Saturday, March 20, 2010

El Clon, Fri. March 19 - People in Miami are unhappy; people in Morocco are unhappy; people in Viewerville are unhappy

To give the illusion that something might actually be happening in the main story, we get teasers in the 'scenes from the next episode'. Here is the teaser from Thursday's show: Lucas answers the phone.
Jade: Lucas?
Lucas: Jade?

And here's the rest of the conversation in Friday's episode.
Lucas: Jade, are you there?
Jade: Yes, I'm here. I'll call later.
Click.

All this call does is give Jade and Lucas grief.

Jade tells Nariza that it was a wrong number and she advises Jade to leave answering the phone to the maids and to take care of her husband who has given her so much.

Marisa sort of apologizes to Lucas saying that his isn't how she imagined her wedding. [That is such an ugly dress!] No one from her family is there and she is all alone. Lucas says that they have to make this work. He wants to be happy at her side.


The mouth wasn't finished with Jade. She tells Jade that she wants her, not the maid, to make her some tea. Jade asks what the difference is between the maid making tea and her making it. Nariza says that because she raised her brothers Jade should treat her like their mother instead of their sister. She accuses Jade of not caring for Said and still carrying a torch for the Westerner. She says that she hopes Said divorces Jade and that they never have children.

Jade accuses Nariza of hating her and Nariza replies that she could never love someone who makes her brother miserable. Then Jade tells Nariza that what really bothers her is that her brothers look at other women and not at her and that it isn't her and Latifa's fault that Nariza can't marry her brothers. Well, that sets Nariza off. She screams at Jade, collapses and tells the maid to hurry and find Said before she dies. Jade covers her ears and watches this performance with amazement.

Dr. Frankenalbi (I liked that one) holds Dora's baby and says, "It's alive!!" No, sorry, wrong story. He says, "Diego, you're back." Dora asks for the baby back to feed him and Albieri almost won't give him back.

In a scene that does not advance the story at all, Latifa and Mohamed go to a swimming pool where there are lots of nearly naked people. They wonder what Uncle Abdul would say if could see them but you have to ask what are they doing there? Are they going to swim fully clothed? Why would you take a picnic to a pool (as opposed to a beach or a park) if you weren't going to swim?

Jade goes to see Ali. In our next installment of, 'wisdom from Uncle Ali,' he admires how she has spiffed up her appearance for her husband, says that she is too skinny and opines that Westerners have it all wrong. They are schlubs at home and get dressed up when they go out. He says that it is no wonder marriages in the West don't last. Jade won't accept that. She says that marriages without love don't last. Then he asks if she is happy with Said. Jade replies that Said is good to her. Ali says that someday she will understand that he did this to protect her from herself. Zoraida comes in to say that Said has come for Jade.

Said is furious that Jade insulted his sister and now Nariza wants to leave the house and be a servant in a stranger's house. Jade replies that Nariza is lying and Said says that his sister doesn't lie. She knows what her religion requires. He says that he will do anything to make Jade happy but he won't let her mistreat his sister. Nariza is sacred and Jade must respect her as if she were Said's mother. He wants her to apologize to Nariza. Zoraida has overheard. When Jade goes for her veil, she counsels her not to confront Said on this. She can get even (desquita) with Nariza later. She begs her to be clever (Sé hábil). Ali gives her similar advice saying that it doesn't cost her anything to wait on Nariza. Back at Said's house, Nariza is milking it for all its worth with a servant, Said and Jade all waiting on her. When Jade brings her tea with sugar and Nariza sends her for honey.

The newlyweds leave for their honeymoon. Lucas promises Marisa that 'that woman' is out of his heart. Albieri gives Luisa the slip and leaves the reception. He goes to the hospital but Dora has already been discharged.

At Cristina's, Dora asks if the baby resembles Osvaldo and she has to say that he doesn't resemble Dora or Osvaldo because he's white. But they hope that will change. The baby doesn't resemble a newborn either. Dora tells Cristina that Albieri has agreed to be the godfather of the baby but the only problem is that he doesn't like the name Osvaldo. He wants the baby to have a second name - Diego. Cristina says that naming the baby after Albieri's godson who died tragically won't bring the baby any luck. Dora agrees that it would be like bringing the spirit of the dead person to her baby. The baby's name will just be Osvaldo.

Albieri apologizes to Luisa for abandoning her at the wedding reception without telling her where he was going. Albieri says that he didn't think [he never does think about Luisa]. Dora and her baby needed someone to bring them home. Luisa has exercised her irrational thought processes again and come to the conclusion that Albieri wasn't interested in Dora but in her baby that he created in the lab. Dora's baby has awakened his paternal instincts. She says that they need children in their lives. Albieri agrees but he's thinking of a godchild and Luisa, of course, is thinking of her own child. Albieri asks if Luisa is pregnant and she says no, not yet.

Vicki runs into Osvaldo and asks if he is going to the baptism. Osvaldo says that he has better things to do. Vicki, who still hasn't seen the baby, tells Osvaldo that the baby should look like him. Osvaldo says that he is too exclusive for someone else's baby to look like him. He says that Vicki can tell Dora to forget about him.

Watching Albieri play with the baby, Dora tells Luisa that if Albieri is that way with her baby, imagine how much he will love Luisa's baby. With the name, 'Diego' off limits, Albieri gives the baby the second name of Daniel.

When Enrique tells Leo that Cristina and Albieri are going to be the godparents of Dora's baby, he is sure that it is Albieri who is is with Cristina. [This has got to be the lamest storyline.]

The baby gets christened. Osvaldo is hanging around the back of the church. Dora has found a great grandfather in her past who was white to explain the skin color of her child. Albieri is nervous when Cristina suggests that the babies were switched in the hospital but Dora is sure this is the child that she gave birth to. Luisa is also unconvinced that a white great grandfather could produce Dora's baby. Albieri tells her not to put ideas in Dora's head or he could get into trouble.

After the Christening party has left the church, Osvaldo tells 'his saints' that he doesn't want Dora any more.

Luisa tells Albieri that it is clear to her that the wrong egg was implanted. Albieri says that is impossible and if there was a mistake, it was Silvia's fault because she implanted the embryo. He orders Luisa not to share her suspicions with anyone.

Lucas and Marisa return from their honeymoon in Venice and the Greek Islands. I don't know if it is a hint of things to come but Marisa very casually orders Rosa to take their bags and bring her a cold drink. Rosa looks a little surprised but then Leo comes down and the moment passes. Leo tells the couple that from now on they are in charge of the house and he will be like a guest. Marisa thinks that is a good idea - there are lots of things that need to be done. She is going to start by a remodeling job that would involve tearing down the wall of Diego's room. Leo puts his foot down. She can do anything she likes - have the whole house knocked down - but Diego's room is his. Nobody touches it.

Ali goes for a camel ride and reads from the Koran or something and a year has gone by. The kid playing one year old (he looks more like two) Osvaldo/Daniel looks rather Native American. Luisa tells Dora that she hasn't been able to get pregnant. When Dora says that she wants to bring the kid to the clinic to show him off, Albieri forbids it. Dora tells Luisa that she sometimes thinks that Albieri wants to hide the kid from everyone. Luisa thinks that she is imagining things.

Rosa is collecting pictures of Diego as a child for Albieri. She asks Lucas what is the problem between Albieri and Leo. Lucas doesn't know what she is talking about.

Luisa tells Albieri about her latest failure to conceive while he plays with the kid. She says that she thought they both wanted a baby but obviously that wasn't so. Callously, he suggests that she get close to Daniel. Albieri says that it would be better if he were more affectionate but he can't [he is pretty affectionate with Dora's baby]. Every time he starts to love someone, death comes and takes them from his side. He begs her to let him love Daniel as a father. Finally, Luisa agrees to let Daniel be the child that they can't have. [Luisa works in a fertility clinic - couldn't she have some tests or something to see why she is having trouble conceiving?]

Uh oh. Leo's got problems with the business in Morocco. We know what that means.

Leo casually asks Enrique if he's heard from Cristina. Enrique says no and leaves. Leo hesitates but finally calls Cristina. After hanging up the first time, he calls again and asks her which of his friends was after her. [Mind you, it was more than a year ago that Cristina casually told Leo that some of his friends had flirted with her.] She decides to lie and gives him a clue to identify the guy- he is taller than you ('tu no le llegas a los tobillos,' literally, 'you don't come up to his ankles'). Then she thanks him for putting this wonderful man in her life. Finally, she tells him to leave her alone. Leo the nitwit decides that she must be referring to Albieri. [Not that any logic should be brought in here but isn't Leo taller than Albieri? See this shot from the first episode.]

Mohamed tells Latifa that they have received a great blessing - Nariza is coming to visit. Latifa doesn't feel blessed but she hides it from Mohamed.

Jade meets Zoraida in the market and says how happy she is that Nariza has gone to torment Latifa. She says that Nariza won't have to deal with her much longer. Zoraida asks what Jade is up to now. Jade takes Zoraida to her house and shows her all the jewelry that Said has given her. When she has enough, she will sell it and buy a plane ticket to the US. Jade tells Zoraida that she has Said in the palm of her hand and we see Jade dancing for Said. She pretends that she is beginning to like him and that what he says goes in the house.

Then little by little she gets what she wants. Zoraida says that this explains why she wanted to look prettier. When Zoraida asks what Jade has turned into, she replies that she has done what any prisoner would do to get her freedom. Once again, Zoraida warns her of the risk she is running and says that a woman can't get on a plane without her husband's or guardian's permission. Jade says that she will worry about that problem later. Zoraida accuses her of wanting to go after Lucas and take him away from his wife. Jade admits that she wants to see Lucas, look in his eyes and have him tell her that everything they went through was a lie. She swears that she will do it.

Cristina is all bummed out about her conversation with Leo. Vicki reminds her of all she lost by letting Leo go. Cristina says that Leo lost too. She really loved him. When Vicki says that Cristina was interested in Leo's money, she doesn't deny that was what originally attracted her to Leo but she fell in love with him and now she feels that she can't live without him.

Albieri is in front of Dora's apartment house with the little clone when Rosa comes along. He says that he can't let Rosa see the kid or everything will be lost. She asks who the kid is with him and wants to see his face. Rudely, Albieiri pushes her away.

The credits roll.

Monday- Lucas is going to Morocco. Will he meet Jade or this another teaser?

Labels:


Comments:
Jean: My oh my! Another great recap for us. Loved your cynical take on the pool scene, not to mention the initial phone call. Shucks, though, I was really wanting to see Jade get even with Nariza the Nasty and pfffft!! A year passes by and nada. --

I agree that with Albi and Luisa working at a fertility clinic it might dawn on one or the other of them that Luisa could take advantage of it. On the other hand, I guess Albi doesn't want his own child. He just wants Daniel. Luisa has definitely gotten a raw deal marrying him and as naive as she is, my heart goes out to her at times.
 

I agree that Luisa has gotten a raw deal and irritating as she can be, I often feel sorry for her, too. I don't know why she stays with Albieri. To see him so gaga for this other's woman's baby when he is such a cold fish with her must be really awful.
 

Thanks Jean. The last picture of Albieri hiding Danieli's face from Rosa is priceless. How do you how you capture these pictures?

Lynne
 

Thank you, Jean. I was flitting in and out of the room last night, so thank you for filling in the gaps. I loved your "Frankenalbi" - that's a keeper!
 

Thanks, Jean, for your delightful and appropriately cynical recap. And thanks, too, for the useful Spanish vocab.

I've been struck by the fact that there's really no one, at least not a major character, with whom I fully sympathize and root for. Until now I've been watching telenovelas on Univision, and the ones I've seen have had someone--Fernanda and Eduardo in MEPS, Mary Jo and Alex in Sortilegio, Paloma (I guess) in ENDA--who I wanted to see triumph. But in El Clon.... ¿Quién? And I'd ask the same question about ÷Dónde Está Elisa? which, like El Clon, is on Telemundo. Is there a Telemundo style, a Univision style? I like the two TNs I'm watching on Telemundo because they've got plots that are rather different than the usual TN plot, but I guess the flip side of that is that the main characters are somewhat less sympathetic. Or so it seems at this point.
 

Wow...Nazira has a lot of teeth. I would hate to have that harpy as a sister-in-law. [Mine is no prize , but Nazira is just plain nasty and crazy.] So, if Jade is dancing for Said, does that mean sne is performing all her other wifely duties ? She must be because Said was definitely liking the dancing which must have led to some loving. After dancing like that, you can't tell hubby . ''Sorry, I have a headache.'' Will her plans to sell her jewelry and run off change if she gets pregnant ?
 

I'm with you, Juanita. What's up with these rotten heroines??? I always said no heroine could be as rotten as Candy from Tontas, but Jade is giving her a run for the money. Candy was totally self centered (Miss Centro Universo), but Jade is scheming. A woman is insincere and scheming with her husband so she can get his money and ditch him? Isn't that usually the villain's script? It just galls me, not that she is going to take the money and run, but that she makes him think she's loving and loyal, so he'll buy her more gold, to enable her to ditch him. Ewww!

Susanlynn, I'm sure Jade is doing her duties but she's taking some herb to avoid pregnancy.
 

Horse mouth. That's how I see Nariza's nasty smile. I feel for Said, but I can't get angry at Jade IMHO, because she's an American born and feels unrightly imprisoned over there. We know there are documented cases of young girls being in those countries who are suffering the same fate for similar reasons, and her character symbolizes this situation in a way. Even if it weren't, I can't say I wouldn't do exactly the same as she to survive and make my escape. She wants med school. Maybe she'll become a doctor and get over to the States that way to work in Albi's clinic some day?
 

Credit for Frankenalbi goes to Bonney Churros, not me.

To get the photos, I take screen shots with an application I have on my Mac called Grab. I record the show on my TiVo and then import it into my Mac. I have had a lot of practice so I have a pretty good idea of what will work. Screen shots do not capture motion well so that's out and if I am illustrating a conversation, I want to have both people and that can be really hard because they usually show one person and then the other. Sometimes it takes a lot of fiddling back and forth to get the exact right shot. Glad you like them!
 

Jean: You do a fabulous job getting just the right shot. The effort it takes is much appreciated.
 

Thanks Jardinera. It's fun.

I agree with you about Jade. She made some bad choices but she is in a horrible situation. She doesn't want to betray her family and religion but she can't deny her one true love either.

However, I continue to believe (speculation - not spoiler) that since this novela is called, The Clone, we are just killing time here until the clone grows up and plays his part in what will be the main part of the story.
 

Jean, thanks for your efforts with the photos - the effect is great.

I rewatched the first few chapters on the Telemundo website. Ali told Jade that in his household they followed the strict interpretation of Islam. Of course to me that means HIS interpretation. I think that in Morocco women have more rights now - especially in the cities. I saw Ali knocking Jade about and mistreating her. I guess this has to be part of the story line to separate the couple.

I have less patience with Jade trying to trick Said by getting jewels to sell. He told her he would allow her to go to university if she showed affection for him. So, lousy tactics on her part. As for the one and only true love, both Lucas and Jade were penniless. So dinero matters.

I see that Telemundo was taken over by NBC. No matter what one thinks of the plot, a lot of money went into filming this telenovela. Some of the scenery is magnificent and the difference in cultures is interesting. I think that it is exaggerated. All of the women in Miami wear thongs on the beach. Also they all have wonderful figures.


Everyone they meet speaks Arabic or Spanish. As a former French colony, one could get by with a knowledge of French. I haven't heard any French being spoken.


Lynne
 

THank you Jean!
Jade: "Lucas?"
Lucas: "Jade?
Doesn't that pretty much sum up the whole relationship with these two?
Joan
 

Thanks a million for the great recap, Jean. Went to a great jazz performance Thursday evening, so needed to catch up on Thursday and Friday yesterday.

I was sort of surprised Dora didn't assert herself more when Albieri was so crazy about her child. Some of her facial expressions reflect that she thinks this is weird, but she never does anything about it. The good part is that I feared he was going to snatch the kid and raise him in secret somehow. At least Dora didn't lose her "blanquito".

Said's behavior toward Jade about Nariza didn't make much sense. In one scene he's furious at Nariza for criticizing his wife and a while later he blindly believes that Jade is the guilty party in their dispute. You'd think a man so uxorious would back his wife.

I continue to like Jade. And I agree with Black Heart Jardinera that we need only imagine being a woman brought up with the freedom we have in the US to understand how life in Morocco makes her long for escape. She might have adapted if Lucas hadn't come onto the scene. But her deep love for Lucas precludes her feeling much for Said. Come on! That kind of love is a staple of TNs. If we can't believe that people fall deeply in love at first sight and never stop feeling that way, then we should give up TNs and start reading minimalist, modern fiction. In short, I don't blame Jade for wheedling the gold out of Said to make her escape. After all, he insisted on marrying a woman he suspected didn't care for him at all. He'd heard the rumors about another man.

And, yes, Rosa is seeming very annoying in this TN. I hope we see her come to regret pushing Marisa down Lucas' throat.
 

I'm missing something else. Why is Leo so angry with Albieri? What is he trying to find out from Christina?

Lynne
 

Lynne: I believe it seems that Cristina tried to get Leo's goat by telling him that some of his employees were interested in her. She was lying of course. So next he sees her at the hospital waiting for Dora to give birth. She exuberantly hugges Albi who told her the baby was fine I believe and jealous Leo assumes it was Albi.
 

Black Heart, I thought Cris said that some of his friends had tried it on with her. And, yes, Cris' innocent hug with Albieri over her joy at Dora's baby being born set Leo off. This whole Leo/Cris thing is getting on my last nerve. What's it been, a year since they were an item, and he still smolders and tries to find out what she's up to.

She's presented as such a femme fatale that I suspect she may have been telling the truth: that some of Leo's friends flirted with her. But the idiot jumps to the conclusion that it's the least predatory male around, Albieri, is the one.
 

Novelera: Yeah, I wasn't sure if she said she'd actually done anything physical with them, and that's part my problem with not getting CC when I have to stream. Bummer! LOL! Albi is definitely "the least predatory male" of the lot!
 

I went back and looked at the conversation between Leo and Cristina at the hospital. As part of their witty repartee, he reminds her that it was she who betrayed him and she comes back with the comment that she could have really betrayed him with some of his friends who flirted with her. Leo gets all agitated and asks if the flirter was Albieri. Cristina doesn't reply and this is the basis of this important plot development.
 

I'd love to see Cristina without the bright red lipstick and green eye shadow.
 

Joan, you summed up their relationship perfectly! Good one!
Jade: "Lucas?"
Lucas: "Jade?"
 

susanlynn - ITA, who wears that kind of make up in broad daylight. 'guess only in TNland.

Jean - just like the others, I too appreciate your wonderful screen shots, captured just at the right moment.

Juanita - I also watch T-mundo tns, and right now, am really excited about Dana and the Detective's chemistry. I find that tns in this station are more 'Americanized.'
 

Jean, in addition to being great screen shots you also give me a picture of what I missed seeing. Your comparison of J&E's great love affair to that phone call is so perfect.
I find Jade's heartless deception unexcusable. Me three Juanita, as a matter of fact I'm not admiring any of these women. Rosa's insensitivity toward Luca encouraging him to become more like his dead twin wiped her off my list of admirable. Nari is worthy of laughter but evil and insensitive to everybody. Zoriada is honest and sensitive so she may be the only woman I'll be pulling for.
I had been ignoring this network because of the Zorro telenovela but now I'm turned in for El Clon and I 'm liking the premise of the novelas but not enjoying the characters. I hope they are not seeing Perro Amor as americanized! (The heroine is encouraged by her mother, her GrandMother, and the groom's GrandMother to marry the most notorious dog -no sexual morals- and she does; she and his Grandmother step into the cottage on the estate grounds and view him having his way with all and any female their; catches him in the tub with his cousin on the honeymoon; he and cousin later use her marriage bed but she continues their itimacy because she 'loves' him.) Could the writers possibly be seeing this as 'American'? I'm appalled....and they CEERRrrtainly don't know women in this country or even this century.
 

LOL, bonney churros... but I was not even thinking of that particular storyline of Perro when I said 'americanized.' Kissing-cousins are of the waaay old(school)-er generation; to keep wealth within the family.
 

... oh and I did catch Rosa's little reaction to Marisa's 'sly' orders. I can already sense what's coming to her.
 

I wonder if El Clon will also end with a wedding like all of the telenovelas on Univision? There are already two spouses that one would have to eliminate. Neither of them seem to be evil that they deserve to die - well not yet.

Lynne
 

Bonney churros, I agree with you about Zoraida. She's the most sympathetic character in the TN. I hope she winds up really happy and fulfilled.
 

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