Caray, Caray!

AVENIDA BRASIL Seg-feira

Mr. Mads is doing so well, I was able to watch Monday's epi and I will give you the brief version.

Part I

Ivana goes to Tiradero, armed with a knife,to stick it to Max, so to speak, she ends up being humiliated and insulted by Max, he briefly holds the knife to her throat, but ends up throwing her out with tons of insults.

Leandro ends up kicking Suelen to the curb, once he sees the pics of her and Wallerson in a tabloid. She packs her bags and goes back to Roni and Dio's house. Roni doesn't want her back, but Dio wants her to stay. Leandro, meanwhile, is playing for Flamenco, gets in a fight with Wallerson, and is kicked off the team. Suelen and Roni go look for him.

Carlitos is spying on the three harpies, and hears they want to go to Switzerland to get that 5 million and do a runner. He thinks the women all care about the moola and not him. So he climbs out a window and tries to do a runner, but the harpies catch up with him and he tells them he has no moola. That's why he is living in Divino. He's been trying to find a job. They are not pleased.

Olenka and Mona Lisa get in a bit of a dust up. Mona Lisa has realized she is still in love with Tifon, but won't do anything about it. Olenka gets on her case about that. She feels Mona Lisa should go after who she loves. Mona Lisa still thinks that Tifon is in love with that other woman, and won't do anything.

Carm is being her usually bitchy self at the Padre's rectory, when Muricy finds out Carm is staying there and goes to confront her. Muricy warns the Padre if he doesn't throw her out, she'll go to the Bishop over his harboring a ho and scammer. The Padre hasn't much choice, so out she goes on the street, where Max finds her and basically kidnaps her off the street.

Max has kidnapped Carm and taken her to Tiradero, right where they began. Nilo and Mama L hear the ruckus and try to talk to him, but Max also takes them hostage. Carm tries to beg Max to let her go, she still loves him yadda, yadda, but he isn't buying it. She is manipulating him.

Tifon has a talk with the familia and it's decided they all owe Nina an apology for the way they treated her, so Tifon goes over to Jori's and in front of the two of them, tells them to come to dinner, they all owe Nina an apology she was right, they were so very wrong, they agree to go.

Jori and Nina arrive at the mansion, and Jori says that now she will enter as his woman/wife not as the chef. They enter and everyone welcomes them, especially Nina and Tifon has even made a dish, Risotto con palmitas himself, I think from her recipe. All of them apologize and they have a wonderful family meal.

Nina is alone when Pico comes and tells her he is looking for Jori. Max has gone loco and is holding Mama L, Nilo and Carm hostage. Nina tries to call Jori but his phone is out of range. She goes with Pico. She ends up being Max's fourth hostage. He ties Carm and Nina up together and claims they are exactly alike. He also has a gun, he took from Tifon's safe and waves it around.
 

AVENIDA BRASIL Seg-feira

Part II

Max is very pithed. All of them, in one way or another, ruined his life. His parents, Nilo and Mama L were crap, Carm couldn't do without just one lova, she had to have many, the ho, and Nina claimed she was his amante, but never delivered. He waves the gun around saying he is going to kill all of them.

Pico waited for Jori and he goes to Tiradero with him, Jori also called Tifon and let him know what is going on. Tifon calls Zenon, and Leleco goes with Tifon to Tiradero. Ivana is pithed and wants to go too, they don't let her, so she and Muricy take a cab out there.

Meanwhile Max is really crazy and says this is his family complete now. He wanted Jori and Agatha there too, but Agatha is away on a school trip to Miami. Jori shows up and quickly becomes the fifth hostage. Max is waving that gun around again, wanting to kill everyone, but he unties Nina, intent on making her be the amante for real, Carm calls Lucio on the sly to be rescued and Nilo, Mama L and Jori try to stop him. Max sees Carm has called Lucio and he smashes her phone. Jori and Max fight, but Jori is tied up again and Max sets fire to Mama L's house and Max takes Nina and goes and warns the Tiradero people he will kill them all if they help those people in the house in anyway. He drags Nina off.

Tifon, Zenon and Leleco arrive as does Lucio. They untie everyone as the fire rages and Lucio gets Carm free, but Jan, finding out where Lucio was drags him out. There is no sign of Nina or Max.

Pico also goes to Santi and tells him Mama L is in danger. He too goes to Tiradero.

Nina and Max are somewhere in Tiradero and she puts the gun to her forehead and tells Max just kill her and get it over with. He hits her and knocks her out. She wakes up and gets up, when someone knocks her out from behind. She wakes again, and there is blood on her face, she looks around, and there is Max, dead as a door nail with a hideous hole in his forehead. She screams, Oi, Oi, Oi. So who killed Max?
 

AVENIDA BRASIL General

Thanks to Jean for filling in for me on Friday, while travelling too!

Thanks to Sue 455 too, for her list.

I want to thank all commenters who commented also and thanks to Vivi for filling in some things. I can't believe this TN is almost over. It has been a ride and a half, I must say! I think the finale is on Thursday with a repeat on Friday, but we'll have to wait and see. So many things need to be tied up still.

As Deb said, and thank you also for your comment, AB is being replaced by "Escrito en las Estrellas". It is a story of love between Nathalia Dill, Debora here in AB, and a young man that dies. It is sort of like En Otra Piel, but he doesn't come back. The antagonist is Debora Falabella, who plays Nina here. It is another Brasilian TN. Globo has a good synopsis of it in English that I found.
 

EN OTRA PIEL – LUNES – Part 1

Marta has that suspicious frown on her face and is telling Mondriana she should not be meddling in Larrera/Serrano family business by asking about Julián’s lover when they hear the harpy shrieks of Elena next door. They rush in to see Vicki trembling with fear. The harpy is shrieking that she couldn’t find her bracelet and her mother, helping her search, found it in Vicki’s room. Vicki insists she didn’t do it and then collapses. Lorena shoots a reproachful look at her prize of a daughter, while Mondriana gives Vicki some kind of CPR without the mouth to mouth element.

Poor Esteban is kidnapped by Carlos on his way to meet Selma for dinner. But his wallet is dropped in the gutter.

While Gabriel and Diego are outside waiting for Jennifer, Rottweiler stops by to try to kiss her and tell her he’s sure she’s still in love with him. Jennifer plays it cool and just tells him she needs a few more days. He advises her not to make him beg for it. And he says he’ll cut Gabriel’s throat if he seems him around.

They could not manage to get Jen out because Rotty and the boys don’t seem to have anything better to do than hang out outside her house. But Maite has a brain storm.

Eileen tells Valeria that her mother divorced her father because he was a workaholic.

Marta leaves in the ambulance with Vicki and Mondriana decides to go after in a car. When Gerardo offers to drive her, she tells him never to speak to her again.

Lorena, who is getting on my last nerve, tells her daughter not to ask her to hurt people any more. Charming Elenita responds that she might have killed her outright, so this was better. Lorena calls her a monster.

Camila can’t believe Vicki did such a thing, but Lorena confirms that Vicki took the bracelet.

At the hospital Mondriana tells Marta Vicki would not have done such a thing. The same thing happened when she was accused of stealing Julián’s ring [the gist was that it was proved she didn’t take it]. Marta gives her another suspicious look because she knew about this.

Later, Elena tells Camila that, when Julián died, a ring disappeared and Mónica forgave Vicki. Lorena says they should also forgive Vicki. But Elenita gets more and more shrill and says that Mónica gave her that bracelet when they were in México and she couldn’t bear to think it was lost. [Lorena remembers when Elena told her Gerardo gave it to her and what exquisite taste he has. Novelera remembers when Gerardo gave the bracelet to Mondriana, who refused it. Elena later found it in his jacket after they were canoodling at the Lake House and he had no other choice but to give it to her. Sadly Mondriana didn’t appear to get a good look at the bracelet and connect the dots. We can only hope this happens soon.]

At one of the usual dank rooms where telenovela villains like to take their victims, Carlos asks Esteban his name. Carlos only found him because the guy who actually changed out the videos at Judge Pervo’s kickoff pointed him out and never knew his name. Esteban: “You kidnapped me and you don’t know my name!” Carlos doesn’t like this one bit. He hits him and asks again. The response: “Miguel de Cervantes.” This name appears to mean nothing to Carlos; they probably started teaching Don Quixote in 6th grade. Carlos was expelled in 5th grade for stealing other kids’ lunch money.

Sadly that was the end of the humor in Esteban’s kidnapping. They proceed to beat and give him electric shocks. Carlos tells him he messed with the wrong people: Elenita and Gerardo. At one point Esteban appears to be dead.
 

EN OTRA PIEL – LUNES – Part 2

Smiling her most serene smile Elena calls Ernesto and tells him Cami needs a shoulder to cry on because of what happened to Vicki. Gerardo comes in and starts berating her about Vicki. Elena snaps that she was only going to send her to jail, but she was the one who had a heart attack. Gerardo says she’ll tell Camila now, but Elena says she’s going to send her to jail.

The Perros are hanging around outside Jennifer’s apartment and passing around a bottle. We see a nun arrive and pass them. They address her in an almost civil manner but snigger after she goes up the stairs. When Jennifer opens the door, Eileen walks in, talking a mile a minute and quickly gets Jen into the nun’s habit. We get a little scare when Jennifer walks out when Rotty follows her, but it’s only because she dropped the rosary. He doesn’t see her face. Then we see Eileen strutting down the street dressed up like a barrio girl and all the vatos whistle. Jennifer gets in with Diego, and Eileen with Ricardo and both cars drive away.

Jorge is remembering his conversation with Mondriana and, when Tomás comes in, he tells him that she has gestures and a way of being that remind him of Mónica Serrano 30 years before. Tomás wonders if she could be Mónica’s daughter.

At the hospital Vicki has been stabilized. The doctor says they’ll keep her a couple of days, but she can’t have anything unpleasant happen.

Tomás thinks Mondriana could be around 5 years older than Camila. He suggests that maybe, before she married Julián, she had an affair with a politician or a married man. Jorge remembers that, before Julián and Mónica married, they broke up for about a year. No one saw her then. But they reconciled and never again separated. He says he’s going to find out about the daughter theory.

Diego returns to the pensión with Jennifer and Gabriel and she embrace joyfully. Doña Lupe is scandalized at first because Jen still has on the nun’s habit!

Vicki is awake and tossing nervously in her bed. Mondriana enters, and Vicki tells her that the devil is loose in the Serrano house. She gets more and more hysterical and begs Mondi to have Jorge come to see her.

Elena swans into her mother’s room and brings her a big bottle of whiskey. Lorena whines some about the things she’s covering up. Elena says her mother does it because of a bad conscience for all the neglect when Elena was little. Lorena corrects her and says she covers things up to protect Camila and Emiliana from her. Just then Carlos calls Elena to tell her that Esteban talked.

Jennifer is settled into one of the many, many rooms in Doña Lupe’s pensión. She and Gabriel get busy.

Eileen has met Marta at the hospital. Earlier in the episode she met Rodrigo. She’s charmed both Ricardo’s parents. Marta doesn’t seem to even mind her barrio girl outfit. Eileen sort of cuddles up to Ricardo and then we see Sourpuss Camila arrive. Ernesto is with her and she grabs his arm when she sees Ricardo with this smiling, pretty, charming girl. She looks like a storm cloud, and I love it.

Carlos arrives, smugness personified, to tell Elena and Gerardo what Esteban said. He tells them that the woman who gave the video to the guy to substitute is named Mónica Serrano!
 

En Otra Piel-

Thanks for the great recap, Novelera. I haven't seen Thursday's or Friday's episodes yet so I was playing catchup.

I agree that Eileen seems like a much better match for Ricardo than Camila but I'm sure they will get back together by the end.

Dona Lupe seems blissfully unconcerned that she is putting herself and her other tenants at risk by harboring Jennifer. The puppy gang are going to try and get her back. The puppies will probably go to Rodrigo's place first looking for her. I hope the other gang is on the job protecting their own.

Poor Esteban. I hope Carlos doesn't kill him. He is the only one who has contacted the shaman who can put Adriana back in her body, right?

So Carlos is working for Elena and Gerardo now?

And that Lorena! What a pathetic wuss. How many people have to die before she opens her mouth?


 

Avenida Brasil

Thanks Mads, for the great recap as usual. I'm glad Mr. Mads is doing well. When I was watching Friday's episode, my brother and sister were asking me why there was so much yelling.

The actor who plays Max got to really chew up the scenery before he met his end. He could have made other choices but he seems to have gone around the bend with his desire for revenge.

In tried and true novela fashion, just about everyone who had a score to settle with Max was at the tiradero when he was murdered so there are lots of suspects.

That Suelen is a piece of work. She causes Leandro not only to be kicked off the team he was on but he will be banned from any of the top-level teams. Then just when Roni and Diogenes decide they are better off without women, she shows up again and takes over their house.

I can't wait for today's episode. I will probably try Escrito en las Estrellas. Based on AB, I like Brazilian novelas.
 

CAMELIA:

Since El Señor de los Cielos Part 2 starts 5/26, we only have about two weeks left. And the action is hot!

Stan asks Allison how she could possibly put her own mother in jail. Ali replies you don't know how my entire LIFE has been HELL with her putdowns and belittlements. Stan goes back to the jail, again asks Hilda to cooperate, but she won't, and upon seeing Ali in the background, blames it all on her, showing Stan that what Ali said about Hilda is true - she's a despicable person only out for herself. Why did she align with Arnulfo, who has killed many, including Aaron? Ali asks her mother, where are your "friends" now? They take Hilda away struggling and screaming, off to the State Pen.

Emi sees his abuela arrested in the paper, Ali tells him they'll work things out.

Benigno is worried about his wedding. Lu tells him it'll be okay, pull himself together. Later he meets with Cookies, and asks do you know my secret? She says she does, but the fact that he is concerned enough about her happiness to bring this up, proves that he's a good man. Of course she'll marry him, and she gives him a tender kiss.

Earlier, Arnulfo and Jacinto came to see Cookies, and told her that a young woman named Valeria was going to stay by her side during the wedding, to make sure Cookies doesn't interfere with their plans to kill Antonio. Cookies repeats, don't hurt Benigno, but Antonio, that's okay.


 

CAMELIA Part 2

Octavio says he'll talk, give names, allow them to get Arnulfo and Antonio among others, but in return, the cops need to protect him, and he has be jailed in Mexico, not the US. Stan doesn't like this, but Ortiz convinces him, and they get ready to transfer Oct to a safe house. There's another agent there, Ramirez. Stan likes the fact this guy was a marine, but I think he secretly works for Arnulfo.

Antonio visits Facundo in his office, invites him to the wedding as a civilian.

Rosaura says it's too bad Camelia's baby is Emilio's. No, Ma, says Cami, it might be someone else's. It quickly comes out that someone is Facundo. Rosaura wants Cami to tell him, it's her only chance to go free. Cami says not today, I'll make my own decisions.

We have two dramas playing out simultaneously, the transfer of Octavio (and I'm worried about Ramirez) and the wedding of Benigno (and I'm worried about Valeria). Octavio won't talk yet, he needs to be in a safe place first. They put him in a cop car, and the cars travel to some other prison. He gets out, and we see a sniper aiming right at either Ortiz or Octavio. Ortiz moves, the sniper fires, and hits Octavio right between the eyes! Ortiz and Stan are shocked, I guess Ramirez told where the transfer was, and Octavio sure won't be talking now!

Mireya is getting ready for the wedding, Alma comes in with a dress way too big for her. Mireya says I'll fix it, but you have to do something for me. Mireya alters the dress to fit just right, Alma is sad that she only knows how nice she looks from what others tell her. What does Mireya want in return? Use your powers to solve my love problem, says Mireya. Well, I can't do that, says Alma, but I'll teach you a love spell, which you need to memorize, and then say from the heart.

So it's the wedding. Lots of caterers are coming in, Lu doesn't trust anyone, tells Alacran to look out for spies. Valeria talks to this guy who seems to be working with her. Alacran picks up on the guy, disables him in the barn, tells Lu we're okay. But he didn't realize Valeria was packing heat! She's keeping her hand inside her outfit, holding a concealed gun. She keeps looking at Cookies, but I think Valeria's job is to kill Antonio!

Benigno and Cookies are married, now it's the after party. Mireya is on stage singing, about to launch into her love spell. Valeria is about to act. Camelia wants to talk to Facundo, but he continues to think she's a total friend to all these druglords, her "family". He tells her Octavio was killed, how do you like that! Cami sort of faints, Facundo doesn't help her, prompting Rosaura to declare loudly, aren't you going to help this young girl, who's pregnant?!!!!
 

AVENIDA:


Mads- I am so glad Mr. Mads is doing well after his surgery. Thanks so much for giving us this great rundown of yesterday's crazy episode.


Indeed, there are many suspects for Max's murder. I think Carmina and Sebastian are at the top of the list, as everyone else was too busy making sure the hostages were ok and panicking in general. Carm strode out of the cabin with a determined look on her face, and I don't recall seeing when Sebas arrived and what he did.

One correction-- Lucio did not free Carmina, Jorgito did. Lucio tried to free her, but unlike everyone else who was just tied with rope, Carmina was also chained to the table. Jan dragged Lucio out, and everyone was freed and running out, leaving Carm. Jorgito turned back and smashed the table to free Carm. I think the writers chose to do this to show that despite the monster she is, and what he feels about her, Jorgito couldn't let her die.
 

AVENIDA BRASIL TRC-feira

Part I

Oi, Oi, Oi, are we ever getting answers! Jori finds Nina and Tifon and Zenon come. Zenon says that Max is dead. They all want to go, but Zenon will report this to the cops. Muricy and Ivana see Max is dead too. Carm is walking along saying Max is dead, dragging that chain around her ankle. Santi comes, drags her to his car and takes off with her.

Nilo is in his house washing his bloody hands and Mama L comes, crying that Max is dead, their son is dead. Nilo is glad Max is dead, it's better this way, but Mama L is very upset, calls him a monster and goes.

At the bus station, Leandro is boarding a bus, Suelen and Roni get on and convince him to get off the bus and come back to Divino with them. Later, Suelen and Roni and Leandro are talking and Dio comes. Suelen wants his blessing so she can marry Leandro too. She says she married Roni, but he wasn't enough for her, same with Leandro, lived with him but he wasn't enough for her either. But together this is good for her. So she asks Dio for his blessing, and I think her job at La Roperia. Oh, and they want Leandro to play for Divino again.

The familia is together as Ivana grieves and has a whiskey. Jori and Nina are staying overnight. The police have questions and Ivana says all of them had a motive to kill Max. This is sorta like the "Orient Express" isn't it?

Nina and Jori are together and she tells him she can't remember everything that happened. She remembers Max trying to have his way with her, she was bonked on the head. Everything is a jumble in her head, she can't remember anything. She remembers having a hoe/pickaxe in her hand, she remembers a really bad sensation, she wonders if she wanted to kill Max. Jori tells Nina she didn't kill Max. Someone came and bonked her on the head and whoever did that, killed Max. Try to remember that part he tells her. Nina really thinks she may have done it. She is in shock, panicked and it could have been self defense. Jori tells her not to torture herself. Max was loco, plenty of witnesses.

Tifon tells Leleco he feels sorry for Max. Leleco can't believe it. After all that Max did to the familia. Leleco also says everyone had a motive to kill Max. There is a back flash of Tifon holding a pitchfork? and Leleco following Tifon. Tifon didn't do it. Ivana also had a motive. She was pithed at Max. Lucio had a motive and so did Carm. She's gone already. They wonder where she is.

Why she's with her Papa Santi, who is getting that leg iron off her ankle. He tells her to take a bath, he'll find some clothes for her. All Carm keeps saying is that Max is dead. Santi is glad that Max is dead and she's well rid of him. He wants her to call him Papacito, she does after a try, he has grabbed her face and he is NOT a nice man. Good call Sue 455.

Jan burns the clothes they wore to Tiradero. She later goes to give the familia her condolences, goes back home, packs up her stuff and Lucio's and they take a taxi out of town.

Nilo is looking after Mama L, she is almost catatonic. He doesn't want her to be offended, but she is the Mama of his children, the woman he truly loves. Till death do they part. Later Mama L gets up, douses the place in whiskey and burns it. She tells Nilo the familia doesnt' exist. She tells him they are crap and she goes, while Nilo yells for her.
 

AVENIDA BRASIL TRC-feira

Part II

Zenon comes by and tells the familia they have to go to the police station at 4:30PM to give their statements. Pico comes to see Nina and tells her Mama L has gone round the bend over Max, she tried to burn Nilo's house and now she has disappeared. Nina is worried and has called Betanina who doesn't know where Mama L is. Muricy thinks Mama L is in shock. Jori tells the familia that Mama L and Nilo are his grandparents. Nina still thinks she killed Max and tells the familia this. Jori says forget it, she didn't do it. Ivana is glad that Max is dead.

Max is buried and Mama L seems to be the only mourner. Muricy and Ivana come and Muricy is rude, but Ivana tells Max to rest in peace as she throws dirt on the casket. Mama L cries and throws flowers on the casket and goes. Carm comes when everyone has gone, cries over Max's grave, swears she loves him, and throws a red rose on his grave and wants him to wait for her.

Olenka and Beverly talk about Aduato and what a mess he is. He is staying with Olenka. Olenka has fantasies about Aduato. So she goes home, give Aduato a cognac, he drinks some, then drinks the rest, he's gotta go, but sees Olenka in the kitchen whipping up something, he has a back flash to being a kid with a soccer ball, and next thing ya know, they are on the dining room table doing the deed.

Tifon, Jori, Leleco and Zenon are all at the police station, and Nina is giving a statement. She explains what happened and that she was hit in the head twice. When waking the second time she saw Max dead. Mama L comes and says she killed Max her own son and that Nina is innocent.

Also earlier, Jan remembers seeing Lucio with the gun that Max had. He swears he didn't fire it.

The head cop takes Mama L to the office for her statement. Nina wants Mama L to have a good defense and Mama L tells Nina this is her punishment, Mama L's that is. Nina is free to go. Mama L says she gave up her freedom long ago, but wants Nina to finally be happy with Jori. The head cop still wants to question everyone that was there and they are looking for the gun that Max had, it has disappeared.

Carm and Santi are talking. She says she loved Max. She says Santi never loved anyone. Santi tells Carm, because of Max, she now has nothing. Santi says she's a good daughter and they need to go far away.

Muricy asks Ivana how she ended up with the gun. Back flash and Ivana is telling Muricy, I and Max and Muricy takes the gun and gets rid of it in the building they are in. Muricy says the gun didn't kill Max.

Guys going thru the trash and they find the gun.

Carm has cooked for Santi and he's very happy. Carm also has a conservative purple dress on. Santi tells her to sit, not nicely either. He says Carm needs to atone. He is going to Tiradero tomorrow to see Nilo and Mama L, and she is to stay in the house, no one is to know she is there. Carm wants to give her statement to the cops, but Santi won't let her. She will do as he says. Carm wonders why he even cares. He's her Papa he says. Carm hates him so bad!

Tifon, Leleco, Nina and Jori come back from the police station. They tell Muricy and Ivana that Mama L has confessed. Muricy says that Mama L will have a good defense.
 

Avenida: Max's murder, first good riddance. Second, in true novela fashion everyone is a suspect and false confession will happened and the real culprit will be the person we do not suspect. Nina always fing herself in the thick of things oy oy
 

AVENIDA BRASIL TRC-feira

Part III

Nina is worried about the kids at Tiradero. How are they faring with Mama L being gone now? Betania has taken over for her and Nina and Jori vow to help. They go see Betania and tell her what happened to Mama L. Nilo overhears and says Mama L didn't do it. They think he knows who did kill Max. Jori and Nina will help with the kids.

Jimmy is trying to get Alexia to hook up with him, same as he did to Noemia a couple epis ago.

Tifon and familia and he's gotten a lawyer for Mama L. The lawyer thinks Mama L will have a good defense. The cops are still investigating and Zeze tells them Jan and Lucio left. Mona Lisa comes to visit Tifon. He takes her to his office. She asks how he is doing. She asks after Carm, he's happy she's gone. She asks after Nina, he says that was just a fantasy, that Nina is with Jori and very happy, and Ivana interrupts. Mona Lisa tries to convince Ivana to come back to work at the salon. Muricy and Leleco were talking earlier and Leleco thinks that Mona Lisa will hook up again with Tifon. Everyone is going and Muricy apologizes to Mona Lisa for the past and shakes her hand, Tifon tells Mona Lisa to keep in touch.

Santi goes to Tiradero and brings Nilo hooch and ham. Nilo is so happy with the hooch, but calls Santi, Satan. Santi asks where Mama L is and Nilo tells him in jail, for a crime she didn't commit again! Nilo tells Santi that Mama L confessed cause she thought Nina might have done it, Nina is free, it's another tragedy. Nilo says that Mama L stole his soul years ago. Santi it there to help old Nilo out. Nilo calls him a monster and Pico sees.

Mama L is in the jail and Betania comes to visit her. Mama L says she killed someone a long time ago in revenge. She also tells Betania there is some type of treasure and to use it if she needs it.

Nilo keeps saying Mama L didn't do it, and has a flash back of catching Mama L and Santi in bed, when they were younger. He goes to Santi's wife and tells her all about it.

Santi comes home all happy and tells Carm she is off the hook. Mama L confessed to killing Santi. He wants to celebrate with her and oh, Nina is free. Carm isn't happy but Santi insists they are going to the country.

Jori and Nina still worried about the kids. Tifon will continue the financial aid to them. Nina wants to adopt both Pico and his girlfriend Minsua? Jori is all for that and will get a lawyer.

We have another flash back and it looks like a younger Mama L feeding a little girl soup, Clarita maybe. When another woman, Santi's wife comes with a gun, and shoots at Mama L but hits the little girl.

Pico comes to see Nina and Jori and tells them that Nilo is completely around the bend and says that Nilo keeps saying Mama L confessed to a crime she didn't commit again! OI, OI, OI. So who do you think killed Max? Hmmmmmm
 

AVENIDA:

Thanks, Mads! I am out again tonight, but might have to stay up late to watch this once I get home.

I still think Santi and Carm are the two main suspects. Wow! So Santi is all set to abandon Lucinda and take Carmina away with him?! Didn't see that coming. At least we now know what happened to Clarita. These older characters have some deep dark crap in their past.

Romy- I was so annoyed when Nina took off to Tiradero by herself when she heard that Max was holding three people hostage. What exactly did she think her skinny little behind was going to be able to do? Get herself caught, tied up, nearly raped, and framed for murder, is what!
 

EN OTRA PIEL

Jean, I think Esteban is doomed because Carlos told him his orders came from Elena and Gerardo. If he got away this early, the jig would be up for these two, and it seems early to me for that to happen. Plus Carlos said all along he was going to kill him. He only offered a pain-free death if he told who arranged the substitute video.

I don't have much hope for Vicki, either. If she gets to talk with Jorge the same result applies as in my first paragraph: jig up for Elena and too soon for that to happen. Jorge is too powerful a person not to be effective against Elena. And Elena absolutely knows that, thus her pushing her mother to get rid of him somehow.
 

All I can say is that I lost all respect for Lorena
 

Camelia

terrific recap Hombre!
you capture the story so well.

in watching this again, some things I noticed,

first off, Benigno is an interesting guy, Cuquis' pills must have gotten to him because he was head over heels in love with Narciso who had to tone him down, and in the end he awoke the next morning out on the street.

next he's all worried about the wedding but Antonio gives him the cuff links his grandfather/father/himself all wore when they were married, plus encouragement on how it will be good for his career, as well as for business.

next he makes sure Cuquis knows what she is getting into, she does, and appears to be grateful for his caring,

(but the ghost of Xiang does not look happy).

but wait, what did we hear Cuquis say earlier to Arnulfo, remember the deal, don't touch Benigno,
and then she adds... not until I give the ok,
and under her breath, I must, I need to, marry this man.

Stanley is upset that Hilda is Alisons mother, but she points out, I haven't used you.

also an interesting talk between Lu and Camelia, while putting together little satchels of rice, Lu explains how rice represents seeds, and are thrown on the couple in hopes of having lots of kids, and when Camelia asks about Lu's wedding she says, no one threw rice on me.

we also got a good dose of how it is Lu that runs things around the house, and what ever else she can.

in Camelia's talk with her mom, I guess she isn't sure who the father is.

Lu asked the (bad guy) florist to put a lilies in the middle of the centerpiece and he put a carnation, which led her to ask Alacran to check him out,

Valeria tells Cuquis, while holding a gun, that all the guests have been searched and disarmed, and to get Antonio away from the crowd, (or she will end up like him), which Cuquis does, but then Mireya sings a song, asking for the bride and they walk back.

Arnulfo calls Antonio and gives him the news on Franco, reminds him he now has all of Franco's business, and that he has sent a present.

It looks like the Governor has come through for Camelia, he has contacts that can make all of the evidence go away, and how much will this cost, they don't want money, the deal is Antonio will have to return the favor, just let me know what you decide.

and the sniper seemed to have the same shirt and tie that Pedro Ramirez (the ex-marine) was wearing.

 

En Otra Piel

Thanks, Novelera, for another great recap. I especially enjoyed your bracketed discussion of the different recollections of the bracelet.

If En Otra Piel still has a long way to go, you're probably right about it being too soon for the revelations about Elena to surface. But how much longer is the novela slated to run for? I'm certainly ready for it to begin wrapping up. :-)
 

En Otra Piel

Thanks for your thanks, Juanita! I never have the slightest idea of how long novelas are slated to run. I usually find out there's a month left when they announce ultima etapa or some such. I may be wrong, but I think they keep that close to the vest reserving the right to tack on capítulos if it's going well or rush the finish if they have a sure hit in the wings.
 

En Otra Piel

Novelera, I have no idea what Telemundo has planned for the 9 p.m. slot after En Otra Piel, and I also don't know how well this one has been doing. I think the channel has high hopes for El Señor de los Cielos 2, which they're now plugging a lot, but that will be at 10. So I guess there's no reason to hope that Telemundo will rush the finish of En Otra Piel. Oh well....
 

AVENIDA BRASIL General

Jean:

Yes, Max did chew up some scenery didn't he? He did get Carm expelled from the house though. That really surprised me when he gave Ivana that wrapped package of doom. The scenes of who killed Max, reminded me of the "Orient Express" all the suspects being in such close proximity. I'm giving Suelen a pass, I do enjoy her character, even though she is flawed, she is very funny.

Vivi:

Thanks for the correction. The action was going so fast I couldn't remember and during all that angst I just had to laugh at Jan yanking Lucio out of there practically by his ear. It was too funny, and she did it again, when she burned their clothes and she packed up and yanked him out of town. I hope you got to watch this last epi. So many secrets revealed. I also agree with you and Romy about Nina. What was she gonna do to defend herself? She is very small. I'm surprised she didn't grab a hoe/pitchfork/pickaxe and bop him on the head from behind. I went on Youtube and they did cut that scene with Nina and Max. It clearly shows he tried to rape her before she was knocked out. Whoever killed Max, I think, may have wanted to stop that. The list grows longer.

Romy:

I too am glad that Max is gone. He was a ticking time bomb ever since he was kicked out of the house. He wanted his revenge on everyone and I think he truly went loco at the end. When he lost the support of Carm he was done. I can't wait to find out who killed Max, the list of suspects grow and I really liked the flash backs they showed of all characters and their "weapons".
 

Avenida Brasil-

Madeleine- After yesterday's episode, I will give Suelen a pass, too. If she, Roni and Leandro are happy in their menage a trois, I guess I am, too.

I was confused by Mama Lucinda's flashback. A young Nilo (beard) comes home unexpectedly and finds Lucinda and Santi going at it in bed. I guess Nilo goes and tells Santi's wife who then comes and shoots at Lucinda but hits the child. So did Lucinda take the blame for the death of the child and go to prison? It wasn't really clear and it was hard to tell the younger version of the characters apart (except for Nilo).

To make up for the upcoming end of AB, I started to watch online the first episodes that I missed. I don't like watching a novela on a computer screen but I like hearing the original Portuguese dialog. It's also fun to watch the beginning of a novela when you already know all the characters!
 

AVENDIA BRASIL General

Jean:

You aren't alone with that scene, cause for a moment I thought it was the reverse where Lucinda is the one shooting at Santi's wife. The woman sure looked like a younger version of Carm, the one being shot at, that is. They showed only part of this, I think in today's epi they might expand this scene and it will become clearer. It was done so quickly too. I hope they do expand it so we get a clearer picture of what happened to Clarita.
 

En Otra Piel

thanks for Mondays recap novelera!
I've waited so long for Monica to see Elena with that bracelet, that I think the time limit has run out.

something else that bothers me is why no one has figured out that Geraldo and Ernesto are brothers, duh, they have the same last name, Fonsi, well maybe no one cares but Camila would, and they work in the same office.

Esteban sure put up a fight, but never a good sign when the guy gets away and takes the car keys but not the gun.

 

En Otra Piel- Tuesday
Not much happened in this episode that moved the plot forward. The exception was, of course, the murder of Esteban. Yes, why didn't he take the gun or at least make sure the bad guy was truly out of action before trying to escape? I can't think of many examples where the lack of a classical education has been a problem for a character the way that not knowing who Miguel de Cervantes was prevented Carlos from finding out who Esteban really was.

When brought to the torture room, Gerardo recognizes Esteban's body but says nothing to Carlos. Knowing that Mondriana and Selma are besties and that Esteban was with Selma, Gerardo wonders what Mondriana has gotten herself mixed up in. Will he tell Elena and Ernesto?

Camila is jealous of Eileen - yawn.

Elena tries to keep Jorge from visiting Vicky but he waits until she leaves and goes into Vicky's room anyway.

Finally, Diego gets a ghostly visit from Adriana who says that she is lost and doesn't know how to get back to him. Interestingly, Dona Lupe tells Diego the next morning that she saw "Adriana" going into Diego's room.
 

Avenida Brasil
It could have been Lucinda shooting at Santi's wife except that Nilo keeps saying that way back when Lucinda took the blame for a crime she didn't commit. If she shot and killed the child, then she did commit a crime. If Lucinda was the cause of the crime - having an affair with Santi - but not the person holding the gun - then it would make sense for her to feel guilty, etc.

 

CAMELIA:

As we count down towards the gran final, I get the feeling it's going to be tragic. Despite the fact that Camelia wants to be a good person, her 70's world was like the wild west, or like a firecracker, blazing with light, only to fade out quickly.

I was wrong in assuming Facundo was the father. He's not. Cami goes to the doctor, finds she is in her 10th week, and although it seems like AGES since Emilio was shot, this show has apparently been pretty much in real time. Facundo and her tryst was only a week or so ago.

At the wedding, Valeria never does get to shoot Antonio. Alacran catches her with her hand on the trigger, and she's tied up with the other guy in the barn. No one wants to upset Antonio by telling him. Alacran tries to interrogate the two, but without success. Benigno finds out, thinks HE can do it, gets right up in Valeria's face. She head butts him, he reels back in pain, kicks her chair, she falls back, hits her head on the cement, and she's dead! At this point Antonio does find out, Lu defends Ben, it was an accident.

Alacran and Ben say they were trying to figure out who sent Valeria and the guy. Antonio says, well, duh, there's only two people who want to kill me, Arnulfo and Octavio, and Octavio is in jail (he's actually dead, but Antonio doesn't know it). So it's Arnulfo. The others didn't think of that. Antonio calls Arnulfo, says next time, don't send a girl to do a man's job. Arnulfo tells Jacinto, we didn't succeed, but at least he doesn't know Cookies was in on it. Arnie says we'll get him sooner or later.

Camelia has a talk with Facundo in which she admits she is pregnant, but isn't sure who the father is (this was before the test results). She tries to explain why she came here, but he won't listen.

Stan and Ortiz have no leads on the sniper who killed Octavio, and got away. We see Ramirez acting very suspiciously, he must have been the shooter, but Stan and Ortiz don't suspect a thing.


 

CAMELIA, Part 2

That night, Stan goes back to Allison, tells her he's sorry he defended Hilda at first, now he knows how bad she is, and she'll get what she deserves. He's also very upset about the Octavio thing, no clues. He kisses her, then apologizes. She makes sure Emi is asleep, beckons him into the other room, and they make love. After, he makes a dumb remark about how crazy their world is, he can understand Facundo, he (Stan) is also sleeping with a person who's been breaking the law. Ali gets offended, I'm not like Camelia, she's a murderer! But she's not that mad. As he leaves, she says you're right about our world, you can't trust ANYONE. The one you seek could be right under your nose.

This resonates with Stan, and when he later meets with Ramirez, he says I know you were the shooter. Ramirez says, orders from above, sorry, pal. Operation Condor is over, and there's nothing you can do about it. So keep your mouth shut, and be a company man. We now have three cops who probably DON'T want to just go along with orders, Carson (if we ever see him), Facundo, and Stan. Could they try to stand up to their own bosses?

At the party, someone else died, too, the Governor! He just had a heart attack. Now it's up to Narciso to handle the transition. Could Ben be the next Gov?

Mireya's love spell sort of works. After singing her song about kisses, she says to the air, please let Alacran come to me. And he does! They dance happily to the music, and she even gives him a kiss. He pulls back, but he doesn't call her a kid this time. He just says he's a bad man, and she deserves better. This keeps her hopes alive. Later she thanks Alma, and teaches HER to dance!

Camelia thanks her mother, doesn't blame her for revealing the pregnancy, knows that Rosaura has always been on her side. When Antonio hears about the pregnancy, he's very happy for Cami, he wants a grandchild. She even calls him Papa.

But she has to tell Facundo the truth. They meet, she pours her heart out, but admits, yes the baby is Emilio's. Facundo tenderly takes her wrists, then slaps on the cuffs, saying you're under arrest for murder!!!
 

En Otra Piel:
To the question about where we are in this novela. According to Wikipedia, last night's episode was #59. So assuming that the ratings for it aren't a complete disaster, we are halfway through at a minimum. That seems too early, I agree, for everyone to find out that Elena is the villan but they might surprise us.
 

Camelia

wow Hombre, another amazing recap!

I was really moved by that last scene, Camelia and Facundo, their tormented hearts twisting even more, no, it's not your baby, (but belongs to the guy she was always comparing him too)

(Sara Maldonado is great in this role of Camelia)

and the Governor is dead, does this mean his contacts to free Camelia are also gone?

so Operation Condor is also dead and buried, I suppose things might have turned out differently if Facundo had stayed in Tijuana instead of chasing after Camelia.

yes, legends don't always end well (take the song for example) but "La Reina del Sur", did, kind of, so I'm hoping.

 

EN OTRA PIEL

Thanks, Jean, for putting up a brief recap.

I kind of like the spooky visits by Adriana. If you're going with souls possessing another body, then why not go with a different soul paying visits to the boyfriend! Doña Lupe said that she saw that friend of Maite's and Valeria's and, as always, smelled a romance. So she thought it was Mondriana who visited him.

I think I've seen too many telenovelas. I was 100% certain Esteban would not escape because of his knowledge of Elena and Gerardo's involvement with the man who kidnapped him. Not even any suspense. I thought Carlos would nap him in the corridor outside but it played out as I suspected -- Esteban dying before they could question him more. And he won't be able to tell Selma how evil Elena is.

I didn't like that they went with Camila seeing Eileen in her barrio girl get-up. It gave her a chance to turn up her snotty nose at who she thinks is Ricardo's new girlfriend. I'd rather she saw her looking elegant.

I'm also jaded enough by telenovela cliffhangers to be pretty darned sure Vicki was sufficiently scared by Elena to tell Jorge nothing.
 

AVENIDA:

Mads- I got home so late last night that I only got to watch half the episode before needing to go to sleep. I saw up to when Lucinda turns herself in, but I haven't seen any of the vintage flashbacks yet. Looking forward to it.

I've always thought Lucinda and Carmina look alike, so I'm not surprised to hear that young Lucinda looked like Carmina. I struck that when Nilo and Lucinda were on the bed, before she lit the fire, Nilo mentioned our children, plural. So, was Clarita their daughter? It would make sense that he would blame Lucinda and Santi for the death of his daughter, and would have turned into such a bitter man because of that, and not just because Lucinda cheated on him.

It also makes sense that Lucinda was in jail the years that Max thought she just abandoned him and left him with Nilo. Nilo probably never told Max his mama was in jail-- just told him that she abandoned them.

 

En Otra Piel

Thanks muchly, Jean, for the short but comprehensive recap. What struck me most about the episode was how much strength both Esteban and the thug guarding him had after being almost killed. Even though Esteban was beaten, tortured, and close to death, he manages to strangle the guy guarding him and leave him unconscious on the floor. A minute later, the guy has recovered well enough to attack Esteban and, presumably, kill him. I found myself tightening my beanie after both attacks.

And, like others have already noted, Esteban made a fatal mistake in taking the car keys but not whatever weapon(s) the thug had. Looks like Esteban's brain was more badly damaged than his body.
 

AVENIDA BRASIL QRT-feira

Part I

Oi, Oi, Oi, it's becoming clearer the sins of the past. Jori and Pico are talking about Nilo. The fact Nilo keeps saying Mama L never killed anyone. Jori puts it down to Nilo being drunk, but Jori really thinks whoever knocked out Nina killed Max. They assure Pico everything will be okay, even though Mama L is now in prison.

Santi is on his way out and tells Carm she looks like her Mama. Carm is not happy with him. Santi is going to the jail to see Mama L. He mocks Carm and tells her she is so special. She conned Tifon all those years with Max by her side and yet lost everything. Carm says she really loves Tifon. Carm hates Santi cause he dumped her off in Tiradero.He wants his dinner on the table when he gets back and goes. Carm is all kinds of pithed.

We find out Mama L's full name it is Lucinda Olivera and she has a visitor. It's Santi of course. I'm calling her Lucy for recap purposes. Lucy is so riddled with guilt cause her daughter Clarita is dead and so is Virgina, Santi's wife. He really thinks she didn't kill Max and is protecting someone. Is it Jori, Nina, maybe even Carm? Lucy won't say. She tells Santi that now Carm needs him keep her close. Nilo will be trouble she tells him. He swears undying love to Lucy and after she goes back to her cell mocks her as an old idiot. He is truly evil.

Nilo is drinking when Jori, Nina and Pico come back. They want to know why he keeps saying Lucy is innocent what does he know? Who killed Max? Nilo claims it was them. Pico tells them that Santi is helping Nilo.

Alexia leaves Carlitos for Jimmy, same as Noemia and Ver do later. He is left to be comforted by Pilar, Alexia's Mama, Paloma, Debs and Tomas. The harpies didn't take the kids. So in other words, all Carlitos' women left him for Jimmy on the same day!

Jori and Nina go to the mansion and tell the familia they went to Tiradero and they feel Lucy would never kill anyone, much less her own son. Later Nina is in the kitchen with Zeze and Zeze calls her Dona Nina, Nina tells her to stop it, they are friends. Nina is cooking and giving Zeze tips. The whole familia comes and they eat together, much less chaos.

So Santi comes to interrupt this meal. He wants to clear the air so to speak about the past. He says he didn't know he had two grandkids, Jori and Agatha. Ivana and Muricy don't trust Santi. He says he came to apologize. He says Carm really isn't responsible for things she has done. Nina asks if this has to do with an old crime and he says it does. It involves his dead wife Virginia. Before I go into Santi's version I am going to give you Nilo's again. Nilo said that he came home one day and caught Santi and Lucy in the bedroom doing the deed. He went to Virginia and told her all about it. Virgina went to Lucy and Nilo's place and shot at Lucy, but missed and killed Clartia instead. Now on to Santi's version. Evidentally Nilo worked for Santi , I think, and Santi fell in love with Lucy, he couldn't help it, passion being what it is. He recounts that Nilo caught them and went to Virginia and told her. Virginia went crazy. They show Santi going back to Lucy's and he hears a shot and Virgina comes out crying and saying she killed a child. Santi takes her home. In no time at all Lucy comes and shoots Virgina, drops the gun and runs off. He says his love for Lucy sparked a tragedy. He is as good as Carm with the story telling. Lucy ended up in jail, Nilo was out in the street he quit his job, Santi claims to have wanted to help Max but couldn't. Nilo ended up in Tiradero. He also claims that Nilo kidnapped Carm and took her to Tiradero. For years he didn't know where Carm was. He finally found her when she was preggers with Jori. He asks the familia to forgive Carm. Lucy is innocent. Carm would never let Santi near Jori, and so that's his story. He asks Jori for a hug, which Jori gives him. He finally goes and Leleco and the familia digest all that Santi said. Leleco isn't buying it.
 

En Otra Piel

The fact that Jorge stayed in the hospital says that he at least was a little supsicious of Elena. Now if only Vicky trusted him more than she fears Elena.

Perhaps it was wishful thinking in my mind but for some reason I thought Selma mentioned that security for the station was looking to see if something happened. Cameras are usually in parking lots so its possible that there will be a video. If not, hopefully his body (beaten) and car will appear, and raise suspicion (with Mondriana/ Selma/ Diego) now that the Perv is also dead (because of the showing of the video).

Spanish Student
 

AVENIDA BRASIL QTR-feira

Part II

Santi is whistling as he opens the door to his dark house. Carm is sitting in the dark thinking. He's hungry and wants to be served. She asks what happened at the mansion? He did ask for Carm to be able to see Agatha. He thinks the whole familia is stupid. They believed every word he told them about the family tragedy! Little does he know! Oh and he mentions that Jori is Nina's little lap dog. Carm is far from pleased with Santi, it's an injustice she says that Lucy is paying for a crime again, she didn't commit. Santi is free yet again. Carm remembers what happened the day her Mama died and it wasn't Lucy who did it she says. He thinks she must not be remembering correctly it was a dream, she says no, she was there. Now we have Carm's flash back. Virginia is in the kitchen, Carm by the stairs, kind of hidden, when Lucy comes and shoots at Virgina, but she misses her. Santi takes a handkerchief, grabs the gun and shoots Virgina. So Santi is the one that killed Virgina. She calls him a demon and says Lucy took the fall for him. He slaps the crap out of Carm. She yells he took all of her Mama's money and she never got a dime. He claims they are one and the same. He plans on ripping off Tifon and familia for every real they have and he's gonna help Carm get it. He wants Carm to sit down and he tells her to go to the mansion manana and beg for forgiveness so her theatrics he tells her. He tells her to tell the familia she needs to be close to Agatha. He kisses her cheek and she looks sick.

Jori and Nina have gone home and Nina doesn't trust Santi, she thinks this is only the tip of the iceberg. She feels that either Carm or Santi killed Max. She feels Santi is lying and Jori says they will go to Santi's manana.

Jori and Nina go to Santi's place and watch as Nilo comes there and gets in. Nina is surprised that Nilo is there.

Nilo goes inside and tells Santi, who is trying to throw him out, that he's hungry. Carm gives him food. Santi claims that Nilo abandoned Lucy, but Nilo didn't kidnap Carm he says, Lucy is paying for another crime of Santi's. Nilo thinks that Carm and Santi killed Max. Santi gives Nilo some jewels. Nilo is pithed that Lucy still loves Santi and thinks he is some kind of saint. He stole Lucy from him she was so beautiful. Nilo wants alcohol and Santi goes to get it with Carm's help.

Nilo goes as Jori and Nina watch and then they follow Santi to his shop. Nina can't understand how these two guys, Nilo and Santi, are so friendly and such mortal enemies. As they watch, Santi's henchies arrive and go in the shop. Santi gives the henchies some type of drugs, so not only does Santi deal in stolen jewels he also is a drug peddler. He wants Nickalau the head henchie, to bring him some pure stuff.

Nina and Jori are back at home now and Nina is stills saying Lucy is innocent. Nina believes that Santi's doll hospital is a front for other nefarious stuff. Carm and Santi are both bad. Jori just wants all of this intrigue to stop. He wants to be happy with Nina.

Olenka and Mona L have a bit of a chat about fighting for love. So Mona L gets a truck, same as Iran and is yelling for Tifon on the streets of Divino. She tells him all about how much she loves him, has always loved him and isn't his friend, she asks to marry him. He hems, he haws but says yes he will marry her, in front of everyone in Divino. They are very happy and smooch.
 

Avenida Brasil:

MonaLisa publicly asking Tifon to marry her is a turnabout on the very first episode where Silas comes in the truck and announces how much Tifon loves MonaLisa and wants to marry her.

It seems like truck announced proposals are the thing in Divino!
 

AVENIDA BRASIL QTR-feira

Part III

Carm is at the mansion to visit with Agatha, who is back from Miami. CArm wants a kiss from Tifon, who doesn't give one. She says she wants to be close to Agatha, and really this was all Max's fault. She asks if Mona Lisa is Tifon's novia, course she is. Carm starts to rant about Rita again, but Tifon stops her and tells her that Rita is Nina. Agatha comes and hugs Carm she is so happy to see her Mama. They catch up, but as soon as Tifon leaves the room she is rude to Agatha again.

Santi gets what he wants from Nickalau, that pure drug, and goes to Tiradero to visit Nilo with a bottle of whiskey. Santi is saying goodbye now to Nilo before he dies, and to have a first class trip. So why did Nilo drink that whiskey???? Nilo drinks and calls out for Clarita, his daughter, Max and Lucy. Betania finds him like this and tries to give him water, he falls on the ground and convulses. Betania calls Nina and tells her Nilo is in a bad way, she thinks it's his heart. Nina is on the way.

Muricy can't believe Carm is there and Ivana comes and refuses to hug Carm, she goes upstairs. Agatha is none too pleased, cause no one has really told her anything. Tifon finally tells Agatha that he and Carm have separated for good and that Carm just wants to be close to Agatha. Jori comes and is pithed that Carm is there. Agatha is upset that everyone is upset with Carm.

Carm goes back to Santi's house and he's been waiting for her. She didn't like going back to the mansion he wants to know if she humbled herself sufficiently? He found out Tifon is building a new stadium for the Divino Futbol club and he wants a cut of that. She tells him to keep dreaming, she will be lucky to get a settlement from Tifon.

Nina arrives at Tiradero and Nilo is dying. She holds him in her arms as he tells her that Santi murdered his own wife Virgina, he may as well have killed Lucy. He wants Lucy's light and dies in Nina's arms.

Santi is still going on about how he wants a better life, wants to go back to Sicily. Carm tells him they are not alike, she hasn't killed anyone. Au contraire, he tells her, she facilitated the deaths of Genesio and Max. Carm wants to stay in Divino and be close to Agatha. He tells her there is 20 mil grandes involved and he wants her to go along with his plan.

Nina goes home and tells Jori that Nilo died in her arms, and she believed what he said to her as he was dying Jori not so much. He thinks Nilo was always a liar. Jori can't believe Lucy would confess to a crime that took her away from Max to protect Santi. He just wants a normal life with Nina without paranoia.

Carm calls Lucio for help. She goes to his house and tries to convince him to take her far away, but first there is a job with lots of lana. Santi's henchies come as does Santi, gets her out of there, the henchies beat up Lucio and Jan finds him like that, when she comes home.

The familia is at table, including Mona Lisa and much less chaos. Jori and Nina come to visit with Agatha. Agatha wanted a chat with Nina and so they do. Nina considers Agatha her little sister and didn't tell her about her past or Jori cause she couldn't. Agatha forgives her and everything is good between them again.

The familia has gone out to the futbol club, all but Nina and Jori, when Jan comes and tells them that Carm and Santi's henchies hurt Lucio.

Tifon and familia are at the futbol club and Tifon signs a check for the new stadium. Everyone is very happy. Tifon goes to the bathroom, and Santi's henchies have arrived, dressed as waiters, go into the bathroom and stick a gun in Tifon's face. Oi, Oi, Oi!!!!!!
 

Avenida

Thank you for the recap. It was only yesterday that I was able to catch up. I said last week I did not like Santi, but I thought he had molested Camilla, I had no idea he was just downright evil. Since this TN does not follow the regular TN formula, I wonder if Shanti will continue to get away with it. This is one show that has kept me on edge, I really don't know the outcome and can't even guess. I was wrong about them all staying with Carlitos, but what about the 3-person marriage, that came out of nowhere. I hope Tifon makes it, I so much wanted to see him back with Mona Lisa.
 

AVENIDA:

Thanks Mads, for another stellar recap. Looking forward to heading home and finally watching the second half of yesterday's and all of today's episode. I'm very pleased to read about Tifon and Monalisa.

I might as well not put out my theories/guesses about stuff, since by the next episode it's all revealed or clarified. My thinking on who Clarita is was correct. But now my question is, if Nilo knew all those years that it was Santi, and not Lucinda, who killed Virginia, why in the heck didn't he tell Lucinda?! Was he that ticked off at her that he preferred to let her go to jail? Or did he try to tell her and she never believed him?

And why in the heck is Nina running to Tiradero all by herself again, and for Nilo of all people?

I guess I was wrong. I thought Carlitos' wives did care about him beyond just the money. I guess we'll see if they come back to him by the end. I have a feeling they won't find Jimmy nearly as charming or attractive as Carlitos.
 

Avenida Brasil

Thanks, Mads for another great recap!! I saw the first hour when I was home for lunch and can't wait to see the rest.

They really suckered us with Santi. At first, he seemed good but now he is more evil than Carmina! Did he kill Max? Can't wait to find out.
 

AVENIDA:

What I don't get is why Carmina seems so bothered by Max's murder (she's still one of my suspects), when she didn't seem this bothered when she thought she killed him by drugging him and sinking his boat. The apple certainly didn't fall far from THAT tree, that's for sure. Thank goodness in the case of Jorgito and Agatha, nurture trumped whatever nature they might have inherited from Carmina and Santi (evilness), and Nilo and Max (shiftlessness).
 

AVENIDA:

Aha! I'm watching the second half of yesterday's episode now, when Nilo is cursing Santi for convincing him to go along with him all those years ago. So Nilo and Santi made a deal with each other not to tell Lucinda that she didn't kill Virginia. Those bastards. I don't feel so bad for Nilo now. He let Lucinda go to jail for a crime she didn't commit.
 

AVENIDA:

And further clarification after that revelation-- Nilo didn't say that Lucinda stole his soul. He says that Santi stole his soul, by convincing him to let Lucinda go to jail and think she committed murder, and he demands that Santi give him back his soul. Santi is NOT moved, basically telling him it's too late for him to be having regrets.

Santi really is VERY creepy in that scene, especially when he throws the block of ham/spam at Nilo like he's a dog or animal.
 

AVENIDA BRASIL, Terça e Quarta-feira

TV-wise I still live in the dark ages. I don't have DVR, I have a VCR. And, because of some weird thing my brother didn't explain to me, I can't watch one channel while recording another. So I have to make sure the VCR is set for the channel I want to record before I leave. I recorded every episode of AB until last week when the station went out and I got two hours of black screen. Monday night I was watching the Boston Bruins play the worst playoff game I've ever seen them play so I went to bed. And neglected to change the channel to Telemundo and didn't remember until I was well into my workday. I confirmed it when I got home: no AB. Today I watched a four-hour marathon of AB. I'm going to miss this show.

***
Carmina is certainly struggling. She doesn't want to be like Santiago but isn't this whole story about how she turned out like him? How history repeats itself? Did you catch when she said that Santiago stole her mother's money, her inheritance? The very same thing she did to Rita.

I noted that in a previous episode that she referred to someone as "maestro." She was talking about her father not only in the sense of "master" but also "teacher." Yes, the apple is right underneath the tree.

Jorgito keeps telling Nina that she "can't fix all the problems of the world." Of course she doesn't listen to him and goes where the danger is. Or how about Betania calling Nina instead of an ambulance?

Hooray for Leleco! Santiago thinks he's a pushover like the rest of the family. He's our bloodhound.

Almost 7:00 PM and time for Game 7. More tomorrow.
 

This comment has been removed by the author.
 

AVENIDA:

OK. Finally all done watching the epis. Lots of stuff happening. Love all the revelations about Nilo-Lucinda-Santi- Carmina and their past. It’s scary how much alike Santi and Carmina are, and it’s funny how Camina keeps trying to pretend like they aren’t. She’s just as much of a lying, manipulating, scheming, thieving, murderer as he is. She obviously learned from the best.

A few clarifications:
The place Carmina is staying, where Santi came to see her after she visited the mansion, is a small rented room in El Divino. Santi is renting it for Carmina as part of the ruse to make the Tifon family think Carmina has been humbled and is doing what she can to be near her daughter. Ha!

Santi has already bought the house in the south of Italy, and he’s demanding that Carmina go with him, after they have stolen this big payoff from Tifon (maybe even before, since he says their alibi will be that they were out of the country). The plan is to kidnap Tifon and demand all the money Tifon and all the investors just signed over for the new project (is “galleria” a stadium?). I noticed in the mockup on the screen that Tifon named the new building/stadium/project, Monalisa. Sweet.

Sue- Yes. I caught when Carm said that Santi stole her mother’s money after he killed her, which would have been Carm’s inheritance. She has a nerve getting huffy about it since she turned around and did the same thing to Rita. When Santi pointed out that Carm never opened her mouth and told the police that Lucinda didn’t kill Virginia, she basically said that he and Nilo influenced/coerced her not to. We still don’t know why Santi gave Carmina to Nilo. Didn’t want the responsibility after he stole Virginia’s money? Some sort of sick compensation for Nilo for the daughter he lost? Can’t wait for more secrets to tumble out.

On the lighter side of things, I had a hearty laugh at Olenka using her likeness to Muricy to seduce Aduato, by wearing similar style dresses, and carrying herself and flipping her hair like Muricy does. That whole kitchen scene, where she played out Aduato’s boyhood fantasy, was hot and hilarious. But how long can she keep this up, and will Aduato be as enamored when she goes back to her glittery tops and skintight jeans?

 

I thought Carlos wouldve found out by now that Mondriana is living in the Serrano mansion. Shouldnt he or the deceased judge have sent someone to check on the clan from time to time?
 

AVENIDA BRASIL General

Thank you Vivi, Jean and Sue 455 for the clarifications. I missed some because the pace has picked up so quickly I was afraid I didn't get it all.

Anon 3:55:

I too thought maybe Santi had molested Carm. She can't stand to have him touch her at all and there is such a creepy vibe about him. I am glad you are watching.

Vivi:

Thanks so much Amiga for what I missed. It was hard for me to keep up. I agree with you about Nina not being to solve all the problems of the world, it is always getting her in trouble, but she does try doesn't she? I give her kudos for never giving up and trying to do the right thing, although at great risk to herself. It also makes sense to me how Nilo ended up with Carmina. Maybe she was supposed to be a substitute for the dead Clarita, and to think that Max had a younger sister. Clarita had to be younger, cause Lucy went to prison shortly after Virginia was killed. I thought I heard that Santi had land in Italy, but I wasn't sure. I wonder if he has Mafia connections? Santi seems to have his fingers in everything. I too laughed about Olenka's resemblance to a young Muricy, Aduato even told her that, lol. I hope they stay together, they are too cute.

Jean:

Thanks so much for helping me out. That scene from Tuesday went by so fast and it was murky too. I'm glad they expanded the flashback so we could see exactly what happened.

Sue 455:

You were so right about Santi. You were the first to notice his bad vibe. I never thought he was this evil, he is even worse than Carm. He did basically what she did to Tifon, with Lucy that is, and stole all of Virginia's money after he killed her. Carm never went quite that far, killing that is. She did steal Genesio's lana and Tifon's too. Carm is exactly like Santi in so many ways, but that one I think.

Now to my own thoughts. We still don't know who killed Max. I hope they reveal it in the Gran Final on Thursday. Santi thought Carm did it, or maybe Jori or Nina. Jan thought Lucio did it, Muricy thought maybe Ivana did it and Leleco followed Tifon and knows he didn't do it. Nina still has doubts and thinks maybe she did it. I have my own theory on who killed Max. I think it was Nilo. I remember him washing his bloody hands as Lucy came to tell him that Max was dead. She didn't even notice really. We'll see if I'm right. Speaking of Max, now I think I understand why he was always scared. I wonder if he witnessed Virgina shooting at Lucy and how Clarita died. That would scare any child. It would explain a lot. I can't wait for the Gran Final and the still unanswered questions being answered!
 

EN OTRA PIEL, Wed. pt 1

Rehash of Diego talking to Lupe about “seeing” Adriana in his dream. And then Lupe says that Diego knows she has an open mind and asks about their reunion. Diego is like “What reunion?” With your girlfriend, the friend of Vale and Maite, because she SAW Adriana enter his room. Then asks Diego how could he forget that. Whoa.

Jorge, having outsmarted Elena, is in talking to Vicki. She starts to ask for his forgiveness, and then coughs so her spilling the beans is delayed a little longer.

Ger is hanging out with Ernesto and trying to get him to go along with is plan, which Ernesto isn’t in to because it puts HIM at risk for Gerardo’s maestro. And Ger brings up all the money he’s given Ernesto and help getting him out of trouble. Ernesto knew that would cost him some day. But we still don’t know the plan yet.

Back to the barrio. Lupe and Diego are arguing about whether Mondriana was there or not (Lupe isn’t sure of her name either).
Then my show gets interrupted with an special report. I’m in San Diego County, which is on fire now. 9 fires, 9,000 acres burned so far, dozens of houses lost. One of these is supposed to be arson. If you are in So. Cal. and see someone so much as throw a cigarette out the window, feel free to ram them with your (rental) car. But wait until there isn’t dry brush nearby. Thank you.

Back to the show. Jorge talking to Vicki about his brother. Jorge asks if Vicki knows who Julian’s last lover was. Looooong pause. Change scene.

Selma’s. Mondriana has borrowed a dress of Eileens, and Selma is still distresses about the missing Esteban. Mon tells her they have to stay strong.

Gabe and Jennifer. She’s content, but didn’t even have a change to pack clothes or the bags she has to sell and will now have to pay for. She’s worried about not being able to get a job because Gabe tells her she has to stay hidden a little while longer. But Gabe tells her they be happy when they leave.

Vicki is still refusing to tell about the lover. Ugh. She doesn’t want to speak badly about the people who feed her. But he points out that she isn’t happy. She defends staying at the house because the girls and Marta and Susanna are the only family she has. “And Elena?”, asks Jorge. Yeah, her too, but she hedges a little and Jorge isn’t an idiot. But he comforts her.

Lorena is passed out drink, but wakes up and exits her room. She goes looking for Monica, stumbling around the guest house, saying she needs to talk to her.

Mondriana is talking to Selma trying to figure out if there was some misunderstanding between them that would explain the disappearance. But Selma has a bad feeling, a premonition that something bad happened. Mondri tries to stay positive.

Elena comes to see Ernesto and Ger, where Ger says he’s never seen the guys before that Carlos had killed. She’s pushing to find out who is behind all this. Ger tries to brush this off, but Elena won’t give up. And then she realizes they aren’t telling her something. She points out that Ger is too calm and Ernesto is too quiet. So Ger jumps in and tells her that Ernesto is the one who sold the video to one of the Judge’s political opponents. Ernesto looks VERY unhappy about this new plan of Gerardo’s. Elena is predictably pissed. Ernesto is right to be concerned. But he “admits” doing this and Elena lays in to him. Ernesto said he didn’t have time to consult here and asks for her forgiveness. She still looks annoyed but Ger points out that now they know what happened, and that’s all that matters.

Camila rehashing that great introduction to Ricardo’s new, happy girlfriend, Eileen, “but my friends call me Eileen”. Ha. (I like that Camila saw her dressed like that, should humble her a little because Eileen sure doesn’t give a %^$#). Then she and Emi have a sister talk about Mondri. Camila doesn’t trust her.

 

EN OTRA PIEL, Wed. pt 2

Elena comes to see Ernesto and Ger, where Ger says he’s never seen the guys before that Carlos had killed. She’s pushing to find out who is behind all this. Ger tries to brush this off, but Elena won’t give up. And then she realizes they aren’t telling her something. She points out that Ger is too calm and Ernesto is too quiet. So Ger jumps in and tells her that Ernesto is the one who sold the video to one of the Judge’s political opponents. Ernesto looks VERY unhappy about this new plan of Gerardo’s. Elena is predictably pissed. Ernesto is right to be concerned. But he “admits” doing this and Elena lays in to him. Ernesto said he didn’t have time to consult here and asks for her forgiveness. She still looks annoyed but Ger points out that now they know what happened, and that’s all that matters.

Camila rehashing that great introduction to Ricardo’s new, happy girlfriend, Eileen, “but my friends call me Eileen”. Ha. (I like that Camila saw her dressed like that, should humble her a little because Eileen sure doesn’t give a %^$#). Then she and Emi have a sister talk about Mondri. Camila doesn’t trust her.

Elena is still on Ernesto’s case. She’s trying to get details, and doesn’t let Ger talk her out of it. She still thinks they are hiding something. But Ger tells her it was Ernesto who went looking for the judge’s rivals, not them looking for him. Elena buys this, but she’s still mad and threatens Ernesto. Ger smiles behind her back.

Eileen comes by the barrio and sees Diego and Gabe. She’s looking for Ricardo but he’s off looking for a job. She tells the girls and Diego about Esteban disappearing. Lightbulb over Diego’s head. Meanwhile Carlos gets Pachuco to clean up, because he’s sure not going to do it.

Meanwhile, Selma and Mondri are making calls to hospitals, with no luck. Selma gets a call from the producer of their show to look at security camera footage. Mondri goes to see Emi. Eileen tells them what’s going on, and Maite asks if it could have something to do with the video. She’s one smart galleta. Eileen thinks there will be another explanation, and they all calm down and stay positive. Then Diego asks if Mondri was at their house last night, but she says no, and he leaves. Maite tells him was being weird because of Adriana visiting him and Lupe seeing her.

Now Ernesto is yelling at Ger about putting his own brother at risk. Ger isn’t worried because Ernesto is too important to their plans. Not that he is, but ok. But Ernesto knows about the relationship he had with Mondriana. Er tells him that Elena will find out, especially if anything happens to him. He is now a liability to Gerardo.

Emi points how good Mondriana looks in clothes more appropriate for her age. Emi is babbling on and on, and Mondri yells at her “Emi Larrea!”. Emi says it’s how her mother used to yell at her. They go upstairs. Mondri hears crying and goes into Lorena’s room. She calls her “Lore”, but Lorena says don’t’ because only her sister called her that. Mondri is getting sloppy. She finds the alcohol that Lorena drank, and Lorena tells her to get everyone together because she wants to talk to them, all of them. She refuses to say why.

 

EN OTRA PIEL Wed., pt 3

Jorge is at the house talking to Elena about how he just got back from talking to Vicki. Elena thinks this is nice (she could be a great poker player). And then she tells him about poor Vicki’s deteriorating mental health. Which is why Jorge wants Vicki to come live with him!! Is this a problem? Nope, says Elena. Jorge thinks she needs a rest and cares for her a great deal. Elena says they love her and need her there. But Jorge points out they accused her of stealing something. Camila interrupts, and Jorge tells her that Elena was explaining about the bracelet, because there couldn’t be another reason, right? And he looks directly at Elena. He is insisting that Vicki live with him, but Camila wants her to stay with them. Jorge points out that it’s Vicki’s decision. Mondri enters and tells them about the meeting that Lorena has called. She then uses the office phone to call Gerardo (without having to look up the number). Elena looks back but not sure if she picked up on that or just doesn’t like Mondri.

Carlos remembers where he heard the name “Monica Serrano” that Esteban said sold him the tape. It’s the name Mondri gave in the Mexican hospital.

Ricardo is at the bookstore talking to his dad about how he keeps thinking about Camila. Pfffft.

Selma gets back from the tv station. There was nothing on the security cameras, but she found Esteban’s cell phone. Vale starts to make tea when Selma gets a call. We don’t hear but she collapses on the couch and start screaming and crying while Eileen tries to calm her down. She won’t be calmed. This is devastating.

Lorena has called a meeting of the house. She has to confess something. Elena tries to put her to bed but she’s not going anywhere. She says that Vicki didn’t try to steal the bracelet; SHE did. She put it in Vicki’s room. Then she lays the bracelet on the table where Mondri sees it. Cara de “holy %$#@” de Mondriana. Then Ger comes home, gets a glare from Mondri, sees the bracelet on the table, looks at Mondri and then at Elena who is watching him look at her.

No show Thursday due to soccer. Stay safe out there people.

Kelly

 

AVENIDA:

Mads- I count Carmina as a murderer. The only reason Max didn't die at her hand (the first time) was because Lucinda was hiding on the boat.

It's always interesting when they show what a horrible childhood the villain had. The audience has to decide if they empathize or even sympathize with the villain; if they can understand why the villain turned out the way they did. We got this in Amor Bravio too, when we saw flashbacks to Isadora's youth and saw how her family sold to that old man.

My thinking is that people always have a choice. They can choose to do things differently than the way they grew up-- knowing it was wrong and how horrible it made them and others feel. Or they can choose to repeat the pattern. Carmina chose to repeat the pattern-- abandoning a child; emotionally abusing another child; cheating; stealing; manipulating. She knows it's wrong, but she gets pleasure in doing it.
 

En Otra Piel

Kelly, thanks so much for the excellent recap. You've helped me understand some things that went right by me.

One thing I still am not sure I understand is the "plan" that Gerardo and Ernesto talked about (or didn't talk about). Am I right in thinking that Gerardo tells Elena that Ernesto provided the video to the judge's enemies so that Elena's attention will be diverted from Monica (since Carlos reported to Elena and Gerardo that Esteban said the video came from Monica Serrano)?

I loved the shocked look on Mondri's face when she saw the bracelet and remembered when Gerardo gave it to her (Monica Serrano). Did he also try to give it to Mondri but she refused it, or was that something else?


I guess that since the whole premise of the novela is that it's possible for someone to inhabit someone else's body, I shouldn't object to Lupe's being able to see Adriana come into Diego's room, but somehow that struck me as a bit much.
 

En Otra Piel:
Thanks for the great recap, Kelly. I saw some video on the news of the wildfires in SD County - really scary stuff. I was in Santa Cruz, CA last weekend. It didn't look super dry there but they are about to start rationing water. I certainly hope no nitwits start a fire by accident.

Anyway, back to our fantasy in LA where people zip back and forth from the Serrano house and vineyard, which must be way outside the city, into East LA in no time at all.

So Mondriana finally sees the bracelet. More trouble for Gerardo.

Since Pachuco told Carlos/Raul that he made Esteban's body unrecognizable, I assume that the call that Selma received is about finding Esteban's wallet, not his body. Not that his body couldn't be identified by DNA, of course, but that would require a sample, etc.
 

En Otra Piel:
Hi Juanita: Gerardo tried to give the bracelet to Mondriana. That was what she was flashing back to. She refused it and then Elena found it in Gerardo's stuff and assumed it was for her. I don't think he ever gave it to Monica Serrano.

I think Gerado's plan is to divert Elena's attention about how the video got used against the judge by making Ernesto take the rap for it. Elena already knows that Esteban told Carlos that Monica Serrano gave the video to him. Gerardo can't do anything about that except try and suggest that using that name didn't mean anything. What he has to conceal is the fact that the guy that Carlos/Raul tortured was Selma's boyfriend, Esteban, because that points right at Mondriana.
 

AVENIDA BRASIL General

Vivi:

You are so right about Carmina. She did try to kill Max on his yacht. She does get pleasure out of bilking people and thinking they are idiots. I think she feels she is superior in intelligence to them. Plus the bennies that go along with the bilking. I don't know what I was thinking when I said she hadn't crossed the line into murder.
 

En Otra Piel

Thanks very much, Jean, for clarifying all this. I think I missed some key episodes while I was traveling--at least, that will be my excuse for not knowing about the bracelet. And yes, what you've said about Gerardo's plan pretty much confirms what I thought. It seems likely that Gerardo, Ernesto, and Elena will soon be at each others' throats. And it will be interesting to see what Carlos will do.
 

TELEMUNDO

there is a futbol game tonight that begins at 9pm eastern ,
(which isn't showing on the tv schedules)


*official news release,

Kate del Castillo returns to Telemundo in "Dueños del Paraiso" (2014/15 season)

""Dueños del Paraíso", an original story by Pablo Illanes (¿Dónde está Elisa?, Alguien Te Mira) inspired by real-life events during the height of the 1980s drug trade era in Miami, stars Kate Del Castillo as Anastasia Cardona, the widow of a well-known Mexican drug lord who has become psychologically disturbed by the violence that has surrounded her. When she partners up with two local cocaine traffickers to take on the Santa Norma cartel, they become the target of the so-called "drug wars," transforming the streets of South Florida into a terrifying battlefield."

 

CAMELIA, Wednesday, Part 1

In a shattering episode, many of our characters have to make painful decisions. No show tonight (soccer), but this one was a doozy.

Camelia wakes up, bloody and dazed in a car. Huh?

Several hours earlier:

Narciso meets with Antonio and Benigno. Here's the deal. Antonio gets Arnulfo's ranch! Benigno will be recommended for governor. They'll work on clearing Camelia, but that'll take time. In return, though, they have to work with General U, pay him money, he'll keep the routes open. No way, says Antonio, don't you know what that guy has done? But Narciso says if you say no, you get nothing, everyone will be gunning for you, and he and Ben will be over, too (I think this part is private). Ben convinces Antonio that they have no choice.

Later, Lu hears about the deal, can't believe Antonio would deal with the General. Antonio says, yeah, but Camelia....Lu has had enough. She packs her bags, and leaves (although Antonio doesn't see this). She runs into Arnulfo at the train station. He's about to take her hostage, but she says it's a waste of time, Antonio has chosen Camelia, I'm not worth anything. We also see a tense dinner party with General U, Narciso, Antonio, Benigno, and I think Cookies was there too, toasting the new pact.

Camelia is in jail, and when Antonio hears this, he gets the men together, and they confront Facundo, guns are drawn. Antonio says I'm the law here, we're taking Camelia, period. We have a standoff until one of Antonio's men kills one of the cops supporting Facundo. They then get the keys, free Camelia, and take Facundo prisoner. Cami pleads to let him go.

Later, Antonio tells her she has to leave the country for a while until he resolves her case. He gives her a white car, and she can take her mother. She makes him promise that when the heat is off, he'll free Facundo. Cami also tells Mireya she has to make sure Facundo gets freed. Mireya agrees and they hug.

Alma tells Mireya that her father is free. Why? She dreamed it. Mireya is happy, until she tells Alacran, who says that Cami said not all of Alma's dreams came true. She then goes back and accuses Alma of lying.


 

CAMELIA Part 2

Allison is sad that she wasn't able to help trap Arnulfo. Stan says no, you've done a lot. Little Emi says he can help. He has friends. At this point Arnulfo has told Jacinto to gather an army, and he's hiring. Emi enters, says he wants to buy some pot. Jacinto has a joint on his ear. Emi says I've got the money. Jacinto gives him the joint. Ortiz and Stan then arrest Jacinto for selling drugs to a minor. He says this is bull. They take him not to a jail, but to a room, and tell him no one knows you were arrested. If you help us, your boss doesn't have to know. They want to know where all the prescription drugs (Cookie's stuff, but they don't know it) are.

Jacinto leads them to Cookie's lair, but no one's there except the guy who Alacran caught at the party with Valeria. And he's sitting silently at a desk with tape over his mouth. Jacinto pulls off the tape, sees a grenade, yells "run", jumps back, and the guy explodes! I think the others were okay.

Cami and Rosaura drive off for their new life. They stop for a pee break, and tell each other how much they love each other. Camelia remarks how nice Antonio was, and Rosaura says, well, for a while, I was totally in love with him, you know?

They head back down the road. We see Arnulfo hiding behind a bush. We see some dirt piled across the road, hiding something. We see the car cross the dirt. We see an explosion! The car flips. Cami wakes up, bloody and dazed, struggles out of the car, grabs a gun, but her Mom is lying there, covered in blood. No, no, no, this can't be true. Arnulfo calmly approaches. Yes it is, he says, and now your journey is over. He raises his gun, aims and...bang, but not from Arnie, Alacran appears, shoots one of Arnie's henchmen, Arnie jumps in his car, speeds away, as Camelia shoots shot after shot at the car. The shots don't hit, but Camelia rises up, dressed all in black, a wide belt with a huge silver buckle (present from Antonio) around her waist, and says, I swear on the memory of my mother, Arnuflo Navarro, that one day you'll find out just who is Camelia La Texana!!!!!!!!!
 

Camelia,

what an incredible show?
and what an amazing recap Hombre!

it is easy to underestimate the goofy, always smiling Arnulfo,
but he is by far the most calculating evil guy there ever was.

and if there ever was a ruthless hitman, it would be el Alacran,
but don't we just love him.

looks like Sara Maldonado (Camelia) is going to bring it all home.

 

En Otra Piel

terrific recap Kelly!

interesting how psycho Elena doesn't like any loose ends, I think this all started when she suspected that someone in the mansion (Monica) copied her pervo judge video, and she put Carlos on the case, and pretty clever of Geraldo to come up with a believable story to side track her.

when Carlos and Pachuco were talking about getting rid of Esteban's body, didn't it come up when he botched getting rid of Adriana's body, throwing it into the dump.

I'm not really thrilled with Monica's usual dreamy look, and was disappointed when Adriana visited Diego, she also is getting that look, (because I really enjoyed the earlier Adriana's lust for life), but when Monica saw that bracelet, wow, and then looked at Geraldo, now that's an interesting look.

 

AVENIDA BRASIL QTA-feira

Grand Final Part I

Nickalau and henchies have kidnapped Tifon. Tifon says Carm is doing this right? They don't answer.

Jan is still at the mansion telling Nina and Jori about Lucio. She swears that Carm and Santi are up to something and to beat her boy so bad. Nina and Jori are worried and Jori calls Tifon, no answer. He decides to go to the event. Jori gets to the event and finds out the familia has been looking for him and he's nowhere to be found. The familia is panicking. They are sure that Carm has done this.

Jori, Mona Lisa, Zenon and Nina go to Santi's doll repair shop and find it empty no one there. Mona L now believes that Carm had Tifon kidnapped.

Tifon is now at Santi's country house with a black hood over his head. Carm sees that Tifon is being led into the barn. She is very upset.

Later on, Lucio comes to the mansion with Jan and tells them that Carm and Santi must have been planning something big, he wanted nothing to do with it. Zenon says they have to wait now for contact from the kidnappers.

Carm is accusing Santi of being loco. She just knows everyone will think she is behind this. Santi doesn't think so. He says it will look like professionals kidnapped Tifon, no worries. The professionals will contact that stupid family and now is their time to triumph, yeah hold that thought! Carm is very nervous, she doesn't want to go to jail. She is very worried about the cops surrounding the place and the helicopters, they will be sure to be caught.

Phone rings and Jori answers, it is Tifon giving instructions for the money drop. They are to get a car, drive it to Divino to a place, a garage I think, make sure the 20 mil grandes is in the trunk and then go. Make sure only Jori does this. Nickalau gets on the phone and says if these instructions are followed to the letter Tifon dies. Oh, and something about the airport, near the airport maybe? Anyways, Leleco and Jori are off to the bank to get the lana.

Nina thinks she may get some answers about where Santi and Carm are from Lucy. So she goes to see her in the prison. Lucy thinks someone died, but Nina tells her Tifon was kidnapped and that Santi is involved. Lucy doesn't believe it, he's a saint. Nina also tells Lucy that Nilo is dead and that Santi killed him. Lucy still won't believe Santi is evil. Nina also tells her that Santi killed Virginia and not Lucy. Lucy still won't believe it and thinks Nilo lied. Lucy tells Nina about that day again, so we have a flash back of Santi dragging Virginia home, getting her water, Virginia is in a chair and Lucy firing the gun at her. Lucy still believes she killed Virginia. Nina tells Lucy about the deal Santi made with Nilo for Carm. Nina believes that Santi killed Max too. She tells Lucy that Santi is a monster and that he and Carm kidnapped Tifon. So now Nina needs info. Is there another place that Santi has they could have gone to? There is a Finca in Bage she tells Nina. Nina asks for forgiveness for telling Lucy all this, but she needed to know. Nina also tells Lucy that with his dying breath Nilo said he always loved Lucy. They hug and Lucy goes back to her cell.

All the women at the mansion are very worried about what is going on. Leleco comes with Jori and they tell Jori that Nina went to the prison to see Lucy to get some info. Muricy calls Lucy a killer, and Jori says she didn't kill anyone, Santi did. Zenon is there and the cops know all about Santi, they know he has been stealing jewels and trafficking in weapons.
 

AVENIDA BRASIL QTA-feira

Grand Final Part II

Carm is still very nervous; she can't believe that Santi has such cold blood, he killed her Mama and Nilo she says. Carm doesn't want Jori hurt. If he hurts Jori Carm swears she will kill Santi. Carm believes the police already know all about Santi. He says no worries, they get the 20 mil grandes and go far, far away.

Nina comes back to the mansion and tells the familia what she found out about the Finca. The guys aren't there, she tells the women she is going and they beg her not to, as Vivi would say, her skinny butt is going to save the world again!

Carm has left the room and when she comes back Tifon is sitting at the table without his hood on. Now he sees Santi and Carm together. Now Tifon thinks that Carm is behind all of this. Tifon warns them the cops will be looking for them, they will never get away with it, pics on TV etc. Tifon calls them imbeciles and the henchie drags Tifon off with the bag on his head again. Carm doesn't want any part of this and Santi tells her there is the door, go then.

Nickalau does go to Divino, checks the trunk of the car and drives back to the bages. He stops for gas and this is where Nina sees him and follows him back to the Finca. Nina calls Jori and tells him where she is as Zenon writes the directions down she is giving Jori, there is a cop there too in charge of the kidnapping case.

Santi is happy the money was in the trunk and Santi thinks he is a genius and he tells Carm that Jori wasn't hurt. Santi is happy the lana has arrived and wants to go now. He tells Carm they are leaving and going to Sicily. Carm wants a promise that Santi won't kill Tifon. Santi promises.

Nina and her skinny butt and penchant for saving the world has gone on the Finca property. She is slithering around and finds Tifon, who wants to know what she is doing there, she tells him the cops have been called they are on the way. Too bad Santi catches her. She is escorted to the waiting car with Tifon and Carm sees this. She gets in the back seat with Tifon and Nina, and sits next to Nina. They are in the black car with the tan one following. The cops come, the black car evades them but the tan car is stopped.

The black car gets to the airport in a private plane hanger. Santi gets out of the car and Nickalau gets the cases of lana. He asks Nickalau for his gun and has Nina and Tifon get out of the car. Carm tells Santi to wait. He wants to know who he should shoot first, Nina or Tifon? Carm acutally looks verklempt, hits Santi in the gun arm, fires it at Nickalau hitting him in the knee cap and Santi screams at her. Does she want to die on beach? They have the 20 mil grandes and can go, far, far, away. He wants her to listen to him, well she is tired of listening and fires the gun at him! He is wounded in the knee and he shouts she is trash and stupid. She now looks at Nina and Tifon. Carm unties Tifon and Nina asks what she is gonna do now. She gives Nina the gun and tells her to kill her, then her revenge will be complete. Nina won't do it. Nina calls Jori and tells him that they are free and that Carm helped them. Que Shock!
 

AVENIDA BRASIL QTA-feira

Grand Final Part III

Tifon can't believe that Carm didn't shoot them. Carm explains that she feels stupid for all the things she did, she did love him madly and wanted to be the perfect wife. She thanks Tifon, as Nina watches, Carm says I, I, and the cops come. As Carm is being led away she tells Jori she wants him to be happy with Nina. Jori hugs Tifon and Nina.

Tifon and familia along with Jan and Lucio have been summoned to the police station. The head cop says that Lucy is being released from the prison cause they believe she didn't kill Max and he needs new statements from everyone. The evidence didn't add up. Carm is also there. Carm says that she killed Max! Oh, Santi survived the shot to the knee Carm gave him cause the cops also got a statement from him. So now we have a flash back:

Max has taken Nina and tells her to shut it or he'll kill her. She takes the gun to her head and tells him to kill her already. He takes the butt of the gun and hits her with it and knocks her out. Lucio came and got the gun from Max but Max and he got into a fight and Max knocked Lucio out and Jan found him there. Lucio says he never fired the weapon. The weapon was found at Tiradero with Ivana and Muricy's prints on it. Muricy admits she took the gun and got rid of it, and Ivana says she took the gun and hit Max over the head with it and he was chasing her. Next we see Max running and Jan comes after him with a knife and tells him she is gonna kill him, he wrestles the knife from her and in the process he gets cut, his rare blood type of O negative was on the knife. Max next goes after Nina again, he had the knife and Carm saw that Nina was still knocked out. She was waking up and Max was staring at Nina. Carm took the hoe and bonked him on the head, Nina was saying no, no and trying to stand up and Carm bashed Nina over the head too. Max couldn't believe that Carm was trying to defend Nina, he was going to stab Carm, she took the hoe and bashed him in the forehead with the blade and Lucy saw her. Lucy knew that Max was dead. Carm says she did it because he was going to kill Nina or anyone else that happened to come by. Carm tells the cops to release Lucy, cause she is again paying for a crime she didn't commit. Santi killed her Mama she tells the cops. Tifon thanks Carm and the whole familia is in a state of shock!

Carlitos goes to his old place, Jimmy evidently got that too, and the guard won't let him in, even though Carlitos tries to bribe him. Carlitos climbs the fence, goes and sees the three women, kisses them and punches Jimmy in the nose. Security comes to throw Carlitos out. The three are impressed that Carlitos did this.

Lucy is let out of the prison. Jori, Nina and Betania meet her. She's seen Carm and she's good.

Carm is now in prison for three years. Lucy visits her. Carm is surprised Lucy is there. Lucy says she thinks of Carm as a daughter and doesn't hate her. When Carm gets out of jail, she'll still be young and can have a good life. Carm doesn't think so, but Lucy and she have a hug and Lucy will be there when she gets out.

The three women of Carlitos take a micro bus back to Divino with all their things, they are there now to stay with their man Carlitos, they hug and kiss him.

Three Years Later:

The familia is in the mansion when Jori and Nina come with some bombastic news. Nina is preggers. Chaos ensues.

Carm is let out of the prison and true to her word, Lucy comes and picks her up. They are going to Tiradero, Carm will work. Carm can't believe she is back where she started. Lucy says she can go whenever and Carm says she is exhausted.
 

Avenida: Thanks for the recap. I kept my mouth shut but when someone said Santi was creepy I thought "bingo" he did molest Carminha. Can I admit feeling a bit bad for Carm for just one tiny second then I caught myself, lol. Nina needs to sit her skinny butt somewhere before she gets really hurt(she has good intentions) but she's a handful for real. Today is the final so more drama for sure.
 

AVENIDA BRASIL QTA-feira

Gran Final Part IV

Sometime later, Aduato is with Olenka. She wants to know where his pacifier is. No kidding, he was using one forever. So Olenka has it and Aduato holds a match to it and burns it. They show a flash back of Aduato being found with the pacifier by his team mates and they tease him. Next on the soccer field his coach is making sucking sounds and Aduato gave up playing.

Carm is working alongside the kids at Tiradero, picking through the garbage. She comes home and calls to Lucy. Lucy comes and has a surprise for Carm. It is Nina, Jori and little Jori the third. Jori introduces her to her grandson. Jori allows Carm to hold him, she loves him.

Carm has made a meal and all are at table in Tiradero, that would be Jori the third, Nina, Jori and Lucy. Jori tells Carm it was Nina's idea for this visit. Carm wants to know if Nina forgives her now, Nina says she is there isn't she? Carm says that Nina really is far superior than her. Nina asks Carm if she is forgiven now? She made Carm's life a hell. Carm keeps eating, looks at Nina, Carm gets up, goes over to Nina and hugs her hard. They both cry. Carm asks if she is happy now? Later they are cleaning up and making coffee. Nina volunteers to bring the coffee to the table and Carm is a bit huffy about the coffee, no sugar, doesn't want to get fat, Nina brings the coffee, Carm looks around the table and smiles, and Jori cries.

Soccer game at Divino. Looks like the Divino Club has come up in the world. All our characters are there, except the baddies of course. Leandro is now back on the team, along with Aduato! They may be playing Flemnco, they have the same type of uniform. Anyway, the game is tied and everyone is just waiting. There is a penalty and Aduato gets to make the kick. Can he do it without his pacifier? Well he kicks that ball right into the goal and bingo! Divino wins. Major shouting and celebrating. Leandro and Roni heart Suelen, Beverly kisses Valentin the bartender for Divino, Nina cheers for Jori, Carlitos is with his three women, and Aduato is carried on the shoulders of the team as Olenka is proudly in the stands declaring her love for him.

And then FIN!
 

What a ride. I loved the show in general. I hated Nina at some point(she was unlikeable for good while) I give kuddos the actress who played Carminha. So at the end Max got killed by his lover. Everyone moves on. It was a great ride. Madelaine, thanks a lot for your hard work.
 

EN OTRA PIEL

Kelly, thanks so much! Wonderful recap! I wanted to comment earlier, but I didn't want to insert something between Madelaine's uploading her gran final of Avenida Brasil.

I had totally figured out that Lorena was only going to confess to stealing the bracelet herself. But it didn't make much sense. Why steal it and then put it in Vicki's bedroom? I am SO over Lorena. How many times are they going to have Elena present her with a bottle of booze? And, drunk on her hindquarters, she still protected Elena by not telling where she got the bottle. I think they poured out all the alcohol in the house a few episodes ago.

I knew Ernesto was a sleazeball, but it was interesting when Gerardo mentioned the other day that he'd had to get him out of jail a few times.

I like Jorge and the actor portraying him, but I get distracted by his alarmingly bleached teeth.

Vicki is just not that smart. If she doesn't take Jorge up on his offer to live with him, I'm going to stop caring what happens to her. I'm up to my back teeth with scenes of Elena threatening her and her quivering with fear.

Carlos needs to be nicer to El Pachuco. He's given him valuable information twice: once by the hint about bottling cheaper wine in the $10,000/bottle labels and now by confirming that Adriana Aguilar had called herself Mónica Serrano in México City when she was hospitalized.
 

Camelia

some tidbits,

Antonio and Benigno meet with Narciso, who is now the 'acting' governor, you call for special elections, we lean on the party to nominate Ben, he automatically gets elected, done deal, but Narciso is winding up some things the late Governor was working on and brings in the General, Antonio walks away,

Benigno catches up to him and says we have to be smarter than them, if we walk away they will put someone else in as governor.

so the deal becomes, Arnulfo's ranch, control of the north, peace (and money) to the army (General), and Camelia's freedom, the last it seems pushes Antonio over and he accepts.

things are getting hot so Antonio asks Camelia to go to Juarez and lay low till he gives her the ok to cross the border, later at Arnulfo's ranch, after the General asks about Antonio's wife (ouch), the deal is done, they shake, and the General has a letter of safe passage for Camelia, so that she can cross the border, but the matter is still not completely settled and she will have to still lay low until it is.

Camelia asks for Facundo's freedom, which Antonio kind of goes along with, but later in talking to Mireya she says if Antonio doesn't do this, then YOU do it.

[it was an interesting scene where Alacran chained up Facundo near a shack, complete with a bunny in the doorway, in the background must be the Trevino estate, a high wall all the way around and in the distance that like guard tower they are always showing us when they are there]

Alma tells Mireya she dreamed her dad is out, Mireya tells Alacran who says Alma told him her dreams don't come true anymore, when Mireya confronts Alma, she says, is it a lie to make someone you love feel better.

Arnulfo is worried about Antonio moving into Cuquis' business and so has Jacinto get some people together to take out the warehouse, which he is doing when he is busted, later Arnulfo hears about the army leaving his ranch, but that Antonio will get it, he heads back to town, where Alacran spots him.

[after busting Jacinto, Stan, Ortiz, (in Tijuana) are after the pills, since a truck crashed in the woods was full of them]

Lu, who won't have anything to do with the General, is done, and leaving town, where she runs into the newly arrived Arnulfo, he grabs her, thinking he can trade her for his ranch, and she tells him, "who do you think made sure that you heard about your ranch", so what do you want, money, land, a kiss, he asks, she also congratulates him on finally getting rid of the last chinese, which flatters him, and as she walks away, his face turns hard and says, if you are leaving, NEVER come back.

and in a phone call to Antonio we learn it was Alacran that set up the warehouse surprise for Arnulfo, that the police walked into.

 

Camelia

also, Stan / Ortiz were holding off on Arnulfo because he set up the drug business through Hilda, and unless she talks.... they don't have anything on him, and when Stan wanted Alison to talk to her mom, she said no, "that ship had sailed".

 

Avenida Brasil:

Thanks so much to Mads for all her wonderful recaps of the two-hour episodes of this great novela and all the great comments. I was crying at the end, which I always do with novelas that I like.

The acting was great, especially the actress who played Carmina, the story was pretty much novela-cliche free except for Nina always running off into danger. But there was no amnesia, paralysis, switched babies or pretend sex to get someone to marry them, etc. that are so frequent on spanish-speaking novelas.

I just loved all the wonderful characters and their crazy lives. Was that Ivana with Silas in the stands?

I'm a convert to Brazilian novelas so I will watch Escrito en las Estrellas.
 

AVENIDA:

Mads- You are truly amazing for giving us these amazing recaps, day after day, with 2 hour episodes, AND recapping like three other tns! How do you do it? Muchas gracias, amiga. I looked forward to reading your recaps each day during my lunch break.

I won't get to watch the finale until tomorrow evening, so I'll reserve my comments. But without seeing it, I just can't buy Carmina's sudden turnaround. But I agree that the actress is spectacular, so I can accept that she really sold Carmina's redemption.

More after I have seen the finale.

I won't be joining for Escrito en la Estrellas. I have been trying to cut down on my tn watching. But I am getting my Brazilian tn fix with Lado a Lado on MundoFox. :)
 

So did they show Cadinho's triple 'wedding' to V, N & A?
Or the scene where Tufao says he can't forgive Carminha?

From the synopsis, it sounds like it was the same 'censored' (or simply shortened) version that aired in Brazil...
 

AVENIDA BRASIL General

I want to thank Vivi, Jean and Sue 455 for recapping when I wasn't able to and for their help in things I missed and corrections too. Thank you Ladies very much.

I want to thank all the commenters too.

I really enjoyed recapping this one, it was a heck of a ride! This is the first Brasilian TN I have ever seen. It was a joy to recap. I am glad y'all came along for the ride.

Romy:

Thanks so much for your kind words. I too didn't like Nina when she was turning into a mini Carm. I wanted Nina to take the high road. Carm I kinda felt bad for when she came clean but took it back after she was snippy towards the end with Nina.

Novelera:

Thank you kindly : )

Jean:

Thank you for your kind words. Yes, that was Ivana and Silas in the stands. They would be good for each other. I too was happy there were no TN clichés too. I really liked how the couples were paired off at the end. I really laughed towards the end when Suelen was being hearted by Leandro and Roni and when the three wives came back to Divino to stay. I did cry a bit when Lucy and Carm hugged and when Nina and Carm hugged. Kudos to both actresses for their hard work.

Vivi:

I can't wait for your take on this finale. I have to say they wrapped things up nicely. I can't wait for your take on Carm's redemption. AB was the third TN I was recapping, I'm only doing two now, QPTR and Robo : )

Miguel:

No they didn't show anything of what you mentioned. I did read on Wiki, when this first started, that AB had 170 orginal epis and that the syndicated version, which this one was, was only 160. They probably sliced and diced it here.

Sue 455:

I wanted to thank you for the Lines O' The Day and also for helping me with the books Tifon was reading. I just love how the writers had him reading so very many different books.
 

AVENIDA BRASIL, o Final Grande (or however you say "Gran Final" in Portuguese)

First off, Thanks to Mads for the recaps. I mentioned the other day that recapping is is time-consuming and I don't know how you managed three. You're very welcome for the Lines o' the Day–they were lines I found funny and I thought others would too.

As for Tifón and his books, I have a suggestion for him: "To Kill a Mockingbird." Why, besides it being a modern American classic? The reveal that Carmina killed Max reminded me of the end of that work.(I assume that most of you read the book in school or have seen the excellent film adaption starring Gregory Peck.) Remember when Jem and Scout are walking back from the pageant Scout was in. She was dressed as a ham and couldn't see well with her costume on. Mr. Ewell whose daughter accused Tom Robinson, a black man, of raping her, attacks Jem because Jem's father Atticus Finch was Robinson's defense lawyer. Atticus proved that Robinson didn't do it but he was found guilty anyway. A mysterious man clubs Ewell but Scout couldn't see who it was. Later it's revealed that Boo Radley, the town recluse, saved Jem's life. And Carmina saved Nina's life by clubbing Max. (And again later by shooting her own father).

Gotta go to work. More later.
 

According to the official Globo website, Avenida Brasil aired from 26 March to 19 October 2012. 179 episodes, from Monday to Saturday (except the last week, with the last episode airing on a Friday).

I've read that the international version has 160 episodes, but because the Spanish dub has been re-edited in different ways in different countries, there is no way to know how much shorter it is compared to the Brazilian or the 'international' version.

For example, in Chile (the version that is available online) it aired in 90-minute episodes for a while, and then it was reduced to 60 minutes, for a total of 127 episodes.
In the US, it was shown in 94 two-hour episodes, from 6 January to 15 May 2013.

It seems, however, that the exact same version aired in Chile and the US, just repackaged in more or less episodes.

The only episode that I know was cut (compared to the Brazilian broadcast) was the final one. They ommitted the scene where A,V&N leave Jimmy, and another one where they get 'married'. They also cut some family scenes at the mansion, and Tufao says he'll never be able to forgive Carminha.
 

Final episode, uncut (Portuguese)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xyujci_avenida-brasil-cap-179-p1_shortfilms
 

Avenida Brasil

Thanks for the link and the info, Miguel. If you watch the second half of the last episode:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xyugdf_avenida-brasil-cap-179-p2_shortfilms
(only in Portuguese), you can see that a lot was cut.
There is the wedding of Carlitos and his 3 women where Pilar catches all 3 bouquets and has her eye on Diógenes.

There is the usual Tifón family playing cards scene before Nina and Jorge come in to announce that Nina is pregnant.

There is a scene where a player on the Divino team gets injured followed by a scene in Silas' bar where it is clear that Ivana and Silas are a couple and that she is working in the bar. Diógenes comes in and laments the injury to the player and Olenka suggests that Adauto could play. I gathered that everyone says that Adauto can't play based on some incident in the past. Olenka goes and finds a guy at the market who tells her about the incident where Adauto gets discovered with his pacifier.

Finally, there is a big family meal scene at Tifón's with another child present, whose child it is was may have been revealed by the dialog. All the family and their ex's are there including Tessalia and Darkson and Olenka and Adauto. Silas is there with Ivana. Finally, Nina and Jorgito come in with their child.

Then there is the final scene of the game.

I'm sure there was more if I could have understood the dialog. I could only get occasional words.

Agata was conspicuously absent from the final episode probably because she would have to have been played by a different actress since a kid her age would have changed a lot in 5 years.

I guess Nina and Jorgito didn't adopt Picolé and Minusa since they don't show up with them anywhere.

So Lucio got away with stealing Nina's inheritance? That doesn't seem right.
 

TELEMUNDO

possible 2014/2015 novelas

"El Señor de los Cielos 2"

"Reina de Corazones"

"Señora Acero" (Mrs. Acero), written by Roberto Stopello, the writer of "La Reina del Sur," tells the story of Sara Aguilar Bermudez, played by acclaimed Mexican actress Blanca Soto. Sara is a woman who goes from being a housewife living an ordinary life to being the person capable of shaking the foundation of the Mexican government. After her husband, Vicente Acero, is killed at their wedding, our heroine finds out Vicente was not the man she thought he was and, in fact, lived a double life. Her life becomes a race to evade the authorities and her husband's enemies, and along the way, becomes the "queen of organized crime."

"Los Miserables" is an original story by Valentina Parraga, inspired in the literary work Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. The modern day spin on the classic tale stars top Mexican actress Aracely Arambula ("La Patrona") as Lucia "Lucha" Duran, an innocent woman wanted by the law, who has to fight fiercely and hide cleverly, until she is able to prove her innocence to her pursuer—Daniel Ponce—the harsh chief detective of the narcotics unit, a man whom she will love as she has never loved anyone else before. [with Aylín Mujica, Erick Hayser (Emilio in Camelia)]

"Dueños del Paraíso" with Kate del Castillo.

"Tierra de Reyes" (Land of Kings), an adaptation of the successful novela "Pasión de Gavilanes" by Julio Jimenez, tells the story of the Gallardo brothers as they search for truth and justice after tragically and mysteriously losing their sister. On their journey, each falls in love with the daughters of the man suspected to be responsible for their sister's death.

"El Jardinero" (The Gardener) tells the story of Carlos Martinez, an illegal immigrant living in Los Angeles. Carlos is an honest, hard-working man who aspires to offer his two sons a better future so that they can enjoy the opportunities he never had. In their quest for the American dream, father and sons will face the hatred and dangers within a city where the glamour of Hollywood often contrasts with the difficult life of the millions of undocumented Hispanics in the area.

and maybe a 3rd season of "El Señor de los Cielos".

 

EN OTRA PIEL

If Esteban is dead, how will Mondriana ever get to the shaman?

And I cant stand Gerardo being emasculated by Elena. I remember JLPs "tough guy" roles in "Más Sabe el Diablo" "¿Dónde está Elisa?" "Corazón Valiente"
I must admit I miss his badassery.
 

Avenida: I saw the Chilean version online and saw the wedding of Carlitos but the child? I did not understand who it is. I am looking forward to Kate's new show. I hope it is good.
 

AVENIDA BRASIL, continued

Miguel: Thanks for the link. I watched it and was amazed at how much they left out of a final episode. Carlitos actually marries all three (is that legal in Brazil?). I can read Portuguese pretty well but I have a hard time understanding it when it's spoken. It's clearly NOT a dialect of Spanish as some believe. When did Tifón say that he would never forgive Carmina? I would like to see that scene if I haven't already.

As I said in a previous post this novela is about history repeating itself. Santiago kills his wife for her inheritance and leaves Carmina at the tiradero. Carmina steals Genesio's inheritance (she's indirectly responsible for his death) and leaves Rita at the tiradero. Mama Lucinda goes to prison for a crime she didn't commit and goes to live at the tiradero when she gets out of prison. Carmina goes to prison for a crime she did commit and then returns to the tiradero, a place she loathes, because, like Lucinda, she feels it's where she belongs.

Carmina's background remains murky to me. Nilo catches Lucinda and Santiago doing the deed. He tells Virgina who goes over to Nilo's house and tries to shoot Lucinda but instead hits her daughter Clarita and kills her. Lucinda attempts to kill Virgina but misses and Santiago picks up the gun and shoots her himself. He makes Lucinda think that she succeeded. Lucinda goes to prison for a crime she didn't commit. Carmina was a witness to her mother's murder (remember "loathsome" Nina asking Carmina about her mother and Carmina got emotional and defensive?). She was quite young at the time and this was when she was left with Nilo at the tiradero. I guess his descent into drink happened very quickly. I would have liked to see scenes with young Carmina and Max because this is another parallel between the generations: Carmina and Max; Rita and Patata.

I guess my question is when did Carmina come under her father's influence? "I belong to the race of the victors," she said on several occasions. That is pure Santiago. But it seemed to me that she had no contact with her father after he left her at the tiradero. Or did I misunderstand?

It's a testament to Adriana Esteves and her excellent acting that she could make me feel sorry for Carmina at the end. I spent the whole novela wanting Carmina to get what's coming to her. I'd say she is the second most evil person I've seen in a novela (Isadora from Amor Bravío would be first). This new Carmina was not from the race of the victors; she was resigned to her fate and that's what seemed so sad. All the fight has gone out of her. I can't see her spending the rest of her life as a scavenger.

More on the other storylines tomorrow. I didn't think I'd have this much to say!
 

EN OTRA PIEL – VIERNES

We haven’t had any Friday recaps of late, so I thought I’d put up a brief one.

Mondriana added two and two after seeing the bracelet and completely realized the relationship between Elena and Gerardo.

We again see Lorena announcing that she was the one who stole the bracelet. Elena is unable to do a thing. Later, alone with Jorge she tells him the story of her alcoholism and the fire that harmed Elena. When he asks about Elena’s father, she looks kind of sheepish and says he died before Elena was born. I don’t think Jorge would pry so much about that if he were the father. I just don’t get the impression that the two of them were ever lovers. He tells her he gets the impression she’s scared of her daughter.

The actress portraying Selma does a masterful job of grieving for Esteban. It turns out he was found in a car accident and recognized by his boss by a ring. [I guess El Pachuco messed up the corpse pretty badly because no one noticed the torture.]

Gerardo is upset with Elena about the bracelet trap she set for Vicki. As always, she picks up something about his being especially upset about THAT bracelet.

As soon as he can pull it off, Gerardo goes to talk with Mondriana. She goes after him big time. She tells him she’s revolted that he went after the niece of his wife. He makes up a lame lie and gets a good hard slap for his trouble. She tells him she hates him.

She gets a call from Eileen about Esteban. She runs out to the gate and Diego is parked there. He has come to ask her if she came to his room in the middle of the night like Doña Lupe saw. But she thinks he knew about Esteban and came to get her. He never asks her about the Adriana appearance. Gerardo sees her leave in Diego’s car.

Jorge suggests a good recovery step for Lorena would be going to the hospital and apologizing to Vicki. Elena insists on coming along. At the hospital Elena does an Oscar worthy performance in front of Camila and Jorge begging Vicki’s forgiveness. Jorge isn’t really buying it.

Carlos and El Pachuco are looking at pictures on the Internet of Mónica Serrano’s funeral, likely because of Esteban's saying that was who gave him the recording of Judge Pervo. Carlos points out Camila and says he likes that one (ugh!) EP thinks a fine, high-class girl like that would make them a lot of money. Carlos says they’ll have to wait because these people are his business partners right now.

Elena tries to convince Vicki to come back to the house when she’s released. Lorena pipes up that maybe she’d be more comfortable with Jorge. Elena is disagreeing strongly and Jorge, rather sharply, tells her not to pressure Vicki. Vicki says she doesn’t need time to think. She wouldn’t feel right in that house after what happened. She prefers to go live with Jorge.

Carlos and El Pachuco also find some information about Mónica Serrano being a concert pianist. Carlos remembers hearing Adriana playing and starts to think the whole thing is odd: Adriana playing piano like that and calling herself Mónica Serrano.

Lorena has gone to her room. Elena gets right in her face and tells her to never again contradict her. Then she practically slaps her face off twice, and starts pulling her hair and threatens her.

Camila tells Elena and Gerardo that Mónica is not there because the friend of Selma died in an accident. Gerardo recognizes who this is but, thankfully, Elena is still in the dark.

Emiliana goes to Esteban’s funeral with Mondriana, saying Selma came to her mother’s and she wants to pay her respects. Gerardo shows up, grabs her by the arm and says he has to talk with her. He says he’s there because he loves her and to protect her.
 

Camelia

I'm working on a recap,

btw, I'm thinking the gran final may be on Thursday,
but they haven't been very clear on that as yet.

 

En Otra Piel:
Thanks so much for the great recap, Novelera.

It seems like the police are not going to play any role in this novela. The fact that Esteban was id'd so quickly is strange. I thought they said that after the colleague id'd the ring, they did a DNA test. Was Esteban's DNA on file somewhere? If not, where did they get a sample? Nitpicking, I know.

Otherwise, there isn't much to comment on.


 

CAMELIA, la texana... (epi 56)
part 1

a month later...

Camelia stops into a local bar and with the help of her gun, gets a beer.
(is this when women weren't allowed in bars in Mexico)
and meets Rene, a Colombian connection,
he doesn't know what magic they are using to get the merc across the border,
but he wants to keep a low profile,
she wants to double the quantity,
"we have enemies that need to be taken care of".

Mireya has been taking her cut of the business and handing it to Narciso, (who is acting governor),
in order to help her father,
he insists he can't get him out, it would look bad,
"justice can't be bought, but money can get you favors",
he could have her dad transferred to a minimum security prison in Sinaloa,
where just about anything can happen when he is transferred,
Mireya turns to Alacran for some help on that,
no,no,no I can't do anything without the boss' approval, he says,
then Mireya turns it up a notch,
you don't love me,
I see how you have been looking at Cuquis.

Camelia stumbles upon Facundo,
who is chained in a chicken coop, complete with bunny, and being treated like a dog,
(except when Alacran brings him a first class meal, you've been here over a month so you are getting to be like family)
Camelia runs to Antonio,
you told me you let him go and took him to the border,
you lied to me!
(she also throws in, he is the father of my child, ???)
yes, yes, times are sour since the governor died....this whole circus has cost me my marriage...and...
bottom line, we need to keep him here until the charges have been dropped.
Camelia later returns to Facundo,
I didn't know you were here, they told me they let you go, she says,
as Facundo has his yeah right, face on,
she puills her gun and shoots,
Facundo ducks,
the chain breaks apart.
she leads him to a place where he can get to the highway,
why are you doing this he wants to know,
her short version is, "I love you",
you know I will come back, he says,
that's what I want,
one day I will have to pay for my mistakes,
and I will accept that,
before you, I never thought I would meet a man that I could trust,
and I trust YOU with my life, Camelia tells him.
speechless, quietly he moves closer, touches, kisses her, tenderly,
(and in one of the touching rare moments, Camelia doesn't push him away),
tenderly kisses him back,
he lightly touches her belly.

later Facundo shows up at work,
Ortiz is livid, where have you been,
we thought you were dead, we even had a service for you,
family emergency he replies,
and later gets caught up, (the warehouse explosion seems to have taken everything to a dead end),
and Camelia?
just got the word, Ortiz reports, the charges have been dropped,
she is a free lady.

 

CAMELIA, la texana... (epi 56)
part 2

Alison and Stan do their usual circle dance,
but he hands her an engagement ring,
taken aback, with tears in her eyes, she says no,
it's Emilio, I can't forget him,
but when the woman that killed him is dead, I will wear your ring,
Stan spits out, Emilio was a killer, a criminal, a.....
your whole life centers on Camelia, mine doesn't,
you need to get her out of your life.
little emilio hears this conversation, quietly gets a gun out of a suitcase,
and catches a bus for Badiraguato.

Cuquis is getting randy with the lack of attention from Benigno,
she goes to Alacran, for...
slowly unbuttoning his shirt, moving closer, explaining her predicament...
they kiss,
as Benigno walks in, ut oh,

later Cuquis pleads her case, bringing up Narciso,
a man has his needs Benigno says,
and what about my needs, she pleads.

Antonio finishes talking to his Colombian contact,
a new shipment has come through Mazatlan,
Antonio wants to inventory it,
Rene says, don't you trust me.
as Alma comes into his office,
I used to help you with all of the big business decisions, she says,
yeah, well, blah, blah,
I'm pretty busy, could you run along and play.

later we see Alma in the barn over some animal food with a big bottle of, poison ??
when she senses emilio, who are you?,
aaron, he says,
was in a car crash,
mother and father died,
no relatives,
walked away, been looking for work,
(his dad would be proud)
later he tells her, he is there to kill someone.

Benigno's day continues,
he comes upon Alacran, pushes him hard, tells him to go,
get out of his sight,
Alacran lumps it, and leaves.

next stop he meets with Narciso,
(an maybe a little romance)
but acting governor Narciso has a different air to him,
they need to be more discreet, he says,
(and it's all downhill from there),
Benigno finds out there will be no special elections,
it's been decided Narciso will finish out the current term, 3 more years.
and when were you planning on telling me? Benigno asks,
and is there a little light bulb going off,
you used me, you, used me,
POW!, he knocks Narciso down hard,
and starts kicking.

later he spills the news to Antonio,
is he dead? Antonio asks,
no he is still breathing.

[there seems to be this impending collision with Arnulfo and the General that has them worried, and Benigno being governor was to be part of the solution]

 

CAMELIA, la texana... (epi 56)
part 3

Stan gets word on emilio and with Alison they head to Badiraguato,
as the Colombians meet with Antonio and Camelia,
Camelia, spotting emilio, introduces herself,
(oh, emilio's eyes' say, you're Camelia)
you shouldn't be here, she says,
and so he leaves, to gets his gun from where he stashed it,
and works his way back,
just as Stan and Alison peer over the wall,
armed guards everywhere,
Stan wants reinforcements, no emilio will get hurt she says,
Alison jumps the wall while Stan fights off the urge to follow her,
as Alison catches up to him, emilio is distracted, and they are heard,
so emilio turns and shoots Camelia (around the big belt buckle), there is blood,
and a rain of bullets are returned,
Alison grabs the gun and shoots Antonio in the belly,
then covers emilio with her body, protecting him,
taking the bullets,
as Alacran comes around the corner,
and shoots her dead (I think).
her lifeless body crumples down on emilio.

 

CAMELIA:

Thanks, Deb, for a wonderful recap of a hard-hitting episode. I also am hoping Camelia's buckle shielded her a little. But I think Allison must be dead. Antonio gets shot just about every other episode, this is nothing for him.

Assuming Camelia's okay, now that Facundo knows she's been cleared (even though he and Ortiz don't like the fact that the freedom was bought), would Facundo tell Cami she's free, or still want to arrest her?

I somehow got the feeling that Rene was an undercover cop. I may be way off on that one.

Benigno should let Cookies satisfy her needs. I think he said something about not on the ranch, which I guess is reasonable. Alacran did try to resist, but as he remarked, the flesh is weak. He didn't actually do anything, so maybe there's still hope for him and Mireya.

So only about 4 episodes left - I can't wait for General U and Arnulfo to get theirs - I hope! Both Camelia and Lu really want to get back at Arnulfo. I'm not sure we'll even see Lu again, but if we do, it would be very dramatic.
 

Camelia...

Mireya tells Camelia ... "Don't you know it is bad luck to put the baby shoes on the table, Ok don't listen to me they are just my superstitions"

Camelia..."Mireya, do you think evilness is carried in the blood, or do we inherit the worst of our parents, or do we just ruin our lives just by ourselves"

Mireya..."Well, whats up with you, what fly beat you; what I do know is that my godson is going to be good and handsome, he is going to have his mother's green eyes and his father's smugness"

At that point a worker brings Emilio who is asking for work, Camelia tells him, he should be in school and tells the worker to go and give him something to eat, the worker turns to Emilio and tells him to say thank you, to which Emilio sarcastically say... Gracias Senorrrrrrrritaaa.

Later ... Camelia tells Emilo her name and he gives her a long stare and runs off to get the gun and despite Alison telling him not to shoot, she did not want him to be an assasin, he shoots Camelia in the belly or the buckle, possibly killing the baby.... and

thus bringing Mireya's supersition to light.


Lurker .... jajaja
 

Camelia

thanks guys!

Hombre- yes, this new guy is a bit too clean cut for a Colombian cocaine trafficker, Antonio sure is good at this business, letting him earn his trust, little by little.

and not knowing what the General and Arnulfo are up to is also scary.

Lurker- thanks, I didn't make the connection between the shoes-on-the-table and the baby being shot,

"In mining communities the only time boots or shoes were placed on the table was when the family was informed of the death of a miner. His boots would be placed on the table to show he was dead. After that placing shoes or boots on the table was seen as tempting fate"

of course with Alma walking around, the world of superstition is pretty much a coin toss.

this show is so subtle,
consider this,
remember Octavio's altar, the skull with the bullet hole, where,
the killer of Alma's parents.

wow!

 

En Otra Piel

thank you so much for the quick summary novelera!
you are always the sweetheart.

I wasn't able to watch this one so closely, was there something about Estaban's crash, about how that happened between the studio and the restaurant?

this story to me seems to me to be centered on Geraldo,
is he a good person,
will he turn on Elena,
did he end up loving Mónica Serrano,
and is it her that he loves now,
or the young body?

after watching him wobble along in "La Patrona", and he is so good at this, he didn't really kill that lawyer did he?

 

AVENIDA BRASIL General

Miguel:

Thanks so much for the link you put up for the orginal finale. They did cut a bit, but I still enjoyed it. I watched some of the finale on Youtube, after I saw it on Telemundo and they did have the bit about Tifon not forgiving Carm.

Jean:

Thanks so much for the added scenes you included in your comment. I'll have to go to that link and see Ivana with Silas. I bet they are a great couple. That pacifier thingy came out of the blue on the aired finale on Telemundo. It explained why he wouldn't play but I would liked to see the backstory. They could have inserted that back when the young guys were playing the vets in that soccer game. Oh, and Lucio not giving Nina her money back or being charged. I scratched my head over that too.

Romy:

As far as that child goes, it could have been Iran and Debs' child. Even though we didn't see the wedding maybe it was there's or Alexia could still have children, she did mention that awhile back, so maybe it is another of Carlitos' children?

Sue 455:

I loved your suggestion of "To Kill A Mocking Bird" what a great book that was! I liked your analogy.

As for Carmina, I agree with most of what you said. I have been thinking about Carmina for days since this ended. I wish they had introduced the character of Santiago, way before they did. He was such an integral part of the story. I still can't believe I thought he was such a harmless old man, willing to help the children like Mama L did. How wrong I was. Kudos to the writers!

I really do feel since reflecting that Carmina's anvil and redemption were so spot on. I still can't get over her saving Nina twice. At the end, did she really care about Nina? I think she did. It seems her change of heart came after she killed Max and Santiago hauled her off. She seemed to be taking stock of herself, confronting Santiago for killing her Mama, finally freeing Mama L from all the guilt she carried all those years, saving Nina and Tifon and doing prison time for her crime. I also wonder how much prison time Mama L did for "killing" Virgina? I know she went to Tiradero when she got out to be close to Max, didn't she question what Carmina was doing there? Didn't she have contact with Santiago all that time? Those are some questions I don't think were answered.

Still and all I really liked this novella, along with the music. I think there is a CD of all the music they played on the show. I might look in on "Escrita en la Estrellas" just to see what it's about.
 

En Otra Piel

Deb, from what I gathered, there hasn't been any official suspicion about Esteban's death. I vaguely remember someone, maybe Selma, wondering how his car could have gone off into that ravine as it wasn't part of his normal route to and from work. And I wondered why repeated electric shock burns on his body weren't noticed by the LA Coroner. Oh well - telenovela medicine, I guess.

Gerardo told Mondriana something about loving her and wanting to protect her at Esteban's funeral. I suspect that's a red herring, fake cliffhanger. Because I don't think he's going to rat out Elena on Monday. It's too soon for that to happen.

He did kill the lawyer. Elena forced him into it by wounding the guy in the leg. When Mónica Serrano's lawyer starting calling 911 on his cell phone, Elena handed Gerardo the gun and asked him if he wanted to go to jail or kill the guy, some such thing. And he then shot him in the head, I think. She wanted him to be equally guilty of murder as she was in killing Mónica.

I'm sure that Gerardo is going to turn on Elena, but really, really doubt that Mondriana is going to give him a second chance. Plus, he's guilty of conning Mónica into marrying him and having an affair with Elena at the same time. Not to mention passively standing by for all of Elena's multiple crimes.

I think some part of him loved Mónica Serrano. He plotted with Elena to marry her. But, after the marriage, he seemed to really grow to care about her. This was one of the things that prompted her murder by Elena. She sensed that maybe Gerardo was going to be happy to just be married to Mónica, and she was jealous of this - thus impulsively killing her aunt.
 

En Otra Piel

Considering there were quite a few murders with no real questions asked by the authorities, Im now wondering if bodies will be exhumed and examined later on (I.e. Julian, Monica, the lawyer, the Perv, or Esteban). At some point Monica will remember, and Jorge, Selma, etc will have evidence of foul play against Julian/Esteban. Elena will be around til the end of course, but after watching her slap her mother around i'd love to see her knocked off her high horse.

Spanish student
 

AVENIDA:

Sorry to be coming back so late to comment. I hope someone reads it. I didn’t watch the epi until late last night. Mads- Thanks again for your dedication to this tn and to us!

As for the finale--I don’t understand why Telemundo couldn’t just skip a few commercials (it’s the daytime, after all), and show us everything. Why cut any of the final? Not sure why the international versions of Brazilian tns do this so often.

I agree with everyone that the Carmina actress was fabulous, from beginning to end. It was hard for me to see her so defeated at the end, and I really didn’t believe it. Was it being back with Santiago and seeing how perverse he is (and that she had become him) that made the change? Was it killing Max with her own hands? I still can’t quite get my head around what changed money grubbing, callous, heartless Carmina at the end.

Are we really to believe it when she tells Tifon that she loved him in her own way? I can certainly believe that she regrets losing him, now realizing just how damn good she had it when she was his wife. But, love? I’m not buying it.

Was killing Max about saving Nina, or was it about getting rid of Max before he could her (Carmina) more harm? I’m not buying that she came riding to Nina’s rescue. I think she came to settle scores with Max, once and for all. Just like I also think that saving Tifon and Nina was more about taking a stand against her father, the person she most hated in this world, than it was about saving Nina or Tifon. Go ahead, call me cynical.

I like how the writers and the actress showed that Carmina might be down and out, but she has not turned into a saint. She is still cranky and demanding with Lucinda and Nina. Showing us that flash of temper and haughtiness tells me that Carmina will not remain down forever. As Lucinda pointed out, she’s still young (and attractive, despite the darker hair). I do not envision her living in Tiradero in five years time. I think that whole martyr act will get old, real quick for her. Will she go back to the level of scheming and crime as before? I like to think not. But can I see her landing another rich fool, and THIS time making sure that she holds on to him? Yes.

I would have liked to see Carmina make peace with Agatha, or at least apologize for being for horrible to the girl. She never gave up on trying to win Jorgito’s love, but she only cared about Agatha as far as how much she could use and manipulate the girl to hold Tifon. The most we got was Carmina asking Tifon to take care of Agatha, before the police came and got them at the airport. It was like she had totally written off her daughter. I don’t feel like we ever got a good reason why she treated her daughter so differently than she treated her son.

All in all, it was a really good finale, and I would have liked a bit more time to see how people’s lives turned out.

 

AVENIDA BRASIL General

Vivi:

I am so glad you commented about the finale, and it's never too late : )

I liked your point about less commercials more AB. I too wish they had shown more of the other characters and what their lives were like. Like for instance, did Carlitos ever get a job to support his three wives? Iran and Debs got married, so was that child theirs? I really liked Olenka and Aduato together, Leleco went back to Muricy, Silas with Ivana was great, I wish they had shown that, and also more of Mona Lisa and Tifon. I also would have liked to see Santiago in the prison where he belonged.

Carmina I am satisfied with. I think you are right though in her finding another rich dude and hanging on to him. It sure was a different ending for her. Ending up at Tiradero at the end. I kind of liked that. She's got to atone.
 

Camila ...

I have noticed that whenever there is a scene with Antonio and Almita the background music is from a corrido called "La Delgadina."

I first heard that song on a PBS special with Linda Ronstadt called "Yo Soy el Corrido" that tells a sad tale about a perverted father trying to bed his daughter.... I don't see the relevance to Antonio and Almita but do recall an argument between Rosaura and Lu where Rosaura tells Lu, that Antonio left her for a younger woman and he will leave her for a younger one too.

There are several versions on YouTube, couldn't find the one from that PBS special but here's a link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivcQuhhbogc
 

En Otra Piel
Many thanks, Novelera, for your Friday recap. I've been busy all weekend and didn't get to see the episode until a few hours ago, and I didn't want to read anything here until I'd seen it.

I'm not sure about the details of Esteban's "accident." Did his car supposedly go into a ravine? Did it explode? If so, his body would probably have been not only unrecognizable but also not able to yield much info for the coroner.

I think Gerardo is genuinely in love with Mondri, at least as "genuinely" as a turd like him can be in love. Whether it was because of something Elena said (off camera) or something Gerardo pieced together from what Carlos said, Gerardo somehow may have recognized that Mondri was in danger, since she's Selma's friend and Selma is tied to Esteban. Indeed, the last word that I think we heard Esteban say was "Selma," and I think that may have been in Carlos' presence (or perhaps just Pachuco's?). I think/hope that Mondri will have nothing more to do with Gerardo, but that will just set her up to be set upon by Carlos and Pachuco, who are already trying to figure out the connection between Mondri, Adriana, and Monica Serrano. I think I may bail out if we have more nasty scenes with Carlos (especially since El Señor de los Cielos 2 starts next week--I plan to watch that, and that may fill my violence quota).
 

Avenida Brasil-

I have now been watching the first two weeks of AB that I missed when I messed up programming my DVR when I went to Peru.

It's really fun to see the beginning of the novela when you know how it will all turn out.

Anyway, I may have some insights on Carmina's relationship with Agatha because we see Carmina giving birth to Agatha in the early episodes of the novela. When Carmina is told in the delivery room that her baby is a girl, she looks disgusted and when she is given the baby, she looks like she is going to vomit and immediately asks the nurses to take the baby away.

Later, there is a scene when we have jumped forward 12 years, where after being nasty to Agatha, Carmina tells Max that Agatha reminds her of that brat, Rita.

So I can see Carmina as one of those women who is all about her power over men and just doesn't like other women. Think about it, Carmina didn't have ANY women friends. She despises Muricy and Ivana and all the other women in Divino.

I agree with you, Mads, that Carmina's decision to save Nina and Tifon was more about getting back at her father than any turn to the good side.

I also agree with the comment someone made before that it didn't seem that Carmina really had that much time with her father to be so dominated by him. Presumably, she was sent to the Tiradero shortly after her mother was killed.

When we first met Santiago, he told Lucinda that he didn't want to see Carmina because he couldn't forgive what she had done. What had she done? Become a prostitute? It wasn't clear.
 

Avenida: Vivi, I read it :) and I agree with you regarding Agatha. Carminha hated her at first sight. I read somewhere women who had horrible childhood(sexually abused) often see themselves in their daughters(weak, abused, unworthy)and project their self-loathing unto the child(armchair psych. 101)lol. I am going to miss the series.
 

AVENIDA:

Oh, goody! So glad others are still commenting.

Romy- I totally can believe that Carmina's reaction to girls and women stems from her own background as an abused child. I just wish the writers had explored that more. I really feel like they dropped the ball with the Agatha-Carmina storyline. It was so clear to me that the reason Agatha self-medicated with food was because of the way her mother treated her. It would have been good to see Agatha come to terms with her mother's lack of love for her, or for Carmina to make some kind of face to face admission of love for her.

Jean- Agreed that they didn't make it clear what Santi was referring to when he spoke of not forgiving Carm. I will point out that he said to the Tifon family a few episodes back that he uses a cane thanks to Carmina- some botched robbery attempt she made on him or some such. Whether we believe that was the truth, or that there was some grain of truth, well...the source isn't that reliable. But I don't put it past Carmina to do something like that either. There was no love lost between her and her father, and they probably butted heads often whenever their paths would cross in their shady worlds-- he with jewelry theft, and trafficking; she with prostitution, robberies and scams. And all the while, Lucinda was ignorant of most of this! I will never understand how they all (Santi, Carm, Nilo) managed to keep her in the dark about so many things all these years.

 

Avenida Brasil:

I totally agree that the writers dropped the ball with Agata. It would have been nice to see her all happy and, probably, thinner once Carmina was out of her life. They could have put more time into that than Carlitos' "wedding," for example. But, as I mentioned before, they would probably had to have gotten another actress to play Agata since a 11 or 12 year-old girl would have changed a lot in the 4 or so years they jumped forward - it was 3 years later that Nina and Jorgito announced they were pregnant, then ~9 months plus one year when they took the baby to the Tiradero. Definitely a missed opportunity for another happy ending of the story!!
 

Madelaine, could you please publish the link to the YouTube clip with Tufao not forgiving Carminha?

The fact that people are still discussing AB here, almost a week after the final episode, is testimony to the deep connection that novela created with its audience. I saw it almost a month ago and I still think about it every second day!

>>>Tifon family a few episodes back that he uses a cane thanks to Carmina- some botched robbery attempt she made on him or some such.

When they're alone, Santiago also says something to Carminha about how she hurt his leg but they never explain in detail.
 

Miguel:

I'm sorry it wasn't in the finale. I went back and looked at the videos on Youtube and it was in a couple episodes before the finale that Tifon told the familia he would never forgive them (Max and Carmina) for what they had done. My mistake, so sorry.