Caray, Caray!

I'm subbing for Kat tonight. I don't know whether to tell her she owes me big time (because there were some things that really upset me or squicked me out) or thank her profusely for needing the sub (because there was some great stuff.)

I really feel like there are two writing teams. One is an expert team that's great at character development, creating tension and storytelling. The other team is a bunch of high-school sophomores cutting and pasting from the internet.

And they've inexplicably given the cut and paste team the main storyline.

I've organized this by writing team and then by events. Things may be a little out of order and highly condensed.

The Cut and Paste Sophomores
After overhearing Cris's call to the lab, Cande realizes they can't let him leave the house. She tells Sev as much. They can't let Cris send off the samples.

Cris is getting Aldonza's sample ready. He hears Cande screaming for help. He puts the envelope under some gimcrack on the mantel and goes to investigate.

Sev fakes some kind of attack. While Cris is helping Sev, Cande goes to snoop in Cris's room. See? I told you. Sophomores. Needles to say, she finds the envelope. She tells Cris to tell Mel to get the car ready. She tells Dom to go with him. Once alone Sev tells Cande they can't get rid of the sample or Cris will know. Cande has another idea. We aren't exactly sure what because the next we see of the envelope, Cande it returning it to the mantel. By the time Cris gets back to his father's bedroom, Cande is back in place. It's like the end of an Agatha Christie movie. Both Sev and Cande inform Cris that they won't need the car. Hum told them that Sev just needs to rest.


Hum tells Val and Pru that Cris is already married to Aldonza. It was awesome!!! Pru and Val flip. Val wants to know when he found out and why he didn't tell her earlier. Hum knew the day he discovered Cris in her bed. Hum didn't get to tell her because they left without saying goodbye. The wedding dress is useless now. Val thinks Hum is happy about everything going badly for her. Hum just wants her happy, but she has to stop trying to force things. Val throws glasses and generally acts like a jerk. She tells Pru privately that this baby is going to be good for something. She's going to go all in. She's not going to lose Cris again.

Aldonza tells Renato they need more security. She tells him about Sev's visit and Camilo getting hit and knocked out. Oh, nothing happened to her. She's fine. No, they shouldn't press charges since everyone in town works for Sev. Renato agrees. The decide to go into town.

Watching Cris cut his hair and "prepare" the samples is a hoot. I almost expect him to say the letters as he writes each name. "C...R….I...S….." He runs into Sev on his way out of his room. Sev has to go to town to investigate the water shortage, but Cris thinks he needs to rest so he offers to do that for him. Cris explains he was going into town anyway. Sev doesn't want any favors from him. Cris tells him it's no favor. Until things are settled with Aldonza he will be working at the ranch. It's also a big help to Mel. Sev wonders how Cris can have more concern for Mel than his own father. Cris replies "Maybe because I got more support from him than from you." And Cris tells Sev there's a book about horses in the envelope? Really? Lame. Cris will check on the water issue.

Cris runs into Aldonza and Renato at the municipal water office. He gets mad at her for walking in public with another man when she's married. She calls him on his BS. He and Renato get into it and Cris punches Renato. Y'all. Renato face plants. I cackled! So loudly my husband came out of the mancave and asked if I was watching my comedy. I'm cackling again just watching it. Wait. Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play. I probably should not find this so funny. Renato has a glass jaw. Dude is out cold.

Val goes to see Cris. Since he's not there, she asks for Cande. She's not home either. Val settles for Sev. He tells her that Cris and Aldonza might be half-siblings. Val asks how long the divorce will take. She is horrified that it will take three months. Sev tells her it will go by quickly. He tells her about the test and promises that he and Cande support Val in everything. He eye rapes her and caresses her hand. Ew.

The dam (presa) is broken and that's why there's a shortage and they are rationing water. They're trying to get it fixed...but it's up to the federal government. They are informing the town via radio announcement. The city worker wonders what she's complaining about, she's got plenty of water up there. She has to explain to this guy that the HOUSE gets city water. (Please see comments from yesterday's episode.)

Cris sends off the envelope.

Val asks Cande about the test. Cande explains that she switched Aldonza's sample with some hair from Sev. The tests are going to come out positive. Cris and Aldonza will believe they are siblings. They will never be together. Cande congratulates Val for getting Cris into bed with her while he was still married. Val runs into Cris as she leaves. She yells at him for sleeping with her while she was married (this was the end of the episode.)

The Professionals
Joaquin had a business meeting with Renato about the Mis Planes (that have become Sus Planes.) Silvia watches over little Ray and she is great with him. Silvia gives them Dr. Candy House before they leave. She explains that the house is very special and she knew it the minute she saw it. It deserves to be with someone who really wants to build a home and who knows what love is. Renato looked a little pissy to me. Yup. After Joaquin leaves, Renato tells Silvia "I know that little speech was directed at me." Renato tells her the house belonged to both of them and she had no right to give it away. Silvia tells him to sue her.

Later poor Joaquin has to talk to little Ray about mommy not coming back. She just has some problems right now. Ray asks "with Adriano?" So the name gets said again. Joaquin tells her that yes, mommy has some problems right now...but Ray is not to blame. Joaquin will give him triple the love.

Pru goes to see Tomás. First she scolds him for calling her in Houston. He wants to take advantage of his mom not being there. She brought him a little gift that she bought in Houston. He's ready to get it on, but Pru insists that their first time be special. She has an idea, but he can't tell anyone.

Whatever the plan is, it involves Tomas telling his parents he wants to finish school. He wants to study auto repair(?) He's found a school in San Miguel. I'm really not cool with this. His poor parents are so proud. He's a jerk to mess with his mother like that. And his dad. Phooey. This should be on the sophomores list for the action, but Tomas and Pru are being so brilliantly portrayed that they have to be put with professionals.

For her part, Pru tells Hum that their relationship is not working. He seems perfectly fine to stay in "the bastard's" room. She proposes they not see each other for a few days. She wants to go on a spiritual retreat in San Miguel. Hum agrees. He supports her and says take as much time as she wants.

With everything settled, Tomas and Pru engage in a little phone nookie.

Sim sees Flavia and Adriano again. When Adriano gets up from the table, she tells Flavia to leave the guy she's with and go back to the child she abandoned. Flavia asks who she is. Sim tells her she's just a woman who's made the same mistakes.

Adelina helps Padre J get ready for mass. She asks if he sent Emanuel's birth certificate to Dr. Zapata. He did, but he's not going to pursue it. When she questions him, he tells her she can pursue it. Emanuel is HER sister's child not HIS brothers. Adelina still seems a little confused and the Padre explains that he realized that it's ridiculous to look for the child of the woman who didn't do right by his brother. He asks if Raymundo knew about the affair. When she admits he did, Padre asks how his brother reacted she says "like any betrayed" husband. When Padre J asks exactly what that means, Adelina wants to know what he's getting at. Padre just wants to know if Ray confronted Sev. Adelina claims to know nothing about that. Padre J thinks it's a shame his brother died knowing his wife was cheating on him. And he still doesn't understand how the accident happened and he figures he'll never know.

Emanuel goes to see Sev. He wants to buy Solitario. I am going to not do this justice because it was a very difficult scene for me. Sev laughs at Emanuel. Emanuel explains that he and Solitario are like one. He begs Sev to sell the horse to him. If he has to pay all his life, he'll do it. He offers double. Sev thinks his plan to win on the jinete circuit is ridiculous and that Emanuel is naive. Emanuel begs some more.

Sev calls for Jacinto and Mudo. They laugh at Emanuel's offer. Sev tells Emanuel that Solitario has lately become quite wild and unfriendly. He's been thinking about getting rid of him. Emanuel begs "please give him to me." Sev isn't going to sell Solitario to Emanuel, and he doesn't want to give him the horse either. He'll just have to sacrifice him. Emanuel is beside himself. And so am I. They better NOT follow up on this. Sev tells them to throw Emanuel off the hacienda and then come back and shoot the horse. El Mudo explains (through Jacinto) that the horse is in San Miguel. They took him to the fair. He will be back later. Sev tells them to shoot him then. He'd rather shoot the horse than give him to Emanuel. Emanuel gets on his knees and begs him not to kill the horse. They have to drag him away. I am emotionally spent. But I have to watch Emanuel explain the whole thing to Joaquin in the cantina. Joaquin can't believe Sev is really going to kill the horse. Emanuel disagrees. Sev is going to kill the horse to demonstrate who has the power. Sev is capable of anything. He doesn't have blood in his veins. He has poison.

Padre J begins the Eucharist.

Yo confieso ante Dios Todopoderoso, y ante ustedes hermanos que he pecado mucho de pensamiento, palabra, obra y omisión.  Por mi culpa, por mi culpa, por mi gran culpa.Por eso ruego a Santa María siempre Virgen, a los ángeles, a los santos y a ustedes hermanos, que intercedan por mí ante Dios, Nuestro Señor. Amén.

I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Cande stands before the Padre. He refuses her communion. She tells him he can't deny her communion. He says he most certainly can and turns his back on her. She has to walk out of the church in front of everyone. She confronts him after the mass. She tells him never to make her look ridiculous again. And never in front of the whole town. He asks her if she's embarrassed that everyone realizes she can't receive communion. She thinks Sev was right and that Padre is a prideful SOB. Padre is just a simple priest who now realizes that Cande can't enter the church like some wonderful Christian. And she most definitely can't take communion now that he knows what he does. Cande dares him to violate the confessional seal and tell her to her face what he knows. She hates the day he came back to Santa Lucia and he says the same about her aligning herself with the monster she married. Or perhaps she did that because she and Sev are the same. She slaps him. Padre thinks it's best that she leave. He prays for forgiveness. (This is a better ending than the episode.)

Previous: Episode 76
Next: Episode 78

Labels: sombra