Caray, Caray!

gallo

I am pasting my comment about Jarifa's excellent recap of Wednesday's El Gallo de Oro since the Thursday page has already appeared.

Many thanks for another superb recap, Jarifa. I appreciate all the details.

So...the radio station guy isn't real. I thought that's what Lorenzo and Remigio planned, but the guy spent some time talking with LC (I'm abbreviating La Caponera to save time.) and it seemed like maybe he was legit.

I got a kick of their parading the same white horse and the same guy past Lorenzo and Lucas while they talked. I assume Uni central casting didn't want to invest in a big herd.

I really like Secundino. Besides LC, he's the only one really on Dionisio's side.

Lucas might have spawned a really bad kid, but he's no prize himself. He was borderline insulting to LC during that dinner, but kind of liked that he couldn't get to her. He knows his son tied up his unfaithful wife and let her die (hunger or thirst) and he does nothing? For whatever reason, that is one poisonous father/son relationship.

I'm very glad it was Aurelio and not Lorenzo who caught LC and Dionisio dancing. Such a sweet scene.

If I understood the flashback correctly, LC's mother put her out a window and...someone... was outside. I thought it was her father who'd burned her mother up for being unfaithful when I saw it. But she said at the dinner with Don Lucas that he left before she was born. So who was that awful guy in the flashback?


 

GALLO

Yes, Lorenzo is playing La Caponera about the record company owner. I also had to laugh at that same poor white horse being paraded by. Could they not have done better than that? I also found it funny that La Caponera kept talking with her mouth full at the dinner with that creep Lucas and his creepy son Lorenzo. She was almost intelligible in parts. La Caponera talked about being locked up with her mother a lot. So now, the question is as your raised, who was the man that rescued her but burned her mother to death if it was not her father. So, now can we conclude that uppity women get locked up?
 

OT Ia was just watching Hoy Día on Telemundo and spied Daniel Arenas who is now one of their cast. What a career change but he still was cute as ever.
 

EL GALLO DE ORO #7 (Uni Edit) (VIX #9) Part One

1. Lorenzo has taken it upon himself to have La Caponera dressed, styled and coiffed as he wants to see her. She looks like a conservative "lady" of the times. She says the look is beautiful but she doesn't even recognize herself and doubts if even her saintly mother would even recognize her. It isn't who she is. Lorenzo tells her not to exaggerate. Even with that dress and necklace she is the same beautiful woman who drives him crazy. She wonders if this is all necessary. She thought that Mr. Avila wanted her for the radio, not the movies. Lorenzo tells her that Mr. Avila is coming to negotiate a contract with a star. If you want to conquer the world, you have to look the part. He wants her to trust him. He knows Mr. Avila and the business. She looks uncomfortable.

2. La Caponera's band mates are suspicious of "Mr. Avila" so they have done research of their own. Their source tells them that "Mr.Avila" isn't a owner or a manager of anything. They conclude that Lorenzo made it up just to get on La Caponera's good side but has gone too far. Secundino overhears them and after introducing himself, he joins the conversation. Secundino explains that he is not a friend of Lorenzo but he has a friend who knows him. Lately, he has only heard bad things about Lorenzo. If it is about him lying, the band members know all about that. Secundino says that lying is the least of it. He agrees to tell them more over some pulque (another alcoholic beverage).

3. Everyone is arriving at the hacienda for Lucas' party and the card game. Lorenzo greats the Arriaga brothers. Sebas was surprised about the invitation. Lorenzo asks what is so odd about wanting to settle a debt. Juvencio reminds him he is risking losing the hacienda and his old man finding out about the debt and having a heart attack over it.. Lorenzo is only interested in paying them what he owes. He asks if they brought the promissory note. Sebas says he needs to win first without cheating. Lorenzo insists he doesn't cheat. The Arriaga brothers are not too sure about that because Espericueta told them about how he lost the last two times he played with him. Lorenzo says he was on a winning streak. The brothers understand but want to to use their own playing cards anyway. They want everything established up front to avoid any distrust later. Juvencio invites Lorenzo to check the cards himself. Lorenzo refuses saying that is how they are different. He blindly trust sthe Arriaga brothers. Lorenzo tries to lighten the mood and formally welcomes them. They wish Lucas a happy birthday.

4. As La Caponera looks at herself in a mirror, she wonders what makes someone who they are and not somebody else. She takes a dagger out of a drawer. She removes it from its sheath . She sees "This snake bites" engraved on the blade. She concludes maybe a person is a sum of their name, job, clothes, past, the way they were raised, childhood memories and their grudges although she thinks sometimes there is more than that, something we are born and die with.

5. Outside, the men are having a marksmanship competition. Of course, they are betting on the contest. La Caponera comes outside changed back to her normal clothing. One of the wives asks her to get her a refill thinkng she is a servant. La Caponera hands it over to Engracia. La Caponera tells the men that she is very good at shooting and wants to take a turn. Neither Lucas nor Lorenzo are happy. She points, shoots and hits the target. Only one woman applauds her. Lorenzo introduces "Bernarda" to the guests as his girlfriend.
 

EL GALLO Part Two

6. Lorenzo grabs La Caponera's arm hard and takes her to the side to talk to her. She is not pleased. He thought they had agreed that she would wear the dress that she had on. She says she never agreed to that. He doesn't get her attitude. It was all to impress "Mr. Avila." She would rather that he see and know the real Caponera when he comes. She wants herself and the band to be hired and paid for their talent not how they look. She realizes he is only concerned with his father and guests not "Mr. Avila." She knows the effect she has on the people that are there and why they are staring at her. He insists he loves her the way she is. She is tired of hearing him say that because sometimes it doesn't seem that way especially today. He insists that the dress and necklace were just a gift with no ulterior motive. She appreciates that but that isn't for her. She tells him to not try to change her. He will not be able to. He will only succeed in breaking them up.

7. Justina sees Carmela with another girl and gets jealous. That jealousy drives her to have sex with Feliciano hoping she will feel something for him/with him but she doesn't. Afterwards, she is weird with Feliciano and he doesn't know what is going on. When the guys talk about show casing her breasts more when performing she gets disgusted leaves. She meets Carmela in the cantina and tells her how she wanted to feel like a woman but she couldn't with Feliciano. Carmela assures her she is a woman and she has to accept how she feels. They start to kiss. A guy from the band sees them but says nothing.

8. Dioniso is playing cards with the guys and winning like Lorenzo is winning at the his game inside the house. Lorenzo tells his losing guests not to be discouraged. The afternoon is only starting. Juvencio is watching while Sebas is playing. He sarcastically comments that he would rather watch and learn from Lorenzo since he is so full of surprises. La Caponera sits with the wives of the men. One woman says that she should not be concerned with the men. They have never seen a woman as . . . colorful(!!) as she is .La Caponera shays the wpman's eyelids are more colorful than hers. The woman can only say "How nice!"

9. Dioniso asks Hugo, a fellow worker, if he has ever been inside the house. He has only been inside twice in the six years he has been there. He helped carry Lucas to his room after he was thrown off the horse and it injured his legs. After careful questioning, Dionsio finds out Lucas' and Lorenzo's room are in the back of the building.

10. Lorenzo's winning streak keeps going. The Arriagas are upset. Lucas decides it is time for a break.

11. La Caponera asks Lorenzo when "Mr. Avila" is coming. Lorenzo says he forgot to tell her. He got a message that something came up so he will be there in three hours. That is an eternity for her. Juvencio tells Sebas that he doesn't think that Lorenzo is cheating. He has been watching him. Maybe it is only luck. Sebas hopes his winning streak is over soon before they lose it all.

12. Remigio explains to Lucas that as long as La Caponera is around Lorenzo, he will keep winning. Lucas adds that if that weren't the case, he would have thrown her out of the hacienda by now. She is drinking like a whore. He wants Lorenzo to put an end to it. Remigio says that she cannot be tamed. Lorenzo needs her here anyway.
 

EL GALLO Part Three


13. La Caponera is standing behind Lorenzo and yawning. One of the players suggests to Lorenzo that she go with the other women. La Caponera tells him that he can tell her himself directly what he has to say. She doesn't accept Lorenzo's explanation that the general was only trying to be nice. La Caponera announces that she is leaving the room anyway so they can keep having fun. She wishes Lorenzo good luck and exits. Sebas says he now knows why La Caponera is so famous. It is her attitude. Lorenzo is surprised that he knows her. Sebas says that EVERYONE knows her from the fairs and it isn't because of her singing necessarily. She is famous for . . . more intimate talents. Lorenzo draws his gun and asks the ass**** to repeat what he said. Suddenly, Remigio and Juvencio have also pulled their guns. Lucas requests that they end the standoff and have some respect in his house. Lorenzo finally lowers his gun at his father's request. The game continues.

14. Suddenly, eveyone hears La Caponera loudly singing in the kitchen. . "I won't be back. . ." Lucas looks at Lorenzo who goes to confront La Caponera. In the mean time, Engracia tells her she can be heard all over the hacienda. La Caponera tells her to close the door. She takes swig after swig of tequila as Lorenzo comes in. She tells him that the party is in the kitchen with her. As she goes on singing getting the help to join in, he tells her to shut the hell up. He clears out all of his employees. La Caponera asks what all of this is about. Doesn't he have any manners? He asks her what the f*** is going on. She is having a good time singing. He tells her that she is making him look like a fool in front of all of his guests. He is so disappointed and ashamed of her. He demands that she come with him into the game room where she will sit next to him and be quiet. From now on, she will obey him. She answers saying that she will not obey him and calls him an ass****. Bernarda Cutiño does whatever the f*** she feels like doing. She thought that was clear. He warns her not to provoke him because she has no idea what he is capable of. She calls him a jackass and turns to leave. Lorenzo throws a glass at her just missing her but getting her attention. She comes back and tells him no way, jackass. She is leaving. He grabs her as he tells her he hoped it wouldn't get to this and he tries to force her to go with him. She calls him an SOB but he refuses to let her go even when she asks nicely. She continues to struggle and he tells her he will have to hit her to make her come to her senses In her defense, she grabs the dagger that she had strapped to her leg and cuts his arm. He calls her an f******* whore. She tells him if he comes any closer she will kill him and she holds the bloody knife up. Unfortunately for her, Remigio grabs her from the back and Lorenzo hits her and knocks her out.

15. In the mean time, Dionisio is back to skulking inside the house. He goes opening cabinets and drawers room to room.

16. Lorenzo tells an unconscious Caponera that she made the worst mistake in her life. He picks her up and carries her away to a storage room where he ties her up and gags her. He tells Remigio it is just until she calms down. Remigio tells Lorenzo that what he is doing is not right.
 

EL GALLO Part Four


17. In a box in a closet, Dionisio finds a deed to Lorenzo's property. He also finds a letter from the investigator who was tracking La Caponera for Lorenzo. He takes the documents and hides in an adjoining room as Lorenzo comes in to clean and bandage his wound. Remigio tells him that the guests could hear the whole scandal and that Lucas apologized to them. Remigio hopes Lucas survives with how angry he was. Dionisio watches and listens as Remigio tends to Lorenzo's wounds. Remigio asks what are theygoing to do. Lorenzo says he will keep La Caponera locked up until she comes to her senses. They leave and Dionisio comes out of hiding. He hides the documents under his shirt. He finds the bloody knife and secures it in his boot. He finally makes his way out of the house.

18. Lorenzo offers his sincerest apologies to the players. He is ashamed of what they had to hear but he really doesn't have an explanation. The governor tells him that these things happen and suggests the they forget it all. Lorenzo apologizes to his father for his birthday celebration having ended like this. Sebas has no intention of the card games ending. Lorenzo, trying to wheedle his way out of having to play without his good luck charm, says these are hardly the proper conditions for playing. Sebas reminds him that they agreed to play until all the chips were gone and Lorenzo himself set the rules. Everyone sides with Sebas. Even Lucas wants the games to continue.

19. La Caponera comes to only to find herself gagged, tied up and chained. FLASHBACK: La Caponera remembers asking her mother why he always locked them up. Her mother swore it was the last time. She remembers her mother putting a chain with a medal around her neck and telling her they would never be coming back there. Suddenly, they realized the building was on fire. Her mother rushed to the door and yelled at Benito telling him that he couldn't do that to them. She pushed Bernarda out the window and told her to run. Her mother was becoming overcome by the smoke. Suddenly in the PRESENT, La Caponera screams as loud as she can. Somebody calls out to her. It is Dioniso who can hear her.

20. The card games continue and Sebas is now winning. The players decide to take a break. Lucas asks Lorenzo if he took La Caponera off the hacienda. Lorenzo says no. Lucas wants to know what in the f*** is going on. Lorenzo says he doesn't know. Remigio says of course he knows what is going on. He explains if La Caponera hates Lorenzo, he cannot win.

21. Dionisio manages to break in the shutters on a high window and is able to get into the storage room. He removes her gag. and unties her. He gets to work on the chain with her dagger. Dionisio says that they have to go as she explains how Lorenzo beat her. He repeats that she needs to get out of there fast. They will be looking for her when they discover she is gone. He needs to stay at the hacienda . He has unfinished business with Lorenzo. She insists that he has to go, too. They will blame all of this one him and they will kill him. She swears that she will help him get revenge for whatever happened. He checks for the documents and agrees to run away with her. They crawl out the window and run across the courtyard and along the wall. At the same time, Lorenzo and Remigio are going to get La Caponera. She will have to help Lorenzo win if she ever wants to get out of that store room. Lorenzo and Remigio have a big surprise when they see that she is gone.

22.Dioniso and La Caponera run until she sees Lorenzo's car. She says they always leave the keys inside. Lorenzo orders everyone to go looking for her. Dionisio and La Caponera get in the car. He asks her if she can drive. She hope so. Lorenzo hears her trying to start the car. She tries over and over again but it won't turn over.

FIN
 

GALLO

What an exciting episode leaving us with a car that won't start! More later.


CORRECTION: La Caponera's mother put a chain with a LOCKET not a medal around her neck.
 

TU VIDA #85 Page 1/3

THE ONE WHERE A LOT OF INFORMATION IS SHARED
a/k/a
NATALIA'S REDEMPTION TOUR

-- AT ROSA’S FUNERAL, Natalia (who stays on brand wearing a tight black leather outfit) allows Paula to stay at Rosa’s funeral. Nat also turns her back to Gracia, but doesn’t say anything ugly to her, so there’s that. Nat is grief stricken and trying to hold it together emotionally, remembering her promise to Rosa to repair the damage she has done to others. We see this in other scenes tonight.

-- ROLANDO slithers up and snarkily mentions to Nat how Paula and Pepe look like a couple of idiot teens, sharing looks across the room only because they can NOT get near each other. He is quite smug because he is in control of this. Nat asks why they cannot talk to each other and he says he got that miserable jerk Pepe to finally break up with Paula and stay away from each other, PLUS I have complete control of Paula et al, all thanks to you, Natalia, and the interdiction you obtained for me. Paula is completely in my hands now.

-- Later on, Natalia walks into Rolando’s house, sees TWO wine glasses on the counter, and … coitus interruptus! She walks in on him and MAL shaking the sheets. It’s hilarious when we hear Rol say “oops.” ;-) Nat leaves, not wanting to interrupt their congress.
MAL doesn’t understand why Rolis nervous that Natalia found them together, and she figures out there is something between them. Rol threatens Mal if she talks, and Mal says they need to shut her up.

-- IN OTHER NEWS, Paula brings home a very hairy dog they are adopting. (Like that’s just what this family needs right now with everything else that’s going on.) It looks like a very large Shih Tzu (because of the flat face) who needs a haircut or at least a topknot so it can see. The dog is for Susy. Buying Susy’s affection much, Paula???

-- NATALIA PAYS A VISIT TO PEPE, who is surprised, to say the least. He asks her to leave along with stating a list of her crimes as good reason to kick her out. She convinces him to listen to what she has to say. She just came from Rol’s house, where she saw Mal knocking boots with Rol; they’re amantes. Pepe doesn’t give a flying fajita becaue they’re divorced and Mal can do whatever and whoever she wants. They argue some more about Nat's crimes against humanity, blah blah blah, until Nat says yes, she earned his hatred but she made her mama a promise, by golly, and she has to fulfill it.
 

TU VIDA #85 Part 2/3

--- NATALIA TELLS ALL Pepe thinks this is some sort of revenge plan of Nat’s. Nope. She shows Pepe “The Letter” written by Rigoberto to Teresa, outlining Mal’s plan for bodus interruptus, bodus secuestrus, Rigo’s pistol, and then Nat tells Pepe that MAL pushed Teresa behind the food truck so Teresa couldn’t expose Mal with the letter and run her out of town. (and we all wish that had happened)

Nat points out that the letter says Mal lost her baby long before the wedding kidnap incident. Mal cooked up the whole plan so she “could not” marry Rafa, so that she could have Pepe. Pepe doesn’t believe any of this. “No puede ser.” Nat tells Pepe they have a venomous serpent in his family. Pepe can’t believe Mal would risk Teo’s life with Rigo firing that pistol. (ha!). Nat says that furthermore, MAL has been patiently waiting for Paula to die so she can have a second chance at his side. Pepe is in shock over all this, because he is so darned naïve and trusting. But his eyes have been opened.

Well, so there we have it. Rigoberto had the presence of mind to write that letter to Teresa, outlining EVERYTHING, in case he got killed? Thank you, writers.

-- NEXT NAT VISITS PAULA . She says she is there at Rosa’s request, that this isn’t easy for her, and she doesn’t know if she can set aside her resentment to get this out, because she has spent years feeding her hatred for Paula. She tells Paula that Rosa should be the one who lived, not Paula. Paula says Nat hasn’t learned anything, and please leave. Paula won’t tolerate Nat's insults. Nat explains how she has been Rol’s accomplice in all the damage-doing. More verbal catfighting before Nat gets down to business.

Nat has the annulment papers. All Paula has to do is sign them, and she’ll be free in a matter of days. More verbal tennis of a convo between them. Finally Nat tells her she promised Rosa she would correct all the damage she did, so sign these annulment papers before she (Nat) changes her mind. Take advantage of this chance for freedom in the short time you have left to live. Paula is concerned about the interdiction. Nat says the judge is a good friend of hers who owes her some favors, so that can be taken care of, too.

Paula signs those papers with lightning speed. Nat says she’ll take care of filing this and then she’s leaving Mexico, to never ever return. Then once she is far away from there and in a safe place, Paula will receive proofs that she can use against Rolando; proofs that can condemn him to prison. She won’t explain further but once she is far away and safe, Paula will understand what it’s all about. Hasta nunca, Paula!

-- NAT VISITS GRACIA and says they should spread Rosa’s ashes together because (Nats usual disclaimer now) I’m fulfilling a promise I made to my mama. She won’t’ let Gracia hug her in gratitude. They go and spread them on the local lake. Nat is an emotional mess form grief. Gracia puts a hand on her shoulder and Nat touches it. That’s all the warmth Nat can muster toward Gracia, but this is big.
 

TU VIDA #85 Part 3/3

-- LUCIA’S BIRTHDAY is today. The family is having a nice celebration until MALena crashes it, wearing her old skintight leggings, sports bra, and vest. Telenovela wardrobe dept. has her dressed for success, Mal style. Pepe pulls her aside to talk and asks how long she has been Rol’s lover. Mal denies it He says Nat confirmed it. He also tells Mal she’ll end up in jail for all she has done.

I’ll save you a lot of verbiage here in this recap and try to condense it this way.
Pepe : you have lied about everything. You’re depraved, and I’ll see you go to prison if you’re in any way responsible for Rigo’s death.
Mal: I am a victim and innocent OF EVERYTHING, and what you are saying are all lies. #righteous indignation abounds
AND I just want someone to stick a sock in this woman’s mouth to shut her up.

-- IN OTHER TEEN NEWS, Art tells Andi “te quiero but not in a novio way”. He tells her he fell in love with someone else but does not say who. Andi is devastated and hurt. Later, she tells Diego about this and she needs his help to find out who is the new object of Art’s affection. FFWD>>>

-- BACK AT PAULA'S HOUSE, Emi and Paula are talking about attending Lucia's birthday party. Paula says she is definitely going. Rolando walks in and hears this and tells her that she isn’t going anywhere because he thinks he's the boss of her. Emiliano leaves, at Paula’s suggestion.

Paula tells Rol that Nat came over and told her that she was his accomplice in his efforts to make her life miserable, but now his manipulation and blackmail are done. Finished. Over. She goes on to tell Rolando that she has signed the annulment papers and Nat is going to have the interdiction removed . So yes, she is going to Luci’s birthday party and take that, Rolando.

We end this episode with mucho dramatic music and a telenovela-worthy stare down between Paula and Rol.
 

VIDA

Doris, you've outdone yourself. You captured every cringeworthy event with insight, clarity and marvelous humor.

"ROLANDO slithers up and snarkily mentions to Nat how Paula and Pepe look like a couple of idiot teens, sharing looks across the room only because they can NOT get near each other" was perfect as was "Telenovela wardrobe dept. has her dressed for success, Mal style".

I don't buy Gnat's redemption tour for one moment. You can't evict hate from your heart merely because of a hastily made promise to your dying mother. Rosa was the only person she could somewhat tolerate and look how she treated her.

Ahhh Rolando. Bringing Mal to the bed you share with Gnat. You really are stupid. It was fine for Gnat to knock boots with Rafa, but she certainly wasn't going to extend that courtesy to Rol. ESPECIALLY with Mala. So will Gnat do away with Mal or will Mal do away with her? The answer is whoever can snake Rol around their little finger the best.

"Rolando walks in and hears this and tells her that she isn’t going anywhere because he thinks he's the boss of her". True enough.

And finally, WHY did Paula tell Rol that she signed the annulment papers??? She never heard that loose lips sink ships??? The ink wasn't even dry before she blabbed. Of course he is never going to allow those papers to be filed now and will move heaven and earth for that to happen.

Diana
 

Vida

Thanks Doris, I loved all the details you included. Nat seems to be doing this just because she promised her mother. She has no remorse at all. Instead of telling Pepe all she should have given him the deed to the land, that was something he needs. Although I guess it’s good that he knows everything about MAL. He just never gave up his trust in her, until now.

It’s an unspoken rule in telenovelas that you tell everything you know to the one you know is evil. This gives him a heads up that so he can tie up any loose ends and still be able to torture you.

But Gracia must have all the papers from the safe, so there’s still hope.

Liz
 

VIDA

Thanks Liz and Diana.

I should have subtitled this recap "Redemption, Natalia style", because this is all we are going to get out of her --- fulfilling her promise to her mother. However, it is helping resolve a LOT of the problems for many people, so that's why I called it redemption. LOL

Diana - You are so right about Paula telling Rol about the annulment papers. Paula is an idiot but it is also a plot propeller.

Liz - Yes, Nat would have done better to give Pepe the deed, but it's now in Rolando's name.
We HOPE Gracia has those papers and USB stick. They've been neither seen nor mentioned since she and Rosa removed them from Nat's safe.

When Nat talked about going far away, and she'll have all that money, I had a flashback of Kathleen Turner's character sitting on the beach in the final scene of the movie Body Heat with William Hurt and Ted Danson. (If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it!)
 

VIDA

Thank you, Doris, this was great.

Redemption for Gnat? Really? Something is just not right if she does get redeemed; at a minimum, she needs to go to prison...unless Rol shuts her up in his own evil, cold-blooded way.

Diana, I had the same thought when Paula spilled all to Rol. This woman has no sense; how did she ever become so successful in business?

I'm pretty sure Gracia has the black box with all the incriminating evidence. IIRC, when Rosa was getting all the evidence from the safe, she told Gracia tha she would give her instructions on what to do with it.

That dog that Paula gave Susy was picked out by Pepe and Teo; so I guess that is the bribe to get Susy to like Pepe again (eyeroll)

Thanks again,Doris! FIVE more episodes!!
 

Viva

Doris, thank you for bringing us every dastardly detail.

That lip curl as she delivered her sorry -not -sorry reveals to Paula and naive Pepe had me shaking my head . She is supposedly heartbroken at losing Rosa who she thought was her mothe , but she has no plans to change her stonecold heart. Adios , off to somewhere faraway to live the high life. What anvil have the writers chosen for Cruella Dr Ville? Maybe she will meet a person who is even worse than Rol on her travels and be on the other end of evil intent as the victim the time. She seems to think that she is an untoucable evil genius.

And what is in store for MAL, who seems to be down to on!y one very vicious, unscrupulous lover who is loyal to nobody?

Hey, where's rotten poor little rich girl Renata ?

Susan
 

Vida #85

Great work, Doris.

Not sure I buy Gnat's Redemption Tour but Malena's continued lies are almost worse. Her ongoing adulteries, indifference to her children, the violence at the wedding and after, and willingness to get Teresa killed could have resulted in more than one death, including Teo's. She also pointed out that the location he found her in on that day was well-researched by Malena who knew how not to fall to her own death.

At this rate I doubt that Malena's attempt on Paula's life will ever come to light. Between that, the violence, and what she did to Teresa she deserves prison time.

The fraud committed by Gnat deserves disbarment and prison time but knowing Paula she will forgive her if Gnat keeps her word.

The biggest fall will be Rolando's because he killed at least two people while attempting to fleece and gaslight everyone else.

The boys better be ready to protect that new dog and teach him to avoid Rolando.

Doris, I agree with you on that movie recommendation. Body Heat is one of the 1980's best films!

Fashion Review

Nat: Her funeral dress -- and probably the rest of her "leather" clothes -- was likely made with the same "vegan leather" as a skirt I got from the Pyramid Collection. Good style here.

Paula: Skirt in that same material. Paula may be getting more badsass. Good; it's about time!

Lorenzo: One of the few occasions without his leather jacket. I must say that Juan Soler was not on my fave list when younger, but he makes a helluva sexy senior.
 

VIDA

Thanks Rgv Chick, Susan and Urban A.

Susan --- Can we hope we are done with Renata? ~fingers crossed~

Rgv Chick - thanks for clearing up where the dog came from. I missed that part. Still...they don't need a dog right now. Gah...

Urban A. - maybe that dog will bite Rolando if he threatens anyone in the family. It sure isn't a puppy. ;-)
 

gallo

Fantastic recap, Jarifa! I really admire the way you get all those unusual names right. This was such a riveting episode.

I wondered why they didn't have the guy who discovered there was no Avila recording mogul tell La Caponera, but I suspect that would have been too obvious for this excellent story.

I enjoy Lucero's narration in the background, explaining some life philosophies and ideas she has about men and life. Maybe these are right from Rulfo; still haven't gotten back to the novela this is based on.

In a less rich storyline, the woman who gave LC her empty glass would have been the usual stock ricachona telenovela writers love to include. Instead she was briefly shown apologizing or being embarrassed after Lorenzo introduced her as his girlfriend. And later she was trying to be friendly.

One thing I've noticed about this story, as opposed to the usual TN plots, it seems to me to be snark proof. I haven't seen anything deserving of scorn, a staple here on Caray.

Thanks for clarifying why Dionisio was grilling the other guy about whether he'd been inside the hacienda. I didn't get that it was to later gain access.

Lorenzo really isn't that smart. Telling La Caponera to obey him? I was also interested in Remigio's addition to the "magical realism". She doesn't just have to be present for his winnings to occur; she has to love him.

That scene with their struggling, her stabbing him, and that awful punch he gave her was terrifying. My heart was pounding.

He took her to that same place we saw in a flashback where his assumingly unfaithful wife had been chained by her ankle.

When Lorenzo was vainly trying to delay the card game until La Caponera "came to her senses", several of the players gave him a look and, I think, the older man who's some sort of official hoped he wasn't trying to "quit while he was ahead".

I can hardly wait until Monday. I really, really hope that car starts in the nick of time.
 

gallo

One more thing, very subtle. Something that Lorenzo said caused La Caponera's eyes to widen and a look of comprehension to appear. I can't remember exactly what he said to her, but the gist was that she finally grasped that he was with her because of her "gift".

And, presuming that she and Dionisio do escape from the hacienda, Dionisio has that fragment of a letter that clearly shows Lorenzo's devious plan to use her for luck at poker.
 

GALLO

novelera, this is so much fun to recap. Thank for your insightful observations. Dionisio is in a pretty good place with Lorenzo’s deed to the hacienda (?) and, as you mentioned, part of the letter proving that Lorenzo set up La Caponera. Yes, I agree that this seems to be “snark proof” and am happy about that. It is great to see a serious production that plays like a movie to me, at least. The only other production covered on Caray that I would also put in that class would be La Reina del Sur. Yes, has been quite the task to nail down the characters’ unique names in this one but between Univision, VIX and Wiki, I have managed . . . so far. Monday is the last episode in the first season so I would hope they finish this storyline. The second season starts on Tuesday for another ten episodes, that is, if Uni doesn’t get out the slice and dice machine.
 

GALLO

novelera, La Caponera's musings are not in the original story There are some lyrics to songs she sings but nothing like the narration that helps frame the Uni/VIX series. They definitely took artistic license with the original story in many ways.

 

Gallo

Thanks so much, Jarifa. I don’t think it would be fun to recap this. So many characters, I’m not always sure who’s who and what’s going on.

I thought it was crazy of Lorenzo to pick a fight with La Caponera when he’s planning to win and make sure the hacienda stays in the family. And over the dress that definitely wasn’t her.

It looks like Dionisio got some needed papers. It’s hard to believe the first season will be over tomorrow!

Liz

 

GALLO

Liz, they certainly don’t make finding the characters’ names easy. I admit that I usually make a chart with photos of the characters so I can to keep them straight because I have never been good with names of characters or people for that matter.

I agree that Lorenzo was crazy to pick a fight with La Caponera. He must have known by then how volatile she could be over certain subjects when she was sober let alone drunk. That blue dress was so ugly.

Here is to the car starting tomorrow! I hope.