Caray, Caray!

Preemptions on Friday

My TV Guide says that Receta is also pre-empted for futbol. 2 episodes of LRdG for Good Friday. I think there is a precedent for this.
 

TU VIDA #52 Part 1/2

Here is tonight’s mini-recap. Some scenes omitted since they didn’t move the plot along. Others are combined. Plz forgive typos.

Emi tells Paula to never give up her fight against her tumor. She assures him she is doing everything she can. Her kids are her reason for living but she can’t control the outcome.

MalAfa – Rafa is in full victim mode and tells MAL that his family has turned their backs on them. (how???) He thinks maybe God is punishing him or destroying his brother’s marriage? MAL says let’s think about our future and points out that his bio-dad has a pile of money. If he won’t make nice with Lor for her, do it for their baby. Rafa agrees and Mal has $$$ in her eyes. She says she “loves him and now they can start their own family.”

ROLANDO tells Emi that he can help Paula. Rol tries to poison Emi’s mind by saying Paula’s tumor is making her say things she doesn’t mean. He asks Emi to help him gain control of her finances before Pepe does. Emi says Pepe isn’t after Paula for her money and if he has to choose sides, he is on Team Paula.

LUCIA visits Andi and says that sooner or later they were going to find out about Rafa’s bio-dad. Andi gets a text from Arturo. Luci warns her that Arturo is a bit of a playboy. Andi doesn’t think it’s a problem and defends him. Lucia says be careful with this guy. (harbinger of doom?)

EMILIANO snoops on Diego’s phone, listens to his voice messages, and learns that Diego is gay. Diego walks in and goes ballistic that Emi was snooping on his phone. Emi asks him to deny he is gay; he cannot have a gay brother! The argument spills over into Paula’s bedroom when both boys walk in.

Diego tells Paula that he has hidden his orientation for years. Paula asks “how can you be sure?” Diego doesn’t want to talk about it, she just needs to know. (well, at least Rolando can no longer blackmail him about this secret)
Paula goes into Full Mom Mode, telling him if you want to be treated like an adult, then stay and talk like an adult with no tantrums from you. Diego unloads a boatload of his resentments and baggage on her. He tells her there were so many times he needed her and she was. never. there. That’s how he learned he doesn’t need her. He learned he can’t count on her. Paula says there are many things he needs to know. Diego isn’t interested in hearing them. Paula wants to repair her mistakes. He keeps saying (ad nauseum) that he doesn’t need her. She says she will always love him. (AAaaand of course she had the perfect opportunity to be honest with him about her tumor and didn’t.)
 

TU VIDA # 52 Part 2/2

GRACIA visits ALEX to see how he is holding up. Alex says Lorenzo must pay for all this. Gracia tells him that there is no need; Lor is paying and suffering because Paula is dying from a brain tumor. He didn’t know. He then asks Gracia if she realizes that if/when Paula dies, Lor’s only offspring left is Rafa? Gracia also tells Alex that Pepe doesn’t know Paula is sick. As soon as Gracia leaves, Alex calls Isabela and asks …. how could you NOT tell me Pepe fell in love with a mujer desahuciada ? (terminally ill woman)

BORIS AND NATASHA – Nat has the papers for Rol to sign that will give him power over Paula’s assets. He starts whining about how he stood by Paula with her tumor, and she rejected him, threw him in the trash, humiliated him, yadda yadda yadda and WHERE DO I SIGN? (BTW, Rol did NOT read that document!!!) Paula tells him the next step is the court will order an evaluation of Paula. It’ll take some time but she’ll do her best to speed up the process.

MRS. RIGOBERTO visits Pepe and she is loaded for bear because Rigo visited Mal. Today! She is out for blood and wants Mal to pay for all the damage she has done to Teresa’s marriage. She is offering Pepe her help to make Mal pay for these sins. Pepe isn’t biting. He tells Teresa it’s not worth it with a man who doesn’t love her. He tells her to accept what it is and get on with her life, like he has. He’s not out to destroy people and won’t do it since Mal is the mother of his children.

PEPE tells Isabela he was unfair to her earlier, when he reacted so badly about her and Lorenzo. He asks forgiveness for that. He wants her to be happy but doesn’t want her to hurt Alex. He also tells Isa that he is happy for the first in a long time, thanks to Paula. He has never felt this way in his life and loves Paula with all his heart.

ANDREA sees photos of her in her underwear … ON THE INTERNET!!! She is horrified.
LUCIA meets with Rat Renata who shows the same pic to her. Turns out, She paid someone to hack Instagram and get the photos. It’s her payback for Emi deserting her at the airport. Reni tells Luci to break up with Emi or the whole world will see ALL these photos. (and I’m wondering who took them? who posted them on Insta?)

PEPE visits Mal to tell her that Teresa came to see him and tell him that Mal is still deceiving Rafa with Rigo. Mal denies it all and that the whole town loves gossip. Pepe tells her to grow up (unlikely). Mal plays the “I have this disease and am getting therapy” card and has told Rigo a thousand times to leave her alone. (as if!). Pepe recommends she talk to Teresa and get this sorted out. Mal promises she will.

Gracia tells Rosa that her mind is a mess, thinking about the baby she abandoned and wondering who adopted her, etc. Rosa points out she gave the “niña” a family and opportunity. Gracia says she now wants to find her. Rosa has cara impactada.

Isa goes to see Paula to talk to her about Pepe. Her son is in love with her and it is not fair that she is lying (by omission) about her tumor.

FIN
 

VIDA

Doris, you expertly captured every bit of angst and agony prevalent throughout this dark, disturbing episode.

I cringed watching Diego cruelly and dispassionately hurling every hurt and perceived slight at Paula. “… there were so many times he needed her and she was. never. there. That’s how he learned he doesn’t need her. He learned he can’t count on her…He keeps saying (ad nauseum) that he doesn’t need her”. Clearly wounded to the quick, he dismissed Paula’s assurance of her love as she desperately tried to interject. He consistently wraps himself in a cloak of resentment and isolation. Paula could have, perhaps should have told him but she didn’t. When she does, I hope his bitter words come back to haunt him.

Emi says, “he cannot have a gay brother”. Really?? Yet another disappointment.

Rafa has now had sufficient time to rant and rave. Normally, I might feel bad for him knowing how MAL is lying to and using him yet again but not anymore. He has brought all of this on himself.

I still feel that Gracia and Alex would make a good couple. I had to sort of smile at him raging at Isa “…. how could you NOT tell me Pepe fell in love with a mujer desahuciada? Buddy, Isa really doesn’t tell you much does she; when will you finally register that?

I’m glad Pepe apologized to Isa. He was really brutal with her.

Doris, I also noticed Rol didn’t read the document Gnat gave him. I thought that when he said something she perked up perhaps mistakenly thinking he saw something that shouldn’t have been there. As you’ve said, she is much smarter than he is.

Diana
 

TUVIDA

Thanks Diana. I also noticed when Nat went in high alert as Rolo was scanning/flipping those pages and her demeanor changed a bit. She takes no prisoners.
 

TU VIDA

Also, when Mal said, "...she “loves him and now they can start their own family.” Rafa gave her s small look that she missed, as if he was thinking "but we've already started our family." Maybe I read too much into that look.
 

VIDA

Doris, no, you didn't read too much into Rafa's reaction after Mal said "...START their family". Something has to penetrate that thick skull, right??

Diana
 

Vida

Thanks Doris, that was a great recap. I couldn’t believe Emi’s reaction to his brother being gay. It was all about him. “I can’t have a gay brother”. I didn’t think kids think that way anymore. I also thought Paula should have told him it was ok and hugged him or something. Not ask if he was sure. But Diego really lit into Paula and all his feelings for her were just thrown at her. I felt so bad for Paula.

When Rol was looking at the papers, flipping through and starting to sign, Nat had a very triumphant look on her face. I imagine he’ll end up with nothing.

So Rafa is listening to MAL and going to get the money he deserves from Lorenzo. I’m really tired of him. He carried on with his brother’s wife for two years and was ok with that. He should realize if she cheated on Pepe she’ll cheat on him. Well, she already is but he’s not the brightest.

I thought Arturo took Andi’s pictures and then doctored them up so she was in her underwear. Maybe a different body with her head. But now that Renata is bribing Lucia with them I don’t know. Maybe Andi did take them, but why be shocked to see one then.

Rol went on and on about how Paula mistreated him. I guess he’s forgetting he killed her husband.

Liz


 

TU VIDA

Liz - thanks. I didn't understand enough about those Andi pics posted online other than she was in her underwear. I kept wondering why she would have posed like that for someone and posted it on Instagram. You are likely right that they were photo-shopped but I can't believe Arturo would have done it. Maybe Renata did the doctoring? Teen drama .....
 

vida
Thanks, Doris.
I couldn't believe Alex wanted to punish Lorenzo. I mean, it takes two to have a romance. I suppose Isabela suffering in the process would be a bonus or has he forgotten about her?
Emilian's reaction is plain weird to me. I don't buy it. It just seems to be here for more drama and there's surely a better way to do it.
It's interesting that Isabela, who herself kept the truth hidden for so long and couldn't decide if she wanted to be with Lorenzo, now gives Paula an ultimatum. I find it interesting that in this telenovela so many women are keeping secrets and reveal them only when forced.
For some reason I do feel sorry for Rafa. Maybe it's because Pepe is such a great man and Rafa feels more like a real person.
Has Renata realised her plan isn't working? Because last I heard she was insisting Lucia would leave emiliano. But I would love to know how she plans on getting him back if Lucia and he broke up. I suppose that's where 'make him start drinking again' plan starts.
If Pepe believes Malena, he hasn't learnt anything. Naivete is sometimes hard to tolerate and I really wanted to shake him.
I do hope Lucia doesn't give into Renata's blackmail. I'm tired of this particular trope.
 

Vida #52

Excellent, Doris.

Photoshop and AI are the latest weapons used without scruples these days. Arturo doesn't look trustworthy but Renata is far worse. If Lucia offed herself she'd laugh, dance on her grave, and put it all on Tic Tok.

I disagree with the comment that Paula should have told Diego about the tumor. That would have made it worse because he would have accused her of making this all about herself. That's three steps back with none forward. Emiliano's reaction was not what I expected but I guess it was a bit too much on top of Paula's condition and Rolando's mental torture of both brothers.

Rolando is truly stupid to trust Gnat. Paula needs to file for annulment ayer.
 

VIDA

Thank you, Doris! Great job on capturing all the essentials!

I have to agree with everyone regarding Emi’s reaction to Diego—totally unbelievable.

Diego was brutal with Paula who was so strong at the beginning of the conversation; but with each blow from Diego, she became weaker.

Why does Pepe even bother asking MAL anything. He should know that everything that comes out of her mouth is a lie.

Gnat is definitely more devious and intelligent that Rol. I can’t believe that none of the men in this TN bother to read legal documents before signing them. Rol is the only that deserves to be swindled.


 

TU VIDA

Thanks UrbanA, waterlily, and Rgv Chick. Rolando is not as devious as Natalia. It will be interesting to see what their anvils are. Rafa's should be having to live with MAL the rest of his life.

I wonder how many episodes are in this telenovela? Probably eighty-something. I need it to wrap up soon if our NHL team makes it into the playoffs. lol