Caray, Caray!

Amigos:

This was a sad and sober episode. Snark did not seem appropriate.

I already miss Eusebia.She was my favorite character in the show.

Elna June

 

Thanks for the recap, Elna June. I was very sad at Eusebia's death, and touched by the sincerity of Damian's mourning. A lovely funeral, with the river procession.
I had to smile when Fulgencio "saw" Eusebia open her eyes and look at him. Supreme moment.
 

Thank you for the poignant recap. I am so sad that Madre Eusebia died. I loved her as if I knew her.
I too wondered why they didn't take her directly to the hospital instead of her house. The funeral was a lovely send off.
It depends on the day whether I'm yelling shutuprosy or shutupbea at the tv. Bea is so simple and her logic baffles me. She didin't seem to have a problem with Hernan's jealous tirade. I hope that Marina sticks to her guns and leaves Hernan and goes to and stays with DamWonderful, but then I realize, its a telenovela so more foolishness and separations will have to happen.
 

Elna June: I love the thoughtful, caring tone you took with this episode. Your heartfelt writing was apparant and very appreciated.

You painted a vivid picture of the lovely tribute Dam gave to his beloved Eusebia. His tears seemed all too real. I was totally caught off guard by her passing. Along with you, La Paloma and Tablet jefa, I mourn her untimely demise.

La Paloma, Fully's fright as seeing Eusebia open her eyes was indeed the highlight here.

Ester is in a horrible situation. Alone and a virtual prisoner of the "evil and aged Papa" leaves her little to hope for. How long will it take for her memory to come back? And how is horrible Hernan going to navigate her return?

Finally Marina shows some spunk and fire. She stood firm despite Hernan's in your face beseeching and pleading. Cringeworthy!

"Damian tells Hernan that as long as Marina shows him by a look in her eye, or the sound of her voice that she loves him—he will always look for and find her". Sigh. There is hope but Table jefa said it perfectly: "more foolishness and separations will have to happen".

Elna June, thank you again!

Diana
 

Very soothing recap, Elna June, thank you. You are a very good writer, it is like reading a good book in the morning.

In TNs you seldom see injured persons actually being taken to a competent hospital for care via ambulance. It has always puzzled me, I wondered if in Mexico they don't have emergency systems. Is Our Lady of the Sea supposed to be in Baja? Like Cabo San Lucas?
 

Thank you Elna June. This has been a week of deaths of friends and diagnoses of cancer in friends' children. I wish I had a madrina Eusebia or an Elna June here right now to wrap her arms around me and reassure me with faith and comfort. But I will accept a virtual hug! Thanks amiga mia for a heartfelt, sensitive recap of a very sad episode.
 

EJ:

This recap is sheer poetry! It was so sensitively done and wonderful from beginning to end! Thank you!

I too am sad about Madre Eusebia's untimely end. I really loved the send off. It reminded me of the funeral for Maria del Rosario in CS 2009. The only thing missing was the white dove. I also liked that her close friends wore white.

Emarie:

This TN takes place in Vera Cruz. Not the same place as CS 2009 but very close to it.

I am liking the haunting of Fully. It scared the crap out of me, I have to say, when Madre Eusebia opened her eyes like that. Had to laugh when Fully swore she was alive and Delfina had to lead him away.

Herny is going over the edge. I love how Tia Becky got in his face. ShutUpBea just doesn't get it. Why is she so blind to DamFine's charms I'll never know.

EJ:

As far as Olinto's accent goes, he almost sounds like he has the accent of the characters we watched in Refugio. It is a type of sing song accent, kind of musical. That accent I believe was in Chihuahua, the mountainous region.

JudyB:

Sending you lots of virtual hugs and good vibes to cheer you. : )




 

Absolutely perfect recap. Gracias Amiga. I admit Eusebia's death was a shock. I thought no way would she die. The greater shock, however, was when she opened her eyes and GLARED at Fulgencio. That was one of the Best Telenovela Moments Ever. Shocked Fulgencio, shocked me. Can Monica Miguel give the fatal stink eye or what? I look forward to Eusebia continuing in the role of a haunting spirit, at least for Fully, Nereo, and possibly Valdivia and Lara.

That was one of the loveliest telenovela funerals I've ever seen.

Hernan was out of control in his possessiveness last night. He truly has no sense of space or propriety. Ugh. Marina needs to dump his butt once and for all.

Elna June, perhaps you didn't think snark was appropriate, but I'm glad you managed to fit some in at the most appropriate moments. Who could resist a dig at the idiot Bea? She has become an insensitive boor in her desperation to hook Marina up with Hernan. And Mercedes' business plan for the shelter? Just ridiculous.

Kudos to William Levy for some fine acting last night. Dam's grief was palpable. And his seething anger at Hernan's most inappropriate visit...award-worthy.

Thanks EJ! You were the perfect person to handle this emotion-packed episode.

 

Elna June, thanks for the early recap. You did a DamGood job on such a sad episode.

The funeral procession was beautiful, but I think they could have done a little better job with the singing. Ursula was there and she could at least have help with the tempo.

DamFine is doing a fine acting job. How does he do so much crying? I was surprised Eusebia died, but shocked at her stink eye to Fulgencio! So looking forward to her haunting him.

Bea and Rosy are dead to me. Those characters are are so willingly ignorant and mean.

Yeah, for Marina finally pulling away from slimy Herny. I noticed he crossed over into Ursula's personal space and she backed up.

Marea Primavera

 

Thanks for such a thoughtfully written beautifully done recap, Elna June.

I figured that sooner or later this enigmatic spiritual character would leave us, I certainly wasn't expecting it this soon. Although she died having just witnessed some very shady stuff and while being pursued by one of the bad guys, it's too bad that her actual death was actually accidental with no real foul play involved. Also I was surprised that no white pigeons took part in her farewell.

Hernán certainly didn't disappoint me last night. Surely he foreclosed on any chance of healing his relationship with Marina.

Carlos
 

Elna June...thanks for an excellent retelling if a very sad episode. I will miss Eusebia's wisdom, calm, and love..and Monica Miguel's. I thought that Will did a great job of acting. His tearful, heart wrenching grief seemed all too real. I wondered if he might have taken some acting classes that taught him to channel emotions from his own past...perhaps from Monica. I think that she directed his first novela Pasion, so they probably have a true relationship.

((((Judyb)))) I am sending you hugs and good vibrations.

Yesterday's hearing did not change the situation much. He still only gets the girls every other weekend and takes them to dinner once a week. He has to go to anger management counseling , and they have to go to coparenting counseling. He did not deny anything he did, and he sees nothing he did as wrong. No reget shown. Another hearing in Dec. Then, a trial if nothing is resolved. His lawyer asked that the PFA be dropped ...daughter refused. And so,,,,,this telenovela has added episodes. THanks for all the good vibrations. We are taking the girls to an amusement park tomorrow. We all need to be amused a little.
 

Dear Elna June,

This was so moving, far more so than the actual episode, I think. I'm very grateful you were the one to write Madre Eusebia's eulogy. You captured perfectly the way her loss resonated for those around her as well as those of us at home. Thank you, amiga.

Here's what is sure to be an unpopular opinion: I actually cringed at WL's raging grief scenes. With this actor, less is more. When he goes all Silvia Navarro on us -- well, forgive me, but I think he gives those who mock him plenty of ammunition. (His quiet grief and fury -- what we saw when Hernán intruded on his grief, for example -- are very effective.)

Those with severe snark allergies, please note:
This is not an entirely snark-free product:

"Mercedes gathers the sex workers who helped her find Magdalena for a lovely tea party at her home.

That is unmistakably tart (if you will pardon the expression).
 

JudyB, a virtual hug is speeding toward you right now.

Susanlynn, so sorry the sadness drags on. An amusement park sounds like excellent therapy for everyone. Your resilience is remarkable. Again, how lucky your children and grandchildren are to have you there.
 

Thank you so much for this lovely recap EJ. I have been having to catch all the episodes on the weekends so not able to jump in with comments daily. But last night I was able to watch and after the silliness of the prior two TN's, this was, dare I say, a pleasure to watch being so well done.

I loved the naturalness of the singing and simplicity of the funeral. Yes, not taking Eusebia directly to the hospital was strange, but we've seen enough of that in TN's taking place in small communities I don't even question anymore. In a way, I was sorry she couldn't let them know what she saw, but that would have sped up the plot point, and knowing we will see Fulgy feeling the guilt...that could be fun to watch in the hands of Cesar.

Kudos to WL last night. I think this was some of the best acting I've ever seen him do...very heartfelt and believable. I'm almost hoping we don't see the "end" of his Madrina..being a spiritual guiding entity would be lovely to see. I would buy into that.

Daisynjay
 

And to JudyB: My friend, my thoughts are with you through time. I think it's safe to say there are quite a few sets of arms wrapping you in a big virtual hug today. Take care.

Daisynjay
 

Elna June -- Thank you for this wonderfully written recap of such a sad episode.

RIP Eusebia. Was not expecting for her to go so soon. They explained that they did not take her to the hospital because the house was closer to where they found her. I'm going to miss Eusebia. She was a beautiful character.

WL did a wonderful job in those grief scenes. I felt his pain. It was nice that Marina was there to console him.

What will it take for Bea to realize that Hernan is scum? The man behaved like such a jerk and Bea excused it. What is wrong with her?

Eusebia giving Fully the stinkeye was the highlight of then night. It was nice seeing Fully squirm.
 

This episode was so sad ,I did cry with Damian. She was his only family, now he needs Marina more than ever.
Dear NM,
I am a huge fan of WL, I love anything and everything he does. But I have to agree with your "unpopular opinion" that his quiet grief and rage is much more effective.
When I turn off the show, that image stuck in my mind.

Vivien
 

Elna June - Thanks for a lovely recap of this sad episode.

I thought Eusebia would survive but not remember what she'd seen.

JudyB - Sometimes it is too close to home. This episode was so sad, I just had to drift away and not watch at times.

About a hospital, at Eusebia's, Bagre or somebody said to Damian that they should've taken her to the hospital, but Damian said it was too far away and the doctor was coming to them. In a small town like that, without an ambulance or medevac helicopter, it's believable to me that the hospital was too far by car.

NovelaMaven - ITA on WL's acting -- "quiet grief and fury" was more believable.

Marea Primavera - I too thought "they could have done a little better job with the singing." The singing was downright out of tune. I haven't heard that song before and wondered if it was *supposed* to sound discordant like that.

Susanlynn - Wishing the best for your family.
 

Gracias EJ, so sad
I had a tear in my eye at the passing of Eusebia, QEPD.
On the bright side, Monica Miguel will have more time to direct to keep the TN from going off the tracks.
I do feel cliche #19 coming, the haunting of Fulgencio.

FLU
I think this is where we were discussing it. My friend & I had the shot yesterday. No problems for me whatever, at least, so far. She called me this morning, she woke up about 1AM with chills, fever, body aches. She is ok now, just tired from lack of sleep. The shot was Afluria. They say that could be some of the side effects.
 

I do agree about Damsad's quiet grief being better. I remember my telenovio, FC & the scene in MEPS when his mother died & he gave that scream. I cringed. Very bad direction.
Sobbing, punching the wall, a strong "nooooo" is much more realistic.

WL's acting skills are improving greatly. PLS Carla Estrada, sign him up! I was hoping for a little DWTS at the party, which wasn't much fun except for Becky's antics. ¡aguafiestas!

susanlynn, my thoughts are with you & your family in this very difficult situation.
 

Susanlynn: just saw my post didn't all go through, think part deleted itself. Darn kindle. I had a note on my last also to you... you and your family also have my thoughts. The girls are very lucky to have people who are ensuring they have all the love and safety they are due in their lives. Hope you had a wonderful time at the amusement park!

Daisynjay
 

I thought the singing being off key was very realistic, probably Monica's idea.
 

Good Morning:

The rat bast@$&$ went and killed off my favorite character. I was sad last night but now I am cranky.

La Paloma: ITA, the moment when Eusebia opened her eyes and looked at Fulgencio was priceless. Of course, Cesar Evora, big ham that he is, enjoyed the experience as well. I wonder how many takes they had to do to get that right...

Tablet Jefa: Bea is simply idiotic, isn't she? She pretends that she is concerned with Marina being happy, but I suspect her preference for Hernan is personal and class-based. How surprised she will be—if she lives that long without Eusebia's herbal magic—when Hernan is revealed to be a total dirtbag sociopath. The actress is making me dislike her, so she is doing a good job.

Diana: Ester IS in a horrible situation—truly a bird in a gilded cage. She is a slave, just in a better part of town.

Marina did show a little flash of emotion but I am sorry; I am utterly bored by Ximena Navarette. I know she is doing her best but I am tired of the screen being filled with her beautiful face and totally flat affect. Advice "This is not a still photo shoot, Ximena. There are some 30-50 + muscles in the human face sister, practice using them!" She is too young to have had Botox.

EJ

 

Emarie: Thank you for your kind words.They certainly have emergency systems in the large cities in Mexico. I myself have been in hospitals in Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta.

EJ
 

Judy B:

I am so sorry to hear of your dreadful week. It seems that the older we get, the more death is a close companion in our lives. Life is very hard work in these times, especially for those with kind sensitive hearts like yours, dear Judy.

When the children of our friends are diagnosed with cancer or other dangerous diseases it somehow seems like adversity out-of-time. Parents are supposed to fail first, in the normal way of things, and it is so hard to see our children suffer.

Please know that I am sending you my very best wishes and a large hug. I also send an aspiration that your pain may be eased.

Tu amiga, Elna June
 

Mads: Thanks so much for your kind words. And thanks for offering your suggestion as to Olinto's accent. It has been driving me crazy! It is lilting and fast and has the abbreviated 's' but not quite the 'th' sound for the letter.

Our dear Novela Maven will know exactly how to describe his accent and the technical bits in pronunciation.

Sylvia: You know I am incapable of a snark-free recap. Both Bea and Mercy were so dim witted and lost to common sense that I could not help but snip at them.

I agree with both you and NM that William's seething rage scene with Hernan was the best acting in the epi.

Marea Primavera: You nailed it! "Willingly ignorant and mean" describes both Bea and Rosy.

Carlos: You are so welcome, Carlos. I hope you are right about Marina being onto Hernan's slimy program. I am not optimistic, however. Her ability to observe herself and other people seems somewhat underdeveloped.

Susanlynn: Thanks for the update on your family tribulations. I am sending kindest wishes to all of you. It is very hard to watch someone like your former son-in-law who has no remorse for their destructive behavior—while knowing he still has access to the kids.An amusement park is a great idea to allow the kids to be kids.

EJ
 

(((Judyb)))...
yes..exactly what EJ just expressed so clearly. One of my best friends just emailed me last week that her daughter-in-law was just diagnosed with colon cancer which has spread to the liver. I group of friends who taught together get together for lunch as often as we can., and she asked me to gather the group. We will be meeting this Sunday afternoon at our usual place. We have been together through so many happy and sad times...our weddings, births, our children's weddings, divorces, deaths of all our parents...a lifetime of friendship. Please know that many here understand what you are experiencing. Courage. That which does not kill us makes us strong...or so it is said. Do we believe that ?
 

Amiga Novela Maven:

Thank you for your kind words. I know what you mean by William's OTT emoting, but I am still a sucker for it, every time. Of course I also love Sylvia Navarro, so it could be that I am pleased by the larger-than-life, more operatic acting done by both of the actors. I find it so very hard to behave that way myself that I think I secretly admire their ability to let it all hang out.

Big grin. At least I am consistent in my preferences. I fell for "Stella, Stella, Stella," and I loved "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?" with it's gut wrenching scenes of two very disturbed and hateful people.

Daisynjay: So good to see you. Catching up with this TN on weekends must be very hard—they are cramming so much into each episode. Thanks for dropping by. I miss "seeing" you.

More later.

EJ
 

EJ....Ah yes! the march of emotions....sad ...turns to cranky....turns to weary and worn out.....or sometimes these appear on reverse order.
 

JudyB, big hugs to you in this most difficult week. It's so terribly sad to have friends leave us and to get more bad news. What a week.

Susanlynn, I wish things would have turned out just a bit better for your daughter. I guess if things are not going backwards then that could be a little victory in itself. Sounds like she is staying strong with your help.
 

SusanLynn:

I too am sending you virtual hugs and many good vibes with this continuing drama, but so glad you and your hubby are so strong and supporting your daughter and the grandbabies. Have a marvelous time at the park!
 

Variopinta,

I agree with you about the singing. It wasn't even off-key -- it was more chanting than singing. And its rough, raw quality was in keeping with the grief of the moment.

EJ, you give me too much credit. I did notice the conspicuous absence of a final -s (can't remember the word. Drat!) that you'd expect to hear in the "neutral" educated Mexican Spanish of most of these actors (when they aren't trying hard for some regional variant).

Since the actor playing Olinto, Luis Manuel Ávila, is an accomplished and university-educated capitolino, why don't we assume he is trying to sound like a local of Veracruz? [Too bad our friend Jarocha isn't here to set us straight.]
 

Thanks, all for your support. One more new development. He agreed to let the girls meet with a counselor. The six year old ran upstairs when the pushing and name calling started, and she has not spoken to me about it, but the three year old talks to me about it everyday and seems to act things out with her dollhouse dolls. However, they both seem happy and thriving. The older one is in the gifted program at school. The little one is charming and funny. Todsy,, she wrote all the letters of the alphabet herself and was so proud and delighted. They both have dance class tomorrow. (He didn't take them last Saturday.). And so life goes forward..I made a big pot of ham, potatoes, and string beans for dinner, the sun is shining, and .dance class and fun rides tomorrow !!!! Yeah !!!! sometimes, you just have to say...juaever..
 

What is going to happen to Mags?

Dark side or light side?

Now that she LOOKS just like Marina, she is poised to cause all kinds of mischief.

I'm very curious to see where the writers are going to take this character.
 

NM..regarding the missing final "s"...This is a big problem for some of my students, , especially my Vietnamese students and some Spanish speakers. I once had an older student from Ecuador who struggled with that ending sound. One day, I asked him, "Eduardo, what happened to that final "s." He smiled the sweetest smile at. me and answered, "I ate that "s," Miss." l love my job. !!!
 

I am afraid that after the life she has led, Mag will have a struggle staying in the light. What are the chances for someone dealing with addiction to alcohol or drugs staying on the wagon ?
 

I am afraid that after the life she has led, Mag will have a struggle staying in the light. What are the chances for someone dealing with addiction to alcohol or drugs staying on the wagon ?
 

Ya know, come to think of it, the actor used the same accent with PESE, when he was on that one. I think NM is right : )
 

As far as Mags goes, I go with the mischief. I think she will be playing some games (not a spoiler) but I don't know if she will be truly bad. We have to see more of her to know for sure. Maybe more grey than black and white ; )
 

EJ,

Thank you for your sensitive and thoughtful recap. It speaks to your great writing abilities that you can write in such different tones from week to week. You DO read like a good book!

Best moment of the night: when Marina stood up to ShutUpBea. Por Fin!

I think I've cracked the Mags/Marina makeup code. Marina always sports the "nude lips", where Mags wears deep reds. In the new credits, I noticed a red lipped "Marina" rushing into Hernys arms for a big smooch. Maybe a little switcheroo is in our future?

When Estercitas cloudy wedding memory snaps into focus and she actually sees her first grooms face, she's going to be hiking/biking/swimming back to R-Lay-Dee!! I know I would!

Thanks again, EJ!


 

When Mags was living in a sewer, she rejected her sex worker buddy's suggestion to shake down Mercedes for money. I see Mags as angry and messed up but not evil. As others have pointed out, she needs to be in therapy.
 

No point in having twins in a novela unless there is a mixup, count on it.
 

I would like to see Ursullied confront Mag thinking that she is Marina. I bet Mag could put Urrr in her place fast. So far Urrr has only had to deal with women she can control..Mayusedtobe, mild mannered Marina, and the easily duped Delphina. Street savvy Mag could be a real challenge for Urrr's high self esteem. I think that there's something about living in a sewer that makes a girl impervious to bullying.
 

Elna June - palatably done recap of a truly sad episode. Thank you.

I so do hope the writers don't go the way of making Mags the evil twin, or doing the switcheroo; so overdone and predictable.


As for XN's (non-)acting, I still like it. Since this is her first gig, I've interpreted the Marina character as meek, unobtrusive, and shy (which inhibits her from showing too much emotion).



 

Um...sidebar-worthy much? - "I think that there's something about living in a sewer that makes a girl impervious to bullying."

Susanlynn, I hope we are starting to see a stronger Marina. Maybe just wishful thinking on my part. I don't think Marina and Ursula have had the opportunity for a real run-in yet. So far they have mostly been sizing each other up. Marina or Magdalena, I'm already ready for an Ursulus Horribilis smackdown.

Good call about the red lips. Funny how lipstick can make the woman. Magdalena seems to have a different posture as well.
 

EJ--Thank you for the special tribute to Eusebia. Thank you, Mejia for giving us the unexpected in a tn--a beloved character dying before her time with us was complete. It was a moving description. I loved the boat trip (maybe being ferried across the River Styx?). But actually I conjured up Sweet William in the kayak first.

Cap'n, Susanlynn's comment, "I think that there's something about living in a sewer that makes a girl impervious to bullying." is definitely sidebar worthy, but be assuree it won't be lost. It will be one of the Quotes Out Of Context in the first issue of La Tempestad - Confidencial.
 

Just sending a message to Susanlynn and Judy B. Life really smacks us around sometimes, especially with seeing family members suffer unjustly and losing close family and friends. I hope you're feeling the cyber hugs and kind wishes from your Caraymates, including me.


 

EJ thanks for this lovely recap. Your sincerity regarding Eusebia's passing was touching and your snips at foolish characters fun. I'll say more later tonight. Hope you and your are well.

Judy and Susanlynn - good vibes to you both as well as cyber hugs.
 

EJ, it's so true about Bea. I can't wait until she has to eat humble pie regarding Hernan.
 

OK; the town in which these TN characters live, where is it supposed to be? East coast or West coast? South or North. Don't know what CS 2009 means. Just wondering.
 

Emarie - location is in or around Veracruz Mexico, east coast of mainland Mexico on the Gulf of Mexico.
 

They are in Alvarado, Veracruz.
 

Such great comments today. Thanks to mauricio, Niecie, Variopinta, Katy, shallowgal,Karen and La Paloma for dropping by.

As for Mags, I think she will be angry and act out. My guess is that she will resent and possibly hate her sister; how not? Surely she will try to seduce both Hernan and Damian. I hope she doesn't join forces with Ernesto and the forces of darkness.

EJ
 

Elna June,

Your somber and respectful recap made me pause and think about life, death, and what kind of impact we leave in the heart of people. Thank you for that.

JudyB and Susannlynn, my thoughts are with you during your trying times.