Caray, Caray!

Infiel

Volkan's final fate reminded me of Sergio Goyri's character in Piel de Otoño: both end up alone, losing the women they loved because they were unfaithful husbands, as they watch those around them get their happy ending. I won't lie, I definitely pitied him even though "he reaped what he sowed" as Ali put it.

Unlike many I was happy to see Derin get her redemption and get the help she needed, but I'm just speaking from experience as I know someone who has a similar mental illness. I will say that Onur has the patience of a saint for putting up with her, though....

As for Asya, she was finally able to go to London but they don't mention if she rekindled things with Aras.

Overall, I liked the ending; never been a big fan of the overdramatic finales that go way over the top. I prefer ones like these that serve more of a cautionary tale. I'm really looking forward to the next Cansu Derek dezi since I enjoyed Madre and this one. Will also keep an eye out for any work from Caner Cindoruk as I enjoyed his performance.
 

infiel

Onur takes crazy Derin from the hospital. She gets drunk and goes to bed with him. But then she castigates herself, still hung up on Volkan.

Asya brings Volkan to see Ali after he’s released from the hospital. They have breakfast and then Ali goes to school. Asya tells Volkan that his behavior affects Ali and that he’s always making excuses for what he does. She tells him to go home. But then she goes on to say that she lost a baby after the awful birthday party in the first episode. Then she found out he was having a baby with someone else.

Volkan tells Derin it’s over between them. She freaks out once again, thinking he’ll go back to Asya.

The cops come to arrest Volkan and they take him away. Derin calls Asya saying she’ll finish what should have been finished before. She’s back to the cliff again. Asya and Onur save her.

Gonul thanks Asya for saving Derin…and admits it’s the second time.

One month passes. Derin gets better and Onur embraces her.
Volkan gets a visit from Derya and wonders why no one else has come. He has himself a pity party.

Derin comes to make peace with Asya. Asya returns the property Volkan pretty much embezzled to Derin. Derin comes home and tells her mother she wants a divorce, ASAP!

Volkan gets out. Some deal has been cut to get him out. He comes to Ali’s graduation party and gets upset seeing everyone in a group picture and Zeynep being held by Onur. Derin gets in his face and tells him why she arranged for his release. It was because he was too comfortable in jail, eating well. And she whispers in his ear that SHE was unfaithful…with Onur.

Ali tells his father to beat it. Asya takes him to some simple house that doesn’t look like the one he was living in before. He wants to go to THEIR house. She informs him she sold it and is leaving this town. She puts some cash beside his bag.

Gonul buys a speedboat and goes for a cruise with Cavidan.

Volkan, looking disheveled, lurks outside his former home with Asya.

Asya flies to London. But, alas, is not met by Aras.

We see grown up Ali and Zeynep visiting Volkan’s grave. They say Asya is in town from London.

Pretty decent last episode. I was on tenterhooks thinking Asya might actually go back to Volkan.
 

I just realized they did not show the day Volkan died at his grave. Is this meant to imply that he committed suicide after everyone left him?
 

Infiel

Thanks, novelera for keeping us informed with recaps and comments. I really appreciated it as I wasn't totally committed to watching.

I checked the last two Turkish eps to see if we missed anything important.

Last episode began 20 years later at the cemetery. Ali and Zeynep put white roses on Volkan’s grave. Brief convo on the significance of the white roses for Volkan, Asya and Derin.

Anon at 9:49: yes, it was interesting that they did not show Volkan’s date of death. His cause of death wasn't discussed. Maybe he just died of a broken heart.

I’ll agree with Ruby, I felt a twinge of pity for Volkan at the end. Probably because of Caner Cindoruk, who was very good in this role.

They cut Ali’s visit to Volkan in prison. Volkan proclaimed his innocence and whatever he did was for Ali and Asya. Ali blew up and told him how he was so ashamed. The kid went back to Asya who was waiting outside and said he never wanted to see his dad again.

Ceren quit her job at the hospital and decided to move to Istanbul. She had one last meeting with Selcuk outside the restaurant. Nil graciously let them meet with no interference. Ceren is having a boy and will let Selcuk be a part of his life. Later, we find out that Nil is having a girl. HEA for them.

Kadir came back for Derya. I guess that’s a HEA for them.

I had mixed feelings about Derin. I am happy she got the help she needed, but her serious crimes were covered up.

No consequences for the awful Gonul who covered up for Derin. She gets to cruise and shop with gal pal Cavidan.

What ever happened to Turgay? I missed episodes here and there, when did he leave?

I still can’t figure Asya out. On one hand, she’s stone cold revenge driven and then she saves Derin a couple of times and freaks when she thinks Volkan might die. In a final act, she helped Volkan settle after he was released from prison. I guess she explained it when she said she had a constant battle between her conscience and her anger and her conscience always won. I was glad she admitted she did some crappy things too.

There was no mention of Aras from anyone. It’s probably better if Asya remains alone. Whoever dares to be with her, it’s one mistake and you’re out. And now we are out, too!

 

reina3

Excited for tonight! Get your Tequila Honor and shotglasses ready. Hoping there will be a lot of interest. I can recap Fridays, most likely posting on Saturday.
 

Infiel

Thanks novelera for sticking with this.
Gosh, I actually feel sorry for Volkan. Seems like he never recovered and was a broken, lost man. The moral is lose your family, lose your place in life.
Gonul certainly deserved much worse than she got. How is that right?
Derin had a sad look in one of the scenes with family,Onur, Asya, etc. She'll always miss part of her life with Volkan. If she goes off her meds, look out!
Asya, free as a bird and apparently loving it. I wonder if Ali ever married.

Don't cheat on your wife! Too late for Volkan and Harun (? Derin's dad)

Beth S






 

reina3

Hi dondi356, noverla, Juanita and Telemundo patio! I am so ready for the third season of Reina! I have been practicing my tequila shots all summer long dondi356!

I have not seen a recapping schedule and I do not know if I can commit to a day just yet as I am back at work and traveling full time. I do miss the patio and commenting with so many fun, talented, clever people!
 

reina3

I will put something up for the estreno tonight. It's not a great night for me to do it as I have a Zoom tonight. Depending on level of energy, we'll see about the length.

Thanks, dondi, for volunteering for Fridays.

OT, my Zoom tonight is #4 of an 8-week commitment I made a while ago. The program is called English Together, and the goal is to help low-wage immigrants navigate common situations in English. Some of the "coaches" aren't Spanish speakers so they work with more intermediate English learners. I am working with a beginner and need to speak part of the time with her in Spanish to clarify the exercises we're doing.
 

reina3

Morir para Vivir #1, parte 1 de 3

There are some characters from Season 2 whose faces I recognize, but I can’t remember their exact roles then. Help would be appreciated.

We see someone sharpening something so as to make a mark on a prison wall. Then…four years before...we are in Wangetti, Australia. Teresa Mendoza sees some helicopters in the air. She and Sofia run. They’re shooting at the two of them and missing. There’s a hideout below ground, and Teresa has Sofia descend a ladder. There’s supplies down there. Teresa comes up. Sofia argues, not wanting her mother to leave her there.

Back to the cell in present time. We see Teresa eat a meal and put more marks on the wall. She’s doing killer workouts alone in her cell.

Back to Australia. They have a ridiculous number of guys chasing Teresa. Some leader guy says he wants her alive. She jumps off a cliff. Guess these DEA guys can’t follow orders because they start shooting into the water where Teresa went down. She swims under water to a “sea cave”.

In the present time we meet a stereotypical jerk guard named Morrison getting Teresa out of her cell.

Epifanio Vargas is now the President of Mexico. [One of the presidents of Mexico was quoted as saying: “Poor Mexico. So far from God and so close to the United States.” If Epifanio is the president, well…poor Mexico indeed. He’s with some aide de camp. We see Vargas shoot some guy who looks like he’s been tortured. Vargas is astonished his own chauffeur was betraying him. In some excellent slang Spanish, the guy tells Epi that the guy wouldn’t say who was paying him. Le iban a dar cuello si no cooperaba.. (They were going to kill him if he hadn’t cooperated.) The guy breaks the news to Epi that the guy’s family went to the US al gabacho 3 days ago.

Epifanio comes to an open area to give a speech. He doesn’t apologize for being late. He tells some other functionary: “If you’re the president, they wait for you.” This same guy asks if he’s going to speak “about that”. He says he’ll talk about unemployment.

We see that Teresa is in a federal prison in Colorado. Someone has come to see her. Taking her to meet her visitor they treat her like Hannibal Lector, putting her in a cage before removing her cuffs. The awful Morrison says the visitor’s name, Manuel, with scorn, clearly a first-class racist. The visitor says he’s come from a well-funded foundation, IOHR, that works for prisoner’s rights, especially those of Hispanics. Teresa says she doesn’t see what they can do for her; she’s in for 85 years.

Teresa tells the guy she’s written dozens of letters. She’s been in her cell for 1,493 days in complete isolation. When he mentions family visits, she spits that she doesn’t want her daughter to come there. He holds up a book for her: El Conde de Montecristo! This gets a reaction from her. “Why this book?” [Those who saw the first season will remember that this is the book Patty O’Farrell gave Teresa when they were in prison together in Spain.]

Pablo Landero (that’s the guy’s real name) says that a co-worker of his chose the book. Pablo: “Do you know what the grey hour is?” [This is something Teresa said in earlier seasons: la hora gris. He goes on to talk about 20 minutes, every 3 days. All these random sayings trigger something in Teresa.
 

reina3

Morir para Vivir #1, parte 2 de 3

Now we are in Malaga, Spain. Sofia seems to be trying to sell a painting, but the guy buying suggests something more colorful. Some snarky boy is telling another boy about la sudaca (disparaging term used in Season 1 that some European Spaniards were using for someone from the Americas.} Sofia is living with one Paloma Aljarafe and her son of around 3 years of age. Paloma asks her to mind Ray a bit; she’s going to get some water. Sofia buys the boy a toy. The rotten boy that I assume is a classmate comes up to rag on her about her mother.

She punches him a couple of times and seems to be getting the best of him when he pulls a knife. She shoves her backpack onto the knife, knees the miscreant in the avocados and puts the knife to his throat. But she then sees that the boy has wandered off. She looks for him frantically and does find him.

Epifanio is giving his speech. He says that the war isn’t working. They’re going to make a pact with the enemy, just as armies do in war. They’ll talk to them. There will be a law that will result in fewer deaths. Sometimiento for those who traffic in drugs. [New word for me. Means something like subjugation or submitting to authority.] At least one of Epi’s henchmen doesn’t look happy.

Some woman is refusing to eat. Her doctor says she’ll see her son when she’s better. She’s attempted suicide.

Morrison, the idiot guard, says there’s no pictures in The Count of Montecristo. And he didn’t think Mexicans wrote books. The warden calls him what he is…an idiot…but says Teresa can have the book. Teresa examines the book in her cell but can’t find anything hidden in it.

The guy who came to the prison to see Teresa, Pablo, comes to a place where none other than Oleg Yasikov, with a significant beard, is awaiting him. Something is going on there. There are sticks of dynamite. Pablo thinks they should have been more direct with Teresa, but Oleg insists she’ll understand. Jonathan, whose face I remember, is on a computer and tells the other two that someone from the government is checking out their non-profit website.

Epi is being filmed being affectionate with his small son. The functionary asks about the first lady and says that the people love her. This is the woman who was refusing to eat in an earlier scene.

The guy who was with Epifanio when he shot the chauffeur brings him a box that he says was in “Box 15”. The box is lined with foam and has a cell phone in there. He calls some guy who tells him his talk wasn’t well received. This guys speaks Spanish, but later English. Maybe he’s in the U.S? This guy doesn’t like the sometimiento. Do you have any idea what kind of people you’re getting involved with? Epi replies: “The kind of people to get to the chauffeur of the president of Mexico.”

In her cell Teresa begins to pore over the book again. She begins to follow the verbal clues Pablo gave her when he was speaking to her in her cage. On the 20th line of a page, she finds “Tesa, we’re going to get you out.” Teresa: “Oleg!” More clues are found in the book. It will be tomorrow, after the second meal. You must fool the guards. The poison is in the pages.
 

reina3

Morir para Vivir #1, parte 3 de 3

In Malaga Paloma tells Sofia she’ll get 3 days suspension but won’t be kicked out of school. Sofia: “What are they doing to Juanjo?” She already knows the answer. She says it’s because she’s Teresa Mendoza’s daughter. Paloma tells her she has to apologize to Juanjo as a condition of returning to school.

We go back in time again to Australia. Sofia is in the underground hideout trying to call Oleg on a cell phone. She keeps getting voice mail. Eventually, almost out of battery, she calls Paloma to come for her in Australia.’

Teresa rips up pages out of the book while one of my favorite songs plays softly in the background: La Llorona.

Sofia sprays in red on what I assume is Juanjo’s car. “Que te desculpe tu madre” [More or less Yo Mama, I think.] She also smashes a car window.

Teresa dissolves the torn up pages in water. “Oleg, don’t fail me.” She drinks.

Back to 4 years ago. We see Teresa come back to the sea cave. She tells Sofia that she has to leave, and Sofia begs to come with her. Somehow the DEA knows where she is. She goes to a jeep she has hidden, but they are following her. [Did she always intend to draw them away from Sofia?] We see them shoot at the jeep, it flips over, and she’s captured. The guy who catches her gloats some and slaps her.

Sofia is at the airport. She tells them she’s Italian and can travel without a permit at her age.

Teresa faints while Morrison and a female guard are taking her for her one hour of fresh air.

The prison doctor tells the warden she’ll die if they don’t get her to a hospital.

Oleg and his boys are ready. There’s an ambush. Lots of guards and police are shot. There’s a real firefight. Pablo used an RPG to blow up one police car. Sadly, Morrison survives to call for help.

Teresa flatlines just as Oleg enters the ambulance.

Well, we know Teresa is not dying in the first episode. So something will save her.
 

Novelera, how much I enjoyed one of your customary outstanding recaps. Thank you for your time, effort and production.

A few thoughts:

Loved the Telemundo countdown to La Reina.

Loved the chase scene in the Australian jungle.

Loved the creative plot already: poison embedded in pages of a book and not just any book but "The Count of Monte Cristo."

My own personal rant: Didn't love the constant bleeping of profane language. I just finished watching the last episodes of La Reina 2 on Netflix. It was wonderful being able to watch the production as it was written. What I find amazing is that they allow the extreme violence in novelas( like showing a man all bloodied after being TORTURED to death at the beginning) but have to censor every few words. Rant over.

Oleg needs to lose the beard. Did I ever say how I am so over the beard craze? Everyone looks like grandpappy.

I found interesting that La Reina was in a Colorado federal max security prison just like El Chapo Guzmán in real life. I say that because of all of the brou-ha-ha that was made when Kate del Castillo went to go interview El Chapo with Sean Penn years ago.

Sofía is clearly a chip off the old block and I am sure some interesting adventures await her.

I have high hopes for this season.


 

reina3

Thank you novelera! Great recap to the start off the exciting third season! I appreciate the extra Spanish as I was really having a hard time understanding everything with all the bleeping out of bad words. Like Jarifa, I watched the first two seasons on Netflix and with English captions. So much easier to understand what was going on.

I am concerned already for Oleg. He did not answer the call from Sophia 4 years earlier and now it appears he has a drinking problem. I wonder if something happened to his family to make him grow that beard and start drinking.

I really liked the use of the book and the clever way Oleg got the message to Teresa.

Sophia is definitely a chip off the old block and I cheered as she kneed the bully in the avocados. (Never gets old!)

I really did not understand anything Epifano said or what he is trying to do. His kid is cute and his former beautiful wife is a mess. I guess she could not get over the fact that her brother in season two was a traitor trying to kill her beloved. Her brother was also the love interest of Danilo, Epi’s new PR person at the end of season two and it appears he is still the PR guy in this season.

Pablo is a new character, Oleg had his faithful driver (can’t remember his name) as look out before the ambulance ambush. The former DEA agent Jonathan is also on the rescue team. He did look a bit worse for wear and not as handsome as I remember him in season two.

Thank you for getting us started novelera!


 

Reina 3

VVS, No, it “never gets old.” Everyone looked a bit older to me than what I had imagined (excluding Sofía). Guess they all had a hard four years and not just Teresa. ; )
 

Reina3

Excellent recap, novelera, thanks so much. I know you were pressed for time. Always appreciate the Spanish and the call backs to previous seasons. Happy to see great comments to start us off on the convo.

My heart jumped when I saw “The Count of Monte Cristo”. Dear Patty O’Farrell.

Wow, four years later Bebita is suicidal and stashed out of sight.

ITA Jarifa and VVS, Oleg’s appearance was startling and he has an apparent drinking problem. Pablo told him no drinking on the job, but Oleg ignored that. Oleg will save Teresa and then Teresa will save him. If something happened to his family, does that mean taking his relationship with Tesa to a new level? I don’t know how I feel about that. Or will Pablo become Teresa’s love interest?

Anton is Oleg’s sidekick.

Jonathan does look a little worse for the wear. He’s been on the run for the last 4 years.

Danilo is all grown up now. Will he be a good guy or a bad guy? Will they give him a new boyfriend this season?

I didn’t fully understand Epifanio’s “Sometimiento” stuff. IIRC, in season 2, didn’t the US and Russians want Epi in power so they could “take control” of Mexican politics and the drug trade. Is this it?

What ever happened to Francesco/Lupo/Michele? He’s out there somewhere.

Don’t ever change, Sofia! We love you.

 

reina3
Thanks VERY much, novelera, for this superb recap! I was at first somewhat confused by the recurrent back and forth between the present and what happened 4 years ago, but it proved an efficient and effective way to tell us what we needed to know about how Teresa was captured, how devoted she was and is to Sofia, etc., while keeping the focus on the present.

I was delighted to see that Sofia is very much her mother's daughter--smart, capable, and more than able to defend herself, while nonetheless remaining vulnerable.

But oy, what has happened to Oleg?? An ugly beard?? A drinking problem?? NO!! I didn't even recognize him, even after someone called to him as "Russo." Arrgh. He was one of my favorite characters in seasons 1 and 2, even after they had to change actors for season 2. At the end of last night's episode, we see him (I think) bending over the seemingly dying Teresa. He will probably save her, but will she then save him?

Yes, The Count of Monte Cristo was an inspired touch, given how in season 1 Patty introduced Teresa to it and to reading, transforming her life. I wonder--does it really contain the sentences (“Tesa, we’re going to get you out.” and "The poison is in the paper") Teresa remembers from what Pablo told her when he gave her the book in prison? If so, Wow! Then again, Wow even if a very talented script writer made it up.

I realized after watching last night's episode that I really should have re-watched season 2. I remember season 1 pretty well, but not so much season 2. So I think I missed recognizing some characters. Oh well, I'm very excited about season 3.
 

reina3

I think the last 4 years has been rough on all of us Jarifa, lol!

I would also have mixed feelings if Oleg and Tesa took their platonic love further, dondi356. I guess Tesa has to live first before she shoots down some tequila.
What ever happened to Francesco/Lupo/Michele? I hope he makes a return soon. I also hope some of the other characters come to Tesa’s aide. Paloma was there for Sophia and the other sister married the Columbian drug lord, so I hope she has fared well and we see them soon.

The back and forth was very confusing for me at first Juanita, I had to rewind and watch several scenes twice to make sure I was following what was going on. Tesa sure had her act together with her exit plan. Too bad the entire DEA was out to get her on that beautiful island.

I meant to thank you earlier novelera for the recap especially since you are so busy with the English Together program. What a great community service!

It is nice to be back on the patio. My tequila bottle, shot glasses, salt and limes are all ready for tonight!

 

VVS, "I think the last 4 years has been rough on all of us Jarifa, lol!" I so agree!

It always makes me laugh when other characters underestimate Teresa.

I wonder if Lupo will return. If he doesn't I hope they fill us in on what happened to him.

 

This comment has been removed by the author.
 

reina3

Muchísimas gracias, Novelera. Your recap brought the clarity I needed and helped me remember who's who. All the best on your work with the English Together program. Sounds super.

Loved the use of The Count of Monte Cristo. I wish they'd included a flashback to Patty giving it to Teresa in S1. Teresa sure is brilliant to figure out the clues. Poor me would've still been stuck in prison, counting the days.

I'm guessing part of Epifanio's wife's problems is that she realized too late what scum Epifanio is.

Yay! Sophia is a chip off the old block.

Wherever Teresa goes, there's a trail of innocent lives lost. A shame the ambulance medic got killed.
 

Reina

Hello. I am not watching, but I love the folks on this patio , so I will probably drop by just to read your comments . I didnt watch season 1 and 2 and dont like narcodrama. I am a romance fan. Have fun.

Susanlynn, hopeless romantic
 

reina3

Thanks for the pats on the back, all. Jarifa, ITA about the bleeping but lack of qualms about blowing people to bits.

Oleg does love Teresa, but it has been platonic and I think it will remain so. I remember his wanting more in Season 1, but gracefully letting her choose other lovers.

And I did NOT like them adding Oleg walking away with those beer bottles. He's always been SO careful and calculating.

Thanks for all the reminders about things I could not remember. I recognized Danilo but had forgotten he was in love with that scheming guy who was trying to do Teresa in.

And...yes...Bebita! I recognized Kiki Edgar, but couldn't come up with her role in Season 2.

Will we have a recap, of whatever length, tonight? Fingers crossed.
 

OT Susanlynn

Have you tried a Turkish rom-com yet? As a starter, I recommend Full Moon (Dolunay) with the very handsome Can Yaman. It's on YouTube with English subtitles.
 

Dear Dondi, thank you . I have been watching 2 shows on Univision, but I am missing the dizis . I have even thought of rewatching "Fatmagul", my all time favorite telenovela, which you encouraged me to watch. Love Engin and also love Burak. Maybe I will give your suggestion a try .
 

OT Dondi

I just watched a few minutes of Full Moon with Can Yaman. He looks so different in Pajaro Sonador- longer hair, looser, much sexier. Like Fernando Colunga in Alborada vs. his clean shaven roles. Some men really rock that longer hair!

I'll watch more of Full Moon anyhow.
Thanks for mentioning it to Susanlynn.

Beth S


 

reina3 Episode 2
Part 1

Hi Everyone! Not a recap just some reveals and highlights from last night's fast and furious episode. I combined scenes to make things easier for me to remember:

Oleg rescues Teresa from the ambulance as she flatlines. He, Pablo, Anton and Jonathan toss her in the back of a truck and try to resuscitate her. They arrive at the farm and get her to the field hospital set up. It has been 7 minutes since she flatlined and Jonathan is concerned. (In the first episode he told Pablo that he had done this poison thing three times before and only one person survived).

It is very dramatic as they, mainly Oleg, tries to bring Teresa back. When Jon tells him it is a lost cause, Oleg gets angry saying, “I didn’t come all this way for this.” In the end, Tesa’s heart starts betting again when Oleg yells, “come back, do it for you daughter, do it for us!” (hmmm). She is alive and weak but smiles at Jon and Oleg, who kisses her hand.

She looks suspiciously at Pablo who immediately sets the ground rules with her. He doesn’t trust her and he is not part of her fan club. Oleg says Pablo is an ex-officer in the US Military and a necessary addition to their team to save her.

Meanwhile, law enforcement is busy trying to figure out what happened in the ambush. Only the jerk jail guard survived the attack. Somewhere in Washington DC a US official (DEA head honcha? Congresswoman? Senator, VP?) dressed in a white dress learns about Teresa’s escape. She has some DEA honcho in the office with her as she also listens to Epifanio’s speech from the day before. She is furious that Teresa has escaped and tells the DEA dude to find her and kill her as this will look bad if Tesa is back in the picture. She authorizes the DEA guy to take over the hunt for Teresa.

By Telemundo magic, the DEA dude is suddenly down in Colorado and then New Mexico leading the search with every helicopter, drone and DEA/law enforcement possible.

Pablo gets his first taste of Teresa’s no BS straight talk as he talks about her like she isn’t in the room or doesn’t have a name (I love it). Oleg and Jon smile at each other after her scathing rebuke. Clearly, she has her strength coming back. The Tesa posse hit the road and then take a raft into the Rio Bravo white rapids to avoid capture.

While in the river rapids, we learn that it is Epifanio who is behind her escape. Great, says Teresa, that guy has always been my shadow. He isn’t going to let me just live my life free. What is it that he wants? Oleg and Jon say they don’t know what Epi wants her to do now. Of course, Pablo does but he isn’t telling. Jon tells her that Oleg and he were in trouble and it was Epi and Pablo who saved them, so they are all in debt to Epi.

The river rapids are strong and end up capsizing the raft. Teresa saves Pablo from drowning and then gets to gloat about it after they all come out of the river. They have a car prepositioned and realize that a drone is now on to them. It is Tesa who is able to shoot down the drone after failures from Jon and Oleg. Even Pablo must smirk in acknowledgment of her aim.

There is a brief shoot out with the DEA dude and his team at a firing range in Southern New Mexico. Teresa and the guys are able to evade capture again by using a drug tunnel that leads into Mexico. Pablo urges them on while he uses explosives to kill the DEA agents right on their heels by collapsing the tunnel. This is how the episode ends.

 

reina3 Episode 2
Part 2

Other tidbits:

Sophia flew herself to Colombia and calls her other half sister (sorry, no time to look up names) to come get her. The sister and former drug lord are in the middle of the Colombian jungle working with Epi’s former head henchie and his girlfriend (the prostitute from season one). Traveling alone, Sophia makes herself a target of three guys who trick her into a cab and take her around to ATM’s so she can withdraw money. She tries to escape and does for a bit but is recaptured by the three. Right before it appears she might be raped, a street urchin comes to save her and takes her to what appears to be a safe place, but looks like a drug den.

Epifanio goes to pick up his wife Bebita. She looks a bit better but is still very cold to him. He chastises her for attempting suicide. She wants to see her son. All in good time he says. She says she never should have married him or become the 1st Lady of Mexico.

Epifanio is taking all kinds of secret calls throughout the episode and the tells Danilo to send his secretary to his room to prepare a speech. No big surprise that he is having an affair with her. In the end, Epi’s head honcho comes to pick him up and both are dressed incognito. Two guys in a car outside the hotel take pictures and call someone (the lady in the white outfit?) to say that the information was correct, the President is leaving the hotel. My guess is Epi is heading to welcome Teresa and the crew outside that tunnel.

I know I missed a lot so please fill in at will.

 

reina3 Episode 2

Gracias, VVS. Much appreciated.

So Epi needs to use Teresa yet again. Thank goodness her strenuous regimen in prison has her in better shape than ever.

I see the years with Sheila have been good for Batman. He's slimmed down. I hope Canejo will be in S3 too.

If I heard right, the U.S. Official woman wants to keep Teresa's escape on the downlow lest the U.S. look foolish (like Mexico when El Chapo escaped).
 

reina3

Wow! MANY THANKS, VVS, for your immensely helpful recap! (Yes, recap! A recap doesn't have to cover everything!) I am embarrassed by how much I missed (e.g., what Jonathan apparently said in episode 1 about his previous experience with this poison).

Though your recap answered a number of my questions, I still have some remaining. What follows is part of what I almost posted before seeing your recap:

Well, I had hoped to make some kind of useful comment about last night's episode, but I'm afraid I still need help identifying who's who and what's what.

Let me first say that there were a few things I did understand. It was no surprise that Teresa did not die in the ambulance. Though the outcome was clear from the start, I thought the scene in the ambulance was well done. However, the only male I easily identified was Oleg. I assume one of the others was Jonathan, and one was her pretend lawyer, Pablo. The others? Quién sabe.

Who is the blonde woman in Washington (apparently someone important)?

What was the message that Epifanio read about The Black Horseman ("El Jinete Negro")? Do we know who/what he is? Apparently he/it has proof and documents involving some shady schemes between governments (presumably those of Mexico and the US).

I'm still very unclear about the clearly well-planned operation that got Teresa out of the maximum-security prison in the US. They seem to have planned for just about all contingencies. I see I'm correct in understanding that Epifanio Vargas is behind it, that indeed he financed it. Yikes! Still somewhat murky to me is Pablo Landero, the ex-colonel who admits he's no fan of Teresa's and who Oleg refers to as a necessary evil.

I'm also still watching El Fuego del Destino, and the situation between Bebita and Epifanio reminds me of the one between Cemre and her powerful, corrupt husband Celebi.

Wow, the scene with the raft in the river was quite dramatic. It must have been a challenge to film it, although these days I suppose almost anything can be faked by techology.

I haven't said anything about Sofia, mostly because I found the scenes with her less confusing. I was impressed with the uncertain and frightened expression on Sofia's face when she saw the out-of-it guy sitting on the floor in the cobweb-ridden hideout her rescuer has taken her to. It made her supergirl character more real.

OK, ¡Ya basta!. This message would have been longer had it not been for your marvellous recap, VVS. ¡Muchísimas gracias!
 

reina3

I do have a part 2 that has not appeared yet. I asked RGV Chick to check it out. It did cover some other things. Batman and Sheila! Thanks Niecie! Yes, let us hope Conejo make an appearance!
 

reina3

Sorry, VVS, I didn't realize you had a part 2, since part 1 ended "This is how the episode ends."

Gotta run. Many thanks again.
 

Reina 3

Thanks, VVS, for the recap. It was great!

I enjoyed all the action last night.

So, Epifanio has come calling again. That was a surprise

It looks like Bebita has now been relegated to “wifey” status, sort of what Epifanio did with his first wife. Of course , he is getting it on the side as usual.

I miss the full corrida intro. I prefer it to the new theme song with a four line corrida at the end.

Niecie, good comment about the slimmer Batman.

I am ambivalent about the Sofía storyline.
 

reina3

Thanks SO much, VVS! Yes, that WAS a recap, and I'm glad RGV Chick was able to rescue the second half. That episode was a complete adrenaline rush. I loved the white water rafting part. I have done that twice on rivers in California, and it's a fantastic thing to do. Lest you think I'm an Amazon, I was on trips where a guide had the rear paddle of the raft, thus guiding the direction and the rest of us were peons paddling. One trip was an overnighter, camping beside the river and getting up the next day for more paddling.

I was glad to catch a glimpse of our favorite Colombian "drug lord", Faustino. I love Lincoln Palomeque in everything I've ever seen him in. And, yes, Sheila and Batman are still a couple. I love it every time Alejandro Calva, the Batman actor, opens his mouth. He's got this pure, slangy, Mexican accent.

My rational brain was thinking that 7 minutes without a heartbeat would result in brain damage, but I didn't bother googling it. If you google everything you wonder about, your dust bunnies become unmanageable.

I am a little disappointed they went with Epifanio wanting something from Teresa once again. In Season 2 he had Sofia kidnapped. What leverage does he have now? I wish they'd come up with something else, but Humberto Zurita is a fantastic actor and I guess they wanted him in the mix again.

Faustino's wife is Rocío Aljarafe.

Was that DEA guy who was hot on Teresa's trail the whole episode the same guy who captured her before and told her she was good but he got her? And then slapped her. I couldn't tell with the black helmet. The guy is definitely Teresa's verdugo and shows the typical behavior of a guy whose testosterone has taken a hit because she's gotten away...again. I'm positive he wasn't one of the ones who were in the tunnel when it collapsed.

I thought the guy in the money changing booth was somehow connected with the search for Sofia's mother, but it appeared to be a run-of-the-mill operation by some thugs targeting tourists arriving in Colombia.
 

reina3

One more thing. I thought I was sure, but I checked. The U.S. calls the river they were rafting the Rio Grande, while Mexico calls it Rio Bravo. I've only seen images of in where it's calm, usually in movies where immigrants cross it into the U.S., but I suppose there must be rapids somewhere.
 

reina3

VVS, thanks for part 2.

So Sophia was a random target of regular thugs and not thugs working for Teresa's enemies. That's good to know. Hot-headed of her to take off to Colombia. I'm assuming school is in session.
 

reina3

Thank you Niecie, Juanita, Jarifa and novelera for commenting and filling in some key points, like names! Everything is moving so fast, including the dialogue I am having a hard time keeping up with the new characters. Glad we have a few folks watching and commenting. I hope more folks join the patio!

 

reina3

I will put up something tonight and re-post my decision to do so when Page 2 comes up.