Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Lo Imperdonable #1 Mon 5/18/15 The Heart of Darkness


Row!
The men steer the open boat down the river, cascades and lush green expanses all around them.  The slender man, the only one not rowing and clearly an outsider, spots a gorgeous snake coiled around a tree on the shore.  He takes a handwritten letter from his pocket and glances at it.

Ride!
A lovely, smiling girl – Verónica – rides an equally lovely (and probably smiling) white horse.  

Make Whoopee!
Jorge and Salma snuggle in bed.  If this were the sixties, they would be lighting cigarettes right now.

But on the River...
The sky turns gray and menacing, the water turbulent.  Lightning flashes in the sky.


While in the world of whoopee and pretty girls on prettier horses...
A second pretty girl – Virginia – makes her way carefully down a rather grand staircase.  She is smirking, so we know she is up to no good.   She is hoping that her cousin Verónica will be out of the house today.  She is visibly annoyed that Verónica is all caught up on her work and won't need to go to the office after all.  

Good Girls Know How to Treat the Help
Verónica greets her nana Matilde as she is readying the breakfast table, asks about her rheumatism, and offers to help her.
  
Overboard!
Nature has taken control of the simple boat.  Uspín, the foreman of the crew, falls into the furious river.  Martin calls after him.  "Give me your hand!  Hang on!"

Salma and Jorge are in a good mood.  We know why.
They come downstairs beaming.  Virginia takes Salma aside and kvetches that her cousin Verónica is staying home today.  Salma promises to take care of it.

We didn't get to see it because that would have put a real dent in the budget but...
The man who hired the crew – Martín is his name – has saved Uspín.  It turns out he has mad survival skills, and Uspín is grateful.  "I know this river very well," he tells him, but when there's a storm, it's treacherous." (Yo conozco muy bien este río, pero cuando hay tormenta, es traicionero.)  He figures the boss must have a very good reason to press on.  He does.  He has to reach Mina Escondida as soon as possible.  He wants to set out again when the men are ready.  He can't lose any more time.

While Back in the Not Precisely Civilized World... 
Jorge joins Verónica at the breakfast table.  He is nice to Matilde too.  When the older woman leaves the room, Verónica reminisces about Matilde's kindness to her when Jorge first took her in; and then she hugs him – she is so grateful to him for everything!

Virginia and Salma arrive, exchange secret witchy looks and then smile for their public.  Good morning!

Watchful Eyes on The River and a little local history  
The water is now green and smooth.  A young woman in a white, native style skirt and blouse with a colorful sash at the waist watches from behind a tree on the riverbank.  She holds a machete.  In the boat, Uspín tells the rowers to change direction – they are approaching their destination.  Martín looks.  And sees... nothing.  Well, just a rough wooden dock leading to a simple country landscape.  "Two hundred years ago, this was an important place," Uspín assures him.  But then the mines were spent and they were abandoned.  Later, new prospectors came and they found gold in Mina de Perla.
  
Uspín tries to refuse Martín's payment: after all, the man saved his life.  One thing has nothing to do with the other, Martín insists.  And the crew must be compensated for their risks and for the trip back.

Mugging and Sneering at the Breakfast Table (in case you are still wondering who is on first...)
Salma and Ginny exchange conspiratorial looks as Ginny pours the coffee.  Jorge reads about new gold prices and says the company will have to reprice all its designs.  Virginia's face brightens and she suggests a field trip to the office for Verónica so she can work on it.  But the joke is on Virginia – Goody-goody Vero couldn't sleep last night and since she knew about the change in gold prices, she repriced the entire catalogue and emailed her work to Jorge and Nicolás!  Great!  Now Jorge and Vero can just finish up the work at home.

Where in the World is Demetrio Silveira?
Before Martín parts company with the boat crew, he asks Uspín where he can find Demetrio Silveira.  Uspín doesn't know, but he directs him to El Purgatorio, the local cantina.  They'll be able to tell him something.

Machete girl is still watching as Uspín and his men set back down the river and the engineer heads to the cantina.  She throws the machete down.  It whispers as it slices into the soft ground.

Martín walks for what seems like a very long time through the kind of hot, desolate country where cactus likes to grow.  He comes to a cluster of low, tan buildings with no signs of life.  His shirt is soaked with sweat.

We see a church.  It is on a rise overlooking the rest of what may once have been a town.  We hear giggles, and then we see where they are coming from.  A small boy and a pretty teenaged girl are playing outside.  The boy has a dog on a leash.  Now the door to the church opens and a priest emerges, smiling.  He thanks the young woman who follows him, Ana Perla*, for embroidering the altar cloth.  Ana Perla calls to the boy and girl, Pablo and Blanquita.  It's time to go.  Her grandfather, Crescencio is expecting her.  (In an aside, Blanquita grouses that the abuelo is a crab who would put a chain on Ana Perla's ankle if he could.)

*This wouldn't be the Mina de Perla that Uspín mentioned?  Nah. Um...

As the little group walks away, the priest stands at the top of the church steps and looks SIGNIFICANTLY* at the figure on the dusty streets who is headed right for El Purgatorio.

*You can run into the kitchen and grab a beer and when you come back, he'll still be looking. 

Martín enters the cantina and asks about Demetrio Silveira. His question is met with stony silence.  "Didn't you hear me?" he says.  "We heard you," says a man seated alone at a table, "but we don't want to answer.  We don't like strangers here.  Go back where you came from."

"I'm not leaving until I see Demetrio Silveira!"

Things quickly turn violent. We already know our Martín isn't just another pretty face.  He fends off the creep very neatly, slamming his face into the counter of the bar.  "I want to know where Demetrio Silveira is!" he shouts again.  

"I'll tell you," says a quiet voice.  It is the priest, who has just entered the cantina.  "I'm Padre Juan, and we need to talk."  Martín follows him out.

Maybe if I wear a little pink party dress and put a matching ribbon headband in my hair, no one will notice what a bruja I really am.
Salma and pink-clad Virginia are waiting for someone.  His flight was delayed, Salma says.  It only landed ten minutes ago.  Salma thinks maybe they should tell Jorge about their surprise guest, but Virginia begs her not to.  She is afraid her cousin Verónica will overhear.  Salma agrees to keep the secret.

Meanwhile, Verónica and Jorge are happily working together  in the home office.  He is grateful for her work; she is grateful to him for taking her in and giving her a home.  He knows her relationship with her cousin Virginia and with Salma has not been the best.  Verónica flashes her dimples at him, assuring him that doesn't matter.  She understands that because Virginia is sick, she needs more attention from her aunt Salma.  Verónica is more than happy to have Jorge's affection, as well as Emiliano's.  And speaking of Emiliano, Jorge says that since he left, Verónica has filled his place in the company very well.

I don't know from cars.  Sorry.
A low, fast driving machine hugs the road.  The driver, a fair-haired man in his middle years, smiles, brushing his wind-swept hair off his face.

The Green Hell
Padre Juan has led Martín into the church.  The padre knows that Martín was very important to Demetrio, that he was like a father to him.  Martín explains that ever since their mother died when he was 18 and Demetrio was only 12, he has felt responsible for his brother (and he never thought of him as a "half" brother).  He pulls out the letter Demetrio sent him. His brother wrote that he was desperate and asked Martín to get him out of this place.  "It really is the end of the world," Martín says.  

The padre agrees.  "The indigenous people call it the infierno verde because many come in search of riches, but all they find is death."

Martín is alarmed.  "Is my brother okay?  Has something happened to him?"

"I'm sorry, son.  Demetrio Silveira is dead."

Quick cut to the highway
Zoom! The car accelerates and passes smoothly.

A few moments later, it squeals to a halt.  The niño Emiliano has arrived!  Matilde spreads the happy news!

But the news in Mina Escondida is far from happy.
Martín can't accept what Padre Juan has told him.  It can't be true.

"Your brother was a good man," the padre says, "but he changed in the time he was here.  Great pain can change a man.  Only the desperate and the ambitious come here.  Demetrio came here and partnered up with Botel, the man you fought with in the cantina."  

Flashback to Demetrio with Botel, sitting at a table and signing papers.

"They wanted to strike gold.  And your brother never stopped looking for the gold that would make him a millionaire in a few months."

Martín is puzzled.  The Demetrio he knew wasn't greedy.

Flashback to Demetrio in the mine.  He picks up a chunk of gold ore and grins.

"A few weeks before finding a vein of gold, a letter came from a woman, the woman he loved and who made her love conditional on his wealth."

Martín is still not getting it.  "Who? He never talked to me about  a woman like that!"  

The padre continues: "In the letter, she said she was tired of waiting and was going to marry a millionaire.  Demetrio started drinking more." 

We see a sloshed Demetrio violently shoving the glasses off a table and onto the floor...

"He lost interest in everything."

Demetrio takes a gun from under his pillow, and kneels down... 

"He was no longer a man, but a shadow.  He stopped eating, stopped talking, he didn't even care about the gold from his mine.  In the end, not even alcohol could give him the peace he was looking for until..."

A look of utter despair.  A shot sounds.

"...he took his own life."

"My brother killed himself?" Martín gasps.  "He died because of that woman?"

Padre Juan tries to calm him, but all Martín wants is the identity of the woman.  He asks to be taken to Demetrio's house.  He is sure that something there will lead him to that woman. 

Editor's note: Normally the Patio of Lowered Expectations is a beanie-free zone, but you may want to keep a beanie handy for this next part.

That middle-aged man in the little car?  He's Salma and Jorge's boy! 
Salma and Virginia come out into the sunshine to greet Emiliano.  He calls her 'mama' (although they appear roughly the same age).  He tells her that Nicolas, who brought him the car, stayed in Mexico to do some work in the office.  Virginia boasts that it was her idea to send his car to the airport.  She knows how much he loves driving on the highway.  Emiliano is so touched by her thoughtfulness that he actually takes her hand for a second or two.  But when he spots Verónica and her dimples, he drops Virginia's hand and sweeps up the hated prima in his arms, twirling her around.  She giggles with delight.  Ginny seethes.

Now Jorge and Salma join the party.  Jorge is thrilled at the surprise arrival.


Every Telenovela Should Have at Least One Character Who Refers to Herself in the Third Person

Padre Juan and Martín make their way to the rude, neglected house where Demetrio spent his final days.  Martín is horrified. "I had no idea – it's a pigsty!  But there must be letters, something that will tell me who she is."

Just then, Machete girl enters and says: 

Nanciyaga quiere saber si él es el nuevo patrón, padrecito.  (Nanciyaga wants to know if he is the new boss, father.)  

She kisses the priest's hand and explains to Martín that she used to take care of Demetrio's house until he stopped letting her in – and all the shine went out of his eyes.

"Tell me about Demetrio," Martín pleads.  Padre Juan excuses himself to call on a sick parishioner, leaving Nanciyaga and Martín alone.  

When the boss Demetrio arrived, he was very good to her, she says.  And all she knows is that he died because of a BAD WOMAN.  He never mentioned her by name.  He had a photo, but he tore it to pieces.  And he suffered – right up until the last day.

Nanciyaga shows Martín a box of Demetrio's "treasures," things the doctor said were for his family.  He finds some photos, a pen, a watch, a ring, a knife...

He accepts her offer to show him Demetrio's grave.  

Storm clouds obligingly darken the sky.  Martín and Nanciyaga walk through the graveyard in a downpour.  They pass granite and marble monuments, but Demetrio is buried in a humbler area, his grave marked by a simple wooden cross.  She hands him something that Demetrio gave her, a small pendant that belonged to the mala mujer.  And then she leaves him alone with his grief.  

Martín kneels down on the ground and touches the earth that covers Demetrio's remains.

Flashback to a hospital room, where their mother lies on her deathbed. 

"Martín, promise me that you will always take care of your brother."

"I promise I'll protect him with my life."

The boys weep over her now still body.  

Martin examines the pendant.  He reads the engraving: V. Prado Castelo.  His brother has pointed him in the direction of the woman who sent him to his grave.  He has her family name.  Now he just needs to find out her first name.  And then he will make her suffer!

And in a Parallel Universe
"Verónica and Virginia Prado Castelo -- the two of you are more beautiful than ever," simpers Emiliano as the family basks in the sunshine.

V is for Venganza!
Martín carves a V in the palm of his hand with Demetrio's knife.  Why did Demetrio wait so long to ask for help? Martín would have done anything to help him.  He was his only family.  He beats his breast. "HERMANO!  Why did you leave me like this?"  He presses his face against the harsh ground.  "HERMANO!"

Tomorrow: The hunt begins!



Labels:


Comments:
I just love the way the story begins in the present day. Let's here it for flashbacks!

So what do we think, guys?
 

Awesome recap! The slow motion scenes made me feel sick! Sergio is totally miscast, I could not believe they called him "Nino!"
 

I think... an AWESOME recap to a very promising episode.

Looking forward to episode 2!! :-)
 

Great start, NovelaMaven!!
Loved your quick scene cuts, they highlighted the episode very well.
Seeing Ivan Sanchez on a boat on his first scene brought back La Tempestad memories - what was the color of his pants?
I think Nanciyaga will get tiring really fast, I was already rolling my eyes at her after a minute or two.

El NINO Emiliano!!! HAHHAHA Sergio Sendel is pushing 50 and his "mom" is actually younger!! (quick google search: he's born in '66, she - in '68) - Such a bad casting choice!!
 

NovelaMaven, your recap infinitely better than what I watched last night. Thank you

"SIGNIFICANTLY* *You can run into the kitchen and grab a beer and when you come back, he'll still be looking."

Agree Eli, all that slow mo is stupid and like some high schooler is using a technique they believe is new and their idea.

The graveside scene way too over the top. I got it already.

 

NovelaMaven- Few can so perfectly outline the look and feel of a first episode, while not missing a single detail like you can. Fantastic recap!

The location shots were beautiful. The river was gorgeous. The desolate ghost town, so interesting and different than what we usually see. Ana Brenda looks gorgeous, as usual.

However, the Mejia over the top dramatic style is everywhere. Hopefully, that will settle down after the first few episodes. ITA with you all that Sergio is too old and terribly miscast.
 

Virginia smirking: she's going to wreak havoc!

This is soooo going to be very good!
 

Perfect recap, complete with much needed snark, NM!

With this being a Meija production, I was rather prepared for the smaltz and possible over acting (brought on by the dialog). Not so bad so far, and hopefully it doesn't go much more down the over the top road.

Having watched previous versions of the story, sort of know already where this is going, but this first episode sure was up front on who were the good guys and who weren't. And I definitely held unto my beanie with Sergio as the son. WTH?? I mean of all the available actors out there? Ok then.

Daisynjay


 

Agree with all of you on Sergio being miscast. I can still get into my cheerleading uniform from university but doesn't mean I should be on a squad.
 

I love Sergio Sendel but i agree that he is miscast. Since Osvaldo De Leon is also supposed to star as a villian , i kinda wished their roles would have been switched. The family meeting sorta feeled unatural and creepy with Sendel already but with Osvaldo, the naturality could still have been maintained due to his young age. I mean its a cousin meeting after a very long time has passed for christ's sake, drop the Creepy Factor!

I have never seen Selma ( The one who potrays the mom)
anywhere yet but i do remember that the one who potrays Nanciyaga also appeared in La que no Podia Amar as the angst filled Vanessa, the half sister of Ana Brenda.

I suppose Nancy will be fun to watch, it seems that the writers have read Caray Caray and noticed that some also speak in third person so they incorporated it to their character for further mockery. If we say Nancy is stupid then there is a high chance Nancy will say it herself!

I await the sentences:
" Nanciyaga stabbed you, Nanciyaga asks want some more?"
"Nanciyaga asks if she may strip Nanciyaga"
" Nanciyaga wonders who's the Creep"
" Nanciyaga is busy, Nanciyaga'll give you hell later"
" You may toss your phone but not Nanciyaga"

I will come up with more as i get the time to watch it more because the School weeks are in it ultimas semanas, gotta wait some more for the blasting FIN!


 

"Exam weeks are in it's ulitmas semanas"
 

Well. So you WERE on the Patio last night. I could make out some shapes in the dark, but I couldn't tell who was who because for some weird reason, so many of you were wearing paper bags on your heads. Listen up, guys – it's WAY TOO EARLY for paper bags!

Anyway, thanks for kind words. They are, as you know, the Breakfast of Champions, that is, of Recappers who are in training to be champions... or something.

(Just for the record, NovelaMaven does know the difference between hear and here.)
 

Eli and Stevey – two AWESOMES in the madrugada! That's really encouraging!

I could not believe they called him 'Niño'!

Heehee. Obviously, you are not alone. But after the initial shock, I find myself prepared to go along for the ride. I'm curious to see what Sergio makes of the role. And on the whole, I like Stevey's characterization of the episode:

Promising
 

Adriana, I'm not gonna lie. I was quite attentive to the color of Iván Sánchez's pants (they were often red in La Tempestad. In this one, he looks more like his character in La Reina del Sur, although he could do with more curls).

Tofie, of course you are right when you say:

The graveside scene way too over the top.

And yet, OTT is why I come here in the first place.:) I kind of loved the no trope left untripped approach in that scene.

I can still get into my cheerleading uniform from university but doesn't mean I should be on a squad.

Snort!
 

Vivi, you are a peach. Thank you! And thanks for acknowledging the visual gorgeousness of last night's episode. I expect the style will continue to be, um, stylized, but as the actors settle into their roles and the writers gain confidence that the audience understands the set-up, things will move along a little more naturally.

Were you bored last night? I wasn't.

Steve Boudreaux,
Yes, Virginia has the villainess smirk in the bag!

Daisynjay,
Thanks! I hope you stick around for this one. I've also seen previous versions of the story, and I much prefer this plunge right into it approach to the two-cast, before-and-after-the-time-jump way of doing it. (I either spend the next 150 episodes missing the first cast, or the first 10 episodes twitching restlessly, waiting for the B team to get off the field so the real game can begin.)

Ok then.
 

Good morning, Countx,
Yes, it is hard to figure out what went on with Sergio's casting. But he is always fun to watch and is certainly easy on the eyes. And Emiliano COULD be Jorge's son, so maybe the one miscast is Salma!

The Nanciyaga shtick is a short step from an India María (QEPD) kind of a character. The more you think about it, the more likely it is to seem offensive. So forgive me, but I'm not going to think about it too hard. But I do think that sooner or later, that machete is going to get some action.
 

Susanlynn was delighted to read a classic NivelaMaven recap. thanks for the giggles with my Cheerios.

I thought that the opening scenes of the boat sailing down that mysterious , green river were spectacular. Ivan seems to have put on some mass and muscle since his days as the metrosexual in red pants in LM. However, Susanlynn needs him to dial back the rage and angst a tad. I like my heroes strong and silent. Just saying.

Gretel (Virginia) seems to have been cast as the young witch reminiscent of her role as nasty Maria in Robo...A villainess whom I loved to hate. Pretty in pink did not mask the petulant miss that we all know she will be..Miss V. I guess Our hero will seek vengeance on the wrong V.

Part of the reason that I am hooked on these telenovelas is seeing actors and actresses in different parts. I last saw the tio in Pasion as the bad governor. Padre is often cast as a rich playboy. I like him better as av gentle padre.

 

And NovelaMaven is thrilled to know that susanlynn is on the Patio for this one!

Yes, the metrosexual who could never compete with William's wet white pants is GONE. I'm looking forward to watching Ivan and Ana Brenda dance around one another. That's going to be fun.

Pretty in pink did not mask the petulant miss that we all know she will be..Miss V. I guess Our hero will seek vengeance on the wrong V.

Yup. :)
 

NovelaMaven...LM was a Damfun novela.
Ivan has a very different role in this novela....large and in charge...and furious. It would be hard to pull that off in red pants.

I am also going to enjoy watching Sergio trying to pull off a young dude. As you said, the actor playing his dad is old enough to be his dad, but the actress cast as his ''mother'' is too young.

Well, I must get busy. It is my younger daughter's birthday , so the party has to start as soon as she gets home from work so that we can all attend preschool graduation. Big day here.
 

Susanlynn,
That sounds like – dare I say it? – damfun! Enjoy!

(From what I have observed in the world of the telenovela, boys in red pants simply don't stand a chance. Just ask what's his face on Amores verdaderos, you know, the one who channeled the Big Boy logo.)
 

Excellent first recap, NovelaMaven. Makes me a little nervous to think that my first recap will immediately follow your masterful one tonight. I'm afraid I don't have your vast recapping experience and talent for getting to the point of each scene quickly without missing the most important details.

Of course, I couldn't agree more with everyone that Sergio Sendel was terribly miscast. Oh well, I'll just have to wear my beanie on that one.

And may I just say that I wouldn't mind it if Nanciyaga keeps referring to herself in the third person for the entire novela; I just wish they would replace her incredibly annoying theme music.

I also agree with your added comment that the flashback approach is much better than having to sit around for several episodes "waiting for the B team to get off the field so the real game can begin." Especially when the star players are Ana Brenda and Ivan Sanchez!!!

Final note to patio peeps - our Lo Imperdonable recap team still needs one or two regular recappers for Tuesdays. My regular day is Wednesdays, but you will be getting back to back recaps from me tonight and tomorrow. Hopefully one or two of you will volunteer to start recapping next Tuesday.
 

My dear LatinaInMd,

From what I recall of your recaps, you don't have a thing to worry about! My "vast recapping experience"? Oy. That doesn't sound like something a person should be boasting about. But I am delighted that you liked my opening salvo.

I'll have to pay closer attention to the music tonight (usually, I find, Mejía does interesting things with music) – I tend to miss a lot when I am recapping and concentrating so hard on the words.

Thanks for reminding everyone that we still need one or two recappers for Tuesdays, beginning a week from today. Come on, you know you want to...
 

I got some new Nanciyaga jokes , man they're so fun to make and it's only the first episode :

"Emil don't toss Apple's, Nanciyaga 'll slice them in two!

"Commercials zip you're mouth , make no Nancy growl!"

"No brother makes a boom less Nancy makes a kaboom"
 

I've been doing more lurking than commenting lately, but had to wave at Ivan in the boat on the pretty river.

This seems like a great start, easy to keep up with so far. I enjoy seeing our cool and sophisticated Vanessa actress in a more primitive role. Sergio S. may be miscast as a young playboy, but he's mostly fun to watch, so we'll see. (Didn't like his super-evil role in Robo.)

"Storm clouds obligingly darken the sky" was one of many fun snarky bits. Even nature is cooperating in this one. Thanks for such a wonderful recap!
 

"Gretel (Virginia) seems to have been cast as the young witch reminiscent of her role as nasty Maria in Robo"

As long as she doesn't dance (that Robo memory just hurts),I'm fine with her casting. She can do menacing and meanness fairly well.

And susanlynn, a bunchload of birthday wishes to your daughter. And oh, preschool graduations. Brings tears to my eyes remembering my guys'. Those are always so adorable....totally unnecessary, but adorable nonetheless. ( I seem to recall my boys hated the whole thing and when the ceremony was over ran over and said "so where's the cake they promised". Ah, the good old days.)

Daisynjay
 

Ooh, La Paloma, if Ivan and I have been able to lure you out of lurkdom, we consider it a job well done. (What? A little too familiar with Ivan? Hey, we have an agreement. I write nice things about him and he sends me things, memorabilia from previous shows. You know, unbroken crystal, interesting wardrobe choices...)

And oh yes, Sergio is always fun to watch.

Daisynjay,

As long as [Grettel] doesn't dance (that Robo memory just hurts)
ROFL
 

Ivan chewed some scenery at the grave site. It was too much with the carving and screaming. But, I love him so I'll tolerate some chewing for now. Virginia in a pink dress was ridiculous. Sergio is way too old for that part. I like Vero, of course, I'll see if she has chemistry with Ivan otherwise I am out. I actually loved Kate del Castillo's version so this one has to be up to par for me to stay.
Romy
 

@Romy - I saw Kate's version; at least when it comes to the "chemistry" between the leads, I'm sure this one is even better.
 

I AM LOVING THIS SHOW. I saw 17 minutes of It on comcast On Demand last week. I started liking It then. This is going to be good. Ivan is a very good actor.

Looks like there will be a mother/daughter bitch team. Get ready to rumble people.

Your were out standing. You made it sound so good. Keep it comin maven.

Nina
 

Wow!

Carlos was planning on skipping Lo Imperdonable . His last experience with Ana Brenda C. was well... imperdonable. (Someone told him there was going to be a monkey.)

Then this morning I was thrilled to see that the first recap of this was by NovelaMaven whom I not so secretly adore. I didn't even record last night's episode so I scampered over to the Univision site and watched it there. Be still my heart, there was the lovely María (LQLVMR) calling herself Virginia (but unmistakably María)... kismet!

Looks like I'll be watching (and commenting) after all. NM and María? Can't miss.

I'm guessing that gringo will be watching... Ana Brenda C... should be a perfect fit... and he already refers to himself in the third person.

The Virginia table is open for business.

Carlos
 

Romy, I saw Kate's version too, although not all the way through (I started in the middle). I have a feeling that Ana Brenda (and Ivan) will give her a run for her money.

Hey Nina,
I don't know if you have been commenting regularly, but I don't think we've met. Welcome! And thanks for the nice words!

Get ready to rumble people

Hah! I'm ready!
 

@Carlos - we need a recapper for Tuesdays, starting next week. Are you interested?!! Come on, please say yes; we would love to see screencaps of this one, with your fabulous one-liners added to each of them. Pretty please?
 

Oh Carlos, can it be true? What wonderful news! [NovelaMaven averts her eyes as she admits rather shyly that she was hoping Carlos would be here.]

The Virginia table is open for business.
Yes. I would expect nothing less. I'm glad it exists and would be happy to stop by and shmooze. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to keep my EZ-come, EZ-go chair and will be rolling on by.

And yes, where is the gringo? This is definitely his kind of novela!

Things are definitely looking up!
 

looks like i am going to watch.... i only wish Pablo Montero had a longer role....love that guy..... i have been on the side watching and reading all the recapps of all the novela's and have been waiting for a good one to come along....hope this is it.....BNinCa
 

BNinCA

i have been on the side ... waiting for a good one to come along....hope this is it.

You and me both! I'm glad you decided to give this a try!
 

I saw Ivan in la tempstad. He seemed familiar to me when I saw him there. I wonder if he has ever been in any American movies or series. If anybody knows, let me know. He does his work with passion, thats why he is so good at it. Not saying the others don't but this man is just good good good. I'm probably over doing, I just love a good story.

That guy he had the fight with in the bar may have been the one to kill his brother.
Just a guess, might be to soon in the game to start pointing fingers. We'll see.

Nancy looks like a tough little lady. But she looks like she'd machetey somebody to death if they messed with her.

Veronica said virginia was sick, I think. Is she dying or what? Maybe they'll say something about it tonight. Ok gptta go.I'll Comment later people.

Nina
 

Eli would like to volunteer to recap because Eli loves Ivan Sanchez and Eli is good at snark.
 

Thanks so much NovelaMaven.

It was a nice premiere. It does look promising. I haven't watched any of the previous versions so the story will all be new to me.

The graveyard scene was over the top. The carving of the V in his hand was a bit too much.

I'm loving Nancyiaga and her machete.

I loved the music they played as Virginia descended the staircase.

Sergio Sendel was miscast but it will be interesting to see how he plays this role.
 

Yay, Eli.

I'll get you in touch with our recap team captain and the rest of the recap team. Your snark is awesome, so bring it on.
 

Awesome sauce!
 

Still recovering after this brutal episode of Que Te Perdone Dios, i suppose this will be on my watchlist as well to further my recovery.
 

I dont know what to add about first episode. Baby Emiliano is too much. Read somewhere, that his character will become bad. May be aka villain he will be more believable.
I guess, Nanciyaga will become love rival for Veronica. So once again Ana Brenda and Mar will fall in love with one man.
And what I dislike the most - music themes. Awful.
Alegria
 

Also to add to the injury i really really hate secrets of confession on murder/ abuse cases . I honestly hope there wont be much abuse of this privilege in this novela. QPD truly shows on how dangereous and inconvinient this philosophy can be.
 

I've never seen the other versions, so I don't know how old Emiliano is supposed to be but it might be the mom that is miscast, not SS. SS looks like he could be Jorge's son.
 

Latina,

I'm looking forward to your recap tomorrow, I'm certain that it will be excellent. Thanks so much for the invitation to join the team but Tue would have been impossible for me and any other night but Fri would be extremely difficult for me because I don't type and struggle to even peck out my comments. How great that Eli has stepped up. Her recaps are always top notch and this TN looks as though it will fit her wicked wit very nicely.

Verónica looked great riding that horse early in the episode last night. I took me back to CI though this time she was a bit better dressed and more neatly groomed than she was the first time she mounted up in CI.

Susanlynn,

How good it is to see you here too. Though it's off topic, let me alert you to the upcoming series remake, Poldark, on PBS beginning in June. I'm sure that you will find it very much to your liking and taste. Even if it's only half as good a the original, it should be stunning.

Carlos
 

Eli,

I think you already know I'm a fan of yours. It's great that you'll be recapping on this one. Woo hoo!
 

Hola, Carlos, so good to see old friends again. thanks for the heads up about Poldark. I remember you mentioning it long ago while we were immersed in another novela. You know what I like ..historical fiction. I am currently watching ''Outlander'' on Starz....YIKES. Notice that I used caps. It is a dark and stormy story of the highlands. Have you read the books ? Speaking of dark and stormy, are you still drinking those ?
 

Some one commented about the lady thats playing sergios mother, the age diffrence. Theres a two year age difference 66/68. Well we'er not suppose to notice that I guess. Of course some parents that take good care of themself sometimes look as good or better than their kids. Maybe that's the point they're trying to get across. she takes good care of herself.This Is tv, they can make it look like how they want it to I suppose. I'm just going to enjoy it. But its good you cought that. They should have cast an older woman just as attractive. I know they got em cause I've seen them. episode 2 coming up.........





The grave scene was dramtic. He's mad as hell and he's going to kick somebody's a$$ for brakin his brother's heart to the point of suicide.

Nina
 

Emiliano, Veronica and Virginia spent childhood together. Ana Brenda is 28 years old, Grettell - 38, Sergio - 48. So Sergio could be easily be Ana Brenda's father, but not childhood friend. That is why it is obvious miscast.
Alegria
 

Carlos- I think I watched Poldark on Netflix ad few years back precisely because you suggested it. I enjoyed it! My local PBS has also been playing the original series once a week for the last few months in preparation for the new version about to be shown on Masterpiece.
 

Sergio: I want that part
Mejia: But you're not in the age range. Wouldn't you like to be Jorge and try a good guy role for once? Or how about the role of the Padre?
Sergio (laughing): Good guy? Me? Try again! (Reaches into his pocket, pulls out his cell phone and expertly launches it to smash at Mejia's feet)
Mejia: Okay, okay, you get that part.
Sergio: Good, 'cause I was just about to go for your head (as he pulls a second phone from his other pocket)
 

Alegria- Yep. It's not just that SS and his "mama" are so close in age. SS is just too old to be playing the rival to the young galan, who supposedly grew up with these two young women. Grettell can still get away with playing young, and she does.
 

Anon 03:53 Too funny !! I think SS did play some supporting roles but not the main protangoist. I would love to see him as an protangoist in the gray area much like Rogelio Montero, merciless to his enemies ( Not beating them to death, i mean merciless with his antics and smarts with utter coldness but caring & loving to his loved ones) . I know he is old but atleast a supporting role could suffice like a best friend.


 

Well this is Mejia we are talking about, who had Victoria Ruffo playing herself as a teenager in TdA so....

Heck on Que Te Perdone Dios the Renata character should be no older than 41 years old, yet an actress in her late 50s is portraying her and the galan shouldn't be any older than 33 at the most but looks all of his pushing 40 years.

Unless it gets ridiculous let's ignore SS's age and enjoy his character.

I'd like to know why Salma doesn't care for Veronica. She kept making all these scrunch faces at her.
 

Carlos...I am wondering if there will be any giant terrariums to worry about in this tn.
 

Anon207- Mejia said something about missing the "essence" of a character when you have someone else playing their younger version. Whatever. At least we didn't have to watch VR playing a teenager the entire tn.

Watching SS play a 30ish year old man here for the entire tn is almost as bad as if we had to watch Iran Castillo play a 40 year old teenager for all of Perdone. It's easier to watch someone older playing someone middle aged, than it is to watch someone near middle age (SS) playing someone young.
 

Well as long as SS 's character doesnt go Full Joker till the ultimate semanas i will love to watch him. I dont think SS actually enjoyed his role in Robo very much, the only fun he had was when Alexis Ayala was accompaniying him in the badness but not a day passed when he didnt maltreat/ beat the holy swap out of women and torturing everyone with his presence including the clouds. He is best for his endless charm that can turn any uncareful eyes into the lion's share, spoofing from companies and throwing phones of course. Not a violent , dephtless gangster . A gangster with depth and charm sure as heck yes but not Peddy Bear!
 

Could it be that along with rheumatism Nana Matilde has cataracts as well and that's why she still sees Emiliano as a "niño" when he obviously is not.
 

Anon 3:28 : LOL That was great. I bet that is how the casting sessions take place at Televisa. It explains all the miscasting and typecasting.
 

Glad to see so many familiar faces join in. This is going to be fun to recap. And now that our recapping team is complete (Yey, ELI!!) let the games begin!

CountxAlacran, I actually saw SS in a protagonico, Amarte es mi pecado, with Yadhira Carillo (if I remember correctly) This happened about 10 years ago and he was pretty good in it. And wasn't he one of Adela Noriega's galans in La esposa Virgen?
As far as Nino Emiliano goes, the character isn't supposed to be a villain - let's see what Mejia does with him.

Latina, I loved Kate and Guy's chemistry in La mentira. If you're saying that Ivan and Ana Brenda are better, then I'm hooked already.

Mauricio, thank you for reminding me to mention the carving of the V on the hand. When I saw the scene all I could think of was "psycho much?" That was just too over the top. I'm used to telenovela hysterics, but the guy showed some true disturbance in carving that initial on his hand. And then all the mud... Isn't he afraid of an infection? Was the knife clean enough? LOL
 

NovelaMaven, terrific recap. I caught only bits of the show last night, but you've filled it all in so richly.

Sergio did look younger to me with the longer, fuller hair, though not 30. I'm looking forward to seeing how he pulls this off.

I like a good venganza story, but surely the brother didn't really commit suicide cause a woman didn't want him.
 

NM---The gringo is here and thank you for the awesome start you gave to us. Both you and Carlos are right, the gringo will be watching. Ana Brenda is a gift from the gods but even if Ana wasn't in it, this one looks good
on its own.

I guess that Grettell Valdez---Virginia is going to be making a lot of trouble. As others have mentioned, she was the bad girl in Robo. Way back in Clase 406 as
Daniela, she was an insider or part of the click although sometimes the bad girl in the group. I guess that those roles are the kinds she chooses. How much trouble will she be giving Victoria? I'm staying tuned.

Vivi said that the river was gorgeous. I liked it too but couldn't believe the waters color.
I kept thinking this must be Mexico's version of Universal Studios. I mean that the water was too perfectly blue. I have never seen a river anywhere that pure.

I was impressed with the little yellow church up on a hill in the town. It just made me want to go in.

I'm with Tofie in that the padres look was way too long. Yes one could have taken a snack break.
Also the grave scene was over done
I kept thinking, is he done yet?

All in all, I think that this will be good.

Was Victoria's white horse the same one in La Sombra Del Pasado?
The gringo

 

Alegria, I'm sorry, but I deleted your last comment because I think it was a spoiler. You were talking about things the rest of us have not yet seen.

Hey gringo,
Welcome to the Patio! I have a feeling we'll be invited inside that church on the hillside. That is very comfortable territory for a Mexican novela, especially a Mejía production.

Hi Niecie,
It's good to see you here. I am worried about you though. When you say, quite reasonably:

but surely the brother didn't really commit suicide cause a woman didn't want him.

...it makes me think you are not getting your Recommended Daily Allotment of telenovelas. C'mon. Unrequited love kills. :-)
 

Mauricio,

Could it be that along with rheumatism Nana Matilde has cataracts as well and that's why she still sees Emiliano as a "niño" when he obviously is not.

Nice one.
 

NovelaMaven, I thought, everything was shown in the first episode. Or is it a secret who was that woman?
Alegria
 

Alegria,

All we know from the first episode is that there was a MALA MUJER. We don't know who she is.

As far as Demetrio's death, we know what Padre Juan told Martín, but that may not be the whole truth.
 

This is looking like a good one!
Finally! Funny, I've never watched American soaps because I found them so boring, but the TNs are fantastic!
So melodramatic, so exaggerated and fun. The acting is usually pretty darn good, I love the visuals, the color and the cultural differences. So Martin can grieve in the mud all he wants and Nino Emiliano is hilarious with Sergio playing the part.

Thanks so much to all of you recappers who have generously volunteered to keep the rest of us enlightened.

BTW is Fernando Colunga MIA or what?
 

@gringo - believe it or not, that river and its gorgeous waters are REAL. The river is in the state of San Luis Potosi, in an area of the state known as "La Huasteca Potosina". Check out this travelogue video (it has nothing to do with the novela): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nOVSczEfY8
 

Those places in the begining were breathtalkingly beautiful. The colors are so vibrant. If the story gets boring I can enjoy the sites. And the people are beatiful to look at too. That water looked like a giant emerald. Beautiful. 28 minutes and its on......

Nina
 

Thank you for the recap. To those who answered about the chemistry between the leads, yes, I saw sparks between V1 and Martin. I am in with beanie firmly in place, if needed. Sergio plays villain very well so I guess that is why they may turn Emi into one. The character wasn't bad in Kate's version but whatever. I will stop with the comparison and go with the flow.
Romy
 

The actress playing Salma was one of the rich, bitchy moms in Teresa, if I'm not mistaken. She had a rich, bitchy daughter, too.

I think I am in for this one, though very late. I have been in Spain and also am leery of Mejia after that QBA mess. Where, btw, the galan was also at least 20 years too old for the part and I said never again for a Mejia tn. I should never say that. :)

I thought this first episode was way over the top melodramatic, but the recap was perfect. Thanks, NovelaMavin. Since I've sampled a few of the episodes that are currently airing, I know it gets better. See you on the patio!
 

Thanks so much, Caroline! I look forward to seeing you on the Patio!
 

I love you and your blog
 

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