Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Una Familia Con Suerte #38 Tue 11/29/11 Chiquita Banana meets Batman's Poison Ivy

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

Today's episode opens on a continuation of the shocking revelation that Fer is back. Things look a little uncomfortable around the dinner table at the (new) casa popular, like maybe they were starting to get used to having the place to themselves and all their friends and enemies. They lamely try to pretend that they're going back to their old place, but their hearts just aren't in it.

The good news is that Fer's cancer is in remission (odds that she'll be hospitalized again before the end of the show: pretty good, given these shows' propensity for hospitals and associated drama). This is such an awkward scene, with everybody looking at Fer, that it calls back the first time she ate at la casa popular. At least it starts out awkward, but then Fer gets all cute and tells the gang they gave her energies for life while she was in the hospital. I begin wondering if there's another meaning to that. Maybe one of the dark secrets of this show is that Fer is a cute-old-lady-vampire. Here's hoping!

By the way, the subplot of the annoying kids is in full force, but it looks like now it may at least have something to do with the rest of the story. Monica is chattering to her friend about the delightful forbidden romance with Pepe, while greasy-lawyer-man-Enzo, her dad, listens to it all and flexes his forehead muscles. Then he barges in, or she barges out, but the heat is on. He wants to know what the heck she was talking about in there. She suggests that maybe he was hallucinating. It doesn't go over too well.

Next stop: Vins and Pina. Vins comes home, clucking like the hen that just laid the golden egg. He feels great! Why does he feel great? He didn't get fired. Every day should be this good. Now it's Pina's turn do deliver news: she's bringing Candy on her show! Vins' eyes just about pop out of his head, and he gulps down enough air to fill a scuba tank. Apparently he doesn't like this idea.

Fers is sitting in the yard watching Popeye. Pancho shows up with some coffee. They proceed to have exactly the same conversation they had a half-dozen times before he was president ("I'm not worthy." "Of course you are." etc.), but this time Pancho gives up pretty quickly, just in time for a.... revelation. Fernanda knew that Vins was "misappropriating funds." So why didn't she fire them? Things aren't that simple. They'll drag this one out for at least another episode, but stay tuned.

Back to Pepe and Monica, doing their best "forbidden love" bit.

Back to Fers, not telling Pancho why she wouldn't fire Vins.

Ah, finally, Candy and Chela. Candy is gushing. She's gushing about the "blowout" they're gonna have (seriously, I don't know how they manage all these parties. Especially since, as we learn later, they only start shopping and decorating and planning and cooking the day before), and gushing about her coming appearance on Pina's show. Chela is disapproving. Candy wants a theme for the party... Black and White? Red? Forest? There's still the question of who's going to pay, because they don't really have much money on hand and, given the current climate at the workplace, dipping into the Avon kitty isn't an option.

Now Chela is tut-tut-tutting at Fernanda. I'm happy you're not dead from cancer, but HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO PANCHO! He's a sweet man, a good heart, blah blah blah. Chela is mad! She's hyperventilating! Rebeca is leading Pancho astray! Blaarrgh! Vins and Enzo are a pack of buzzards! Wait, asks Fers, do you mean to tell me Rebeca's a buzzard? No, Chela spits back, she's the queen of the jackals!

Jeez, now it's back to Pepe and Monica again. It feels like they've been sitting at this fountain for hours moaning about forbidden love and smooching. Nothing is resolved.

Vins and Enzo have a grumpy little junta. They demonstrate their grumpiness by flinging sugar cubes into their coffee. They hatch a plot to buy a controlling stake in Avon (if they had the resources, why didn't they do it earlier?) and do a little secret handshake. Socios hasta la muerte!

Now Candy gets a turn with Fernanda. She wants to swap rooms, because she knows Vins has been using his telescope to peep at her, but doesn't tell Fers that. This seems like a little harmless prank on Vins. We'll see.

Onwards to a business meeting. Pancho is in the boardroom with a grief-stricken accountant when Vins and Enzo walk in. Well well well, he says, if it isn't Pituco and Pitaco [tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum]! The main purpose of this scene is for the sobbing little accountant to hold up an imaginary Titanic representing Avon's finances, then send it sinking to the carpeted floor. Apparently, things are bad. Their only hope is the Arab investors. I wonder if this is all a scam by Fernanda to trick Vins into buying her out before the company goes bankrupt.

Next we have an amusing video montage (set to music, no less) of preparations for the blowout. No mention of where the money came from.

Meanwhile, Fernanda sits on Pepe's bed, and he inexplicably confides in her with his tale of forbidden love. She consoles him and tells him it's no surprise that he loves Monica (she lost her mom too), and she's got a secret for Pepe (if he can keep it). Enzo used to be a car-wash dude! So he really does know what it's like to be poor. But Fernanda still thinks he treats his daughter like a commodity, and the engagement with Vins' kid is purely a business transaction.

With a manipulative twinkle in his manfully-moist eye, Enzo is telling the same story for his daughter... he used to be poor, and with the girl's mother gone, love for Monica was the only thing that kept him going. He only wanted the best for her, and that's why they're rich now. How could she betray him like she has? Monica buys it.

The episode goes out on the party. It looks like they settled on the theme of "woods," but couldn't agree on what that means. Some people are wearing plastic fruit baskets on their heads, some are wearing leather vests, and Pepe has a necklace of little plastic bones and a fur collar. Nonetheless, they did manage to score a toucan, a Macaw, and some fancy drinks. Some reporters show up to interview Pina on the reopening of her show, to which she primps and fawns and ASSURES them that Candy will be present solely as an assistant.

This is the cue for the cameraman, who abruptly shifts to the main banquet table, where Candy has suddenly appeared, dressed as the spiritual combination of Carmen Miranda (right) and Poison Ivy (left) - in a Green microdress, bits of ivy all over the place, and a traditional basket of fruit on her head.

I couldn't have asked for a better ending!


Labels:


Comments:
Ha ha ha! Thank you, Ezra.

So Chela has taken her case to Fernanda and still gotten nowhere... because Chela really doesn't have a case. Everyone knows this except Chela, apparently. At least Fernanda was nicer about it than Rebeca has been, but it's all falling on deaf ears.

By the way, exactly how is Candy related to Pancho? I know Pancho said he was adopted. Is Candy his biological sister, the biological daughter of his adoptive parents, or an unrelated adoptee? Do we know? I'm just wondering if there's another set of parents out there that she'll end up belonging to.
 

Thank you for the wonderful recap Ezra! I liked the dual Carmen Mirandas lol. Temo looked like a Bam Bam Rubble. Oh, won't Vins be surprised to be peeping at Fer lol.
I think Candy is the biological daughter of his adoptive parents. They haven't said otherwise, although her calls her hermana.

Madelaine
 

Thanks, Ezra! You certainly know how to turn a phrase..."flexes his forehead muscles," "he gulps down enough air to fill a scuba tank," "With a manipulative twinkle in his manfully-moist eye"...etc. Very funny.

A little disappointed we didn't get any more plumbing repairs tonight. Oh, well...Pina still got a chance to do some vamping. Loved her Victoria Beckham poses for the photogs.

Weird party theme, but it looks like fun. And no snack says "jungle" like Big Mix.
 

Not so much scintillating vocab tonight, but here's what I've got:

guateque - party

de tal palo, tal astilla - a chip off the old block (lit. as the stick, so the splinter)

el muerto y el arrimada los tres días apestan - the dead and the freeloader stink after three days

pelón - bald (but apparently in Ecuador it means "hairy"...), also means difficult

tarima - dais
 

Here's more:

catrín - elegant, well-dressed

ir á lo que truje - to get to the point
 

Thanks Ez. What a treat to have you guest recap tonight! I wish you would do it more often.

I love how there is always a full moon in the DF. And nice product placement at the party. I still haven't managed to find any Big Mix in my area but I keep looking, not that I need yet another salty snack addiction.

OMG did you see that vat of mole? I was drooling.

Good call on Candy being a combo of Poison Ivy and Carmen Miranda. She also kind of looked like a lime jello fruit mold.

Julie, I guess I am confused about the Candy/Pancho connection too. I think Madelaine's theory sounds very logical.

Julia, your vocab contributions are fantastic.

Thank you Ezra!
 

Thanks Ez!

Julia, how do you catch all this vocab? Are you watching a recording and stopping it along the way? It's just grrreat. will you try a recap on thursday?
 

Ezra- What a nice surprise to find one of your guest recaps again! Thank you!

Also, thank you for pointing out how quickly the Lopez family thinks up and executes these theme parties. The Forest-Jungle-Flintsones theme was a hoot, as was Candy's outfit. Thank you for pointing out its similarity to two disticnt well known characters.

Julia- Fab vocab as always. This show really IS educational because much of this vocab is new to me.

Does Fernanda know Pancho was adopted? Surely if she does, she must wonder if this connection she feels to Pancho could be "la llamade del sangre" for her long-lost son. I was once again struck by the chemistry between Pancho and Fernanda.

I still don't get why she can't fire Vincent and Enzo. I don't think she really explained it.
 

Gracias Ezra, & Julia for the vocab, if only I could remember them.

Chela got all huffy when Fernanda said she was in love with Pancho.

Vicente is Fernanda's nephew, so I guess she doesn't want to fire family.

Variopinta
 

Hi All,
I've been gone from here for awhile. After Teresa ended, I've had a hard time finding a replacement.

La FuerzaDelDestino pretty much sucks. Thank heavens it's only 101 caps and almost over.

NiContigoNiSinTi drove me nuts with so many characters and storylines. And not one of them any good. Plus who wants to watch a lead who's blind. Pretty depressing.

EsperanzaDeCorazon has been just okay. At least I'm not hating it.

UnaFamiliaConSuerte has turned the corner and is now the most fun to watch. I just love all the characters. I know I'm missing so much of the comedy because of the slang. I just know the show is hysterically funny if I could just understand everything. But I pretty much can follow the plot. And this TN has chemistry between the characters ( Unlike LaFuerza or NiContigo).

Thanks Julie for the vocab lessons. They help a lot.

Diann
Permalink posted by  Anonymous : Wed Nov 30, 12:53:00 AM EST   
 

I've just started to read the recaps and only today realized Pancho was adopted!

Well, Vivi, the same thought occurred to me---> Pancho is going to be Fernanda's son! OMG (not a spoiler, I have no idea)

This show has been on in Mexico since February. It will end on Feb 12. So it is a year long novela. Feb 13 will be the start date for Por Ella Soy Eva a new novela from Rosy Ocampo starring Lucero and Jaime Camil. JC plays a macho guy who ends up dressing and being a woman all in the name of procuring the love of Lucero. A single working mother. It's suppose to be a romantic comedy. They started taping this past week.

I am very glad I've found UFCS to watch and come here for the recaps. Thanks to all of you recappers.

Diann
 

Yes, I'll do a (short-form) recap on Thursday. About the vocab, yes, I do pause the show when I hear something interesting while I look it up. I used to try writing them down and looking them up at the end, but a lot of times I needed more context to figure them out and if I waited too long I couldn't remember.

I'm putting all of the words and phrases into a document so I can post a compilation at the end of the show. I've only been doing this a few days and already it's about 50 entries...if this show runs for a year we might end up with a whole juicy words dictionary!

Candy and Chela should start a party-planning business. I'm amazed at what they can pull together in one day with minimal budget. I don't think Veeens liked the inflatable monkeys as much as I did, though.
 

Julia, thank you for compiling the vocab into a document. That is a huge undertaking but so very gratifying (for us).

The Juan Querendon spreadsheet had almost 800 vocabulary and dicho entries! The Llena de Amor spreadsheet had exactly half that amount. So yes, I expect there will a dictionary's worth of juicy words and phrases at the end of Familia.
 

wonderfully witty recap. and again, thanks for the vocab!

in an earlier episode, Pancho called Candy "hermana de mi corazon", this means that they are not related by blood, or "hermana de sangre".

carolyn
 

I just noticed some late-night typos in the vocab...arrimada should be arrimado, and there shouldn't be an accent on a.

So why doesn't Monica Just Say No to her dad instead of lying to him? Yeah, he was a single father and worked and swindled his way out of poverty, boo hoo. That doesn't mean Monica should have no say in her own life. Find that backbone you tried out a few episodes ago and have it permanently installed, Monica!
 

Ezra, gracias for a fun recap. I came in late on the episode and couldn't get a grip on the party theme, so thanks for all the details. Julia, gracias for the vocab. This is slamming way to learn slang.

Chela, just give it a rest.
 

I think Vince has some dirt on Fernanda and that's why she doesn't fire him. Probably has something to do with the secret baby she gave away.
 

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