Caray, Caray!

Thank you Vivi, awesome title! Warped Mirror indeed

(not knowing what “everything” means) The writers and actors are masterful in the use of perception and misdirection.

I was really fooled and floored that MD told Max about the affair after she characteristically called Max to fish, fearing what Clara told, then speaking with Isela and listening to her bull. Guess I was in the Leo camp at this point, MD has a well deserved reputation of lying and withholding information.

I felt every footfall Clara did as Espy, out of camera, clumped to reproach her for what she may have disclosed to Leo.

I need to beat it in my head so it will stick that Ivana has every intention of taking MD's child.

Unless it ends horribly I'm disappointed the Daniel character gets to blame his degeneracy on dope.

Best work last night was between Azela and Fabiola, incredible. That wasn't a toe to toe TN fight of telegraphed round house slaps and barbs but a cat fight in an alley.

The sixth man thing is like I'm watching Twin Peaks

 

Thanks, Tofie! Yeah, that confrontation between Josefa and Isela, where they both took their masks off, was amazing and riveting. Great work by both actresses.

Had Gerry not been there to control Ivana, she might have really hurt Susana. Poor Gerry. Being played for a fool by Ivana who has every intention of doing whatever it takes to get MD's baby.

I get why Leo is upset at Clara. But he needs to get over it. Everyone knew and didn't tell him, including his brother and father. He's a minor, and it was no one else's duty to tell him something like this except his family. And if his mother said she didn't want him to know yet, that was HER prerogative and her business. Not Clara's. I agree with Espy on this. Clara and Leo may be mature kids, but they are kids.
 

Thanks for your thorough and excellent recap. You got a great episode! Jo knows Isela knows she's not her bio Mom, Dan on the loose but addicted to drugs; Leo knows his Mom has cancer and MD finally tells Max about the Isela-Claudio adulterous affair.

I'm actually glad MD told Max AFTER the reveal that Claudio helped Dan out of jail because Max now knows his Dad is capable of scummy acts; it is not a far reach to believe Claudio can be cheating on Alma with Isela if he is capable of helping a rapist get out of prison. Claudio has already lost prestige in Max's eyes with the "I helped give a rapist obtain a get-out-of-jail-free card so the fact I helped cover up his father's murder won't get out" so he'll easily believe the affair reveal. That's important because Claudio successfully flipped the script on Leo because his reputation was still pristine. Phase one of the venganza-Claudio's rep damaged is accomplished. I sort of hope Alma dies before she finds out how much of a bum her hubby is. She doesn't deserve such a betrayal.

Revealing the secret now takes the burden off MD back to tbe two participants, where it belongs.
 

Great, great episode last night and great, great recap to go with it! This actually made me laugh out loud last night: The thought of carrying his child disgusts her. (Oh, no! She didn’t!) Ivana loses her sh*t

Speaking of Ivana, she looked straight up crazy last night, fuming at the breakfast table after that confrontation and later on the couch. She and Mal should go halfsies on a full-time psychologist.

Color me surprised that MD finally told Max! finally! I was surprised by how relieved I felt when she dropped the bomb. It played out in tragic parallel as Leo and Clara, advocates for truth-telling, broke up outside. Yeah, Vivi, I feel like he will forgive her once Alma tells him that she didn't want anyone to tell him, but he didn't stick around long enough to hear that part last night. JdesdeNYC, that's so true: the timing is very helpful on this. Which has consistently been a significant factor in this TN: what people reveal can often impact things/characters very differently depending on when they reveal it. MD just saved herself another horrific wedding day by telling Max now.

I think the most dramatic moment for me was the MD/Clara confrontation (I watched 2 capitulos last night). WOW! While Clara and Leo can fly off the handle in the name of The Truth, and fail to see shades of gray, I gotta say I was with Clara. In yesterday's comments, I think Vivi said that Clara's outburst was meant to speak for those of Viewerville that were stressing MD's secrecy and ITA. While she got a taste of the reasoning behind it herself and got to see MD's perspective, I still think she was right because MD's reasoning is slightly flawed: while no one wants Alma to suffer even more, I don't think anyone who knows Max believes he would willingly make a decision that could negatively affect his mother's health. As for him, having to deal with so much, that's true, but of all of the people that could drop that bomb, she must know she's probably the one that could hurt him the least with that information in view of how much it would've hurt him to find out that she had known and hadn't told him. So glad she made that choice last night.

Hopefully, Clara and MD will patch things up tomorrow by giving each other credit where credit is due.
 

I feel for Clara she pays for a decision not to tell forced on her. She showed real angst for the secret while MD didn't for hers and she purposefully lied to Max. I have confidence MD will cover and lie to Max again about something.
 

Finally the truth is out!!! Can't wait for tonight.

Thank you Vivi, great job as always. This show is soooo good, and your recap makes it even better because it fills in the holes I had. There are so many subtleties in this show that your attention to detail is very much appreciated.

Let's hope that what Susana said to Ivana this time will stick and make Ivana realize that yes, she's worse than Susana at this point.


 

Good point JdesdeNYC about the timing of the reveal about the affair. Max isn't gullible, he usually is pretty good about putting 2 and 2 together.
 

Thank you Vivi for the great recap of such a complicated episode.

I just came back last night from a long work trip and I need to catch up with Caray Caray but my impression is that MD waited until the Holidays were over to tell Max, so he would have those cherished moments with his family. For all the witholding the truth that MD does, she actually has a tendency to reveal it herself to Max, even if it happens several episodes later.

Jarocha
 

Great work, Vivi.

As bad as I feel for Leo, it wasn't Clara's information to tell. I do think that it was up to Alma to tell him. He would have felt very betrayed if she died and he found out later that both Claudio and Max knew.

I also agree with JdesdeNYC regarding the timing of the adultery reveal. After what Max knows now of his father's actions re Hector's death and Danny-Boy's release, this will be easier for him to accept. The problem is that this secret will be a burden for the rest of Alma's life not because he is incapable of keeping it from her but because of how many other people know it and will use it to hurt her if they can. How long can he protect her from Ursula, Hosefa, Maleny, Danny-Boy?
 

ITA, UA, it's a ticking time bomb. It's actually the same situation as with MD not telling Max about it: they have to weigh the telling her=hurting her with the hope that she won't find out at all vs. best way for her to find out (ie. being told by someone who cares about your feelings vs. a hateful shrew who wants you to suffer).

I'm just thinking of how devastated Alma will be vs. Claudio. Is it crazy how Josefa's willing to blow up Alma's world just so Claudio will get hit by the shrapnel? Or will the guilt and rejection he'll get as a result be equivalent?
 

It is crazy. Although we don't know the particulars of Marta's case, the records state that it was procedurally correct. If the graphologist can determine that the suicide letter was forged by Hosefa -- which is very likely -- Isela can use that against her.

Ivana has definitely crossed the line into CrazyTown, but I think that pushing Susanna's face into the plate was for years of the pent-up frustration she must have been feeling over Susanna's insults and humiliations. Why she didn't get rid of her a long time ago is beyond my comprehension. So many people get guilt-tripped into keeping toxic people in their lives that you have to wonder at their motives for imposing the guilt trip.

Alma has been a strong woman most of her life. She raised two honorable sons and was a pillar of the community. If I were her doctor or her lawyer I would advise her to not let the media in on this, rewrite her will and not leave Claudio a thing.
 

Glad you all liked the recap. Thanks for the great comments Tofie, JdesdeNYC, Hellashelle, Cathyx, Jarocha, and Urban.

JdesdeNYC- You are so right about the timing of the reveal to Max about the affair. Now, he knows how low his father will go. And he and MD don’t even know yet that he’s getting the man who attacked him and Julian out of jail. I don’t see how Max will ever speak to Claudio again after Alma dies. I’m sure he’ll pretend as best he can before that, for Alma’s sake.

Hellashelle- I’m glad you’re caught up now. I too breathed a sigh of relief when MD told Max about the affair. It’s off our shoulders now as much as it’s off MD’s. “Is it crazy how Josefa's willing to blow up Alma's world just so Claudio will get hit by the shrapnel?” Yes, it’s crazy. But it’s exactly what Josefa wants to do.

Cathyx- I wish I had your faith in Ivana, but I think she’s too far gone. Now she actively deceiving Gerry—lying about accepting his offer to father a child with her, while continuing with her sick obsession with MD’s baby and plotting with the Santibañez.

Jarocha- So good to see you here, amiga! Hope you had a good trip. Yes, I agree that a big part of MD’s delay in telling Max was because she wanted him to have this last happy holiday with his family together and united.

Urban- “How long can he protect her from Ursula, Hosefa, Maleny, Danny-Boy?” Yeah, that’s the six million dollar question. Not for very long, I think.
 

Josefa knows there will be collateral damage and doesn't care just as Usurla and Dan were giggling about Alma's illness, Josefa wants Alma to drop dead at the wedding.

The number of people in the know is exactly why Claudio should tell Alma himself. I hate Claudio and he just released Dan and he will release the guy that stabbed Max, worried someone will tell, so how far will he go? This is not about Alma but about him covering his ass. If Isela wasn't in the house, if Ursula, Maleny and Josefa weren't threatening daily and he and Alma were in peace I'd say let sleeping dogs lie.
 

Do we know what Ivana's keeping from Gerry this time? I wasn't sure if I missed it or if it wasn't said.

Poor Julian. It must drive him crazy to be so vulnerable. I kept thinking that it would be such torture for him to have his amada held up and assaulted while he couldn't move.

PS: I wasn't on the Patio for the Tuesday's episode, but can I just say that Flavio Medina killed it. He does weird, tortured, grossness like no one else I've ever seen. I was so revolted I think my lip stayed curled up in disgust for the entire episode.
 

Hellashelle- No, the writers did not let us in on Maleny's full discussion with Ivana. We do know that in their past conversation, Maleny laid out her fake dead baby scheme, but Ivana seemed against that. It may be the same plan, or some new sinister plan they've cooked up.
 

Thanks, Vivi. Superb title and recap. Round 1, 2, 3 -- you certainly captured Ivana and Susana’s bout.

She [Clara] wonders if Alma knew what was going on, would it spur her to fight for her husband, family and her life, instead of giving up as she’s doing. She explains to MD and Espy about Alma’s decision not to get treatment.

I wouldn’t want to take a chance that telling Alma about Claudio’s cheating would make her fight to live, but I do like that Clara thinks outside the box.

When MD went and told Isela that she was going to tell Claudio, I was yelling “Stop tipping off Isela, just do it!”

I have to give kudos to MD though for finding the right words to say to Max last night. You could see how much she cares for him.

I want to see Orly court Doris as he did (unknowingly) when he was hiding in her apartment. Hombre, don’t start something you can’t finish. You were the one that started making out with Doris on the couch in the first place. Getting busy at Chelita’s wouldn’t be right? Then take Doris someplace private and nice.
 

Niecie - that would be adorable, but now that they're not in the neighborhood, they might get less screen time until ultimos or the fin.

Also: When MD went and told Isela that she was going to tell Claudio, I was yelling “Stop tipping off Isela, just do it!” LOL, YES!!!
 

I didn't catch the details of the Chelito-Doris conversation, but I thought Nana was telling Doris to go for it. Telling Doris to cool off is a more appropriate reaction from someone of Chelito's generation, but I'm still a little disappointed. Soooooo...what secrets is YOU hiding, eh Nana?

Leo needs to grow up and stop with all the yelling. It's unproductive. I hope Clara lets him have it before she forgives him.

So sure, Tia Susanna is a mooching bitch who totally deserved the breakfast in her face. But she's not wrong this time. Ivana doesn't get to be all high and mighty while plotting to kidnap a newborn (or whatever she's planning). Gerry deserves better. I hope he lets Ivana have it before he forgives her. (He and Clara are too good not to go the forgiveness route).

Kelly
 

"are" you hiding. Jeesh. Don't want to seem all uneducated like Josefa, although most of her low class actions are probably on purpose.

Kelly
 

Nanis didn't explicitly say Doris should or shouldn't go for it either way. It was more like "why are you complaining? the guy wants to marry you and respects you enough not to sleep with you on your nana's couch! why not just enjoy that he's awesome like that?"

Josefa and Susana aren't always liars. Sometimes they tell the truth when no one else will...as long as it benefits them (or their tempers).
 

Niecie- Yeah, that was a nice bit of outside the box thinking by Clara. But I think it also showed just how young and naïve she is. I did appreciate that someone thought of another possible response to Alma finding out about the affair, other than she’ll fall over and die immediately. I have a third option—When Alma finds out about the affair, she will face it bravely and put it into the context of her not having much more time left on this earth. Meaning, she will not waste too much emotional and physical energy getting worked up about it, and instead focus on what’s really important.

It was New Year’s and Doris and Orly are visiting with Chelito. There’s plenty of time for Orly to take Doris somewhere romantic, if and when he’s ready to make love. Remember how long he was with Isela, and they NEVER did the deed (which may actually mean he’s a virgin). I just don’t think he rolls like that. He’s an old fashioned guy, and Chelito approves of that.

Kelly- Chelito was telling Doris that if all she wants is sex and a good time, she can go back to Ari, and she shouldn’t waste Orlando’s time. But if she wanted a real relationship based on love and respect, then she should just enjoy Orly’s slow roll. But she did not give up her own secrets about her former love life. You can bet Chelito, as conservative as she is, had a hot affair or two back in the day.

 

Vivi, wonderful recap! I kept sitting on the edge of my seat from start to finish, but there was quite a bit I didn't get. But you saved the day and got out a superb recap and filled in all that I missed -- and even more.

I just can't believe Ivana. How in the world can a sane person ever go to the lengths she's willing to go thru to get another woman's baby. And to boot-- that sicko's baby!!

And I think Alma's doing a great job with her "illness".

Ann-NYC

 

So is the thinking about Marta's suicide note that someone in jail killed her and wrote the note instead of Marta? And if so, how does that change anything?

I will guess that Max won't tell Alma about the affair and will even try to keep her from finding out about it.
 

Ann-NYC- Thanks! Yep, Ivana is nuts.

Cathyx- So far only Isela and Adrian are questioning the validity of the letter. I have no idea what Isela thinks it means if the letter turns out not to have been written by Marta. Just because it might not have been written by Marta, doesn't mean Josefa wrote it. We still don't yet know all the details about the theft that landed Marta in jail. It it's indeed true that Marta didn't steal the money from the bank, then she could have been framed by someone else at the bank-- someone who wanted to shut her up permanently.
 

It's pretty silly at this point for Isela to still be planning revenge on Claudio and focusing solely on him. From all the evidence she has seen, there was nothing wrong with his decision to sentence Marta to jail for the theft, based on the evidence that was presented to him. If someone framed Marta for the crime, that has nothing to do with Claudio. Isela should be spending her time tracking down all the other people who worked at the bank at the time. She's just as sick as Josefa to not be able to give up her Bustamante obsession after all these years.
 

"framed by someone else at the bank-- someone who wanted to shut her up permanently" Very possible and there were irregularities surrounding her death. Wonder who is Marta's mother and where is she now? Did Hector's death and Marta's imprisonment happen about the same time? What a mystery.
 

Tofie- You think Josefa isn't Marta's mom? I don't think she would give a damn about her if she weren't her daughter. It would be a crazy twist if Josefa weren't related to her too, but again, she wouldn't care that Marta had died.
 

I've got to believe that Josefa had something to do with Marta's jail time or her death. I don't believe that Josefa is an innocent party in this story like she claims. And Isela doesn't think she's innocent either, and is trying to find out what Josefa's part in this is. So if the letter is a forgery, (why would they go through all this if it isn't) that means that either someone in jail wrote it, or Josefa did. Now the question is why.
 

There are all kinds of possibilities! I'm looking forward to seeing how the Writers unfold this mystery. Looks like they are about to crack the mystery of who killed Hector, so who killed Marta will be up next.
 

Good to know that Chelito isn't TOO conservative. I bet she's got some stories from back in the day! And I approve of Orlando too. Last thing Doris needs is another Ari.

Kelly
 

Hosefa is always looking for the best meal ticket she can get. Marta was it while Isela was a child. It certainly was in her head that while Isela was boinking Claudio that she could get her to soak him for all kinds of money and other compensation that Hosefa could somehow sponge off her or steal from her. Except that didn't work out as she hoped.

The apartment that Claudio almost bought? Isela made it very clear that Hosefa would not be welcome there. Hosefa more than wore out her welcome at the Bustamantes' mansion. Isela would by then have used any money she had to get away from her and ruin her plans. And take away her last chance at a meal ticket.

I don't know whether Isela loves Claudio or not, but even the idea of that is such betrayal to Hosefa. Not just to her personally but to what she tried to make of Isela.
 

Oops. Meant Isela's mother. I wonder if Marta was killed why and if so who covered it up? Where is Josefa's father and how was he involved?
 

At one point, when Josefa was shaking the railing on her level of the apartment building and Espy(?) told her to stop/be careful, I wondered if that was how Marta had died. Now that I know Marta died in prison, I wonder if it'll be how Josefa dies. I just can't get the sense of foreshadowing out of my mind.

I also still wonder if Josefa didn't just pressure Marta into stealing for her, since she so enjoys her glimpses of the high life. Now that we've seen Ursula and Dan's experience, I wonder if Marta didn't ask Josefa for money to pay off someone inside to either protect her or stay away from her and Josefa didn't do it or Josefa's mad because Claudio signed off on it being a suicide without due diligence because that's what the coroner's report said (we all know how much a coroner's report means on this show).
 

I don't get the feeling that Claudio knows anything about Marta's death. As the judge who passed the sentence there wouldn't be any need for him to be involved after the prisoner was sent down, even if the prisoner died in jail. Plus, since his sentence/judgement was legit based on evidence, he doesn't have anything to cover up. For what? He didn't have a personal relationship with Marta like he did with the Santibanez.
 

Vivi, thank you for this recap.
It was......... telling.
The santibanasties family is hittin their mark,
The bastards, the lot of em.
Ivana is pitiful. Shes claimin the child as her own. I can't stand her. I hate it when people
Steal other people's children. And she thinks she is entitled to this child for what reason?
Can somebody please explain that to me, why does she think she's entitled to this woman's child? in what universe does she think this is going to be a good thing. this Twisted Sister is perfect for Danny, perfect she's just as really messed up as he is. these people are going to get exactly what they deserve and I think they deserve something a lot worse than an anvil. Especially those nasty santibanasties.
 

Then I wonder if there was some connection between Marta and the Santibanez? We are this far into the story and no one in the neighborhood talks of Marta, was she an otherwise good girl? What about Isela's father, was he a Fermin or an Ari?
 

Nina- You're welcome. Yeah, Ivana is almost as twisted and messed up as the Santibanez. In some ways she's worse, because she knows what she's doing is wrong. While the Santibanez kids were raised to be amoral.
 

Tofie, Marta is dead for ten years or more. Old news and we don't know how long anyone's lived there except for Hosefa, Honoria, Esperanza, and their children.

On another Santibanez question, does anyone remember Arango's explanation for telling Ursula they're bankrupt? And do her amoral brats still think this? If so the writers failed to provide that revelation.
 

Arango AND Ursula together told the "kids" they were bankrupt. I'm sure Arango was just following Ursula's orders. Ivana knows the bankruptcy is fake, and she even recently mentioned it again to Gerry (over Christmas), so I'm sure she'll use that information when it suits her.
 

They never explained why they lied about the bankruptcy, we were led to believe it was true too. But I can figure, now that we know Ursula a lot better, it was because she just wanted more money for the family and the easiest way to do that was to have the children marry it. When Dan finds out, will he disown his mother? That would be poetic justice.
 

Do we have a timeline for Hectors death? I'm guessing if Marta's was 10 years Hectors was 15?
 

Tofie, are you trying to link the deaths? I don't think they have anything to do with each other.
 

Not the deaths but down in the rabbit hole I'm in, Marta, her father or Isela's mother and the Santibanez
 

That's quite a rabbit hole.
 

Ok so marta and isela are blood sisters but
Different mommas? Sounds right. And so thats why hosefa abused her all these years cuz her bio mom wasn't around?,Yes?!?! What a hot mess. Come on happy ending!!!!!
 

I'm loving all the theories! We've got plenty of episodes left to weave some interesting narratives.

Nina- Yes. Josefa is taking her anger about Isela's mother stealing her husband, dumping their baby on her (or maybe Jo took Isela from them???), and running off together, out on Isela.
 

I remember seeing Arango telling Ursula that they're not broke and she was shocked. However, I don't remember the conversation that followed that.

They did both continue the lie with Danny-Boy and Maleny and I can understand why they did it although it never occurred to her or to Arango that they should just go out and get jobs.
 

Usurla used near bankruptcy as she goaded Hector. Wonder if there was even a financial crisis then?
 

Ivana, in that conversation with Gerry on Christmas, expressed her doubt about whether there was really a financial crisis when Hector died.
 

Tofie, the flashbacks said there was. Hector was murdered so that Ursula could collect his life insurance payout.
 

Just because Ursula (and Arango) told Hector there was a financial crisis, and she collected the insurance, doesn't mean he was really broke. It just means Ursula got rid of an inconvenient husband AND got some bonus money out of it.
 

I don't remember Arango being in the initial flashbacks of that. I remember Hector telling Ursula that they would just have to tighten their belts for a while and she went on about not being poor again. However, it's very easy to picture her as a Black Widow, especially if Hector guilted her into having the baby girl she didn't want.
 

The flashback was from the evening Ursula was badgering Hector to take his own life in order to save his children from his failure (bankruptcy). We can assume it was the same night the murder/"suicide" took place, and if so, then we know Arango (as part of the cover-up) was close by.
 

Vivi, here's one more huge thank you for the detailed description of this show. I'm back in the States and viewing again, but I really need all the bits and pieces that slip by me. As to whether Claudio had anything to do with Marta besides hearing the case - I doubt it EXCEPT that when Adrian first started to help Isela look into the case, either Adrian or the person who brought him the file commented that it was quite unusual to have this sort of file still available. That was a warning bell for me - but I can't figure out where they are going with this...
Marcia