Caray, Caray!

LA DONA and general:

I see the new page got started, so I'm going to move my last couple of comments over (with a few edits), sorry for the duplication.

Yes, it's been a while since I engaged with the board...I think the last time was Reina de Corazones (of course, I loved it) or En Otra Piel (Liked it)! However, I'm usually around checking on my Telenovelas. I made it through Tierra de Reyes (pretty bad, but good eye candy :) ). I missed most of 2015 (on Telemundo, but hate watched a couple on Univision), I tried to get into Bajo el Mismo Cielo, but dropped out after a week or so (I really wanted to Quien es Quien, but didn't have time). I did Silvana Sin Lana (which was pretty awful - with truly annoying characters). I can't get into the Narco trafficers, but Guerra de Idolos looks good. However, after La Dona and Silvana, I think I need a break. Maybe something will spark my interest later this year. I'll post a couple of comments on my thoughts for La Dona for the finale here.

@LXV - Yes, Los Miserables looked interesting. I remember watching some of it around the others I was watching at the time. However, I never quite caught on to what was happening. I do love the source material (and I think it would be interesting with a female protagonist), as it was one of my favorite books from High School era. I think that I was tied up in too many other TNs at the time, I see it was the year that Reina, Tierra, and En Otra Piel was on. I remembering that I was so angry with the way Telemundo handled (or butchered) Reina, that I needed some time away from them. I still don't understand why they can't put the full episode on in the middle of the night when they "condense" them like they did with Reina? I guess it comes down to finances...perhaps they don't have to pay as much if they don't broadcast the whole thing? Who knows, but it is very disrespectful to their viewership. I'll have to catch Los Miserables sometime...

Which leads me to a question that I've been meaning to ask the board...Is there a reputable place to watch Telanovelas when they aren't being broadcast on regular TV? I don't like UTube, and some of the other sites seem to be phishing expeditions with lots of potential to load malware, etc. to computers. I remember when I was trying to watch the whole episodes of Reina this was an issue. Any suggestions?
 

La Dona

I would like to see more of Aracely in Los Miserables. Some capitulos are available in YouTube. Are they available elsewhere like Hulu?
 

LA DONA:

Mike: Will the law enforcement authorities catch AG tonight ?

LXV: Will the Body Count increase once again tonight ?

We'll all find out tonight!


 

@ Steve Boudreaux - Earlier I had thought that redemption may be in store for our AG, but it sure doesn't look like it to me. I suspect a bloody end or perhaps a fiery end? A fiery end seems about right for this one, there hasn't been much in the way of fire (just the explosion of a few episodes ago). I really haven't a clue, and haven't seen any of the previous versions. It will all be revealed tonight... :) Can't wait actually.

I do think I'll have to watch it tonight, but won't be checking here until after as I am 3 hours behind some of you. I don't want any East Coast spoilers...
 

la dona

SEVE: HAVE AT IT!!

We are going to make it ...dona-Family,

what is the surprise from the writers, funky diva goes into a convent, or goes to jail!!

...I will be watching to night and re-watching a couple of time!!
then I plan to tear this ending the FUNK-UP....

lord ,please don't make it too stupid.. I am not getting my hopes up to be floored,
girl friend would have to do time...and not be killed-off!!

PLEASE- come back: SIN SUENOS~~!!

thank you mike: for saul= manwhore!! oh hell yea!!and yes!!

Braulio had animal magnetism.....all those mean bastard usually do!!.!!

I want to follow Aracy in anything she does, that's my girl, I am a devotee , you go girl!!!
............
 

LA DONA:

@Halimacandy - Maybe the earth opening up to swallow AG? What show was it that the villain ended up in quicksand and was literally swallowed by the earth? (I know it was in the last year or two, was it Reina?) It was hilarious (even though it was meant to be serious)...maybe that could happen? I don't see her going to jail...yes, it's got to be something truly outrageous. If not, I admit it, I will be disappointed.
 

LA DONA:

@ Halimacandy - BTW I like the convent idea. Perhaps, La Dona 2 could have a Count of Monte Cristo theme? Kind of like when they made the Terminator good in the sequel instead of being the bad guy?

Okay, last post, until the finale. Thanks all, again! And have fun!
 

LA DONA:

Mike: The villain, who was swallowed up in quicksand was in the TN, "Tierra de Reyes".
 

LA DONA:

Ok…so I guess I’m turning into an old softy because I loved that scene between Monica and AG after the wedding. Yes, I admit it, I might have wiped a tear away. And, that scene with Matamoros and AG, which explained so much with so little being said, was really nice as well.

So this didn’t end as I expected, but I was satisfied with how it all played out. I’ll leave more comments until the recap is posted.

@ Steve - Thanks. I knew it was one that watched recently but couldn't remember which one.
 

La Doña 120 GF 1/2

AG is even making Matamoros edgy the way she keeps pointing that rifle, with the crosshairs always on something we don't want her to shoot, and her finger giving the trigger a little massage, tears in her eyes, at least we know she doesn't want to hurt her daughter, Monica, on purpose anyway.

and in the middle of the ceremony, Margarita and Lydia pull Monica away so they can confess to leaking the video, what?

meanwhile without AG around giving orders, Daniel walks into the cop shop to turn himself in, but Karen's at the wedding, oh well, he tells a guy he raped AG and witnessed 3 people being killed, but it happened so long ago the detective says, AG you say, know where she is?... but Daniel insists.

while AG is having a Cesar moment, they are wed, oh well, can't stop the wedding now, she sees how truly happy Monica is and as Regina hugs her, Monica spots AG, and AG finally hears Matamoros, they need to leave.

Monica slips the crowd while Saul is being tossed in the air, what?, and runs down the fleeing AG, who puts Matamoros on watch as they talk, such a touching scene between a mother and her daughter, who understand and forgive each other.

but wait, can anything happen without Saul butting in, nope, and here he comes with Karen tagging somewhere behind, AG keeps Matamoros at bay while Saul talks about turning herself in, etc, etc, AG keeps it simple, she is not going to jail.

AG and Matamoros make a run for it, with Saul/Monica not far behind, but Karen has caught up and starts firing, hitting AG in the arm just before Matamoros gets her into the car, they race off with Karen right behind and of course Saul and Monica aren't going to be left behind, ah but Mata gives them the slip.

Mata brings AG a bag of first aid stuff who pulls the bullet out of her arm with a tiny pair of tweezers, ouch, gets it disinfected and wrapped while Mata chases away the other ladies that want to use the bathroom, and of course we get to watch AG and young ag have a girls room chat, wow, young ag was kind of cool about everything.

Saul figures out AG's cryptic remarks as to where she is headed and he and Monica take off leaving Karen standing there alone.

Mata and AG pull off for a final goodbye, maybe, and we get to hear some backstory, when Mata came to the city he was accused of killing his kids, it was an accident AG says, but nobody was buying it, including his wife, he owes his all to AG, who tells him he is not her bodyguard or driver but her friend, and if the don't meet up at a certain place, she has made arrangements for him to get a small fortune, she gets out of the car, and walks away.

Saul and Monica are at that particular stretch of beach where Saul kept AG from drowning, frantically searching but no AG, but AG is there, Karen gets a call that AG was spotted, and the police sirens on there way alert all, AG is up and out into the water, and under, Saul is right there, but too late, she's gone.

 

La Doña 120 GF 2/2

months later,

Saul is sitting in Karen's office, quizzing her on AG, he just can't let it go, they never found a body, and if, and if, (get a life Saul)

Regina has been tracking AG sightings on the internet, Isabela wants her to move on, start dating again.

Daniel is a prison guy like he is everywhere else trying to help the other inmates adjust and move on with there lives.

the Foundation is having a celebration at opening the new wing that AG funded, we see Diego playing with his new baby sister, and we get the usual press questions about it all being AG's money, and Monica responds, defending her mother for creating a place where others won't have to suffer the way she did, followed by some good insight from a film from women who have lived with abuse, this was well done,

and Saul gets a call on the house phone (loved this part) AG is in Paris, looks happy, saw the telecast of Monica defending her, loved it, but can't thank her for it because she must remain dead to Monica, she tells him to stop searching for her or he might find her, and Saul is pretty much being Saul, where are you, etc, etc, she blows him off and leaves him hanging, ha!, walking away with her real hair in the wind.

fin.

 

LA DONA:

Nice recap deb! Yes, Saul always has to butt in. I was surprised and delighted they let Monica answer the reporter's question.

New hair --> character change. TN always true to a form. Yes, I loved the last scene in Paris.

Not the bloodbath I feared, but very satisfying to me nonetheless.


 

La Doña

thanks Mike!

and thanks for coming on late and giving us your comments.

I really didn't know how to word the last scenes, it's just that all the meddling Saul did, and how he just can't let anything go, which works in some cases, loved it that AG stuck him with the fact she was alive, but he couldn't tell anyone.

 

LA DONA:

Deb: I enjoyed the Gran Final & was relieved no bloodbath took place last night.

Not surprised Daniel finally turned himself in to the law enforcement agencies & confessed to raping AG & being an accomplice in the deaths of Daddy & Mommy Sandoval including Cesar.

Mike: I didn't know Matamoros (Teo 2.0) had kids & accidentally killed them ?

Super Hero Cop Karen was right about Saul NOT letting things go & moving on.

My personal thoughts:

1.) The wedding of Monica & Saul went super smoothly as AG just couldn't pull the trigger on the sniper.

2.) Glad Matamoros (Teo 2.0) talked AG out of it. Somehow, he's the voice of reason!

3.) Where was Jorge last night ? We never saw him at all in the episode.

4.) Lopez & Dr. Adolfo as usual, chase after Monica & Saul, but they're already out dodge.

5.) Super Hero Cop Karen manages to shoot AG in the left arm in the short shoot-out.

Matamoros shoots back, but misses.

6.) The chase goes on & on....

7.) Too bad Monica didn't throw the bouquet of flowers to anyone like Margarita, Regina, etc., because she's obviously distracted by seeing AG & Matamoros.

8.) Monica was like WTF when Margarita & Lydia confessed to leaking the video.

9.) Mama Aguirre talking to Saul on the phone while he, Monica & Karen are chasing AG.

10.) Glad that AG & Monica finally embraced like mother & daughter..... Only for a short moment!

11.) While Matamoros distracts & bans other women from using the Women's bathroom, AG finally gets rid of the ugly-ass wig & reveals her real hair.

The young AG talking to her older self was..... Ok.

12.) Following AG going under the massive ocean at the beach in Veracruz, we fast forward several months later.

13.) Glad that IsaBrat told Regina to let the AG stuff go & move on with her life. Nice they're still living at Monica's.

14.) Valeria & Lopez still happy together :)

15.) Diego holding his baby sister SWEET :) as Lydia plays a little toy with the beautiful baby girl.

16.) Daniel is the model reforming prisoner talking to other prisoners about adjusting to life in prison, etc.,

17.) Press conference at the Foundation since Saul, Monica, Margarita, Mama Aguirre, Valeria & Lopez all work there.

18.) Glad Monica put the pesky journalist in his place!

19.) Once again, Saul just cannot let things alone as he talks to AG (who's in Paris, France). I had a hunch that AG was going to find a way of getting the upper hand somehow considering that she's bought off probably the Mexican Coast Guard in sneaking her across the globe overseas.

20.) Pretty much, the Gran Final was awesome! Including the Eiffel Tower in Paris as a nice touch!
 

La Doña

Wow, deb, what an absolutely amazing recap!! I want to highlight the lines I liked best, but I'm in danger of repeating almost everything you wrote. However, I have to mention the perfect "what?" at the end of "and in the middle of the ceremony, Margarita and Lydia pull Mónica away so they can confess to leaking the video, what?" I also really liked "while AG is having a Cesar moment" and "but wait, can anything happen without Saúl butting in, nope, and here he comes...." And the wonderfully ambiguous "Saúl is right there, but too late, she's gone." You also crafted a superbly evocative sentence to end the recap.

I had my doubts near the start of the episode in that WTF mement involving Margarita and Lydia. I also was puzzled at Saúl's being tossed in the air. Is that a Mexican custom? I know that at some Jewish weddings, the bride and groom are carried about high in the air on chairs, but.... For me, perhaps the best scene was the short one after the ceremony where Mónica and AG talk and embrace. I was surprised at how moved I was.

One thing that puzzled me was AG's telling Saúl she heard/saw Mónica's response at the Foundation's celebration (which was still in progress). How did AG do that? Surely such an event in Mexico is not important enough to be shown on French TV. (I found myself wondering whether perhaps AG was really in Las Vegas, where one of the hotels has a replica of the Eiffel Tower.)

All in all, I thought the final episode was well done and did deliver an effective surprise. I confess that part of my surprise came early in the episode. Having watched the previous night's avances showing Mónica in tears, I expected that AG would shoot Saúl. I also thought the writers did a good job of misdirecting even without the avances when AG referred to herself as disappearing like a boat in the sea. Like Saúl, I figured she was planning to drown herself in the spot where Saúl had saved her early in the novela.

On the whole, I enjoyed the novela, but I'm glad it's over. I just hope Telemundo doesn't plan a sequel. ¡Ya basta!
 

La Doña

Great comments, Steve. I loved (and share) your astonishment at Matamoros as the voice of reason. And you raise an interesting question about Jorge. Was the actor simply unavailable when they filmed the wedding scene? I agree about the chase scene...it went on and on, with very little variation.

This may have been the first episode in a long while that didn't give you another entry for your very impressive list of corpses. :-)
 

LA DONA:

Juanita: I'll post some more comments later today.
 

LA DONA:

Deb- That was a superb retelling of the final episode! Thank you!

I also let out a big WHAT?! when Lydia and Marg interrupted the wedding to tell Monica about the video that had uploaded weeks before. In the middle of the vows. Really?!

Was touched by the mother-daughter talk AG and Monica had, and wish that Saul had just stepped back and kept out of it. I wished this pretty much the whole episode-- right up to the last scenes of him hounding Karen about finding AG, and trying to take over the press conference when they asked about AG. I chuckled when AG called him and told him to get his big schnoz out of her business and quit looking for her. Ha!

Regina was looking at a fuzzy picture of a woman she said looked like AG and a man who looked like Matamoros in Paris-- and lo and behold, we find out AG is in Paris. I hope she and Matamoros are living it up and Paris. Maybe their friendship has blossomed into romance?

It's the final episode, so AG's wig comes off, and Monica's extensions come out! The result is that AG looks softer with her long flowing hair. And Monica, with her new hair color/cut and fashionable clothes, looks like a mini-AG.
 

LA DONA:

Vivi: Let's hope Monica doesn't turn into AG the Psychopath 2.0 ROFLOL.

 

LA DONA:

BODY COUNT (Final):
1.) Daddy Sandoval

2.) Mama Sandoval

3.) Cesar

4.) Guillermo Contreras

5.) Homeless Guy violently beaten to death by Braulio

6.) Miguel Preciado (Monkey #1)

7.) Mama Vasquez

8.) The Prostitute

9.) Felipe's Bodyguard

10.) Colonel Cespedes' Wife

11.) Daddy Aguirre

12.) Clarita Aguirre

13.) Colonel Alejandro Cespedes (Monkey #2)

14.) Perita the Prison Girl

15.) Ximena Urdaneta: She signed her death warrant by aligning with Braulio & should've stayed put in Spain!

16.) Francisco's Bodyguard

17.) Francisco's Henchman

18.) Francisco Vega (Monkey #3)

19.) Emiliano Cabral

20.) Chief Deputy Gabino Dominguez: Chess-Nuts roasting in an open fire!

21.) Lazaro Hernandez AKA Monica's Beloved Jefe

22.) Interior Department Deputy Secretary Felipe Valenzuela: His big ego confronting AG about the Monkeys got him whacked!

23.) Gustavo Jimenez

24.) Elena Lopez: She was WARNED many times about Braulio, but didn't listen!

25.) The Medical Examiner

26.) Hotel Busboy Octavio

27.) The 3 Nightclub Punks

28.) Yesenia Sandoval-Hernandez: I'll miss her Voodoo Magic Tricks :(

29.) Officer Guillen

30.) Daddy Cabral (Monkey #5: the Ringleader of the Monkeys Alliance)

31.) Prostitution Pimp's Henchman

32.) Matamoros's Kids

33.) Orlando Alvarez AKA Baby Daddy of IsaBrat

34.) Braulio Padilla AKA OJ Braulio or AG's Right-Hand Henchman
 

LA DONA:
"while AG is having a Cesar moment..."deb, you crack me up. What a fabulous recap!

and I surprised myself with a misty moment over the mother and daughter reunion, "but wait, can anything happen without Saul butting in?"

I'm happy Matamoros stayed true to the end. It was gratifying to hear the backstory; it would have ruined things if he had either chickened out or ratted out.

"he just can't let it go, they never found a body, and if, and if, (get a life Saul)" Yup...

and I LOVED the symbolism of the bad wig.

So we survived this trainwreck. It was god-awful for about 3/4 of the whole thing. Started out with promise and I had hopes for Aracely Arambula, but the writers did her no favors. Unlike Los Mis, where she played a completely righteous character throughout and literally dominated the screen in every scene and brought the lesser characters along with her, Here she was so weakened by her innate evil that I couldn't get behind her. The spooky cellar cave reminded me of Otra Piel.

Many thanks to all those who gave of their time talent and imagination to recap and comment.
 

LA DONA:
Juanita: this is too funny! "(I found myself wondering whether perhaps AG was really in Las Vegas, where one of the hotels has a replica of the Eiffel Tower.)" and, I anticipated (incorrectly) the same about AG drowning herself.
 

LA DONA:

I have to say that I really enjoyed this one, but it was probably that I skipped over a good half of it (maybe more). There were some really great scenes, though. Some of the final confrontation scenes with AG, Monica and Rafael were quite hair raising. I also loved the scene(s) where AG tied up Braulio!

There was so much blood shed (and torture) that you never knew where the writers would draw the line (I personally think they went over it more than a few times). Some of the scenes in the cellar cave did not win any sympathy for AG. And quite honestly, I'm surprise that they let her live with all she did!

For the villains, I have to say Jaun Rios Cantu (Rafael) was one of my favorites. He was so controlled at the beginning of the story and so unhinged at the end. I loved it. Although, I admit some of the scenes with Leticia were way over the top and operatic, but hey go big or go home.

All in all, I was more moved by this than I expected to be. I have to say that Aracely Arambula was able to bring something to this completely unlikable part, that still made me want to root for her. I was often moved by her interactions with Monica, Saul, and Regina especially as things spiraled out of control for her character. She was such a monster, but at the same time I really felt for her plight.

@ deb - I have reread your recap and it is truly a wonder. You caught so many of my thoughts and reactions perfectly! Already pointed out by others, so I won't go into specifics, but "walking away with her real hair in the wind" may become a classic.


 

La Doña

thanks all for your wonderful comments!

as I posted earlier the original "Doña Bárbara" (1943) movie is posted online here, (spanish subtitles only)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLwAnKv2pP8

as you will be able to see our version was quite different, and as far as the original version goes you might also like Telemundo's original "Doña Bárbara" (2008), I think it follows along with this old one but goes from 2 hours to 191, so quite a bit was added.

I gave up on El Capo but will probably tag along with "Guerra de Idolos".

 

LA DONA
I SKIPPED A LOT TOO...they could have gave more back story,

what happen to Leticia and valeria ??
azucena ?/
THE CHASE WENT ON & ON

THE MOTHER daughter moments were moving...
so funky diva is in PARIS!!
with her Matamoros!!! ok
 

what happen to Det. Karen?
how did they end , the video and why they charge Daniel with??
how much time did he get?
 

LA DONA:

Halimacandy- Well, we saw Karen still at her job, when Saul was hounding her about searching for (the assumed dead) AG. Valeria was already working at the foundation and we saw the baby, so we know all is well with her. And we saw Leticia with her film crew filming the event at the foundation. Basically, neither faced any legal repercussions for their years of spreading lies and bending/breaking laws while they were on AG's payroll. Of course, Leticia lost her one and only child, and her beloved husband was exposed to all as a murderer and rapist (same with Valeria's late husband).

Since he admitted it to the police, Dan must have been charged with rape and being an accessory to three murders. That would warrant a LONG stay in prison, and he doesn't seem eager to leave.

I'm sure Azucena is doing what she usually does-- taking care of her apartment building, its tenants, her son and Monica, like the mother-hen she is. Heck, she's probably on the payroll of the foundation too, like 3/4 of the characters-- Saul, Lopecito, Valeria, Monica, Margarita, and Lydia.
 

La querida del Centauro:

Some relatively quick observations from last night's season premiere, from someone who didn't really watch the first season...

- El Centauro had a bomb strapped to himself and blew up himself, his son, at least three soldiers, and the barn they were all in...and this somehow was faking his death. This makes negative sense.

- OTOH, this results later in Centauro--after being disguised as a blind hobo--peeling off his makeup and damn near full on swaggering into a secret underground lair, complete with electric cart, accompanied by a rather awesome narco-gangsta rap song. (And it should be noted: he has a Batcave.)

- Yolanda, our erstwhile heroine, and Gerardo and their kids are living in witness protection in Toronto...until Centauro is revealed to be "dead." Since they're about out of money, they have to go back to Mexico where Gerardo has a job lined up. Okay, fine.

- Centauro's somehow clued in on Yolanda's movements (I could have sworn there was a mention of an "informant" on his part, but there didn't seem to be any obvious signs as to who that might be). His master plan, apparently partially ripped off from Yago, is to both gaslight and then probably kill Yolanda for betraying him--to the point where he has hidden cameras and speakers in at least two locations, and multiple henchpeople, all set up for this. If this show was tied in to Telemundo's "narcoverse," I'd say he's going full Teca Martinez on Yolanda...
 

la dona
Thanks Vivi, you are right damn near everybody from the barrio is working there is Lydia, working there ...

la dona, left the money /all assest$$ to the foundation and ,so everybody is cool..

yes!! no legal repercussion or social repercussion for Leticia , WTF!!
VALERIA ..what ever!!

we still haven't received the last episode on my Comcast on demand, I want to savor the end...

so momma and Matamoros... are in pari??..ok....


 

La Dona
I don't know when it's ok to date or have sex with mother and daughter ad people are happy about it, at the end eventually marry the daughter, the write did a dump job by allowing Monica to marry Saul, they all shud have gone there separate ways. If it relationship between friends or sisters, it's acceptable but mother and daughter that is not acceptable am sorry. In as much as the acting is good but the storyline sucks.
 

You are so right... I would have preferred Monica with someone else entirely. Or Saul should be the one in Paris and AG in prison.

 

And like Queen of Hearts (Reina and Dragon) and Corazón Valente they left a backdoor for a second season.

In South Africa we are months behind but love reading recaps from you guys on our current shows. We are a week from the final episode.

Your recaps aren't spoilers but rather makes exited to see the episodes