Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Lo Que La Vida Me Robó, #96, 3-26-2014: Pedro keeps up the reign of terror, though now even his minions are starting to say ¡Ya Basta!
Oh, Pedro, Pedro. Before I begin tonight's recap, I am going to pay a grudging homage to your tremendous and terrible ambition. No doubt, you have studied many historical models of tyranny and abuse of power and have your list of personal favorites:
Vlad the Impaler, perhaps? (You share same tendency to sadism and love of the stache) |
Maybe Kaiser Wilhelm II? (You share the need to overcompensate for physical deformity and also love of the stache) |
Or Kim Jong-il? (Share somewhat similar tastes in over-sized optical fashion) |
I have to admit that things have been looking pretty good for you lately, and that in episode #96 you have sunk to new lows that must be very pleasing to you. No doubt, you would be even more proud of yourself if you followed our forum here at Caray Caray! and knew that, through your loathsome actions, we on the Patio have managed to feel genuine pity tonight for a previously nearly universally despised female character on this show; HOWEVER...
Pedro, we also know that you are, fundamentally, just an overcompensating poco hombre and small-time politician currently riding roughshod over the lives of a collection of local, albeit EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL, people in your pretty, provincial Mexican town. Watching you have your era of tainted glory is difficult for us all, but we remain confident that you will meet your doom by episode 190.
In fact, Pedro, you have made so many enemies and are currently alienating so many natural allies in your sphere of influence that I am predicting your end may come Murder on the Orient Express style, where every soul you have injured gathers just for the chance to STAB your black heart repeatedly:
You've been warned, Pedro! |
Now to the recap.
Ale gets a little peeved at this and remarks that ANTONIO was a good friend but JOSÉ-LUIS, not so much. J-L says he's not interested in friendship with Ale and imagines Ale isn't, either. The only thing that both Ale and J-L have in common is that they want Montse's happiness. This is the reason J-L is working to try to get Alejandro out of prison. Finally, J-L asks about the suicide note that DIM told him that Joaquín left and wants to know if it implicates Pedro. Ale says it does and that he had to give the note to someone he trusted since the guards were getting suspicious and searching his cell. He tells J-L to go find Father Anselmo.
The giant hands on the left might be a cast of Kim Jong-il's from the photo above |
Stunned at this new information about Joaquín's note since Pedro has been obsessed with finding it for some time, Pedro doesn't even wait for the chance to watch another Nadia-Victor nookie session.
He turns off the live feed from the camera, pulls a gun from his desk, and attaches what looks like a silencer on the end--(any weapons experts out there confirm, por favor.)
Montse takes pity on poor Father A. and tells him not to worry that all will be resolved. She hopes that DIM and Adolfo will be able to get Joaquín's note back from María. Here, Fabiola chimes in to stand up for José-Luis, commenting that he looked afraid for Alejandro as he left, but Macario reminds them all that J-L and María are working together and Montse is convinced that J-L went to look for her. Montse is tired of doing nothing, and she decides she is going to go to try to get the note from María herself.
After he's gone, María screams "Maldito! Mil veces, Maldito!" which is something close to the English equivalent of, "You Bastard! You TOTAL Bastard!" and cries with pain, anger, and shame.
"Done!" declares DIM without hesitation.
Montse is more than willing to think the worst of him now and keeps on about how she can't believe J-L would burn the only proof of Alejandro's innocence. She gives J-L a big smack in the face to emphasize her point and look like she's ready to give him another, when he stays her hand and tells her bitterly that one day soon all the will come and she will know the TRUTH. María starts to say something more, but he tells her to shut it. Proud that her trick has worked, María even seems to be smiling a little to herself as she calls out one more time, "Don't hurt me!" and José-Luis finally leaves. Montse looks at María in shock and dismay, not suspecting that María has tricked her, too, into believing the worst of J-L.
He's back! |
"You killed him, You killed him," Juventino taunts Alejandro, laughing at him and mocking him.
María gets angry and wants to know why Adolfo told Pedro that she had the note to try to get money off him. He was playing with fire. Adolfo tells her he didn't--that it was Alejandro who was going to pay for the Joaquín's letter. Again, she wants to know how Pedro found out that she had the note and speculates that J-L told him and is working against Alejandro. Adolfo wants to know what J-L said, and María says Montse came in at that moment, but that María was able to fool Montse into thinking that J-L was behind everything.
She tries to fight J-L off, but he manages to kiss her. She struggles and knees him in the balls and gets up and runs again to the door but again J-L traps her and tells her to hate him if she wants, but for the right reasons. He wants her to accept that she feels something for him. He comes close to her a second time, repeating please, please accept it, please accept it, in his old desperate, whiny voice, as Montse looks around anxiously and fearfully.
Labels: robo
Who would have EVER known that Pervy Pedo was related to Vlad the Impaler! Just look at the resemblance and YOU, Julia, were the one to see it first!! HOLY COW!!!
What in the world were those sickening hands on that desk?!..and Victor and Nadia, totally oblivious to what is happening. Ay!
...and Carlota. Stupid, stupid, stupid woman. STUPID. Seriously. Basura is changing his ways?! NOT!. He killed a man for NO REASON. NO REASON! T here is no way in he^^ that Basura has any good up his sleeve other than to USE the STUPID Carlota.
I have never seen so many stupid people in my whole life! Don't even get me started on JL. HOLY COW!
One thing is for certain. The concept of normal life simply does not exist in Agua Azul.
Fantastic, recap, Julia!!
Fatima
Eventhough I cannot stand BM, I was not happy to see her suffer through Pedro's most vicious beating to date. Just when you thought it was over it wasn't. I am not a fan of excessive violence in tv shows/movies and this one was way too graphic and excessive for my taste. I cannot wait to see Pedro's fall in the end.
Another disgusting scene was Carlota putting up with Graciela poking her in the head one more time after Graciela tells her that once she leaves not to try to come back when it all falls apart with Basurto. When is some recipient of the poke just going to haul off and hit Graciela up side her head? I sure hope the writers give us the satisfaction of seeing that happen when her anvil falls.
Poor Montse is/has been so far out of the loop of the on again/off again /trust/don't trust JL -Ale relationship , she is like a dog chasing her tail. Way too many misunderstandings and now having Fabiola to deal with. At least she got to knee JL when he first tried to kiss her. If only she had left when he told her he was done listening to her . . .
From the avances it looks like Basurto has been charged to kill Maria. The big question is will he?
Jarifa
Fatima
Thanks so much for this sparkling gem of a detailed recap!
I was confused by Basurto too this epi. Does he really want to change? I couldn't believe Carlotta just came out with, will he marry her? I don't think it is possible for EZ to change, he has been infected by Peddy's evilness too long. I think for once Graceless is right.
Ay, yi, yi, Addled!!!!! Anything for money. Although I think if he had gotten that money he would have left town, far, far away from Peddy.
Leave it to BM to con Monse. I couldn't believe Monse believed her, but I'm glad Monse stayed behind that door and heard the truth! I also can't believe BM really thought she could get one over on Peddy. BM really thinks too much of herself. I too think it is EZ with BM in the avances when Addled comes upon them. Peddy always gets EZ to do his dirty work.
Ale is still haunted by Lauro's death. But seeing Juvie again, ewwww.....
JL now, what the hell!!!!!!! I wish he hadn't done what he did, but I think really it has to do with getting Monse to hate him so bad, she'll never contact him again. I know he was whiny, and when hasn't he been around Monse, but I still think it's to keep her away from him. I was really surprised when she kneed him in the avocados, but well he deserved it! Good for her!
I loved all the models of tyranny pictures, and Vlad the Impaler, O.M.Gee the worst of the worst, that guy was! Loved all your screen caps too. Thanks again Julia R for this most sparkling recap and all the details : )
What a splendid recap you have given us. It was AWESOME! And the screen caps were a delightful treat. Thank You!
I have to admit that I felt bad for BM when she was being hit by Pedo. I thought she might fight back, but maybe she's saving it for later. BM and Basurto can lead the charge to bring Pedo down for good. That's if Pedo's doesn't kill them first.
I fear for my Ale. How the heck is he going to get out of jail? Let's hope Cap. Robledo shows up soon to save the day. He should have a stronger presence against Pedo and his minions.
OMG! It's Juvie! What a nightmare! Ale is truly feeling guilty over Don Lauro's death. I would imagine that seeing Juvie in a dream is really frightening.
I am a bit confused about EZ. I know he wants to marry Carlota to advance his career and political aspirations, but sometimes he almost convinces me. He's a really good talker. Poor Carlota. She doesn't know that she's engaged to a killer. The only thing that somewhat comforts me is that I know EZ is going to help in Pedo's anvil.
I don't even want to get started with JL. Even if he's doing it to get Montse to hate him, it still wasn't right. Thank goodness Montse was able to get that kick in.
Once again, I DO NOT like the avances. But I loved your recap Julia! Thanks again.
Off to bed...hasta pronto!
I'm not entirely trusting of Bazurko. Can't see Maria being offed this early in the TN, but I don't think he has moved away from the dark side entirely. He may just channel his brand of ethics and behavior to take Pedro down. Dirty against dirty and Carlotta will be caught in the middle. Maybe he does feel something for her, but I don't see a Dim-like redemption here. I keep seeing that cold-blooded murder in my head.
Pedro was beyond the pale again, coward that he is that gets off playing macho man by beating women instead of making love to them. Nice one. Would have been nice to see Maria begin to realize she needs to clean up her act and stop the lies, but even bruised and bloody she still plays the games.
Of course she knows a clueless pawn when she sees one, and why the hell Monse could even remotely think He-Who-Lost-Me last night would beat up Maria like that is beyond me. Let's see, just had a conversation with the Padre on how Maria can dupe people and lie, right?
Now as to our Cap-I-tan. Sorry-- there is nothing about what he pulled that is acceptable to me. What would have happened if she hadn't groined him (good one!). And the creepy end scene? All I kept seeing in that scene was a dying Angie sitting and mourning her father at home and this cretin is pawing the ex, who plainly didn't want him to. Don't care if he was trying to "prove a point" or was frustrated with how Monse had accused him, it was disgustingly done and wrong. So help me we get a scene with him lovingly kissing Angie at home...well I better remove any throwable objects as I watch so I don't destroy the TV.
Daisynjay
I know he'll meet his doom in episode 190, but can't we have a little justice here in episode 96? Not sorry to see Maria knocked around.
Thanks for clearing up why Adolfo was so broken up about the loss of the note, I missed that little scene and later was worried Adolfo's version of it was true, but now I see Dim was still in hero-mode.
OK, Julia, I want to weigh in about Baserto and Carlotta. He's totally faking being a hero for her. But, I kind of hope she can have the fun of an engagement and being the center of attention for awhile. Sigh, isn't just about time for Galan #2 to show up with courtly manners for Carlotta?
Is Monse missing a few gray cells lately?? What a ding-a-ling.
In the advances Basurto was holding the gun over Maria this time-so I guess it is too much to hope for that he is really reformed. I think this may mean his days are numbered.
Maria most likely never made copies of that note. Not that a copy would stand up legally, though. What this likely means is that Barajas has to stay alive long enough for Captain Robledo to hear his confession. He will not be pleased with how the rest of this is playing out.
One would think that Nadia and Victor would have been highly suspicious of Pedro funding their love nest. They are going to freak when they find out that they've been under surveillance every time they've been there.
Frankly, Pedro's beating of Maria wasn't even close to the beatings he gave Esmeralda. Too bad.
Can a prisoner refuse to see a visitor?
Fabiola is more than a skank; she's a vulture.
I see Uni continues to enjoy showing every little detail of a man brutally beating a woman, but gets squeamish and must edit when a man tenderly makes love to a woman. Huh?
I think these guilty dreams Ale has been having about Lauro is a result of audience uproar about how he/the writers swept it under the rug initially. I'm glad were finally seeing him really think about this. Now, how about he start having guilty feelings about raping Monse, especially now that he knows how he was conceived.
That last scene was baffling to me. It made no sense that JL would become so physically aggressive with Monse. That's more Ale's style. I think the writers are being inconsistent to manipulate the story to head a certain way. I guess we'll have to see.
As for Basurto, he has no intention of changing from the murderous, ambitious toad that he is. But I think his feelings for Carlota might be genuine. We've not yet seen him turn away from her with disgust or contempt or make fun of her behind her back. Until we see that, I can believe that he really believes Carlota is a catch and he's lucky to have her love. Unfortunately for her, he's also a murderer who is using her to get ahead.
At this stage, though, it would be fun if he were the one to discover Pedro's big secret. However, it's way to early in this series for anyone to find that out.
Oh, and those weird hands on Ped's desk? I saw those in a catalog once. They serve as a holder - you can put whatever on them, pens, remotes, openers, etc. The way the hands splay, it allows an object to be cradled in them. Of course, for him, that's a little creepy to want delicate women's hands holding something on his desk. Or he does it for show to have people THINK he's all sentimental and loving of women. Jerk.
Daisynjay
I have had enough of the beating, grabbing, finger pushing, yelling, and intimidating. I need some uplifting moments to balance the darkness and keep me watching.
Nadia,,,,ESTUPIDA...you were supposed to just PRETEND to working on getting pregnant. Now, your honey is in danger from the Big Bad.
I wonder if their activities are being recorded for later viewing if Pedro is unavailable. That would be a good way for Nadia to ultimately find out about this.
Some random grumpy reflections:
As Vivi said, it is upsetting that Univision doesn't mind showing us a woman being brutally beaten by a man, but feels the need to protect our delicate gringo sensibilities from love scenes or too much skin.
The most disturbing thing about Graciela's buzz-kill comments to Carlota last night is that everything she said was true! EZ is just using her to climb the social ladder and legitimize his ambitions.
Even if EZ is growing fond of Carlota (because let's face it, his fan club is vanishingly small and who doesn't like a personal cheerleader?), he is still a vicious, murderous, perfidious toad. Nothing -- not even the love of a good, if silly, woman -- is going to change that.
His lies are convincing because 1) he is a good liar; and 2) they always have a kernel of truth. (He IS ambitious. His boss IS a criminal. He WOULD BE in danger if he spoke out openly. He DOES want to marry Carlota.)
So now Montserrat falls for the same ploy María used a few episodes ago on Padre Anselmo?
And José Luis jumps Montserrat as if he were, I don't know, Juventino?
Elna June, it looks like you are being set up to recap a doozy tonight!
This is precisely what makes Basura so dangerous. Carlota is out of her league here. She has been portrayed as silly and naive, but now she is behaving like a very stupid woman (you know how I feel about women behaving stupidly)and she is going to pay dearly for this. How this will happen, I don't know, but it will happen.
Sadly, Graciela IS right in terms of what she told Carlota. I'm glad you said it first because I HATE giving Graciela ANY credit! :))
Vivi in DC, this is one thing that continues to stump me about these TN and the way either Televisa or Univision chooses to show them in the US: why is it acceptable to show horrible physical violence against women, but not a beautiful love scene? What kind of thinking is this?
Urban, you are also correct in noting that Maria didn't get half the beating the Esmeralda received. I wonder if that sicko Pedro thinks he will come back and give Maria a "little reminder".
I still see the bad people winning a heck of a lot more on this TN than the good guys AND if Maria long ago lost my interest because o her boring, broken record predictability, Montserrat is rapidly losing my interest as well. She is close to receiving Air Head status. You can only purse your tiny little lips and swing your blond hair around so much sweetie Montserrat before you come a parody of yourself.
As Urban also pointed out, Fabulush is a vulture. If she and Maria team up, they will become a fighting force fearful to behold.
Fatima
I also think that JL is over Montse but he is bitter about suffering another loss and is directing his pain at Alex and Montse. He needs counselling to help him face or cope with Angies illness.
Thanks for a great recap!!
Yola
UA,
"Frankly, Pedro's beating of Maria wasn't even close to the beatings he gave Esmeralda."
Perhaps, although I don't recall him pulling a gun on Esmeralda or forcing her to repeatedly say such horrible things about herself.
"Too bad."
Seriously?
JL's treatment of Montserrat seemed almost like brutal foreplay for a rape. Good for that well-placed knee. And now he's going to tell Alejandro about it? That should be fun.
As for the suicide note... looks like another job requiring Dimitrio's forgery skills. Next!
I agree that Zeke is, as NM put it, a vicious, murderous, perfidious toad, but I do think that he genuinely adores and worships Carlota. It cracked me up that he just happened to be prepared with an engagement ring. Was he a Boy Scout?
I'm fearful that Angelica may end up surviving longer than María after seeing the avances.
Carlos
I think EZ prepared for this long ago after Pedro made the suggestion about him pursuing Carlota.
Maria deserves much worse for what she's done and for what her actions in taking the note will result in. Being forced to swallow those pills was not only humiliating it could have killed her on top of all the alcohol she consumed in that scene. As to Pedro forcing her to say she was a worthless piece of garbage, that was only forcing her to face the truth (although he was actually shooting in the dark on that).
"In fact, Pedro, you have made so many enemies and are currently alienating so many natural allies in your sphere of influence that I am predicting your end may come Murder on the Orient Express style" Although he seems to be highly intelligent, he is not thinking far ahead that demeaning, beating, threatening to kill and ordering them to shoot themselves will leave him with no allies. Basurto and Maria will be the first in line to off him!
Also I agreed with Fatima, Vivi, EJ and everyone else who thinks Basurto is not changing. He has killed in cold blood and has from the start been looking for his chance to move up the ladder. Carlotta is a lovely and sweet woman. No doubt he can come to love her but not over his desires to be mayor.
Maricruz
ITA about Ezequiel and Carlota. Maybe he is just good at compartmentalizing his life. Maybe she will be good at turning a blind eye to his "business" dealings.
Jarifa
"Maria deserves much worse for what she's done and for what her actions in taking the note will result in."
Indeed? So do Nadia and Victor have no culpability in Pedro knowing that there was a note after all and exactly where to find it? Whether it was María or whoever, Pedro was bound to learn that there was a note and who had it.
Carlos
The women in this soap trouble me because they fully expect to get abused. That's difficult to accept in this day and age.
Padre Anselmo inexplicably has gone to pieces over losing that note. He’s been keeping secrets for 30 years so why this breakdown now? No sympathy points from me, no matter how many times he goes a rodillas. He’s losing face.
Has to be more here than meets the eye.
It takes us a step past desensitization to violence (bad enough) onto the minefield of audience participation ("She deserved it, the bitch!").
As for EZ's feelings for Carlota--
Lots of us have wondered how Nadia ever agreed to marry Pedro in the first place. I suspect their courtship went something like the one playing out right now.
Coming out of lurkdom to say...
What I particularly dislike is setting up an unpopular character for abuse and then inviting the viewer to enjoy the sadistic spectacle.
It takes us a step past desensitization to violence (bad enough) onto the minefield of audience participation ("She deserved it, the bitch!").
Novelamaven, thank you for that comment. I like they way you said that.
Maria is a character I truly disdain but I really had no pleasure in seeing her beat down last night. The only thing I felt was even more disgust (I can't think of a stronger word at the moment) toward Pedro. His end can't come soon enough for me.
Caryn
Who's in charge back at the ranch? Does the useless Macario have a back up? Are the animals being cared for? Are the oranges being picked?
Carlos
I too do not trust EZ. And I feel like Carlota is going to get hurt really bad in the end. And I didn't like the way Graciela talked and treated her about her relationship with EZ. As right as she is about EZ, still I think her problem is she is JEALOUS, sheis such a witch. Your husband is gone, your children are happy with their respective spouses and now Carlota is finding love. While you poor Graciela, sit there and wallow in loneliness. I know Sandro has been lurking about her, but still. The way she acted last night reeks of jealously. And it is disgusting, sad and pathetic.
Jarifa and Fatima:
And I too wish she would stop with the poking. One of these days someone is going to poke her back with a smack. :/
And Fatima
I said it before, I'LL say it again, I hate stupid heroines, MONTSERRAT! I am looking at you..
As for Maria, I am sorry, but I didn't feel very sorry for her. I in NO WAY condone the violent way Pedo acted BUT still, Maria is getting what she asked for. Play with fire and you will get burned....just like the letter :(
JL is an idiot and jerk. And I once more felt so bad for poor Angelica, sick at home while her husband accosting his ex. -__- WRITERS!! I want to see JL and Angie end up together for crying out loud. :(
Although I guess JL did what he cuz he wants Montse to hate him and stay away or he had a moment of weakness?
As for what may happen tonight with Maria, I think she WILL NOT get killed and EZ will use her and Adolfo against Pedo, to get revenge and sink him for good. That is what I would do. If your gonna overthrown someone, get all the help you can get, enemy of my enemy and all that.
Also this act of sending EZ to kill Maria instead of doing it HIMSELF, shows Pedo is an overcompensating ass wipe. Since you're such a big badass, your the president, handle things yourself. ugh he is a jackass creep with his head UP his ass.
See the amt of crap he has done maybe he is related to Vlad the Impaler after all....
Veronica
You sound ambivalent,
"I in NO WAY condone the violent way Pedo acted BUT still, Maria is getting what she asked for."
And I must have missed her request to be beaten like that.
Carlos
Just had to throw in that quote from your excellent and captivating preamble (with pictures to boot!) Julia.
But my second favorite passage was this:
"Juventino's come back from hell to torment Alejandro with self-doubt and me with his incomprehensible accent."
Ah yes, this telenovela has been quite challenging, between Pedro's clenched teeth and Joventino's mush mouth. But we soldier on, with or without closed captions!
Ah, the Carlotta/Basurto romance. No, I don't think he loves her at all. But the actor is fabulous and he's playing the part to perfection. Of course he's totally believable. And let's face it, it's always easier to believe what we WANT to believe, and it's normal and natural that Carlotta wants to be desired and loved. Who doesn't? I pray that there will be someone to comfort her when the mask is lifted. Or perhaps Basurto will die nobly after all, and she can mourn him like a fallen hero.
Julie, this recap was just perfect...and perfectly delightful to read and enjoy. Thanks for a great Thursday treat to make up for the mostly ugly and disturbing episode that it was Wednesday night. Kudos to you for turning dross into gold.
That was an astute comment, NovelaMaven, and frankly I was uncomfortable with my own reactions. I did NOT look away in horror from Maria's assault (as I did with Esmerelda's beat-downs). I watched quite calmly. There's an ugly part of the old limbic brain at work here, sure as shootin'.
Our wonderful NovelaMaven asked us yesterday about the messages the writers were sending re Barajas, in particular.
As I am getting ready to go out the door, I really have to wonder about a)what the writers are thinking re women in general and b) has the Mexican public condoned/accepted the violent scenes towards the women in this TN?
I have not seen as many TN as my fellow Caraymates, but in the few that I have seen (or tried to see, but couldn't i.e, LQNPA), there seems to be some not so sutble acceptance of this violence towards women even by the so called heroes of the story.
In "Amor Bravio", the female villain (holy cow, I am forgetting her name!) was an evil horrible woman. However,the violence perpetrated upon her by one of the villains was over the top. She was so violently raped, she could hardly walk. It was horribly hard to watch. In fact, I had to turn away (no surprise there, I'm sure).
I have to ponder my own questions because just maybe, it is not clear in my own mind as to why I am watching the TN if I can barely make it through some of the programs in the US that are considered top notch (Breaking Bad, etc).
Yes, I'm sure many of you are thinking, "Look, Fatima, if you can't handle it, then why watch?" I've already asked myself that. I do know that there is a part of the TN that can be so "comforting". Does that make sense?
It's the other part that I don't understand and which I will ponder as I hit the road for another long day.
Yours truly,
Fatima
I think a few times during Urban's weekend discussions we've spoken about how horrible the female villains' ends are compared to the male villains. Rape and disfigurement seem to be common for the female villains. Why? I'm sure some of our Caraymates who make their living in the field of psychology could probably explain why female villains seem to get a bigger/more violent anvil than their male counterpoints (or is this just our perception), and why rape is so often a part of that anvil.
For the women, what has started to bother me is that there seems no effort to overtly change that expectation, except for perhaps Fina, and looked where that got her with her own brother. I hold out hope, if we ever get decent screen time back for her and DIM, we will see her kicking this overall portrayal of female submissiveness to the curb and maybe the others will follow suit. Get jobs, stop sitting drinking tea and hand wringing and just show some smarts.
Is it horrible that the only person who may have "gotten it" and saw what they needed to play the same game as the guys in this world of theirs is Graceless? How sad is that. The others really need to get a clue and start waving the I Am Woman flag for some positive change before their children fall into this same trap ( as if this was real life--Yish!)
Frankly, and I qualify by saying I'm still enjoying this TN for the most part, but with so many episodes to go, if this is what we continue to see in the characters, I may not be able to stop feeling more and more frustrated and just give it up.
Daisynjay
Basura is evil but he does care for Carlota.
NM thank you for eloquently stating how the writers tried to set up Maria's beating as deserved. While she has been horrible, we do go to another level when men beat up women. Thankfully I've missed all the beat downs of women though saw the dismissed martial rape.
Fatima on violence against women, I understand your concerns and ask myself the same questions when tv shows continue to normalize things I would not tolerate in the real world. When it become to hard to watch our tns, I read the recaps b/c I love our community but don't want to have to endure actual viewing of disturbing material.
Novela Maven, your comment about our reaction to Maria’s beating gave us something to ponder. (And I didn’t thank you for your well done recap of Wednesday’s episode.) I was probably too satisfied to see Maria suffer at Pedro’s hands and twisted mind.
I am feeling a little weary: the long punishing winter and the evil running rampant in Aguazul and environs is getting to me. Not only the evil, but the stupidity as well, is tiresome. How about a few comic breaks—Grannie Graci being forced to baby sit for one afternoon? With assistance from Padre Anselmo who just drops in? Josefina decides to cut her hair? Fabiola decides to visit a resort for a few weeks? Or something, anything, a little sunnier. (No, not Montse's blond hair. Or Carlota's new diamond.)
Looking him up, I read weeks ago that at one point he was voted Number I TV villain in Mexico. Easy to see why -- the most delicious ham fest every time he's on. Complete with sometimes, to my ears, impossible to comprehend Spanish. He's a perfect huffing and twitching machine of malicia and betrayal. And, oddly for AguaAzul, up with some of the more recent technologies.
Love the Mexican credits too with their designations -- The Main Antagonist and other categories. They seem to take their novela traditions seriously and we love them for it, no?
I would SO love to see Juventino return -- but, alas, probably not ...
I am convinced that Carlota will only find true happiness once she takes her hair back to its original, beautiful form and puts down the little girly curling iron. Also, a return to her original wardrobe looks, por favor. It seems as though her fauxmance with EZ has led her to devolve into adolescence across the board, pobrezinha, and it just doesn't suit her. She should be with Victor!
Gracie head stabs must result in frequent CUTS on set. I can't imagine the actors not laughing about the gesture which has become her signature, along with the horrendo outfits and feathered booties. A whole coffee table book could be created out of her bizarre get-ups. I would definitely buy it.
Not much to add as I agree with most of what has been said. I am worried about the advances. The fact that Adolfo, who doesn't carry a gun, interrupts EZ and Maria makes me fearful that we lose Adolfo tonight. As I see him the more expendable character as opposed to Maria or EZ.
With all the violence being spread around, I'm trying to concentrate on a particular puzzlement. Victor and Nadia and their love nest. Surely Victor, at least, would suspect this undeserved gift, and have it swept for bugs and cameras. C'mon now, even the maid could have found something while dusting, unless like in "Lives of Others" movie (great film, btw), the Stasi put the wires in the walls. It also reminds me of Entre el Amor y el Odio, where Marcial (played by our Juventino), rigged up a camera and microphone in a big toy teddy bear's eye to spy on the object of his obsession.
Ok, for his poor victim, she had no idea how perverse he was, but in this case, V & N should know better.
ITA that he hasn't or won't change how he does what he does for a living. However, stop to think that the most hardened Mafioso who have been caught and exposed have had families--mothers, dads, wives, children, nieces, nephews, etc. etc. who have learned to adapt, if not in the business themselves (at least after reading the Godfather series and a few true crime books....)
Novelamaven...interesting comment about Ez's words always containing a grain of truth..
Your opening paragraphs and images set up a recap that is FAR better than last night's episode. I particularly loved the image of Vlad the Impaler and the folks on the Orient Express.
This was a really good recap and oh, so thorough, amiga.
I can only shake my head in dismay at the stupidity affecting our friends in Aguazul.
I know that Carlota is a silly goose of a woman, but should she be married off to a stone killer and sadist? That seems a bit excessive a fate for a woman whose worst qualities are her propensity to gossip and to harshly judge anyone who is not a member of her direct family.
Remember the cruel pleasure EZ took at seeing Maria imprisoned and then tortured with the fake suicide plot? Remember him stroking her exposed neck when she was unconscious? Ack!
I hate the device of Pedo watching Nadia and victor in their love shack. I guess that was the only way the writers could figure to get Pedo the info that there was indeed a suicide note and that Maria had taken it.
NM: you are so right. I am NOT looking forward to recapping tonight's epi with more violence and abuse to women. Ack, again.
Vivi, you raise very important questions about the abuse of women in TNs. Why? Why are there no strong, educated, powerful women—even among the wealthy—in the show? Why are women punished in more horrible ways than men at the end of the TNs?
Although characters have cell phones, automobiles and remote viewing technology used to spy on Nadia and Victor, attitudes toward women in this TN seem stuck in the 19th century—the timeframe used to set up the original story.
I can only speculate on the reasons for the story being written this way, but I think it would be fair to say that an underlying religious culture in which women are most definitely NOT the equals of men leaves a taint on the story.
I would guess that you and others would agree with me, Amiga. Are we not just harkening back to some very old archetypes for women? It seems that the only roles for those with XX chromosomes in Aguazul are virgin, victim, martyr, mother and whore.
EJ
I just want to go the record as saying that I hated the scenes of Pedro, once again, violently beating a woman. The fact that this violence was done on the person of an unsympathetic character like Maria makes no difference to me.
Maria may have earned punishment for her bad behavior, but she certainly didn't deserve a vicious beating at the hand of her emotional pimp.
Like you, I find that whole storyline repellent.
EJ
They're going to freak when they find out and I don't think that will take much longer.
As to female Karmageddons being worse than male ones, I think that most Karmageddons are proportionate to the crimes committed to earn them. In the case of toxic parents, the mothers do substantially more psychological damage than the fathers do because they can start at cradle stage. They have more weapons at their disposal as well.
I don't think there is much gender difference among peer villain Karmageddons. Femme fatales are often disfigured and male rapists either die or end up getting raped in prison.
It would be a unique and historic ending if the authors pulled an Agatha Christie on Pedro. Maybe that would provoke my proposed Televisa version of that very film.
I think it's all Ale's fault that the note is gone. HE is the one who told Maria it existed and where it went, and he should know better than to trust Maria with anything, let alone important information, by now. So if he has to rot in jail for years, it's kind of his own fault. He should have told Montse and Rosario and Padre all to tell JL to come to visit him at the jail immediately, himself! Even if JL got searched, surely he could have come up with a good method of hiding the note, and at least he would have seen it first.
Ale needs to sponsor Nadia and Victor on a trip to somewhere far, far away and incommunicado so they can't cause any more problems through their naive blunderings.
What bothers me more is the novela is now in plateau mode and getting it through to the next peak might be good without beat-ups of this nature. Everyone seems exhausted and the story too.
Univision isn't trying to say any of this is okay. They are referencing the culture and trying to make a point and, to their credit, our American soap operas when they do showcase domestic violence anymore are a lot tamer, safer and full of BS in terms of visuals. We tend to get the black-eye -- They are going for broke.
Good for Mexico, I say, if the intent is to create disgust and outrage.
I don't know if anyone here is old enough to remember seeing "The Burning Bed" with Farrah Fawcett when it came out on American -- pre-cable -- TV. That turned the tide. Perhaps Mexican TV is helping to turn their own tides.
I'm guessing US soaps keep things PG because they are shown during the day. But these are nighttime shows.
This is Catholic Latin America -- to expect consistency or parity is an exercise in frustration and I am with you all the way. Make love not war. Look at the Escondida scenes for the real problem -- They simply can't do any of it -- sex, violence, real sleaziness on TV. So they go for the violence because, again, America Catolica. I got into this some months ago and ended up some riled up, brought up so much turbulence, that I ended up meio bebada and stayed away for some weeks.
Here's what I want -- Ale out of jail -- so boring to have him in there forever. Josefina and Demetrio front and center!! Adolfo back. Carlota back to her sexy self in her sleek hair and great size plus outfits -- she is so beautiful and I hate what they have done to her. More Gracie. More Padre Anselmo and Rosario and Macario. More vistas!
It goes without saying that sex is better than violence.
"Nadia and Victor are not guilty because they are clueless about being watched."
Thanks, I know, I watch the show, but you said:
"Maria deserves much worse for what she's done and for what her actions in taking the note will result in."
I contend that Maria had no intention for Pedro to end up with the note as he did. She was clueless that Pedro was evesdropping on the adulterous couple or she certainly would have acted differently. As I said:
"Whether it was María or whoever, Pedro was bound to learn that there was a note and who had it."
And you can bet he would have pursued whoever had it.
Carlos
They can't show real sex because no one does, anywhere, unless we are talking sex tapes. And they don't show real violence either -- just an approximation of the aftermath of a beatdown.
I don't blame Univision for this. I do kinda blame myself for getting so into it that I start to lose myself. Maybe why I so relate to Alejandro. Any small gain that man can make in understanding himself and the demons that drive him is like a hurrah even though my Rulli crush has abated.
I must confess that I am now all about Dimitrio who never shows up enough and imagining my life with the wonderful actor who plays Padre Anselmo.
Great scene his coming to terms with the fact that he had messed up and let Maria rob him. Talk about being violated. Dom Eric del Castillo -- meet you at the beach gazebo.
And Oscar and Veronica need to return soonest.
Maria- I am sure Eric would love to hang with you on that lovely beach, under all that gauze. :)
So help me we get a scene with him lovingly kissing Angie at home...well I better remove any throwable objects as I watch so I don't destroy the TV. Daisynjay, ISTA!
That was so out of character for JL. And Monse, who let Ale toss her around like a rag, suddenly pulls out the knee combat move? Doesn’t ring true. Maybe the writers are ticked off about the extension and just let it rip.
EZ is in love with ambition, but I do think he likes and appreciates Carlota. I like the way he is preparing to throw Pedro under the bus. But I fear he'd throw Carlota under the bus too if she somehow got in his way.
The only women I have respect for on this TN are madrina Prudencia, Amelia (because she has displayed courage in difficult situations) and Angelica.
The others are punching bags, mere pretty objects, or both.
I don’t buy the theory that the writers are showing the absurdity of violence toward women by displaying it so often. That’s too much of a reach.
The absurdity of one's heightened reactions to this particular soap opera is more to the point and for sure has to do with my over reactions.
Thank you so much for the recap JuliaR. After having read it and the comments, I believe I can skip this one.
Carlos:
I know I seemed ambivalent on what happened to Maria. I wanted to feel sympathy cuz what Pedo did I hate to see that. It pisses me off to no end to see women in novelas get that treatment. Despite my dislike for Maria lets hope we don't see anymore beatings. -__-
But seeing how sadistic Pedo was, I am afraid this may not be over.
And I too notice how female villains tend to get more than usual amt of punishment in novelas, but there was one novela where I saw a male villain get quite the overkill in terms of final punishment, I forgot the character's name but he was in Apuesta Por Un Amor. I think he had played as Julia's brother?
Veronica
That was Fabián Robles as Alvaro, Julia's brother and I think he almost makes Pedro look tame by comparison. One of the best and craziest villains ever. I thought he was wasted in MPV. I don't recall how he ended up but I remember that it was brutal.
Carlos
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