Caray, Caray!

“Mariana de la noche“

Okay, it was a good first couple of episodes but I do not know if I will be able to keep up watching this at this pace in the long run. Only time will tell.

I liked

seeing Jorge Salinas without José Ron ( LQNPA and TDLV);
seeing a young Jorge Salinas as Ignacio;
Ignacio being out to get revenge after all these years;
that there seems to be a “curse”;
that there is a mad witchy woman on the loose;
that Paty Navidad is a sad siren songstress besides waitress at the cantina;
that there is a fairy tale glade that appears at night in the tropical wilderness complete with flowers that seem to glow in the dark;
that we have a fuete wielding, cigar smoking female villain names Marcia who has the hots for “Halcón” aka Ignacio;

BUT best of all, that Ignacio said the title of the novela in the very first episode.



 

MARIANA

Hello Como Tú Partner. I've only see a few minutes of this but it has a marvelous "old school" feel about it. Really really bad folks and really really sweet sweet sweet people. No in betweens or shades of gray. And there's a local church, religious celebrations and a priest around (I'm assuming the latter). I have missed that in the more recent "with it" telenovelas of today.

I am certainly dazzled by how handsome and smouldering José Salinas was in his younger, handsomer days. WOWZA. And Cesar Evora still very "hombre" as well. Much fun to go back in time with this fetching menfolk. Now if only we could go back in time with our own selves!

I'll look forward to watching more of this later, after I get some chores done and am ready to put my feet up.
 

MARIANA

Whoops...Jorgé Salinas, not José
 

MARIANA

JudyB, great to see you here, amiga!!! Yes, this does have an “old school” feel to it. Another yes! to if only “we could go back in time with our own selves.” Jorge Salinas sure had “it “ then and IMHO still does. Looking forward to what you think of the rest of it.
 

MARIANA
Count me in. Haven't seen the episodes, yet, but I saw the little red record light going strong when I came downstairs this morning.

Since this was never recapped on Caray (it was broadcast before Caray came into existence), it would be wonderful it we could leave a little legacy for future readers.

Jarifa--Your "intro" was just perfect, along with a dash of appreciation for the eye candy. Can't promise to follow suit, but maybe this Very Petite Patio could do Jorge Salinas and Cesar Evora justice.
 

Hi guys, its good to read yall again. Aaawwwww the days of yesteryear gone by. A young Jorge and Cesar.
Wheres that other guy, the one that played the swashbuckler, yall
Know the one with the ears? but still hot to trot? I didnt know he had those ear until he was in pyp.
But still verg attractive.

What time of day is "Mariana" on?
Cuz Im working in the daytime til
1:30. I remember Jorge in his much
Younger days but not Cesar.
 

MARIANA

Hi NINA. It's on in the morning 9am to 11 am on Unimás, so you'd have to record it. And yikes, the story started off with a bang, and is so heavy on melodrama, I find it inadvertently funny. Everything is overdone, overacted, and over the top. But it's fun as only a Salvador Meija production can be.

The poor heroine's swains die as soon as they show an interest in her. (Methinks her adoptive father is engineering their rapid demise)so after her latest flame has met his fiery end, she vows to remain celibate forever. This noble vow last about 30 seconds before she chances to meet our swoony Jorge Salinas, and the second time they cross paths they're ardently kissing. So much for vows. Destiny holds the upper hand in this one.

There's also a madwoman roaming around the environs shouting warnings and curses and whatnot. Just a great smorgasbord of DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA.

But hey, it's all about the Spanish. And they are speaking it. So I'm in when I have time to watch.

Even better there's a cantina where several sadder but wiser gals reign supreme and mourn lost sons and no-good no how men. Just a hoot. At least the first two episodes were.
 

MDLN

Well, some very nice eye candy, and I don't mean Jorge Salinas, but my patented Silly Meter was pegged to the max through the entire two hours, only dipping below max for commercials.

That in itself says something   :-)

Well, it is what it is...

But I do have to admire Halcón (Jorge Salinas) and his intricate plan for vengeance: arrive broke, not knowing anybody nor even the lay of the land, but impress all the girls until an opportunity falls into his lap.

:-)

Andy
 

MARIANA

Talk about typecasting: El Cumache looked and sounded so familiar. It turns out that Sergio Costa a couple years later played an old lecher (Lic. López) who was a company executive in “La fea más bella” . The big difference was that in “La fea” his performance was a comic masterpiece. I can still see him strutting and straightening his three hairs on top of his bald head accompanied by a “squeak” sound. So, I was surprised that he was a dramatic actor. It just goes to show how talented so many of these actors are who can shift gears between drama and comedy so successfully.

I don’t know if I can take another fuete wielding patrón so soon but Jorge Salinas looks better than ever, even with his blistered and bloody hands, so I guess I will keep watching for a while at least.


 

MARIANA

Have only seen a bit of this today, but those "blistered and bloody" arms ANDY actually ended in some nicely manicured hands. His nails looked perfect. Wish mine looked that good. As for Mariana, she is just so pure and sweet my teeth ache and my root canals start throbbing.
 

Ok jarifa I gotta break in here a minute, "straightening his three hairs on top of his bald head, accompanied by a "sqweak"
Sound." The 3 hairs on top of the head had me laughing out loud, and the sqweak was Oddly funny. That would be a hoot to see. Just curious, what made the sqweak sound?
 

Taxista

Did anybody take a peek at the one that comes on at 3:00? The taxista. Ive never seen a tn where the future lovers are a taxi owner
And a very handsome gorgeous guy thats wealthy and is married to a
Beautiful cheating slut. Cheating with the brother by the way. Who
Happens to be a psychopath that is Keeping an old lady who may or may not be his grandmother away from his brother, or some such. Rather I
Understand what they say or not Im
Gonna watch it anyways. The eye candy is yummy. And the really nice boyfriend,I don't know his name but I've seen him before and he plays nasty pretty well but in this he's playing a very sweet young man who's in love with the taxi owner who's in love with the rich handsome good-looking guy who's married to the cheating slut with his brother.

Its on Galavision. At 3:00. If any
One is interested.
 

MARIANA

Whoops, I'm getting loopy. Thought you were ANDY, JARIFA. And I don't know why I was captivated by Salinas' perfect nail beds, but I've noticed even when actors are playing street people and beggars, they always have lovely manicures. Fascinating.

The Cumacho actor also played many funny roles as a down and out bad guy in Amores Verdaderos. So he has quite a range. But this was the first time I got to spot some nicely developed deltoids in his working t-shirt. Gave me new respect for the actor. He's put in his time at the gym like the other fellas.
 

MARIANA

Nina, it was a sound effect they put in each time. “La fea” had lots of broad and slapstick comedy.

JudyB, since I first saw him as basically a middle aged comIc, I couldn’t believe his physical build here either. That was truly eye opening. Yes, it is all about the hands like in TDLV where the car mechanic’s hands didn’t look like mechanic‘S hands.
 

MARIANA

After reading the comments over breakfast this morning, I pulled up the Monday two episodes ON DEMAND and had it on in the sewing room. I just might try to watch this one, in spite of it being two hours.

ON DEMAND had no closed captions, and I was still pretty much able to understand what they were saying . . . because this was made back in the day when all the actors spoke clearly. And it might be time for a Meh-ía circo in my life. And then I saw Liliana Abud's name in the credits and I just know it will be a circus. :-)

I sure didn't recognize Alejandra Barros as a youngster and blonde.

Oh and ITA about the manicures. I wish mine looked that good.
 

MDLN

OK, I'm enjoying this nonsense in spite of myself. And today I didn't FFWD through the credits and heard Juan Gabriel in full voice singing the theme song. Wow, a long time.

JudyB, "But it's fun as only a Salvador Meija production can be." OK, I'll trust your judgment. You know I would never argue with you.

Did anybody manage to keep track of how many times someone said "cabalmente" in today's episodes?

Andy
 

MARIANA DE LA NOCHE

Okay ANDY, I hear ya! And get used to "cabalmente". Hope you love it, or at least tolerate it well, because it will get said a gazillion more times. That actor always picks a certain phrase and repeats it ad nauseum during his roles. But it's kind of fun. And he DOES pick a different phrase each time, thank goodness.

I'll watch this latest episode some time this evening. In the meantime, cracking up over the technicolor flowers that bloom with an unearthly glow in the nighttime meetings, and the waterfall (cascades are great..um...romantic images) that appears behind our pure, virginal Mariana whenever she speaks to smouldering Halcón.

And what story doesn't need a madwoman skulking in and out? Love how the lady gets around, from hill to date, mansions and waterside dives. Quite the traveler.
 

MARIANA

Andy, you are not alone. LOL I turned this on this a.m. and didn’t know if I would really watch or not but I did. This is so bad in so many ways but so entertaining.

JudyB, those glowing flowers in that unearthly glade are something else, aren’t they? I was glad to see the full moon was finally gone.

Wed.

I don’t know which were more entertaining: the Ignacio snakebite scenes or the scenes with El Cumache reminiscing now he killed all of Mariana’s suitors.
 

MARIANA

Doris! You have a new (to me at least) avatar!
I didn't recognize Alejandra Barros at first either. I do now, but just barely. She is quite pretty, but there is so much good eye candy of the female kind that she is eclipsed, but she is still perfect for her role. Quite like a Virgin, and she doesn't smoke!   :-)

JudyB, thanks for "warning" me about the actor's fondness for overusing a particular word in every TN.

Judy and Jarifa, I quite agree about that glade. When Mariana and Halcón first met in that over the top glade I thought it was a fantasy or dream sequence because the glade and their meeting were so, well, over the top.

Nina, La Taxista is a decent TN, but I watched it before and don't get Galavisión. Enjoy!

Andy
 

"This is so bad in so many ways but so entertaining."
Yes, this. I watched again today while cutting up two Costco rotisserie chickens for the freezer. It is so wonderfully cheesy. ;-)

So I learned a new vocabulary word -- cabalmente -- and that's why we watch, right? Cabalmente! I forget which telenovela it was where this actor always said !Caracoles! or STTE. (wasn't he Toribio in Sin Tu Mirada?)

That Camucho guy reliving his murders.... who was the guy he drowned in the river? Looked like Gabriel whose car ran off the cliff in episode #1.
And now they killed off Doc René Strickler. (wah!)

This is a perfect telenovela for the bingo cards.

I did not understand about the letters Mariana found that were Isabel's???


OT

ANDY - yes, I put up a new avatar since I have not been wearing my telenovela beanie hat this summer. Thank you for noticing. Our son and his wife adopted a retired greyhound racing dog a few months ago. I LOL'd my silly head off when I learned they get cold in the winter and need pajamas. Riiiight. Then I realized...um... sewing project! During stay-at-home pandemic! I'm on it!

The dog's name is Rex, so I made those T-Rex dinosaur pajamas (it's really a onesie) and laughed my head off again. I smile every time I see that picture.

Now he needs some cotton knit pj's; something not quite so warm for not-sub-freezing winter nights. And I'll make him a coat. Or two. And a housecoat. Because I have not much else to do except that and make face masks. (and put off housework and yardwork)
:-D
 

MARIANA


Another thing I noticed today was the background/incidental music. Sounds just like the stuff used in Corazón Salvaje '93. Probably had the same music guy.
 

OT-Doris--Rex's outfit is a hoot. At first I thought it was one of those colorful painted Mexican piggy banks. Then I had to take a closer look. You are the sewing queen, among other laudable things.
 

MDLN
I'm again trying to catch up. Just remember, folks, Mejia, of FELS fame gave us the glowing cave.

Does anyone need a character list for reference? I'm building one with the characters introduced so far.
 

MDLN
Doris--Toribio was played by Luis Bayardo. He's now 83. He was Ciro in MEPS and Humberto in Pasion y Poder.

Our Isidro is played by none other than "Chucho" from Sortilegio (Jose Carlos Ruiz) and many others (STuD, Amor Bravio--the padre who was smothered). You are right, though, he has a habit of picking a word to use as an exclamation and sticks to it until the end. The one I remember him using was "Carnicas," but I don't remember which tn.

We see his face during the massacre, so he knows Montenegro and Lugo Navarro family history. I'm sure that is why Ignacio went looking for him specifically.

Wait until Ignacio finds out his Apparition is part of the Montenegro family.
 

MARIANA

Oh my word DORIS! Those pajamas are pure genius. I've been reading the comments on my phone, but had to get to the computer so I could see what all the hullabaloo was about. Sure glad that I did. I hope you will update the avatars with each new creation. My sewing skills are few, but I'm fascinated by what others can do.
 

Good morning, Daytime Patio. My apologies for my sparse comments and participation. I was caring for an ill pet (among all my other “pets”) who ultimately went to doggie heaven on Tuesday.

I just started watching this yesterday. I’m so happy we have a “traditional” TN to entertain ourselves with and snark about...so many wonderful actors!! Cesar Evora, Rene Strickler are favs of mine. I’m not a big fan of Jorge but he is good on the eyes! I too recognized “Isidro” I first saw him in “María Isabel;” he was Isabel’s (Adela Noriega) father.

Doris, the letters that Mariana found were love letters from Jose Antonio ( or something like that) To Isabel...and it was a big secret that she said was bound to come out...caras impactadas!

And Doris, love the pj’s!! How creative and talented you are!
 

MARIANA

RgvChick, Good to see you! So sorry to hear about the puppy. This is the oldest novela I have seen so it has been fun seeing Paty Navidad, Sergio Costa and Patricia Reyes Spindola in addition to the the actors you already mentioned back in another telenovela era.

Doris I love your puppy creation. You are so talented. I also would like to see the new outfits you come up with.


I was shocked when I realized that the crazy lady María Lola was Patricia Reyes Spíndola who played another, let’s say, eccentric role in “La fea”. I heard that voice and I knew who it was. Besides novelas, she also appeared on “Fear the Walking Dead. Come to think of it , Paty Navidad also had a memorable role in “La fea”. LOL



Thurs.
Best line: Ignacio to Mariana: That is a strange way to love a daughter.
Best scene: puppy to the rescue attacking El Cumache and saving the doctor.
Worst cheap scape: Atilio throwing a wad of bills on the bar to pay for Yadira’s maiming. He should have at least sprung for plastic surgery. The novela was made in the 21st century.
 

Mariana

CHEAP SKATE

Now that is better!
 

Cabalmente

Doris, all I know about the music for this TN is that the theme song was written and sung by Juan Gabriel, a Mexican national treasure, who died four years ago today (28 August). Wow, time fugits!

Jarifa, you ain't kidding about Atilio's being a cheapskate. He even pocketed the money after Lucrecia threw it back at him. Plus he's an all-around rat.
And I thought Rogelio was bad. Why has nobody ever drowned this guy?

This TN is such a hoot! Why would anyone ever scar Patricia Navidad's pretty face? Why would anyone ever tell an invitingly nude Angélica Rivera in the shower to take a hike?
Definitely a hoot.

Andy
 

Rgv Chick - I'm so sorry you lost a canine member of your family. It's the pits. (((Hugs)))


Andy - Looks like Jorge Avendaño wrote a lot of the music for both CS '93 and this telenovela and some others. (thank you, Wikipedia) ;-)
No wonder the music sounded similar. The guy who sings the theme song, Juan Gabriel, has a very nice voice.


MARIANA

Every time I see Paty Navidad in this, all I can see is the blonde bimbo she played in LFMB. Ack.

That Marcia's a hoot --- "I found a guy I love, and see? I've already changed my behavior." Riiight. When she finds out he's the guy Mariana is seeing, the youknowhwat will hit the fan.

Doc René Strickler survived, so, yay! Seems like he would have heard that even being a perceived love interest of Mariana's is hazardous to one's health.


 

MARIANA

doris, I can still hear Alicia Fereira saying “Ay, Marcia.”

Looks like Atilio is Mr. Slap-happy.

Couldn’t believe that the good doctor, In spite of recovering, couldn’t have offered Indira some antibiotic cream at least if not few stitches. What will he be able to offer her later when the gashes have healed?

Now that Mariana has questioned her father’s kind of love to his face, how long until she is out of there?


 

MARIANA

It's going to take me forever to catch up on these episodes JARIFA, what with feeling punk and those two hour clips, but have to say that even with the bloody gashes, Indira still looked quite fetching. Still, those cantina actresses have such loopy lines to say, as well as el Cumache, that I am just enjoying the "cabalmente" campy humor of this in spite of the dire events.

And have to agree with ANDY that el Halcón is quite the stalwart hero for not only being able to resist the nude Angelica Rivera but to give her a brisk lecture on not being womanly enough, in terms of sweetness, self-restraint and submissiveness, to tempt him. You're too aggressive! too "mandona"! Oh boy. Lots of messages in this.

Anyway, great comedy. And with DORIS, JARIFA, ANDY and that adorable greyhound, we've got a terrific patio going. Have a good day everybody. I'll try and catch up over the weekend.
 

MARIANA

JudyB, I hope you are A-okay and back to feeling like yourself. Between the daytime and evening novelas, it feels like novelas could become my full time job. LOL I so agree that the two hours is a bit much. If I can have it on in the background and be doing other things it doesn’t seem to be that big of an Imposition on my time. At least Uni has these OnDemand the next day on Comcast. I still cannot believe Uni never bothered to put CTNH2 ONDemand . I feel a rant coming on. Time to make some café. 😊
 

MARIANA

HAH!!! "I feel a rant coming on." That's one of the things I love about you JARIFA. Such a sense of humor. And a good rant is balm for the soul sometimes. As long as people aren't attacking each other, but just some random organization, all good.
 

Jarifa --- " I can still hear Alicia Fereira saying “Ay, Marcia.” "

Me, too! Probably not a one of us can ever forget it. LOL!!!
 

MARIANA

Almost caught up, but jeez, this telenovela seems terribly lame in so many ways. The repetitious protestations of eternal succulent love by our two folks who don't even know each other's names just explodes my telenovela beanie big-time. Still enjoying the fluorescent flowers and convenient cascade, but the action and delivery of lines strains credulity. And for some reason, still get a kick out of the Sadder but Wiser bar girls, but suspecting even that will wear thin after a few more episodes. Oh heck, maybe I'm just cranky. Tomorrow is another day.

JudyB, who can throw a righteous rant herself some days
 

MARIANA

I just watched the Friday outing. I like to stretch out Friday's over two days :-)


JudyB, you've got to relax and learn to love the bomb. Not that I would ever call this TN a "bomb". Oh, no, not me!

I will admit that after the first two episodes I was thinking about jumping ship, but there were pearls of wisdom and reason here at Caray such as:

"Everything is overdone, overacted, and over the top. But it's fun as only a Salvador Meija production can be."

"Even better there's a cantina where several sadder but wiser gals reign supreme and mourn lost sons and no-good no how men. Just a hoot."

"And it might be time for a Meh-ía circo in my life. And then I saw Liliana Abud's name in the credits and I just know it will be a circus. :-)"

These swayed me, and now I just watch and enjoy. If I start to think about anything I quite sternly tell myself "No! No thinking!"
And it works!

And now we have our hero Halcón defending fallen women and making them feel "decent". It sure made Lucrecia happy! (I'm not sure how fallen she is, she mostly just seems to run a cantina. The other women there seem to just serve drinks and tell men they don't want to dance with them. I guess they're pretty strict in small Mexican one mine towns.)

Andy
 

MARIANA

Awwwwwright ANDY! You're on. You're at your best, amigo, when you're giving me a hard time. I'm imagining a household of Andy sisters in the past wailing to their mom, "Make him stop, Mommy!"

But point taken--this telenovela needs to be taken in very, very, very ,very small doses, alternating with spates of No! No thinking!" I'm sure this tired old brain can handle the no-thinking part.

So I saw a wee bit of the latest episode this morning. Did a little pondering on why the director thought Paty Navidad would be a logical pick to play an indigenous person when Paulina de Labra (the shell reader shaman in Amores Verdaderos would have been just fine) But then I remembered my mentor Andy's wise advice and said STOP! NO THINKING!

Then, after that unfortunate scene of Atilla belting poor, sweet saccharine Mariana, and then still raging and pounding his bloody fist against the wall, we have a HIGHLY SYMBOLIC shot of him gripping the iron bars on the window. Ooooooh, heavy duty! He's in the prison of his own criminal desires. Damaging others with his pent-up, no no passions but also damaging himself. Yowza! It's Shakespeare in Spanish.

What a relief...I'm not watching crap TV to perfect my Spanish, I'm watching a masterpiece study of human passion and how it can run amuck. It's the nightly news only with pretty people.

Anyway, I'll continue throughout the day at odd, soporific moments to take a few more sips of this and by Monday I'll be all caught up with my buddies on the Patio.

JARIFA...we may need to bring in some serious snacks to get us through this one. Or maybe just hard liquor. You choose.
 

ANDY - Wise words in this quote, found by the wonderful search feature of this web site:
". . . Just let it go, let your brain float like a canned pear half in partially-set red jello... -- Creemelo" This advice reeeally helps, especially when watching a Mejía production.


IIRC that was written while we were watching FELS. Another legendary "meh"-ía production of Patio fame. (Wasn't that the one where we all talked about getting "I survived FELS" tee shirts?)

I might jump ship when the next daytime telenovela starts, but the one about a blind date does not appeal. We'll see.
 

MARIANA

JusyB, I think rum goes with everything! We may need to use a whole repertoire of foods and liquor to get through this one. This is probably a good example of what most people think telenovelas are and why they recoil when I tell them I watch them let alone blog about them. “Yowza” says it all! Thanks for the laughs.

 

MARIANA

Hah! JARIFA...Yes, some high-octane rum is cabalmente what we need to get through this telenovela. Trying to manage it sober just will. not. work. Finally saw the whole durn episode and enjoyed Halcón's oh-what-tedium-look as Mariana hugged him and sniveled endlessly about how frightened she was when he didn't show up. He seemed to be asking himself WHAT am I doing in this show? And we could be asking ourselves WHAT are we doing it watching, but it's all about the Spanish.

Another thing that startled me was all the smoking. It's been a while since we've seen that in movies and TV shows. My mother smoked and both my in-laws did, like chimneys, and my editor chain-smoked cigars so it's not like it wasn't part of my life. But still...startling to see it now.
 

MARIANA

JudyB, Oh, yes, the smoking. It brings back lots of memories of smoke hanging in the air. Also, I am in the midst of a Hitchcock movie marathon this weekend and smokes are all around. Like you, I do not know how long I will last but for now . . . “It’s all about the Spanish.” as you said.