Caray, Caray!

I added a few of my own suggestions to the name game.

Galán: Don Fernando (tan divino!)

Evil matriarch: either Catalina (Cuna de lobos) or Gabriela (FELS)

Wise old woman: Julieta from Fea. I adored her character!

I really liked someone's suggestion of Sebastian for the galán's rival, and Agustín for the doddering patriarch.
 

Wise old woman: Manina from Amor Gitano

Servants: Soledad as in Yo Compro Esa Mujer, Adalgisa (de Alborada)

Galan: Victor Manuel (EPDA), Arturo (de Teresa)
 

Here's my ballot : galan : Luis or Andres....SYT : Matilde or Susana [grin..for obvious reasons]...EYM : Bruno [it sounds a lot likr Bruto] ..GBN : Leticia...rival for SYT : Enrique...Wicked Matriarch : Bertha [like Bertha whose fate was Dead Doll Island in Heridas] ...Patriarch : Agustin ...Evil Corporate Head : Horacio or maybe Rudolfo [my daughter's old boss]... Best Friend : Cristobal [Luis's BFF and hermanooooo]...SYT Backstabber : Jessica...Wise Woman : Isabel [Tia Isabel of Alborada , the wisest, sweetest woman evah]...Priest: Tadeo [Pad Tad--FELS---The endurer of so much baaad luck]....Rich Family : Lombardo ...Kids: Teresita, Rafael, Aurora.
 

I was reading the other thread just now about the names. LOVED the name Fafy Cuenca also! He was "El Rey del Jet Set"! Cracked me up every time his little best friend would be shocked that someone didn't know exactly who Fafy Cuenca was! LOL

The named I absolutely hated was "Santiaguito" from Soy Tu Duena. Not sure why it was necessary to constantly called him by the diminutive of Santiago by every person he came into contact with. I could understand it if his father was Santiago also - he would be little Santiago - but his father's name was Alonzo!!!!!!! Drove me insane!!!!
 

In addition to "little," -ito can also mean "beloved." That's why you hear mamacita, and even diosito. Of coure they mean "beloved God," not "little God."
 

We can't forget WBC, worlds best crier, definitely Matilde, Amorreal o Sofía FELS. Aurora is runner up for MEPS.

My heart aches for pobre Esperanza, she is not considered worth anything by anyone but Mirtha. What a horrible existence. BUT if she dies, it will make things fall into place easier.

We know Diego isn't going to die, Luis has to take care of that matter. I think he will draw 1st blood, so that Catalina can run to Cristóbal's side to proclaim her love.
 

About this episode, I've got to say that we had some excellent closeups of That Handsome Face. Luis reminds me of someone. Maybe it's Barry Gibb at his prime, but Luis is darker and hotter even though he can't belt out the tunes like Barry . I love the way Team Luis meets in the clubhouse [aka Luis's Lab] and plans the next move. These guys are thinkers AND doers. Also, I got a giggle out of both Cristobal and smarmy, barrelchested Francisco wishing Juana ''Have a good day'' even though neither of them really meant it. Regarding a caption for Carlos's photo selection. I'm still thinking about it. All I've come up with so far is : ''Do you think Vincente is into older women ?''
 

I may sound like a cruel b1tch for this, but I can't feel sorry for Esperanza. Whenever she rants "No es justo!" about Luis preferring other women she seems to forget the reason.

Would this scenario work as a solution?:

Luis gets their marriage quietly annulled, Esperanza leaves the country to enter a convent with a cash settlement adequate to serve as a novice's dowry.
 

Variopinta~~I guess we don't have to vote on Worst Crier. I think most of us would agree that it's Hip. It's so annoying when she starts sucking in her breath to produce those loud , throaty sobs. I think that's cheating. I used to do that when I was five and nearly hyperventilated a couple times. My mother made short work of that.
 

@Paula H - Don't care if it means "beloved one" either - it was ridiculous for this boy to be called that by anyone and everyone, every single time they said his name.

They don't do it to Rafael - thank goodness!
 

I'm still way behind, contending with a death in the family (my sister's FIL) and spending a lot of time applying to jobs whose formerly eager recruiters now seem to have lost my telephone number and email address.

But I heard about this name game thingy and wanted to add the following:

Galan: Rodrigo. I like most of the major galan names, but Rodrigo would be my go-to galan name, even if my first Rodrigo (in Destilando) wasn't the sharpest hammer in the bag.

Galan's name that should be retired: Fernando. We had a lot of trouble with the bad guy in FELS because we couldn't bear to call such a rotten guy by such a tan divino name. But I think I'd even find it hard to accept a good guy named Fernando. There can be only one!

(We also had some serious nicknames for Sofia on that show because she cried so much and was such a dope. Slofia, and I think Sobfia. People, when you're writing a telenovela, don't use names that lend themselves to unkind nicknames!)

I agree with whoever nominated Gonzalo from MEPS as the most doddering patriarch ever. You have to wonder how that guy was able to put his pants on the right way each day, let alone build a milk empire. I don't recall that he was supposed to have been senile or anything; he just seemed genuinely clueless about the workings of the world, and terribly gullible.

Speaking of disappointing patriarchs, I hope we never again have to deal with the likes of Don Amador from Destilando. (That's another name that should be retired.) He's already dead when the story begins, and his family speaks so fondly of him - but I have to wonder what kind of jerk promises his fortune to the first male son of one of his grandsons. (Apparently the granddaughters' kids won't even qualify, and even a firstborn girl will be outranked by any boy.)

My favorite-ever character name: I'll add a vote for Fafy Cuenca. I don't know what category of character he fits into. He's not technically a hero, villain, galan, supportive friend, etc., but he's an important character. Fafy himself wasn't all that funny, actually, but his friend was a true scene-stealer; and every time I hear the name "Fafy" I think of Fafy's sidekick gushing about how great Fafy was.

Last but not least, I don't really know if it fits within the scope of this name game, but it's the habit of referring to every character by his or her full name. It was particularly noticeable in STuD (ugh), to the point where someone guessed that it was the result of a search-and-replace error when someone was revising the script. (An error that no one, not even the actors themselves, saw fit to question. "Hey, director? Are we really going to say 'Valentina Viillaba, la Vibora' every single time?" "Yes, we're trying to make this thing as long as possible.")

Also: I hated "Santiaguito" (the name) in STuD too, not because it was ridiculous, but because it was so long. See above about trying to stretch that horrible show by any means necessary. I'm surprised they didn't refer to him by his last name as well.
 

Julie~~~First, my sympathy regarding the death in your family. As for your job search, please know that I am sending out strong good vibes for you. Regarding the name Rodrigo, I forgot that was Big Ed Yanez's name in DA. I remember the fun we had with variations on that name ...Hot Rod...Rod the Bod. I also recall that in Querida Enimiga, Alonso becamne Alonslow because he was sooo s.l.o.w.
 

Julie, I couldn't agree more about "Fernando." In Cap 64, Lety said, "Nunca va a poder existir nadia más como Don Fernando (There will never be any other like Don Fernando)."

Maybe we need a new category. Colorful characters. Fafy Cuenca. Alicia from Fea (second-best acting in the show). Hmm, might Tia Isabel count as a colorful character? Who else? I want to exclude the ones who are like the Jarjar Binks of TNs. e.g. the clown from FELS.
 

How about the flamboyant Pepino from TdA. And yes, I definitely conside Tia Isabel a colorful character...a loving, smart, strong , liberated woman despite the times she lived in. Perhaps we might include Manuel's old buddy in Amor Real...Silvano{? }He was pretty colorful.
 

Hee, I liked Jar Jar better than most of the characters in FELS.

Tia Isabel is definitely a colorful character! And in a refreshingly non-clowny way.

I liked Tomasa - Tomas's mother in LFMB - but couldn't stand the same actress's character in FELS. Is there a Most Annoying All-Around character? That'd be Quintina for sure!
 

Dr. Plutarco Obregón from MEPS.
I would love to see that actor in sth else.
 

Plutarco Obregón, another memorable name.

I feel terrible for Esperanza, but she should know by now it's best to keep a low profile in the palacio. She was just asking for trouble.

Love the picture Carlos, daughter and mother, very nice.

Susanlynn, you are on a roll with your captions. Your suggestion for today is a scream. I second it.
 

Julie- Remember Gonzo was helped into senility by those sleepy time drops Babs was always putting in his nightime milk, so that she could go do the nasty with Damian, who wasn't getting any from his wife Fernanda, who was dreaming about Franco/Eduardo.

Best crier (meaning most believable)-- Silvia Navarro. Still remember the scene in MEPS when she totally made the priest bawl.
 

Carlos, you are making a veritable art of your photo choices for this recap every day. I always look forward to seeing what you have chosen and I am never disappointed in the artistry of your daily selections. My photo obsessed brain thanks you.
 

Susanlynn, thanks for your kind words.

Vivi, you're right that Babs/Barb/BOW in MEPS fast-tracked Gonzo's decline into daffiness with the sleepytime pills, but he was already daft when he first hired her. Somehow it escaped his attention that she terrorized the domestic staff, murdered his wife, framed his younger daughter, and convinced Fernanda that she was damned for kissing a boy on the day of her first Communion. (And after marrying Gonzo, cheated on him constantly and drugged him every night.)

Speaking of MEPS, some of the worst crying I've ever heard was from Fernando Colunga. When Fr/Ed's mom died, his sobs were like the yelps of an injured puppy.
 

Now, Esperanza - I still feel sorry for her. Granted I'm a week behind the rest of you and have yet to see her latest hijinks, but feeling sorry for her doesn't mean I approve of anything she's done yet. It's just that I know (based on the rules of telenovelas) that she's pre-doomed. I think she senses it too, which puts her in a different category than those who lie and scheme for fun and profit. She hasn't had much joy in her life so far and is now clawing for her very existence.

Many people born into awful families grow up to be fine adults, but they probably have advantages that Espe doesn't, such as brains and sanity. And people who improve themselves are usually motivated by something - but Espe really has little to look forward to, even in the best possible scenario.

Let's face it. In the poker game of life, Esperanza was dealt a hand of those little promotional cards at the front of the deck that you throw away.
 

Julie- I agree. I continue to feel pity for Esperanza. I don't like her, but I understand why she is so desperate to hold on to her position and husband. And she doesn't have enough smarts and cunning (or sanity) to find more effective ways of securing her position. And everyone, except Mirtha, wants her to die. That just sucks.

I can't figure out Juana's end game with Hip. Why tell her Antonio is her suitor and not her husband? Is she leaving the way open for Luis?

And what is Victoria planning with Marina. Other than having been raped by Diego (which she did not tell Vic about), Marina is living the dream right now. If she were to join her mom and grandma, she would be living like them-- in hiding and like a fugitive. She would also have zero marriage prospects as she does now. Victoria could not have given her a better life, so I'm not sure why she looked so offended that Marina had been brought up to be the mistress of a rich man, since she isn't marriage material. At least she's not a prostitute.
 

Thanks Cheryl, it really is a lot fun looking for one photo to go with each episode. My 2 favorite so far was the little boy selling flowers and that night time scene outside the cantina.

The first time around, I felt really badly for Esperanza and this time around... even more sympathy. Out of desperation she has made some bad choices, but no real crimes. Very well put, Julie:

"...In the poker game of life, Esperanza was dealt a hand of those little promotional cards at the front of the deck that you throw away."

Carlos
 

...and the only reason Mirtha doesn't want Espe to die is because, depending on the circumstances, that could put Mirtha in a pretty horrible situation too.
 

I agree that Espy is the perfect storm of pathos. Even kind, hot Luis could not save her from herself. Maybe if she had been a little more interested in lovemaking , they would have become closer and he wouldn't be so intent on divorcing her for lack of an heir. Woulds, shoulda, coulda. If she only had a brain, a heart, swome nerve, but she never sought out the wizard in the Emerald City. I know people who seem to be their own worst enemies , always making bad choices, and I'll bet aqll of you kbow some, too.
 

The only reason that I can figure for what Juana said, is that she wants to keep Hipo close, where she can keep an eye on her. If she's Antonio's wife, obviously he should take her to his household. Juana's only interest right now is Rafael, and she's seen that Hip will fight like a tiger to get him. If Hip is Juana's threat to keeping Rafael, she wants to keep and eye on Hip. There are a whole bunch of holes in my theory, but I can't think of a better one.