Saturday, July 31, 2010

El Clon Friday July 30: Summary for Discussion

Tonight, in Fez, Ali is profoundly troubled by Albieri’s science project; Jade loses her faith in Lucas; and a cup shatters. And in Miami, Lucas proves to be a well-meaning but largely clueless father.

We are back in the ruins with Albieri, Ali and Daniel. Daniel plays while the grown-ups talk.

Albieri tries to defend his science against Ali’s faith. Cloning is a way of overcoming death, claims Albieri. But every living soul must experience death, says Ali. And besides, Daniel is neither a young Lucas nor a Diego brought back to life. He is simply a man without the bonds of family (lazos familiares). Who, after all, is his father? Lucas? Lucas’s father? Worse still he doesn’t even have a mother. (Nisiquiera tiene madre).

Does he know yet? asks Ali. No, says Albieri. That’s why I’m here, so you can be there when I tell him. Albieri is afraid of Daniel’s reaction to the truth, but perhaps even more afraid of the world’s reaction. At the same time, he is anxious to hear what the world has to say. That need to know has kept him from suicide in his most desperate hours.

Albieri has committed a grave sin, believes Ali. It is a sin that might cause Allah to remove the pillars that support the world. Just as Adam’s sin drove all of humanity from paradise, so will the whole world pay for Albieri’s sin.

Abrupt segue to the Casa Ferrer in Miami, where the unwitting clone progenitor, Lucas, continues his conversation with his presumably (although not obviously) ensouled daughter. He talks optimistically about her future, reminding her that drugs are harmful. The two of them can use the bad experiences and learn from them, says Lucas earnestly. We’ll try to listen to each other… I need things for the house, Nati says flatly. And I’d like you to find a place closer to home, says her father. Fine, says Nati. [Are these two listening to each other right now? I think not]

Lucas comes back downstairs where Marisa is still posing in the same white broccoli band. [This is one loooooong day]. She thinks they should demand explanations from Natalia, but Lucas says they should simply be supportive. And lay off Alejandro, okay? (No hostigues más a Alejandro.)

In Ali’s house in Fez, a euphoric Jade is looking forward to being with Lucas. But when she phones him, her joy quickly turns to despair and anger. He says he won’t be there for her when she gets to Miami:
Se me presentó un problema en la casa.
I have a problem at home. (Literally, A problem at home presented itself to me.)
She rages against him, reminding him that she also has complications in her life, and a daughter to think about, and she has sacrificed everything to be with him. My uncle never believed in you, she tells him, and now I understand he was right. I never want to see you again.
Zoraida then tells Jade that Said will never take her back. Estoy perdida, laments Jade. (I’m lost)

In a church in Miami, Dora is praying to the virgin to spare her life. Her friend Miguel happens to be there (he prays there every day, he says). He sees how distressed she is and asks if he can help her. He invites her to the bar for some distraction. No thanks, says Dora (but nicely).

In the Casa Ferrer, Nati is frantically pawing through her stuff, apparently looking for drugs or money or both, but when she hears her father coming, she quickly takes her seat at a small table. Tell me what you need, he says. She gives him a list: air conditioner, fridge, tv, washer.

Alej has a chance to buy a good used car from Pedro’s aunt with the money he earned at his last fight. But he decides that Nati’s needs are more important. He’ll hold off on the car. But a car’s not a luxury in Miami, Gloria reminds him.

Hilda and Karla sit at a table at Gloria’s and discuss the best way to part fools from their money. Ramoncito listens eagerly. Somehow he has gleaned from their conversation that Miss K is with child and the baby’s father is filthy rich (literally, swimming in money) (El padre está nadando en dinero.) He runs to Gloria with the chisme but she shuts him down quickly: ¡A trabajar! (get to work!)

Roberto and Andrea get to observe a group session at a public drug rehab clinic. One by one, the participants describe the banal horrors of their lives on drugs. The conclusion: if you’re in trouble with drugs, get help! (Pide ayuda!) [I thought they did a good job here and the stories rang true.]

Nati joins Alej at their new apartment. He’s excited about the surprise he has waiting for her. With the money from his fight, he’s filled her wish list, starting with the most important thing, the air conditioner. Weren’t you going to buy a car? she asks. Yeah, but it was more important to do this for you. So… you spent the money? she asks. Alejandro is chattering happily about brownies and ice cream and freezers. He proudly brings a gloppy whipped cream creation to the table – where Nati has fallen into a very druggy looking sleep.

In the hotel room, Malicia is hard at work at her laptop, plagiarizing Cristina’s report. Escobarde gives her the good news: they can move into their apartment. Don’t you think we should wait until it’s furnished? she asks. But Raulito doesn’t want to pay rent on two places. Oh and by the way, I’m going to put the apartment in my name, you know, for Fernando’s sake…

Luisa and Cris are walking through the medina trying to track down the slippery Albieri. Cristina is talking on her cell to Rogelio, telling him she can’t understand why Malicia can’t find her report, that she should keep looking for it because it’s there.

And we are back in the ruins. Daniel tells Ali how he has dreamed of this place and he has dreamed of a woman with a veil, although he could never quite see her face. Albieri asks Ali if he thinks Daniel’s experience is una manifestación de la memoria genética. The most important question for Ali is whether Daniel can be said to have a soul. He has feelings, Albieri tells him. No sé, no lo sé, says Ali.

Leo, now left alone in the resort, remembers Amalia’s accusation that he was comparing her to Cristina. Then an image of a dancing Cristina flits across his mind. No, he tells himself sternly: Cristina está fuera de mi vida. (she’s out of my life).

In a gorgeously posed scene in Ali’s house, a disconsolate Jade sits on the floor with her head in Zoraida’s lap, while the women of the house stand by like a silent Greek chorus. Zoraida is telling her that el amor es una serpiente (love is a snake) that wraps itself around you like a necklace and then, when you’re not paying attention, it bites you. (cuando no te das cuenta, te muerda.) Lucas, says Jade, is going to pay for this. [Maybe Zoraida should be giving this lesson to Zein.]

Our grumpy family group is sitting in the airport in Fez -- perhaps their Aeronovela flight is delayed -- doing their best to keep the foul mood going. You better not tell anyone in Miami about this novio stuff, Samira warns Jadiya. Me, I’d love it if Tio Ali got me a novio, answers Jadiya. Prince Amin is caught mid-ogle by his sister and cousin. The Naz is so annoyed, she is actually silent. Amina is still looking for excuses to interact with Mohamed and drive Latifa crazy. And of course Said is still bemoaning his loss of Jade:
Arrojé a Jade al viento pero con ella arrojé mi corazón también.
I cast Jade to the wind but I cast out my own heart with her.
Rania is still jealous of Jade and Amina is still telling her: You’re Number One!

When Fernando shows up late at Empresa Ferrer, Clara tries unsuccessfully to make him take responsibility for his actions. Enrique tells her that after his recent relapse, he doesn’t feel he has the moral standing to talk to Fernando. That’s ok, says Clara, it’s something Escobar and I have to do.

Lucas is at home with Mama Rosa. He opens up to her, tells her he would love to fly to Morocco to explain to Jade that nothing has changed between them, but he simply can’t leave Nati right now. He wonders if:
por haber estado pendiente de Jade, descuidé a mi hija.
...because of being so concerned with Jade, I neglected my daughter.
Reluctantly, he concludes:
No me voy a reunir con ella hasta que me hija esté bien.
I’m not going to get back together with her until my daughter is well. [And that's not looking like it's going to happen any time soon!]

Tonight’s final scenes: Ali leads Daniel into his house in Fez. Esta es mi casa, muchacho, he says. Daniel scratches his head, looks around wonderingly. Meanwhile, in another part of the house where Zoraida and Jade are sitting quietly, a coffee cup (the coffee cup?) falls to the floor and breaks.
¿Cómo se rompió esta taza si nadie la tocó?
How did this cup break when nobody touched it? Zoraida wants to know.
Déjala, ya no tiene importancia. Lo que está escrito ya ahí se cumplió.
Let it be, it’s not important anymore. What is written has already been fulfilled/come to fruition here.

Labels:


Comments:
Ah, the beauty and misfortune of being Jade. Jade holds 4 guys at the palm of her hands: Lucas, Said, Zein, and Daniel.(I would personally pick Zein though because he sounds like the only sane one out of the four).
 

Thanks NovelaMaven. Funny and spot-on, as usual. Thanks for pointing out some of the nice visual aspects. I hadn't been thinking about it, but the directing on this show is mostly pretty good. (Of course it's edited like a novela, which gets tiresome sometimes.) And I agree that the group therapy session was well done. I think that's the best PSA-action they've had, by far. Show, don't tell, and make it realistic.

Worlds are still colliding... the tectonic pace has been disrupted with some sudden shifts. I was right that Albieri wanted to talk to Ali half out of desperation, half out of vanity. Of all the crazy people on this show, Albieri takes the ever-present cake.

Caroline, I think you're right Zein is the best Jade is going to get. Unfortunately, she is a teenager in the body of a woman in her... 40s? (I never can tell on these shows.) But that may be an insult to teenagers. Some of them know a good thing when they see it.

I was happy to see them pick up the thread of Alicia's apartment again! Fewer than 15 days have supposedly passed for Alicia since she began to fake a pregnancy I think, while more than thirty have passed for Jade... reminds me of all the aeronovela weirdness. I blame the Bermuda Triangle.

Ali talking about Daniel's soul made me wonder. It's Catholic dogma that God creates a soul specifically for each person, and (this is a separate point) that God instills the soul at the time of conception. Since Daniel was not created in the usual way (he wasn't really conceived), I think Catholic doctrine could allow that Daniel has no soul. But does anybody know (or care to investigate) the Muslim view on this? Is there an official position? I did a quick search but didn't find anything.
 

i love this novela i watch the episodes and then read the recap as if i didnt see it you write a great recap by the way anywho i just want this novela to get to the intense part dont get me wrong i love the drama but it gets a little silly like seriously no one seen danieltio this whole time sureee ... but the week that coming up is going to be the best
 

Did this show ever explain how tio ali became friends with alberti?
They both seem so different.
 

I think all we ever heard about the relationship between Ali and Albieri is that they were friends in college, and they used to debate about religion. I guess that was before Albieri went totally bonkers.
 

This show was clever using the broken cup as a harbinger fortelling that daniel will soon arrive at jade's doorstep. It was dramatic & effective.
There was a similar scene in the movie "Love is a many splendor thing". In that movie, a little girl drops a glass bowl of crimson paint which leaves a stain resembling blood. Jen Jones panics and explains that it's a bad omen.
Later she receives news that her lover has died.
I don't think anything as dire as death will take daniel. He'll just have tons of tension & drama.
Mondays episode is going to drama filled.
Once again a great summary!

kc
 

Absolutely stellar job, Novela Maven!!
I agree that Lucas is deluding himself about Nati and that the rehab center scene was the best PSA they have done.

Since I can't say anything positive about Jade, I'm just not going to say anything.

I found this short
article useful in explaining the ethical concerns over human cloning. I would guess that the Muslim objection would be the general religious one that not being the product of 'god-sanctioned' reproduction - sperm meets egg - the clone does not get a soul.

I loved your description of the scene in the airport waiting area. Hanging around for hours waiting to board a plane always brings out the best in everyone.
 

Jade has three men to choose from: Said, Zein and Daniel. I don't count Lucas because she obviously can't be with him.

Let's take a look at the three options:

1 - Said was her husband of twenty years and the father of her daughter Khadija. She can try to reconcile with Said in order to be close to her daughter even if she has to put up with Rania, Said's second wife. The good thing about this option is that she can settle back into what has been familiar to her for 20 years and be close to her daughter. The bad thing is Rania and her attitude towards Jade.

2 - Zein is a non-practicing Muslim who owns a bar. He's not a strict Muslim and would afford her a sense of freedom. The good thing about this option is that Zein has money and a more westernized Muslim like her. She can easily get along with him. The bad thing is his reputation as a ladies man who doesn't particulary care about marriage and it's responsibilities. Unless he's willing to change his ways for her, I don't see him as good option.

3 - Daniel is the exact clone of Lucas. He's 20 years old, the age when she first met Lucas. The good thing about this option is that Daniel is a carefree spirit who doesn't have the responsibilities of family to hold him back from going with her and would , albeit in an unusual way, fufill her dream of being with the only man she loves. The bad thing is that being with Daniel means she's still in love with Lucas and the fact that he is a clone and not the original man she fell in love with can only cause more heartache than happiness.

Of the three, I would pick neither. I would stay divorced and try to reconcile with Said in order to obtain visitation rights with her daughter or she can kidnap Khadija and flee to Europe, China or any unlikely place.

Stay tuned.
 

Thanks for your nice words, guys!

Luke, I remember early on when, among his other objections to Jade, Leo mentioned that she was underage, presumably not yet 18. That would make her 36 or 37 now.

Anon 0823, I'm with Caroline on this one -- I'd go with Door Number Two. I'd like to believe that Zein, having met what he thinks is his 'media naranja', is good husband material. In any case, since she's already married to him, the logical thing would be to stay with him for six months and enlist his help in getting custody of Jadiya. (But then when has Jade ever been logical?)

Jade and Daniel? Hmmm. Women are said to be at their sexual peak in their mid-thirties, men at 18. So this past meeting future stuff might lead to some fireworks...

Jean, Thanks for the link to the "Primer on Ethics and Human Cloning". Nice. BTW, have you been following the story of Got, the first fighting bull cloned in Spain, who was born in May of this year I think? Also, the other day, the NYT had an interesting piece on animal cloning. (See how intellectually stimulating this show really is? hahaha)
 

@ Zoraida's comment: we all know that Said is Jade's lapdog. All she has to do (if she wanted to) is bat her eyelashes, and he'll be after again. (I don't agree that he'll never take her back)

We're sure to be in for even more drama next week. Yes!
 

Jean, et al,

I just remembered another aspect of Islam that may conflict with cloning. The ethical concerns article makes sense, but the religious concept behind Islamic art gnaws at me as well.

Perhaps Ali thinks it's blasphemous for us to try to create a living being. Islamic art (seen a lot on set in the decor) tends to be pattern-or-caliigraphy-based because the religion imposes that only God can create human and animal forms. To create a man would therefore be irreligious... (and without a soul?)
 

NovelaMaven: thanks as always for a great and detailed and funny recap. Even if I have viewed and pretty much understood the episode, I still can't wait to read the recap--it's like the icing on the cake.
I wonder if Daniel, poor lost soul, will survive the end of this novela? I can't see the writers letting that happen. I think it's more likely he will touch many lives, then be gone...
Joan
 

Thanks Jean and Erin for the comments on cloning. You're probably right that Ali has many reasons to think it's wrong.

And thanks to our anonymous contributor for the analysis of Jade's options. I think there's another reason she can't be with Said: his obsession makes the relationship impossible. One time she was sick of his restrictions and tried to escape to be an independent woman and go to college, and another time he forced her to see Lucas, which ended up destroying their relationship. Although I agree with Erin that Jade could convince Said to take her back, it wouldn't stick because he's as screwed up and self-destructive as she is. She could only make things work with somebody more stable, like Zein.

NovelaMaven, as I remember it, Leonardo asked Lucas if he knew whether Jade was a minor. No answer was given, and since Leo's other objections were mostly unfair, I suspected she was of age.
 

Thanks NovelaMaven. Your summarcap was filled with great insights.

I can't believe my capcha word: zygot. It's missing the "e" at the end, but how perfect is that?

I usually think Ali is very wise, but he went too far when he suggested that Albieri cloning a person would cause the whole world to crash. Please.

More cut scenes? Is the sKank already pregnant with the stolen swimmers? Or were they just discussing the lucrative possibilities when she conceived?

Laura Perico is doing a great job as Natalia. Her eyes were absolutely dead when she talked with her father. It's sort of odd she asked for the actual appliances instead of money. Was that meant to indicate she really was going to try to stay off drugs? Of course, then she started frantically searching her room for leftover drugs and/or cash.

Lucas sure dropped the ball in the way he handled Jade on the phone. If he really wanted to tell her in person, he should have pretended to be excited and have gone alone with Jade until he could fully explain.

Now Jade wants to get revenge on Lucas. I can't really figure out what she could do, unless it's getting busy with the clone. But I don't think he's going to find out about the clone for a long time.

At least we have a hint that Cristina may soon find out about Malicia. If the evil one comes up with this great plan for the big event in a matter of hours and it's very similar to Cris's plan, the cat will be out of the bag. Once Cristina knows what she's up to, Malicia better run.

I'm confused about the apartment. It's already in Malicia's name and he wants to change it back to his own? Or they still haven't done anything and he wants to NOT put it in her name to win favor with Fernando?

It was a pretty scene, but also ridiculous. Seven or eight woman stand around watching Jade weep in Zoraida's lap. Ali needs to take charge of the efficiency of his household staff!

I'm liking Marisa's partial rehabilitation, and the actress is doing a good job showing her gradual realization of how she's failed her daughter.
 

Thanks, NovelaMaven. Witty and lots of fun as always! Early on there was something about Diego's spirit telling someone he was about to be reborn. Could it be Diego's soul was snatched away from Heaven's Gate and is now stuck in Daniel's body? Just goin' with the flow here. Anyway, you can't deny that the unsophisticated Daniel has the same ideas about unbridled sex and women as Diego seemed to have. The funny thing is that he might have most of Diego's personality traits, but he's got Lucas's memories.
 

Jade lives in the past, so meeting daniel will enable her to relive her glory days.
Daniel will be the young carefree single lucas she first fell in love with.

phyllis
 

novelera: Ali's dire predictions seemed to be just a God-sized version of bringing down the roof, which is what he's always worried about Jade doing. I take it as metaphorical, meaning that there will be huge repercussions.

I didn't get the impression Karla is pregnant yet. I think that was just the wind between Ramoncito's ears.

I agree, Laura Perico is doing well. I've liked her, and Sandra Echeverría, and most of the rest of the cast, and it's the only thing keeping me watching their scenes when the writing gets bad.

When I saw Nati's scene asking Lucas for appliances, I was sure she just wanted drug money. I was very surprised to see Alejo ask for the exact same items. Maybe Nati will ask for money to contribute, then buy drugs.

Maybe I missed something about Alicia's apartment. I thought we were still waiting for it to be put in her name. Maybe they were waiting to move in, because there was construction. Had we heard about that before? Maybe Escobarde put it in her name a while ago, before Jade's wedding, and Alicia has merely been waiting until she can move in before she dumps Escobarde, so she has a place to stay. That would make sense but it means we missed a scene.
 

I wouldn't put it past Malicia to forge Escobarde's signature somehow. As for Christina's report, I bet she asks to read what Malicia types up and tells Rogelio that it's actually hers. Rogelio has to know from Clara how mischievous Malicia can be.
 

Hola. Just a quick note of thanks to both Jean and NovelaMaven for the last two days of summarcaps. I've been away and not able to see the episodes, and it's only now that I'm able even to read the summarcaps. I'm hoping to get back to the TN itself mañana.

Again, MANY thanks!
 

NovelaMaven, thank you for the last couple of sumcaps. I have been out of town and couldn't comment.

The comments this weekend have been great, thanks to all.

I agree with the Jade/Zein camp, I think would we good for each other.

I have been thinking about the lack of parents in this novela. Jade, Latifa, Raina and her sister, Daniel, Mo, Said, etc. do not seem to have any family. Then there are some that have only one parent and a few that have both parents. Is this a normal thing in TN?

The addictions PSA have been very good. Many years ago I worked with someone that had a husband with a very serious problem. She never knew what she would find when she went home. Once he sold the appliances for drug money. Another time he sold the children's toys. The families spent a fortune trying to get him help and nothing see to take for very long. So Nati's story about needing money for appliances is very suspect as far as I am concerned. Once these kids get started they are not even living on this planet, just in a world of their own. I am sure it doesn't help if they are already spoiled and used to having their wish granted.

Next week looks promising.

Rosemary
 

NovelaMaven great job both you and Jean are doing with the recaps for this novela.

Anon 8:23am Sat i disagree with you i think Zein is the best option for Jade who's says a ladies man can't change. He's at least willing to take his time and show Jade gradually over time how serious he is what's not to like about that.

While with Lucas he's never had the courage to go all out and claim her as she wanted him to do, because of his family.

I don't know how she'll respond when she learns about the clone but Jade needs to grow up also and learn sometimes you have to let go of your first love and move on with her life.

As for Said BIG FAT NO he blew it when he forced Jade to see Lucas instead of being happy and content in his relationship with her he tempted fate and lost.
 

If Lucas doesn't grow up I say Zein is the best option. Jade may find she does care for him after six months. Nope to Said because of the rottenly possessive, aggressive and selfish, backstabbing way he's treated her and Lucas. He even forced her to marry/whore with a stranger, and though it was his best friend and though Zein didn't force himself on her it was a disgusting thing to have been subjected to --emphasis on subject. It's as if Said is a king and she's his slave. Sorry, but I've had about enough of that kind of stuff in this novela.
 

Rosemary: I noticed the lack of parents as well. In the first generation, we have two uncles (Ali and Abdul) a father (Leonardo), and a few characters without children. In the second generation (Lucas, Jade, etc.) there are more than a dozen significant characters, many of whose their parents have never even been mentioned, let alone seen. Zoraida and Rosa are the only older women characters on a show with several older men, and both are servants rather than part of the family. I wonder if any of this was intentional.
 

I agree that Zein would be a logical choice for Jade. He's Westernized, as she is. But still Muslim, as she is. And he's also gorgeous and very romantic.

The big stumbling block is that in telenovelas, when people are represented as madly in love, usually at first sight (Jade and Lucas), this almost never changes. It would be a BIG change to the "rules" of TNs if the couple who are so madly in love don't somehow end up together.
 

...which brings up an interesting question, Novelera: Is this novela using the standard telenovela rulebook?

I'm not so sure.
 

NovelaMaven, you have a point. For one thing a lot of that "see each other and that's it - in love forever" stuff is a staple of Univision/Televisa novelas, of which I increasingly tire.

I think there's a lot more nuance in the novelas made by Telemundo, not to mention less overacting, obvious facelifts, and metiche priests.

So anything can happen on Telemundo, and it would be refreshing if Jade ended up with someone besides Lucas. But I do like them together. Ochmann has really added maturity to Lucas. Should they get together I believe they would be happy. But they're making a big deal out of "destiny" being against them.
 

In Querida Enemiga the heroine ended up with a different guy from the first guy that she met.
But that is the norm for the majority of Univsion/Televisa novelas love at first sight.

Novelera ROFL from there's a lot more nuance from the novelas made by Telemundo,not to mention the less overacting,the obvious facelifts, and metiche priests.

While Telemundo's novelas are remakes also from novelas made from other countries. There seems to be more intelligence in theirs than some of the mind boggling illogical plots in Univisions.
 

I'd hate to condemn Lucas to a life with Marisa. He's screwed up but he does not deserve being stuck with her till the day he dies. Maybe Zein is really in love with her and Said is in lust like Jade says. Zein seemed to have Said's number the other day telling him he was only holding on to her for vanity's sake.
 

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