Caray, Caray!

loli

One big development in Thursday's episode. Just before Rafael came home from the "Day at the Beach" with Loli and Mariana's children, we saw Vicente and Paulina talking. She was playing up how hard she is working on her marriage, IIRC. Pretty sure Vicente got the message.

The next day Loli is fired by Vicente. And when Rafael tries to plead her case, Vicente comes up with some BS about workplace relationships being a problem. Vicente admits that Loli is the best producer at the station, and he's thus hurting himself as well. But he tries to make it sound like he's doing this for Rafael, even that now Rafa can "see" Loli more easily. He never really mentions Paulina.

I have no idea how this plot point is going to play out.
 

Loli

Thanks for posting this, novelera.

This happening was a big surprise to me. Rafa was bummed. I wonder Vicente might be forced to ask her back. Would Loli go back?

I'll do the recap tonight.

dondi356
 

loli

I'm glad you mentioned this, novelera, because I too was scratching my head over it. I have been assuming that Vicente (hiss here) wants Paulina for himself. My sense of the "friendly chat" that he had with Rafa a couple of episodes ago was intended to make Rafa think more and more about Loli, thus fanning the flame. And if Rafa chooses Loli over Pau, that gives Vicente the opportunity he needs with Pau. So I too was/am surprised that Vicente fired Loli.

Vicente's firing Loli would seem to suggest that my assumption is wrong. However, perhaps not. Paulina was not happy about seeing Loli and Rafa together so much, especially in the easily misinterpreted shoe-tieing scene. It's possible that Vicente fears Paulina's unhappiness may cause her to leave. By firing Loli, he removes one source of Paulina's unhappiness. And, as he says, firing Loli makes it easier for Rafa to see her (away from Global Radio) without raising all sorts of workplace relationship problems. It may even make Rafa more eager for Loli. So Vicente can claim that he's helping Rafa, whereas what he's really trying to do is get Paulina for himself.

Yes, I know, this seems absurdly convoluted and improbable even to me. But it's the only way I can understand Vicente's firing Loli.

On a totally different matter, it does indeed look as if Octavio is becoming more and more taken with Nicky. In yesterday's episode, Octavio is lying in bed with a smile on his face as he recalls Nicky's telling Rafa "Sorry Rafa, I'd rather listen to my papá." He then looks again at the drawings Nicky sent him, and he kisses them as he puts them down!

One other thing that surprised me was Bruno's justifiably but surprisingly harsh response to Melissa's father. For a brief moment, I found myself wondering whether Bruno was growing a pair. But I doubt his new-found resolve will last.
 

loli

The way I'd like things to go is Loli getting a great job with whatever competitor there is for Global Radio and causing Vicente's father to can him for incompetence.

But that would kind of stop the working relationship Loli has with Rox and Matías. So, again, I have no idea where this is going to go.

When Vicente flatly refused to listen to Rafael pleading for Loli's job, that makes it seem like she won't be back there soon.
 

Loli #14 part 1

Rafa goes to see Pau. He tells her Angie will take care of your podcast. Pau puts on a great act. She doesn’t understand what happened to Loli. It was all so sudden. Rafa tells her Vicente blamed it on the ratings but he doesn’t believe it. Oh, Pau feels so bad about this. Loli needs this job. She’s got the two kids. Pau tells Rafa, what if you write her a recommendation letter? It could help. Rafa wants to know why Pau is so worried about this. Loli was her producer and she knows she is raising two children.

As Rafa leaves, Angie walks in. She asks Pau if Rafa said anything about Loli. Pau tells Angie, it’s so terrible, right? And her fake frown turns into a big smile. Angie says, don’t tell me you got her fired? Why do you ask? To get her away from Rafa? I would never, Pau giggles.

Mel tells Marcelino she can’t help him this time (letting him hide out in their house). Carol comes home and is excited to see her grandpa. She asks if he is staying in LA for good or just stopping by. All eyes go to Bruno. He tells Carol that Marcelino is just visiting but he will spend the night with us. Carol is happy and Melissa takes Bruno’s hand.

Octavio finds Nicky’s Mr. Coulders in his car. He puts it in the dumpster but then takes it out.

Loli has Rox and Mati over and they are doing karaoke. They are all drunk. Silliness ensues. Rox says she’s been to all kinds of parties, wedding, baptisms, communions, divorces, but what do you sing at a getting fired party? Loli says songs about spite. Rox says, Paquita del Barrio! The song about the two-legged rat. Loli says, no, no not Rafael. Mati says he just realized something; Rafa didn’t tell Loli about being fired because wants to hook up her. Rox and Mati encourage Loli to sleep with him. No, she won’t do it. Vicente did me a favor, she says, she’s wanted to leave Global for a while.

Rafa debates to call Loli; he dials but Pau walks in. She has an idea. Let’s invite Loli for dinner. Poor thing must be feeling bad. Rafa doesn’t think it’s a good idea and says he’s going to talk to Vicente again; maybe he will rehire her.

At dinner, Carol tells her grandfather she wants to be like him—travelling, owning a business, having lots of money. Bruno tells Carol, no way, you don’t know what you are talking about. Mel asks Carol to come help with the dishes. Marcelino tells Bruno he has a great business deal for him — a gourmet variety of avocados! All Marcelino needs is a place to store them. Bruno wants no part and thinks the whole thing sounds shady. Marcelino says he will cut Bruno in at 50%. Bruno wants no part; he wants to make a living like an honest, decent person and he gets up from the table.

Loli wakes up at her usual time, 3:30 am. She gets on her exercise bike, takes a shower and gets dressed before she remembers she is unemployed. She takes the box with her work stuff and starts talking to the picture of her and Mari. She has a flash back to her first days as producer. Mari was pregnant then. Mari visited her and brought her a gift—it’s the picture she kept on her desk, the one she is talking to now. Present day Loli cries, you always believed in me. You don’t know how much I miss you. I need you. What am I going to do?

Romeo and Rox have hooked up again. He has rehearsals for a new dance today. She asks if she can go. He nods. She will see him later then. Rox tells him she doesn’t like it that women are all over him at the bar, even if she knows that’s his job. He laughs at her jealousy. Romeo tells her he doesn’t get jealous when he sees what her male fans write to her online. He tells Rox he is her number one fan and he has also made breakfast for her.

dondi356

 

Loli #14 part 2

Rafa comes to see Loli. He supposes that Loli doesn’t want him talking to Vicente on her behalf. He notices she’s not “feeling well”. He says he will make her tea, with tequila. There’s no tea, just the tequila and he pours himself a shot, too. Rafa says they can still work together; he proposes to hire her freelance. Why do you want to work together, Loli asks? We hear Loli’s thoughts: He’s worried about me. Look at this tasty treat. He’s gorgeous. Just let go. She also hears Mati and Rox encouraging her. Loli moves in for a kiss and Rafa looks receptive. But at the last moment Rafa pulls away and says I can’t kiss you because you are sick and he leaves.

Nora is on the phone with Bruno. She’s still stuck on getting custody. Did you talk to this guy Octavio, yet she asks? Not yet, says Bruno, but I went by the club. Bruno is going through his mail while he talks and is half listening to his mom, while she rants and raves about Octavio. He tells her, don’t exaggerate mom. He’s not committed a crime and Nicky is very excited about it. Nora accuses Bruno of taking that two-bit dancer’s side and she hangs up on him.

Bruno finds a credit card bill. He screams for Melissa. Tell me this is a mistake! How am I supposed to pay for this? Mel says it’s not a mistake and she feels terrible, but she hasn’t bought anything for herself in a long time. He backs off and tells her he will figure it out.

Mati and Art go to an adoption agency. It’s going to cost a lot of money. The agent tells them it is a complicated process; you must be sure before we start. Art is sure and Mati is too, but he looks a bit nervous.

Carol tells the Sam and Jess that her grandpa is in town. Gus walks up. He wants to speak with Sam and takes her aside. Carol wants to know what’s up with those two. Jess says there’s nothing, but he stood her up the other day.

Gus apologizes to Sam. He sounds sincere. Will you forgive me? She does. Can I study with you again, he asks. She says ok, they are going Jess’ house this afternoon.

Berta comes to Global looking for Loli. Mati runs interference: meetings, office fumigation. Rox joins in. Mati suggest that Berta come back another day. They make up a story about a party for Loli celebrating a big promotion and raise. Berta is skeptical but she decides to leave and says she will be back tomorrow. Now what will they do? And speaking of raises, Mati feels he will never get his raise now because Loli is gone. She was the only one who supported him. Rox is offended; she supports Mati, too, and she will handle it.

Rox bursts into Rafa’s office to discuss two big problems. One is about Loli’s firing and the other is she doesn’t want Angie as her producer. She wants Mati. Rafa listens calmly and says he will talk to finance about that.

Bruno is on a call about his overdue credit card bill. He’s at Global to pick up Pau. She asks Bruno how Loli is since she got fired. Loli hasn’t answered her calls. It’s a surprise to Bruno. Pau thought they were like family and he knew. She goes on about how horrible it is now that she has to prove she can take care of the kids.

Loli shows up at Mari’s and cries on Nora’s shoulder about her firing. Nora comforts her. Nora must be thinking this is great for her custody chances. The doorbell rings. Loli won’t let go of her. It’s Octavio. He’s brought Nicky’s stuffed animal back. He sees Loli crying on the couch.

Nora is not pleased to see Octavio. She tells Loli she doesn’t want this to become a regular thing. Loli says she will handle it. Nora goes upstairs and Nicky comes down. He’s happy Octavio has brought Mr. Coulders back. What will we do today, Nicky asks his dad. How about getting some ice cream? They talk Loli into coming along.

dondi356

 

Loli #14 part 3

Octavio wants to know what’s wrong with Loli. She tells him she doesn’t want to discuss her personal business with him. He calls her uptight. We are alone so let’s talk, he says, tell me about yourself. Instead, Loli asks why he came to see Nicky. Octavio admits he might want to get to know him. But he tells her not to change the subject. He wants to know what is going on with her. She admits she was fired.

Octavio thinks that’s not as bad as getting dumped (an attempt at humor?) He says he is bad at relationship advice, but he is good at business and he can help.

Bruno is packing up the knockoffs. Marcelino comes in and asks what’s going on. Bruno lets Marcelino know he started selling knockoffs because of the situation he created. Now he’s getting rid of it all because he doesn’t want to set a bad example for Carol. Marcelino gets defensive and he starts to walk away. Bruno calls him back. He will do the avocado deal; he needs the money. Marcelino is delighted. Bruno hopes this isn’t another shady deal.

I don’t understand what he’s talking about, but it seems that Octavio is giving Loli some good business advice. She’s impressed and she’s looking at him a little differently now. She says he’s cool, he’s smart. (Is something happening between them?) Loli snaps out of it saying they should check that Nicky hasn’t drowned in the ball pit. Octavio agrees and adds, Rafa is not here to save him this time.

Rafa overhears Rox and Mati talking about Loli. Rox says, the only one who will be sorry if Loli doesn’t come back is Rafael. Rafa makes a call. We don’t know to whom. I want to talk to you, Rafa says. Meet you on the golf course?

Gus catches up to the girls after school. He confirms the study session and then tells the girls he will catch up with them later. Gus’ awful friend is lurking nearby. He wants to know when he can join the study group. Gus tries to come up with an excuse to stall. Friend says to convince them to let him join. If Gus won’t do it, he will talk to the new girl himself and convince her to take him to her room for a private anatomy lesson. (Gus seems nice, why does he hang with this creep?) Gus warns him off. Friend says it’s like he thought (Gus really likes Sam) and sends Gus off to ask.

Loli thanks Octavio. She had a very good time. Octavio says, I’m not the monster you thought I was. He tells her , you’re free to come by the bar for a drink anytime you want. And if you want a show, I’ll give you a private dance, at a discount of course. Loli asks, how much? She quickly catches herself and says, no thank you. Remember last time? I left my bag. No problem, says Octavio, I’ll bring it back.

dondi356

 

Loli #14 part 4

Mati and Art come back from a therapy session. Mati says Art was the quiet one this time. Art is worried about their financial situation hurting their chances for adoption. Mati thinks he shouldn’t worry because he will get a raise this time. Art says if they fire him, even Mati’s raise won’t be enough. Mati gets upset and walks away.

As Octavio leaves Loli, Rafa shows up with Rogelio, Vicente’s dad. Loli is surprised to see him. Rafa says he asked Rogelio to come. Rogelio tells Loli, we have to talk.
Loli thanks him for coming. Rogelio knows that Loli is proud and that she always gets what she wants. He asks her to remember he taught her that when opportunity knocks, you answer. She tells him he taught her a lot of things, like standing up for her decisions. Rogelio remembers when she first arrived at Global. She worked hard until she became his personal assistant and she kept growing until she became what she is today. Unemployed, Loli says.

Rogelio tells Loli, Vicente thinks what he does is in Global’s best interests. And even if I don’t agree with his decisions, I respect them. But I couldn’t sit idly by this time and that’s why I’m here. Loli thanks him and says, I can’t go back to where they won’t give me my rightful place. She means no disrespect to Rafa but how can they hire someone from the outside without recognizing the talent in house.

Rogelio is sorry Loli feels that way and he understands. He didn’t come here to justify Vicente. He says Vicente still has a lot to learn. Rafa tells Loli he doesn’t want to compete with her. He wants to work as a team. Loli says her life has been a mess these past few weeks. Rogelio knows, Rafa has told him, and he was sorry to hear it. He says the kids are in good hands. Mariana wouldn’t have left the kids to her if she didn’t think so.

Rogelio also senses that something is going on between Rafa and Loli. He wants to know what it is. Well, Loli says, we just got off to a bad start. Rafa says they can work it out. Rogelio comes clean; he was the one who wanted Rafa to come on board. He thought Rafa and Loli would make a good team and he still thinks so. Rogelio wants Loli to come back to Global. He is prepared to make her an offer she can’t refuse. The company needs you, Vicente needs you, and Rafa needs you. And so do your kids.

And we are out.

dondi356

 

loli

Thanks very much, dondi356, for another fantastic recap!

Like you, I wondered why Gus continues to hang out with his creepy, disgusting friend. Then again, the episode made me wonder a lot of things. Especially, how did Bruno manage to reach adulthood (in terms of age, at least) while remaining so gullible, dense, stupid? I have to admit, this time he tries his best to say no to his slimeball father-in-law, caving in only after perra Melissa went on a spending spree with Carol. Nonetheless, how could Bruno believe in another get-rich-quick scheme proposed by his slimeball suegro? Especially one involving storing avocados?

It seems that in this novela almost everyone's answer to happiness, sadness, disappointment, triumph, whatever, is to get drunk. I find it odd that Telemundo, which at times annoys me with the Public Service Announcements it works into its novelas, nonetheless continues to portray excessive drinking as comic. I've got nothing against occasional drinking--¡para nada!--but that's not what we see here AND elsewhere (100 días, for example).

I didn't hate everything in this episode. I'm enjoying the unlikely pairing of Rox and Romeo. He really does seem to be very fond of Rox, and she of him. And, of course, Rogelio's as yet unspecified offer-Loli-can't-refuse sounds promising. I think I'll leave it at that.
 

loli

Excellent recap, dondi. Thanks so much for all the terrific details.

I notice they're rehabilitating Octavio a bit each episode. Haven't seen him in bed with two women for a couple of episodes. I was also confused by what he was describing to Loli to demonstrate his business acumen. I thought it had something to do with ratings...backed up and watched it twice but still didn't understand. I like Loli and Octavio possibly teaming up on parenting Nicky.

Pau is going to have to work hard on her facial expressions when Rogelio convinces Loli to come back to Global Radio. That scene with Angie gives women a bad name. I was glad to see that Rafa wasn't really buying into her pretend sympathy for Loli. I guess he's familiar with that "fake nice" behavior.

I gnashed my teeth a bit when Bruno was looking at that apparently astronomical credit card bill. And Melissa always gets her way. Will she ever get a comeuppance?

I looked up a new to me idiom that Rox used and Rafa overheard. She said that Rafa would be the one que van a dar de topes. The internet described it as someone getting hit, or punched in the ribs. I thought she meant that, without Loli, the station would lose listeners and Rafa would be the one fired.

I don't understand the annoying social worker thing. Sam and Nicky are not being adopted out of some foster care situation. There was a perfectly legal will giving Loli guardianship of the two kids. Why would that trigger a social worker?

I suppose it was inevitable that Loli would return to Global Radio, but it's certainly going to be weird with all the employees knowing she'd been canned.
 

loli, general

Hola a tod@s,

I'm happy to report that we now have a partial schedule of recaps for La Suerte de Loli. I will do one on Tuesdays, novelera will take Thursdays, and dondi356 has chosen Fridays. As you can see, we still have no one to recap on Mondays or Wednesdays. We'd like to encourage everyone watching the show to give recapping a try. If you're a little wary of committing to do one every week, try it once and see how it goes. It needn't be long--just a few paragraphs about the parts of the episode you found most interesting, or puzzling, or surprising, or infuriating would be fine. One request: if you decide to try recapping an episode, please be sure to post a message letting everyone know ahead of time.

Also, please please please post comments on other people's recaps. It's quite discouraging to spend time writing a recap and getting few or no responses. Some years ago, someone named Paula H posted a message on CarayCaray entitled "Care and Feeding of a Recapper." It was a terrific post, and it gave rise to zillions of responses. I've copied below just one of those responses, from someone named JudyB
(I've put it in italics to make it distinct from the rest of my message):

Paula, Thank you for letting folks know what a letdown it is to take the time (and put in the effort) to write a recap and then find so little response.

Comments do not need to be original or funny. If someone has already said what you were thinking, just add that "you agree". Even just a simple "thanks" and a "that really helped" is enough to buoy up a recapper to do it again when maybe she (or he) would rather be relaxing, sleeping!, out partying with friends or whatever. We set aside valuable time and energy to do this.....because we want to. But it's only natural that we'll want to less and less if nobody seems to care.

And speaking for myself, I love the friendships that gradually develop on these lines as we get to know each others likes and dislikes, experiences in foreign countries and with foreign languages, etc.

This is a wonderful site but Lurkers, you can make it even better by joining in more often.
JudyB
 

Loli/general

Checking in late. I spent most of my weekend preparing for the lousy weather expected this week.

Thank you very much, Juanita and novelera for commenting. I always enjoy reading them.
Bruno went from a perra mom to a perra wife. Poor guy never stood a chance.

Glad you brought up the drinking, Juanita. Nothing wrong with enjoying a couple of drinks with friends occasionally or a glass of wine at the end of the day but I agree, this is too much. This isn’t a narco TN.

novelera, thanks for the explanation of “que van a dar de topes”. You saved me from looking it up.

I can understand why a social worker would get involved, but they are making a joke out of it and it is very annoying. Remember in Hija, the social workers wanted to make sure Demir was properly caring for his daughter. Nothing wrong with that.

Finally, thanks, Juanita, for reposting “Care and Feeding of a Recapper”. I remember reading that several years ago. With some gentle encouragement, I went from an appreciative lurker, to a commenter, to a recapper. I’m happy that I became engaged in this wonderful community. It is a rare find in the online world.

dondi356