Caray, Caray!

Today's episode began with the slap heard 'round the world, as Diego hits Diana following a fight about spending the day in the hospital with Max. Yesterday's re-cap should have the gory details, but it's the usual. Diego grousing about Diana still loving Max, the true father of her child.

Octopus and Bruno are discussing Bruno's daughter blinding Max. Bruno denies her daughter could do such a thing. Octopus points out "Marfil" hasn't been the same since she came out of the coma. It's as if she's another person. Bruno wants to know if "Marfil" has been arrested, to which Octopus replies "No, she escaped!" Bruno is sad her daughter is going to have to hide for the rest of her life. Octopus replies "She deserves it after blinding my son!" Octopus leaves, and a clearly deranged Bruno starts looking for Debora under pillows, behind the sofa, etc. Bruno's evil ways have obviously caused her to go mad.

Dreary Diego and Dimwit are still fighting. She says she's not going to endure his hitting her again. More fighting about Max until she walks up the stairs and leaves him sitting at the foot of the stairs saying he'll never let her go. Never! The Orchestra of Doom plays.

Doc Evil is on the phone saying he's going to appeal their decision to yank his license. There's a knock on the door. When he opens it, there's a nun wearing a habit and dark sunglasses standing there. Who could it be? Obviously Iggy doesn't recognize her. Marfil says she's there to ask for a donation for the poor children. When Doc Evil says he's not interested, she pulls a gun. While Iggy is standing there impactado, Andres comes up from behind and puts a choke hold on him. Marfil then whips off her glasses to reveal her identity. Ignacio is double impactado! Andres and Marfil want to know where Debora is lurking.

Little Doormat as at the office wearing her 1970's Gunny Sax top, when Beatriz shows in Kike. Kike zooms in for a kiss, but Little Doormat turns her head. Kike is clearly confused with her change of enthusiasm. Gaby confronts him about his little partnership with Pillow. Kike naturally denies he had anything to do with it.

Doc Evil is pleading and groveling for his life. Doc Evil finally blurts out where Debora is; he's certainly not going to give up his life on her behalf. "She's at the cabana." Andres wants to know where the keys are. He keeps slapping Doc Evil up-side the head until Iggy tells him where the keys are. Andres find the keys and gags Iggy and actually knocks him out with a clearly fake punch. Before Iggy is gagged, however, he tries to point out he and Andres have been friends for year. Andres, who isn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer to begin with, luckily hasn't forgotten that Iggy shot him in the selva. Sister Marfil wants them to leave before someone arrives.

Camila and Sylvie, with some sort of fuchsia wig that looks like cotton candy with radiation poisoning, have come to pay Maxi Maxi a visit. Of course Sylvie has her foot in her mouth the entire time. Max wants Camila to call Diana. Like THAT'S going to happen! Anyway, Sylvie points out that everything is Dimwit Diana's fault; she brings bad luck to all the guys who cross her path. Look at her invalid husband! Camila tries to get Sylvie to cease and desist, but it's useless. Sylvie, as usual, is on a clueless roll. At the end of the scene you see Max, whose eyes and half his head are wrapped up in a cocoon of gauze, working his jaw but no sound is coming out. He is clearly speechless.

Andres and Sister Marfil have arrived at the "cabana," the same place Debora, Dimwit and Marfil were held captive at one time. Andres is carrying two large containers of gasoline. Sister Marfil says it doesn't appear Debora is there, but Andres says perhaps she's in the other room. Andres begins sprinkling gasoline around the kitchen area. Marfil goes into the bedroom area where Debora is sleeping. Marfil watches as Andres continues pouring gasoline everywhere. They make a ton of noise but apparently Debora sleeps through it. When all is done, Marfil wakes Debora up. "Who are you?" asks Debora. Marfil whips off her Paris-Hilton-sized sunglasses and Debora is impactada! "What are you doing here?" Andres then appears. Double whammy for our Little Blonde Weasel. "Why are you two together?" Andres points out he and Marfil have united for a common cause. At this point Debora finally notes the smell of gasoline. She's obviously taken a Larry pill. Andres gleefully pulls out a match as Debora becomes muchisima impactada!

Camila is at Max's hospital bedside. She is dedicating herself body and soul (emphasis on body) to Max. She reminds him Diana is a married woman and won't be able to devote herself to Max as much as she can. She then climbs into his hospital bed wearing her little cheerleading outfit (or what looks like a cheerleading outfit to me). As she's kissing our blinded victim, who should appear in the doorway but our Dimwitted Heroine. Glassy stare, head tilt, big sigh! Commercial.

Diana leaves. Max then rebuffs Camila, but Camila says she's not going anywhere. She then rests her head on his blinded eye, which of course is bandaged, and smiles. I'm sure Camila would have a bigger smile if she knew Diana just saw them together. Diana is dressed in a white shirt with that favorite wide red cummerbund of Fidiota's. She has tears in her eyes. "Why did Max tell me he loved me, when he's shacked up with Camila?" Pobre de Dimwit. Yolanda appears and wants to know what's going on. "Are you here to see my nephew?" Dimwit wipes her eyes and says she has to leave for a meeting at Perfumes 'R Us.

Andres has the match lit. Marfil snickers. They then start this long drawn-out deal threatening Debora with death and Debora trying to talk them out of it. Andres goes through countless matches. He keeps blowing them out and lighting new ones. At this point, I've lost interest. Debora has turned into Chihuahua on Caffeine mode with the shakes. By this point they've pretty much lost all credibility in my book.

Sylvie walks in on Doc Evil, who is still bound and gagged. You can only imagine what's going through her mind. "Wow! You look like you're playing Cowboy! I don't want to interrupt you and your little friend's game." Iggy is grunting through his gag, but Sylvie just doesn't get it. We are treated to a comic routine while Sylvie is trying to figure out why our Evil friend is bound and gagged. Finally, she "gets it" and unties him. Of course she's totally flustered at this point. Iggy calls her an imbecile for her efforts.

Yolanda wants to talk to her nephew alone. Camila leaves and Yolanda tells Max she saw Dimwit outside his room. She was in a hurry and she was crying. Max concludes Diana must have seen him kissing Camila. Anyway, boring small talk between Max and Big Doormat. Doc Quintana, the only doc left in Miami now that Doc Evil has lost his license to practice medicine, comes in to check on his patient. Max wants to go home. DoQ doesn't want to release him until they know what type of acid was thrown in his eyes. There are extensive lesions on his corneas, but they can't affect a cure until they know what type of chemical they are dealing with.

Back at Emili-Oh's Shelter for Wayward Souls, Larry is pouring out his soul to Rene. Rene is surprised Pillow went so far as to falsely accuse Little Doormat of pushing her. Lifeless Larry can't believe he took Pillow's word over Gaby's. Gaby will never forgive him after he doubted her. Of course that's after she doubted his story about him being in jail on their wedding day. What a pair of saps.

Andres is on his 100^th match. More threats. Finally he drops the match and we see a perfectly straight line of flames. Kind of like in my gas fireplace. Marfil and Debora are now arguing. "If I die, you're going to die with me!" They are more concerned with squabbling than trying to get out of the "burning" room. They launch themselves at one another and start rolling on the ground, biting, pinching, pulling, etc. Andres is standing at the door trying to get Marfil to leave, but apparently Marfil is more interested in a wrestling match with Debora. Commercial.

Andres pulls Debora off Marfil and punches Debora, knocking her out cold (irony intended). Marfil stands choking at the door, but Andres picks up Debora and gently lays her on the bed. He tells her to "die for always, dear Debora. I still love you." He kisses her and leaves the room. Marfil throws in an "Until never" for good measure. Andres lights another match and sets the kitchen ablaze with another row of flames. It's not looking good for our Little Blonde Soon-to-be-Crispy Weasel.

"Sexual fantasy? What sexual fantasy?" screams Doc Evil at a flustered Sylvie. She's got a black velvet top and a fuchsia with black skirt to match her fuchsia Tina-Turner-style wig. Black velvet. In Miami. In summer. Sylvie thinks they were robbed. "Did they steal my wigs?" Sylvie is frantic. I'm glad someone has her priorities straight.

Camila and Gaby are chatting in Diana's office when Diana walks in. She starts asking for some reports and wants to know about the sales figures. Camila wants to know why Diana looks so sad. Diana tells them her tale of sorrow. She went to see Max but Camila was kissing him. Gaby wants to know if Max knew Diana was there. "No," says our forlorn heroine. More talk about Pobre de Max.

Debora wakes up and starts screaming "Help me!" She's screaming and begging to be saved in front of the little gas fireplace log. She lets out a piercing wail…

…and suddenly Max bolts upright in bed saying who's shouting? Yolanda doesn't know what the heck he's talking about. He said he dreamed someone was being burned alive in front of him. It seemed like Marfil, but it wasn't Marfil." Yolanda says it was just a nightmare. "But it seemed so real! It's as if she was right in front of me! She was dying!" Yolanda tries to calm him down. Commercial.

Sandy and Peyote are having a BFF chat on the patio. Sandy can't fathom how Peyote could possibly be happy in such a humble home. Peyote says it may be small, but there's so much warmth. Warmth that was totally lacking at Psycho Mansion. She's learned to cook, iron, do laundry, etc., and Lala is like the sun. She finally feels she's really living! She apparently leaves out the part about needing drugs to cure her misery. Sandy is amazed at her long-time friend's outlook, but something just doesn't seem right. Peyote admits it's not quite what she had hoped for, but it's better than her life before Pancho. Sandy then drops the bomb, "I never would have thought you could be happy knowing your husband is married to another woman!" Way to go, Subtle Sandy.

Pancho is at Psycho Mansion trying to rile up Diablo. He needs to show Dimwit who wears the pants in the family. Yada, yada, yada. Fidiota appears at the top of the stairs calling for Lala in a slurred voice. Pancho whispers to Diablo that Fidiota sounds drunk. Diablo says she sure is. She's been that way since Paco married Octopus. Right about this moment, Lala and Nancy appear. They are talking about the robbers in the hood. Nancy is scared. Fidiota sends Lala up to check on the baby. More discussions about the robberies and how she wants a gun in every room. She'll have to tell Emili-Oh to get her some. Now maybe I'm the only one, but I'm betting she's safe since Pancho is probably involved some how. I doubt he'd want to rob from his wife who lives there. Pancho smirks, knowingly.

Sandy is still giving Peyote a pep talk about Pancho. Peyote is young and pretty (we hear this expression a lot on telenovelas) and doesn't deserve a pendejo such as Pancho. Peyote tries to blame Caramel, but Sandy says Caramel is a victim as well. She then starts in with the PSA about drug usage and how Sandy is afraid Peyote is going to come to a bad end. The Orchestra of Doom strikes a single chord.

Perfumes 'R Us. Dimwit is flashing back to the kiss between Camila and Maxi-Moron. Emili-Oh enters to advise Dimwit that Fidiota just asked him to buy 6 guns, because there were some assaults in the 'hood. Fidiota wants a gun in each bedroom so they can defend themselves. Little Doormat (who just entered the office) isn't happy with the idea, but instead of us getting to listen to a PSA about gun safety, Dimwit sends Emili-Oh off to by guns. If Fidiota wants to stockpile weapons of mass destruction, then by all means do what our drunken warbler wants! Emil-Oh leaves and Gaby voices her objections. "Don't worry," says Dimwit. "Nothing is going to happen."

Andres and Marfil appear at Isabel's house. They fill her in about Debora's demise. Tia is skeptical, since Debora seems to be immortal. "No one is immortal!" states Marfil happily. Tia is concerned about Doc Evil's reaction. Andres' isn't worried now that Andres and Marfil have united. When Doc Evil finds Debora's ashes, Doc Evil will be quaking in his boots. Tia smiles. Commercial.

Isabel, Andres, and Marfil are sitting around having a spot of tea. Marfil is waxing poetic about her life with Max before Debora ruined everything. Apparently Bruno's name has been moved to the top of Marfil's hit list. Isabel thinks to herself that Marfil has no idea Bruno is her mom. Suspenseful music plays in the background.

Perfumes 'R Us. Dimwit is in her office when the phone rings. It's the Big Doormat, but Max wants to speak with her. Diana tries to make an excuse, but Maxi-Moron gets on the phone and does this verbal tap dance. He suspects Diana saw Camila kissing him. Diana tries to deny it, but Max reminds her Yolanda saw what happened. Max then starts groveling about how much he needs her, only she can keep him calm in his devastating condition. . .their love theme starts playing. Dimwit agrees to come see him again.

Caramel is walking through the parking lot in her low-slung pink micro mini, with the Blouse of Virtue covering her halter (or possibly her bra) underneath. She is walking by a Dodge Neon that has a bumper sticker that reads "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." Who should she run into but Pancho. "What are you doing here?" He's come to lay into Dimwit for visiting Max in the hospital and making a joke out of Diablo. Caramel sticks up for Dimwit. The more agitated Pancho gets, the more Caramel starts flirting with him. Finally she grabs him and they start kissing. The camera pans back from this happy reunion, only to show Peyote standing there impactada! Pobre de Peyote! "Got drugs?"

Credits roll!

Labels: acorralada

OK--this hasn't been my day...the internet was down at work and the first half of my document I saved is gone, to where I don't know....so what you are getting is the second half of my recap and I'll redo the beginning later on. Sorry, I'm just sick about this because I think the first half was pretty brilliant on my part (can say this with confidence since none of you can read it) and now it is floating out there in never never land. Cathy

OK---The first part is done, I've put in break so you know at what point you can stop if you've already read the ending. Thanks for your patience. Gotta go watch the tape of tonight's show. Cathy

Esmeralda thinks that Olmos is lying about Diego not wanting to see her. Auggie tries to convince her that it must be true. Esme deduces that Diego must have thought the letter he received from her was a fake. She tells Auggie that Diego knows her handwriting and he has to think that someone is tricking him. She decides she needs to write a new letter spelling it all out to him, but she’ll need Auggie’s help in delivering it. She starts to write a letter before Auggie can even agree.

The Marquesa (MC) offers her sympathies to Almudena about Esme’s death. MC tries to console Dena and suggests that what she needs to do is eat and get out of the house. Dena says she can’t do it, that Esme was like a daughter to her and all she (Dena) wants is her (Esme) there with her. Dena says she feels that she failed in protecting Esme. Now all Dena wishes is that it was her who would have died, instead of Esme. MC reminds Dena that she has Al and that she needs to fight for him (does MC know about Yumali? I mean, this woman is privy to a lot of personal info, from a variety of sources, could it be possible she knows something?).

Fernando and his men arrive at the Mission. The nuns and Padre Tomás have created their brilliant military fortification, outside the wall of the Mission, to act as a barricade to the expected attack. Fernando tells the nuns & PT that he’s there to reclaim the government lands, so he’s got to evict them. PT asks FS how he can attack such a sacred place. Fernando replies that he gave them time to get out (not that I’m defending the man here, but he did give them an “eviction” notice, what, like three days earlier). Maria Pia says that she is not going to allow the sisters to suffer because of Fernando. He tells her that this is the price she has to pay for her betrayal. Padre Tomás pulls Fernando from his horse and the boys begin to fight. PT ends up knocked down, I think with a bump to his noggin. Maria Pia is concerned for PT (concerned, as I’ve said before, is just another word for worried, so ulcer 1). The nuns are armed with guns and are ready to take action against FS and his merry men. Fernando grabs Maria Pia and tells her that it won’t be like before, because he is not the same man. She orders him “Suelteme!” (let go of me). He says no way siree, you are going to be mine. She demands that he respect her and the habit she is wearing. Fernando says he has no respect for her rags (just for insult I am sure, since she is only a couple hours into this nun thing, I’m pretty sure her habit is new---at least she’s dropped the ugly flower wreath thing). MP breaks free and Fernando orders his men to finish it, to “Quemelo” (burn it). PT finds a sword and confronts FS, calling him crazy. “You talkin’ to me?”, no really FS said “You are callin’ me crazy, I’ll show you crazy.” The man grabs an axe and takes on PT and his sword. Padre Tomás takes this time to teach FS a lesson, he tells Fernando that losing MP was all his own doing. Fernando says that God has turned into his rival. PT replies that God gave Maria Pia a choice. Fernando swings his axe like a mad man.

MC, Alejandro, and Diego are all meeting in la sala de la hacienda de los de la Vega (in the de la Vega living room, much quicker). They rehash a bit about Fernando and him having Sara Kali/Mercedes locked up for so many years. MC says that FS is going to pay for what he did, but it is obvious that someone with some clout is protecting him. The three speculate that it must be someone in Court. The discussion turns toward the Spanish Court and who there knows about Mercedes existence. MC says that over time, the story has circled about, but it has been thought to be a legend, rather than fact. She adds that there will be rivers of blood shed before Mercedes will be able to take the throne. She warns Alej and Diego to keep this all a secret, because people who know about SK/Mercedes are in danger. MC laments about Esme’s death, but adds that she wouldn’t have been able to succeed the throne because her father was a gypsy (see what I mean, how did the woman know that? I didn’t think that Fernando not being Esme’s papa was public knowledge, I mean Esme only found out about it after the Sanchez family moved to Alta California, so how does the MC know this. I'm more and more impressed with her even though she looks like a muppet with really bad dentures).

Esme’s in her cell writing a letter to Diego when Montero comes in to check on her (not out of concern, I'm sure, but rather hoping to find her worse off). He finds her letter, which she quickly tried to hide and demands to know who gave her the paper. He immediately calls for Auggie. Auggie answers his summons and after Monty questions him, he says that Esme had paper because she wanted to write her memoirs. Monty calls him an idiot and asks him if he works closely with Capt. Pizarro. To punctuate his anger, Monty grabs Auggie by the throat. Esme tells Monty that he is worse than Fernando Sanchez. Monty thanks her for the compliment and adds that if is weren’t for Esme’s mom, Sara Kali, Esme would long be dead at this point.

Al tells MC that the other hacienda owners are arming themselves, preparing for a conflict with Monty. MC says that’s not the answer, Monty obviously got his military position appointed from some higher-up. She says diplomacy is what they need. If they remove Monty by force it could be dangerous. They must remove him legally. She tells Al to trust her, but he can’t because he’s worried (that’s right, our man is back, ulcer 2). He’s afraid that Monty will end up stabbing MC in the back. She tells him not to worry (asking Al not to worry would be like asking the sun not to shine, Mangle to not be a slut or Diego to not be so charmingly handsome…these characters have got to be what they’ve got to be, doesn’t she realize this?). At this moment Bernardo comes in and motions for Diego. He takes off with Bernie, because truthfully Diego wasn’t adding a whole heck of a lot to the conversation.

Bernie and Diego head up to his room. Bernie fills Diego in on some news, Monty is expecting a shipment of arms the next day. Diego plans to have Zorro hit Monty where it hurts, they are going to blow up the weapons. He adds that Monty will end up having to fight with palos y piedras (sticks and stones). Diego wishes that he could blow up Monty along with the arms, but he lets Bernie know about the Marquesa wanting to use some diplomacy to deal with Monty first, so for the time being he’ll have to refrain. Bernie has a bit more news, he lets Diego know that Fernando and his men were seen heading for the Mission. Diego knows that this can’t be good and the two men head for the Bat Cave via the Nancy Drew Staircase.

Prudencio and some of FS’s men are ransacking inside the convent. Prudi heads to Maria Pia’s room, she’s following behind begging them to leave things alone. Prudi finds a little box in MP’s room and he takes it to Fernando. Thankfully he did, because at this moment Fernando was just about to stab PT with a sword. Fernando takes the box and makes his exit, but not before adding that his men will make sure that even the ashes don’t remain.

Sara Kali’s very glazed eyes are open. Agapito urges her to get better because his fate is closely tied to hers. He’s worried that if she dies, Piza will follow through on killing him (ulcer 3). Aga tells her she’s a miracle, and starts to talk up this wonderful medication he used on her (so can we add drug rep to his list of careers?). He begs her to stay awake. She begs him to help her escape. He says no can do, you are in terrible shape (so much for the miracle and the wonder drug), you’ve got a bullet in you and lots of broken bones. She wonders how she got to this place and Aga mentions Piza. SK gets agitated, she tells Aga that Piza is a horrible man and he’s going to kill her.

The Marquesa is visited by her secretary. She says that under the current circumstances she’s worried (ulcer 4). She tells him that Sara Kali/ Mercedes is alive, in hiding somewhere near and that they need to find her and protect her. Sadly, she adds, her daughter is dead. Speaking of dead, her secretary (SEC) says he’s got some news too, the King is dead, assassinated in the palace. MC tells SEC not to breath a word of this to either Al or Diego. SEC says he’s worried (ulcer 5) for her because if the King’s been assassinated, something terrible could happen to her.

Meanwhile, back in Spain, the Duke is meeting with one of his underlings. They discuss the news of Zorro, and how he aided and abetted Mercedes’ escape from Callao Prison. The Duke says that the darn hunchback was supposed to kill her, what happened. Just then the Queen arrives, she wants to talk about her trip to the Americas. She’s angry with the Duke because he hasn’t done anything to arrange her travel (she needs to go to expedia.com), he tells her that these things take time, but he’ll see to it. She leaves and the Duke asks his underling if MC has been killed yet. The underling adds that the hits been ordered, but there isn’t any news as of yet. Good, because MC is the only one who could help Mercedes, the Duke lets us know.

Fernando’s merry men are ready to torch the Mission. Padre Tomás blocks their way. He tells them it would be a sacrilege to kill a priest. Prudi doesn’t seem to care, he aims his pistol right at PT. A shot rings out, it is from Zorro (here he comes to save the day, oops wait that’s Mighty Mouse). Z’s got a good aim (as opposed to many of the other characters on this program), his shot knocks the pistol out of Prudi’s hand. The arrival of Zorro seems to be more scary than the nuns with guns, Fernando’s merry men flee to the hills. PT says a thankful little prayer for Zorro.
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Al rehashes with Dena…all about MC’s visit and what they talked about in la sala. Al wants to make Monty pay, and Dena says that revenge will not bring Esme back. Dena tells Al that she wants the violence to end because she is fearful for Al and Diego (ulcer 6). Al urges Dena to get better, he misses his wife. He offers to draw her a bath and he begins to seduce her with words to make her forget. It seems to be working because their song begins to play.

A crying Maria Pia tells PT that she is sorry for what happened. PT hugs her and tells her that it is Fernando’s fault, not hers, but he’s afraid that FS won’t leave them alone (I might add that they are in MP’s room in the convent, not really the place for a man and the woman of the cloth to be alone together, but what do I know). Maria Pia tells PT that the box Fernando stole contains her personal things and she feels like she’s been violated.

Fernando, back at home, opens the box and sees mementos from his courtship with Maria Pia. Her diary is also in the box, and Fernando starts to read it (apparently in novelas, if your name is Fernando and you find the diary of the woman you love, it is okay to go ahead and read them), now he is more convinced than ever that she loves him. FS and MP’s song plays (speaking of this, does anyone know who sings this song? I really like it and would like to know the artist. Thanks.).


Nutty Nun and Renzo are still on the raft with Camba. Camba appears to be sleeping with his head in NN’s lap. She explains to Renzo that Camba is sick in the soul, that the demon that was in her left and now went to Camba. Renzo is puzzled. NN explains she was also sick, went to the convent to get better (but now she’ll never be a nun because the slave hunters stained her). Renzo seems moved by her story (I still think a future couple is brewing).

MC’s secretary pays two separate visits, one to Monty and one to Fernando. He delivers a notice for a meeting, which is to begin in two hours. Each of the recipients tries to get out of the secretary what is up MC’s sleeve. He doesn’t blab, but hints that some changes are going to be made. The scene with Fernando and the secretary is priceless, because Fernando rolled his one eye when he told the secretary that it is always a pleasure to meet with MC, it just made me laugh.

In the Bat Cave Diego rehashes with Bernie about what happened at the Mission. They discuss their plan to blow up Monty’s munitions. Bernie’s even rigged the explosives (this guy is amazing). Diego takes some satisfaction in knowing that along with the munitions, he’ll be blowing Monty’s illusions and ego as well.

Monty goes to Esme again, he tells her that MC is back in town. Esme says she’s here to make Monty pay. Monty says the one who will be paying is Esme, that she and her baby can rot away in the prison, for all he cares. He goes to rough her up and his shirt falls open, Esme sees the “Z” scar on his chest. She figures out that Diego must really think she is dead and is trying to make Monty pay.

Diego has memories of meeting Esme and some of his romantic times with her. Mariangel comes into the room and tells him that she wants to spend some time with her hubby.

Auggie thanks Esme for covering for him with Monty. He’s worried because now Monty suspects him of being up to no good (ulcer 7). Esme begs him to help her because Diego needs proof that she’s really alive. She has a letter already written, it was hidden under her cot. She urges Auggie to give it to Olmos, to tell Olmos he can prove he is on her side by making sure that Diego gets it (now, I say eliminate the middle man; why doesn’t she just Auggie to try to pass it along to Diego at some point, Olmos has proven to be untrustworthy, why would she give him another opportunity to stab her in the back?).

Mangle tells Diego that she’s been thinking about his idea of separation and she wants him to give her another chance. She can rid him of his sorry and mounts his lap. She starts to kiss him. I’m afraid that he starts kissing her back; oh things don’t look too good. Perhaps his bump on the head is clouding his judgment, but I think the viewing audience has a collective ulcer developing (ulcer 8?). END OF EPISODE/ ulcers= 8 / body count = 0 (Pizarro wasn’t even in the episode)

Labels: Zorro

Picture this: "Marfil" is wearing a blue pleather vest and an evil grin as she pours yellow liquid into a pestle. She's asked Max to come and have one last talk with him before she moves out. He arrives and tells tia Yolanda that he and "Marfil" are finally separating, then he walks right into "Marfil"'s little trap. He asks what "Marfil" wants to talk about, and make it quick because I've got to get back to the fabrica and make sure that Diana's not making it with Alvarro. "Marfil" tells him he will not ever see again as she throws the liquid into his eyes. Max is screaming and writhing in pain as she storms out the door with her suitcase in tow. Yolanda tries to stop her, but we all know that Yolanda is no match for this fiera. "Marfil" pushes her onto the couch and walks out. Max calls out to Yolanda to call an ambulance.

Meanwhile, the ratfink Alvaro is calling Diego to let him know that Diana has given Max a job at the fabrica. Diego is impactado. Pancho is there with him, so we get another scene of "worthless Diana" talk.

After Alavaro hangs up the phone, he proceeds to stand at the reception desk and talk to himself about how this will all work out - now Diego will get rid of Max, and Alvarro will have Diana all to himself. Caramelo overhears this and runs to tell Diana the news.

Diana is impactada. She didn't know that he was capable of such a thing! Emilio threatens to rearrange Alvaro's face, but Diana takes charge and fires Alvaro instead.

Next we're transported to the shack where Ignacio held Diana and Marfil/Debora captive. "Marfil" and Ignacio are very pleased with the sneak attack that will ruin Max's life forever.
At hospital TeleMiami, the Doctor and Yolanda are standing in the hallway discussing Max's prognosis. He won't know if Max's blindness will be permanent until they know more about the liquid. If it was acid, it will be serious. Their discussion is cut short by Max's screams, and they run in to try to reason with him and explain that he should stay calm while they run some tests.

Back to "Marfil" and Ignacio, who are still giddy with the success of their evil plan. What bad luck Diana has - a husband who's paralyzed and a lover who's blind. Ignacio comments that both Max and Diana will suffer greatly for all of their lives - as they should since Diana is the one to blame for Ignacio losing his license. All of this success seems to be making Ignacio frisky - as the scene ends, he slithers up close to "Marfil" and looks like he's thinking about putting the moves on her. Now wouldn't they be the perfect match!

Psycho Mansion: Diego is screaming for Gaviota. Is she aware that Max is working at the fabrica? A very pickled Gaviota is surprised to hear this.

We return to the fabrica, where the executive team has been reduced to Diana, Gaby, and Caramelo. They're discussing how Diana is going to explain to Diego that she's rehired Max. It's a surprise that they're so nervous about Diego's reaction - Diego's always sunshine and light!
Speaking of sunshine and light, at the mansion, Diego is continuing his talk with Gaviota. He's explaining the call that he received, and that he doesn't want them working together. Gaviota agrees - she doesn't want any stinking Irazabal working at her fabrica.

Larry's arrived at the hospital and learns from Yolanda that Max has been blinded by a liquid that Marfil threw in his face. Larry is impactado.

Diana is at her desk contemplating her next move, telling herself that Gaby and Caramelo are right - she's going to have to tell Diego the truth. She hopes he'll understand. Just then her phone rings - it's Larry calling to tell her that Max has been blinded by the liquid. (am I the only one singing "blinded by the light" right now? I think not). Violins take us to commercial.

Back from commercial, Diana is still on the phone with Larry. Max is at the same hospital that Diana worked at, and she should come quick. At the reception desk, Beatriz is telling Emilio about how unfair it was of Diana to fire Alvaro. Emilio disagrees, the guy wasn't a good employee anyway. They're interrupted by Diana, who runs in to tell them that she's going to the hospital to see Max. she presses the button for the elevator and immediately the doors open and Camila comes crashing out of the doors - runs into Diana and tells Diana to watch where she's going. Diana tells Emilio what hospital she's going to (as if there's more than one option) and leaves. camila asks what's going on, but Emilio is reluctant to tell her. He says it's best if she doesn't know, and walks away. Beatriz fills her in, and Camila instructs her to call Octavia immediately. Then she's off like she's been shot out of a cannon.

At the hospital, Max's head has been wrapped in gauze and he's screaming that he can't see. He's thrashing around in the bed and Larry's doing his best to hold one leg down as he tells Max to calm down, he's sure the doctors will be able to do something. Besides, Diana is on her way to see him. Max totally loses it when he hears this. He doesn't want Diana to see him like this. Yolanda runs to get the Doctor, who returns and tells the nurse to prepare a calmate. Then he proceeds to physically restrain Max while telling him to calm down. How's that for state of the art healthcare?

We return to psycho mansion, where dramatic piano music plays as Diego rolls himself out to the gazebo so that he can practice standing. He's getting out of his wheelchair pretty easily now, he just pulls himself up and grasps on to the nearest pillar. Too bad he can never let Diana know about this.

Back to Max: he's resting peacefully now, and Larry is at his side. Diana arrives and learns from Yolanda about Marfil's sneak attack. Diana enters Max's room and he awakes and tells her that he didn't want her to see him like that. She tells him to stop that foolish talk, she had to be there at his side. He tells her this is a nightmare, and she assures him that she will be by his side while he needs her. In the hallway, Yolanda is telling Larry that Marfil escaped, she wasn't able to detain her, when Camila comes barging in asking what room Max is in. They try to prevent her from going in, but she's stubborn as a bulldog. She'll open every door until she finds him!

As Camila is searching for him, Max and Diana are having a heart to heart. He wants to leave the hospital, but she tells him he must stay, and the important thing is that he's surrounded by loved ones. Max wants to know if she'll stay by his side, but before she can answer Camil storms into the room and tell her to get away from the bed.

In the hallway, Larry is telling Yolanda and Pilar's lies when Octavia and Paco arrive and want to know where Max is.

In Max's room, the ladies are fighting for the right to stay by Max's side. Camila reminds him that Diana lied to him about his son, but when asked to choose, we all know that he chose his glassy eyed maiden. Camila stomps out of the room, and Max tells Diana what a high price he had to pay to get her by his side. Cue the violins, and we're saved by the commercial.

Back from commercial, Yolanda tells Octavia and Paco what's happened and Octavia is not surprised to hear it. After all, Max has rejected her repeatedly over several months. Paco is impactado to hear Octavia try to defend the attack, and Larry is quick to tell her that it's not Max's fault. Just then Camila stomps out of Max's room and informs Octavia that Diana has thrown her out of Max's room. Octavia says that she will intervene in the affair (tomar cartas en el asunto), but Paco tells her this is not the time for a scandal.

In Max's room, the violins continue to play as Max and Diana have the same discussion they always have, except now Max is heartbroken that he won't see his son's first steps. Enter Octavia and Paco, and Diana announces their entrance and says she will leave him alone with them. Octavia tells him that now he's dealing with the consequences of his treatment of Marfil. Paco tries to get her to shut up, but that's like trying to get Caramelo to wear a real blouse that actually covers something. Max tells her that if she's just come to torment him, it's best if she leaves. Cue the synthesizers of doom.

We're transported to the convent in the selva, where Andres has managed to steal a nun's habit for the real Marfil to use in her plan for revenge. Tomorrow they will return to Miami, where they will take down Ignacio, Diana, and "Marfil." None of them can imagine what awaits them!

Back at the mansion, Gaby and Caramelo are talking about how furious Diego is going to be when he hears what's happened. Caramelo says that she imagines that fire will come out of his mouth. Little does she know that our little Mr. Sunshine is rolling up behind her, and he hears everything she says. He asks what they're talking about and Gaby tells him about "Marfil's" attack on Max. Much to Gaby and Caramelo's surprise, he's thrilled to hear it, but is less than thrilled to hear that Diana has gone to the hospital to be by his side.

At the hospital, Rene has heard the news and has come to check on Yolanda. Yolanda updates him on Max's condition - they still don't know if the blindness is permanent. It hurts her so to see Max like this, it's too much. Rene, ever the gentleman, offers his shoulder to cry on, but Yolanda pulls away and tells him that the kiss shouldn't have happened. Rene admits that he's completely in love with her, and we break for commercial.

Back from commercial, Diana is still at Max's side, and he's asking her to stay with him, don't go home and sleep with Diego. Their theme song begins to play as Diana confesses that they don't sleep together, and they never have. This is enough to appease Max, along with the promise that she'll return tomorrow.

In the hallway, Yolanda tells Rene that he's not in love, he's just confused. She's old enough to be his mother! Her friends, her family would think she's crazy! Rene is so cute as he pleads with her - age doesn't matter. She's special, unique. He knew it from the first time he saw her.
Gaviota's room at psycho mansion: Gaby has come to talk to her, and finds her drunk again. Gav explains that she needs it to help her forget Paco, and this is the only way she can escape. Gaby tells her the news about Max.

Rene is still pleading with Yolanda. It's true love, and doesn't she feel the same way? Yolanda tells him to stop this foolishness and be on his way. He agrees, but says that he's sure they'll talk about this again, so she needs to decide if she wants to see him again. Pobre de Rene!

At Casa Naca, Lala and Pancho are discussing what's happened. Pancho has no pity for this tipo, but Lala tells him that Diego's suffering is not Max's fault. She thinks it's best if they keep this a secret from Paola, who's already having a problem with drugs. Paola, meanwhile, is in the bedroom leaving a message for Andres to call her when he returns to Miama. Pancho enters and wants to know why she doesn't consider going into rehab. She says she's not an addict, and she has no intention of leaving him alone so that he can hook up with Caramelo. She says the only way they will be happy is if Caramelo is dead! She's not a murderer, but she can't stop wishing for bad things to happen to Caramelo. She should just multiply by zero.

Diana has returned home and is met by a cheery Diego, who's been waiting for her. Cut to commercial.

When we return from commercial, we learn that both of Max's corneas have been burned, but they're still not sure what the liquid was. They're still testing. As they talk, Max awakes and demands to know whether he will see again. The doctor says they don't know yet, and leaves the room. Yolanda and Larry give Max a pep talk about keeping the faith.

At Paco's apartment, he's questioning her behavior at the hospital. What does she have against Diana, is it just that she's Gaviota's daughter. She says yes, it's that, and that the "dead fly" got pregnant by her son on purpose, so that she could become an Irazabal. Paco tries to reason with her, and gets a glimpse of the real Octavia when she gets in his face and yells at him not to contradict her! He tells her that it's the first and last time she'll raise her voice to him. What happened to the woman he married in Key West? She tells him that he's getting to know the real Octavia, a strong woman, and don't critize me! Paco tells her that he's realizing that it was a big mistake to marry her, and walks out. Bruna enters the room and tells Octavia that maybe she should be a little more amiable with Paco, if she treats him badly she'll push him into the arms of Gaviota. She explains that she can't help it - Gaviota or her daughters are always in her way! Bruna says that she heard them saying that Max is in the hospital, what's happened? Octavia tells her that Marfil has thrown liquid in his eyes that's blinded him forever. Bruna is impactada.

Back to the funhouse, where Diego is berating Diana for going to the hospital. It's the same argument as always, up until Diego accuses her of being unfaithful, which she denies. She tells him that Max is the true father of her son, and is rewarded by a slap upside her head. Credits roll.

Labels: acorralada

Part One

Vera continues her rant against Luba to the Singing Aunt. She believes that Thelma asked Luba to bewitch Alina. Thelma overhears Veras suspicions and adds to them telling Vera and the aunt that she did ask Luba to do this. She states that she doesnt doubt that Luba and Gaspar had something to do with the death of Alina. Way to go Thelma taking advantage of the servants fears.

Labels: duelo

(Apologies for the late posting.


Today’s capítulo begins with a replay of the scene in Pilar’s hospital room. She’s had a comb-out, retouched her make-up, and looks ready to hop out of bed, throw on something skimpy, and dance the night away in a pricey little antro. Bueno, Pilar rehashes her latest evil scheme and swears Kique to secrecy. Larry is out in the hall, listening at the door. The consummate actor, he delays his entrance until she says, “Larry will never know that Gaby is innocent!” Kique denies any involvement and high-tails it when Larry threatens to break his face. Once they’re alone, Larry confronts while Pilar lies and denies. He calls her “basura” and tells her that he wants her out of his life forever.

Out in the hall, Kique runs into Sandy and warns her that now might not be the best time to visit Pilar. Larry’s in there, he knows everything, and he’s a fiera. Sandy is glad to hear it. Kique raises his eyebrows as the String Quartet of Doom strikes an ominous chord. He thought she and Pilar were friends. Sandy’s no longer sure about that. Pili’s gone too far with this lie. Gaby deserves happiness, more than Kique or Pilar do. Close-up of Our Evil Studmuffin, unsure if he should be impactado.

At Casa Naco, Paola is pacing the living room like a caged fiera. She’s got a mean case of the Dopehead Blues. She sits down on the couch and calls Andrés. On the end table is a framed photo of Pancholón, arms folded, smirking at the camera as if to say, “I’m the hottest macho that ever swung cojones.” Cut to Andrés, in Mother Superior’s office. He tells Peyola that he can’t sell her any wacky dust today, he’s out of town. Tomorrow. He goes on to suggest that she could pay with something other than cash. After all, it’s not like she’s legally married, and she wouldn’t be calling him if Pancho really made her happy. Paola gets up indignantly and replies that she’s only interested in the wacky dust. “Maybe you’ll change your mind tomorrow,” he says with a leer. She hangs up on him and paces, uncertain how else to score. I’ll bet Kique has a connection, but this does not occur to our simple-minded fierita. She sits back down on the couch and huddles in a fetal position. Lala would not be happy if her sofa cushions were punctured by the four-inch spike heels on Peyola’s ankle-strap sandals. Cue Maudlin Flute Ensemble. It’s all Pancho’s fault. Why does he love Caramelo better than her? Why doesn’t he divorce her? Why can’t he be hers alone?

Over at Perfumes Gaviota, Emilio tries to placate Max, who is fuming over Alvaro, saying he should have fired that loser when he had the chance. Gaby is about to enter, but she hears Diana’s name and stops at the door. She gets the scoop on Alvaro’s real intentions towards la Señora Presidenta. This comes as a big surprise to Little Doormat, despite the fact that three-quarters of the men on this show have wanted to bed Our Heroine at one time or another. En fin, Max thinks it would be an excellent idea to call Diego to clue him in and Gaby decides to nip that idea in the bud. She bursts into the office crying out, “Don’t you dare!” Diana’s having enough problems with Diego, thanks to Max and that photo of the infamous makeout session. (Little Doormat just fails to appreciate how sublimely ridiculous tele-suerte can be.) She gives the boys a lecture on office etiquette. They should stop gossiping and get back to work. Exit la Señora Vicepresidenta. Max and Emilio try to look suitably chastised.

Meanwhile, Alvaro and Diana are having a nice lunch at a beachfront restaurant. As predicted by Our Hero, Alvaro is making the moves on Diana, who fends him off with her gauche, la-de-da impression of a Lady of Quality. She didn’t accept his lunch invitation to discuss her private life. If he and Max don’t stop fighting, she’ll have to fire one of them. Alvaro’s not taking her act seriously. Diana sternly warns him not to fall in love with her. She is, after all, a Married Woman. He’s not put off by her schoolgirl airs and graces. He’s willing to bide his time.

Meanwhile, Gaby is cracking the executive whip in Diana’s absence. She enters Max’s office to ask if he’s signed the orders yet. Ever the professional, Our Hero responds with a question of his own: “Has Diana returned from lunch with that cretino Alvaro Ferrer?” “No.” Close-up of Max rubbing his forehead.

Back at the hospital, Pilar tearfully tries to convince Lunkhead that he just misunderstood. He can ask Sandy if he wants. “I was an idiot to believe your lies” / “I’m not lying, it’s the truth.” We’ve all heard this argument before, although Larry gives it a twist by crediting God with his fortuitous discovery of Pilar’s latest intrigue. Pilar keeps going. She seems to think if she keeps accusing Gaby long enough, Larry will eventually cave. Instead he tells her that she’s basura. Enter Sandy. Pilar frantically begs Sandy to tell Larry the truth. “Nuestra verdad,” she says loudly and emphatically. Sandy lets her down by telling Lunkhead what really happened. Larry is impactado. If looks could kill, Pilar’s fiera glare would have Sandy leaving the room in a body-bag.

We return to Perfumes R Us. Little Doormat hands a batch of invoices to Beatriz, telling her to review them, enter them into the computer, and file the originals. Our Secretary-Spy takes the folder and inexplicably heads for the elevator being vacated by Diana and Alvaro. They part amicably and Gaby hurries over to Diana to get the scoop. There is none, Our Heroine declares. She is a Married Woman. It was a business lunch. Gaby is worried that Max will get jealous and try to take away Maxito. “Let him try,” is Our Heroine’s defiant response.

Inside her office, Diana gets down to business. She is rummaging through her little handbag when Max enters. He wants to know how lunch with that imbécil Alvaro was. Our Heroine puts on a fresh coat of lipstick, aiming for smart, sophisticated nonchalance as she tells Max what a swell guy Alvaro is. Max forces her to abandon that silly pose as he grills her about her indiscreet behavior. Again she plays the Married Woman card. “Exactly,” counters Max. “Diego doesn’t deserve this.” Diana can’t believe she just heard that and for a moment I can’t, either. Then Max asks if Alvaro kissed her. Because if he did, Max will break his face. Close-up of Diana, impactada. Commercial.

We are outside. In the foreground, a silver crucifix dangles from a rosary. In the background, a snowy white statue of the Virgin. Cue Orchestra of Doom. Dissolve to Bruna, sobbing and praying behind a lovely arrangement of white roses. She performs an eloquent hand ballet with her rosary, covering her face at the end. She holds that pose for a moment, then grips the iron railing before her and raises herself up. Eyes shifting dementedly from side to side, Bruna says she must tell the truth about her daughters, all of it, so that the Virgin will forgive her. She sinks down again. Dissolve back to the statue, looking down serenely, hands folded in prayer. Dissolve to Bruna, who gets to her feet again. “The guilt is driving me crazy!” she cries. “I’m going crazy!” She repeats this three more times, matching the Orchestra of Doom’s rising hysteria, then snatches up her purse and runs off as if pursued by the Furies. Pobre de Bruna.

Back in Diana’s office, Max continues the interrogation. He tells Diana that if she has an affair with Alvaro, he will use it against her to gain sole custody. She questions his chances of winning, considering what kind of family the Irascibles are. Since this is a dull exchange, let’s just ignore them for a moment and break that statement down. With los Irazabal, Mini Maxi gets a bankrupt, homeless father; an unhinged, sociopathic stepmother; a drugged-out aunt; a criminal “uncle”; and a homicidal grandmother. With the Garcés-Soriano-Suárez clan, he gets a dim-witted mother; an insanely jealous stepfather; a dim-witted aunt; a criminal uncle; and an alcoholic grandmother. No, either way the poor kid is screwed. En fin, Max declares his intention of divorcing Marfil. More bickering. Our Hero then tells Diana that the girl he loved was just a mirage. The Nueva Diana can have all the flings she wants, with anyone in the fábrica. At this point he’s just inside his office, and the doors close on him. “I hate him!” Diana says. “But I also love him.” Close-up of Our Heroine, confundida.

Over at Emilio’s, Yolanda is sitting on the couch in that fugly brown dress with pale turquoise trim. I’d really like to know just what the hell Ofelia Cano did to offend Grisel Torres, the fanciful but economy-minded fahionista who dresses the cast. Bueno, Yolanda is flashing back to the kiss on the beach. Why did René kiss her? He could be her son. But it was sweet madness. Her reverie is cut short by a phone call from Max. He wants to speak to Marfil. Yolanda calls Our Little Blonde Weasel, who comes prancing out of the bedroom. She’s perky and lovey-dovey when she takes the phone from Yolanda, but Max quickly bursts her little bubble. Cue String Quartet of Doom. He wants her to move out. Now. Close-up of Debora, impactada, moving her eyes from side to side. She gulps. Close-up of Max, sternly telling her he doesn’t want to see her when he gets home. Close-up of Debora, impactada, moving her eyes from side to side.

Time to check in with Larry. Sandy repeats that Gaby is innocent and Pilar tells her not to lie. Our Airhead Adonis is still in fiera mode. He turns on Pilar and says she no longer has a chance with him. She has no scruples, he doesn’t want to see or hear her, etc. He’s off to beg Gaby’s forgiveness. Pilar becomes hysterical, but her tears fail to detain him. Close-up of Pilar, weeping; the door shuts; the sob turns into a snarl of rage and she begins shrieking at Sandy the traitor. Sandy apologizes, but Our Scheming Sex Kitten isn’t having any. She throws her pillows at Sandy, screaming at her to get out. Alone, pillows gone, she stops, panting, sweating, hair hanging in her face. She’s gone from fiera to she-demon. “I can’t lose Larry! I won’t lose him!”

We return to Emilio’s. Debora’s in Chihuahua-on-crack mode. She still hasn’t figured out that this never gets her the desired results. It doesn’t work this time, either. Max explains that no judge will give him custody as long as he’s saddled with a violent, hysterical wife, so she’s got to go. Debora vows to make him pay. She’ll never let him be happy with Diana. She hangs up, refuses to answer Yolanda’s questions, grabs her purse, and storms out.

Back at Perfumes R Us, las hermanas Soriano are in Diana’s office. La Señora Presidenta is having second thoughts about her decision to hire Max. Ever the shrewd and prescient observer of human behavior, Little Doormat says she knew that lunch with Alvaro would have consequences. They quibble about our star-crossed lovers’ tortured relationship. Diana concludes that Max is a cretin. Gaby agrees, but he’s a cretin Diana loves madly. Our Heroine has no answer to that. Close-up of Diana, sulking.

Meanwhile, right next door, Max is at his desk, poking himself in the forehead with a pen. Maybe this is his way of trying to stimulate an idea. Enter Emilio. Max rehashes his phone call. Menacing chords from the Orchestra of Doom as Emilio warns Max to watch out for Marfil. She’s capable of anything. Close-up of Max, distracted.

From there we go to Dr. Evil’s Lair. Someone’s at the door. With Andrés gone, Ignacio has to open the door himself. And what do you know, it’s Debora. She starts right in to crabbing about her latest problem. Dr. Evil is perfectly willing to put her up, but she’ll have to share his bed and tolerate Camila and Silvia. Debora’s not feelin’ it. She taps her little foot, waiting for a better offer. Iggy tries again. He’ll kick the girls out, but in return…She vigorously rebuffs his advances, then fusses and whines about Max going back to Diana. If “Marfil” can’t have him, nobody can. Okay, fine. Dr. Evil will help. After all, what’s one more crime on his rap sheet? He’ll give her something that will destroy Maximiliano’s life forever. Debora smiles. Commercial.

Back in Diana’s office, the girls are still jawing on about Our Heroine’s love-hate relationship with Max. After a while Gaby asks if they can’t work it out somehow. Of course not; Max doubted her innocence, blah, blah, blah. (Get over it already!) Anyway, Little Doormat reminds her that Max is the father of her child. Diana replies that Diego is the only father her child has. Pobre de Maxito.

Cut to reception where Larry gets off the elevator. We get a few bars of “Acorralada” before Gaby appears and asks what he’s doing there. Cue Gaby-Larry theme song. Lunkhead rattles off his apology, but Little Doormat isn’t interested. She has work to do. She starts to walk away, but Larry stops her. He begs her to listen. Close-up of Gaby, sighing.

Time to see what Debora and Dr. Evil are up to. He saunters over to Our Little Blonde Weasel holding up a travel shampoo bottle of lemon-yellow liquid. If she throws this in Maximiliano’s eyes, he will never be happy again. Close-up of Debora, clueless as to what’s actually in the bottle, but digging the sales pitch. A splash of this will avenge her. She takes the bottle, thinking “This is so totally freakin’ cool!”

Back at Perfumes Gaviota, we see Max at his desk. He’s finally signing those orders Gaby asked him about. Enter Diana, asking for those very orders. He gives them to her, grabs her hand, and tries to make her admit that when she’s near him she goes all a-tremble. Cue theme song. She denies it, pulls her hand free, and turns her back. Instead of leaving, she sits on the edge of his desk. He tells her that she makes him nervous. She suggests they seal the communicating doors between their offices and conduct all future business by phone. Max disagrees. He comes around the desk and suggests, at some length, that they knock down the wall, wipe away all the rancor between them with a kiss. Diana stares blankly at him, occasionally blinking her eyes, then asks if he really believes his kisses have that much power. “Let’s try it.” Diana continues to stare blankly at him until commercial.

We return to Paco’s love-nest, where everyone’s favorite víbora, Lady O, is grumbling that she’s bored. All her prestigious, high-society friends have turned their backs on her. Not that she wouldn’t have done the same had this happened to one of them, but still. “I must be reborn like the phoenix. I must rise from the ashes.” Again, a great opportunity for an over-the-top, melodramatic gesture wasted. Bruna enters, still weeping. “My daughter doesn’t love me,” she moans. “She hates me.” How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child, etc. Cue Orchestra of Doom. Octavia stares uncomprehendingly as Bruna shifts into madwoman mode. Speaking in a hoarse whisper, her black-ringed eyes darting about, she says her daughter is evil. She’s going to have to tell the whole truth about Marfil and Debora. What truth? And who’s Debora? Bruna sinks down to the couch in tears. She reverts back to her usual voice and repeats that her daughter doesn’t love her, Debora is evil, etc., etc. Lady Octopus is oddly agitated by all this. Bruna recovers herself and claims not to know who Debora is. She’s upset, confused. She’s going to her room. She grabs her purse and keys and hurries away. Octavia stares after her. “What’s wrong with Bruna? Could she be going crazy?” If Octavia’s face had any mobility left, she would have looked impactada.

Over at the fábrica, Larry and Gaby are having the “Please forgive me” / “Never” conversation. Little Doormat ends it by telling Lunkhead to forgive Pilar yet again and go back to her. Close-up of Larry, completely out of ideas.

Cut to Max and Diana. More blather about his super-besos. He moves in to plant one on her, but she pulls away. He may enjoy this game, but she thinks it’s “sumamente estúpido.” Exit Diana.

Meanwhile, Debora has returned to Emilio’s. She calls Max and says she’d like to have one last chat before she leaves. Max unquestioningly gets his keys and leaves the office. Cut to Debora, who waves her bottle says that Max will never be happy with her, Diana, or anyone else when she gets through with him. Close-up of the sinister bottle of liquid, followed by a close-up of Debora with a smug, evil little smile. Commercial.

We return to the reception area of the fábrica, where Alvaro is conducting some legitimate business with Beatriz. Max approaches and confronts Alvaro, warning him off Diana. Alvaro responds with “You’re not the boss of me.” Beatriz watches and listens, no doubt taking mental notes for her daily call to Octavia. After Max leaves, she tells Alvaro that they’re both wasting their time. Diana is a Married Woman. Besides, she will never leave her invalid husband. Exit Beatriz. Close-up of Alvaro as he tells us it would interesting if Diego were to find out that Max was working at the fábrica.

Hablando del rey de Roma, the Suárez brothers are out behind the villa, having a clandestine physical therapy session. Once again Pancho wants to tell Mamá, but Diego nixes that idea. Lala will tell Diana, who will divorce him, and then he’ll no longer be a millstone around her neck. His only remaining ambition is to make Diana’s life miserable. The phone rings. It’s Alvaro. He tells Diego that Our Heroine has given Max a job at Perfumes R Us. Diego sputters in disbelief.

Back at Emilio’s, Yolanda is sitting on the couch, sipping an espresso and thinking of René. Enter Max. He asks where Marfil is. Cut to the bedroom, where Debora gleefully pours the evil yellow mystery fluid into a bowl. Cut back to Max, who tells Yolanda what’s going on. He then goes into the bedroom. So, does Debora want money or what? He has to get back to work. She’s toying with him. She tells him he’ll never see Diana again. Max isn’t following this. What does she mean? “What do I mean?” She looks up, taps her upper lip with her index finger and turns away. She sashays over to the nightstand, mockingly repeating “What do I mean?” three or four times. She picks up the bowl, whirls around, and throws the mystery fluid in Max’s face. Our Hero covers his eyes and howls with pain. Debora watches, laughing with satanic glee as Max falls back against the dresser, screaming “My eyes! My eyes!” “No one makes a fool out of me!” says Our Little Blonde Weasel as she grabs her suitcase. She makes it as far as the living room, where Yolanda demands to know what’s going on, why is Maxi yelping like that, what did Marfil do to him? She threatens to call the police, but Debora slaps her down and bolts out of the apartment. Yolanda gets up and runs into the bedroom, where Max is still thrashing around and screaming. Rather than call 911, she tries to find out what happened. Max is not very forthcoming. He cries out, “My eyes are burning!” several times and finally Yolanda runs for the phone.

Roll credits

Labels: acorralada

In the lioness’s den, er Aldo’s office, Carmaniac and her stooge listen to Aldo philosophizing again about culinary ethnic delights. He proceeds, “Every dish has it’s own identity, that represents each region, each area. Let me put it this way. The palate is the true heritage of a man. Wherever an individual travels in whatever part of the world he brings his palate with the flavors of his childhood his whole life, his mom’s cooking and grandma’s deserts."

Stooge agrees, that no one makes the chiles de nogada like my Abue. He says that’s it, exactly! He asks what comes to mind if he says white rice and raw fish, and Carmaniac very proudly thinks of Japan, and he says yes, the Orient. He says imagine this scene, we come upon a man in the middle of the Salar de Uyuni “One to Savor” (so clever), and he is longing for the flavor of a good maté, a corte, coming out of the boca juniors soccer field to buy a choripan.


They think that’s beautiful and finally understand that he wants to fuse where one is living with culinary culture. He confirms that’s what he’s refering to. In the case of Oaxaca, food made with many spices and hundreds of ingredients. And all those are going to reflect our southwest of Mexico. He leaves to see the editor. Carmaniac tells her friend she loves him and would give her life for him. Stooge tells her to keep her life until after we finish this book, eh?

The cuartel also can’t believe Fer is going to act. Lola pipes in that that is no news because men are always good actors. They wonder about their dinner with Fer Colunga. PM calls Juan José Origel (Pepillo) at the La Oreja show to find out, she mispronounced his name at first but pretends that she is his best friend. He knows nothing yet and tells them not to worry though.

Fer tells Lety he’s nervous because Luigi made him doubt himself. Lety doesn’t know if Luigi will let him do it, but if he really wants to do it, well then she admires him for that. He says Really? L- Really. He proclaims that is enough for him then.

He asks her what she is doing and she says that besides Retromode they still need more biz so she’s going to make some client calls. He wanders over to her side of the desk to check out her work and she looks up at him just as he looks down and again they are close enough to invoke the spring sound. They back up quickly and Fer begs her pardon and leaves. Lety makes her funky pout face as she appears to contemplate what just happened. Maybe she’s finally breaking under his heat. She has to verbally remind herself to work.

Fer peeks in to Luigi’s office where all the others are reading the script. He asks if they are done and what they thought. Luigi first acts like it’s no good, then says it’s genius. Everyone agrees that it is wonderful, and they want to know where he found such an excellent writer. Fer starts to think of something to say then busts out that he wrote it. Everyone laughs and Luigi mocks, ha, "just like when Lety said she was Aurora." Fer is befuddled. Luigi asks everyone to leave so he can be alone to concentrate. Fer double checks that Lui really likes it. He kicks Fer out.


Here at Conceptos where we have this giant building and presumably quite a number of people working in it…have you noticed the randoms that wander through the vortex periodically…and we have the president doing marketing? Anyway, Lety is on the phone pitching Conceptos to additional prospective clients for work besides the Retromode campaign. She promises to send them a proposal for their review.

Then she whips out her best baby voice and calls Aldo. He asks if something's wrong because he thinks it's strange that she called when they just saw each other in the morning. She said she’s fine she just wanted to hear his voice. He says that makes him happy. She asks if they can eat together and he says unfortunately he’s very busy with the book and can’t get away. She asks if he’s with the editora and he says yes. She asks herself what she should do because that woman wants to steal her boyfriend!!

Just then, commercial break that doesn’t make sense, and then we come back to her telling Aldo she’s not jealous. She’ll await him later when he’s unoccupied.

Marcia comes in to her office mocking that Fer would have such multi-talents. She looks at her computer and it’s an e-mail photo of Ali and Tomy on their Luna de Miel, eating of course. Ali tells Mar not to be jealous of how queenly she’s being treated, and that they are eating incredible banquets like this one all day long.

Lety in her office is looking at a similar e-mail and Tomy tells her they are having fun, but they have no money and can only eat during the hotel's free breakfast so they fill up on this for the whole day. Lety wonders what he got himself into with this marriage.The cuartel miraculously appears and is surrounding Lety. PM says she and Saimon would have had more fun because they wouldn’t have come out of the room!!

Simon in the F&O office says to Fer even though you are only an assistant now, you are still my hero. Simon says he’ll follow his orders because they are brothers and that now they are at the same level at the firm. Simon tells him he’s now earning 1 % of what he was earning when he first started. Don Omi makes fun until Simon tells him he has no compensation, because he is on commission as a freelancer and gets paid only when he brings in clients. Simon leaves. Omar whines. They discuss that he should be happy to have what he has and Fer admits he hasn’t lost hope with Lety.

The cuartel beg Lety to eat with them. She says ok, how about we go to a great restaurant. They get excited. We then flash to O and F counting their pennies to try and get lunch. Fer says they can go to the Comidilla, and he’ll buy if they want. Marcia interjects can you imagine the Mendiola-Villaroels eating at almost the same table as the cuartel? Omar can’t stomach that (pun intended). Fer essentially says they have two choices, they either die of hunger or they go to the Comidilla. Omar wants Marcia to invite them to Le Noir.

The cuartel is discussing restaurants when Omar goes out to find out if they are going to the Comidilla. He finds out they are going elsewhere and that makes him happy. They ask where he’s going and he says probably Le Noir because they like the finer things. Martha says maybe you’ll invite us then. Omar says yes, then no.

Lety then asks if they decided and of course they couldn’t agree. Just then Saimon comes up and says he knows the menu for the Comidilla. He tells them the delicious foods and they get really hungry for it.

The trio continue discussing whether or not they should got to the Comidilla. Fer tells him each time he looks more like his ex girlfriend Alicia. Omar bawks. Fer continues to tell Omar "don’t act like that, you have your past."

They then decide to play Chin Chan Pu to decide if they should go to the Comidilla. Marcia grows impatient and tells them just let’s go.

So then we are there. They are enjoying the food, Mar thinks it’s good but a little greasy, but the boys are fine. Of course the cuartel shows up. They discuss how life can turn it’s tables and how they ought to handle running into them. Juana says very casually lets walk by. She then screams for them and runs over to the table. Fer asks them all to join them for lunch. He smiles a very cute smile.

We suddenly leave this great opportunity for funnies and go to the studios where Luigi is walking through the script on the set, [Notice the logo and initials of the agent FEO, again clever..] and he decides that something is missing and that maybe a few things need to be changed.

The trio shows up asking if Lui is ready. He says yes and that he’s just making the final changes to the script and waiting for the actress. Fer gets mad and asked who authorized him to make changes to his masterpiece. Luigi mocks that he is challenging the director’s right to modify the script to make it more ingenious. Fer looks at it and mocks that changing a comma or one word makes it so much more ingenius? Luigi says yes, that lastima is not the same as lastima (with accent- one is pity or shame and the other is hurt)

Fer begins to berate him. Uh oh…Fer begins to tell Luigi to come back down to earth, that he is common and ordinary, and nothing special or extra ordinary. And you know who drives you mad, Ruly, you know why he’s not answering the phone, because he’s left you!! At this, Lui loses it and B-slaps Fer right across the face!! Mar jumps in and pulls them apart.

We come back from the commercial to chaos. Mar checks his face and says there is only a small scratch. Omar holds back Fer as he lounges toward Lui. He tells Omar he’s not going to hit an old lady. Fer complains it won’t stay this way, and Lui says of course not, it’s going to swell.

Luigi apologizes to the whole studio, but says that Fer brought out the beast that lives within him and noone has said such horrible things to me before. Fer says that’s because no one has told you the truth. He complains about being scratched and that he can’t film this way and that he’s not in sequence, as the phrase says. Luigi tells him not to worry because the only thing in sequence is wardrobe. Lui tells him he shouldn’t have messed with him and anyway he’s going to be in character and besides make up will hide it.

Omar restrains him again and Fer tells him, look I’m not going to hit him Carvajal. Fer calls him a little girl among other things and Mar tells him to quit.

They discuss that he is going to be in character as a super seducer, but it’s a secret. If Reynard accepts the program then you concede that we’ll have to get a real actor right? Mar reminds them of their debt and that they should get to work. Fer says he works and doesn’t scratch people.

Mar asks for them to each extend their hands. Reluctantly they both agree, finally Luigi grabs Fers and shakes it but then leans in for a kiss. Fer freaks saying only the hand.

In the vortex Irma calls for a code red and describes the bloodshed when a playboy bunny type shows up looking for Luigi. They lead her back.

The make up woman is touching Fer up. Fer asks Omar how it looks, and O says it looks like it’s starting to swell. Fer screams for a mirror fast to look at his face. Mar teases that he’s more vain than Aurora. Fer tells her, I’m not vain, it’s just that actors have to….and he cuts himself off and gives back the mirror.

They get ready for Fer to start. He does his “acting calisthenics” and reminds himself to enunciate. He then launches into a sensational description about the pilot.

"We present a program based on a very special personality, different. The person is a secret agent a spy and dynamic visionary of the federation of expert operatives of the ultra secret international agency. Your lead character does come with certain defects, yes he is an interesting, adventurous, and valiant man, but, and there is a big but….Woman don’t pay him any mind why you ask? You will see when the show continues with the Federation of Expert Operatives, FEO secret agent."

Omar runs up and wants his autograph. Luigi is muy impactado and pleased. They all think he did a great job.

Aldo and Lety are together and she is saying that right about now they are making up Don Fer. Aldo laughs that he is going to be dressed up as character. Aldo says he misses Lety. She says she misses him to. More baby talk about how she is the reason for his existence etc.

We go back to the studio where now on stage is a steel fermentation barrel. Luigi knocks on it to ask if Fer is ready, and he doesn’t want to come out.

Luigi runs around to the back and tells him he has to be ready. The suspense mounts. The barrel spins. Fireworks light up. Through the smoke we start at the floor and follow some light colored sort of striped pants up to the very nice buttocks, and we get a glimpse of an arm holding a large black weapon.

We flash to a surprised audience and then a muy, pero muy, impactado Lety!!! and cut!

Labels: fea