Friday, April 25, 2014

Lo que la vida me robó, ep. 118, Friday, 4/25/14: Aguazuleño Alumni Updates -- Special Year Seven Edition.

We are delighted that so many aguazuleños returned the questionnaires we sent out in anticipation of our Seventh Year Class Reunion.  No one's life has stood still -- no surprise there! -- but color us IMPRESSED by all you have been up to! 

Before we give you the scoop, let's take a moment to reflect on some of the souls we lost seven years ago:

--Angélica Arechiga died in the arms of her beloved José Luis.
--The galán formerly known as Alejandro Almonte and his friends Victor Hernández and Nadia Argüelles and their unborn child -- all presumed dead after a plane crash, though their bodies were never recovered.
--The good father Anselmo who disappeared under murky circumstances and whose body has also never been found.
-- Lic. Cervera, life-long legal counsel to the Almonte family who, along with all his records and files, perished in a tragic fire just at the time that the legitimacy of Alejandro's inheritance was being challenged in court.
-- Josefina Valverde, who, while still among the living (we hope), moved away from Aguazul and never looked back.


But wipe away those tears, friends.  It's time to celebrate the living, the here and the now!  Here's just a little of what we found out: 

The Boy Most Likely to Scam the Wrong Sucker and End up Dead in a Dark Alley

Remember Adolfo "Fofito" Argüelles, the soft-hearted kid with the Bambi eyes and a moral compass with a needle that just kept spinning in circles?  He confided to us -- with a certain diffident pride -- that he had finally overcome a personal hurdle, something that was holding him back in his career.  He can now keep his hands steady when he aims his gun, and he can pull the trigger without flinching. (The flinching comes afterward.  He is, after all, still a sensitive guy.)  This ELIGIBLE BACHELOR may be Fofito to the old gang, but the guys who work for him know him by a different name -- El Alacrán (the scorpion).

We were excited to hear that after a seven-year stint in Monterrey honing his professional skills, Adolfo was planning to come home to Aguazul just in time for the Reunion.   
Question:  What's the most important lesson life has taught you so far?
Adolfo's answer: "When you take out a soplón (snitch), spread the word (¡Corran la voz!).  That will make the next guy think twice before ratting you out."

The Boy Most Likely to End Up With a Career in Waste Management...

And that little guy with a chip on his shoulder -- what was his name?  Basura?  No, Basurto, Ezequiel Basurto!  Can you believe that he is now the mayor of Aguazul?  And did you think he'd ever settle down?  That's right, EZ is not only off the market -- sorry, girls -- his lovely wife is the socially prominent Carlota Mendoza, sister of the late Admiral Lauro Mendoza.  Way to work your way up the ladder, Basura...oops....I mean Mayor Basurto! 
Question:  What are you most proud of in your career?
EZ's answer:  "In the year since I took office, crime in our city has plummeted!"

The Boy Most Likely to Hit the High Notes...

It is incredible that the new Governor of the State is our very own Pedro Medina.  As you might imagine, Pedro was too caught up in his inaugural activities to complete the AAU7 questionnaire.  Fortunately, we were able to catch up with him at the lush outdoor reception where he addressed his supporters.  We can report that Pedro hasn't forgotten his roots -- he is just un aguazuleño más, he told the (mostly) adoring crowd -- (though he has, oddly enough, lost his stammer and acquired a vaguely norteño accent not heard in the past 117 episodes).

[A little bit of chisme -- Carlota Mendoza de Bazurto was glaring at Pedro so openly during the proceedings that EZ had to ask her to mask her dislike, at least a little.  heh heh.  That Carlota.  What a card!]  

We were touched when Pedro mentioned the tragic death of his first wife and his unborn child, and then went on to thank his current spouse, the wonderful Amelia, for rescuing him from his despair.  

[Amelia looked great up at the podium, didn't she?  And did you see the way she hugged Pedro?  You can't fake that kind of warmth.  Amelia's daughter (or as Pedro said, their daughter) Virginia is studying in Europe.  Maybe she'll come back home now that she is part of Mexico's Royal Family.] 

The girl most likely to die of alcohol hepatitis...

Fabiola Guillen, just back in town after a five-year absence (not to be confused with abstinence), refused to answer our questions.  Her maid was happy to dish, though:

We found out that Fabiola has divided her time between swilling red wine, repeatedly whitening her stained teeth and searching for her biological parents.  Her high-priced low-life lawyer Sandro -- now back in Miami -- recently checked out yet another false lead, this one in a New Orleans orphanage. 

Sandro advised her to give it up -- maybe Fabiola's biological mother had died long ago and that was why she was put up for adoption in the first place.  Fabiola got mad (well, actually, according to the maid, she is pretty much mad all the time) and told Sandro she wasn't ready to quit.  Sandro suggested she use her time in Aguazul to question her godmother, the new governor's wife.  Amelia almost certainly knew more than she had been willing to admit. 

The Girl most likely to star in a wildly successful primetime telenovela... 

Montserrat Mendoza was as sweet as ever when we caught up with her in the thriving shop where she sells specialty coffees, homemade cakes and vintage candies.  What is that girl's secret?  She looked younger than she did seven years ago!  Not only that, in her girly pink shirt and long swirly green skirt, she looked ready to put a coin in an imaginary jukebox and do a lindy hop in her pink 1950's shop.

Question:  Do you have any regrets about the way your life has turned out?
Montse's answer: "I miss Alejandro in every moment, with every breath, with every heartbeat.  He was and will remain the love of my life.  But I see him in my little boy's smile, I carry him in my heart, and I know he is watching over us and Mama Rosario from heaven.

Ed. note: The following exclusive, as well as the other Eye --> Mind moments in this episode, are supplied courtesy of The Patio.  (The AAU7 reporters are resourceful, but they are not, alas, mind readers): 

Montserrat's Eye --> Mind
A shot rings out...Montse falls, bleeding.  MONTSERRAT!!! The hospital...she blames José Luis...noooooo...JL only wanted to help her.

Our reporter was, however, on the scene when Montserrat informed Macario that José Luis would be getting out of jail today.  She told Macario she had been thinking about the day she was shot and that she remembered people telling her that José Luis had come to her mother's house to protect her.  Macario confirmed that Alejandro had indeed asked JL to bring Montse and Laurito to him at the hacienda so they could escape together.

The Boy most likely to have been shaving twice a day from the age of 11...

We were able to observe José Luis Álvarez go through his morning routine in prison for the very last time (some of us observing rather more closely than others) and then exchange his prison khakis for the white shirt and pants he had worn on the day seven years earlier when he said goodbye to Angélica forever and surrendered his freedom.  [He may be an ex-con, but now he's single, he's loaded and he hasn't lost his sharp, swarthy good looks.  Watch out, ladies!]

We saw him walk out of the prison into the light of day, and then lope happily towards... 

The Girl most likely to end up in The Life...

...Esmeralda Ramos, who is a real earth mother these days.  Esme, of course, is not only the owner of the well-known gentlemen's club, La Escondida, she is also the wife of Navy Lieutenant Refugio Solares, and VERY PREGNANT with their first child. 

We watched as José Luis hugged Esme joyfully and told her how beautiful she looked with that bellyful of baby.  She didn't believe it, of course -- how could he think she was beautiful when she was so FAT?

Question:  Esmeralda, what's the most useful thing you've learned since the last time we talked to you?
Esme's answer:  Did you know you can get pants with these expandable elastic panels for your belly?  Even jeans with panels?  Also, try to eat most of your chocolate early in the day -- if you eat it too close to bedtime, you'll get heartburn.

José Luis had a big smile for our reporter too.  And he didn't mind us listening in when Esmeralda asked him this: 

Where would you like to spend your first day as a free man?
JL's answer:  I want to see Montserrat!

Esmeralda said she'd take him to see her, but asked if they could get a bite to eat first.  Besides, she wanted to talk to him.  JL agreed.  Our reporter saw them get in a taxi and ride off together.

The Mother Most Likely to Consider Medea a Wuss...

We donned our kevlar vests and watched from a safe distance as the well-preserved and bizarrely draped Graciela Giacinti marched into the Almonte Mansion on the beach and confronted Fabiola Guillen.  

The account that follows is based on unconfirmed reports from the same maid who spoke to us earlier:

Graciela was determined to get some satisfaction now that she had an opportunity to confront the usurper in person.  She wouldn't be able to hide behind her lawyer today as she had been doing all these years.

"That's what I pay him for -- to protect me from parasites like you!" snarled Fabiola.

The older woman, continuing as if deaf to Fabiola's insult,  demanded the 50% share of the Almonte inheritance that Sandro had promised her. If she hadn't buttressed Fabiola's fake claims to Alejandro's money with her own perjured testimony, Fabiola would have gotten nothing at all.  Fabiola snorted at the woman's chutzpah -- what nerve to ask for 50%! -- and then said flatly that she had no intention of giving her even a penny.  

The two jabbed menacing index fingers toward one another and cackled humorlessly during their exchange. 

[The maid was seriously creeped out, she told us later.  There was something eerie about the way these two harpies mirrored one another's gestures...]

Graciela asserted that Fabiola did not have a single drop of Almonte blood in her body.  She knew this for a fact because Benjamín's sister Anastasia was unable to have children.  It was Graciela's daughter, her princesa, her Montserrat -- and by extension, her family -- who had the right to inherit everything because she had been married to Benjamín's son.

Fabiola dismissed Graciela's assertion, saying that Montserrat was never married to an Almonte because Alejandro was an imposter.  Graciela looked at Fabiola sharply.  "You and I both know that's a lie," she growled.  Putting her arm around the younger woman's neck in an aggressive gesture parodying affection, she again reminded Fabiola of their deal.  In exchange for her testimony, Pedro NoNuts got the hacienda, the sleazeball lawyer got his cut, and she and Fabi were to split what was left.  

Gracie knew the DNA evidence was faked because she knew Alejandro was Benjamín's son.  And she was in a position to prove it, she said.  All she had to do was compare her grandson's DNA to the sample of Benjamín's DNA already on file.  Little Laurito would end up as the sole heir.  And as for Fabiola -- pobre estúpida, nobody's child -- she would tear her to shreds!  Fabiola was going to be sorry!

Fabiola already looked sorry.  As soon as Graciela left, she made her wine-soaked way to the phone and called Sandro.  "Drop everything and come to Aguazul," she told him.  Graciela was threatening her and she was afraid of losing everything!

[The AAU7 reporter was left to mull over this question:
DID GRACIELA JUST DARE FABIOLA TO 'DISAPPEAR' LAURITO?]


The Girl Most Likely to Be a Fool for Love

We were lucky enough to sit in with the ladies who tied for this title when Carlota Basurto and Amelia Medina had a little post-reception chat, one First Lady to another, while their husbands were busy talking politics in Pedro's study.  After the exchange of a few pleasantries, the conversation moved to a dangerous topic: Alejandro, a man who had lost family, fortune, reputation -- even his very name -- and presumably, his life.

Our reporter was disappointed to hear Amelia bashing Alejandro as a liar, a thief and a narcotraficante and saying that if Carlota couldn't see that, she was hopelessly naive.  Carlota retorted angrily that Amelia was the naive one.  After all, she had been married to that murderer Joaquín Arechiga all those years and had no inkling that was the case; and now, once again, she had married a criminal.

[By this point, both ladies were so incensed that they had forgotten our reporter's presence on the scene.] 

Amelia said that the Navy had investigated Pedro Medina and found him to be above reproach.  She wondered if the same could be said of Ezequiel Basurto.   Carlota replied hotly that she was completely sure of Ezequiel's integrity and she was mightily miffed that Amelia had questioned it.

[An anonymous source submitted the following report of what was happening simultaneously in Pedro's study. We are sharing the information with The Patio but we have chosen to omit it from the official Aguazuleño Alumni Update out of concern for the safety of our source.]

No Nuts, No Glory

The governor was handing over huge wads of bills to the mayor.  Life had been good to Pedro Medina.  He boasted that his brother-in-law had taken over the dirty work in his business and the navy had stopped pestering him (even if that damn Admiral Robledo would be on his back for the rest of his life.)  When Mayor EZ raised the issue of José Luis Álvarez's release from prison, both men agreed they needed to keep an eye on him.  Pedro went on to reminisce about EZ's humble beginnings, how he owed all his success to Medina, and how he could break EZ as easily as he had once created him from nothing.

The governor warned the mayor never to cross him again: 
Así que por tu propio bien, nunca vuelvas a equivocarte conmigo.
(So for your own good, never try to pull another fast one on me)

The mayor smiled dangerously and turned the warning back on the governor with a laconic:
Tú tampoco.
(Neither should you.)

[It was a hot day in Aguazul and the study wasn't air- conditioned.  Even so, our source shivered as if the temperature in the building has just dropped twenty degrees.  Centigrade.]

Another exclusive excursion provided by the omniscient Patio:

Adolfo's Eye --> Mind

I need you--Only a woman like you can save me, Finita! -- But Adolfito, I'm completely lost. Who's going to save ME?  (Finita rebuffs his kiss.) -- Never do that again!

Early days on the hacienda -- Me gustas muchísimo María -- If I stayed here a few more days, I could fall in love with you

He points the gun at María's head and pulls the trigger.


The Girl Most Likely to be Dealt a Losing Hand in the Game of Life... 

We joined Mama Rosario as she sat quietly at the lunch table with her daughter-in-law Montserrat and her grandson Laurito.   Laurito was sent off to brush his teeth before going out to play.  

Once the little one was out of earshot, Rosario remarked that Montse seemed uneasy.  Montse admitted that she had heard that José Luis was now out of prison and she wasn't sure whether she should see him.  She was upset by what Macario had told her -- that on the day she was shot, Alejandro himself had sent JL for her and Laurito.  Rosario had known it all along.  Why didn't she ever tell her?  How was it that, seemingly out of nowhere, José Luis was on Alejandro's side?  

Rosario became very uncomfortable with Montserrat's questions.  She told Montse she had accompanied JL to the Mendoza home that day precisely because she didn't fully trust JL to do the right thing.  It was her opinion that Montserrat should steer clear of José Luis.  

Then she busied herself clearing the table, making it plain that she didn't want to talk about it anymore.
Question:  Rosario, how long do you think Montserrat should grieve for your lost son?  Would you like to see her find love again in this life?
Rosario's answer:  1) Forever.  2) No.

We caught up with Esmeralda and José Luis as they sat at an outdoor table overlooking the malecón.  Esme was trying to discourage JL from pursuing Montserrat.  She knew that Montse still resented him.  But JL told her that he continued to love Montse -- he feared he was condemned to love her for the rest of his life.  In the past, he had given her up for her own good.  But things had changed.  Alejandro was dead and she was alone.  She needed him now, and he was determined to win her back.  If there's one thing he learned from Angélica, it was that time was too precious to waste.

Esme considered what he had said, looked at him appraisingly, and then told him that if he wanted a chance with Montse, he needed a little polishing.  For a millionaire, he was looking kind of shlumpy.  She would take him shopping!

The Boys Most Likely to End up as Pizza Delivery Guys...

Refugio Solares and Dimitrio Mendoza had used their time well.  We were pleasantly surprised that both these inveterate screw-ups had matured and advanced impressively in the navy.  They were now officers.  Lieutenant Solares was married and on the way to being a family man.  Lieutenant Mendoza seemed to have given up on love since the departure of Josefina Valverde, although he clearly hadn't lost his mocking sense of mischief. 

When we caught up with the lieutenants, they were preparing a welcome home celebration for their friend José Luis.  They were soon joined by Mónica Rentería, now a captain in the navy.  She had brought the beer.  Making it clear she was off-duty, Mónica wore her long dark hair loose.  Her low-cut top, figure-hugging skirt, and red heels were screaming LOOK AT ME and her subordinate officers happily complied.  When she climbed a stepladder to pin up the WELCOME HOME sign, Dimitrio discovered that her shapely posterior was now exactly at eye level.  Refugio wasn't sure where to look.
Question for Dimitrio:  Have you heard any news about Josefina since she left Aguazul?
Dimitrio's answer:  Someone said she was living on a llama farm in Oregon.  

Question for Refugio:  What the hell is going on with you and Mónica and when did you stop listening to your wife's emotional needs?
Refugio's answer:  1) Nothing.  She's just my boss.  2)  ¿Qué?  ¿Que qué?

José Luis tried on several outfits in the store.  Esmeralda helped him select a new wardrobe of sports jackets, casual shirts and slacks.
[Our reporter was surprised at Esmeralda's eye for style since her own fashion choices had been dubious at times.]

Back at the café, Montserrat apologized to Dominga for leaving her on her own all day.  The talk turned to babies.  Poor Dominga had miscarried twice and her doctor had told her she'd probably never be a mother.  Montse urged her not to give up hope.  Then she told Dominga and Macario that they could leave early to go to the movies.

Montserrat was left alone, her confectionary-colored clothing and hair a perfect complement to the living Candyland of her shop. 

Rosario's Eye --> Mind
Heart to heart with Alejandro in jail -- Should I tell her the truth? -- No, it's better if Montserrat never knows that José Luis has been helping him-- You think she's still interested in him?  -- I just want you two to be happy. 

Adolfo strolled into La Escondida and looked closely at the girls writhing around their poles.  Zulema didn't recognize him, but he remembered her.  Turning on the killer charm, he told her she was looking good -- better than ever, in fact.  He asked about Esmeralda.  Zulema explained that even though Esme owned the club, she rarely came by.  Zulema herself had been managing things for the past two years.  Adolfo admitted that the person he was really looking for was María.

What Zulema said was true.  After spending the day with her, our reporter confirmed that Esmeralda's priorities and interests had changed.  But one thing about her had remained constant: her loyalty to her friends.  And as a loyal friend, she came through on her promise to José Luis.  She delivered him to Candyland and its Pink Princess, the woman he still wanted to possess. 

José Luis watched Montserrat through the shop window for a moment.  Then he entered and his peculiar singsong voice broke the silence:  

"Good evening, I'd like a coffee and a piece of cake.  What's the specialty of the house?"

Montserrat looked up, her eyes wide and unsmiling.

Avances:  An alliance between José Luis and Graciela?

Aguazuleño Alumni Updates 7™ (Or maybe 5.  Or 6.  Who knows.)

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Comments:
Good evening, Robo fans!

Lots of people have taken one giant step forward:

Robledo is an admiral, Rentería is a captain, and both Refugio and Dimitrio are lieutenants.

EZ is the Municipal President and Pedro is the Governor.

If we have another leap forward in time, will Pedro be the President of the Republic?
 

Thank you NM!

I hate how many bad guys there are in this novela and right now they have all the power.

I don't understand why Rosario doesn't just fess up at this point. Supposedly Ale is dead.

I couldn't believe they played Corazones Invencibles for the end. That was the Ale and Montse love theme.
 

Novela Maven, i really enjoyed the recap. I really liked the best boy to/girll to organization. Thanks. I sure agree about Graciela's strange lacey outfit.

The highlight of the episode for me was Graciela's little chat with Fabiola complete with head thumping. I loved how Graciela told her she would be sorry that she had left her empty handed, knew about the false DNA report, and had Laurito for insurance as a bona fide heir of Benjamin.

It also was the tattoo episode with JL having wings tattooed on his back: were they supposed to make him more angelic? Then there was Adolfo with the rose with thorns tattooed on his arm to help him remember the long lost Josefina? LOL

Looks like Amelia evidently was willing to settle and marry Pedro. Maybe she likes the prestige of being the governor's wife. I wonder if she will ever find out that Pedro was responsible for husband. #1's suicide. Maybe Pedro himself will let it slip himself if he feeling particularly cruel some day.

Jarifa

 

Had to check in despite coming home at midnight from the opera. Good stuff.

Ii am wondering what is up with Amelia and how she is dealing with a sexless marriage. She will someday have to find out the truth about Joaquin's suicide; that's a Televisa law.

Also wondering whether the wings on JL's back are actual tattoos or painted on just for the part 2 of this series. I really think it's stupid for actors to get tattoos.

The nastiness between Fabiola and Graciela was the highlight of this episode for me.

Pedro is such a little man with a small mind if he really has convinced himself that EZ is a nobody. Neither of them deserves what he has but he's going to be skating on thin ice very soon.
 

NovelaMaven, I loved, loved, loved this format. Your breezy approach was perfect for this "update" episode.

Nice to see that Gracie can strike a little terror into Fab's cold, pickled heart (especially since she no longer can terrorize her children.)

Show, you're making an effort to keep things rolling along, but we're missing some key people here. Moving into uncharted territory and things are getting a little weird. Maybe it's just me...
 

NovelaMaven, what a treat. This alumni special was hilarious. I particularly enjoyed your comment about Esme's fashion sense w/JL in spite of her own dubious choices in the past.

So I guess the writers have a sense of irony for Amelia and Carlota. It's so sad two nice women are both married to devils. I don't look forward to seeing the day each find out the truth.

Yes indeed the Graceless/Fab convo was the highlight of the evening. So much witchy and crazy. These two will grow to hate one another viciously and then find out the truth. Ha, what fun.
 

Have to agree with La Paloma. At the very least we need Josefina back. I'm barely tuning in for this anymore.
 

NovelaMaven:

Thank you so very much for the truly awesome recap. I enjoyed every word and loved the Class Reunion format so much.

I wish everyone would just tell Monse the truth about JL and end her confusion. Let her make her own decisions. I think it's great the way she has moved on. She does still love Ale very much and probably will for the rest of her life.

I think JL's tattoos are to commemorate his wonderful Angelica, may she rest in peace. She was like an angel on earth to him. I think he knows what he is up against with the memory of Ale, he can try to have a relationship with Monse, but I don't know how far that will really go.

Capitana Monica, shame on her!!!! Blatant fraternization and then some. If Lt Dimi works for her, this is blatant fraternization! If they work on different teams then it's okay. Even though she is a higher rank that either of the men, as long as the relationship is on the down low, then it's okay. I really don't think Refugio was into her, I think he was surprised that she dressed the way she did, and didn't know what to make of her. Now Lt Dimi, he was definitely checking her out, and then some!

I was wondering bout Addled's eye mind thingy, I wonder if he ever looked for Fina? He knew where to find BSC Maria so I wonder why he is coming to see her at this late date? I wonder if she is still dancing or has taken off.

It was funny to see Tia Lottie and Amelia sniping at each other, Peddy and EZ sniping at each other also, but what really made me laugh was Tia Lottie's refusal to clap or acknowledge anything about Peddy, and then I remembered that when Gracie and Tia Lottie went to one of Peddy's parties, where we heard Nadia play the piano the first time, Tia Lottie freely admitted she didn't vote for Peddy, she had voted for the other guy. I am still laughing about that.

So Graceless is trying blackmail on Fablush. I wonder how this will turn out. I'm beginning to wonder about Fablush's paternity. Hmmmmmm...............

I really liked the convo of JL and Esme. They are so funny together and I loved that little shopping trip. JL is lookin' fine and them some jus' sayin'.

Thanks again NovelaMaven for this most marvelous recap, you made my night : )
 

I think Fabiola is Gracies lost daughter,hasnt Amelia told that Macario long ago ?,i loved how these two harpies clashed ,that was amazing! Mama Sauron<some drunk grifter.
So Mama Sauron is lonely,Basura got a promotion,Addie is no longer a joke ,Malaria is missing ( Hopefully for good!) ,Sandho is doing Salsa in Argentina( Argentina has catchy music i must say,i hope i wont get sick of it) and Pedo is now the Guvernor of the Northern Perversia.

Oh and we should call this novela Lo Que El Pedo Las Robo now,i bet Pedo kills both Alejandro and Jose Luis keeps Monseratt in the end,as a trophy wife xD
 

Pedo keeps Monse in the end as our dramatic hero of the series and they live happily ever after! Oh and both Ale and JL are dead! #trollface
 

Then Juventino is revealed to be alive, and comes back to haunt the hacienda hoping to take the fortune for himself.Will our fateful hero Pedro be able to stop his evil maschinations?!
 

What a clever and original way to present this fun episode, NovelaMaven. I'm in awe of your writing talent once again.

I was surprised that Pedro, who's known for holding grudges, would allow Montserrat to cater his little political event. Surely he must have known since he likes to micromanage. Maybe he's mellowed... or forgiven?

Did anyone else fondly remember Ricky (MPV) and his neck scarves when they saw Zeke's neckwear? I think that Zeke gets away with it better than Ricky ever did. Also, though a bit strange, probably more appropriate than the governor's shirt gaping open to mid chest with a a scorpion dangling in his puny cleavage.

Gracie really brought it last night, but where has she been for the last 6 years? Fabs is certainly no match for her mom.

My second favorite scene was Dimitrio contemplating Monica's butt. There was that sly smile we all love.

I'm probably all alone in this, but I thought that JL lurking outside Montse's shop and peeking through the window before going in was a bit creepy. Also, he seems (despite his protestations to the contrary before her death) quite content and comfortable having and spending Angelica's fortune.

Carlos
 


Remember Adolfo "Fofito" Argüelles, the soft-hearted kid with the Bambi eyes and a moral compass with a needle that just kept spinning in circles?


The Boy Most Likely To Hit The High Notes

...after a five-year absence (not to be confused with abstinence)

The Boy Most Likely To Have Been Shaving Twice A Day Since Age 11

...living candyland of her shop

Wow...just some of the highlights from this hilarious, cleverly formatted recap. You continue to amaze me, NovelaMaven. The prose really had the unctuous chattiness of those bleary alumni letters we have all read too many times!

Just absolutely loved the showdown between Graciela and Fabiola. Wow, can Daniela Castro knock it out of the park! Hope she gets the prize for best "villana". She's so terrific, I can't help rooting for Graciela to take down some more folks. You go, Wicked Girl!

And Demetrio. Hah! So good at playing mischievous. Eye-balling Lieutenant Tight-Ass on the ladder, and making quips about "firme". Hilarious.

Final Note: Yes, I watched José-Luis perform those final am exercises very closely....as a professional, you understand. Lookin' good, fella.

But I thought he looked even better in his white shirt and pants. And not good at all in those skimpy, short jackets, plaid shirts, dark tees and tight pants. Bleccch. But given the testosterone that guy is emanating, I doubt if it will matter what he's wearing, Ms. Montserrat is toast. Let the games begin.

Just a treat to read this, NovelaMaven. So clever and funny. Thanks.
 

I Should have known that an episode that was really a filler to get us up to speed with characters would get the royal treatment from our beloved recapper and create an absolute gem. Love the idea of a reunion catch-up!! And filled with snark throughout. What's not to love. Congracts NM!

As always for me, all things Dim, if even brief. Love that smile, but do hope he isn't the one to hook up with that floozy ( ok, dating myself again). Still can't pinpoint my utter dislike of that woman, but she's up to something.

A B**** showdown is always fun to watch and almost found myself rooting Graceless on. Have to admit, she has the qualities down pat. Find it hard to believe she's been this quiet for all these years without her fair share. I'm sorry, that was mind-numbing. I don't picture Graceless waiting that patiently.

Another head-scratcher--Amelia. I'm guessing she went into that marriage as a convenience and prestige. She always had a bit of the snob in her and without Angie around, it may have gone back to that full-blown upper-crust matron we were first introduced to. But Carlotta may be her match (though sad she is totally ignorant of her crook hubby. Oh well, let her have some happiness in her ignorance. She deserves a break.)

Ok, it's me, sorry, but I just don't find JL all that hunky. And Monse is now a successful business woman...she doesn't seem to "need" anyone. At least, I hope they play it that way, but I'm guessing they will show him turning on his "charms" and everyone will convince her she has to have a man in her life....especially a wealthy one.

Where is Fina!!I'm more curious about her than Ale and co.

Daisynjay
 

Alexis Ayala does look good in ascots, doesn't he?

As to JL's comfort with spending his inheritance, he's had 6 years to think about it. He started out with nothing, lost his career in the Navy, and -- as far as we know -- has no blood relatives left. He needs that money now.

Also, did he ever find out how much Angelica paid to EZ as a bribe to let him escape the first time and where she got that money? If she told him he knows that was Alejandro's money.
 

I loved the Pedro and Ezequel scene too.A lot of foreshadowing was involved,they act as friends because of convinience,if they were enemies they would both kill each other.
 

NovelaMaven: I hungrily devoured every word of this simply stunning recap. Although evil appears to be firmly esconsed (Pedro, EZ and Adolfo) and in power, you gently reminded us from where these vile characters came and how they avoided what should surely have been their true fates.


"The flinching comes afterward. He is, after all, still a sensitive guy", "We found out that Fabiola has divided her time between swilling red wine, repeatedly whitening her stained teeth and searching for her biological parents", "(some of us observing rather more closely than others)" (yes, guilty I murmer!) and my favorite "he may be an ex-con, but now he's single, he's loaded and he hasn't lost his sharp, swarthy good looks". The man is hawt (IMHO). Sigh.

I totally enjoyed Graciela and Fab's little heart to heart. Judy, Daniela is truly amazing! Have to give the actress playing Fab her props though, she managed to keep up fairly well in the wake of Gracie's powerhouse performance.

I also loved the Carlota and Amelia's light little chat. So in denial both unaware of the truth. Karen your "it's so sad two nice women are both married to devils". Indeed.

To that point, from the land of hard to swallow: “And did you see the way she hugged Pedro? You can't fake that kind of warmth”? Yes, NovelaMaven, I did and am still shaking my head in disbelief. Are we to actually believe Pedro has not shown his cruel, violent true persona to Amelia?? It appears not. That is shocking on just so many levels.

Excellent question Carlos:
"I was surprised that Pedro, who's known for holding grudges, would allow Montserrat to cater his little political event". It was shocking as Pedro is not known for his largesse nor a forgiving nature.

It was so sad to see Adolfo in his current state which was a far cry from "Bambi eyes and a moral compass with a needle that just kept spinning in circles". Sigh.

Also enjoyed Esme and JL's shopping expedition. Easy chemistry and obvious in their caring and love for each other.

Thought the party prep scene was kind of cute with Ref and Dim trying to keep their eyes and thoughts in respectful places. Now, have Monica and JL ever actually met? I keep hoping that there will be some fierce chemistry and that he will forget his plan to reconcile with Monse. We all know there is no hope and I do not want him crushed again!

Wonderful comments everyone.

NovelaMaven, your Special Year Seven Edition was wonderful! I have forgotten the bitter cold rain outside as my day has been made considerably sunnier by your recap.

Diana
 

NovelaMaven,

Thank you. As always, your treatment and perspective of an episode is original, clever, creative, and hilarious....and I learned some more good Spanish phrases as a bonus. I am eagerly awaiting Fina's return.
 

Hello Floridia! So nice to see you.

Diana
 

Dearest NovelaMaven,

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this amazing and very funny re-cap. I loved the way you made me feel like I was going to the A. A. High Reunion and revisiting all my friends from the old days of the show, which was really only the day before. I am always impressed with the way you frame your recaps and your observant asides, many of which have already been pointed out, though I'd like to add another one of my favorites:

"Amelia's daughter (or as Pedro said, their daughter) Virginia is studying in Europe. Maybe she'll come back home now that she is part of Mexico's Royal Family."

When José-Luis showed up at the coffee shop to see Montserrat again, I admit I felt a vicarious little thrill! It surprised me because I was always biased in favor of Alejandro before and wanted Montserrat to be with him (never-J-L) even when Ale was being so awful, but suddenly I found myself thinking, "Who cares if Alejandro comes back?"

Not sure if I should credit the writers for manipulating me successfully, Luis Roberto Guzmán's acting, the solid character development of J-L, and/or something else all together, but I was feeling happy for Montse last night

Maybe it's just that I'm happy to see some potential romance coming after a long, dark period.

Thanks again, NovelaMaven! Happy weekend to all!
 

Gracie wants to use her grandson to get all the heritance but I am dying to see her face when Alejandro shows up alive. She will even fail selling Montserrat at Jose Luis. I think the worst for Graciela is Fabiola to be her lost daughter with Benjamin. Then Fabiola would have rights in Almonte fortune. The thing is that she is ambitious too, she wants the money for her own and she couldn’t be manipulated like Montserrat and Dimitrio by Graciela. And I think that’s how the story will go until July. She will demand from Fabiola DNA test and they will all be surprised how is possible to be Almonte’s daughter. Then they will start figuring out what has truly happened. Maybe Amelia felt sorry killing the baby and give it to Anastasia who could not have children lying to Graciela. Keep my fingers crossed.
 

Gracie wants to use her grandson to get all the heritance but I am dying to see her face when Alejandro shows up alive. She will even fail selling Montserrat at Jose Luis. I think the worst for Graciela is Fabiola to be her lost daughter with Benjamin. Then Fabiola would have rights in Almonte fortune. The thing is that she is ambitious too, she wants the money for her own and she couldn’t be manipulated like Montserrat and Dimitrio by Graciela. And I think that’s how the story will go until July. She will demand from Fabiola DNA test and they will all be surprised how is possible to be Almonte’s daughter. Then they will start figuring out what has truly happened. Maybe Amelia felt sorry killing the baby and give it to Anastasia who could not have children lying to Graciela. Keep my fingers crossed.
 

NovelaMaven - Simply brilliant, stringing everybody together with an alumnae update. Most of my favorite lines have been cited, but here are two more: the galan formerly known as Alejandro Almonte and No Nuts, No Glory.

Madelaine, ITA about JL's angel wings tatoo. He didn't have it at the start of the TN (remembering the skinny-dipping scene).

Carlos, ITA surprisingly Basurto rocks an ascot and puts MPV's Ricky to shame.

I'm disappointed in Rosario. She seems to want Monse to sit on a shelf for the rest of her life and tend a shrine to Ale. Now that Ale's "dead," Rosario should be putting Laurito and Monse first.

I thought JL peeking through the cake shop window at Monse was cute. I actually find it sexy when a guy observes you a bit before he walks over and approaches you. I don't put that in stalker territory. But JL can really be happy with Monse knowing that Ale will forever and always be her No. 1?

Basurto is no damn good, but it was kind of cute him trying to coax Carlota not to show her disdain for Pedro. They could've been any loving couple.

So Amelia has given up on sex. I wonder how Pedro explained how he might've been Nadia's baby's father with an empty toolbox.

Put me in the club rooting for Graciela against Fabiola. Even though she's doing it for purely me, myself, and I reasons, I love when Gracie takes on someone who is against Monse. Her scenes with Fab and Maria are the best.
 

Good morning all,

Thanks so much for your kind words.

After reading all of your comments (and being struck once again by how much smarter than the show you guys are), I decided to add these lines to the recap to help clarify the question of why Graciela had waited so long to demand her 'fair' share of the loot:

Graciela was determined to get some satisfaction now that she had an opportunity to confront the usurper in person. She wouldn't be able to hide behind her lawyer today as she had been doing all these years.

"That's what I pay him for -- to protect me from parasites like you!" snarled Fabiola.


By the time Graciela realized she had been had, Fabiola and Sandro were back in Miami. With little money and no powerful allies, it would have been hard to go after them. Also, she probably had only recently stumbled on a way to stake a claim (using Laurito's DNA) without having to recant her testimony and expose herself to prosecution for perjury.

I do hope that murderous Sandro doesn't decide that the expeditious thing to do is get rid of Laurito. While I've mostly distanced myself from this story and chosen to skim along the surface for the fun and surprises, I despise plot twists that involve hurting or frightening children.

Please, writers, don't go there.
 


Love the alumni update theme NM.

I see that that time up North did wonders for Fofo's self-esteem. He's now a successful, determined, confident young man with a great future.

I see that Captain Monica is quite stunning in civvies but I'm not sure about that culazo. Filming it up close made it look about two axe handles wide.
 

I stumbled on this sappy soap while recovering from surgery and have been hooked due to that God of a man Alejandro Almonte. What a great way for me to improve my college Spanish and rool over the best eye candy in a long time, Sebastian Rulli.

If Alejandro does not come back in some sort of typical soap opera miracle like being stranded in a small pueblo with amnesia not sure there is a reason to continue to watch the show. JL is not that hunky but I do love Graciela and her shenanigans.
 

NovelaMaven:
Another wonderfully entertaining recap! Some of my favorites:
“Not only that, in her girly pink shirt and long swirly green skirt, she looked ready to put a coin in an imaginary jukebox and do a lindy hop in her pink 1950's shop.” Yes, she had everything except a poodle on that skirt.

Re: Jose: "We saw him walk out of the prison into the light of day, and then lope happily towards... " Loved your description of that sweet scene.

Esme's answer: Did you know you can get pants with these expandable elastic panels for your belly? Even jeans with panels? Also, try to eat most of your chocolate early in the day -- if you eat it too close to bedtime, you'll get heartburn.

And my favorite: “We donned our kevlar vests and watched from a safe distance as the well-preserved and bizarrely draped Graciela Giacinti marched into the Almonte Mansion on the beach and confronted Fabiola Guillen. [The maid was seriously creeped out, she told us later. There was something eerie about the way these two harpies mirrored one another's gestures...]

Read everyone’s comments
.
Jarifa: comment about the Fab/Graciela head bumping-so funny.

Urban-I was also wondering if the tattoo on Jose was real, and ITA it is totally unwise for actors to get tattoos. I like Alexis Ayala, too, with or without his ascots.

Madelaine:It makes sense the angel wing tattoo was about Angelica and is probably some kind of make-up.
ITA, the The Carlota and Amelia “your husband is a crook no yours is” conversation was highly amusing.
Your question about the Fab/Gracie conversation. WOW. It seemed clear from an earlier episode with Gracie and Amelia that Gracie is already seemed to know Fab’s origins or had guessed. If so, it would be unwise for Gracie to open that can of worms UNLESS she actually knew that Fab’s father wasn’t Ben Almonte, because any real investigation could result in Fab’s DNA being tested and proving she is actually his daughter-thanks, Anonymous at 11:33.

JudyB-Yeah, I wasn’t digging JL’s ill fitted short jackets, with V-necked colored T-shirts, but ITA Monse “is toast”.
Julia Rold, I also routed for Ale, but am wavering now for JL.

Yikes, like Diana, I hate to see JL hurt again.
Agree with Niecie in MD and other commentors, Pedo lied about losing his child and wife, and Amelia knows it, right? Shouldn’t that give her pause?

Welcome internet explorer-great comment.

 

Novela Maven, how creative! I loved your "Aguazuleno Alumnae Updates". It was a super fun way to catch up on what all our favorite and despised citizens of Aguazul have been up to. Each title was funnier than the last:

"The Boy Most Likely to Hit the High Notes..."

"The girl most likely to die of alcohol hepatitis..."

So glad you caught Pedro's different accent: " (though he has, oddly enough, lost his stammer and acquired a vaguely norteño accent not heard in the past 117 episodes)." I was wondering if it was just me. Perhaps he moved with Fofito to Monterrey for a bit and aquired a new way of speaking? He definately had most of the crowd won over! Madelaine, I too loved Tia refusing to indulge Pedro!

Loved the scene with Gracie and Fab. She probably hasn't had anyone to poke in the head for a long time and really delighted in letting Fab have it, especially for leaving her high and dry. As others have noted, hopefully this doesn't go in the direction of bringing harm to little Laurito.

Can't wait for Monday to see what Montse has to say to JL!

Maricruz
 

One more thing, don't know what to make of Cpt. Monica flirting with Dim, as she handed him a beer and told Refu to get his own. Is she trying to make Refu jealous? Is she going to be competition for Fina when she returns?

Maricruz
 

Emarie,
How funny! Poodle skirt immediately popped into my head when I saw Montse's 50's era outfit. Thanks for your nice words.

internet explorer,
Welcome! Now that you've stumbled on our site, I hope we see you here again. You have plenty of company in the "BRING RULLI BACK" club. Most of us are confident (well, you know, sorta' kinda' confident) that they will. Stay tuned...

Oxnard Huero,
I wasn't going to say anything about it, but since you started it...
I don't know if it was the camera angle or something else, but I also noticed a little enhancement of Mónica's caboose. I doubt that Televisa will get any complaints about it though.

Glad you liked the theme today.

Jarifa,
You're right, it WAS also the tattoo episode. I decided to ignore them though because they were so ugly and obvious (kind of like the ones they inked all over DamFab -- they were like billboards that got in the way of the gorgeous scenery).

I suppose we'll find out more about the Private Lives of the Rich and Infamous and what sort of arrangement Amelia and Pedro have. Let's assume there's no obvious abuse going on -- I can't imagine Amelia putting up with it.

Urban,
It looks like a lot of us agree with you about the highlight of the episode -- Graciela and Fabiola took center stage.

As for Amelia's sexless marriage, I would bet money that they agreed in advance that there would be no physical intimacy between them.

La Paloma,
Ha, no, it's not just you. Things are definitely a little weird. Entertaining, yes, but weird.

"Nice to see that Gracie can strike a little terror into Fab's cold, pickled heart (especially since she no longer can terrorize her children.)"

hee hee. Of course, it is likely to turn out that in Fabiola she has found another child of hers to torture.

Karen,
So glad you liked the alumni theme. And I agree about the writers' ironic turn with Amelia and Carlota. They are nice women but they are also rather snobbish and have a way of tuning out information that doesn't conform to their rather rigid world views. I'm sure plenty of people warned Amelia not to trust Pedro, just as they warned Carlota not to trust EZ. Oh well.

Mads,
Thanks again for cluing in the clueless (i.e., me) about all things military.

I guess it is 'blatant fraternization' since we saw Mónica and Dim (and Ref) on the same team when they staged the raid on the Scorpion.

I'm assuming that Adolfo is back in Aguazul for the first time in several years. Pedro had banished him to Monterrey so even though he knew where María was staying (at least at first), he wouldn't have been able to see her.

I just hope Pedro hasn't summoned Adolfo for a special assignment in Aguazul.

Hahaha -- you're right about Carlota and Pedro! She NEVER liked him and wasn't afraid to say so.

Demetrios,
Wow, you're coming up with some wild versions of the story! And yes, when Pedro and Ezequiel are alone together, there is always an undercurrent of menace, an unspoken threat.

Carlos,

"Maybe he's mellowed... or forgiven?"

What a generous interpretation of Pedro's behavior. I'm a bit more cynical myself. I think that perhaps he's adapted and has learned how to act the part of a human being.

In general, I share your reservations about JL. He DOES seem more comfortable spending Angie's money than is seemly. But I have to go with Niecie on the peeking through the shop window thing. It WAS sort of cute -- or as close to 'cute' as Mr. Intenso is likely to get.

Thank you so much for your generous comment.
 

JudyB,

"The prose really had the unctuous chattiness of those bleary alumni letters we have all read too many times!"

I am so relieved that you got what I was going for! (I can never tell if I've made a complete ass of myself or only kind of an ass of myself until I have read your comment.)

It's true that JL's new clothes were too tight. But I've assumed for a long time that there is a serious fabric shortage over at Televisa because everyone seems to walk around ready to pop a button or split a seam. Hey...wait...maybe it's because Graciela is hogging all the fabric for her piano shawl couture...

Daisynjay,
Thanks so much for the vote of confidence.

I find myself agreeing with every single point you make. I'm also hoping that Montserrat resists José Luis's overtures. Let her apologize for misjudging him. (And then let him hang out with the arrogant navy captain -- THOSE two belong together!)

So you don't think Fina is raising llamas in Oregon? :)

Diana,
The weekend conversations are so much better since you got internet access at home.

I see you also enjoyed the Gracie-Fab 'heart to heart.' It was like sitting back and watching the fireworks (and it's not even the Fourth of July!)

"It was so sad to see Adolfo in his current state"

The really sad thing is that it is likely to be his final state.

Floridia,
I'm so glad you stopped by today. Thanks for the kind words.

I bet when Fina returns, she'll be so cool and elegant that at first no one will recognize her. Yes, that will be good.

Dear Julia Rold,
It is lovely to see you here on a Saturday. I'm delighted you enjoyed the reunion even if, as you say, the old times happened just a day ago on the show.

I can understand in a sort of abstract way why you might be JL, but I'm not quite there with you yet. I still need to be wooed, I guess.

Thanks so much, as always, for your generous words.
 

Niecie,

"Basurto is no damn good, but it was kind of cute him trying to coax Carlota not to show her disdain for Pedro. They could've been any loving couple."

Don't you think Alexis Ayala has done a terrific job with this slimy character? Basurto is a much better chameleon than Pedro is. When Basurto does 'sincere,' it's very hard not to believe him.

Even when Pedro is doing 'normal,' he seems 'off' or 'robotic.'

Do you think María will be at the Reunion on Monday (which may still be today, Robo time)?

Thanks for the pat on the back,amiga.

Maricruz,
Thanks so much for your nice comment! I'm glad you noticed Pedro's accent too -- sometimes I think my ears are playing tricks on me. I wonder if it was just the actor making the decision to ham it up a little bit after using his (probably self-imposed) lockjaw stammer for months and months.

I'm not so much concerned about Mónica and Dim, but I would just hate to see her hurting Esme. Or to be more exact, hurting Esme MORE than she already has with her tactless remarks and snotty 'tude.
 

The first time I saw angel wings like that tattooed on someone's back was during Un Gancho al Corazón. One of the lady boxers (an actual professional boxer from Mexico) that Monita faced in the ring had just such a tattoo. Perhaps because of that, JL's tattoo seemed almost effeminate to me.

I also wondered when he might have acquired it. It seems unlikely that he got it while Angelica was alive, but it is so elaborate and apparently professionally done that it also seems unlikely that it was done while he was in prison.

By the way, his first use of his inheritance was shortly after Angelica's death with the bribery of the jail guard (I wonder if he had a chance to collect his million pesos?) and adding the interest to the money that was finally returned to Montserrat.

I don't begrudge him the inheritance, it is rightfully his, but he was insistent on several occasions that he had no intention of accepting it.

Carlos
 

Niecie, Pedro did tell Amelia that the baby wasn't his. She is savvy enough to realize that he would have passed it off as his for political reasons. She might even think that Pedro and Nadia had "an arrangement" and discreetly decided not to ask any more questions.

Whether Fabiolush is Gracie's daughter or not things are likely to get a lot uglier between them before we find out.

As for whether Pedro is likely to make an attempt on Laurito's life, I'd put money on that. He might even try to make Adolfo do it. Remember how Veronica in PEAM treated her own child, who was about the same age.
 

Carlos,

Everything you say is quite true. I suppose I DO begrudge JL the inheritance because he was so damn sanctimonious about his unwillingness to accept it on so many occasions.

[Now where the heck did I put my CARLOS IS ALWAYS RIGHT coffee mug?]
 

Llamas? No, to be honest NM, I am hoping that Fina comes back successful, confident and able to shove Tomas' and everyone else's nose in the fact she is no weakling or someone to push around anymore. Llamas are pretty tough little buggers to raise and need a lot of attention. I might wish that on Tomas though. Keep him busy and leave Fina alone.

And then the two (DimFine) who have made the best and most progress in this store ( in hopefully a positive way for good) can work in getting themselves back together. Hopefully Lt. Booty won't get in the way, but it looks like maybe she's really still after Refugio. My fear--little Miss I'm Off At Boarding School will home and be all over Dim again just as Fina comes back. Ironic that the two supposed happiest couplings we have going right now are the villains and their poor duped mates.

I'm really not going to like these writers much by the end of this TN. One can almost guess the way some of these plots are going to go.

Daisynjay
 

Daisynjay,

Yeah, I agree about the llama thing. I suspect Dim was just goofing on the annoyingly perky Alumni Updates reporter when he gave that answer about Fina.

On a personal level, I had llamas on the brain after reading this sign outside the llama pen at a local zoo:

Llamas blow in each other's face as a greeting.
Males are used as pack animals while females are used for breeding.
They can be pleasant and affectionate.



I think I'd like to see Fina return as a mature and confident woman with a new partner (husband, lover, whatever) and maybe a kid or two.

Maybe it's time to get past the idea that there is only one path to happiness or only one person in the world with whom we can share a life worth living. I'd feel kindly disposed towards the writers if they guided us in that direction.
 

NovelaMaven- This was an incredibly creative way to re-introduce us to these characters. I only caught the last 2 minutes and saw JL, looking all 80s Miami Vice, peeping in on Barbie Monsie in her pink palace, wearing her 50s outfit. It was all a bit bizarre. Why can't JL just try to be Monse's friend? That's it. Nada mas. Why does he have to go straight to "conquering" her? This is the storyline I look forward to the least. But I do want to watch Graceless and the Lush take each other down! :)
 

Wonderful recap! I enjoyed the format very much! Creative writing at its best! I enjoyed everyone's comments and agree with the best lines already mentioned. With regard to JL determined to win Monse. I was completely disgusted with the preview showing JL going to Gracie. How hypocritical is that?! He always made a big fuss about Ale "buying" Monse and now it seems he's willing to do the same? If he really strikes a deal with Gracie for Monse he will be dead to me. I felt bad for him losing Angie and hoped he would find someone else but if my suspicions are correct I will want to see an anvil fall on him. Monse deserves better than that.
 

I think Gracie will approach him first. He should tell her off because of how she messed up his life at the outset of this tale. I guess he forgave Dimitrio because he realized that D was under Gracie's thumb.
 

If JL decides to make a deal with Gracie, then I blame the writers. That would be totally out of character for him. Would he stalk Monse to the ends of the earth? Yes. Would he make a deal to "buy" her with the help of the woman he most hates? No. Plus, it's not like Monse is under Gracie's thumb or influence anymore. What can she do?

Unless he has an undetected brain tumor, I'm calling b.s. on this "twist" in the story. The writers have behaved the worst with JL's character, having him do some out of left field stuff just to manipulate the story in a certain direction.
 

Vivi, I'm inclined to agree with you that this would be totally out of character for JL. The fact that Alejandro negotiated a cash deal with Gracie in order to essentially purchase Monse was JL's biggest grievance against him. It seems unthinkable that he would now stoop to that level, even though we've seen flashes of hypocrisy displayed by him from time to time throughout this TN.

What is even more troubling for me would be that Monse is being set up for a repeat performance. She is no longer a naive adolescent. Could she be stupid enough to allow herself to be sold yet a second time? Yikes!

On the other hand, I think it'd be rather fun to see JL's shoe on Ale's foot. How in the world could he plausibly respond?

Carlos
 

Indeed Vivi and Carlos, it would be out of character for JL, but who knows. Amelia told Fab that JL had changed a lot while in prison, so maybe the writers will take us there. I hope not. The only card I think Gracie has is the video of Ale. She could agree with JL to let Montse see it, but in my opinion it would only help clear JL's name and allow Monste to trust him once again. I hope that in the years that have passed, she has grown strong enough apart from her mother, to make her own decisions on what is best for her and Laurito.

Maricruz
 

It seems that Gracie is always selling something.
The TN writers don't seem very concerned with making the characters consistent. It would totally out of character for JL to buy Monse. But I wonder if he would buy back the cell phone..?
I don't think he is even comfortable with spending Angelica's money. So far he used it to buy himself 24 hrs out of Jail to help Monse, and has helped others. Esme had to force him to spend some to buy clothes.
 

So funny, NM!

Loved: 7 year absence not to be confused with 7 year abstinence

No nots. No Glor (genius!)

1) Forever 2) No (Hahahaha!)

And I love how you nailed Montsys 50 sock hop look. She's like 50s Cupcake Shop Barbie complete with store and accessories!

Carlos: h a bit strange, probably more appropriate than the governor's shirt gaping open to mid chest with a a scorpion dangling in his puny cleavage.

Omg THANK YOU!! That has been bothering me as much as his hard drinkin at the office.

Thanks so much NovelaMaven. High school is the perfect venue for these "Most Likelys"!


 

Sorry for typos--writing on an iPhone:(
 

Lily, Vivi and Katy,
Thanks for the nice words. So glad you got a chuckle out of the recap!

Katy, I'd say you were doing pretty well with your iphone. I stick to monosyllabic texts on mine. :)

OT
Urban, I was just sitting around and enjoying the Sunday paper when I came upon this story about Friday's performance of La Cenerentola at the Met:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/lkccvao

Were you there? Reading about Javier Camarena's encore just gave me goosebumps. It must have been thrilling to be in the audience!
 

I was there! The crowd went loco and he got a unanimous standing ovation at the curtain call later.

Sat next to a very nice gay German couple who told me that they go to almost all the HDs in Frankfurt and that it's hurting local opera house attendance.
 

Wow, Urban! How thrilling! I rarely feel any pangs of nostalgia for NY, but I have to admit, I envy your experience on Friday. (The sad thing is that I never appreciated opera when I had it at my fingertips. It was only many years later and many miles distant, that I got an inkling of what I had missed out on.)

So HD showings are cutting into local attendance in some places? That's too bad. The HD shows can be great, of course, but nothing compares to being at a live performance.
 

haveHello, Patio People!

I stopped watching some 40 episodes ago, because of lack of time and lack of interests, to be honest.
I did sort of keep up by reading the recaps every once in a while (THANK YOU, AWESOME RECAPPERS!)and this time jump intrigued me enough to want to jump right back in.

I'm trying to catch up with what has been going on, I think I got the main stories straight so far.

Alejandro's absence is palpable, you never fully get the meaning of what "galan material" means until you go 40+ minutes without a Sebastian Rulli sighting.

Carlos, you say:

"I think it'd be rather fun to see JL's shoe on Ale's foot."

What if JL and Montse get back together (the thought makes me cringe, but I think it's a given) and then Alejandro comes back from wherever he is?
Then he can start sneaking around as JL did in the good old days. Of course, the situations are different, but it would be an interesting twist in the story.
 

I suspect that it is affecting attendance elsewhere as well. I've heard that the Met itself believes it's cutting into attendance in the house.

Which I find difficult to believe because none of the screening rooms I've seen have more than 250 seats. There aren't that many theatres in NYC for the HD and all of them sell out for the live broadcast but not the encores. I can understand that older people in the 'burbs might prefer it to coming in on commuter rail, but I can't see it making more difference than that.

They need lots of help selling the idea of opera to younger audiences who pay just as much or more for rock concert tickets. I paid more for a ticket to Alejandro Fernandez' November concert than I do for my seat at the Met.
 

Welcome back, Adriana!

"Alejandro's absence is palpable, you never fully get the meaning of what "galan material" means until you go 40+ minutes without a Sebastian Rulli sighting."

True. Alejandro's absence is the dominant presence in the story right now. Let's hope it doesn't drag on too too long.

Urban, I suppose it always took some ingenuity to keep the house full. When I was in high school and college, we often had freebies for all kinds of amazing performances; and even when they weren't 'papering the house,' they were offering steeply discounted tickets to students. It was only the openings and the BIG BIG names that sold out the house.
 

Thinking of JL - I would think that 6-7 years in that jail would have hardened JL pretty much. From what we saw, it had a layered hierarchy and you had to pay your dues to the leaders OR become one of them. It might be interesting to see that after his time their, he's taken on a layer of bitterness and had plenty of time to rethink what he would do when he got out.

Did it ever serve him to be Mr. Nice Guy? He lost Monse, he lost Angie, he took the fall for Ale and he got what? So now just maybe he takes on a bit of edge feeling like maybe now it's his turn to get what he feels was rightfully his all along.

I'm not saying that's a positive viewpoint to have, but one I think would logically change his feelings towards Monse, negotiating with Graceless ( she thinking she got something, maybe him taking her for the fool she is) and deciding to maybe use the money from Angie. He might use to gain a level in power in town to put the screws to Pedo and Ez. I think we could all buy into that?

Daisynjay
 

Thanks so much for that creative, clever recap. It put me in mind of my uncle who came home during his senior year in high school and asked his mother what it meant to be named "The Adnoids, of his class...yes, he had been named Adonis of the class. That was always a favorite family tale about Uncle Harry.

Well, hub and I have had the little girls since Thursday night , and they are watching the new DVD we bought them "Pirate Fairy" for I believe the sixth time since I gave it to them Friday night, so I have a chance to comment.

JL just does not do it for me. I loved him as the villainous Diego in Alborada, but he is not one of my telenovios. I am quite sure that he will begin to pursue Mony again . However, she seems to be supporting herself now, so I don't see how Gracie can play ,let's Make a Deal" for her. I think that the path to Mony now lies in becoming a father figure to Little Larry. That might be how JL finally wins her over. Then, Ale will find a way off Gilligan's Island , and the triangle will be reformed.
 

Susanlynn, the problem with Gracie is that she will never realize that she has no right to sell Monserrat as though she were a slave. She will try to do this anyway, guaranteed, and end up paying dearly for it at the end.
 

Susanlynn, I only liked JL when he was with Angelica, but now that she's gone and Montse Mania is starting again, I am so NOt going to like him.
Imagine Ale coming back and seeing his beloved with his rival. He'd have all the reasons to believe that they have been together all this time and before he knows the truth, I foresee a bunch of misunderstandings...

Mama Rosario gave me a strange vibe... Gone are her simple, modest manners. I think JL will have big problems with her!

 

Mama Rosario is a lioness protecting her cub. She was never comfortable with JL anywhere near Monserrat and she's also still hurting over losing Alejandro again. She's a Queen Mother in every way Gracie fails at it.

It is possible to be too modest and I think she knows that now.
 

NM--I continue to be in awe of your talent. Do the "novel" new ideas for themed recaps ever end? I hope not.

All the best lines have been quoted innumerable times, so I will not add to the space or length by requiting.

Like most of you I was a little surprised at Pedro's casual appearance at a political gathering when everyone else was dressed appropriately, even if it was a garden party. And yes, a couple of episodes back, before the 7-year leap, but after the 3-month jump, Pedro told Amelia while having tea in the garden, that Nadia's child was not his, but her amante and now they were both dead.

I'm so tired of the amnesia trope we are so constantly exposed to. I'd much rather visualize Ale having been rescued by Mexican or Colombian drug runners and he's now a captive somewhere in the jungles of some country and held incommunicado. Maybe even forced to participate in their runs in order to stay alive. I hope the Marina has a successful raid at some point and finds him. This is not a spoiler--I have no clue what happens next, other than we all know Ale has to come back. I will feel a little guilt-ridden, though, if that *is* what happens. Poor Nadia and Vic and the baby. Under harsh jungle or mother-ship conditions, I doubt they would make it.

I hope what we saw in the avances of Graciela "negotiating" with JL, seemingly over Montse, is in reality a JL trampa to expose her. What a greedy b*t*h, if she's going to get half of Fab's (i.e. Ale's) fortune, why on earth does she need JL's? After 7 years, she should know for certain she can't control Monse anymore, but is she dumb enough to think JL wouldn't know that in a hot Aguazul minute?
 

Gracie doesn't have a single centavo of Alejandro's fortune; Fabiola never gave her a thing. I also doubt she will get anything at this stage; Pedro would probably off her rather than allow a DNA test on Laurito to happen.

Or he might decide to off the child. It's not like we haven't seen that tried before.

Not that any of this would matter to Gracie because her greed has no limits. I'm still waiting for someone to find out about an off-shore account or two.

If anyone remembers the most recent version of El Derecho de Nacer its hero was grabbed by narcos in the Peruvian jungle and he was stuck there for over ten years. The heroine had lost her child at birth when her own father tried to have him killed. I would hate to have this story go that way.

Just a note: I'm out at a concert tonight so tonight's installment of this tale will post automatically as the credits roll on the East Coast.
 

Novela: Thanks for the great recap. I loved the reunion theme. I watched Friday’s ep. This one is starting to get good again.

Never thought I would be rooting for Gracie, but I sure was during her showdown with Fab. And I sit at the Fab table!

I have some thoughts about JL.

I think that Mons is the love of his life. Not that he didn’t love Angie deeply. I believe he did. But just as Ale is Mon’s love of her life and JL was Angie’s love of her life—Mons is JL’s. At first I thought that maybe he could be paired up with a reformed Fab or Monica. But now I realize that if he couldn’t stop loving Mons, couldn’t stop thinking about her when he was with our wonderful Angie then there’s definitely no woman who can make that happen. This is pure speculation, but I think JL will end up dying in the Gran Final, probably while saving Mons and/or Laurito—more probably Laurito.

Of course, he could just move away. Or be married to Mons and realize that it was just a fantasy and Angie really was the love of his life. But I don’t think so.

Nanette
 

My gut tells me that JL has two different visions of himself vis a vis the two women he has loved. With one he sees himself as he wishes her to see him and with the other he actually could be himself.

But I'm not sure he knows which is with whom.
 

Winners- 2014 TVyNovelas Awards:

DIRECTOR DE ESCENA
Benjamín Cann y Rodrigo Zaunbos (Mentir Para Vivir)

GUIÓN O ADAPTACIÓN
Amores Verdaderos

ACTOR DE REPARTO
Manuel ‘El Flaco’ Ibañez (La Mujer Del Vendaval)

ACTRIZ DE REPARTO
Susana Gonzalez (Amores Verdaderos)

PRIMER ACTOR
Jesús Ochoa (Libre Para Amarte)

PRIMERA ACTRIZ
Ana Martin (Amores Verdaderos)

ACTOR JUVENIL
Alejandro Speitzer (Mentir Para Vivir)

ACTRIZ JUVENIL
Sherlyn (Amores Verdaderos)

ACTOR COESTELAR
Felipe Najera (Mentir Para Vivir)

ACTRIZ COESTELAR
Cynthia Klitbo (De Que Te Quiero, Te Quiero)

ACTOR VILLANO
Manuel Ojeda (La Tempestad)

ACTRIZ VILLANA
Marjorie De Sousa (Amores Verdaderos)

TEMA MUSICAL
“No Me Compares,” Alejandro Sanz (Amores Verdaderos)

ACTRIZ PROTAGÓNICA
Erika Buenfil (Amores Verdaderos)

ACTOR PROTAGÓNICO
Juan Diego Covarrubias (De Que Te Quiero, Te Quiero)

MEJOR TELENOVELA
Amores Verdaderos

 

UA--I didn't mean to imply she already had half of Ale's fortune. That's what she's blackmailing Fab for with threatening to expose the fact she has NO Almonte blood in her.
 

Oooh, Vivi. Thanks for the reportaje. Yay for Amores Verdaderos. Boohoo, nothing for Big Ed or Gorgeous Sebastian.
 

I'm probably a minority of one, but I'm not missing Ale.
 

Vivi, thanks for the list. Just happened to catch a bit of the show just when best actress was announced.

I liked Erika's champagne brocade dress. Was sorry that the AV clip they showed was of Miss Vickie trying to wake up an unconscious Yanez stuck under the log cause I wanted to see him animated. I give Ana Brenda and David Zepeda high marks for their look when they realized they'd lost. They looked cheerful, disappointed, and like good sports all at the same time.
 

Dear Novela Maven:

What a great recap you prepared for our Robo class reunion. I am particularly grateful that you did not insist that all in the Bunker and on the Patio send you recent selfies so that we would be identifiable at the coming shindig. Perish the thought.

I am flat out swamped right now, but I will come by as often as possible to see my friends, thank our great recappers for their work and, of course, gripe about the citizenry of Aguazul.

The biggest surprise to me is Amalia marrying Pedro. I really cannot get my head around that coupling—or non coupling, as the case may be.

thanks again, Maven, for giving us a real treat on Friday last. I am sorry to be to tardy to the party.

Hello to all dear friends! I'll pop by as often as I can.

EJ
 

Thank you all for a great discussion this weekend.

And thanks to Susanlynn, Anita, Nanette, and Elna June for coming to the party.

As Daisynjay remarked yesterday, the writers warned us to be ready for a CHANGE in JL. A person doesn't spend seven years in prison and come out unscathed. So he may well do things the earlier, more idealistic JL would not have done. He may no longer be "the dreamer" that Angélica 'bequeathed' to Fabiola.

There are several ways the story could go at this point. I admit it -- I'm intrigued.

P.S. I watched much of the Telenovela Awards show last night (Thanks, Vivi, for posting the winners) and I was really struck by how much the camera lingered on Rulli. He sat front row, aisle and they just kept going back to him and his great big grin and to Marjorie de Sousa, who was one seat away from him. He may not have won the best protagonista award, but he was surely the beau of the ball.

I was also struck by the 'love the one you're with' theme of the awards. Big Eddie Yañez and Eisa González not even nominated? Natalia Esperon nominated but losing? I think these are awards that reward LOYALTY to Televisa and SHOWING UP for the party.

It was fun to see some familiar faces from La Tempestad. While I was happy for Manuel Ojeda, I would have loved seeing Iván Sánchez (crazy Hernán) win best villain.

There was also a special award recognizing Eric del Castillo's lifetime achievement as an actor. His daughter Verónica was the presenter. They showed a montage of his career, beginning with his earliest films. He was devastatingly handsome as a young man.

Either it was a pretty good show overall, or I have become completely indiscriminate when it comes to judging Mexican television. (I'm thinking door number two.)
 

Vivi: I like to scan the Premios. Were there any De Q spoiler scenes?
 

Nanette- I only saw bits and pieces, but it seems that NovelaMaven watched the whole thing and gave us quite a rundown.

I didn't see any spoilers for DQTQTQ, but, for example, when then showed the clip for Esmeralda Pimentel's vilana nomination they showed a scene from early in the tn (the spilled soup) which we in the US had already seen.
 

I dont think Manuel Ojeda deserved the award,he was so dissaponting for me in my opinion,he was just a mediocre person behind the strings and some mafiozo.I think Ivan Sanchez deserved the award more.I wanted Ojedas character to do more,instead that poorly designed annoying Estercita send him an early royal anvil in a bathtub.I loved that Majorie De La Susa got the award though!
 

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