Caray, Caray!

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – VIERNES – Part 1

The whole group, Miggy, Fabiola, Gus, Camilo, and Clara are arrested for drug trafficking as soon as they get off the plane in Los Angeles.

Sam begs Willy not to leave her. Her cell is still on and Jesús hears their conversation, Sam’s pitiful begging and asking if he’s stopped loving her. Willy says he loves her more than life, but their relationship is broken and he wants to leave. He takes Arturo!

Waste-of-space Lady tells Jesús that he barely got here and he’s already calling Sam. Jesús looks at her and remembers Doña Piedad’s card reading about two woman, one good and pure and the other passionate and likely to lead him to his death. He muses about how difficult it is to change one’s skin.

Ángela is mirroring Willy and walking out with a suitcase. She tells JM she’ll never forgive him. If he was in love with someone else (Laura) why did he have to wait until the wedding day and humiliate her that way?

The Reptile refuses Ringo’s offer. If anyone kills JM, it has to be her. Ringo quite sensibly asks why she doesn’t let him die in a clinic, a normal death. The bat-shit-crazy creature says that JM deserves something special!

Nic overhears Sam telling Nora that Willy thinks she’s been unfaithful. He comes close and asks her if it’s true. Sam glares at him and tells him never to ask her such a thing again.

Willy, of course, wheels his suitcase into JM’s apartment and asks to stay there for a while. When Willy asks him why he didn’t marry Ángela, he tells him he’s condemned to death.

Sam and Ángela commiserate over JM and Willy. I’ve just figured out how to resolve this. Sam and Ángela need to realize they’ve really been lesbians all along, while Willy and JM develop a mad passion one for the other. Problem solved!

Fabiola calls Sam and tells her they are all prisoners. We see them, the men in one cell and the woman in another. The baby has been taken by social services. Fabiola tells Clara one problem is that Alma is legally the daughter of El Verdugo. [And this matters because …]

Lady gets into bed with Jesús. She again says she’s willing to share him. He refuses, but tells her he’s a man and she’s playing with fire. He finally agrees to gently make love to her.

Two DEA cops, Lagos and Gaviria are doing the questioning. Lagos tells Miggy, hands handcuffed behind him [is this necessary?], that Fabiola confessed everything and blamed it on him. And Gaviria tells Fabiola the same thing. Come on. They WOULD get an attorney or everything would be inadmissible.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – VIERNES – Part 2

Sam arrives to see “Dr. Montoya”. She doesn’t take Hombre’s good advice and resign. Instead she says she’ll continue to be his bodyguard. Lady comes in wrapped up suggestively in a bath towel. Jesús looks very annoyed. Sam says she’ll have to hold off starting work for a while because her brother Miguel Valdez is being held incommunicado for a drug arrest. Jesús tells Sam they’ll sweat Miguel and Fabiola until they say something. When Sam looks at him oddly, he says he saw this in narco movies!

Miggy tells Lagos he joined Matamoros’ group in order to find EV, who had kidnapped his woman. This was the only way. Fabiola says she married EV to save the life of Miguel Valdez.

JM tells Willy he’s going to receive treatment for his tumor, but has almost no chance to survive. He asks him not to tell Sam. Just then Ángela arrives and coldly tells JM and Willy about not being able to see Miguel. She asks JM to help. He nods.

Jesús tells Lady that she came in wrapped in a towel on purpose. He also tells her that the night before changes nothing between them. He wants the woman who just left (Sam).

Lagos has somehow [telenovela magic!] obtained a recording of NB’s entire conversation with Velasquez, offering him twice the money to kill Alma because she’s the only thing uniting HER Valdez and Fabiola. Miggy’s face turns to stone, and he tells the DEA agent he’ll give him all the information so that NB will rot in jail.

JM tells Ángela and Willy that the DEA are involved and he can’t get in to talk to them [what?]. He asks Ángela if she’ll care for Alma. Sam arrives and Willy doesn’t miss an opportunity to dig at Sam, nastily saying SHE'D be too busy to take Alma because she's guarding Montoya.

Camilo tells Miggy he told the DEA guys everything that happened in his whole life, except where to find NB.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – VIERNES – Part 3

D8D has come to see Jesús, who is not pleased to see him. D8D says he needs to talk to him about his relationship to Samantha – she’s his son’s woman. Jesús looks at him like he’s a cockroach and tells D8D he’s not worried about this for his son; he’s worried about it for himself. D8D admits it. “Because I love her.” Jesus snorts. “You love her? And for this you wanted to kill her? Would you like to know who found her dying in the woods, poisoned? I did.”

Oooooo Weeee! How I love it when EM sticks it to D8D. He tells D8D he looks a bit nervous and then tells him not to interfere in his business. D8D should worry about his own future because Miguel Valdez and his people were arrested the minute they landed. Shocked face on D8D. EM asks if he has any doubt they’ll talk. He tells D8D every cop in LA must be looking for him right about now. When D8D weakly says they’re looking for EM too, he just laughs and says he has another identity and some contacts here. But D8D can only be who he is. He also tells him that, if he rats EM out, his time is definitely up.

JM, looking all sweaty and weird, tells Ángela he can’t be in charge of the case. Angie goes right after him. She says any lawyer would want this case to show off their chops. She is furious. Willy tries to intervene, but gets nowhere. Sam says they don’t need either of them. They’re going to hire the best lawyer in LA.

Clara is talking into a large microphone for some bizarre reason, telling Gaviria that D8D is a bad man, capable of anything. Gaviria says that she’s probably just jealous because her husband fell for his daughter-in-law. [It makes me insane that they all keep talking without benefit of counsel!!!]

The Reptile and Ringo have arrived in LA. She’s got on a black wig. I guess they’re outside D8D’s house. Maybe we’ve never seen it from the outside. It’s crawling with cops. Ringo quickly realizes they’re screwed and says only Jesús can help them. They’re teleported there immediately. Jesús: “Why did you come here, baby? It’s too dangerous. Did you do it for this crazy woman.” When the Reptile objects, he tells her she’s got no right to be offended.

JM is drinking with Willy at the PR office. Willy doesn’t want him to drive. When he goes in the other room, the waste-of-space Lady shows up. Willy mentions her night with “Montoya”. She says they did it for mutual consolation since he’s in love with Sam and she wants Willy. She kisses him. He remembers the sight of Sam in her undies side by side with Jesús and kisses her back hard. It looks like he’s ready to jump her bones, but pulls away saying he can’t make love to her for spite. Lady kisses him again and, of course, Sam arrives.

Meanwhile JM has been writing a letter to Ángela telling her he’s sorry and that she should forget about him. Ángela comes in asking why he can’t say it to her face.

The DEA guys tell our heroes that they have a proposition for them. They say that the army is now approaching the hiding place of the Matamoros gang.

Crap! NB is not there. She’s at the hairdresser’s. He says that Jesús called him to warn NB they were coming. She asks to use his phone and calls Jesús. She says she wants his help. “More help, he asks?” She says she’s pregnant. Jesus: “Mine or Valdez’s?”

They announce Últimos Capítulos
 

Telemundo -

ok, this is how things shook out Friday night,
and please correct me if I got any of these wrong,

Rosa Diamante- went to ultimos semanas
Corazon Valiente- went to ultimos capitulos
Pablo Escobar- went to ultimos semanas, with (my guess), 13+ chapters to go
El Rostro- this one is just not registering in my crystal ball, shake, shake,,,

La Patrona begins January 8, 2013, in the 9pm eastern slot. (Telemundo official announcement)
Pasión Prohibida, no official start date as yet.

from elsewhere,
some earlier planned novelas were,
Nace un Idolo
Reina Madre
El Señor de los Cielos

actually out of all that may come up, the only one that catches my interest is El Señor de los Cielos, that according to wiki will star Rafael Amaya and Humberto Zurita, and it does seems like Rafael has been flittering around telemundo quite a lot lately, but since it will be a mexican production it may fall in behind La Patrona which is a mexican production falling in behind Rosa Diamante.

Reina Madre, was originally planned to be filmed in Brazil, starring Sonya Smith, according to wiki.

Pasión Prohibida news, will also star Roberto Vander, and from a person that watch every episode of Los Herederos Del Monte, at the risk of my sanity, I can tell you that he played the not so dead Emilio del Monte as well as the not so alive Pablo...

so La Patrona in google is translated as the landlady.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Viernes, part 1

Diana Turbay is talking with President Gaviria. She wants his advice as to whether she should interview the left wing (National Resurrection) guerrilla leader, Padre Reyes, who's never been interviewed. The President says ask your own father, who used to be President of this country (hmm, I didn't know that). She says her own father says don't go. She explains that she thinks it's important for journalists to do their part for peace, and speaking to the guerrilla leader could help, despite the dangers. Gaviria says I also think it's too dangerous, but that's just my opinion, not an order. You must decide for yourself.

Back at the magazine (or newspaper) headquarters, the staffers are assembled. Diana wants to talk to them. We learn that Diana's assistant is Azucena, and the organization is called Pluton News (Notícero Pluton). Diana tells them she has decided she WILL interview Padre Reyes. And they can come with her if they like, but it's up to them. Azucena and the 3 young guys all say yes, although one guy with combed back hair hesitates.

At the funeral for Gonzalo, we see a small group of family members. But Pablo has to listen on his walkie talkie. He wouldn't dare appear there in person, and he's sobbing over and over about that. The reason? The army, with Pabon and Aguirre, have the funeral fully staked out. The family has several guards, armed with assault rifles, and Pabon says we'd better not make one false move, they'd love to start a confrontation. Aguirre says why not? No, Major, lots of innocent people would be killed, and none of the capos are here anyway. They show Pablo crying again, and I'm sorry, but I'm ENJOYING seeing him suffer. The actor is amazing, though, as we can really feel his desperation.

Pablo flashes back to all sorts of good times he had with Gonzalo, from firecrackers as kids, robbing tombs as teenagers, winning a fixed car race, posing for silly gangster pictures, all the way up to yesterday, when Enelia gave him her blessing.

August 30, 1990. Diana says goodbye to her 6 year old son, entrusts him to her mother, who's not happy at all that Diana is going on this dangerous assignment. Diana also has a daughter at school, and asks her Mom to take care of her little treasures. They hug.

As Diana leaves with the other journalists, she asks the guy who hesitated, who's German, if he's sure he wants to go. He says sure, I'll be the first German to interview these terrorists, the first to even go to the Colombian jungle. A guy with a turned around cap comes up, he's going to be their escort/guide to the guerrillas. They drive in a red minibus out of the city. Mile after mile, who knows where they're going. They stop for food in Magdalena Medio, at an outdoor cafe. The guide tells her they have to switch to a tougher kind of vehicle, and there's still a long way to go, so eat up.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Part 2

Miguel meets with Pablo, apologizes for not coming earlier, but he's confirmed, Freddie Perea was the traitor, and Miguel knew nothing about it. Pablo believes him. Miguel says he hasn't talked to Perea, he just found out through his sources. And to prove his loyalty, Miguel says it's good that Perea has no idea that I know what he did. That way he won't know what's coming from me. (!)

The President gives a speech, announcing that if the cartel members give themselves up, and if they confess, their sentences will be reduced by 1/3, and even more if they turn in their accomplices. And what's more, they WON'T be extradited! We see an old guy making a phone call.

Cut to cops chasing an SUV at night. It's a furious gun battle, and the guy in the SUV is Julio Montoa! But despite all the shots, no one is hit, and Julio manages to shoot out the tires of the cop car, and escapes. (Maybe that old guy with the phone call was related to Rosario?)

The reporters have been split into two SUV's and it's night. They come to a big pile of dirt in the road, it's blocked. What now? They get back in the cars to wait, and eventually fall asleep. Hours later, they're woken by the guide. He's brought three horses. The guide hopes they like animals.

Pablo is doing the books. Topo comes in, he spoke with Poncho (I think that's the guide, remember yesterday we saw that Pablo's guys are behind this “meeting with Padre Reyes”). He says everything's going well. Fine, says Pablo, but that's the last time we use the radio. Ever. No more satellite phones, no walkie talkies, nothing. Marino asks how will we communicate? By messengers, that's it. Marino asks are we going after that snitch now? No, Perea doesn't know we found out, we have time. Peluche comes over with a portable radio, tells Pablo the news, no more extradition, should we turn ourselves in? This is a good time, we'll get short sentences, then we can enjoy the fruits of our labor. We can stop the bombs and all that. Pablo looks up. Peluche, listen carefully. If President Gaviria had issued that decree before the cowardly killing of my cousin Gonzalo, I would have done it. But after that heinous crime, forget it. Forget. It. Marino looks on fixedly, Topo nods almost imperceptibly, eyes filled with the thirst for revenge.

 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE:

Due to my busy life, it has been months since I've posted here. I haven't been able to watch CV regularly, much less comment. Though I haven't been able to read them regularly, I want to give big ups to Jean and Novelera for their informative and snarky recaps, and to all of the other commenters. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I love that there has been enough action in this novela to keep it illogically entertaining to me. It has been an easy-on-the-brain way to just "go with the flow" and unwind a few times a week. I'm not sure of who all of the current players are or why they are there, but I see that the core group has somehow survived. In a comment the other day, someone wanted to know what happened to the fruitcake tin with the map in it. I think it became a metaphor for this entire, out of control novela - a fruitcake complete with extra nuts.

I only have a few comments to add:

Angie, JM, Sam, and Willy are horrible parents (duh). Their children are seemingly rearing themselves. Who the heck is baby sitting the kids while they are running back and forth to Columbia and around LA doing police work they are not authorized to do? Arturo?? Has Nora been saddled with the job? I didn't fault Willy at first for being angry that Sam was neglecting the children, because she was. It wasn't too long ago that she was anguished because she didn't think she could conceive and she was obsessed with Clara's baby. Now that she's got two infants (and at one time Nico was wheelchair-bound, too), she has no problem with devoting every waking hour to her dangerous career. I also thought it was interesting that Willy took Arturo with him when he left and didn't even kiss Nico or the babies good-bye.

Don't get me started on Angie and the cognitively challenged JM. Maybe that latent brain tumor can explain his low level thinking skills. Poor Génesis, Violeta, and little JC. Their parents are splitting up yet again. It's a small wonder they don't have PTSD - big time.

Fernanda is still over the top nasty. I see that she's still symbolically dropping her padded reptile tail to elude capture.

I have never been able to get into the Miggy/Fabiola story, but whateva. To me, even Miggy has become a caricature of his former self.

What's going on with Camilo's hair? Wasn't he a natural blond in the beginning but dyed his hair to impersonate Luís? If so, why and how is he maintaining his roots?

Despite those and countless other tonterías, the novela has remained entertaining to me. It needs to end, though.

NovelaNewbie
 

CORAZON VALIENTE:

Brilliant recap, Novelera, one of your best! I loved your idea of the lesbian and gay couples. Yes, problem solved!

Why does it matter that Alma is legally El Verdugo's daughter? Well, as the daughter of an unconvicted druglord, who's dead, you automatically get taken away from both your biological parents.

And we've seen before, even in this novela, I think, that when the police want to hold you without a lawyer, and also not let any family members visit, that's fine, because police are like that. I remember in one recent show, the judge not only sentenced the defendant, but also all the other friends and family members in the courtroom, who weren't even on trial. Yes, telenovela's version of the legal process. About on par with the medical gaffes they give us every week.

But NovelaNewbie, I totally agree with you, it's entertaining. I also agree with your assessments of Sam, Angie, Willy and JM as parents. One thing I noticed. Mothers on these shows never nurse their babies, even though in real life it's very common, and good for babies. Why? Too many trips to take, bad guys to kill, accidents to get into, for these modern mothers!
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE-

Really great recap, Novelera.

What can I say, the silliness just goes on and on. I hate the way Sam begs Willy to take her back. I hate that they have her made her so stupid as to be deceived by EM. He googled her. She can't do the same?

It's idiotic that JM won't tell anyone in his family that he has a brain tumor but it's standard novela practice.

Nice to hear from you again NovelaNewbie.

I had completely forgotten about the fruitcake tin and the treasure map. Did EV get the treasure?

I think I saw FF nurse her baby once. Sam obviously couldn't nurse the baby that Clara carried and she was in a coma when baby #2 was delivered. Wasn't Angie in prison when she had her baby and JM took him away for a while so she probably couldn't nurse either. I think the conclusion is that telenovela moms almost always have some trauma associated with giving birth that prevents them from nursing.

 

Stopping in after some time away... I only catch occasional episodes of Corazon nowdays with my work schedule. I didn't see any this week except for Friday's, and SHEESH, I am in total agreement with Newbie--someone needs to put this novela out of its misery!! Is it just me, or does this one feel a LOT longer than than most??

Ok, it still amuses me. I actually like that Willy is standing up to Sam... aside from being dense, she's totally self-centered. I loved Fabiola at first, but now her voice grates seriously on my nerves and I have to FF through most of her scenes.

I was kind of surprised at Angela's outburst at JM with her wild hair and dramatic eyeliner... it made me wonder if I missed some kind of "clone/imposter" subplot earlier this week (which is one reason I had to check back in here to see what I had missed!). Anyway, I thought it was pretty awesome to finally see some SPUNK from her (even though I agree that those poor kids should be signed up immediately for PTSD therapy!).

Sigh. Then there's Camilo/Clara. I heart Camilo, and had high hopes for "warrior" Clara when she "trained" to fight in Colombia. Even though we never got to see her go all "GI Jane", I still really like them as a couple and really hope they survive to the end. I do really miss El Verdugo too. I love to watch Gregorio Pernia do his "tormented tormentor" thing.

This TN has been such a trip! The instantaneous teleportation back and forth from Colombia cracks me up. And seriously, how many times has JM been drugged/kidnapped? I'd be really interested to see the "kidnapping" count in this novela and compare it to other TNs. As fun as it's been, I'm ready to lay this one to rest...

AnotherAmy


 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

Hombre, you're right about it mattering that Alma is the presumed daughter of a narco. If Fabiola is considered also guilty of this, the kid could end up in foster care.

Glad to see you back here, NovelaNewbie. Yeah, sometimes real life interferes with telenovela watching. End it will. We're told January 7.

Jean, I'm pretty sure they alluded to EV getting the treasure. He got the fruitcake tin and the photo of Fabiola's back with the rest of the map. I seem to recall these items being turned over in the office of some "Congressman" who was bribed by EV. But what he wanted all along was Fabiola.

I'm pretty sure the length of the novela is due to some delays in filming of La Patrona. This one is supposed to be a big deal because of getting Aracely Arámbula on a Telemundo novela. Personally, I admire the writers who have been tasked with dragging the novela out until they're ready for the other one to start. Many things have been a bit ridiculous: excessive flatlines, rapid mood swings by the Reptile, Willy turning sullen, and JM's brain tumor. But I still enjoy every episode.

I think these novelas sometimes are like Rorschach tests. I am surprised by others' opinions sometimes. For example, I'm firmly on Sam's side in her difficulties with Willy. He fell in love with a bodyguard. He fell in love with a brave and physically active woman. Now he wants her to transform herself into a hausfrau.

AnotherAmy, I agree that Fabiola has become annoying - that shrill voice!

Jean, Angie probably nursed Juan Cruz in prison; they may have even shown it. JM didn't take him from her until he was one year old. He had agreed to that. I have noticed that the bottles of formula for Luz and Valentín are color coded pink and blue!
 

PABLO ESCOBAR

Hombre, this is a hard one on which to comment. It sort of reminds me of what happens when my book group reads a non-fiction book. OK, what happened is self-evident. Can't really talk about symbols or themes or character development.

Rats! My DVR got pretty full and deleted the episode where Gonzalo got shot. Thanks for the excellent recap of that episode.

I also enjoyed Pablo's misery.

We are now definitely into the period in García Márquez' book, News of a Kidnapping. The book definitely emphasizes that these kidnappings were of prominent people and designed to pressure the Government to enact legislation prohibiting extradition.
 

EL ROSTRO

NovelaMaven, I can imagine the consternation of the folks at Telemundo after the shootings of children in Connecticut.

The thing that bothers me about this show is the constant teasing. There are always cliffhangers in novelas, of course. There are always conversations in which the beans are almost spilled, but someone interrupts, etc.

But I get the feeling they're planning to never unveil the person who shot the children until the bitter end.

And the writing is terrible. Luciano mouths the same bitter recriminations about DiegoMart every time he's got any lines to speak.

So, because I'm enjoying La Mariposa, I'm probably bailing on this one as soon as I find out who the Grim Reaper is.
 

EL ROSTRO

Novelera, I'm sure you're right about how the Telemundo folks must be feeling right now. I wonder if they will cut this one short.

Here's what I think: It's impossible to write about this show seriously because it is so ridiculous on every level. But it is unseemly to make jokes about it in the wake of the tragedy in Connecticut. I don't know, maybe it was always unseemly and it would have been better to leave it alone from the beginning.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR

As always, thanks to Hombre for the superb recap.

The writers are careful to show us that even in his grief, Escobar was a selfish bastard. Most adults try to put on a brave face in front of their children (we've seen plenty of examples of this kind of courage in this show, alas). Not Pablo. And when he indulges in his misery, he has no empathy for the pain of others -- it never occurs to him that his victims also have people who are grieving for them.

I'll watch this thing to the bitter end but it's going to be a relief when it's finally over.
 

LA MARIPOSA

novelera, I wonder if Amaury is not faking his interest in Alicia, for the sake of the mission. what do you think? he seems to have sincerely fallen for her, but I'm still unsure.

I've lost all interest in the other shows (Rosa Diamante, El Rostro, Amores Verdaderos) since La Mariposa. When this show ends, I dunno what I'ma gonna do. I bailed on CV three months ago.

I will see Rosa Diamante thru the end, but really have been >>ff>> most of it, and I'm bailing on the others.

I was so looking forward to La Patrona, and Jorge Luis Pila, but I'm afraid it too will follow the conventions and cliches of a typical novela.

I'm happy to know I'm not alone in this show.


 

LOS REY

was googling Michel Brown, and stumbled upon this tn, which happens to start today on Telemundo.
 

LA MARIPOSA

Interesting question, Shallowgal, about whether Manuel Martinez (Amaury is the name he uses when he pretends to be a money launderer) is faking an interest in Alicia.

I think he's conflicted. He began being charming to get closer to her, in order to get more information and to bring down a drug ring. But he appears to me to be beginning to have feelings for her.

After all, it's not a telenovela unless the male and female protagonist fall in love and have sex, is it?
 

LA MARIPOSA

Thanks shallowgal for the heads up on this one... and thank the good Lord for Primicia! I'm so bummed I don't have MundoFox here in the midwest (I'm a die hard Colombian TV fan), but I managed to find this one online!

Ay, ay, ay, Michel!!

AnotherAmy
 

LA MARIPOSA

AnotherAmy - I know, riiight? Michel Brown is muy caliente. The way he plays this character is simply top-notch. I've never seen him before. I think he could very well be my 2nd (to William Levy) favorite novela actor, as far as being the total package.

I rely heavily on the English captions, so I can't really follow it online.
 

LOS REY

ay no! It's on Azteca America, not Telemundo. I got the channels (52, 54 LA area) confused. And the former does not do English captions. darn!
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – LUNES – Part 1

Ivonne Matamoros tells Jesús Matamoros on the phone that the baby she’s expecting is Miguel Valdez’s baby. [What? El Mesías thinks he has Super-Sperm. As far as I know, they did the deed once, recently, and he thinks he might be the Baby Daddy?] When she listens to him saying he thought any child she’d have would be his child, she does that annoying eye roll that makes me want to slap her every time I see it. He agrees to help her get away, even though the baby is not his.

Sam rips into Willy about Lady and the kissing. She emphasizes that he did this in her office and when HER employees could have seen. What? He didn’t have enough for a hotel room.. She calls Lady a bitch, accusing her of having been one night with Dr. Montoya and the next with Willy.

A cop appears to take Willy down to the station. He says his father has una causa por narcotráfico y está prófugo. (He’s being prosecuted for drug trafficking and is a fugitive from the law.)

The Reptile marches into Jesús’s fake lab in her black wig and a red satin Christmas top. She gets snarky and Ringo tells her to stop asking questions. Jesús comes in and tells them they can’t stay and have to go to a hotel. She gets in his face and says he has lots of secrets. He tells her he has them, and for the sake of her health, he hopes she never finds them out.

D8D and Rotten Rod are in some room, decorated in Early Cathouse, with red satin wallpaper. Turns out they’re in Colombia. D8D is griping about having had to ask Jesús Matamoros for a favor and having NO chance to get back to the US. He blames “those five” for his problems [Miggy, Fabiola, Gus, Camilo, and Clara].

Miggy tells the DEA guys that, if they found Ivonne’s hideout, then they know he’s told them the truth. It’s not his fault she wasn’t there. Lagos, the DEA agent, tells them they’ll all be set free, but there are restrictions. They have to wear some incredibly huge ankle bracelets and be monitored 24/7.

Ángela tries once again to talk with JM. She says he was never like this before. She doesn’t recognize him. He tells her she should forget this guy she sees before her.

Sam has come along with Willy for his police interview about his father. Willy asks her to call JM to be his legal representative. Sam says she’s there to see if D8D is finally going to pay for his crimes. And as for Willy, she doesn’t care if he gets life!

Lagos grills Miggy, insinuating that he warned NB, and that’s why they couldn’t catch her. Miggy uses logic on an illogical guy. He says he wouldn’t have helped the woman who was going to kill his daughter and, furthermore, he has been locked up – so how could he call her? The DEA appears to have lowered their IQ standards for Lagos.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – LUNES – Part 2

Ivonne and her hairdresser are brought to the same hideout where D8D is smelling up the Colombian environment. He comes out grinning and introduces himself.

The Reptile is bitching to Ringo about the cheap hotel EM has sent them to. He asks her if she wants a 5-star hotel where they’ll ask for some ID. Ringo wants to go back to Colombia.

Lady tells Jesús about Sam having arrived when she and Willy were kissing. She blathers on some more about being willing to do whatever to make him happy. Gah!

Fabiola is with her brother, JM. She tells him that the baby is sleeping. [What? Así de fácil they got the kid back from social services?]

We see the three half siblings together: Miggy, Samantha, and Ángela. Angie says that JM is in love with Laura. Gus comes in, having overheard.

Lady shows up to apologize to Willy for having tried so hard to seduce him [!]. Willy says that, no matter what, he’s in love with Sam. He can’t be with anyone else. She says she just wants to be his friend.

Miggy tells Camilo that the nightmare isn’t over. He has one day to rest and then has to go back to Colombia to trap NB!

D8D tells NB that Miggy and his friends ratted the two of them out. For some bizarre reason, he has NB’s pregnancy results in his hands and taunts her with being pregnant by a traitor.

Sam has reported to work with EM. She tells him her family are free. He hints that she should be careful. The narcos won’t forget who turned them in. Sam says she’s at the end of her rope; her eyes fill with tears. EM holds her gently.

Ringo and the Reptile [Hey! Wouldn’t this be a great name for a rock band, especially if it were Ringo and the Reptiles – plural?] are lurking outside of the clinic where JM has gone for treatment.

Sam tells EM she feels lost without Willy. He tells her they aren’t the first couple to ever separate. He asks if she had ever thought of another man in her life. She says: Never. Willy is her first and only love, the love of her life.

Gus comes to see Laura in the hospital. She’s VERY happy to see him. I see a future for these two. Ángela comes in to announce that JM didn’t marry her because he was in love with Laura. Being way too saintly, Angie tells Laura she’s not responsible for what happened, and the job at the agency is still open for her.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – LUNES – Part 3

Clara tells Willy she wants a divorce from D8D, and Willy promises to help her. Camilo says he’s going back to gardening.

Miggy asks Willy and Camilo to take care of Fabiola and Alma.

Ringo, in a very sharp fedora, puts a gun to JM’s neck in broad daylight, when he comes out of the clinic.

EM is shopping for clothes while Sam is guarding him. Some suspicious looking guys are there. Sam and EM duck into a changing room. EM receives a threatening call. Sam tells him he can’t go alone to the party planned for tonight. When he says it would look odd if she were a bodyguard, she says she’ll come as his date.

We see Luz looking adorable with Nora. She tells Willy he’s a great father. Nic comes up and asks Willy why he left without telling him. Willy apologizes and tells him that, as much as he loves Sam, they can’t be together.

Fabiola asks Miggy where they’re going to live now. Miggy has forgotten he’s back in LA and is still wearing a narco shirt. When FF leaves, he says goodbye to Alma and takes off, having left a note for Fabiola. Fabiola asks everyone where Miggy is. She figures out that he’s gone to Colombia.

We see Miggy in a bar, and a fat guy puts a gun in his back.

Ringo has JM gagged and handcuffed, saying how much he’d love to kill him. Ringo tells JM he’s even around when he makes love to his woman. Because of JM, he has to be in second place. The Reptile comes in and asks Ringo to leave. SHE wants to kill JM. JM tells her to go ahead and kill him; she’ll save him the horrible future that’s coming.

EM discusses the “cocktail” that’s been arranged with Gigante. He compliments Gigante on the threatening phone call he made. He says Sam is convinced he’s in danger tonight. Lady eavesdrops.

Willy asks Nora where Sam is. He’s jealous, as always. He accuses his mother of helping Sam to be unfaithful.

Lady asks EM if he, who’s thought of every detail, has thought about what will happen when Sam finds out who he is. Lady thinks she’ll turn him in to the police. He says that, if he can get Sam to love him, then it would be worth everything.

Sam comes downstairs in a sexy cocktail dress. She tells Willy she has to go to work with Dr. Montoya. Willy asks her if she’s going to work or to bed. She replies: first to work and then to bed!

Miggy is on an operating table. There are a couple of guys in scrubs milling around. Ivonne says she’s going to do to him what she does to all traitors.
 

CORAZON VALIENTE:

Thanks, Novelera, great recap, and you pointed out the usual lapses in the writing for this show, which are many!

If Miggy is trying to trap NB, and he had to do this for the DEA, could they possibly be right behind him, and save the day? Or are the police just too stupid, following the Duval tradition.

It seems as if they keep repeating certain scenes, such as Angie the saint helping Laura, Laura keeping quiet, JM telling the Reptile to go ahead and kill him, Sam and Willy each saying they love only the other one (but can't be with them), Lady (whom I despise) getting dumped on by everybody but maintaining her fidelity to EM, NB's eyerolling. At least we only have about 11 shows (assuming no shows on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year's). There's light at the end of the tunnel!
 

PABLO ESCOBAR:

Recap tonight.
 

It loooks like i will have to recap el rostro now (unless someone want to replace me just let me know)
 

EL ROSTRO DE LA VENGANZA part 1

Ali and Laura worry about Dmarts disappearance. Laura says Ali disappeared as well. Zeke berates Ali for contradicting her in public. Brat lies to Ali and says she is 1 month pregnant. When brat leaves Ali get Brats phone and writes down Dmarts number. Zeke is mad at Laura for badmouthing him to Mary. Brat enters the office ignoring her mother and asks for marys number thinking she is with Dmart. The Grim Reaper drills Mary. Eliana tells the Maid she is starting to like Ali. Pat is worried that Samaniego will kill her. MA tries to reassure her then Andres enters the room worried for his mother. Diana calls Mary over Dmart. After reading a love note from Marc, Vero deosnt want to stain Dmarts name but Hector threatens to fire her. Luciano enters the Mercader family home angered that Dmart impregnated her. Zeke thinks Dmart and Mary are indeed together. Ali finds Marys car and calls Dmart. The phone rings and Dmart wakes up. He finds blood on himself and Mary. Mary is dead.


 

EL ROSTRO DE LA VENGANZA part 2

Dmart finds a drill on the floor. He desperately cleans himself and remembers his intimate moments with her. He showers off the blood. As he gets out of the shower he tries to clean Marys face. A maid brings food but Dmart successfully sends her away. Caro is relieved to be innocent. Alex thinks all the kids were electrocuted to think they were killers. Dmart callas Alex and tells him Mary is killed. Sonia is happy to be a grandmother> Luciano accuses the Mercaders of wanting money. Luciano badmouths Sonias kids calling them 2 monsters and a whore. Omar slugs him. As Luciano is leaving Diana follows him. Luciano admits he has feeling for her and he wants to get rid of them but he cant. Diana still accuses Luciano of being the killer and he says he wishes he killed her too! Brat is chatting with MA online worried over Dmart when her mother enters her room. Dmart swears to kills whoever murdered Mary and kisses the top of her head. Dmart gets a phone call that Samaniego is looking for Tania. Dmart says she is in the shower and leaves the room.
 

Final notes...

Samaniegos black bodyguard was in Corazon Valiente. Perhaps Bernie thought he was incompetent and gave him to Samaniego!

Promos for today show Paulo Quevedo. I like this actor. He played Balbino Paiba in DONA BARBAR,and Victor Mendoza in UNA MAID.

Really Really sorry for everyone who lost a family member in fridays school shooting. May the victims Rest In Peace.
 

EL ROSTRO

NovelaMan, thanks for pitching in and doing the recap. I'm afraid I'm bailing on this one. The way they killed off Mariana was the last straw for me.

There's just an over-abundance of completely unlikeable characters in this novela.

I'm sure others still watching would appreciate your recapping, however. Again, thanks.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE

Hombre, I'm glad to hear that Lady drives you nuts also. She's just a pitiful excuse for a woman. They've written her role so poorly that you can't really tell if she's attracted to Willy at all or is just being a revolting doormat to aid Jesús.

I enjoyed Sam telling Willy she's off to work and then to bed. He deserves to suffer some for his rejections of all her attempts to win him back.

The repetitious scenes that I'm most tired of are the multiple kidnappings of JM and the Reptile drooling over him. Gah!
 

LA MARIPOSA

oh me, oh my! that first kiss b/w Alicia and Martinez was muy sensual. I like that he didn't take advantage of her slight drunkeness, and I simply love the way he looks at her when she doesn't see.

Martinez is so smooth getting out of sticky situations, like when he got recognized at the bar by a guy and called him by his real name.

pobrecita Agt Laurens. trying to get some action and ended up with none. She and Altagracia will make a nice pair.

Agt Smith on the other hand got lucky.

pot-smoking Ovalle amuses me. it's amazing how his eyes are always red; how do they do that?
 

LA MARIPOSA

I agree, Shallowgal. Alicia and Martinez are hot, hot, hot together.

I'm not impressed with Laurens. She's hung up on Martinez and can't seem to get it through her head that a) chasing a fellow worker, much less her boss, is completely inappropriate and b) He has no interest in her at all other than as a capable worker.

She's also snotty and rude to poor Altagracia.

The actor playing Richard is doing a wonderful job. He's SUCH a devious mantenido (a man who lives off his wife's work). His daughter doesn't seem to see through him at all.
 

EL ROSTRO DE LA VENGANZA

Thanks for the recap, NovelaMan. As Novelera said, there are probably lots of folks still watching this show and they will be grateful. Thanks for jumping in!
 

LA MARIPOSA

Okay Shallowgal, Novelera, and AnotherAmy -- I give up. I have to check out this "Amaury/Michel" guy. What episode are they up to on TV?
 

LA MARIPOSA

NovelaMaven, the novela has 60 episodes, according to what I've read. I'm pretty sure it started December 4, on a Tuesday. Last night would have been the 10th episode. I don't know if these episodes are available online to catch up. It's on MundoFox.

If you find it confusing jumping in at the middle, I could write you a synopsis.
 

LA MARIPOSA

novelera - ah yes Reechard. I don't mind him too much yet, although I'm sure he'll annoy me later as the divorce proceedings go on. but if Alicia's as smart as she is, perhaps he won't have an option but to acquiesce. I hope he gets to be a better father for Lucia.
 

LA MARIPOSA

NovelaMaven

check this (the 2nd black screen)...

http://www.novelasfacebook.com/la-mariposa-capitulo-1/
 

LA MARIPOSA

Episode 10 of 60? That's not too bad. Thanks so much for the info, Novelera. You're very kind to offer to write a synopsis -- maybe two or three lines? Please don't do a big thing. You have enough on your plate with the crazy CV recaps.

Shallowgal, thanks for the link. I also checked out primiciatv which AnotherAmy mentioned. Since I can't watch the show on TV, it's nice that it's readily available online. I have high hopes. :)
 

LA MARIPOSA

NovelaMaven, I found this synopsis on line.


The story of a love capable of jeopardizing the most sophisticated and risky secret operation of the United States to dismantle a highly organized money laundering operations. Alicia Benítez, aka "La Mariposa", is a member of the largest money laundering operation in the country. Her task is to send the money laundered from the United States back to Colombia. She'll meet Manuel Martínez, a D4 agent, who's working undercover to catch her group, with the support of Laurens, his former girlfriend, and Smith, a quite strict and by the books North American agent. Martínez has a plan to infiltrate La Mariposa's organization. When Alicia and her assistant, Ovalle, are being followed by the D4 they run for help to Raquel, Ovalle's lover and an elite escort, unaware of the fact that she's an undercover spy. Thanks to Raquel, agent Martínez presents himself as the Latin American President of Phoenix Investments Corporation, a company that manages investment funds to help the mafia solve financial problems.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Lunes, Part 1

Okay, no captions today, so if I get something wrong, corrections are welcome. The Montoa brothers are in their not very luxurious hideout. Julio is mad that the police almost caught him. German says he was reckless, going to a restaurant, going after that girl, when wanted posters with his picture are up in lots of places. They talk about El Viejo, which could be their father, except I didn't know if he was alive. I didn't quite understand this part.

Poncho is leading Diana and the others through thick jungle. He says we're only ten minutes away. Diana thinks it somehow looks as if they're right outside Medellín, what's going on? Poncho says no, M'am, you're confused, this is Santander.

Pablo has a little marijuana plant he's caring for on his balcony. He shows it off to Ramada. Ramada asks what about the President's offer for narcos who turn themselves in? Pablo says none of us will do that. But what about the Montoa's? Pablo answers that the Montoas have always made their own decisions. But even if they do turn themselves in, there's no way they'll turn US in. They're not only partners, but lifetime friends. I once saved their sister. And last of all, they know better than anyone else what I do to traitors. Ramada thinks the entire cartel should make a group decision, either to all turn themselves in, or all not. Pablo disagrees.

The Montoas are dressed up for some kind of cycling race. Julio makes fun of German, who doesn't appreciate it. They move out in a caravan. Some of the advance guards, on moto, see cops ahead. Pedro and German get on their bikes, they're going to cycle anyway, while Julio thinks they'll get caught. But guess what? Dressed as cyclists, the cops wave them right through! Other cars get stopped, but no one recognizes these three stooges (they ARE wearing sunglasses, and who would think drug lords would just cycle right through a roadblock!). They later relax, joking about their racing outfits, German must be the ugliest cyclist going, Pedro has a bit of a gut, too, and Julio has silly looking socks. They're loving their little triumph.

The President asks his adviser if anyone has turned himself in yet. No, not yet. Well, they'd be crazy not too. And of course we'll keep pursuing them, too. He wants the adviser to publicize this program of reduced sentences more. Let's do an interview with Diana Turbay. Sorry, Mr. President, she's currently not in town.

Diana's mother calls an old guy named Julio César (maybe former President?) and asks if he's heard any news of Diana. No. She's worried. Cut to Copacobana, Antióquia, some sort of abandoned spa. Diana asks Poncho, what's going on? This is Medellín. Padre Reyes would never be here, with all the cops. He's in Santander. Poncho keeps dodging her questions, says the best thing for you is just rest, take a bath, change clothes. Okay? The other reporters aren't liking this one bit. They're getting a little stir crazy, with all these repeated changes of direction.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR Part 2

It looks as if the Montoa brothers ARE at their father's country house. He's a heavy set guy, wearing a hat, and asks them to sit down. He almost looks like the guy who called the cops just before they tried to catch Julio. He reminds them they were born rich, they had the best schools, the best houses, the best horses. Later, they got into that drug business, and surely they've become far richer. But it's dirty money. He continues. Sons, I think Pablo Escobar is wrong. Terrorizing the country is NOT good policy. And I know you fellows are involved, or at least informed. Pablo is going to continue what he's doing. But you guys have a chance, a chance to turn things around. The government is extending a hand. I believe now is the time to end this madness. All three brothers are a bit shocked, silent, pensive.

Pablo is meeting with Falcao. Thanks, Doctor for your help in making that list of rich and influential people to kidnap. We've already got the first one. He takes out his little book. The next two will be the two sisters of Daniel Bedoya. But Pablo, they don't have anything to do with this fight, says Falcao. Of course they do, Bedoya was a traitor to me. But Pablo, use a cool head, you shouldn't make decisions based on revenge. Pablo gets heated, no one messes with me! Okay, calm down, says Falcao, let's discuss more possible targets. I know you don't like El Espectador, but you should also hit El Tiempo (another newspaper). The younger son of the director, Fernán Santana (we see a young guy with glasses working at the paper, obviously Fernán). Fine, says Pablo, give me some women! No problem, how about Maruja Pachon? She's the sister of Gloria Pachon, the widow of Galán. We see actual footage of her (I remember Maruja as a strong woman we saw when Galán was on the campaign trail). And she's now working closely with the government. The perfect target.

The reporters are in an abandoned isolated house. They've changed clothes, and aren't too happy, but try to keep their spirits up as they wait. They go over how the meeting was set up, Diana knew it was all by phone, but the things they said made her sure they were the leftists. But the others agree this is all strange. Poncho comes in, let's go. Where too, asks Diana. Just get ready! Show a little respect to the lady, says one guy. What's your name? José Rival. Okay, José, you get outside in 5 minutes, got it?!! Now they're in a car. They're definitely in the city. And look what's approaching. A taxicab. Noooo!
 

LA MARIPOSA

this site seems clearer....

http://www.mundofox.com/videos/la-mariposa-ep1-6591
 

LA MARIPOSA

Oooh, that looks like a good site, Shallowgal! Thanks!

Novelera, Thanks for finding that synopsis. And I know who to go to with questions. :)
 

PABLO ESCOBAR

I'm once again impressed, Hombre. I put my Spanish captions back on for this one several months ago and never looked back.

And yes Julio César (Turbay) is the former president of the republic and Diana's father.

The Motoa brothers' father summoned them to the family home in Medellín so he could persuade them to give themselves up now that the government was offering favorable terms, most importantly NO EXTRADITION. The brothers knew it was risky for them to go anywhere near Medellín because every cop was gunning for them. They used the cycling as a strategy to get through the police roadblocks. They reasoned that the cops were checking cars, not bikes.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR

Thanks again, Hombre, for an excellent recap.

And, I'm with you, NovelaMaven. Spanish captions are, for me, essential to understanding this novela.

After watching Julio Motoa try to threaten that young woman into his bed, I haven't had anything but contempt for him. And, last night, he lived down to my expectations. He was bristling with righteous indignation that the cops had DARED to shoot at him!

It was funny when his brothers were teasing the fat Motoa about how stupid the cops must be to have mistaken him for an elite cyclist.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Martes, Part 1

Thanks, NovelaMaven and Novelera for filling in some of the blanks. Here's what happened tonight.

The Montoa brothers arrive at Pablo's place, still dressed in their cycling outfits. Pedro tells him they haven't decided for sure yet, but they're considering turning themselves in. Pablo tells them about Ramada's idea that the cartel should make a group decision, but that's not his main concern. He just doesn't trust the government. He thinks that if they sign something ostensibly guaranteeing they won't be extradited, somehow, with twisting of the words, it could end up being their ticket to the United States. At the very least, they'd better get attorneys to go over every single section of any agreement. German agrees, Pablo's right, we have to be careful.

We see the two sisters (Carmiña and Esperanza, I think) of Daniel Bedoya (he's actually the old guy, Carlos must be the son) having lunch with Bedoya, they're glad things have died down (right). Esperanza has some kind of leg pains.

The reporters are woken up again, put in taxis, taken to another house. Diana has had it. I don't believe a word you're saying, she tells Poncho. We're in Medellín. Fine, says Poncho. You're right, there's no interview with Padre Reyes. You are now under the control of the Extraditables.

Diana's mother calls Julio César, something's wrong, you have to come back from your trip. He will. She then visits the President, and he agrees this is strange. She says she's made some inquiries, and her contacts tell her that the leftists know absolutely nothing about an interview. Ulloa breaks in, sorry to say it, but that means we're dealing with a kidnapping. Dr. Girardo (the adviser) says there's only one group who could have done it, the Extraditables.

Pablo is cutting out pictures of his future kidnap victims. He cuts out “Reporter of the Year” Diana Turbay, Carmiña Bedoya, Esperanza Bedoya. September 19, 1990. Esperanza, who twisted her leg or something, doesn't want to stay in the house, and gets in a car to go somewhere, leaving her sister Carmiña alone. Right after she goes in her house, Buitre and another lowlife knock on the door, asking for help with something. A few seconds later, they break the chain, and kidnap the white haired lady.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Part 2

Across town, Fermán Santana, son of the editor of El Tiempo, is riding in a red car with a driver. Pablo's men stop the car, kill the driver, and kidnap Fermán. Diana Turbay, already a prisoner, hears the news on a little radio, and realizes that for all these days, there have been no reports of THEIR kidnapping, and no demands, because the kidnappers didn't want to tip off the new victims. She tells Azucena it's all part of the same plan, to pressure the government. The two of them are more worried about the other victims, and about the President, than their own fate. Diana wrote a letter in her diary, she hopes will get delivered to the authorities. In it, she tells her father, I know you don't negotiate with terrorists, and that's fine with me. I just want you to take whatever decision leads to peace.

Poncho enters, aren't you happy now? Don't be rude, shoots back Diana. Why don't you let us communicate with our families? Watch your mouth, Ms. Turbay, or I'll take away your radio.

Ulloa is talking to the President, telling him they'll do whatever they can to find the victims, when suddenly, his red phone gets cut off. THAT's not good.

Carmiña is ushered into a bare room by the lowlife. He gives her a plastic bag, and says she should change into these clothes and relax. She begs for some pain relievers, her back is killing her. He doesn't have any. You know, she says, my brother isn't in power anymore, so there's no point in kidnapping me. The lowlife says, I just follow orders and get paid by El Duro (the tough guy). Who's El Duro, Pablo Escobar? Careful what you ask, he responds. Well, do you have any matches, for my cigarettes and the candle? He gives her a box of them, telling her there aren't many left. He leaves, locks her in. She surveys her stark surroundings, coughs, peers out of the boarded up window, lights the candle. You can see she really does have back pain.

In another location (possibly in the same house), Fernán is wearing glasses that aren't his, making him almost blind. The guard guides him to his little stark room. There is a small TV and a radio, boards over the window. He's very nervous, takes out his inhaler, as he has asthma. The guard first wants to take it away, but he says he'll die without it, so the guard lets him keep it. Shaking, Fernán asks what's happening, can he make a call, what's going on, etc. The guard won't tell him anything, except he's in God's hands. The door is locked, and Fernán sits on the bed, in shock.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – martes – Part 1

Miggy is tied to an operating table and a bunch of guys in lab coats are moving a device with a red light over his body. NB is there as well and he tries to talk NB out of harming him but she isn’t moved.

Sam tells Willy that he left her and if he doesn’t want to be with her, he should let her get together with someone else.

EM tells Lady that he is psychically tied to Sam. He says that his relationship with Sam is different and more intense than other relationships he has had. He tells Lady that Sam needs someone to support her and that person is him.

JM asks the Reptile what she is waiting for. She should just kill him so he doesn’t have to endure the pain and suffering that awaits him. The Reptile raises her gun.

NB’s medical team remove a tracking device from Miggy’s leg without any anesthesia. She injects the device into a dog. NB gives Miggy an injection and tells him that she is going to mark him for life.

FF wants to go to the police about Miggy but Angie tells her that the police are already keeping an eye on Miggy. FF tells Angie that she has a bad feeling that Miggy is in danger. Angie gets a text from Génesis. JM was supposed to pick her up but didn’t show up. Angie is angry.

The Reptile decides not to shoot JM. She says that she will help him live.

Willy tells Nora that he will investigate this Dr. Montoya.

The Reptile tells JM that he was at a crummy clinic and not getting the best treatment. She will return what she took from him – his money - so he can get the best treatment.

Sam and EM arrive at a party that is supposedly in EM’s honor for discovering a drug that heals severe burns. This is an impressive bit of staging that EM and Gigante have arranged.

Meanwhile Lady goes to see Willy and tells her that EM dumped her to go to the party with Sam. She has an invitation to the party. Willy bites and decides to go to the party with Lady.

The police find the dog with the tracking device.

In an amazing bit of timing, Willy and Lady arrive at the party just as EM kisses Sam. Willy leaves without Sam seeing him.

Miggy wakes up in a bed at EM’s places and finds that NB has “marked Miggy for life” by having her name tattooed over his heart.

 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – martes – Part 2

Sam tells EM that he shouldn’t have kissed her.

The Reptile doesn’t want Angie to know what she is doing to save JM. JM asks why and the Reptile responds that she still loves him – their lives are connected, blah, blah, blah. Ringo comes in and says that if the Reptile can’t kill JM, he will do it.

NB tries to convince Miggy that she didn’t order his baby killed. Miggy won’t buy it. Then NB tells Miggy that she is pregnant with his baby. If that wasn’t annoying enough, D8D comes in.

The Reptile tries to stop Ringo from shooting JM. Ringo tells the Reptile that he has had enough of this farce. [Haven’t we all?] The Reptile gets on the bed and sort of shields JM with her body. She tells Ringo to shoot them both. But Ringo finally realizes that the Reptile will never care for him. He leaves in disgust.

Willy is drinking. Sam comes back from the party and asks his forgiveness. She says that they shouldn’t hurt each other anymore. Willy grabs Sam and kisses her and they end up having sex on the stove in the kitchen!

Lady is all over EM and they have sex, too.

Willy tells Sam that having sex with her didn’t mean anything to him.

The Reptile gags JM again and tells him that she has decided that JM’s illness is Angie’s fault so Angie needs to die.

FF tried to tell the DEA guys that she knows where EM’s (formerly EV’s) place in Colombia is but they didn’t believe her.

Miggy tries to convince NB that he believes that she didn’t order his baby killed but she doesn’t believe him.

Laura has been released from the hospital. She goes to Gus’s house. He wants her to stay but she refuses. She does kiss him, though.

Willy comes into Sam’s bedroom and apologizes to the lump under the covers. He says that he does not want to be at war with her anymore. Unfortunately, it’s FF not Sam in the bed.

JM has managed to get himself mostly untied from the bed when Ringo comes in, clearly high on cocaine.

The Reptile shows up at wherever Angie is staying.

Sam tells EM that last night Willy treated her like a prostitute so now she will act like one. She kisses EM.

 

CORAZON VALIENTE:

Great recap, Jean, you wisely didn't waste any time with all the details.

To me, JM's actions (or inactions) are helping to ruin numerous lives.
-he thinks by not telling Angie, she'll forget about him, and be happier than if he told her of his illness. Of course she's destroyed, now thinks he's ignoring Genesis, and loves Laura
-Laura has sworn secrecy, so she can't tell Gus that JM is NOT in love with her, messing up that possible relationship
-Willie has sworn secrecy, so Sam has even more reason to think he's a clod
-By not telling anyone, JM doesn't have the money for the expensive treatments. But if he told, lots of characters have money (and what about insurance?), so he could be cured, and they'd all be happy. Now he has to rely on the Reptile.

I can't quite figure out how Gigante rigged that tribute to EM. Were all the people actors, or real scientists he intimidated, or real scientists and he developed a whole fake identity they all bought? It's really ridiculous. Also, I think EM didn't just find that anti-burn drug, he's now discovered the secret of eternal youth! Yeah, right.

At least we have a break from this nonsense tonight with Miss Universo.
 

CORAZON VALIENTE- Thanks, Hombre.
I almost can't watch the Reptile hold JM captive for the 40th time. Both the Reptile and D8D seem to have nothing to do with the story anymore. The Reptile's passion for JM and D8D's passion for Sam are so ridiculous that it's hard to even write it down.

Maybe EM and Gigante could go into the movie production business if they get out of narcotrafficing. I assumed that everybody at the party was an actor but who knows. It certainly makes no sense to apply any logic or reality to it.

There was a period in which novelas tried to ignore the reality of cell phone communication and characters failed to share information that could have been done easily by cell phone. Now it seems they are ignoring the reality of Google. Assuming that EM hasn't created an actual identity as a medical researcher, which would seem to be impossible, it would take one Google search to reveal him as a fraud.


 

PABLO ESCOBAR

First-rate recap, Hombre. I can't stand the way these thugs seem to enjoy toying with their kidnap victims. Buitre was having a blast pretending to convice the grey-haired lady he was harmless and then breaking in anyway.

And, Poncho! ¡Ni hablar! I can just imagine the casting call for some of Escobar's guys:

Ugly: check
Short: check
Pitted with acne scars: check
Unibrows: check

I was sort of surprised Escobar wasn't totally furious with the Motoas. He did sort of warn them about traitors at the beginning, but then he concentrated on watching the fine print in their paperwork if they give themselves up. I wonder if there's any truth that the Government would trick them.
 

EL ROSTRO DE LA VENGANZA part 1

Dmart is leaving the hotel lobby as Fed is heading for Tanyas room. To his horror Dmart escapes Guards chase Dmart and he escapes and flees with Ali in her car telling her Mary died. Dmart questions Ali for following him. A furious Fed calls for the police. Laura tells Brat she knows about the pregnancy and wants to help. Brat says that's Marys job. Laura says Marys not a mother. Neither was Laura she was just an old hag a bitch but not a mother. Before Laura leaves she still offers support. Alex enters the crime scene Fed tells Alex Dmart stole Tanyas credit card the killed Mary and fled the hotel. Zeke calls Mary as Valeria enters the room. Ali explains how she found Diego suggesting he tells the police. Diego says he cant because of his dirty record. Ali asks where she should go go. Dmart says to his old apartment. Valeria asks for Zeke to help him. Valeria gets a phone call that Dmart killed Mary.
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE

Wow, Jean, thanks so much. You poor thing; you got the "collapsing under the weight of sheer ridiculousness" episode.

Now how in blue blazes did the DEA get that tracking device in Miggy's leg leaving him completely without a scar? And the tattoo on his chest? Priceless.

I didn't get the impression the Reptile was going to return JM's money so he could get his own treatment. I thought she meant to hang onto him, spend his money for treatment, and he'd fall madly in love with her because of that.

Willy behaved like an absolute jerk with Sam. I don't think Sam will really go to bed with EM. The good girls always chicken out on the revenge sex.

Jean, Sam googled "Dr. Montoya" before she took the bodyguard job and found out there's a real scientist with that name. Presumably there's no google image for him. So, I'm assuming Willy would get the same result.

At least D8D is in Colombia and things are too hot for him in LA to return there. So Clara and Camilo can be the only happy couple.
 

EL ROSTRO DE LA VENGANZA part 2

Zeke chokes Valeria threatening to kill her if anything happens to Mary and Dmart. Valeria swears her innocence. The phone rings and Brat says its the police. Ali enters Dmarts old apartment (The apartment is now under Alexs name) and Ali helps him through the window. DMart remembers how Toni nursed him. Diego is saddened by the deaths of Toni and Mary. Dmart remembers back at Feds he told Diana that he was going to be a father. Alejandra enters the room saying she is a recovering alcoholic. As Diana leaves, Dmart tells Ale about the pregnancy as he is struck from behind. Ali says that Ale must know who was the attacker. Diego suspects Luciano framed him out of hatred. The door knocks its Alex. Zekes kids argue over weather Dmart is a killer. Diana enters the house to ask for diego. Luciano says Dmart took Mary to a room and killed her.
 

EL ROSTRO DE LA VENGANZA part 3

Diana says Diego is innocent and Brat backs her up but Luci disagrees. FED is still in the crime scene but this time with Paulo Quevedo.(considering this novela also takes place in NYC is his character still Victor Mendoza?) Fed tells Paulo that Tanya is still missing and thinks Dmart mightve harmed her. Paul asks why Dmart used Tanyas card. Fed says to throw off suspicions. Paul says they have Dmarts fingerprints. Zeke enters the room and sees Marys corpse. Laura thinks Zeke planned Marys murder to set up Dmart for revenge. Laura fears for Brats life. She will convince Brat to forgive her and move in with her. Dmart asks Alex to speak to Ale. Alex says Tanya is missing. Ali tells Dmart she suspects Zeke. At the hotel Fed asks Zeke to kill Dmart. Zeke says Dmart will pay but for sleeping with his fiancee. Alex and Dmart try to explain to Ali Tanyas connection with the Samaniegos. Fed tells Zeke he will still investigate him as Paul arrives to tell them he found Tanya. She is hanging from a tree. She will not be missed!
 

PABLO ESCOBAR -- martes

Beautifully described, Hombre. Thank you.

Carmina Bedoya (in real life, Marina Montoya) was closing up her restaurant, "Donde las tías", and getting ready to go home, according to GGM's account, when Escobar's goons persuaded her to let them in. Apparently two of these guys had spent a week or so establishing themselves as "regulars" in the place, dressing well, being polite and friendly, and leaving big tips. So when they begged Carmina to make an exception for them , she probably felt she couldn't turn them away.

Novelera, it sounds as if the front guys looked more like Marino in Ken Doll mode than el Buitre.

GGM describes the conditions of the secuestrados as even worse than what we see. For one thing, they weren't allowed to see anyone's face. So when they were being taken somewhere, they were hooded or blindfolded. (We saw a hint of this with Fernán Santana (real life Francisco "Pacho" Santos) and the eyeglasses that obscured his vision.) And when they reached their hiding place, their guards always wore masks.
 

Great recap Jean! I was baffled about what the NB's goons dug out from Miggy's leg and then fed to the Rottweiler. By the way, speaking of dogs, I was loving the comic relief of Willy apologizing to Sammy under the covers, only to find out it was Arturo--oh no, wait--that was only in my imagination. What a let-down to see it was just Fabby in Samm's bed.
J in Oregon
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE

J in Oregon: Yep, way too few Arturo appearances. Maybe he's so gorgeous and well-trained that he gets $15,000 per appearance, and they're too cheap to show him very often.
 

Hee hee, Novelera! "Collapsing under the weight of sheer ridiculousness" is so right!

JUAN MARCOS NEEDS TO STOP LEAVING THE HOUSE. What is this... kidnapping #12? By the same person? With the same conversation? "If you're going to kill me, do it!!" "But you are the love of my life!" Arg!!

At least we don't have to listen to Fabiola screeching "Donde esta mi hija???" anymore. Oh, wait. Now she's screeching "Donde esta Miguel??"

I'm really hoping for an El Verdugo resurrection... and a nice corporate espionage rivalry or embezzlement scandal to break up the monotony...

Gregorio, come save us all!

AnotherAmy
 

Pasión Prohibida

I was at the library today, where they have a better internet connection than mine, and watched the promos,

the pilot, done last June, which has Carla Hernández (Rosa in Rosa Diamante), Manuel Landeta (Bernardo in Corazon Valiente) and Gonzalo García Vivanco (the two faced teacher in Relaciones Peligrosas), was interesting to watch, laid out the story pretty well, the passion, the betrayal, the heartbreak, really comes across, good story, (but these guys aren't in the current production).

the new promos,
Mónica Spear looks so hot,
Jencarlos Canela, intense,
and Carmen Aub, remember her as the troubled girl in Donde Esta Elisa, who was always cutting herself,
now a young lady.

muy pronto.
 

LA MARIPOSA

oh-em-gee! Agt Laurens needs to get some pride, and stop throwing herself at Martinez. how many more rejections can one take? I feel for her though - unrequited love is... sad. it's nice though that she really cares for him, and there's someone to cover his (oh so nice) bee-hind.

Agt Smith on the other hand, ugh, not very helpful. he should be more supportive, and a team-player. going to Price with a video of just that bit conversation b/w Martinez and Alicia/Mariposa ... very sneaky.

I wonder how many times Martinez can get away with prolonging this case. It started out with a week deadline. He is after the big kahuna, and more bad guys are coming out of the woodwork, I'm starting to get confused as to the hierarchy.




 

LA MARIPOSA

Shallowgal, I enjoyed your comment. I'm mostly just disgusted with Laurens, or maybe it's their using a stale telenovela cliché. There's always an "other woman" who has a passion for the main guy that won't quit!

Yes, Smith is acting like a jerk most of the time. I had high hopes for Salvador Zerboni playing a good guy. He was scary bad in La Reina del Sur, and I saw maybe one episode of a Univisión novela where he was also a baddie. He's just jealous of Martinez career wise, as far as I can tell.

I kept thinking he'd be taken down a peg last night for having booty calls with the mistress of the narco who was supposed to be at the Phoenix grand opening but ended up down the garbage chute.

Obviously, Martinez will have to figure out a way to extend the case for 60 episodes!

And, Jimmy Bernal is WAY over the top as Price, actually irritating. As I remember it, Martinez didn't want the case, had actually left the agency, and Price begged him to take it on.

Michel Brown is a revelation in this novela. I saw him in Amores de Mercado long ago and also in Madre Luna and he didn't knock my socks off with his acting. He's completely believable in every scene of this novela. My only complaint is that he talks so very fast that I have to back up and listen again to some of his scenes.
 

LA MARIPOSA

novelera - yes, Price should be 100% behind Martinez, especially since Martinez said from the start that he wanted to see the mission through, and not just catch the small fish.

I've never seen/heard of Michel Brown before this, but he sure had me at hello.

I also love how Alicia is portrayed: soft-spoken (she doesn't have to yell or get angry to get her point across. her eyes/facial expression say a lot); feminine; not a bombshell, even in the way she dresses, yet sexy in her movement and demeanor. The actress is really really good!
 

LA MARIPOSA

Shallowgal, thanks so much for finding that MundoFox site. The episode videos are sharp and commercial-free. The only problem is that they are a couple of days behind the televised schedule. (They just posted #10.) So I'm destined to chase after you and Novelera in this conversation. :)

Anyway, after watching a few episodes, the word that pops into my mind to describe them is "cool" in the way certain American TV shows are cool (Think "Covert Affairs", for example.) I think many of Telemundo's Miami novelas aim for cool and end up with goofy. Uni novelas are almost never cool -- in fact it is their uncoolness that many find endearing.

This show is smart and glossy and the acting is mostly understated. I have a hunch that MundoFox is going to make a bundle syndicating this around the world.

Novelera and Shallowgal, I love your comments about the actors. As for Jimmy Bernal's "Price", I agree he sticks out like a sore thumb. According to his bio, the actor is completely bilingual and although he was born in Chicago, he grew up in Colombia It seems to be his lot as an actor to play the gringo with the egregious Spanish. I'm not sure why. I just wish he would stop yelling.

Picking an elegant ectomorph to play Alicia was a smart move. It goes against the stereotypic "Muñeca de la Mafia" look and will travel well.

Michel Brown is new to me. He really is incredibly charming in this role.

It's pretty funny that even when Salvador Zerboni gets to play a "good guy", it's still a good guy we love to hate. I think he just has that kind of face ...
 

LA MARIPOSA

oooh NovelaMaven, I like that word ectomorph.

You're right about the "cool" factor. When I first started watching, Miami Vice actually came to mind.

I've only seen a bit of Salvador Zerboni in other shows, and I really like this actor.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Jueves, Part 1

Pati talks to Pablo, why not turn yourself in? You'd just get 5 years, maybe 6. We'd keep all our money. The government is giving us a chance. No way, says Pablo. President Gavirira might only be in for 4 years. The next president could change everything. We're going to dictate what happens, not them.

The government leaders meet. Dr. Santana, the father of the young editor of El Tiempo, is desperate. But the President is firm. We're not dealing with these guys. We've already offered them a deal, they have to take it, or we'll keep after them. Bedoya thinks Escobar is bluffing, won't kill anyone. Meanwhile, Dr. Gilardo, the adviser, gets a call from Pedro Motoa. He's turning himself in, along with his brothers!

The hostages are allowed to write brief letters, and we see one delivered to Diana's mother (I think her name is Lidia). We then see a guard deliver food to Diana. He's dressed in underwear, and she yells at him, what lack of respect. Two reporters are playing chess, but they're just tired, at their wit's end. A guard even insists on holding the door open when Azucena has to go to the bathroom. Another guard gives two of the hostages a six pack of beer. Bedoya's sister, now wearing pants, a sweatshirt and tennis shoes, is despondent, praying with her rosary, hold her aching back. Fernán Santana tapes a message on a portable recorder.

Pablo reads the paper, circles the next victim, Maruja, wife of the former adviser to Galán, best friend of Gloria Galán. The government guys meet again, Lidia wants the President to do something. Santorini makes a speech criticizing the government. In a taxi, Dr. Patarollos, the go between, tells Pablo the government wants them to accept the decree that's already out there, if they turn themselves in, reduced sentences, and no extradition. Pablo doesn't believe them. And no way will he release any hostages. This is no game. At the least, they have to get the Supreme Court to remove any presidential power to nullify extradition. Patarollos says, that's impossible. Well, then, see you tomorrow, says Pablo, and they let him out on the highway.

In Bototá, November 7, 1990, Maruja and Gloria are finished work, going home together in a car with a driver. We see El Buitre in another car, watching them leave. Maruja asks the driver is he likes his new job as a chauffeur, and he's delighted with it, likes the uniform, too.
 

PABLO ESCOBAR, Part 2

Gilardo tells President Gaviria that the Motoas are willing to turn themselves in, but they want to modify the decree a bit. No, says Gaviria, no concessions, they either take what we offered, or we keep pursuing them.

We then see a meeting between the Motoas and Ramada and his men. My reception was cutting in and out here, so I might have missed a bit, but it seems that Ramada, on behalf of the rest of the cartel, is very unhappy that the Motoas are turning themselves in. He almost prohibits it. He's really worried that once they're in jail, they'll turn in the other members of the cartel for reduced sentences. Pedro and his guys get really hot at this point, offended. But in the end, they agree that they won't turn anyone in, absolutely not. And they agree that if they do, their families will be murdered. I think Pedro's guys (like Julio) also say if Ramada and his guys try to stop them, Ramada's family will get murdered. So we have your old deterrent by way of the threat of mutual destruction.

Back to Maruja and Gloria. Just as we feared, Buitre cuts off the car. They kill the poor chauffeur who loved his job, and both ladies are kidnapped (put is separate cars). Buitre calls it in, mission accomplished. Maruja's husband gets a call. What?!!!!!!

 

PABLO ESCOBAR -- jueves

Thanks, Hombre, for your excellent summary. I got the same general sense you did out of the meeting between the Motoa brothers and the other cartel guys -- some posturing on both sides but in the end, the Motoas stuck to their decision to surrender to the government and convinced the other guys they wouldn't rat them out. Everyone at the meeting understood the consequences of breaking faith.

BTW, the woman abducted with Maruja was her husband's sister. Here she is referred to as "Berenice" I think but the real woman was "Beatriz". (Gloria was Maruja's own sister and Galán's widow.)
 

LA MARIPOSA

Shallowgal, Salvador Zerboni stole the show with his portrayal of the despicable "Gabino Mendoza" in the recent Televisa melodrama, "Abismo de pasión". He had lots of fans on CarayCaray for his character, a sneering, twitching, seething bundle of malice and macho. It's nice to see that the actor can dial it down a notch and still be interesting.

And yes, Miami Vice. Definitely.
 

EL SECRETARIO - Dec. 21, 2012 - Episode 84:

Toni visits Psychiatrist Lina to get help for her problems with Felix and Emilio. They cry. Lina mentions she has another client who loves Emilio also.

Mario is in a terrible mood. He scolds Olga for thinking she could trap Emilio into marrying her by getting pregnant. No one can have "Encanto" because he's mine, screams Mario and he stomps away.

Emilio is looking out the window of the bus, thinking about the last time he and Toni kissed; then when they were in Toni's car and she tells him to be happy with Olga and the new baby, she will try to be happy with Felix.

Dona Trudy is a very happy, welcoming hostess to Frank, Valentina, Lorena and the housekeeper. Frank, Valentina and the housekeeper are very grateful for Dona Trudy's hospitality. Lorena is in a bad mood and tries to control everything like they were still in her house.

Toni finishes her session with psychiatrist Lina who jokingly tells her that her life is a disaster. Toni thinks she will have a major challenge to straighten her life out and be with Emilio. Lina tells her life is full of challenges. Toni leaves. Lina tells her little dog, her life is definitely a disaster.

Mario tells the HR director that Castillo (little man with moustache) will start work at Copito tomorrow.

The lawyer meets with his contact mob boss in jail. Afterwards, he talks with Felix on the phone.

Millie and Aguirre are talking and drinking beer after work.

Olga's dad is very upset. He can't find work and will have to move. Olga doesn't like the idea. Dad tells her that he knows she's faking her pregnancy and that thinks that may also be part of his work problems.

Emilio arrives home to Dona Trudy's apartment and finds Valentina, Frank, Lorena and the housekeeper there. He is very happy to see them. Lorena is still in her controlling, horrible mood. Emilio announces to them that he's going to be a dad again (Valentina will have a new baby brother or sister). Everyone congratulates him. Lorena is very skeptical about the news.

Episode ends: Bank repo officials tape eviction sign on Emilio's apartment door. Emilio asks what are they doing? They tell him he is being evicted and the bank has taken possession of the apartment. If there has been an error, he can go to the bank and take care of it. Emilio and Lorena are both stunned.

 

CORAZON VALIENTE-

Thursday's recap will be late today. I have to do work at my work!!
 

Corazon Valiente -

totally shocking,
that Miggy, a tried and true novela character,
just tells Fabiola the truth, as if that's the right thing to do,
that NB is pregnant with his baby,
love it!
I guess only the really tough guys can handle the truth,
so Fabiola should try chewing on some nails.
 

LA MARIPOSA

NovelaMaven - if you like, here's the continuation.

start at 31:40

http://www.novelasfacebook.com/la-mariposa-capitulo-9/
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE

Deb, when you wrote about "handling the truth" I was envisioning that Jack Nicolson courtroom moment in A Few Good Men.

I could then imagine NB confronting Fabiola: "You can't handle the truth!"
 

La Patrona -

latest synopsis,

"This unforgettable telenovela tells the story of Gabriela Suarez (Aracely Arámbula), the only woman working in a mine in a beautiful Mexican town called San Pedro del Oro. Due to unexpected circumstances in life, Gabriela meets Alejandro Beltrán (Jorge Luis Pila), the oldest son of Antonia Guerra (Christian Bach), better known as "La Patrona." Gabriela will live a romance with Alejandro that several people will be oppose to, including Antonia, who will become her number one enemy fighting both for her son's love and to become "La Patrona.""
from the Novela Channel.
 

Corazon Valiente -

ah yes, novelera, I remember that line,
(interesting how jack nicholson has a way of imprinting on us all)

so this is yet another interesting twist for this novela,
seems like there is a choice here,
either Fabiola steps up to Miggy's level,
(after all she is a combat veteran),
and takes the world head on, as is Miggy's style,
as his partner,
no matter what is thrown at them,

or she runs off alone,
to suffer through the rest of her life,
for the gran amor she has thrown away.

I'm interested in seeing how she deals with this,
no whining please.

 

LA PATRONA

thanks, deb. ugh, the proverbial monster-in-law. I'll be checking this out solely for JLP.
 

LA MARIPOSA

Thanks shallowgal for the MundoFox link--the episodes are much easier to watch than on Primicia!

Michel is fabulous, as is the actress playing Alicia. Loving it! I have kind of a teddy-bear crush on Altagracia though, he is such a doll! I wish Laurens was more likeable so I could root for them as a pareja...

In the process of catching up on Mariposa episodes, I've started watching Corazones Blindados--the action scenes are riveting! I'm liking a lot of the actors in that one too.

MundoFox, come to Kansas City soon!!! Pleeease!

AnotherAmy
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – jueves – Part 1

Sam and EM kiss and fall down on a bed.

FF tells Willy to repeat what he told her to Sam and that Sam love him. Willy says that he loves Sam but it is too late, etc. etc. [Then why did he tell those things to a lump that he thought was Sam?]

The Reptile asks Angie why she is in the Reptile’s house, her kitchen, etc. She embarks on a pity party about how she would have treated Ofélia better if she had known that she was the Reptile´s mother. [Here’s a suggestion: treat everybody nicely and then you won’t have that regret.]. Angie asks why the Reptile is there. She replies that she wants to live in her house, sleep in her bed, etc. but she knows that isn’t possible.

The Reptile then tells Angie that she came to tell her about her “arreglo,” (“arangement”) with JM. The Reptile will return JM’s money if he doesn’t marry Angie.

Ringo says that JM is a nice guy but he doesn’t care about JM or about his terminal illness. He want to “arreglar” (“arrange”) things head on. He aims a gun at JM, who is still partly tied to the bed. Just when he is going to fire, something breaks the window.

Sam is kissing EM; they fall down onto a bed. Then EM pulls away. He says that he doesn’t want to be with any woman out of revenge on another guy. He says that Sam means everything to him.

D8D tells Miggy that when he lost Sam, he lost everything. Miggy responds increduloulsy, “You never had her” and concludes that D8D is crazy. NB once again tells D8D not to stick his nose into her business, which includes Miggy’s fate. She tells Miggy that she isn’t going to kill him. His future depends on his loyalty to the person carrying his child. Miggy responds that he is loyal and he will be responsible for the baby but that’s all. NB says that isn’t usually what happens. If Miggy abandons her, he will never see his baby again. [No big loss there. Miggy never even met his father.]

We see that a baseball has come through the window. A kid comes to the door looking for it. Ringo chats up the kid and finally gives him the ball. During this time, JM gets himself untied and smashes a chair over Ringo’s head.

Angie doesn’t believe the Reptile. The Reptile tells her that JM was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and is used to the best of everything. Does Angie think that he would give that up for her love? She asks if JM married Angie and she has to acknowledge that he didn’t. She says that Angie’s love for JM has a price and she (the Reptile) has paid it.

The only happy couple in the novela, Camilo and Clara, tell Gus that they are going to start a gardening business. Clara doesn’t know anything about gardening but she’ll learn. Jéssica comes in and asks Gus why he left the police. He says that maybe it was to avoid having to see Laura every day. Gus and Laura are left alone and they start smiling at each other like idiots (or people in love).

Angie tells the Reptile that she is happy for her and JM but she is going to jail from here. The Reptile replies that if she goes to jail, Angie and JM will go to the cemetery. She pulls out a gun. Nora comes in and puts herself between Angie and the Reptile. The Reptile says that she will kill them both. We see that FF is watching.

Sam tells EM that she doesn’t recognize herself. She almost lost control. She says that if he hadn’t stopped, she would have done something irrevocable. She says that she is quitting her bodyguarding duties with EM.


 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – jueves – Part 2

FF doesn’t do anything like call the police. She goes up and tells Willy that his sister is downstairs threatening Angie and his mother. Willy starts looking for his gun; FF says that she doesn’t have one.

The Reptile tells Nora that she knew that Ofélia was her biological mother but never told her and Nora never cared about her. Nora replies that she always wanted the Reptile to have a normal life. She says that she accepted the Reptile as her daughter and loved her from day one.

Willy and FF finally find some guns and there’s a standoff in the kitchen. Nobody calls the police.

D8D tells Rotten Rod that he doesn’t care what NB wants. He has Miggy taken to the dungeon and chained up to the good old wheelchair. He threatens Miggy with a long, painful death. Miggy is defiant. D8D produces a knife and cuts Miggy’s wrists. D8D says that he enjoys seeing Miggy helpless and dying. He tells Miggy that he will go after the widow and baby Alma.

The Reptile tells the kitchen crew that if they don’t let her go, JM will die. Willy initially refuses but Angie makes him let the Reptile go.

JM has escaped from wherever the Reptile had him and is having vision trouble while driving.

EM asks Sam to continue to be his bodyguard while he has a meeting at a nearby outdoor café. She agrees but says that this is her last day.

Ringo wakes up.

JM is having terrible pain. Ringo hits someone over the head.

NB’s hairdresser wants to leave but NB refuses. She says that she can’t find Miggy. She and the hairdresser find him in the dungeon unconscious or dead. NB curses D8D. [It’s her fault. Why didn’t she have her guys keep an eye on what D8D was doing?]

NB tries to rouse Miggy [it would have been smarter to stop the bleeding first].

JM is at the clinic reporting problems from his radiation therapy.

NB and her guys take Miggy to a hospital.

Gus gets a call from Colombia apparently about Miggy.

 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE – jueves – Part 3

At the café, EM tells his guy to wrap up the Dr. Montoya thing. The guy leaves and EM persuades Sam to have a coffee with him. She recognizes Ringo who is in a very weird outfit and riding on a motorcycle. She wants to call the police. Fortunately for EM, Sam is distracted by a phone call. EM gets rid of Ringo and convinces Sam that the guy on the motorcycle was not EV’s right hand man, Ringo.

We don’t know what happened at the clinic but JM shows up at Willy’s place. A briefcase full of money with a note from the Reptile is delivered.

EM scolds the Reptile for taking risks that could lead to him being arrested. The Reptile leaves and Ringo comes in still in his funky outfit. EM tells Ringo that the Reptile is not the woman for him. “Sam isn’t the woman for you,” replies Ringo.

D8D tells Rotten Rod that he doesn’t think that Miggy will make it. Rod says that he can’t believe how fun it was to kill someone. D8D suggests that Rod celebrate his admission to the killers club. D8D is going to bed. NB is listening.

Sam and Angie come to Willy’s place presumably to see JM. Angie sees the briefcase of money and reads the note from the Reptile: “Always yours, Fernanda.” Angie says, “I’m happy that your fortune means more to you than our love.” Just for good measure, she slaps JM and runs out of the apartment. JM follows. Angie tells him to leave her alone. He says that he will leave her alone when he dies. Then he kisses her. We see the Reptile watching.

Clara and Camilo are all happy. The lawyer JM referred them to says that it will easy for Clara to divorce D8D. They are teasing us here by suggesting that Miggy is dead. A solemn Gus tells Clara, Camilo and Laura that he took FF to the airport and now must do the formalities (trámites). “Poor Miggy,” he says.

NB takes D8D to the dungeon and reminds him that she told him not to stick his nose in her business and Miggy was (she uses the past tense. “era”) hers. D8D asks why she has brought him to the dungeon. Is she going to chain him up, he asks facetiously. NB says no and moves aside so that D8D can see Rotten Rod in the wheelchair with this wrists slashed - dead (we hope). D8D is upset but doesn’t seem to devastated however, any spoke in his wheel is good news and no regrets on seeing the last of Rotten Rod.

We have the irritating cross cutting of parallel scenes of EM and Ringo with Lady listening and of Sam and Willy.

Willy insults Sam with the usual until he finally tells her that he saw her kissing EM at the party with everyone applauding. He says that he can’t just snap his fingers and make it all the same as before.

Meanwhile, EM is telling Ringo that he wants Sam so much that maybe it isn’t love. Ringo tells him that he fell in love with Sam too but he got over it and moved on (to the Reptile). EM tells Ringo that he is willing to do anything to get this woman. (Cut to Lady crying.) Ringo says that he will help EM by killing Willy, burning him and bringing EM his ashes.

FF has been teleported to Colombia and is brought to Miggy’s room in some medical facility with soldiers outside. Miggy has a regular IV, not a blood transfusion but maybe he got the blood he needed. Anyway, FF tells him not to talk. She loves him and wants to return home with him and they can forget this nightmare and live happily ever after. [It’s about 2 ½ weeks too early for that.] Then FF sees the tattoo. She asks if NB did that to Miggy. He nods sadly. She asks him to promise her that he won’t be involved with that woman any more. Miggy says that he can’t promise that. It appears that NB is pregnant with his baby.

[It will be interesting to see how the writers deal with NB. NB is certainly not going to survive after what she has done but I don’t believe that a pregnant woman can be killed on a novela. Either NB is not really pregnant or she will lose the baby before suffering her ultimate fate.]

 

NovelaMaven,
I couldn't agree more with your assessment of the "cool" factors of Telemundo, Univision, and MundoFox! Spot-on!

Jimmy Bernal has always been painful for me to watch. What is with that "scowly" voice? It always seems like he's trying way to hard to be gruff... can't stand the accent and the weird scrunched up facial expressions... I have to FF through most of his scenes.

AnotherAmyAgain
 

CORAZON VALIENTE:

Excellent recap, Jean! JM was smart to take off Ringo's clothes, leaving him in his underwear. That's why he had to conk that guy with the wool cap, and take his clothes.

I agree that NB has to die. But knowing this novela, it wouldn't surprise me if they jumped ahead 9 months (during which absolutely nothing happened), she gave birth, and THEN she got killed.

Yes, Rod was just taking up extra space, and I enjoyed seeing D8D suffer.

I wonder how much chance there will be that this is really Sam's "last day" as EM's bodyguard.

Why can't someone ever torture the Reptile? I'd love to see her chained up, or pummeled by Angie. Oh, she did get that "scar", which ruined her forever. Until she had plastic surgery. As did JM. In fact, I'm sure Miggy's tattoo can be removed. I wouldn't be surprised if at the end he had one saying Fabiola.

It's nice to see Gus and Laura rediscovering each other. Still no one for Cecelia, though.

Think Emma and Pablo will come back for the finale?
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE

Thanks, Jean, great recap.

NB missed a great opportunity to kill off D8D and instead chose RUR (Rotten Useless Rod).

Of course I realize that my beanie is way too loose, but how does D8D get henchmen in Colombia that helped him subdue Miggy?

Deb, you are truly an optimist if you're hoping for FF not to whine after discovering NB's pregnancy.

It was an interesting twist that Sam was ready to go through with sex with Jesús, but he himself had the scruples.

It's beyond ridiculous that the Reptile continues to say Nora never loved her. It sounds like she was 10 or 11 when D8D framed her, so wouldn't she remember a loving mother?

I know JM is supposed to have lost all his money, but couldn't he take a cab instead of risking others' lives driving with blurry vision?

Interesting point about NB's pregnancy. It's apparently not faked because D8D waved around a doctor's certificate. [Funny, they never gave me one of those when I was pregnant!]
 

CORAZÓN VALIENTE-

Thanks Hombre - I totally missed that the reason that Ringo knocked out the guy was to get his clothes.

I hope we don't do a 9 month jump forward. I guess it really doesn't matter though.

I also wondered about whose goons D8D used to subdue Miggy. Were they his goons brought to Colombia from LA or did he commandeer some of NB's goons? If the latter, NB has not made it clear to her goons who is in charge.

 

LA MARIPOSA

AnotherAmy - para nada.

ITA agree about Altagracia... adorable, and good-looking. I have a feeling he'll end up with Laurens.

As for Bernal, I've liked him since I first saw him in Más Sabe el Diablo, so I don't mind him really.
 

LA MARIPOSA

Since we're on a Jimmy Bernal kick, I'd add that I first saw him in Doña Bárbara, where he played Mr. Danger, who spoke incredibly awful gringoish Spanish.
 

LA MARIPOSA

Thanks, Novelera. I knew the name was familiar but I couldn't place the actor (I am not watching this novela) and I was too lazy to google it.