Caray, Caray!

Thank you Juanita for kicking off this crazy week. In the ancient Aztec culture, these last 5 days of the year were known as nemontemi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemontemi No one was allowed to do much of anything: no business transactions, no work. Some people translate the term as the "wasted" days. This was when they made up the discrepancies in their calendar to match actual solar events. Which interestingly enough are sort of weird even in our modern calendar as we go from the solstice, through a slight pause or wobble on the axis before the days begin to get longer again. I've always loved this idea because it gives me an excuse to play catch-up and clear out all the odds & ends on my desk and deal with loose ends. So happy nemontemi to you all. Can't wait to watch tonight's BAJO.


 

Bajo
I love these little gems of knowledge you all come up with.
 

Nemontemi, I love it! Having a whole 5 days off work thrills me. Thanks for this gem, LXV.

I'll be doing my usual Monday recap later this evening.
 

BAJO


LXV, Thanks for Nemontemi. Love it!
 

Bajo

Muchas gracias, LXV, for the delightful info about nemontemi. I wonder whether it applies to computers as well. Mine is refusing to work. I hope it doesn't plan to observe all five days of nemontemi. :-)

What IS working is the plot of Bajo. Wow! So many things are coming to a head. It's beginning to feel more like últimos capítulos rather than últimas semanas.
You've got a juicy episode to recap, Novelera.
 

BAJO EL MISMO CIELO – LUNES- Parte 1 de 3

Wow! There’s not a bit of fat in this novela. What a terrific plot. Every scene is so well acted, making it a joy to write recaps.

Lo de Viernes: * Felicia tells Carlos she won’t give Gracie the satisfaction of testing Anita’s DNA. * We see Susy asking Jacob about María and his feelings for her. * Adela tells Erick that Colmillo is alive.

Rodrigo, outside Felicia’s house, says to his father: ¿Como mendiga la vida, no, jefe? ¿Se empeña en enfrentarnos, te das cuenta? Primero por la clica; después por Adela; y ahora por Anita, mi hija. (How crappy life is, isn’t it, Pops? It keeps us confronting each other: first because of gangs; then because of Adela; and now because of Anita, my daughter. He tells Carlos that Gracie told him she exchanged her daughter for Felicia’s.

Carlos: “If Gracie hadn’t told you, I was planning to tell you when you appeared out of nowhere.” Rodrigo: “If you were looking for me, then you think it’s true.” Carlos: “Yes, but this isn’t the place to talk about it.” Rodrigo wants to go inside to see his child, but sees a cop who’s watching the place. Carlos tells him Cristóbal arranged it to protect Felicia and Anita from Colmillo. Carlos: Follow me in your car and no hagas panchos (don’t make a big fuss here).

Cristóbal has brought Rodolfo home. Said R. then throws a big pity party for himself. None of the three watching: Cris, Chabela nor María are convinced with the “hit by a car” story.

While Susy is trying to get her father to tell her what’s up with he and María, he gets a call from the clinic where Débora is.

Ramona tries to convince Juana to talk things over with Santiago. Juana is now working at Jacob’s house, and she’s peering out the window at Santi and a crew doing the gardening.

We see the newlyweds at home. Adela tells Erick they need to set up some ground rules. He says his clothes have to stay in the Master Bedroom so it will look right. He shows her that he has the documents ready to present to an attorney.

Rod and Carlos have a very interesting scene in Carlos’ house. Carlos says he wants to resolve this. Rodrigo says he wants his daughter back and now. He says the facts speak for themselves: Felicia doesn’t want him anywhere near the baby. Gracie didn’t appear to care about the death of Teresita. The feelings that he had holding Anita at the baptism mean the call of the blood. Carlos says he felt the same. Rod: "Of course you did. It’s your granddaughter." Rod tells his father that he’s not going to deny Carlos seeing the baby, but he’s going to have his child even if it’s above the law, Felicia, and his father.

Felicia goes to see Padre Domingo and eventually tells him under the seal of confession that Anita is the child of Gracie and Rodrigo.

Back to Rodrigo and Carlos. Carlos tells him he should watch his tongue, and of course he doesn’t hate Rodrigo. Rod reminds him of what he said when they spoke about Adela.
 

BAJO EL MISMO CIELO – LUNES- Parte 2 de 3

Carlos tells him he’s not going to discuss Adela with him and that he learned for sure that she never returned Rodrigo’s feelings. Rod gets salty with his father, saying no one will take his child. Carlos: “Be quiet and listen for once in your life! I don’t plan to take Anita from you if it’s proven she’s yours.” Mollified, Rodrigo suggest a DNA test. Carlos agrees but says that Felicia doesn’t want it. They’ll have to figure out a way to do it. But Carlos tells Rodrigo that he won’t give him the child if criminals surround him. He also tells Rodrigo he has to get a lawyer and that HE’LL handle Felicia.

Susy and Jacob arrive at the facility with the longest lasting rehab in the country. Débora really does seem better. She gives Jacob his signed divorce papers. She embraces Susy. She tells her she can’t come back to Beverly Hills after all that happened. She plans to travel.

Erick and Adela come to see Andrés about getting Adela legal. He tells them he can’t be their lawyer. He knows that she doesn’t love Erick. Erick jumps up and says that he IS in love with Adela. No one forced him to marry her. He isn’t getting any money for doing so. “I’m doing this because I love her!”

Adela isn’t happy with Erick for deceiving her. She says he made her believe he did it for friendship. She says that, if he’d told her of his feelings, she would not have married him.

Juana brings cold drinks outside for Santiago and his crew. He tells her that he loves her, but Juana isn’t ready to forgive him. She tells him he left her all alone when she needed him, when she had to tell the whole world what happened to her. She doesn’t know if he deserves her.

Andrés has apparently decided to take their case. He explains how the law works. He’ll send the petition to Immigration. In 3 months she’ll get a permission to work legally in the country. Three months later there will be interviews with Immigration where they’ll try to find discrepancies in their stories about the marriage. He’ll need joint accounts, tickets showing travel together, photos. Andrés says that, if this works, they’ll give Adela temporary residence for two years. He says they can’t separate or divorce until everything is approved, and this could take a long time. Adela looks worried, and a tiny smile appears on Erick’s face.

María is ready to tell Rodolfo she wants a divorce when the kids rush in to fuss over their wounded papí.

Before Adela and Erick leave Andrés’ office, Rodrigo and Gracie arrive. Adela asks what they’re doing there, and Gracie tells her it’s not her concern. Rodrigo: “And what are you doing here. Ah, I suspect it’s about getting your papers.” Erick tells him that what they’re doing there is none of HIS concern.

Rodrigo tells Andrés he wants his help in getting his daughter back.
 

BAJO EL MISMO CIELO – LUNES- Parte 3 de 3

Colmillo gripes about the income he’s getting from the La Colonia guys that are on his side. He tells them to kill anyone who doesn’t cooperate. One of the guys says that Fire pays those other guys really well.

Ramona wants Susy and Luis to get married, rather than live together.

Patricio calls Rodolfo on his cell and tells him he’s fired as the band’s manager and he’ll make sure he never gets another job.

At home, Cristóbal tells the suspicious Chabela that they should leave the stuff with Rodolfo and María alone. Neither she nor he tenemos velas en este entierro. (One of my favorite expressions. Neither you nor I have a candle in this burial – or funeral.)

Andrés tells Rodrigo that only Gracie should ask for the custody of Anita. Rod says he’s OK with this. He realizes that he has a criminal record. Andrés says that, if they win, only Gracie will have custody. They both agree.

Erick and Adela are having lunch in a restaurant. She tells him she doesn’t want to hurt him. He tells her that, in the past, marriages were for convenience. But they ended up in love. Adela: “Do you realize what you’re saying? You have hopes!” Erick realizes he overstepped and excuses himself to go to the Men’s.

We see Jay and Colmillo lurking outside the restaurant and watching Trenzas watch Adela.

Carlos has come to see Cristóbal. He asks him why Felicia withdrew her case against Gracie. Then, seeing Cris’ expression he says that he thinks he also has his doubts. “You also think Anita may be the child of Rodrigo and Gracie.” Cris says he doesn’t know. Carlos tells him the only way to solve this is with a DNA test, but Felicia refuses. And the more she refuses the more he suspects. Carlos asks him to help.

Rodofo tells María that he lost his job with the band. He says it’s the worst moment of his life. He’s messed up physically and unemployed. He says the only things he has left are María and his children.

Carlos and Cristóbal come to see Felicia. Carlos tells her that Gracie insists that the baby is hers, and now Rodrigo also knows. Cristóbal tells his sister to put an end to this and accept a DNA test.

In the restaurant bathroom Jay puts a gun to Erick’s head.

We see Colmillo approach Adela’s booth. He leans over and says: La última cena no se la niega a nadie. (Everyone gets a last meal.) He sits down across from her.
 

Bajo

what an excellent recap !!!
thank you so much novelera!

 

TELEMUNDO...

I saw a promo tonight for "¿Quién es quién?", coming soon to Telemundo.
(Eugenio Siller is no longer the Dragon)

filmed in Miami,
this has run through 46 capitulos on Gala TV in Mexico.

wiki page with cast list here,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/¿Quién_es_quién%3F

I'm interested in seeing again, Daniela Wong, the young daughter in "Dueños del Paraíso", Guillermo Quintanilla, the bookstore owner in "En Otra Piel " , Oka(iry) Giner, Susy in "Bajo el mismo cielo", and Jonathan Islas, who is currently in "Celia".

 

Fatmagul:

Vivi, wanted to say many thanks for the summaries you have posted for this novela, especially for your wonderful detailed character descriptions! I'm really enjoying the music, beautiful scenic shots, and new crop of actors.

It's interesting to watch this storyline unfold, but it is still jarring to think of how Fatmagul was forced to marry a guy she believed was one her rapists, and that eventually (it seems) will come to care for him. Has she come to accept that Kermin did not rape her? But I am glad that at least Kerim assumes his role from that night, and knows he's just as guilty.

Bless EbeNine for living with Fatmagul and Co. I know she was pretty much forced out of her town, but she is definitely needed in that household. I dread to think of Mukkades as the sole head woman of the house.

I haven't seen today's episode yet, but can't wait to see the result of last week's cliffhanger. Just the mention of the name Fatmagul has become an exploding bomb.

jlk

 

General:

LXV: cool info on Nemontemi! Definitely need to send that link to my boss.....

Deb: tks for the info! I can't wait to see Eugenio Siller in ¿Quién es quién? but unfortunately I don't think he is as buffed as the Dragon was :( And Jonathan Islas is also fun to watch, but I will never forgot him as the creepy sociopath in Flor Salvaje. Is this tn going in the 8/7c timeslot?

jlk
 

FATMAGUL:

Thanks, jlk! You will not be disappointed by yesterday's episode. Very exciting!

Fatmagul is not quite ready to accept that Kerim didn't rape her, but I do think that day by day she believes his version of events more. But from the beginning I didn't think this absolved his role in helping to detain her and not doing anything as his friends raped her, and I was happy to hear him say that and admit his own guilt. It will still take an incredible act of forgiveness on her part to eventually trust him with her heart (and body).
 

Bajo

OMG, Novelera. What a spectacular recap of an action-packed episode! ¡Muchísimas gracias! I loved so many things about the recap, such as your capturing telling details like Erick's slight smile at the lawyer's office. I especially appreciated the Spanish you included and translated. You picked out the very phrases I needed.

The meeting of Adela and Erick with the lawyer made me fear that Erick's days are numbered. The process of getting lasting legal status for Adela sounded as if she'd have to remain with him and only him for a lot longer than she wants. Just how the novela will get rid of Erick isn't yet clear. I doubt that it will be as simple as Yei pulling the trigger in the men's room. And since we're still supposedly in últimas semanas (not capítulos), I don't believe that Colmillo will be done in so soon (though of course I am confident that Adela is not eating her "última cena").

Question: if Erick were to be killed (now or later), would Adela as his widow be eligible for the "victim" immigration status that Juana apparently has?

I confess that the scene in the restaurant took me by surprise. The writers faked me out. I thought Colmillo and Yei were after Trenzas, another of Rodrigo's most trusted allies (R.I.P Gacho).

Poor Padre Domingo apparently can't tell anyone what Felicia told him in her confession. But I was happy to see that he at least didn't offer her absolution.
If she were the devout Catholic she claims to be, that would be a big deal, but she apparently practices a very selective, egocentric Catholicism.

I was a little surprised at how harsh Juana was with Santiago, especially after he told her (yet again) that he loves her.

Ah, so Carlos has gone to seek Cristóbal's help with the DNA test. It looks as if Cristóbal has a Major Decision to make, not just about Felicia but also about his own covering up of the earlier DNA test. I have a feeling he'll fess up.

 

BAJO

Novelera,

Thanks so much once again for your time and dedication to recapping this telenovela for all of us who eagerly look forward to reading your work. We all appreciate you.

1. I thought that Adela knew that Erick was in love with her. He was after her for
quite a while.

2. I thought the excuse of the lawyer about the couple not being in love was lame.
Many couples marry for convenience...other marriages of a similar type... or marriages involving Sugar Daddies, etc. The lawyer handles legal matters, not affairs of the heart. I did not get that at all.

4. Greicy looked sad that she and Rod are not a real couple.

5. Apparently, Felicia has a limited conscience or rather a fear of dying with a huge
mortal sin on her soul. Nevertheless, she has got it wrong. If she is truly repentant, she must change her behavior which she has no intention of doing.
Along with confession is the requirement to amend one's ways.

My 8-year-old grandson wrote a most appealing note to Santa this year that touched the hearts of all of us, "Dear Santa, I know that I have done some bad things recently, but I promise to be good from now on." Santa was truly taken with the young boy's note and left him the gift of his dreams. We were all impressed at knowing that the child was bothered by his conscience while at the same time working the art of a deal ....and just for good measure, he added extra cookies, saying that he would "rather be safe than sorry."

I was surprised at Juana's response to Santiago. I did not realize she felt that way.
But she is absolutely right. She was the victim of a horrible crime, and Santiago
completely let her down, reversed roles, and became an annoying, selfish whiner.
He does not deserve her. She needs to go to school and move on.


I wonder if we will ever see Deborah again. At least, she delivered the divorce
papers but said not one word of apology to Aunt Ramona. As she said, she is going to handle things in her own selfish style. Susy will find far more love with Maria.

Ramona's advice continues to be wrong. She has her failings.

 

General
Thanks for the information about the promo for Quien es quien. I'm looking forward to watching all three of the upcoming Telemundo shows.
 

Bajo

Great comments, Floridia! I loved the store about your grandson. As for the rest, I agree with almost everything you've said. The one place where I feel differently is about Juana and Santiago. Though I got pretty fed up with his drunken whining, he did try for quite a while, as I recall, to get Juana to open up to him, and she kept pushing him away. So finally they're together for a few moments, he gets to tell her again that he loves her, and although she clearly seems to care for him, she again pushes him away in what I thought was a rather highhanded way. ¡Ya basta!
 

Bajo. I'm back! Excellent recap as usual, novelera! And excellent comments by Floridia and Juanita! I see Felicia is torturing Padre Domingo again. Count me in on the side of those who are glad that Juana is showing a sense of self worth. Obviously, she and Santiago will get back together, but he probably should suffer a bit more, if only because for quite a while he was making the suffering about him, not her. She really suffered--he was mostly reacting by being upset that she hadn't confided in him about what she was going through, so that he could "fix" it. Very handy--but mature and no doubt for the best that Debora has now taken herself out of the action--presumably for good. All that of going on a long trip is maybe just a bit facile a plot device--but at lest we're rid of her.
 

BAJO

Wow! blockbuster episode, fabulous recap and really interesting comments. novelera you continue to amaze me with the high caliber and lively tone of your writing. The kind of thing where I have to stop and grab a cup of coffee before I sit down to savor. Thanks for translating those bits; they were copied straight into my Spanish file.

I guess plot devices like the "seal of the confessional" and switched babies are standard telenovela fare, in this story they don't seem quite so cliché; they move the story along. I'm liking the writers.

Should we be concerned about Deborah? I agree with SpanProf that the long trip plot device is a bit facile. I realize she was in the shrink tank for quite a while, but I don't quite believe in her cure. The fact that she can't face up to Ramona makes me think she still has issues with shame and anger. What an expressive face! She seemed one moment genuinely relieved and the next, all tight and tortured. Maybe they just had to write her out of the script in a hurry because we're in Últimas, but there's still time for her to stir up trouble, or, commit suicide (that was my first thought on seeing her emerge from the hospital). Let's hope not.

The Juana/Santiago scene had me utterly confused. Since when did she get so unforgiving? I hope she gets some good long-term counseling to help steer her out of the morass. Glad she's standing up for herself, but seems to lack insight. Or maybe because of her ordeal, she's completely realigned her priorities and Santiago just doesn't fit anymore. Floridia's right. She does need to go to school.

The seal of the confessional forbids the padre from absolving Felicia's sin, but he's still held to silence on the matter. But she's so selfishly deluded. This is a woman who got rid of her own husband. But the acting is a cut above. Despite being the villainess, she's shown a sweet vulnerable and even generous side (when it suited her).

deb, I'm going to copy your post about ¿Quién es quién? and paste it directly into the ¿Qué nos cuenta? page. You are a treasure for digging this stuff up for us. (I hope you won't mind if I credit you with the info.)
 

Bajo

Floridia, it’s true that Erick was after Adela earlier in the novela. But then he told her he’d realized she loved someone else and, basically, no harm, no foul. He pretended that he was a good loser and had moved on. And he again told her, after the news conference, that he was doing what he did as her friend and also to save Jacob the embarrassment of having an undocumented worker on his staff.

Andrés’ initial refusal to take on Adela’s case did make sense to me. I took it to mean that his ethics as an attorney wouldn’t allow him to represent a false matrimonial state. Here is part of the Code of Ethics of the California Bar Assn: (d) To employ, for the purpose of maintaining the causes confided to him or her those means only as are consistent with truth, and never to seek to mislead the judge or any judicial officer by an artifice or false statement of fact or law.

Juanita, I was also faked out by the restaurant scene. I thought Colmillo and Jay were planning to kill Trenzas.

I suppose María is going to hold off telling Rodolfo she wants a divorce because of his pitiful scene in the bedroom. Gah!
 

Bajo. Regarding Licenciado Andrés: I think even nowadays an unconsummated marriage is not considered a marriage. Andrés knows that Erick and Adela are living together, but not having sex--which might disqualify their marriage from being a legitimate one in the eyes of ICE--but of course would be hard to prove. One of our instructors married a foreign national a number of years ago, and by the time all the red tape was completed (and it was just as lengthy as Andrés described), and it was time for their ICE interview, she was 7 months pregnant with their first child. The first thing the interviewer said when they walked in was "Well, I can see you've been cohabiting!"
 

Fatmagul

Outside of blackmailing Mustafa about the shooting and offering him lots of money...what else was discussed to make him take the money from the vile family that abused Fatma as opposed of going after the other 2 guys I was so disappointed in Mustafa. He has totally forgotten his love for Fatma.


Nett
 

BAJO,

Welcome back, SPANProf. We missed your provocative comments. I'm sure that you had a great time with your family.

Interesting story about your coworker. People do fall into temptation and also make love through circumstances and not from Love.

Adela could even be pregnant right now by Carlos, and in no time, her condition could be obvious. That would be another messup, but I doubt if we have time for all of that.

I can see what you are saying, novelera, about ethics -- especially since this case was so publicized; their life is an open book -- or magazine.
 

BAJO
I had a young colleague once, many years ago. She was an intern really, just learning the ropes in the big city. She came here as an aspiring artist from some quiet backwater in the South because of an aunt who ran a restaurant up here. This aunt, it turned out was desperate to keep her chef, who was regularly threatened by NYC's version of la migra. The unscrupulous aunt was trying to force my young friend into a "green card" marriage to save her business. My husband and I had to spend many long evenings persuading this girl to go against her family. The aunt had painted it as "just a formality"; there would be no repercussions or obligations. Boy, am I glad we succeeded, as uncomfortable as it was. This conversation about Erick & Adela is very enlightening about the realities. I had no idea what a mess it could be. The girl has since gone on to become a speech therapist and is quite independent of toxic characters like the aunt.
 

Bajo

I just remembered something that occurred to me last night, but I didn't put it in the recap. Rodolfo has money to take Estela to a hotel for some extra-marital activity, but he hasn't paid Chabela her child support for two months. Jerk!

And María immediately told Chabela SHE'D take care of it.

Why, oh why, didn't Patricio come see María about what Rodolfo was doing? That would have been the best revenge of all. Rodolfo would have been out on his ear and at the park, with his guitar case open in front of him, playing for quarters.
 

FATMAGUL:

Nett- I'll have a recap after the episode tomorrow. But this is the deal with that wimp Mustafa accepting the money...1) He's being threatened by the Yasaran with being sent to jail (or killed) for shooting Salim; 2) He already feels like a waste of space and hates himself after realizing how he betrayed and abandoned Fatmagul; and 3) He's been getting a taste for the rich life after hanging around Erdogan, and he wants the money to be able to make himself into a rich man. He pretty much loathes himself now for his weakness, cowardice and stupidity (both before when Fatmagul was raped, and now for accepting the money and walking away) and greed.
 

Bajo

I'll try to have a recap or mini-recap of last night's episode ready later this morning.
 

BAJO EL MISMO CIELO – MARTES- Parte 1 de 2

The episode opens in the restaurant with Colmillo telling Adela that he's going to kill her because she killed his daughter, Noemi. Adela insists that she did not kill Noemi, that Noemi was a drug addict and died of an overdose. Moreover, Adela had tried to save her, but it was too late. Adela goes on to say that if there was anyone responsible for Noemi's death, it was Colmillo. "Noemi joined the gang to be close to you, to gain your respect. In spite of our having been best friends, she betrayed my brother and me. All that mattered to her was your respect, the respect of a father who abandoned her." Adela tells Colmillo that Noemi's last words were El tiene que querer me. Soy su hija (He has to love me, I'm his daughter.) This does give Colmillo pause, but he tells Adela that he's going to kill her anyway, because El Faier betrayed him and El Faier is in love with her.

At the same time that Adela is trying to make Colmillo understand that she did not kill his daughter and thus does not have a debt to pay to him, she's also pleading with him not to involve Erick in his vengeance, that Erick has nothing to do with this. We see Erick in the men's room, where Yei has a gun pointed at his head. He tries reasoning with Yei, offering him money, telling him Colmillo doesn't care about Yei, that Yei just does his dirty work while Colmillo gets all the glory. But when Erick claims that Yei doesn't even have a motive to kill Adela, Yei explodes. He tells Erick that he hates Adela, and if killing Erick would make Adela suffer even a little bit more, Yei would kill him without even thinking about it.

Colmillo orders Yei to bring Erick out of the men's room. On Colmillo's orders, the four of them leave the restaurant without making a fuss. Erick tries negotiating with Colmillo, offering him money, but Colmillo won't consider letting Adela go, and he whacks Erick in the face with his stick for saying that he knows Colmillo needs money.

While all this is happening, we also get a scene between Carlos and Cristóbal trying to persuade Felicia to permit a DNA test of Anita. She repeatedly refuses. With each refusal, Carlos looks more and more skeptical about her claim to be Anita's mother.

We also see a brief scene at Rodrigo's, where Rodrigo is unable to reach Trenzas. He worries that perhaps Colmillo is involved, and he orders one of the other gang members to bring a car and get a few of the other homies to come with them.

We then jump back to Colmillo's capture of Adela and Erick, and we see Trenzas bound and gagged in the trunk of Colmillo's car. Just as Colmillo orders Adela into the car, another car pulls up and [trumpet fanfare here] Rodrigo and his homies get out. Rodrigo yells at Colmillo to let Adela go, that this matter is just between Rodrigo and Colmillo. Then the gunfire begins. As this continues, Adela and Erick use this distraction as a chance to escape. They also manage to free Trenzas, though I'm not sure what happens to him. He may get away with them, but I'm not sure. Adela removes from her purse the gun Rodrigo had given her for protection, and she shoots at one of Colmillo's men, wounding him in the arm. Then she, Erick, and perhaps Trenzas make their escape. Colmillo is enraged at the guy who was shot in the arm, and Colmillo rewards him for his efforts by shooting him, saying "You let them get away."
 

BAJO EL MISMO CIELO - MARTES - Parte 2 de 2

Meanwhile, back at Felicia's, Cristóbal asks Carlos to let him speak to his sister alone. Carlos happily goes into Anita's room. Cristóbal is quite direct with Felicia, telling her that her refusal to permit the DNA test says it all. He appeals to her as the practical woman he knows her to be, saying that if she admits her error, Carlos may forgive her, but if she persists in refusing to permit the DNA test, she'll lose not just Anita but also Carlos. He then leaves, and when he's outside, he tells Romero, the person guarding Felicia's house, that he'd like him to keep an eye on her and let him know where she goes, whom she sees, and, above all, if she seems to be planning any sort of travel with Anita.

Carlos, meanwhile, is cooing over Anita at the same time that he whips out a baby scissors and snips a bit of fingernail from two fingers and puts them into a plastic bag. Soon after, Felicia comes into Anita's room and starts asking Carlos about his feelings for her (Felicia). She gets more and more agitated, as it becomes clear (as it was to Viewerville all along) that Carlos is with her only because of Anita. At last, she asks Carlos to leave, and he does so.

Carlos comes to Rodrigo's to see Greicy and her mother. He tells her that he has some fingernail clippings from Anita, and if Greicy goes with him to the lab, they can have a DNA test done. Greicy and her mother are ecstatic. Rodrigo returns, and Greicy tells him about the upcoming DNA test. To everyone's surprise (including mine), Rodrigo is initially angry: they made these arrangements without consulting him. He says he wants a say in everything having to do with his daughter. He eventually calms down.

I haven't yet mentioned a brief scene between Juana and Ramona, where Juana acknowledges that she was wrong not to tell Santiago about Alan's mistreatment of her, but she still feels Santiago wasn't there for her when she needed him most.

There's also a more interesting scene at the Sanders involving Luis, Susy, and Jacob. Susy is unhappy that her mother has left without indicating a return date. Luis wisely tells her that perhaps her mother wants to start a new life, just as he and Susy want to start a new life together. They kiss passionately, just as Jacob and his lawyer Andrés enter the room. Andrés and Susy go to see Ramona and Juana (where Andrés gives Juana the news about her getting a humanitarian visa), while Luis is alone with Jacob. In a rather cute scene, Luis tries to speak about his plans for the future and...um....and...um....the tongue-tied Luis finally blurts out that he's asking Jacob for Susy's hand in marriage. Jacob replies that in his way of thinking people shouldn't marry at such a young age. Luis thanks him sadly and gets up to leave, but Jacob continues by saying that if Luis truly loves Susy and she accepts, "I'll be more than delighted." The ecstatic Luis embraces his suegro-to-be and lifts him up. He asks Jacob not to say anything to Susy, that Luis has planned a surprise for her.

This is followed by a brief scene back at Carlos' house, where Luis tells Carlos that he's planning to marry Susy. Carlos first asks whether Susy is pregnant. He then tells Luis that he thinks he's a bit too young. Luis points out that Carlos married at an even younger age, and that Mr. Jacob has given his consent. Carlos embraces Luis and is very happy for him.

Carlos then leaves to go to Felicia's to have more discussion with her (and perhaps to tell her that there will be a DNA test?). He arrives to find the guard, Romero, out cold on Felicia's couch, having been given sleeping pills in his coffee by Felicia. Carlos then races into the baby's room to find that the baby is gone and so are all her things. "Where have you gone, Felicia?" a very worried Carlos wonders as the episode ends.
 

Bajo,

wow, thanks so much Juanita !!!

if I could add, I think the dna test was done, Carlos picked up Greicy to take her along and it was after she returned to the mansion, that Rod also returned and overheard her talking to her mom about the test.

btw, from the internet,

"cheek swabs and blood specimens are the typical samples used for paternity test and other family relationship DNA tests."

"it is possible to use other types of non-standard samples for DNA testing, including,

• Hair (must have roots attached)
• Muscle or organ tissues
• Bones
• Fingernails
• Chewing gums
• Cigarette butts
• Toothbrush
• Other frequently-used personal items"

"In addition, the circumstances under which the specimens were collected, stored, and handled before they arrive in our laboratory are factored in to satisfy the chain-of-custody requirements, which determine if the results are legally admissible."

http://www.dnatestingforpaternity.com/dna-test-specimens.html


oh, and Andres confirmed for mr. Jacob that he was indeed a "free man" (his divorce is final) who later took the news to Maria and then asked how it went with asking Rudolfo for a separation, only to find out she didn't follow through.

 

Bajo

Thanks very much, deb, for the additions and corrections, as well as the interesting info about DNA tests.

One other thing I left out was the figurative head-butting between Rodrigo and Erick after they got back to Erick's apartment after the escape from Colmillo. Adela tries to break up their screaming session, throwing a sop to each of them: Rodrigo saved their lives, but Erick has the right to call the police if he wants. At least I think that's what she said--I'm really not all that sure.
 

Bajo. Excellent recap, Juanita! I too was struck by the fact that El Colmillo seems to realize that Adela is telling the complete truth about Noemi. She died of an overdose, Adela tried to save her, and EC is at least partly responsible. But it doesn't matter! Now he wants to kill Adela because he blames her for Rodrigo's shooting him. He just wants to kill Adela!
 

Bajo

Hola SpanProf. Welcome back!! I agree, Colmillo just wants to kill Adela. It's hard to know whether, having pursuing her for so long, he can't switch gears after learning his pursuit was misguided, or whether he just loves killing.

I was surprised to see how deeply Adela's account and accusation got to him. He pretty much breaks down in front of Yei and asks whether what Adela said is true (I'm not sure whether he's asking Yei or himself or both).
 

BAJO,


Juanita, thanks for the terrific recap. There was certainly much to cover, and thanks also to others who added some more details. I can never follow the fast-paced action, but I did see Adela with the gun and know that she wounded the guy in the arm.

In addition to breaking up the screaming session, Adela disarms Rodrigo, puts the gun on the sofa, and then, giving the gun back to Rod, asks him to leave.

Loved this expression: "throwing a sop;" I'll have to start using it.

I thought it was cute how Jacob brought the actual divorce papers to show Maria.

I have a young friend who was madly in love with a married guy, and he kept telling her the divorce was imminent -- any day now. It was all a lie. No procedures had begun. She told me that if she is ever in a similar situation again, she would ask to see the papers and go over them with a fine tooth comb to verify their validity.

It won't be long before Rudolfo's game is up.

Where oh where is Felicia?

We need to hear from Sharon again about Felicia's past.


All the best to all,
 

Bajo. Floridia: Good comments! One can only hope that Rudolfo's game is up! The best would be if he somehow walked away on his own--maybe on the arm of a rich female suitor? Adela isn't to blame for Rodrigo's falling in love with her and trying to protect her either--it's his own responsibility that he shot El Colmillo. Maybe EC is scapegoating Adela somehow, and what he'd really like to kill is his own responsibility in his daughter's death?
 

TELEMUNDO... speculation

hmm, "Celia" is of last night, 53/80 which since it won't be shown on New Years day like the other novelas, takes us to feb. 8th, the magic Monday, which will probably be replaced by "¿Quién es quién?", but flying under the radar is another musica/bio "Hasta Que Te Conocí" (the story of Juan Gabriel) produced by Disney for Telemundo, but said to be only 13 capitulos.

feel free to repost anything of mine LXV, and thank you and Juanita for doing such a fine job with this blog!


 

Bajo

Floridia, once again you've offered terrific comments. It's hard to believe that you have any trouble following the action, since your remarks are always so perceptive.
 

Bajo: Great recaps evreyone. First, when Erick said his clothes have to be in the bedroom in case la migra visits the place. That is NOT true they don't visit since the 1980s. Second, the lawyer can not represent them if he knows for a fact the marriage is false. It's unethical. Third, although having traveled together is goo as one of the proofs of a real marriage other things may suffice. Disclosure, I sponsored my husband so I have gone through everything like Adela and Erick. Many people don't live together just have to have all their t crossed and rehearsed their stories for the interview just like I know real couples who fail their interviews, lol. It happens. You are nervous or forgetful about some details and boom, they don't believe you. Anyhoo, I was on pins and needles for a couple of minutes.
Romy
 

Novelera,
5 ft Latina, aka La Diva del Desierto, would like to be in touch with you. She thinks you may already have her email address. If you don't, let me know here and I'll post it in a message.
 

FATMAGUL

I don't think Mustafa was wrong for accepting the money from the Yasaran after he had shot Selim. The point for the Yasaran paying him off was for Mustafa to get gone and stay quiet about Erdogan raping Fatmagul with the additional blackmail of them having the gun he used to shoot Selim as further incentive. The money was for him to get gone and start over.

What I blame him for is not leaving afterwards, showing he was fearful for his life, and giving himself some time to reevaluate what he did wrong by not ever believing Fatmagul.

He's basically staying around the Yasaran and becoming their lap dog, because he's gotten greedy, knowing what he knows about what they did is the problem. Like Mukkades, he's very entitled, thinking he deserves the good life after he "suffered" losing Fatmagul.
 

Thanks so much, Juanita, for another terrific recap!

No time to say too much, but a couple of things came to mind after reading the recap and the comments.

What Colmillo said, after hearing Adela's version of Noemi's death, was that he needed to kill her to dar al Fire donde más le duele. He said something about knowing that Fire betrayed him because he was in love with Adela, so killing her would be to hurt Rodrigo. He also said something about Rod having been his SON who betrayed him. I also believe that he thought Adela was telling the truth.

And Erick didn't come off too well in the scene afterwards. (Was that at Erick's house? I guess so, since Rodrigo was the one who left, if I remember correctly.) He ragged on her about waving a gun around like a crazy woman, and Rodrigo correctly told him that he'd be dead if she didn't have the gun. And he got all pissy about her having gotten the gun from Rodrigo. ¿Estuviste con él? This almost sounded like he meant that she'd been with him sexually, although it could just mean having been in the same room with him. Bottom line, like all the "other men" in novelas madly in love with the protagonist, he's seething with jealousy because he knows she doesn't love him at all.
 

Bajo. Excellent observation about killing Adela as revenge against Rodrigo, since it would make him feel terrible, novelera. Kind of shows that Rodrigo and Greicy may be playing a dangerous game in asserting their parental rights about Anita. Imagine what El Colmillo might do if he realized that Anita was Rodrigo's child!
 

Bajo

I'll do one of my shorter recaps tonight.
 

FATMAGUL:
This week’s three episodes centered around three key characters finally learning the truth about the rape—Meltem, Mustafa, and Ebe Nine, and the fallout from those revelations.

Part 1) Meltem Learns the Truth:
Meltem is the first to have her eyes opened. Just as she’s about to walk down the aisle with her husband-to-be, Selim, Fatmagul calls her and tells her that the newspaper article (accusing the Yasaran Family of covering their sons’ roles in the rape) was true, and that Meltem should NOT marry that man. Meltem is caught like a deer in the headlights, and looks sick as she makes her way to her expectant groom and family. This is not lost on Selim, Erdogan, Vural or the rest of the Yasaran. But it is the expectant looks of her parents and ALL the important guests that propels Meltem on to the dais with Selim, that compels her to say “I do” after a long pause, and sign the paperwork. She can’t contain her emotional distress for long, and faints dead away during the receiving line.

The Yasaran men hear of Fatmagul’s call, and hear from Meltem herself what she learned. She pretends to her parents and other guests that she’s just feeling overwhelmed and unwell (they suspect pregnancy), but gives Selim and the other Yasaran a tongue lashing about her feelings of deception and disgust. They deny, deny, deny, but Meltem doesn’t give in. She manages to go to the reception for a while, and pretends in front of her parents. But she refuses to go on honeymoon with Selim, and lets him and the Yasaran know that as soon as a prudent amount of time has passed, she is getting a DIVORCE!

The Fallout:
During the reception, Erdogan decides to take care of the Fatmagul problem. He gathers up some of their paid thugs, and he and Vural tag along to Fatmagul and Kerim’s house. The thugs beat and detain Kerim outside, as he fights like a madman to break free of them and protect Fatmagul and Murat. Fatmagul locks Murat into a bedroom, then faces down Erdogan, who has smashed their windows and broken through the door. Despite coming face to menacing face with one of her rapists, Fatmagul shows little fear. She tells him off and lets him know how little she thinks of him. He tries to intimidate her and rough her up, but she manages to break free and chases him off with a heavy object. She runs out the door after him, screaming her hate which is written all over her face, when Vural (who stayed in the car) locks eyes with her. He’s ashamed of the whole thing. Erdogan looks positively turned on by it.

Fatmagul sees Kerim lying on the ground, writhing in pain. She calls out his name, and this might actually be the first time that she has ever called out to him by name. She tries to wake him up and help him up, without actually touching him. LOL. They spend the rest of the night cleaning up the broken glass, changing the locks, and securing the house. Fatmagul makes a pomade for Kerim’s wounds and bruises, and lingers ever so slightly when she catches him with his shirt off assessing the damage to his ribs. Kerim spends the night in the big house in Ebe Nine’s room, but neither of them sleeps that night.

 

FATMAGUL: Part 2) Ebe Nine Learns the Truth:
Ebe Nine, Mukaddes and Rahmi have just sold their two houses in the village. While having a dinner in a local restaurant post-closing, Ebe Nine spots the two buyers (who supposedly just met that day) entering the restaurant like best buds. She immediately suspects Yasaran shadiness—specifically Munir. She calls one of the buyers, pretending to be Munir’s assistant, and gets confirmation that Munir was behind it. Ebe Nine then forces Mukaddes and Rahmi to tell her the truth about everything. She finally learns that the Yasaran boys were the rapists, and Munir paid Kerim good money to marry Fatmagul and help them cover up the rich boys’ involvement.

The Fallout:
When they get home, Ebe Nine chews out Kerim for covering up for those jerks, and for accepting the money. She wants to know, WHY?! Fatmagul is eavesdropping as she hears the answer. Kerim did it all for Fatmagul. Because he couldn’t leave her unprotected; because he couldn’t let her kill herself like his mother did. He couldn’t do what his father did to his mother—abandon her. He will never forgive his father for what he did to his mother—that’s why he cut his face out of photos, and he can’t even remember his face. Fatmagul is clearly moved by this revelation.

Ebe Nine becomes sad and pensive after learning the truth, and hearing how the Yasaran attacked Fatmagul and Kerim the night before. She doesn’t want to let this stand—she wants to go to the police and tell all (and does eventually). Nobody agrees with her, not even Fatmagul. Fatmagul just wants to live a normal life in peace, she wants to study and work. And, she’s NOT afraid of them. The rest of the family thinks they should move, but Fatmagul wants to stand her ground. Ebe Nine doesn’t share her thoughts on the matter, but ends up secretly going directly to the Yasaran Holdings office, and demanding to see Resat Yasaran!

 

FATMAGUL: Part 3) Mustafa Learns the Truth:
Might as well call this part of the tale, “The Many Faces of Mustafa”, because he was all over the map this week. After the home invasion attack, a pissed off Kerim goes to Erdogan’s home looking to settle the score. The only person home is Mustafa, who has just been called to the Yasaran Holdings offices by the Yasaran men. They want to take care of the Kerim problem once and for all, by setting Mustafa on him and Fatmagul and giving him their address. No need, because Kerim has just gone straight to Mustafa…and his gun. Already battered and bruised from the previous night, Kerim has a tough time fighting off Mustafa and taking control of the gun. Between punches, he tells Mustafa the whole truth about the rape, who the guilty parties were, his role in it, why he married Fatmagul, and tries to drill it into Mustafa’s thick skull that, “Fatmagul NO tiene la culpa!!!” He also points out to Mustafa that HE abandoned Fatmagul. Once it seems like the truth has sunk in, Kerim hands Mustafa the gun and has him point it at his head and then his heart, as he assumes his own guilt in the whole affair. He didn’t protect Fatmagul, and neither did Mustafa. The truth hits Mustafa, and he can’t carry out the vengeance he now realizes he pinned on the wrong people all these months. Both men walk away shaken from the encounter.

The Fallout:
Mustafa takes his gun to his rendezvous with Erdogan, Munir, and Resat. Just as they try to wind him up and point him in the direction of Kerim, he reveals he knows all and pulls the gun on Erdogan (who for sure wet his pants a bit). The men are trying to talk him down, when Selim enters the office. Mustafa swings towards him, and shoots without thinking twice. All hell breaks loose. Selim gets a bullet to the gut and goes down. Resat is horrified. Erdogan is in shock. Munir wrestles the gun from Mustafa and he is taken away by Yasaran goons and locked in the basement. Selim is taken to the hospital. The wound turns out not to be life threatening, and the Yasaran spin it into a useful playing chip, as usual.

They create two stories. One for the press and public—Selim had an internal hemorrhage in his stomach, which sent him to the emergency room and caused him and his new bride to cancel their honeymoon. The other story is for the benefit of the Yasaran women, and Meltem in particular. They lie that because of her lack of faith in him, and request for a divorce, Selim tried to commit suicide in his office. Munir came in just in time, wrestled the gun away, and Selim ended up shot in the stomach in the struggle. Meltem DOES end up feeling like crap and guilty about it, but still can’t swallow the lies about Fatmagul just being come crazy, bitter, lying villager who can’t stand to see them happy, and is making stuff up. The Yasaran bring in the big guns—her mama, and stage an intervention/brainwashing session to convince Meltem that she’s paranoid and wrong. She starts to waver, but secretly asks her mom to help her find out the truth back in the village.

 

FATMAGUL: Part 3.2
Once Mustafa has cooled his heels in the basement a good long while, Resat comes to make him an offer he can’t refuse. He first threatens that the gun, which they now have possession of, surely has other crimes linked to it and now has Mustafa’s prints all over it. Resat also subtly implies that if Mustafa keeps getting in their way, he will be eliminated. BUT because he’s such a nice guy, he offers Mustafa a briefcase full of stacks of large bills, if he disappears. Since he’s fallen into a spiral of self-loathing, that continues for all the following episodes, Mustafa decides to take the cash and the deal. He also just takes Erdogan’s Mercedes-Benz. He tells his parents he’s quit his chauffer job, that he’s won the lottery, he refuses to explain where the large wads of cash he uses to pay for their fancy hotel came from, he lies that the Yasaran are giving him an important job in a new company they’re starting, he refuses to tell them why he has Erdogan’s car, he screams at them when they asks if any of this has to do with the talk of a Fatmagul speaking to Meltem that they’ve been hearing about. “Fatmagul is DEAD!!! I never want to hear her name again!” Well, okay then.

We see Mustafa pre-revelation going all Single Turkish Male, and going through Erdogan’s expensive stuff (suits, ties, sunglasses, watches) and wishing HE had all that money and could have all these toys and goodies. So it’s no surprise that one of the first things he does with his hush money is go to Erdogan’s tailor and get new clothes for himself and Asu. He then throws Asu’s handler/pimp Sami out of her place, and tells Asu that he’s taking her out of the prostitute life.

Before the shopping spree, however, Mustafa stalks Fatmagul, watching her sleep through the window all night. He ties his bandana to the trellis in front of her house, which she finds the next morning. She searches for and finds him standing on the other side of the river canal. He walks over to her, and they are both transfixed by this first meeting after months. But Fatmagul does not greet him with open arms. As Rahmi and Mukaddes fuss and flutter, and call Kerim (who has just been taken off by the cops for questioning about the attack), Fatmagul stands her ground and tells Mustafa just what she thinks of him. He abandoned her. He threw her into the fire. He burned down their house. Burned down her life and her soul. He was a coward. Mustafa is all me, me, me- my pain, my honor, my feelings. Wah! Fatmagul compares him to that disgrace (Kerim) and finds Mustafa lacking. At least Kerim had the courage to stand his ground and stick around and protect her. While Mustafa believed the lies and abandoned her. She tells him he is lower than dirt. He’s been shamed enough to turn tail and run, when Kerim and the cops come back, but Kerim starts to go after him anyhow. For the second time, Fatmagul calls out Kerim’s name. It stops him in his tracks, and sends a happy chill down his spine.

Mustafa completes his journey of self-loathing and self-destruction by going back to the Yasaran and demanding a LOT more money. He basically wants to star in his own reality show called “Keeping Up with the Yasaran”. “I want to dress like you, live like you, have the same rights.” Munir tells him he belongs in a mental clinic. Resat is trying to deal with this problem, when Ebe Nine arrives. The Yasaran men are having a bad day.

 

FATMAGUL: Part 4) Fatmagul and Kerim:
Fighting off rapists, dangerous goons, and crazy ex-fiancés, has clearly built up the trust between Fatmagul and Kerim. Not only does Fatmagul help Kerim after he’s beat up, become moved when she hears of his mother’s suicide, and call him by name twice, she also for the first time initiates friendly conversation. She asks him about his mother, and we learn that she committed suicide when he was six years old. His father was a skilled carpenter, who worked with the man who became Kerim’s mentor. He asks about her parents. They died in a car and tractor accident on the way to a family wedding when she was 12. She and Rahmi were saved because they were in another car.

Kerim’s hopes are built one moment when Fatmagul shows flashes of being open, and dashed the next when she shuts him down. He asks her why she is going out of her way to be mean to him, when it doesn’t make either of them happy. “Treating you well would be like betraying myself.”

Kerim looks near to giving up, but can’t help but watch Fatmagul longingly as she sits at the river dock. She doesn’t notice him behind her. She’s lost in painful thought, dangling Mustafa’s bandana into the river. Kerim whispers to himself, “Give me a sign that one day you could love me.” And as if she heard his silent pleas, Fatmagul lets go of the bandana and lets the river take it away. Hope grows once again in Kerim’s heart.
-End of episode. End of week.

 

BAJO
Juanita Thank you for another of your wonderful, comprehensive recaps. I'm just not fast enough to catch all the dialogue. You really go the extra mile to make it comprehensible.

Floridia, you bring up a good point (well, actually many good points): Sharon can't walk, but she sure can talk.

SpanProf "...what he'd really like to kill is his own responsibility in his daughter's death" I couldn't have said it better. He was choking on his own remorse, but not unlike Rodrigo, he just flails around placing blame everywhere but where it belongs.

deb, I WILL! Thanks so much. I love re-posting all this great stuff that you share with the community. It makes me feel so smart and in the know. I don't know how you do it. (and thanks for the dna info)

Romy, again, you set us straight with the facts. Thanks for sharing your experience. ¡Gracias!

novelera, that scene (yes, it was Erick's house) you are describing what melinama used to refer to as antler-bashing. I've never seen a TN without it. And in real life, I've seen plenty of it in action. So-o-o-o annoying. If they only had a clue.
 

TELEMUNDO @ deb

I just reposted the info you shared above, about upcoming schedules, on the ¡Qué nos cuenta?! page. In case you don't read that page, perhaps your ears are burning. Much general appreciation and 5 ft Latina, aka La Diva del Desierto, who runs the joint, sends her thanks for your contributions.
 

This comment has been removed by the author.
 

General for deb

I hope it's OK for me to post here. I posted this on the QNC post too, but thanks for sharing Telemundo news, deb. I had heard about the Juan Gabriel bio-novela and I want to see it. I couldn't get into Celia, but I hope that bio-novelas are a new trend.
 

BAJO


Romy,

It's enlightening to have your comments given from actual experience.
This entire process re immigration has been most educational for me.

Thanks for your valuable input.

SpanProf... Fascinating comment about EC. He is supposed to be super intelligent,
so he is obviously in denial about the devastation he provoked in his daughter, but
when all is said and done, he knows he was to blame, and yes, he likely wants to obliterate all of that.


I didn't realize that Neomi and Adela were the very best of friends, almost like sisters.
 

Sara please post here anytime, especially if it concerns things TELEMUNDO. Thanks for your comments

 

FATMAGUL

Vivi, you are a CHAMP for this stellar recap. You caught everything so well amd made it vivid. THANK YOU!
 

BAJO EL MISMO CIELO – MIÉRCOLES – Parte 1 de 2

Carlos finds the guard Cristóbal put in place out cold on the sofa and his granddaughter missing.

Felicia has checked into a hotel and is paying cash for everything.

María tells Jacob she couldn’t bring herself to tell Rodolfo she wants a divorce because she pities the state he’s in now. Jacob’s pretty smart. He finds it fishy that Rodolfo got beat up and lost his job on the same day. Jacob is not happy with the situation; he showed up with final divorce papers, and María didn’t do her part.

Erick and Adela are at the police station. Erick is in high dudgeon in Cristóbal’s office. He says he can’t believe this happened to them in a restaurant, and that shots were fired in the street.

Colmillo is getting drunk. He’s not talking about Noemi any more; it’s all about killing Adela. He says he plans to burn her up. This guy is definitely a good actor; I loathe him!

Erick tells Adela that now they have police help there’s no reason to worry. Adela’s eye rolls at this are impressive. And Viewerville can see that Erick’s possessiveness means more to him than Adela’s safety. He tells her he doesn’t want her to speak to Rodrigo or anyone else. Adela: “Because of Carlos?” Erick: “No, because I’m enough of a man to care for you and protect you.”

Just then Carlos comes into the police station (about Felicia, of course) and innocently asks what Erick and Adela are doing there. Erick gets huffy and tells him what happens with him and his wife isn’t Carlos’ concern. Adela overhears some of what Carlos says to Cristóbal and tries to find out about Felicia, but Erick hustles her right out of there.

Luis tries to convince Nick that he’ll be able to win over Sharon. Said Sharon, of course, has a right to be miserable, but she’s not exactly trying very hard right now. And she tells poor Nick that he’s useless, just like her.

At home Adela tells Erick that it isn’t fair to drag him into this. She thinks they should separate for his safety. Erick, of course, isn’t going for this. His solution is that they go far, far away. He says he’s prepared to leave everything behind and spend the rest of his life with her.

Jacob tells Susy that he’s in love with María, but he doesn’t think it will work out…that she doesn’t love him enough.

Meanwhile María has gotten it together to tell Rodolfo she wants out, but he falls asleep before she can say it.
 

BAJO EL MISMO CIELO – MIÉRCOLES – Parte 2 de 2

Carlos comes to see Rodrigo, Gracie, and Lourdes. First he shows the DNA results that prove Anita is theirs. Rod notices his father’s sad face and assures him he’ll spend time with his granddaughter. Carlos finally tells them that Felicia has run off with their baby. Gracie falls into deep despair. Rod throws a fit and says that he’ll find his child como sea, and if he has to kill Felicia, so be it.

Feli talks with someone on the phone asking for help. She says that Argentina is too far and is thinking of Spain.

Gracie tells Carlos that Felicia is abusive and a manipulator. She agrees with Rod that the gang should look for their child. Carlos and Lourdes protest. Carlos also tells Rod that, if the gang is looking for Anita, Colmillo will find out about it. Sure enough, later, Colmillo has heard that some of the members of La Colonia working for Rod have left certain areas of the city. He says that Fire is up to something and he’s going to find out what it is.

Susy volunteers to teach Juana to read. I really like the young actress playing Susy. She’s gorgeous and really talented.

Erick and Adela come to Jacob’s house. Adela tells Ramona and Juana that they’re going away. Erick tells Jacob he’s leaving his job and they’re going away. He also tells Jacob that he thinks Adela will fall for him if Carlos isn’t around. Jacob basically tells him that one-sided love won’t work.

Chabela once more tries to convince María to leave Rodolfo.

In a later scene Estela shows up at Rodolfo’s. He’s terrified Patricio is right behind her.

Felicia has met this expert she spoke with on the phone, sitting with their cars side by side, CIA style. She wants a passport for Anita. He says this should be easy and asks to see the birth certificate. Seeing one Carlos Martínez named as the father, he tells her she won’t be able to leave the country without the father’s signed authorization.

We see Carlos in Andrés’ office. He calls Felicia one more time, and this time she answers. This should be interesting!
 

Fatmagul

Vivi you,as usual, are spot on with your recap and filled in many of the blanks for me. I am really enjoying this novella, the actors are excellent. Karin uses his eyes and fa cia expressions to say it all. Fatma is a mixture: wounded deeply,tortured timid and sad but Has a fiesty temper and lashing tongue. The writers are really good, this story can go in several directions. Can,t wait to see the rich, privileged people get what they deserve! This is my first post, had to make it to tell you how much I love your recaps. I laughed out loud with your comments of Mustafa and the reality show. Tks muchos.
 

FATMAFUL:

Brenda (mi vecina en MD)- I am so glad you commented! I hope we hear your voice again. Like you, I am loving this telenovela. I really wasn't even planning on watching at first, much less recapping it. But I am just enjoying it so much that I can't resist. :) I got such pleasure watching things fall apart for the Yasaran men this week, and also seeing Mustafa finally realize what a selfish jerk he had been when Fatmagul needed him most. I wish Meltem had had the courage to leave Selim at the altar, but revealing what she knows after the "I dos" certainly added to the drama.

JdesdeNYC- Glad you liked the recap, amiga. Let me know when/if you get inspired to recap. I've been doing this weekly, but looks like there might be enough readers here to warrant a recap a few times a week (2 times perhaps?).
 

FATMAGUL...not Fatmaful. Hate typos. LOL!
 

Bajo

Thanks so much, Novelera, for this marvelously concise yet comprehensive recap.

One of the things that struck me most as I watched the episode was the way Sharon looked in the hospital. Her hair was much longer than it had been just days before, and it was very neat and a brilliant shade of strawberry blonde (I think). It looked totally different from the past. I couldn't quite figure it out. I suppose a nurse could have combed Sharon's hair and made it neat, but could she have made it grow several inches and change color?

Frankly, I think Nick deserves someone better than Sharon, no matter what her hair looks like.

I was a little disappointed in Jacob for not being more understanding of Maria's situation, but I also liked the fact that the writers made him less than perfect and hence more believable as a character.

Erick is getting on my nerves as well as Adela's. As you've said, his responses are more about him rather than about Adela's safety and well-being. I almost wish he'd get together with Paulina: they deserve each other, and I don't mean that kindly.

I'm surprised that Adela hasn't said to Erick what Greicy said to her mother when the mother wanted them to leave for Mexico: Rodrigo has gang ties everywhere, and there's no place where we can be safe from them if they want to find us.
 

Bajo

One small clarification: in the case of Adela and Erick, I guess she should say that Colmillo's gang ties that pose a danger.
 

Bajo. Excellent and perceptive recap as usual, novelera! I must admit that I had a moment's fantasy about Felicia, Anita, Erick and Adela all ending up on the same flight to Spain--one Spanish-speaking country where it's possible El Colmillo's influence might not reach, though even that is possible. It was clever of EC to figure that something is going on with Rodrigo--and as a result, the baby may be in danger, though, even for a pandillero, that would probably be a step too far. For example, consider the recent execution-style murder in Chicago by a gang member of the 9-year-old son of a rival gang member. Gang members shoot each other all the time in Chicago, and even accidentally kill innocent civilians, adults, adolescents and children, caught in the crossfire--and community members are afraid to speak up and turn in the shooters. But in the case of the cold-blooded murder of the child, both the shooter and his 2 alleged accomplices were in jail within a few days. Though EC might be evil enough to kidnap Anita, let's hope he wouldn't harm her! And it looks as if Rudolfo might be walking off with Patricio's presumably soon-to- be ex-wife rather than with a wealthy female patron? Or at least he may be about to be caught in flagrante by Maria!
 

BAJO

novelera
"thinking of Spain" hmm, I wonder where Erick is planning to take Adela? (not that I think he'll get that far).

Great recap, thank you, thank you! I love your apt descriptions and insights, a pleasure to read.

Juanita
"I think Nick deserves someone better than Sharon, no matter what her hair looks like." I agree, and I bet you're right about a nurse helping her with her grooming. Such a woebegone character; she and Nick have a lot in common, but I don't see misery as grounds for a healthy relationship.

SpanProf
I'm expecting Maria to catch the guilty pair. This show's got to start winding up loose ends before too long.

Which is why I also don't think either Erick or Felicia will actually make it as far as Spain. That strikes me as the sort of development that would occur earlier in the story for it to work out plot-wise.
 

LXV:
Thanks! The only Telemundo show I'm watching right now is Señora Acero. I'm (impatiently) waiting for La querida del Centauro and Eva la trailera to start up. I might stop by when they do.
 

Bajo. How's this for a fantasy scenario? Felicia, Anita, Erick and Adela are all on the same flight to Spain (Anita and Adela have impeccably forged passports). All of a sudden the camera focuses on the man directly behind them--it's El Colmillo, who grins evilly. Fade to black!
 

Fatmagul...Meltem, Mustafa, and Ebe Nine, and the fallout from those revelations....

Vivi...I enjoyed the format this week. Great recap and I appreciate you taking on this by yourself. I'd attempt recapping if my understanding was a little bit better. Maybe one day soon. I'm liking Meltem....I'm glad she didn't fall for the story completely....smart girl. She's knows there's something fishy going on. I especially liked the way she lit into Salim for being cowardly.

Fatma showed such strength when facing Mustafa. I'm glad she let him have it about his abandonment... he was truly selfish and cowardly. She definitely deserves someone better than him. He's spent too much time in Fatma's life not to have recognized her pain in the hospital and know her character...no matter what lies he's been told. I'm glad she let him know how little she thinks of him now.

Happy New Year all!

Nett
 

Fatmagul: Wow Vivi you have outdone yourself amiga. Bravo! You described all the action and the motives behind everyone's actions. Fatma is slowly but surely thawing a bit but she is not ready to let herself be opened to Kerim. When this show first aired in Turkey there were many discussion about why didn;t Kerim and Fatma tell Meltem the truth before the wedding. Meltem asked them both about the rumors but one the ceremony was under way, being in Turkey where parents and family honor is number one Meltem had no choice but to go through with it. Musta is on a down spiral and guilt and shame will be his companion. This show is fascinating and very enjoyable.
Bajo: I am glad to add my experience to our discussion. I wish Adela would be more forceful with Erick, jeez man yeah you are doing her a solid but chill out. By the way, Adela can not leave the country while her papers are being processed, not legally anyway maybe they are going to another state.
Romy
 

FATMAGUL:

Thanks, Romy. I think it's pretty easy to figure out why Kerim and Fatmagul didn't tell Meltem the truth earlier. First of all, if it were up to Kerim, she would have never known. He has been firmly in the camp of let's keep this secret a secret. I mean, he didn't even tell his own mother! That had been really annoying me. But when his motivations went from weakly helping to cover his friends' butts, to keeping quiet to protect Fatmagul, then I forgave him a bit.

Fatmagul, on the other hand, had not been willing to open up and tell anyone what happened. And that time Meltem came around, everyone surrounded her and didn't even give Fatmagul a real chance to decide if she wanted to speak to Meltem or not. It wasn't until she came back from her adventures with Asu and learned that Mustafa had moved on with Asu, that Fatmagul decided she was a NEW Fatmagul and no one was going to mess with her again. It's THAT Fatmagul who demanded a divorce from Kerim and decided to tell Meltem the truth. In her prior state, she would not have been able to do that.
 

BAJO

Reporting in very late, Novelera, to thank you for the terrific recap.

Yes, Jacob was not as understanding in this episode, but at least he is not a hothead
that would go chase some Bimbo over this. If he really understands Maria, as he claims, he will be patient and play a waiting game. The ink is not even dry yet on the divorce papers.

And Maria's situation is more complicated because she does have the young children to think about. The best way to resolve this is to have the children find Rudy with the girlfriend - but not in an all out lovemaking scenario -- just enough for them to know that he really is a snake in the grass. The son was on to him before with the lipstick on the napkin. When they are finally disgusted with him, they will be giving their mother a bright green light to proceed full speed ahead with a divorce.

I agree, Novelera, that Susy is absolutely gorgeous, and I like her acting as well.

I hope we don't have a shootout with baby Anita nearby.

All these guys want to protect Adela, and so far, no one is doing that great a job.
It's no wonder she is skeptical. She is as she says a Realist.

SpanProf, that is quite a fantasy, and not out of the realm of the improbable.
This TN resolves things quickly, so a trip to Spain would be easy to execute.

Rod really looked awkward trying to splash water on Greicy.

I am hoping at the end that Rod's dying words are that he truly loves Greicy as the mother of his child and thanks her for giving him such a precious gift. I am hoping that he begs her pardon mil veces as he heads for the other world. I am hoping that he comes to a full realization of all the horrible things he has done. I imagine that he will save someone, perhaps Greicy; perhaps Greicy and the baby.


Looking forward to tonight.

Thanks again, Novelera..

Chat later,


 

Bajo

I don't recall anyone mentioning this earlier, but there is NO BAJO TONIGHT! The next episode will be tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 1).

Feliz Año Nuevo a todos.
 

FATMAGUL

Nett, I totally agree about Fatmagul lighting into Mustafa. His burning the house, without having heard from her personally what had happened to her, after knowing her for all those years, was a big betrayal.

When she was in the hospital, she dreamed of him supporting her and them getting married because she was certain he was a good upstanding person. The fact that she got raped while on her way to say good bye to him made the betrayal even worse.

It's as if the rape brought out the best in Kerim and the worst in Mustafa. It also bothered me that Mustafa believed the word of Kerim about the rape but couldn't be bothered to hear Fatma.
 

Bajo

on the "¿Qué nos cuenta, Caray, Caray!?" page, Stevey posted,
"Tuesday, January 26th at 9 p.m. Telemundo will debut 'Eva, la trailera'"

that would suggest our gran final will be on the 25th.

this sounds right,
but I have not seen a source for this as yet.

 

Bajo. Happy New Year, everyone! Eva la trailera sounds like a worthwhile telenovela, but I will really miss Bajo el mismo cielo. Along with Para volver a amar, it is the most worthwhile, non-frivolous tn I have ever seen!
 

Bajo. They both treated important social issues in a serious way, with great acting.
 

Eva la trailera
I get the impression that Eva la trailera will be similar in tackling serious issues in a serious way.

I am a new convert to Edith Gonzalez and I am looking forward to seeing her.
 

Eva la Trailera
I'm a real fan of Eva Gonzalez. I fell in love with her in Mundo de Fieras, back in 2007 or so. She has an exotic beauty with those wide-set eyes. Thrilled that Bajo's replacement looks like something I'll want to watch.

 

Eva la trailera
I've been watching Corazón Salvaje 93 and I am totally in love with Monica and Edith's portrayal. Regretfully I missed Doña Barbara. I heard great things about it.
 

Bajo
I have never seen Edith Gonzalez, but she seems well respected. I bought the book "Doña Barbara" & right away knew I was in trouble with my extremely limited español when there was a glossary for Spanish speakers. I was wrong about, its a novela, how hard can it be?
 

@ sara I have the '93 CS on dvd and I watched it twice through last summer (where I am off-line and without a tv and need something to divert me every night for an hour while I get on the exercise machine). It's a lot nicer than the remake with Aracely Arambula (even though, in general, I admire her (AA) mucho. She was just terrible in the remake of a classic.) Mundo de Fieras was kind of crappy, the usual Televisa/Uni fare. But Edith was compelling. So I jump at the chance to watch her. We'll see. I hope I'm not disillusioned.
 

TELEMUNDO...

ok, the best guess 2016 line-up (all in one place)
2 weeks / 2 weeks

"Senora Acero"- jan. 11 / jan 12- "La Querida del Centauro"
"Bajo el mismo cielo"- jan 25 / jan 26- "Eva, la trailera"
"Celia"- feb 8 / feb 9- "¿Quién es quién?"

 

deb You rock! thanks for this. Straight & to the point!

 

Bajo

I'll try to have a recap of tonight's episode ready by sometime tomorrow morning.
 

BAJO EL MISMO CIELO - VIERNES - PARTE 1 de 3

Tonight's episode begins with a phone call from Carlos to Felicia. He has been trying to find her, but until now she has been ignoring his calls. However, she has just learned that she can't get a passport for Anita without getting the father's consent. She answers his call in the hope that she can persuade him to agree to her plan to take Anita out of the country. She admits that Greicy and Rodrigo are Anita's biological parents, but she believes that God has given Anita to her as a gift for all the suffering she has endured. She eventually realizes that she is not winning Carlos over, and she ends the conversation without telling him where she is.

The scene shifts to Rodrigo. With Greicy at his side, he summons all the homies and tells them that Felicia's baby is his sister, and Felicia has taken the baby and disappeared. He asks the homies to help him find his sister. When Trenzas asks what they should do if Felicia doesn't want to cooperate, Rodrigo first says they should do whatever they have to to get the baby back, but Greicy speaks up and says that Felicia should not be hurt. Rodrigo agrees. The homies leave, and two women from the neighborhood approach Rodrigo. They both feel grateful to Rodrigo for help he has given them. One of the women says that her brother got out of jail thanks to the money Rodrigo lent her. Rodrigo tells her she doesn't have to repay the loan. However, it would be a great help if the two women would gather a number of other people from the neighborhood and have them come to see Rodrigo. They are happy to do so. They succeed in getting a number of neighborhood people to come, and Rodrigo asks for their help in finding his sister and passes out photos of Anita. Greicy is impressed with the support Rodrigo has given the community, and their high regard for him. One woman asks whether Greicy is Rodrigo's novia, and when Rodrigo says she's just a friend, the woman says that's too bad, you two look so good together.

Meanwhile, Carlos has been talking with Jacob's lawyer, Andrés, about Felicia's having taken the baby away. Andrés tells him that Felicia cannot take his daughter away without his consent. As the baby's officially recognized father, Carlos and only Carlos can make a denunciation against Felicia.

The scene then moves to Maria and Rudolfo's house, where Patricio's wife Estela has arrived and clearly wants to, um, be with Rudolfo. They seem as if they're about to get it on, but then in a rare moment of sanity Rudolfo tells her that although he really wants her, he wants even more to stay alive and to save his marriage, so he has to say no to her. Through the whole scene, I kept eagerly expecting that Maria would return home and find them, but alas that didn't happen.

At the police station, Carlos tells Cristóbal that he has made a denunciation against Felicia. Cristóbal eventually tells Carlos that Erick and Adela were at the police station the day before to make a denunciation against Colmillo, who had tried to kidnap them and almost killed them. Worried for Adela's safety, Carlos goes to Jacob's office to try to find her. La Perra Paulina recognizes him as "Adela's ex" and tells him she's not there. She won't tell him where she is, since Erick wouldn't like that. Carlos then asks for Erick's contact information. Just then, Erick, Adela, and Jacob come out of Jacob's office. Erick wants to have a private meeting with Carlos and Adela, and the three of them go into Erick's office. Paulina then makes remarks to Jacob about how "modern" a husband Erick is. Jacob tells her that none of that is any of their business. He also tells the stunned perra that Erick and Adela are leaving town.
 

BAJO EL MISMO CIELO - VIERNES - PARTE 2 de 3

In a brief scene at Carlos' house, Maria comes looking for Carlos. Luis says perhaps he's at Felicia's. Maria quickly realizes that Luis doesn't know that Felicia has fled with Anita, and she changes the topic to focus on Luis. Luis tells her that he's planning to ask Susy to marry him. Maria is stunned but ultimately very happy for him. He says he like to have an engagement dinner at Maria's restaurant, and Maria happily agrees to cook a special meal.

Meanwhile, Luis' friend Nick is at Sharon's, trying to help her adapt to being unable to walk. He says he's been thinking about what she said about the two of them being useless, and he doesn't agree. I want to be someone, he says. I will go to the university. When Sharon asks skeptically how he will do that, he tells her [and Viewerville] that there are foundations that offer scholarships for "dreamers" [i.e., for undocumented young people in the USA] and he will find out more and apply. And meanwhile he'll get a job, perhaps as a waiter, perhaps fixing electronic equipment. And what about you, he asks Sharon. What are you planning? Are you going to continue to lament for the rest of your life?

Nick's discussion with Sharon is interrupted by a knock on the door. Greicy arrives, and Nick soon leaves. At first, Sharon fears that Greicy has come to berate her and mock her, and she tells Greicy that she has every right to do so. Greicy assures her that that's not why she came. Greicy asks what Sharon knows about Felicia's relationship with Willy. Greicy already knows that Willy and Felicia were lovers, but what more can Sharon tell her. Sharon bitterly replies that Felicia played with Willy's feelings, and that she got him to kill her husband and to do so without leaving marks, so it could be passed off as a suicide and Felicia could inherit his money. "How else do you think she was able to buy the bar?" Sharon asks. Greicy asks Sharon if she'd be willing to testify in court, and Sharon says she would. She wants justice for her brother.

Meanwhile, in Erick's office, the Alpha Male tells Carlos that he and Adela are leaving. Moreover, Adela is his (Erick's) woman and his responsibility. He can protect her. His assertions to Carlos are interrupted by Paulina, who tells Erick that she needs to talk to him, and that it's very important. Erick leaves, assuring/warning Adela and Carlos that "I'll be back."

We then get two parallel scenes: Paulina pleading with Erick not to leave, and Carlos doing the same with Adela. Whereas Erick discourages Paulina and doesn't give her the opportunity she's poised for to kiss him, Carlos finally grabs Adela and they kiss passionately. Adela tells him that although she loves him and he's the only man in her life, that kiss has to be their last one. With Colmillo determined to kill her and all those close to her, she has to go away. Carlos asserts his membership in the Alpha Male club along with Erick and Rodrigo by telling Adela that he'll protect her, and that if need be he will kill Colmillo.

Colmillo, meanwhile, is talking with the gang members loyal to him. I think Yei has told him that Rodrigo has everyone looking for Felicia. Colmillo is focusing on Adela, and in spite of having learned from Adela that she had nothing to do with Noemi's death, he says "The death of Adela Morales has to be something very special. I am going to demonstrate my love for my daughter."
 

BAJO EL MISMO CIELO - VIERNES - PARTE 3 de 3

While all this is going on, Felicia is seeking a way to leave town with Anita. She leaves the baby with a babysitter at the hotel while she tries to get a different car, one the police won't be looking for. She goes into a car dealership and selects a car, saying she would leave her present car as a down payment. She gives the salesman her car papers. He checks with his computer and apparently finds that the police are looking for this car. While he tries to delay, his colleague notifies the Only Police Station in Town, where Cristóbal tells the car dealer's colleague to try to keep Felicia there, he's on his way.

Felicia, meanwhile, has become increasingly impatient with the delay, and finally tells the salesman that she's no longer interested, takes back her car papers, and leaves the dealership. But just as she's getting into her car, [Trumpet Fanfare Here], Cristóbal drives up and tells her to stop. I should add that as he was driving to the car dealership, Greicy called him on his hands-free phone and told him what she had learned from Sharon. So while Cristóbal clearly still cares for his sister, he's also very confused. He tells Felicia that Carlos has made a denunciation against her for taking Anita away without his permission, and when Felicia tries to appeal to their relationship as brother and sister, he asks "Who are you really, Felicia? An assassin?" He tells her what Sharon has said about her ordering Willy to kill her husband. Felicia dismisses Sharon as a pandillera, inválida, resentida (a handicapped, resentful gang member). She insists that she has committed no crime and asks Cristóbal whether he is going to arrest her without any reason. Her last words as the episode ends are Vas a ser tú quien termine de hundirme? (I think this means something like Will it be you who will finally do me in/bring me down.) [if I'm wrong, please let me know]

It's getting late, and I'm running out of steam. There are several important scenes that I haven't mentioned:

1) The scene on the beach where Luis arranges for a treasure hunt for Susy, at the end of which he gets down on one knee, brings out a ring, and asks her to marry him. We don't hear her response, and she doesn't look all that happy, but I'm hoping the writers are just playing with us...and with Luis. [I'm reminded of the scene where Luis asked Susy to move in with him]

2) At one point near the end, Greicy tells Carlos what she has learned about Felicia from Sharon.

3) There's a charming scene in the restaurant. Maria has asked Jacob to come, and when he arrives, she can't give him an adequate explanation for why he had to come. He rightly tells her that she asked him to come because she wants to see him, and after a moment's hesitation, Maria says he's right, and she can't stand not acknowledging what she feels for him. She jumps into his arms and they embrace.

There's more, pero ya basta.
 

Bajo

There's one more thing I intended to include but didn't. At this point, I'm not sure about the context, but Rodrigo says to Carlos and Greicy, We have a saying Más rápido cae un mentiroso que el cojo. I turned to WordReference.com, the most indispensible resource I know for Spanish and other languages. Someone several years ago had explained a similar dicho in the WR forums thusly: "The saying is using a play on words. It means that it's easier for a liar to give themselves away ("caer") than for a lame person to fall down ("caer")." Though my memory of the scene is hazy, I'm guessing that Rodrigo has in mind Felicia, who has been lying about Anita's being her child.
 

Bajo. Excellent recap, Juanira! I especially liked your "Alpha male" remarks. Erick and Rodrigo really are behaving like a couple of bulls in a herd of cattle, or a couple of roosters fighting over a hen, as someone else has remarked. :) I figured that Nick would be a good candidate for a Dreamers' scholarship. Another possibility for an outstanding student in his situation would be an Honors scholarship given by a college or university itself, without government assistance. Also, let's not forget community colleges, whose existence for some reason (foreign showings?) this series doesn't want to acknowledge. Anyway, I'm glad he's taking charge of his life and has a plan! The lady from the neighborhood is pretty perceptive--Rodrigo and Greicy are acting like a couple! El Colmillo is acting almost like a monster from pagan mythology--he wants to shed Adela's blood as some sort of sacrifice in memory of his daughter. Erick and Paulina's situation reminds me of an old saying from Renaissance pastoral novels: "Yo por vos, vos por otro." And Erick and Adela are planning to move to Chicago? Someplace without gangs? Not!
 

Bajo. Whoops! I meant Erick and Carlos! Rodrigo is more like the gorilla who has been exiled from the pack!
 

BAJO

SpanProf, I loved your comments, especially your likening Colmillo to a monster from pagan mythology. Perfect!

I suspect your writing Erick and Rodrigo was only half accidental, since the two of them, too, go at each other like Alpha Males about Adela, and both are often very dominant/domineering around her even without the presence of the other. I wonder what it is that attracts such types to her. Her combination of strength and vulnerability? Carlos is usually rather different from the other two, but when it comes to Adela, he's ready to take on the world and take out Colmillo.
 

BAJO

I just lost everything I wrote...here I go again.

Juanita, you have made a significant contribution to this blog. How terrific that you joined us. With this one, you covered everything. Thanks for highlighting the expression using the word "cojo." I had missed it.

I agree with the neighbor that Rod and Greicy appear to make a great couple. They really looked good together in this episode. He appeared happy and was showing his warm, tender very attractive side. This was my favorite part.

At times Greicy deferred to him and he to her. Ojala for better days!

As Greicy said, "Felicia es una manipuladora." Indeed, and of the first order.
She could, as they say, talk her way out of a paper bag. I was surprised she was
apprehended so quickly.

I agree with you about Susy not appearing happy. A marriage proposal is a big leap up from living together. But she may be worried about what her father will think of the idea, not knowing that he has given Luis consent. She may be having lingering feelings from their first foray out on their own. I know I would. That was a scary time.

Since Jacob has plenty of money, I think he should buy a condo for the couple in a safe neighborhood. Luis could pay Jacob or a bank as if paying off a mortgage.
Luis needs to throw foolish pride to the four winds.

Juanita, thanks for all you've done to facilitate the fun.

Chat later,




As always looking forward to the next episode.
 

General
Thanks you for those dates, deb. I've marked my calendar so I can remember to set up my DVR.

Vario- I've got a copy of Doña Barbara, but I've not read it yet. I'm reading Corazón salvaje right now.

LXV- I'm crossing my fingers that Eva is good.
 

Bajo

Thanks very much, Floridia, for your kind words and insightful comments. I don't know about the feasibility of Jacob's buying a condo for Susy and Luis in a safe neighborhood. We're talking about Los Angeles, I think, where real estate is very expensive. It's true that Jacob seems to have a good deal of money, but I'm not sure whether even he could swing it. Of course, he could probably supply a six-figure down payment, but he wouldn't want to buy something whose mortgage would be difficult for Luis and Susy to manage. (My son and his family are in San Francisco. That may be coloring my thinking. :-) )
 

Sara and Vario: I remember reading Dona Barbara many years ago in my senior year of college for a class on the Latin American novel. I also remember finding it very difficult, even though by that stage in my academic career I had read a lot of Latin American fiction. I think one of the main reasons is that it has a lot of linguistic regionalisms as well as local Venezuelan geography and customs that the author, Romulo Gallegos, kind of expects you to pick up on your own
 

Doña Bárbara

I'd like to chime in on this book and telenovela. In a rather amazing coincidence our fabulous Spanish teacher, Graciela, selected this novel by Rómulo Gallegos the very same quarter that the telenovela with Edith González ran on Telemundo.

I loved the book. We have a very studious and hardworking class member, Tom, who prepared a vocabulary for us that helped with the regionalisms. At the same time there was a guy from Venezuela in my spinning class at the Y. Naturally, he'd read this classic book, and we discussed it some while cooling off and mopping our respective brows. So everything was SO serendipitous.

I did some recaps of the TN while it ran, as well as posting comments about how the novel differed from the TN (after a plot point had occurred so as not to be posting a spoiler).

We also had a classmate bring in his ipod and speakers and played us some of the music of los llanos. If you have some time:

https://es.globalvoices.org/2012/08/05/venezuela-la-musica-y-el-joropo-de-los-llanos-en-la-2-0/
 

Bajo

Thanks so much, Juanita, for the very fine recap. Is this your first time recapping? I don't remember seeing recaps from you before, but maybe you recapped on a Uni novela. In any case, you are very, very good at it.

If Cristóbal lets his rotten sister get away, I'll lose all respect for the man.

I am also liking Gracie and Rodrigo teaming up to get back their daughter. I liked seeing Gracie realize the good Rodrigo had done since he became the gang leader. There have even been a couple of gestures of almost affection between the two.

Wow, the Paulina character is just awful. I can't tell if those are the lips she was born with or if she's had them puffed up, but she looks absurd. And how can she not realize that begging isn't working with Erick?

The actress playing Felicia has done a terrific job with this role (Erika de la Rosa). The last one I saw her in was La Patrona. She played a similar role, a woman desperate for the love of a man who loved the protagonist (Jorge Luis Pila). But, in the end, she fell for another guy and appeared to live happily ever after. IMDB says she's going to also be in Eva, la Trailera.
 

Bajo
I agree about the actor playing Felicia. She is doing a superb job. Looking forward to seeing her again.
All the actors are excellent. Probably the quality of the TN brings out the best acting.
 

BAJO

Novelera, what a great experience you had with Dona Barbara, and yes SpanProf,
I find that in literature, it is largely the regional expressions that do me in.
Reading literature is so different from reading a newspaper article.
 

BAJO,

Juanita, you are so right about the cost of property in LA.
Florida is not as expensive.

In any case, though, I hope Jacob sells that house and lets Maria pick out
one for their new life together. I would never want to live in Deborah's old house.
 

novelera
Oh wow! How awesome! That must have added so much to your viewing of the telenovela. Serendipity indeed!
 

Bajo

thanks so much Juanita,
loved your recap!

say, wasn't there another one of those 'words of wit' in the conversation between mr. Jacob and Eric about Rudolfo, that no person's memory is so big that a liar won't eventually do himself in, just give him time, or something like that.

 

TELEMUNDO...

ok, on the upcoming 2016 shows, only the first date,
for the start of "La Querida del Centauro".
has been confirmed by Telemundo,
the other 2 haven't been.

 

Bajo

OMG, deb, you're absolutely right--except I think it wasn't another instance of the play on words, it was the one I erroneously attributed to Rodrigo! I just took a look at the scene you mentioned between Jacob and Erick, and there it was. Erick quotes the dicho to Jacob, referring to Rudolfo. The really weird thing is that I have a mental image of Rodrigo saying it, but apparently that's a brain f-rt. Arrgh.
 

Bajo

Novelera, thanks so much for your very kind words about the recap. I've done a couple of very very short recaps in the past at random times, but I haven't done any real ones until Bajo. Yours have been the model I keep striving to achieve. Perhaps some day....
 

GENERAL
Thanks for the heads up, deb. Normally I mindlessly FF through commercials, but I'm paying a little more attention now. When I see a promo for Eva I rewind to see if it's still saying "Pronto" or if there is a date. So far it's just "Pronto."
 

BAJO

Juanita, that was a sensational recap. Thank you so much. I did see the show on Friday but have just got back in town in time to catch up here on Caray. Having done a small bit of recapping myself, I know what goes into writing them. But when the show is this good the work is never drudgery and it brings out the sparkling best in recaps. You've outdone yourself this time.
 

Bajo

LXV, mil gracias for your enthusiastic remarks about my recap. Needless to say, I appreciate them a lot! (That's all I want to say right now, since it's almost 3:00, when the current week's page will appear.)