Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Tontas, 2/23: Kisses in threes, beer shrimp and caramel corn

Howdy folks. Margarita pinch hitting for Paula. Hope this isn’t too verbose. I tried to group some scenes together so they would flow better.

This one had no leftovers so we begin with Pato and Chava trying to get Candy to come to the stadium with them. Candy puts on her Chivas jersey but seems reluctant to come. The boys try to persuade her by singing the America theme song, which Candy forbids Chava from singing again. She then gets him to sing the Chivas theme as Pato cries out in pain. Pato suggests that Chava can root for the teams of both parents and choose when he’s older (not sure how one does that at a game when both teams are playing, maybe you’re supposed to take turns?) and Candy says fine, he can root for the Chivas now ‘cause they’re wining and he won’t have to cry every time his team loses (Chava likes this logic) and when he’s older he can decide to like the Chivas all by himself. Pato tries to show off his jersey in the meantime, but Chava seems to have sided with mom. Pato asks if she’ll join them for the game and she says no, because she made plans to meet with Soledad who needs her and she keeps her promises (hint, hint). She has Pato give her the offending jersey for safekeeping. She warns him that she’ll watch on tv and will forbid Pato from taking him to the stadium again if she sees Chava wearing an America jersey. They sing the America song as they exit and Candy puts the jersey in the waste bin.

Now Meño and Charly walk through some medical facility and dad puts his foot down about drug dealing. Charly agrees to stop ‘cause he almost lost his girl and his dad. Meño corrects him and says he almost lost himself. They take a break to talk to a doctor who’s allowing them to see a patient who’s in a coma because of an overdose. Dad gives son a PSA about how that could have been one of his clients.

Isa comes back to the house where Donato greets her with open arms and asks if she plans to stay. Jaime comes in and says THEY plan to stay as Isa gave him a choice between that and divorce. Jaime asks Don if he’s happy to see him too and Don pleads the 5th.

Santi tells Ed he’s happy Chayo put her foot down ‘cause he deserves it. He does point out that Candy probably influenced this. Ed dramatically tells Santi how he broke up with his girlfriend. Santi makes fun of him, but then tells him that this was a giant leap for malekind. He also warns him that things might not be over for the girlfriend.

Over at the institute, the girls congratulate Chayo on standing up for herself, just don’t make any mountains out of molehills. Chayo comes to remind Sole that she and Candy are meeting for lunch and Lulu takes the time to say how fortunate Chayo is to still have a husband even though she almost dumped him. Sole points out that a woman can’t live without dignity (a lesson we hope she’s learning herself) and Lulu counters that a woman can’t live without a man. I wish they wouldn’t portray her as so desperate.

Santi and Mari walk into the office and Hort points to a patient with a big belly. Both proceed to feel her belly and talk about how the baby kicked as the patient looks horrified at this invasion of her personal space. She tells them she’s not pregnant, she’s here to get lipo! Santi sends her to the exam room and berates Mari for making him look bad in front of his patient. He then gets a call from Donato and hopes his mom left Jaime, but that’s not the case. He tells Mari that his mom is back and brought Jaime as her luggage. They’re moving in. He seems to forget he told her they could the day before the wedding. He talks about how to a son, his mother is always pure and virginal. Guess he thinks he’s the Messiah and the product of immaculate conception.

Chayo and Ed are smooching after what I suspect was some afternoon delight. Ed has to run back for surgery but Chayo wants a few more cuddles. She thanks him for becoming the husband she always dreamed of. Later as he scrubs for surgery, he hums and Santi tells him he hadn’t looked so happy since his first affair after he got married. Ed says he’s a changed man and plans to be faithful. Santi congratulates him, but looks doubtful. Ed says he’s going to take it one day at a time, like alcoholics.

In a random scene, Pato takes his boys to the stadium in their respective team jerseys. He rings a random doorbell and runs off.

Isa goes through the house admiring everything she always knew with fresh eyes. Jaime points out she was only gone a day. Santi and Mari arrive and she tells him she convinced Jaime to move in so they could take care of the girls. Jaime promises to behave and Don says he better, then catches himself and says Santi better go change so he can be comfortable. Don asks Isa if he should prepare the guest room for Jaime and Isa corrects him and tells him Jaime will sleep in the bridal chamber, her room!

We have a heartbreaking scene in which Rocio walks into Santi’s room wearing an America outfit and tells him she wants to learn to hit the ball with two toes and with her head. He points out she never like soccer and she says she wants him to love her as much as her baby brother. Good papa Santi tells her he already loves everything he does with Rocio and that he’s going to love them the same. Then he tells her not to tell her brother, but she will always be his first child, and the first that he loved, and the first in everything. They hug and Rocio seems to feel a little better. Santi then admires the fact that her clothes are from the America team.

Santi’s buxom new patient arrives and Horty points out she’s an hour early. She apologizes and asks if she can see another doctor as she must have written things wrong and now has another appointment after this. Horty suggest Ed. Later on, she shows him her breast and tells him this is her huge problem. After he rolls his tongue of the floor, he tells her an enlargement would look unnatural (to his credit). She explains that she wants a reduction, by half. Now Ed is crushed and asks why. She tells him she’s embarrassed by them. Methinks she would be a good candidate for the upstairs neighbors, but Ed finally agrees to talk to Santi and make sure she gets her reduction. She tells him he’s treated her like a friend, nay a brother! He says her case has him quite err, impressed. She asks for his number and he gives her all of them, including his home and cell. Looks like the faithful Ed is a thing of the past. Later he gives Santi the sad news of what the patient wants to which Santi replies it’s her choice. He then asks Santi how he feels about his impending wedding and he confesses that he’s not thrilled, but he’s happy about the baby. Ed mentions Santi’s a natural dad, and he says it was symbiotic and that Rocio saved him when he was all alone.

Candy and Sole take a jog and discuss their love woes. Candy tells Sole she plans to do nothing because Mari’s her friend and associate and asks what Sole plans to do about Pato. Sole points out that’s a little weird to discuss and Candy agrees. She then tells Candy that lately Mari seems weird. She has all she needs to be happy: money, looks, etc, and can have any man she wants, so why insist on the one that wants Candy? Candy says she doesn’t know and Sole suggests it might be because Mari’s used to having everything she wants, otherwise why stay with a man who doesn’t love her? Candy asks if Sole dislikes Mari and Sole suggests that Mari’s been indifferent and two-faced lately. Candy says Mari’s special (is that like Jerry’s kids?) but that she’s always been sincere. Sole warns her she can be a little naive at times. Later Candy presses Sole about Pato and she says it hurts that he doesn’t love her, and Candy reminds her that he’s also married (to her no less, but she’s probably meaning Alicia). Sole says that Al’s not the issue ‘cause Pato loves Candy and she can’t fight against that.

Donato begins operation “get Isa’s new husband out of the house” by decorating her room with pictures of Santi’s papa. Jaime notices this when he tries to settle in. To make life a little more interesting, Donato has started serving cognac and cigars and doing all the services (like prepping a bath and laying out clothes) he once imparted on the late Mr. Lopez on the hapless Jaime who is not amused. Don explains Santi instructed him to treat him like his dad. To add insult to injury, Santi sent Isa some flowers. Donato “helpfully” points out they are the same type of flowers the late hubby used to send her everyday. Tina then walks in and asks who requested the onion soup and shrimp with beer and garlic. Donato says it was Santi and that it was, Jaime finishes the sentence, “the favorite dish of Isa’s first husband.” Jaime tells Isa he’s not going to take this and she tells him she will talk to Santi and take care of it. Tina helpfully suggests Jaime at least try the shrimp dish as Santi’s first husband loved it. Jaime asks her to stop talking about the late husband. Donato calls Santi and tells him he now owes him $300 pesos for his services. Santi says it’s $295 and that he’s going to deduct $20 ‘cause he’s enjoying this and is acting like a jealous husband. Don starts a weird litany of “who’s the best plastic surgeon in the country” and such. Busted! Isa listened to the whole thing on another extension. She confronts Don and tells him that he must now spend his treacherous earnings on flowers for the Virgen de Zapopan and he’s walking all the way there and she’ll follow him in her car to make sure he does just that. Don privately thanks the Virgin for not getting fired.

Icky Paulina decides to put some lipstick on her seven-year-old and tells her she’ll be quite beautiful when she grows up. Rocio walks over to Pato and his boys. Beto thinks it looks like blood, but Pato and Chava both tell her she looks great. Chava is especially impressed and offers Rocio his fruit, earning a kiss on the cheek. Beto thinks his cheek looks bad smeared, but Pato suggests that he should get two kisses next time. Pato takes Chava goes home where he refuses to wash his cheek again. Greg takes the opportunity to ask Pato to stop hurting Alicia. She points out that Candy loves another man, but Pato refuses to give up on the woman he loves. He asks if she’s at the institute and she says she’s out with friend and tells him to stop chasing Candy ‘cause Alicia loves him. As she tucks Chava into bed, he talks about being in love and Charlie echoes him.

Pato comes home where Al tries to seduce him, but he prefers to work on the couch and falls asleep. He dreams of Candy wearing her Chivas jersey and kissing him. Next we see Santi with the same dream (except it’s he and not Pato on the receiving end of Chiva Candy kisses). ‘Cause the best bits come in threes, Chava dreams that Rocio kisses him many times and leaves red lip prints all over his face. The next morning Candy asks if she’s no longer Chava’s novia and he tells her Rocio is too. He asks Candy what it means to be in love and Meño says Candy can’t answer ‘cause she’s confused. Over at school Chava tells Beto he’s in love with Rocio and Beto says he is too. Chava says that’s not possible ‘cause Rocio didn’t kiss Beto! A classmate teases Chava about the stain and Chava points out it’s a kiss from his novia. The classmate says he’s too young to have a girlfriend and calls him a tonto. Beto stands up for his bro and they both decide to go for ice cream. Why are they in the classroom for recess I wonder? And if it isn’t recess, where the heck is the teacher and why is nobody stopping these kids from going for ice cream?

Marissa wakes up Santi at 3am demanding he bring her corn with “cajeta” (caramel, usually made with goat milk). He suggests that anyone who should sell such a thing should be arrested for being disgusting (I should point out this isn’t popcorn, and that they don’t sell Cracker Jacks in Mexico), but she reminds him he asked her to call him anytime she had a craving. He agrees and as Marissa hangs up, she tells her belly that he and she are the center of Santi’s universe. Poor Santi finally arrives with a boiled ear of corn and a jar of cajeta to spread over the corn. He needs to get back home as he needs to be awake when he performs surgery early the next day. Marissa tries to coax him into eating it but he refuses and settles for eating the caramel. After he leaves, Marissa makes a face and declares it disgusting, but it’s a small sacrifice. As a pregnant woman, I found this manipulation especially offensive.

Santi comes to the institute to take his dance class. Candy reminds him that’s Meño’s territory. He asks for his kiss lesson instead and she tells him that’s Marissa’s class. He tells her that nobody’s kisses have the effect Candy’s do. She explains that’s because it’s the first time he’s kissed a woman of flesh and blood (“carne y hueso” – literally flesh and bone) instead of one that’s plastic. Mari walks in and is very offended. Candy tries the old “I didn’t mean you” approach, but Mari’s not buying it. She chews them both out for failing to keep their promise. Santi says he has nothing to say and Mari kicks him out of the room. Candy tells her that the problem is Santi and his inability to accept rejection from a woman. She suggests the only way this can end is if she sleeps with Santi, then he’d forget all about her. How selfless! NOT!!!! Mari vetoes the idea and Candy says they should then leave her alone. Mari says it’s Candy who should leave them alone ‘cause things were just fine before she came along. And De-nial is a river in Egypt.

Pato looks at Candy’s picture and flashes back to Greg’s talk, then to Santi consoling Candy in the waiting room, to them kissing as he appears dressed as a clown, to Al telling him Candy’s death is not their fault, to telling off Al for messing with Candy’s pictures. He says to himself that he’s so lonely! For once I have to agree with him, but he could fix that if he just stopped chasing the elusive Candy and turned his affections to Sole.

Beto asks Sole why his dad can’t come over and Sole tells him he can’t just come when he wants to, and that if he loved them he would live with them (shame on Sole!), Beto says he loves his dad and Sole says she loves Beto, but his dad doesn’t love his mom. She tells him to get to the homework. Pato goes to see Beto and is greeted by a very reluctant Soledad who wants him to do his homework. Naughty Pato tries to get Soledad to put off the homework so they can go to the park for an hour, but Soledad sticks to her guns and reminds him he can’t just some when he feels like it. Beto tells her she’s mean and utters the words every single mother dreads: “I want to live with daddy!”

Greg and Lulu have a little standoff in the kitchen over whose kitchen it is. They agree to a cooking contest to see who stays and who goes.

The previews didn’t record, but I remember something about Candy telling Meño she’s tired of being alone. He says he has the perfect boyfriend candidate, but she won’t want to hear him. Hints are dropped Santi may not marry Mari (and we know how reliable those things are...not!).

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Comments:
Hah!! "Santi thinks he's the product of immaculate conception"...good one.

I think Chayo deserves better than Eduardo, but she clearly loves the guy so if he can truly change I guess I'll be happy for her. However I don't believe he can change.

I loved the scene between Rocio and Santi. Those two are great together and she's adorable.

Poor Jaime! For a while I thought he might be a ne'er do well but the guy is really beginning to show his commitment to Isabel.

Cool, a culinary throw-down. I can't wait!

Margarita, thank you for the absolutely stellar recap and for subbing for Paula. I know I sound like a broken record but your cultural insights really help with my comprehension of the big picture. And I love love love your title!
 

Clever you for finding a unifying theme for this one, Margarita. As I watched it last night, I thought "what a mess of disjointed scenes leading nowhere...wonder what poor soul has to recap this"...but you pulled it together and made it work.

I'm with you...as a formerly pregnant woman I NEVER once had weird cravings and certainly wouldn't have awakened the father-to-be at 3 am to go out for food.

Marissa seems to be gradually morphing into someone who's beyond difficult and into borderline personality. Not sure where this is leading.

Thanks for the corn/cajeta explanation. That's one I'll remember! And extra thanks for pitching in last night and always being out go-to resource on prickly vocab and cultural questions.

Just a thought: Do you suppose they're portraying Lulu as desperate for a man so that eventually she can "mature", realize she doesn't need a man to be happy...and THEN...find someone. That's the only reason I can think of for this exaggerated portrayal.
 

Thanks, great job! I too think there is a lot of cheap stereotyping in this show, of all manner of people. Writers = too lazy to make humans, their motivations and their interactions, even partially as complex as they are in real life. That's a telenovela for you.
 

Margarita: A terrific recap, thank you.

If only others could conquer their drug dealing problem as quickly as Charly did! Although his turnaround was far too quick to be realistic, I'm glad that he won't be going further down that road.

Hated the guilt trip Soledad laid on poor Beto about Pat: "...that if he loved them he would live with them (shame on Sole!), Beto says he loves his dad and Sole says she loves Beto, but his dad doesn’t love his mom." Blech. Diana in MA.
 

Missed the show last night, so special thanks, Margarita, for such a great recap. Like others have said, your insights are particularly appreciated. And, Jarocha, don't you be shy about sharing your insights, either!

I'm just gonna second everything Sylvia said. What a bunch of sad sacks the grown ups have become! Especially disappointed in Isabel's behavior lately.
 

Thanks, Margarita, for an excellent recap, and lots of good observations about the characters. I thought Santi was putting ketchup on the corn (better adjust my tv), and couldn't figure out the word, so thanks again for the explanation of cajeta.

I think several scenes of Patricio showed him thinking twice about what he's been doing. He seemed to feel a bit guilty about Alicia (when talking to Gregoria), and a little guilty when he wanted to take Beto to the park instead of Beto's doing homework. Didn't Pat thought bubble once about whether he was doing something bad? Maybe he'll figure out for himself that his obsession with Candy might not work.
 

Hombre, about Pato, we can only hope he's starting to come around. The real disconnect for him is that he's kind to the kiddies but extremely selfish to the adults. Is his kiddie kindness indicative of a heart that lies within or will he one day start being selfish toward the kids as they eventually grow up? Ah well, self-reflection is certainly a start. Candy could use some of that as well.
 

Margarita, thank you so much for covering for me last night. Well done, as I knew it would be. We pulled in last night at 11:30, after 18 hours of traveling (that includes long drive to airport, and various airport waits).

Marissa's 3 AM call to Santi had nothing to do with cravings. I think it had two motivations. The first was of course attention - he cares so much that he'll come here in the middle of the night for me, and I get an uninterrupted visit with him.

But the second and darker reason I think is abuse. She's angry that he doesn't love her, but she can't reconcile the anger with the extreme love she thinks she has for him. So she supresses the anger and it comes out as midnight abuse, all with a lovey-dovey face on it. "I love him and I want to watch him suffer."
 

Margarita, thanks for a great recap of a rather sluggish episode. These TNs are often like old wind-up Victrolas, needing the occasion re-infusion of energy. The newly faithful Eddie giving pretty lady with nice bubis his phone nos., now what could go wrong there?

Carlos
 

Hombre d'M, I think Pat is the only character in this show who is not one-dimensional. He is weak like Ed. But unlike Ed, he so much wants to become a better person. Add to that his upbringing which never gave him any moral strength. The cards are stacked against him but he's trying to overcome what he's been dealt. Some days he succeeds and some days he fails.
 

JudyB – I like your Lulu theory that she’ll mature, realize she doesn’t need a man, and then get one. Most people (male and female) tend to be turned off by desperation, unless they too are needy and clingy (and sometimes even the needy don’t want someone equally needy). It makes sense that Lulu would find a man when she stops looking.

Paula, I’m with you on Marissa’s call being about control rather than cravings. She even said it was disgusting after he left, so it’s obviously something she thought up, rather than something she was actually craving. As JudyB pointed out, cravings are rarely that outrageous (though others may correct us if we’re wrong) and most of us would try to come up with a more readily available substitute in our fridge or pantry (something in the same food group for example), rather than waking folks up (especially if they’re not in the same house and have to wake up early the next day). Mari’s just plain evil.
 

Incidentally, thanks to whoever added the date and "tontas" portion to my header. I realized after I'd gone to bed that I'd completely forgotten that part!
 

Thanks, Margarita. As for cravings, I craved oranges and salads...I bought them myself and didn't expect Hubby to supply them at midnight. I also craved pork and sauerkraut which up until then , I had hated...my mother suppplied that dish which I still enjoy to this day. My dad rushed out to get me peach schnapps after I cooked dinner for him and hub but couldn't eat the hot food myself...I never drank it. He thought it would ''settle my stomach'' if I sipped it before I ate. I thought, ''Barf...oh noes it won't.''] I remember an episode of ''I Love Lucy'' in which she sends Ricky out in the middle of the night to get her ice cream, anchovies , and dill pickles which she mixes together and enjoys...Ricky ate some, too. Oh those wild and wacky pregnant ladies, no ?
 

Oh dear, I'm off topic but Susanlynn, you've got me thinking about a wicked kielbasa and sauerkraut recipe I enjoyed once. Onions and a Granny Smith peeled chopped apple simmered in butter mixed and simmered some more with kielbasa and sauerkraut. Man, if I were pregnant again, I might have an excuse to eat something that outrageous.

Margarita, I remember the first recap I wrote (very short) had no date at all. CherylinNM gently suggested I might add it the next time. And for a whole year, I never clicked in the title at the very end. Always wondered why mine didn't look like the others.

Of course you've written tons of recaps, but just wanted you to know, you're not the only one to leave things out.
 

When I was pregnant, what I wanted was Taco Bell Combination Burritos. It wasn't so much a craving. It was that every other food I looked at made me want to retch. Somehow, those TB burritos were the only exception to my overall revulsion with food, so they sustained much of my pregnancy. And I ended up with a kid who loved salsa from early on.

BTW, in our house, we call Taco Bell "Taco Naco."
 

Margarita, I agree with all who have added their praises above. You did a masterful job of recapping a disjointed episode where nothing gets resolved except we see more and more of the disfunction of practically everyone. Thanks for your efforts. I had come up with Reverso's take on the cajeta is that it can be caramel or chocolate sauce. I was not pleased with Marissa's unthinking selfishness of manipulating a surgeon in the middle of the night. I bet she wouldn't want her pediatrician's wife acting like she does.

The dynamic of lining up parenting skills for our comparison is interesting. Meño seems to be the most mature parent even after not getting to practice for years. Santi is great when he calms Rocio's fears (inserted by Mommie Dearest) that he will neglect her when he gets his varon. That mom is so nasty. She is mirrored by Marissa who says nasty secret things about the children she professes to adore including her own unborn baby. Didn't she threaten to get the children out of the house and off to boarding schools as soon as she can be mistress of Santi's estate not too long ago. Wonder if she will enrol MIL and new hubby in a senior center too. Pato is great with the boys but seems like one of them and I agree with Cap'n Sharkbait's speculation that he might not handle the transition into their adulthood so well.

Inspite of the insipid characters with arrested development issues, I really like this show. Maybe it is just the chance to see Jaime the beautiful and even Valentino on screen so much.
 

Thanks Margarita for your great recap and cultural lessons.

ITA with Sylvia, I don't think Ed is going to change and it pains me to watch Chayo continue to hold on to him without seeing real change (actions not words).

Mike - I'm curious as to why you are so disappointed with Isabel? Didn't she make plans to move in her house with Jamie?
 

JudyB, there is or was a restaurant on the east side of Cincinnati called, ironically, the Iron Skillet that featured really good German/Czech/Hungarian food. Short drive down I-71 from Columbus next time that urge comes upon you.

Karen, I was disappointed that Isabela said she wanted a divorce. I had thought she was the only female character that actually loved her guy for himself and was mature enough to realize that they would both have to make some adjustments after they married.
 

I was more disappointed in Santi running over to Marissa's instead of telling her no way.
Yes, she is an evil one.
I never had cravings, just 5 months of all day morning sickness.
My husband use to heat apple cider in the microwave and the smell of it even today turns my stomach.
I think Marissa does a really good job with her "yuck" or "hack" sounds when she finds something distastful. She is almost too realistic.
Yes Cheryl I agree. It is so nice to see beautiful Jaime's sweet face again!

Carrie L.
 

Mmmmmm...bratwurst and kraut, that's what I had for dinner last night.
 

Judyb~~~That recipe sounds good. It is a PA Dutch tradition to serve pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day to insure good luck. My mother always served it, and the last few years of her life , I made it for her. However, Hub doesn't like it, so I haven't had it in a long time. Your recipe sounds delicious , but I would substitute pork for the Kielbasi. Have you ever had stuffed pig's stomach?? [another PA Dutch delicacy that me mother-in-law used to make.
 

A friend of ours once had us over and served a casserole made with layers of sauerkraut potatoes and onions and chunks of kielbasa. It sounds off putting but was absolutely delicious.
You guys are making me hungry.

Carlos
 

Yummm, Carlos..That casserole sounds good...except for the Kielbasi !!!! I'm not hungry because Hub just made us French toast for dinner. Hmmm...I wonder what they call French toast in France ?...Maybe they call it what my mother called it...eggbread.
 

Susanlynn, you forgot the mashed potatoes. Como te atrevarías? Pork, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes, cooked all morning until the pork falls off the bone. With soft pumpernickle on the side. Ambrosia! Have you ever had home-cured kraut? Once you taste it, you'll be spoiled for the store-bought stuff. Que pena, where I live, nobody has a cellar and there is no good place to cure a crock of kraut. Que lastima!

OTOH, here we can buy Dungeness crab fresh off the boat, and really good sourdough to go with it. Open a bottle of white wine, and enjoy one of the great pleasures of life.
 

OK, I'm officially starving! It all sounds delicious to me, especially the Dungeness Crab and white wine.

Susanlynn, in France they call Frenchtoast "Pain Perdu" which means "Lost Bread", so basically bread that becomes stale, or lost, becomes found again as a delicious dish.
 

Lovely job Mag Chil! Thanks for steppin' in and detailing all the conversations! I was sad by the fight at the end with Beto. Hopefully this too will pass, poor little guy.
 

Oh I can't even read the food things. I'm hungry. I had awful stuff for lunch and would claw for those foods!!
 

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