Caray, Caray!

Ezra begins this recap:

So things pick up where they left off, at the Blowout party (in more ways than one), in the jungle with Bam Bam and Carmen Miranda. The rich people start arriving, and it looks like they didn't get the memo. That or they don't feel like dressing to fit the theme. The latter appears to be the case as all the rich people and the reporters start fussing about how "vulgar" this party has become.

Candy shows up in her Slutty-Chiquita-Banana suit and sets them off on a new round of twittering... all the rich ladies decide to drag their drooling husbands away, leaving just Pancho&co., the reporters, and Pina/Vins (Pina hasn't managed to drag drooling Vins away yet, which is just as well, because he's going to be part of this episodes first *shocking revelation*.

The reporters start asking Pina about her show, and express disappointment that she's taking on a vulgar bimbo like Candy, which strikes a nerve. After all, many of the men who just got dragged out by their noses had been potential sources of capital for the reopening of Pina Opina.

In a misguided attempt at damage control, Vins grabs a microphone and proclaims the bosque bash to be an event of low class put on by the lowlifes Lopez. He basically insults the entire Pancho clan, at one point calling them "prototypes of the prosaic."

Pancho can't take this, so he grabs TWO microphones and begins to run his mouth. Everyone can tell he's about to spill the beans (I guess this show has a lot of beans to spill... to be more specific, he's about to spill the Vins-and-Candy beans). Eventually his frustration peaks, and there go the beans. He yells that it was Vince who ripped off Candela's catgirl mask. Everyone gasps and I grab my burrito, because it's time for a commercial break.

Rebeca wants a word with Pancho in private. Chela, obviously, objects, but doesn't get anywhere.

Beca and Pancho, private meeting: Gee, Pancho, you really blew it. But Beca, I was defending your honor. I can only take so much. But Pancho, that wasn't an honorable thing for a president to do. But Beca, my family comes first. He storms off, leaving her not mad but rather kinda charmed... "Ay Pancho," she whispers.

Now Vins is denying everything. He'd never do such a thing. He should have expected these lies from such a cabal of vulgarity. Incidentally, that will be the title of the first album my grunge garage band releases. Thanks a lot, Univision.

Pancho is rehashing the evening's events with his buds. They think he's got something with Rebeca. He doesn't. But he does.

Candy is rehashing the evening's events with Chela and the maid. She is clearly anguished. Hooray, more forbidden love!

Pancho has learned how to tie a tie, and Fers strolls in. She seems somewhat bemused by the night's events, and wishes Pancho would just cool out. He protests.

Melinama: At this point I strolled out to the living room and realized my son Ezra was about to fall asleep so I am taking over, if I can read his cryptic notes. Unfortunately it seems the last few paragraphs he'd written were lost.

Fers guilts and coddles Pancho, who is so frustrated with the three evil musketeers: "I need you, you've become indispensable." He eventually says ok, he won't throw in the towel, and they give each other lovely hugs. She is about the 11th person to tell him that both Chela and Rebeca are in love with him. He continues to deny it.

Ezra's notes say this is when Pina dreams of her yummy plumber - sadly, Vince intrudes into the dream and when she wakes up he complains she's been snoring like a jabalí (wild boar). She's annoyed he woke her up and tries to get back into her dream immediately...

Pancho can't sleep - Chela hears his television and comes in. He tells a joke about a "gay cockroach" (which came out of the closet). She says (again) he can't trust anyone at Avon and then tells him: "While I was hiding under her desk, Rebeca came on very seductively to Vince, she wanted the two of them to go out and said 'Pancho is of no importance.' " He is miserable.

Chela once again warns Candy she can't keep playing both sides - Vince is an infeliz (you might think that means he's unhappy but rather, he makes other people unhappy - an infeliz is a bum) and her brother's worst enemy. They wail together that Candy always chooses the worst men. "You can't serve God and the devil," Chela concludes.

Pina accuses Vince of spying on Candy with the closed circuit tv AND his little telescope. He admits it but says he could hardly avoid it since Candy's body is so tremendon heh heh. "But I would NEVER..."

... Candy strolls in, skin tight red outfit rendering Vince speechless and docile, and as eagerly attentive as my son's dog when you wave Thanksgiving turkey fat in front of his snout.

Pina asks point-blank: "WAS it my husband who ripped off your cat-girl mask?" It takes Candy the whole of the commercial break to compose her answer: "I would like to deny it, but you are my dear friend so I must tell the truth, yes it was him ... BUT ... it was the first time he ever came to Paraiso and he did not know the rule about not touching the masseuse." Thus, she partially told the truth and appeased Pina and Vince was relieved as well...

... and there was peace at la casa Irabien until Pina's friend shows up, does not want to hear about the dog's poop, and is listening to Pina's somewhat mollified take on the catgirl-unmasking-revelation when the maid finds VINCE'S LOVE LETTER TO CANDY.

Tomorrow Julia of the splendid vocabulary list is going to do us a little recap. Thanks Julia! And thanks Ez for joining the team!!!! And thanks Julie for taking time from your busy schedule to do our Fridays! Signing off for the night - Melinama

Labels: familia

 

Labels: Cuando

All- Gloria was unable to get a recap up this evening, so I am providing these bullet points based on what I remember. I likely forgot some things and things are out of order. Please feel free to add anything I’ve forgotten.

-MP, Camilo and Ivan all get their wounds tended by family and doctors. MP is turned on by the idea of two lions fighting over their female (hembra), especially two lions with such amazing bodies.
-Lucia comes home to the news of the fight and first asks how Ivan is. She goes to check-in on Camilo who is on the phone with Celia. Celia wants him to go with her and Caro to Mexico City tomorrow for Caro’s operation (seems Caro changed her mind about not going without Antolin). Cam can’t because he is too battered.
-Lucia hears his half of the conversation, ignores his jealous interrogation about why she was in Ivan’s car, and decides that SHE will go to D.F. with Caro. Camilo immediately thinks Ivan will be going with her and gets even more crazy with jealousy.
-Camilo seems to have changed his mind about Carmen marrying Saul, because now he’s pressuring her to do it so that he can become the Ag Assoc president and get lots of money and power like Ivan. That’ll show Lucia!
-Carmen also seems to have changed her mind and decides she will not marry that delinquent.
-Tony decides to go with Caro and Lucia to D.F. He’ll rent a private plane to take them early the next morning.
-Tony and Carly decide that they had a huge part in causing this mess between Lucia-Ivan-Camilo, and they need to try to fix it.
-MP catches a mostly naked Camilo in his room and starts to skank all over him. He can’t move much because of his bruises, but does respond to her kisses. Next thing you know, they’re naked under the sheets and making out.
-Carly comes to talk to Camilo and hears him and MP panicking and getting ready to shove MP out the window. Carly busts in and starts yelling up a storm, bringing Lucia (who was on the phone with insistent Ivan) and Lucrezia running. Everyone is impactada at the sight of half naked Camilo and MP.
-Lucrezia kicks MP out of the house that very night, even after she insists that things didn’t go further than kissing. Lucrezia also tries to downplay what happened with Carly.
-Carly thinks this is the perfect opportunity for Lucia to get a divorce and move on to Ivan. Lucia continues to be stuck in limbo. She’s depressed and tired of BOTH men. She just wants to be alone with her daughter, with her women folk, and without problems.
-After Lucia leaves the next morning, Carly kicks Camilo out of the house AND takes away his ranch admin job and gives it to Ezekiel.
-Ivan and Celia visit Antolin in prison. He’s happy Caro went for the surgery. He’s antsy to get out of jail. Celia and Ivan tell him about Caro’s inheritance from Gerry. This actually complicates his case because it provides even more motive for why he would kill Gerry.
-The lawyers prove that Anto’s lock was forced. It helps a little, but not a lot. In order to show that Anto was not desperate for money, Ivan and Tony decide to (lie) say that Tony had already offered to pay for Caro’s surgery long ago. They get their story straight with Anto.
-Cute engineer asks Judith out again. She puts him off since MP has just called her crying and wants to see her. Cutie pie engineer is not deterred and makes a date with Judith for tomorrow instead.
-Judith and MP have dinner in her hotel room. Judith scolds MP for trying to get it on with her sister’s husband. She just did it to bug Lucia. MP still wants to get her a big hunk of Camilo pie.
-Camilo commiserates with JJ. Will these two be plotting with each other soon?
-In D.F., Caro’s doctor says the outlook is good before and after the surgery. As with the last time, Caro will not be able to fly back to Alamos when she is released in two days. Tony decides to ask Ivan to come pick them up.
-Lucia seems both excited and scared by the idea.
-When Tony presents Ivan with the idea he is hesitant, because he doesn’t want to be pushy with Lucia. He feels he’s pushed enough and now the ball’s in her court. Tony also changes his position on things and tells Ivan to keep fighting for Lucia.
-Camilo and Anto talk about implicating Saul and Gordo. Anto still refuses because it would lead to Carmen.
-Anto can’t believe Camilo was stupid enough to fall into MP’s trap. Camilo says he’s a man, isn’t he?! And he hasn’t had nookie in months! Anto tells him how he hasn’t touched a woman in YEARS since he’s been in love with Caro, and that doesn’t make HIM less of a man. (Take that Camilo!) He advises Camilo to let Lucia go if she is in love with Ivan. Camilo can’t force her to love him.
-When Celia finds out the reason Camilo was run off Ranch Curiel, she starts to knock him upside the head. Later she calls Ivan and tells him that Camilo and Lucia are caput. Ivan then looks a little more willing to make that drive to D.F.

Avances: Lucia and Ivan make up and make out.

Labels: Fuerza

It's me again, Melinama's son...

Labels: announcements

Greetings! This is Melinama's son, providing you with this evening's snark.

Labels: familia

First, related to nothing but our pleasure in the joy of our amigo David in IN’s at the triumphal return of his son from Iraq. We celebrate this great news and your well-justified pride in the return of your beloved son. Welcome home and thank you to him. Here is a portrait of two members of a wonderful family who has found refuge in Abq. NM after fleeing persecution in Iraq.



So on with our story review. For greater detail go back to FlordeAzul’s recap from Friday in #154:
Inez has smeared the fingerprints on the glass as Isidro tells her idea was brilliant but she should have worn gloves and put the glass in a plastic bag. Clearly she needs more time watching forensic pathology shows. But she is sure Renata is the real daughter and Roberta is the other, Renata alone in her bedroom at home is sad that Jero lied when she only wants to help him. Augie invites Anibal to stay longer so they can get to know each other better even though he still denies being his father he doesn’t want to be thought an ogre. Really? But, he thinks to himself he really wants a spy at La Bonita so he can track his prey better. Back in his bedroom, Anibal reveals a letter in his blue backpack. He tenderly opens and rereads it as he swears the only thing he wants is to confirm that Augie is his father. The mystery of his past continues.

When she calls him, Augie disappoints his Renata saying he can’t get involved with saving Jero. His lawyer has advised that he can’t act to prejudice himself in the eyes of the law in the case of Dr. Alvaro McNasty. He is SOOOOO sorry.

Constanza and Honorio come home. She makes excuses to go to the kitchen to make tea, he will await his yummy wife in the bedroom. She of course goes straight to the servant’s room to see the sleeping nasty little mommy and the cooing baby. She is way too glamorous to wear baby vomit well. What is she thinking?

Chema finally comes home. He is so distraught from being tricked and betrayed. They need to talk, his Dad tells him. He knows what happened to him at casa Monterrubio. Chema pitches a well earned fit. He feels betrayed and humiliated that they all tricked him. His dad assures him that it was done by all of them as an act of love. He is mostly feeling betrayed because he thought Adriana was his love. He thought he was about to be engaged to her but it turns out that she has been engaged to Matias for some time.

Meanwhile Adriana, Julieta and Matias still in their wedding clothes try to figure out how to find him. Adri is ready to go out searching, but where? Just in time, Adri gets a call from Chema’s Dad that he has returned to his apartment. Adri is all ready to dash off to save Chema from himself again but Matias insists with a cooler head that it is not up to them but rather to his Dad to deliver the truth to Chema.

Dad says it all started when Adriana had him come to her house to tell him they were not to be together. The stress apparently caused him to faint in Adri’s house. He suddenly remembers waking up on the floor wondering what he is doing there. She asks him what does he mean and tells him of how he came in and what happened through his various symptoms. He tells his dad he remembers coming in and talking to Adriana. Then, he fainted but he remembers nothing. His dad starts to list the fainting and the headaches, the dizzy spells. Chema says, then does this have to do with why you are here too? Yes, Adri called me that I needed to come. It was a chance to mend the distance that had grown between us. You mean the restaurant was also because of this. Yes I wanted to help you realize your fondest dream. Chema says but this fainting and migraines and all. Am I condemned to death? The tragic face of papa says it all as Chema pleads, tell me papa. They hug and Dad says what you have is a brain tumor. I didn’t want you to know so I convinced your young friends to hide the truth from you. Why all this drama? Dad has to say because the tumor is inoperable. So what do I have to do. What treatments must I take? Dad has to tell him that there is nothing that will work. You mean that I have to die? And thus sadly, the end is near for our favorite “Other” who never deserved to be so, well, inconvenient. However, in this telenovela, that is a condition that nearly always results in death.

Augie introduces himself by phone to his next accomplice. He knows this person used to love Marina and he can help and Augie will solve his problems. This will provide so many benefits to him, like paying his debts. He needs to come.

Anibal calls Alison and wants her to visit Cruz but she says, my grandmother doesn’t want me to be near your father. So what to do, they need to see each other. Hold on to this cute scene with a warning. It ‘s the only cuteness you’re going to see for a bit. And too bad Manuela has never shared her dislike of Augie with Renata but I digress.

Carlos and Matilde exit from the Padres’ talking and planning their wedding. which for his fault has been postponed too long. Matilde makes a stupid country girl slip and says because of his influencia (influence) while Carlos corrects her by saying influenza. So, when can he do it? . How soon do you want it to be? As soon as possible, beams Matilde. Carlos says, as soon as Jeronimo is out of jail. Renata and Jeronimo are supposed to be the padrinos of the wedding. They are all happy. Too happy for this to work out well, me thinks.

Jero in jail is brought a blanket and a little paper bag of goodies, as Marina on wheels has cleaned up with careful hairdo and make up as though she is going on a date with her favorite jailbird. She further woos him with the pictures of his unborn children. She assures him they are perfectly okay. But, she couldn’t sleep last night because he is in jail. She takes his hand and says she would do anything for him to get him out of jail. (even on top of a desk?) Just as Renata shows up to say good morning and the look on her face at the handholding from behind the “other”, is priceless. I half expected her to do a wheelie for Tatas and push her chair fast down the hall to get her away from her husband.

Jero is surprised that she is there, but Renata assures him that as soon as she heard she took the earliest flight to be with him. Tata puts away her tearjerking pictures and says she better go. No one argues with that super truth. Renata is mad too that she was the last to know as she is the wife. She could have had a chance to bring him things like Marina did.

The “other” aka Tatas rolls herself to the waiting room with more tears and cries to the sympathetic nurse who thinks she shouldn’t have come to this awful place. Marina whines that it isn’t the place but the situation and that SHE came. She? His wife she chokes out. She is rolled to the side while the wife takes his heart and she can’t believe that she is not the one at his side but the wife is, in spite of her being the mother of his children. OUR place isn’t at your side she snivels to her belly. She seems like it is news that she didn’t get the big prize of winning Jeronimo after her great desk performance.

Jero and Renata have a cute make up and kissing through the bars scene of promising not to lie to each other ever again. She has been so worried and he wanted to avoid any hurt and worry. They laugh and tease and quickly get back to the romantic way they are together. She says, I wanted to bring you food and comfort because who is your wife? Renata! Not Tata of the twins. He raises his hand in boy scout’s promise that he won’t lie again. They kiss and he asks how was the wedding? Lovely but, Roberta was a problem as usual. “Others” tend to do that. Jero acts like that was to be expected. And what about her Ezequiel story? She is continuing to make the same claim. He explains that he is now being held responsible for the whole pretense of the death of Nesme. She promises she will devote herself to doing everything to get him out of jail because she wants him with her and ask for a hug.

Adri shows up at Chema’s apartment to ask his Dad, does Chema know that she didn’t intend to hurt him. His dad says yes, but he wants to be left alone she wants to go back to his room but Dad says he has gone to see his doctor to learn more of the truth. His dad says he now knows that he has little time left. She feels so bad about tricking him. Dad, soothes her saying he knows very well that you were trying to be noble and kind to him.

Chema is at the doctor’s office asking, what has happened? I am feeling better with the medications. I’m not having such pain or fainting. Doctor says, this is just the medicine. Chema says but my dad says the tumor is inoperable. Isn’t there something else that can be done? No. So I just sit and wait to die? No just the opposite, when death is near, my counsel is to live with intention in the time you have left. What matters is the quality of life not the quantity. Live fully and with intensity, do everything you can in this short time, before you pass over to the Other Side.

Renata rolls her bag into the Bonita livingroom as the maid has a fit what are you doing here? Manuela nervously tells her the patron is not here right now. Renata tells them all to quit lying to her she knows he is in jail and she just got back from seeing him. I know, so stop lying. Stop lying. Lazaro comes in and gets scolded too. Then she urges him to go with her so they can work on getting Jero out of jail.

Regina calls Antonio to tell him as her old “other” that she is going on her long postponed honey moon but she wants him to be aware that Renata and Jero may need help and he is to call her back her honeymoon so she and Gonzolo can run to help. We hardly remember that they were once involved. Perhaps Antonio has found his proper calling as a counselor and comforter. He knows more than most about being the “other”

The nasty Mommy comes into the livingroom after Honorio leaves to take the honeymooners to he airport so Constanza can bring her out of her hiding place. The young woman eats hungrily as they plan and she asks if Constanza could please keep the baby for a very little time. She needs to leave the baby so she can go get other clothes and it will be much easier to do it if she can leave the infant with Constanza so she can go and return quickly. Consta coos and babytalks, not aware of the sneers on the not angelic face of the little mommy dearest.

Matias shows up in an unbelievably ugly shirt. Is that some team’s colors? He sits at the breakfast table while the maid tells him she will take care of him while the parents are away on the honeymoon. Roberta shows up to share a coffee. He is glad since he wants to tell her about German. Tell me? He surprises her by telling about German’s penchant for being a Don Juan and has been known for office romances in prior jobs, seducing lovely young women in the office and he tricked one in particular saying that he would divorce his wife but he didn’t and he never will. Roberta says, she would never go after a married man and besides German is such a good friend of her father’s. Why would Matias think this has anything to do with her? Our ultimate “other” seems to forget what Matias knows about her.

In parallel breakfast scenes, Gemma is saying I didn’t know you were working with so many beautiful and young women. He innocently counters that every office has lots of young people. But I saw how beautiful Adriana, Roberta and Renata are and I saw you oogling Renata . If you get into trouble again like that last adventure, I won’t give you the money to invest in the Empressas Monterrubio. Not missing a beat, German insists, but it is such a good investment. Guess who holds not only the purse strings but the purse as well.

Chema comes back. HIs dad asks him what he wants to do, postpone the opening of the restaurant? No I want to go one as planned but I want you to talk to Adriana Matias and Julieta, Inez and Consta. I can’t talk to them now but I want them all to be at the inauguration of the restaurant..

Back at the jailhouse Carlos brings more food and blankets to Jero behind bars and they talk about how Jero doesn’t trust that Augie, his “other”, won’t take advantage of Renata while he can and use Jero’s jail time as an excuse to get closer to her again, to drive a wedge between them. He begs Carlos to keep close track of Renata so this won’t happen. Carlos says you know how independent your wife is, this won’t be easy. The laugh at the fact that this is certainly true but Jero begs, try to keep her safe while I am stuck in here.

The rolling “other” comes in and cries to Antonio (Regina’s old “other”.) and he tells her as if she doesn’t know, she felt put out by Renata’s arrival. It is logical he says, she is his wife. She can’t, she can’t she keeps sobbing about this situation. I know you are friends with Renata. And don’t you know how I feel? If Renata had gone, I could have been in a happy relationship with Jeronimo by now. Kindly and knowingly, Antonio says, but things are NOT like that. Yes and I know that he is in love with his wife. For this reason she knows she needs to leave at least for the time being because she is acknowledging that she is the OTHER. No kidding. She needs to go but he says the fact that Jero is the father of her children and nothing can change this fact. I can’t go on this way. She disolves in tears which leaves us thinking that she deeply thinks she could be with him based on that afternoon romp on the desk but then she needs to leave because no one else is into her delusion.

Augie greets the new accomplice who he takes into his office. Accomplice says, you seem to know so much about me it is like an investigation. Augie smugly says I know that you could get Marina back. Why do you want to this? Why would I reconquer Marina? That is my business but, I am offering you so much money that it will solve your debts and doubts and concerns and give you money to start anew. Will this result in hurting Marina? No, it won’t at all, but I want her to have a safe, calm pregnancy and stay out of the way. Marina is pregnant? Yes, but not by me. I would never leave a pregnant woman all alone. Good thing he isn’t talking in front of Anibal. He suggests they drink some good wine then talk about what has happened to Marina since she came to the valley.

In the lawyer’s office with Matilde, Kari gets the official divorce papers laughing in her joy with Matilde and the lawyer. Now finally she is free to marry her beloved Lazaro. Matilde calls her sister-in-law and they all laugh in a happy moment.

In a not too happy moment, Renata goes to see Dr. Nasty Nesme in his big boy jail. She asks him can’t he come forward to tell the truth about Jero not being the one who wanted to fake Nesme’s death. She want him to aid her to get Jero freed from jail. He knows Jero was not to blame. Our unchanged Dr. Nesme’s slimey reply is and what is in it for me? What will you do for me if I go to the authorities and tell them that Jero isn’t at fault.

Next scenes: Renata’s relentless quest to free Jero proceeds, Augie makes the payoff to Marina’s “other” so he will help Augie the trickster, Isidor tells the bank manager who the real daughter is. It looks like Renata will faint in front of all of her girl friends. OMG what could THAT mean? Her heart or… ;> D

So it’s over to you Lila for Tuesday’s exciting revelations.

Labels: Cuando

Camilo is being a stubborn jackass and is consulting David about finding a lawyer for Antolín instead of using the expert lawyer Ivan recommended. He makes David promise not to tell why his brother needs the lawyer then reveals the charges against Anto. David agrees with Ivan that Lic. Urbiales and his team are the best for this type of case. Camilo still insists on being dumb about it and refusing Ivan’s help. He’s sure Ivan’s just helping to get in Lucia’s good graces and steal her from him. David agrees with everyone in Viewerville that Cam is being an idiot. The problem his brother is in is one thing, and Cam’s Ivan-Lucia issues are another. And anyway, if they’re still in love, there’s nothing he can do about it. Cam says he’ll die without her. (Maybe so, if the black crow of death has anything to do with it.)

At the local pool hall, Carmen is trying unsuccessfully to put up with the catcalls of the regulars (one guy asks if Saul can lend her to him), so that she can find out what the heck Saul and Gordo did. She won’t permit that Anto stay in jail (el bote) because of them. She’s figured it all out. Gordo knew that her brother had a gun and took it, and their plan went awry when Gerry arrived. They better get her brother out of jail or she’s spilling the beans (soltar la sopa/ to spill the soup)! Saul wants them to speak somewhere else, and Gordo convinces her to go with them—-at knife point. (Yikes!)

Lic. Urbiales is meeting with Ivan and Tony and giving them an update on Anto’s case. Unfortunately, the time he arrived in D.F. versus the time he says he left Alamos don’t add up. Or at least it adds up to too much time in between. Ivan thinks he may have just made a mistake about when he left. Since Anto has forbidden them to speak to his girlfriend, who was the last to speak to him before he left, or to his mother, they can’t corroborate his story. Anyways, with a big crime like this in Alamos, it’s bound to be splashed all over the papers soon, with the accusations against Anto. Ivan leaves to speak to Cam and Lucia to prepare Celia for the news before she reads about it.

Tony asks the lawyer if he thinks Anto is innocent. The lawyer thinks he is, but he doesn’t have permission to enter the prison at will to be able to ask Anto clarifying questions right this moment.

Gordo and Saul have Carmen cornered on the bed in Gordo’s place. They are trying to convince her that it was indeed Anto who did it. She refuses to believe it. When they threaten that she’s implicated too, she says she’ll keep her mouth shut. They aren’t convinced that she’s sincere and that she would actually let her brother do time. Saul tries to scare her some more. Her brother is strong and can survive prison. But she wouldn’t be able to; she’d be raped right off the bat. Carmen spits it right back at Saul and says that he would be too, being a cripple, and so would butterball Gordo. The boys decide to up the ante. If she talks, they’ll cut her throat. Carmen promises again that she’ll keep her mouth zipped. Plus she has a daughter, who is also Saul’s, and she needs her. This is news to Gordo.

They are suddenly interrupted by loud banging on Gordo’s front door and Camilo’s shouting. Before Carmen can call out, Saul has her pinned to the bed under his body with his hand over her mouth and Gordo’s shut the bedroom door. For the second time in his life, Gordo is on the wrong end of Galvan rage. Camilo says he’ll beat him to death! (Matar a golpes!) Camilo correctly guesses that Gordo knew Anto had a gun and is likely behind the attempted kidnapping and the killing. Gordo swears he’ll tell the truth, and then tells a partial truth. He says it was the idea of his brother Anto and his sister Carmen. She thought it up to help her baby-daddy Saul get his operation. Camilo refuses to believe his sister had anything to do with this.

Suddenly he hears a woman moaning and starts making his way to the bedroom to see what’s going on, even though Gordo claims it’s a lady friend. Carmen has enough fight in her to manage to bite Saul’s hand and let out some good screams for her brother. Cam breaks the door down and then breaks Saul’s face. Carmen spills the beans about Saul and Gordo and that Anto had nothing to do with it. Cam starts dragging Saul to the police station, but Carmen is worried about saving her own skin and the fact that she’s implicated too. Saul also claims to have nothing to do with it. It was all Gordo and he knew nothing about what Gordo was planning. He doesn’t know if Anto was involved too, but he does know that Carmen would go down for this. Cam decides to let Saul go.

Ivan takes Lucia to Casa Lomeli. He thinks it’s best that Celia hears the truth about what’s going on from people she loves, before it comes out in the papers tomorrow. Lucia looks at him and marvels at how much he looks like Alex when he’s all energized. She says he’s a good man. She remembers how bent on revenge he was when he first came back, and how different he is now. They both admit the other has not left their thoughts. Then why are they still apart, Ivan wonders. What are they waiting for? Lucia doesn’t think it’s the right time to speak about this.

Inside, Carolina is worried that they haven’t heard from Antolin yet and she has a bad feeling. Lucia and Ivan arrive and Caro asks about Anto. Ivan tells her and Celia the truth about the gun and about Anto being in jail. Neither Celia nor Caro believe he was involved and Caro becomes hysterical.

At Casa Galvan, Cam is interrogating Carmen about how this all came about and what the heck she was doing in Gordo’s bedroom. She explains how they took her there by force. She explains what she originally thought the plan was—to watch Lucrezia, spy on her having relations with JJ, and to blackmail her. She thinks it was Gordo who must have changed the plan to kidnapping and framing Anto. Camilo demands to know if she realizes what she’s done. Their brother is in jail and she might go to jail too for being an accomplice. Didn’t she think of their mother! Lechita is with Celia so Camilo forbids Carmen from leaving the house. He leaves. Carmen calls herself an idiot (estupida). She will get no argument from Viewerville.

In Rancho Curiel, Ivan has just accompanied Lucia home and refuses to drop the subject of them. Their destiny is to be together! He leaves and leaves Lucia to her thoughts. What’s this? A smile? Camilo notices it too as he stares at her from the doorway. Carlota enters the other doorway. Lucia tells them where she’s been. Camilo paces the room like a caged tiger and asks how she got to Casa Lomeli since he didn’t see that her car had left. She explains that Ivan took her and brought her back, since Camilo wasn’t there. “Of course! Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!” Uh wait, wrong show. “Ivan, Ivan, Ivan!” He resumes his usual rant. No need to write it down. Lucia tries to explain again how important this all is for HIS BROTHER. She also explains about the missing three hours and the need to get Caro to verify Anto’s departure time. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?!” Lucia explains that it was the expert lawyers that Ivan contracted that found this all out. Camilo starts to act stubborn again about accepting the best lawyers in town to help his brother, so Carly tries to talk some sense into him. He needs to keep his pride in check if he wants his brother to go free. They have to set priorities! Same old Camilo lines. Lucia gives it a try talking sense to him. Ivan loves Camilo’s family and THAT he can’t doubt. She walks out. Carly tells him what’s important now is his family and that his mother not suffer. He and Ivan can duke it out later.

The next morning, Caro and the lawyer speak to the police commander. She confirms that both Gerry and Anto left around 11am. Gerry went to see Lucia because she’s having troubles with her husband. Caro claims to not know what those troubles are. Caro asks to speak to Anto. After she leaves the police chief says there are still those unaccounted 3 hours and they still need witnesses to help clear that up.

Celia and Caro visit Anto in the cells with one of the lawyers. He asks Anto about the missing three hours and he explains about breaking down by the side of the road. Are there witnesses? Anto can’t remember the name of the mechanic, but he does remember that Judith saw him.

The next day Lechita and Carmen arrive at the ranch and greet Camilo. Carmen asks him if he’s going to rat her out to the cops. Camilo doesn’t answer and leaves in his truck.

In the living room, Carly wants to know what Lucia is going to do about the Ivan-Camilo situation. She apologizes again for having pushed Lucia into this marriage. Lucia says that neither of them could have imagined he’d turn into this jealous idiot. Imagine, putting his absurd jealousy above his brother’s freedom! Lucia doesn’t think destiny wants her and Ivan to be together. (She obviously does not know the title of this tn.) Ivan will always be in her heart, even if he’s on the other end of the world.

At the jail, Camilo tells Anto who framed him and that Carmen was a part of it.

Celia and Caro pray at the church and cry over what might happen to Anto.

Anto and Camilo talk about what Carmen’s fate might be. Anto will not allow her to go to jail. He’d rather take the fall. Camilo doesn’t think it’s fair for Anto to take the blame. Anto thinks it’s best that their mother believe he, being the already identified black sheep of the family, did the crime and not Carmen. Anyways, once Camilo took the blame to save Anto from going to jail. Now it’s his turn.

The neebish lawyer updates the McGuires on Anto’s excuse for the missing three hours. Ivan calls Judith into the office to speak to them. But first, Camilo wants to speak to Ivan alone. He’s come to offer an apology for the way he’s behaved. He knows Ivan just wants to help but he (Camilo) let pride take over. Ivan accepts the apology, then tells Cam they’ve got a good lead for securing Anto’s freedom.

In the Curiel living room, Lucia is speaking to Berenice about their final exam. Bernie thinks they should asks for a postponement considering Lucia is in mourning. Lucia doesn’t want to postpone. Life has to go on. Ezekiel interrupts with an envelope for Lucia. It’s a demand for a paternity test for Perlita from Ivan. Lucia is pissed.

Ivan introduces Camilo to Lic. Lara and Judith enters soon after. She confirms that she saw Anto by the side of the road with his broken down car, that it was sometime just after 11 given the radio program she was listening to at the time, that he was with a mechanic and she offered him a ride, and she’s willing to testify on his behalf. Yay! After she leaves, the lawyer says they still have to prove that Anto didn’t plan it all, considering his gun was involved. Tony wants them to go look at Anto’s locks (la chapa) to see if it was forced, explaining the stolen gun theory.

At Casa Meandragon, Saul tells his dad that he’s in deep doodoo. He’s obviously told the sordid story. JJ wonders how he could be so stupid as to think he’s having an affair with Lucrezia. And why’s Saul in his biz anyway? Saul admits he wanted to blackmail him to pay for the surgery. “What you need is brain surgery!” (Strangely enough, the character he is currently playing in CME has a brain tumor.) He explains about Gordo. JJ’s solution is for Saul to go this moment and propose marriage to Carmen and legitimization of their daughter. That way she’ll have even more reason to keep quiet about Saul’s role in all this. Saul doesn’t like that solution. He thinks he’s too good for that naca. Who is he kidding?

Lucia looks on sleeping Perlita and rants to Bernie about Ivan’s paternity test demand. “Does he want to take her from me?” Bernie says of course he doesn’t. He just wants to know the truth. (Duh!) It’s normal that he be suspicious and think Perlita is his. “He has Alex, doesn’t he?” “You know better than anyone that one child doesn’t substitute another.” “But why this way?” Bernie suggests she talk to Ivan. Lucia would much rather rant some more about how Camilo would react if Ivan got visitation rights for Perlita. Bernie doesn’t think Ivan would put her in an uncomfortable situation. What Bernie is more concerned about is why Lucia is so scared of Camilo. Is he mistreating/abusing her? Lucia says no, but she’s not very convincing.

Saul calls Carmen and assures her it was all Gordo’s doing. He makes his proposal. If she keeps quiet about his role in this, then he’ll marry her and take care of her and Lechita. Carmen takes the bait.

Ivan tells Celia on the phone about the lastest updates in Anto’s case. She’s happy with the good news. She informs him that Caro was named Gerry’s heir, so she has inherited the house and the bank account. She tells Camilo and Caro the Anto update, but Camilo gets all stupid again and wants to know why Ivan is mixed up with the biz about Gerry’s will. Then he gets ticked off when they tell him Ivan helped them find the will and what was in it. “Ivan, Ivan, Ivan!” Celia is like the hundredth person to tell Camilo he’s being an idiot. Ivan is part of their family, he’s her godson, and Camilo owes him plenty. Caro begs them not to argue, and she and Celia speak about Anto’s case while Camilo broods in the corner.

Lucia calls up Ivan to tell him off. He apologizes for not informing her, but he forgot about it with all that’s happened. He’ll put an end to it if she tells him the truth about Perlita. Lucia claims he is not the father. Well, then Ivan doesn’t see what the big deal is about the paternity test being done. She says it’s an insult to Perlita, Camilo, and to her!

After Lucia hangs up on Ivan, Alex wants to know what the discussion was about. He knows the answer before Ivan even gets it out. Grown folk business. Tomorrow he starts school and needs to get to sleep.

The next morning, Ivan drops Alex off at the school. He then runs into Lucia and Bernie in town. He and Bernie meet for the first time and make small talk. Bernie makes a hasty retreat to leave Lucia and Ivan alone, and Lucia immediately starts an argument about the paternity test. Ivan thinks they should go somewhere more private for that discussion, considering they're in the middle of the street in the middle of town. She reluctantly agrees and gets in his car.

On the farm, JJ finds Camilo and tries to make small talk about the diversification of his crops. Then he gets to the real business at hand—this story that Carmen “made up.” JJ bullshits about how it was all Gordo and not Saul. Anyway, if his brother is going to be set free anyway (because of Judith’s testimony), then why bother implicating Saul? And anyways, that would implicate his sister Carmen too. If Camilo forgets about the whole thing, then JJ won’t take away his backing of Camilo’s bid to be the next Ag Assoc president. Plus, Saul will marry Carmen. Camilo would prefer that his sister remain a single mother! Well, then JJ will prohibit Judith from testifying on behalf of his brother.

Ivan and Lucia walk and talk. Same old argument. Why didn’t you wait for me? Why did you sleep with my sister? It was just once! And I was thinking of you the whole time! Lucia is a terrible liar. She denies that she hopped into the sack immediately with Camilo (true). But then she denies that the baby is Ivan’s and that she got married already pregnant (lie). And he knows the baby wasn’t premature. These things just don’t add up, and Ivan is REALLY good at math. Lucia starts to cry instead of admitting anything. Ivan begs her to get divorced so that they can marry. Lucia decides instead to hop in the cab that suddenly drives up, and takes off.

When he returns to his car, Ivan finds that Lucia has forgotten a copy of her thesis in the front seat. He smiles after reading the dedication: “To my grandmother Carlota, my father Gerardo, and Alex.”

Looks like she forgot even her purse in Ivan’s car, because she stops the cab in front of Bernie and asks for cash to pay for the cab. She tells Bernie that Ivan asked her to get divorced and marry him. “Well then, get divorced!”

Lic. Lara explains the next steps to Anto in the jail. He wants to know if there is anyone who would want to frame him. There’s still no way to prove he didn’t plan the whole thing, and the gun is, well, the proverbial smoking gun. They’ll check his locks, but justice moves slowly and Anto will need lots of patience.

The D.F. doc calls to tell Caro that a compatible cornea has been found and she will need to come immediately. He tried to call Anto but got no answer. Caro claims he’s traveling. The doctor says she needs someone trustworthy to accompany her right away. Celia offers to go with her, but Caro refuses to go without Anto since he’s the one who made all the sacrifices to make this happen.

JJ tells Saul how he screwed up since it’s his fault Camilo refuses to accept his bargain. If Camilo denounces Saul, then JJ washes his hands of Saul.

Ivan pulls up to Rancho Curiel to return Lucia’s things that she left in his car. Unfortunately, the welcome party is Camilo and he wants to know what the heck Lucia was doing in Ivan’s car. Ivan says they had to talk about personal stuff. He and Lucia love each other, the baby is his, and if Camilo was man enough he would give her a divorce. Camilo laughs, calls him crazy, then punches him. It’s on! Full out rumble on the Curiel lawn, with Ezekiel trying to stop them, while not being stupid enough to jump in the middle of it. MP and Lucrezia run out and also try to get them to stop. (Thankfully the only time we’ve seen these two tonight.) MP is not as smart as Zeke, gets too close to the melee, and gets popped in the mouth and knocked to the ground by Camilo’s flying elbow. The two snorting bulls don’t even notice and grip each other’s lapels, fists ready to fly some more.

Avances: Camilo is caught naked, getting it on with MP in bed, by the whole Curiel family.

Labels: Fuerza

Pancho, stuck in jail, calls Rebe; she drives all the jailbirds home in La Burra. Vince says this is making him an energumeno (raving lunatic). The boys remind each other the car race rematch is still pending. While they're all milling around, Candy shows up. She'd told her best bud Pina she'd find her a plumber - and here is one, right in front of her! She asks Tomas to do the fix the plumbing.

Enzo pushes Freddy on Monica again. She wants to know why her dad is obsessed with her marrying Freddy. He says Pepe is so vulgar, a mechanic. He again says "Promise never to go with him." This time she caves and agrees!

After scolding Pepe for lying to him ("If we don't respect our word, we have nothing"), Pancho forgives him.

Even Arnoldo can see Ana is soft for Freddy! He lures her to the photo shoot with fantasies of her being a movie star, but she demurs. Saying "I'm your boss, the session begins now," Arnoldo hands her a skin-tight dress. She puts it on with her army boots. He tells her to imagine Freddy and gets lots of good pictures. Barbara asks what he's doing. "Maybe I'm changing the image of Avon." "You thinking of replacing me? You're just doing this to get in good with the boss."

Chela is so mad at Pancho (for calling Rebe instead of herself), she doesn't even make him a lunch.

The plumber Tomas arrives and Adoracion flirts with him. Pina: "Ay, que muchachito!" Tomas takes off his shirt to work, Pina and the maid go crosseyed with delight. They're ecstatic when he says: "All the pipes are rusty and old - I'll have to replace them, it will take a month." ("Or more!" Pina hopes.)

Vince yells at Pancho for everything. Pancho trys to stay calm as Vince pokes him repeatedly and taunts: "you don't have the courage to fire me." Finally Pancho buckles and does (fire him). Vince defies him: "The only way I'll leave here is in a shroud." They take their squabble to Rebe - she thinks they're acting like babies. Pancho doesn't understand why, since half Mexico knows Vicento is robbing the business, he is so intouchable.

Freddy and Elena snuggle at the chat room; Pepe shows up and warns Elena: Freddy doesn't love you and will never take you seriously, and he's boasting of having you in his deluxe love nest.

Lupe is getting better bathrooms for ye olde casa popular. Alex comes and asks, "Don't you like me even a little?" "You're great but I'm sad about Tomas." She's decided not to move the kids out to his grannie's house.

Pancho complains: "I'm a toothless president." Rebeca says "You can't fire Vince," then Vince comes to gloat ("I'm not fired"). Pancho hurls folders at him: "Here, take back your credit cards, we'll pay for your wife, your dog... " and goes home, depressed.

Pina decides to let Candy co-host her show on TV, though she cautions: "I will always be the star." She continues: "There's just one condition: tell me the truth, is my Veens doing it with Chela??" "Of course not!" "But he was spying on your bedroom, looking at you and Chela. If it's not her, then... " "I am not your husband's lover, I've never bedded him, I swear."

Pina decides to throw a party celebrating the re-launch of her show. It will be at Fer's house, Pina will invite the whole world. Vince comes home triumphant. He sticks his love letter Candy's ("you are a hurricane, a sweet caramel...") into her purse.

One final surprise: Dona Fer shows up at Pancho's for dinner!

Labels: familia

LA CASA DE AL LADO

The casa of the title can refer to the Conde mansion with its stylized black and white interior; or it can be the Ruiz digs, where no one talks about the elephant in the room. Literally. It depends on the perspective of the speaker. This shifting perspective is especially evident now that Javier Ruiz inhabits the Casa Conde and Pilar has moved in to keep an eye on him and take care of her sister, Rebeca.

The transition hasn’t been easy for Javier. Intruders – including the entire Conde family – enter as easily as they did before and evil still lurks in every corner.

And then there’s the whole servant problem:

Where’s Nibaldo?
The viewer has seen him lying, bloody and inert – though not necessarily dead – in a public park. The police are called after a young couple spot him. But the only one of our characters who knows about Nibaldo’s misfortune is the one responsible: Ismael.

Hilda is gone too (but only to la casa de al lado, thank goodness).
She agrees to help look after Pilar’s kids – it’s only right. After all, Diego saved her from Javier and Andrea also helped to fend off her monstrous father.

Back to the Future:
On Wednesday we saw Renato accepting a mysterious shipment of books and then “accidentally” dropping a copy of Condenados in front of Emilio. We were nonplussed, especially when we noticed the conspiratorial look Renato and Eva shared.

Then Carola finds her copy of the new book snuck into her handbag and guesses correctly that it must have come from her parents.

But from what we learned last night, it seems as if Novelera’s brilliant deduction was correct – Renato has rewritten Condenados, at least in part. One thing we know: in this new version, Ignacia survives. We’d know a lot more if these people weren’t all such maddeningly slow readers. We’d know, for example, if veneno is still in Sebastian’s future in this edition. (And again, hats off to Hombre for guessing that one!) And of course we don’t know if a murderer’s plans can be derailed by writing out his evil deeds.

The red tongue of the stairway swallows them up and spits them back out, over and over and over. And the house just keeps on laughing.

Pilar marches up the stairs in those wild lemon-colored stilettos. She’s going to check on her sister. But when she hears Rebeca say the word Pilar , she races back downstairs to share the miracle with Javier. She wants him to call a doctor to come and evaluate her. Gladly, he says -- now neither manic nor depressed but rather back at baseline bastard – just withdraw your domestic violence accusation and I’ll do whatever you want.

Meanwhile Ignacia arrives at the front door. Just as she is declaring her love for Javier and begging him to admit he feels the same way, Gonzaki bursts in looking for Pilar: She’s living in this house now, right Javier?

Poor Ignacia. She races angrily up the stairs closely followed by Gonzaki. Fuera de aquí, she screams at Pilar.

Are you nuts? asks Pilar (though we all know this is just a rhetorical question.) You think I’m here because of Javier? ¡Te lo regalo! ¡Quédate con él! I’m here for Rebeca!

Then Pilar turns to Gonzaki: I’m here to protect my sister. And like you said in court, you’re just my lawyer. So butt out, buster!

Pilar struts off on the lemon stilettos and Ignacia clumps back down on her impossibly steep wedgies.

Now Renato bursts through the open door and tells Javier to get lost. Ignacia asked her parents to protect her and that’s what they’re going to do. He insists she come back home with him.

Javier smirks and preens here, telling Renato: You’re the one who needs to get lost. ¡Esta es la casa de papi!

Now the red tongue spits Gonzaki back into the foyer. Javier reflects ruefully that the house is filled with people who hate him. (And the viewer reflects that the trick would be to fill the house with people who don’t hate him.)

Gonzo leaves with these words:
Cuídala, Javier – es la única cosa que tengo en la vida.

And the viewers finally let out their collective breath – Amazingly Pilar hasn’t blurted out Rebeca’s progress to Gonzaki. Yet.

It was a dark and stormy night...
Hilda and Emilio are hosting a party to celebrate their upcoming wedding.
So what if Emilio hasn’t told Hilda he turns tricks for a living?
So what if Hilda still can’t bear to be in the same room as her baby?
So what if the party house has no water? (Sure, you can buy ice and get food delivered – but are they planning to bring in Porta-Potties?)
And so what if crazed killer Ismael is lurking in the shadows?

The heavens weigh in with an opinion – fierce winds, rain, bolts of lightning.

The usual suspects file in ...

While in la casa de al lado, Pilar tells Rebeca she’s just going to pop in on the party and toast to Hilda and Emilio’s happiness. (Better let Sebastián taste the champagne first, Pilar.) Javier is safely in his room and all is well. Va a ser una noche muy tranquila coos the oblivious Pilar to her helpless sister. But the frantic expression in Rebeca’s eyes tells us she knows better. She remembers the terrible things that have happened to her already ...

Outside the storm rages. Pilar stops for an umbrella and steps into the wild of the night.

Inside, Javier, fully dressed, emerges from the shadows.
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OTHER SHOWS

Fans of Mi corazón insiste know that por fin, el fin is on Monday. Then the new Eugenio Siller novela begins on Tuesday: Una Maid en Manhattan. I think I’ll pass – don’t think I’m their target demographic. Anybody in on that one?

Fans of Flor salvaje and Mi Corazón -- les toca a ustedes --

Labels: casa-lado, flor-salvaje, insiste, maid, telemundo

Labels: Fuerza