Tuesday, January 26, 2016
El Hotel de los Secretos #1, 1/25/16 Monday: Strangers on a Train
Julio Olmedo counts the few coins in his hand and seems to pull himself together, as if he's gathering the courage to take the biggest leap of his life. He is young and hungry-looking, but there is a determined look in his eyes that tells us he's going to make this work no matter what it takes.
He buys a third-class ticket for the last train to Puebla. Nearby, a well-dressed man complains that some scruffy-looking children stole something of his. Julio promises to watch the kids and the man's bags while the man fetches the police; the man leaves his coat behind as well. Julio tells the kids to take off, and he walks off with the man's coat.
Elsewhere at the train station, Isabel Alarcon promises her friend she'll keep in touch. She won't be gone for too long; she has to come back for her exams.
Julio runs into a kid (the accused thief?) and gives him some money and says, "never let anyone mistreat you." He grabs an orange from someone else's basket, and his eyes meet Isabel's as she boards the train. (I'm not 100% sure that her eyes meet his, but his definitely meet hers!)
Julio follows Isabel through the train cars, watching her, intrigued by her air of thoughtful solitude and the nasty remarks that some women are making about her after she passes. (She's uppity; she's never happy; she thinks she's going to be a doctor. Laughter.)
Isabel finally finds a place to sit, and reads a letter from her mother, Teresa. Things are tough at home, and having Isabel there will make things better.
Julio invites himself to her table in the dining car. He says he heard that she's interested in science. Catching sight of a headline on the society page, he introduces himself as Julio Montiel Collado, nephew of a local socialite who's friendly with Isabel's mother. Isabel invites him for a walk. They stand outside the door of the train car and he plays the harmonica as the low sun lights her hair from just the right angle to make it glow.
Back in the car, he says let's forget our family names and talk about who we really are. But they don't really seem to say much.
Later, the sun is still at that crazy angle, but Isabel is asleep. They're at Julio's stop - San Cristobal Tlajico. He drapes his stolen coat over Isabel to keep her warm, and disembarks. Little does he know, this is Isabel's stop too!
Julio walks to the Grand Hotel and recalls his sister's letter. There's a lot of work to do in this hotel, Cristina writes. They're having electric lights installed, and there will be a big ceremony. She's the head maid. It's a great place to work and she hopes Julio will visit soon.
(We dissolve to a flashback - if you can call it that - of the day Cristina was fired.)
Cristina hurriedly tucks away a diary and some letters behind a loose panel under the writing-table in her room. She's being summoned.
Someone named Angela, head of all the female staffers, scolds Cristina: there's no time for breaks today. Take Teresa her tea. Yes, you will take it personally, not a waiter. The other maids murmur enviously: Cristina certainly was promoted to head maid quickly. Another maid has worked there for seven years without a promotion. The insinuation is clear.
Teresa greets Cristina coldly. How long you been working here? Haven't we treated you well? Do you have any complaints? No? Are you sure about that? The two things I hate more than lateness are mistakes, and LIES. Give me back what's mine.
Cristina says she doesn't know what Teresa is talking about. Teresa continues: You have something that belongs to me, and you're not leaving until you give it back. Cristina replies, Oh? Then I'll let everyone find out about you, and you'll lose the hotel.
It's time for the electric lighting ceremony. Teresa announces to the hotel guests and staff that they are now in the same league as the greatest hotels in the world. There's a countdown, and the lamps all over the hotel grounds begin to light.
Cristina scurries up a dark path with an old oil lamp, trying to stay ahead of the lights. She runs into a guy with a knife, and that's the end of this flashback...
Benjamin, head of the male staff, discusses the waiter shortage with head waiter Andres. After Benjamin leaves, Julio introduces himself to Andres. He's looking for Cristina. Julio knows that Andres was a good friend of hers. Their mother is very worried. The guy doesn't want to tell Julio anything. Cristina was fired a month ago, and no one has heard from her, "not even me." Sorry.
Belen, one of the maids, is being scolded by... drat, I missed who they guy is. (Commenter Rain says this is Diego. Thanks, Rain!) He says she deserves a harsh punishment. Smirking, she assumes the position for a spanking. It's purely recreational!
With some difficulty, Julio gets Andres to talk about Cristina. Andres shows him the room she shared with Belen. Julio recalls a line from Cristina's letter: "It's a great place to work, until you make a mistake." Julio wonders aloud what her mistake was. Andres balks. "Mother has been crying for a whole month," Julio prods. Andres says that Cristina was a good worker, and he doesn't know why she was fired. Well, okay, okay, they accused her of stealing.
Benjamin comes up to scold Julio and Andres; they're not supposed to be around the maids' quarters. Julio says he's the new waiter, and Andres was just showing him this area that he's not supposed to come to, and he still needs to get his uniform. Benjamin says Julio can bunk with Andres, but for now they need to get ready for (yet another) reception.
Julio tells Benjamin that his name is Julio Espinoza. (We're not even done with the first hour, and already he's got three names. How does this not turn out to be a comedy?) Andres is nervous that his new friend is telling so many lies. But Julio begs for his help. Cristina trusted Andres, and Julio trusts Cristina.
Today's reception, it turns out, is for Isabel. Julio keeps his head down when he sees her, and sneaks out of the room. The maids seem happy to see Isabel, so we know she's not snooty to the help!
Isabel greets the chef, Lupe, who was previously blessing a chicken. (We later discover that his son Jacinto doesn't like to peel onions.)
Isabel goes into the very room where Julio snuck off to. It's her recently-deceased father's office. She recognizes him right away. Wow, does she know him just by the back of his head? He says their destinies are tied together. He's taken off his tailcoat and is still passing himself off as a society fellow!
Sofia is Isabel's sister. She's excited about a ceremony tonight. Teresa is harsh with her. Basically says she looks old.
Back in Dad's office, Isabel is confused as to what a guy from a cattle-breeding family is doing at the hotel, and what is he doing in her father's office. (She doesn't ask why he's wearing a waiter's uniform. I mean, even without the tails, it's the same as what the other waiters wear, isn't it?) Andres comes in but doesn't blow Julio's cover. (Julio says some nonsense about having a sensitive stomach and needing a bowl of consomme. Really.)
Isabel tells a man named Diego (the aforementioned spanker) about this Julio Montiel guy she met on a train. Diego says that's odd - none of the Montiels are less than 40 years old. Hmm. She worries that she's going to miss a year of school. Her late father was the only one who supported her wish to go to school. Isabel suspects that Mother is planning to marry her off. Diego explains, when Isabel's father died, things at the hotel changed. "I shouldn't get involved," he says - a clear signal that he's in it up to his eyeballs. And how.
Now it's time for the hotel staff to get their daily speech on etiquette and manners and rules from Benjamin and Angela. No jewelry is allowed. The hotel has 70 rooms and the staffers must know what's going on in every one of them while pretending to have their eyes closed. "The client is not your friend," Benjamin lectures. The should avoid eye contact with the guests and maintain a 40 cm distance at all times. And there are no second chances!
Andres is nervous about Julio hanging around with Isabel. "I'm the only person who can help you," Andres reminds Julio. "And that grouchy woman [Angela] is my mother."
Isabel is finally meeting with her mother. Teresa's maternal instincts remind me of some guppies we had when I was a kid. "I'm boss now. It's my decision. I'm not asking you to love Diego, just to marry him. If not, we lose the hotel. You want me to treat you like a grownup, you'll have to see your father for who he really was. He drowned us in debt. Diego saved us from bankruptcy. Your father was a nice man, but he had some bad habits. Look at the ledgers for yourself if you like. Diego Montejo saved us. Don't tell anyone else this, not even your siblings. Your father wanted you to inherit the hotel. If you marry Diego, that's the next best thing, because I'm obliged to Diego and I'm going to have to appoint him director of the hotel.
Sofia and Alfredo (I'm not sure who he is - Sofia's husband? Commenter Rain says yes, he's Sofi's husband) watch Isabel and Teresa through the window. The big ceremony is tonight, and Sofia is sure that Alfredo will be named director. No way will it be Diego! It's a family business!
Julio snoops around Cristina's old room, looking for clues. He finds her name etched in the drawer of the writing-table. Someone's coming - he hides under the table. Angela is looking for Belen (and wondering who she's with). Julio sees the loose panel where Cristina hid the letters and diary. There's also a key.
Sofia tries to pump Isabel for information. She'd probably get better results if she'd stop talking for a second. She's saying that when Alfredo becomes director of the hotel, Isabel can go back to school. Still stunned from her conversation with Teresa, Isabel asks Sofia for a moment alone to think.
Andres is babbling about Belen's pretty eyes. He has no idea what the key goes to. Julio shows him the diary and letters. Andres agrees to cover for Julio at the party while Julio reads. But first, Andres shows Julio the woman that Cristina supposedly stole some jewels from. She's an old widow (Grandma from Que Pobres Tan Ricos) named Mrs. Limantur who lives at the hotel.
Julio sneaks himself a change of clothes and introduces himself vaguely to Mrs. Limantur at the party. He easily charms her mentions the alleged theft. She says whoever told him all that needs to get a life; it's a total lie. She's always been treated well by the family and the employees at this hotel.
At the party, Diego tells Teresa he's getting impatient. He's fulfilled his end of the deal!
Up in her room, Isabel takes her time getting ready until she can stall no longer. At last she makes her grand entrance. Teresa joins her on the stairway to announce Isabel's engagement to Diego Montejo.
Isabel looks ready to cry. Sofia looks ready to vomit. Alfredo is stunned.
"Isabel, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?" Diego asks (though it doesn't really sound like a question). Isabel doesn't answer right away.
Next time: Bloodstains!
He buys a third-class ticket for the last train to Puebla. Nearby, a well-dressed man complains that some scruffy-looking children stole something of his. Julio promises to watch the kids and the man's bags while the man fetches the police; the man leaves his coat behind as well. Julio tells the kids to take off, and he walks off with the man's coat.
Elsewhere at the train station, Isabel Alarcon promises her friend she'll keep in touch. She won't be gone for too long; she has to come back for her exams.
Julio runs into a kid (the accused thief?) and gives him some money and says, "never let anyone mistreat you." He grabs an orange from someone else's basket, and his eyes meet Isabel's as she boards the train. (I'm not 100% sure that her eyes meet his, but his definitely meet hers!)
Julio follows Isabel through the train cars, watching her, intrigued by her air of thoughtful solitude and the nasty remarks that some women are making about her after she passes. (She's uppity; she's never happy; she thinks she's going to be a doctor. Laughter.)
Isabel finally finds a place to sit, and reads a letter from her mother, Teresa. Things are tough at home, and having Isabel there will make things better.
Julio invites himself to her table in the dining car. He says he heard that she's interested in science. Catching sight of a headline on the society page, he introduces himself as Julio Montiel Collado, nephew of a local socialite who's friendly with Isabel's mother. Isabel invites him for a walk. They stand outside the door of the train car and he plays the harmonica as the low sun lights her hair from just the right angle to make it glow.
Back in the car, he says let's forget our family names and talk about who we really are. But they don't really seem to say much.
Later, the sun is still at that crazy angle, but Isabel is asleep. They're at Julio's stop - San Cristobal Tlajico. He drapes his stolen coat over Isabel to keep her warm, and disembarks. Little does he know, this is Isabel's stop too!
Julio walks to the Grand Hotel and recalls his sister's letter. There's a lot of work to do in this hotel, Cristina writes. They're having electric lights installed, and there will be a big ceremony. She's the head maid. It's a great place to work and she hopes Julio will visit soon.
(We dissolve to a flashback - if you can call it that - of the day Cristina was fired.)
Cristina hurriedly tucks away a diary and some letters behind a loose panel under the writing-table in her room. She's being summoned.
Someone named Angela, head of all the female staffers, scolds Cristina: there's no time for breaks today. Take Teresa her tea. Yes, you will take it personally, not a waiter. The other maids murmur enviously: Cristina certainly was promoted to head maid quickly. Another maid has worked there for seven years without a promotion. The insinuation is clear.
Teresa greets Cristina coldly. How long you been working here? Haven't we treated you well? Do you have any complaints? No? Are you sure about that? The two things I hate more than lateness are mistakes, and LIES. Give me back what's mine.
Cristina says she doesn't know what Teresa is talking about. Teresa continues: You have something that belongs to me, and you're not leaving until you give it back. Cristina replies, Oh? Then I'll let everyone find out about you, and you'll lose the hotel.
It's time for the electric lighting ceremony. Teresa announces to the hotel guests and staff that they are now in the same league as the greatest hotels in the world. There's a countdown, and the lamps all over the hotel grounds begin to light.
Cristina scurries up a dark path with an old oil lamp, trying to stay ahead of the lights. She runs into a guy with a knife, and that's the end of this flashback...
Benjamin, head of the male staff, discusses the waiter shortage with head waiter Andres. After Benjamin leaves, Julio introduces himself to Andres. He's looking for Cristina. Julio knows that Andres was a good friend of hers. Their mother is very worried. The guy doesn't want to tell Julio anything. Cristina was fired a month ago, and no one has heard from her, "not even me." Sorry.
Belen, one of the maids, is being scolded by... drat, I missed who they guy is. (Commenter Rain says this is Diego. Thanks, Rain!) He says she deserves a harsh punishment. Smirking, she assumes the position for a spanking. It's purely recreational!
With some difficulty, Julio gets Andres to talk about Cristina. Andres shows him the room she shared with Belen. Julio recalls a line from Cristina's letter: "It's a great place to work, until you make a mistake." Julio wonders aloud what her mistake was. Andres balks. "Mother has been crying for a whole month," Julio prods. Andres says that Cristina was a good worker, and he doesn't know why she was fired. Well, okay, okay, they accused her of stealing.
Benjamin comes up to scold Julio and Andres; they're not supposed to be around the maids' quarters. Julio says he's the new waiter, and Andres was just showing him this area that he's not supposed to come to, and he still needs to get his uniform. Benjamin says Julio can bunk with Andres, but for now they need to get ready for (yet another) reception.
Julio tells Benjamin that his name is Julio Espinoza. (We're not even done with the first hour, and already he's got three names. How does this not turn out to be a comedy?) Andres is nervous that his new friend is telling so many lies. But Julio begs for his help. Cristina trusted Andres, and Julio trusts Cristina.
Today's reception, it turns out, is for Isabel. Julio keeps his head down when he sees her, and sneaks out of the room. The maids seem happy to see Isabel, so we know she's not snooty to the help!
Isabel greets the chef, Lupe, who was previously blessing a chicken. (We later discover that his son Jacinto doesn't like to peel onions.)
Isabel goes into the very room where Julio snuck off to. It's her recently-deceased father's office. She recognizes him right away. Wow, does she know him just by the back of his head? He says their destinies are tied together. He's taken off his tailcoat and is still passing himself off as a society fellow!
Sofia is Isabel's sister. She's excited about a ceremony tonight. Teresa is harsh with her. Basically says she looks old.
Back in Dad's office, Isabel is confused as to what a guy from a cattle-breeding family is doing at the hotel, and what is he doing in her father's office. (She doesn't ask why he's wearing a waiter's uniform. I mean, even without the tails, it's the same as what the other waiters wear, isn't it?) Andres comes in but doesn't blow Julio's cover. (Julio says some nonsense about having a sensitive stomach and needing a bowl of consomme. Really.)
Isabel tells a man named Diego (the aforementioned spanker) about this Julio Montiel guy she met on a train. Diego says that's odd - none of the Montiels are less than 40 years old. Hmm. She worries that she's going to miss a year of school. Her late father was the only one who supported her wish to go to school. Isabel suspects that Mother is planning to marry her off. Diego explains, when Isabel's father died, things at the hotel changed. "I shouldn't get involved," he says - a clear signal that he's in it up to his eyeballs. And how.
Now it's time for the hotel staff to get their daily speech on etiquette and manners and rules from Benjamin and Angela. No jewelry is allowed. The hotel has 70 rooms and the staffers must know what's going on in every one of them while pretending to have their eyes closed. "The client is not your friend," Benjamin lectures. The should avoid eye contact with the guests and maintain a 40 cm distance at all times. And there are no second chances!
Andres is nervous about Julio hanging around with Isabel. "I'm the only person who can help you," Andres reminds Julio. "And that grouchy woman [Angela] is my mother."
Isabel is finally meeting with her mother. Teresa's maternal instincts remind me of some guppies we had when I was a kid. "I'm boss now. It's my decision. I'm not asking you to love Diego, just to marry him. If not, we lose the hotel. You want me to treat you like a grownup, you'll have to see your father for who he really was. He drowned us in debt. Diego saved us from bankruptcy. Your father was a nice man, but he had some bad habits. Look at the ledgers for yourself if you like. Diego Montejo saved us. Don't tell anyone else this, not even your siblings. Your father wanted you to inherit the hotel. If you marry Diego, that's the next best thing, because I'm obliged to Diego and I'm going to have to appoint him director of the hotel.
Sofia and Alfredo (I'm not sure who he is - Sofia's husband? Commenter Rain says yes, he's Sofi's husband) watch Isabel and Teresa through the window. The big ceremony is tonight, and Sofia is sure that Alfredo will be named director. No way will it be Diego! It's a family business!
Julio snoops around Cristina's old room, looking for clues. He finds her name etched in the drawer of the writing-table. Someone's coming - he hides under the table. Angela is looking for Belen (and wondering who she's with). Julio sees the loose panel where Cristina hid the letters and diary. There's also a key.
Sofia tries to pump Isabel for information. She'd probably get better results if she'd stop talking for a second. She's saying that when Alfredo becomes director of the hotel, Isabel can go back to school. Still stunned from her conversation with Teresa, Isabel asks Sofia for a moment alone to think.
Andres is babbling about Belen's pretty eyes. He has no idea what the key goes to. Julio shows him the diary and letters. Andres agrees to cover for Julio at the party while Julio reads. But first, Andres shows Julio the woman that Cristina supposedly stole some jewels from. She's an old widow (Grandma from Que Pobres Tan Ricos) named Mrs. Limantur who lives at the hotel.
Julio sneaks himself a change of clothes and introduces himself vaguely to Mrs. Limantur at the party. He easily charms her mentions the alleged theft. She says whoever told him all that needs to get a life; it's a total lie. She's always been treated well by the family and the employees at this hotel.
At the party, Diego tells Teresa he's getting impatient. He's fulfilled his end of the deal!
Up in her room, Isabel takes her time getting ready until she can stall no longer. At last she makes her grand entrance. Teresa joins her on the stairway to announce Isabel's engagement to Diego Montejo.
Isabel looks ready to cry. Sofia looks ready to vomit. Alfredo is stunned.
"Isabel, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?" Diego asks (though it doesn't really sound like a question). Isabel doesn't answer right away.
Next time: Bloodstains!
Labels: hotel
Comments:
A few of the younger actresses didn't seem to know how to walk in those dresses, though. Not like the days of YCEM and CS93.
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Wow!! My head is spinning. That was one very dense hour! Some TNs take two weeks to cover this much stuff!
And I hardly recognized EE in this. Of those ten pounds he lost, at least one of them must have been his facial hair. He looks very different, and a lot younger.
Besides him and Grandma from Que Pobres Tan Ricos, the only other person I recognized was Sofia (Dominika Paletka from Mañana Es Para Siempre). Oh, and of course awesome Diana Bracho, who specializes in playing mean mother figures. But the rest of the cast is very promising. So far I haven't a single complaint except that I wish they'd all talk a lot more slowly!!
And I hardly recognized EE in this. Of those ten pounds he lost, at least one of them must have been his facial hair. He looks very different, and a lot younger.
Besides him and Grandma from Que Pobres Tan Ricos, the only other person I recognized was Sofia (Dominika Paletka from Mañana Es Para Siempre). Oh, and of course awesome Diana Bracho, who specializes in playing mean mother figures. But the rest of the cast is very promising. So far I haven't a single complaint except that I wish they'd all talk a lot more slowly!!
So far, this looks to be a pretty straight adaptation of the original Spanish show. THAT was only 66 episodes, so i'm assuming this will be about the same length unless some subplots are added to pad it out a bit. It's so odd to see Irene Azuela all dolled up in period garb as Isabel after seeing her as the convict Tania over on Telemundo for the past week. I like that they've given Isabel some actual ambition, Alicia on "Gran Hotel" always struck me as a bit too limited by Victorian gender roles to really be interesting.
Two bits of detail to add:
1. Alfredo is Sofia's husband. More than that I cannot say without possibly dipping into spoiler territory.
2. The man giving Belen sexy spankings is none other than Diego, aka Isabel's douche nozzle of a possible fiance.
Two bits of detail to add:
1. Alfredo is Sofia's husband. More than that I cannot say without possibly dipping into spoiler territory.
2. The man giving Belen sexy spankings is none other than Diego, aka Isabel's douche nozzle of a possible fiance.
Thank you for the recap Julie! It was fantastic and you did a great job following all the comings and goings of this episode wich introduced many characters and the main storylines.
I'm not able to watch this with you but good luck to the patio. I hope my boyfriend Carlos Rivera wasn't too bad as Andrés or I won't be able to watch. I watched the first season of the original with my mom back in September, she finished the show but I couldn't keep up because I got inundated with work but I think it's a pretty interesting story to follow. I'm curious to see Irene Azuela on a televisa novela, never thought I'd see the day. Then again, she did play Carmen Serdán in El Encanto del Águila and Empress Ana Huerta in Gritos de Muerte y Libertad (both historical figures) so I guess she'll work for them if they offer her a role with a corset, heh.
Jarocha
I'm not able to watch this with you but good luck to the patio. I hope my boyfriend Carlos Rivera wasn't too bad as Andrés or I won't be able to watch. I watched the first season of the original with my mom back in September, she finished the show but I couldn't keep up because I got inundated with work but I think it's a pretty interesting story to follow. I'm curious to see Irene Azuela on a televisa novela, never thought I'd see the day. Then again, she did play Carmen Serdán in El Encanto del Águila and Empress Ana Huerta in Gritos de Muerte y Libertad (both historical figures) so I guess she'll work for them if they offer her a role with a corset, heh.
Jarocha
Permalink posted by 
: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 1:46:00 AM EST
: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 1:46:00 AM EST
I forgot this was on last night and by the time I turned it on I was so confused...so MANY thanks Julie. Horrible hour for me, but I love Erick E. and will watch anything he's in, so I'm giving this a go. I see a lot of Hulu episode catch ups in my future.
Love the atmosphere and settings and has such a lovely Vistorian ghost/mystery feel to it. I would be interested to know how many episodes. Would be a good change to have a solid, short, not diced and spliced by Uni TN for a change.
Daisynjay
Love the atmosphere and settings and has such a lovely Vistorian ghost/mystery feel to it. I would be interested to know how many episodes. Would be a good change to have a solid, short, not diced and spliced by Uni TN for a change.
Daisynjay
Permalink posted by : Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 6:58:00 AM EST
: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 6:58:00 AM EST
Julie thank you so much. Gotta be hard not knowing the names or relationships and for me no idea what will happen since I never saw the original. This is much appreciated.
"Cristina scurries up a dark path with an old oil lamp, trying to stay ahead of the lights" I loved how they did this!
"Smirking, she assumes the position for a spanking. It's purely recreational!" This too, hehe, MORE
Diego is played by Jorge Poza and I saw him last in La Gata and the brother Mariano. I hated Gata but glad to see him here, he can act, really.
Head chef is Juan Carlos Barreto and he was in Yo No as Arango
Love the sets and costumes. Especially the kitchen scenes and the line up of all the staff.
"Cristina scurries up a dark path with an old oil lamp, trying to stay ahead of the lights" I loved how they did this!
"Smirking, she assumes the position for a spanking. It's purely recreational!" This too, hehe, MORE
Diego is played by Jorge Poza and I saw him last in La Gata and the brother Mariano. I hated Gata but glad to see him here, he can act, really.
Head chef is Juan Carlos Barreto and he was in Yo No as Arango
Love the sets and costumes. Especially the kitchen scenes and the line up of all the staff.
Rain, thanks for filling in those details about Alfonso, husband of Sofia, and Diego, spanker of Belen.
Jarocha, Andres is a fabulous character. Your telenovio is doing just fine. Irene Azuela is doing fine too. She's a real actress.
Tofie, thanks for the added info about the cast. I'm very impresed with everyone and everything so far. I've never seen Downton Abbey, but I remember Upstairs Downstairs, and this reminds me a little of that.
Jarocha, Andres is a fabulous character. Your telenovio is doing just fine. Irene Azuela is doing fine too. She's a real actress.
Tofie, thanks for the added info about the cast. I'm very impresed with everyone and everything so far. I've never seen Downton Abbey, but I remember Upstairs Downstairs, and this reminds me a little of that.
Gracias, Julie. Great job.
Finally caught up with this on Uvideos. I wish they would post when it begins airing although I hate how the commercial placements work on the website.
Julio definitely has the lean and hungry look; I almost didn't recognize the actor at first. He's clever, but he will have to think about five steps ahead with his multiple masquerades. And having worked for people who have no tolerance for error I'm predicting he's definitely riding for a fall sooner or later. Whatever happened, I hope he gets the goods on Teresa.
Obviously Teresa doesn't care that she is pimping out her daughter. She doesn't care about hurting people's feelings because -- as usual -- only hers matter.
Those biddies on the train made me want to throw my stress balls at the screen.
Three historical errors:
1. What's with the absence of corsets? It's another dozen years before they're out of fashion.
2. Isabela should have not been wearing white while traveling. It's too vulnerable to getting sooty or otherwise stained.
3. Christina should have been writing with her right hand; left-handedness was not tolerated then.
Otherwise, great start.
Finally caught up with this on Uvideos. I wish they would post when it begins airing although I hate how the commercial placements work on the website.
Julio definitely has the lean and hungry look; I almost didn't recognize the actor at first. He's clever, but he will have to think about five steps ahead with his multiple masquerades. And having worked for people who have no tolerance for error I'm predicting he's definitely riding for a fall sooner or later. Whatever happened, I hope he gets the goods on Teresa.
Obviously Teresa doesn't care that she is pimping out her daughter. She doesn't care about hurting people's feelings because -- as usual -- only hers matter.
Those biddies on the train made me want to throw my stress balls at the screen.
Three historical errors:
1. What's with the absence of corsets? It's another dozen years before they're out of fashion.
2. Isabela should have not been wearing white while traveling. It's too vulnerable to getting sooty or otherwise stained.
3. Christina should have been writing with her right hand; left-handedness was not tolerated then.
Otherwise, great start.
Julie- This was just brilliant! You are intensity at all.
In addition to all the other actors mentioned, I'm sure you'll recognize Daniela Romo as Angela the boss of the maids. This does indeed have a Upstair Downstairs feel. I'm loving it so far!
I thought Erick/Julio did a great job going from looking like a determined hungry peasant, to a suave playboy at the drop of a hat. Yes, losing all that weight does make him look younger too. Poor Andres is going to have a hard time keeping him out of trouble.
In addition to all the other actors mentioned, I'm sure you'll recognize Daniela Romo as Angela the boss of the maids. This does indeed have a Upstair Downstairs feel. I'm loving it so far!
I thought Erick/Julio did a great job going from looking like a determined hungry peasant, to a suave playboy at the drop of a hat. Yes, losing all that weight does make him look younger too. Poor Andres is going to have a hard time keeping him out of trouble.
Wow. My tablet changed my sentence. Meant to say, you aren't rusty at all.
Just a word of caution for those who.saw Gran Hotel...please, please make sure you don't let slip any spoilers. In the past, when we've have an exact remake of a tn, we've tried to limit comparisons as much as possible until the end. Everyone's done a great job so far, but let's just stay aware.
Just a word of caution for those who.saw Gran Hotel...please, please make sure you don't let slip any spoilers. In the past, when we've have an exact remake of a tn, we've tried to limit comparisons as much as possible until the end. Everyone's done a great job so far, but let's just stay aware.
I did not recognize Daniela Romo. I'm not sure if I've seen her before. Or maybe it's been a long time.
Julio is skating on very thin ice. Keeping his head down as a waiter and keeping it up as a playboy will only get him so far. It's a big hotel, but it's not THAT big! Diego is already suspicious of this guy who's too young to be who he says he is... and is nosing around Diego's future wife.
Julio lies much too easily. All that stuff about his crying mother, I'm skeptical. I think his mother's been dead or gone for a long time. Julio and Cristina strike me as much too independent to have been raised by a doting mother. They've been on their own for quite a while. And I don't think she mentioned any mother in her letters, did she?
Julio is skating on very thin ice. Keeping his head down as a waiter and keeping it up as a playboy will only get him so far. It's a big hotel, but it's not THAT big! Diego is already suspicious of this guy who's too young to be who he says he is... and is nosing around Diego's future wife.
Julio lies much too easily. All that stuff about his crying mother, I'm skeptical. I think his mother's been dead or gone for a long time. Julio and Cristina strike me as much too independent to have been raised by a doting mother. They've been on their own for quite a while. And I don't think she mentioned any mother in her letters, did she?
Daniela Romo: Triunfo de Amor; Sortilegio; Alborada; La Tempestad... but also well known for her singing.
Great job,Julie! ! Doing a first episode is not easy, especially one that is so filled with action.
I really really really want to watch this story, but between work, a four month old and life in general I'm not sure if I can keep up.
But after reading your recap, I'm loving the premise and the characters so I'll give this my best shot. My mom is visiting to help with the baby for a while, so watching a tn with her like back in the day would also be great.
I'll try to watch the episode today and come back to comment.
In the meantime, great recap! Keep them coming!
I really really really want to watch this story, but between work, a four month old and life in general I'm not sure if I can keep up.
But after reading your recap, I'm loving the premise and the characters so I'll give this my best shot. My mom is visiting to help with the baby for a while, so watching a tn with her like back in the day would also be great.
I'll try to watch the episode today and come back to comment.
In the meantime, great recap! Keep them coming!
Also for Daniela Romo: Las Vias del Amor, where she was one of the good guys, El Manantial, where she was the male protagonist's mother, and she was one of the Mujeres Asesinas. Great actress.
I think the Spanish series had longer episodes on a weekly basis over three seasons, so this version shouldn't be overly padded if it goes to 120 episodes. Do not read its Wikipedia page because it contains spoilers.
I think the Spanish series had longer episodes on a weekly basis over three seasons, so this version shouldn't be overly padded if it goes to 120 episodes. Do not read its Wikipedia page because it contains spoilers.
Oh my--love the baby pic Adrianna. Congrats!!! What an angel.
I always love Daniela Romo. She seems to bring that regalness (is that a word) to most of the characters she plays and for this, it should hit the mark for the character. I recognized several of the older actors, which is always fun to start comparing to former roles they played.
If it wasn't for the insinuated mayhem, that place would be a cool place to stay.
Daisynjay
I always love Daniela Romo. She seems to bring that regalness (is that a word) to most of the characters she plays and for this, it should hit the mark for the character. I recognized several of the older actors, which is always fun to start comparing to former roles they played.
If it wasn't for the insinuated mayhem, that place would be a cool place to stay.
Daisynjay
Permalink posted by : Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 9:23:00 AM EST
: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 9:23:00 AM EST
The isolation of that hotel is what makes it scary. I also wonder whether employees of city-based hotels during that era also lived in, like servants in an English manor house. And whether hotel employees in general were treated like slaves.
Televisa really spent quite a lot of money on this series and it shows in the great set production and costumes. I wonder what the budget is for this show. I wish more of their shows looked this good from a production standpoint. This is definitely something different their usual fare. They chose some good actors for this show. If this series does well in ratings, I hope Televisa will consider making more of these big productions as adaptations, or preferably, their own original series. Their network needs a shakeup in programming with shorter series, better budgets, and more unique shows. Their 200 long episode telenovela format just doesn't cut it anymore when the network is capable of producing better quality programs. If anyone hasn't seen the original version of this show, I would highly recommend watching it on Netflix after this one wraps up. I'm still a bigger fan of the original show but the remake looks good so far!
Permalink posted by : Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 9:41:00 AM EST
: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 9:41:00 AM EST
Julie...Thanks so much for that excellent and detailed recap. It has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of reading one if your retellings.
I only watched the first five minutes last night before going to bed, so I am looking forward to watching. There are so many characters, and I am a little confused, but I know that there is a bad mother (Diana's specialty) , a good daughter, a good poor guy, a bad ? Rich guy, a dead sister.
I only watched the first five minutes last night before going to bed, so I am looking forward to watching. There are so many characters, and I am a little confused, but I know that there is a bad mother (Diana's specialty) , a good daughter, a good poor guy, a bad ? Rich guy, a dead sister.
Permalink posted by : Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 10:04:00 AM EST
: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 10:04:00 AM EST
This is a joint production by Televisa and Univision, hence the simultaneous debuts. I think this is the wave of the future. Next year the rebroadcast contract between these two networks is up for renewal. It may already be in negotiation as I write this.
There was a lot of conflict between the two networks a few years ago which went on for about three years and was finally resolved in Univision's favor. The media never published the details but my guess is that the original contract had a fixed per-hour rebroadcast cost and no provision for audience growth in the US. The audience grew beyond predicted increase and Televisa wanted more dinero. Univision's lawyers probably kept pointing out Televisa's failure to include that in the contract and stood on this until the judgement went to Univision's favor. This made the arrangement very financially advantageous for Univision, which can now have a production budget.
Of course anything they partner for will continue to be shot in Mexico mostly with Televisa actors. I have no problem with that, but will have a big problem recapping something I can't see in advance.
There was a lot of conflict between the two networks a few years ago which went on for about three years and was finally resolved in Univision's favor. The media never published the details but my guess is that the original contract had a fixed per-hour rebroadcast cost and no provision for audience growth in the US. The audience grew beyond predicted increase and Televisa wanted more dinero. Univision's lawyers probably kept pointing out Televisa's failure to include that in the contract and stood on this until the judgement went to Univision's favor. This made the arrangement very financially advantageous for Univision, which can now have a production budget.
Of course anything they partner for will continue to be shot in Mexico mostly with Televisa actors. I have no problem with that, but will have a big problem recapping something I can't see in advance.
Adriana Noel...Such a beautiful bebe !!!! Tres jolie!
Permalink posted by : Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 10:06:00 AM EST
: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 10:06:00 AM EST
I'm all caught up with the first episode.
Vivi, thanks! I have the prettiest baby in the world (nobody dared to contradict me so far - heh)
I agree with you about Andres - his head must be spinning already with all the lies that Julio is saying. He will surely have to suffer some of the consequences of Julio's duplicity.
Julie, you make a good point about the siblings' mother. Does she know that her son is a little handsy with other people's things (the coat and who knows what else that we'll soon see )? Cristina was blackmailing the mistress of the hotel and Julio is an expert liar. Didn't their mom teach these kids some morals?
Isabel agreed to the marriage rather quickly! If she puts up any fight from now on, will it be too little, too late? Once they made the public announcement, taking it back would be scandalous! !!
Sofia must have had a lonely childhood, with that demanding mother and pretty sister. She does have some ambition (for her husband! ) but I'd like to see her bloom somehow.
A lot of familiar faces that I haven't seen in a while, this seems like a solid cast. Whatever happened to Cristina, I'm sure we're in for a great ride.
Vivi, thanks! I have the prettiest baby in the world (nobody dared to contradict me so far - heh)
I agree with you about Andres - his head must be spinning already with all the lies that Julio is saying. He will surely have to suffer some of the consequences of Julio's duplicity.
Julie, you make a good point about the siblings' mother. Does she know that her son is a little handsy with other people's things (the coat and who knows what else that we'll soon see )? Cristina was blackmailing the mistress of the hotel and Julio is an expert liar. Didn't their mom teach these kids some morals?
Isabel agreed to the marriage rather quickly! If she puts up any fight from now on, will it be too little, too late? Once they made the public announcement, taking it back would be scandalous! !!
Sofia must have had a lonely childhood, with that demanding mother and pretty sister. She does have some ambition (for her husband! ) but I'd like to see her bloom somehow.
A lot of familiar faces that I haven't seen in a while, this seems like a solid cast. Whatever happened to Cristina, I'm sure we're in for a great ride.
Susanlynn - I don't know that there's a dead sister. If you mean Cristina, we're certainly meant to worry that she's dead, but she and her brother are very resourceful.
Then again, this being a TN and all, it's possible that she's wandering around the countryside with amnesia.
Then again, this being a TN and all, it's possible that she's wandering around the countryside with amnesia.
I agree with you guys that both Cristina and Julio seem pretty wiley. I'm not giving up on Cris still being alive yet. She certainly was playing a dangerous game holding something over her mistress' head. Was this how she got promoted to floor manager so fast, or was she just so good at her job? Or a combination of both? For sure having envious Belen as a roommate, who's screwing the hotel manager and has worked there for years, might have also put Cris in danger.
Diego must really have some dirt on Dona Teresa. No way would a woman like Teresa be so eager to marry her daughter off to a mere employee, the hotel manager. No matter how instrumental he was in saving the hotel from bankruptcy (not convinced this was her husband's doing). She would have had her eye on a real prize husband (rich landowner) for her youngest, pretty, intelligent daughter.
I just realized that Teresa could bring Julio's masquerade (one of them, anyway) to an abrupt end. If she really is friendly with the matriarch of the cattle breeding family, it won't be hard for her to find out that there is no young nephew named Julio.
Isabel will not appreciate her mother's meddling, but she'll be even angrier with Julio for lying.
My only comfort is that my speculations are almost always wrong!
Isabel will not appreciate her mother's meddling, but she'll be even angrier with Julio for lying.
My only comfort is that my speculations are almost always wrong!
Susanlynn and Diana - thanks! Her name is Clara and she turns 4 months old today. And, apparently,she's getting a first early tooth soon (yikes!)
Cristina might not be dead, yet, but she sure made important people angry. How long before we find out about a lover? Do we know how long ago the owner died? Could it have been him leaving her majority shares at the hotel - hence the promotion and the blackmail.
Diego and Isabel seemed to have a good relationship before the marriage talk. Funny how Sofia knew there would be an important gathering for a while, but Isabel, who was directly affected, only found out hours before. Mom sure knew what buttons to push, she wasn't even worried probably. I wonder about Diego - "playing " with the staff while getting ready for his engagement - not good husband material.
Cristina might not be dead, yet, but she sure made important people angry. How long before we find out about a lover? Do we know how long ago the owner died? Could it have been him leaving her majority shares at the hotel - hence the promotion and the blackmail.
Diego and Isabel seemed to have a good relationship before the marriage talk. Funny how Sofia knew there would be an important gathering for a while, but Isabel, who was directly affected, only found out hours before. Mom sure knew what buttons to push, she wasn't even worried probably. I wonder about Diego - "playing " with the staff while getting ready for his engagement - not good husband material.
Adriana, not by today's standards. Teresa is of a generation that ignores human emotion in pursuit of money, prestige, and control. Her attitude would be that as long as a husband doesn't insult you in public or beat you in private he can do what he bloody well pleases because he has or makes the money. He can cheat, drink, or even gamble all he wants as long as he doesn't lose the family fortune or become a blot on the escutcheon. Often women like her just want to share their own marital misery with their daughters. Very Edith Wharton of her.
Tofie- Cris looked like she had too much common sense to have had anything to do with gross Diego. But we have much to learn still about the mysterious Cristina. Since the role of Cris is being played by a known actress, I'm sure we'll see much more of her, and what she was up to, in flashbacks.
I agree that Cristina wouldn't have been fooling around with Diego. In fact, I kinda doubt she would have been fooling around at all. She and Andres were close, but with him babbling about Belen in front of Julio I don't think he was fooling around with Cristina either. And he was probably her best friend at the hotel.
Belen probably knows something about Cristina, but there probably isn't any way Julio can ask without blowing his cover. (Then again, Julio's smarter than I am, so we shall see!) And it's not clear whether Belen is even trustworthy, or just full of stories.
Belen probably knows something about Cristina, but there probably isn't any way Julio can ask without blowing his cover. (Then again, Julio's smarter than I am, so we shall see!) And it's not clear whether Belen is even trustworthy, or just full of stories.
UA, there was a marvelous serious in the UK called The Grand a few years back (year one was great, year two, not so much) and showed the life of the staff of a hotel in much this same time period. It was no uncommon for the very lowest of the staffs to have rooms within the hotel, usually just like on estates, on the very top floors in dorm type rooms. It wasn't much different than working on the manors and estates in that regard, pay was low, but it did offer a steady job, living arrangement and meals. And for some, that idea of not being attached more to an entity or business versus nobility which late Victorian was starting to get a bad rap already. So not bad in the days of industrial revolution with the alternative being service to the gentry, but those jobs were dwindling or working in the difficult factory conditions.
As with many countries, even US, the mimicry of how things were done in the European capitals was all the rage and how "it should be done", so having staff live on the premises with an air of Downtown Abbey about it, is totally believable.
Daisynjay
As with many countries, even US, the mimicry of how things were done in the European capitals was all the rage and how "it should be done", so having staff live on the premises with an air of Downtown Abbey about it, is totally believable.
Daisynjay
Permalink posted by : Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 1:02:00 PM EST
: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 1:02:00 PM EST
I am reminded of the hotel in the movie "Somewhere in Time." Jane Seymour wore the most beautiful gowns in that one.
Permalink posted by : Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 1:51:00 PM EST
: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 1:51:00 PM EST
Julie, thanks!
Urban, you're right, women in those times were all about appearances, not unlike many telenovela women in this century. At least the producer didn't try to modernize the story by setting it in the present, it would have probably been a mess.
Urban, you're right, women in those times were all about appearances, not unlike many telenovela women in this century. At least the producer didn't try to modernize the story by setting it in the present, it would have probably been a mess.
I love it! I've been so looking forward to this starting, and then I couldn't stay awake to watch it last night. Will catch up tonight.
Thanks for the excellent recap, Julie! It's so hard on the first episode when everyone is new. You did a fantastic job, como siempre. I love your comments about the curious persistent angle of the sun.
Julio certainly is loosy-goosy with the morals, no? He doesn't seem to hesitate for a second to steal something or lie to get a job or assume a new identity. Just impulse control issues, or is he a practiced con artist? Or does he merely live so fully in the present that potential future consequences never occur to him?
I'm glad Isabel has some ambition. I wish she'd tell her mother to go to hell with her arranged marriage ideas, but that wouldn't lead to enough drama, I suppose. How did Diego have enough money to bail out the hotel, anyway?
Thanks for the excellent recap, Julie! It's so hard on the first episode when everyone is new. You did a fantastic job, como siempre. I love your comments about the curious persistent angle of the sun.
Julio certainly is loosy-goosy with the morals, no? He doesn't seem to hesitate for a second to steal something or lie to get a job or assume a new identity. Just impulse control issues, or is he a practiced con artist? Or does he merely live so fully in the present that potential future consequences never occur to him?
I'm glad Isabel has some ambition. I wish she'd tell her mother to go to hell with her arranged marriage ideas, but that wouldn't lead to enough drama, I suppose. How did Diego have enough money to bail out the hotel, anyway?
Julia- Good question about Diego and his source of money. Maybe the hotel was bankrupt in the first place because HE stole the profits?
Updating this definitely wouldn't work. We've seen how ridiculous the concept of arranged marriage is in our times in MIVAC and over at Poder we're always going on about the 1950s mindset of about half the characters, the younger ones not being immune to this.
I think Julio is in survival mode. He knows something is rotten and he's doing what's necessary to get to the bottom of things. I agree that he's nothing thinking very far ahead at the moment and the old lady talking about the false story about her stolen jewels lives at the hotel. That's the first thing that could trip him up.
I think Julio is in survival mode. He knows something is rotten and he's doing what's necessary to get to the bottom of things. I agree that he's nothing thinking very far ahead at the moment and the old lady talking about the false story about her stolen jewels lives at the hotel. That's the first thing that could trip him up.
Gracias Julie, I think I'm going to like this one & only 80 capitulos, not a lot of time to go stupid.
Alfredo (Alejandro de la Madrid) was Ignacio in El señor de los cielos &
Cristina (Ximena Herrera) was also in El señor as the wife of main narco, season 1
Alfredo (Alejandro de la Madrid) was Ignacio in El señor de los cielos &
Cristina (Ximena Herrera) was also in El señor as the wife of main narco, season 1
I think Julio is just doing what he has to in order to get by. He has probably seen con artists at work and has an idea of how to scam people, but he doesn't appear to be a genuine grifter nor an indiscriminate thief. The orange was petty, and the coat seemed like revenge for that man harassing the raggedy kids. He "borrowed" an outfit to wear to the party (lucky thing no one recognized those clothes), but we know he won't keep it.
He doesn't strike me as someone who's going to steal money out of people's pockets, either, and he certainly won't swindle people on the scale that we suspect Diego to be capable of. Right or wrong, Julio probably sees his transgressions as necessary evils to level the playing field against powerful, wealthy people who could make him disappear just like he suspects them of doing to his sister.
He doesn't strike me as someone who's going to steal money out of people's pockets, either, and he certainly won't swindle people on the scale that we suspect Diego to be capable of. Right or wrong, Julio probably sees his transgressions as necessary evils to level the playing field against powerful, wealthy people who could make him disappear just like he suspects them of doing to his sister.
Heh, Variopinta, didn't you see FELS? They got their stupid on in far less than 80 episodes... we were getting BOIOIOIOIOINNNNG sound effects within a week or two. But yeah, I don't see this one going that way. Televisa/Univision obviously put up some serious funds for this TN, and I don't think they want to turn it into a circus.
Quick comment before reading the recap/comments.
Slow, but not boring. Reminded me a little of a Masterpiece Theatre program at first. Visuals, pacing. Plus, the timeframe is close to what the it was for the beginning of Downton Abbey.
Sorry to see Julio's sister go. Liked the look of the actor. Liked that she the look of "no makeup". Appropriate for her station during that time.
So far liking the costumes and hair. Hair is one of the things period programs get wrong a lot of time.
Didn't recognize EE until half way through, though I realized it must be him. One scene he was grinning at Isabel and looked just like his character from PEAM and I finally saw the resemblance.
Loved Isabel's purple dress. Gorgeous.
Nanette
Slow, but not boring. Reminded me a little of a Masterpiece Theatre program at first. Visuals, pacing. Plus, the timeframe is close to what the it was for the beginning of Downton Abbey.
Sorry to see Julio's sister go. Liked the look of the actor. Liked that she the look of "no makeup". Appropriate for her station during that time.
So far liking the costumes and hair. Hair is one of the things period programs get wrong a lot of time.
Didn't recognize EE until half way through, though I realized it must be him. One scene he was grinning at Isabel and looked just like his character from PEAM and I finally saw the resemblance.
Loved Isabel's purple dress. Gorgeous.
Nanette
A few of the younger actresses didn't seem to know how to walk in those dresses, though. Not like the days of YCEM and CS93.
K...I finally am watching the episode. I like the look of it. I love the clothing! The chef looks familiar to me from other telenovelas but I cannot remember which ones..maybe Robo .It is also great to see Danieka again. She always does a good job in any time she takes on...a servant or a Dona.
The leading man does not do it for me , but I have picked out mi telenovio in this one...the guy playing Andresssss. Yes..cutie. He looked very happy when the leading lady came home and greeted all the servants . She must be the family member favored by the staff....the nice one who does not treat them like dirt.
The leading man does not do it for me , but I have picked out mi telenovio in this one...the guy playing Andresssss. Yes..cutie. He looked very happy when the leading lady came home and greeted all the servants . She must be the family member favored by the staff....the nice one who does not treat them like dirt.
Permalink posted by : Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 5:08:00 PM EST
: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 5:08:00 PM EST
Thanks, Julie. Your recap was perfect.
Daniela Romo had a cameo as herself in Mi Corazon es Tuyo.
The guy who plays the chef also played Macario in Robo.
Benjamin was in Amor Bravio and Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish.
UA: I noticed both the left-handedness (and, boy did she have a “hook”) and the way Sofia was walking when she left Isabel. Didn’t “glide” like she should have.
Thought the editing was a bit weird in places, especially the scene where Julio dives under the desk.
The time slot may mean I'll be watching a day late.
Daniela Romo had a cameo as herself in Mi Corazon es Tuyo.
The guy who plays the chef also played Macario in Robo.
Benjamin was in Amor Bravio and Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish.
UA: I noticed both the left-handedness (and, boy did she have a “hook”) and the way Sofia was walking when she left Isabel. Didn’t “glide” like she should have.
Thought the editing was a bit weird in places, especially the scene where Julio dives under the desk.
The time slot may mean I'll be watching a day late.
Julio actually dove under Cristina's bed, not the desk (we saw a bit of the chamber pot under the bed), and the hideaway was in the baseboard of the wall behind the bed.
Thanks Vivi. Remember the chamber pot, now that you mention it. Still thought it looked strange the way he did it.
Nice detail, too.
Nice detail, too.
I didn't realize he hid under the bed! Admittedly, it's a better hiding place than under that little desk.
I can't wait till tonight's episode. It's good to like a telenovela again!
I can't wait till tonight's episode. It's good to like a telenovela again!
Julie, I did have the misfortune of watching FELS, the #1 worst novela until CI, Salvador Mejia anyone?
I was smart enough to bail on CI early but tortured myself through to the end with FELS.
I was smart enough to bail on CI early but tortured myself through to the end with FELS.
Thank you Julie, great job. I know this was difficult, I hope it gets easier. I had to pause and rewind just to catch the fast dialog.
I recognized a few, but I've never seen the leading man or lady before. And Andres! Wow, he's cute, never saw him before either. He might just rank up there with Cristian de la Fuente and Jorge Salinas.
I recognized a few, but I've never seen the leading man or lady before. And Andres! Wow, he's cute, never saw him before either. He might just rank up there with Cristian de la Fuente and Jorge Salinas.
I love that this tn is such a great mix of a lot of fresh faces (for us State-side tn watchers) and some really familiar faces.
I admit that I went with the English captions for this first episode. Everything was going by so fast that even the English captions were overwhelming, but it was the only way I could keep up with the lightspeed pace. The captions were also handy because they usually identified most of the speakers, which was a big help considering we're just meeting all of those people.
I hope I can rely more on my ears for the rest of the episodes, because reading English captions really defeats my original reason for watching telenovelas... to learn Spanish.
On the bright side, I could tell that the English captions were much more complete and more accurate than they were just a couple of years ago. I don't know if that's unique to this TN, or if captioning has gotten better in general.
For a lot of reasons, it's better to listen with your ears as much as possible, whether you're watching a show in your own language or a different one. But for educational reasons, recapping convenience, and of course the people for whom audio is truly not an option, I'm especially glad the captions are so much better now. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but there are words that can say things that a thousand pictures can't!
I hope I can rely more on my ears for the rest of the episodes, because reading English captions really defeats my original reason for watching telenovelas... to learn Spanish.
On the bright side, I could tell that the English captions were much more complete and more accurate than they were just a couple of years ago. I don't know if that's unique to this TN, or if captioning has gotten better in general.
For a lot of reasons, it's better to listen with your ears as much as possible, whether you're watching a show in your own language or a different one. But for educational reasons, recapping convenience, and of course the people for whom audio is truly not an option, I'm especially glad the captions are so much better now. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but there are words that can say things that a thousand pictures can't!
Julie, I resorted to english captions when I was recapping Corazon Indomable. Towards the end, it was everything I could do to watch an episode all the way through, so I decided I could breeze through my recaps by watching with english captions and limit my suffering. That's the only time I did that. Now I watch and recap with spanish captions. If I didn't, I would miss too much.
Recapping this one will get easier once we are on a roll about the story and how the characters behave and think. It's always way more challenging at the beginning.
Recapping this one will get easier once we are on a roll about the story and how the characters behave and think. It's always way more challenging at the beginning.
Julie--don't have much time to thank you for the great introduction to our first period novela in a long time.
Slightly OT - Just an observation on the staff living in the hotel. At just about the same time, Harvey Houses, which were restaurants, were being established across the country at train stations. Their female staff who served the public in the restaurant were expected to be single, from good background and live in. If anyone happens to be passing through Barstow, CA, do make a stop at the restored train station-Harvey House. Amtrak still stops at Barstow.
Ok, back to the story. I'm so happy to be watching this with everyone. It seems as though many PyP folks stayed up for this.
Julie--EE lost 10K - that translates to about 22 lbs. That's a lot for an already lean guy.
Slightly OT - Just an observation on the staff living in the hotel. At just about the same time, Harvey Houses, which were restaurants, were being established across the country at train stations. Their female staff who served the public in the restaurant were expected to be single, from good background and live in. If anyone happens to be passing through Barstow, CA, do make a stop at the restored train station-Harvey House. Amtrak still stops at Barstow.
Ok, back to the story. I'm so happy to be watching this with everyone. It seems as though many PyP folks stayed up for this.
Julie--EE lost 10K - that translates to about 22 lbs. That's a lot for an already lean guy.
Adriana Noel--
OT: Clara is for comiendo a besos. Please post pictures as she gets bigger.
It's not too late, but this is what I did for my two grandsons. We picked out one chair each that my dear DIL was planning to keep and we began taking pictures of the boys starting at 1 month. We have the big one documented regularly now to age 23. It's so neat to watch him grow into and out of that chair. They're all in an album now and we call them the Chair Pictures.
OT: Clara is for comiendo a besos. Please post pictures as she gets bigger.
It's not too late, but this is what I did for my two grandsons. We picked out one chair each that my dear DIL was planning to keep and we began taking pictures of the boys starting at 1 month. We have the big one documented regularly now to age 23. It's so neat to watch him grow into and out of that chair. They're all in an album now and we call them the Chair Pictures.
Wow! I missed that it was kg and not lbs. I thought it was a lot when it was just 10 pounds! Thanks for bringing that to my attention, Anita.
Watching the episode right now and I recognized the guy that played Memo with the beautiful eyes in La Malquerida.
TF- Yes. He's the son of the head cook, who doesn't seem happy about following in his father's footsteps-- we learned he hates peeling onions yesterday.
Thanks, Julie. A great recap and an important one for me. We had NO Univision transmission Mon. night, so I couldn't watch the first epi. Think I'll like this one, since I'm a sucker for period dramas. Lots of good cast here, too.
This was one of the few pilots that made me very excited for the novela's future. I worship Daniela Romo, Diana Bracho and Dominika Paleta, they are wonderful actors and I always enjoy seeing them on the screen . Jorge Poza is also growing on me, his role already looks complex and creepy. I have to say that the flashback scene with Christina gave me the creeps from the beginning to the end especially the lights part as Diana gives her "I got you tumbling " smile while Christina takes her last sliced breath.
I am not concerned that the novela will tumble because the director already has got awards for his previous shows such as El Color de La Pasion and some other show that I cannot remember the name.
I am not concerned that the novela will tumble because the director already has got awards for his previous shows such as El Color de La Pasion and some other show that I cannot remember the name.
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