Caray, Caray!

Good Morning Y'all:

The recap is finally up. Please enjoy ;)
 

Madelaine, great recap, great ear worms but even better the photo of yes, that true genius: Mr. Monk. How I miss that show and him in his brown suit and Tuesdays being his chicken pot pie night! Thanks for it all this a.m. : )

My second favorite scene: Pato and Silvana where after being pressured by Peralta, Pato asks Silvana if she is afraid since if she fails Peralta, she could end up being Maestro Coria's company. Silvana puts more pressure on Pato by telling him that the one who should be afraid is him because if he hurts her again, he will be tasting Maestro Coria's "bombones" in hell.

My favorite scene was, of course, Chava and Sofía in the car when she moves up in the car to sit next to him.

Finally Sofía told Greta off. Unfortunately, it has to be over the very good advice of the prenup being demanded by Greta. Sounds like Alexa really was always the spoiled one. The music in this section sounded like it was a 1940's melodrama not that that is a bad thing, just interesting.

So, the financial mess in Spain Alexa is involved in has to do with her stupidly investing in Alan's movie and his borrowing even more money from a mafioso. He simply will not give up on his movie even though Alexa tells him the movie was dead from the start and she has no money to give him.Besides being a total jerk, Alan has bad hair dry or wet. The fact that he always has to be touching Alexa just adds to his creep factor.

Good episode.

Jarifa
 

Dani still grounded ?

This isn't Venezuela, where the dictatorship controls every aspect of everyone's life.
 

Madelaine, ahh, the Bangles song transitioned well in time - just as enjoyable now as it was then. I listened to Keep Your Hands to Yourself twice, what a classic (perfect for Alexa's beseeching Alan to leave her alone). Your noting "The Look Of Love" completed your excellent musical trifecta.

Your screen shots were great and I enthusiastically agree that this was a great episode.

"They are connected by telepathy I tell you!" and "Her cell rings and guess who it is? Not Mr. Evil Genius, it's Fausto. He wants to know where she is off to and she tells him Hasta El Fin del Mundo. Well, Well, Well. Claro que switch!" were among my favorites.

Exceptional job as always Madelaine.

I was a bit confused by Matthias' phone call to Chava and exactly what they were painting. I would have thought some mention might have been made if he had bought/rented something but...

Sophia seemed to spark to life on the racetrack, didn't she? I think racing is the perfect antidote to what is ailing Sophia - lack of fun and excitement. The perfect venue for Chava to show her life can be exhilerating and that the road to love is open and free.

Jarifa, I also smiled when Sophia got in the front seat with Chava. Now, things are going in the right direction.

Armie agreeing to sell the house has me worried.

Paco is jealous! It's about time he realized what a gem Lupe is.

Let the romance begin!

Thank you Madelaine. So grateful for your continuing to recap and to do so with much grace, wit and attention.

Diana
 

Thanks so much, Mads! I'm really looking forward to seeing Sofia and Chava on the racetrack, and him showing her his world. I think this will be good for both of them, and their budding romance. Yay!
 

Thanks so much Mads! I am really loving this TN so far.

I remember 'Alan' from CS, he was kind of a slimebag in that too.

So after he bled Alexa for money, Alan borrowed money from a Mafioso? Why is that Alexa's problem? If I were her I'd kick Alan to the curb. Let him deal with the mess he got himself into.

I am feeling more and more sorry for Armando. He's got two women bleeding him dry in different ways, one emotionally and one financially. He's going to need a day off too.



 

Didn't Patrick say that he was literally going to dig up the body? If so that is pretty genius.
 

So Renzi is Patrick's cousin ?

This will lead to CHAOS and potential of a possible body count in the Dead Pool Hit List.
 

Madelaine - Fab recap. Thanks.

What are the chances that the mafioso that's after Alan and Alexa is Peralta?

I too want to see Lupe and Paco together, but he's thought-bubbled so many times that Greta was the love of his life. If even his long-time wife couldn't capture his heart from Greta, can Lupe do it?
 

Jarifa:

Thank you kindly. I too miss Mr. Monk but they show him in syndication in my area. I try to catch him when I can. Oh, I didn't catch the movie talk, I heard the Mafioso, so that' who Alan owes the money to. Hmmmm.....

Conservation Democrat:

Yes, poor Dani is still grounded. I think if she improves her grades and doesn't skip anymore school, she ought to be alright and off the hook.

Diana:

Thank you kindly. Those songs were just perfect for this epi.

I didn't hear what said between Chava and Mattias, except Mattias wanted help with something and Chava said of course and then they were painting. I'm pretty sure they weren't at Ripoll. I'm hoping Paco finds out about the sale of Armie's home and gives Irma what for when he finds out to who!

Vivi:

Thank you kindly. If you get a chance try to catch it. The best part is definitely Chava and Sofia.


 

x-Int:

Thank you kindly. Yes, Armie, and it's very true. One for money and one emotionaly. And Alan, I hope Fausto finds some way of finding out about him and he will be kicked to the curb. Alex shouldn't pay him another red peso/ real whatevs.

Cynderella:

Yes, Pato did say that, but he also said he doesn't not believe Sofia's Papa is dead, but in the land of the living. I tool Pato saying about digging up the body in a legal sense. Habeous Corpus as in Finding the sperm donor and than confroting Greta with the fact. Good luck to him cause as of right now, he is searching for a needle in a haystack.

Steve,

Yes Renzi is Pato's cousin. I don't know about that the body count. They are both bumbling fools and I don't think they will get very far. Ya, know as far as Sofia being demoted whatevs cause she isn't a Ripoll.

How does Pato think he can take over Ripoll. There are still three more Ripoll woman. Pato would have a cold chance in hell of succeeding. Also I am sure Ocatvio Ripoll was no dummy. I'm sure he provided some type of catch safe if Sofia was unable to take over. Greta with Fausto's help would be most suitable. I think that is why Pato is trying so hard to marry Sofia, but even then, I don't think he'll be able to take the company out of Ripoll hands. Not a spoiler just a guess.


 

Niece:

Thank you kindly. Yes, about Perlata, I can see that. Ya know I do like Lupe and Paco together and I know Greta and Paco think about each other a lot, for not having talked in thirty years. How about Fausto and Lupe? I can see it. He'd love her joie de vivre. We'll have to see.
 

What's with only twelve comments and on a weekend no less? Madelaine you deserve better.

I would comment but I don't know enough about the story to give an opinion. But---I was watching during dinner Friday. I thought that when Sophia had Chava stop the car so that she could get in the front seat was such a sweet scene.

What's with this boyfriend of Alexa? Can't she do better than that? From what little I have seen, Alexa seems to have a lot of problems.
the gringo
 

Madelaine - I think Fausto plays for the other team, but Lupe is so lively that I can definitely see the two hitting it off.

I could be wrong but I think Pato intends to have Octavio's body exhumed to do a DNA match with Sofia. Silvie didn't think it could be done, but Pato chided her for thinking like a buy-the-book HR director and seems to believe his cuz Renzi is supersmart and can skirt the law to get it done.
 

Thanks for the recaps, Madelaine. I can't watch this one consistently at all, and am dependent on the recaps for continuity. Many thanks for the flashback, I'd utterly forgotten the Ga. Satellites.

Here's hoping Sophia maintains her propriety. Marjorie's last character was on the other side of using the threat of an out of wedlock baby to manipulate and coerce, and I am sure I'm not alone in hoping that Pato doesn't get a new reason to marry just as Sophia is about to return his ring.

The villain's plans sort of confuse me.

There is an overall plan to buy up some (mostly) cheap land, including the non-Ripoll characters' homes in the neighborhood, in order to erect a shiny, new, big, mixed use development.

But so far that's normal. That's how even honest developers get their land. They buy it at market rates, and if they need multiple parcels and word gets out, they pay a premium to those who, for whatever reason, held out. Still, as long as they get most of the neighborhood for a song, they can afford to "overpay" for the hold outs.

Just ask Disney, the farmers who sold the vast majority of the needed mid-Florida acreage at farm-land prices, and the teams of Disney's lawyers and real estate men who quietly bought it up under dozens of different names.

Where things get ugly (from the developer's point of view) is when a really big piece is too expensive (Ripoll) or where the word gets out too early and too many folks start to hold out. That sort of thing can kill a deal.

So far Renzi's dealings with Irma are "normal," trying to put enough easy money in front of poor folks to get them to sell out fast without asking too many questions and demand serious money. While things will likely get far less friendly when the Paco's of the world say no, so far this is just sharp business, not criminal. Of course in light of the planned skulduggery with Ripoll, it sure seems like if the holdouts won't sign for chump change, arms will be twisted and kneecaps shattered to extract the final signatures.

So that leaves Ripoll. The factory must be a key part of the planned project. This seems to be where we enter Telenovela logic. Why would anyone invest in detailed plans for a more-or-less legitimate commercial development without getting a line on a unique, key piece of property? Who invests in architects and so forth without at least an option on the bulk of the land? Somehow these conspirators have done so.

Next confusion: where does Pato come it? Was Pato already been "in" with Ripoll, and maybe even romantically involved with Sophia, when he was recruited for the plan to force Ripoll into a distress sale?

If so, then Pato isn't a long time thug. So how did he get recruited? Why would he betray Sophia if he originally cared for her?

And if he did join Ripoll with malice aforethought, just how long was he there before he began wooing Sophia? It sure seems like he's been around for a good long while. Am I missing something?

Has there been some background on that? We had some mysterious stuff involving a brother that suggests a personal agenda behind Sivana's campaign against Sophia, but isn't that still unclear, too?

Is it common for the motivations (logical or not) of the antagonists to be so vague? It seems like we just have to take "they just hate Sophia/Ripoll" as a sort of given.

Once the goal of driving Ripoll into ruin is accepted, I do think, however, that I get why they are going after Sophia. There are other Ripoll sisters, but this is Ripoll, a private company, not a major professionally run public company like Nestle, the real Abuelita maker.

If you con Sophia into bad decisions, or oust Sophia in disgrace, or whatever, how long would a company run by Alexa remain solvent? Is Dani ready to take over any time soon? Can Greta get out of the studio and run the company any better than she's run her family? The baddies think not.

Thanks,
Chris in Fl
 

Gringo:

Thank you so kindly. Alexa has a myriad of problems. She has panic attacks, makes poor choices and then blames everyone but herself. She is like a little girl in a woman's body. Something seems to have happened when she was a child, something traumatic she never got over. As far as that putz goes Alan, he is using her for money, he could care a fig about her and has hit her. We all want an anvil for him. We all want her to dump him.

Niece: I didn't hear the part of digging up Ocatvio. I don't think Renzi has the juice to pull that off. Greta or Sofia would be informed and how would Renzi explain that, Hmmmm..........

Cris in Fl:

Thank you kindly and I am glad you commented, Please join us here whenever you get a chance. You're talking about Kendra aren't you, from AV the last part MdS played. Sofia has rebuffed Pato every chance she gets. She is so not into him. Same as he really isn't in to her. He just wants Ripoll. Peralta wants that whole neighborhood plus the land Ripoll sits on to build a new luxious complex. Funny how far is that from the city center I wonder? I get what you said about Renzi and the chunk of change he wants to give people in that neighborhood, but Paco has rallied a lot of these people into not selling. He thinks Renzi is oily and smarmy and up to no good.

I'm not sure when Pato was recruited by Peralta. Maybe Renzi did the recruiting. In any case I don't think he ever loved Sofia he just wanted Ripoll, whether to sell or run. He is the CFO and I'm surprised he hasnt' cooked the books already. He seems to think that if he marries Sofia he can take over Ripoll, you know how TNs are, the man always takes over or attempts to take over. Put Sofia is not just a pretty face, she is very smart and her Papa trained her well. We really haven't gotten a back story on Pato. It comes in drips and drabs.

As far as Silvana and her brother, one night they discovered their Mom dead from a self inflicted gunshot wound and Silvana blames Greta for that. We don't know why. Her brother is in an institution.

The hate runs equally with Greta and Sofia. A lot of people think Sofia is one spoiled girl according to Silvana, and Greta Pato and Silvana hate because she keeps a firm hand on Sofia.

You are correct, Alexa couldn't run Ripoll and Dani either. Dani is a minor. Alexa has mental problems but Greta now, she will do anything to save Ripoll. I think with Fausto's help or maybe even Paco's help she could save it. Sofia is not in the habit of making bad decisions. She's rebuffed Pato for trying to go over her head. She told him he is only the CFO and that is it. The baddies I think bit off more than they can chew. The Ripolls will not lay down and take it. It is a private company and the shares are held with the family only. Ocatvio made sure of that. As a matter of fact at one point Alexa wanted to sell her shares, that never happened. Greta put her foot down. I wonder if Greta is the major shareholder? They really haven't said, but I'm thinking that is the case. Maybe Pato thinks as Sofia's husband he'll become a major shareholder, but I don't see that either. I hope this lessens some of your confusion.
 

Pato's plan is no longer to look for Sofía's real dad but to exhume Octavio's body get his DNA and show that Sofía is not his daughter. With that information he can blackmail Greta. It seems he is going to entrust Renzi with the exhumation. When Silvana asks if Renzi will be able to pull all the permits, etc., Pato tells her that she is thinking like the head of human resources of Ripoll and that the motto of the "new" corporation she is working for is " Anything is possible with money."

Jarifa
 

Jarifa:

Thanks for the clarification about Octavio. What if Coria got it wrong? Just a guess but maybe Sofia is a Ripoll? Maybe it's Alexa or Dani that aren't Ripolls? Just a thought not a spoiler. I think Silvana is right about the needed permits. Silvana is definitely the brains of that duo!
 

Mads, that would be very interesting if it were one of the other daughters that was not the legit Ripoll and a nice twist to the plot.

Jarifa
 

Off Topic:

For those that have been waiting for it, Quiero Amarte, starring Cristina de la Fuente and Karyme Lozano, just started today on Univision at 3pm.
 

Mads, We got the first hint that Sofia probably is not Octavio's daughter in the very first episode when Greta thought bubbled something along the line of "if Sofia knew the truth she'd hate me."

I also think that Silvana's mom was murdered and not a suicide. The bullet wound that caused her death was near the heart. But she did die with a gun in her hand, so maybe she was trying to defend herself against someone. Silvana definitely blames the Ripoll's for her mother's death, particularly Greta.



 

Vivi, I watched a video of Karyme Lozano speaking at one of the Texas GOP gatherings back in 2010.