Friday, February 28, 2020
Me Declaro Culpable #9, 2/28/20: Shushshsh; It’s the Fox vs. the Nag
Meanwhile, Nat is moping up in her room and hears the commotion. She comes down and walks in on the argument between her parents. Before she can say anything, Bertie shushes her (this is already a signature characteristic, to be used endlessly). Nat tries to calm the situation, but Bertie turns on her as well, accusing her of being on her Daddy’s side. She professes to be on no one’s side. Bertie tries to keep Franco from leaving. (Shame on Franco for not calling the men in white coats to come and get Bertie AND for leaving Nat to sop up the mess. But then I’m not in charge of the script.)
Nat tries her best to soothe her mother, who is now curled up in bed. She’s been aware for some time, living in the same house, that all was not well with her parents’ relationship. Bertie has been drained of her anger and is now sounding rational, for her. Among other things, she tells Nat Love is Not the Answer. Then points the finger at Alba, it’s all her fault. A woman knows these things. Nat says she’d better face it, Franco is not coming back.
A case of Largate!
In another part of town, Dante and Paolo are playing table soccer along with outbursts from Paolo. He wonders why Nat sent him that photo of her and Julian kissing after telling him she cared for him. Maybe Bertie is right and he’s just a charity case for Nat. He asks Dante to leave. Left alone, he tries to reach for something on a high step or shelf only to fall out of his chair. He’s now helpless and relieved when he hears a knock and thinks it’s Dante. Only it’s his worst nightmare. Julian has come to humiliate him and to make sure Paolo got the selfie. He claims a cripple is not up to the likes of Natalia, while he is. He starts to manhandle Paolo. There’s nothing else Paolo can do except to shout out L.A.R.G.A.T.E. (which ought to be on a Bingo card, but isn’t). As one last act of humiliation, Julian moves the wheelchair to the kitchen.
Franco’s escape was successful
He sits in a corner of his office in the dark sipping something just as dark. Nat gives him a Daddy call. She’ll do her best to help them both. In the meantime, she’s going to come every day to coddle him, as long as she knows where he is. She tells him she loves him no matter what. Franco settles back, relieved, in part. Gael appears and reaffirms his offer to give Franco a place to bunk in his apartment. It’s better than the office. Franco appreciates it, but wouldn’t dream of interrupting Gael’s bachelor lifestyle. Gael tells him he’s glad, though it took awhile, that he finally did the right thing. He says Roberta just sucks all the oxygen out of the air. (Wouldn’t it be great if she could do that with CO₂?)
Franco is still second guessing his decision, since it meant leaving Natalia behind. Gael points out she’s grown. It would be different had she still been a child. Gael entices him with the bachelor lifestyle. For now they are best buds, order take out and settle into Franco’s office. Alba, the Walking Grub Hub (open 24/7, it seems) has arrived and surreptitiously listens at the door and hears Franco talk about the separation. They hear a noise in the hall and Franco goes to investigate. It’s Alba with the coffee and salads Gael ordered. The two have a very intense conversation using a lot of double entendres. Franco wants to know how she heard about his separation. She knows it’s her fault. He assures her she had nothing to do with his leaving the house. Franco ends telling Alba that though she makes his life as an attorney difficult, the two of them are a team, they started out together and will finish together as a team. In fact, he says, there are many paths they’ll take together. She nods in agreement with one of her eye-catching smiles. He moves even closer to her; she flees.
The next morning, the birds are chirping
Bertie downs her meds. Then Mauro arrives to make her day. He’s glad to see she’s still on her meds and encourages her to keep up with her treatment. He’s heard about Franco. He’s there to help her. Sarcastically, Bertie says and not to control her? She says he’s wasting his time. It’s not her, not her meds, it’s that “Fox” who has provoked all this. Bertie shushes him. It’s clear she has some remnants of Daddy issues. (Or maybe Daddy has some daughter issues to resolve.) She claims he’s been tormenting her since she was a child, blaming her for everything, that he never listened to her. Mauro says it’s all in her head and is tired of all the drama. She demands that he talk to Franco.
Who would a guessed what happened next?
Ingrid invades Julian’s space by jumping into his car (parked conveniently right in front of the bufete). She immediately gets very friendly and pushes her lips onto his. He’s liking the taste and gobbles up more. Just then he sees Nat walking up to the office and pushes the lips off and Ingrid down under the dashboard and takes off. Nat thinks she saw it was Julian’s car and queries Uncle Gael as he comes by. Gael tells Nat Paolo called to return the money he got from his niece.
Gabe learns some truths about being gay
Pedro, the object of Gabe’s affections, has come home from school with Gabe, to Ingrid’s Aquakitchen. They immediately pass to the bedroom to do their homework. There is a confrontation when Pedro teases him about being a crybaby and maybe the rumors are true, that he likes men. Gabe says it’s not men, it’s just Pedro. Pedro says he’s disgusted. He’s not like that. Gabe hauls off and hits him. They trade blows. Pedro leaves and Gabe calls his mother.
The dialog between Head and Heart
Franco is having a talk with Natalia. Nat says to stop thinking (with his head) and start feeling (with his heart). Alba enters. Nat is ok leaving and gives Alba a hug on the way out (which, of course, is a signal that she’s ok with her dad starting a relationship with Alba—wait and see). Alba tells Franco about Ingrid’s Ghost Dinner. Before she gets much further, she gets a call from Gabe. She must leave. Franco must go with her because of the R.O. They leave his office, only to run into Bertie, who has come to talk to him and tries to stop him. She’s incensed that he leaves with Alba and starts to make a scene. Mauro steps in and says he has a better head for resolving the matter and orders her to stay put.
Labels: culpable
It wouldn’t be surprising if Bertie tries to kill Franco in a fit of rage, especially now that she has gone off her meds. Yikes!!! (I think the bottle of pills she had at breakfast said “progesterone” but I can’t swear to that and I already deleted the episode.)
It was good to see Mauro is not in denial about just how craaaaazy Bertie is.
Just when I think Julian can’t be any more vile or evil, he surprises me again today. Argh! And when will Paolo learn to lock his front door instead of leaving it open for all sorts of trash to wander in?!?
Thank goodness Franco spoke some sense to Ingrid about Gabe’s attack, Ingrid’s absence (while she was macking on Julian), the R. O., and Alba staying overnight with Gabe.
It is probably inevitable that BSC Ingrid is going to knock boots with Evil Vile Julian, sooner or later. Ew.
Monday Must See TV, indeed!
MUSIC STUFF
- The background music playing while Juls was abusing Paolo sounded vaguely reminiscent of the JAWS theme, to me.
- Who else has heard the single note sound we all associate with the Law & Order TV series’ when someone is meeting with Franco or Mauro in their bufete.
- I was all ready for Alba to sing “Soft Kitty” to Gabe ;-)
- - All the incidental music for this telenovela is above par, compared to the usual Televisa daytime stuff we’ve been getting.
That awful, awful Julian harassing Paolo. I can't stand him! I look forward to everybody finding out just how yucky he is.
I agree that Franco needs to get Roberta to her doctor, and I don't mean the co-conspirator. He shouldn't leave that mess for Natalia to clean up.
Ingrid was funny hopping into Julian's car all upbeat and thinking she's his girlfriend now.
Franco is really good at diffusing situations. He calmed Ingrid right down this time, and even accepted a cup of coffee.
This is a holdover from yesterday's episode, but Ingrid said she had fixed "tinga de pollo" for dinner for Gabriel and Sexy Ghost. I didn't know what that was, but thought it sounded fun, so I looked it up. It is chicken slow-cooked in a flavorful sauce of tomatoes, chipotle, and cumin. Sounds good. And it's only 1 Weight Watchers point!
Rosemary la Otra
So many gems:
peeling her off of his jacket. She bares her teeth, like an old nag and swears she’ll kill him.
shame on Franco...leaving her [Nat] to clean up the mess
Bertie has been drained of her anger and is now sounding rational, for her
He [Gabe] says that Roberta just sucks all the oxygen out of the air. (Wouldn't it be great if she could do that with CO2?) Yes! we could use Roberta to combat climate change!
Alba, the walking Grub Hub
Suffice it to say, you were on fire with this one. Roberta is insufferable, but I still love every scene between her and the equally insufferable Julián. She ALWAYS gets the best of him. For that reason alone, I dig the lady. Plus, it's never fun to have your husband walk out on you, even if you are a suffocating barnacle of a woman.
Too bad about her homicidal tendencies though, that's a definite drawback!
Thanks so much good lady--great way to start my weekend morning.
Oops...also good title.
And Rosemary la Otra--thanks for the culinary information on tinga de pollo. I meant to look it up, but like so many little details, it passed through my mind and kept on going. This Patio though loves to discuss food!
The single note on Culpable is not a duplicate, but close enough (a knockoff?) to give the idea. I've heard it twice already, always during a law office consultation. Music dept is really in their game with this show.
And that brings to mind anything thing . . . when was the last time anyone in a telenovela smoked? I remember the 1960s when it was in TV and movies, then outlawed. Seeing Ingrid smoke is quite the visual shock.
Julian has actually painted himself into a corner. He carefully schooled "the victim" with details and Nat into believing the poor man she ran over is alive and well. He even has a name, Benjamin somethingorother and doesn't want any compensation (for now). She even talked to him. She will defend that position all the way to jail (from which Daddy will extricate her forthwith).
Julian ONLY had that one eyewitness (sort of), the wayward woman's lover. He already said he didn't get a good look at the driver nor the car. Now he's just a big splat on a slab. IIRC, the accident was in broad daylight and the now dead eyewitness was just leaving her house after dark when Julian caught up with him and he wouldn't talk then.
So, the culpable driver is still unknown outside of Julian and Roberta. Roberta only knows Nat ran over some guy, put 2+2 together and decided the eyewitness couldn't testify under any circumstances.
About those door locks. I can understand Paolo's need to have someone have access to his apartment to help him. But all he needed to do was give Dante a copy of his key. So, we can call the unlocked door as a Plot Propeller.
Wasn't there another tn where the most important element for commenters was changing door locks?
Yes, there was a reason for the smoking in Rubi. It may have only been a brief scene, but it was explosive! Other than Mad Men and Bewitched reruns, you really don't see much smoking anywhere on tv. Oh, they smoke in The Handmaid's Tale.
The music is really so nice in this tn. Who is the female at the end there singing? It isn't that gal from The Sopranos, is it?
R la O
It's too cold to garden, done my laundry, too early to start supper, so I'm REREADING the recaps and comments from El Tal, pulling out more gems for no logical reason. You cracked me up. You, Julia, Elna June, The Cap'n, Our Dear Dr. Carlos, Mike and Emilia. Even Blue Lass was in on the fun.
RLO: What? No El Talk tonight? I will embarrassingly admit I am truly disappointed and will miss it...
Meant to say El Tal
Cap'n: No you didn't! You meant to say El TalK because that's all they do so far. No action, all talk, the occasional g-rated dream.
Blue Lass: Hee hee. Freudian slip, R la O.
RLO: By saying El Talk I would have meant our comments except something tells me we'll keep the snark coming - airing of the show or not. They can run but they can't hide.
We certainly can't say this about Me Declaro Culpable. However, we do have some entertaining characters that merit our snark. Onward, compas.
ODE TO MARINA
Third Rate Romp
Marina,
As the moment for our union drew nigh,
on your desktop we decided to lie,
you pulled up your skirt,
I unbuttoned my shirt,
but didn't even loosen my tie.
It was once,
after a kiss,
in your office with the door ajar,
on your desk,
after hours with the lights on,
I didn't even mess up my hair,
nor did we knock any files off the desk,
and the whole time I was just mentally composing
my shopping list for the ranch supply store,
while blogging
and crocheting beanies,
and I was still wearing my socks.
My car was running
and the radio was playing
Third Rate Romance.
I know that I've made a mistake.
I'm sorry our coupling did take.
But you know I love Nata,
So shouldn't you oughta
Move on with your life,
For Chrissake
What I remember about it is we kept adding and modifying it until it was perfect.
JudyB--You are correcto. Mike provided any verse that rhymed (the beginning and the end, to be exact). We kept adding situations and conditions.
R la O
and the whole time I was just mentally composing
my shopping list for the ranch supply store,
while blogging
and crocheting beanies, "
Y'all are cracking me up!!! 😁
I think my favorite line is right at the beginning: "Her short, tight, black skirt has seemingly been enhanced in the rear. It actually is quite a striking ensemble, just not on her." What is with all the butt enhancement? If we all went down to Televisa in a big Gringa Tour bus, could we get work as butt-doubles?
During the father-daughter quality time, Bertie said something about how he never listened to her, even when she said "stop hitting me," he just kept on. Mauro says, now we both know that never happened. But what if it did? And that's why she's so...Roberta? It would be an interested twist. Anyway, if he has a history of punching women, he'll certainly let loose on Ingrid soon enough. Because that lady is ANNOYING.
I don't remember anything about door locks, but at one point we had an idea to take the Gringa bus down to Alternate Mexico City and start a booming business in peepholes.
Thanks for filling in the Roberta-Mauro conversation. I missed that completely. That's quite disturbing. So he's a secret domestic abuser. Just what we needed, another cray cray person for us to deal with. My bet is that Ingrid won't take it lying down (hehe).
I was multi-tasking again during the episode, but I had to stop and listen when Franco was putting a stop to Ingracious Ingrid calling the cops on Alba. I could almost hear the screeching of the brakes. And that's because I was distracted by Franco's sparking white teeth LOL You all are so right about the teeth!
This is an interesting idea, Blue Lass, and it completely went over me while I was watching that scene. Did Mauro hit her, or is it fabrication on Berti's part? I am of the opinion that domestic abuse, whether physical or emotional, can exacerbate any mental health condition(like Berti's bi-polar condition) or create other mental health problems.
As for Ingrid, if Mauro is past batterer or abuser, he might not necessarily do the same to her. They sometimes choose their victims carefully.
That accidental meeting at the bufete between Ingrid and Roberta (Psycho meet Psycho) was entertaining! Will we be able to handle it if they team up? If Ingrid marries Mauro, she'd be Roberta's stepmother!
Um.... I have no words. That isn't even on a telenovela bingo card....or is it? LOL
Thank you Anita for this fun fest of a recap. I saw this episode in pieces.
But the part that pisst me off most is seein that puspot in the bad suit grab
Paolo by the legs and drag him on the
Floor. And then take the wheel chair so he cant get to it. That wasn't just cruel, That was nasty. I would really
Like to see him get a complete Beat down. By berti. She could make like Loraina bobbit and go chop chop on his favorite part of himself.
Y'all know how hormonal pregnant women
Are when they are pregnant? Can y'all
Even imagine Roberta pregnant for nine
Months? Off of her psycho meds, being under the threat of Loosing her natty
To jail time cuz she hit n ran over a
Guy, again off her psycho meds for 9
Months? That almost a year. Of crazy.
Yeah I can see her goin loraina Bobby
On somebody.Lol, let it be juls loosin
His jewels. I cant see her usin franco
Sperm with his consent, so that means
Either drugging him,or drugging Julian
And Makin him think he's on natty. She
Would have To wear a natty mask, and Ndlbt talk cuz that raspy voice is a give away rather youre drugged or not.
Y'all know it's not out of the realms
Of possibility for BSC lady to do this
Look what she did in the First Episode
Grabbed him by his crown jewels and
Didnt even blink.
Franco does have a calming affect on
People, even crazy people. But he need
To sleep with both eyes open cuz the
Missus is missing some brain cells.
He is gonna have alot of stuff to deal with, with babygirl goin"up the crick"
As the old folks used to call it here in the south.
Julian is just a dirty dog. Perfect for nutty ingrid.
Ok this was good Anita thank you.
Maybe instead of getting all hormonal, if she gets pregnant, Bertie will be sick as a dog for most of the 9 months.
Daddy Franco is going want baby girl to turn herself in. Must see tv
Fer sher.📺
I know MDC is about to come on, but like most of you, it gets watched later (except for the recapper).
In the meantime, you all just have to read the brilliant recap Blue Lass wrote for El Tal #16--Quien es Mas Tonto. You don't have to know anything about the show to appreciate this master craftwoman at work:
http://caraycaray.blogspot.com/2012/02/el-talisman-16-quien-es-mas-tonto.html
Or, just go to the El Tal Index--it's actually easier that copying the above and pasting.
Just a teaser:
"Folks, we’re pressed for time today, so we’re going to advance directly to the lightning-round of “¿Quién Es Más Tonto?” It’s not Telenovela Bingo, or even Cliché Jeopardy, but it’s what’s on. And remember the Univisión motto: “We know you’ll watch whatever’s on.”
Escenario #1: The Only Hotel Inn™ – Fresno
Elvira: Hmmm, these pills are supposed to stop Gregorio’s heart. But he doesn’t have a heart – better go get some rat poison.
Camila: Mamá, here’s the whole story – can I believe Pedro?
Elvira: Of course not. He’s just playing with you, like all men. Except Antonio. He’s a mensch.
Camila: Genoveva, we must go to the police station and check out the missing-esposa story.
Antonio (on telephone): Elvira, take Camila to the airport!
Elvira: Camila, let’s go to the airport! But not for two hours.
Camila: What will we do for two hours?
Elvira: I have to go to the, um, hardware store.
Blue Lass: HOW ABOUT THE POLICE STATION, YOU IDIOTS?
Genoveva: Did you hear something?
Camila: No. I never hear anything logical.
1. ¿Quién Es Más Tonta?
a.Camila, for asking ElVeneno for advice
b.Blue Lass, for shouting at the TV -- again
c.Genoveva, for thinking that donning a giant dangly pair of earrings made out of oysters is going to quell those rumors about her
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