Caray, Caray!

UA, boy you are fast!!! have to go pick up my daughter from work, will come back and enjoy your recap and pix slowly to savour them.
The ending was Way way too funny... Yomama telling the kids (twins, Luz, Sebas) and Fernando that she was peeing on herself twice, then Isa demands to know what is going on with her, and Yomama turns around and tells Isa she was peeing on herself... Fernando was holding himself from bursting laughing until Yomama told the boys she was peeing on herself... ROFLOL!!
good thing the twins were taping so Ana can also enjoy the scene later on...
 

I have often wondered whether this number of photos (about 80) could tell the tale without the actual write-up. The next time I have this many photos I might post it both ways to see.
 

Yes UA, i can see the resemblance with Deborah Kerr... who can forget her from An Affair to Remember.
 

I think Fernando was able to 'release' his laughter when he saw Yomama bending over laughing and turning to laugh along with the boys and he lost it when she first whispered to them she was peeing on herself...
But ... the question would be... does she deserve the different treatment? Does she deserve a 'break' even though she was Isa's accomplice? It is true that she is a mother but a mother is not MANDATED to participate in her daughter's actions if she does not consider them fair and/or just. what does everyone think? does she deserve a softer treatment?
 

Wow, Urban, I just returned from a night class and saw you already posted your synopsis! Although I haven't seen this capitulo yet, I feel as if I don't have to; you're extremely thorough. Gracias!

It's interesting la familia Lascurain immediately solicits the advice of a child psychologist for Alicia, a 15-year-old girl who had a bad breakup, but they didn't consult one for Luz who was mute for a year following her mother's death. Hmmmmm . . .

Isabruja needs to get a life!


 

Marta - At this point, Yomama is Isabruja's accomplice, living in Fernando's apartment and off his dinero. She's aiding and abetting the crime, so she deserves some sort of negative consequence for her actions. Moreover, she created the monster that is her daughter.
 

Something was said during the first week about seeing a number of experts on traumatic mutism, which is what Luz was suffering from. Since none of them were helpful we need to wonder whether they didn't find someone competent or whether the message there was that Luz required maternal love and care, which is the first thing she got from Ana.

What is worrying me in this episode is Nando's nightmare. After making such a big deal over buying condoms I wonder whether Ximena's latest crises when she went away were hormonal. If you get my drift.

As I contemplate snowdrifts by morning.
 

Loved the recap, screen caps and wise but ebtertaining comments from Olympus. Thanks, Urban.

Well, there was the codfish, the grapes and the cough syrup. Good prank with the kids again.

So glad that Nico has to be at sea level for his heart's sake. He's gone.

Funny how Jennifer told Johnny that he had gone from patán to Galán.

Foreshadowing?: Ana clarifying what the problem was between Ángel and Magda re: the abortion , her work, bro with Down's syndrome: the problem was that Magda did not tell him about something SO IMPORTANT.
Yikes!!!

Love th Nando nightmare.

Jarifa

 

"Entertaining" comments

Jarifa

 

Jarifa,
i thought the same thing about foreshadowing Ana 'listening' to Angel and his reaction to something similar although more critical than what she is holding from Fernando, IMO.(content of the secret: killing his unborn child vs her having a 2nd job dancing for men at a bar [I totally agree with you UA that Ana puts herself in some kind of a 'zone' when she is dancing and blocks off the men and their influence on her])
 

One little thing i did hear directly. When Yomama and Isa made their way in (repeat seconds from friday night) Yomama said to Ana that Soledad had MENTIONED to her that they would all spend new year's eve home so she and Isa came because they did not want to spend NYE alone at their apartment. Then Isa adds that she just came to accompany her mother and to spend NYE with her son.
So really Soledad did not INVITE them to the gathering, Yomama invited herself and Isa latched to her. Yes, it was wrong for Soledad to even mention it to them but Soledad herself was surprised that Yomama came over just because she knew they were celebrating there.
And I did hear Fernando sitting with Ana a while later question to Ana why Soledad would mention to Yomama that they were celebrating (as if they could not guess they were going to, in any case, what fault is it of Ana's, why not ask Soledad herself).
 

She was contemptuous of his concern for them as he stepped away...
well, he did tell her in no undertain terms that he was NOT HAPPY that she was there and that he did not kick her out right away because his children were around (not to cause a scene in front of them and the other guests, i guess).
So he is not buying anything she is selling, and i think he got to hear the tail end of Isa telling Ana that she came PRECISELY to ruin their NYE celebration.
 

Yomama is such an endearing persona it is hard for her to act around it in this show. That said, I find myself secretly rooting for her to renounce Isabitch and join the good side so I can openly cheer for her. She is one of the few who could really hurt Isabitch by exposing her evilness. But in the grand scheme of things she needs a mountain of good deeds to atone for her participation and/or complicity.
 

I don't know which is the funniest line of the night, if Yomama's 'me hice pis!' or Appolo's “There shouldn't be such a thing as a fify-year-old virgin.”

 

Kirby, I guess i feel the same as you... holding some shadow of hope for Yomama to do enough later to redeem herself to some extent.
 

Holy Cow, Urban! This was just great!!! FANTASTIC screen shots. I don't know how you do it.

I think I am at the point now where Nico and his greasy hair can leave. He can take Johnny with him and we can then find someone that is perfect for Jen. It would be wrong on ALL counts if Jennifer ended up with Johnny. W.R.O.N.G.

Fatima
 

Haven't watched the episode yet but just wanted to say to Urban, please don't ever do a recap without your splendid screen shots and commentary from the Gods. Your recap wouldn't be the same!
 

UA, honestly, what got me through last night was knowing we had a UA recap and a visit from our gods and goddesses coming.

Pretty much a filler episode to go with the holidays in Mexico at the time, and I have to say, most of it I found boring. And the Lasucrain meal--anyone else think it was sort of lame? I'd rather eat at Jen's or Leon's.

We knew it would be a Lenin and Fanny kiss as soon as she invited him to the party didn't we? Previews putting a nail in the Leon coffin? I keep watching the opening number to see if they change those two as well to see what's going to be end game.

I'm sort of done with the pranks from the kids on Isa. The side discussions by the adults were YAWN. That was apparently our farewell to the Nico character, guess Osorio couldn't figure out what else to do with him since he's throwing Jen at Johny.

Bruno and Betty could be cute, but why do we have to have them act like two year olds hiding. For cripes sake, who will care?

And Nando, suddenly he's all perplexed with Ximena coming? Retcon. I really want her back only to say her thank you and goodbye. Thought her move was permanent? Whatever.

Now that all the partying is over, we need to get back to real substance on plot. And I want to see Freeky Eeky let loose.

Daisynjay
 

The issue with Bruno and Beatriz is that they both work for Fernando. That they don't have the same workplace makes it less egregious that they are fraternizing but it could still be awkward if something went wrong. It does seem to be a little out of the blue because when would they encounter each other in the normal way of things?

I am wondering whether Fernando and Ana will consequence the kids for this latest prank. I don't know whether the combination of jarabe de tos and wine is dangerous, but I know that some stuff in the US (like Nyquil) shouldn't be combined with alcohol. Of course, the twins might be too young to know that but Sebas is probably old enough to know better.
 

Isa keeps flapping her 'You wanna kick out the mother of your kid??' line at Fernando every chance she gets... so I want Fernando to learn by some other means that he is not the dad so he will have a very strong line to rebutte that...

Wasn't it cute that when Nico announced he came from the cardiologist Luz asked 'and what did the cardio-loco say?' so cute.

so tonight more of the teenage dramedy... blah!

I am with DaisynJay, lets get back to the main plotline and advance it a bit...
 

UA, if there are consequences for the kids...
what about Ana(leading), Fanny, Sebas and the kids singing at unison:
ya llego la bruja!
que no se estruja!
y todos pujan
porque llego!!

or Isa's namecalling the kids in front of Fernando...
 

she called them malditos roedores pandilleros (damned gang of rodents)
 

Excellent UA. Thanks for the 12 grapes link.

"“There shouldn't be such a thing as a fify-year-old virgin.”

I normally can tolerate the Bruno caricature in small doses but last night he and Betty, just stupid.

Seemed like some of Magda's questioning of Fernando was to see if something going on between Ana & Angel.

Maryn is so pretty, which made it all the more funny during the prank

Yeah, Nic is gone, though I don't understand why he sent Jenny a text, he gave no heads up when he left for Switzerland nor of the divorce.

Boo, a reformed Juan, with Jenny, like eating a sour pickle with a cup cake.

Leon & Laura, noooo. Leon & Renita, she's the one helping to raise his son.

Thanks for the clarification Marta on why Yolanda & Isabela at the party. Ana did a good job with Fernando, justifying Soledad's burgeoning friendship with Yolanda, but the only thing really needed is to keep mother and daughter away from mother and daughter. Yolanda belongs in the street along with her daughter.

Nando is becoming a punk just like his grandfather.

 

I think we can cut Nando a little slack for his inexperience here. He's a hormonal teen boy who's been a nerd so long he hasn't given up the look despite encouragement to do so from both of these girls. He hasn't had time to learn how to handle this situation in general and this particular one is catching him off guard.

Agree that the Bruno and Beatriz situation last night was ridiculous. I'm afraid this will head into another ridiculous direction, like making Manuela jealous when Bruno is just not that into her.
 

Marta, I like your comment on the kids chanting and Ana going with it. Isa is the villainess in this thing so her comments and meanness is a given. But I would LOVE Ana, and to some extent Fer, to start teaching the kids that pulling the pranks and name calling is getting down to the mean person's level and the best way to get back at someone like that is to ignore them. don't respond like for like when they get mouthy and be better than them. What if this sort of thing happened at school and they were retaliating the same way? And using any kind of drug...holy smoke. Some people can't have that stuff. Not funny. yeah, great messaging to the young ones watching. I really dislikes that whole spiel.

And I'm sorry, this is the second time Isa has something all over her and is clueless about it? Gees, I have a stray hair across my face and I'm going crazy trying to find it. She doesn't see that stuff and it's piled on her nose and cheeks...is this supposed to be humor?

Daisynjay
 

Dear Urban,

Thank you for the splendid recap and series of screenshots. Such nice work on our behalf!

While I had to laugh at Isabela with the foam all over her face (Mayrin was great here), it does disturb me that the kids really have no sense of their pranks as destructive or potentially so. It is time for Fernando and Ana to seriously take this up with their kids -- and now Sarai, too!

Fanny's romances do suggest a kind of evolution. from the creepy Gustavo (who seemed to then reform himself a bit!); to the poor-guy made good Leon with whom there was no real relationship but lots of fantasy; to the mores serious, revolutionary talking' Lenin. Cool to evolve but I hope that there will be more evolving -- no end points for Fanny or Nando in this novela. Or Jenny for that matter! I doubt that I will get my wish but I can hope.

OT - V. and J. - Agree so much that El Manantial is wonderful. That last scene between Adela and Mauricio, on the balcony during the honeymoon, is so sweet and moving. I didn't realize that La sombra was a remake. Always torn about checking on in remakes of my favorites.


 

UA, Big thanks for the big recap, resplendent with photos and Olympian commentary. Greatly increased my enjoyment after viewing the so-so episode.

I don't find the kids' pranks funny. This is the second time they have slipped something into Isa's food/drink (remember the burp powder, while Isa was pregnant?) Sarai, Alicia, and, at the beginning, Ana, have also been victims of their tricks. That their "cuteness" always gets them off the hook is what annoys me.

Rant over, on with the show!

J in Oregon
 

"So really Soledad did not INVITE them to the gathering"

Yes, agreed.

" It would be wrong on ALL counts if Jennifer ended up with Johnny. W.R.O.N.G."

Agreed x 10!

Yomama: She has a lot to answer for as does Zerobela, but a step in the right direction is realizing her error and changing her ways. This, coming from the heart, does earn some points. Aside from her, I don't see any other character taking a journey from the Dark to the Light light.
 

I'm probably the only Johnny fan on the board but I don't generally have a problem with Jen and Johnny (except for the fact that he was Ana's boyfriend first...gross!)

I can't see Johnny treating Jen like a prostitute and that's essentially what Nico did to Jen. Nico got some sex out of Jen and then paid her off with a divorce settlement & a house. That he married her really doesn't matter because in the end, he got what he wanted from her, then disposed her like trash when he didn't want to deal with her, oh and by the way, here's a couple of dollars for your trouble.

I'm sure Nico did/does love Jen and cares for her but you don't treat people that way. So I would rather Jen be with Johnny (who I know won't treat her like that) vs. being with Nico.


Fernando should've gotten a hold of the kids' pranks long before Isaharpy came on the scene. Remember, they ran off nanny after nanny and threw paint on people so Fernando should've BEEN put them in check about that.

Still laughing at Yomama peeing on herself!
 

So far all Yolanda has done is bitch about her daughter to Soledad, Ramona and kinda to Dana & Doroteo. Noting about her involvement, encouragement or assistance in hiding what Isabela has done. She has not accepted any personal responsibility or asked for forgiveness, or willing to suffer consequences.
 

Anon 207, I have always liked Johnny. Yes he was Ana's boyfriend first, but heck, Ana is getting Isabella's sloppy leftovers. Yuk!

Thanks to all the recappers and commenters. Sorry I haven't said that for awhile.
 

I'm not sure Fernando boinked Isabitch at all on the honeymoon. I am sure he didn't at any point thereafter no matter what she said to Ana.

I do find it creepy for Johnny to be Jennifer's man after being Ana's for four years.

As for Nick, I honestly think that his heart attack was what made this happen. He and Jennifer were perfectly happy until he got that horrible reminder of their huge age difference. He retreated from a relationship he felt he couldn't handle because of his age without listening to what anybody was telling him. He may regret this, but he might also meet a woman closer to his own age whose needs may not be what he doesn't feel up to fulfilling.

What wasn't right was the manner in which he handled all this.
 

And Jenny had cancer and didn't mistreat anyone because of it. Nic may be all about his boys but treats women like second class citizens. That didn't just happen. He pushed her because he wanted her (tried to get her to move in right away) and tossed her after he was done.
 

There was a time when we didn't see divorces in novelas, except in cases of out-and-out deception and then if a church wedding an annulment was possible. That will end up being the case, I would think, with Ana and Fernando. Isabela deceived Fernando about the baby, so if no annulment, at least the divorce seems "moral" in traditional terms.

With Nico, it is a different story. The justification seems to be that it didn't work storywise and in terms of the popularity of the characters. Surely this wasn't planned from the start! Another part of the overall set of themes that seems random.

Back to the traditional morality of telenovelas. Fanny has slept with Leon, no? She ends up with Lenin (maybe!) The idea that a young female "good girl" character will marry a sexual partner is no longer the rule in novelaland. While not always very artifully done or clearly explained, actions in this novela are much more modern than traditional.
 

Do you think Nico is lying about what the doctor said? I don’t condone how he did it, but I understand why he felt he needed to break up with Jen. When he married Jen, he was pretty healthy and vigorous and then he has a massive heart attack and doesn’t feel like he has as much time as he did before. I wish he had chosen to be happy with her for as long as they had together.

I’m sitting at the Johnny table. Alone, I know. I see someone who’s trying to be the kind of man that deserves Jenny. If he was hitting on Jenny and chasing skirts on the side, I could see the animosity. I haven’t watched for the last two weeks, but I haven’t gotten the impression from the recaps or comments that that’s what he’s doing. And I don’t find him ugly. He’s not handsome, but I think he’s kind of cute.

I suppose Osario could add another character for Jen. That seems to be his forte - adding characters even during the last half of the novela.

nanette

 

Now that I've read the comments, I see I'm not entirely alone in my thinking re: Johnny and Nico.

Thanks all you recappers for keeping me caught up with what's going on. Hoping to start watching again soon.
 

I think Nic is telling the truth and needs to go to the seashore but what of the hundreds of thousands without the luxury of a home on the beach.

It doesn't seen Juan and Jenny the end game when this thing started and seems forced to give Adrian a more prominent role and love interest. Juan went from whining and crying, drinking and mouthing off to Fernando over Ana, then while locked up decided he was in love with Jenny. Then Nic is fearful of dying and wants to dump Jenny so he calls Juan as the guy to clean up his mess when Juan was always a mess. Huh
 

I just don't like how Nico disposed of Jenny so I really can't be supportive of a Jen/Nico reunion at the end.

I think Angel & Magda will end up getting back together in the end and adopting a kid from the girls' home.

I don't need to see Nico or Diego again until the Gran Final.

Leon needs to be with either Laura (!) or Reina.

Fanny needs to scratch her itch with Lenin, party and be a young girl finding her way in the world. She's young and she has time.

The psychologist should've been brought in for Sebastian when he was having troubles earlier, not for Alicia. That first breakup can be very hard but she shouldn't be overly indulged. It's not like Pablo dumped her, he had to move to another country.
 

Thank you for amazing recap.

Show has gotten a bit boring for me. Need the dancing reveal and Freely revenge to start soon so can get this thing moving.
 

** Freaky revenge
 

Thanks, UA! Your excellent screencaps may tell the whole story, but I really enjoy your writeups with the commentary.

I am completely disgusted that Jen is with Johnny now. I can't stand him, and I don't see that he's more than very minimally reformed. Plus, I REALLY hate the way Nico foisted Jen off on him like she was his property to dispose of as he pleased. Not okay. She deserves much better.

As much as I love for Isa to be out of commission, that prank was SO NOT OKAY. The kids had better see real consequences for this. They need to be taught not to do this. Drugging people can be very dangerous!

What a boring "party". It was basically nothing but sitting around until midnight before even having dinner. Couldn't they have put on some music for dancing? Played a game? Done something other than sharpen their claws and hiss their grievances at each other? It's not like these people are such entertaining company that the chitchat alone can make for a fun event.

I'm still amazed that they got a psychologist for Alicia and all hovered around to eavesdrop as though it were scintillating. I think Alicia's main problem is that she has nothing good to do. She needs a hobby. The only things she seems to do outside of school are obsess about her appearance and scheme to get a boyfriend/cry about not having a boyfriend. That isn't healthy. She should take up riding horses, like Fanny does, or take art classes or music lessons or play some other sport or something. It would give her confidence and help her become less shallow and make her more interesting. She is so boring.
 

On Nico... yes tossing Jen and 'paying her off' is wrong... as Fernando put it, it is cowardly. Howevr, we also have to look at it from Nico's point of view. As UA said early, Nico had not got a reminder of what effect the huge age difference between them would have in their relationship until his heart attack.
When Jen had the cancer and ended up without possibility of having a kid, Nico seemed to be a great option since he had all the grandkids and was too old to have kids of his own... or even adoption one. So when Nico insisted, she went along and marrid him. i guess what i am tryin to say is i don't disagree so much about Nico's decision as with his approach/way to communicate it to Jen.

About Johnny, i have to give him the benefit that he is giving it his all to change his ways of early and be a man worthy of someone like Jen. Yes he was Ana's ex, but the past is the past. both of them have changed quite a bit from those times.

I also want Fanny and Nando to both end up unhitched/untied to anyone. They both have to experience more romance to really get the full grip of it...

Bruno and Betty... yes i agree the scenes last night were way over the top but i don't discard the idea of them being together in the end.

Yomama. I agree that she is trying to get some kind of positive relationship with Ana, Soledad and the kids... but IMO it is way too little too late. She was isa's accomplice and she has yet to spill the beans about something she KNOWS should be revealied.

Leon IMO should end with Reina... Laura is your mail order B____ and should be packed and sent way way far away from all of these folks. Reina supports Leon in raising Mau and helps Margarita out.
 

I don't see Leon with Reina. He once told her he sees her as a sister; that doesn't change except in movies. She would need to do a major makeover on herself to be appropriate for Leon's professional future.

Either the writers are planning this badly or they are caving to viewer whim along the way. We have had no progress report on the police investigation into the murder attempt on Nick. He will be a lot safer for the moment away from the city but if Freaky escapes and finds him at the beach house he will be too isolated.
 

I think a Freaky murder attempt on Nico at the beach house will probably be the catalyst to get Jen & Nico back together, with Edna or Dana picking up the pieces for Johnny.

So of course it will happen.


 

Thanks UA, that was a fun episode last night. Isa and her mom have boundary issues. If they were really refined, like Isa likes to tell everyone, they should never have showed up uninvited. Angel needs a massage or something, the man is too tensed. Fer and Ana act like an old married couple. Their interactions are perfectly normal.My mom lives with us and anytime she does something wrong, my husband will ask me and not her. Most times I am not even in the country and I still get asked.

Hanna
 

The twins' cuteness does get them off the hook.... that's why I've compared them to kittens.

They may get away with it this time because Zerobela came to mess up the party.

Hanna, Zerobela and her mother are narcissists, a class of people with very serious boundary issues. I could go on about it for days.