pregnancies , I wore lots of loosefitting garb disguising my growing belly from the high school kids I taught. However, nowadays, it's a different story, I guess. Thanks so much, Jardinera, for yet another excellent recap filled with insight and good humor.^^^Susanlynn, down on the farm
 

I was wondering who would make the connection between La Montalveña and Tara. Remember when Rod stumbled out of the burning shack after hearing his grandfather's voice and then falling to his knees to pick up a clump of earth? That was pure Scarlett O'Hara. As for female villains, it comes down to which one do you most want to see suffering severely and twisting in the wind in the last week of the novela. Without any prior knowledge of her fate, I vote for . . .Fedra!!!
 

Okay...with Isa I don't even see it on a sexual level...I see it as an attention thing. First I still say had a guy told me that, every Gaydar bell would have gone off..screaming ringing lites flashing. Cause sometime around junior year of high school I figured out guys don't have to "love" someone to have sex (with as much as he drinks), even physical attraction is no problem it is always closing time & the lights are dim. But, I do kinda see her point, the whole marriage thing sucks. I mean I have heard of people who are married but there is a lack of physical nature, but they are great friends and do love each other on a "spiritual level" whatever the hell that means..but Rod acted like she was his beard from the beginning. I think had he not been so twisted Isa could have been a good wife and never cheated, cause really Rod has cheated on her from the beginning, it has always been every thought of Gavi..yep they are both dumbasses...so as long as Isa has crossed the line, I say use BC & get a better boink partner than Frankie & you go girl..
 

From what I understand this version Isa was written differently. The original had her character much like what beckster has described, platonic till Frankie's character arrived on the scene.

In D/A she's both wrong and wronged. Early on Isa was told by the therapist that SHE was the one with the complex, not her husband. That complex guided her initially, and thus her actions could have been forgiven; even her desperate need for sexual release and her resultant initial seduction of Hilario, considering the way Rod was abusively rejecting her, could also be forgiven. However, once Rod, who is guilty as charged of "emotional/spiritual" adultery from the beginning, offered Isa a divorce that first time and she refused in favor of revenge, conspiracy to control his free will, and seeking financial benefit, then additionally engaged in a second adulterous affair with Aaron, she lost any sympathetic aspect to her character whatsoever as far as I am concerned.
 

Thanks for another fun recap Jardinera!

I had lots to say, but Jardinera and Susanlynn said it all for me. I'd have to ditto everything, except I have 2 acres in the mountains and it's where I'd like to be buried.

TWB, being as high maintenance and dysfunctional as she is-- she was needing some attention (as Beckster said) real bad. Being used to getting what she wants and controlling her world, she's in a emotional death spiral with Rodrigo, unable to have any real power over him except for "the" baby...
jb
 

Desti: I want no mercy for either Fedra, Minnie or Isa. Sofia is being taught a huge lesson and will no doubt be redeemed. I suppose I can live with that. I hate the thought, but Minnie probably will find redemption as well, since she's paying right now for conspiring with Aaron and Isadora against Rod and Gavi. Isa is a lost cause like I've already said. //
=======

Susanlynn: I'm more of a Thomas Wolfe person who believes in the inability to ever go home again. It's not by choice, but that's the case all the same. If I could perhaps I would. As for Isa's belly shots, I'm sure they'll make every effort to show you the gettup on Monday. Thankyou, Demi Moore.
 

Like others have pointed out, Minnie and Isa have both been wronged in some way, which may or many not excuse their bad behavior, for which they may or may not redeem themselves; but as far as I can tell, Fedra's got no excuse for being the way she is, and I don't see any hope of redemption.

Plus, all the nastiness in Aaron clearly came from Fedra and not Bruno. So my question is not WILL Fedra meet a bad ending... it's how awful of an ending will she meet. :)
 

Destilando Cafe - were you watching the show during Minerva's pregnancy? The minute we saw that long, high staircase in their apartment, a bunch of us thought the same thing: Gone With The Wind. And sure enough, she went down those stairs like an elegantly dressed sack of potatoes.
 

Isa deserves redemption because she has shown love and concern for her parents (a cardinal Mexican virtue). As engaging as he can be, Francisco needs to go to telenovela hell right behind Aaron and Fedra. Minnie may be redeemed if she can overcome her tragic flaw-excessive love for Aaron.
 

No, I missed the show where Minerva lost the baby. But that's another proof she has suffered, and that's another clue she may be redeemed.
 

Here are the corrected links to the Obsessive Love Syndrome discussion.........

Below you'll see links to a discussion over at Telenovela world we had and the definitions for a variety of stages in a legitimate psychological complex that describes Isadora's initial characterization to a T.


http://foro.telenovela-world.com/n4/read-t.php?f=425&i=438&t=438

http://foro.telenovela-world.com/n4/read-t.php?f=425&i=447&t=447#reply_447
 

thank you, Jardinera--I read about Obsessive Love Syndrome, but it sounds to me like they're talking about Rod! also noted on that site--the Gran Final in Mexico is slated for 2 hours on September 16th, not August 31 as previously announced.
 

nice recap !!>> I'd like to make a comment about the ISA character she is a very hurt woman by what rod has done to her but that is no reason to go and sleep with a bunch of men and get knocked up and think it is alright because she is not gettin none at home plus she new rod had those bed room problems when she first married the man BTW she is there for the money anyway and when she finds out that De La Vega is broke she will go to the next man??!!
 

Isa is well aware Frankie is broke..she paid for everything during their fling
 

Anon 10:27 pm --Thanks... and don't forget that Isa is banking on taking Rod for half his fortune still once she has this baby which we all know is really Frankie's kid. Both her daddy and Videgaray had told her this was the only way she'd get that kind of settlement. I think she's showing OLS stage 1 symptoms again, but this time it's for Frankie and not Rod. Rod is now only a life preserver in the shape of a giant $ sign. Frankie has become her new obsession.
 

Desti: I agree about Rod having somewhat similar OLC complex, or aspects of it, particularly so during the X-mas episodios. If you had been able to watch from the beginning, you'd have seen Isa's character hitting all the stops. Rod became overly obsessed with Gavi, though, in part because SJ talked Isa into going to the native witch for a love potion. The witch was told it was to make somebody love her. She told Isa to use only a dab.

Isa was a know-it-all and thought the more she used the better it would work and put it into the soup. Rod didn't eat that for some reason, but Hilario did when he went for leftovers late one night. Rod rejected Isa and Hilario fell in love with her. I think Isa went back a second time to complain and the witch gave her a different potion.

Isa purposely overdid the amount again for the same reason. This time Rod ate it and had wet dreams about Gavi and woke up just in time to keep himself from making love to Isa because in his delirium, he thought it was Gavi in bed with him.

So Isa went back to the old witch again to complain. The witch asked her to clarify the type of man and the situation. When the witch realized it was for a man who was already in love with somebody else, she screamed at her for being a fool not to have told her the proper details the first time, because the potion she gave Rod was stuff to make somebody in love go absolutely wild for the person he was already in love with. In that case, we figured we couldn't totally blame Rod for all the crazy stuff he went through afterward. We have to blame a lot of it on the love potion..... =/8 ? )
 

I had forgotten all about the love potion. It sure is long lasting. I thought they just threw it in for comic relief. I wonder if there is an antidote. Now wouldn’t that scramble the plot~! JudyG
 

Thanks for the interesting info on OLC, it fits TWB in particular, Jardinera.

I suppose TWB is showing her version of love towards her parents after they emotionally blackmailed her into getting money from Rod. She's just repeating the dysfunctional co-dependency she's learned from her parents. I wouldn't give her redemption points for that...
jb
 

As a rather detached Anglo-Saxon myself, I would reluctantly concluded there was nothing I could do for my father, sent him some literature from Gamblers Anonymous, divorced Rod, accepted the apartment, jewelry, alimony, gotten a job and supported my kid. However, not doing everything for one's parents is frowned upon in the culture which produced this story, modern psychology notwithstanding. Whether Isa is redeemed, or not, we shall see. I understand this character's fate differs somewhat from other versions , so I don't know either.
 

I, personally, like Isa and I feel that she is probably the most complex character on the show.

I would guess that putting a dysfunctional person in a dysfunctional marriage would be like adding gasoline to a fire. Hardly the best atmosphere and one that would bring out all of the character flaws.

I still think that Isa is desperately looking for someone who truly loves her and she has willingly ignored reality with almost every relationship she's had on the show. Unfortunately for her, it appears that her parents are willing to use her needs to meet their own ends and emotionally blackmail her without mercy.

I'd still prefer her to Sophia if I had to be stuck with one of them on an island!!!
 

Isa's parents are the only reason I still feel some compassion towards her. So far she has been used by numerous people (Rod, Frankie, etc.) but has found various (dishonest and self-destructive) ways to deal with that. But with her parents, it's different. Ricardo doesn't even seem embarrassed or ashamed of his behavior, and now Isa's further enabled it. I don't know if she is even aware of his gambling problem.

It is a terrible feeling to have been used by someone. Using others in return is a lousy way to deal with it, but I guess she has to stick with what she knows. But how can she deal with this situation with her parents? Maybe her priorities will shift as her pregnancy progresses. I hope so. Perhaps she and Frankie could somehow redeem themselves by raising their child together.

I'm all for sticking up for your family, but I'm thinking that getting Ricardo to some gamblers' anonymous (or whatever) meetings might be a smarter long-term approach.
 

Yes, Gamblers AA, or whatever its called would be good. At some point in Isa's life, it has to occur to her that what she's doing isn't working for her. She's chosen to ignore reality-- okay, but there are consequences. Her parents really are pathetic, but you can't help someone who doesn't want to help themselves. There's probably a couple of seats reserved in telenovela hell for her parents, next to Fedra...
jb
 

Julie and Anonymous 9:27 ---I appreciated your insightful comments about Isa. You both brought up some very good points about her relationship with her parents. The apple does not fall far from that tree, si ?
 

Que the hell ! *#@*^@ SPOILER ALERT FOR THE POST UP ABOVE jULIE'S , FOLKS.
 

Is Isa's belly fake? It looks very real.
 

spoilerfairy on the move. may or may not be able to effect removal
 

removal effected and effective! Recappers, Julie was correct. If you author the recap and Melinama doesn't catch it, you have the power of dumping anything that breaks the rules re: spoilers and personal lives of the actors. YOU get all the trash cans on each and every post, including the offending ones. Thanks, Julie, for the clarification!
 

Whoa... I did not know that. I thought we could only delete our own comments! Good to know, thanks!