Before I start the Don Fran recap I wanted to share just a few of the wedding pictures from the final that was so wonderfully recapped by Jardinera.
The first picture is to show how long the train was and how packed the church was.
Don Julio is walking Eva down the isle
Dan and Eva seem surprized during the ceramony when they turn and realize it is Laurita singing.
That indeed is Laurita singing her little heart out.
Dan is brought to tears as he listens to Laurita sing.
Now lets get on with the show. Don Fran welcomes everyone to Los Angeles. He says it is the first time in 10 years that they have taped the show outside of their studio. He tells everyone they are their to celebrate the number one rated show “Eva Luna”. He also had Lourdes Steffen from “Salt and Pepper” with him.
Don Fran’s first guests of course are “those who were not invited to the wedding” the villains of the novela, as he introduces Leo, Vick, and Marcella.
I really had a hard time understanding Don Fran most of the time, but I think his first question was to “Marcella” asking her how people reacted to her character since she was playing such a villain. She said they responded well to her and than said something about they weren’t willing to pay for her parking.
He asks Vanessa how she felt about being in Eva. She says she has been in lots of novelas, but this had been the best. Don Fran reminds her she was “bad” in this novela. She tells him Victoria was more of a victim.
Don Fran asks who was the worst villain? Victoria or Leo? Leo is waving his fingers in the “Certainly not me” fashion.
Marcella tells him both her children are good. There are boos from the audience. Vanessa says her character was not so much a villain as she was mentally unbalanced.
Don Fran asks Julian Gil how the experience was for him. He says he is naturally mischievous and the people misunderstood his character. Again talking about the Leo character he says he wasn’t bad.
Don Fran asks him which he prefers to play “heroes or villainous” parts. Julian tells him he likes to play the adventurous parts. He is encouraged by the audience to stand and turn around and we get a little twirl.
He does so to many cheers. He does admit to liking the “villainous roles” as the people seem to like that more. Don Fran jokingly says he isn’t going to stand and twirl because there is nothing to see.
Don Fran is talking with Susana D and asks what was it with Eva that captured the hearts of so many people. She tells him the TN had magic and a good script. He asks her how Marcella could have been so bad. Marcella looks at him and says she wasn’t bad. She says it depends on how you look at it. If they take your house, take your husband and you end up on the street. Julian too says it wasn’t a question of being bad. People just misunderstood the circumstances.
Vanessa also adds that she had the perfect life until Eva arrived at the house. She had to fight for her man.
We go to the audience for questions. The first question is for Julian and he asks what it was like to act with such a beautiful and talented actress like Blanca Soto. He tells him she is one of the most beautiful women he has seen in his life, and from the first day that he met her he knew she was going to be a star.
Second question is for Vanessa . She is asked what she prefers to play. A good person or a bad person. She tells him she likes to play both parts. Of course she identifies most with the “good” She likes it when the “bad” character becomes remorseful at the end of the show.
The next guests are “Alicia and Tony” and Fran and Jacky.”
Alicia still looks like the same airhead.
I think the audience is again chanting for another turn and twirl and I think it is for Tony. We do not get one. Don Fran asks “Tony “ how him and Alicia got along. Alicia teasingly says really bad. And they hated each other. Then she says they got along incredibly. Don Fran asks Alicia what was the best kiss he gave her. The camera shoots over to Julian with his hand raised taking credit for the best kiss. Tony teases that Leo’s character “is dead” Don Fran is now encouraging the both of them to demonstrate a kiss.
The audience is now chanting for them to kiss. We get a funny exaggerated kiss, with Alicia being the one to grab Tony.
Tony tells the audience the kiss that was the best was the last one when Alicia caught the bouquet. She agrees and says of course that was the best. Tony adds that always before he had to steal kisses from her and this time she went over to give him a kiss from her heart.
Question from the audience. Actually Lourdes is saying that since she represents all the women in the audience she wants to see Tony’s abs. Tony laughs and says he can’t right now but very soon people will be able to see it with other surprises when they buy his book the “Fat solution.”?
Don Fran remarks about his incredible weight loss. He use to weigh 300 lbs. We also get a before picture of Tony
Don Fran tells him he has been an inspiration for many people. He also mentioned that Tony had a problem with anorexia as well or studied anorexia. (didn’t really understand what he said) He congratulates him for solving his addictions . Tony says he is grateful to have the opportunity to inspire other young people. Alicia adds other tributes to Tony, he has written several books as well.
Don Fran now turns his attention to “Jacky and Fran”. Saying something about their characters coming and going throughout the entire novela. Don Fran also mentions “Fran’s” father, who apparently was on “Sabado Gigante” or something like that but who had passed away.
Don Fran mentions that Fran’s character always wanted to be a millionaire and in the end didn’t end up with anything. He tells Don Fran that he believes all men have a little bit of “Francisco Conte” in them.
He asks what man hasn’t lied a bit to a woman to impress her. He says all men are alike. Don Fran interjects, but not Julian, who teasingly says he has never lied in his life. He says the Fran character was important because it added humor to the story. (Or something like that.)
Don Fran mentions that in these stories it is not uncommon that the chauffer ends up with the maid. He then turns his attention to Jacky. I am not certain about this but Don Fran mentions something about finding love on and off the set. Jacky answers something about this costing her 8 months of not being able to tape. (Was she pregnant? I don’t know what that was all about.)
Don Fran also mentions that Marcella forgot to bring her black glove and she is now wearing a borrowed one. She says the other one was dirty with blood on it. They tease about her offering coffee to people and she turns to Don Fran and asks if he wants a coffee.
They talk a bit about the death of Marcella and we get a clip of the fire. More teasing about her demise and that she had lots left undone. Vanessa teases about having an Eva Luna part 2.
It turns out that Jacky is from Argentina. She mentions that Julian is from Argentina as well. She talks about having to neutralize her accent.
Don Fran is thanking “the second string” and announcing that the next segment will be the “A team” (Finally). (he didn’t say that but that is what I was thinking.)
He also is introducing the final scene of the novela which was nothing more than a shameless add for Mac Donalds. Eva and Dan are riding in a blue convertible very content. She suddenly gets a craving for a chicken sandwich. Thank goodness they are in front of Mac Don’s. She pats her stomach a bit and Dan is clueless as ever. He asks her if she can’t wait. She has to pat her stomach again before he figures out she is now eating for two.
We return to an empty stage with Don Fran introducing Guy and Blanca . Eva looks smashing in a golden slinky number and Dan looks like he is going to the rodeo.
Don Fran says to Blanca that she has to be very emotional after knowing so many people were watching the novela. He also notes that Guy has been in several novelas but that he has to feel very comforted with the publics reaction to this novela. Guy says the response was phenomenal and he is very grateful.
Don Fran asks Eva how the physical relationship in a novela between two people changes from the beginning to the ending. She says it is about the same but it gets easier towards the end. We get a clip of the fiery kiss between them in the back of the SUV.
and the audience is now chanting again for a kiss. Both Blanco and Guy seem a bit embarrassed. We get no kiss but Dan throws kisses to the audience.
More questions from the audience. The person who is asking the question now was lucky enough to be an extra at the taping of the wedding. She congratulates Blanca and tells her she is very pretty. She asks Blanco in real life does she like men more like Julian or like Guy. Guy is laughing as Blanca thinks about it and says “Oh my God” and says she prefers them like her husband. We get a nice picture of Eva and her Husband.
Don Fran teases her that her answer is logical but perhaps not the truth. She finally says she prefers them more masculine and Strong. Don Fran mentions that her first husband died. Then he asks her if there are similarities between her first husband and second one. Blanca tells him they are totally different. In their manner “of being” their looks and every thing. Don Fran than says that a person is able to fall in love with different types of people. Blanca tells him it is what is inside a person. Dan explains that his first wife isn’t dead but his second wife is totally different from his first. He agrees with Blanca that people look for something inside the other person and not necessarily just the physical.
Next question. The woman asking begins by saying “Papacito” She wants to know if Guy’s wife gets jealous when he kisses Blanca. Dan tells her that his wife knows that he is a professional and she usually leaves the set when they film, and sees it for the first time when it airs. He says he can than tell if he is doing his job well if his wife likes the scene. He tells her she is able to separate the real from the fiction.
Don Fran says he imagines that they have to refilm the scene many times. Dan also explains that while filming it gets very technical . There are cameras and microphones every where. The whole world is there. He says it is a job, although they do it with love so the audience will enjoy it.
Don Fran points out that Blanca was not the first leading woman for Guy in a novela but Guy was Blanca’s first leading man in a novela. Blanca tells him it is different when making a movie compared to a novela.
She says it is much longer doing the novela and they spend many more hours with one another.
The next guest is Laurita, played by Gabriela Borges. She comes bouncing out very cheery wearing the strangest looking little furry boots as she sits down beside Don Fran. She looks adorable
He tells her it is probably very different for her to be there because when she tapes there isn’t a lot of people around but here there is 2000 people. This does not see to daunt her one bit as she shouts out and asks how every one is.
They talk about her getting the role. She said she went to casting and was worried about looking so much like a gringa. Than she found out Guy was going to be the father and she went “Good, I have the job.” Don Fran mentions that Guy was born in Brazil and has lived in many different places. Dan than points out that people may not know this but Gabriel spoke English at the casting. She didn’t speak Spanish very well and learned it during the novela. She says she is still learning and after 8 months of taping is better. (her smile and energy throughout the interview is so fun to watch.)
Don Fran mentions that there are many kids who have bilingual parents but are not bilingual. Guy says it is important that children learn both languages so that they will have more opportunities. He gives the example of himself, who is an “American actor” but he has the opportunity to be in telenovelas.
Don Fran asks Gabriel what it was like working with Guy. She says it was great!! This was her first acting job and all the actors were marvelous and she loved it.
Our next guest is Deborah, Frances Oliviera. He points out that it was probably more difficult for her as she came in half way during the novela. When everyone else was already use to one another. She said it was a bit difficult because there was already a rhythm set. She says she had lots of help and direction. Don Fran also mentions the writer and asks for applause from the audience.
Don Fran asks what the work hours were like. Frances tells him they sometimes would start at 7 in the morning. Blanca says she was usually there by six. Frances tells him she would get up about 4 in the morning to be ready. Dan is thanking God that he didn’t have be there so early to do hair and such. Frances says they were there from about 6 in the morning till about 7 at night.
Don mentions that she has been in so many novelas and asks Frances why she thinks this one was such a success. She tells him because it was magical and had great actors writers and directors and also a great audience.
Next audience question or statement is from a young man who notes that Frances is beautiful and appears more like Eva’s sister rather than her mother.
Don Fran asks her how many novelas she has been in and she tells him thirty. He asks her if the novelas are distinct from one another or is the work the same. She tells him they are very distinct. She says the personalities are usually very different and her preparation for the roles are different.
Don turns to Gabriel now and says “this being your first novela, what is it like sitting next to some one who has done thirty? And with Guy who has also done so many.” She says she wants to continue doing novelas.
He asks her if she is studying as well. She says she is home schooled. He asks her now that the novela is over if she will return to school or continue with home schooling. She tells him it depends if she keeps working or not. He asks her if she is a good student. She says she was. He asks Blanca if she was a good student. She tells him yes that discipline was very important. We find out that Dan had studied international administration at school.
Next audience question addressed to “Papacito tan chulo” (the very cute) Guy. She wants to know who kisses better. Blanca or Vanessa. Guy tells her even though Vanessa is a wonderful person the role she played was a bad person and they didn’t give the passionate kisses because he was never in love with the Victoria character. He says that is why it is hard to compare them.
Don Fran is sitting there quite sadly as he says. “ In all the time I have been in television no one has ever called me “Papacito chulo”. Eva reaches over to give a consoling hand as we go to commercial
Every one is back on stage now as Don Fran reminds everyone where they can find all the episodes and news about the novelas.
There are more questions from Lourdes who has now joined the entire cast on stage. Some one wants to know if they are doing a slapping scene and the cameras shut down what do they do. I think Dan says they just shoot it over. Another question is for Guy. He has always played the “good” part. Does he ever want to play the “bad” part? He says he would love to change places and play Julian’s part. The audience boos. He than asks the audience if they wouldn’t like to see him play a villain. Every one shouts back no.
Don Fran asks Julian if he has been more successful with his villain roles or the hero roles. Julian tells him with the villain roles because he enjoys them more. Then he adds pointing to Guy that when he plays opposite someone like him he is always more successful.
Than Alicia started talking and I just lost interest. Everyone was talking at once. Finally Don Fran brings them all to their feet and asks for applause for all their hard work. He asks Susana Dosamantes to speak for everyone that has worked on this for the last 9 months. She says it was made with much love and hard work and was done for all of us.
Don Fran gives thanks to all the actors and the studios involved for presenting such a successful novela an we exit to our faithful Eva Luna theme song.
Don Julio was missing throughout the entire show and I didn’t catch if there was an explanation or not. I do want to leave you all with my favorite Don J. picture.
Labels: eva
Eva Luna Finale
P.1 –
Perhaps Some Solutions Just Lead to More Problems
As we j.i.p. (join in progress) tonight’s fantasy fin, Daniel tries to convince Eva not to marry Leo because deep down she still really loves him as much as he loves her. He swears he doesn’t know how he came to have Liliana in bed with him and there is absolutely nothing going on between them; the only real thing preventing them from getting back together is who really killed her daddy. He needs time to prove to her that Leo is the culprit and not him. Eva, whose head hurts from trying to use her brain to reason through things logically, doesn’t want to listen to anything more Dano has to say, especially cuz she’s still ticked about seeing him with leggy Lil in bed. She gets frustrated and races out the door.
At the same time, outside the front of the ad agency, El Gallo sets a trap for Leonardo by saying that Tony didn’t get any merchandise the night before because he was killed during the meet. Leo pretends to be surprised. El Gallo asks if he has any idea who would have ordered a hit on Tony. Leo says Tony was pretty aggressive and probably made a lot of enemies that way. He was even confrontational with him a number of times and El Gallo knows that. Leo goes back inside the building. El Gallo thinks to himself that now he knows it was Le, and he’ll pay for double-crossing him!
At the jail, the lady lawyer comes to see Marcela and tells her that her boss sees no hope for an appeal. Marci screams and throws a fit. Suddenly she can’t breathe and falls onto the table. A guard races over to help her.
In her hospital room, meanwhile, Victoria wonders why Justa is there. Justa says she’s family and as her mother she of course wanted to be there. Icky insists to Justa that she isn’t anything to her and tells her to leave. Justa tries to explain to Icky how she was stolen from her arms as soon as she was born, how everyone there lied to her that Icky was stillborn, how she really believed it at first, then looked everywhere for a trace of her, dreaming some day of finding her alive. Justa breaks downs into tears. The rejection is breaking her heart, she says. Ick-toria won’t have anything to do with her so, finally, Justa gives up and leaves. As she goes out the door, though, Julio is coming in. She won’t speak to him because she’s so mortified and frustrated over Icky’s rejection. He wants to go after her, but Icky begs him to stay and to let Justa go on her way.
Leo sits down at his desk and tells himself that now he’s gotten rid of Tony, the only thing missing is to finish with Alicia.
Ali is back at work. Deb comes to speak to her there. Ali says she wants to finish their chat from the other day. She and the baby-daddy are going to tell Eva in a couple of days about the baby. Deb wants to know why all the mystery over who the baby-daddy is. Ali says she’s didn’t tell Eva when she had the chance before and now it’s even more difficult to tell her than before. From the sigh Deb gives, it must be still about as clear as mud. (Viewerville didn’t get much satisfaction from her answers either.)
Meanwhile, in the clinic infirmary, the doctor (all I know is he’s got a white coat on) tells the director that Marci suffered a heart attack and needs to be transferred to a regular hospital. The director says fine and leaves. The “doctor” then bends over Marci and whispers that things have gone well so far, but the next step is going to be more difficult. She takes off her mask and says in a very healthy voice that she’d rather die in the escape attempt than live the rest of her life in prison. El Gallo’s plan has been set in motion.
Back at the ad agency, Dano barges into Leo’s office and demands to talk to him immediately. Leo refuses, but Dano insists. Leo says since when did I start taking orders from you? Dan says it’s no order, but he can take it any way he likes. He’s just there to put him on notice [sobre aviso]. Leo is like, “--Hey, if you’re here to warn me not to marry Eva, I’ve heard it a thousand times.” Dan just smiles a bit. “--No, you’re not going to marry her.” Leo says he imagine that this entire scene is because Lili told him the wedding was in a week. Dano says yeah, she told him, but the wedding is still in doubt. Leo says there’s no way Dan can stop him. Dan says he won’t stop it. It will be Leo himself who stops it. Leo sneers a bit and says Dan’s gone nuts. Dan ignores the insult. He accuses Leo again of killing Eva’s father and says that now he has proof of it. This gets Leo’s attention.
At the Villanueva manse, Laurita and Francisco are plotting again to help him win back Jackie. Laurita tells Jackie that Franc’s packing his suitcase and quiting his job for good today. She tells Jackie that she’s the only one who can convince him to stay. Jackie falls for the act and races up to talk Franc into staying--until she realizes that his suitcase is empty. She raises Cain with him and Laurita, She’s had it with the lies and tricks. Laurita is forced to admit she planned the whole thing with him. Jackie is so upset that she decides to quit her job and leave. Franc has heard the whole discussion from behind the pillar. He throws a worried glance at Laurita. She mouths at him to do something already! FF>>
Back in the city, Marci is put into the ambulance. Everyone’s been paid off and the aids take Marci out of the ambulance in a doctor’s coat and put her into a waiting SUV.
Leo tells Dan he’s got no proof it’s him at all. Dano lies about having an eye witness who just came forward and identified him from a photo as the driver. Leo says nobody would believe it since it happened so long ago. He’s going to tell Eva that Dano paid the guy to fake it and testify against him. Dan says no, Leo knows it’s the truth and he should be a man and admit it! This gets Leo’s goat. Leo’s swelled head gets the best of him and he finally yells back at Dan that yeah, he did kill the guy, and so what! Eva is never going to find out and Dan will never be able to prove it!
Dan, incredulous, asks Leo how he could run over that man and just leave him lying there! Leo, the sociopath, says because the imbecile was stupid enough to be crossing the street and to get in his way. He wasn’t going to pay for it. Dan asks why Leo framed him for it? Leo says with a hint of pride that it was because he’d heard Dan and Eva were getting married in secret and that was the only way to split them up. Dan calls him despicable. Leo says yeah, and you are the owner of the car and for me it was very easy getting you to take the bait [caer en la trampa]. (That’s the understatement of the decade, Leo.) Dan tells him to go and tell Eva the truth. Leo is a proud self-preservationist so he refuses. Dan insists he’s going to pay for the crime. Leo doesn’t think so. Dan warns him he’s not going to get his own way. Leo reminds him of the bet he made with Dan over Eva and that he is still determined to win. She’s going to be his and she’s going to marry him. Dan is grins and says no she won’t cuz he’s going to stop that wedding and he can go to the bank on it! [tenlo por seguro]
A minute later Dan goes back into his office and tells Giorgio what just happened. It worked because he realized that Leo’s ego is his worst enemy. “--What a beast! He’s the same as his mother! You should have seen the pride when he told me he’d run Eva’s father over and left him dying and then later framed me for it in order to split me and Eva up!” Dan then takes out a pocket recorder he used to record Leo’s confession. (Dun-duhn-duhnnnn!) Gg suggests he go straight to the police with it, but Dan says not before he’s exposed [desenmascar] him to Eva. He races into her office but realizes a second later that the office is empty. Olga tells him she left to clear her head. She’ll be back later. Ok, he says, let him know the instant she gets back.
Down the hall in his office, Leo paces and considers what to do next now that he’s admitted this guilt to Dan. Stay calm, he tells himself. “--Dan’s an idiot. Don’t lose your bearings. Take care of the problem with Alicia.”
Back at the hospital, in Icky’s room, Julio tells V-icky that he and Justa are there to help her with her problem. V-icky thinks there are too many problems to overcome. Julio tells her that both Dan and Eva agreed to drop the charges if and when she agrees to get some therapy.
Speaking of Eva, it seems she needs a little mental counseling herself. Eva’s emotionally confused. She’s at the ocean remembering making love that night with Dano and the horrible realization (with that push from Leo) that Daniel was the one who ran down her daddy and did him in. She weighs Dan’s denial of the dastardly deed against Leo’s denial of Dan’s denial.... Ok. She’s made her decision. She’ll marry Leo! (Say what? Vieweville does a major double-take--no make that a quadruple take!) Eva, as the saying goes, just decided to cut off her nose to spite her face. (Do they treat for masochistic tendencies?)
Later that day, Leo offers to bring Ali her glass of warm milk as a favor to Tia Mathilde. Tilde says fine. Leo first secretly pours some of the same drops his mother used on Claudia into Alicia’s glass of milk. He sweet talks Ali, while she drinks her milk, about resting more because the health of their baby is so important to him. He has a surprise for her, he says, with a sparkling crocodile smile. Tomorrow morning he will go with her to speak to Eva; and they will tell her that he’s the baby-daddy. Ali tries to kiss him for it but he jerks away and refuses. (No way that slimy, scheming dude’s getting near her poison-mouth!)
Ick-toria is alone in her hospital room now. She considers what her father told her about having a second chance at life and getting some therapy when she gets an unexpected visitor --Renata!
Lili comes by to try getting her hooks into Dan again. This time the excuse is that she wanted to talk to him about having a celebration dinner for Laurita’s return from that boarding school. She says Laurita has been really ignored with all that’s happened recently. Dan thinks she’s terrific for being so thoughtful. Lil gets the hint the guy’s got work to do and so she leaves. He checks again to see if Eva’s back but she isn’t.
At the same time, Ali starts cramping up and screaming. Tilde comes in to see what’s happened. Leo hears the screams, smiles to himself and waits a few more seconds before racing in and offering to take Ali to the hospital.
Lili hangs around the reception desk waiting for Eva to show. As soon as Eva walks in, Lil makes a big to do about how happy she is that Daniel asked her to join him/live with him? Eva glances over at her and frowns.
Eva sits down at her desk and Olga tells her that Dan’s been anxious to see her about something and has asked numerous times if she’d gotten back or not. Eva is miffed again, thanks to Lil, and says no she can’t see him. Olga says it seemed extremely urgent. So, Eva goes to his office and barges in. She wants to know what was so urgent. He excitedly tells her that he can prove his innocence. She rolls her eyes.
Icky tells Ren that she knows now what Ren did all those years ago, stealing her from her real mother and giving her away to Marcela. Ren asks her to forgive her. She explains how she acted out of jealousy and selfishness. Icky says she’d be a hypocrite if she said she was mad about it cuz after all, she did grow up with her father and was surrounded by luxury. But that woman (Marci) was envious and evil, and ready to use her to get what she wanted. She never would have expected that of Ren. Ren says she’d always loved her as she was her niece, but she never knew how to get her to understand. Icky says well, it’s her turn to ask forgiveness and grabs Ren’s hand.
Back in Dan’s office, he is trying to explain that he managed to get the most convincing evidence ever that he’s innocent. Eva says Leo warned her he’d make something else up. No, he says and he shows her the pocket recorder. She’s got to hear it because he has gotten someone’s statement as proof! Suddenly Olga rushes in with word about Ali being taken to the hospital for some emergency. (The recording will have to wait!) Dan wants to go to the hospital with Eva, but Eva tells him no way! She doesn’t need any more problems with him!
At Deb’s, the detective in charge of Marci’s capture comes to give her a heads-up that Mad Marci’s escaped and is probably on the prowl.
While at the hospital, Leo gets a call from El Gallo that some problem concerning Tony’s death has come up. He needs to speak to Leo that night, no ifs, ands, or buts! After El Gallo hangs up, Tony gets upset needing to know that Gallo believes him about Leo. Gallo says he does, but he had to prove it for himself. El Gallo tells Tony that he wants him to be there at the meet tonight so Leo will see that he’s really alive and that he found out how Leo betrayed his trust and will die because of it! Just then Marci barges into El Gallo’s office (OMG! and looking like a Cher wanna-be circa 1990-95). She needs to speak to him alone! Tony exits.
Eva races into the hospital lounge and finds Leo there. He gives her the run down.
Marci wants her new identity papers. El Gallo tells Marci he wants to know how she plans to pay him first. He wants his money. She tells him Leo is supposed to pay him. Gallo guffaws. That’s not going to work. She asks for time. He gives in. She starts to leave but he wants a little sugar from her first. She leaves afterwards.
Eva goes out to the front desk to sign papers for the hospital. Leo says he’ll watch over Ali for her. Once Eva’s gone, he starts to crow to the unconscious Ali that he got her there just in time to save her, but not the baby. He couldn’t allow her to die, he says, because that would have set the wedding date back--and that he wouldn’t have liked one bit! (a cold S.O.B. if there ever was one!)
Gallo makes a call to one of his henchmen and tells him the meet with Leo is on and to make sure everybody’s there because this rat’s not getting out of there alive! Marci comes back in for something and may have heard what El Gallo was saying.
Ali is awake and crying over the loss of the baby. Leo persuades her that now the baby’s lost, there’s no reason to let Eva know that he was the father or that they were ever involved. Eva walks in at that point, but it isn’t clear if she heard him. Leo turns around and looks a little sheepishly at her.
Marci tells El Gallo that she came back for a gun. He gives her one and says he figures she’ll use it to do in all her enemies. Marci says all but Eva. She has something much more “sparkling” for her end.
Ren goes to Justa’s parish priest, introduces herself and asks to make confession.
Eva tries to cheer Ali up. Deb comes in to lend emotional support also.
Meanwhile, Jackie has her bag packed and is leaving. Franc begs her to stay. FF>>
In the hospital lounge, Leo lies to Eva and tells her that Dan’s paid a witness to make a statement to the police stating he wasn’t the driver of the car. Eva says there was a reason then that he was so insistent in having her hear the witness’s statement. Leo warns her off him. “--Don’t pay attention to him. Isn’t it convenient that two years later he suddenly has a witness? Don’t let him trick you.” Deb comes into the waiting area just then with the news of Marci’s escape.
Back at the Villanueva manse, Franco finally is honest about his feelings for Jackie. She is his friend and gives him advice, he pleads. She’s the love of his life and is the only woman who’s known how to love him for what he is: poor and a liar. She’s taught him to love and respect her. He’d wait his whole life for her if she leaves because without her there is no Francisco. “--Just tell me what I have to do to make you stay.” Jackie melts. She’ll stay. They kiss. FF>>
That night Leo and his goons come armed and ready to rumble. “--You have to be prepared when it’s a matter life and death.” El Gallo agrees and then he and his men pull their guns on Leo. Leo’s guys have to drop their weapons. El Gallo brings up the hit on Tony and says he warned Leo not to touch Tony. Leo asks how he found out. El Gallo says he was wounded before being sent to the afterlife and he told me so. Tony walks up and shows himself. Leo is ruh-roh! impactado and tries some negotiating, but El Gallo isn't interested. El Gallo hands the gun to Tony to do the hit. Tony takes the gun and snarls over at Leo.
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It Pays to Be a Boy Scout--Just Ask Dan!
P.2
El Gallo eggs Tony on about all the ways Leo abused and used him. Unfortunately, Tony (as Viewerville and Leonardo both know by now) can’t pull the trigger and he hesitates a second too long. Leo whips out a gun and shoots him and El Gallo. The gunfight’s on! Everybody’s henchmen shoot each other dead.
Back at Eva’s, she and Dan are in the living room playing with Pablito. Tilde leaves to put him to bed. Eva says she’s tired and wants to take a bath. Dan begs her to stay a bit longer because she needs to hear what’s on that recording and says sorry, but he’s not leaving till she does. Eva says no and that the whole thing’s just ridiculous! Leo already told her it’s the witness he told her about. Dan pleads with her. “--No, it isn’t a witness’s testimony! You’ve got to listen to it!”
Finally it’s El Gallo and Leo in the end. El Gallo gets the upper hand and has Leo trapped. He gets ready to pull the trigger. “--I told you not to betray me. I’m going to kill you, you damned wretch! [condenado]” Kaboom! El Gallo gets a shot through the heart. Leo’s eyes go wide. Mad, murderous Marci has hit her mark. (Yep, Mama Bear has protected her cub once again.--Rats!) “--Mama! How did you know where I was?” Marci explains she’d overheard him telling his goons about the meet. Leo is worried about what’s going to happen to her now. She tells him not to worry about her. He must get back to Eva and marry her. Yes, they’ll meet up again. Just get going already and leave her alone! Leo scurries off. “--Yeah, hurry up and get married, although you are going to be widowed.”
Marci turns her attention to El Gallo and starts weeping over his body. “--Leonardo is your son, my love! I couldn’t let you kill him! You are the only man I loved, Gallo!”
A day or two later, Justa, Ricardo and Adrian are discussing the small wedding Leo and Eva have invited them to attend. Adrian is a little confused cuz he’s not going and Justa explains why not. She and Ric change the subject to where Tony’s been the last few days and whether to report him as missing or not. Don Ric says he already had because he’d been worried that they hadn’t heard from him for so long. FF>>
Back at Eva’s, Mathilde and Alicia are upset that Eva is dead set on marrying Leo when they both believe she really loves Daniel. Ali says Leo doesn’t deserve her. Tilde says, speaking of Dano, that it’s high time he proves his innocence. Ali agrees.
Across the way, Dan is getting dressed to go to Eva and Leo’s wedding. Liliana asks him if he’s sure he wants to do this. Dan says absolutely, cuz he won’t give up until he hears Eva actually say “I do” to Leo. (Viewerville notes the funereal attire Dan’s chosen to wear.) She asks if he still thinks the wedding has a chance of being scotched. He tells her he does. Lil seems doubtful.
Meanwhile, Eva is getting ready as Ali comes in to try to talk her out of it. “--How about I wear the earrings Leo gave me?” Ali grabs the other earring from Eva’s hand and begs her not to marry Leo. He’s just not right for her! Eva is sympathetic but says she knows what she’s doing. Ali finally blurts out that he was the baby-daddy! Eva is saucer-eyed-and-suck-it-in impactada!
In the huge living room, the wedding guests are gathering. Giorgio, Olga, the receptionist and Dan’s secretary are gossiping about how Victoria finally agreed to give Dano his divorce. The receptionist says Eva still believes he killed her father. Gg says he knows she doesn’t believe it but he knows Dan didn’t. Just then Renata introduces Leo to the judge who’s doing the civil ceremony. Leo promises him to keep things punctual and then grabs Tilde to tell Eva any time now, since all the guests are there. Tilde notes Deb and Detective Varela. Neither of them knew that Deb and he were a couple now. Once Tilde leaves, he smiles to himself and thinks, yeah! in just a few minutes more Eva will be his forever. (Viewerville let out a communal groan and eye-roll. The telenovela gods are really pushin’ it here!) Det. Varela and he shoot the breeze a moment. He kids Leo about planning anything else than his wedding then laughs that he’ s a guy who’s always on the job. Leo tells himself it always pays to keep one’s guard up and leaves the room briefly.
Back in her room, Eva gives Ali holy Hell for not telling her until now about her affair with Leo. Ali tearfully tells her that she wanted to tell her that she’d fallen in love with him, but he frightened her off it by convincing her not to because Eva would think the worst of her. Eva angrily agrees. “--And he was right about that!” Ali says anyway, he promised her they’d go tell her together that he was the father. “--And he knew?” Yep. She’d told him the same day she’d found out, says Ali, but she’d already put an end to their relationship a while before. So, if she’s begging Eva now not to go through with it, it’s for her own good. Eva asks if she’s sure he doesn’t mean anything to her now. Ali swears he doesn’t. Just then Tilde comes in and says Leo and the guests are all waiting. Ali and Eva share painful stares. (Viewerville is on pins and needles wondering if Eva will call the whole thing off now. Some of us are even taking bets on how painful it’s gonna be for our resident slime-bucket, Mr. He Who Comes Up From The Deep.)
Gg offers Leo a bit of assistance just as Dano and Leggy Lil arrive. Leo warns Dan that if he’s come to stop the wedding, it isn’t gonna work! Dan says no, he’s only there as a guest like any other. (Leo, the guy’s her employee. What would it look like if he hadn’t? All of the employees are there!) A bit of males-in-heat locking horns, snorting and sniffing ensues here. He tells Dan he won’t let him ruin it for him. Dan says it won’t be him that does that. It’ll be Leo himself who does that. Lil tells them to cool their jets cuz the wedding’s about to start. Eva shows up just then and the crowd of employees begin to clap. (Makes you wonder if they’re all doing it just to keep their paychecks coming in. I mean I’m jes sayin’..... Anyway, sure is huge for an “intimate gathering.”) Leo and she exchange smiles.
Back at Dan’s, Jackie gets a surprise bouquet from a mysterious admirer. The note says that Adriancito, Laurita and she must go on a scavenger hunt for clues to who it’s from. (If you haven’t guessed by now, Jackie’s just a kid at heart.) They go from room to room. FF>>
Back at the wedding, Eva and Leo have the judge start the proceedings. Dan looks about ready to lose it. The judge asks if there’s anyone there who can show why these two shouldn’t be joined in matrimony to speak up. Dan can’t stand it any longer and starts to say something, but Eva beats him to it and the guests all gasp. (Viewerville suddenly glues their eyes to the screen.)
Eventually Jackie and the kids get to a room where there are two roses waiting for her. Franc pops out, opens up a ring box and proposes. Jackie only takes a second to think it over before she accepts. He slips the engagement ring on her finger. Everybody’s happy! Smoochies. FF>>
Back to the halted wedding across the way, Eva screams at Leo that she’s going to show why the two of them can’t marry. Mr. Slick is finally at a loss for words. He asks what she’s talking about. He doesn’t understand! “--You killed my father! You ran him over!” “--No, no! I told you that Daniel’s witness is a fake, that he’s paying that person to blame me! It was Daniel who killed him. You have to believe me! Listen to me, my love!” The guests are all eyes and ears, especially Det. Varela. Just then a fresh-faced Victoria in a sweet pony-tail and loosely fitting print sun-dress steps out of the crowd to gets her chance at pay-back. “--Daniel’s telling the truth! You asked to borrow his car that day and came back saying you’d run into a tree, but really you ran a man over. Claudia told me that when you used to dream and would relive the accident! You yourself admitted it!”
Eva asks Leo just how stupid he thinks she is. (I wouldn’t go there, Eva. Really I wouldn’t!) He denies having ever confessed to anything. Eva has Gg play the tape recorder so there’s no doubt. The guests hear Leo confessing to Dan that day. Dano grins from ear to ear. Leo looks like he’s just been depants-ed on the playground. Ali and Tilde are listening in horror--not that it should surprise Ali, the way Leo always abused her, but still, this is Ali we’re talking about. Her Happy Meal has always been missing a French fry or two. The camera pans to Don Julio whose original negative feelings towards his step-son have finally been justified. Lily is mortified and wonders probably if the arrogant fool mentioned anything about her during that truth-a-thon.
Varela looks around at some of the men in the crowd. They nod back. It seems that Varela must have gotten the heads up from Eva or Dano already or they wouldn’t have all been there. Leo is frozen with embarrassment. Eva screams at him. “--I will never marry you. I will never forgive you for killing my father and I will never forgive you for what you did to my sister!” She hauls off and slaps him across his face so hard it sounds like a gunshot. “--I’m going to get even with you --Today!” Suddenly Leo whips out his pistol, grabs Eva, and aims the gun at her neck. Varela and his men also draw theirs. Leo swears he’ll kill her and he means it. (Well, he does come by it honestly, considering his gene pool.) The crowd cowers. Uni puts us on pause while it attempts to pay for this four hour novela-fest.
It’s all chaos as Uni presses the play button once more. Leo threatens to shoot mouthy Dan. If she not going to be Leo’s then.... Suddenly Icky races in front of Dan, but he shoves her behind him. She’s not going anywhere, she screams. Suddenly the Bimbutt (whose dress really does a great job of finally disguising that disgustingly over-defined derriere) decides it’s time to tell the world about Lileach and Leo’s unholy alliance now, too! Dan is once again shell-shocked to learn that his BFF and hers were both scheming against him. “--What?? What are you saying???” “--Yes, Daniel. Leo hired her to seduce you since he found out you were going to leave me, so that then he could avoid you getting back with Eva!” The way the two met (out on the ocean) was all planned by Lil and Leo together, she yells over the din.
Back at Dan’s place, Franco explains the meaning of the three roses: one is to apologize for disrespectful behavior towards her; one is to thank her for accepting to marry him; the third is to signify his promise never to lie again and to make her the happiest woman in the world. Kissies and hugs. FF>>
Back to the Boda de Bedlam: Lil denies it all. Leo threatens to kill Ick-toria if she doesn’t shut her mouth and fast. Bimbutt babbles on, tho’. She’s on a roll and Claw’s pregnancy comes out next. “--He got Claudia pregnant and afterwards had my mother put poison in her tea so she’d lose the baby! That's what he must have done to you, Alicia, to make you lose your baby!” [Thanks to martai for clearing all of Icky's poorly audible speech up!] Leo starts to pull the trigger and Ren jumps in front of V-icky, taking the bullet Leo meant for her. Leo takes advantage of the further chaos to race off with Eva as hostage. The cops race after him. Gg calls 911 for Ren right away. (Now that is a switch!)
Outside, Leo forces Eva behind Dan’s blue Vette to keep from getting shot. Eva tells him to let her go because he’ll never get away with this. He tells her his only crime was loving her. Eva screams back that he doesn’t love anybody but himself! Let me go! You killed my father and caused my sister to lose her baby. He admits he had to because Ali threatened to tell her all about it. Suddenly Dan’s out there trying to be the voice of reason. (You’ve got to be kidding! He’s a walking bulls-eye in black and blond!) “--Let her go!” Leo threatens to send him to the next life.
Back inside the manse, the ambulance is on the way, but not soon enough for the remorseful Renata. Icky cries and holds Ren’s head. “--Why?” Ren says she couldn’t allow her to be lost again. Now, she says, it’s time she and her mother have a chance together. It was all her fault the two were apart all those years. Julio tries to keep her hanging on. Ren tells him she loved him in silence and is taking that love with her as a comfort. Don’t let her death be in vain, she pleads with Icky. The three hold hands. V-icky promises. Renata dies in her arms. Julio bends down and closes her eyes.
Dan’s still outside trying to make a crazy man see reason. “Let her go. You’ve already caused enough harm!” Leo’s answer is a bullet in Dano’s shoulder. Dan falls to the ground. Eva screams. One of the cops kneecaps Leo. (oofda!) Eva manages to escape and races over to Dan as a second bullet hits Leo in the gut. (Now that would be a fitting way for Leo to leave us all, considering both shots are some of the most painful to endure. A gut wound is supposed to be one of the most painful ways to die, but maybe the adrenaline keeps him from feeling anything. Viewerville would hope not, considering.) The cops keep shooting and wounding him. Leo keeps shooting back. Eventually he’s hit from the back by a cop in an SUV and falls dead to the ground.
Eva finds Dan hiding behind a car and begs forgiveness. Dan wants her to forgive him also. They profess their love for each other and agree they’re going to be happy together from here on out.
Time passes and Renata’s buried. All the remaining good guys attend her funeral. She will be missed.
In another part of the city, Mad Marci is wandering the streets aimlessly and crying as she reads the big article in the newspaper about Leo’s dying in the big shootout. “‘’Nooo! It has to be a mistake!” It’s all Eva’s fault, damn her! She’ll pay!
After the funeral Icky comes back to the boarding house with the others and apologizes to him, Eva, and Laurita. Eva and Dan agree that there’s nothing to be gained by keeping grudges. Icky says well, she knows what she did and realizes her daddy was right. She invented a love that really wasn’t there. She and Dan really were never in love. and it was only a deep friendship and affection. Eva never robbed her of anything since it never existed in the first place. Most of all she want to apologize to Laurita for being the meanest of all to her and for never learning how to love her. She couldn’t since she didn’t know how to love herself first. She was a witch and Laurita was right that evil witches have no reason to be loved. Laurita says she forgives her also. Icky then tells them that the next day her mother and father are taking her somewhere that she can stay for a while and get the help she needs. But she’s also ready to go to jail if need be since she’s the one, she says, who caused Sabrina's misfortune.
That night Pablito’s crying. Eva comes in to see what the problem is. Marci slams the door shut behind Eva and locks her in. She’s brought a jug of gasoline and lit candles for her return visit. “--Now you’re going to see what I’m capable of! I have a surprise for you!” She enjoys Eva’s panic and starts to cackle. She pour gas everywhere. “--The guards aren’t going to be able to do anything for you, no more than any of the others, like Gustavo, Bruno and Rosaura!” “--You killed them?” “--Sure, anybody who got to be a nuisance for me or who tricked me.” “--You’re a monster, Marcela!” No, she says, Eva is because she ruined all her plans once she came into her home! Eva forced her to poison Julio and she managed to turn her son against her!! “--You’re to blame for all my problems and I hate you, damn you!! My son died because of you! He suffered because of you!! You took everything away from me--my home, my family...EVERYTHING!” Marci takes a candle and sets te room on fire. Eva keeps screaming for Tilde or somebody to help her.
The smoke alarm goes off and Tilde runs into the hall and hears the commotion inside the room. The door is locked! Eva’s trapped and there’s smoke seeping out from the fire. Tilde runs off to get help. Inside Marci blocks Eva from getting to the door and holds a burning candle out as a weapon. She screams that she’s going to burn her and her son alive along with herself. Not Daniel, not anybody will be able to help her now! Eva’s her guest of honor to Hell!
Back at the boarding house, the other detective comes by to tell them he thinks he’s found Tony. It turns out Tony was shot and left unconscious a number of days back. They transferred him to critical care unit at he hospital and he’s been hospitalized ever since. They were able to identify him from the picture they left with him when they made out the MP report.
The fire is getting worse. Suddenly Tilde has the key and unlocks the door. (Hmm. That was simple enough. You didn't think of that, did you Marci? We’ll give you a pass since you’ve been a bit out of it recently.) Tilde grabs the baby from Eva’s arms as she runs to the open door. Marci manages to grab Eva and drag her back into the burning room, though. They wrestle and Eva manages to push Marci off her. Marci slips and falls just as a burning beam drops down from the ceiling. Marci doesn’t care. She screams again how much she hates Eva. She’s got no reason to live now. Dan races in and grabs Eva away from the flames. There’s nothing he can do to save Marcela.
Suddenly Marci see’s Leo beckoning her through the flames. She says it’s Eva’s fault that her he turned against her. He is the thing she loves most in her life. Leo keeps beckoning to her (no doubt he’s asking her to join him in Hell where I’m sure they’re both to be honored and permanent residents). Suddenly a glass and wood shelf falls on her and she’s swallowed up by the flames. (Yep, one toasted, creamy marshmallow. Snacks, anyone?)
Across town, Ric and Justa visit Tony in the hospital and explain why they hadn’t been there for him earlier. They’d found him unconscious, wounded and without any I.D. Tony asks Ric to bring him back a certain envelope from his room. He asks Justa to have Eva, Dan, and Alicia to come together and listen to what he has to tell them.
The next day the papers don’t have anything on Marcela Arismendi, but Giorgio gives the girls at the ad agency the scoop about all the others that Eva confirmed Marci had murdered, like Bruno in Miami, etc. “--Who’d a thunk it?!” Across the way, Dan and Eva are chatting and walking arm in arm. Once the house is repaired, Julio’s selling it. Dan says great, and then he and she will go house-hunting for themselves. He tells her that Jackie and Franc are getting married the month after their wedding. Just then Ali rushes in with news about Tony and his needing to speak to the three of them. He was finally found, and was in the hospital after Leo shot him. They race over to see him.
Outside, Lil is arrested for planning Laurita and Eva’s kidnapping.
A bit later, Tony tells Eva, Alicia and Dan that he has more reasons to ask for their forgiveness. He admits to Ali that he tried blackmailing Eva when she was wanted for stealing the twenty-five grand. Eva was right to call him a thief since he threatened to harm Ali and turn her into the police if she didn’t give him 10 thou of it. He tells Dan that he was the one Leo had paid to call him about the car part as a way to split Eva and him up before the wedding. Then Tony takes out the envelope with all the secret photos of Leo and Eva in bed, and then tells them that Leo had drugged and undressed her without her knowing it in order to take them. Ali is mad at first, but then forgives him. She promises to help him turn over a new leaf, because he’s the only guy who’ll ever make her happy.
At the same time, Justa, Julio and V-icky, now in innocent white, arrive at the mental hospital. The doctor says she’ll be able to rejoin society in no time at all. They’re all going to try to do their best to learn from their mistakes and become a happy familial entity of …some sort.
Later, they visit Lili in jail. She begs Eva to convince Dan to drop the charges against her. It was all V-icky’s fault anyway. She confused her. Eva remind her that there was someone who called to give Vic advice, and that somebody was Lil. She agrees to tell them the whole truth (no doubt the Lileach version) if they’d just drop the charges. I think from the way they look at the scuffs on their shoes it’s going to be all broken nails and split ends for Lil from now on.
Time passes as the wedding approaches. Lots of celebs will be attending. Ali tells her that Tony went to the college and told them the truth about what he’d done to force her entrance. They have allowed her to re-register and so she’s going back to school. Dan comes in with another surprise. It’s outside. They go out and it’s the same type of car he gave her the first time he proposed and he has the same engagement ring, also. He kept it after Ali returned it to him.
Marisol’s songs hit the top of the charts.
Adriancito gets accepted into the same private prep school as Laurita on a scholarship.
The wedding day is finally here. Dan and Laurita have a quick father-daughter chat before they head for the church and Laurita learns that Pablito is her little brother.
Franc locks his keys in the car and we get a shameless plug for On-Star.
Outside the church, Eva says a prayer to the virgencita for teaching her how to overcome her troubles, bringing her mother back to her, and for giving her Daniel, the most wonderful man on Earth.
Dan also prays to the vircencita to thank her for returning his children to him and for giving him Eva who he promises to make the happiest woman in the world.
Franc’s the best man. Jackie’s the maid of honor. Julio walks Eva down the aisle. Deb and Ali put the bands around them Laurita surprises everyone by singing the Ave Maria. Dan and Eva promise eternal love to each other and kiss. Once the ceremony’s over we get no reception, only aerial views of the amusement park they visit on their honeymoon.
Well, never were two people more made for each other, or deserving of each other, than these two--and you can take that anyway you like.
FIN
Labels: eva
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