Caray, Caray!

Another superior recap Cynthia.

"Gutierrez promises to do whatever he can do. (which is probably nothing)" was my favorite line. I also enjoyed your astute observations "(Which again, the insurance companies usually go after the perpetrator and sue)."

Susan is unraveling at the seams. "It appears she is trying to gently let him down and go, but she keeps crying so she never actually says anything substantial and leaves Tano wondering what the heck is going on". She needed to pull herself together and say it, straight, succinctly and clearly.

"Lu admits that she really doesn’t love Miguel quite yet". Finally, she admitted the truth.

I did not realize Carito had packed Luci’s belongings away. What gaul. She is very fortunate she wasn’t the recipient of Luci’s fiery temper. Carito has a long way to go if she is to be redeemed. Jealousy is one thing, cruelty another.

I'm glad Marta was able to understand Luci's heart is not with Miguel. You can make yourself do many things, but the heart simply can't be told what to do.

As you noted, Graciela, (Shelob), has woven her web tightly. David just doesn't realized he is snared in it yet.

Cynthia, thank you!

Diana
 

Gracias and good work, Cynthia.

That kiss could be a slippery slope and David needs to beware of black widow spiders like DisGracie. Since she is operating at some cross-purposes with Lillian and Juan I am wondering whether they are plotting David's murder which would happen after he makes the monumentally idiot mistake of marrying DisGracie. The story could go there.

Carito and Perla are going to pay big time for their involvement in this human trafficking operation as well as their treatment of Luciana. Someone needs to explain to Carito that she can't make Miguel love her, but I kind of doubt she would listen.

If Mark pulls what he's threatened I hope the police have the sense to see what is really going on here. Not that any of what's happened in that storyline is believable in the first place, but someone should have the intelligence to see that this is an abusive man manipulating a woman who is trying to get away from him. Carlos should just walk away from this for his own good and find a girl his own age who hasn't this kind of baggage.

The dumbing down of Susan is also bothering me. There have been sympathetic female characters in the past who were not victims of the writers in this way so why is this happening now?
 

Excellent Cynthia.

"this boy puts on the drama"

More time the writers spend on this the closer I come to turning the damn thing off. In isolation, Tano & Fernanda, with other love interest, ok. In isolation, Susan & Mark with a third party, ok. Susan and Tano? There is no way the writers can polish him up enough to be believable as a serious love interest and why they have to dumb Susan down. Not the same circumstances but Mary Kay Letourneau keeps popping in my head.

I don't believe after spending all of the show but two brief kisses telling Miguel she loves him suddenly she is just fond of him. David is away so she misses him and afraid he'll adore another woman but let him return and she'll I love you all over Miguel.

Sense of foreboding there is a cellar full migrants and more coming and Juan's band-aide is a pep rally.

 

Thank you so much, Cynthia.

Susan agreeing to her grunged-out ex's terms to save her "baby boyfriend" (as much as I want (o hai) Mark to be hit by a bus, and at least as I understand the loose ages on this show, he's not wrong there) strikes me as a curiously English-language soap move to push plot. Of course novelas do it too, but it doesn't tend to be as sledgehammery as it's been here--and the show's intent of showing Susan as caring so much for said baby boyfriend that she's willing to pull a David and give him up for his own good is almost at cross purposes with Mar Contreras angsting all over the place about the whole thing. Even more than Luciana angsts over David, come to think of it (and possibly even over Cynthia Klitbo; right now Mar may be rivaling Gabriel Soto for Angster of the Month). It indeed makes Susan look desperate, which I imagine was intentional; the stupidity aspect of it (which loops back to her keeping the whole thing secret, at least for the moment, though in-show it does make a certain sense--that said, she's still doing all this with Mark, for Tano?) is an annoying and unintended bonus.
 

Urban, I could not agree more that the "dumbing down" of Susan is troublesome, on so many levels. As Bill noted, he is "grunged-out" and beyond that, there is absolutely nothing at all appealing about him, in thought, word, appearance of action. Blech.

"Sense of foreboding there is a cellar full migrants and more coming and Juan's band-aide is a pep rally". tofie, leave it to you to capture what is likely the most frightening foreboding of what might occur. Instead of wondering if Mark will ever wash his hair, I should start worrying about this very important sub plot.

Diana
 

Fantastic recap Cynthia! Thank you - I let my husband have the TV about 20 minutes in and apparently missed what passes for the "good stuff".

Since I'm kind of Team Gracie, I'm ok with that kiss! Yeah Gracie is definitely an evil manipulator, but she's also the only one on the ball in that vineyard (besides Miguel). And honestly, David is happier around her. Grumpy David is no fun to watch.

I'm definitely OK with Tano being freed, because now we are free of the bail chatter. And I'm glad he's free of Susan. She's a mess.

I go back and forth on Carito, but I agree with all the foreboding above, she's going to get some karma and hopefully learn a lesson.
 

dy, I too am team Graciela and minus the skull bashing of her sister, perfect for David. Whatever her motivation everything she does is in support long and short term of him. Other than with Juan, Luciana and her mom (none of whom would be missed) she shows humility. She attends to detail, multi tasks, polished, smart, pretty, does not treat David like a child but a man and bet if they were a couple she wouldn't keep other men on a string.
 

Thank you, Cynthia, for another excellent recap and screen caps. I especially liked the one of Dave wearing his I-am-delighted -to-hear-about-the-upcoming-wedding expression...Which happens to be the expression on his face most of the time. Mmmphhmmg...

Disgrace is indeed a spider spinning a web for Dave McFly....But the fact we must focus on is that she KILLED HIS WIFE\HER SISTER. QTH??? Dave is sleepwalking into a morass of evil...H.e.l.p. However, where will the help come from because all the supposed good guys are so passive and clueless. Nobody is riding to the rescue, and I got a bad feeling about Miguel going to the police. Does Juan have the police in his pocket?

Diana, yes, I am glad that you mentioned Markme's needing a shampoo.




 

Exactly Tofie! Too bad there's that small detail of killing his first wife and turning him grumpy to begin with. But minus that (and granted that is a huge thing to minus out), she's pretty perfect for him!
 

Yikes...Compliments to Disgacie???...She killed her sister and is now zoning in on possessing her husband. No compliments from me.
 

Susanlynn: Graciela will probably marry David now.

1.) Carito & Perla conspiring to destroy Luciana. I wouldn't be surprised if Perla tells Juan & Mark to get rid of the Luciana problem quickly.

2.) Marta: You better watch your back because your enemies HATE you & want to exterminated.

3.) Leon: MOVE OUT of the house of horrors & never come back!


Tofie: Didn't know that Juan whacked his 1st wife. Perla: YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

 

UA: Karma is clearing her throat & ready to sing at Carito!
 

Thank you, Cynthia! It's painful to watch as so many annoying plot twists inch their way forward. Susan is being dumb. Luci is being ridiculous (either marry the guy or don't, but stop making that face). David is being clueless (not a new development, but an ongoing irritation). Gutierrez is doing nothing to prepare for the inevitable moment when Marta finds out what he did. Argh, argh, argh.

I'm sure Perla and Carito will get theirs eventually, but I doubt that it will be soon. So, I'm not holding my breath just yet.
 

Thanks, Cynthia. Gutierrez promises to do whatever he can do. (which is probably nothing) is my favorite too. Your recap brings wit and charm to this silly tale.

Can't stand Carito, but my favorite scene was her getting up in Luciana's face and telling her she doesn't love Miguel.

Team Miguel all the way. Loved him speaking English with the police officer.

Gracie, too bad you didn't have video running to send a clip of David's face attack to Luciana. Graciela may get him in bed, but she'll never get his heart.

After seeing umpteen mature man/young ingénue story lines, I'm up for a mature woman/young man. Just wish Susan wasn't so stupid. Why did she depend on Juan, especially since she knows he's friends with Mark, and not get her own lawyer for Tano?
 

This series is probably still in production and Mexico is 60 episodes ahead of us. I hope someone there comes in to tell us when the Ultimos Capitulos announcement happens there. That could be soon if Televisa sticks to its 120-episode promise.

I truly don't want to see David marry DisGracie but if he does (like Alonso in ECDLP) he will be equally horrified when he finally finds out that she killed Lisa. Are the writers of these series all copying each other?
 

I'm guessing that a lawyer would have been immediately moot the minute the So Obviously Gringo Sonoma cops arrested Tano and Marta and Co. had to pony up his $10k bail, let alone when Juan went "Oh, darn, we don't quite have enough money in the kitty to handle this." Susan being desperate and thinking she was out of options at least was set up well enough; it's just that pesky subsequent stupidity.

By the same token, though, refresh my memory--is Susan clued in on Miguel and Luciana's theory that Juan was the one who sabotaged the original reserve batch? If she is, that adds a fresh layer of dumb (if filtered through the fact that, yes, Juan is the vineyard's accountant/lawyer/whatthehelleverelse). Even just a throwaway line about not having time to get another lawyer and being doubtful of Juan would have worked wonders from her.
 

That was in reply to Niecie in MD, by the way. :)
 

Thanks everyone for your comments!

In my eyes, Gracie doesn’t love David, she merely wants to POSSESS him, mind, body, and soul. Since she “lost” when he fell in love with her sister Lisa and married her, she has been plotting ever since just to show herself and everyone else she can capture the man she wants. But this is not true love. She wants power and wealth, not love, home, and family. When she is bored with him, she will find other play-toys to entertain herself with. She is kind of like Rebecca in ECDLP, she got her man, but the marriage has been loveless pretty much. That’s what would be Gracie’s future if she married David. She is the kind of person who won’t give up and won’t play fair and square, going as far as murdering her own sister to steal what she wants and thinks should be hers to keep because she “wants” it. I would say in NO WAY does Gracie ever deserve to be with David because she murdered Lisa. She should be in prison, but because in this novela, no one calls the police, the death was never investigated, no autopsy to reveal a blunt force trauma, she’s gotten off scott-free. Only Juan seems to have figured out that Gracie had something to do with Lisa’s death. Nothing but a bunch of blackmailers with each other to keep this plan cohesive.

Susan is driving me nutty, I’m getting very tired of her crying fits. This character has gone from a strong career woman to a pile of pathetic sorrow who is falling apart at the seams. Tano is way too young for her. I can’t figure out why she would want to be with a guy who has no education, still needs to go to college and has acquired nothing in life. She would end up being more of a mother figure for him. But perhaps that’s why he likes Susan, he needs a MAMA.

Oh who said that Juan killed his first wife? I don’t remember that being said in any earlier episodes. I know that Lilian alluded to killing Fernando, but I never knew Juan was previously married. He seems to carry a torch for Gracie though. I’d rather see Gracie with Juan. I think they deserve each other.
 

Niecie, Carito seems to be under the impression that if Luciana weren’t around, she and Miguel would be together. The way I see things is that Miguel is just NOT INTO Carito at all. He just doesn’t like her that way and if Luciana never appeared back in his life, he still would not settle for Carito. She needs to get a clue and realize that he’s just not into her, period. If Luciana weren’t his love interest, he would find someone else. I see this Erica coming on the scene causing jealousy and problems for Luciana and Miguel because it appeared the Miguel was definitely attracted to Erica. But when he looks at Carito, you can tell he’s just not attracted to her, period. Miguel is sooooo in love with Luciana, but you can tell she just doesn’t feel the same way about him. He does deserve better.
 

Yes Bill, Susan is aware that Juan is the prime suspect for fouling the wine. And she's painfully aware that he's the guy who bought the bad pesticide (or was it a fertilizer) that made her so sick. For her to rely on him for anything is bewildering.
 

Thank you, Cynthia!

Again, haven't watched. "The kiss" was the yucky thing I saw on the previews that has put me off watching. Agree with those who will never give DisGracie a pass to have David or think she's good for him. Having killed his sister, whom he was so deeply in love with that her death nearly destroyed him, can NEVER be forgotten or forgiven. That's proof right there that she didn't love him then and doesn't love him now. Oh yeah, she's no dummy and her moving almost seamlessly into promoting the wine (AND her art) has been masterful, but it's all coldly calculated as part of her master plan to possess him. Don't forget she's boinking Joselo: a woman in love doesn't do that. Also, nearly as big as the murder of Lisa is her plotting with his treacherous "best friend" and mother in law who have been robbing him for years and plan to steal his life, his livelihood, the vineyard! She's working WITH them, not merely vaguely aware of some shady shenanigans! Despite her protesting to Juan "not to hurt David", she doesn't give a damn about what they're doing to him and sees him as a prize that she'll get to walk away with after they've totally destroyed and fleeced him. No. Gracie is is skullduggerous skank who is too easily having her way because DUH-veed is such a big DUMMY! GAH!

Thank you again, Cynthia, thanks to all you recappers. I know how hard you work and how hard it is when the show seems to circle the drain in the toilet bowl. I really appreciate you saving me from watching. I'll keep checking in to see when it's safe!
 

Cynthia...Yes..Everything that you just said !!

Miguel is definitely going to end with up ERika who will appreciate his love and devotion. Luci only loves him the way you love a childhood friend. I don't even think she ever was crushing on him before she had to go back to MExico.

I just noticed that almost all these people are single..Except for SOosan and her estranged abusive husband the unremarkable Markme. One married couple now that DisGracie has killed LIsa and ended that happy marriage. No priest or counselors to offer guidance. This whole scenario is bleak. Speaking of bleak, I have been watching reruns of "Girls" on HBO..Talk about dripping angst
 

Cynthia--You had a blast with this episode. Your recap reflected it. Such hilarity, passion (not), grumpiness, frustration (ours) and such unbelievable legal processes.

Thank you for the skinny on misdemeanors and felonies--I raised my eyebrows on Homeboy Cop saying it was a misdemeanor. Maybe he didn't really know the extent of the sabotage. But that's no excuse, writers, you should have known something about insurance. OTOH, why did David just ask Miguel to investigate how the wine could have gotten spoiled. Miguel keeps talking about it, but has failed to follow up on who could have bought that much of the acid. David should have reported the sabotage right away (hmmm, Agustin in CME didn't either--her just blamed Jeronimo). Maybe David couldn't afford the insurance? But then he should have kept night guards. Which is more expensive?

Susan is a disappointment, in all areas. I so agree with everyone we didn't need a smart, talented professional woman getting dumbed down into a puddle of tears.

To those of you who are thinking Gracie is a much better match for David than Luciana, as I was watching Gracie demonstrate her restraint and finesse with David last night, I was nodding away. She doesn't need to seduce him into bed. She's reeling him in so slowly he doesn't even notice. I admired her strategy, she is beautiful arm candy and smart to boot. David could do worse. It's just that murder hanging over her, that makes her the wrong person for him. It wouldn't take her long to get rid of her mother (I don't mean dispatching her to another world--just set her up in a lovely villa on the far corner of the property--with Sonia for company.)

As for Juan holding the Lisa "incident" over her, she's smart enough to know that it is his word over hers and HE has more going against him already--the pesticide caper. She can deny, deny, deny.

The new illegal immigrants packed into such a small space, and possibly locked in is surely going to turn into a disaster. Fire anyone?

Finally, the Carito-Miguel-Luciana three-legged stool reminds me of the Liliana-Guzmancito-Nikki triangle. Lili just would never accept Guzmi's and Nikki's relationship in the face of everything to the contrary. I think the writers have taken a page from that book.
 

The thing is that Gracie wants the rest of the package that comes with David: The position, the wealth, the prestige that the winery will achieve. This is at odds with Lillian and Juan's goal of stealing everything out from under him. They are not at the point of major conflict yet, but when that comes they are likely to turn on each other.

Per my post of 7:36AM, if David makes Alonso's mistake and marries DisGracie Lillian and Juan will plot his death whether he has a will or not. If David were to die intestate after marrying DisGracie she would likely get one-third of his estate with the rest going to Fernanda and Bobby. Since they are both minors the court would have to appoint a trustee to manage their inheritances and we know that Gracie and Lillian would each want to be appointed. We all know where that would go.

The difference between David and Alonso is that David is opening himself up to the possibility of love (Luciana) rather than just marrying someone to have a mother for his children. However, since FerBrat has been making trouble for him acting on his feelings for Luciana the door is open a crack for DisGracie.

DisGracie would not stand for David being impoverished because that takes away what she really wants, which is everything Lisa had. I'm also reasonably sure that Lillian wouldn't care if Gracie ended up in the street under that scenario. She is out for herself and only for herself.
 

Urban...Yes, as you said, Juan and Lilian seem to have plans that are directly at odds with Disgracie's plans. DisGracie wants Dave and all the perks that go with him whereas Juan and Lilian want his assets. It seems that they cannot all have what they want. Why would DisGracie support the plan to rob Dave of his wealth? It seems that if the daughter wins, the mother loses. Do .No. get. It.
 

I'd modify that slightly, myself. Graciela's priorities are just (radically?) different than the rest of the Axis of Evil...

Graciela:
a. Win David's heart for herself, because *&?! Lisa.
b. Being a successful vintner's wife? Okay, why not?
c. Maybe throw Lilian a crumb or two.
d. Screw Juan (in the non-fun sense).

Lilian:
a. Terminate Marta with extreme prejudice (we all know that's really Job One for her), or at the very least make her life a living hell.
b. Live a life of wealth and leisure in David's house, because *&?! everybody else.
c. Get everybody else the hell out of the way of step B. Fernanda and Bobby get shipped off to school, David's out of the way period, and Juan and Graciela...whatever.

Juan:
a. Get as much money as possible.
b. Screw over David for torpedoing his deal from back in the day (and apparently this led to his father's suicide, going off a previous episode, so there's that).
c. Use Perla and, now, Carito for whatthehellever. Because *&?! them.
d. Oh, and *&?! Lilian and Graciela.

 

I think Gracie also wants to get rid of the children. She's just better at faking affection for them than her mother is. If FerBrat goes away to college (which doesn't sound a long way off) then her next priority is to ship Bobby off to a military school in another state or a prestigious boarding school in Spain, half a planet away.

I strongly doubt that having babies figures in any of her plans.

Juan definitely has ideas about Gracie or her social equal. As soon as he feels ready to make that kind of a move he'll drop Perla like a hot tamale.
 

Bill.....Ah...These are some lovely folks, no? Yikes. Sucks to be any of them. I am so hoping that karma proves to be quick and just.

It is a wonder that someone with a heart as dark and cold as Disgracie's can create such lovely paintings. Beauty is skin-deep but evil and greed go to the bone. Bleecchhh.
 

That DisGracie's plans are so diametrically opposed to those of her accomplices could be a case of careless/sloppy plot development. It doesn't make sense! If the writers are NOT lazy, then DisGracie is shallow and foolish enough to think her loins and selfish brand of love are enough to pull David and the kids through after he's lost everything.

OR, she's playing on the razor's edge and will out Juan and Lilli once she's wedded or bedded him, feeling secure that DUH-veed will never believe Juan and Lilli's protests that DisGracie was part of the plot all along. He won't believe the accusation of DisGracie's involvement in Lisa's death, either. She's got good reason to believe this, too, the way she's been so skillfully manipulating him thus far.

Man! Is there ANY sex, smart galan ANYwhere in these dang stories? Talking priorities, I think the writers' priority is to FRUSTRATE the hell out of viewerville!


 

If somehow DisGracie could erase that little bonk Sister on the head thing, maybe, just maybe. She is attrractive, and soooo smooth, and now U-Fit has that New Year, New Rear program for women, she could stop trying to pack ten pounds of ass into five pound pants.
 

UA: David marrying Graciela would be the 2nd Coming of Alonso Gaxiola & we all know how that went for Alonso.


 

Lila..."wedded or bedded" ..."loins"..You appear to be feeling pretty saucy today. I am waiting for a bit of snow to arrive here tonight.

There is not enough spin in the world to erase Disgrace playing rock, paper, scissors with her sis ..Using an actual rock. She seems to be feeling NO remorse..Nada. How about the writers give her a visit from GhostLisa. Now, that might spark this show up a bit.
 

The Axis of Evil:
1.) Lillian

2.) Graciela

3.) FerBrat

4.) Juan

5.) Mark

6.) Perla

7.) Carito

8.) Gutierrez

9.) El Coyote

10.) Sonia


 

Susanlynn, that's a good idea to have Lisa's ghost appear to Gracie. She ought to appear to David, too, and tell him to get his act together.
 

Yah, Susanlynn, with all that said, after seeing both protagonists murdered on their wedding day in another show (AQNMD), nothing will surprise me in these novelas anymore. Question is, could I stomach it if Miguel and Luci got married as well as DisGracie and DUH-veed. He's pretty much DisGracie's puppet as far as I can see.

An actual pleasant surprise would be if David snatched Luci from Miguel's arms and they eloped!
 

I have pondered the possibility of Rebeca and Nora of ECDLP taking each other out in the finale, but I see this possibility here as well.

DisGracie has accused Lillian of favoring Lisa and ignoring her. Lillian doesn't seem to have confided in her about her nasty plan, but DisGracie should know her well enough to know what makes her tick. D-I-N-E-R-O is that one thing above all. She may not know that Juan has been stealing David blind for the last 20 years but she is certainly intelligent enough to figure it out if she hangs around long enough. However, he has something much bigger on her which is suspicion of murder. The murder of Lisa, whom David loved to the point of madness.

While having two conflicting evil plans is not a bad thing from a writing perspective it needs to be better-handled. However, I don't know how the writers can fix what's already wrong which is that no business owner in the US with any working brain cells wouldn't have fired Juan after the pesticide incident, followed by an independent financial audit.
 

I had a thought: I wondered if we might see Juan and Mark turn on each other somehow. Both bad guys and both dishonest. What's to keep either one of them from setting the other up to get caught? Especially with this human trafficking thing, I could see if Juan became overwhelmed he might turn on Mark. So I see this as another possibility as well as Lilian turning on Gracie.
 

Great point, Cynthia. As a matter of fact, that makes more sense than them working together.

Hey guys. What do you all think of something David said a couple of times: more than once he said he had to get away from Luciana, from seeing her with Miguel because he would do something crazy.

What do you think he would do or is that just something the writers slipped in and dropped/forgot about.

I'm hoping the "locura" would be snatching Luci as described above.
 

Lila, I fear the locura would be snatching Gracie instead. Use one nail to drive out another nail.
 

Okay thanks Miss Cathy Hampton. this episode was a bit annoying everybody is happy and not happy with the wrong person. I feel kind of sorry for David cuz he's stuck, everybody seems to be stuck in this show. Even as whacky as Sonia is, she's stuck. Davids getting drunk it's going to be very easy for him to fall into bed with crazy-ella. And before you know it you got the baby daddy thing going on.

Have I mentioned how much I can't stand juan, crazy-ella and Lillian. And I'm trying not to put the gut-man on that list, but he's slowly inching his way onto it. He could fix that whole mess with Lucy's visa thing, he didn't have any problems messing it up for her and pops to be deported. He need to take his guilty but down there and fix it.
Ok now, sonia's a bit freaky, Leon better watch out. I'm glad that Marta is the voice of reason. She really should not merry the mig. He's so sweet but that would be a bad move on
Their part. In the meantime we've got a lot of circles and squares and triangles to watch these people go around before lucy and David finally come together. going to be very frustrating to see all that but I'm up for it.
Ok thank Cathy Hamilton.
 

So far, DAve has not proven to be a very proactive let alone impetuous guy, so I have trouble visualizing him riding in and sweeping LIttle Luci out of Miguel's ardent embrace. Would the writers be clever enough to try this? "Ah, hey, hi, Miguel, look over there?" I haven't seen any horses. Maybe he could use a tractor to spirit Luci away. ..If he actually has ever driven a tractor.
 

Lucy looks like she took some bad work medicine. This is gonna be a mess.
And David is going to impossible to worm with. He's already running hot n cold, mostly hot.