Caray, Caray!

Corazon Valiente
Jean thank you so much once again for capturing the whole wild crazy episode.
Re: the Reptile lying in the middle of the road looking like roadkill--with those nalgas of hers, any car that ran over her, it would be like hitting a couple of massive speed bumps.
Novelera, I'm with you in thinking that Laura is going to send the police sketch artist on a wild goose chase. But I bet she describes a real person--like Ringo.
J in Oregon
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – VIERNES – Part 1

Wow, tonight was action packed! La Niña Bonita swears she’s innocent and says the reason she said that about his never seeing Alma again if he killed her is that she’s the only one who can get her back from Jesús Matamoros, who is doing all this because he’s jealous of her relationship with Miggy. Wow, she’s giving Malicia from El Clon a run for her money.

Jesús nervously asks Sam about the drawing of EM. Sam says it’s engraved in her memory. He asks what he looks like. She says tiene una nariz chata, pequeña, cabello claro y los ojos también, gordito y bajo. (a short, fat guy with a flat nose, light hair and eyes). Jesús has to cover his mouth to hide his smile.

Ángela tells D8D to get out of JM’s room; he has nothing to say to him. D8D says they’ll always have the Reptile in common!

Lady tells Willy what Jesús has prompted her to say. The scientist only met with her to clear things up. It’s another woman who interests him.

Ringo calls Jesús, worried about the Reptile. Jesús addresses him as Baby and tells him she doesn’t deserve his concern. He tells him to find Alma and fast!

Clara is walking down the road, furious after seeing the Reptile kissing Camilo. He tells her what I thought also. The Reptile is half crazy and thought he was Luis. [Likely thinking they both were in hell since she thought she was dead for a minute there.] Clara quickly forgives him.

Fabiola screams the truth at NB – that she took the baby to prevent their leaving. NB says that Miggy is her companion, her friend, and her lover, and she doesn’t want to lose him. But she didn’t do it.

Laura tells Dirty Dummy Duval that the drawing is not EM. She tells him the guy called threatening her daughter. He tells her she did well; let the cops handle it from now on [!] But she says EM’s face is in her head, if not on the paper, and she’s not going to rest until she gets him.

Sam and Jesús enter a boxing ring and she is teaching him to punch. She also tells him the daughter of a friend of hers wants to meet him; she wants to be a scientist. Her name is Jessica! Whoops.

Fabiola yells at Miggy that it was NB who took the baby. Jesús Matamoros told her so. He says he doesn’t know which one to believe, but he needs a plan to get Alma back.

D8D arrives at Willy’s place of business. He recognizes Lady.

Fabiola tells NB that Miggy may have his doubts, but she knows NB did it. NB gives her an evil grin and says FF turned out smarter than she thought. She tells her she’ll give Alma back when FF leaves Miggy for good
 

<CORAZÓN VALIENTE – VIERNES – Part 2

Three guys leer at Sam at the gym and don’t get out of her way when she tries to walk past. Jesús asks them nicely to respect the lady. When they challenge him, he dispatches all three! Afterwards, Jesús calls himself an idiot.

D8D says he came to tell Willy that his sister is in bad shape because she learned that her real mother is Ofelia.

FF tells Miggy that NB admitted stealing Alma and that she would give her back if FF left Miggy. NB responds that FF is in a bad state and brazens it out. Fabiola sarcastically tells Miggy that maybe she’s insane with jealousy and a pair of pants means more to her than her daughter.

The Reptile goes all Doña Victoria on Camilo, Gus, and Clara, telling them to hurry up and get her food and a cup of tea. Gus tells her to keep it up and he’ll treat her like she treated him at Casa Verdugo! The Reptile tells Camilo that Jesús Matamoros didn’t take the baby; he’s in LA.

Miggy comes to apologize to NB. He says she was right. He shouldn’t have been with a kid instead of a real woman. He feels desolate without his daughter. Fabiola has changed so much having been with EV. He wants to leave her and wants NB to help him get her out of his heart. Passionate kisses. She is a bit suspicious of the timing, but he says he has been gradually realizing it. He says he thinks FF is protecting EM and that they have his daughter. He asks her to keep their secret. We see smug smiles from NB. She’s swallowed the bait. He tells her that he wants her to help him find Alma and, when he has her, he’ll send Fabiola to LA and stay with NB.

Willy listens to D8D tell about he and Ofelia not knowing they were related until after the affair began. Nora agreed to pass as Fernanda’s mother. Willy tells him he should be in jail. He says the man that found Sam poisoned told her that she should watch out for D8D, and he, Willy, knows it’s true. D8D tries out some righteous indignation and says he couldn’t have done it; he loves Sam. Willy has his number. He says you love her, but you also hate her because you know she’ll never be yours. Willy tells him to get out because it’s terrible to be in front of his father and want to kill him.

Ringo has been dunking some guy’s head in water, but tells EM he hasn’t discovered where either the baby or the Reptile is. EM says he’ll tell him how to find the baby, but the Reptile doesn’t mean a rat’s patootie to him.

Miggy tells the other two musketeers about his plan to trick NB and that they should not tell FF.

D8D tells Rotten Rod that he saw the girl who was in the mansion in Colombia working as a model in Willy’s agency.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – VIERNES – Part 3

Nora comes to see D8D, disgusted that he told the Reptile about Ofelia. She realizes this will make her even more evil. D8D tells her the Reptile doesn’t have Nora’s blood, her goodness [understatement of the year]. He says there’s no way for the Reptile to return.

Jesús has gotten Lady to take Willy’s cell phone when he wasn’t paying attention. He texts Sam. Jesús says that now they’ll have to wait until she’s not with him. He says he believes in destiny. He has sent Sam a message that appears to come from Willy requesting a romantic get away.

Duval comes to show Jesús the drawing, and Jesús laughs out loud. Duval says he’s going to meet with Laura that evening to convince her to let it go. Duval gives Jesús a phone number. It turns out to be Gus’ cell. He calls and says he’s Jesús Matamoros. Miggy grabs the phone and asks if he has his daughter. Jesús says that he doesn’t break agreements. It wasn’t him. He says that Miggy has a woman in love with him who is worse than he (Jesús) is. She doesn’t care about kids. Jesús says he told Fabiola several times to be careful of NB. “Wanna know why I called? I don’t like my name dragged through the dirt!” Miggy tells him he has Fernanda del Castillo. Jesús says that for all he cares, kill her.

Miggy turns on the Reptile and tells her EM doesn’t care a fig for you and what can we do with you. He says that considering what she’s done to his family … and pulls a gun on her. Fabiola and Gus both say not to do it.

Laura lies to Ángela when she asks about JM’s health. After Angie leaves JM calls Laura. He’s afraid to open the envelope with his test results and wants to come and open it with her. She says fine. She’s expecting someone, but he won’t be there long.

The someone is Duval. Laura tells him she can’t figure out how Jesús could know she was about to do a police sketch. He looks dumber than ever. She says she’s done what she does best: investigate. She’s looked into his family. His mother, the bank teller, bought a $1 million house last year. His brother the mechanic has a yacht in his name. Duval makes a good salary but not enough to buy his brother a house on the beach, two apartments, a new car. And, funny thing, the only person who uses all these things is Duval. He asks her, snarling, how much she wants. She says all she wants is to see him in jail.

Sam shows up somewhere. There’s a note to put on the music. She does. There’s some boxes saying put these on. Her phone rings, another text telling her to tell him when she’s ready. We see a silhouette of Sam behind a screen putting on some Victoria’s Secret stuff. We see Jesús sitting in a chair waiting for her.

Laura yells at Duval. “How could you do it? Cops die daily confronting scum like the ones bribing you.” He pulls a gun. She tells him he probably can’t kill her with his bare hands, and the gun would make too much noise. He grabs a knife that was on a table. She runs forward to try and get it away. He stabs her. But we hear JM banging on the door. Laura tells him to go away.

D8D tells Ángela that he’s come to talk with her about JM.

JM bursts in and Duval goes after him with the knife. JM uses those mad skilz we’ve seen before and overpowers Duval and takes his gun. He goes to Laura. I wish he wouldn’t turn his back on Duval, though.

What’s NB up to now? She shows some thugs a picture of Samantha, saying she’s Miggy’s sister. Miggy approaches, and she hides the photo behind her back. Miggy tells her he just came from talking with Jesús Matamoros. She asks if he believes her or EM. He kisses her in response. But FF comes in and sees them, of course.

Sam comes out from behind the screen and sees Jesús. What? Then HE asks Sam what she is doing, like it’s a big surprise. Just then Willy comes in and sees Sam in the sexy undies and Jesús very close to her!
 

El rostro de la venganza -- viernes

In which Marcos proposes (to Veronica), Braterina disposes (of Martín's serenity) and Laura exposes (Ezequiel's violent past).

Part 1 of 2

Marcos pops the question. Veronica puts him off -- she needs some time to think.

What Federico and Tania do during playtime is not her concern, Valeria tells her protegée, as long as Tania remembers her allegiance is to her. No bean-spilling!

Eliana grudgingly agrees to give nurse Alicia two days to prove herself. But no one said the old lady had to be polite. And her mother taught her to be wary of women with angelic faces. And pretty women. And chubby women. (Huh?) And women who make a living being "nice". Bah! Eliana has many questions about Alicia, especially since it was her nemesis, Mariana, who hired her. Alicia just smiles sweetly. She is Florence Nightingale in lab coat, tight jeans and heels. Punto.

Luciano plots with Ezequiel's two-faced henchman. The guy has been following Mariana for almost two months and her life is squeaky clean. In that case, Luciano tells him, they'll have to invent a lover. No way is Mariana getting her paws on the family fortune.

Braterina phones Miguel Angel from Patagonia with the news of her Fake Pregnancy Strategy. He laughs it off -- he thinks she's seen too many telenovelas. Patty Roundheels hovers in the background and distracts Miguel Angel with a suggestive smile.

I guess they didn't watch telenovelas in prison because D-Mart believes Braterina. Goodbye Paradise, Hello Alvarado Hell and Rubber Baby Bumps. Sucker!
 

Part 2 of 2

Mariana shows up on Laura's doorstep with a question: What did Ezequiel do to her? Why did she fake her own death? Mariana admits she is afraid of Ezequiel's jealous rages. "You should be afraid," Laura tells her. He'll never let her get away from him ... unless ...

Ezequiel is furious at the idea of Marcos marrying Veronica. That woman is a vulture whose TV story drove D-Mart away! Nurse Alicia gets an earful before they notice her presence.

And speaking of predatory twinkies, at this moment Veronica is reporting the arrest of the Killer Nurse for the murder of teacher
, Ramón Farias. Federico Samaniego, watching at home, is about to change the channel when Tania's kid comes in and pipes up: "That lady they're arresting is my mom's friend!" (Have I mentioned that I love the kid?)

It was Ezequiel who sent the Killer Nurse to take
out Ramón, Laura tells Mariana. The only way Mariana can save herself is by helping Laura put Ezequiel in jail. Mariana doesn't want to believe her future husband is a murderer but Laura insists he has already shot one rival.

Somewhere in the outer boroughs of Miami, Sonia tries to explain to her son Omar why, even though she and his dad Juan are having problems, she can't leave him right now. He is ill and he imagines things that aren't so. He needs them more than ever.

Ezequiel gives Luciano his marching orders: Go to MassacreFest and make sure the truth about Marcos stays hidden. Then report back to daddy. That's the way to get back on his good side.

Juan Mercader shows up for his appointment at a medical clinic. (A scoop for Vero? "Niño monstruo's dad treated for mystery illness. Details at 10.")

Valeria walks into Miguel Angel's room and discovers him and a woman (Patty Roundheels?) naked under the covers. "Didn't anyone teach you to knock?" says the little twit pettishly. Mama Gorgon just rolls her eyes.

Mariana repeats Laura's story to Carolina. Mariana isn't sure she believes her but still ... what if it's true Ezequiel shot Laura's lover? Suppose he finds out about Martín ... And besides, she's been thinking ... what if it was Ezequiel himself who shot those children and then put the blame on Martín? That would explain so many things -- he owned the school, he kept those letters hidden ...

Carolina cuts her off: It was me. I was the one who killed those kids.
 

CORAZON VALIENTE

Thanks, Novelera, this was a wonderful recap of a show filled with revelations and action. We could see that Duval wasn't just going to let Laura turn him in, and I thought she'd be dead for sure. At least now she has a chance. Jessica's lost enough parents, hasn't she? Of course Laura should have told other police, made a record or something, rather than confront Duval by herself. But that would be too logical. Even funnier was that she told JM she was just going to be a minute visiting someone before going over his results. She didn't think Duval would react? And shouldn't a doctor explain results of a biopsy, not just send them to a patient? Okaaaay.

Good guys' "plans" don't always work too well, but at least Miggy's giving it a shot.

Sam is super suspicious of Willy, but totally unsuspicous of EM. Even after his amazing self defense skills, she doesn't accuse him of faking his need for lessons. And every time he just about kisses her, or gets WAY too close for a client, does she think he's putting the moves on her? Of course not.

But Varoni (EM) is doing an amazing job with the sneaky emotions of his character. On the other hand, NB to me is like a cartoon. But an entertaining one.

Did Alma have a pediatrician? If it was Velasquez, shouldn't Miggy or FF have tried to contact him? Considering he was involved in the pregnancy before, one might think they'd think of it. Or not.

It didn't make too much sense, but I think after Miggy spoke to EM on the phone, someone (Gus? FF?) smashed his phone.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Viernes, Part 1

In a restaurant in Medellín, an attractive dark haired young woman is having dinner with her boyfriend. She's some kind of TV personality, and tells him she may get to go to Bogotá. They're being observed by Julio Montoa, sitting at the bar. Julio asks the waiter to offer the young lady a bottle of wine. She politely refuses, telling the waiter she doesn't know the guy.

Freddy Perea explains to Aguirre why he doesn't like what Escobar does. He kills police, he car bombs, etc. And he's been causing trouble in the area of Magdalena Medio. Ah, I see, replies Aguirre, you're not just some concerned citizen, you're with the Self Defense Forces (right wing paramilitary). Let me remind you that your group is armed and against the law. No sir, asserts Freddie, we're WITH the law. We're on the same side. And look in your files, you don't have any outstanding warrants for Freddie Perea, do you? Aguirre steers him back to the main topic. Look, do you have the coordinates of Escobar's hideout, or not? I do. But it won't work by air, you have to take him by land.

At Chili's funeral, guitarists are playing a bouncy tune. Mireya is carrying Chili's photo. We see Candongo and Buitre, being watched by the heavily armed cops. They're not hiding, they're just watching, with rifles ready but pointed down. Candongo and Buitre fire their guns in the air. Candongo gets itchy, tells Buitre they're leaving, which they do. They cops see the car leave, but don't fire. Mireya walks right up to Pabon, tells him he has no respect for the dead.

The woman from the restaurant is dropped off at her apartment. Her boyfriend says if she moves to Bogotá, he'll follow. After he leaves, Julio drives up, and greets her. Her name is Rosario Jaramillo. (The first leftist candidate who was killed by the right wing guys was Bernardo Jaramillo, but I don't think there's a connection, just the same last name). He tries to put the moves on her, making her very nervous. She keeps trying to end the conversation, without success, until her Mom comes out and rescues her. Julio says 151-08 (the address?), says to himself, she's hot.

Pabon and Aguirre agree that those two guys who left the funeral must be working for Escobar. Pabon asks if Aguirre thinks Perea was on the level about Escobar's hideout. Aguirre believes the guy, thinks Pablo and the paramilitary guys are not quite on the same page these days. They agree it'd be hard to attack by air, because it's hard to see the compound (covered with leaves for camouflage) and the noise would warn Pablo. They agree to attack by land, this very night, when the guards are asleep. And they'll dress in civilian clothes and use regular cars to avoid tipping off the cartel guys.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Part 2

Pablo and the high ranking guys are lamenting Chili's death on the porch, thinking the lower down guys are probably having fun drinking, whereas they're not drunk. And sure enough, Topo, Cain and Kiko are drunk, but Topo's still crying in his beer in some outdoor tavern away from the camp.

In the misty woods, Pabon, Aguirre and the cops, dressed in plain clothes, are steadily advancing towards the camp.

Pablo remembers how long Chili worked for him, 14 years 3 months, 21 days. Gonzalo thinks they shouldn't have given the sicarios the day off, this leaves us unprotected. Nah, says Pablo, the boys deserve to party for Chili, and besides, we've got tons of guys still guarding this area. He gives a toast for Chili. A call comes in on the walkie talky, they spotted two suspicious trucks. No, not police, but maybe they're disguised. Marino wants to leave immediately, Pablo says they're still far away, when they cross the second security ring, let me know.

Under a full moon, the cops steadily advance. Now they're about 3 miles away. From now on, turn off flashlights, communicate by hand signals only. But we see them being observed. The sentry calls in, Marino warns Pablo, it's special forces. Pablo asks, how do you know? Because they're carrying rifles. Everyone bursts into action (although Pablo is slow as usual, tying his tennis shoes).

Rosario's mother asks about that man. She says just some guy asking for directions. Oh, sure, I wasn't born yesterday, says Mamá. The guy could be a mafioso. She tells her Mom to trust her. But after her Mom leaves, she gets a dreamy look (I think).

The cops arrive at the compound, but no one's there! They go into the house, and find no one. They figure there must have been a tunnel or something. Damn! So close. A half drunk beer is still cold. Aguirre and Pabon are so mad, maybe they should have bombed the place!

On the open road, Pablo says someone must have snitched on us. He, Peluche, Gonzalo and Marino, wearing ponchos, are heading for the other hideout. Pablo suspects one of his guys (like Candongo or Buitre) might be the snitch. As Gonzo takes a leak by the side of the road, they lament that it's an eight hour walk to the next hideout. And I say TOO BAD you bums!
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, viernes

Super job, Hombre. Thanks.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised at the outcome of the Pabon/Aguirre raid. We still have a few weeks to go before the inner circle is captured or killed. But what I wonder is whether Freddy Perea choreographed the whole thing, including the last minute warning that gets Pablo et al out of there before the special forces arrive but at the same time convinces Pablo that one of his "trusted" boys is a sapo.

So Julio Montoa (the "cute" Beatle) wants to get himself a famous, rather full of herself, presentadora. Will he succeed? Will she succomb even knowing what she knows?

BTW, the actor who plays Rosario's boyfriend -- he is so familiar (well, okay, almost everyone in the cast is familiar). Where have we seen him before?
 

PABLO ESCOBAR

Thanks, Hombre, terrific and detailed recap.

Well, they sort of left us guessing whether Perea really wanted Pablo Escobar captured or not. I'm leaning toward that he did.

He DID direct them to the correct, current hideout. And, Pablo and his guys certainly didn't seem to have any notice other than the "rings of security" that were always in place.

If they're paramilitaries, I suppose that what Perea got was trust from the regular army. They said at the beginning they didn't want the reward money. And Evencio would have gained the ability to stop looking over his shoulder for Pablo's guys to finally take him out.

NovelaMaven, loved "cute Beatle". He is definitely a cute guy. Maybe I missed it, but I didn't get the impression Rosario was at all interested in him. I thought she was trying to let him down easily, saying she had a boyfriend, because she was afraid to be more blunt telling him to leave her alone.

I keep trying to correlate things from the "Killing Pablo" book with what's happening in the novela. There was a close call for him in the book in which he got away on foot, but it wasn't exactly like this one we just saw. So I don't know if that one will be shown later or if they just changed it a lot for the telenovela.
 

Telemundo -

ok, this is how things look, according to the best of crystal balls,

Rosa Diamante- capitulos culminantes
Corazon Valiente- ultimos semanas
Pablo Escobar- 17 +/- chapters to go
El Rostro- I've heard they have finished filming but have enough shows to last 5 months or so...
so what is Marlena like without a horse and a hunk?
 

TELEMUNDO

Thanks, Deb. So what are they going to do? Finish Pablo Escobar and show hour episodes of El Rostro? That probably makes the most sense.

What I can't figure out is which novela is to replace Rosa Diamonte.

It appears La Patrona will replace Corazón Valiente. And I thought that Pasión Prohibida would be the 10:00 show, but if El Rostro has 5 months to go, will they wait that long to show it?
 

Pablo Escobar -

"TOO BAD you bums!" is right Hombre,

and where is the food cart?
can they really last that long without eating or drinking something?

wow, these few loyal police that are left,
still going against all odds,
walking into Pablo's compound with no body armor,
scary...
but dedicated,
this was intense.
 

Pablo Escobar -

I've been confused about the extradition stuff, but I've recently read something Roberto Escobar said in his book that gives me the piece I had missed.

"It was a great life we were leading. We had to be careful with our actions, but nothing like what it would soon become. Although none of us knew it at the time, the wars had actually begun in 1979, when the United States and Colombia signed a treaty that declared drug trafficking a crime against the United States and permitted Colombian traffickers to be extradited to the U.S. It was that law that changed everything."

and in looking around this treaty did indeed happen, complete with $26 million U.S. dollars in aid,

"Betancur initially refused to extradite Colombians as a matter of principle. By mid-term, however, he changed his position after becoming alarmed over the implications for Colombia's political stability of the increasing narcotics-related corruption and drug abuse among Colombian youth and the Medellín Cartel's assassination of Justice Minister Lara Bonilla. In May 1984, following the murder of the strongly antidrug minister, Betancur launched a "war without quarter" against the cartel and began extraditing drug traffickers to the United States. During the November 1984 to June 1987 period, Colombia extradited thirteen nationals--including cartel kingpin Carlos Lehder Rivas-- and three foreigners to the United States."
http://countrystudies.us/colombia/98.htm

(also of interest in this article is that the M-19 guerrillas were being supported by Cuba)

btw I got the idea that the Colombian governments strong stance against drugs and communists, and subsequent abuse of the farmers and peasants, (while guys like Pablo were spending significant amounts of money to pay for healthcare and education of the poor), led to an unexpected kickback and turmoil the government found itself in.

I also got the idea that the U.S. could extradite the guerrillas as well, which would explain better why they all ended up in the same boat.

and here is a short/simple pbs article with the history that led up to this treaty, and it's annulment in 1987 by their supreme court.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/colombia/usrole.html
 

Rosa Diamante -

a short picture summary of Friday's show is located here,

http://foro.telenovela-world.com/n4/read-t.php?f=1123&i=5499&t=5499
 

EL ROSTRO

NovelaMaven, "I tried to get out, but they keep pulling me back in." [courtesy one or other of the Godfather movies]. Your clever recaps are making me want to continue with this Carnival of Unlikeable People.

I also want to see how they get Mariana out of the picture. I sort of like her, so I'm hoping it isn't murder. It does rather spoil the suspense when her withdrawal from the show was announced, I think, in the first month of shooting.

The writers on Corazón Valiente are pretty good about revealing lies quickly. I don't trust the ones on ERDV to reveal Braterina's fake pregnancy any time soon.

I didn't get the impression that Valeria [alias the Gorgon] was OK with Samaniego and Tania bedding each other. I thought she acknowledged that they were spending a lot of time together "investigating" the death of Eva. I thought she gave her a veiled threat that that better not be going on. I delete episodes from the DVR as soon as I watch them, so I have no way to check my theory.
 

EL ROSTRO

Ha! I recognized the quote right away -- it was one of Silvio's favorites on The Sopranos ("Just when I thought I was out ..."). Anyway, Novelera, I'm glad to know I'm not just talking to myself here.

Good question about Valeria. I don't have the recording of the show either and I'm too lazy to track it down online. But I do remember her warning Tania that Federico might be getting close to her to try to get information out of her. I guess we'll know soon enough if she minds being cuckolded.

Here's what we know (or think we know):

Tania really did witness the shootings and presumably knows who done it.

Valeria has been paying her to keep her mouth shut.

Federico Samaniego believed Diego Mercader was guilty; now Diego's guilt is in question and Federico wants to know who shot his daughter.

What we don't know:

Why would Valeria protect the identity of the person who murdered her daughter?

About Mariana --
In this genre and in this particular novela, the writers aren't reluctant to bump off popular characters. If they could do in Antonia, I doubt they'd hesitate to off Mariana. I will be sorry to see the actress leave, however. I've been enjoying her sweet ambivalence.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR

Deb, Thanks so much for the PBS links and the quotes about the extradition issue. You are so right -- it is very complicated and hard to understand so I really appreciate your help.
 

HOMBRE,

I was way behind with Pablo but finally caught up last night.
I read all of your synopses
along the way. Thanks for a terrific job in making the story much clearer to me.

Jean and Novelera,

I have been watching very little of CV - for me it got dragged out way too much, but I read the summaries. When it gets down to the wire, I'll jump back on the bandwagon. Many thanks for all of your hard work.

Novelaman - Thanks for your responses. I too like JLP very much.
 

HOMBRE,

I was way behind with Pablo but finally caught up last night.
I read all of your synopses
along the way. Thanks for a terrific job in making the story much clearer to me.

Jean and Novelera,

I have been watching very little of CV - for me it got dragged out way too much, but I read the summaries. When it gets down to the wire, I'll jump back on the bandwagon. Many thanks for all of your hard work.

Novelaman - Thanks for your responses. I too like JLP very much.
 

Sorry for the double posting.

Deb,

I also appreciate the extra work you have done on background information.
It's quite a story.
 

EL ROSTRO

Thanks NovelaMaven. better reading than viewing.

ROSA DIAMANTE

also thanks deb, for continuing to give us updates on this show. I can't wait for Rosaura to completely snap out of it.

(off topic) LA MARIPOSA on MundoFox

I kinda lost some interest in the other novelas (RD, ERdlV, Amores Verdaderos), cuz IMHO this takes the cake. there's nothing silly about it, with just the right dose of seriousness, lightness, humor, action, drama, romance, and information. well-acted all around.

I truly wish I was good at doing recaps, but I'm not.

RG, what do you think so far?
 

Telemundo -

rumor, rumor, rumor,

"La Patrona, latest production of Telemundo, staring Aracely Arambula, Jorge Luis Pila and Christian Bach premier January 8th, 2012 9pm/8c on Telemundo."
http://novelachannel.blogspot.com/2012/12/premier-date-for-la-patrona.html

sounds right, but of course we never really know for sure until Telemundo officially releases the date.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE
Thank you dear Novelera for your great recaps as usual , you and Jean are the best in recaps , thank both of you✿✿✿✿✿
 

LA PATRONA

other hotties.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkHhJl6bCYE&feature=g-high-u
 

PABLO ESCOBAR:

Thanks Deb for the background info. As usual, the recap for tonight won't be up until tomorrow night due to Monday Night Football.
 

LA MARIPOSA

I did the Sunday marathon of the first four episodes on MundoFox and am somewhat hooked. Rumor is it's only 60 episodes, so that's definitely a point in its favor.

The acting is very good. The similarity to La Reina del Sur is that the protagonist is a beautiful woman who is involved in a bad way of earning her living. She launders money rather than actually move "product".

The guy who played the quite funny Colombian narco with the perfect paisa accent plays La Mariposa's husband, and without the accent. This was Teresa Mendoza's supplier in Colombia.

The production values are especially good. It has the appearance and feel of watching a major movie.

Thanks, RG, for the heads up.
 

Promos look to confirm that CORAZON VALIENTE will end on January 7 and LA PATRONA will premiere on January 8.

Also saw a promo for PASION PROHIBIDA, which will take the ROSA DIAMANTE time slot. REally low-key, kind of lousy promo - three characters each appearing in a photo frame stating some confession directly to camera - realy reminded me in tone to the promos for RELACIONES PELIGROSAS and we saw how well that worked out for the network (colossal ratings flop.)

It's clear Telemundo is laying all their money on LA PATRONA to be a success and PASION PROHIBIDA is an afterthought.

Also, Telemundo has changed their logo, and along with it, spiced up their novela promos.

LA MARIPOSA
It's one of these Colombian productions MundoFox labeled in early press releases as "teleseries" rather than "telenovelas" - shorter, more action, shot like movies - that is, mostly real locations rather than studio sets, and single camera rather than multi-camera.

I wish all these teleseries weren't about drugs; but at least in LA MARIPOSA, the hero is a cop trying to infiltrate the organization and not the Capo.

One thing I find interesting is although it's a Colombian production, the cast is very international: Colombian actors, but also some Miami actors and Mexicans.
 

LA MARIPOSA

it's nice to know I'm not alone in this. I too thought it had a feel of watching a movie. I was telling a friend it's better than most movies they put out these days. I also like that it's got style.


 

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La Casa de al Lado!

This Novela was a wonderful one which was made in 2011 , with an interesting storyline and a very great Cast(Gabriel Porras, David Chocarro, Miguel Varoni , Maritza Rodriguez, Ximena Duque,Karla Monroig and more...) I offer 2 videp clips of mine here (I have a great package off course!! , also for Corazon Valiete)

The Mora Brothers are the main theme of La Casa de al Lado , Gabriel Porras(Miggy of Corazon Valiente) & David Chocarro(Martin of El Rostro de la Venganza) did very great performances and could create one of the most interesting team (brothers, villains) you have ever seen in the Novelas
my Video Package of the Mora Brothers

1.a narrative long Clip , it can be a summary of the Novela , even,it can be very useful for the ones who haven't seen the Novela
link in youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_N8cGsBwAE


2. a modern type clip of The Mora Brothers with a song of Modern Talking!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyGPYb7tSa8

3.The Mora Brothers plus Rebeca(Karla Monroig) , the main scenes with the opening music Theme of the Novela):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAVjd-3DnFI
 

This comment has been removed by the author.
 

I thought twice about posting my comment here, but it seems we're opening up to more novelas than the Telemundo evening lineup.

Our site is called El Mundo de Telemundo, and La Mariposa isn't on that channel. Hope no one minds.

Anyway, I've completely given up on Univisión and their novelas, so this is a place to post my thoughts about the "others" in my view.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – LUNES – Part 1

We get some alternating scenes of jealous partners. We see Willy tell Jesús Matamoros, alias Dr. Montoya, that he’s disgusting. Meanwhile, Fabiola runs off after having seen Miggy kiss La Niña Bonita.

Fabián Ríos is excellent in his scene. He tells Jesús that this half nude woman is his, even though they’re not married and emotionally distant. She is what Willy loves most in the world. And whether she already was with you or is going to be, you might have the body, but her heart belongs to me. After saying this, he still is furious with Sam when she tries to approach him.

I knew JM should have immobilized Duval. But, being a good guy, he has to tell Laura to hang in there and stuff a shirt into her wound. Duval comes to and slashes him in the arm with a knife. JM fights pretty well for a guy with a brain tumor, knocking Duval out with a karate kick. Ye Gods, is no one ever going to notice the freakin’ gun?

D8D, for some bizarre reason, has come to tell Angie how sick JM is. He says he’s worried because JM means so much to his daughter [!]. Angie throws him out.

Jesús lies his hindquarters off. He says he doesn’t understand what happened. He got a text from the company [company, what company?] saying he should arrive here for a gift. Sam comes out dressed from behind the backlit screen and says she came there for a reconciliation with Willy. Jesús says someone tricked them.

Fabiola goes off again on Miggy. This actress needs to learn to portray anger without annoying the crap out of Viewerville. He tells her the kiss she saw was part of the plan.

Back at Laura’s place Duval gets up once more, grabs the knife to stab JM. Aha, the gun is finally noticed by Laura, who plugs Duval in the chest.

Jesús pretends to want Sam to fix things with Willy. He says he’ll take her home. “Someone” wanted to separate she and Willy. He almost convinces ME he didn’t do it!

While Willy is telling Nora what happened, Lady pops up and says that she was the one who told Willy where Sam was. She says Dr. Montoya asked her for directions to the place where Willy found he and Sam together. She was curious about where the good doctor was going, went there and saw him with Sam. She thought Willy should know the truth.

We get lots of repetitive scenes with NB sticking out her chest and saying that she’s a real woman, while Fabiola is a niñita. Miggy tells NB, in front of FF, that he just told Fabiola that, although they have a child together, there’s nothing else between them.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – LUNES – Part 2

What? Somehow the Reptile got from NB’s hideout to the town jail. She’s screaming vengeance against everyone, while some guy in glasses (cop? lawyer?) says he’s going to help her. Meanwhile, the peasants are visible through a window screaming: ¡Liberen a Doña Victoria!

Ringo appears at NB’s beauty salon, alternately giggling and flicking his lighter, to threaten NB’s hairdresser. He wants to know everything about her. And he wants to know where the daughter of Fabiola and Miguel Valdez is. When the guy says he doesn’t know, Ringo puts a gun to his forehead. The guy immediately blurts out: “They went to LA!”

JM, again doing very well for such a sick guy, carries Laura to a hospital gurney while several able bodied orderlies look on passively.

Jesús tells Gigante that his plan worked perfectly, but he never had to do such a thing before to have a woman. He doesn’t feel good about it.

Sam tries to explain what happened, but Willy won’t listen. Of course, when Sam tells Willy to look at his cell, there’s no sent message to her. She immediately thinks of her cell, but that message has been erased also. Willy tells Sam that, if he ever thought of forgiving her, he won’t again. It’s over between them. [Riiiiight!]

NB calls Dr. Velasquez in LA. The baby is crying, and he’s fed up with this work. He wants his money. She tells him his job is done today. She’s going to give him double what she promised, but she wants him to kill the baby today! She says she wants the whole world to know that the baby is dead and thus the only thing uniting HER Valdez and Fabiola no longer exists. [There’s gotta be some serious karma for this rotten creature!]

Fabiola tells NB that she’s going to leave as soon as her baby appears, perhaps pretending to go along with NB’s earlier plan. NB tells her she and Miggy are going to have a great life. She even plans to give him a child!

Ringo tells Jesús that Velasquez left Colombia under a false name and with a baby.

Ángela is anxiously trying to find out what happened to JM and Laura. He tells her Duval tried to kill her. He was dirty and protecting El Mesías.

Willy chews Sam out some more and tells her that Lady told him that El Cientifico rejected Lady because he wanted Sam. Willy also tells Sam that El Cientifico asked for directions to the place the two of them were found. Willy swears he’s going to forget Sam.

Jesús tells Gigante to contact some people to try to find Velasquez.

Fabiola tells Miggy that NB told her to her face that she has the baby. FF has the famous mother’s premonition that her baby is in danger.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – LUNES – Part 3

Duval is not dead. JM comes to see him, calling him a traitor. He tells him he knows he’s going to die and should do the right thing. Duval manages to choke out behind his plastic breathing mask that Jesús Matamoros is here, very close. But flatlines before he can give details. [I think this is the 7th flatline for this novela – may be a record.]

Sam, in tears, calls Jesús to say she isn’t going to come to work. She also tells him it was Lady who set up the trap; she’s after Willy.

Ringo breaks the Reptile out of jail after tear gas is thrown in there.

Gigante has found out that El Verdugo gave Velasquez an apartment in LA, but he doesn’t know the address. Jesús muses that he never thought NB would stoop to something this low for Miguel Valdez. And then realizes he's sunk pretty low himself.

NB, after seeing Miggy put his arms around Fabiola to comfort her, tells him he has to show her with his body that he has chosen her. She starts to strip off her clothes asking him to make love to her. He tells her he’s sorry. He can’t do it because he’s too worried about his daughter. He needs his daughter to appear. When he leaves, NB says Alma will appear, all right, dead!

We see Alma in a portable baby carrier. She’s very cute! Velasquez powers down a shot of liquor and then screws a silencer on his pistol.

Laura asks JM what were the results of his tests. He says, with all this going on, maybe it’s better not to know. [But we want to know!]

Sam takes Willy’s phone, looks through it, and then leaves.

Willy shows up at Jesús’s “lab”. He asks for the truth and says it’s not easy for him to have come here after what he saw. Jesús gives him some rather ambiguous responses. He says that between he and Sam is only a work relationship. What happened was a trap. But, if Willy leaves Sam, he’d advise him to get used to the idea that Navarro can have another man in her life. A woman like that, beautiful, with that body, Jesús doesn't see becoming a nun.

Jessica comes in, half crazy with worry about her mother. Laura tells her she’s going to love her forever and then flatlines [two in one episode!!].

Fabiola tells NB, with the others there, that she wants to leave. The sneaky NB leaves the room but leaves a recording device. Miggy, of course, tells Fabiola that she’ll always be his woman, that he loves her with all his heart.

Sam apparently sent a message from Willy’s phone to Lady to meet him. She pulls a gun on Lady telling her she’s going to tell her the whole truth.

Velasquez is pointing the gun at the baby, who is crying. We hear Jesús outside the door saying he’s bringing the money from NB. Jesús gets the gun away from Velasquez and starts beating the crap out of him. He stops when he sees Alma looking at him. He introduces himself to the baby.
 

El rostro de la venganza -- lunes

In which a link between Nurse Alicia and D-Mart is revealed; and the champagne flows like blood at MassacreFest.

Part 1 of 2

Mariana is shocked by Carolina's confession that she is the "niña monstrua". Since Caro's father was the mayor of Miami, she speculates that Ezequiel engineered the cover-up in return for special treatment, perhaps involving money laundering. She begs Mariana to keep her secret.

Veronica defies her boss and refuses to make Diego Mercader's return to the country into a news story. (Yay, Vero!)

Samaniego asks Alex about the Miami Killer Nurse. Did he know she was a friend of Tania's? No, that's news to him.

In the city, Mariana glances in the rearview mirror of her car and catches sight of Ezequiel's henchman, Salvador, in the vehicle behind her. She confronts him angrily, telling him to quit following her.

Laura pops in for a visit with Federico Samaniego just before the party. She and Samaniego seem genuinely glad to see one another. She looks pretty good for a dead broad, she jokes. Why did she do it, Federico wants to know. Why did she disappear like that? She reminds him of how much pain her husband, Ezequiel, and his wife, Valeria, caused them back them. "Maybe I should have disappeared too," says Samaniego ruefully.

Now Laura gets down to business: She wants him to help her send Ezequiel to jail for the murder of Ramón Farias. Funny thing about that, he tells her -- Tania's son recognized the Killer Nurse as a friend of his mother. Laura is puzzled. What's the connection between Tania and Ezequiel?

Alicia is finishing up her shift with Eliana and saying goodbye to Ezequiel when Braterina and cute-as-a-button D-Mart walk in unexpectedly. To everyone else's surprise, Alicia and Diego already know each other. They met a few years back when he was in prison, she explains to Ezequiel, and she was working there as a nurse.

Back in the overblown mafioso house in the burbs where dirty Samaniego money trumps good taste, Miguel Angel dismisses his mother scornfully and gets back to business with Patty Roundheels.
 

El Rostro de la venganza -- lunes

Part 2 of 2

Chez Alvarado, even self-centered Braterina can tell that Alicia and Diego are fond of each other. When Diego innocently admits that Alicia is hot and that all the guys in jail were in love with her, the Brat sputters indignantly: "You don't say things like that out loud". Hah.

Ezequiel wonders whether Alicia knew Dr. Antonia in the prison. No, Alicia left before Antonia arrived, though of course she knew of her. It seems as if everyone loved her, she remarks. "Not everyone," Ezequiel corrects her.

In one of the outer boroughs (Queens, right? -- because someone told the Telemundo writers there are a lot of Latinos in Queens), Diana bids goodnight to the dysfunctional Mercader family before heading off to MassacreFest.

The gathering in the burbs is just getting started when Alejandra arrives. Federico welcomes her graciously. Her old classmates Alex, Natalia, Tania and Patricia are already into the champagne. Alejandra declines a glass -- she doesn't drink -- and in answer to the question, tells them she's not married -- "Soy lesbiana." Maybe now that gay marriage is legal, she'll find a mate, she adds. Tania signals amusement with an unattractive show of teeth.

Enter Luciano (or "Alvarado Junior" as Samaniego calls him). "Hello, class!" Only Tania smiles at his arrival, perhaps as a sign of solidarity from one predator to another. Luciano slimes through the room, and leers at Natalia. What a creep.

Meanwhile, back in his Manhattan apartment, Zeke is upset that Samaniego has gone ahead with MassacreFest. Eliana's not surprised. How can he expect Federico to let it go when it was his daughter who died. "Valeria got over it. Why can't he?" says Ezequiel. (If you have your Relative Sociopathy Scale handy, this might be a good time to use it.)

Zeke is unhappily surprised to see D-Mart all decked out in a formal suit, ready to go to the party. D-Mart explains he needs to go and clean his name before entering this new stage in his life. "What new stage?" asks Granny suspiciously. "You're going to be a grandpa, daddy," announces the Brat.

Alicia has finally escaped from the dreadful Alvarados. Once back in her apartment, her thoughts stray to her first encounter with Diego in jail when he was a beautiful wild child ...

Ezequiel tries to make sense of a D-Mart/Braterina coupling. Granny reminds the Brat that abortion is legal. But both non-parents-to-be assert that they have made a decision: they are going to have this imaginary baby. And D-Mart asserts again that he is going to clear his name for the sake of his child.
 

CORAZON VALIENTE-

Really great recap, Novelera!

Wow, two flatlines in one episode. I can't believe that Laura is really dead, though. I noticed that Angie was yakking away at Duval about how important it was that they have this information while poor old Duval was trying to spit it out. Talk about wasting his last breaths.

Gus needs to get back to LA right away. He's the only honest cop in town(who's been living with a narco for months now.)

Alma is a cute baby - much older than FF's would be. Also very cute was EM's scene introducing himself to her.

We definitely missed something with the Reptile. How on earth did she get from NB's bunker to a jail?

JM certainly did well for a guy with a brain tumor who has been known to pass out when he just stands up! He had the results in a big manila envelope. Did he leave it at Laura's house?
 

FELIZ NAVIDAD MAMA

Today, Telemundo started airing on their digital subchannel ExitosTV a special Christmas novela from 2002 called FELIZ NAVIDAD MAMA.

I've never seen it but Gabriel Porras is in it in what must have been one of his first roles at Telemundo. From the internet, it looks like its 22 episodes long. Each episode airs 6 times a day: 7am/pm, 11am/pm, 3am/pm ET, Mondays-Saturdays.
 

Corazon Valiente -

thanks so much novelera!!!

I was hoping Duval wouldn't bop JM on his tumor, or did he with that bottle?

Laura can't die, what did she ever do that was wrong, and what about Jessica, rewrite the script!

Hopefully if I am every rushed to a hospital it won't be a novela one, where with the lack of any medical personnel, everyone/anyone who has ever had a problem with me comes in for one last badgering.

I couldn't believe that the once good doctor was going to kill that cute baby with a giant hand gun, was that the best way he could come up with, how about a chainsaw, and what was the rest of his plan for all to know of the death, ah, I guess we will never know now, and yes Jean, so cute el Mesias making introductions, looking a little guilty for the violence in front of her.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE

I agree, Jean, that Laura will make it. Actually, as far as I can remember, Duval is the only flatline that DIDN'T make it. The majority of the cast flatlined and then was up and running around, free of even scars, one or two days later.

Deb, I was also thinking about JM's tumor when he got hit with the bottle. I wouldn't put it past the writers to have the bop on the head from the bottle fix his tumor!

Jean, I also thought the baby looked like it aged dramatically in Los Angeles.
 

EL ROSTRO

Wow, NovelaMaven, you are BRINGING the snark on these recaps.

They have been dangling this reunion dinner of the classmates in front of us for WEEKS. I wonder if anything will really be revealed.

Too bad incest is off the table. Luciano and Braterina make a perfect couple.

I still can't figure out how Carolina's father bought that his daughter was the niña monstrua when I'm pretty sure she's not.

Except for an evil guy who got a peasant girl pregnant, or something, Eliana is the first person I can remember suggesting a legal abortion in a telenovela.
 

EL ROSTRO

Well, Novelera, we know that two guests are there with the mission of obscuring the truth: Luciano has been sent by Ezequiel with instructions to keep Marcos's name out of play; and Tania has orders from Valeria to keep the truth under wraps.

Abortion in telenovelas --

Diego alluded vaguely to abortion when he asked the Brat if she wanted to have this baby.

Didn't Miguel Varoni want Catherine Siachoque's character to abort her pregnancy in La Casa de al Lado? I could be wrong. Once a novela is done, I tend to lose the details.

Over at Uni right now in Amor Bravío, a young girl becomes pregnant after being brutally raped by her own uncle. Abortion is considered as a possible solution (though not really talked about explicitly) but ultimately the character chooses to continue the pregnancy and plans to give the baby up for adoption.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Lunes, Part 1

Pabon muses about Escobar to Aguirre. He has all that money, and yet, he lives in this remote place, not very luxurious. He can't enjoy it. Right, says Aguirre. Not only that, we understand he smokes marijuana, must have a hard time relaxing. And the number of people he can really trust is very small. Pabon asks Aguirre to contact the informant (Freddie) to see where Pablo could go next. We already know, says Aguirre. It's an ultra secret farm, not too far from here. We see Pablo and the boys pushing through the jungle, arriving dead tired at the farm. They're the first to arrive, so Marino decides to call Kiko and crew. They're passed out drunk at an outdoor bar.

Meanwhile, Pablo is barely holding it together, screaming about the fact that there's a traitor among them. Marino keeps calling Topo, but there's no answer.

Rosario, nicely dressed, exits her apartment, seems a little afraid, thinking back to that mafioso (Julio). She keeps looking around, but he's not there, as she gets into her hired car. She arrives at the tv station, and her dressing room is filled with flowers! There was no card, but yes, there's a Rolex watch, with a card from “your no longer secret admirer, Julio Montoa.”

Pabon and Aguirre are in a helicopter approaching the second farm. Pabon doesn't trust Perea. Aguirre does, he believed the thing about doing it for the people, not for the money. He tells Pabon that at least this shows that not all the outlaws like Escobar. Cut to Pablo, he hears the copters, tells the guys to wake up. He also remarks that the sapo must be in our inner circle, because no one else knows about this super secret farm. Marino tries to call Topo again, and again there's no answer. Very suspicious, right?

The guys are hiding some of the books, loading guns, putting machine guns in a bag. Pablo, as usual, is tying his tennis shoes. Tons of cash is stuffed into little bags. The boys are leaving again, on foot, with a burro. The copter circles overhead.

Rosario walks outside at lunchtime, and a guy beckons her over to Julio's SUV. He asks her to get in, but she politely refuses. She tells him she's sorry, but she's not interested. She tries to return the watch, but he says no way, sell it if you want. She tells him she has enough money, and she's not the type of girl you can win with gifts. Ah, he replies, then just tell me how to win you over, and I'll do it. Again, she politely but firmly says no. But he then grabs her arm, and menacingly tells her he's a simple guy. But if he can't win her over, no one can. Especially not that bum (her boyfriend) he saw her with in the restaurant!
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Part 2

Topo, Kiko and Cain, half hung over, are driving along toward the farm. Cain says we should call Marino to check in. Topo nixes that, Marino's nobody. We'll just say our phone's battery ran out. They come upon a police roadblock and start backing up. Meanwhile, the helicopter has landed outside the secret farm, and once again, it's empty. But Pabon has no doubt that the guys were here. Aguirre says these footprints are less than a half hour old. But it's a jungle, says Pabon. Aguirre says that's good, they themselves could get lost. This could be our chance to catch them.

And sure enough, Pablo, Gonzalo, Peluche and Marino are sweating like pigs, complaining about mosquitoes as they trudge through swampy territory. They stop to rest. Pablo drinks some swamp water, ignores Peluche's warning it might be tainted. So what's the plan? Gonzalo thinks they should head for Freddie Perea's land, he'll help us. Pablo wants to go to Pegnor, a farm owned by his sister. Well how long would THAT take? He says 3 days, but at MY pace, maybe a week. No way, say the others.

Evencio asks Freddie, what happens if Escobar finds out what you did? Bring him on, says Freddie, I'm not scared. Well, asks Evencio, what about Miguel, he doesn't know anything about this, Pablo could get mad at him, since he brought us in. Too bad, says Freddie. Both of these guys, eating popsicles, think they're sitting pretty, since they've gotten in good with the government, and are also eliminating the competition.

The soldiers, led by Aguirre, are following the footprints.

Rosario, her Mom and her boyfriend Victor are having dinner in one of their luxurious apartments. They can't believe this kind of menace can take place in these modern times, right in the city. Rosario reminds them they could get millions as a reward for turning the guy in. Forget it, says Mom, we're talking about your LIVES here. And you know what, I think you and Victor should maybe stop seeing each other for a while. This is no game, we don't want to make him mad. Rosario's eyes get wide with this frightening realization.

Pablo and the boys find a hidden area to hunker down in. Pabon is back at the base with the listening equipment. Pablo hears some radio broadcast from Medellin, laughs. But Peluche feels his neck, you're burning up, man! The tension keeps rising as we see soldiers in the secret farm. Topo, Kiko and Cain are in the bushes just outside, guns drawn. NOW what?!

 

CORAZON VALIENTE:

Great recap, Novelera! I noticed that EM said he's not sure he can trust Lady. And sure enough, we have Sam pulling a gun on her, so maybe she'll talk.

I sort of wish Duval had a worse fate, like being in jail with all the rough types. But I guess he got his punishment. Now the police should put someone new on the case, and MAYBE they'd get somewhere. Who am I kidding? Only our cast members can save the day.

So Willy doesn't trust EM, but does trust Lady. And Sam doesn't trust Lady, but does trust EM.

At least EM feels a little bad about having to lower himself to trickery to get a woman. Whereas NB continues to think it's all worth it, and she'll actually have Miggy para siempre. Think again.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR

Excellent recap, Hombre. I'm enjoying the pursuit of Pablo and the boys much more than their constantly killing people!

A couple of things. When Julio was talking with Rosario, he said he was un hombre sensible, which means a sensitive guy. And he referred to her boyfriend as ese calvo, that bald guy.

Pablo actually said that they'd get to his sister's place in 3 days at his own pace, but said it would take a week at Gonzalo's pace, to which Gonzo said something that was bleeped out.

They sure are hinting Pablo is going to look for a sapo o soplon within his crew, apparently not suspecting the paramilitaries, nor that his satellite phone calls are being monitored.
 

Pablo Escobar -

thanks so much Hombre !!!

I don't know if your recaps are just getting better, or what, but I'm really starting to get into the rhythm of the story, these guys and the way they think, and the reality of what is actually going on here.

don't drink the water Pablo,

btw, and I may have got this wrong, but I was thinking at the end when they were all resting/asleep, Pablo was listening to a broadcast of his favorite futbol team, and when they scored/won, he got excited, and everyone freaked, like the police were there, ha!
 

PABLO ESCOBAR Martes, Part 1

Pablo definitely has a bad fever. The boys give him water, but this isn't helping. They see a clearing ahead, and there's a house in the country. They knock, and a nice elderly lady comes out. She recognizes Escobar, but is concerned. He has malaria.

Pablo is delirious. He's dreaming that's he's introduced as the President of Colombia. His Mom is proud of him. We see new actors are being used for his son Emilio (much chunkier than before, now with neatly combed dorky hair, unlike the curly hair from before) and daughter Daniela (a skinny young girl who looks like the earlier Daniela). The old lady gives him some tea, but Pablo's almost catatonic. Peluche has never seen him this sick. They've actually been there 6 days! Pablo's face is twitching.

Back in the city, Julio accosts Rosario and her Mom. As Victor waits in the car, Rosario tells Julio I'm leaving the country, to study abroad. She's terrified of him, as he touches her lightly. He asks about her boyfriend. She tells him she no longer has a boyfriend. This makes Julio happy. Rosario pleads with him to leave her alone. He walks around her, plays with her hair, she's trembling. Fine, have a nice trip. But if the cops grab me, I'll know who turned me in. And that person will die. Mom comes over, Julio tells her you've got a pretty daughter. Too bad she's so stupid!

The cops have completely lost track of Escobar. And Freddy Perea has know idea where he is. Aguirre reads the paper, the new President is going to be sworn in (I have no idea who this is, maybe it's César Gaviria, the guy who sort of took over for Galán). Pabon says that Escobar is weakened. It's about time we won some of the battles.

Pablo has fully recovered from malaria, and thanks the nice old lady. She's happy, sort of hopes maybe he'll stop with the violence, fix things up? Well, don't worry about that, he says, he's a man of peace. And he has a little present for her, to show they're just as generous as the police. Gonzalo gives her three or four bundles of cash. As the guys leave, she tells Gonzalo, the first thing I'm going to do with this money is.....and he KILLS her. And takes back the money.

Pablo is back in Medellín, meeting with Ramada and Arellano. The Motoas have contributed $5 million, and so have these guys. Ramada says we got you that fleet of taxis and the new houses you wanted, too. Pablo says $10 million is nice, but we need double for our next strategy. See what the boys can do. And Gonzalo – set me up two appointments, one with Miguel Moreno and Pedro Motoa, the other with Falcao, Lopera and Santorini.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR Part 2

We see a small plane flying over the countryside, and two guys with DEA hats are listening. They speak in English, and have been able to hone in on Pablo's frequency. They hear about an upcoming drug buy. They send the coordinates to Pabon's son Martín. The cops are happy that the DEA's equipment is helping, but they're frustrated that their own tracking isn't working. Pabon reminds Aguirre that if we can't come up with anything, we'll just have to work with the Americans, whether you like it or not (I guess he doesn't).

Gonzalo talks to Ramada about shipments. They're talking in code, though, and they seem to have upgraded their satellite phones. Topo and Kiko tell a supplier they need all the dynamite he has, plus all that's coming in. Price is no object.

We see Pablo wearing a hat and glasses, driving a taxicab! So are Kiko and Buitre. Pablo's also getting some gray hair these days. They pull up in front of a house and Pablo goes inside. It's his family! This is a new house they got. And Pablo says he can stay here a while. Emilio says the new house is awesome (bacano). Daniela says it's cool (chévere). And even though they can't go to school, she shows off what she learned, some English. She recites the alphabet up to “p”'. Of course Emilio says at her age he knew it all the way to “z”.

I don't exactly remember who Falcao is, but he's a bald guy, and he meets with Lopera, who negotiated when Bedoya's son was held hostage. Lopera tells Falcoa, don't meet with Escobar, he's a terrorist, just tell him no, don't do it!

Next time: What to do with all that dynamite.
 

EL ROSTRO DE LA VENGANZA -- martes

In which the classmates learn their brains were zapped; Mariana learns that no one leaves Ezequiel and lives to tell the tale; and we learn that Nurse Alicia is the daughter of the late Ramón Farias and she is out for blood.

Part 1 of 2

The Class Reunion: Luciano insults Alex, Patricia flirts with both guys and talks trash about Tania. Miguel Angel sulks because Mommy and Daddy won't let him join the grownups. Tania gossips to Natalia about Patty. Alejandra makes a brief attempt to join their conversation. Carolina arrives and Tania kind of smirks.

Ezequiel doesn't want Diego going to the class reunion but our hero is undeterred. He promises, however, that he won't say a word about Marcos being the niño monstruo.

Alone in her modest apartment, Nurse Alicia flashes back to the good old days in prison when Diego would deliberately provoke random neanderthals to beat the crap out of him so he could have an excuse to see her in the infirmary. Her reverie is interrupted when her neighbor, Mariana, stops in to visit.

Mariana is fed up with Ezequiel, she tells Alicia. He is actually having her followed! She has decided to break it off with him for good. Alicia acts surprised -- Ezequiel seems like a nice guy. Watch out, says Mariana, he's not what he seems. He's obsessive and he's pathologically jealous. Alicia will be okay as long as she doesn't get too close to him.

Diana Mercader arrives at the reunion wearing a weird flapperish dress. She and Luciano trade double entendres.

Natalia goes over to talk to nerdy, damaged, Manuel (we've not seen him before) because he is all alone. He carries his own bottled water -- it's all he drinks.

Now Diego himself strides into the room and everyone turns and stares. He addresses the group: "The last time I saw you, our classroom was in flames; and then I was behind bars for 20 years." Patricia is angry -- she was told the niño monstruo wouldn't be there! -- and tries to leave.
 

EL ROSTRO -- Part 2 of 2

The mood in the Mercader apartment is still cranky. Juan is fuming because Diana has gone to the reunion. Juanito takes his grandfather Juan's side and rejects all things Diego; but his grandmother Sonia tells him Diego is innocent; one day Juanito will understand and come to love him.

In front of the whole gathering, including Federico Samaniego, who has just entered the room, Patricia sounds off. She saw Diego enter the classroom, point a gun at Luciano's head and then at Eva Samaniego's. She saw Diego shoot Eva. "That's a lie!" says Diego. But she stands firm. She remembers it as if it were yesterday, how the blood of her classmates splashed on her face. "That's impossible," counters Diego. "You and I and almost everyone else here were given electroshock treatments to erase our memory of the shooting." The only ones spared the shock treatment were Alex, Natalia and Tania.

Now Alex speaks up: One of their classmates, Jorge Castillo, a medical doctor (recently murdered!), was puzzled by the fact that none of the children who witnessed the shooting had any memory of it even though they were eight years old at the time. He discovered their brains had been manipulated to wipe out their memory.

When Luciano starts to mock sad Manuel, Diego cuts the bullying short. "Now we're adults and we can defend ourselves," he tells Luciano, grabbing him by his lapels.

"Let go of him, Diego!" orders Samaniego as he pulls out a gun. He agreed to this reunion for only one reason: to find out who killed his daughter. It's time for Diego to tell everyone the name of the real killer.

Carolina looks like she ate a bad enchilada.

At the Alvarado apartment, Marcos confirms to his grandmother that yes, he proposed to that reporter. The Brat is about to tell her brother about her imaginary pregnancy when Mariana's unexpected arrival distracts her.

Did Ezequiel send that bastard to follow her? He doesn't deny it. As he told her before, if she has a lover, he'll find out and he'll kill him. Mariana is uncomfortable when he says things that -- she knows he's not a killer. But he loves her, he says suavely. Well she has an unpleasant surprise for him: "I don't love you," she says bluntly. "We're done. I've fallen in love with another man." He is disbelieving at first, then abusive. He grabs her and tells her: "If you try to leave me, I'll kill you."

"I can't let myself get carried away again," Alicia tells herself. She remembers how she had to quit her job at the prison because she had fallen in love with an inmate ...

Marcos and Braterina share a happy moment in contemplation of her imaginary pregnancy while buzzkill abuela again tells her to have an abortion. Mariana is trying to make a clean getaway from all things Alvarado but she isn't fast enough -- the Brat throws a "Martín Knocked Me Up" in her sorrowful face.

No, don't switch channels now or you'll miss the money shot!
Alicia has a late visitor and it's not Santa Claus: "Samaniego is going to help us!" announces Laura, smiling under her dark glasses and shawl. Alicia hustles her inside for fear that Mariana might see her. "Ramón's death will be avenged!" declares Laura. "I hope so," says Alicia soberly. "I hope I can avenge my father's death."
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – martes – Part 1

EM tells Alma not to worry, he’ ll get her out of this place.

Miggy tells FF that he loves hermore than ever and that his pretending to want NB is part of his plan to get the baby back. However, NB is recording their conversation. Oops. She did this before. Miggy should be more careful.

When Laura flatlines, there’s no doctors bursting in with a crash cart or anything. JM has to go find the doctor. Jéssica begs her mother not to die.

Sam threatens Lady with a gun and demands to know the truth. She accuses Lady of setting up the trap for her. Lady denies it and tells Sam to go ahead and kill her, all she did was tell Willy about it.

EM and Gigante take the baby out of the doctor’s apartment in a cardboard box. [Why didn’t they take the fancy stroller the kid was in?] A guy, who we later learn works for NB, is watching. He then goes into the apartment.

NB listens to the tape of Miggy professing his love for FF. She is disgusted.

JM tells Angie and the rest of the gang that Laura is “muy delicada” and they have to “esperar,” which handily means both “wait” and “hope.”

FF asks Miggy how long they are going to wait for NB to return the baby? Miggy asks her to trust him. They’ll wait until tomorrow and if there’s no news, he’ll go to Bogotá for help. NB comes in and everybody plays their parts – she pretends that there will be news of the baby the next day and Miggy pretends that once the baby is found FF will return to LA.

The Reptile dicatates to Ringo a list of stuff that she wants to buy for the village that freed her from jail. This list includes: computers, TV’s, free wifi for everybody, electronic games, etc. Ringo says that all that stuff will cost a lot. He will get quotes and wait for EM to approve. The Reptile does not believe that EM should be involved in the decision; he’s in LA and not involved with the village unlike her and Ringo. She gets in Ringo’s lap to reinforce her opinion.

JM tells Willy that he can’t believe that Duval was dirty. Then he feels a little faint but tells Willy that it’s no biggie. Sam arrives and is told about Duval’s dying words. She convinces Angie to go to Duval’s apartment and see if they can find information about FF’s baby.

Two guys and a baby. EM tells little Alma that her cuteness makes him not want to be what he was. In a cute scene, EM hands over the baby to a reluctant Gigante and says that he is going to Duval’s apartment to look for evidence of their relationship.

NB’s guy calls and tells her that the doctor is dead and the EM has the baby.

 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – martes – Part 2

NB calls EM. He says that yes, he has Miguel’s baby that NB was ready to kill. She asks what he is going to do. He replies that he is going to return the baby to her parents and tell them the truth about NB. She says that if he does that, she will have Sam killed. EM tells her not to touch Sam and proposes a truce. They will need a scapegoat to blame the kidnapping of the baby on. EM looks at Gigante and says that he has a candidate. EM asks why he should enter into a truce with a baby killer? NB replies that if EM refuses the truth, she will tell Sam that he isn’t Dr. Montoya. EM agrees to the truce.

Miggy tells Camilo and Gus that he is putting on a good face for FF but he’s worried that the baby hasn’t turned up.

We get the usual sex scene plus music with Camilo and Clara.

D8D has gotten Lady to come to his place. He pumps her for information about EM and puts the moves on her as well. She tells him nothing and avoids his advances.

Nic tells Willy and JM that Sam and Angie are not in the hospital cafeteria.

EM is at D8D’s apartment. He finds some DVD’s marked Jesús Matamoros and Verdugo. He takes them and hides when Sam and Angie show up. We see NB trying to get someone to answer the phone. Two bad guys show up at the apartment. They make Sam and Angie kneel but EM manages to kill them without Sam and Angie seeing him.

NB confesses to Miggy and FF that she lied about taking the baby and she doesn’t have the baby. FF goes nuts.

EM comes to get Lady at D8D’s place. He tells D8D that he doesn’t like curious people.

Willy and JM are at Duval’s apartment and Sam and Angie are trying to justify going there. For Willy, this is another confirmation of her dedication to her job rather than her family. JM is more forgiving of Angie. [Hey prop people: blood turns brown when it dries.]

NB calls EM and says that she tried to stop her guys from killing Sam but she couldn’t reach them. Too bad, replies EM, the truce is over and now you will find out, “quien soy yo,” “who I am.”

Miggy tells NB that if she doesn’t have the baby, there’s no reason for him and his people to stick around. He wants to leave. NB asks him not to forget her. What she experienced with him only happened to her once before and that was with EM. “Get him back,” Miggy advises but NB has already burned her boats there.

Lady tells EM that she doesn’t like D8D.

 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – martes – Part 3

EM tells Lady that he will never forgive NB for trying to harm Sam.

Sam tells Willy that she wants to go back to Duval’s apartment [it should be sealed off as a crime scene.] She suggests to Willy that D8D was involved in setting the trap for her. Willy immediately leaves and we can guess where he is going.

Sam gets a text from EM as her “salvador,” thus connecting the person who saved her life in LA with the one who saved her life in Colombia.

EM is going to take the baby to Colombia the next day on a private plane. Ringo tells the Reptile that EM is returning to Colombia.

Willy shows up at D8D’s place and accuses him of setting the trap with Sam and EM. D8D doesn’t know what he is talking about but he picks up the general idea quickly and uses it to his advantage. He tells Willy that all he knows is that EM and Sam are having affair.

EM tries to take care of the baby but needs Lady’s help.

Miggy, FF, Gus, Camilo and Clara say their goodbyes to NB. When they drive off, NB tells her guys to follow them.

Sam tells EM that because of family issues, she can’t be his bodyguard right now. She tells him about Duval and EM does a great job at appearing shocked. He tells Sam that he is going away for a few days. He wants to say goodbye to her in his way. He hugs her (no kisses). He says that he is enchanted to have met her, he likes her a lot, she saved his life in several ways and is his “salvadora.” Sam mentions that someone saved her life the day before but it’s a long story.

Laura is OK.

Angie tells Willy that he has to forgive Sam. Willy replies that he won’t forgive Sam because she has a lover. Angie is shocked.

Nora arrives at the hospital. For some reason, she had to go to Laura’s apartment and she found the test results that JM left there. She gives the envelope to Angie.

Ringo cuts off the car with Miggy et al in it. He says that he has message from EM: if Miggy and FF want to see their daughter, they should stay in the town.

EM and Sam are in a parking deck and D8D is watching.

 

Pablo Escobar -

terrific recap Hombre !!

I missed a bit but was surprised to see the other sicarios back.

that was interesting scene,
Pablo seemed so sincere, when he thanked the old lady, and when he turns to leave, Gonzalo comes up close and says somewhat questioningly, no one can know that we were here, Pablo pauses but says nothing, and then turns and leaves, Gonzalo alone finishes their business there, kills the lady, Pablo walks away with a clean conscience, seeing nothing.

some in Pablo's group look surprised at hearing the shot, but I am sure they were reminded of the business they were in and how it worked.

interesting, that Pablo can always go back to Medellín,
from dying and hiding to back in business,

great acting by the girl who played Rosario, you could almost hear every thought, feel every emotion, feel every touch, is she really in the clear now.

from Roberto Escobar...
"In Medellín, Pablo owned more than twenty taxicabs to move around. "
I seem to remember quite a while ago once when they needed to get out of Medellin and go to Panama, it was in a taxi.
and he later said,
"When we were outside we moved about the city in a fleet of taxis owned by Pablo. Each of these taxis was equipped with a big antenna that made it possible to make mobile phone calls. Most of the calls Pablo made were from these moving cars, which would make it impossible for anyone to find the place from where the call was made."

amazing, how Pablo managed to be a step ahead of the best the U.S. and Colombian governments could throw at him.
 

CORAZON VALIENTE:

Thanks for the recap, Jean, excellent!

I wonder if babies need passports. That little Alma sure is traveling a lot. So back we go to Colombia.

Yes, Duval's apartment should have been sealed off. But we forgot that's impossible, since he was the only cop in LA. Just as Velasquez was the only doctor in Colombia, so heaven help anyone who gets shot there now.

At this point, both Willy and Sam seem very stupid. Why not believe the person you love, if you really love them? But good guys never believe good guys, they only believe the evil guys. Even after NB confessed she lied about the whole baby thing, Miggy and FF then believe what she NOW says about the baby. Huh? And when Sam tells Nora, I didn't cheat on Willy, you believe me, don't you? Nora says well sure, but what Willy saw was very strong, I can understand why he has doubts. Wrong. If Willy really loved Sam, he'd let her explain, and he'd believe her.

But it's par for the course, as JM was the same way with Angie. The good guys are just behaving horribly, and then have to beg for forgiveness later. Over and over.

The good news is we still have lots of action in each episode, and 2) it's over January 7th, so they'll stop with all the foolishness already!!!
 

Corazon Valiente -

nice recap Jean !!
this episode just went on and on, I kept running out of breath just reading about it.

I didn't think Miggy did a very good job of deceiving NB, so it was nice that he confessed the whole thing to her, and a bit of a shock to her that he did, endearing him even more to her, so I think they are safe, but no hug, just a hand shake, good bye.

D8D and the Reptile, just won't go away, I think this is the theme of this show, and it's as frustrating for us as it is for the other characters, somebody is just going to have to make that happen, who will it be? (let me in the tv and I'll do it). Or as I suspect, it may be an unexpected result of their own doing that brings about their unraveling, BeGone, already!
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE

Terrific recap, Jean. I notice you and I both have to do three parts because these episodes are action packed!

I loved Jesús looming over D8D telling him he doesn't like curious people. Anytime someone puts a spoke in D8D's wheel, it's fun to watch.

Hombre, ITA about Sam and Willy, but that's the way TN's work. And you're right that JM behaved exactly the same way.

When I was watching "Doña Victoria" wheedling money out of Ringo to buy stuff for the pueblito I was thinking: "How come she doesn't use HER money -- the money she swindled out of JM?"

I could watch Varoni and the baby for hours. It was funny the way he held her stiffly like she was a package and didn't seem to realize you need to put a baby over your shoulder and pat its back to dial back the crying. And then, when he gave the baby to Gigante, he told him to be careful with her head! I am now totally rooting for Jesús Matamoros to redeem himself and survive.

I sure hope EM arrives in Colombia tonight and the baby is returned to its parents. If for nothing else, to shut Fabiola up!

I hope it was a red herring that EM was going to blame Gigante for stealing Alma. He's too nice of a guy. Plus, it seemed like EM's truce with NB was over because the guys were going to kill Sam.
 

EL ROSTRO

Thanks for recapping, NovelaMaven. Love your writing style. Well, this TN is following the predictable pattern. It's shown over and over again that rich people are rotten, their kids are spoiled and entitled, and only poor, humble people have any morals at all.

I can't stand to even look at Braterina any more. OF COURSE, she had to pour some salt in Mariana's wounds with the false pregnancy announcement. What is she thinking? Does she plan to quickly bed Miguel Ángel to get the baby bump started?

Is MassacreFest going to last through 3 or 4 more episodes?

I was sure Diego and Diana weren't Juan's kids, but now their mother insists he's getting senile and imagining things. And she seems pretty straightforward about it. And this often happens: You adopt one kid and then get pregnant with another, in this case a pair.

Gah! Older rich guys in TN's always insist on the gorgeous younger woman marrying them even though they know full well they aren't going to be loved.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR

Thanks, Hombre, terrific recap. Yep, all these different guys that are being introduced make it very confusing. I had no idea who Falcao is either.

My skin crawled when Julio Motoa was touching Rosario as she was ready to leave. I hope this is the last of his "courtship".

I was truly shocked when Gonzalo killed the kind woman who saved Pablo from malaria. When he said "No one can know we were here", I knew it was going to happen, but still.

Oh hell, they're buying more dynamite!
 

EL ROSTRO

thanks NovelaMaven. it's amazing how much seemed to happen in this 30min show. you are incredibly patient and good at recapping. now I don't feel the need to watch it.
 

LA MARIPOSA en MUNDOfox

they're showing this weeks episodes on Sunday again, from 2-7pm. I find it interesting that they don't have English captions in the first run at 9pm, and do at midnight and Sunday re-runs.

Right now, I'm obsessed with this show. The galan has just the right amount of swagger... love him!
 

LA MARIPOSA

I agree, Shallowgal, that this TN is excellent. I was only going to watch one last night, since I'd not watched Monday's. But ended up watching both Mon & Tues.

Michel Brown is very good as Martínez, and all the supporting cast are first-rate as well.

I love it that Altagracia has such high principles, but I'm sure he's going to give in and join the D4 team.
 

EL ROSTRO

Indeed, Novelera, the writers filled their shopping carts to the max at the Clichetería. I don't mind. It's Miami Dramedy where the only thing bigger than the rich guy's net worth is the size of his girlfriend's rear end.

It's so funny the way novelas have moved the erogenous zone of the moment to the back forty. (I hope, for the sanity and health of the actresses, that wardrobe rather than surgery is mostly responsible for the Very Special Effects.)

Ay, Shallowgal, don't let my recaps keep you from watching the show. I think it's a blast. (If it balloons to an hour after Pablo is done, I may feel less enthusiastic. Twenty-something minutes of these silly but mostly pretty people is just the right daily dose for me.)
 

LA MARIPOSA

there you are, novelera.

indeed, the supporting cast is wonderful. Altagracia and his 'side-kick' remind me of Mutt and Jeff, if only in stature. they are amusing.


 

EL ROSTRO

NovelaMaven - yes, 'pretty people' -they're sort of what's keeping me interested still; esp Saul Lisazo.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Miércoles

Well, I got a new cable box, and forgot to record most of the show. I also forgot to take notes! So this is pretty much from memory.

Pablo has a meeting with Falcao and Santorini. Santorini assures him that when the new President, César Gaviria takes office, the process will start for the constitutional amendment to ban extradition. The people support it, so Gaviria will. And although there will be a court review, they should back it too. So why not stop the bombs? Sorry, Santo, baby, says Pablo, I'm addicted to hate. So the bombs will continue. And I'll do my plan with Falcao, who knows all the rich people in the country. His job? To identify which ones I should kidnap!

And sure enough, all that dynamite gets used. Topo is now making the bombs, having learned from the late Chili. A big bomb goes off in a nice neighborhood, dozens of innocent people are killed. As usual we see gruesome actual footage. We also see a new young woman reporter (didn't get her name). Her boss is Adriana who I think runs a magazine.

The second meeting Pablo has is with Pedro Montoa. Miguel Moreno didn't show up, which doesn't please Pablo too much. Turns out Pablo DOES suspect Freddy Perea. Pedro says but Miguel might not even be aware of what Freddie did. Pablo shoots back, then why didn't he show his face? I want to ask him. And besides, we have that Cali thing. Pedro is amazed. You're still on that? Can't we calm things down a bit? No way, say Pablo. I'm going to keep bombing innocent civilians until the whole country is forced to give in to my demands. And as for Cali, we're still at war with them. We also see the money's flowing, as Ramada lands a plane full of money.

Meanwhile, Pabon and Aguirre are getting NOWHERE. They raid a house of a guy named Pablo, but it's just some old guy named Pablo. They hear the words abuelo and Uncle Pepe on the equipment, and guess (correctly) that Abuelo is Pablo, and Uncle Pepe is someone else high up (we saw yesterday that it was Gonzalo). They then realize they have a phone number for “Pepe”. They just need the address. But with all the bureaucracy and corruption, they have to BEG this guy behind a desk to give them the address. They head off to raid the location.

We see Gonzalo with his tall wife (he asks her to take off her heels, hates when she's taller than he is) united in their new digs in Medellín. They're so happy, his wife wonders when they can be free to be together. Very soon, says Gonzalo. We see the police getting closer. Remember, Gonzalo is “Pepe”. His wife says I'd even take no money, just to be near you all the time. They hug, and apparently make love. Just outside, the cops are at the door. They explode the door, rush in, and.....it's a bunch of kids in a school! Huh? Once again, the cops have failed.

Bombs explode in Cali. First, almost an entire soccer team is killed on the field. But before the story can be told, the reporters rush, off, the drug store was hit (we know from long ago, the drug stores are the secret hideouts of the Cali cartel!). The total from the two attacks is 26 dead (5 children), 180 injured.

César Gaviria meets with the outgoing President and Dr. Bedoya. He says he's going to continue not to negotiate with that madman, Escobar. Bedoya tells him, once you're in office, and a bomb goes off killing innocent people, once people are kidnapped, once your first minister is killed, let's see if you change your mind then!!
 

Corazon Valiente
Thanks Jean for recapping--these episode move so quickly and cover so much that they leave my head spinning .
I guess since filming is done, it's too late to start a write-in campaign demanding that the writers give Jesus a good ending. I will just hope for the best. However, can we make Fabiola just GO AWAY? Shheeeesh!
J in Oregon
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – MIÉRCOLES – Part 1

Jesús Matamoros gives Sam a religious medal of protection that is the only thing he has from his parents, while D8D spies from behind a concrete pole. At first Sam doesn’t want to take it, but he says he thinks it will be in good hands. If he never comes back, it will be hers; if he does she can return it to him. He asks if it would be disrespectful to ask for a kiss. It looks like a kiss on the cheek, but D8D gasps.

Miggy annoys me for perhaps the first time, arguing with Ringo who is trying to tell him that Jesús will give them Alma. Ringo says that Jesús Matamoros is a man of his word and is on his way to Colombia.

JM keeps on insisting to Ángela that he’s fine. He won’t let her see the test results.

Lady tells EM she’s staying in LA for Willy.

D8D catches up to Sam in the hospital and admits he’s been following her because he’s worried about what Willy told him. He says he never set up the trap that angered Willy. Either it was someone else or Sam really is unfaithful to Willy. She tells him she’s not going to explain anything to him. He asks if she knows who the man she’s guarding is. She says she does.

Laura tells Ángela in her hospital room that they’re becoming friends. She also tells her not to postpone the wedding. Laura says she’s over JM. Her loves are intense and short lived. Or maybe she had the love of her life and didn’t realize it. [Gus?]

Miggy and Gus don’t believe Ringo, but Fabiola says they have to take the chance and wait in Colombia. Camilo and Clara both wonder why EM would take the baby and then return her. Gus comes in, having called Laura, and drops the bomb about Duval having been dirty.

Sam tells D8D that Dr. Montoya is an admirable man. D8D, probably remembering how dangerous EM can be, keeps quiet about his identity. Sam says she’s dying to ask him something: was he the one who poisoned her? He admits it. He says he thought he could rip her from his heart and body. He goes on again, blaming Sam for his obsession; she intoxicated him the first time he saw her. He gives a long soliloquy about how it tortured him, wanting her so much, to see her with Willy, marry Willy, have his children. He asks her if she knows what it means to envy his own son, to be jealous of his own son, to even want his own son to die. Sam either says she ought to kill him or he ought to kill himself; it’s said the same way in Spanish grammar. He says without her he’s dead anyway. [What? She can’t press charges now?]

Miggy is still ranting about EM. Fabiola says she trust him more than Ivonne. Miggy says he’ll kill EM if he was the one who took the baby. Fabiola: “And if Ivonne lied; will you kill her?” Miggy doesn’t answer.

Willy has found D8D there and starts accusing him of having come to find out if Laura is going to tell all she knows about D8D’s Colombian friends. He tells D8D not to worry; Laura is too afraid for her daughter’s safety and won’t say a thing.

EM is in Casa Verdugo embracing Ringo, having taken the supersonic LA to Colombia flight. The Reptile comes in, sees the baby, and asks whose it is. [Uh, oh!] EM tells her he wants a favor; that she be the guilty one who kidnapped the baby. The crazy loon is delighted. He won’t tell her whom he’s covering for. Jesús calls Miggy and tells him he’s come to keep his word. He tells Miggy that the Reptile has the baby, but that they should trust him; they have his word he’ll get the baby.

Sam tells Willy “Dr. Montoya” left and may not return. Willy, face bitter, tells her he’ll come back for her.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – MIÉRCOLES – Part 2

JM comes to see Laura. He’s read the analysis and talked to his doctor. He only has a few months left to live. Ángela comes in saying she wants to check on Laura because she’ll be too busy with the wedding the next day to come then. Not realizing what she’s saying, she coos that it will be just like the priests say: “Until death parts them”. Laura looks stricken.

The Reptile appears almost sexually excited that she’s accused of kidnapping a child. She tells Ringo she likes to do big, important things. She wants to be a myth, a legend. She doesn’t care if people say good or bad things about her – just that they not forget her.

Sam tells Willy what I’ve wanted to tell him. She’s tired of his game. He doesn’t want to be with her, but he doesn’t want anyone else to approach her either. Willy angrily asks her if she wants someone to approach her. She gets close and tells him there is a man she wants to touch her, to make love to her, and it’s him. Then she throws him out.

Ringo has managed to capture La Niña Bonita and brings her in blindfolded to EM. She asks if he’s going to kill her. Or is he going to tell Miggy the whole truth. He says it depends on her. She wonders why she’s not driving him crazy like she used to do, even wearing the same perfume. Is Sam better in bed than she is? He says they’re on different paths and that she loves Miguel Valdez. She retorts that he loves Sam. They agree that the objects of their desire love other people. Then they kiss.

Sam does a little strip tease for Willy in the Living Room, wearing some gorgeous underwear. Willy looks like he’s going to give in, and then tells her good night.

We see Gigante asleep at Casa Verdugo, and the baby asleep also in her carrier. The Reptile sneaks in and takes the baby. Gah!

NB and EM have done the deed. He says it’s a shame. They could have had it all if they’d stayed united, if she’d just been patient. She rightly says she did what she did because she thought he was dead. She brings up his multiple infidelities and he comes up with the lame line about none of that mattering because his heart was hers. But she broke it. And Sam will cure him!

Camilo proposes to Clara and gives her a ring he made.

EM comes out, buttoning his shirt, and notices Gigante asleep and the baby missing. Ringo tells him the Reptile is also missing!

Whew! They find the Reptile in the dungeon with the baby. The Reptile insists she would not hurt a baby. This is like the child she never had. She tells them about her inability to bear children. He says he’s sorry, but they have to give the baby to her mother and reaches for Alma.

Génesis and Violeta had wanted Ángela to sleep with them, saying something about bad luck if she sleeps with the groom. But Ángela comes to JM. She doesn’t believe in bad luck.

We see the big meeting of SUV’s in a clearing in Colombia. Miggy and Jesús declare their mutual distaste for each other. Fabiola begs for her baby. Jesús says they ALL want to return the baby, and NB gets out of the SUV. Fabiola erupts. Jesús says that NB discovered that it was Fernanda who had the baby and got her back. The Reptile marches up with Alma. All looks like it’s going as planned. But then the Reptile pulls a gun, tells them all not to move, and points the gun at Alma’s head!

Ángela leaves to get dressed for her wedding, taking all 3 kids with her. JM is so happy. And then he collapses. Jean, you predicted he’d collapse at the altar. We’ll see if he makes it that far and you’re proven right. Or if he never makes it to the altar.
 

EL ROSTRO DE LA VENGANZA -- miércoles

In which Tania puts the blame on a dead man; Mariana and Diego are the target of Ezequiel's jealous rage; Marcos gets dumped; and the Samaniegos give the worst party north of La casa de al lado.

Part 1 of 2

Laura thinks Mariana may turn out to be an ally in the war against Ezequiel.

Diego tries to explain to the MassacreFest crowd why he is protecting the name of the real killer: that person was just a child and he was also a victim of bullying and of parents who had guns lying around. Besides, Diego has already paid for the crime.

Carolina pipes up that Tania saw the shooting and knows the truth. Yes, agrees that lying whore, the moment of truth has come...

Back at the Alvarado apartment, Braterina rubs her salty imaginary pregnancy into Mariana's wounds.

Gorgon Valeria, whose hair suggests a recent windy broom ride, sends Miguel Ángel out to play and then hurries to join the lugubrious festivities. She lurks at the entrance to the room and fixes her gimlet eye on Tania. Tania begins hesitantly: "I saw when..." But she is cut off by Patty Roundheels -- She doesn't need Tania's truth. She saw Diego do it.

"Why don't you shut up and listen?" says plucky Natalia. But the telenovela actress de quinta ignores her: "You were always odd," she says to Diego, "always looking at us with hate."

Samaniego is unhappy to see Valeria in the room. Too bad. "Eva was my daughter too," she sniffs.

Patty Roundheels keeps calling Tania a liar. But Tania goes on with her Valeria-concocted Truthiness: She saw him -- it was their teacher Ramón Farias who fired the gun and killed those seven children. Now Carolina chimes in and claims she saw him too. Diego can't believe his ears.

Too bad Diego isn't privy to the conversation Laura and Alicia are having at this moment. Laura says Ezequiel openly admitted to having shot Ramón twenty years ago. "Then it's obvious that he's the one who had him killed," concludes Alicia. Laura thought so too -- until she found out that the Killer Nurse in the case is a friend of one of the classmates, Tania. Maybe she had Ramón murdered to keep him from telling the truth.

Laura warns Alicia that her life will be in danger if Ezequiel learns who she really is. Alicia isn't afraid. She'll stay in that house as long as it takes to learn the truth.

Juan Mercader tells Omar he is tired, tired of lies. He admits he always hated Diego and the boy didn't deserve his abuse. Omar urges him to ask Diego's forgiveness.

Mariana leaves a tearful goodbye message on Diego's cellphone, congratulating him on his nonexistent baby. She's only sorry she didn't go to Chile with him when he asked her to. Now she's leaving the country. (Run, Mariana! Run for your life!)
 

Corazon Valiente
Wooo hoooo--whopper episode! And great recap Novelera!
Okay, where is Fabby's fruitcake tin with the partial treasure map? Remember how El V was hot on the trail of the treasure that Fabby's dad heisted from him? Guess nobody is looking for that anymore; the current "treasure hunt" has shifted to Alma.
J in Oregon
 

EL ROSTRO -- part 2 of 2

Alex says Tania's story makes no sense. Samaniego knows she's lying in order to protect someone. It's easy enough to accuse a dead man! Not only that, he knows that Ramón's killer is Tania's friend. "Now are you ready to tell us who you're protecting?" Patty Roundheels wants out but finds her path blocked by Samaniego's goons. The man has waited 20 years for answers and no one is leaving the house until the truth emerges.

Mariana rings Alicia's doorbell when she should be in a cab speeding to JFK Airport.

Veronica opens her door expecting Marcos and finds her boss, Hector, instead. He questions her professionalism.

Ezequiel questions Salvador's professionalism. Salvador answers the challenge with a recording of Mariana's goodbye message to Diego. Bastard.

Mariana admits to Alicia that she's in love with Martín. Now Ezequiel is ready to kill them both. If Alicia knows what's good for her, she'll get away from the Alvarados as soon as she can -- Ezequiel is crazy!

Mariana gets a strange phone call ...

Federico Samaniego splashes cold water on his face. Tania approaches him, apologizes for lying, and promises to tell him the truth when the others have left. He replies contemptuously: Yo a ti ya no te creo ni lo que rezas (I don't even believe what you say in your prayers.)

Mariana won't say who her caller was and declines Alicia's offer to accompany her to the airport. She wishes Alicia luck and leaves. A moment later, Alicia grabs her purse and leaves the apartment too.

Veronica has thought it over, she tells Marcos: She's not going to marry him.

Tania is in the bathroom gulping down a handful of pills. She opens the door to someone and says nervously: "What are you doing here? What is this?" She shakes her head and walks backwards (in heels twice as high as Ginger Rogers used to wear). The viewer glimpses a dark shoulder.
 

Pablo Escobar -

thanks Hombre !!

I think I read that the car bomb here in Oklahoma was made from fertilizer and diesel fuel, so that's what I think of when they load that barrel into the car.

hmm, wiki has a page on car bombs, lets see, the first one they have listed is,
"1920: The Wall Street bombing — Italian anarchist Mario Buda (a member of the "Galleanists") parked a horse-drawn wagon filled with explosives and shrapnel in the Financial District of New York City. The blast killed 38 and wounded 400."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_bomb

I see, one of the female reporters was played by Liliana Gonzalez, Victorino's mother, and also in el clon.

César Gaviria,
some background on the real guy from wiki, same as what we have seen,

"Born in Pereira, Gaviria family been an important figure in Colombian politics and economy for over 30 years."

"As a student, Gaviria spent a year as an exchange student in the United States..."

"He was the debate chief of Luis Carlos Galán during Galan's 1989 presidential campaign, which was cut short by Galan's assassination. After this tragedy, Gaviria was then proclaimed as Galan's political successor."

"Gaviria would take Avianca Flight 203, bound for Cali however, for security reasons canceled the flight while the plane with 107 people aboard explodes killing the passengers and flight crew."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/César_Gaviria_Trujillo (spoilers here)

 

CORAZON VALIENTE

As this novela is coming to an end i'm wondering what will become of the Reptile. Will she burn alive like serial killers before her (Julian from ATM, Adolfmael from LCDAL), or will she do a complete turnaround like Darth Vader and throw her father out of his office window?
 

CORAZON VALIENTE:

Great recap, Novelera, of a typical wacky but fun episode. Willy sure has a lot of self control. I don't know if I could resist Sam. I enjoyed this episode, as many of the female characters were doing the deed. I especially liked Clara's ropa interior, when she was with Camilo.

NovelaMan, we know the Reptile and D8D will have to be punished at the end. I'm thinking the two of them will go out together, maybe in a ball of flame, as you suggest. The other bad guys, EM, NB and maybe Ringo, haven't been quite as bad, so who knows what'll happen to them?

As for JM collapsing at the altar, I can see him being really late for the wedding, arriving at the last minute, and collapsing again, just when the question is asked. But usually the writers are even MORE creative, so we should have some surprises tonight.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR -- miércoles

Well done, Hombre -- it's pretty impressive that you pulled all that together from memory. Thank you.

I was a bit confused by the raid on what we thought was Gonzalo's house. Did the police just get it completely wrong or did G manage to scuttle out the back like the rat that he is?

The actor playing César Gaviria, the next President of the Republic, is Fabián Mendoza who can also be seen right now in El Secretario where he plays a clownish villain. In fact the two roles are so different, I had to look very carefully to be sure it was the same actor.

The forty-something lady journalist is "Diana" and is based on the real-life Diana Turbay. She features importantly in the García Márquez book Novelera and I have mentioned, Noticia de un secuestro.
 

ROSA DIAMANTE

it really irks me when Barbi hurls insults at Rosa, like she's some kind of wonderful. all the name-calling and accusations are so HER, not Rosa. I can't wait til she gets knocked off her high horse.

Gerardo Sr still thinking ugly thoughts about the wrong people - another downer. He should be paralyzed for life.
 

Corazon Valiente -

thanks so much novelera, for another wonderful recap !!
(there should be some kind of novela award for you and Jean for doing such a tremendous job recapping such a difficult novela).

hmm,
Jesús Matamoros, who's word is good as gold, always seems to be deceiving people rather than being upfront, Sammy would never go for a guy like that, and the baby kidnap thingy isn't working so well either, and of course there is the part where he didn't tell NB that he was still alive. Could he, with his swagger and a wink, pull it off anyway?

So the doctor didn't call JM into his office, made sure he was seated, softly closed the door, and said, "I'm afraid I have some bad news". He just left him a note, you'll be dead in a couple of months, could you pay your bill now?
Good thing Angela doesn't believe in bad luck, reminds me of their first wedding when she went to jail.

Camilo and Clara, does getting engaged when you can't get married ever work out?

and wow, Sammi and Willy's non sex scenes keep getting hotter and hotter as their frustration builds.

and could someone please grab Alma (she is so cute and well behaved) who doesn't deserve to be treated like Lucy, and give the Reptile a doll to play with, after all, the Reptile does bite when she kisses.
 

CORAZON VALIENTE-

Thanks for the super recap, Novelera.

Great comment, Deb!

I was a little disappointed that EM jumped into bed with NB after saying that he wanted nothing to do with a woman who would order a baby to be killed. Maybe he has a more devious plan.
 

LA MARIPOSA

lol! Altagracia is smitten with Laurens, so now I guess he'll join D4.

which brings to mind a friend who once said that men do things for 3 reasons: God, money, or women.
 

Rosa Diamante -

hi shallowgal,

Rosaura noticed as well how malicious Barbi can be, so nice that she is coming out of the clouds, (incredible performance from Lupita Ferrer) so touching, the scenes with her daughter Rosa, and since the majority of the story stems from her character, so nice to see her coming back into action, an original evil character that is now maybe changing sides and may take on the bad guys.

Barbi, Barbi, Barbi, her own worst enemy, except for her best friend Marina Corina, finds the Altamirano family gathered around, the perfect time for her grand announcement, that she is pregnant with JI's child (really the result of abuse by her blackmailer who she kind of intentionally/accidentally killed) only to find out that all are desperately awaiting news of the kidnapping of Lu, the daughter.

and Geraldo, a bull of a man, now paralyzed, knowing the truth of Barbi, and hearing all, continually fires of his abusive comments to all, only to be heard by us, (kind of a novela version of Mr. Bill from old Saturday night live)

"Directed by Miguel Varoni"
 

EL ROSTRO

NovelaMaven, thanks for making me laugh out loud again! Windy broom ride. Hah!

I've now lost all hope they'll tell who the niño monstruo is until the very last week.

I had the exact same thought. For Pete's sake, Mariana, why are you stopping off at Alicia's? And why did you refuse her offer to accompany her to the airport? I hope this is all a red herring and she really does leave the country when she leaves the cast, instead of what they're hinting.

Now, if Ezequiel believes that Martín is Mariana's lover, that changes things up a lot. For one thing it could put a spoke in Braterina's wheel if her papí now doesn't want her to marry him.


 

EL ROSTRO

Hee hee hee! De nada, Novelera. If I keep writing these things, I may use a more epistolary style ... you know,

Querida Novelera, ...
 

PABLO ESCOBAR

Hombre, if that's what you write from memory you should donate your brain to science! Excellent recap.

Speaking of bombs, Santorini was looking at Escobar as if he were a ticking bomb in the flesh. He realizes he's lost any leverage he ever had on the lunatic who says he's "addicted to hate".

I meant to say that the teenager who's now playing Emilio looks very much like the real son of Pablo Escobar who was in the documentary: The Two Escobars.

And, yes, I recognized the actress who played the TV reporter, Diana, as having played Lina Maria in Victorinos.

And that Falcao. Escobar said he was part of the "oligarchy" who was helping him identify potential kidnap victims. What a total scumbag! If this character existed in real life, I hope he's still in jail.
 

LA MARIPOSA

I'm enjoying this novela, but they used a definite cliché last night when Alicia was telling her mother over dinner that she was chilling out Richard to gain time to hide her assets. And he was eavesdropping behind the door. Hate that over-used plot device.

The actor playing Antonio Sandoval, the big-time narco for whom Alicia's boss launders money, played Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, the wonderful Minister of Justice assassinated by Pablo Escobar in that telenovela.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE

This is kind of a late response to J in Oregon.

If my memory serves, El Verdugo actually did get the treasure for which there was a map in the fruitcake tin. Part of the map was in the tin and part was tattooed on her body! EV had the map that was in the tin, and Miggy took a picture of her to give EV so he'd have the whole map. I assumed he went and got the treasure.

But then it turned out EV really wanted Fabiola herself.

Anyone else remember this more clearly?
 

Corazon Valiente
Novelera, thanks for the fill-in on the fruitcake tin. Don't know why these little details stick in my mind and pester me if I can't make sense of them.
:o)
J in Oregon
 

PABLO ESCOBAR Jueves Part 1

Pablo and Pati are content, hugging in bed. He loves her eyes.

And now we see why yesterday's raid on Gonzalo failed. The guy behind the desk gave the cops the wrong address. But Aguirre and Pabon have HIS number. They go back to him. They KNOW he's being either paid by the cartel, or threatened by them, or both. Pabon talks to the man alone. We'll treat this like gentlemen. If you're straight with me, I guarantee you won't go to jail, and we'll protect you and your family. Okay? It looks as if the guy will do it.

César Gaviria is sworn in as President, and gives a speech. Again we see the actual footage. He decries the violence, but says the people have spoken, they want democracy, they want peace.

Doña Enelia asks Pablo if he'll work with the new government. Pablo reminds her he's a man of peace, so he's going to invite the government to make peace with him. By kidnapping 17-20 of the most illustrious people in Bogotá. Enelia doesn't think any good will come from this. But Gonzalo and Pablo don't take her seriously, and Gonzalo gets up to leave. Pablo tells him to take Enelia shopping and to the gynecologist (he's kidding). Gonzalo goes to leave, and Enelia blesses him, tells him they all love him. Gonzalo puts on his shades and cap, gets in his taxi, and motors off. A guy thinks he's a regular cabbie, tries to get in! Gonzo says I'm not in service. Of course, he then picks up another cartel guy, prompting the bystander to mutter, not in service, my foot.

Diana Turbay, the reporter, tells her assistant they've been asked to interview “Padre Reyes”. A man and a woman who were in some group (the right wing guys?) said it would be fruitful. The assistant is excited, she'll come, too. If this works as well as a prior interview with MR20 (left wing group), it'll be a journalistic coup. The phone rings. It's Topo, who confirms the interview with Padre Reyes. Diana has no idea she's talking to the cartel, and Topo smiles maliciously.

Gonzalo pulls up to his house. As he enters, a cop was watching, and calls in to Colonel Pabon, the subject just got home. Cut to the new President talking with someone from the prior administration. The other guy says you should send a message to the Medellín cartel. Tell them if they give themselves up, you won't extradite them. But, says Gaviria, extradition is our only weapon. Precisely, says the other guy. Hmmmm. General Ulloa enters, Mr. President, we have an operation in progress against one of the bosses of the cartel.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Part 2

Gonzalo kisses his wife Claudia, who's making his favorite dinner. Outside, the cops, led by Aguirre, are dressed up as phone company repairmen. They decide to assess the situation, and climb a few ladders, doing phone company stuff. Inside, Gonzalo happens to look outside, and instantly knows something stinks. Pabon says what's happening. They're assessing. He says go NOW!!! So they get the machine guns out of the truck. Inside, Gonzalo tells Claudia to hide upstairs as he gets out a shotgun. The police blow up the door. Gonzalo shoots through the door, misses. A cop shoots back, hitting his arm, he starts to stagger. The cop smashes the door open, and shoots Gonzalo several times in the chest. His horrified wife sobs as she comes down the stairs to see him flat on his back, eyes still open, but dead!

Back at cop headquarters, there are congrats all around. Finally! Ulloa reports on the success to the President. We see Gonzalo in a pool of blood, as they cover his face with a sheet. At Pablo's place, he, Enelia and Peluche are laughing, happy as clams, when Topo comes over looking serious, and quietly tells him Gonzalo was killed. They're in shock. Pablo slowly rises, lurches off.

Later, Pablo and family are watching the news reports of the death of Gonzalo Gaviria (same last name as the President, just a coincidence of course), alias The Lion. Pablo loses it, smashes the TV, goes on a rant. Gonzalo was alone! Those damn cops killed him, didn't let him defend himself! Pati says not in front of your daughter! But he can't help himself, starts sobbing inconsolably, until his Mother smothers him into her huge breasts, cuddling her helpless little baby, telling him to breathe, watch his heart, you're okay, Pablo, get him some water, drink this, honey, my beautiful son, you'll be okay.

Pablo pulls son Emilio over to him, takes his chin in his hands, says son, if they kill me too, you'll be in charge of everything. Everything.

 

EL ROSTRO DE LA VENGANZA -- jueves

In which Patricia auditions for the role of niña monstrua; Martín is missing; and Tania lends herself to a scheme to lure Mariana to ... the grim reaper?

Part 1 of 2

Luciano continues to mock the reunion and everyone in attendance. Carolina (who believes she is the niña monstrua, is the only classmate who steps forward to ask Diego's forgiveness.

Ezequiel is locked in his study listening to Mariana's recorded message to Martín over and over. Finally he hurls the cellphone at one of his wrought-iron sculptures and stalks out past Eliana. The old woman is worried -- he hasn't been like this since Laura fake-died.

"It's not you, it's me," Veronica tells Marcos.

Samaniego is furious at Valeria for pressuring Tania to lie. "Who are you protecting?" he wants to know.

"Me" says a tearful Patty Roundheels, as she joins her hosts. "I did it". "I killed your daughter and those children."

Does Patty remember the shooting? No. Tania told her. They were university students together and Tania told her everything. "Tania!" mutters Federico and then storms out of the room bellowing her name. Patty weeps and begs Valeria's forgiveness. Valeria rolls her eyes.

But where is Tania? She's gone! Samaniego finds smudges of fresh blood in the sink.

Cut to a hotel hallway. Tania is alive, seemingly unharmed, and at the moment, she's struggling with two goons who force her into a room. Once inside, she faces a creepy black-clad, black-gloved figure and wails: "Why are you doing this to me? I swear I wasn't going to talk -- I swear it!"

Samaniego returns to the assembled classmates and tells them that not only is Tania missing but Martín has disappeared as well. And there's blood in the bathroom!

Luciano really wants to leave now. He agrees with Novelera -- the true niño monstruo won't be revealed tonight. But Samaniego contradicts him: the killer's identity is known even if Ezequiel kept it secret all these years. But Samaniego needs Martín and Tania to confirm what he believes is the truth.

Alicia sits in her car outside a Manhattan hotel. (The Bates Hotel?) She is on the phone telling Laura about the strange call Mariana received. Apparently Alicia following Mariana here because she tells Laura she isn't leaving until Mariana comes out.

Inside Mariana sits in the creepy lobby. She is clearly on edge. She phones Martín and leaves a message: She's not sure what's going on but she's getting scared. A creepy waiter brings her a glass of wine.
 

EL ROSTRO DE LA VENGANZA -- jueves
Part 2 of 2

Luciano and Diana glare at each other. She accuses him of being the niño monstruo. He may be a bastard but he's not a murderer, he says. Then his face softens, and romantic music plays. He misses her, he says. She rejects his overtures.

A creepy woman in an unflattering green mini-dress comes for Mariana. "They're waiting for you in the room," she says.

The hotel door opens and there is Tania sitting on the bed, sipping wine. "Remember me?" she asks Mariana with a smile. Mariana is confused. "Where's Martín?" she asks. "He's coming," answers Tania. "But there's someone you need to see first."

Mariana turns to the creepy black-clad, black-gloved figure. "What do you want? What did you do to Martín?"

Now we see that the figure in black is hooded. (ay ay ay). "You're going to do exactly what we tell you to do," continues Tania.

Here's the deal: Martín wants to go to Spain with Mariana. She has to register under Tania's name so Ezequiel won't get suspicious.

"Why are you doing this?" asks Mariana. "Because if I don't," answers Tania, "Martín will kill me. And I don't want to die."

Now the group at the Samaniego gathering notices that Patricia has disappeared too. Alejandra wants Alex to call the police. Nervous Manuel tries to reassure her. Carolina wonders about the blood in the bathroom.

Samaniego comes in to announce that Tania and Martín left the house through an underground door. And traces of blood were found there too.

Ezequiel knocks on Mariana's apartment door and calls out her name. When she doesn't answer, the super unlocks the door and Ezequiel goes inside.

Back at Samaniego's, Alejandra, who doesn't drink alcohol, is dying for a glass of wine. (It doesn't look like any of the survivors grew up unscathed, does it?) By now, Luciano and Diana have joined the others.

Samaniego drags Patricia back to group and orders her to repeat her story. She is silent so Samaniego speaks for her: "According to Tania, Patricia killed my daughter and your classmates. This woman is the niña monstrua."
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE - jueves - Part 1

It’s standoff at the SUV’s. EM tells the Reptile not to point the gun at the baby and give her back to her parents. The Reptile refuses saying that she wants a baby like Alma. There follows pleading: FF; reasoning: EM and bribes (we’ll adopt our own baby): Ringo. Then the Reptile points the gun at her head and says that she wants to die.

Sam is decorating the house for JM and Angie’s wedding.

The Reptile starts ranting about how she, as the issue of perversion and sin, is cursed. Meanwhile EM sneaks up behind her. He grabs the gun and her while Miggy grabs the baby.

Jéssica notices that Laura is sad and asks why. Laura replies that life is unjust.

Miggy and FF thank EM for returning Alma to them. EM says that he was abandoned as a baby and believes that children should be with their parents.

NB, who has been watching these proceedings grumpily, asks Miggy if he is leaving anyway now that he has his baby back. You bet, replies Miggy. Me and mine are outta here. The gang piles into their SUV and they take off. EM asks NB if she is resigned to losing Miggy. NB replies that she lost EM and she doesn’t want to lose anyone else.

Angie and the kids arrive at Sam’s for the wedding.

The Reptile asks EM, Ringo and NB if her performance convinced them. The gun wasn’t loaded. EM asks her to let them know in advance when she is going to put on one of these Oscar-winning performances.

NB asks EM to help her get Miggy back.

Back at the hotel, Miggy and FF are left alone. FF tells Miggy that she can’t forget what Miggy did with NB. She hates him when she thinks about him with someone else so she won’t think about it because she loves him. Kissing and sex follow.

Lady shows up at Willy’s with some photos. Sam expresses jealousy.

EM asks NB why she would think that he would help her get Miggy back. NB threatens to tell Sam about EM’s true identity. EM tells her not to threaten him. Then NB asks EM to take her to LA with him.

D8D calls the Reptile to tell her that JM and Angie are getting married but it won’t last long - JM only has a short time to live.

Angie is ready for the wedding with the most enormous false eyelashes I have ever seen. JM hasn’t arrived. Meanwhile JM has come to and is trying to drive. Angie tells Sam that she has a bad feeling. Then JM calls and says that he can’t marry her. Angie says that she doesn’t understand. JM replies that he has changed his mind.

On hearing about JM’s impending death, the Reptile goes nuts. Poor Ringo makes the logical suggestion that she should be happy that JM is dying after all she put him through. Logic never works well with the Reptile. She hits Ringo. He warns her not to do that again or he’ll leave her.

 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE - jueves - Part 2

EM tells NB that she can’t come to LA with him. He doesn’t think that NB will blab to Sam because NB likes the good things in life. EM leaves. NB calls her guys and tells them to initiate her plan. We see her guys attach a bomb to a pickup truck.

Cecilia pours out her tale of woe to Génesis and Violeta. She fell in love with a corrupt policeman. Sam comes down and tells the invited guests that the wedding has been suspended.

Doña Piedad is happy to see EM. She is back in her house and EM has sent her money and food. EM asks her to read the cards about his future.

Miggy and Gus get in the pickup and drive off. We see the bomb timer ticking down. The truck gets a flat tire and they find the bomb and try and disarm it.

JM has come to see Laura in the hospital. He tells her that he can’t marry Angie. He can’t subject her to his fate. He wants to fight his illness but he wants to do it alone.

Angie is angry to have been jilted. Willy and Sam bicker.

Doña Piedad’s cards say that there is a woman coming from the past with a secret that EM can’t imagine. There are two women in his life - one is good, pure, etc. The other is poisonous and bad. One is pure love and the other is passion. Choosing the bad woman will lead to his death. She asks which one he will choose. EM says that he has already chosen. Then the Reptile bursts in and wants Doña Piedad to tell her future.

I guess the producers of the show had the wreckage of a pickup but not of an SUV. Miggy and Gus are trying to disarm the bomb and somehow the rest of the gang is there, too. They couldn’t have all fit in the pickup. The truck blows up and it looks like Miggy and Gus are blown up too, but it’s a tease. They are ok.

The Reptile wants Doña Piedad to tell her about JM. She doesn’t want him to die a natural death.

Sam tells Willy that she can’t take anymore. He must forgive her. He won’t.

Angie waits for JM in his apartment. He asks her to forgive him. She slaps him. Angie wants to know why he did this to her. JM say that things have happened that prevent him from marrying her. Angie says that she knows what happened - he never loved her. JM takes the easy way out and agrees.

Ringo tells the Reptile that he has never fallen in love with anyone before and his first love has to be a wacko who is obsessed with another guy. He swears that the will kill JM for the Reptile.

D8D goes on and on about his passion for Sam and his concern that having split Sam and Willy up, he might lose her to EM. Rotten Rod looks bored.

SM tries again to get Willy back. Then she gets a call from EM.

Miggy, FF, Gus, Camilo, Clara and Alma have returned to the US. Their joy is short-lived. Some guys in uniform say that they are being detained. [And the only lawyer in LA is not available!]
 

EL SECRETARIO - Friday, Dec. 14:
From the last 15 minutes of episode 81:

Mario and Emilio are sitting down in a restaurant, looking at menus. Mario seems relaxed; Emilio is paranoid and nervous.

It's raining and Toni is having a really bad morning. Security guard scares her as he wraps on her car window.

Someone's driving erratically on the highway.

Moving day for Frank, Lorena and Valentina. Why did Frank put all the clothes in black trash bags? Because Lorena didn't provide him with anything else to use.

Olga and the office staff are in the cafeteria. They are congratulating Olga on her pregnancy. The HR director calls out that they will have a baby shower for her and Emilio. Toni quickly walks by as Olga tells them what she plans to name her baby (Emilio or Emilia; or Emilia and Emiliana; yadda yadda yadda).

Pato's wife (from hell) is present. He is forced to sit with her and table for two. His buddies Aguirre and Conde are sitting at a table nearby, keeping the HR director's mouth full and passing along conversation answers to help their buddy answer his wife's questions.

Olga babbles a little too much about her pregnancy. Yensy catches on and pulls her aside -- you're lying, Olgita. you're not pregnant.

Inside the ladies room, Yensy confronts Olga about her fake pregnancy. Olga tries to defend herself. Yensy doesn't buy it. Olga's eyes, face and belly don't show she's pregnant. Olga says she's only a couple of weeks pregnant. Yensy asks what Olga plans to do in 2 to 3 months when she should start to show; Olga will think about that when it comes. Yensy tells her she may have the face of an angel but she has converted herself into a telenovela vixen who fakes a pregnancy to get a man. Olga tries to walk out when Yensy asks her what she really plans to do in 9 months when she is supposed to give birth. What does she plan to do when she doesn't give birth and Emilio finds out she's lied to him. Olga stops in her tracks and sits down on the restroom bench. Yensy tells her, If you want me to keep silent, it will cost you. Olga is stunned.
 

LA MARIPOSA

Martinez sends Alicia photos via anonymous email "from someone who likes you," of her husband with other women, so she now has leverage on him.

Perez (Altagracia's side-kick), teases him about what Agt Laurens can give him.... orders. they are amusing together.

 

Corazon Valiente -

thanks so much for the recap Jean !!!

the Reptile was so proud of her performance stealing the baby and everyone else went, what?, that wasn't real, could you let us know next time, but it sure convinced all that the baby napping wasn't done by NB.

was NB's plan to kill all with the bomb? she is pretty vicious, I'll bet she was a nasty kid.

so now the Reptile is overcome thinking JM might die a natural death, I think it's been twice now that she has tried to kill him and herself at the same time.

so JM had an idea,

wow, I thought Adriana Fonseca (Angela) performance here was stellar, worth waiting the whole show for, releasing all of the frustrations she/we have felt with this guy, with the slap, with the words, with the smeared makeup, she really poured it out,... to what could have been a wooden indian outside of a cigar shop for all of the intelligence JM was radiating. (these two characters so deserve each other)

and now the road show returns to L.A., maybe the fifth wheel policia can get paired up (oh no not Angela again, make it Laura this time or anyone else), will they be followed by NB and company, and the Reptile/Ringo tag team.
 

CORAZON VALIENTE:

Jean, thanks for the recap, with your usual funny asides. I loved it!

At this point, both JM and Willy seem very unattractive as husbands, despite being handsome. I think Sam SHOULD give up on Willy, and Angie SHOULD dump JM. We know this won't happen.

D8D loves to blab things, too bad he only blabs to fellow bad guys, and not to our heroes, as he knows just about everything.

I think Fabiola went to the same lingerie store as Clara. I like that store.

Now, pretty much the whole cast is in LA. I noticed that while D8D, EM, NB and the Reptile never have any trouble with immigration or drug cops, all our heroes aren't so lucky.

While I think Willy is unreasonable in not believing Sam, I also think she should recognize that her "job" of bodyguarding Dr. Montoya is ruining things with Willy, and just STOP GUARDING HIM. She keeps asking him if he'd like another bodyguard, and then giving in when he wants her. The number of ridiculous accidents he's had and in fact all his behavior is way over the line. But being a nice honest character, she can't conceive that the Doctor is tricking her.

Of course now that the characters are all in LA, if they happen to get out of jail, you'd think at least SOMEBODY will run into EM and tell Sam. Probably the last week of the novela, though.
 

El Rostro

a bit off topic but i read on many sites that Marlene Favela was supposed to play Eva Samaniego. Wonder if this will come out.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE

Thanks so much, Jean. Terrific recap!

I may be wrong, but I think they're at the airport in Colombia and not in LA. I think NB pulled some strings so that they could not leave. I thought they were expressing relief that they'd gotten to the airport.

So, we're meant to believe that the Reptile was just going through that exercise with the gun to strengthen the belief that she'd kidnapped the baby in the first place? Sure fooled me.

I agree, Deb, Adriana Fonseca shone in her anger toward JM. The whole thing is completely ridiculous! He was going to marry her, but has a fainting spell and decides to back out when people are invited and the tables are set up for food? Gah!

I'm enjoying D8D's anguish at the thought that EM might actually seduce Sam. It'll never happen, but Sam SHOULD give up on Willy. He's moving out with a suitcase, so let him go. Buy some great new outfits and be seen around on EM's arm. Drive him nuts!

That bomb was majorly weird. NB tells EM or talks to herself saying that she's not prepared to lose Miggy. But she's willing to blow him up? And what about Miggy and Gus trying to disarm the bomb? For Pete's sake, just run away with the whole gang. And it was funny they were all supposed to be in a pickup truck!

Maybe it's just me, but Lady is a big waste of Ultimas Semanas. The actress does nothing to me. Willy is never going to go for her, so why the heck even have her around.
 

Pablo Escobar _

thanks Hombre !!

it's hard to imagine the Pablo cartel without Gonzalo, Pablo is the brains but Gonzalo was always that menacing other guy that made sure everyone was with the program.

César Gaviria sure has inherited a mess, and if I got it right, he wasn't even running in the first place, but was pushed up after an assassination (he was Galan's campaign manager). He looks like he means well, and seems to have an air of competence that the earlier administration was lacking.

........................................
Pablo stories from "the Accountant's Story"
"What was amazing was that Pablo's mood never changed. He accepted what was happening and never panicked. He understood his fate. I remember hearing him say several times, "No drug dealer ever died of old age." The fact is that no matter how much pressure he was feeling, no matter what had happened during the night, no matter where we were, he always acted the same and positively. He would usually get up sometime past noon, while Gustavo loved the early mornings. Pablo never saw him. So between Gustavo and Pablo they covered the entire day. Once Pablo got up he would spend his usual half hour or more brushing his teeth. That was his obsession, brushing his teeth, which were perfect. Then he would put on a new shirt; he wore a new shirt every day 365 days a year. After he wore a shirt he would donate it to someone, there was always a person who wanted a shirt of Pablo Escobar's. When possible he would enjoy his favorite breakfast, arepas, it's like a corn patty with scrambled eggs, chopped onions and tomatoes, and nice Colombian coffee. Pablo loved to sing and sometime in the day he would be singing songs he loved. If he wasn't able to speak to María Victoria or his two children, his son Juan Pablo, and his daughter, Manuela, because it was too difficult or too dangerous for them, he would write poems for his little daughter and send them to her or record tapes for her to hear. I think of all the things that he lost while we were running, the only thing that truly affected him was not being with his family. He missed his family every single day."
 

LA MARIPOSA

Shallowgal, I also liked Martinez sending Alicia those photos of Richard. He is an idiot.

Did I understand this correctly? His friend Arias told him he was going to run some drugs, and then Richard ratted him out to Antonio Sandoval, the big drug guy, in order to gain points with him?

Anybody know if I interpreted this correctly?
 

EL ROSTRO

"I thought I was out ..."

This thing is INSANE!

I gotta know who the Grim Reaper is, though. So whoever lured Mariana is not either Luciano or Ezequiel because Alvarado Jr was at MassacreFest and Alvarado Sr was looking for Mariana at her apartment. Valeria?

Tania is sure dumb. Instead of siding with Samaniego, who appears to be a powerful underworld figure, she keeps on doing Blonde Gorgon's bidding.
 

LA MARIPOSA

novelera, re Richard ratting out Arias - that was my understanding as well. and he made sure to mention that Alicia does not know anything about it either. maybe Richard felt threatened somehow, since he's now on her shit list, and wants to be on her good side. am I making sense?