Caray, Caray!

Thanks Jean for an excellent summary of the distasteful (although not totally uninteresting) developments in this episode.

Here are a few parts of the show I really liked:

--I loved seeing Amin taking part in the scheme to distract cousin Farid so Latifa could get away.

--I loved the glint in Pablo's eye after he talked to Malicia on the phone. Our boy is up to something!

And a couple of things I found intriguing:

-- After Natalia brained her mother, the family response to the injury was to send Rosa for the first-aid kit. I would have expected them to send for the reproductive endocrinologist (Albieri) -- but maybe they only call him for suspected heart attacks.

-- I was surprised to learn that Daniel now plays the guitar. I thought the last time the subject came up, it was something he always wanted to do but had never had an opportunity to learn. Maybe that's what he was doing in one of his mysterious absences.

---

And in the real world, how fascinating that the Nobel Prize in Medicine has just been awarded to Dr. Robert Edwards for his role in developing in vitro fertilization, or "test tube babies". And that the Vatican was quick to speak out against his selection. How jealous Albieri would be ... I mean, you know, if there really were an Albieri...

And if you want to read about it in Spanish, here's a link to the story in BBC Mundo:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/noticias/2010/10/101004_premio_nobel_medicina_robert_edwards_pl.shtml
 

Sorry about that link, folks. But if you want to find the story, check out:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/

In any case, it's a great place to practice your Spanish -- but you probably already know that!
 

Jean, thank you; I'm not watching El Clon, but I appreciated the laugh at your preamble.

We have all known those dark days of telenovelas; alas so many dark days, LOL.

Keep up the great work. :-)
 

Jean, Thank you for summarizing yet another painful episode, although I agree with NovelaMaven there were some highlights (certainly compared with the gloomy episode last Friday). Something I totally missed was Marisa telling Rosa to organize a dinner for Nati and her friends. What friends? Marisa only approves of Andrea. Then what’s this about pretending all Nati’s drug problems never happened? Hmm, just sweep them away under the rug? Nati has other ideas…

By the way, have these people not heard of the dangers of a blow to the head. It’s happened in our family and we’ve also lost a good friend to this type of injury. It’s important to be aware so please google “subdural hematoma” to find out more.

NovelaMaven: This is the first we’ve heard of BBC mundo and what a great website.

Elizabeth
 

Thanks for sticking in there Jean! That really was a nasty one. But even with all the stagnation and regression, there were a few moments I enjoyed. I like that Nati hit Marisa square in the face with whatever the heck that thing was. I was staring at it the whole episode wondering about it, and now I know: it's a blunt object. Anyway, I thought we would get a tease and Nati would just run away, but this time it wasn't just a tease. Not that I could condone it, but of all the people she could have hit, Marisa should be near the top of her list.

Like NovelaMaven, I was happy to see foreshadowing of Pablo's revenge. Remember that he has a history of giving women a hard time, and I hope he lives up to that.

Also, on the most positive note, I was happy to see a little bonding between Daniel and Lucas. That's the kind of conversation I expected when they first met: Lucas giving some friendly advice, sharing their thoughts about the weird situation, etc. They should team up against the world, which often seems to have teamed up against them.
 

Jean, it was a dark dark episode. You did it justice and more--thank you. NovelaMaven, I agree with you that Pablo is "up to something"; he had a skeptical look on his face as he listened to Malicia go on about all the boring meetings in Paris.
By the way, didn't Marisa once see little Daniel as a child--Albieri kept him out of everyone's sight, but there was one point of contact, after which he morphed into little Nati's "imaginary friend". I'm having trouble recalling.
Joan
 

Jean, I feel your disappointment but I sincerely feel you should leave your distaste for the standard comments and just provide as neutral as possible a summary of the episode.
 

Thanks all for the words of encouragement. (No offense intented, Anonymous 6:54, but if I'm going to spend 2 1/2 hours writing a recap, I'll do it any way I want to.)

Like many of you, I have had up to here with the druggie teen storyline and seeing Nati fall into that again was awful. I now have no hope that she and Alej will end up together. But whatever they are going to do, I want it to happen!

I have hopes for Pablo's revenge, too. I hope he has/will confirm what Diana told him. He shouldn't act just on what Diana said. And we can't forget Malicia's amazing ability to turn all men's minds to mush.

I was also surprised that Daniel plays the guitar sufficiently well to play for Rosa. I agree that all we saw was that he expressed a desire to play.

I was hoping that maybe Daniel would have come downstairs during the Nati confrontation and used his rapport with her to calm the situation down. But no.

I also noted the nobel for the man who developed in vitro fertilization. That's what Albieri wants!!

NovelaMaven: There is a website, www.tinyurl.com/ that takes long URL's like the one you posted and makes them into 'tiny' ones. It's free and really helpful.

Yes, Elizabeth, I wondered what 'friends' besides Andrea that Nati has. It's more of Marisa's failure to accept the reality of her daughter's addiction.

Joan: There were near misses when Marisa almost saw Daniel as a child but I don't think that she ever really saw him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been convinced that he was imaginary.
 

Jean great work as always on the recap.

Who was it that said they extended this novela? Even if it was getting good ratings i still don't see why they did that.

Anon 6:54 you're welcome to comment but to come on here and dictate how a recapper should write their recap is a big fat no. If you don't like they it's written to your standards why don't you volunteer your time and start helping out.

Rogelio Chump III let's hope Pablo discovers what the nasty rat has been doing all along and exposes her.

I can't see a good ending for any of the three druggies after last night's episode i just hope this story line would be over already.

So Albieri's ego will be his eventual downfall, i knew from his reaction he couldn't sit still and be quiet after he dodged the complaint filed by Sylvia.

Is Rosa for real his and her houses?
 

Anon 6:54,
As Hilda would say: You've GOT to be kidding me, honey!

Jean, Thanks for the terrific link. Now I just have to restrain myself because it looks like something I could get carried away with:)

Elizabeth, I thought the same thing about the head injury: Why don't these ridiculous people take her to a hospital? But then I remembered that we are in the realm of telenovelógica. (Or maybe the oversight was deliberate and Marisa will suffer delayed consequences of the injury? Could Natalia have actually killed her mother?)

Luke, Maybe I've seen too many Law & Order's but I also thought of 'a blunt object' when I saw Natalia wielding that thing. By the wary, out of curiosity, I looked it up: in Spanish, you'd say 'un objeto contundente'. :)

Joan, It's funny that you ask about Marisa seeing Daniel as a child. I thought at the time that there was some ambiguity, that maybe she saw him but pretended not to because he wasn't in her class (you know, the class where the women dress as hookers and show off their tattoos.)

blusamurai, I agree about our three druggies. After this episode, their futures look very, very bleak. And Rosa -- man, she's already plotting how to make Cristina's life miserable!
 

Jean, great recap as usual. Didn't really miss the pictures and Spanish. Well, not too much anyhow. You really nailed the episode. Thanks.

NovelaMaven, I finally saw the likeness of Alej to Brando -- a very young Brando. And it took a picture to Brando up for a screen test to really let me see it. Then with the emotional scene between Alej and Nati, I saw Brando acting as well.

So Rogelio is another captive of Malicia. What has she got that get's 'em? She's not terribly attractive and really, really uninteresting -- unless it's her compliments to them about them that does it. I hope Clara does not get back with Chump No. 1; but I hope Chump No. whatever is out too. She doesn't deserve Malicia's seconds. Maybe Pablo will bring her down. I never though he was thinking he was in love with her, just kinda using her as long as she was offering.

It's not safe to FF the very, very boring drug tale as much as I'm tempted. But to do so is to miss some good parts. Like the conk on Marisa's head and the great scene with Alej and Nati. I just don't see any clean up open to Nati as long as her mother is so afraid people will know. I wonder if Marisa had received help as a child she might be an alright person?
 

Jean, don't apologize for being less than inspired by this novela lately. I feel the same way. Anon 6:54: Neutral recaps? Really? Where's the fun in that?

I'm not usually so vulgar here, but Rosa, STFU!!! I'd have fired her behind 25 years ago, right after the twins started kindergarten. It's completely wacky that she's in the middle of every family confrontation, contributing her useless advice.

Yeah, I have high hopes Pablo is planning a little surprise for Malicia. But I've seen The Chump cave time after time when he showed up ready to defend his interests. So I wouldn't be surprised to see him eat up the lies.

Well, Said appears to have mellowed. Jade is now apparently permitted to come and go as she pleases, and even stay at Mohammed and Latifa's overnight.

I also liked seeing Amin helping his mother.

I guess I'm in the minority in not liking Nati's bashing her mother with a pink stone. Marisa's no angel for sure, but no mother deserves that. It was also evidence of Nati's quick fall from sobriety.

I hadn't heard that the Vatican piped up about the in vitro guy's Nobel. Otra vez: STFU!
 

Jean and all, I don't know how you can hang in there RE: los drogados. After last night, I've completely given up on Nati. I don't have any more hats to eat :-(

I never thought that Pablo would be the one to uncover Alicia. Zein seemed pretty keen to her.

Yes, "Friday" should definitely score higher than usual in plot advancement. ...Holding on to my knickers...
 

Anon. 3:15, I'm so with you! Alicia isn't pretty or sweet at all! What is her appeal (besides the lady parts)?

It'd be so cool if she met her match in Pablo. This is one instance where I'm okay with a man using a woman. :P Ojo por ojo--which she has long had coming to her.
 

Great comment, Novelera! You might think that Rosa would have learned not to prejudge people after all this time but apparently not.

So true that Said and apparently the Naz have no problem if Jade stays at Latifa's house.
Obnoxious as Amin is, he and Zamira have been completely devoted to their mother and have opposed Mohamed's plan to take a second wife.

It is still funny to hear Mohamed refer to himself in the third person, 'Mohamed is sorry. Mohamed doesn't want to take a second wife.' I'm betting Ali and Zoraida will initiate a plan to save his sorry ass by getting the bride or her family to back out. Of course, we've already seen this when Ali did it to Said.
 

Yikes, math is NOT my strong point. I'd have fired Rosa 35 years ago when the twins were 5, not 25 years ago when they were 15.
 

ay! Novelera - you are so right about Rosa (STFU!). I know someone like her in real life, and she's the classic stereotype; no clue about real life, cuz not in touch with the outside world; always just at home.
 

Jean/ NovelaMaven - you're both saints for devoting your time with this very frustrating/tiresome/deplorable tn.
 

Jean, thank you once again for all you do. This was a hard one to watch and I cannot image having to recap it. So, I do appreciate everything you do.

I must be really mean spirited, but when Nati hit Marisa, I thought maybe the blow would knock some sense into Marisa's hard head. I think she is the root of Nati's problem. She wanted Nati to grow up and be a clon of herself and is disappointed that she didn't turn out the way she wanted.

Why in the world would Leo ask Marisa to help plan the wedding - Cris is going to have a hissy fit for sure.

Rosemary
 

Thanks for another excellent go at it! Wow! I cannot wait to see Malicia get what's coming to her, especially from Mr. Nice Guy Pablo. I hope that Diana is there to catch it all first hand, too!

The other one who needs a come-uppance is Rogelio. If Clara goes back with him it's a darned shame!
 

Thank you Jean for the excellent recap. I could not tolerate a boring straight-forward recap since the novela is so boring itself. Spice up the recap and do whatever the hell you want. You are the boss! And you do it well.

I had hoped that Nati's blow to Marisa's head would bring the mother into reality but it didn't work. Alas.

Hate Malicia. Hate that Latifah had to beg some stupid cousin for money and permission to travel, both of which were denied. Hate Leo. Want to shave her left side and one of her eyebrows.

Sorta of appreciate Nazira more. She really does love the children and seems to try and reassure them.

Vitriol Quazi in MD
 

Thank you Jean and all others who commented. This is coming from Austria. First, decoding German and a huge time lag at this site. Barb