Caray, Caray!

It's a wrap folks! Given some of the comments coming in on the last recap by folks who have seen the finale, we are going to have some passionate responses to this finale-- both good and bad. :)

Enjoy!
 

I deleted some of the late comments from the last recap, because they were spoilers for the finale. I am going to copy them below:

Anonymous said...
Pato dies in surgery. It's actually a touching, ethereal scene. There pretty much isn't any resolution to the Melissa-Claudio plot. Roselena stays manic in her huge mansion, and as his punishment, Maximino has to accompany her through her psychotic episodes (there's a scene where Roselena is at the dinner table with Maximino, and she has stuffed toys sitting in the chairs as if they were her kids, and she eerily maintains a conversation with them). Vicky runs off with some rich guy after playing Maximino for his money. Julie loses a leg and ends up with a prosthetic. Gala ends up having a tumor, ends up balding and in extreme pain, and finally ends up taking a special "medicine" she had Julie whip up for her—she commits suicide. It's a pretty gruesome scene, really. Rodrigo and Luciana get married in the pueblo and have more kids. Fin. :')
Fri Nov 30, 07:09:00 PM EST
Mercedes C. said...
Just watched the final episode and was extremely disappointed. Who wrote this ending, Steinbeck?!? For months, I have watched and translated it instantly for my husband who was also very interested in the story line. The ending was much too severe, even for Gala, Julie and Rosa Elena. Why was Patricio treated that way?!? No, life is not all happiness, but after the months of torture these characters went through, we expected a happier resolution to their lives. I give this ending 2 thumbs down. SHAME ON THE WRITERS!!!!

 

More comments on the finale from the last recap:

AMOR said...
I too was some what's disappointed in Today's Final Episode
Especially how minimally Our Patricio's final day was.
He was a MAJOR PART IN THIS TeleNovela he Created Calm in the Midst od EVERY STORM
Brought Sense to the host of INSANITY!!!

His Character was MORE VALUABLE in my Opinion and brought more Life Lessons to the Story compared to Don Achilles. Yet don Achilles' dying days and Death encompassed ALL Of TWO Days. With ELLABORATE
FUNERAL PROCESSION, AND CELEBRATION OF HIS Life!!!!

And PATO???? Merely the First 11 mins.
This is my very First Telenovela and after watch this I'm Sorely DISAPPOINTED IN THE TELEVISA WRITERS!!!

We Spent months enduring many unnecessary episode a lot of which I can't remember! For sure we've
Spent 8 WEEKS = 5 YEARS Waiting for Luciana Rodrigo & MATTEO TO BE REUNITED.

WEEKS
ENDURING LASTRA AND HIS GOD AWFUL TRANSITION FROM BAR MAID TO BAR MAID THROUGHOUT HIS INFERNO DAYS

A FAKE TOWN FANTASMA FOR WEEKS WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE TEO

GALA AND JULIE AND ROSALEANA's scheming to defeat Luciana, Rodrigo, Claudio Linares
For crying out Loud Between the time it took Rosealana to defile Luciana's mothers grave, paying gravekeepers and investigators and plotting to get Lorenzo out of Hanah's life that took 12 TWELVE WEEKS.
AND NOT EVEN A DECENT FAREWELL OR FUNERAL FOR PATO!!!!
C'MON!!!!
Shame Shame Shame!!!!!!!!
Fri Nov 30, 11:24:00 PM EST

 

Thanks to all the recappers for the EXCEPTIONAL job you've all Done! BRAVO!!!

I am now Invested in AMOR BRAVIO!
I feel deep down the Writers of this one WON'T DISAPPOINT.
 

Okay ladies, you made me cry again. Judy your prologue was noteworthy. Vivi, you always had all the answers. Marta, you recap was so complete. Thanks to each of you.

And Decie Girl, did you keep notes from the other version? I cannot believe you took the time to give us this comparisons. I think I will not waste my time with the others, this one was almost perfect.

Anita and Madelaine, thanks to you both - you added so much with your recaps.

I wish that Max would have gotten back to some normal life. Instead he chose to be RE's martyr and caregiver. He should have left her sorry self and gone to the wedding in HetHet.

He broke my heart after learning of Pato's death. He was on the floor crying with Rod trying to comfort him.

Pato was my very favorite. I hope he has a very long and very successful acting career.

RE deserves an award her performance.

I hated the very red lipstick on Luci. I did laugh when I noticed during the mountain ceremony that they had tied a rock or something to the hem of her dress to keep it from flying up.

Aldo and Vicki turned out to be two pea in a pod LOL.

Rosemary Primera



 

Other people I noticed at the final party aside from the ones Marta mentions-- Padre Honesto sitting at the same table with the Het Het Padre and Procopio, and Valentina and Gabriel (dancing behind Melissa and Aldo in the pic). Dona Chuy and Don Chelo looked nice and scrubbed up. Alexia now has a medallion like Mateo.

I didn't notice if these folks were there: Estelita, Ofelia, Architect Cardenas and Marianita (if we could figure out what she looks like all these years later).

Mati and Max miss out on all the fun in order to share the private hell of Rosa.

I wondered, did Luci and Rod already have a Catholic wedding before little Pato was born? If they only just did the Church wedding right before the native ceremony, that's pretty shocking! Luci really wanted to make sure Rod was worthy before she married him with God's blessing this time. Ha! He had to wait two years.
 

Vivi- thank you so much for staying up late and posting this marvelous, postively, fantastic last recap for this TN. I felt the ending was bittersweet. Bitter in that Pato ended up dying and Luci and Rod finally married and had more children. Loved how everyone was there at the special ceremony, this Indian ceremony was the best thing I have ever seen in a TN. It is usually a white wedding that is so over the top, I do like them, but this one beats all of them.

Did the Dr say that Rosa la loca was a paranoid schzophrenic? It certainly fit her. I just knew she would totally end up alone with noone but Max and Mati, who will be tending "mi nina" forever. I was surprised Max stuck with her. I hope he still has some type of relationship with his children.

Yes, I think Gagme committed suicide. I thought CQ was doing the same, cause the drink looked half drunk, so to speak. My how the "mighty" have fallen. CQ and Gagme got what they so richly deserved after what they did, especially Gagme, no sympathy from me for them.

So Aldo and Vicky made out as far as getting money from Max, but what was that hand holding thingy she and Aldo were doing when she was hugging her new honey? I wonder if they will take the new guy for all his money?

Glad Dona Chuy and Don Chelo became part of the family and my didn't Don Chelo look handsome all cleaned up and in white, and clean shaven? I am sooo glad all of Luci's friends made it to the ceremony.

I cried like a bebe when Pato died. I think they should have let him live and progress some more. He had already been through so much and then he dies. I hated how it was so short when we had the two day thingy with Don A. But then again if they had dragged out Pato's death it would have been worse. I loved the letter that Pato left Luci, telling her how he felt and also that Rod and Luci spread his ashes on top of that mountain. I am really glad la loca never went to the hospital. It would have been really bad in that waiting room.

Wasn't it funny, well maybe not funny, when Padre Honesto forgave la loca and she thought it was Christ talking to her? Also loved the dolls around the table, what an ending for her and it fit perfectly.

Judy- thank you so much for the prolouge for this last recap. So wonderful and filled with your wonderful insight. Thank you so much.

Marta- What a wonderful, wonderful recap this is. Loved the way you wrote it and I loved your side comments too. Thank you.

Decie Girl-I don't know if I would have liked the previous TN as much as I loved this one. It sounds so complicated, the prior version that is. This one is the best TN ever! hands down. Thank you so much for the summary of what happened in the prior one.
 

Vivi thanks for being our hostess for the finale and sharing other comments.

JudyB - Your prose is so elegant. Thank you for returning to recap this one.

Marta - Your recaps are so thorough and exude your passion regarding this TN.

Decie Girl - Thanks for your comparison. The earlier version seems quite heart wrenching.

I know we had the foreshadowing but I am beyond vexed that Pato died. He has to be one of the best TN character I have encountered in my TN watching. I'm happy I got to see BP as I had not seen him in anything; I hope Televisa recognizes he and his sister (over on AB) are their father's children and already fantastic actors.

Though I can't share the enthusiasm for this TN (Pato's death really hurt me), I have loved our blogging community. Our recappers and Mads' excitement made this a wonderful experience.
 

I agree that Patricio should have gotten more exposure for his death than Don Achilles. Also, whenever the Telenovela Awards come around again, Brandon Peniche and Laura Flores should at least get a nomination for their performances. As for Gala and Julie, sorry, can't work up sympathy for either one of them after what they put Rodrigo and Luciana through and for the way she treated Alexia. She showed absolutely no love for that child. When the doctor told her she had a brain tumor, I was like "That's karmageddon kicking you in the butt b***h!"
 

What a bitter-sweet ending! I think I ran out of kleenex.... Poor sweet Pato... I always knew that Luci and Rod would end up together, but I still wished that Luci would fall in love with Patrico- a man who never doubted her. At least in death, he is finally free to conquer the mountain.

I am so glad that I watched this novela instead of either of the originals. (thank you Decie Girl for the comparison) I don't think I could have loved Luci and Mateo nearly as much in the previous version.

Thank you to all the recappers- you all put so much time and effort into your recaps. It has been a joy to follow this story with you, and I am truly grateful for all your hard work.

~Toni
 

Thank you everyone for sharing this novela with me... your comments have made it an even better experience

Decie, I did watch La Zulianita when i was a kid ... with Lupita Ferrer and Jose Bardina... I recall the ending, or at least part of it... when the boy is in the hospital, his nickname was billete (lottery ticket), i think the old hag made him sell lottery tickets on the street (as compared to newspaper), and he had a little dog that he had lost during the accident, called 'machete'... i think Rod's character found machete and brought it to the hospital. Mother and father have some tender scenes with the son in the hospital. your ending with the switched grooms in the wedding sounds very familiar... i just don't recall many details of it.
I would never have compared the two, but in retrospect, i should have. never watched Morelia, though.
Thanks for all the info Decie!

 

i found some videos of la zulianita, and a forum with a summary.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/648396/message/1287378843/Re-+VIDEO+DE+LA+TELENOVELA+LA+ZULIANITA


http://www.network54.com/Forum/223031/message/1068077672/%2A%26quot%3BLa+zulianita%26quot%3B%2A%28Venezuela%2C+1977%29%2A

there is a lot of info on all the old novelas from this site (sorry, it is all in spanish, but i can say the recap of the beginning of La Zulianita is pretty much identical to Refugio, even to some of the names.)

 

Thank you recappers for all of your hard work! I've enjoyed (and finally got to watch my first telenovela with your help. I admit, the first time watching the finale I felt they rushed it- particularly with Pato's death. Catching it again last night made me appreciate the final wedding, and seeing Luciana & Rod's family grow. I also like the idea of CQ & Grillz both drinking the ”death shake” lol. Fitting for them to both take the easy way, yet again. Rosa's crazy was not unexpected; I wish Mati would have ended up in Luci's house, helping her with her children. Ah well...just a tn, right?!

Again, I loved reading these recaps. Really ”fleshed out” the story with vocabulary and background info. Again, thanks!
 

wow, i can see from the videos that Maricruz Najera (Matilde) has been doing the same type of characters for over 30 yrs...
in the video clips we can see the final ep of Los ricos tambien lloran with a very young Maricruz Najera, and teenagers Guillermo Capetillo and Edith Gonzalez.
 

My oh my...passionate responses to this finale indeed.

Pato's death is only disturbing if you believe that death is the end of life. In this story though, we see him happy..... conquering the mountain once more, looking back at his beloved family and smiling.

I picture him like those survivors of near-death experiences, being surrounded by warm, infinite, all encompassing love, a love that never disappoints, never betrays. So for that reason, I am at peace with Pato's death.

I was much more upset with Gala's fate just because I felt the cancer was shown as the "punishment" for her evil deeds.

Having watched three good friends, who cared deeply for others who were less fortunate, live through years of cruel chemotherapy until finally succumbing to death anyway,that fate for Gala offended me. I would rather she have been sent to prison. Cancer is not a punishment for sins. It is a baffling disease that strikes the good and the wicked alike.

As for Roselena, my word, she got the family of her dreams. All her "loved ones" are at the table every night, her husband is at her side, Mati still standing by, ready to meet her every need.

These dolls never rebel, never answer back,never come home late, always give the response she wants.

Roselena is in a paradise of her own making, still believing herself to be the elected of God, and presiding as the cosseted, indulged matron she has always been. A curious "punishment" for all her evil. Max and Mati are suffering. But not Roselena.

Still, I loved this finale. My hair literally stood on end, watching that imposing shaman and listening to the words of the uniting ceremony which I found profoundly moving. While not really understanding the meaning of the sea shells the children handed Rodrigo and Luciana, nor the meaning of their appearance on their bodies following the pledge, I still was awe-struck...by the beauty of the surroundings, the sacred tenor of the words, the tenderness and love shining in Rodrigo and Luciana's eyes. Even the dramatic sweep of her dress...everything in that final moment seemed perfect to me. It was a ceremony that went far beyond any wedding finale I have ever seen.

MARTA ...thanks for helping us relive each and every moment. I am in awe of your ability to catch and render every precious detail.

DECIE GIRL...thanks for helping us see all the improvements the writers made in this version. The previous ones sound awful in comparison. And what a memory you have.

And once again, thanks to all the recappers who got this going. CHF, who gave us" HetHet", Ezra, and then VIVI and MADS who did double and triple-duty for weeks before help came alongside.

VIVI...special thanks for pulling this all together and adding pictures. It was a labor of love, I could tell.



 

Now that I’ve had a bit of time to think about the finale, and I have my cup of tea in front of me, I’m ready to share my thoughts.

While Pato’s death was a bitter pill to swallow, it was not totally unexpected. But his death was also not in vain. Pato lead a purposeful life before and after his accident. He brought out the best in all the people around him—his father, siblings, Luci, Mati, his cousins and his aunt. He also gave to people that he did not know through his foundation. He truly was a blessing in the lives of everyone who knew him. The death of a person like that makes those they left behind take stock of their lives, and I think it pushes them to be better people. Certainly Pato’s death pulled down the last wall Luci had put up around her heart, and she was then able to both give Rod the love and comfort he needed, and finally accept his love again. Pato’s death brought them back together, in addition to finding their son.

My only quibble with the finale is not the content, but the length. I am fine with NOT dwelling on Pato’s death/funeral as long as they did Don Aquiles (too much time was spent on that). But I would have liked more of the party-- more time with each person, couple, and grouping at the party to hear from them how they are doing and what is going on in their lives, two years after Pato’s death/Mateo’s discovery/Rosa’s complete breakdown/major changes in all of their lives. Scanning all the faces quickly, we could tell that they were all happy. Only Melissa was a big question mark in my mind, as we saw her dancing with her brother and not with a hunk from NYC. In my mind she DID find that hunk in NYC, but he couldn’t make it to Het Het for the festivities. Or maybe she and Marcos managed to hookup. What a difference from Fernanda that would be!

I was satisfied with the villains’ ends. It was not a surprise that Rosa, unable to face reality (as always), sunk into complete madness after the defiance and disownment of her children, and the death of Pato. Max and Mati are paying a high price for their own sins of complicity in Rosa’s descent into madness by remaining as her sole caretakers. As far as Max’s crimes against Claudio (20 years in jail) and the Mexican gov (tax evasion and laundering), well in my mind he built up some good karma by being such a loving father, which helped him get off easy there. I hope that Rod and Hannah let him come over to visit them and their kids in their homes, because I really think he is/will be a wonderful grandfather. His life when he goes home each day to Rosa is sad enough. Let the man have a little happy time with his two kids and multiple grandkids for a few hours. The Max we saw at the end, had none of the traces of arrogance of the Max we saw throughout this tn, and that’s a good thing.

Julie and Gala—they got what they deserved. Broke and broke-down.


 

Aldo and Vicky stayed true to themselves. They were gray characters from the very beginning; they end as gray characters. These two learned how to be better opportunists and business people. Vicky will not be taken advantage of by a man again, but will instead use her looks and smarts to take advantage of the rich dopes who will continue to invest in her businesses and buy her expensive property and gifts. Although she won’t admit it, and she pretends her flirtations with him mean nothing, Aldo is her true soul mate and the love of her life. The two will make a LOT of money, travel the world, laugh a lot (mainly about the suckers they take for their money), and generally have a great time being bad. More power to them.

Finally, Luci and Rod. I noticed in the last episodes, that although he was still making the case for them to get back together, Rod stopped being so grabby, pushy and leery with Luci. He learned Luci’s true value many years ago after he lost her; but it was only in those last episodes that he learned patience. I liked the way he and Luci supported each other after Pato’s death and really comforted each other. And I loved that the final ceremony was not a typical Church wedding (still wonder if they had any kind of wedding before little Pato was born), but instead a unique, beautiful, and mystical native ceremony in a wondrous/striking location. Simply amazing to look at. And of course, the added bonus of a Tio Pato sending his niece and nephew a blessing in the form of sea shells, which went straight to the hearts of Luci and Rod.

I like that they kept this story very simple, yet gave us fully fleshed out characters, and never strayed from their original message of love, faith and forgiveness. That last version on this story sounds too convoluted to me; and even with the great Arturo Peniche starring as the galan, he sounds simply hateful to me. Rod was a dope a lot of times, but I still found him to be a loveable dope. I liked all the characters we were supposed to like (except Mati who got on my last nerves), and even ones we weren’t supposed to like (Aquiles and Max). I hated all the people we were supposed to hate. I cared about and rooted for the heroine (which doesn’t happen often enough). And of course, I loved Pato. We know that wherever he is, he is surrounded by love, and giving love, as always.

 

Vivi, great comments. I too loved the wedding ceremony in the end, and if i did not script it out in the recap word for word is because my DVDR recording ended when they put the paint on each other's forehead, short of the vows and final kiss...
I will try to get the vows later.

I agree about Rod having finally learned the lesson of patience, he certainly learned to share joys and grief with others and respect others feelings... and even respect Pato's love for Luci...

What i had a bit of a problem with was the radical ending of the daughter mother relationship. I agree that Janah would not live in the TL house anymore, but telling your mother that you will NEVER see me again, FOR ME YOU ARE DEAD, was a bit over the edge... yes RE did everything she could to separate them, but somewhere in her soul she believed she was doing it for her children's happiness... and all in all, she is her mother, and does not deserve to be left behind like that. I am not saying that Janah, Lorenzo and family should come to TL manor every sunday for family reunions, but to lose all contact with RE like that is a bit radical.

Vivi, ITA on your theories of the loose ends... and i too thought the shells was a way for Pato to let Rod and Luci know he was there with them and sending his blessing.

JudyB, as much as I understand your reaction to Gala's illness, i actually thought it was ok. They endure two years of pain, grief and loneliness before they finally throw the towel, take the 'easy way out' and resort to the 'death shake' (I loved that term).

more later, time to do some xmas shopping.
 

Judy- I totally get your point about cancer not being a punishment for sins. It would be a shame if that's the message people took for this. The way I saw it was that the only thing that would knock the wind out of Gala's bitchy sails, was to lose her health, as well as her wealth. In jail, Gala would continue to be the same pain in the a** as always. I don't think Julie would be able to handle jail, but I do think scrappy Grillz could. I think it also forced Julie to be what she never wanted to be, and is obviously crappy at being-- a loving caretaker and a true mother. We see even at the end of her daughter's life, Julie gets a big 'F' in that department. I'm sure that wasn't lost on Gala either, who also was an epic fail in that department. There just seemed to be a certain poetic justice of them being forced to be in that situation together, not Gala's cancer necessarily.
 

JudyB,
loved your final statement on Pato:

Pato's death is only disturbing if you believe that death is the end of life. In this story though, we see him happy..... conquering the mountain once more, looking back at his beloved family and smiling.

my sentiments exactly.
 

Vivi, totally agree on your interpretation of Gala and Julie's ending... everything they undermined on other people (lack of money, working to serve others, 'cheesy' family relationships, poverty, illness) is what they ended living themselves... and i agree that it is much more acceptable than Gala going to jail and being herself there again (like the jail bully).
 

I think Estelita and Marianita would leave with Ofelia and Arch. Cardenas, didn't he say he had to move to Europe just as he proposed to her? maybe he took them all with him.
 

Thanks for noticing Valentina and Gabriel in the celebration, Vivi. I thought i saw a blonde young woman but did not connect her to Valentina.
 

Great work, ladies, and gracias.

I'm still angry about Patricio. He deserved to survive the surgery -- whether or not he got out of the wheelchair -- and meet a nice young woman to love. Or found God and become a priest. He did not deserve to die.

Max's end was what most people wished for him, to have to care for She Whom He Enabled all those years. It didn't seem logical to me; since he's smart enough to run a corporation he should also be smart enough to know that Roselena is dangerous to self and society in her present state. His absence from the native ceremony made me wonder whether his remaining children rejected him for enabling their mother. He certainly should have not accepted Roselena's accusation that he was responsible for Patricio's accident.

Vicky and Aldo scamming another rich guy is true to form.

Melissa: What; no novio? She should have found herself an elegant NYC guy in two years.


Brigida: Where the hell was she after we last saw her in Rod's apartment?

Gala and Julie: I'll accept what happened to them, although I would have preferred to have seen them both in prison. It didn't occur to me that Julie drank half of the suicide potion before handing the glass to Gala, but it does make sense. If she had any money left when Mirko scammed them it was probably just enough to take them to that point and no more. Interesting that she would go to another room to die alone on her bed -- away from Gala -- after their being emotionally disconnected from each other all their lives.

Which brings me to this story's Queen of Evil, Roselena: I was disappointed. We all knew logically that she would go irretrievably mad, but to me the complete disconnect from reality was more of a reward for evil rather than a punishment. It reminded me of what ultimately happened to Briony Tallis in Atonement, who told an outrageous lie that wrecked several lives and appeared only to atone for it in old age when on the brink of a disease that would devastate her memory and future functioning. She even acknowledged that she would escape into this disease-induced amnesia while her sister and her lover died in the chain reaction caused by her own past lies.

Rosaelena should have gone to prison, as I said in last weekend's discussion. When Mateo's legal status was sorted out someone should have pushed for that despite the fact that Rod and Jana would not allow her to further ruin their lives. She may have ended up in a facility for the criminally insane (if such a place exists in Mexico) and that would have given everyone else some peace of mind.

On a more superficial note, how the hell does Luci climb to those heights in those long dresses? Loved the shape of the dress in the wedding scene despite that I hate fuchsia and pink.

Vivi, since Padre Honesto was present for the party at the end, I'm guessing that Rod and Luci were legally married despite our not having seen the ceremony.
 

UA, i love 'SHE whom HE enabled'...
re: fuschia and deep aqua together(including her eyeshadows, even my brother jerked when he saw her), those were the colors of my brother's wedding, they had 8 bridesmaids, and the maid of honor, half wearing blue with fuschia hats and shoes, the other half the reverse... it was ... eh... lets say... COLORFUL...
 

Urban- I wondered what happened to Brigida too. I can't imagine that Luci would want her around in her household, but maybe so for Alexia's sake. Perhaps she was hanging out alone in the D.F. apartment (I expect they moved into Luci's place or got a new place for their growing brood)? Maybe she finally finished that romance novel and is a famous author? Ha! Perhaps she went back to Casa TL?

I am sure Rod and Luci legally, and religiously married too. Just wondering about the timing. Only just now, 2 years after Pato's death and some time AFTER the birth of Patito2? That would be surprising to me, but maybe formalities became less important to Luci after all she went through. I can't imagine Paz being ok with that though. Valgame Dios!
 

Would not want to describe this ending in terms of good or bad but instead since the first 5 year jump this TN lost focus, in my opinion. It would have been better for the medal to have been showing when Luci first encountered little Rodrigo in the cart but, alas, the writers went another way.

Thought Patricio buying the farm was not o.k., served no purpose. The doll's simply was piling on because the stigmata made it very clear where Rosa's mind had gone.

Julie and Gala was way too much. Being broke, loosing a leg and an inoperable brain tumor was about right. I thought it strange that Julie was still with Gagme. There never was a mother/daughter between the two and if Gagme had no money, I believe based on what we were shown of their character's, Julie would have taken off.

Thought this was the best TN I have seen so far right up to the part where it was extended and just piled on way too much more misery.
 

Paz would definitely want a Catholic ceremony for them and Padre Honesto would have been only too happy to officiate.

What happened to Gala's magazine? I don't recall hearing that she sold it or put anyone else in charge.

One more thing: The previous version would have made me very angry to see Luci getting back together with someone who was instrumental in sending her to prison.
 

BTW, click here for a close-up of Paz's fan. It's in my collection1
 

Thanks for the link, UA. It's a beautiful fan...elegant and unforgettable. Like Paz.
 

First, my absolute, admiring thanks to all our recappers and the commentors on this TN. What a great run this has been. As I am only catching Amor on weekends and definitely not jumping into the next7:00 TN, even though that's my favorite viewing time, going to miss everyone for awhile.Been years since I haven't had a regular nightly TN to tune into...I may be going thru some heavy Caray withdrawal soon.

So much has already been said on this very bittersweet ending. Vivi, I'm with you. This should have been more than an hour. I missed seeing how some of the minor characters wrapped up, and even at the party, we didn't get much with those attending.

Truthfully, after the emotional rollercoaster in the first half hour with Pato's death ( and I will admit I lost it even though I knew it weas coming), I felt rather let down in the second half hour. Maybe it was because it was mainly focused on the brujas and , like I had said, the party group was very short-changed.

As for those brujas, we knew Gala would have to suffer for her past, but I think chosing both her and Julie to go out because of sicknesses or injuries almost made them figures to be sorry for. I would have preferred scrubbing floors and broke or prison for them.

For RE: I'm not sure I agreed here either with how they showed her descent to madness. I had a feeling if the had Pato die that would be what truly set her over the edge. For the impact of the TN, I think they played up her living in the mansion with Max in her state, but really??? Mati and Max let her continue in that get-up, let her keep hands bandaged, dirty hair and let dolls sit at a table?? No, no, and no. Were we supposed to take it that Max was punishing himself and letting her be this way and playing along?? Oh well... it's done.

Again, thanks everyone!! Hope to "talk" to everyone soon. (Bring on FC!!!)

 

Thanks to all who shared in recapping Refugio! You're talented writers and it's been a moving ride.

Like most, for me Pato was my favorite. But when I saw he wasn't ever going to stop being obsessively in love with Luci, I couldn't see any other ending but death for him. So glad he was the one who returned Little Rod/Mateo to Luci - and that Rod was not in this scene. For me, this was Pato's triumph and his real last scene.

Still disappointed that Rod remained pretty much all talk and not much action. That Gala was the one who initiated the divorce is colmo. But Rod and Luci love each other and he will devote his self to the seven kids they'll have. :D At the wedding, Rod's hair looked fluffy as it did at the start of the TN. I guess the air in Het Het did it.

Though Max will watch over RE as I think he should (IMHO he was a part of her known craziness for far too long to abandone her when she hit rock bottom), my guess is he'll still have a chick on the side, plus be a part of his kids' lives.

I know Gala and Julie deserved a terrible fate, but it seems to me Rod would have helped them financially as they are Alexia's mother and grandmother. But maybe he never heard from them again and was unaware.
 

Niecie- I think Gala was too scared that Rod was going to throw her in jail to contact him. That's why she tried to take off out of the country in the first place. But he and Luci would have likely taken pity on her and made sure she had the best care, had she reached out to them. Given that she doesn't understand human kindness, Gala would not have expected that.
 

JudyB-Thank you for all of your beautiful, thematic recaps. Didn’t love the finally but love your recaps! Hope to read your recaps on another TN. ITA about Pato’s death-he can walk now, even fly now. ITA about Gala’s cancer, implying people with cancer are being punished, good point, I didn’t think of that but was feeling it.

Anita, thank you so much for your recaps, we must be from similar backgrounds because your descriptions of the scenes seem so spot-on to me. Wonderful reading, you are a very good writer!

MartaIvett-thank you so much for your recaps, and comments over the years. Love your descriptions, and your viewpoint.

Madelaine-love your “talking over the wall to my neighbor about the other neighbor” style, doncha know. I am following Amores now and am enjoying you there.

Vivi-thank you for your wonderful recapping, I have been watching TN’s and commenting for over 2 years now and have so enjoyed your recaps. And I so agree with you, and Urban about the shaman wedding at least 1 and ½ years must have past (allowing for a pregnancy and a ? 6-7 month old huge baby who could be older.
And are we to be expected to believe that naked shaman (as well as the little group) climbed that rock face?

UA-Pato becoming a priest would have been perfect.

Rosemary Primera- ITA the lipstick on Luci-distracting.

Britishcomedyfan-ITA, Laura Flores should win an award, she really opened a vein (so to speak, no pun intended!) in this one, incredible. Pato, too.

Decie girl-thanks for the account of the previous recap, I agree with Toni that I wouldn’t have found the characters as sympathetic as with this one.

I was beyond disappointed that they killed Pato. Followed the “too good to live” rule of TN’s.

TN medicine was beyond unrealistic here. Pato goes in for what is, after all, ELECTIVE back surgery. They are sad at the results but not especially surprised. Why?? This only happens in TNs. In real life, if it was all that risky no surgeon would attempt it. Lawsuit time.

Julie’s leg-she falls on an escalator; the doctor says the muscles are ripped away from the knee-so she has her whole leg in a cast and is writhing in pain. Could it be because THEY FORGOT TO RELEASE HER TOES from the end of the cast?? My husband was only watching parts with me; he saw the Pato death scene and then the scene with the doctor talking to Julie and assumed it was the same hospital and said, “Wow, don’t have anything done at that hospital!”

Rosa-agree with DaisynJay and Urban, people do not suddenly become schizophrenic at age-45? She is not schizophrenic she is just evil. I thought this was funny because the ending was so much like some of you predicted. ITA with Judy; Rosa is not the recipient of misery, she’s a carrier.

Anonymous at 07:06:00-welcome, great comment, and make up a name and join us!

 

Good morning all...I rarely weigh in or have time to read the recaps anymore, but have been faithfully watching Refugio. I enjoyed the recaps over the summer when I was out of the country as they were my only connection to what was happening. Thank you recappers for the great job you all do to provide the detailed dirt and smirk on our favorite and not-so-favorite characters!

The Gran Finale...ugh! Who wrote this? Surely not the same writers. The whole "feel" of the finale was so different and seemed inconsistent with what had happened before. For example, what the heck kind of wedding was that? From the beginning of the show,the Catholic church was a big part of the life of Luciana starting when she first decended the bus in the DF and saw the picture of the Virgencita and crossed herself, to all the times she prayed to Her for help and protection, discussions with the priest in Het Het and Padre Honesto,to her mother requesting a church wedding after her first marriage to Rodrigo and the plans they made to do so. And suddenly she and Rodrigo decide to get married by what looks like an aborigine from the movie "Quigley Down Under"???
Magically appearing seashell tatoos? And everyone in white EXCEPT the bride? Blech! I was completely disappointed in the wedding I had waited 6 months to see.

Pato's death? Unnecessary in my opinion (although my husband maintains that he had to die because there was no way he could live while loving Luci from a distance.)

Gala's fate? Way TOOOO cruel. Losing her man, then her money and maybe a quick fall off a cliff or being run over by a domestica driving to work would have sufficed for me. I woke up at 3 AM this morning with the image of her pitiful face and almost hairless head the first thing in my consciousness, hearing her begging her mamá for help. Such a haunting image.

Finally, Rosa's tea party with the dolls was like "Chuckie goes to Mexico." Sheesh! I hate that kind of weird stuff. The dolls weren't even normal looking dolls: heads wrapped in gauze, freaky weird-looking stuff. Again, a very haunting image. I think we all got it that she was nuts...we didn't need to have a creepy image to confirm it.

IMHO, a completely disappointing, unsatistying and haunting Gran Finale. Gets my award for worst Gran Finale of a telenovela.


 

OH, Deb, so funny. Chucky from Mexico! YES! I thought totally different writers, this was a final episode to a different series!! Made NO SENSE.
 

Thanks so much Marta for a lovely touching recap of a great finale. And thanks JudyB for the overview, and Decie Girl for that huge bonus of the prior version! Thanks again to all the recappers for this fab TN.

It was so heartbreaking to have Pato die. I hate the TN tradition of having a beloved character killed off in the last week, and again it was unnecessary. At least it was well telegraphed and not a total shock like some.

But I absolutely loved Pato's exit - climbing the mountain unfettered, smiling, and walking into the sky. And then the sea shells later - wow. This was a beautiful touch of "magical realism" - a wonderful part of the Latin American literary tradition.

I absolutely loved the Shaman ceremony and hearing a few words in the Tarahumara language (I assume). It was just beautiful - the colors of the clothes, the scenery and especially the tall shaman in his spectacular white body paint.

I think we can safely assume that Rod and Luci married in the church shortly before the 2 year jump. Paz would never stand for it otherwise and Luci and Rod had always wanted their marriage blessed by Padre Honesto. So this (non christian) ceremony was a "bonus" and a great excuse for everyone to get together in Hethet 2 years later.

Decie Girl - I'm so glad this one didn't follow the last version. That one sounded far more filled with bitterness and recrimination. Yuck!

I didn't really get into this TN until after the Rod-Luci break-up. I always hate the "poor harassed girl running from abuse as a lowly maid and stalked by the rich irresponsible son of the house" theme, and I never did really believe the Rod and Luci connection. So I waited until the three brujas forced the breakup before really watching. And by the last 1/3 I was totally hooked - it was a beautifully done novela. And by the end they even convinced me that Luci was with the man she truly wanted and that he respected her and valued her in return.
 

"Chucky from Mexico." Awesome!
 

Excellent job ladies. I have tears in my eyes. I have to admit months ago when I found out Pato would die I could not watch. I hope there is some kind of acting nomination for this portrayal.

Someone wrote about Gala's glass being half full what an excellent catch!

And for the person who wrote about Amor Bravio, yes, I do believe the writers had their writing caps on, I am putting it as one of my favorite endings of a TN.

Thank you very much.
 

Heartbreaking end for Pato and I hoped up until we saw him climb the mountain, turn and give what I called the galan pose and smile and step into the air that that was just a dream during surgery. Then the doctor came in and shook his head. Hate to say i lost it completely sobbing like children do with all that gasping for air. Couldn't even think of posting until now.

Looking at Max in this episode it was a confirmation of the immense love he had for Rosa (God knows why). He had commented the previous episode about finally knowing what until death do us part meant and when he let her rant and rave about Pato's death being his fault he could have made some sarcastic comment but he just held her. He could have shipped her off to a manicomio but he made the choice to stay with her and let her live in crazyville. I felt sad that he missed the celebration at Het Het but think that his remaining children are still close to him and he sees his grandchildren but definitely not at the gray barn.

In fairness to the prior version I had to really chop out anything that referred to other story lines. I loved it and even though it was long, almost a year, I watched it twice and even taped the whole thing. The tapes are in a box in the garage because my VCR has bit the dust. As for notes, call me crazy but I have over 800 pages of notes and more than 600,000 words describing every scene. Hey there was no Caray in those days. LOL.

Marta - interesting that Lupita Ferrer was the lead in the first version, she played the Conny role in Morelia. And a young Jorge Salinas played the bad boy Lorenzo. The biggest difference was that the little boy was present in both Rod and Luci's life and close to them for almost as quarter of the story so when the truth came it it was natural and easy and not as shocking for him. The little actor in that one was also simply adorable.


 

Audrey commented:"I think we can safely assume that Rod and Luci married in the church shortly before the 2 year jump. Paz would never stand for it otherwise and Luci and Rod had always wanted their marriage blessed by Padre Honesto. So this (non christian) ceremony was a "bonus" and a great excuse for everyone to get together in Hethet 2 years later."

While I do not disagree with the suggestion that Luci and Rod had their marriage blessed by the church prior to the birth of little Patricio, I think there was more to the fact that Luci and Rod were in Het Het and that a non-Christian ceremony was held. Neither Rod not Luci were excessively religious like Rosalena. In fact, I suspect that Rod and Luci permanently moved to Het Het and rejected living in the DF. For me, the wedding ceremony by the Indian Shaman was symbolic of the way in which Luci and Rod decided to live out their life -- a life of love, open to an embrace of the mystical. The shells which appeared on their bodies as they exchanged the vows were the visible signs of their new beliefs and life.
 

Anon 1:13- I also thought Luci and Rod had probably moved permanently to Het Het, or at least a good part of the year. I thought maybe the house where the party was held was that big house Claudio always wanted to buy in Het Het so that the whole family could live there together.
 

Vivi

I too thought that was the big house Claudio bought so that they could all live happily together. Luci had always been tied to her gente and pueblo so the Indian ceremony was a really nice touch. And of course they would have had that church wedding long before little Pato came along. Considering everything that had happened to the pair of them because they hadn't had one in the first place no one would have risked more bad luck. LOL

One thing i did get a kick out of was how everyone at the wedding ceremony was dressed in white except for the bride. Kind of a nice touch and it was nice to finally see a novela without the white dress and church do. Prior to seeing it i had thought Luci and Rod would have the big church affair and that Don Chelo would have gotten his voice back and would do the obligatory Ave Maria.

I missed what Julie said when she gave Gala what had to be the suicide drink (how sad it wan't in a champagene glass) but i thought it was also the only time she evered showed any maternal feelings for her daughter. She gently patted her on her bald head and Gala called her, make that screamed mama, something Julie would have reprimanded her for in the past.
 

I'm sad this novela is finished but i guess its time. Anyway i really hated Rosa's ending, she isn't really suffering for her evil deeds. Gagme and her Mama got exactly what they deserved; Cancer and a prosethic leg. I really liked Luci and Rod's wedding. Thamks everyone for the time you put into these recaps.
 

@Decie Girl. I don't remember word for word, but Julie told Gala she brought the medicine she asked for and when she drank it, she would never feel pain again.

 

I loved the look of the whole Het Het, white wedding except the bride. It's a nice change from the typical strapless princess number that every other bride wears. Actually, I'd like her whole wardrobe. All those citified long skirts were great.

And I'm sorry about Pato and I kinda like the idea of him becoming a priest. That would require it's own mourning since he was so darn cute, but better than dying and tattooing his loved ones. But then we wouldn't have gotten to see the shaman-style wedding. Was anyone else concerned for them being at that rock outcrop at the edge of a cliff? I know it was too late to have any more threats but still. Move away from the edge people.

Until this last chapter, the whole thing had a nice pace about it, rarely feeling like the whole thing had come to a stop (LQNPA, Eva). Kudos to the writers for that. Even if I would've preferred to see Gala in jail, I doubt they'd have been able to prove anything. So she and Juli can suffer together. RL is too crazy at this point so nothing would've made her understand what she did. Pointless to try. Let Max and Mati pay for their deeds by dealing with her.

I'm sorry to see these people go, the mark of a good story, but also a little glad since I could use that hour back. No more trying to watch 3 at one time for me. Will finish mourning Pato and focus on Eva and Amor Bravio, another good one. See y'all over there.

Kelly
 

Thanks to everybody!!
I have been in Mexico the past few weeks, it has been painful missing the emotional payoff here, but thanks to you dedicated recappers I was able to at least know how things turned out. Pics helped too!
Been looking at the Televisa prime time lineup, 5 TNs, sorry to say a sorry lot. Amores Verdaderos seems the best, and we already have that. Sorry you Colunga folks, that one seems the worst. More later and thanks so much, would be lost without you guys.
Clara

 

A thousand thanks to the recappers and those posting comments. I so look forward to reading them, sometimes even more than watching the episodes. I agree that Pato's death was probably the most dignified and deserving. His smile at the end meant that he had conquered the mountain and life and that he was happy. He always seemed to live his life at the margin, even though he gave comfort and encouragement to everyone else. I loved the acting by the major characters, they all played their roles well, (except that Soto seemed a bit stiff at times, even though I like him).

Thanks to the Caray group, loving it and loving y'all!

Yola
 

Good finale. Could've been great with a few more tied-up loose ends. In this regard, I propose that our wonderfully gifted recappers do a final "recap" of the real Gran Final (of their own choosing)! Come up with resolutions to all those open-ended stories (Lastra, Ivan, Vicky/Aldo, Ofelia, Fernanda, Estelita, Bore-us/Lula, the greedy Service Engineer, etc) and show us what our protagonistas are doing one (or more) year(s) later. Just saying ...
 

Clara- Hope you are enjoying your time in Mexico. Thanks for the heads up about the Mexican tns coming down the pike. We had heard that Mexican audiences were quite happy to have a full line-up of almost all their favorite galan actors at one time-- Fernando C. (many here are chomping at the bit to see his new show); Big Ed and Rulli in Amores Verdaderos; and Jaime Camil in Eva. As pretty as she is, Blanca Soto is not a strong actress, so I already have reservations about that tn, even though I also enjoy FC. It a shame to hear it doesn't look promising. But I'll likely still watch because there is bound to be a good group of Caray recappers and commenters on that one.
 

Anon 5:41:

As Aldo got the go ahead from Max to denounce them, I think it's safe to say Lastra and Ivan are in a rustic jail up north (where they were running the clubs).

Vicky and Aldo a few years later have multiple businesses (salons, clubs and restuarants) among them, and are traveling the world having fun.

Architect Cardenas, as mentioned by Marta, has taken his new family to Europe. He has started his own firm and Ofelia runs the business admin side of things. They have a baby or two and Estelita spends her time happily caring for her grandkids. Marianita is in college in Europe.

Bore-us, aware that he has no marketable skills and that he wasted his college years stalking Hannah instead of studying something useful/that he enjoys, is a mediocre real estate agent at his parents' biz. He sinks into alcoholism and drug use and finally sleeps with Lula while under the influence. She gets pregnant, they marry. After a few years with the alcoholic/abusive Bore-us, Lula finally wakes up. She divorces him, and gets a HUGE settlement out of him. His parents disown him, and he ends up like Don Chelo-- a homeless drunk, wondering how he fell so far.

The cleaning lady at the hospital got run over by a Mac truck while hitchiking on the highway as soon as she left D.F. all those years ago with the money Gala gave her. Some poor peasants find the money not too long after in the brush on the side of the road. The money goes towards improving the lives of the people in their village.
 

Ah - too bad the FC one doesn't appear promising. I'm not a Blanca Soto fan either - same reason as Vivi. I got some glimpses - my local Mexican seafood eatery had them on in the afternoon (Lagrimas followed by the FC one) so I could see it was kind of a comedic farce.
 

I will miss the recappers,the commentators and this TN. It was Well(sometimes) written and acted. You have all become cyber friends and will be missed. I disagree with everyone's view of Pato's end. Had he lived, he would have created romantic problems for Luci. Her feelings were shifting, Rod is her first love but Pato had become friend and confidant. Rod was the shoe in the closet you loved but didn't get the wear much and Pato was the comfy robe you wore all the time. His death in a way freed her. Did anybody else get the impression Rod was afraid of heights? He looked really uncomfortable. The wedding confused me a bit too. Was there ever a church wedding? If there was, why the need for the pagan ceremony? What happened to Fernanda, Estella and her family. Where did Lastra and Ivan vanish to. Too many loose ends but the right people got punished so we are happy.
Who knows, maybe we'll meet again on another TN.
Thank you, Thank you and thank you all again.

Olive.
 

It took me nearly half a day to write pages of thoughts, read the full recap along with the extras and all/everyone's comments. I have so much to say, I hope I'm not booring.

First---A special thanks to Decie Girl for the "Then and Now," and to Judy B for the prologue. Marta thank you for a great final recap and also to all of those who recapped during this novela. You guys are a godsend to "gringo's" like me that do not speak or understand Spanish.

I woke up this morning feeling a small part of my life had been taken from me or was missing and it had--it was. I had been faithful to Refugio since day one and now it's over and has become a piece of history.
I was glued to my tv set last night as I didn't want to miss even one minute of this great novela. No trips to the kitchen for ice cream, coffee, cookies or the like, no, not this time.
There was a lot to pack into this final hour of Refugio and I would say that Univision and the writers did a pretty good job overall, only a few loose ends or minor parts were left out. It would have been nice to have had an ending or wrap-up for Mellissa, Lastra and Ivan but I guess that a little of the story was left up to our imagination.

I have read every comment and there is a vast difference of opinion. Most everyone has voiced an opinion and here is mine---I was not upset with the ending as some were. Patricio---Everyone loved him, I did too but in real life, all the good guys don't always win and all the bad guys always loose. Pato had to die or the pain/deep love he had in his heart for Luciana way back from when he first saw/met her, would have eventually destroyed him. He could have gone on doing good works and helping others for a while, but he would have sooner or later been consumed by the pain that he could not tear from his heart.
"At least in death, he was finally free to conquer the mountain." Well said Toni.
The final words of Pato's letter to Luci were very touching---"And I also know that from wherever I go, I will be with you, loving you, waiting for you in eternity."

Marta---ITA. If sent to jail, Gala would probably end up as the jail bully. It would be in her character to do so.

Judy B---I agree that disease should not always be used as a punishment for evil but in Gala's case, I think that it was fitting. Her evil karma returned to her.

I second the motion for an acting award for Laura Flores.

Madelaine, I am in full agreement with you about the previous version. That one sounds way to complicated and as I read it, I didn't like the parts of several of the characters. This one is the best by far, a real winner.

Deb---I'm with you about the mountain wedding.

Vivi---Loved your comments as always and a special thanks for catching the spoilers.

I hope that I haven't worn out my welcome--I know I've been rambling. I have a couple of questions but will ask them later if there is anyone still left to read them. I know it's late.
the gringo


 

Rosalena dies of a brain aneurism shortly after that final dinner scene, freeing Mati and Max from their long painful penance. With his children's grateful blessing, Max sells the gray mausoleum, Mati moves in with Jana and Lorenzo to help raise their children, and Max renews his life devoted to his grandchildren. OK, well, Max does still enjoy a little private "nightlife" on the side, but he's much more humble about it.

Melissa did fall in love with a young hunk and get married. They have their own law office devoted to protecting civil rights and are sponsored by one of the many Linares foundations.
 

Gringo- Great insight into what might have been had Pato lived. It was getting increasingly hard for him to be around Rod and Luci.

Olive- Great analogy about Pato being the comfy everyday robe for Luci.

Audrey- I love that end for Rosa and Max, and Melissa.
 

Thank you Recappers! I loved your individual voices which I came to be able to hear them in your comments too. And everyone's comments were interesting and insightful. This is really a wonderful way to watch a novela. Thank you all so much for your work and your company.

I'm going to post this long thing I've written in two or more posts so here we go:

The effects of Hurricane Sandy have cut into my time so I've missed the fun of commenting with you all as Refugio heated up and wound down. It has been such a soft novela ... no gratuitous murders, violence, no Novelaland nonsense. I loved going to Het Het and I especially loved seeing the beautiful craft work the ladies were doing on the pottery. The producers carefully staged a huge improvement from the early, simple butterflies that Luci painted to the intricate, abstract symbols that Paz and Magda were working at the end. Mexican crafts have a high level of artistry. I loved Magda's embroidered tops and Paz's shawls. I also loved Luci's commitment to her long skirts. I've never seen such a fine wardrobe of beautiful long skirts adapted to an urban style. But I was perplexed at Luci always grabbing her huge leather shopper purse that looked like it belonged to someone else.

I was satisfied with the ending, though not with its brevity. I needed to spend some time with the little groupings to see them happy and say goodbye.

Pato: I thought this was the only ending for him. He had an unrequited love and a body that would never let him fully love. I was just surprised that his fate was left to the very last episode. But I really felt the grieving for him ... it had far more authenticity than that of Don Aquiles. I don't believe I've ever seen ashes spread in a novela before. Cremation used to be forbidden by the Catholic church so until recently it couldn't happen ... but wow!

Luci and Rod: Rod was just great with Alexia. So great that I completely believed he didn't have it in him to leave her in the (non) care of Gala, to be with Luci. Otherwise, Rod had the shortcomings that everyone has noted. And he's a verile guy who was married to Gala for more than five years and never had sex. Nobody does that ... oh except his mother.

His hair was longer in the final chapter and he looked different but not particularly better. Loved his crazy quilt blue glasses but they were gone, meaning he'd gone native in Het Het, I suppose.

Luci was always perfect to me. She was more beautiful than ever in the last chapter. Compared to the Torreslanda's, she really was a refuge for love, something Pato knew instinctively.
 

Here's my Part 2:

Jana and Lor: I always loved Lorenzo; he was written as the true son of Paz. But I was put off by Jana's returning from Italy all tarted up. In her new incarnation, with the heavy makeup, spike heels and Little Mermaid hair, she didn't seem to belong with Lorenzo like she did when she was younger and innocent. If that look was supposed to say 'professional' it sure didn't. Plus I could never see Lorenzo in that apartment but ... oh well ... the bed sufficed.
Jana's speech was always really hard for me to understand.

I was gratified that one child took a stand against Rosaloca. Little Jana who was manipulated right out of Mexico, then locked in her room while her beloved was assaulted, then about to be kidnapped ... well, she had every right to want to be done with her mother. Usually, though, once mental illness is recognized, the children handle it as a sickness not a case of 'dead to me.' So that was harsh but somehow deserved by Rosa for everything she'd done to everybody.

Rosalena: as a mental health professional, I can say that Rosalena was a classic Borderline Personality with narcissistic features, and people with this diagnosis are famously difficult/impossible to treat. It's like the writers knew how to write a consistent Borderline. But this rarely degenerates into paranoid schizophrenia, so the writers lost me when they did that with Rosa and it turned into a big ole cliche. Dr. Hauser made no progress at all in five years. Shame on her. Having said that, people with mental illness can be strong and willfull so I imagine that Max will have a daily struggle with Rosa for the rest of his life. Poor Mati ... but she set herself up for it. I bet Brigida has to come back to that household.

So ... I didn't find Rosa's giving Luci away at birth to be such a sin. I could have forgiven her easily for that one. She couldn't abide raising her due to jealousy so she gave her to a responsible couple (and why did Luci have documents when Mateo didn't ... paid forgeries by Rosa, probably.) It's cowardly and sneaky but, imo, far from the most terrible thing that can happen to a baby without present parents.

Gala and Juli: falling down the stairs ... how Novelaland loves that device. Gala's cancer came right out of the blue sky. Cancer and its treatment are a telescoped way through which the writers let us know that Gala suffered daily in the two years that elapsed. But to introduce it in the last episode as a roundup for her fate ... bah! I wanted to see her go DOWN and be powerless to do anything about it.
Max: Rosa was crazy but correct when she said to Max that the kids forgive him but crucify her. I think he got off too easy after robbing Claudio not only of money but of 20 years of his life. Vital years! Max should have been castigated and isolated by his children for the fraud, the lies he told them continually, the farce he made them part of, for robbing Claudio of a big part of his life ... but the boys seemed only to be let down by him. That's all. Pato was still unhappy with Max but, on the same day as the confession, accepted the car. Max deserved a much harsher fate, in my opinion.

Claudio: He was just too mellow given what was done to him. But I love him anyway.

 

My Part 3:

Vicki and Aldo: Now we know why her father kept her on a short leash. He knew her nature and it's surely in full bloom by the end. The best fate for Aldo would be to leave his Tio altogether and manage the Continuous Curves Carwash. Vio will have too much to do now that she's got businesses everywhere and she'd be just the tough, moral watchdog that Aldo needs.

Magda and Vio: I would've loved just one scene of them managing Don Aquiles estate, and Copio calling one or the other of them 'Patrona." Ha!

Mateo: that kid looks just like Luci and can act! How many kids did they have to audition to find the lil guy. He kind of made the end of the story, imo.

Conny and Oscar: They were perfect.

Chelo and Chuy: I'm sure by last night's episode, they had one or two neat little homes somewhere, complete with a good sound system so Chelo could chill listening to some arias, maybe sung by him. Also, he'd have to come into the family business somehow to earn a better living.

Thank you all again for the best novela watching experience I've had in a very long time.
 

Wow Vivi! That was an amazing recap! I loved how you had that wonderfully detailed recap and you added the pictures and the comparison between this and Morelia.

As I said before, I didn't use to watch this novela but I saw the finale and I usually like to keep up with what's going on in shows with actors or producers I like, even if I don't watch them. I did, however, watch this finale when it aired in Mexico and there were things that upset me, like Pato's death and things that I loved, like Luciana and Rodrigo's breathtaking wedding ceremony.

I also thought Roselena's fate was more of a punishment for Max and Mati. She got to live the rest of her life in her own fantasy. It's disturbing to watch but a much better fate than having to face the reality of her deeds and deal with the consequences. I remember when Cadenas de Amargura (the original version of ENDA) chose this for tía Evangelina, she went crazy but her delusions also had her trapped in suffering and nobody was there to tend to her so she probably survived in horrible conditions and died alone after a while, unlike Roselena who gets to be nurtured by her husband and nana while she enjoys the family she always wanted.

I think Laura Flores was fantastic here, she has had a wonderful career as an actress, starting with rich snotty girls a la Altair Jarabo (I actually hope Altair follows Laura's career), moving on to good girl leads (and a villain here and there) and then as she grew older she has had so much variety in her characters, especially in her last telenovelas: from a woman rebuilding her life in Piel de Otoño, to a shrill drunk in Guapos, to a single mother and career woman in ENDA, to a lovable and comedic actress and singer in Llena to the religiously obsessed and repressed Roselena. I hope she gets recognized for this.

I wish Pato had been able to walk again. I think my ideal last moment for him would have been him standing at the top of the mountain, looking at the scenery below and then smiling at the sky. If I was a telenovela writer, that would be how I would end his storyline.

The kid playing Mateo is precious by the way. I saw the episode before the finale and he was adorable in his scene with Luciana.

Zuria Vega was really good in this telenovela. I must confess, I wasn't impressed with her in Mar de Amor but I remembered liking her in what little I watched from Alma de Hierro, so I thought the problem was that she didn't suited the humble small town girl type but she was great here. I'm glad because I think her dad and sister are both really good actors too and I like when the families in the showbusiness are truly talented (like the Castro's) and not just there because of their name (her sister is in Azteca though and his dad was too in the last years of his career, now he has retired).

In another note, I don't know if this has been brought here but Laura Flores and Gabriel Soto recorded a song together: Lo Que Me Tiene Aquí. It's an old hit song of hers. I don't like Soto's singing (he has a nice tone but he screams his lines instead of singing them) but it's nice that they get along so well.

Jarocha



 

Oh, and by last moment, I meant last moment in the show! my image of Pato would have been of him conquering the mountain ALIVE, not in death like in the show.

Jarocha


 

Jarocha- Thanks for dropping in! Always nice to hear from our local "reporter" on the ground in Mexico. The recap wasn't mine-- just the thanks and the pics, and the posting duties. But I will thank you for the compliment on behalf of the team.

Your end for Pato sounds lovely. That would have been nice.

I've seen parts of Mar de Amor, and I have to agree that ZV did not impress me as much there as in this tn. Her acting has grown in leaps and bounds just from one tn to another. And she's still so very young. She has a bright future. I did not realize that she comes from a famous acting family. No wonder. Same with Brandon Peniche. They've obviously been paying attention to their parents.

Interesting prospective on Laura Flores' career. Of all her recent tns that you mentioned, the only one I haven't seen any parts of is Piel de Otono. But as you said, all the recent ones have had such a range, and she has been great in them all. She also had a great small role in Una Familia con Suerte as the loopy jet setting sister of the villainess. It's also interesting that her first roles started out like Altair J. Is that your fate as a tn actress if you're blonde and pretty? Yes, let's hope Altair starts getting a bigger range of parts. Same with Jessica C. (Gala).

Haven't gone to the link yet, but that's cool that Gabe Soto teamed up with Laura on a song. I'm not surprised that his voice is less than stellar. I've heard that David Zapeda is also trying to sing now, and he's not the strongest singer either. Maybe they should just work on improving their acting instead... :)
 

Jarocha thanks for dropping by and sharing. I hope you and your family are well. Thanks for sharing the link w/LF and GS.

Vivi - yes DZ and GS should focus on acting ;)
 

Oh, I just noticed, thanks Judy for the prologue, Marta for the recap and Decie Girl for the postcript. This was a fabulous team effort wow! Sorry for the confusion.

Zuria's dad is Gonzalo Vega he had a long career as an actor in novelas, plays and movies. He is mostly remembered in Telenovelas as the male lead in Cuna de Lobos and those who watched Alondra might remember him as Bruno. He moved to TV Azteca in the mid 90's along with other very talented actors of his age that weren't feeling satisfied with the work they were given in Televisa anymore. I just looked him up and he hasn't retired as I thought. He had the main part in a play called "La Señora Presidenta" wich ran for almost 20 years uninterrupted (that's almost a miracle in Mexico) but then he had very delicate health issues and retired for a while but he is back in the play right now! Apparently he had a wheelchair ready between scenes for him for the first functios back. He is a great professional and a great example for his children.

Zuria's sister Marimar is older than her and started in Azteca. She moved much slowly into a lead than Zuria but I think that made her more prepared for it when it came (when people do their mean Zuria vs Marimar comparisons they always conveniently forget that Zuria had made just one novela before her first lead but Marimar had several before hers, not to mention she had already worked in theater, film and tv series). Now she is one of the most popular actresess in Azteca but the rumour is that Televisa wants her (I believe that because they just snagged another very popular Azteca face for Corona de Lagrimas). She is looking Zuria's age these days and it looks like she will probably look younger in the next few years for some reason.

Zuria's younger brother Gonzalo also debuted as an actor in a movie with Nailea Norvind's daughter that won an award in Cannes this year (and speaking of talented families, that girl can definitely act!). So the whole family is now in the acting business lol.

About the blond girls playing snotty girls, I think Erica Buenfil and Edith Gonzalez skipped that curse. Funnily enough, Angelica Rivera used to be blond in her first novelas where she played snotty rich girls too but she became a redhead for La Dueña and stayed with that color for her next leads.

I haven't heard David Zepeda sing but his voice is hoarse even when he is merely talking, yikes!

Jarocha
 

Thank you for your well wishes Karen :).

Jarocha
 

Jarocha- I just watched a clip of Zuria's sister, Marimar's latest tn-- Amor Cautivo. What I notice is that their voices are very similar and some of their mannerisms. You can see the resemblance, but they look different enough that if they were in the same tn, they could play unrelated people. The clips from Amor Cautivo are interesting enough to make me want to look up the whole series online to follow the mystery.

For those who want to compare the Vega sisters in similar roles (good-hearted young woman, brought to live in home of rich family that is rich from her father's money, and who falls for the eldest son), here's a clip from Amor Cautivo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9RDdRIynTE
 

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the recappers and commenters. This novela was excellent but made exponentially better by all of you.

I won't comment on the show itself - what is left to say? I'll miss all of you but know we'll meet up on new novelas.

Can't believe this one is over...
 

All i can say is that when the Premios come around if Laura, Brandon and Robert as well as the writers and Refuio itself don't win I'm going be pithed and will have to remind myself that those are pretty much nothing but a popularity contest. In any event it should be interesting. Refugio from what i understand was an afternoon show in Mexico and those don't usually get much consideration for awards although Dos Hogares won a few.

I love Jamie Cmil but Eva lost me after the first week, it was too shrill, JC was being too loosely directed and I'm no fan of Lucero. Same thing for Yanez and AB would have been too many for me so now I'm just going to kick back for awhile. Of course that means my Spanish comprehension will slip for awhile until a new novela tempts me. May switch over to Telemundo as I'm waiting for the new Jose Luis Pila novela if if it has the dreadful Aracely Arambula in the lead.

Not surprised that the new Colunga isn't doing well. I simply can't see him doing comedy which takes a special touch. Comedic actors can go dramatic but it seldom works well going the other way.
 

Hola everybody--Sorry to have come so late to the "cast party" and debreifing fest.

First and foremost: A virtual round of applause for our team's head cheerleader, Madelaine. Thank you, thank you, Mads for persuading us, through your incessant and wonderful recaps when nobody else was doing it, to stay with Refugio.

This has got to go down as one of the .....add your own superlatives...telenovelas for storyline (they did a terrific job of re-writing a complicated earlier version), acting (I can't name anyone who didn't fill out his or her character--even Estelita's monotone seemed somehow in character), intelligent writers (crafting intelligent dialog), beautiful (and not so beautiful) locations, etc. As much as I loved it, I don't think I could bear to watch it again, at least not for a very long time to come.

The finale had its ups and downs for everyone, as the thoughtful and oft emotional comments reflected.

Kudos to the team that brought us to the final scene--Judy, for your insight, Marta for your always lively take on things, and Decie--thank you for that very detailed (and stripped down?) earlier version. You need to stay active and promise to recap again, once in awhile--don't know where or when, but I feel we'll be connecting again.

I'm really and truly out of any original viewpoints and go along with everybody who liked the end but were somehow left a little unsatisfied with the short shrift given to so many of our best loved characters. That said, it was definitely not your run-of-the mill tn ending by a long shot (as in the wedding where everyone else wore white and Luci was colorful).

Gala could have been charged, convicted and sentenced and STILL died of a brain tumor--in prison.

Julie should have been in a full body cast and bruises and stitches all over her face. That was quite a tumble she had. As Gala went to prison, she had to spend what she had left to maintain herself (I guess Mexico has some sort of healthcare for the poor when it ran out), then ends up in a group home with recovering alcoholics, but never really recovers--she sneaks champagne whenever she can to dull her senses. The most un-poignant scene was where she still can't bring up any maternal feelings at all for what Gala has been going through. Even when bringing her her "kool-aid cocktail" almost can't bear to touch her.

Rosa, Max & Mati--well done. Max and Mati were stuck with laLoca and the Mad Hatter's Tea Party rewound every day, without Lewis Carroll's literary wit. I would have been more pleased if RE had been more aware of what she had done. She's not suffering enough for my taste in endings for the primary antagonist.

Vicky & Aldo - Couldn't figure that one out. At first she seemed genuinely attached to her Gatito. We were also given the impression that she and Aldo hadn't seen each other in awhile, then came that odd finger porn right under Gatito's eyes.

Chelo & Chuy - They should have given them more than just panning across the party to see them "cleaned up" a bit.

Melissa & Claudio - Please--they could have either had THEM dancing together at the end, or Claudio and Paz, at least--with Melissa attending with a New York boyfriend. But Aldo??? (Well, I did hear OT--gossip alert--that Tania and Stanley were spending time off set together, so maybe they asked to be in that last scene together.)
Continued....
 

Patricio--nothing left to say. As a member of Viewerville, we don't want a beloved characted to just, well, die. If he had to, he went the way he wanted to, his dignity intact. ITA that his inner life would have been torture, had he lived--the operation successful, notwithstanding--and had to be a bystander watching Luci and Rodrigo's happiness and family grow, while putting on a brave front.

I think Olive's comment on why he couldn't live is perfectly rational. Just going away would not have solved Pato and Luci's problems--there is love and then there is love. Rodrigo would not have been able to understand the pull these two had toward each other (the scene in the hospital with Luci when he puts the medal around the baby's neck still makes me choke up, just thinking about it). They were soulmates and we saw that very early in the episodes.

When I saw Patricio climb to the mountain top in sneakers, I knew it wasn't good. He and Rodrigo had all kinds of serious mountain climbing equipment at the beginning. Then you're going to tell me that mountain top could be reached by walking up a hill behind Claudio's house???? I couldn't enjoy it because I suffer from vertigo and that's all I could think of while Pato, the shaman, Rodrigo and Luci were up there.

The only thing missing was Ariche playing his flute.

Adios amigos, it's been an amazing run.
Anita
 

I too pondered the death of Pato and came to the conclusion that he had to die, first because of that soul tie to Luci which would hae created problems down the lie since Rod tended to overreact to things and he would never have been able to control his jealousy, albeit unspoken of Pato and her relationship. Second his death was the trigger that sent Rosa completely over the edge. I'm sorry she didn't get the punishment she deserved but in a way she did since she will never see her children or gandchildren again. She will spend her life with dolls and memories.

I will contribute again when something grabs me. I never know whsat that will be. Will miss our daily confabs, anaysis and snark and all of the recappers and commentators. We were our own little family celebrating Luci's joy and grieving for Pato. We may not all connect on another TN but some of us will

Adios familia and Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano nuevo.
 

Carol, I agree about Roselena. BPD sounds about right; doesn't schizophrenia manifest in the early 20s most of the time? She's way past that.

I would have liked her to have seen reality when she was told Patricio was dead and have Rod and Jana demand that she be locked up. Luci was far too forgiving.
 

Day two after the final. Again, I woke woke up with "Un Refugio Para El Amor" on my mind. This was a powerful drama and will not be forgotten. I have to admit that I got choked up a couple of times thinking about it and while reading the comments. The story was GREAT and the characters so real with great, excellent acting all around.

More thoughts---Considering the fact that Luciana had been a devout Catholic Christian from day one, I found it odd or at the very least strange, that Refugio ended with a medicine man, witch doctor or shaman conducting a mountain top wedding ceremony uniting Luci and Rod. Being the devout Christian that Luci was, I just couldn't see her participating in an apostate, heathen, or non Christian wedding ceremony. And wasn't Rod and Luci already married by then? Was this a politically correct move on Univision's part or was it that the writers wanted to blend in some of the local flavor of the San Francisco el Alto area? Maybe, still I was puzzled and a little perplexed by the ending with a mountain top wedding.
It is not my intent to start a religious arguement, I guess you could say that I am just thinking out loud. Refugio has given us much to think about.

Question---Where did Julie and Gala get their money after they were swindled? Gala still had her job at the magazine [never was sure if she owned it or was just one of the managers] but hospital, lawyer or private investigator bills must have been massive. Gala's apartment at the end was not near as nice as her former one but still not all that bad--I mean, it certainly wasn't in the getto.

Everyone in white except Luciana???
She did look soooo beautiful though

What was with the sea shells? There wasn't an ocean around for hundreds of miles. Did Pato drop them from the sky? And the sea shell sign on Luci and Rod's upper chest? Not sure about the shells.

Vicki and Aldo---Their brief scene towards the end went over my head. I thought that Vicki was saying goodby to Aldo as she had found a new love. Well I never claimed to be the sharpest tack. Thanks guys for setting me straight. They were actually working together to fleece another rich guy. LOL

Carol---I too loved the clothes in this novela---also your words, "she really was a refuge for love, somthing Pato knew instinctively," were very well said.

Carol again---I also like your idea of Aldo working for Violeta. And yes, she would be a tough watchdog over him---he needs one.

Olive's another view---"Pato's death freed Luci in a way." I agree
the gringo
 

I just thought of one final question---Little Alexia reminded me of a very young Anahi. Did anyone else feel that way?

A final word---The Refugio team has been so enjoyable for me, this has been my first time---well a few times before on LQNPA but this was my first big consistent one, writing and reading comments. It's been a blast. THANKS to a great team.
the gringo
 

Even though Luci was a devout Catholic, she was also native American (Tarahumara?) I think this was a way to honor that culture (whether it was accurate or not) and remind us of the culture she came from. Anyone know if that was Copper Canyon where they filmed?

What they really need to stop doing is letting these young actors think they can sing. Gabriel is cute, but singing should be just for fun. And same goes for the women (Zuria Vega, Ana Brenda Contreras). They can hold a tune but that doesn't make them singers. This happens up here too and it doesn't usually work out well unless they have that Broadway-type talent. Stick with the acting first since they all have more potential there.

I would love to see Jessica Coch in something other than a bad girl role though. Maybe like a Jezebel role, where she seems like a bruja but really when it matters? Maybe where she gets to live at the end.

Kelly
 

el gringo ... the Shaman was a bit of a shock to me too. I know nothing about the present-day coexistence of so-called pagan spiritual practices with Catholicism in Mexico, but if they do co-exist, Luci would have been raised with and influenced by both. Are their shamans like that in remote villages who still do rituals in full body paint? I better google that. I accepted the 'magical' appearance of the shells found by the children but those shell tatoo's that mystically appeared near Rod and Luci's hearts didn't work for me. The idea is that the tatoos were able to manifest through the magical rites/wisdom of the Shaman and the true love of the couple. I didn't think the story needed it so I had to just look away.

Two other things: sometimes schizophrenia will become full-blown during the hormonal changes of menopause. This may be what happened to Rosa but I don't think the writers cared about, or even looked into, those facts at all, or they might have put words to that effect into the mouth of the professionally inept Dr. Hauser.

So Zulia's dad was Bruno in Alondra. I wish some station, not Univision, would revive Alondra. It was short, pretty, and didn't follow many of the novela conventions that make for a circo. Just a young woman who has to flee a (here comes the cliche) rich old biddy who hated her and she had encounters with three men ... Vega, Ernesto Laguardia and Fernando Colunga in her travels until she decided upon her true love. It took place, I think, early in the 20th C. Good novela with a young cast except for the dashing Bruno ... wow!


 

The sea shell thing didn't bug me. I guess I have read so much literature from LatAm that is filled with magical realism, that it made perfect sense to me.

I also wasn't surprised that Luci chose to have a native blessing ceremony done. I was more questioning the timing of the religious wedding that they never showed us. But Luci was always committed to the traditions of her people (the people she grew up with). Like Ariche and Namurachi, she held on to the native dress/costume, and still kept touches of it after she went to the big city. The tn started with her being cursed by the local seer; so it came full circle to have her receiving a blessing from the local shaman at the end. The first scene was of her by herself on the mountain. The final scene was of her with the man she loves on the mountain. There is a certain symmetry to the whole thing.

 

Catholicism in Mexico has a tendency to mix the native cultures' beliefs with their own. For example, our Day of the Death has pehispanic origins but the Church adopted the celebration and there is a special mass on November 2nd.

Before the Spanish came, the way these cultures worked was that, during wars, the victorious side would adopt the beliefs of the conquered one. When the Catholic monks came to Mexico, they realized that they needed to be more open to these cultures if they wanted them to be converted, so that's why they did it. Even nowadays, people here can believe in Chamans and at the same time believe in the Catholic church, it's very common to see that so the refugio wedding is something that can happen in real life aswell.

Vivi: Thanks for the clips. I was watching Amor Cautivo when it started but my cable provider dropped TV Azteca and I stopped following it. It seemed quite good for the first few episodes.

Carol, I loved Alondra too. It will be forever one of my favorites.

Fernando Colunga's novela is doing well, all of Televisa's current telenovelas are doing well. He is not funny but he is very likeable in the role and the supporting cast is the one carrying the comedy for him and Blanca Soto who is adequate, not funny either but not terrible and she is there just to be pretty anyway. It's currently my mom's favorite, along with La Mujer del Vendaval, but my mom has always been partial to comedies.

Jarocha
 

Borderline personality disorder is not on a spectrum with schizophrenia-the term borderline personality disorder was coined at a time when it was thought to be on the "border" between reality and psychosis.

I agree Rosa is a narcissistic borderline-perfect diagnosis, Carol. And she is now psychotic; but not all psychosis is schizophrenia. Schizophrenia generally has it's onset before the age of 30.

Let's face it, TN medicine and psychiatry usually bears no resemblance to reality-but we watch them anyway. It is entertaining.


 

I will echo Gringo's comments: Carol---I too loved the clothes in this novela--- AND your words, "she really was a refuge for love, somthing Pato knew instinctively," i totally agree.

Olive's another view---"Pato's death freed Luci in a way." I agree

Going back to Carol's posts... I can see where you say Max did not have it as hard as RE... But Max only affected his own life and Claudio's life directly (granted, indirectly he affected just about every character in his family tree and Claudio's.
But RE directly affected Luci's life, Claudio's life, directed Rodrigo's life for a while and succeeded at making it as miserable as it could be, attempted to direct Janah's life, affected Paz, Lorenzo, definitely Mateo/lilRod... and also i will argue that Max did appologize to his children honestly and emotionally, whereas RE, mostly due to her illness, always believed she was the one acting correctly and did not allow any room for negotiation or counter-argument. So yes, maybe the judgement by their children was harsher on RE than on Max, but their attitude also leads to those reactions.

Anita, by the same token, i have to agree with you that RE going totally psychotic in the end prevented her from truly/completely 'feeling' the 'punishment' she had in the end. I hope the ending suggested where she dies soon after of a stroke or complications from her illness or semi-conscious suicide would free Mati and Max...
But i can't help but agree with you that somehow RE should have 'realized' her punishment/fate.
 

Again my thanks to all you excellent recappers and our Caray blog community. I have read all these final exchanges and I express the same sentiments over the grand final of this beautiful telenovela.
I think that Rod and Luci would have married legally before the 2 year leap thus having their 2nd baby within their marriage. Not that I care, it would have been romantic to have a love child. But why didnt they have a quiet beautiful wedding and then for the grand final, like Abismo, have a baptismal celebration along with the Shaman wedding on the mountain.
I also did not like the short treatment of Pato's death unlike Don A's.
This is what I think. In reality, there was a slim chance of Pato could walk after the surgery so the "reaching the top of the mountain" is really a symbol of death itself. Being with God. I would have loved it if they instead make him see Namurashi and had him recover from his obsessive love for Luci.
I also saw the effect of the zero relationship between mother Julie and daughter Gala. In the end, Julie was still the uncaring mother and Gala was still the daughter wanting her mother's attention, finally crying out"Mother" to her. What a relief that after the same thing that Gala did to Alexia, this little girl will have a mother's attention from Luciana.
Just last night,(Sunday)my husband was asking me what will we watch as replacement for Refugio? He also is hooked on this tn. My part, I feel empty, I might replay the dvr again, and watch the last 2 hour episode.However,not to be sad, I have my 2 amores, and I like very much Amor Bravio due to the complexity of the story and of the characters but Refugio tugs at my heart very much. I can't wait to buy the dvd. Well, I won't say goodbye to all of you, I will always read all your recaps and blogs and continue to communicate with you all But just the same, In this Refugio forum, I wish you all the very best, Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year.
 

Same to you Vida2 and everyone else... had not enjoyed a foro like this since CME and before that LHDM on telenovela-world. So everyone have a safe and joyous holiday season and merry christmas and many many blessings for the new year.
 

Thank you Judy, Marta, Decie Girl and Vivi for your wonderful contributions to the Gran Final.

You voices blended together to provide an excellent synopsis - some of it happy, some of it sad and some, to me, disturbing.

Was so disappointed Pato left this life, but have no doubt he will be joyous in the next. Seeing Luci, Rod, Mateo, little "Patricio" and their extended family was so gratifying. Happiness will surely abound for this dear group...

Like Judy, I was very unhappy that cancer was the end to Gala's storyline. Jail would indeed be a much more fitting and proper ending. The scenes of her screaming and calling for her mother came back to haunt me many times over the last few days.

Thank you to all the recappers and commenters - eloquent comments have already been posted so will say adios until next time.

Diana
 

OMG! The very first scene of Corona de Lagrimas starts out with Victoria Ruffo crying a BUCKET of tears surrounded by three bawling kids. The smallest one is adorable, but since we know they don't stick around very long, that's not enough to make me keep watching. I miss Refugio!! Wah!!!
 

Vivi--I was just going to make the SAME exact comment. I watched all of 15 minutes. Saw her being thrown out with the three boys by a nasty (??##@!??) Alejandro Avila with one suitcase for the three of them he had packed.

The moment I saw her in two different pairs of earrings in 15 minutes, I shoulda' known--this is going to require a whole wardrobe of adjustable beanies.

I'm going to miss Ernesto Laguardia and Arturo Carmona, but they won't be on screen enough to aleviate the necessity of watching Victoria cry through 160 episodes.

 

I haven't seen Victoria R since La Madrastra where she was the mother of three GROWN children (is she aging backwards?) and she cried and prayed though the entire novela because, like our Claudio Linares, she spent 10 years in the carcel for a crime she didn't commit. There areVR fans out there but I don't get her appeal at all.
 

Thank you & gracia for the kudos from the bloggers. :-)

While the end of Refugio was pretty much standard TN finale, it was surprising to see what became of the bruja bunch. Have to feel sorry for Max & Mati but as Max said a few episodes ago, he had to honor his marriage vow of "in sickness and in health". And while I would've loved to see Julie & Gala in the pokey, it too was sad to see what became of them. In a way, with the pain of their sickness and injury, they were suffering.

I too watched some of CDL last nite and after 30 minutes I had to turn the channel. It just seems to be a little to depressing of a TN to watch right after you come home from a hard day at work. I'll miss watching Arturo Carmona also.

I'm just going to take a TN breaky-breaky, enjoy the holidays & football season and await the Colunga TN.

Hope everyone has a great holiday season and happy new year!!

~Paula~
 

Carol wasn't going to comment but have to say if any novela would have ben improved by the Carey Carey treatment it would have been La Madrastra. The recappers would have been in snark heaven .From the horrible acting of the Kids including one trying to hide a sudden pregnancy to the orange make up on the friends to the transvestite killer it was hilarious. I was watching and commenting on it on another site and we had a ball. Although everyone felt the chemistry between VR and CE was electric. They had one love scene where some of us felt like voyeurs, it was that hot. It was a remake of a Chilean novela of the same name which was really excellent. Remakes - a crap shoot every time.
 

Decie Girl- From what I could see from the clips on the Soup (the only parts of La Madrastra I have ever seen), there was some crazy chemistry between Sabine M. and Rene C. They played on that chemistry as enemies in Abismo. The clips from LM on the Soup were hilarious! Yes, the Caray recappers and group would have had a field day with that one. Too bad.
 

Decie Girl ... I remember that scene! White terry bathrobes afterward. La M. was about three bad novelas in one. Those years, like, 2002-maybe until recently, contained bizarrely bad novelas that drove me away from Novelaland. I held my breath with Refugio that it didn't go over the edge, especially knowing that there was a high body count in the earlier version. I'm gratified that it was so good.

I just scream laughing here on Caray Caray, and often it's funnier when I'm not watching the novela and I just read the comments. On Amores Verdaderos, there's a character who has been dubbed "Dances with Sunglasses;" I can't stop laughing even typing those words. And there's some kind of new Slug over there on Soy Eva. Too funny!
 

Vivi, Anita and everyone else who commented: I also watched the first 20 or so minutes through the eviction and crying. I turned back about 15 minutes later and the adorable kids were grown up and not so sweet. Like Anita, Ernesto and Arturo are not enough to get me to tune in again. Too bad.

I'm only watching AV now - the first time in years I haven't been watching at least 2 nighttime TNs.

Diana
 

I know what you mean, Diana...I'd have to take a double dose of Zoloft and Prozac to get through such a downer of a story! Corona de Depression is what they should call it!
 

I just can't say enough about how much I have enjoyed this TN--and about the wonderful service these recaps are. I thought the final was perfect! The only thing I would changed is I would have had the witch run into Luci and tell her...NO MORE TEARS!

I am so happy I found this blog-I really stumbled upon a treasure. Now....I just have to figure out what to watch!


 

Vivi, Anita, JudyB, i am glad i decided not to watch even a second of that Corona de Deprimidos... don't need to wipe out my xmas spirit with such a wet blanket. and yes i would only have watched it for Ernesto LaGuardia (love his smile and loved his characters in Amor Real and Alborada) and Arturo Carmona.
 

AARRGGHHHH!!! I miss my Pato!!! Also Janah and Lorenzo... and, what the heck, i admit, as thick headed as he can be at times... even my Mushashooonnn!!!
 

anywhere I can watch this unbelievably nice telenovela on demand?
 

I like the ending if pato didn't past on lucian would have been confused who to chose to marry becouse she love them both and patricia was always there for her in bed and gud time and rodigo waited luciana for 5yrs not intimate with gala it amazing