Caray, Caray!

Super job, as always, Jardinera!

A couple of things the storm blocked --

Cleto found Lucía's purse AND panties in the front seat of her car. He gave them to Carlota. No one told Lucía so she has no idea she was almost certainly raped.

Tony's response to Iván's announcement that he's marrying the DWMB and moving back to LA:
You're a grown man; it's your decision and I'll respect it.

When Iván leaves, Tony reflects that Iván is making a mistake. (Although as I recall, Tony himself suggested this solution earlier -- if he was just playing devil's advocate, well I didn't see the horns and tail.)

Could this plot get any nastier? Ay, who am I kidding? Of course it can and almost certainly will.:)
 

Honestly I think you have everything covered. I can't even remember Tony's response to the LA move.

I do seem to remember they planted the idea of some sort of date rape with Lucia. Cleto found her panties next to her purse in the car. Coupled with the "you're 5 weeks pregnant(? avances Spanish is so.fast.)" clip during the avances, I suspect we may have to suffer through a "who's the baby daddy?" plotline.

And holy frijoles when Lucia talked Carlota out of calling the cops!!! I wanted to scream. I have really had it with this girl. I have never wanted to stop watching a show as much as I did last night. I am glad I have the week-end to cool off. Between DWMMB looking at wedding dresses and Lucia once more brushing the bad behavior of her family aside (worse, encouraging a cover up) I can't stand it.
 

OH, PS: Fabulous recap. Thanks so much. I understand how frustrating technical difficulties can be.
 

Thanks for saying what was in Cleto's hand. I didn't get that good of a look at it and had no idea what was going on. So Lucia is pg, bet she keeps it from Ivan so as not to ruin his life. Shades of his mother with Gerardo. Still having the urge to smack MP each time she is on screen!
 

Thanks for your recap Jardinera. I'm glad you are feeling better.

Yes, Lucia was probably rape (my money is on Saul); thanks NM and Sara for filling this in.

Sara - ITA w/you. I was too through with Lucia for talking Carlota out of sending MP to jail. If getting Alex out of MP's grasp was the goal, this was the golden ticket to do so. Not even a beanie can justify this!
 

Jardinera, thanks for post.

First, I am so sure that Saul drugged and raped Lucia. Here is my argument:

(1) The stupid waiter had to know him to agree to spike the drink. Saul is probably a regular. If people saw them together, it wouldn't set off any alarms.
(2) Lucia wound up in the backseat but did not appear physically harmed in any other way except for feeling the after effects of the drug.
(3) Her underwear and purse were in the front seat with apparently no wallet or phone missing.
(4) The car was parked in front of her home. A stranger might not known where she lived even if there was so type of registration.
(5) Lucia never had sex with Saul and he was pissed about that.
(6) What is the point of the writers in having her raped? To cast doubt on paternity, PLEASE!

Second, Lucia is a DUMB A** for talking Carlota out of filing police charges. Carlota -YET AGAIN- makes another stupid move to protect MP and the family. I was so angry and disgusted my husband had to remind me that this was just a novela and not real life. Even with the scene of Lucrecia screaming at MP about the stolen jewels was just anticlimatic because I already know MP will suffer no consequences whatever.

Third, I decided I will no longer pay much attention to the previews for the next episode. LIES! All LIES!

Fed-Up and Super Vitriol Quazi
 

Ok, I've added in the couple things I missed. Thanks to both NovelaMaven and Sara!!
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I wanted to strangle stoooopid Lucia myself for stopping Carlota. On the other hand it just is so in character of this family to think twice before ruffling feathers and rocking the societal boat with the nasty stuff mama and MP have pulled. ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!
 

I'm sorry, but if I woke up somewhere in a dress and my panties weren't on I would definitely notice, even if I couldnt remember the how or why.
I could understand Maripaz forgetting if she went commando or not in a short dress....but the entire incident was out of character for Lucia and Carlota should have called a doctor. These women and their cover-ups,arrrrghhhhh!

Liliana
 

Thanks, Jardinera. Yeah, it certainly looks like Lucia was raped--and the way this show seems to be working there are only two possible suspects: Saul and el Gordo. (Possible if unlikely caveat: neither of them may have done the actual deed, but they know who did.)

As for it's-all-about-Me-ripaz...on the one hand I can't help thinking "Carly, you had this coming for effectively helping to start all this." On the other hand I still want her to pull a Rubi--though I suppose she has to be out of the way anyway by the end of the show so Ivan and Lucia can raise Alex, so her doom is probably already written in the stars...
 

Jarinera, thanks once again for the recap.

I cannot think of one person I will like in this TN except Bruno and Alex.

The Curiel women are so worried about the social standing in the community, give me a break. If they are holding themselves up to families like JJ's, they have a pretty low bar.

I did enjoy the Lucrazy and DWMB scene. MP was like one of those blow up toys that you know down that pops right back up. If Lucrazy find the jewels, how does she plan to pay to get them out of hock?

Rosemary
 

Jardinera, So glad you're feeling better and are well enough to put out a great recap.

That Lucia, she really is a nitwit. If I made it possible for my DWMB sister marry my novio, and I found out that she stole, I would sure as hell make sure she went to prison. The hell with society!!

Ann-NYC
 

Jardinera - Thanks for the recap. I, too, am glad to see you up and recapping.

Thanks, NM, for noting that inconsistency with Tony. I also thought he suggested that Ivan and MP marry, and then after Alex is grown, Ivan could go back to Lucia. But I'm taking this all too literally. We're getting to the point where they seem to be making it up as they go along: I hate that point in so many novelas.

I'm annoyed with Ivan for trying to get Alex to LA. What selfishness! Does he not understand that Alex truly loves the people who raised him? Lucia was successful in grounding Ivan in the realities of fatherhood.

Yes, Bruno is the best, along with Benito and -- now and then -- Tony. The Curiel women are too much. All the yelling and screaming and pushing and slapping comes to nothing. They are still endlessly protecting each other.
 

Vitriol Quazi- My husband has started to remind me it's just a show. I have no idea why DWMMB get on my nerves so bad.

The only reason I continue to watch is to see her punishment. I really don't care that much about Ivan and Lucia that much. I do sort of wish I cared more about them, but I'm pretty ambivalent. And you were so right, watching Lucrezia yell at her was not satisfying at all. Nothing will really happen anyway.
 

Good stuff, Jardinera.

I don't think Tony made that suggestion seriously. It means Ivan will have to endure 8 years of a mock marriage to DWMB before he can file for divorce. Eight years of her drunkenness, infidelity, and abuse. I think he only meant for Ivan to think about it.

When people ask questions about this they will find out that Maripaz is the birth mother of Alex. If Lucrazia is so determined to keep this a secret she should have put her foot down with Maripaz once and for all time. Now there is no way the rest of the town won't know.

Going back to LA would put distance between Ivan and Lucia, but I don't see that helping the situation. Alex needs Gerry, Tony, and Bruno.

I can sort of get Lucia's unwillingness to involve the police about the theft of the jewelry after all those other secrets, but Carlota should have told her about the panties and called a doctor. I also suspect Saul and El Gordo, as Saul might have promised him a piece of the action in exchange for his help because he has no cash to pay him).

As for how DWMB will end up, if I were writing this she would have a nasty accident but not die. Instead she would end up disfigured and paralyzed. And spend the rest of her life in a prison hospital ward.
 

Urban, maybe I misunderstood but I thought Tony and Bruno would be living in LA too.

Of course the separation from Gerardo and Carolina would be traumatic enough for Alex -- not to mention being away from Carlota, Lucía, school, friends and experiencing culture shock in general.
 

UA-I vote for your end for the DWMMB. *That* would be justice. (Since I'm still smarting about the anticlimactic end of TdA.)
 

Jardinera, thanks for the recap. I figure if I check into this TN about every two weeks, I can get some idea of what's going on without having to torture myself with watching characters I dislike. Tony, Bruno, Carlota and maybe Alex are ok, the others are either meh or hateful. (OK, I like Anto, can't help myself.)
La Paloma
 

I definitely wanted a better ending for TdA, but there was no way to top the EPDA fate of Guillermo and Ximena's counterparts. There was also no adequate way to finish off Bernarda without involving Satan himself.

Which somebody needs to do someday so we can get Televisa to be the next network to do Dark Shadows!

Seriously, I somehow think that something will prevent Ivan from leaving Mexico whether he marries Merry Piece or not.
 

Wow- this novela has gone off the deep end! Rant follows - feel free to ignore....

Someone arranged for Lucia's drink to be spiked so they could rape her? Someone who just happened to be at the bar (where she rarely goes), and just happened to have the drugs on hand, and got to the waiter in time? Wow! I turned off the TV when Lucia kept sipping her beer even though she kept making faces that it tasted bad. Then DON'T DRINK IT! What a horrible thing to do to poor Lucia - talk about piling on. I'm so glad I missed her waking up in her car the next morning sans panties. It's just so disgusting. Yes, I understand the plot development, but please!

And Ivan decides that the best thing is to take MP and Alex to LA? Hello? Isolating Alex from the loving members of his family who raised him and thus having him more exposed to MP - that's a good idea? Ridiculous! Just completely bonkers. Ivan - good judgement? Not!

And after all Carlota's threats to MP, I can't believe she caved when handed a "get MP in jail and out of Alex's life for free" card. What then was the point of all the previous "tough love" behavior? Yep, just let that girl walk and make Alex's and Lucia's life hell, when you had such a great opportunity to shut her down.

OK - pretty big rant from me. I'll keep mum after this rant so you all who hang in there to watch this difficult novela don't have to endure even more piling on!

Audrey
 

Oh, and thanks much for the recap, Jardinera! :)

Audrey
 

So as I was walking down a mountain this afternoon, I had the thought that maybe Maripaz set up the rape. (The mountain had nothing to do with it. That's just how much this has taken over my brain). As we know, all Mexican women get pregnant instantly when it's least desired, and this sets up some doubt from Ivan towards Lucia. And hopefully it was a fake rape. They've done most things sans cliche, so why include the necessary sexual assault? I'm picking Gordo since I still hope for some redemption for Saul.

I did have to laugh though at the end when Lucrezia kept pushing MP to the couch and she kept bouncing back up. Her tush must be made of flubber.
 

The thing about El Gordo is that it wouldn't have been fake. Saul has no money to pay him to do that, so he would just as likely have done it for real. In the real world he would have no shot at a woman like Lucia.

The question then is whether Saul would have faked it or whether it would have been the real thing. How long before then did Lucia and Ivan last get it on? A DNA test is not yet possible, but once it is what would it show if it were Saul? Saul would have the same paternal DNA as Ivan, but that's only half.
 

El guapísimo, FC's play "Manos quietas"

Brownsville TX 11/3, McAllen Tx 11/4
Chicago 11/6,
Miami 11/11,12,13,19,20,21
Laredo Tx 11/22, Eagle Pass Tx 11/23
LA 12/2,3,4,9,10,11

Wish I could find someone that wanted to go to Miami, actually Coral Gables, but no one I'm sure would want to battle the traffic.

Variopinta
 

I was busy all day yesterday since my nephew got married. My sister spent the night with me Friday and we watched LFD together with me narrating. Only watching for the first time, she could not believe Carly did not turn MP in to the cops, AND that she didn't tell Lucia what she suspected happened to her! I was so damn mad about that. If Carly even merely suspects Lucia could have been drugged and raped, she should have gotten her to the hospital ASAP! Not only to see if there was any DNA evidence so that a rapist could be put away, but also so that Lucia can get the jump on any possibility of disease or pregnancy. I just couldn't believe she kept that quiet. I will give Lucia a pass for being too out of it to realize she was missing her undies. That stuff really messes you up, plus they used additional knock out drugs on her. I am sure it was Saul, and I am sure it was not fake.

I don't see why Ivan would have any reason to think Lucia was cheating on him if he finds out she is pregnant, unless the timing makes no sense. And in that case it means the writers ARE setting Lucia up to be impregnanted by her rapist- a rape she doesn't even remember. Ugh!

I am also spitting mad that Ivan plans to take Alex back to L.A. Tony can go back to L.A. and take care of the business there while Ivan takes care of things in Mexico. This is just too much change, instability and trauma for the poor kid. This whole episode made me upset.
 

Thanks so much Variopinta! I had no idea this was coming to my home town! (well very close). I think you made my day!

I just bought tickets to the Nov 4th early performance (good for us, we hate late stuff), and we are just six rows back from the stage, and not too far to the side.

Wow!

My husband and I very rarely go out to cultural events. - like maybe once every two years? But how could I miss this!!!

It will be a good test of our Spanish, after 1.5 years of watching telenovelas. But I think we had better find out as much as we can about the play so that we have a prayer of following.

Audrey
 

lucia doesnt seem to upset to me about her being in a car in front of her house, that would be very un nerveing to me.
 

I think Carlota really screwed up not telling her about this. I also doubt anyone is going to tell Ivan about it and the pregnancy will cause a whole new round of suspicion.
 

You know, I couldn't make out those were Lucia's panties in the front seat. Why do we know they are? If they are, then obviously, that rufie did a number on Lucia and she was just too out of it to realize? But wouldn't she have realized after getting into the shower?
 

I still have family in town from my nephew's wedding this past weekend, so I will be hanging out with them after work. This means I may be late getting the recap up, and it will likely be a "just the facts" kind of recap with little detail. I appologize in advance.