Caray, Caray!

Getting rapidly tired of that little mocoso (booger boy) Temo. His tantrum tonight was just too much. That is mainly Chela's fault though. She has failed to act like an adult in this situation, and she's totally used Temo's feelings.
 

Hee, yes he is a mocoso. What a perfect word for him. And an escuincle too. I think you're right that Chela has promoted this business of the kids thinking they get to choose Pancho's love. I doubt she meant to hurt the kids, but she's not doing them any favors either.
 

My mom has suggested that Camilo from LFdD is also acting very Chelaesque right now. I've basically written Chela off myself, but I hope Camilo finds himself a lady and makes peace with the fact that Lucia belongs with Ivan.
 

Sylvia, you are indeed the good elf to fill in tonight. This was a funny episode with lots of annoying behaviour from all the usual subjects.

I loved Yuri's flasher costume under her fur coat. She has great comedic timing and is so cute. It's nice to see Vince be unsure of how to handle her aggression.

Temo is an escuincle but I feel most sorry for Pepe who tried to be noble and honorable and has lost his beloved hot car to the drip Fraudie. For shame. Who can bring Fraudie off his rich boy perch?

Familia is such a busman's holiday for those of us hanging out in the Cuando camp where not much is funny or happy this week. Well done amiga, thanks for your generous fill in tonight.
 

Thank you Miss Cheryl. It was fun to recap this upbeat comedy. It moves along so very quickly. It's easy to make fun of the characters but the themes of family love and honesty are real. I realized I often say the same things that I was affectionately mocking.

Sergio Sendel looks like he's having so much fun in this one. He and Arath seem joyful in their scenes together. Same with Daniela Castro (Pina) and Alicia Machado (Candy).

Annaleigh, I love that you watch with your mom.
 

Sylvia, thanks for saving us last night! I got home late but am so hooked on this show I watched it then immediately. So cute! Pepe was dumb to bet his car, machismo can be expensive. I like your spheres of influence crack. Temo needs some remedial growing up.
 

Fun Sylvia!  I didn't know you stepped up for last night!

At the risk of being pedantic....(another one of Audrey's history lessons)

I wanted to mention why "Chino" might be used so much where in English we might say Asian or Oriental.  Spanish for an oriental person is "achinado" or Chinese-like.  And maybe the adjective Asiático is not used much or is just too high-brow for the Lopez family.

The historic  link between Mexico and the Orient is a huge one.  Not apparent now, it used to be a major aspect of Mexican life. The Spanish headquarters in the Orient - the base for their trade with "China" - Manila, Philippines, was administered by New Spain, i.e. Mexico City.  The Spanish representation in Manila was almost exclusively people raised in Mexico City.  I recently read an amusing blog where a Philippine woman, having a friend visit from Mexico, realized that many words she always thought were native Tagalog, actually came from Mexico - Spanish or Nahuatl.

If you look at the Manila Galleon trade routes (1568-1815), you gain a perspective of how important certain Mexican cities were during this period.  All trade with the orient came to Acapulco, crossed Mexico through Mexico City, and then to Veracruz where it was shipped on to Havana and then Spain.  The Spanish crown controlled trade by exclusively using these ports. Spanish routes in white: Portuguese Spanish Trade Routes

There are lots of phrases in Mexico referring to Chinese things.  One of the more amusing is the commonly used pelo chino for curly hair.

Anyway, from this you should get the idea that Mexico's experience with the orient, "China" is a completely separate (and much older and direct) one than we have in the US.

Audrey
 

Sylvia- What a treat to read one of your recaps again this morning! Many thanks for stepping in.

I stick to my original estimation that Temo is being a brat. I like my telenovela kiddie tears to be over something important, like being ripped from the family you love, or having a parent die (all things that have happened to little Alex over on Fuerza).

Speaking of Fuerza and CME, both of them required multiple tissues last night, so I was happy to have our fun, silly tn in between. That's especially why I was in no mood for Temo's little breakdown.

Audrey- Thank you for the historical background and references. In the Caribbean, we also had a long and direct history with China (many Caribbean islands had large Chinese populations), and often use the word Chinese to describe all things east Asian. I have corrected many relatives.
 

Thank you Sylvia!

I didn't get a chance to comment last night, but to answer Julia's question yesterday, Fraud LOST the first race against Pepe during the first week or so of the show and instead of paying up, insisted on a double-or-nothing rematch. (Actually he threw some money at Pepe at first but Pepe wouldn't take it, I forget why. Maybe it was just bus fare.)

The rematch was the one that ended up with everybody spending the night in jail a few weeks ago.

I would have thought that "double-or-nothing" would nullify the original bet, but I admit I don't know much about betting. In any case Fraud should have paid up the first time. No doubt Pepe would have accepted a rematch regardless. :)

Regarding Vince's imitation of Pancho, I'm starting to have second thoughts about the casting. I think he does a better Pancho than Pancho does. (One of the characters may even have said so the other night.)
 

Thank you for the wonderful recap Sylvia. I loved the scene between Pancho and Fernanda. Temo was really being a brat last night. At least Pancho told Temo that he really likes Rebe.

I like the scenes between Pancho and Vins. They sometimes look like they are having a hard time not laughing.

Poor Pina, she is always alone. Vins and Frauddie are always leaving her alone. That show, Pina Opina, really is her life. She has more compassion than I thought about Tomas and Elena. I am glad she stuck up for them. Adoracion is so funny.

Are Vins and Enz plotting a hostile takeover? And where is Arnold the third plotter?

Thank you for the history lesson Sylvia. It is very interesting.
 

OOps I meant Audrey, about the history lesson.
 

Cap'n Sylvia Sharkbait, thanks for a fun recap. I missed most of the episode so I'm especially glad for your detail on the Japanese exec's seduction attempt and attire. I think she's hilarious and love when Vince is on the defense.

Audrey, thanks for the background on Mexico and Asia. Now it makes more sense to me that Candy said "Chino Japonesa."
 

As usual, great recap, Sylvia. Thank you so much!

While Temo's behavior is annoying, I don't agree that he is a brat. Like so many children of divorce or separation, they are manipulated and used by adults. Although Chela and Pancho weren't married, the situation is similar here where the child is in the middle and acts out out of complete desperation and feelings of abandonment. Chela is the "brat" putting him in that position. At least Pancho makes an effort to explain things to Temo, and never bad-mouths Chela or creates conflicts of loyalty for him. Bravo Pancho.

carolina
 

I agree with you Carolina, but he is directing his tantrums at the wrong person, he should really be mad at Chela for leaving instead of Pancho. Pancho is not really the disciplinarian of the family, that would be Chela. I like they way Pancho talks to all his children and hears their side of things, before commenting on what they should do. He even listened to Tomas after he fooled around on Lupita and tried to save Elena from going to Brasil. He is a really good Dad, but he really needs to take a stand about Chela. She is really the one that has caused this problem. The trouble is Pancho is very nice and doesn't like hurting anyone.
 

I totally agree about the reasons Temo is acting like a brat (note I said "acting" like one both times). But that does not excuse it. He's old enough to understand that he is being rude and his family, especially Pancho, needs to tell him that. But I totally that Chela is the one to blame for this, and that Pancho is a great dad, and a great friend. That's why I don't understand why his family is so quick to give him a hard time.
 

Gracias Sylvia

Found this on word magic

cuen·to chi·no Masculine - Noun - Singular

Plural: cuentos chinos

cock-and-bull story, snow job, tall story; Synonyms: cuento de camino, cuento increíble, cuento inverosímil, historia inverosímil, patraña, relato exagerado, conseja, bola; Cuento, embuste, algo que no es creíble.

Yes, why can't Temo be more like Alex on Fuerza?

Variopinta
 

Cuentos chinos was on the vocab list last week. One thing I like about this show is that they tend to use a lot of the colorful words and phrases over and over. Maybe by the end I'll remember them!

Thanks for recapping, Sylvia! I couldn't ask for better bus ride entertainment.

Pepe just needs to challenge Fraudie to something else and win the car back. Fraud is an idiot so how hard can it be?
 

Julia, I added the vocab words at the bottom of the recap just in case you wanted to add them to your spreadsheet. I had forgotten that cuenta China was on the list; that must explain why I knew what it meant, LOL!! Sometimes these lessons do stick.

Audrey, thank you for the history lesson. It's quite fascinating and certainly explains many things.

Variopinta, thank you for the added the info on cuentos Chinos. It's funny that many cultures have so many ways of describing lying. I think that was actually the big theme of last night's episode, how far people will go to lie or "stretch the truth" yet still justify it to themselves.
 

Sylvia - good catch on the GREEN PENCILS! LOL!!

Julia - "Pepe just needs to challenge Fraudie to something else and win the car back" - well, he already won Monica fair and square, heh heh. Much as we loved that bitchin' car, Monica's even better than a car. (For one thing, SHE has a car - so they still have a place to make out.)

The sad thing is that Frauddie tried harder to win Pepe's car than he did to keep Monica.