Caray, Caray!

Monday - Part 1

I usually write this at work but we have had ANOTHER snow storm and I don’t have to go into work until 11 so I can do it at home.

We open with Lucy’s attempt to escape from Santi. He grabs her and is frog marching her along when she hits him in the crotch, runs away and jumps in a taxi. Go Lucy! She has lost her phone, the cab drive doesn’t have or won’t lend her his phone. She needs to get to the police station asap but the the road is closed. We see Santi driving, too, with his grim psycho expression. Lucy jumps out of the taxi, runs towards the police station where Pancho is walking up the steps. She calls Pancho’s name but he doesn’t hear her and then Santi grabs her from behind and drags her into his car but apparently no one notices or this is a common practice in Marrero.

Babs wants Fran to bring Willy to her. She says that Willy betrayed her and is the source of all her problems. Fran tells her to get over her obsession with men. All the problems of their family started when Babs went crazy for Willy. Fran also tells Babs to take off her bikini. It’s not vacation time. Good old Fran knows how to focus on the essentials. Mostly though, you wonder how any strapless bikini top could hold those giant boobs! They look like they’re going to explode out of there at any moment.

Fran leaves Babs’ room and runs into Inés who asks if Fran has heard anything about Dr. Murray or Santi. Fran replies in the negative and tells Inés to stay out of Cano family business. Considering that she is a Cano by marriage, that doesn’t make any sense and since when did Inés every listen to anyone? Inés takes the opportunity to tell Fran that she surprised Santa and Bert having sex in his bedroom. Then Babs comes out of her room and begs her mother once again to bring her Willy so he can pay for what he did. Inés asks herself, “What did Willy do?” [A smart cookie like Inés might have guessed that Willy was getting blamed what she, Inés, did for Alicia.]

Bert demands that Pat tells him where Santi’s lair is and Pat wants to make sure he gets paid what was promised. They argue a little bit and Pat lets Bert give him a check!! [How stupid is that? A check is worthless unless there is $$ in the account, which Pat doesn’t know and it is proof that Bert is dealing with a wanted criminal. Pat is going to go into a bank and try and cash a check?] Anyway, they leave for Santi’s lair.


 

Monday - Part 2

Meanwhile, the news that Santa didn’t kill George is assiduously being spread by Begoña. She tells Paula and Willy. Paula is upset that she threw Santa out of her house. They agree that they have to protect willy from Santi.

Santi has taken Lucy to the official kidnap victim holding location in Marrero - the basement of the Robledo cabaña. He ties her up and leaves without saying a word to her. As he goes up the stairs, he says, “Murray,” - unfinished business at the lair.

Santi comes to his lair and Dr. Murray is still lying dead on the floor. “Now, what do I do?” he asks. [Presumably the same thing you did when Lázaro was lying dead on the floor - get rid of the body. A slightly more difficult proposition since Dr. Murray weighs a lot more than Lázaro did.]

Inés comes over to Willy’s house to warn him that Babs and Fran are gunning for him. Willy is a little surprised that Inés would take the trouble to come and warn Willy [and so are we.] Willy guesses that her concern is really for who would take care of her baby if something happened to Willy. This seems doubtful as well but then Begoña comes in with said, unnamed baby and strange motherly feelings arise in Inés!! She wants to hold the baby!! This is almost less believable than Santi turning bad. Begoña can’t believe that Willy will let Inés, who tried to kill him, hold the baby but Willy says that he will raise the baby but she will have to get to know her mother sometime.

Elisa is at her house and she is remembering the last time she was with Lázaro there. She is overcome with grief. Alicia comes in and asks what is the matter. Elisa says that time has passed (not very much, really) and the pain hasn’t gone away. Alicia pretends that she can feel sympathy for someone else [that is how it looked to me] and tries to comfort Elisa, telling her that she is strong, etc.

Bert and Pat arrive at the lair but but the corpse of Dr. Murray is gone. Bert says that Santi must be off disposing of the body or trying to incriminate someone for the murder. This gives Pat the opportunity to tell Pat that Santi killed Ulises and tried to incriminate Bert for it. Bert finds Santi’s knives and tells Pat that he has to keep an eye on Santi all the time - he’s not going to get better. It’s going to be worse than before.

We see Santi with his special body-dumping SUV again. He looks unhappy.


 

Monday - Part 3

Bert looks around at the lair and sees the stalker wall of pictures of Santa. Since he is obsessed with Santa too, he picks out the picture of Santa that Santi found in the prison and tells Pat that this pic dates from before he met Santa. I’m not sure how he knows this but it gives Pat the opportunity to tell the Willy/prison/picture story to Bert. Bert says that Santi is obsessed with Santa and won’t give up until she is his or he kills her.

There is a knock on the door. Bert answers. It’s the real estate agent. Santi has not been paying the rent. She asks Bert, who pretends to be a friend of Santi, to let him know that she is looking for him. [Since Santi kills people who annoy him, Bert should have given the woman one of his rubber checks so she would stay out of Santi’s way at least for a while.]

Santa goes home (to the Cano house). Fran comes downstairs and smacks her across the face. She asks, “Is it true that you are having a romance with Bert? Is it true that Inés surprised you in the sack with Bert?” At first Santa says that it is none of Fran’s business but then she admits that she and Bert love each other. Fran says that Santa can’t be in love with the guy who ruined her life. She must be crazy.

Vicky is giving Tránsito some kitchen stuff. Tránsito says that the police closed the Trebol de Oro so she needs a job. Vicky has an idea and gives Tránsito the recipes that her mother left her and suggests that since Tránsito is a good cook [!!], she should open a restaurant at the Trebol de Oro!! Vicky will help her. [This is really bizarre.]

There is a person lurking around Begoña’s house in the middle of the night. It turns out to be Babs who has come to get Willy since Fran won’t bring Willy to her. Paula, Begoña, Willy and willy all get up. Babs [who looks like she has a bad case of ringworm in addition to a sunburn] accuses Willy of disfiguring her. He denies it and then Babs asks if it isn’t true that he romanced her just to dump her. Babs is really losing it. She says that Willy is with Alicia because she now looks better than Babs. She asks him to wait until she is the prettiest and then they can be together. Willy replies that he doesn’t love her, she doesn’t love him and anyway what you feel inside is more important that looks. I guess Willy is a reformed skirt chaser. Babs is told that Santa did not kill George, it was Alicia. Babs tells Willy that if he doesn’t want her, he can’t have Alicia either.

 

Monday - Part 4

Santi comes to see Bert. Bert asks where he has been all day. Santi replies that he has been with his lawyer and he gives Bert the document to sign that transfers the Cano fortune to Santi. Santi tells Bert that they have an agreement. When Bert signs the document, Santi will withdraw his suit against Bert. Bert tells Santi that he needs a lot of money. Santi asks what Bert needs money for - something illegal? Bert says that two can play that game. He asks where Santi spent the day - in his lair with the body of Dr. Murray? Santi plays dumb. He doesn’t have a lair and hasn’t seen Dr. Murray since the good doctor tied him to a bed and injected him with drugs years ago. Bert pulls out his trump card - and asks then what about this realtor who is looking for Santi. He tells Santi that all he wants is for Santi to commit himself voluntarily so he can get help. Fran shows up and Santi leaves. Bert tells Fran that they have to get proof of Santi’s crimes. [Since when have you needed proof of a crime to be arrested or even convicted of a crime in Marrero?]

Inés goes to see Santa and asks her what it feels like to be a mother. How would she know if she would be a good mother? Inés says that her father told her that she was crazy. Santa replies that Vicente said a lot of things - many of them lies [but not that]. Inés says that she has destroyed everything she has touched. How will she know that she wouldn’t hurt her baby? Santa replies that it is something you feel in your heart and maybe Inés can change but she, Santa doesn’t care and Inés should go away and leave her alone.

René wants to go away with Paula. She hesitates but agrees to go after she has her baby checkup at the doctor.

A veiled Babs goes to Pancho’s office and accuses Alicia of murdering George. [See? She doesn’t have any proof and Pancho seems ready to arrest Alicia.]

Bert comes to see Vicky and tells her that it was Santi who killed her brother.

Lucy is trying to get free in the basement.

Santa finds Inés and tells her that she will help Inés get close to her baby if Inés helps her catch Santi.


 

Wow, Jean! Thanks so much for this amazing recap. I particularly enjoyed your running commentary on the (in)justice system in Marrero and the blasé attitude of the person in the street to crime.

Tránsito's Trebol? Why not?

"the official kidnap victim holding location in Marrero - the basement of the Robledo cabaña."
hee hee hee. Still chuckling over that one.

And this one:

"Good old Fran knows how to focus on the essentials. Mostly though, you wonder how any strapless bikini top could hold those giant boobs! They look like they’re going to explode out of there at any moment."

They should give you more snow days, Jean. :D
 

Great recap, Jean! NovelaMaven has already cited two of the many remarks I enjoyed. I agree that it's strange no one noticed Santi's grabbing Lucy and forcing her into his car (well, not his car, but in Marrero it may count as his). Hence, I vote for your other option: "or this is a common practice in Marrero."

OK, OK, so Lisette has reformed, but Inés? No way!! I hope the writers are playing with us.

It's interesting that Bert told the real estate agent that he was a friend of Santi's and that his name is Patricio Vidal. I wonder whether that will prove to be important.


 

"It's interesting that Bert told the real estate agent that he was a friend of Santi's and that his name is Patricio Vidal. I wonder whether that will prove to be important."

Juanita, I thought that Bert was really thinking on his feet (no wonder he's such a good trial lawyer!). If the realtor tells Santi that she talked to his friend Patricio Vidal, he won't think anything of it. But if he had made up a name or refused to identify himself, he would ask her to describe him and then Santi might guess that it was, in fact, Bert.

(Or that's my best guess.)

By the way, my favorite moment last night was when Santa lets Inès speak her piece and we start to think that not only is Inès softening, but Santa is too. And then Santa says something like: Sabes que? No me importa.
 

wow, what a terrific recap Jean!

I had to laugh when Humberto started commenting on how obsessed Santiago is with Santa and how crazy he must be, (I guess he was impressed that Santiago had been obsessed longer than he had been), and I guess it's kind of a Marrero thing, calling someone else crazy.

I too noticed that Humberto introduce himself to the real estate lady as Patricio Vidal, Humberto is smooth.

you could really see Ines choking up with the baby in the same room, she refused to even look at her when she was born.

me too NovelaMaven, loved it when Ines was quizzing Santa about being a good mom, and Santa listens for a while then goes, you know what, I'm not interested.

Ines has really been skating along through this whole story, never being held accountable for anything she has done, it is so strange to see this caring side of her, Willy is so cool at reaching out to the bad girls, but it looked like the whole Martinez clan was ready to grab Ines at the first sign of trouble.

 

and the George murder thingy is something else, spreading like wildfire, willy overhears Alicia telling Santa that she actually killed George, he tells Begona, who tells Willy overheard by Paula, and then Barbara, confirmed by Paula, who then goes to see Pancho to file a complaint against Alicia.

Wanda D'Isidoro is doing an amazing job as Bárbara, so captivating to watch.

also of interest is Santa's flat declaration of love for Humberto, as if she has come to her roads end and there is nothing else.

 

NovelaMaven, I think you're right about why Bert said he was Patricio. Jeez, I guess he thinks faster than I do. Sigh.

And yes, I too enjoyed Santa's "no me importa" to the doe-eyed Inés.

Deb, I agree--"I guess it's kind of a Marrero thing, calling someone else crazy." It fits with everything else we know about Marrero.
 

Tks so much Jean,

I have no doubt Lucy will free herself from the Marrero holding tank, although a pain in the nalgas, that girl is resourceful.
 

Great recap, Jean! And great comments, everyone. Yes, who would have thought that Ines is getting maternal feelings, and is sort of turning into a good character? Next we'll have Patricio as a noble character, and Vicky as evil. It's so hard to keep track!

But I'm loving it. Only 5 more episodes, which means, I think, that the Gran Final will be next Monday night.
 

Yes, the Gran Final will be next Monday. I have to go to a meeting Tuesday morning, when I normally do my recap. I don't want to keep everyone waiting. So, is anyone interested in doing a recap of the gran final that would be posted Tuesday morning, more or less?

Thanks!!
 

SANTA, Martes, Page 1

It’s a good thing this show is ending soon, because with Santiago on the loose, we may run out of characters! As usual, this may be out of order.

Santa tells Inés she’ll help her to be a good mother to her baby if Inés helps find Santi. Inés waffles, but finally agrees.

Bert has told Vicky that Santiago killed Ulises. He’s not going to the police, but if she wants to, she can. She’s not sure. Bert meets with Santa and tells her what he told Vicky. They’re both worried about Santi, and the safety of willy.

Lisette meets with Bert, and says for once, be a father. To Iván. So Bert visits Iván, and tells him not to give up. He and Santa married to trick each other, did terrible things, but despite all that, he now loves her, and will NEVER give up in trying to win her back. Just one MINUTE with Santa is worth everything! This gets Iván to thinking (we hope) that maybe he should try to go back to Vicky and be with her. Meanwhile, she’s signed the papers to sell her house, and is just about out the door.

Rene goes with Paula to the OB-gyn, they do the sonagram, and it’s a girl!

Santa enters her house, and sees willy standing there with balloons. He begs her to forgive him, he misjudged her. Of course, she melts, they hug, and it’s very sweet.

Pancho won’t take Barb’s word for it that Alicia killed George, he needs proof. He visits Santa, and willy himself pipes up, saying he overheard Alicia tell Santa that she only acted in self defense, and George was alive. Then Alicia admitted killing George. Santa confirms this (didn’t know willy had overheard), and they both agree to testify.

So Pancho, with his usual brilliant police work, sends about 5 cruisers, lights flashing, sirens blaring, to Alicia’s house to arrest her. She’s not there, of course. She had borrowed some clothes from Elisa, and is at Elisa’s. Elisa has been suspicious, and sees the cops outside of Alicia’s place. Even though Pancho is about 20 feet away, he doesn’t see her. Elisa goes back and confronts Ali, what did you do? Ali won’t admit anything, thinks it’s a plot, but Elisa isn’t falling for this. She later goes to the police station, and asks Pancho what the police want Alicia for. Pancho tells her, suspicion of killing George, and by the way, Elisa, he continues. Do you happen to know where Alicia is? Gulp.
 

SANTA, Part 2

Lucy, tied up in the cabana, has been struggling to rub her ropes against the metal, she’s got to get free. The good news is, she does it! The bad news; Santiago happens to enter the basement just then. He points a gun at her, not so fast. He tells her he sometimes doesn’t remember doing bad things, but she’s so cute, he’s sure he’ll remember killing her! The good new is, she grabs a tire iron, and hits him, knocking the gun from his hand. The bad news? He shot her in the stomach anyway. The good news, since Santi was sort of knocked out, she can struggle up the steps to the first floor. The bad news? Santi recovers, comes up, and shoots her again. Dead.

In an effort to locate Santiago, Inés goes back to Room 8, and finds Patricio there, packing his duffel. The two proceed to insult each other, threaten each other, neither wants to give away the connection to Santi. No matter, because Heeeeeerrrrreee’s Santi! He enters, points the gun at both of them. Inés and Pat are scared, Inés tries talking nice, Pat tries talking tough. Nothing’s deterring Santi, until the door pops open, and it’s the real estate lady, asking for the rent. Bad move, as Santi shoots her in the stomach! She drops to the floor, lies there dying, and Inés is in shock, but starts pleading with Santi, who lets down his guard for a second, and Pat lunges, and grabs the gun. The tables seem to be turned.

But Pat really just wants to leave, and he does, with the gun. This allows Santi to overpower Inés, and he locks her inside Room 8, with the dying real estate lady! (I know, what kind of rental room doesn’t let you open it from the inside, but my beanie is on tight enough to let that one go). Inés pounds on the door, to no avail. She asks the real estate lady for her cellphone, but she left it in the car. Damn!

Barb is out for revenge, having been told by Alicia that Willy messed up her face. But Willy denies this, and Barb rushes out. Later, after Alicia hears that Pancho’s after her, she assumes Willy turned HER in, and goes to seek him out. He denies this, he didn’t call the cops, it must have been BARB, who was just here! This isn’t true either, since we know it was Santa, willy and Begoña who told Pancho to go after Alicia. But no matter. It looks as if Barb and Alicia are headed for some kind of gigantic showdown!

Bert’s had enough of showdowns. He says to Santa, let’s leave, you, me and your son willy. Tonight. Santa thinks about it, thinks about it......and says YES! She tells a shocked Begoña the news. (Raise your hands if you think Bert, Santa and willy are really leaving town tonight for a beautiful life. I’m waiting.........:)

And that’s not all. Lucy is alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

wow, great recap Hombre!

kind of confusing, but even though Santa and willy confirmed to Pancho that Alicia confessed to killing George, it was Barbara who jumped on her camel and went to the police station to turned Alicia in.

so, doesn't Santa have a restraining order about being around willy, and doesn't Willy have a say where willy goes, and weren't the Alicia/Willy and Humberto/Santa/willy conversations occurring simultaneously is the same room?

and I'm always amazed that Pancho is always at his desk, no matter where else he is.

Yes! Lucy is still alive, I knew she wasn't done irritating people, it takes more than a couple of bullets to slow her down.

but I feel so sorry for the real estate lady, especially with Ines trying to ignore her.

 

Fabulous recap, Hombre!!

Bert has to take moral responsibility for the deaths or woundings of Lucy and the Real Estate agent and maybe Dr. Murray. He knows that Santi is a homicidal maniac and he hasn't notified the police. Telling Vicky that she can do it just isn't good enough.

You didn't mention the fact that Pancho got some psychic indigestion when Lucy got shot. Now this novela has not used the trite novela device of psychic messages from the loved one in trouble at all that I can recall. Santa didn't get one when Santi got shot. Vicky didn't get one when Ulises was shot, Elisa didn't get one when Lázaro was stabbed, etc. So Pancho gets one when Lucy gets shot??? Since I assume that Lucy will survive if she didn't die when she was shot, does that mean that Pancho will embrace heterosexuality and end up with her?

Even stranger, Pancho gets the premonition that Lucy is in trouble and doesn't do anything about it like try and call her!!
 

Fantastic recap, Hombre! I loved your observation that if this telenovela were to go on much longer, with Santi on the loose we'd run out of characters. And don't worry about the events being out of order: that seems absolutely right for this telenovela!

You got me thinking at the end, when you said " (Raise your hands if you think Bert, Santa and willy are really leaving town tonight for a beautiful life. I’m waiting.........:)" Clearly this can't happen, right? A telenovela has to end with Justice triumphing; Bert has to pay for the many bad things he has done, not ride off into the sunset with the Woman He Loves, right? But this telenovela has been departing from our expectations over and over again. Perhaps the final departure would be to thwart our assumptions about telenovelas yet again.
 

Funny Hombre, gracias. I'm sitting on my hands.

Of all people NOT to kill, Pat! So I guess he will do more damage.

Poor people moving to Marrero. I hope they aren't killed by mistake.

I just knew Lucy would survive.

I guess Babs is going to have to move to an Arab country where covering your face is the style.
 

Thank you, Hombre! So funny. I especially enjoyed your good news/bad news riff. If we're all getting this punchy, imagine how hard it must be for the actors to keep a straight face about now.

Classic deb:

"It was Barbara who jumped on her camel and went to the police station to turn Alicia in."

and this:

"and I'm always amazed that Pancho is always at his desk, no matter where else he is."

hahahaha

And Jean -- Pancho's "psychic indigestion" about Lucy (which he tries to ignore, as he has always tried to do with the actual Lucy)

Juanita -- I love the idea that the novela might turn our expectations upside down. Do they dare?

Variopinta -- Maybe that couple already live in Marrero. They're probably regulars at the Cyanide Cafe, no?
 

Thanks HdeM, Your recap helped reconfirm that the show is just as crazy as it appeared to be.

Jean
...."Bert has to take moral responsibility for the deaths or woundings of Lucy and the Real Estate agent and maybe Dr. Murray"...

I have one other thought to your perspective. When Santi was starting to be crazy, Bert did call Dr Murray straight away and he told Mumsy Fran it was time to involve Dr Murray to recommit Santi... Mumsy Fran is the one that balked and Bert told her if anything else happens, the blood is on her hands. This was well before Lucy and Dr Murray were killed and even before Bert knew Santi killed Uly. Bert doesn't yet know that Lucy or Dr Murray were shot and/or killed.

Another note, Jean. I would be happy to help you out with the blog on Monday because its loads of fun to write. However, I took the Friday slot to allow some weekend time to pop out the recap - otherwise I would be trying to steal time from work during week in the a.m. to pop out a recap, or, stealing time from the weekend workouts that start at 8am. It has been my sense that folks prefer the recaps within the day. I just felt the need to let you know I saw your request for help!


 

Thank you, Jean and Hombre, for this week's recaps. You are both laugh out loud hilarious!

I can't believe we only have 4 episodes left! Where will we get our portion of crazy when it all ends?
Maybe we can all move to En Otra Piel - apparently it's a paranormal tn, which I'm pretty sure I'm going to hate, but hate watching is a thing, right?

Santi is really cleaning up the streets of Marrero, isn't he? And Lucy has to be RoboCop Lady or something - first the car accident and now being shot twice and she's still breathing.

Is it just me or Santa looks anything BUT in love in her scenes with Bert? Her face is just so blah all the time, this is not a stellar work from the actress. Even Bert seems bored, but Carlos Ponce has delivered in spades for this tn; maybe he finally got tired of carrying the show on his shoulders.

I was wondering when Elisa might snap; she should have really dropped crazy Alicia a long time ago.
 

OMG, I like to think that I am the LAST person to go around criticizing telenovelas, for everything that they give to us but, still...

'Santa Diabla' is making 'El Rostro de la Venganza' look like something by Hemingway.

Yeesh!
 

I'm on crazy overload but Otra piel just has a crazy premise. This one had insane writers.

I watched Otra piel last night, but I am really tired of abused women, so I'm gone. I'll have to wait for the one after SD, I forget what it is.

So, I'll be down to one novela.

Such a letdown after Reina & SD.
 

Hombre de Misterio said

So Pancho, with his usual brilliant police work, sends about 5 cruisers, lights flashing, sirens blaring, to Alicia’s house to arrest her.

My favorite part of this was when Pancho kicked in the door. He used so little force that I can only assume that not only was the door unlocked, it also must have been slightly ajar
 

ah, so we will have the usual gran final,

I see Santiago is already planning the wedding,
(loved the mannequin body parts sticking out)
and I'm sure there will be a large family gathering,
maybe at the prison,
and a big opening dinner at the Trebol de Oro,
(am I the only one that can smell that place?)

loved the way everyone looked at Ines,
when she jumped right on Santa's plan,
"a good defense is a good offense"
like she IS crazy?

 

I think Santa decides to play along with the "wedding" to get Santi out of hiding. Of course that simply having the police there when the ceremony is about to start would be the best way to handle things, but I'm guessing that it won't be as easy as that.
Maybe Santi will have a gun ready and be able to scare off the entire Marrero Poluce Unit and take Santa to God knows where - maybe the cemetery where they first met.

I'm starting to think that Fran should have given away BOTH twins, since one is more insane then the other. Kind of funny if you think about it, how they are both in big trouble with the police right now - maybe they get killed at the same time, too, it would be kind of poetic, in a creepy, telenovela twins, way.

I was cheering for Willy when he made it clear that he won't allow Santa to take his child and leave. She didn't even think about asking his opinion, she is just so unlikable! For a woman who has just lost the custody of her child, she sure lacks the empathy to realize what that might do to Willy, if one day she took the boy away from him.
Did I mention how much I really, truly, definitely dislike Santa Martinez?

Lucy, bless her soul, has a million lives.
And Ines has a million second chances; with all the crap she's pulled, I can't believe she might actually be redemeed.

So Victoria has a few more days left?? She doesn't look too well, I'll give her that, but she looks just like she always does, bland and whiny. I did find Transito's speech about not abandoning them cruel, though. It's not like Victoria wants to die, she just chose to do it in another city, far away from the people who love her. I don't necesarilly agree with this, but it's her choice and Transito should respect it.
 

Adriana Noel, I loved your suggestion that Fran should have given away both the twins. YES! (And perhaps Barbara as well :-) )

I too was struck by how oblivious Santa was to Willy's feelings (and little Willy's) about her plan to leave Marrero with Bert and their son. I can't decide who is worse, Gaby Espino as an actress or Santa Diabla as a human being.

And then there's Lucy. I think NovelaMaven summed up Lucy perfectly last week when she said "Lucy seems built to last. Like cockroaches. And radioactive waste."
 

One probably unnecessary clarification: when I said Santa planned "to leave Marrero with Bert and their son," the "their" referred to hers and Willy's.
 

I guess I'm the only one around here who actually likes Gaby/Santa and her cool, disafffected 1940's film noir vibe.

I love the cool characters -- like Santa and Bert and Santi, and even George and Willy and Begonia -- and how their dialogue is understated and their acting verges on wooden.

The hot characters -- like Lisette and Lucy and Tránsito -- are so affectively (and actually) noisy, that I want to mute the tv whenever they appear on the screen.
 

SANTA, Miércoles, Part 1

Lucy struggles, on the floor, bleeding, if she can just get to a phone, it’s only about 10 feet away.

While Inés tries to get out of Room 8, with the real estate lady continually repeating, it hurts, it hurts (how helpful). Inés spies a candlestick holder, starts to bash away at the doorknob. She hears her phone ring (it’s sitting outside the locked door, Bert’s trying to call her).

Then tension mounts, as we cut back and forth between these scenes, until success! Lucy reaches the phone, punches the buttons, calls Pancho. Inés breaks the door knob off, calls Bert. They both breathlessly relate the details, yes, a shot. And it was Santiago in both cases!

Vicky DOES decide to report what Bert told her. She tells Pancho, the killer of Ulises was Santiago! At this point Vicky’s hanging out with Tránsito at the Trebol de Oro, getting ready to go to New York to live out her last few days.

Iván is working on his next novel, when he sees blood on his fingers. He looks up, and sees the ghost of Victoria past! She’s dripping with blood. He wakes up, it was just a dream, he realizes he should go to be with Vicky, goes to her house, and is met by the new owners. They tell him Vicky already left. Oh well.

We know Vicky is still with Tránsito at the Trebol de Oro. Tran is very excited at turning the place into a restaurant. Vicky gives her three wads of cash, this will help her get started. Tran tries to refuse, but Vicky insists. Her next stop is the bank, to cash the downpayment on the house. I would think that she should have received all the money, and should deposit it, not cash it, but Marrero economics work a little differently. I can now see Iván one step behind Vicky, he gets to Tran’s place, and Vicky’s at the bank, then he gets to the bank....But hopefully we’ll have some dramatic final love scene for these two.

Daniela has been looking through adoptive parents files, since she’s set on adoption. Lisette and Padre Milton keep trying to gently get her to keep the baby, but Dani feels that while she herself might always remember the rape, the new parents would never have to tell the child that (or probably wouldn’t even know), and the child would live a happier life.

Elisa has HAD it with Alicia. She never did admit to Pancho she knew where Alicia is, but goes to confront her about Pancho’s report that Ali killed George, and although Ali continues to deny this, Elisa isn’t buying it, and kicks Ali out. The only concession Elisa will make is she won’t call the police right this very minute. Alicia is mad. Since Willy told her that Barb probably turned her in (which she did, although Pancho had to get confirmation from willy and Santa), she goes to confront Barb. Alicia and Bárbara bare their fangs, start insulting each other, they both want to kill each other. This Sister Act just can’t seem to sing We are Fam-i-ly!
 

SANTA, Part 2

As we recall from yesterday, Bert was going to leave town with Santa and willy. This isn’t working out for several reasons. First, Willy says No Way are you taking away my son! Second, Bert needs to help Inés with that real estate lady, and everybody has to come up with a plan to stop Santi. Third, we need our main characters on set for the Gran Final!

Due to the wonderful Marrero medical system (or maybe production ran out of coffins), both Lucy and the real estate lady are recovering. I think Lucy even said to herself something like, you can never kill weeds (malucca, or something like that). Hah! But she’ll be fine. At Room 8, Santa is horrified at Santi’s wall of her pictures, and rips them down. And to think, Santi only wanted to love her.....She says, he’s loco!

Sure is. Santiago visits Padre Milton, he wants to get married. To Santa. But, says Milt, you’re married to Inés. Who’s Inés? says Santi. Hmmmm. Then Milt really messes up, saying don’t you think you need help? Don’t you EVER say that, roars Santi, grabbing Milt around the throat. I’m perfectly FINE! Okay, okay, replies the Padre, I’ll marry you, but these things take time. And I have another wedding scheduled for the church tomorrow. Tough luck, replies Santi. We can do it somewhere else. But it has to be tomorrow. Now get it set up!

The good guys (this group includes various murderers, such as Bert and Inés, but we’ll let that go) have a meeting on a plan to catch Santi. Santa says we have to trap him. Right, says Inés, the best defense is a good offense. I volunteer. Now what should I do to attract Santi? The others sort of stare at our dumb bunny, as it’s obvious Santi will have to be the bait, not Inés.

Fran makes a call, someone has to come help her with this whole big mess. The person arrives, and it’s Willy! Huh? Somehow Willy is going to help Fran (maybe with Barb and Alicia?). We’ll see.

And just where is our resident nutcase Santiago? Room 8 is out, so he finds a new lair, it looks like an abandoned theater, with props, a piano, costumes, other weird stuff. He surveys his surroundings and says to himself, it’s PERFECT.

Three more episodes to go!


 

Great recap, Hombre.

What Lucy said was, "Mala hierba nunca muere," "A bad plant, i.e., a weed, never dies." It's a common expression.

So Santa's ripping down the pictures in a crime scene!! I guess CSI isn't shown in Marrero.


 

Wow, Hombre! You've outdone yourself (again). I loved your delightfully snarky recap. I especially enjoyed "Due to the wonderful Marrero medical system (or maybe production ran out of coffins), both Lucy and the real estate lady are recovering."

One typo, Hombre: at one point you said Santi where you meant Santa: "as it’s obvious Santi will have to be the bait, not Inés."

It really annoys me that Lisette and Padre Milton are trying to get an emotionally fragile, single teenage girl to keep the baby that was the result of group rape. It's one thing to urge her not to have an abortion, but quite another to encourage her to keep the baby rather than giving it up for adoption to a loving couple. I think what she says about the situation in this scene makes a LOT more sense.

I was holding my breath during the confrontation between Elisa and Alicia. I feared that Alicia might just turn on Elisa and do her in (or at least do her harm).

In an earlier comment, I expressed my displeasure at Santa's callous plans to go away with Bert and Willy Jr. and give no thought to how Willy Sr. would feel about being deprived of his son, nor how his son would feel about losing touch with his father. So I won't make the point again. :-)



 

NovelaMaven,

I guess part of my problem with this telenovela is that I don't like wooden characters like Santa AND I also don't like noisy characters like Lucy. That doesn't leave many characters to like. :-)
 

Fantastic recap Hombre!

let's not forget about Patricio, and doesn't he also have a check that needs cashing.

I was surprised to see everyone all of a sudden pointing their finger at Santiago, guilty!

so Barbara now knows it was Alicia that ruined her face, (and once again Ines skates).

I been loving the Santiago / Santa "noir" (thanks NovelaMaven) characters, made even more interesting when I think back on how Santiago was hiding his obsession and working Santa. Actually I love all of the cast, this was so well done.

(except for maybe Elisa's hair that keeps reminding me of one of those Russian winter hats).

 

Fantastico Hombre

I like all the characters except SyS.
Santi is a little better, but Santa is just a piece of wood, blank expression to everything, good thing she is pretty, acting, not so good . Santi has gotten his snarl on. So much better than his constant teary red eyes. I Love Lucy even though she is like nails on the blackboard & makes your teeth hurt.

Good point, Vicky goes to the bank, Pat goes to the bank (I'm sure there is only one in Marrero) Pat sees Vicky with cash, maybe Ivan saves her. Santi didn't shoot Pat for some reason.
 

Hombre, you just keep churning out these gems, don't you?

I think my favorite line today was:
"Due to the wonderful Marrero medical system (or maybe production ran out of coffins), both Lucy and the real estate lady are recovering."

Hey, didn't Victoria apologize for being late because she had already stopped off at the bank? Meh. Small point.

It's kind of curious that the worst Cano kids are Gaspar's biological children. Are the writers trying to liberate us from any genetic determinism?

Juanita, I was worried about Elisa too. (Deb, yeah, Elisa's wig is just silly. I suppose someone thought it would make her look like Mara's mother.)
 

I was kinda hoping that Vicki would give Transito her house, but I guess recipes are ok too. but the only way she'd get me to eat at Trabol de Oro is to first remove all things that could be touched, then bleach whatever is left, then tent the place, then burn it down and rebuild. But if she does all that, then sure! I'd go.

Maybe she could hire Mara as manager (because no one ever gets to really leave Marrero). Then it puts Mara in the right place to adopt from Daniela, which would be expected if this were a normal novela.

Kelly
 

SANTA DIABLA... Thursday (epi 134)
part 1

things are happening fast,
can Pancho keep up?

*not sure where
Pancho, Humberto, Santa, and Ines discuss the Santiago situation,
Pancho wants the police to grab him,
but Humberto explains that Santiago in the past just disappears,
using different names, living in different countries, they'll never find him,
Mrs. Santiago (Ines) wants to help (but does she really?)
(I'm really learning to appreciate the class of actor that Ximena Duque really is by watching her facial expressions)

*casa Cano
Alicia launches the contents of her little bottle into the face of Barbara,
blood and smoke leak out behind Barbara's clutching hands,
as she falls to her knees screaming.

Willy, Francisca and the Padre run upstairs to investigate,
Willy grabs Alicia, on her way out, and they do a roll down the stairs,
and as Alicia jumps up, Willy grabs her a new,
call the cops, he tells the Padre.

Francisca runs to Barbara, and seeing her face,
goes into shock.

*Trebol de Oro
Victoria hears Patricio,
but it's Ivan, tipped by Transito, he has come to see her.
he has accepted her decisions,
what changed Victoria asks,
a talk with my dad, he says,
they are both so happy, but we see Patricio lurking,
they return to his house.

*old theater
Santiago prepares for his wedding day,
and Santa, in wedding white, walks out towards him,
(not quite the red dress walk)
wow, talk about wooden characters, and this Santa is really scary as well,

but Santiago is happy with his hallucinations.

*police station
Alicia is locked up,
Pancho calls Elisa to let her know,
Humberto, Santa, and Ines arrive.
but on hearing about Barbara, Humberto is off to the hospital,
the Padre warns Santa about Santiago and his planned wedding, tomorrow,
but he is married to me, Ines says,
Santa rushes home to check on willy,
Ines is off to the church, hoping to find Santiago,
the Padre is left standing.

*casa Martinez
Begona puts willy to bed,
as the lights go out, the shadows appear,
it's Santiago outside, quietly opening the window.

Paula returns with the news, her baby is a girl,
and sweet Rene was with me,

willy screams and they run to his room,
he saw someone,
Paula sees the open window.

Santa arrives and gets brought up to date,
Santiago, they all agree,
but they keep telling willy it was a nightmare, to calm him down,
but he knows what he saw.

*hospital
Barbara is wheeled into surgery,
a calming Willy watches over all,

later Humberto arrives,
it's horrible Francisca tells him.

*police station
Elisa has changed her mind and has come to see Alicia,
the Padre is begging for protection for Santa,
as Pancho takes her back to the cell, no time for the Padre,

a pretty faced Alicia begs Elisa to get her out of here,
she just CAN'T go back to prison,
Elisa tells her how it is,
you had your second chance.

 

SANTA DIABLA... Thursday (epi 134)
part 2

*church
Ines' hunch was right, Santiago is there.
she's upset with his obsession with Santa,
he wants her help, don't you trust me?
not after room 8, she says,
but Santiago explains, Patricio is a killer,
I did that to get rid of him.
(these two were made for each other)
and I don't think either believes a word of the other.

*hotel ??
Ines rents a room, while Santiago hangs back, inconspicuously not,
in the room Santiago wants a shower,
you would never betray me, would you, he asks,
no, no, but as he walks away, is that betrayal written all over her face.

Santiago flashes back to his time with the good doctor Murray,
he is totally restrained in bed as the doctor explains the situation,
Santiago spits in his face,
and it's time for the famous Marrero neck injection,
(and I'm thinking preloaded knockout syringes and pregnancy tests are probably the two hottest items at the Marrero drug store))
later, Dr. Murray and Francisca watch over the restrained zonked out Santiago,
from the little window in the closed door.
(and I'm hoping no one ever looks at me through one of those little windows)

Ines decides to go for her phone, but Santiago finishes with his shower,
her eyes go from his chest, to his tight stomach, and down,
as he opens his towel,
she lets the phone slide out of her hand, and they get busy.

*a new day dawns in Marrero, a wedding day perhaps.

*Trebol de Oro, (the restaurant, with the worst decor)
the morning crowd is banging on the door while Transito is setting up,
Victoria appears, shoos them away, and goes inside to help,
Patricio appears, with gun in hand, not so interested in helping,
he overheard earlier that the house sold, and he wants the money,
Victoria is hanging tough, despite being beaten,
but she doesn't want Patricio to start killing people.

*hospital
Francisca goes in to see Barbara,
(who went from Bedouin to Mummy),
bandaged head and forearms anyway, with a tiny whole over one eye,
she has awaken and is freaking,
Francisca can't really deal with it, and so goes looking for a doctor,
but runs into Daniela and Lisette instead,
as Barbara is trying to touch her face,
get the bandages off.

*casa Martinez
Santa is fiddling with her phone, is she trying to reach Ines,
(while we see Ines, back at the hotel with Santiago still asleep,
fiddling with hers),

Humberto arrives,
he wants her to grab her bags, they are leaving,
Santa goes blank,
we have to get as far away as possible from Santiago, he says,
it's now or NEVER...

 

Tks deb, super

I am really, really feeling bad for Babs, never thought I would say that. What happened is clearly Elisa's fault.

I guess Santi & Alicia are 2 peas in a pod.
 

Fabulous, as always, Deb. Thank you for this and for all your wonderful Marrero prose poems.

Santiago reveals his secret weapon and Inés is immediately disarmed (or disphoned?) -- Hilarious scene! Inés is the worst ally ever!

"Francisca runs to Barbara, and seeing her face,
goes into shock."

I love the way Fran does the little shudder thing. And then just to make sure we didn't miss it, she does it again.

And then:
"*hospital
Francisca goes in to see Barbara,
(who went from Bedouin to Mummy)"
hahaha

"and it's time for the famous Marrero neck injection,
(and I'm thinking preloaded knockout syringes and pregnancy tests are probably the two hottest items at the Marrero drug store)"

Perfect.

I'm starting to get nostalgic about Marrero and I haven't even left it. (But then I take some comfort in knowing that you never really leave Marrero.)

 

Another great recap, deb. Loved your describing Barbara's change from Bedouin to Mummy, and also your remark about the popularity in Marrero of knock-out syringes and pregnancy tests.

Gotta run, but I did want to say muchas gracias. I don't think I'll miss this novela, but I will miss your recaps.
 

Thanks for the absolutely masterful recap, Deb, with your unique style!

I was thinking with all those guys outside of the Trebol de Oro hungry for something to eat, maybe Vicky could swing the door open, and say this guy (Pat) is keeping you from your breakfast, take care of him! I wonder if Transito still has that gun under her mattress.

They certainly seem to be heading towards Barb ending up with one eye, now that Alicia has two.

I'm not attracted to Santa (although she's beautiful), because she's always so serious. I don't think she's wooden, I think she's continually bombarded with these shocks, and has to keep her raging emotions under control. Once in a while they break out. I actually think the actress is doing a good job with a very difficult role.

Deb, I agree, Santi and Ines were both lying through their teeth.

What a change from a few months ago when we were sure Santa and Santi would end up together, and Bert was handsome but evil. I really enjoy this show, although with the recent craziness, I've just about had my fill of it.


 

NovelaMaven said...

Fabulous, as always, Deb. Thank you for this and for all your wonderful Marrero prose poems.

Santiago reveals his secret weapon and Inés is immediately disarmed (or disphoned?) -- Hilarious scene! Inés is the worst ally ever!

Thanks Deb! Re:Inés I was thinking while watching that scene that she'd better enjoy that night because Santiago will be killing her in the morning. After all, he needs to get his current wife out of the way so that he can 'marry' the only he really wants.

Hombre de Misterio said

What a change from a few months ago when we were sure Santa and Santi would end up together, and Bert was handsome but evil. I really enjoy this show, although with the recent craziness, I've just about had my fill of it.

With just two episodes left, I still don't really know how this thing is going to turn out. The story has had its flaws, but anything that leaves me guessing until the end has its charms for me
 

Patricio du jour. They got that one from "Mujeres asesinas" with Maria Rojo. Her abusive husband ended up in the tacos.

The Marrero population has been drastically reduced.We have so many more to get rid of. Pancho's jail is going to be very overcrowded.

 

viewer discretion is advised,
(for real)

I think the only character that was smiling tonight was Ivan,
and what a nightmare he was standing in.

aren't you going to say goodbye Ines,
Santiago asks as he walks out,
(well, no more skating for this lady)

when they (Santiago/Ines) were being so lovey, planning their get away and their new life together, I was only seeing them in the same town that Santa and Humberto ran away too,
and maybe a sequel.

I have to say I think Pancho is the best novela cop I have ever seen, he really tries, and he really cares, I could really feel his pain.

and when Begona walked around the corner, and then we heard a clunk like a body hitting the floor, well, I'm hopping on the next trolley out of Marrero.

 

Santa Diabla - Just Before the Last Capitulo

Let’s see what those crazy kids from Marrero have cooked up tonight. And I do mean cooked up, ahem!

Part 1

At Paula’s house Bert and Santa wonder what is up with Ines. They haven’t heard from her and it seems very strange. Bert wants to ditch Marrero along with Santa and Jr as soon as possible. They need to save themselves from crazy Santi. If they don’t go now, they never will. Bert is tired of being responsible for everyone else and it is time for his “me time”. He tells Santa it is now or never. Santa worries about Willy forbidding her to take Jr. No worries, Bert explains, Willy is at the hospital with Fran and Barb with the newly rearranged face. OK says Santa. Vamanos!

Pat is over at Trebol del Oro threatening Vicky and Transito with a gun, again. Vicky puts her foot down and refuses to be intimidated. Pat mocks her and explains how he took pleasure in torturing little brother Uly. A horrified Vicky becomes emboldened and she struggles for Pat’s gun. During the struggle with Pat and Vicky and Transito, there is a shot. As the threesome is untangled, viewerville sees Pat clutching his gut and he falls to the ground. Vicky and Transito stare with caras impactadas. No ding dong the witch is dead here!? Viewerville takes up the cause for TN justice and cheers.

Santa prepares to leave with Bert and Jr for a less crazy neighborhood and is stopped by Paula. Nosirree, Paula isn’t going to let Santa take Jr from Willy. Santa explains that she needs to get Jr away from the crazy Santi or his life will be in danger. She threatens that if Paula makes them stay, Paula will be responsible for anything that happens to Jr. Will it be hugs or handcuffs, Santa asks Paula. Paula relents and there are hugs and tears all around. Begona tells Bert to take care of Santa and Jr. He promises he will care for them - more than for his own life.

Back at the Trebol del Sangre, Vicky frets about what to do. Transito wants to take the blame for killing Pat so Vicky won’t languish in jail during her final days of life while justice is sorted out. Viewerville tries to remind Transito that no one in Marrero stays in jail long – but we digress. The Thelma and Louise of Marrero go outside to tell the hungry men – STILL waiting to eat - that what they heard was a cork from a bottle of champagne, not a gunshot. Transito tells the hungry guys to settle down, dinner will be served soon enough. Thelma and Louise go back inside and wonder what to do. Transito tells Vicky that the hungry guys are creeps just like Pat was – they mistreated and beat the women when the Trebol was in its early girly glory. Vicky decides that if they are such dogs, she knows just what type of meat to feed these dogs. Picadillo de Pat.

Over at the hospital, Barb has removed the bandages from her face despite Fran’s warning. Fran and Dani and Lisette enter her room and see Barb’s newly rearranged face. Fran cringes in horror, again. Dani and Lisette freeze with caras impactadas. Barb screams for a mirror – she wants to see her face. Fran cannot bear to stay in the room. Dani follows Fran out and wonders why Fran cannot bear to see Barb. Fran replies that the monster in the room cannot be her daughter. Dani points out the obvious to mother-to-the -mother-of-the-year Fran, that she is cruel and seems to be serving up the same rejection of Barb as she did to Alicia. Fran is speechless – for now.


 

Part 2

Back at the hotel that Ines rented for herself and Santi, she reflects while Santi sleeps. Ines remembers holding her baby, showing a glicker of maternal emotion, and pleading with Santa to help her learn to be a mother. Santi awakens and wonders what Ines is thinking about – no answer. The pair of them considers what their next steps will be. Santi needs money and wants Ines to clean out her bank account. Ines asks Santi if he will run away with her to another town where no one will know who they are and they can start over – where he can completely forget all about Santa Martinez! Lucky for Santi Ines’ phone rings so he doesn’t need to answer the question with an obvious lie. She ignores the call and Santi wants to see her phone. She brushes off his request and tells Santi to snap to it, they have to get to the bank before they can skip town.

Over at the Trebol de Sangre Tavern, the doors open for business. The hungry men come in to the smell of a fine beef stew, or so they think. Transito invites the fellows to eat, they are all guests of honor. Dog food for the dogs, so to speak. Thelma and Louise of Marrero watch with the slightest sign of stomach churning disgust.

Back at the hotel, Ines waits for Santi to retire to the bathroom so she can use the phone. She calls Santa who answers and runs for Bert to announce that Ines is finally calling in to report on Santi’s whereabouts. Santa asks Ines where she is – no answer so Santa hands the phone to Bert who grows impatient with Ines’ hesitation. Ines replies into the phone as she opens the door to the bathroom in full view and in earshot of Santi. She calmly informs Bert and Santa that she will never betray Santi because she luvvvs Santi – luvvvvs Santi more than Santa ever did, so there! Ines looks at Santi and inquires if now he trusts her, completely? Santi and Ines celebrate their newly declared mutual trust back in the bed together. A fully disrobed Ines is ecstatic and proclaims that she and Santi have a cosmic connection. They are equals. Both have suffered and both have families that think they are crazy (que sorpresa!). She swears she is capable of killing for him. Santi wonders if she has ever killed before. Why yes, Ines replies and breathless relays how she killed Bayou lady. Santi swoons and wonders how she felt when Ines killed Bayou Lady. Not important says the remorseless Ines. Santi wants to know what Santa’s plan was and Ines fills him in on how Ines was to reconnect with him to betray his whatabouts and whereabouts. Santi and Ines breathlessly re-proclaim their wedding vows that they will be together in sickness and in health and for the rest of their days until death do they part – viewerville leans forward after that last phrase about death til they part. As the camera closes in on Santi repeating this vow, Ines stares straight into his eyes and a small stream of blood trickles from her mouth. “Preciosa!”, he says to the now lifeless Ines. Santi tells the dying and betrayed Ines that he is now a widower and can go ahead and marry Santa. “Bye bye Preciosa, happy travels and give my regards to your Papi!” Santi says as he climbs off Ines’ body. Viewerville sits back and remembers to breathe again while silently counting the number of persons still alive in Marerro.

 

Part 3

Back at the Tavern with the “Pat’s Patos” special of the day, Ivan shows up to take Vicky home. He comments on the swell smell of the food and asks for a bite. NOOOOO! Transito diverts his attention to helping her set up the microphone so she can sing a tune. She serenades the guests of honors with a new rendition of the Santa Diabla song.

Santi is all cleaned up and departs the hotel room asking the lifeless Ines if she isn’t going to kiss him goodbye. He adds it’s a shame that she can’t join him, but, well, that’s life Preciosa! Santi bumps into the hotel owner who asks for the daily rent. Santi shrugs and departs. The owner returns later with the police, grumbling about the deadbeat Santi who left without paying. The cops open the door and the hotel owner enters and discovers the dead bloody corpse of Ines, knife still standing at attention in her chest. Hotel man stumbles back in shock and realizes he isn’t going to get his rent.

Santa and Bert cannot believe that Ines betrayed them Bert shrugs and tells Santa that is how Ines is – loyal to no one but herself. Oh well, they proceed with their plans to escape. He tells Santa that despite their history together, he will always be grateful to have known Santa. Air smooches. Viewerville leans in again, hoping this is not a foreshadow to a doomed future together.

Paula worries how she will explain to Willy about letting Santa take Jr away with her and Bert. Begona replies that Santa did the right thing to take Jr away to protect him from crazy Santi. She adds that it is the justice system that made the mistake in taking Jr away from his mom’s side. Begona retreats to the kitchen and viewerville hears an ominous assault somewhere in Paula’s house.

Over at the town jail, cops haul Alicia out of her cell and inform her that she is going back to state prison where she should never have left. Elisa watches as Alicia is taken away in tears. Pancho’s phone rings, as usual. He is receiving the call that they have found a dead body, in a hotel. His face contorts as he obviously is being told the news that the dead body is none other than his dearly beloved sister Ines.

Back at the Trebol Tavern, the stew has been eaten by the hungry men. Ivan is about to take Vicky home. She is tired because, as Transito tells her, it has been a long day with very strong emotions (and lots of work cutting Pat up into little bite size chunks). Before Vicky leaves, she tells Transito to dream big and believe in herself. She adds that Transito is one tough lady, the toughest lady Vicky has ever known (which is not saying too much, frankly). They say their goodbyes and I-love-yous. Viewerville leans in again, once again counting how many Marrerans will be left standing by Monday night.

 

Part 4

Somewhere in Marrero, Santi has begun to finalize his wedding plans – in a macabre warehouse. He talks to Padre Milton about what he wants for his ceremony with Santa. The camera pans over to Padre Milton to reveal he has been wired up with a bomb – the bomb button is in Santi’s hands. Over in the room where the attendees will sit, the camera shows a gagged Begona, the victim of the assault back at Paula’s house. Santi tells Begona to call Santa and tell her to come to his macabre affair. Begona refuses over her dead body to call Santa and Santi smacks her. Santa, over at Cano Castle waiting for Bert to pack, gets a phone call. Santi is on the line warning her not to reveal who she is talking to. He tells her he has Begona while Begona pleads with Santa not to worry about her in the background. Santa sends Jr upstairs to get him out of earshot, but not before Jr overhears a nervous Santa continue to talk on the phone. Jr dutifully goes upstairs and double-dutifully reports to Bert that Santa is on the phone to someone who makes Santa REALLY NERVOUS.

Pancho arrives at the hotel at the crime scene. He sees Ines’ blood soaked body and falls to his knees with a plaintiff wail for his little sister. He sees a picture of Santi on the bed and crumples it while his grief-stricken face transforms into one with a steely gaze.

Santi continues on the phone with Santa. He challenges her that if she wants to prevent more deaths, she had better come to his location. He warns her not to tell the police or Bert, of course, or she will be sorry. The fate of more Marrerans is now up to Santa!

 

This comment has been removed by the author.
 

There you have it folks, served up on a platter!


 

Thank you, Mena, your asides about Pat's Patos were hilarious.
Pat must have had tender meat, they were able to prepare everything so fast. Those hungry fools must have been starving by the time the food was ready.

I have a hard time believing that a woman like Vicky could stomach "cooking" this particular kind of meal, but it does make one never want to eat in a diner that used to be a brothel... How many of those do you think there are out there in the world?

Santi calling Ines Preciosa was very funny, the actor said it just right (AD is a million times better as Pshyco Santi).

How long does it take Humberto, the guy, to gather a few things and leave town? Notice how willy has a bag, Bert has a bag and Santa... well, Santa has her jeans and black blouse, so she's all set.

Deb, I loved your idea about a sequel. You just KNOW that if both couples had left, they would have ended up in the same town again. The story practically writes itself - Santo Diablo, with a half crazy/ half whiny Santi trying to have a new life with Ines until he meets his old flame, Santa, blissfully happy with his treacherous brother, Bert. So, Santi decides to get his revenge on.
Missed opportunity from the writers, I'm telling you.

 

Variopinta said...

Patricio du jour. They got that one from "Mujeres asesinas" with Maria Rojo. Her abusive husband ended up in the tacos.

I thought they might have taken that from "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" from the 1980s. In that novel and movie, an abusive husband ended up in the restaurant's barbecue and fed to the men investigating his disappearance. They proclaim it was the best barbecue they'd ever had.

Mena said

Santi tells the dying and betrayed Ines that he is now a widower and can go ahead and marry Santa.

OK, I predicted this one exactly, including Santiago's motivations. I don't know whether I should be proud for guessing a plot point or frightened I can guess the thought process of a deranged killer. I'll choose to believe the former. LOL!

Thanks for a great recap Mena! You captured the episode beautifully.
 

Thanks so much for the great (and quick) recap, Mena.

No worries, Sue in TN, you are not channeling a serial killer but a telenovela writer!

How many times has Pancho gotten this call, "Robledo." "¿Que?" "¡¿Quien?!" "¿Donde?" as the citizens of Marrero die unprotected by the police.

A bad guy was served up to his buddies in Doña Bárbara, as well. Didn't the former Trebol customers show up for breakfast? It would have taken hours for Tránsito and Vicky to butcher and cook Pat and there would have been a lot of him left over. Maybe the guys waited outside all day until dinner.

Ah well. Inés died in the arms of her precioso. How fitting.
 

Wonderful recap, Mena, complete, and very funny! I liked the "early girly glory" of the Trebol, and many other clever descriptions.

At least Ines died happy. And I guess she left that picture of Santi, which Pancho found. Unless Santi left his own picture.

Among the many other hard to explain things, just where did Santi get that bomb and detonator? Oh right, La Reina del Sur just finished, and they had one left over.

So these major characters have been killed or died: Gaston, Carlos, Horti, George, Vicente, Ulises, Patricio and Ines (and lots of minor characters). I don't remember many novelas when that many of the stars didn't make it out alive. And the show's not over!
 

Great Mena!
I think all of us will need professional help when this is over.
I didn't see Fried Gr Tomatoes" but in Mujeres asesinas, they even showed the butchering, glad we have {sensitive writers}.

The job to have in Marrero is census taker, will be done in a snap.

TN rule, all your worldly goods have to fit in the magic suitcase.
I remember Sergio Sendel in MEPS, THROWING all his suits in a bag including the hangars, very funny.

I would not be surprised if New Orleans had a few restaurants in old brothels, they had them on every corner.

We'll see if Mon can top this!!!!!
 

Variopinta, I always laugh when tn characters pack their stuff, hangers and all. I guess we shouldn't expect to much folding when one changes homes every other episode.

Hombre, I guess Ines really did die in the throws of passion.
Where did Santi get the detonator from? Isn't there a KMart in Marrero? I bet the bomb was on sales, since Santi doesn't have much too much money now.

Jean, you wrote about Pancho that whenever he gets a call, it's "Robledo." "¿Que?" "¡¿Quien?!" "¿Donde?" - very funny!!!
I did feel sorry for him when he found Ines, though. The guy has lost all his family now, all he has left is Lucy, I guess, and that isn't much for him to begin with.

I saw the cooking trick in many other stories, it's nothing new or particularly shoking as far as story ideas go.
But I find it totally unrealistic that Victoria adn even Transito would have the stomach to do this? Do any of you know how long it takes to cook what they were cooking?
Nevermind that, nobody should know stuff like that :)
 

Marvellous recap, Mena! I loved so many of your lines: "Trebol de Sangre," "The Thelma and Louise of Marrero," "Picadillo de Pat," and of course your offering the recap to us "served up on a platter!" Brava!

Wow, the Marrero population is dropping like flies. I wonder whether the novela should be renamed "And Then There Were None."

I can't really imagine a happy ending. Perhaps Santa, Willy Sr., and Willy Jr. heading off into the sunset?
 

Pancho still has half bro Bert.

It has to be Santa, Willy, willy at the end, at least they haven't killed anyone.

I had a dream last night, not a nightmare, with Carlos Ponce. We were on a business trip, that is all I remember, I woke up too soon.
 

Variopinta, from all the possible ways to dream Carlos Ponce, did it have to be a business trip? :)
I bet he was rocking his business suit, right?
About Pancho still having Bert left - I don't think he cares about him too much. Marrero doesn't seem to be the kind of place where if you discover a relative you end up connecting in any sort of way.
Look at Bert, begging Santa to leave with him, because he has NOBODY left. Crazy Canos aside, what about Ivan? What about his newborn son, Felipe?

 

Mena:

Thank you so much for this detailed and funny recap. Special thanks for posting so quickly.

I'm perfectly happy that Victoria and Tránsito did their Medea number off-stage (though I did love the Betty White aprons they wore afterwards.)

I'm going to go out on a limb here and speculate that the explosives on padre Milton are fake -- just stage props. It's not that Santi isn't cruel enough to do the real thing; I just don't think real explosives would be that easy to come by if all you have is a bunch of theatrical props, plus a real gun and a knife or two hidden in your belt.

Sue in TN, watch out! You are starting to sound like one of us. :)
 

This all seemed to be coming to a head quickly and I was wondering how they'd wrap it all up. The answer is "kill everyone". It works in this town.

So the local hardware store sells bomb supplies, but there's no Denny's or Starbucks for those hungry guys? Mara needs to come back, pronto, and open up a breakfast cafe. Marrero is going to quickly run out of people for Transito to serve up.

Totally agree about AD being better as evil. He was good at being bad in El Tal, and after this show, it's defeinitly the way he should go.

Kelly
 

Kelly,

The hungry guys were expecting to be served by Patricio, not Guisado de Patricio (and we all recall what Patricio used to serve in the place) and for that, they were willing to wait.

Besides, whatever was on the menu, it was FREE!

And yeah, kill everyone! That'll take care of any loose ends in the story.

Couldn't agree more -- AD should stay on the dark side. He's quite good at being horrible and quite horrible at being good.
 

Novela Maven, you said:

"And yeah, kill everyone! That'll take care of any loose ends in the story."

Hahaha! Very well! We're gonna go insane with this story.

and:

"AD should stay on the dark side. He's quite good at being horrible and quite horrible at being good."

hahaha

 

In CORAZON VALIENTE the main villainess removed her fathers heart from his body with a chainsaw and later cooked it for herself.
 

Are we doing predictions for the final episode? For fun, here's how I think it might go (Clearly I've had too much time on a Saturday to think about this).

- Humberto comes downstairs to find Santa is gone. He drops off willy with Willy at the hospital and then somehow figures out where Santiago is and heads to the warehouse.

- Pancho also heads to the warehouse.

- As Father Milton is about to pronounce Santiago and Santa husband and wife, Bert arrives. He and Santi have a life or death struggle. Bert loses. Bert lies Pietà-like in Santa's arms. She forgives him all his sins. He dies, redeemed at the end.

- Meanwhile, Pancho - who has lost the most as the result of Santiago and who is the real hero of our story - ends up killing him. Then, he disarms the bomb by cutting the right wire.

- Willy arrives. Comforts Santa. She goes back home with him and Begoña to pick up the pieces of her life shattered by the Canos. Pancho is done with police work and decides to leave Marrero

Other characters

- Lucy joins Tránsito in the restaurant business

- Ivan gives Victoria the Christmas she never will see. She dies in his arms

- Elisa decides to use the plane ticket and leaves for Canada, since there’s nothing there in Marrero for her anymore

- Paula and René leave for Guatemala and a new life with René’s family

- Father Milton reschedules the baptisms and weddings he missed due to having a bomb strapped to his chest.

- Francisca cannot accept that Barb is disfigured. Newly sainted Lisette says she can live in her home. There's plenty of space. Daniela decides to keep her baby because, in her mind, she doesn't want to reject her child as Francisca did hers.

- And speaking of Fran, she's all alone - her family either dead or gone. But at least she has that big home to keep her warm.
 

NovelaMan said...

In CORAZON VALIENTE the main villainess removed her fathers heart from his body with a chainsaw and later cooked it for herself.

I always wonder in these kinds of stories what they do with the leftover "parts."

Also, when the men were having their "tasting," did anyone else want one of them to say, "I thought you said this was beef stew. But it tastes like chicken"?

Just me, huh? :)
 

Sue, I enjoyed your predictions, and for the most part they seem quite plausible (though I'm not sure "plausible" is a word that fits with this telenovela). I confess that I think you're right about Daniela, but I hope you're wrong. She's much too young and lacks resources: she'd be much better off, and probably so would her baby, if she gave it up for adoption (perhaps to Mara and Arturo).

Speaking of resources,if both Humberto and Santi die, what will happen to all the money Humberto conned out of Franco? Will it go to Francisca, so she can keep up her big lonely house? And/or to Barbara, so she can get Alicia's magical surgeon to restore her face?
 

Great idea, Sue!
Here are my predictions:

- Santa arrives at the warehouse and the ceremony begins
- Bert, Pancho, Francisca, Paula and anyone else who is not dead, yet, but I forgot about them, arrive, too; they want to create an ambush for Santi
- a struggle starts just before the I do's and Santi ends up dead, killed by Pancho
- Bert is critically injured, but he will make it

6 Months later
- Willy is walking through the park with his 2 kids; he runs into Lucy and he is impressed by her mothering skills (being almost dead for a couple of times changed Lucy for the better)
- Pancho is no longer in Marrero, he left for parts unknown, met a guy and is happy
- Fran is stuck with Barb in that big house; for once she tries to do the right thing by taking care of one of her kids, but Barb is a pest
- Paula and Rene in Guatemala
- Santa and Bert together, they don't live town after all; willy lives with them and they have Felipe, too, every other weekend
- Daniela gives her baby to Arturo and Mara and with Lisette's help she opens an adoption agency or something similar
- Ivan will forever mourn his first great love, Victoria, but he meets someone sassy in one of his book tours and starts over
- Santi and Ines meet up in Hell; she still drives him crazy all the time, while Vicente keeps asking him to stay away from his daughter

The end!

 

My addition

Transito's business is flourishing, profits are high due to low expenses,but people in Marrero are disappearing at an alarming rate.

Pancho moves to the US & meets Michael Sam.
 

Here are my predictions:

Begonia arrives at the wedding, punches Santiago, saying don't you mess with my daughter! While he's out cold, Rene shows up, disarms the bomb with skills he learned doubling Franco, and THEN leaves for Guatamala.

Bert confesses his crimes, goes to jail, and all the other prisoners start yelling. He thinks they're excited to see the famous lawyer in prison, but it turns out they just got a great deal on State Farm Insurance.

Santi is sent to the mental hospital, injected in the neck again, and screams as he's back in that room with the little window.

Willy wants to leave town with Santa and willy. Santa's not sure. She pauses and gives a blank look for 45 seconds. All of a sudden, Barb shows up with a chainsaw, and makes sure Willy never can be with a woman again! She's arrested, thrown in jail. But she becomes the Diabla, in the same jail as Alicia, and terrorizes her.

Santa ends up taking willy, Felipe, Willy's baby AND Dani's baby, and she and Begonia live quite happily with NO men.

Pancho quits the force, learns French, and goes to gay Paree.

Barb owns the mansion, since it was George's, but from jail, she sells it to pay for an operation to fix her face. The operation fails, and it turns out the secret buyer of the house was Lucy, who won the lottery. Lucy moves in, and lets Fran stay, but Fran is now the maid. The end.







 

Bert confesses his crimes, goes to jail, and all the other prisoners start yelling. He thinks they're excited to see the famous lawyer in prison, but it turns out they just got a great deal on State Farm Insurance.

Hombre, too funny. I enjoy Carlos Ponce's commercials.
 

I loved all these suggestions, but my favorite comes from Hombre: "Bert confesses his crimes, goes to jail, and all the other prisoners start yelling. He thinks they're excited to see the famous lawyer in prison, but it turns out they just got a great deal on State Farm Insurance."

 

Variopinta, I didn't see your comment about Hombre's marvellous suggestion until after I'd posted my comment. (I often find that after I post, I see that one or more comments have been posted in the interim, even when it seemed to me that I didn't take all that long to post. Oh well, Hombre definitely deserves both our kudos.)
 

My turn:

Pancho and his men follow Humberto who follows Santa to Santi's warehouse. A daring rescue operation ensues involving neck injections, lingering close-ups of beautiful faces with narrowed and then wide-open eyes, a good deal of bravado, and no bloodshed. Padre Milton is set free from what prove to be fake explosives.

Santi spends the rest of his life in the manicomio, tormented by a recurrent vision: he is running towards his bride, Santa, but when he gets close to her, she morphs into dead Inés. Precioso, she oozes. His only visitor is Francisca. So agitating is her presence that each of her visits is followed by a neck injection for Santi and a sojourn in the room with the tiny window.

In his final act as a priest, Padre Milton officiates at the wedding of Humberto and Santa. Everything that has happened in Marrero has led this good man to question his vocation. He leaves the church.

Pancho, questioning his own vocation as a police officer, finds in Milton a kindred spirit. They set off on a journey of discovery together, far from Marrero.

Transito becomes an overnight sensation after one of the humps in the Trebol de Oro uploads a video of her on YouTube and it goes viral. But she can't do it alone. She asks Willy for help. Soon the two -- and their remarkable backstories -- are stars! He writes the songs. She belts them out. Sometimes he joins her on stage with a soulful sax accompaniment or a jazzy riff on the piano.

Humberto, El Tiburón Blanco, uses his super-litigator powers for good. He wins a huge civil suit on behalf of Santi's victims and their survivors. This leaves very little in the Cano coffers, and Barb and Francisca can no longer afford to maintain the mansion. Tránsito allows them to move into the Trebol de Oro, though they must be willing to share the place with Lucy, who has taken over the kitchen, and help out with serving the humps (who are still talking about that delicious stew they ate on the first day the new place opened).

Victoria is walking down the street when a window air conditioner falls on her head, killing her instantly. Her soul goes straight to heaven, where she and Ulises are reunited.

Daniela breaks free of Lisette and listens to her own conscience. She terminates her pregnancy safely and legally, is referred to a competent, sympathetic therapist, and makes plans to continue her education. Ivan continues to help her turn her life around. This helps him deal with his grief over Victoria's death.

Rene's mother joins him and Paula in Marrero. She likes her new daughter-in-law but worries that she is kind of an intensa.

Willy the kid lives with Santa, Humberto, and Begoña. He sees big Willy whenever he and Tránsito are in town, and sometimes he accompanies them when they are on tour. He shows an artistic bent.

Begoña swears she won't try any funny stuff with her daughter's husband, and we have every reason to believe her.

Elisa moves to Canada to be near Mara and Arturo. When Lisette perishes during a gluteal augmentation gone tragically awry, little Felipe goes to live with his real father, Arturo.

The End
 

NovelaMaven, I enjoyed your suggestions, but I'd add one small detail: the humps not only talk about the wonderful stew they had the first day, they also keep pleading with Tránsito to make it again.
 

Perfect, Juanita!
 

Adriana Noel said...

- Santi and Ines meet up in Hell; she still drives him crazy all the time, while Vicente keeps asking him to stay away from his daughter

I would watch this as a sequel - especially if Vicente had to walk around Hell carrying his severed head. Ha!
 

Great ones, NovelaMaven, especially the first and last, good thing I wasn't drinking hot coffee when I read them, or we would have had a mess.