Caray, Caray!

I figured out how to turn on CC's on my new/old TV, so this weekend I started reviewing last week's cap's to catch the details I missed. Here are some things that really caught my attention:

* Evil suegra Adelaida (Addy) says, “The sins of the parents will be visited upon the children.” This is probably a foreshadow about her son’s life.
* In a conversation between Addy and Antonio, we learn that at some point Tony had relations with a man, but that’s in the past and he repented.
* Hipo wanted to visit her grandmother's ranch, and wanted Tony to accompany her. I think she knows Tony would be better, away from Mommy Dearest's influence. Addy nixed the idea and said they need to sell grandmother's ranch, probably so Hipo has no way to escape Addy's complete control.

* Tony loudly protested Addy’s plot, but he couldn’t stop her. Addy told Luis that Tony agreed to it, and that’s what Luis reported to Hipo, so Hipo believes her husband cooperated.
* Luis tried to refuse Addy's deal. But the guards were at the door, and Addy made him choose: the bedroom or the guards and certain death.
* Addy put a sedative in Hipo’s bedtime tea the night Luis visited.
 

Thanks, Paula. Though we know the room was dark and she was asleep at first, I was wondering why Hipo didn't have as clear of picture of Luis as he has of her. That tea with sedative might explain why her memory of him is fuzzy. Thanks for the info. I must have not noticed it in my viewing.

GinCA
 

Ok, so I just watched tonight's episode, which ends with Hip meeting step-daddy dearest. Nice to meet you..SLAP! That relationship is going downhill fast.

I have a few questions:

- Why is Tia feeding info to Dona Juana that could hurt other people, like telling her where Hip was staying (with Martin) and that she is headed to her mother's house? Wouldn't it be more fun to let it all play out and spiral out of DJ's control?
- How did Tia find out that Luis had anything to do with Hip in Panama? From their conversation it doesn't seem that he had confided this to her.
- It seems to me that in exchange for Agustin keeping quiet about who Luis and Diego really are (it was revealed that he recognized Luis' scar), Dona Juana helped to hide his illigitimate daughter and keep the info on the down low. Anyone else think that this is case?

Another great episode. Glad that Hip now knows Luis' real name. I wonder when she'll find out he's the midnight boinker?

I love that Martin's mom was not fooled for a second that the little boy is long in the tooth Adalgisa's child. All the men have been swallowing this fish tale since Hip stepped on Mexican soil. Leave it to a woman to see the truth. Nice to have a mini Llena de Amor reunion too. I was not pleased that Martin's mom is so willing to give in to DJ though.
 

DOH! Once again, I forgot to post to the sidebar. Sorry! Next time I forget, would someone please smack me upside the head? I try to post the page by 9 PM Eastern. If you don't see it by 10 Eastern, you have my permission to remind me on the prior day's page. It usually means there was a glitch or something.
 

Well, I have to say this program has been a revelation. I had no idea Fernando Colunga could act! I had seen several episodes of Soy Tu Duena and concluded otherwise and didn't understand the raving fans except for his spectacular physique. His performance in this is wonderful. The facial expressions! I loved the slow sideways look he gave his aunt when she asked didn't he know Hipólita better than he was saying.

Daniela Romo is also WAY BETTER in this one than in Triumfo de Amor. There she is some way overhyped over-madeup villana who speaks her lines in a bizarrely clipped slow monotone. No subtlety about it. Here she is actually attractive as an elegant and refined mature woman whose reactions are just as often quiet as they are forceful - some wonderful facial expressions too. I love this shot of Doña Juana pausing as she brings her cup to her lips. Tia Isabela had just dropped yet another information bomb. see photo Also a lovely composition with Modesta listening in in the background. Very symbolic! I thought this scene was so great I watched it several times.

Just shows you what a great director can do!

Wow!

Audrey
 

Vivi, when Luis got home from Panama, he briefed Isabel about his trip. He mentioned that he had one special aventura in Santa Rita, Panama, with a woman named Maria Hipólita.

I just finished watching Cap 2 with CC's, and added a list of events to the Cap 2 page. I have a few questions.

1. We see Diego's 2 daughters. Do we know anything about his wife? Or do we find out later?

2. Where does Marco fit in all this? Is he just one of Luis's men?

3. Before Hipo left Santa Rita. After Tony was told she's not pregnant. He goes to talk to Hipo. He begs Hipo for something; I can’t tell what. She refuses. He says, if you’re not pregnant, I’ll allow the annulment. She asks, “And if I am?” I can’t understand his answer. Does anyone remember?
 

Hi Paula,

When Hipolita queried "And if I am?", Antonio answered "A child is a gift from God and I would love it as if it were my own." I think.

Diego's wife: honestly I can't remember. Does anyone else remember? Is she dead?

Marcos is one of Luis's men.
 

I don't think Diego has or had a wife. He is a womanizer, and as Tía Isabel has already cheerfully pointed out, it's quite usual for a nobleman to take a mistress or even two. I believe those little girls son sus hijas bastardas
 

In CA, Alborada was delayed until midnight. Good thing I'm a nightowl. The CC'a are not very reliable...lacking or delayed so it's more difficult to comprehend. It's just harder to keep up with the story so I'm grateful for this site. I'm liking that it didn't take too many episodes for Luis and Hipolita to meet a second and third time.

GinCA
 

Thank you for the information. The previews at the end tonight said that Diego is tired of his mistress Clara, but he doesn't want to get married yet. So the girls must be by his mistress.

What's incredible to me is that there are no filler scenes. everything advances the plot in one way or another. Gee, what a difference!
 

I think that Tia Isabel likes seeing Dona Juana do the slow burn. I doubt that she is yet aware of the depth of her evil.

It is a bloody shame that a man like Luis is wasted on a pathetic creature like Esperanza.

Also, when Hipolita sipped the concoction she made a joke about it being poisoned.
 

Because Diego knows he's not the true count, he's insecure and he overcompensates. He goes around saying, "I'm the count! He can't do that. I'm the count!" But he sounds feeble every time. He knows it's his big weakness, so he protests too much.

I figured out a confusing detail. Hipo is super paranoid that Evil Suegra will find her and take her son Rafael, the only thing Abby cares about. That's why she doesn't want anyone to know she's in town - word might get to Abby. It's also why she was worried about any letters Asuncion could have written to Carlota - Carlota's dead, so they might have forwarded the letters to Abby, who would then find out where Asuncion lives, and come looking for Hipo.
 

Thanks Paula. I must not have been paying attention whene Luis was telling Tia about Hip in Panama. It must have been in that scene when he was getting ready to take a bath and my mind was elsewhere... :)
 

I assume Tia Isabel is Luis's paternal aunt? She sure doesn't act like she's Doña Juana's sister (in which case should wouldn't really be Luis's aunt either).

That woman is too much! LOL! I've finally gotten used to her raspy voice enough that I can understand what she is saying. Yes - the CC's were hopeless last night!

I wonder if Luis marrying Esperanza was another "favor" given to this mysterious Don Agustín from DJ? Hilarious when Esperanza announces she will write her father - oops Doña Juana looked a little stumped by that.

Funny that Luis floated the "querida" idea past Esperanza - just checking I guess. LOL! But then - bang - he wants an annulment instead anyway - LOL!

Audrey
 

So Agustin keeps quiet about DJ switching her son Diego, with the real heir Luis; and DJ marries her "son" Luis off to Agustin's skinny/silly/frigid (guess they didn't know that when she was a virginal bride) daughter, and helps hide Agustin's iligitimate child. Seems like he could get a lot more out of her for keeping such a big secret.
 

Diego's daughters are ligitimate. He was married and the wife died.
 

No Perla for Carlos last night either, but at least they mentioned her. Antonio is supossed to have had a relationship with a man. That's what his mother implied. For some reason he hates his uncle and at the funeral when the uncle told him that eventhough antonio didn't have any children, the uncle was still going to make Tony the only heir. Tony replied "lo esta haciendo para expiar sus culpas"? Are you doing this to expiate your sins? So, probably the good old uncle did something inapropriate to tony.
 

Right. Isabel has no blood ties to Luis, although both she and Luis think she does.

Juana was the previous count's sister, thus she's the true count's blood aunt. I don't think we know her husband's name, so I'll call him Butch. Butch is the true count's uncle by marriage. Isabel is Butch's sister. So that's yet another step removed. Why does she live in the palace? Probably, since she's a spinster (right?), she lived with her brother as her protector.

I think we need a rather obscure word for this. Putative - reputed to be. Isabel is Luis's putative blood aunt because she's the sister of his putative father. Luis said last night that Butch died before Luis was born.
 

Agree with Audrey's assessment...a good director makes all the difference. Excellent performances from all the actors and this telenovela is pure pleasure. Although even this crew wasn't able to improve on Lucero's hiccuppy crying....but we'll give 'em a pass on that.

I love how in these telenovelas, everyone says "hildren are a gift from God" and show themselves completely ready to raise the child of another man (or woman)with generosity and joy. This with hundreds...no thousands of children in orphanages in Mexico. If there's a message, it's not getting through.

Tha actor playing Diego (somebody Guzman)....has he done anything else? He's tremendous as a villain but I don't recall ever seeing him in another telenovela. Was he a one and doner?

Thanks Paula and Melinama. The story with its quick pacing and marvelous acts and sets is addictive.
 

The old uncle looked really really diseased, open sores on the face, hardly able to walk, etc. Is he showing advanced stage of syphilis?

Audrey
 

Why were Luis & Diego swapped at birth?

How does Isabel fit into the family?

Who is Luis' real mom & dad?
 

Vivi, I agree with Urban Anthropologist, that Isabel loves to gossip and can't resist sticking it to Juana. At this point Isa's thinking in the short term, not the long term because she's not aware that Juana is truly evil.

Judy, after Alborada Luis Guzman played the lead in a popular adventure series called El Pantera. I never watched it but one night when I was watching some Premios show it won a bunch of awards. I don't know what else he's been in.

Audrey, that's an interesting theory about the uncle.

Paula and Melinama, thanks again for the recaps, re-post and updated summary of events. I am enjoying this one as much as, if not more than, the second time around.
 

Thanks very much, PaulaH, for your mini-summary of this episode. And thanks to everyone for asking and answering these great questions. I thought it was all my fault that I couldn't keep the characters and their relationships straight, but now I see that I'm by no means alone in my confusion.

Audrey, ITA with what you've said about Fernando Colunga and Daniela Romo. I thought Colunga was very disappointing in Soy Tu Dueña (and, for that matter, in Mañana Es Para Siempre). I had seen him in earlier novelas and had liked him. I'm not sure whether he was so bad in those last two because he is resting on his laurels or wasn't given good direction (or both). Ditto for Daniela Romo in TdA, though there I thought it was the script that was primarily to blame. Frankly, I thought that both Soy Tu Dueña and Triunfo de Amor were dreadful (I bailed out on both of them). It may be hard to do a good acting job when the novela is such basura. I'm certainly enjoying both Colunga and Romo a lot more in Alborada.
 

Variopinta:
Why were Luis & Diego swapped at birth?
Luis's house burned and many were killed, including Luis's father, the count. In the confusion of the aftermath, Juana swapped her son Diego with Luis so her son would become count. Both were young babies at the time. That's Juana and Diego's big secret, and central to the plot.

How does Isabel fit into the family?
Read my post from 11:31 today.

Who is Luis' real mom & dad?
The previous count and countess. The count was Juana's brother.

Why is Colunga so much better in this, than in STuD and MEPS? I don't think he's resting on his laurels. That just doesn't fit everything I've heard about him - he takes his responsibility to his fans VERY seriously. I think it's that a good actor can't rescue a bad script. Camil did a fabulous job in Fea. Less than a year later he was in Tontas which bombed. He managed to add some sparkle to the show, but beyond that, he couldn't do much because the script was just painfully bad.

Another possibility is, bad production management. They shoot scenes out of order, generally with just one take. If an actor doesn't have a chance to review a script before shooting, or doesn't know where it fits in the plot, he won't know how his character will respond to situations.

Since we're only a week into Albo, the chaaracters are still confusing. Don't forget, y ou can check the Characters Page to figure out who's who. I included pictures and relationships to help you untangle it, and I'm adding new characters as we meet them.
 

Like you I was so impressed by all the actors that when the telenovela ended, and I couldn't find anything in English or Spanish to hold my interest, I looked for all the players. References to Guzman's work could not be found. But Perla (Vanessa something) was available on YouTube and so were later works of Daniela Romo.
Thanks for the tip on Guzman's reappearance. I'll look for it.
 

Tks Paula H

One thing about FC, he does the historical novelas better than anyone. The innocent in MEPS was ridiculous & not much better in STuD.
He plays a worldly man perfectly.

In Amor Real & Alborada the producer is Carla Estrada. As far as I have seen, she is the best & has competent writers & directors.

One of the directors in this is Cynthia Klithbo. I think that's the one in Teresa.
 

Paula H: It was not the house that burned; it was a boat. Juan said "La Chalana."
 

With just a few episodes glimpsed here and there of MEPS it became glaringly obvious that it was a way overacted caricature of the original Columbian Pura Sangre which was fabulous. I didn't really see much of the parts with FC, but the original Rafael Navarro was so incredible and so sexy it would have been very difficult to top even if the adaptation had been much better.

When I occasionally watch bits of Triumfo de Amor (because there is nothing else on) I see that the actors have been really boxed in because the characters have been created as very one-dimensional. This is extremely obvious with Daniela Romo's character. This director/producer feels like it is necessary to continually hit his audience over the head with story so that they "get it". Notice, for example, the obnoxious use of echo when a particularly important line has been spoken - as if the actor's dramatic delivery weren't enough.. In fact, I think this is the most condescending production I have ever seen - it implies the audience are morons and even childish. And this is above and beyond the awful and not credible story lines and writing and very dumb characters.

So, now that I just begin to see what Romo is capable of, it really shows how boxed in she is with the newer production. You never get a glimpse of any frustration from her in the role, so I guess she is the consummate professional and delivers whatever the director wants.

It's really amazing.

Audrey
 

Luis R. Guzman has been in two previous (and substandard) novelas: Entre el Amor y el Odio and Amigas y Rivales and wasn't a villain in either. However, he does excel as one.

I realized while watching this episode that his clothing is mostly outdated because titles and such things are becoming outdated in the Mexico of this period. However, the facial hair annoys me as it is completely incompatible with the hair. Gentlemen, if you're going to wear 18-Century hair, you need to shave.

Fernando Colunga does history well because he can fit into any time period. Not all actors can do that. Back in the 70s when Al Pacino was in a film about the Revolution (ours) I cringed. I love him but can't picture him in any period prior to 1920.

I love novelas de epoca. I wish there was a channel specifically devoted to them.
 

Thanks, Paula, for these new insights into the first [very important] episode. I didn't realize that Awful Mother-in-law slipped Hip a mickey that fateful night. That explains a lot. Vivi~~~When Luis arrived home , Tia met him outside. As they walked into the palace, she asked him how many hearts he broke in Panama. That's when our hero kissed and told about a certain Maria Hippolita. A bit later in his room, Luis told Cristobal all about that strange night when Hip's mother-in-law from hell forced him to provide stud service in order to supply the child that would insure Tony's inheritance from Tio. After that scene, Espy came to Luis's room to offer him ''relief.''
 

Urban A````I, too, love novelas set in the past. My dream is that Carla, Monica, and TBLMOE will reunite for another one. I live in hope. For all the new watchers of Alborada, let me assure you that this novela just gets better and better as it moves along...and so does Colunga.
 

Now I may be making this all up because my memory aint what it used to be, but the (former) count (was his name Carlos?) and his wife Aurora were celebrating the baptism of their son on a barge or boat in a lake at one of their country estates. A fire broke out and both parents were killed. The baby boy was rescued but suffered burns on his leg. Doña Juana took advantage of this opportunity to switch the babies.
 

LXV~~~Si, si, that's the way I remember it.
 

Yep, I think you got it right LXV. There is that fire motif again.
 

Paula, has the page gone up for today's (Tuesday's) episode? I couldn't find it.
 

Thanks, Juanita. It's up now. Sorry for the delay. I forgot to post it before I went out to dinner tonight. (Melinama, just in case you see Juanita's request, I specifically asked the board to alert me in case the page wasn't posted by 10 Eastern, so I know if there's a glitch. Juanita's not being impatient. She's complying with my request.)