Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Que Pobres tan ricos #7: The trap closes in on MA, and a party for the ages and the ageless...

Refrito:


Abuela telling MA how she faked ‘taking’ her pills, signs papers. Those pills made her sleepy and confused, she wants to live life full awake and in reality.

MA hands over the pills to Saul to get them analyzed.

Mini and mama… Mini wants to give MA one more chance, mama says he just gambled one too many times and turned into a delinquent. She does not want them to end up selling stuff on the street. Mini’s phone rings, its MA, need to talk to her. Mini: sure! Come on over (so I can drop you like an expired lottery ticket)

At the Menchacas Don Chuy and Jose his son try to dance around Lupita to get to gym to work out with a story about helping a neighbor with her sink drain pipe.

MA proposes to Mini after some babbling about counting on her for counseling/tranquility and Mini responding that he can find that counseling/tranquility with a doctor… will you marry me?.... well… No.

Lo Nuevo:

AS continues preparing for her huge farewell party. Frida and Leo ask her where in Italy we’re going. No idea… (claims Florence is the birth place of their ancestors)… It will be so great that they will be using Euros… Leo asks why move. AS assumes MA is trying to make amends for all the years of neglecting them.

Back to MA and Mini, MA still has not responded, frozen and deaf from her response. He has no words. She plays offended, his reaction said it all, he cares more about his family than about her!, so basically she tells him don’t let the door hit you on your way out… MA wants the ring back. She gives it and continues waving him out. Bye! After he leaves she wonders if she overplayed offended girl.

Back to RP house, Leo and Frida keep brainstorming about moving to Italy. She mentions she needs a new car. Leo says who cares, buy one over there. He wants to invite his own friends to the farewell party. AS agrees he invite his friends but warns Frida not to invite her nasty friends. Frida says don’t sweat it. I would not bore them to death with that party. They leave AS alone singing in Italian (La mobile??)

MA is upset walking down the sidewalk and drops the ring down the drain and then tries to fish it back with a branch. Saul calls MA, he says A-hole just met with the corporate board and they are going to accuse MA. MA is speechless. Saul asks Are you ok? MA: what else could happen after I break up with my girl, lose all my money, what else can happen? (just then a car washes him with dirty street water).

Don Chuy has put on the mask of ‘hijo de Sumatra’ and begins to practice with another wrestler. Don CHuy loses his breath in record time and gets a beating, Jose covers his ears so he does not have to watch (LOL!)

AS is ordering gourmet seafood appetizers for 200 people. She is on phone with the best fine cuisine Mexican food restaurant(really? She could not choose Italian or French restaurant?). Don’t worry about the bill. (hangs up and then hurries up the house staff) She believes she can get the national orchestra and Amalia Hernandez folkloric ballet for the entertainment on a moments notice. Yeah right!

At her house, Mini still can’t believe now that MA was behaving so nice to her she had to drop him. Mom says don’t worry, then cracks up laughing. She is enjoying the idea of Ana Sophy, the snobbish one, will fall to the bottom of the barrel. You did the right thing. We cannot fall into oblivion. The right prospect is Alejo. Repeat after me. I will sleep with A-hole. I will sleep with A-hole… Mini is mortified that she wasted so many years with MA for nothing.

Back to Don Chuy and Jose… Don CHuy is beat up. Lupita and Carmelita come down and are surprised at his state. But Lupita can tell right away what happened. Don Chuy says they are making a storm out of a cup of water. We have to get the money somehow. Lupita says yeah but without risking his life. She will call MA and try to negotiate. She doesn’t expect to get anywhere with MA, but what can they lose.

Isela calls AS to ‘laugh a little’ on account of the one who believed herself the Mexican Empress. AS answers the phone and tells Isela about the party to celebrate that they are moving to Italy. Mini now gets miffed that MA had promised to live with her in Europe. She believes it was all a lie from ALejo. Isela says we have to go to that party to find out for good. Dress up real slutty/open cleavage (escotazo!)

Don Chuy protests that Lupita and Carmelita are treating him as an old man. He warns Lupita that whatever good MA inherited from Don Aurelio, he also inherited the bad on the side of his cousin Alejo.

Frida talks to her friends, ranting at them for what happened at last protest. They say the one who lost it last night was her. She just wants to stand out as the revolutionary girl. They leave her nagging alone with her boyfriend. Boyfriend keeps coaching her that she is worth tons, that is why he loves her.

Lupita and Wendy talk about Don Chuy’s issue with the title docs. Lupita asks Wendy to not tell anyone. Wendy acts offended that Lupita had to ask. She tells Don Chuy ‘Why don’t you send your daughter to work with me?’ Don Chuy is impressed, says now we just have to convince her. Lupita repeats her request that Wendy not tell any of it. Wendy repeats her promise swearing on the signal of the cross.

Frida asks her boyfriend to come visit her sometime. Boyfriend says why don’t we have our own mega party? But right then a school admin guy comes to tell her that her credit card was declined and she owes the tuition for the semester. She announces she is moving to Italy, the guy says ok then you won’t get the transcripts for this semester. He leaves smiling, she stays there protesting bloody murder.

Wendy goes to the produce market and finds Dinu… and immediately tells him about the Menchaca’s financial woes. He wants to know the whole story. (Boy that promise didn’t last long. With friends like that…)

MA and Saul run into A-hole’s office. MA demands to know what the meeting with the board was about. A-hole after some hesitation says it was about the board agreeing that MA cannot stay at head of corporate. A-hole suggests Adolfo Giron is behind the fraud issue. MA’s cell phone rings, it is Lupita. She wants to talk about the title docs issue. MA agrees to meet at restaurant near the corporate offices. Vilma and A-hole hear this. As MA and Saul leave, Vilma comments to A-hole that he forgot to tell MA that the investors already sued him… A-hole laughs ‘how could I forget to tell him?!’. As they are walking out of the office, the cops arrive to the front desk asking for MA. Still on the other side of the glass with Vilma, A-hole sees the cops, then sighs and says ‘aahhh! Too bad, your hour is here, dear cousin.’

At a fine French restaurant, Lupita arrives, gets the attention from the maitre’D since she’s obviously under-dressed for the location. She says she is waiting for someone. Lupita sits at a table to wait for MA. Funny scene when a waiter comes to offer her several French dishes and she stares at him with a blank face,not recognizing any of them especially with the French accent of the waiter… She receives a call, I think from Carmelita. Lupita tells her she is at a restaurant to meet MA. And she will let him pay the bill (LOL!)

At airport, Leo is posing for a photo with his friends next to the plane they are about to board, they are going to take a flight to Miami for some festival with his friends. The pilot comes out to Leo, says can’t get the plane fueled because his credit card was declined. Leo upset, nags that this would not happen in Europe. His friend asks what is going on. Leo denies there is any problem. And just like with Frida, Leo’s friends take off on him, even though he tries to convince them the problem is a storm warning that is not letting the plane get clearance for take-off.… once alone, he nags ‘dead for society, here lies Leo Palacios, forever alone’.

At corporate offices A-hole fakes protesting to the cops about them coming to arrest MA. But Vilma is very quick to tell the cops where MA is. Saul heard this, so he hides and calls MA on cell phone.

Back to restaurant, MA had just arrived to the table with Lupita. Lupita tells MA about her dad’s friendly deal with Don Chuy. MA doesn’t believe her. Says ‘my grandpa would never make a deal by word like that, not even with me’. She starts to show him the receipts. But they are interrupted by Frida’s call to MA. Frida tries to get him to hear her protest about what is going on with her friends. MA brushes her off and hangs up. Lupita tries to explain the story again but now it is Leo calling MA protesting about the card being declined. Lupita tells him they don’t have the title docs, but they do have the receipts…his phone rings again. This time it is Saul to tell him there is an order for his arrest and cops are about to get there. Saul reminds him that in Mex you get locked up right away, no matter whether you are guilty or innocent.

At his office, A-hole is toasting champagne with Vilma about his cousin’s very very bad day. Vilma asks are you not worried at all about your family suspecting anything or Alonso turning on you? A-hole whines to her for ruining his moment. No! Vilma corrects her stance and reassures him nothing will go wrong.

Back to restaurant, Lupita again tries to continue to explain their plan. At that moment MA sees the cops entering the restaurant and gets frozen worried.

AS is entering some beauty parlor, she does not waste time to rub it on the beautitian, her sunglasses are too expensive for the beautitian’s budget… She wants an updated do, something sophisticated.The beautitian hands AS to another beautitian, give her the usual treatment… just a trim. (LOL!)

Back to restaurant, MA hides behind Lupita. He gets real close to her face and they start a stare, but she snaps out of it and starts protesting. He jumps up and runs away. The waitress holds Lupita back, have to pay the bill, Lupita protests ‘no manches!’ she can’t believe the bill is 70 pesos for a coffee, she only charges 10 at her fonda for a ‘de olla’ one. The waitress asks her for the 15% tip on top of that.

Saul again calls MA… they have an order for his arrest. MA sees the cops around his car, so no car anymore. Saul says they are also at your house, and he has heard that in two days they will take over the (RP) house. MA alarmed.

The cops came to RP house, and they watch all the liquor orders come in for the party. AS is giving orders. The suppliers are waiting for her to sign payment. AS gets miffed, she will do that tomorrow.

Outside in his car, Saul is waiting for MA. MA jumps to his driver side window as if they were on a spy show, scaring Saul. Saul tells MA things got really complicated now. MA wants to flee to US with his family. Saul says that will not be so easy. MA mentions his mom still has her Romagnoli fortune she inherited from her parents. MA worried now he will have to explain the situation to his family, he feels for first time everything is getting out of his hands. Saul says ask family for money. MA still the proud fool says he will ask them for money but will return it asap. Saul mentions ‘What about Minerva’. MA does not feel like talking about that now.

At her house, Minerva is still angry protesting how A-hole fooled her. Mama says go see a shrink. You are making me nervous. Door ring… it is A-hole. With another gift for Minerva. Minerva calls him a liar. Tells him about the big party the RP are planning. Mama rants for how she treats A-hole. He says surely they are saying farewell to their rich life. Minerva corrects him, they are leaving Mexico, heading to Italy.

At RP the phone rings. It is MA and AS won’t answer the phone that the maid brought her. AS is already drunk although her hair and makeup is done. She considers urgent chosing what outfit she will wear, not answering MA’s call. Then MA calls Frida. She also refuses to answer the phone. Then MA tries Leonardo, who responds with a miffed tone. MA tries to tell Leonardo about a life or death situation. Leonardo protests that he just went through the biggest embarrassment of his life thanks to him, so he hangs up, waiting on a call from Macarena. MA says will have to go home. Saul: You crazy? MA: Yes.

Back to Isela/Mini’s… A-hole insists MA and his family don’t have a penny folded in two. Isela also believes that AS is moving to Italy. AS herself invited them to the celebration. A-hole receives a phone call. It is Vilma to tell him no one can find MA. A-hole biting his teeth worried.

At the house, the party is in full blast. Leo dancing alone in front of mariachi.The ambassador from Italy is a guest. AS:Benvenuti a mia casa.(And more nonsense in Italian) Her outfit was designed by an italian but made by hand by local artists(LOL!). AS is so wasted she even brushes off offending her own friends (the members of her club) calling them boring and predictable. Chavelita (Lorena Velazquez character name!) tells AS they will miss her. AS says she will make one last charity move. She will donate all her clothing and all her jewelry… well, PART of her jewelry.. (ouch! She will regret that!) Chavelita compliments her, calling her ‘saint’. AS blushes… ‘a saint’ (with a facial gesture like ‘not a bad idea’.).

Saul and MA arrive, Saul tells MA there is a party going on here… What??!

Previews: MA is running away, has some weird turban with an animal head on top over his head. Voice over says everyone is looking for him, and the only one to give him a hand is Lupita. And they all will move in together.

Labels:


Comments:
Martaivett, thank you for the quick and complete recap.

If all of her friends think she is in Italy, AS won't have to face her friends in the face of the family's financial ruin.

After seeing AS use "shoo, shoo" with the maid we know where MA got it from.

Poor don Chuy. His days in the ring are over.

In the avance: the weird turban with the deer head on top of MA's head looks like the traditional head dress used for the native American deer dance which is usually included in performances of Amalia Hernandez's Ballet Folklorico de Mexico . Maybe AS did get them (or someone like them) at the last moment. lol.

Jarifa
 

Marta:

Thanks so much for this marvelous recap.

I had to laugh at Lupita in that French Restaurant. The waiter kept pushing croissants, tiramisu. Also sauces to go with that, lol. She only wanted black coffee, and it's funny that is a high price for coffee. I liked that long stare that MA and Lupita had. Very telling.

I feel so bad for MA. His family totally ignored his cry for help. I can't wait for them to find out how much trouble he's in and how the money is all frozen now. I bet AS's inheritance is probably blown long ago. Isn't most of the RP's stuff in MA's name? If it is, it's all frozen too.

One little correction. Don Aurelino was MA's Grandpa, not his dad. We've never found out what happened to AS' husband. Don Aurelino made that agreement with Don Chuy.

I just knew Don Chuy was getting back into that ring. Shame. He really is too old to be fighting now. I think he should do what Julie suggested, train others to fight. He could make good money from that.

I love the mix of Italian here. Benvenuti means welcome in Italian.

I had to laugh at Leo and the plane. He explained to his friends, I think they were going to Bermuda or Barbadoes, there was a tsunami warning and that's why they couldn't go with the plane and then he started making noises like a storm, lol.

I can't wait to see what MA is going to do next to hide out from the cops.

Mini evidently never loved MA. She is after the money, just like her Mama. She so deserves Ahole.

Thanks again Marta for a great recap.

 

This telenovela is moving very slowly compared to the Colombian original POBRES RICO, literally more than twice as many episodes to cover the same plot points. Not sure if I find that good or bad yet; I'm mostly enjoying the show, but also wishing it would get on with it.

I'm split on the casts -- all the characters exist in both versions - I think I like Jaime Camil, Zuria Vega, and Mark TAcher more than the Colombian leads, but much prefer the supporting cast in the Colombian version, and it's the supporting players who supply most of the comedy so...

The Colombian production was also much slicker, swifter and more modern; same as EL SECRETARIO versus PORQUE EL AMOR MANDA; not sure why Televisa's versions of the same stories are so leaden and old-fashioned in comparison, even from a quality producer like Rosy Ocampo.
 

Thanks, Mads. I will make the correction on the recap. and yes, I forgot to write that Leo was trying to convince his friends the plane was not going because of a storm report and his playing the winds sounds for them.
 

Many thanks, Marta. This detailed recap will be very helpful when I watch tonight!

RG- I am enjoying this, but I admit I wish the RPs were already living with the Menchacas.
 

PS I forgot to say I was a little miffed Lupita got stuck with the check. Lol
 

Excellent recap, Marta.

Sara-I was also miffed that Lupita's had to pay the bill, when it was MA who chose the place and we know she has to save every peso she can get.

Wow. When the RPs learn they have nothing left to their fancy name, that will be something epic.

RG- I always enjoy your insight. I wonder how long this one is supposed to be. The Mexican comedies do have a way of dragging, unlike the Colombian versions. Hopefully, our characters can keep us engaged.
 

Sara,
'I admit I wish the RPs were already living with the Menchacas. '
ME TOO!!! I think it is somewhat funny now but it will be hysterical the first few days of the RPs at La Via Italia.
thank goodness tonight MA and Lupita will continue interacting.
 

Jarifa,
'After seeing AS use "shoo, shoo" with the maid we know where MA got it from.' ROFLOL!! good observation!

and Mads, I agree that by now AS has splurged not only the money MA gave her, but I agree that her family fortune evaporated long ago.
 

Thanks, Marta. I have to say, I was surprised to see that Don Chuy really did expect to revive his wrestling career. What was he thinking?? Now we'll see if he and his son will consider introducing "Nieto de Sumatra" to the ring... except I'm not sure if Sonny (I forget his name, Tizo? Tico?) is even interested.

I am also ready for the RPs to move in with the Menchacas, but it looks like we're going to have some fun first with MA fleeing justice and AS finally getting the bad news. Chances are she'll still be drunk when she finds out and won't remember it when she sobers up, and then someone will have to explain it to her a second time...

You know what I like about this show? First, it's funny. I mean actually funny.

AND so far we've been spared the over-the-top preaching we got in PESE (which I otherwise liked very much). If your story SHOWS us the lesson we're supposed to be learning, you don't have to follow it up with a long speech EXPLAINING the lesson too. (Maybe there are some speeches in our future, but I think by this time in PESE we had already been lectured a couple of times.)

And what I also love is... NO AVON. And no Unefon (all the phones have the same distinctive annoying ringtone). At least not yet.
 

I am loving Que Pobre Tan Rico, Thank you Martaivett for the recap, to explain what I could to follow.
 

I keep wondering how all these rich layabouts are going to cope with poverty. None of them work or seem to have any skills other than spending money. Even MA who has skills won't be able to use them since obviously he will be hiding out. They are going to have to earn money somehow if for nothing else than food. Perhaps Don Chuy can turn the brother RP into luchadors - now wouldn't that be fun to see.

I'm thinking the two family merge should take place by the end of the week and then let the games begin. The RP mama and sibs are already getting a hint that something is wrong but they don't seem to have the smarts to put it together. They are also getting a taste of what it will be like when their "friends" turn their backs on them. Lots of hard life lessons coming their way.

Min's mom daughter discussions are eye opening. I can't believe that any apparently upper class mother would blatantly tell her daughter to "sleep with Ahole" just so she could hook him and they'd still be rolling in money. Kind of a high class pimpess. I did laugh when the two of them told Ahole that the RP's were throwing a big bash prior to moving to Italy and he couldn't think of where they had stashed enough money to do it.

I don't have a problem with the pacing so far but do hope they avoid the slapsticky behavior that always seem to pass for humor in Mexican TN "Comedies". The situation alone provided plenty of fodder for laughs.
 

Don't forget - in the first episode MA said he had once worked as a waiter. I don't know how much money he can earn waiting tables in the Mechacas' diner, given that business there has been slow so far... but he has business skills and experience too, and could maybe help out behind-the-scenes with the restaurant business. Maybe come up with a marketing plan, or something.

Maybe I'm getting way ahead of myself, but I hope not. I would love to see Leo and Frida learn how to deal with hungry people.
 

Thank you for the recap, Marta.

Of course MA will end up with Lupita. But what about their sibblings? Air-headed Leo with Chuy's kinda' shallow daughter? Earnest, sincere Frida with Chuy's earnest, sincere son?
 

Hmm, Paula, that almost sounds too straightforward. ;-)
 

Julie:

I like the marketing plan. They didn't advertise that Fonda at all, I think too that MA will get on that sometime down the road.

Seeing the boys as Lucadors is way funny too.

Deice:

Laughed at your pimpess! Too funny. She is that isn't she? Her daughter goes to the one with the most moola, that's for sure. Why didn't the Moms snag herself a Richie rich I wonder?
 

Well, Moms already had a richie-rich, and maybe it never occurred to her to remarry. Or maybe her husband's political scandal affected her reputation too, so that no respectable rich dude will marry her.

Whatever the case, she's pinned all her hopes on Minerva. Isn't this just like Sebastard in PEAM insisting that Alma marry Rogelio to pay off Sebastard's debt to him? And Isadora's money-grubbing parents in Destilando, and what's her name's money-grubbing mom in Robo.

Funny - until just this minute I didn't realize what a TN cliche it is for parents to claim authority over their kids' marriages for their own financial gain.
 

I too like MA giving the Menchaca's the marketing/business savy to get the fonda successful, while he hides and resolves his own issues and his other relatives learn the meaning of humility and empathy.
 

Gracie is the money grubbing Moms in Robo. She's worse than all the aforementioned Moms. It is a TN cliché isn't it? I also never thought of that.

Marta:

With you about the Richie riches. They do need a lesson in humility and empathy, and some humble pie maybe, so they can see how the "other half" really live. I really hope it teaches them a lesson.

I just had another thought. Frida, the one that likes to "champion" the working man, how is she gonna handle this? That will be interesting. Maybe she'll get with it faster than say, Leo or AS.
 

I think you are right, Mads. One look at Tizoc and Frida will be putty. :)
 

What I am really looking forward to is mealtime at the Menchacas. Those RP are used to Lobster thermidor, caviar, martinis, champagne, can you see AS going ballistic with tortillas and beans? Also this may be her chance to dry out so to speak, but I'm sure she'll get her hands on some mezcal somewhere. Leo won't like it either, but Frida maybe, we'll have to see. MA will probably eat whatever is in front of him. I can't see him being that picky.
 

I love the opening credits when Da Vinci sort of whines when AS is offered beans.
 

In those credits we also see Leo wiping off his plate before the food is served. Makes me want to slap him senseless every time I see it. I can see Frieda adjusting better that Leo after all she is always babbling on about the poor. It will be a good real life experience for her and I too see her with the son. Leo not so much with barrio folk. Of course with all his "artistic" talent he can become a house painter.
 

Could be that Frida is "all talk" and when the chips are really down, she will react worse than the rest of her family and the uber-rich and spoiled princess will emerge: "Wha-at? Me? Comer frijoles? Que horror!"

For some reason I still don't like MA and still don't feel bad for him. Oh, well ... we'll see what happens.
 

Madelaine, once AS has polished off the bottle of mezcal, she can go share a bottle of rompope with Chatita.

Jarifa
 

I predict that Frida will be okay with poverty in theory, and might even like the beans, but in practice she will not cope well with riding the bus or serving food to customers or worse, washing dishes (assuming she's told to do so).

I don't think we're supposed to really like MA yet. I love JC as MA, but he is an arrogant snob and most of us would not enjoy having such a person in our lives. However, at least he's willing to work for things... which puts him in a better category than the rest of his family. So at least we can be rooting for him to change for the better, while the rest of his family will have much harder lessons to learn. (With or without long-winded speeches explaining their lessons in detail!)
 

Wait, I didn't say that right. When I said "I love JC as MA, but he is an arrogant snob" I meant MA is an arrogant snob. Not JC. Oops. Foiled again by pronouns and antecedents!
 

I think Frida and the son look pretty cute together in the opening credits. They would make a nice pair, but they'd have to get her boyfriend out of the way first. I wonder how he'll react to her losing her fortune and status.

I agree that MA is a work in progress. Although I like him, I kind of enjoy watching him squirm a little :)

Rikki
 

Maybe Frida's boyfriend will get together with Leo's girlfriend, the Countess Macarena, when they both go to Italy to visit the RPs. :-D
 

LOL Julie. What a wonderful idea. That would really make the RP's humiliation complete!
 

Post a Comment



<< Home

Newer›  ‹Older

© Caray, Caray! 2006-2022. Duplication of this material for use on any other site is strictly prohibited.

Protected by Copyscape Online Plagiarism Finder