Caray, Caray!

Benjamín's idea of child-rearing reads like a horrible nature/nurture experiment. It makes me think of the occasional "Wild Child" that surfaces; or of Harry Harlow's monkeys (see the reference for the quote in the recap above). In this case, it was Alejandro who lucked out and got the cloth mother.
 

Your faithful and humble reader was absolutely thrilled to get home this evening from work to find another fantastic recap from the FANTASTIC NovelaMaven!!! I LOVED the way you tied up everything so far. What a good idea, but so much work, NovelaMaven. Please know how much it is appreciated.

Every time I think Alejandro is taking a huge step forward in his ability to THINK, he takes giant leaps backwards.

So, Joaquin has all of a sudden changed his mind both about JL AND how he feels about his daughter?! I still think he is a snake in the grass and bears close watching.

Why is Prudencia no longer on the scene?

Carlotta just can't help herself, can she? I'm telling ya, those loose lips are going to do some heavy damage down the road.

Fatima
 

LOVE your title, especially combined with the request to cease the avocado jokes to spare Pedro's feelings. As if he even Hass feelings!
 

Julia! HASS!!! Ka-ching!!!!!

Fatima
 

Julia:

As if! HAHAHAHAHAHA

Fatima:
I'm so glad you liked the overview. We were getting the story in bits and pieces and it was becoming unwieldy. (If I screwed up, I'm sure someone on The Patio will let us know, right?)

About Joaquín -- I think the repentance is genuine. I don't think he has an ounce of venom left. (I don't know if you've had a chance to see the episode yet, but I found it a very moving scene.)
 

NovelaMaven, I agree. It was time to put the pieces together especially given the entrance of the new characters.

I've not had a chance to see the episode, yet, but I'm glad that Joaquin has softened his heart towards his daughter. Maybe I missed that he had changed that much in the previous episodes which is why it felt like an abrupt turnaround to me.

You are the best, NovelaMaven!!

Fatima
 

Good work, NovelaMaven.

I agree that Joaquin's venom is gone. He's realized the error of his ways but he's still scared, as he should be. I am concerned that he will meet his Maker before Angelica does.

We now have two more evil ones who will do anything to get their greedy mitts on Alejandro's estate, so they are just as likely as Pedro to fabricate incriminating evidence.
 

Thank you, Urban for your input on Joaquin as well. I suppose I keep seeing in my mind that yelling match he had with Alejandro the day of Alejandro's wedding. Having missed an episode means I most likely missed this transformation in Joaquin.

I'm sure Pedro/Caligula will find some way to harm Joaquin. His evil eyes are everywhere.

I wonder how Joaquin got his money way back when he was courting Amelia? Do you think we will ever find that out? I'm just a wee bit curious.

Fatima
 

I don't know. All I know is that she knows that not all his money was honestly made.

Honestly, you'd think that Graceless would have learned something about class during her youthful association with Amelia, but obviously she didn't. Another case for Nature over Nurture, which I dearly wish people would stop believing in.
 

Fatima:

I'm not sure the change in Joaquín was foreshadowed. I didn't really capture it in the recap. but we actually see him transforming in the course of the scene. He is arch and arrogant at first. Then he drops the pose. At the end, his pain is raw and exposed.

As Urban points out, he is quite right to be afraid. Prison is a very dangerous place to be, especially if you have information that could harm someone in power.

I don't think we'll ever know exactly where his money came from. Apparently his shady business practices go way back. Remember how Prudencia said Amelia's family thought he had made a lot of money suspiciously fast, and not even Amelia herself really understood what he did for a living?

Urban:

Yes, we're not in any danger of running out of bad guys. :)

Graciela hasn't learned much about manners, but she has certainly mastered an aristocratic sense of entitlement.
 

Urban and NovelaMaven, thank you for the explanations. Sometimes, things get a tad confusing for me during the episodes which is why I have to read the recaps at least twice!!

One of these days, I will get up to speed (insert "wink" emoticon here)

Fatima :))

 

Dear Novela Maven:

This was a brilliant summation of our character's characters. I absolutely loved it. Thank you so much for all of the many hours of labor that went into this retelling of our litte story. I feel all caught up as we go on to new chapters and adventures with our little friends.

I especially appreciate the clarification about Graciela in her relationship with Benjamin y Lauro. She married Lauro because he was the richest guy in town, but apparently he was completely inept with money. Or was he? I have a new hypothesis. I cannot believe that a woman of Graciela's cunning and greed would have let herself go broke. What if she was (at least partly) the cause of Lauro's diminishing fortunes—not only through her overspending and lavish lifestyle but also through siphoning money off the estate to offshore accounts. She is the kind of character who would always have a back-up plan and a bolt hole.

I think as long as she can get someone else to pay the bills, she will. Ale was just an easy mark.

Thanks again, Maven. We are so lucky to have your writing for us.

One more question: Do we have the same writing team for the next set of capitulos? If so I wonder how good they will be now that they do not have Caridad Bravo Adams' story to follow.

EJ
 

Good evening Elna June:

I'm delighted that you liked my little overview. It wasn't especially onerous writing it, you know, so don't think it represents hours of drudgery.

I am smiling at the thought of Graciela managing offshore bank accounts, hidden fortunes in the Caiman Islands, perhaps.

I do remember a conversation she and Lauro had near the beginning of the novela. She was kvetching that his hacienda kept losing money while those of the neighbors were growing ever fatter. Lauro said it was because he was honest and they were not. In retrospect, we can see that he was right. The haciendados like Benjamin Almonte and Joaquín Arechiga were bandits. Lauro never stood a chance in that environment.

Add to that Dimitrio's gambling habit and Graciela's unbridled spending on herself as well as her penchant for playing Lady Bountiful so as to keep the priest beholden to her.

[If you were to ask Graciela, she would say that it was all Carlota's fault. If only she would stick to little salads…]

Good question about the writing team. There are still some lovely individual scenes, beautifully written and played. Maybe someone else has an answer.
 

NovelaMaven:

This whole recap is a work of art, from your opening of catching up, to the body of the recap itself. We are really lucky to have you on this team! This recap is outstanding!

So Ale did what we thought he would never do, he did get a second opinion! He shouldn't have told BM about the clinic though. That way she wouldn't have escaped. Ah well. Tomorrow is another day! I can't believe how calm Ale and Monse are either about BM being on the loose.

I will still use avocado jokes for Pedro and kudos for Julia coming up with HAAS ; )

I too think that Joaquin was being sincere in speaking with JL, and I especially liked Joaquin's remark at the end of the convo, do the right thing for esa persona---you know who I mean! Admission of guilt if I ever heard one and a way to tell him this PERSON had nothing whatever to do with anything. I was surprised that Joaquin did that.

Sandho is loud isn't he? Also Fablush, can she handle the no drinking rule? I can just see her having a drink with Ale and then some! Poor Ale and Monse, get rid of one devil and get two back!

Now this little bidness of Angie and Esme, who knew? This should be very interesting.

Que is up with Dimmy? Is he perhaps riddled with guilt for all the mean things he said to his Papa, has fallen into a depression and now is in mourning? I never expected this from Dimmy at all. I hope Fina and Tia pull him out of this funk.

That last scene with Nadia and BM was chilling to say the least. I wonder what BM is up to now?

Oh, and Pedro personally coming to Esme and informing her about the deal with never say anything about him or Nadia suffers. I never expected him to deliver this to Esme in person. Hmmm...


Thanks again NovelaMaven for all the time it took you to write this superb recap and for the way you always excellently write these recaps! You rock!
 

Mads:

Thanks so very much. It's especially sweet to get a kind word from a fellow recapper.

I'm also increasingly interested in Dimitrio's story. His world has been turned upside down with the unmasking of his mother and the death of his father. It could be transformative for him if he can get past his guilt and grief and somehow get out from under Pedro's thumb. [In general, telenovelas seem to expect characters to get their grieving done quickly, a thing that rarely happens in real life.]

He is very gentle with Josefina these days. Maybe there is hope for these two as a couple after all.

And yes, guacamole is a Patio staple. No way are we going to give up avocado jokes. That would really be the pits!
 

Novela Maven:

Even the idea of Henry Harlow makes me want to cry. The man was morally bankrupt, perhaps even a monster.

One wonders if he would have used human subjects in his studies, had that been possible.

I guess THAT would be a terrible enough punishment for Pedro, being a human subject for Harlow's isolation experiments. And I agree with all who have said that Pedro's morality is not linked to his physical deformity. The very idea is insulting. Is the MORALITY of a child born with polio corrupted by his/her experience of great hardship? I think not.

As Vivi and others have said, Pedro is just morally twisted.

EJ

 

Terrific recap! Love the title. In fact I bought a huge bag of avocados today so will be eating LOTS of guacamole. (Sorry Pedro, I won't be thinking of you.)

NovelaMaven, Thank you for the retrospective, which I needed. I woke up a cranky Mr. S when I howled at "This is JL's turf, but we can imagine EZ furtively lifting his leg in a corner."

Will keep my comment short because so far TWO comments have been annihilated due to a wretched internet connection. Grrrr.

UrbanA, I worked in an elementary school district for years and I saw over and over again that nurture reigns supreme.
 

NovelaMaven,
Thanks so much for the recap, and the added character summary. Your recaps are always such a treat to read.

Among my favorites were:

"She is sprinting along the malecón so energetically, that she has surely been doing some serious endurance training in her spare time."

" Montserrat and Alejandro don't have time to discuss the latest tontería, however, because LOUD Sandro Narvaez appears on their doorstep."

My favorite part of the epi was Montse not letting up on BM. I love the fact that she can see right through her lies. And then to be up front with BM, telling her that she was not allowed in their house, not even for a visit, not even her ashes (just in case BM decided to attempt suicide again, but this time succeeded) would be allowed in the house. WOW! "Montserrat listens and walks away with a satisfied smile. Of course she was right."

I feel kind of sad for Dimi. It's hard to tell what he's going through right now. Depression? Mourning? Maybe a combination of the two, plus the realization that he finally is going to have to grow up.

Esme as the owner of La Escondida? I didn't see that coming. Good for her and Angie.

I guess Ale did take some Patio advice and got a second opinion. Of course BM had to ruin everything by running out of the hospital. She's really annoying. And then she shows up at Pedro & Nadia's? How is she going to explain that one when everyone finds out she was there. Of course I am assuming that Nadia will tell Montse. That smirky smile (thanks NovelaMaven) on BM's face was disturbing.

Julia:
"Hass" LOL!!!

ITA with everyone about Joaquin's talk with JL. I do honestly believe that Joaquin is repenting. You could see it in his facial expressions while he talked with JL. I think he believes that he has no way out with Pedro. He knows that his time has come, and he realizes that he won't see his family again. Plus he is too ashamed to face them because of his guilt.

More commenting later. I need sleep.

Off to bed...hasta pronto!
 

An absolute masterpiece NM! Not much happened is very true and yet you gave us this gem of a recap. Many thanks.

So he was only on our screen for a few minutes tops last night, but Dim just broke my heart. Someone needed a hug BAD. There has to be so many emotions and past regrets being played out there with him, and Fina's understanding and devotion was so obvious. I am so rooting for these two. Enjoying my seat right now at the FinDim table.

If Tia wasn't on the good guys' side, I'd muzzle her. Lord, woman, learn when to just stop talking.

I love Angie, honestly, but could they have maybe thought up another business to work together on. I can't quite see the wife of a navy officer owning the local "dance" bar.

I think it's almost guaranteed now that Sandro and Graceless will be hooking up. They will both think the other has money...teehee. Suckers!! And if dear cuz is as big of a drinker as they are portraying, she isn't going to be able to just go cold turkey. You wonder on this scheme, who is manipulating whom. Sandro seems in firm control, so even though Amelia seems comfy with Fabs being who she is supposed to be, something just seems off here. Fabs seems to be more his pawn. Guess we'll see.

Not a smart move for Maria to show up at Pedro's place? Don't think he's going to like having one of his paid minions showing up like that. Love the look on her face when she realized she was about to find herself in a mental health clinic. Gotcha! Ale had actually used those educated brain cells. Poor Pedro--paying off all these people for nothing so far.

Daisynjay
 

Wow...that was just an excellent summary, although I winced at re-reading about the Harlow experiments. Like Elna June, the memory of those poor little baby monkeys trying to snuggle up to a wire "mother" that dispensed food but no warmth or tactile comfort, just makes me sick. My husband's mother put him and his brother back in the crib immediately (after bottle feeding them) for fear of spoiling them. After that, it was the playpen all day. Even homes can be like orphanages or cold laboratory experiments.

But on to that delicious recap!

"Tonight the writers have set out the bowling pins. (Maybe tomorrow they'll knock some down.) By the way, out of respect for Pedro's loss, they have asked The Patio to cool it with the avocado jokes. [I see no reason to comply with their request. Do you?]"

That was awesome, as was Julia's Haas quip.

And my next favorite, other than those "hubiera etc." quotes were

"yo no se cuece al primer hervor"

At last, a telenovela Spanish phrase I can use! And often. Thanks, Teach.

And like Sylvia, also loved "(This is JL's turf, but we can imagine EZ furtively lifting a leg in a corner.)"

Got a kick out of the "Hello Dolly!" heading and well, the whole recap was just a treat. Haven't seen this yet, but looking forward to it, even though there were no big "reveals".

Want to thank you also for the recommendation of Prayers for the Stolen. That is a book that really marks you. As you said, it's a book one reads in one gulp. But it was a gulp that burned my throat. Unforgettable.
 

No way are we going to give up avocado jokes. That would really be the pits!

Good one!

Elna June, it would be interesting to find this out and it would make a certain amount of sense for Graceless to have offshore accounts. It would add to her evil that she played the puppetmistress over her entire family while laughing at their stress and misery.

The one hole in this theory is that the issue over Dim's gambling debts in the opening episodes wouldn't have had to be as she could have just quietly paid them. She did appear to love and dote on him at that point. How she feels about him now is another matter.
 

NovelaMaven- It was the perfect time for a rundown/refresher of what our current players are up to. You presented it perfectly.

Julia- Good one! :)

I was so glad that Dim wasn't spending his days gambling or with other women. I was pretty sure he wasn't working or looking for work, but I would have never suspected that he's spending his days at Lauro's resting place. I wonder if they'll give us a mind-eye view of what he's thinking.

I'm hoping Angie and Esme turn Escondida into a proper dance club or a dance class studio. The strip club thing is just not a great biz to be in, IMO.
 

Re Pedro's "visit" to Esmeralda, I think he just wanted one last shot at scaring the bejezus out of her. He gets off on that.

As to what she does with Escondida, I agree, Vivi. Maybe a ballroom dance club to appeal to higher-class patrons, a dance school, anything else. She could hire her former boss and whomever else she got on well with.

As to Angie's will, I wonder if she will bequeath back to Alejandro the money that Dimitrio stole that she stole from him to bribe EZ to get Jose Luis out of the jail. That may well be money he will need to get himself out of the trouble now being cooked up by others.
 

Novela Maven, loved your recap especially the Graciela and Pedro summaries. Thanks.

I enjoyed:

Montse telling Maria she would not even allow Maria's ashes in her home if she finally did manage to kill herself.

JL in pursuit of the truth. I wonder how Pedro will try to force him to do otherwise.

Sanho being interested in Graciela. They could be a
perfect match! Could he take her away on a grifting tour of the world.

Maria showing up at Pedro's house.

Dimitrio sitting at his father's tomb. Maybe he will prove to have a conscience after all.

I didn't like:

Angelica's mom trying to guilt her in to more unwanted treatment.

Angelica's idea to buy the strip club.

Esme just opening up the door without knowing who is on the other side of it. Isn't that how she got beat up at least the second time when she already knew Pedro was a dangerous man? This chica is not too smart.

Ale letting his supposed cousin Fabiola just move in. Seems like his homes are hotels for anyone remotely related or any acquaintance of his.

Jarifa
 

Jarifa, I agree with 3 out of 4, especially the one about Alejandro allowing Fabiola to move in.

Although we know of no prior connexion between these two grifters and Pedro's schemes, shouldn't Alejandro be more than a little suspicious at the timing of this sudden appearance of a previously unknown cousin?

What we can count on is that Sandro will ultimately connect with Pedro to dispossess Alejandro of his inheritance. That is, unless Jose Luis can manage protection for Joaquin's family at which time Joaquin will make the ultimate sacrifice and play stool pigeon. He's a dead man as soon as that happens and he knows it.
 

"Ale letting his supposed cousin Fabiola just move in. "

Jarifa, I think Ale's Achilles heel is the issue of "family". Not having had a real family growing up, it's almost a knew-jerk reaction to feel like he has to open his home to anyone who claims the need for being close to family since it's such a raw point for him. He identifies almost too much with that feeling, and people like Maria have learned to use it.

Love the idea of a Vivi of a dance studio or proper club for Esme and Angie. Can't wait to see JL's reaction. Hope he understands that Angie needs to do something and be useful and not just immediately shoot her down. Not the greatest idea we all agree, but work with it man to get to a better place. I agree Amelia's ragging again last night to Angie had me cringing, but I think even Angie realized it came from the loss of her husband in her world. Normally I don't care for the actress, but she is playing well a woman trying to hang on as she is soon to be "losing" her love ones around her.

Daisynjay
 

Sorry about typos...stupid Kindle. I correct, it doesn't always save or it just picks a word for me. Evil robot syndrome.

Daisynjay
 

I have always had a huge problem with Amelia's helicopter parenting. It makes me wonder whether she would be this way if Angelica had never gotten ill. If and when Angie dies she will be even more so over her one remaining chick, with or without her husband.

Daisynjay, great observation about Alejandro. He always felt cheated out of having "family" in the conventional sense, so he is vulnerable in this area.

In fact, there are a lot of characters in this tale who have no family:

Victor
Dominga
Macario
Padre Anselmo
Refugio
Jose Luis
Esmeralda
Pedro
Ezekiel


Who Have Lost Family:

Maria
Alejandro*
Rosario*
Tomas & Josefina
Fabiola**


Absent Family:

Nadia & Adolfo


The only Intact Families are dysfunctional:

Arechiga
Mendoza

*They found each other years later
**Possible impostor
 

Dear NovelaMaven,

Just indulged in my favorite Wednesday morning activity--reading your wonderful recap! As always, I am grateful and impressed. Thanks so much for taking the time to review and consolidate what has passed and for the wry and detailed take on last night's episode, too.

I had a good laugh at this: "As you can see, the writers have cranked out enough unlikely circumstances to carry us through to spring and summer."

There were many, many more lines I loved, but my favorite of all was this regarding María's escape (others have already pointed it out, but its 's funny, I can't resist another direct quote:

"She is sprinting along the malecón so energetically, that she has surely been doing some serious endurance training in her spare time."

Thanks, too, for that careful transcription of "Aunque no hubieras renunciado, no hubieras podido seguir bailando ahi." Some interesting grammar and syntax going on in that one, eh? It took me a while to break it down, and only thanks to your helpful translation.

I'm enjoying this telenovela, as always, and, even as I can tell new things are happening and new drama is being set up, I still feel that it's in a bit of the doldrums. I guess that's to be expected at this point, but it's hard to see how it's not going to get repetitive and silly as it extends to 190 episodes.

But I know we'll be having fun with it on Caray Caray!

I was reading yesterday somewhere that it was originally supposed to end in the US sometime in May and thought to myself, Wow, that's just two months! Had it not been extended, we would have been getting advertisements for Ultimos Capitulos within a few weeks from now.

Instead, ONWARD to August!

Many thanks to you, NovelaMaven, and all the wonderful commenters at Caray Caray, too!



 

Daisynjay- Great analysis of why Ale is so vulnerable to moochers in need of "family." He should have learned from seeing what Monse goes through that family isn't so great all the time.

I think Isabel Camil is doing a great job as Amelia. Although I don't agree with her parenting style, I understand it. She does a great job of conveying the desperation of the mother of a dying child. I think Virginia's refusal to get out of bed or leave home is the only thing keeping her safe right now. We know as soon as she hits the streets, Basurto and Pedro will use her to remind Joaquin why he needs to keep his mouth shut.
 

thanks, Novelamaven, I needed a review . I look forward to your recap every week. Hey, I am still laughing about eye cam...beautiful blonde on the beach....beautiful blonde....blonde. I get a big kick out of the way your mind works.

I like the way this novela keeps surprising me. It has veered so far away from the AR storyline.

Angie setting Esme up in business...girl power !

HA HA HA...Haas. I must admit that it is disturbing to be thinking about Pedro's shortcomings as much as we do. Male mannequin ??? Ken??? Very disturbing mental images...Yikes

I loved Mony standing outside MALria's door listening to her meltdown. 5..4...3...2...1...blastoff. Poor Malria just couldn't hold on to the nice any longer. There she blows !!!! It was like a geyser erupting.

Joaquin finally seeming to see the light was very moving. The actor gave a great performance. Some people seem to be their own worst enemies. They have a good life, a family , and they throw it all away. I t happens all the time in real life. Others gather the flowers at hand and make a beautiful bouquet of their life.

I have seen the last few episodes of the rerun of Pasion and started reading the recaps. what a great novela and what terrific recappers. I also caught five minutes of Destilando Amor yesterday . I enjoyed seeing Sergio trying to set up Hot Rodrigo up with a rakers , and straight arrow hot rod refusing . That was another fun ride, and it introduced us to Sofia Vagara as Dr.Hotlips. I wonder if knowing Sofia will help big Ed with his U.S. career.
 

Daisynjay, yes, that was a good observation about Alejandro and family.

I agree that these tablets are so convenient some times and other times just a pain to write on.

I could go along with a dance studio venture but I cannot see any kind of club being able to stay legit for long in Aguazul with its crooked police, Pedro and his minions.

Jarifa

 

Has everyone...including Mony..forgotten about that suitcase of cash that she gave to JL and the marinos confiscated ? It seemed to be quite a lot of money. Have the writers forgotten about it, too ?
 

Susanlynn- For a tn where people are so desperate to hang on to cash, they sure are forgetting to follow-up on a lot of it. Monse hasn’t followed up with Robeldo to get her confiscated cash from her land sale back. Ale hasn’t followed up with Maria-Adolfo-Dim yet to realize that his stolen petty cash drawer money ended up in Angie’s hands, and then Basurto’s pocket. Not so surprising since it was petty cash anyway. And Ale hasn’t followed up with Dim to make him work off, or pay off, the money Dim scammed off Fina that Ale paid back to Tomas. Like Lauro, it doesn’t seem that Monse and Ale are very good with managing their money.
 

I felt bad a bit for Pedro but that alone does not justify his evil deeds,he should have looked for professional help,instead he became the monster he is now. You can still adopt children ,with his intelligence alone he would have had everything..
 

Good snowy morning NovelaMaven and friends! Well, it is for me: a rare March snowday!

Love the title 'cause "Holy Guacamole" is one of my favorite expressions! Love it! Love it! Love the whole wonderful recap as well as the so detailed, fun and functional review of the action thus far!

"But I spoke from the bottom of my heart," wails María. Yeah and that's where all the dregs of hatred and frustrated lust lie, wench!

He's willing to throw her in the trash just to avoid a problem with his wife? Y'all know what? A little thing like sharing a sire wouldn't stop the horny loca-motive that is Maria!

Cervera. Sure this lawyer isn't part of Pedro's full employment plan?

Ok novela vets! Why do the writers always try to act like technology doesn't exist? Why didn't Fabulush just freakin' call Unkie Bennie. . .surely they have phones in Miami? Didn't she have a cell phone? Didn't Bennie have a phone? Ok, not as dramatic as a visit!

Fabiola craves the warmth of a family. Aaaauuuchhhgk! A bolt of nausea nearly escaped my mouth!

Why don't people with incalculable fortune get a trusted private detective to investigate loud mouthed guys and mysterious cousins that just barge their way into their lives?

That's Why They Call it a Waiting Room That silly Pedro! I must say, yeah my man JL looks hellifed sexy in a uniform and he's been being the noble, principled JL. . .not a drop of sweat either. He and Joaquin did a great job in that interrogation scene. Glad Angie will get to know her dad loves her before she dies.

Well, time for a nice hot cuppa as I watch the cute juncos and friends scarf down the seed I have to keep putting out. We actually saw parts of the ground here in Ypsilanti for a few hours yesterday and it got to 52! And there's more snow coming Tuesday! Oh well, at least we haven't lost power.

Lila
 

Yes; you'd think that Monserrat and Carlota would have done something about that briefcase of cash before selling the hacienda. They must have been fleeced on that sale because being on the brink of bankruptcy six months later doesn't sound right unless Graceless used the dinero to pay off a mortgage on the mansion.

Don't writers realize that viewers look for details like that?

I don't think that Alejandro's lawyer knew Benjamin back that far. In their conversation I think he said he didn't know him until "20 years ago." I'd like to see him show a few more grey cells because that actor played the very smart Sherlock Juarez in AB.
 

Elna June:

Of course everything you say about Harry Harlow is true. I am so sorry to have given you pain by bringing him into the discussion. The image of his damaged primates came to mind when I thought about Ben Almonte sitting removed and observing the development of his two offspring in contrasting conditions of deprivation.

Please forgive me.
 

NovelaMaven: Loved the review and recap. Most of my favorites have been mentioned, but here’s one more: “Pedro has been doing his best to bring full employment to Aguazul. María and Adolfo are his latest hires.”

Poor Dim just doesn’t know what to do with himself. I think he’s trying to gain strength from Lauro and figure out why he always felt his dad didn't love him.

Yay, Angie and Esme go into business together. I’ll accept anything to see Angie happy, even a strip club. I’ve been wishing Angie had fallen in love with a surfer dude or a salsa dancer, someone who would show her a good time, so I’m glad she’s making her own good time with Esme. JL has been so cool with his best friend being in love with a stripper. Let’s see if he maintains that cool when his own wife is involved. But I’d prefer a dance studio too and would like Angie to start painting again. Maybe a school of the arts.

Amelia is a mystery. How is it she and Benjamin were so close that she knows stuff about him that even Joaquin doesn’t know? How could she be so close to a man that was going around trashing women?

I too found Joaquin’ scene in the jail cell moving. I’ve seen the actor in other small roles (like Boy Roy’s bankrupt dad in Amores Verdaderos), but this is the first time I’ve seen him in a dramatic role.
 

I remember reading about Harlow's monkey business. I felt so sorry for those poor little monkeys clinging to those cold, hard, unmoving wire "mommies". Que lastima. It made me think of human babies holding onto their blankies and stuffed toys when mommy isn't around. One of my colleagues , a psychology teacher , adopted a little girl from a Rumanian orphanage . She told me that the orphans received very little holding or cuddling. They spent a lot of time in their cribs with little stimulation. She said that those children had lifelong learning problems.

I think that being raised with a loving, kind, and affectionate grandma living in our home who spent a lot of time with me has gotten me through many bad experiences in my life. Being loved and nurtured when you are little carries you through many difficult situations ....and vice versa. I still talk to her even though she died when I was just eleven. One of my favorite quotes is : " Being loved by someone makes you strong, and loving someone makes you brave."
 

I'd like to know more about Graciela's upbringing and
family. Other than the fact that her mother was a seamstress, we know nothing. It might be interesting
if a disreputable member of her family showed up.


Thank you NovelaMaven for your excellent, prompt
recap as well as for the review since I have trouble
keeping all the history straight.
 

Sylvia:

Yes yes -- keep the guacamole coming!

Can't you climb a tree or something to catch a signal and stay in touch with us? (These conversations are VERY important!)

AuntyAnn:

Thanks! I enjoyed your comment.

As for Montse seeing through María, how could she not? María has shown her claws to Montse more than once (remember how she asked so meekly to speak to her alone just before she left the hacienda and then SWITCHEROO -- the claws came out as soon as María knew no one else could hear her.)

Montse knows almost as much about María's true nature as we do out here on The Patio. Still, I was nervous. María was giving her all in that performance. YAY Montse!

Daisynjay:

I loved what you wrote so much that I just have to quote it here:

"I think Ale's Achilles heel is the issue of "family". Not having had a real family growing up, it's almost a knew-jerk reaction to feel like he has to open his home to anyone who claims the need for being close to family since it's such a raw point for him. He identifies almost too much with that feeling, and people like Maria have learned to use it."

Thank you for expressing so beautifully one of the major driving forces behind this story.

JudyB:

Please forgive me if the Harlow reference gave you a bad moment too.

From what you say about "Prayers for the Stolen," it seems you and I had similar reactions to the book. It does, indeed, "burn" as it goes down.

So glad I gave you a phrase you think you can use. I know I plan to slip it into a conversation very soon. [NM smiles ruefully and nods: "Ya no se cuece al primer hervor." Her interlocutor laughs appreciatively and reflects: she may be an old fart, but listen to her Spanish.]

Vivi:

I agree about how well Isabel Camil is doing as Amelia. I'm not ready to criticize her for being too protective, given the hand she's been dealt.

Have you noticed how different she seems now than when we first met her? She was the arrogant rich woman who couldn't fathom sitting at the same table as a stripper, a domestic servant and a nouveau riche bastard. We all detested her.

At that point in the story, she was already dealing with a sick child, so I don't think we can say she evolved through suffering. I suspect that the writers simply decided to make her more sympathetic. I think it was a good decision. Don't you?

Jarifa:

I'm sitting here nodding in agreement at the points you make, but this one especially -- that you didn't like:

"Esme just opening up the door without knowing who is on the other side of it."

Hah! That is one of the things that makes me crazy on novelas! People are always flinging open the door and inviting in their own doom! (Of course in this case, Pedro would probably have just broken down the door if she hadn't opened it. Sigh.)

Julia Rold:
One of my indulgences on Wednesday is reading your gracious comments. Thanks so much!

"I'm enjoying this telenovela, as always, and, even as I can tell new things are happening and new drama is being set up, I still feel that it's in a bit of the doldrums. "

I think you're right. This could have been a nearly perfect novela if it wrapped up a couple of subplots and ended with a total of 100 episodes or so. Now, just to keep it rolling, all kinds of goofy complications and extra characters have to be imported. Bah.

It still manages to excel here and there with pieces of exceptional acting and writing and extraordinary visual beauty. It's just that the narrative integrity is pretty much gone. (O eso digo yo)
 

Benjamin Almonte was a sociopath. It's amazing Alejandro isn't more damaged than he is.

Why is it that nobody seems to have a peephole in his door? Those should be standard.

Yes, Pedro might be disposed to kicking a door in but he also has been careful enough to have no witnesses. That is what is making him so slippery.
 

Gosh, Susanlynn,

What is it about you and briefcases full of cash? Are you thinking that if Montse recovered it, she could hire you and Julia as life coaches?

Thank you for sharing your grandma's lovely words with us.

By the way, I have been thinking of Alejandro and Montserrat as Ken and Barbie in this story. (I try not to think too literally around here.) :)

Demetrios:

You are more generous than I am. I don't feel a bit sorry for Pedro. :)

Niecie:

I hope Angie and Esme turn La Escondida into a fun place where normal people can go and dance -- like the Guacamaya, say, with the cool band playing and the girls on stage in their glittery, sexy costumes. I say they start by getting a parrot!

As I understand it, Amelia and Ben knew each other before Joaquín came on the scene. It makes sense that she would know things about his past that no one else does. I can also imagine her turning a blind eye to his brutal side, refusing to think about it or know the details.

Lila:

My goodness, I almost overlooked you hidden there among the anonymi. A snow day in March. Ay ay ay.

Lic. Cervera has been one of the good guys so far. Let's hope Pedro he stays that we.

Oh yes, telenovelas and technology. So frustrating. (La Tempestad got it right -- phones, tablets, skype -- and they still got pilloried.)

As for private detectives, they have a bad track record in novelaland. Either they turn out to be bumblers or, if they are getting close to the truth, they get bought off or bumped off before they can do anything useful.

anon 11:59
Thanks for your comment! I agree that it would be fun to know more about Graciela's background, especially since her character is so central to the story.

Oh well. With all the remaining episodes, we have time to get extensive pedigrees on everyone Urban listed in her earlier comment about families.
 

Here are the lists for last week. I have to confess that I'm only reading recaps/comments now for the most part.


Week of March 3, 2014:

Low Points:

Nadia stands by her “man” when Ref comes calling.
EZ orders Alpo to kill.
EZ, who’s courting our Tia, is a psycho killer.
Nadia denies anything is wrong with Pedro and her.
Pedro sets Ale and Joaquin up.
Pedro belts Alpo and tells him he can’t quit.
Gracie is her usual bitchy self.
EZ wears his murder clothes to the wedding.
JL makes Ale take the perp walk in front of all the guests.
Tomas remains a d***.
Joaquin turns on Ale.
Pedro wants Virgie to have an accident.
Gracie doesn’t care Ale is in jail and tells Dim he has to make up with the “freak.” Bitch!
Tomas verbally abuses Fina again.
Gracie berates Fina.
JL watches Ale/Mons make out.
Ref now wants JL to take advantage of the Ale situation to get Mons.
Fina gets kicked out by Tomas.
Robledo believes Joaquin.
Tomas tells Dim he’ll restore Fina’s money if she moves back to Mexico City. Dim seems sad.
Fina talks Dim out of leaving the house.
Gracie treats Fina like a servant.
Robledo believes Pedro is a good guy.
JL tells Angie her dad is a criminal.
Pedro wants to find the Almonte baby.
Looks like Maria is not Ale’s sib. Bummer.
Robledo tells Pedro that Joaquin is hiding something and wants his family in a safe place.
Pedro wants EZ to work with JL on the case.
Fab, who might be Ale’s new sib, is a bad ‘un.
Maria, beware EZ/Pedro bearing gifts.
Ale makes Mons swear she won’t be alone with JL, which means that there’s going to be a time when she’s going to be alone with JL and Ale is going to see it of someone is going to see it and tell Ale. Yawn.
Maria is to work for Pedro and lie about Ale’s involvement with the drugs.
Maria fakes another suicide attempt.
EZ strokes Maria’s neck when she passes out. Eww!!
Fab and Sandro are grifters.
Maria’s second suicide attempt. Will this chick just die already?
Ros feels sorry for Maria.
Sandro eavesdrops on JL’s and Mons’ conversation.
Maria works Ale.
Doc tells Ale Maria needs to be at home with him.
Doc is on Pedro’s payroll.
Alpo and Maria in the hospital.
Gracie is cruel to Fina—again.
Maria lies to Padre A. about Alpo.
Tia tells EZ all the family gossip—including the fact the newly discovered Almonte baby is a girl.
 

Highpoints:

Maria gets caught snooping.
JL doesn’t let Pedro rile him.
Maria is cowed.
Nadia finally gets it re: Esme.
JL calms Ref down.
Maria is in jail.
Sweet Fina/Alpo scene.
Joaquin is dissed by his entire family.
JL agrees to let Ale remarry Mons before arresting him.
Mons and Ale remarry.
Little L is baptized.
Alp won’t tell Ale Maria is in jail.
Alpo tells Maria that she’s not important to Ale, that he’s remarrying Mons and the baby is also being baptized today.
Mons and Ale renew their religious vows.
JL is gallant once more in allowing Ale and Mons a goodbye.
Ale outs Joaquin.
Nadia warns Tia.
Ale gets out of jail.
Tia promises to help Fina reconcile with Dim.
JL remains in doubt of Ale’s guilt.
Fina stands up to Tomas.
Fina moves in with Dim.
Dim defends Fina.
JL believes Ale.
Ale find out his sib is a girl.
Dim throws Gracie under the bus re: the DNA test.
Mac tells Gracie he did not bury the baby.
Dim tells Gracie she’s on her own.
Gracie throws a tantrum.
New character shows up.
New cousin (please tell me they’re going to do a DNA test).
Ale seems wary of New Girl.
Fina tells Dim to get a job.
JL tells Ref he’s going to help Ale.
Nadia and Esme talk.
Nadia’s face when she finds out EZ is not gay.
Ale does ask Mons if she wants to go with him to see Maria instead of the double standard you can’t see JL alone, but I can see Maria alone.
JL is feeling out Sandro. He tells Sandro that Ale has mucho dinero.
Gracie is pissed that Mons calls Ros “mama”.
Mons tells Gracie that Mama Rosy is more a mother to her than she is and tells her off.
Gracie is pissed she didn’t get BA’s money.
Gracie gets the bombshell that she had a daughter with BA.
 

"Poor Dim just doesn’t know what to do with himself. I think he’s trying to gain strength from Lauro and figure out why he always felt his dad didn't love him."

I think deep down part of Dim's regret is the realization that his mother's smothering preference for him, her manipulating, lack of good guidance was his downfall and that her motivations were always about her. If she preferred him and kept him close, it was mainly because she hoped that she could maneuver him as the head of all of Benjamin's holdings. She really did believe that at some point she would get it all. She probably would have dumped Lauro without batting one of her overly mascaraed eyes and maybe even tried to pass off Dim as Bennie's son. (How stupid of her to not know that a female's hair couldn't be used for a DNA test-not the brightest tack in the room our Graceless.)

It's a horrid thought that you really weren't LOVED by either of your parents, and maybe could have been by the one you wanted most, but that is now not there for you. And in the meantime, you have no discernible skills or education ( that we know of) to make a future for yourself. Add to that he may have Fina's love, but now the added pressure of earning a living for the both of them. Yep, man needs a hug. Maybe he could work at the new nightclub? Angie needs to have a chat with Fina sbout her idea.

Daisynjay
 

Nanette..wow, 8 still can't figure out how you manage to itemize all the crazy events.

I have spring break this week, so I have been watching Pasion reruns and surfing into Destilando Amor reruns, too. Sergio Sendel and big Ed just had a big fight. It looked like they were having a good time with their fake brawl. I can't remember if they were playing brothers or friends in that novela, but I know that Sergio was the bad guy married to the bad girl (Chantal Andere).

In Pasion, Sebastian Rulli (Ale) had long, stringy hair and played the guy who loses the girl but tries every which way to get her back. It is always fun watching these actors and actresses in different roles.
 

Nanette:

Thank you for your wonderful lists of highs and lows. Stuff does indeed happen around here!

One tiny point of clarification -- you wrote:

"Tia tells EZ all the family gossip—including the fact the newly discovered Almonte baby is a girl."

In fact, it was EZ who told Tia about the DNA results. He knew because Pedro was present when the results were revealed. She pouted that she was always the last one to know anything.

(But of course you are right -- as soon as Carlota knows something, she just has to tell it. And now that EZ is wooing her, he has a direct line to what is in her well-intentioned but often addled brain.)
 

Daisynjay...hmmm...Dim working at the club ??? Might Esme and Angie decide to open a Chippendales type of show for the ladies of the town ? Can Dim dance ?
 

NovelaMaven,

Had to come out of the woodwork to thank you profundamente for your recap -- written, it would seem, effortlessly with precision and hilarity. I really needed the review.

Now, I am curious as to how much this TN has veered away from the original.

Muchísimas gracias....
 

NovelaMaven thank you so much for your rundown and recap. Your character assessment was insightful. And your observation about Amelia's transformation... yes I'm happy the writers went in that direction. But with all the villains we have in this tn, they needed to give us some more people to root for.

Julia, you are a hilarious, Haas.

Daisynjay, thanks for sharing your thoughts about Ale and ITA with your read. I just hope as Vivi noted, he gets more discerning about family.
 

Oh Nanette thanks so much for your lists!! From your image I gather you like "TAoRH," I do too. Though sometimes, when I show it in class, the students need to be coached a lot to appreciate it.
 

Florida...This novela has veered away sharply from Amor Real. At this point, the revolution becomes a major part of the storyline. However, a female cousin does show up asking to stay with Manuel's family at his townhouse. In AR, Manuel's father was never involved with his mother in-law, and there were no other children of his father discovered.
 

NovelaMaven, absolutely brilliant summation and recap!! LOVED LOVED the Montse/Maria scene repeat they had... and Montse's smile out the door...
i will second this..
LOVED the way you tied up everything so far. What a good idea, but so much work, NovelaMaven. Please know how much it is appreciated.

Julia, HAAS!!! LOVE IT LOVE IT, and as for the avocado jokes, keep 'em comin'!!!

Fatima, love the comparison Pedro/Caligula. I was just watching a show on Caligula the emperor and how extreme he was on history channel and can see the comparison very well.

This novela is somewhat following the plot of Amor Real (somewhat, not perfectly). not sure if the 'long lost prima' plotline was Caridad Bravo Adams' original story or it was added in Amor Real but Francisco Gattorno is doing a great job as Sandro, I still remember the chemistry between him and Daniela Castro in Canaveral de Pasiones...
hope the fact of how the 'will' was signed by the old guy on his deathbed won't come back to hurt Alejandro, is it just the word Padre A to confirm it was a true sig?
 

Best thing to happen to Ale might be to go back to being a "schmuck" and go earn a living with his college degree. Maybe the lesson to be learned will be that money isn't everything. Seems to be the source of all his ills, even Maria admitted she thought she would be the lady of the manor.

Daisynjay
 

I don't think so. If Alejandro had not been descended upon by Graceless' greed and Maria's obsession he would have taken it slowly and gotten used to being wealthy and in charge. He would have figured out his father's dirty business long before this.

It took a devil named Graceless to distract him into something he wasn't ready for.
 

Thanks for your incredible lists, Nanette. If I did something similar for the books I race through, I might do a better job discussing at Book Club.

Don't know how seriously we're supposed to take Dimetrio's vigil by his father's tomb, while refusing food, but it reminds me of Christ's injunction "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and by fasting". So maybe we ARE going to see a big transformation in his character soon.
 

NM, internet is back and I was able to re-enjoy your superb and flat out fun recap (as well as the great comments). I got many laughs out of your titles. Box O' Rocks - a nod to Gunsmoke? Zulema's Dilemma - say it out loud and I dare y'all not to laugh. The House of Spirits, Two Faces of Maria and Angie's Choice, all terrific. I love how your mind works.

Julia, I missed your HASS crack, so funny! And NM's "the pits", I can see the Avo jokes are going to be irresistible.

Nanette, GREAT lists! I laughed hard at "Will this chick just die already?" Your lists are always a super reminder of all that happens. And really, in the novela, a lot DOES happen. Also, I love your avatar, one of my favorite movies ever. Karen, you show RH in class? How very cool of you.
 

Thank you Nanette your lists are amazing, a kind of "just the facts ma'am" kind of wrap up.

A couple of "DUH" moments for me:

Mac told Gracie he didn't bury the baby? Surely did miss that!

What the heck is Haas? All I get on google are various companies, a tennis player, a writer-producer and celtic artist from Montreal, QC!

Thanks!

:D Lila
 

Hass is a type of avocado and is sometimes spelled Haas. It is one of the tastiest varieties and is the most commercially popular variety as well.
 

Marta:

The lawyer and Padre A were both there when that will was signed. So it's not just the Padre's word. The lawyer was also there when Don Benny said that Ale was his son.

I don't get how Sandho thinks he can invalidate this will by coming up with one from before. One invalidates the other. I hope Lic Cervera is on the up and up and not bribable.
 

The pits. Hass crack. You all are so delightful!

Speaking of avocadolts, Adolfo. Either the Padre knows Maria is full of bologna, in which case he should be less indulgent of her, or else he believes Adolfo really was assaulting her, in which case shouldn't he be trying to do something about the roving sex crimes menace in town? The way Padre just brushed that aside is disturbing.

Also alarming how unconcerned Ale and Montse seem to be about Maria, who is now on the loose and they should know she is more angry and unhinged than ever.
 

Well Padre Anselmo appereantly still believes in the old Maria,he was at Marias birth and probably the only confidante she ever had .That Judgment got him Carlos Syndrome! ( No insults meant!) and is blinding him from the truth.
 

Monserrat should be concerned about Maria being on the loose after that outburst in the hospital. Which she should have told Alejandro about before he went there to take her to the mental hospital.

Or better yet, to have her transported there by those Nice Young Men In Their Clean White Coats, Ha ha.
 

Madelaine, he could attempt an argument for undue pressure or duress, but as I remember that scene there was no evidence of that and nobody outside of the padre and abogado to say otherwise.
 

Hi Floridia!

How nice to see you here. I appreciate the kind words.

I'm glad to see Susanlynn jumped in with answers about the original -- I couldn't help with that. This is the only version I've seen.

Karen:

Oh yes, absolutely, we need a few people to root for. (And I'm thrilled to see Isabel Camil playing one of the good guys after seeing her as Gael's dreadful mother in the Passion Pits.)

Martaivett:

What fun that you're watching this one! I see you have also added some answers for Floridia about previous versions of the story.

And as Mads said, Ben's will was drawn up and witnessed by his licenciado, so it doesn't just rest on the Padre's word.

JudyB:

The text that you quote fits perfectly:

"This kind goeth not out but by prayer and by fasting".

Thank you so much!

Yay! Sylvia is back online!

With Box o' Rocks, I was actually thinking of how cliched the device has become around the Televisa studios.

In Amores Verdaderos, the character Adriana dug up a box o' rocks (she did eventually reunite with her daughter). She was so disturbed that she carried the rocks in her purse and pulled them out -- to hilarious dramatic effect -- on various occasions. [I opened up the coffin and all I found were PIEDRAS! PIEDRAS!]

Say, maybe Graciela will get to do a scene like that.

Apparently the same device was used in Refugio, though I wasn't paying much attention there.

Lila,

Child, you need to know your avocados if you want to hang on The Patio.

Did Mac tell Gracie he didn't bury the baby? I don't remember hearing that.
 

Wow! Maria has some serious giddy up. Where was she running to?

Tal vez it was to that Toyota Tundra with that beautiful leather interior. Maybe the keys were still in it!
 

NovelaMaven- Adriana, aka Rocky, was hilarious in AV. Loved the epi when she had rocks AND a gun in her purse. :)

In Refugio it actually wasn't rocks. Rosalena had the grave diggers dig up another dead baby body (desecrated a tomb) and had it placed in the other (non-dead) baby's coffin. The priest was pretty ticked off about that one, and her family was horrified when they learned the truth.
 

Vivi:

Thanks for clarifying about Refugio -- much worse! (There's a reason I wasn't watching that one very closely).

My favorite in AV was when Rulli (Guzmancito) picked up Adriana's purse and was amazed at how heavy it was. Didn't he actually say "What do you have in here, rocks?"

Huero,
hahaha! If María had found the Tundra, she'd be miles and miles away by now.
 

NM- LOL! Yes, he did say that. That was the thing about AV. The writers gave us these crazy story lines with a wink and a smile.
 

To Lila and other avocado neophytes, if you want a quick education on the avocado, might I recommend the semi-documentary classic "Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death"? It stars such notables as Adrienne Barbeau, Shannon Tweed and Bill Maher. Not only is it very educational regarding avocados, but it also explores deep topics of the day such as feminism, economy, and cultural anthropology.

Another interesting tidbit, the name avocado comes from the Nahuatl āhuacatl, which also means "testicle" in that language. So you see, by throwing around all those avocado jokes we are merely picking the low-hanging fruit, so to speak.
 

But the lawyer you refer to, isn't that Maria's dad, who already died? did he sign the will too? or only Don Ben? If it was Don Ben and he was about to expire, maybe the signature is not similar to his normal... or like it was said, they can argue it was under duress pressure from Padre A... who knows... i am sure Sandro and that girl will be trying seven ways to sunday to undermine that will and get the earlier one as the legitimate one.
 

"Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death"?!?!

That sounds like a must-see!!!
 

Cap'n Sylvia, thanks for the laughs this p.m.

Jarifa
 

"Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death"?

Sylvia, I thought you were making that up -- but no! I just checked and I could order it from Netflix. (Too bad it's not for instant viewing, or Mr.Maven and I could watch it this evening over a big bowl of guacamole).

Yep, Julia, a MUST SEE!

"To avoid a serious avocado shortage, the U.S. government hires feminist anthropology professor Margo Hunt to find the man-eating Piranha Women tribe, who inhabit the avocado jungle of Southern California."

Thanks for the Nahuatl etymology. I love how you class up the joint. hee hee.

Marta,

María's late father, Gaspar, was the capataz. The lawyer was a completely different character.

As you know, real world logic doesn't really matter. We know that LOUD Sandro is going to try to pull a fast one, one way or another.
 

I do hope some of you can watch that hilarious movie. I meant it when I said classic...one of those that is so bad it's good. And hey, we ARE all here to further our educations, right?

 

Sylvia- OMG! Just the image search for that movie is hilarious. I'll put it on my Netflix list.
 

Had my first day offsite at a seminar today. Instead of focusing on the material, I found myself rueing the fact I had yet to read what was undoutedly a fabulous recap and wondering what you had to say.

NovelaMaven: Simply senational. I laughed at your title, an ode to Batman/Robin. I found myself intrigued and fascinated by every well written word and phrase.

I have to repeat my favorites: "She is sprinting along the malecón so energetically that she has surely been doing some serious endurance training in her spare time", " Sandro is like a traveling salesman who has managed to get his foot in the door", "He knew he was burying a Box o' Rocks.™" and "The House of Spirits" were high on my pared down list.

I am just loving Sandro - FG is exuding an oily although charismatic personality - an odd combination but he is managing it handsomely.

Again will give props to Monse for her righteous rejection of Maria but as you noted, should be very cognizant of and afraid of the retribution that Maria is sure to inflict.

Will have to go back and read all the comments which I am sure are stellar.

NovelaMaven, your summary has made me smile, laugh and enlightened. Gracias, amiga.

Diana
 

Diana:

We've been waiting for you! Hope you learned a lot today. (I know you are teasing us about being distracted by All Things Robó, but it IS hard to tear oneself away from The Patio at times.)

As usual, you have come up with a perfect description:

"FG is exuding an oily although charismatic personality"

It seems that so far, the person most susceptible to Sandro's "oily charisma" is his charmless old friend, Tomás Valverde.
 

martaivett, thank you for the shout out! Caligula. What can I say? The guy was sickening.

Demetrios, you are HILARIOUS! I'll bet you are the life of the party.

Oxnard Huero, you are just as hilarious as Demetrios and I love it! A smile on one's face is good for the heart. :))

Nanette, amiga, I can never thank you enough for your lists!

Julia, agree with your comments re the good Padre. Remember, this is the guy who called Maria's kidnapping of Laurito a "tonteria". Ya think so, Padre?!

Cap'n Sharkbait, "low lying fruit" indeed!!

Fatima
 

"Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death"? It stars such notables as Adrienne Barbeau,. . ."

That has got to be a classic! OMG! Thanks for the info and the laugh indeed Cap'n! And thank you NM. I was like, "ok, this must be some kind of philosopher or something that further expounded on the Harlow expieriment. I'm gonna seem dense if I don't know". But then hell, I embraced my ignorance: I proudly ask the "duh" questions for all my friends out there who were likewise stumped!

Echo the sentiments of others on Harlow. I encountered his experiments which were presented as a model for the deleterious effects of not bonding with one's baby, a real danger due to the sometimes prolonged separation in NICUs. (I did perinatal SW for about 12 years). I don't think the poor little monkeys needed to suffer to demonstrate what seemed common sense to me.

Adrienne Barbeau, ay yes, "Maude's" daughter! Wasn't one of the robots on MST3K enamored of her?

Y'all are (good) crazy!

:D Lila
 

"It seems that so far, the person most susceptible to Sandro's "oily charisma" is his charmless old friend, Tomás Valverde."

NovelaMaven, indeed! Once again, you've added sunshine to this rainy, dreary, cold day!

Diana
 

Thanks for this marvelous recap, NovelaMaven. Once again your incredible talent is simply amazing and you always give us a little lagniappe... this time the summations of all we know of Graciela and Pedro.

Yes, Montserrat clearly has María's number, but as Veronica (welcome to our little group by the way) suggested:

"I wonder if Pedro will be betrayed by her?"

I think that it will likely be María who brings down Pedro and his little fiefdom of fear. I suspect (as I think UA and some others believe) that poor Joaquín is not going to be with us for much longer (I think that he may have given us his farewell address last night).

Thanks Demetrio, I've been practicing medicine for over forty years (I retired from active practice Dec. 13) and now I finally have a syndrome named for me.

I'm glad to see that many here recognize that Pedro did not suddenly become evil as a result his horrific mutilation (which left him with the worst possible empty nest). There are just some men (straight and gay as well) who are just born bad. Thanks for this, Elna June:

"...I agree with all who have said that Pedro's morality is not linked to his physical deformity... Pedro is just morally twisted."

Carlos
 

Novela: I’m afraid more mistakes will happen on the lists since I’m not really watching this TN anymore. I think I would have caught that if I were watching the show, especially if I don’t transcribe my notes right away and then find I don’t know what the heck I wrote. Thank you for the correction.

Karen: One of my all time fav movies. Many years ago, back in the dim and distant, it was my big teenage crush on Errol Flynn as Captain Blood that started me on my road as an amateur film historian. It’s a shame you have to coach your class to appreciate TAoRH. At least it’s not in black and white (horrors!!) or even worse—SUBTITLED!! (I can just hear the groans).

Thanks JudyB. I never thought about doing the lists for my book club.

Lila and Fatima: thank you. I enjoy your comments, too. I’m very much depending on recaps and comments now that I’m not watching this one anymore (though I'm still recording it in case there's a scene or scenes I just HAVE to watch--like the whole Maria/Mons hospital one).

Nanette
 

Don't want to be remiss and not thank Novela and Urban for the awesome recaps.

Thank you.
 

Novela Maven:

I just enjoyed a thorough re-read of your recap. It is just plain good, that's all I have to say.

You do not need to apologize, dear Maven, for the Henry Harlow quote. It was totally apropos as a reference to Don Benjamin's 'parenting' style. I just shudder when I think of gross abuses of power made in the name of furthering knowledge. Kind of like Robert Hooke and his early Royal Society experiments done on dogs. Or certain nameless sadists who used helpless human subjects for 'experiments' at the death camps.

Those kind of things just break my heart. Alejandro had his grandfather, so he wasn't entirely alone but Fabiola's upbringing sounds pretty horrific. Still, I guess it was better than leaving her subject to Graciela's tender mercies.

Thanks again for a great recap.

EJ


 

Announcing the Agua Azul stimulus program. (AAS).

Angelica makes good on her promise, buys La Escondidia and hires Esmeralda as headliner. Esmeralda takes Virginia under her wing. It turns out that Virginia is a natural and becomes a star, packing the place in every night. Dimitrio and Adolfecito work the bar. Josefina gets a complete makeover, looks stunning, and classes up the joint in her capacity as the club greeter. Maria works the tables as barmaid. (It’s like the old joke about the guy at the circus that had the job of circumcising elephants; the pay was OK but the tips were big).

Graciela organizes the weekly MILF night fun.

 

Urban Anthropologist:

A belated thank you for yesterday's wonderful recap. You did your usual great job. the essay was very well written and SO clear.

Nanette:

As always, I enjoy your lists. Thanks for these.

Sylvia: OT. So glad to see you. I am going to put the Avocado movie in my Netflix queue right now. I'll probably have to wait until Novela Maven returns it. I cannot imagine that there are too many copies in circulation. Hope it is not too warm for you in Baja. It is 76 *F today, much too warm for a March day. Global climate change is sary stuff. I am wondering how it will affect the world of sailing. A few years of drought can cause rivers to become unnavigable without expensive dredging. The drought is still looking quite bad for California. They say that there will be a steep increase in fruit and veg prices in the summer because so many tens of thousands of acres of fields in the Central Valley are lying fallow and unplanted due to a lack of irrigation water. Miss you. Yikes!

EJ
 

Fatima:

I think we need a t-shirt; "Quiero Tia Prudencia!" I LOVED that actress and character. Big grin.

Julia: Did you catch something last night that could allow for a miracle pregnancy and cure for Angie? I thought I heard hope in the phrasing of how stubbornly she clings to life.
What do you think?

EJ
 

Lila, Yes, Crow had a crush on Adrienne. Good memory!
 

Elna June, absolutely yes we need a Tia Pru T-shirt. Sign me up now! Why are the writers keeping her in hiding?!

Nanette, if you are not watching, does that mean that Flaco is not watching, either. I liked it when you posted his thoughts/comments.

Fatima
 

EJ, the weather has been lovely here but we expect it to spike into the 90s next week. Our parts are supposed to arrive on Monday so hopefully we will sail North into the Sea of Cortez shortly after that. I, too, am worried about the drought. I guess I'll be home to experience it, whatever the situation is.
 

Fatima: Flaco is watching Robo, but he’s also juggling Corazon en Condominio on Azteca and Qué Pobres Tan Ricos and he’s really into QPTR right now. He and his family have been watching novelas forever. I like his thoughts/comments, too. Sometimes, however, he really runs off the rails with some of his theories, though I suspect that may be mostly to get me riled. We do have some heated discussions sometimes--there’s the gender difference and the cultural difference. ☺
 

SusanLynn,

I loved Destilando Amor, another very long novela. I watched it about a year and a half ago when it was on reruns, and now my recorder is automatically recording it again.
I had missed about one week of it in the beginning, so I am catching up on it now. I will not watch it again, but I will check in on it from time to time. There were some excellent actors in it including Julio Aleman. EY was younger and exceptionally handsome in it, and I really like AR, la Gaviota, now the first lady of Mexico - who had a fairy tale wedding in real life.

EY (Rodrigo) and SS (Aarón) Montalvo are first cousins. EY is all good and SS is all bad, but did a terrific acting job. This is the one where he kept throwing the phones. The race is on to see who can be the first Montalvo to have a son who will become the sole heir to the fortune. The grandfather issued that condition to his will just before he died. Rodrigo is not concerned about it, but Aarón is and already he has proposed to his wife so they can have that heir. Rodrigo can only perform with Gaviota.

Have fun watching it. It's a good one.
 

We have had temps in the high 50s the last few days and a lot of snow and ice has melted , but we had heavy rain this evening and the temperature is supposed to drop tomorrow so we might have slippery roads in the morning. Meh. I need spring.
 

Florida...DA was the first novela I saw big Ed in, but I recognized him from seeing him on American TV shows. When DA was first shown and recapped, we had fun calling him Hot Rod and Rod the Bod. That was the only novela I have ever seen in which the galan can only perform with one woman . Que? Talk about guaranteed fidelity and loyalty !!!
 

Nanette, I think that is SO much fun that you and Flaco can discuss the TN together!! You are a lucky gal. :))

Fatima
 

Dear Carlos:

Even though it is ridiculously late, I wanted to be sure to thank you for your sweet comment. (I was particularly proud of myself because this time, when you used the word "lagniappe", I didn't even have to look it up.)

¿Síndrome de Carlos? How would we characterize that? Extraordinary levels of intelligence, courtesy, kindness, and wit and a compulsion to use all of those qualities in a quixotic and hilarious defense of bad girls?

Best wishes on your retirement. How lucky we are that you have not chosen to retire from The Patio!
 

Carlos, espero que disfrute de su jubilación. Jubilación, what a great word for retirement, no?