Caray, Caray!

Ordinarily on Fridays in DF I unleash the little hamster and let him roam freely following wherever his little rodential whims lead us. Sorry little fellow, thanks to the suits at Univision there will be no free-range aimless wandering about Mexico for us tonight. Nopis. It's up on that wheel with you and let's see if we can put some coherence to this mishmash of information we have in front of us this evening.

Part I, Brandon, We Need To Talk


Ilitia has prodded her own little hamster rewarding us with a... :

Flashback!

Brandon and Ilitia. It was good sex... but was it safe sex? Yikes!

"Five weeks you say? No, no, no! I'll die! No, no, no!" Sipis. It all adds up. A naco spermatozoan has found refuge in a supermodel ovum and even as we speak, a dark fetal poli is nestled safely in that warm pampered womb.

Fedra is shocked... shocked to find Alfredo in the massage room frolicking with Delicia, "Delicia, you slutlet! Wait'll I tell Axel." Poor Delicia is dismayed and flees. Fedra likes the cut of Alfredo's jib. She just might have a little job for him later.

*At the agency, Victoria rants. Anyone really care? Yes! This is an important scene as Vicky swoons. Soooo... looks like Ilitia is not the only one expecting the stork. Remember, you heard it first here, folks. Doris strokes and fans her. No doubt... embarazada.

Ready to film, but Jorge comes in and tosses verbal ice water on Andre, The lipstick people don't want Andre as a spokesperson.

*Losers. Alfredo and Lorena discuss Axel's upcoming nuptials. Lorena hopes they will be very happy together. Gretel joins them, exchanges unpleasantries with Lorena, then Al keeps Gretel from pouncing on her to rip her hair out by the roots.

Noticing that Gretel is a tasty morsel, he begins chatting her up. Hasn't seen around the campus lately. She tells him of her journalistic plans and he is almost as impressed with her plans as he is with her cleavage.

Doris speaks up in defense of him but he doesn't want her as his guardian angel. Jerk.
Andre is an angry young man... he almost knocks Eman down as he stalks off... Vicky takes the opportunity to carp at Emanuel a bit. Shouldn't he be at the gynecologist's with his wife?...next!

Gretel is all set to blow off Alfredo when a jealous Oliver strolls up. She takes the opportunity to needle Oliver by agreeing to meet Alfredo for dinner tonight and later perhaps they can go to a club. He calls her mamita which turns Olivers simmer up to boil. Alfredo splits. Gretel glowers. Oliver grovels. Gretel goes.

*Ilitia has come to visit mom. Problems . Muñeca admits that she's never been pregnant but is willing to listen.

*Eating grapes again, Eman consults with Benigno. This baby thing has botched things up between him and Victoria de la Garza. Well, yeah. But what about between her and the other? "Other?" "El Lirio de Plata.." Now I have no captions for this, but I'm willing to believe that Benigno has discovered a loophole.

*José Maria has arrived at the naco dorm, runs into Brandon. He offers Brandon a beer and tells him about his new job at la Buena Vida. Brandon's heard of it and knows the owner well. Emanuel Ruiz y de Teresa. Brandon thinks the place is a front for el Lirio de Plata. José M offers to keep hiseyes and ears open to suspicious activity for Brandon. "Who do you think is el Lirio de Plata, anyway?" Brandon tells him, " I don't have proof but am certain it is Emanuel Ruiz y de Teresa."

Ilitia comes clean with her mom, "You were right. The child I'm expecting is not Emanuel's. It's Brandon's.
A pouting Vicky is joined in her room by a hunky Lirio de Plato. I see she has maintained the Ruiz y de Teresa open door policy.

*José asks why Eman is the prime suspect. He tells him that Eman always seems to turn up at the scene of eLdP's crimes. Being the good cop that he is he pumps JM for information about eLdP. He tells Brandon that it was the name of a boat over twenty years ago. Brandon wants more but JM pleads ignorance. Brandon thinks the key may be why the boat was called el Lirio de Plata. José M thinks the more important question is why is a criminal now calling himself el Lirio de Plata? Brandon leaves without even taking the first sip of his beer. Cap'n Joe is apparently no mental giant, he wonders what it all must mean. Yep, that's Emanuel's daddy alright.

El Lirio de P wants to take Vicky someplace. Why not? She's trying to forget Emanuel, anyway. He promises that she'll be safe with him. Oh drat... she was hoping perhaps not.

*Muñeca suspected as much. Ilitia tells her that when Eman finds out hat she is five weeks along, he will suspect the truth. I'm not so sure. He doesn't strike me as being all that good with math. After all, he watched the ultrasound of a five week baby and never suspected anything amiss. I think she could pull this off. Muñeca tells Ilitia that she must tell Manny the truth.
*Delicia is abed and not feeling very well. Hasn't she learned by now that one must never eat anything prepared by Fedra?

Delicia is now asleep in her bed. The door opens and we see some familiar feet. Fedra has brought a guest. It's creepy Alfredo. Delicia's been drugged.

*Fedra tells Al to strip.

Ilitia is terrified that Emanuel will discover the truth. Muñeca tells her that the marriage is a shipwreck. Best to be truthful and move on. She reminds her that Brandon is the child's father and of how she felt when she discovered that Muñeca is not her birth mother. "You're right. I know what I have to do." ¿Que? Who is this girl and what has she done with our Ilitia?

How nice. Fedra has taken up photography and is taking snapshots of a gorked Delicia and a buff (and in the buff) Alfredo. This is low, even for you, Fedra. She has him bite her shoulder.

*OK, that' enough. She reaches into her blouse, pulls out a check and hands it to him. He'd like to stay on awhile. You creepy little ratbastard!

Meintras tanto, Leon has come by. Muñeca offers him a drink.

He's come by to invite Muñeca out for dinner. She declines. He understands, but by the way, what does she think about the ring he has brought for her?

Alfredo is alone with Delicia, but thank goodness an impatient Axel is home and is knocking at the door, "Delicia, what is happening? Open the door mi Amor." Creep Boy gets dressed.

Muñeca has already been married to a criminal. She doesn't want to go back down that road. Sorry Leon. Leon is truly smitten. He's ready to give himself up... turn his life around. Well that changes everything. Let's hear more.

*Brandon is freshly showered and strolling about the parlor chatting with his mom. She's worried about Doris. He reminds her that she spent two unsupervised years up north. That does not reassure Gladiola. Door's open, Ilitia glides in.

"Brandon, we need to talk."

El Lirio de Plata has brought Vicky to a hospital room where two boys are sleeping. They are at a convent that takes in orphans. These boys are sick and need help. He has brought her here to show her where the stolen money is going. She's impressed. The boys are glad to see him. El Lirio de Plata never forgets his friends and he has brought a garbage bag full of gifts for them to enjoy and share.

*Axel's in the kitchen complaining to Paula. He's worried about Dee... as well he might be. She reassures him telling him not to worry. Sure. She pats his cheek as

Axel runs into Alfredo as he comes out of... Delicia's room? (if you just watched the Univision version, that's the impression you'd have.) Actually he pops into the kitchen. Nevertheless, "What are you doing in my house, imbecile?"

Gladiola is not pleased. Ilitia says that it is urgent that she speak with Brandon. Brandon is none too pleased himself, but asks his mom to give them five minutes. Her tantrums (berrinches) don't take long. Gladiola tells him to cover himself up and reluctantly leaves them alone together.Ilitia wants to discuss the child that she is expecting.

A man of his word, Garduño calls Comisario Tejeda and tells him that he's ready to make a deal. "First thing tomorrow." Of course there are conditions, but Garduño thinks a judge will be interested. He's bringing names, dates, places... enough to dismantle the Organization. Tejeda is skeptical, but agrees. Muñeca is enthralled. Not only will she wait for him... she'll visit as often as allowed and will bring the Maratón board. OK, I added that last bit... but I'm sure she will.

He has another call to make. He calls Ordaz to tell him to prepare all the red book documents. He's going to turn himself in. Ordaz is not happy... and neither is Lorenzo who happens to be with the lawyer. Lorenzo says, "I told you so." He knows Muñeca. After all, he's been married to her for twenty years. Ordaz pomotes Lorenzo to Boss right then and there with only token reticence on Lo's part. He quickly takes charge, "Of course Gorduño's gotta die." Hey, that goes without saying.

Axel, poor dim child, still wants to know what Alfredo is doing in his house. "You've got two pretty sisters." Actually he came to help Kristel plan a fiesta at the club. Hey, works for me. Seems to work for Axel. Poor dim child.

Brandon, still wrapped in a towel around the waist (I wonder if he ever got around to exhaling while we were away?) asks Ilitia to leave. She still hasn't said what she came to say. He tells her to get to it then. Then, (and this surprised me) tearfully she tells him that she does not want this child. I. Am. Disappointed. In. Ilitia.

El Lirio de Claus distributes his gifts. He tells the boys that nobody should know that he's been here. The boys ask if Vicky is his novia. "I wish."

Part II, Hasta Nunca, Garduño... ¿Me Estás Siguiendo?
"No one who feels a love so special and so grand for the children can be criminal." Vicky beams with pride as el Lirio de Plata hands out gifts and bonds with the boys. I'm not so certain... Lorenzo appears to have boundless love for his children and yet he has just been promoted to Criminal # Uno. Nonetheless, it's refreshing to see Miss Bitterweed crack a wisp of a smile. The kid in the blue pajamas suggests that eLdP marry the pretty lady and take them to live with them. He gets an extra gift for this. Uh oh. The door opens and Ted Baxter pops in holding a flashlight. (I thought that he had died.) So much for our little secret visit. Ted calls for HELP!

Garduño is admiring the ring he bought for Muñeca when he is joined by the new Meester Big, Lo. Apparently the criminals don't lock their doors either. Julie, a nation is crying out for your lock franchise. Ordaz joins the party, "The two of us (los dos) have an important matter to straighten out (arreglar) with you." Garduño tells them that they are wasting their time if they think he can be persuaded to change his mind. Ordaz informs him that his associates are very unhappy with him and to emphasize the point goons with guns pour in from both sides. Garduño draws his own pistol and orders everyone out. It apparently not yet occurred to him that he is no longer Boss Baddy. Finally, Lo apprises him of the change in leadership. "You are history, Garduño."

Vicky's anxious to leave. ELdP suggests via the window. She wonders at his fixation with windows, but sure, "¡Vamonos!" The boys urge them to hurry but eLdP reassures them, "Don't worry, this isn't the first time that I've had to leave in a rush."

Garduño still doesn't see the big picture as he points out Lo's inadequacies for such a big job. He threatens to kill Lo, who urges him to go ahead, "Muñeca will never forgive you for killing the father of her children." "You just had to bring up Muñeca." Garduño is on the verge of tears. he hands over his pistol, "You want to direct the orchestra? Do it." Did this man not watch the Sopranos? Every single one of us knows what comes next. "Hasta nunca Leon Garduño." Lo plugs him right through the heart. He tells the goons to bring him Mauricio. He kneels and retrieves the ring from Garduño's lifeless hand.

*Jairo and Gretel have come to a club to have a beer. She's interested in becoming a journalist. He's interested in Gretel. Looks as though they are in La Buena Vida, but I'm not certain.

They get their beer. He moves in beside her and puts his arm around her. They sip the beer. Oliver arrives with Doris. Visual deathrays are exchanged across the room.

Brandon is still wrapped in a towel as he sits on the sofa and asks Ilitia why she doesn't want this baby. Before she can answer, her quickly acknowledges that he has nothing to do with the matter... it's between her and Eman. She pleads for him to listen to her.He tells her he's listening, but then complains about her choosing him to talk about such a thing because he's the cop, the gorilla, the brute, her garbage bin (bote de tu basura). "No, you're not a brute, Brandon, you're an idiot (tarado) and unfeeling. You don't know what's happening to me." He points out that she has everything that she ever wanted. She insists that she doesn't want this baby. "Don't say that. Life is sacred. It's not for you to decide if this baby is born or not." She tells him that it's her body and she doesn't want to have this baby." She storms out without telling him that he is the baby's father. I know that I shouldn't be surprised, but I honestly expected this one time, that she would tell him the whole truth of the matter.

*Emiliano and Tio Max commiserate over Eman's misfortune of having Ilitia get pregnant. Emiliano muses about how it's too bad that Manny's not in love with his wife, but he's not really sure who he loves because he's said that he was in love with Marianela and is now saying that he loves Victoria de la Garza. Flaunting TN rules, Max smugly gets right to the point. "Doesn't matter. She's the same woman." Your can almost picture Emiliano's little hamster struggling to provide sufficient power to process this. His face does a number of contortions, takes, and double takes. "Say what?"

Oliver complains that Doris drug him here to see this. She tells him that she had dated Jairo and though she never cared much for him, he always managed to steal a kiss. Gretel complains to Jairo of her disappointment in Oliver whom she thought was her perfect match. Jairo thinks that she should look elsewhere and to help head her in the right direction, kisses her forehead. Oliver goes beserk and leaves. Gretel whispers an unheard sad, "Goodbye, Oliver Rosales, para siempre." Yeah... sure... next!

*In la Mala Noche, la Reina de la Noche is announced. She dances in her new duds. As she does her chair dance, the newly crowned Meester Big oozes in leaving a slimy trail. Bernardo looks on... displeased.

*More Max and Emiliano. Emi thinks that it's unhealthy for Jorge to be hanging around since he's not Marianela's husband. He's also worried that she might kick them all out. Max doubts that. Max learns of Axel's wedding. In retrospect he should have followed his heart himself. He advises Emil to not lose Netty. He growls and snarls at the thought of Fedra.

La Reina de la Noche is in her dressing room with Bernardo. She has a new outfit... more revealing but even less flattering. Fedra, in the right clothes, you'd make a bulldog break his chain. However, for you sweetheart, less coverage is not necessarily better. Maybe you could learn a thing or two from Netty about dressing for work.

Bernardo's upset that Lorenzo is here. The Queen assures him that she did not invite him and has never even mentioned la Mala Noche to Lorenzo. They quarrel. Bernardo doesn't trust Lo. La Reina calls Bernardo a traitor. Fortunately Bernardo leaves as Lorenzo Menso enters. The two exchange pleasantries, each offering the other a free trip to Hell.

Vicky and eLdP must have found an open window because they're back in Vicky's room. Hey, she's smiling. She's glad that he took her along. She tells him that he's a lot like Emanuel. Well, duh! He wants to be her novio and lifts the mask to steal a kiss. I'm wondering why Mexico's mask makers don't make opening for the lips. Remember the trouble Furia Enmascarada (Gancho) had eating pozole with that mask on? With great timing Jorge arrives and is scandalized to see them kissing. He is clutching a dish to whack eLdP with, but thinks better of it, but he's really pithed.

Lo seems to have found out all about Juana Felipe Pérez. He tells her that her secret is safe, but she knows him better than that, "What do you want?" He reviews with her the ups and downs of their relationship over the years, '...including trying to kill each other, and here we are, no, we continue on together, Fedra, and our skin is much more sincere than all that could have said to each other." I'm lost with Fedra here... "¿Eh? What does our skin say? " He's just saying that they belong to each other and to seal the deal he offers her... the ring Garduño offered Muñeca. Classy. "you mean divorce Emiliano?" No need. That's Fedra Curiel. He's asking Juana Felipe Pérez to marry him. Say what?

Jorge jerks Vicky away from youknowho. They exchange insults. Vicky says that it's time for eLdP to go. He goes. A possessive Jorge asks Vicky if she's OK. Well he's miffed. First Brandon, now this guy... Jorge thought that he was next in the line of succession. It's not fair!

Dee's and Axel's wedding day. Gladiola is helping Letty convert the pension into a wedding chapel and they've done a darn good job. Doris is impressed. Maybe someday...

It'll happen she is assured with her all in white with a seven meter train. Gladiola adds that first she needs to give up on that guy. "You know whom I'm referring to." Andre, are your ears burning?

*Brandon is interviewing Ted at the convent, "With a woman you say?" The boys think she was his novia. Brandon takes a moment to explain to the boys that eLdP is no hero. Nopis, he's one of the bad guys. One of the boys remembers, "The lady's name is Victoria. Thanks, kid. Brandon muses aloud, "So Marianela was with him." "Victoria," Ted corrects. "Ummm, yeah, Victoria."

Delicia thanks Marianela for agreeing to be her madrina. Jorge offers his services as padrino. "Ummm, we' ve got some else in mind... thanks anyways, Jorge." The groom arrives with his sister, Gretel, and his dad, Emiliano. Emi clasps Netty's hands. She bats her eyelashes. Jorge is still concerned about the padrino and deflates when Emanuel enters and announces that he was chosen for that honor.

*Looks like Lo and Fedra have shared a nap on her red sofa. I wonder what would be revealed on that sofa under a UV light? She looks at his watch flees in a panic. .

Paula shows up. Oliver, too. Gretel asks why he hasn't brought one of his conquests. Axel, sensing trouble, asks her to cool it, at least for today. Netty thinks it's time for a toast.

*At la Buena Vida, Bernardo shows up . José Maria joins him for a drink. They chat, Fedra's hitman stands up and shoots at JM but Bernardo jumps up and takes a bullet in the arm for his Capitán.

Fedra is in a clothing shop and needs a knockout, in-your-face dress...now! She has a wedding to stop.

*Brandon arrives.

Here's the bride, all smiles, and a knockout smile. The service is underway.

Meintras tanto, Fedra is stuck in traffic.

*José Maria dresses Bernardo's wound. Bernardo warns JM against Fedra even as he defends her. JM wants to know what has become of the Bernardo he once knew. Then he accuses him of being in love with Fedra. We already knew that Cap'n... next!

Lots of intense meaningful glances. Emanuel and Marianela install the traditional lasso . Rings are exchanged.

Fedra's ready to explode. She abandons her car, telling the workmen to keep an eye on it (good luck with that), sets out on foot, and in one of the funniest visuals I've ever seen, drops out of sight over a precipice of an excavated sidewalk. The workman shrugs and delivers the best line of the episode, She fell! (¡Se cayó!)
En el nombre del Padre, del Hijo, y del Espiriyu Santo, los declaro marido y mujer."

Applausos. Beso. Fedra's here! She grabs a drink. She's got photos!


Double yikes!

But the kids are married.




Well, this has been an adventure. A technical glitch just as I was finishing delayed things for almost an hour. The little hamster is exhausted and has threatened to call the SPCA. A Pox on Univision. It's Millertime.

Carlos

Labels: llena

LA REINA DEL SUR
Part One: A Comment -- feel free to skip the purple prose and go directly to the summary below.

¿Se acabó la luna de miel? ¿Pa’qué te digo que no si sí?
Let’s get a few things straight. For my money, this is still the best acted, best written Spanish language telenovela-formatted dramatic series I have ever seen. Yes, that’s a mouthful –

Spanish Language Telenovela-Formatted Dramatic Series

Because calling this a telenovela sets up false expectations. A traditional telenovela tells the story of a set of characters over time; there are subplot excursions, to be sure, but essentially everything is in service of filling out the dramatic arc. A good part of the pleasure for the viewer is in figuring out how the pieces will eventually fit together; we don’t doubt for a moment that they will fit together.

Remember Aurora? You know, that promising original sci-fi novela starring lovely and gifted Sara Maldonado and everyone’s favorite hunky good guy, Jorge Luís Pila? The show that inherited so much viewer goodwill from its predecessors, El Clon, and ¿Dónde está Elisa? that many of us (myself included) were willing to accept the absurd premise that Eugenio Siller’s twenty-something Lorenzo had morphed into Pila’s forty-something self? (As for the silliness of the science – let’s just acknowledge that technical and scientific accuracy aren’t high on Telemundo’s priorities, adjust our beanies accordingly, and move on.)

I watched as the plot of Aurora took unexpected and -- to me, at least -- unwelcome twists and new characters were introduced with backstories that gave the lie to what I thought I knew. I finally gave up on Aurora when I realized that the problem was me, not them. Telemundo was aiming this one at adolescents and young adults. Definitely not fodder for most of us at CarayCaray.

¡Me cayó el veinte!But now, after a couple of weeks of La Reina del Sur I understand something else: both this new show and Aurora resemble episodic television adventure shows more than they do traditional telenovelas. In each episodio, there is a mini-adventure. Something happens and is resolved. Usually at the same time, a small subplot plays itself out as well. Because the show is aired daily, an ‘episode’ may extend beyond a single evening. But the only story arc that we can expect to continue from the first cápitulo to the last is Teresa Mendoza’s life and times.

In the past few years, I’ve been a little out of it as far as English-language adventure series are concerned, but I imagine that Lost was a bit like this. Super fans could probably tell you everything that had happened to their favorite characters from day one; but casual viewers could tune in to any episode and enjoy a satisfying one-hour story. Years ago, The Fugitive had a long run (sorry); we knew he was looking for the elusive one-armed man, but on the way, we could count on him for a thrilling evening’s adventure.

I’m guessing that the first two capítulos of La Reina that were shown here make up a single episode in the fourteen part version to be shown on Spanish television. That version is likely more faithful to the book and more novelistic in structure. But our version is geared to (if I were unkind, I’d say ‘panders to’) our pan-American tastes for plot movement – threats, chases, judicious doses of beautiful young bodies, male and female. The structure of the book doesn’t exactly lend itself to neat segments of plot so the writers have been busy embroidering. The result? The Adventures of La Mexicana, based on the novel La Reina del Sur. They’ve given us a daring escape from a frustrated DEA agent here, a gutsy foray into a Moroccan orphanage there. Even Teresa’s anonymous ‘grief sex’, although based on an event in the book, is fleshed out into a glimpse into the life and death of sympathetic policeman, Jaime (Juan Pablo Raba).

Maybe that’s why the novela Eva Luna turned out to be such a hit. I watched it early on and found it unbelievable that the producers would gamble everything on Blanca Soto, a drop-dead gorgeous beauty queen with very little skill as an actress and a voice that can only be described as challenging. But they were right on the money! People wanted lots of plot movement, no matter how ridiculous the storyline, and were happy just looking at Blanca, especially when she was paired with Guy Ecker (who must have spent most of his scenes standing on a box so he wouldn’t appear to be staring at Blanca’s chin.)

Here in La Reina del Sur we get plot up the wazoo including chase scenes, sex scenes, and fist fights, gun fights, knife fights; splendid acting; marvelous location shots; and a chance to listen to interesting and varied Spanish dialects. So I’m not complaining. I’m just sayin’…---------------------------------------------------------
LA REINA DEL SUR
Part Two: Friday’s Episode, in brief
Santiago and Lalo head out to sea with a full consignment of drugs in spite of Teresa’s gut feeling – un presentimiento -- that something bad is going to happen. “Yo no soy el Güero” he tells her as he goes out the door.

In Yamila, Soraya notices that Dris is in an unusually expansive mood.

The Gallegos are in Moroccan waters when a Coast Guard vessel appears, seemingly out of nowhere, and orders them to halt. Santiago and Lalo begin to dump their cargo overboard; then Santiago tells Lalo to hold on. Santiago accelerates, the Coast Guard starts shooting and Lalo is hit and falls in the water. By the time Santiago realizes what has happened, he is too far away to help his friend. He manages to make it back to Melilla but Lalo is captured by the Moroccan officials.

The captors torture Lalo until he gives up Coronel Chaib’s name as the one he and Santiago were working for.

In Melilla, Santiago connects briefly with Suleiman and asks him to tell Teresa he is safe and to ask Chaib to get Lalo out of jail. Then he flees to Algeciras, Spain.

If Teresa and Santiago think Chaib is going to help get Lalo out of jail, they are tragically mistaken. When Chaib learns that Lalo has given him up, he curses the day he listened to Teresa. And he decides that 15 years in a Moroccan prison is not punishment enough for Lalo – he has his captors cut out his tongue.

The women – Teresa, Fátima, Soraya and Sheila – figure that someone must have ratted out the Gallegos. Soraya remembers Lalo’s big mouth and Dris’s big ears that day in the restaurant. Ha sido Dris, she says. (Which is a very European use of the present perfect: La Mexicana would surely have used the simple preterite and said “Fue Dris”) Yes, they all agree, it was Dris. He did it out of jealousy.

Teresa confronts Dris: she knows he did it, even if she can’t prove it. But if anything happens to Santiago, Dris is a dead man.

A month passes. Santiago has found work running drugs from Algeciras. But he and Teresa are full of longing for each other. One day, Teresa comes home and finds Santiago sitting on the curb outside her apartment. They fly into each other’s arms and can’t tear their clothes off fast enough. As Fátima remarks with good humor: ¡Qué ganas tienen de revolcarse! (They’re sure hot to trot!)

Come back to Algeciras with me, says Santiago. Teresa turns to the light and says enigmatically:
Un día me voy a morir a esta misma hora. Me va a matar esta luz sucia que siempre entra por la ventana cada vez que empieza y acaba la noche.(One day I’m going to die at this very hour. It’s going to kill me, this dirty light that always comes in through the window when the night begins and when the night ends.)

Yes, she says turning back to Santiago. I’ll go with you. But on one condition – that you let me work with you.
---------------------

NUEVO RICO, NUEVO POBRE
This wryly funny Colombian comedy has reached the point where all the bad guys seem poised to salir con la suya. The one bright spot is that Rosemary and Andrés finally dropped their guard (and their pants) in Cartagena and now are willing to tell the world they are novios.

All through the honeymoon, la Flacuchenta esa has kept the absurdly priapic Brayan running for cold showers.

Meanwhile, back in Bogotá, little Ingrid thinks she’s been knocked up by the odious Miller (although I’m hoping she’s wrong – the pregnancy test she used was outdated.) The poor innocent Gordo is in jail. Don Leo has been beaten to a pulp by the local thugs and is in the hospital. Mundo Express has lost a ton of money under Brayan’s inept management and now has been audited and slapped with a huge fine. And slimy Mateo is plotting to steal the motorbikes that Rosemary and Andrés bought in Cartagena.

Could anything else go wrong? Well if Brayan takes the bait and commits an infidelity with one of the pro’s his wife is supplying him with, la Flacuchenta walks away with half of the Ferreira fortune. So far he has been surprisingly resistant to temptation.

-------------------------------------------------------
Okay, my friends. Your turn!

Labels: aurora, herederos, reina-sur, telemundo

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Capitulo 259.
Read Chapel Hill Fiddler's original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Humberto recognizes that Lety must be special if she transformed Fernando. But he doesn’t like that she’s playing two men.

2. Lety tells Aldo this is new to her. Giggles, sweet nothings, and kissyface (abbreviated GSNAK hereafter). Aldo understands it will be hard for her to forget Fernando, especially since he’s being so noble.

3. Omar mocks because Aldo has to work for a living. Fern says that deserves admiration. Omar says Lety is able to make men lose their head. He prays he never falls under the spell of a woman like that. He says Aurora goes on dates with him but disappears.

4. Alicia abuses Marcia’s hospitality just like she did to Lola. Marcia tells her that she’s abusive, intolerable, and stupid.

5. Lety tells Tom that she chose Aldo. In the morning Aldo sends her roses.

GSNAK.

6. Fern tells Lety he told his dad he loves Lety. He’s not trying to pressure her, but it made him happy. He’s off to a meeting to drum up business, so he doesn’t have time to hear her important news.

7. Lety tells Caro that Aldo sacrificed everything for her, and she chose him. Caro tells Omar that Aurora’s not at all interested in him. He can’t believe that someone would reject him. Luigi insists that Lety comes to his office right now because he promised Aldo he’d try to get along with her.

8. When Fernando congratulates Aldo and says he respects him (because he sold everything and now he has to work), Aldo thinks it’s about Lety. He says, “It must be difficult for you to find out that Lety chose me.” Night falls.

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Capitulo 260.
Read Amanda's original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Fernando tries to convince himself that Aldo said Lety chose him (Aldo), simply as a gag, to get Fernando out of the way.

2. Tom asks Aldo for advice for the lovelorn. Aldo says, “Love means giving the other person space.” (I swear, he said that with a straight face!)

3. Ali tries to talk to Tom but he blows her off. He says it’s obvious she doesn’t want him around so he’ll leave her alone. She tries to schmooze a lunch invite. He says, “I’m sorry. It’s all or nothing. And I decided, nothing.”

4. Fernando overhears Lety and Aldo, and it confirms that she chose Aldo. He goes to the conference room to cry, “How could you forget that you love me?”

5. Lety tells Aldo that Conceptos should pay him the profit they made from the food expo. Aldo says they need to keep that as capital for their next project. Then more GSNAK.

6. Caro goes to lunch with Omar, under the condition that he won’t talk about Aurora. He tries his usual shtick and she tells him where to shtick it.

7. Omar has been wracking his little brain to find a way to locate Aurora. In a rare moment of intelligence, he tells Paula that Caro knows all about Aurora, “so don’t let the cuartel bother her.” Then he sits back and lets the cuartel do his work for him.

8. Throughout the episode, Fernando runs away from Lety so she can’t tell him the bad news.

9. Tom’s plan is working and Ali turns up the heat so she’ll have a place to sleep tonight. She says, “Why can’t you help me?” He answers, “Because no matter how hard I try, I can’t win your love.” So she says, “I do feel something for you,” and gives him a big kiss.

10. Lety corners Fernando. He begs her not to say anything and avoid any further pain because he already knows the important part. He says, “I was a fool. Where did I get the genius idea to set you free to decide? (She hugs him.) Don’t say anything. I prefer to think that it’s all a dream. Or a nightmare.” She thanks him for the freedom to decide. He says, “Don’t thank me. In that moment I dug my own grave. Forget about me so you can be happy. At least one of us will be happy.”

Just to see you smile, Tim McGraw Thank you, Jenn. Great choice!

When you said time was all you really needed
I walked away and let you have your space.
Cause leavin’ didn’t hurt me near as badly
As the tears I saw rollin’ down your face

And yesterday I knew just what you wanted
When you came walkin’ up to me with him
So I told you that I was happy for you
And given the chance, I’d lie again.

Just to see you smile, I’d do anything.

---

Labels: fea-2010

Good morning! It's time for our Friday ritual of coffee, snark, and Thursday night's Triunfo recap. Before I begin, let me set the scene. It's 6:25 a.m. I've been out late every night this week for rehearsals, and this morning, in what is becoming our new a. m. ritual at Casa Latina, the upstairs coffee maker (porque sí…soy la reina!) turned itself on at 6:10 a.m. At 6:15, near the end of the brew cycle, the regular alarm went off, at Mr. 5ft's insistence, since he doesn't get quite so excited about his morning milk-with-a-little-coffee-in-it and I shut it off. I prepared each of us a cup--his with lots of sugar, lots of milk, and as little coffee as I could manage; mine with agave nectar only, since we haven't brought up any soy milk for the upstairs mini-fridge (see above re: reina!). I handed off Mr. 5ft's coffee and brought mine downstairs, where I will now proceed to watch last night's episode and tell you what a great big load of nada went down. I haven't seen anything past midway through Tuesday (see above re: late rehearsals), but I'm sure I'm not missing much. These two hour episodes are killer. Y'all are troopers for hanging in there. And y'all doing the other recaps…I feel your pain! Y ahora, tu humilde servidora will get to the business at hand, while mi humilde servidor (aka Mr. 5ft) fixes my breakfast.

***This recap is complete!***

Part I:

Hey, Victoria gave up make-up for Lent? She and Os argue about who did what to whom. Os says he'll leave--he can't stand it either. Vic tells him to go, if he's not man enough to stick it out.

Padre JP gripes Max out for not leaving Maria D alone. He will brook no arguments! MD stops him before he can get in his plastic car and says she'll talk to him. PJP says "Fine, but you're only gonna suffer." Only until the final week, Padre.

Pippin is in a furious rage! Another mannequin feels the pain. Oscar's saying something, but I'm too busy watching Pip's act of mannequinicide. Oh, Linda's gonna keep chasing Os. That's not news. Toni vows to stop it. As if!

Linda hangs out, waiting for Os, observed by Victoria. Os valet parks his car.

Maria D tells Max his mommy's a bully who won't leave her alone. "If you wanna help me, tell your mom to leave me alone! I've got good reasons to fight and I'm gonna make it after all, cause I just gotta." That was all subtext for "I'm having your baby, you moron!"

Linda waves happily at Os, but then sees Victoria getting out of her car. Oh…Os was getting his car from the valet and was about to drive it off. He's surprised to see Vic, who came to pick him up from... work? He calls the valet to get his car and gets into Victoria's. Linda pouts.

Bernarda says she's not happy about what happened to Vic, but Vic tried to take her own life and it's a big sin, etc., snooze, snooze. Bernie doesn't want to talk about Vic, since PJP always defends her. She thinks people get what they deserve. Burn, baby, burn. Padre JP says she talks like she never sinned. We all know that's not true.

Milagros cries at Juanjo's grave. Really? He's dead? Don't tell me, I'll either piece it together by the end of this ep or I'll get it when I go back and watch the rest of the week. Pobre de Carmen Salinas. She's not a bad-looking woman, but appearing on camera with no makeup at any age is an act of extreme courage. She sits on his grave while just one tree rains down tears. She starts praying the Hail Mary.

Bernie says she's prayed to remain sin-free, that's all. PJP says we're all human and sooner or later, into each life, a little sin must fall. Burnie wants to change the subject. PJP is her son, confessor, and guide. He says that's exactly why he's asking her to tell Victoria the truth. "You want me to tell her Maria Desamparada is her daughter? Sor Clementina told me, so I'm sure, but there's no real proof. Don't worry, though, I took precautions. Remember this incident…I did it to take a blood test and compare it to Maria D." Fausto interrupts with the lab results. This is not quite as fun-filled as a Springer episode, but I guess it'll do. Burnie opens the results, sans drum role, and reads that the results were positive. "Maria Desamparada is your daughter." She hands PJP the results.

Part II:

Max whines to Fabian in his office. He lost the love of his life and his family is falling apart. Fabian says that's rough. Max thought his family didn't have problems before? Oh, so young, so innocent. His mom's having trouble. His dad at least accepts responsibility, but his mom won't. And as for Ximena, she just keeps using the baby as an excuse for everything. He's not sure how much longer he can put up with that.

Xi and Rox are apartment shopping. And Rox only wants the BEST for her baby. And the BIGGEST!

Milagros cries some more and finishes praying her rosary. She lies down on Juanjo's grave. Ok, a wife, maybe, but a mom? That's a little weird.

Vic and Os have dinner. She wants to show him she's making an effort. Is that Padilla in the background? Os says all her efforts made her a great designer. She says her "name" means nothing to her anymore. She's hurt and she doesn't even know why she's asking his forgiveness when he's the one who cheated on her. Os says he really does feel worse than she does. If she's not going to forgive him, then why bother. More whining about how he cheated, how she ignored him, etc. I won't dignify his stupid excuses by repeating them. Vic says men are stupid. "It's easy for the lover to be perfect since they don't have to put up with you 24/7." Os says he gets it now. Mama Vic keeps harassing him. It's not that I don't think he deserves it, but she keeps going over the same stuff over and over and I'm the one who has to listen to it. Hey, I didn't cheat on her, so why do I have to suffer?

Nathy is knitting something for The Baby. She and Maria D are all excited to meet The Baby. MD will give The Baby all the love she never had. Nathy tells her she needs to be happy so the baby will be happy. Linda's not home yet and they wonder where she is. MD says if she went after Os again, she's getting her eviction notice.

Bernarda accosts Os and tries to give him some info, but he isn't in the mood.

Gui, Pedro, and Ofelia toast the success of the miniseries. Pedro is sick of Ofelia making snarky comments about Os and Vic. Ofelia says she has to put up with him too and she can't take it anymore. Gui just snacks and watches the scene. Pedro says he's going home to Spain in 2 days and she's not going with him! "Oh, no, I'm the one who's not going to Spain, because I'm done with you!" She tells him not to come looking for her, not that he was thinking about doing it. She swears she'll go for the next guy she sees, etc. Pedro tells her to just get to it already. He apologizes to Gui for the scene, but Gui had a great time watching.

Part III:

Os went back to the house with Burnie. She says she knows more about Vic than he does. Os says no one knows her better than he does. "Are you sure? Did you know she was a maid in this house?"

Vic drinks and thinks about how Os isn't home yet. Is he with his lover?

Os says being a servant is a perfectly acceptable job. "Did you know that before she married you, she had a daughter?"

Pedro tells Gui he's going back to Spain tomorrow and if he doesn't see Ofelia again, it's fine with him. He's DRUNK but he swears he can drive. Gui lets him leave.

Os doesn't know why Burn is telling him all this, but he can tell she hates Vic. She was lying about Vic having a lover, so why should he believe her now? He says as the mother of a priest, she should know that lying is a sin. He takes off.

Maria D can't light the stove. She and Nathy don't know what to do. Maria has some fabric to make clothes for the baby. No, she's not thinking of telling Max about the baby. She hopes one day she'll be happy again, like she was when she and Max were together. Nathy asks what if Max found out about the baby and wanted to be with her, but Maria D says it's impossible. She won't be happy at someone else's expense, so her love for Max is an impossible dream. She never should have set her eyes on him.

Max looks out the window. He remembers walking with MD on the beach.

They split-screen to MD having trouble sleeping while Max is thinking of her.

MD is on the couch, looking out the window. She remembers being with Max on the beach.

Max picks up the phone.

MD's phone rings. It's Max, but he doesn't say anything right away. Finally he says he just wanted to hear her voice.

Ximena thought bubbles that she needs to get Max to sleep in bed with her so she won't lose him. She wants to go wake him up with a big wet sloppy kiss. Slurp, slurp.

Max just wanted to hear her voice, like he said, and tell her he loves her and she's the woman of his life. MD says it's hurting them. So is the separation. Max blames it on Xi. He wants to see her. He can't go on without her! In the name of everything they had together, she can't deny him this opportunity. Oh no? MD says it's crazy talk and NO! She hangs up and cries.

Xi lies in bed thought bubbling that Max is talking to MD again and she can't allow that or she'll lose him!

Part IV:

Vic keeps drinking. Now she wonders if something bad happened to Os. She hopes not or she'd never forgive herself. Os comes in. She asks him to forgive her, but he says he has nothing to forgive. So now she starts interrogating him. "We'll talk tomorrow." She accuses him of being with Linda. "Did you see her?" Os says he didn't , but she doesn't believe him. She can't believe him. OK, we're back to business as usual. He doesn't know how much longer he can take it!

Xi tells Rox she's sure Max went to see MD. She's furious and says she'll go find them. Rox advises that she take a sleeping pill and think about the baby. Um? No. Rox says Xi's dad cheated on her all the time and it got better when she stopped letting it bother her. After all, she was the wife and the others were just mistresses. Xi doesn't think that way. She hangs up on Rox and swears they won't be together.

MD answers the door to Max and they stare at each other.

Padre JP prays in the church. MD is his daughter, for realz. His confessor comes in and says "What's your damage now?" Meanie. PJP says he found out the truth…that MD is your daughter? He can talk about it because it's not a secret of the confessional, just something he suspected that's now confirmed. More questioning of PJP's vocation. He says he could never leave the church. He's a father to all the faithful.

Max asks to talk to her. MD says he shouldn't be there. He begs, in the name of their love.

Milagros dreams of JuanJo and starts saying "my son isn't dead" in her sleep. She jerks awake and says "Juanjo? Son? You're not dead, son. You're not dead. You need me." She prays for it to be true. She gets up and goes into his room and reminisces about their fútbol disagreements. She hopes what she saw in her dreams is true and he really is alive.

Pedro is gone, so Ofelia came back. She thinks she's going to move in with Gui. Ha, ha, ha! He says he doesn't want the company. He likes to be alone. Ofelia says the fun's over if Max finds out that Ximena's baby is really Gui's. She's going to use the info to hold onto him. "Yep. You're trapped, even if you refuse to admit it." Gui says let's speak calmly. Ofelia says she'll have a vodka, like Xi. Gui goes to get some, while Ofelia peruses the paperwork about the theater. Os would pay a fortune to find out about it. She plays calm when Gui comes back and sees her with the folder.

Vic asks Os if Linda is still trying to call him and get close to him. Will she back off so easily? Won't she fight for him? Os says it would be useless. He tries to get in bed with her, but she gets out of bed. "Is it possible to be reasonable when you're crazy in love with someone?" She can't get the image of the two of them out of her head. She keeps thinking about them making hot monkey love. She wants details. Os yells at her to stop it. "Your curiosity is morbid and doesn't get us anywhere! I don't want to talk about her." Vic wants to know that part of his life that she doesn't know anything about. Os refuses to tell her anything and leaves the bedroom.

Ofelia says she now has two juicy bits of info that the Sandovals would pay dearly for. Gui agrees, but says if she talks too much, she'll only cause problems. That won't work with him. "And how do you plan to avoid it?" Gui says he'll shut her mouth forever, choking her. "I've always hated women who talk too much, and you're the worst one! I'll do you a favor and shut you up forever." He seems to enjoy killing her. The dog barks and he shushes it.

Max tells Maria that he was drunk and upset, he went up to the room and got in bed, and he thought it was her and then in the morning he realized it was Xi. Maria D says when he said he was getting married to Xi, she didn't know the story. Max says he should have told her, but he never thought Xi would get pregnant. It gave his mom a way to blackmail him into marrying Xi. It's only the baby he's doing it for. MD believes him. There's sincerity in his eyes and she knows he's not lying. Max says he never stopped loving her. Ditto. He doesn't love Xi and when the baby's born, he'll take care of it and be a good dad, but he won't keep living with Xi. MD loves him too, but what about the two of them? Max says when the baby is born, he'll divorce Xi and marry MD. She says he might find out a surprise. Something that would make him happy. He's happy just being with her and he'll be with her forever. Smoochies. Yes, let's get that shirt off William, he's really warm under the lights. Oh, that's all….

Milagros also sees signs of JuanJo in the cards. Cruz answers the door to Don Napo. Cruz is off to work, but asks Napo to look after Milagros. She tells him to sit down and begs him not to stop coming over. She tells him about her dream, and the cards confirming it. She keeps crying that he's alive. Napo says he's sorry to keep reminding her, but the healthiest thing is for her to leave JuanJo to rest in peace. He doesn't like to see her crying. Milagros says he's just like everyone else. "Put yourself in my place and see how it feels!"

Linda goes looking for work.

Milagros keeps crying to Napo that JuanJo is alive.

Linda applies for a job as a stylist in a salon. She worked for Victoria, but she doesn't have references. The woman says she won't hire anyone without a recommendation, usually, but they just lost someone and they really need her to start right away. Linda says she won't be sorry! The woman brings her a broom and tells her to get started. Linda fumes.

Max asks Victoria why she keeps getting Maria D fired. "How do you know what's going on with her? You're still after her, aren't you?" Vic says MD betrayed her by going after Max, by helping Linda go after Os. Max says he's on the side of justice, damnit!

A guy looks at the stove in the girls' apartment and says it's not in good shape. It would be just as expensive to fix it as to buy a new one. He charges them 200 pesos for giving them the bad news. Nathy says they'll just have to get a new one. MD only has 100 pesos and Nathy sent all her earnings to her family. MD says they'll use the pesos to buy torta supplies and get selling. Nathy says she'll go to the library and ask for an advance to see if they can buy a stove in installments.

Napo and Cruz are worried about Milagros. Napo suggests a doctor, but Cruz says no doctor can cure a mother of her sadness at losing her son. Cruz wants to take her back to the ranch for a while, but he wants Napo to come too. He's sure it will help. Napo agrees. Milagros is a good friend and he's got to help her out. Cruz goes to get some time off from work.

Victoria tells Oscar to fire the private detectives. She wants to hear no more about it!

Max comes to work happy. He tells Fabian nothing's up. Fabian is sure there's a reason. Max says he saw MD. The skinny pants that come in tight at the ankles? I vote "no." Ximena comes in to show him the apartment she wants. He says they have to wait. "Wait longer?" The company is in no condition. All of Os's shares have been sold and they're having to let employees go. Xi says that's not her problem. Fine, then, Max says--the answer is no because he says so. Xi says his child will be born without a place to put his crib! "Yes, fine, I'm terrible, so why'd you marry me?" Xi says she doesn't know. "Exactly! Me neither!" She storms out, leaving him the flyer.

Os comes to visit Vic at work. He's been thinking and she has every right to know where he was last night. Vic asks him how he got to Bernarda's . "She had it all planned, so she could talk smack about you. She said you have secrets. That you were her maid?" Vic confirms it. Os says she never told him anything. "We'll talk about it whenever you want. What else did she say?" "That before we got married, you had a baby. Is that true?" Max overhears. Vic says if they're going to talk about secrets, he's got to be ready to bare his soul too. Is he ready for that? "I used to be convinced I lived with the perfect man, who always told me the truth, but now I'm not sure. So I'm asking--are you keeping a secret? Are you ready to tell me the whole truth about your life? Fine, but you go first. I'll listen to all of it, but I want to know everything. And then I'll talk." That's SO not going to happen.

Milagros begs JuanJo to lead her to him. She heads out the door of the apartment.

Part V:

Max is still spying on his parents. Os says he might have secrets, but he doesn't think this is the best time to talk about them. He has a lot of doubts. Vic says then he has no right then to ask about what Bernie said. Os agrees they need time before they're ready to talk about their lives before they met. They wish each other a good day and he leaves. Max comes into Victoria's office. "I couldn't help overhearing the conversation you had with my dad." He wants to know the truth. Vic admits she had a baby before she married his dad. "I had a daughter before I married your father." Max is impactado!

Os remembers Vic's words. He can't accept the deal. He'd have to confess that Max's mom is alive and in jail for killing her lover. It would hurt Max too much to find out his mother's alive and a killer.

Vic tells Luci to hold all her calls for an hour. She tells Max to sit down.

Napo gets to the apartment and can't find Milagros.

Max understands Vic's suffering now. What he doesn't understand is why she didn't tell his father from the beginning. Vic says she was stupid and a coward. She was afraid he'd look down on her and she loved him. She thought the truth would separate them and she didn't want to lose him. She didn't want to lose Max as a son either. He says she never will.

Part VI:

No one's home to take Cruz's vacation request. Fer needles him. Cruz says he's unhappy and she assumes it's about her. He tells her his cousin died. Fer is sorry and hugs him briefly. He just says thanks and tell her parents thanks for the job because he's going back to the ranch. "But you're coming back, right?" He says there's nothing to bring him back. "Nothing?" Cruz sighs. Napo comes running up to say Milagros has disappeared and he has no idea where she is. Napo has a bad feeling. Cruz goes to help look for her, but he stops to ask Fer to say goodbye to her family for him. He reaches for her and she leans toward him, but he pulls his hand back walks away. That is the stuff, right there. That's how you do longing and unrequited love.

Burnie comes to the church. She wants to confess. The older priest asks if she's sorry for her sins. "I'll only talk about it in confession." He says he knows about MD. Not that anyone told him. She says he's lying. Crazy Burnie babbling. No, dude, she doesn't realize that she's nuts. That's why she's nuts. "I want Victoria to suffer." "But your son is also suffering." "Well, we all came to this world to suffer." CRAAAAAAAZY! He says she keeps sinning and she's unrepentant, so why does she want confession? She wants absolution and she acts like it's getting something out of a vending machine. She says the words and out pops absolution. The padre tells her that's not how it works. She actually has to be repentant! He realizes he's wasting his time trying to convince her. He withholds absolution and says he also won't hear her confession. So there!

PJP talks to a guy who's afraid of some powerful woman. He doesn't want any trouble. PJP says sometimes when we're afraid of violence, our fear causes injustices. We have to seek justice to feel better.

Burnie says he has an obligation. Yep, and he's meeting it. She says fine, she'll confess elsewhere. And she'll complain about him. "Go ahead. And make sure you also tell them about the people you killed."

PJP takes his leave of the guy and asks God why there's so much hate in Victoria's heart against Maria. The same hate his mother has against Victoria. He asks God to help him get rid of the hate.

Burnie says he won't close off the paths to the church. He tells her she's nuts and needs to see a doctor. "You're calling me crazy? Here, in front of a sacred altar of God, I can see you're the sinner. So my advice is, take care of yourself, because sinners are condemned to the fires of hell…in the next life, or in this one." She walks off. "God, illuminate your daughter Bernarda. She's a lost sheep. Help her and help me to guide her." PJP walks up. The other Padre says there's nothing going on. Nothing that he can tell him about, anyway.

Os is sorry he didn't get to say goodbye to Pedro. He figures that Ofelia went with him. Gui says they had a fight at his house. He figures they made up later. He asks for an update. Os says things are going pretty badly. Vic is torturing him and herself. Gui doesn't understand. Os says Vic is obsessed with finding out every detail of his relationship with Linda. Gui tells him not to tell her anything! It would be better to separate. Os doesn't want to. He loves her. This is just the punishment he deserves. Gui says if they're not going to be happy, then why be together?

Vic cries and Max comforts her. He says when he was a kid and he was afraid, she told him to remember he's really a brave prince and there's a light in his heart that would shine out and protect him from everything bad. He tells her to do the same. Think of being a brave princess, the bravest of them all. Especially when she tells his dad the truth. Vic promises when the time comes, she'll keep it in mind. She's proud of him for giving her that advice. Damn, William Levy's eyes are red!

Part VII:

Xi gripes to Rox that Max won't buy her a penthouse. What does she care about the company's problems?! Rox says she had other options, but she insisted on Max. Xi is sick of this. She's furious. She can't understand why her luck is so bad! Rox (I accidentally typed Tox, but that works too) says just get a divorce already and she'll find her a new millionaire.

Vic offers to show Max the files. He wants to help her find her daughter. "I've looked all these years!" Max says he wants to help and share that part of her. She's given him so much and he wants to repay it. Vic agrees to show him the files. She pulls out a stack of notebooks.

At the butcher's Maria D tries to buy some meat. It's too expensive. He offers to give it to her on credit, after he just told the woman before her that he doesn't. He kind of hits on her and she still takes it. Ew!

Max looks through the notebooks. He says Vic has suffered so much all these years. How did she survive the pain? Love, she says--for Maria, and Max, and Fer. And also Os's love helped a lot. Max is really disappointed that Os cheated on her. "Maybe if he'd known?" Vic says that's no excuse. Max says his love is really complicated, but now's not the time to talk about it. "Don't you have some memory, something that would help?" Vic shows him the doll Maria was carrying. "Maria," Max repeats.

Maria walks through the market and stops at a stall selling dolls. She flashes back to the accident.

Sweet William Levy in a kayak! Yay, the kayak is back!

Tomorrow: Vic busts Linda with Os, through no fault of his own; Linda tells Ximena that Maria D is pregnant (bitch!); Max and Xi fight; Vic confronts Burnie and says she knows about the fear of fire; Maria and Xi fight over Max and Nathy has to bust up a chick fight! Good times, good times!

Labels: triunfo

Recap by Marta:

Repeat of Deborah speech forgiving Tilde and saying they have to help the girls together forge a happy future…

Cruella: I am drinking more than I should (no sh!!)

LiLeach hearing from Slimeball himself that he killed Eva’s dad…

Julio teasing/scaring Cruella…

Birthday party, Laurita not happy with Eva, Eva introducing her mom around…

Renata summoning Slimeball to come home asap… mommy dearest is gone nuts…

Tony teasing Alicia..

Bimbutt planning her next step…

Lileach brainwashing Idiot low IQ man…

Renata warning Eva Cruella is nuts due to Don Julio’s games…

LiLeach all over Low IQ man…

Alicia/Leo… kiss… Eva comes in…

IW: What are you doing here Ali?


SB: Eva, was waiting for you.

IW: I know, but what was my sis doing in your room at this hour?, I thought she was going nite nite…

SB: I called just when she was going to bed…

IW: What for?

SB: To tell her what happened to my mommy…. My mommy swears my dad is ALIVE… I think it was due to her drinking, but she was so scared that she even fainted…

Ali: I hope she gets better…

IW: I also will go let you rest…

SB: Eva, wait… stay with me a bit longer… (Ali has a mini tantrum stump step)



LoIQMan: you are right… I have to get her out of my head, have to stop thinking about her… but the problem is still the same… I love her more each day… I can’t take her out of my heart…

Lileach: Think all the harm she is causing you. It is too much harm!

LoIQMan: Even so, I can’t get her out of my heart, of my soul…

LiLeach: That is why you need my help. Accept it. Stay with me.

LoIQMan: Lileach, you are so pretty, and I am so thankful… but… it is better I go…

LiLeach: (after he leaves, she has a slight tantrum) Eva… darn Eva!... Now I know why Vicky hates you so much… now I want you dead too…


IW and SB, I see nothing but slime around a bed…

IW: Take it easy..

SB: I am gettin scared of everything going on… my sis sick and now my mommy too..

IW: That is why you have to be strong for the both of them. They are counting on you.

SB: If it was not for having you, I too would be going insane (go ahead, make my day!!)

IW: Don’t say that.

SB: It is the truth, Eva… you are my big relief at this moment.

IW: Ay Leo…

SB: I know you are trying to love me… that gives me hope to withstand everything that is going on… and listen to me… for you I won’t rest… until Dano pays for having killed your dad with jail time…


Eva finds Alicia in living room.. Eva confirms Don J was here… Eva thinks Julio was just trying to scare Cruella, Ali thinks he rather is tired of being ‘the dead man walking’. Eva reminds Ali noone must know he is alive..


SB in bed is thinking he has IW eating out of his palm… better hurry and marry her… before Ali or Dano do anything to put her against me…


Ali asks IW to leave SB… you don’t love him, he is not your happiness… you can’t marry someone out of appreciating what they do for you.. what if he has a lover?


Dano at home thinking of Eva and wondering why he still loves her after all she has done to him, remembers the end of their first escape together (red dress) nighttime by lake/palms. ‘we used to fight as a defense mechanism because we liked each other from the beginning’… I will prove SB killed your dad, don’t know how but I will prove it to you IW.


IW remembering when she asked LoIQM if they had a future, him telling her he would work for that forever… they have no choice but to be happy together…
IW: It couldn’t be… our (love) couldn’t be…



(next morning)… Fran is scrambling around their trashed room for his jacket… Busy wife is sleeping still… he yells at her to see his jacket all wrinkled and wet… she tells him to iron it… he whines … did u marry to have a maid or a wife? … a wife who can help me!!

Wife thinks about it again and promises she will wash and iron it… after she sleeps some more… FF>>


SB finds IW on her way out…tells her he gave mommy a tranquilizer and she feels better. He fakes having told her they have an appointment with priest at the church…

SB uses his best charm talk to convince her, even though she has an appointment at work.


LoIQM and Laurita are having breakfast very sweetly… her usual cereal and his usual stuff… Lau tells LoIQMan the bday was great except Eva was there… can’t forgive her because she had the police accuse him of something really awful. LoIQM is about to talk to her about that when LoonyBimbutt shows up… She looks normal, but LoIQM and Laurita are shellshocked… LoonyBimbutt asks LoIQM that maybe it is time to get Laurita out of the boarding house… Laurita asks her if she really feels good…

LoonyBimbutt keeps putting on the ‘feel much better’ act…


Deborah arrives at Former Misery Manor, Renata congratulates her again on getting back together with the girls… she deserved to have that. Deb tells Renata that maybe Cruella did her good instead of harm by revealing the truth to IW… Renata warns Deb that it might not be a good time to see Cruella because of the nightmares she had last night.


LoIQMan asks Doctor over phone about LoonyBimbutt’s ‘magical recovery’. Doctor wants to see them in his office today… ok… LoIQM convinces LoonyBimButt who keeps claiming she is not sick, she feels very well…


IW and SB are getting speech by priest to think about it very well, a marriage without love is not happy, it is more a sentence… it is easier to prevent the marriage than handle annulments… SB keeps insisting they will soon be husb and wife and will spend the rest of their lives with baby… IW hugs him but is not really convinced…


Deb and Tilde are happy watching Pablito together… Deb will return later, have appt. Tilde thanks her for her forgiveness… Deb says thank you for telling the girls the truth.


LoonyBimButt calls the office and finds out her mom is out sick…


Cruella is having nightmares… Deb walks around the door and comes in in time to hear her ‘I had to do it Monica.. .Pedro knows it, I warned him… so good you are dead… I would kill you both again, time and time again… so good you are dead… the FIRE!! .. THE FIRE!!... my hand! … my hand!!... darn it! … it is your fault I got burned!...

Deb: My God… could that be the reason for the glove? … could it be true what I am thinking? (she takes glove off Marcela and indeed her hand is burned…)


LoonyBimButt arrives to see her mother, Renata at first denies her the entrance by orders not to let her in, after the incident… LoonyBimButt swears she feels better… Renata still reluctant… your mommy is not in shape for visitors… she drank too much last night and swears having seen Don Julio here in the house alive… LoonyBimButt insists and then pushes her way in…


Deb is still with Cruella, thinking she has to find out who were Pedro and Monica and how they died… LoonyBimButt arrives very anxiously, Deb stays with LBB… Deb questions LBB about some Pedro and Monica… LBB tells her those were the names of Daniel’s parents… they died burned in a tragic accident…

Deb thinks: God… She killed them.. that is how she burned her hand!

Deb keeps on questioning Vicky about how Dan lost his parents…

They left the house toward the mountain and the car fell down the hill and exploded… Deb says Cruella seemed to be witnessing the accident in her dream… LBB says that could not be because her mother was out of the city that day…

Deb insists in digging once again (now you are going overboard Deb!! Watch your back from now on!)… are you sure? … yes, that is what they told me, why do you ask?


Fran is having breakfast at NewVille manor… Jackie is sitting with him… he whines about his jacket and how his house/room is a mess/trash bin… Jackie asks if he is happy with Marisol, he changes the subject to compliment the breakfast…

Fran responds faking a happily married man… Jackie is visibly upset but fakes being happy for him. She still offers to fix up his jacket…

Fran: Thank you… how I miss you… / I see that… (he puts a worried face once she walks away)


Marisol/Ali at board house are folding laundry, Marisol tells her about Fran’s whinning but she has other ideas of a future life, not exactly a dedicated full time house wife...

Ali tells her Tony still harasses her sometimes, but more worried about Carlos, scared he will show up again…

Said Carlos is getting hired by Giorgio for the agency…


Fran and Jackie discuss LBB’s ‘recovery’… Fran does not buy the story that easily… Jackie says if she is acting, she has her admiration, doing it very well… Door bell rings, another letter for LBB… Fran wants to open it but Jackie won’t let him, she takes it upstairs and puts it on the dresser for LBB.


At Dr office, Dr is giving LBB a green light… she excuses herself to bathroom but listens behind door as Dr tells LoIQMan that she is improving, slowly will come to her usual self, but still ‘delicate’ have to continue the treatment, but have to keep her as low-stress as possible…


IW has finally made it to Don J’s… his ‘apparition’ caused all kinds of havoc… SB is convinced it was a nightmare of Cruella’s… Julio says it was a risk to let her see him, but he swears to IW that he won’t do it again… IW says she thought he had decided to ‘reappear’ but he says no, its not time for that yet…


Jackie in LBB’s room finds the glass LBB has been drinking off and finds it strange, wonders if LBB has been drinking, but leaves the cup there and leaves…


Julio asks Eva what else is up… she tells him about their mother and the reconciliation. Julio says he always thought Deb was a good woman… IW tells him it was her dad who separated them… she tells him about when she went to Deb’s house and realized it was where her dad was trying to take her to… Julio congratulates her … now, is it true you accused LoIQMan of the accident? IW says it is true, SB brought the cops to the house… he wanted her to make the accusation… IW tells Julio that LoIQMan insists that SB is the one guilty … she tells Julio she hopes both SB and LoIQMan are wrong…


Cruella keeps swearing to SB that she did see Julio last night… SB leaves her alone after he brought her her dinner… Did Renata tell you LBB came to see you? Cruella is still very mad at LBB for sleeping with Bruno… SB says ok, LBB was stupid but she learned her lesson… promise me you will let her see you.

Once SB leaves Cruella alone, she keeps telling herself ‘no, I was not so drunk last night, nor do I believe that silly story from Renata that Julio’s ghost walks around… I don’t believe in ghosts… I saw him! .. I am sure!! He talked to me!!... he is alive… and I am not crazy!!... there is only one way to confirm it… (she calls her lawyer to find out what steps need to be taken to ‘exumacion de un cadaver’ (open up) Julio’s dead body.


Ali questions IW why she went to the church with SB… IW says why you insists that I not marry SB?? There must be something else, please tell me. Ali keeps giving her the excuse that IW does not love SB… IW insists SB is a good man and loves her and loves the baby, they will be happy, promise…


LBB in her room talks to herself ‘you are great, LoIQM will never be able to get rid of you.. the next step is to get him to love you again…’ (she sees the note that Jackie left on the dresser, gets mad, wrinkles it into a ball and throws it around…)



Previews show that:

Ali apparently confessing to Eva she loves Leo…

LiLeach warning Vicky that if she doesn’t kill Eva, Eva will keep Dano…

Deb running into Julio, Julio calls Eva worried Deb might talk… Eva tells Deb Cruella was killing Julio, Deb tells Eva about Cruella’s other victims… Pedro and Monica Villanueva, Dano’s parents…

We see Cruella finding out from LBB that Deb heard her nightmare, and later thinking she will have to return the visit to Deb (watch out Deb!!)

thanks,
marta

Labels: eva

I'd like to thank Audrey again for filling in for me while I was out of town. Audrey, you rock!

Yikes, these double episodes are time consuming. I got halfway through Episode 164 and realized I would have to shorten things up or I would be here all night and you all would start to nap while reading the recap. Please let me know if I've left out anything important.

Happy Saint Paddy’s day, I invite you to join me in a tall glass of Guinness, or the beverage of your choice, and enjoy the antics from tonight’s cast of crazies.



Last night we left Emanual and José María shaking hands on their new friendship, thus bringing them one step closer to discovering they are son and daddy by birth.

Capitulo 164
Eman hires José María (JM) explaining that he and Fidel both have other full time jobs and they need help managing La Buena Noche or Vida or whatever their bar is called. JM says Eman’s dad must be very proud of such an enterprising son. I sure hope JM gets to find out he’s Eman’s real dad before he dies of his terminal illness.

Netty, looking fabulous, is adored by bar patrons and telenovela viewers alike.


Over at the station Gretelman and Oliver are having a minor spat over Gman writing articles extolling the virtues of El Lirio. Oli thinks El Lirio is a delinquent. Gman mollifies Oli’s over inflated sense of justice with a whiskery kiss and Oli pretends to cough up a hairball in mock protest.
This entire scene was edited out, such a shame.















They are interrupted by Kristel, followed by Brandon, who is freaking out (freakeando she says) and demands police protection 24/7 because the rapey snake is on the loose. She wraps Brandon’s arms around herself to demonstrate just how closely her body should be watched.

Next up is an unpleasant little scene where Eman arrives home just wanting some shut-eye, but nooooooo. First he is intercepted by Ilitia who has been waiting up for him. His next torture is the arrival of the snotty Spaniards with bossy bitch Vicky announcing that from now on Eman is out of Jorge’s room (a little yippee from Eman) and back with his wife (a little frown from Eman). (Vicky and Jorrible make the perfect couple; too bad she doesn’t love him so she can make his life miserable.) Jorge snippily adds that Eman can move out if he doesn’t like this arrangement. Eman says he’s not going anywhere until Marianela herself tells him to leave.

Ilitia’s smug smirk disappears with the arrival of Kristel flanked by her two favorite super cops. Brandon and Oli explain they are there to protect all the ladies from Orangey. Eman’s slightly confused as to why Ilitia would need protection. “She’s pregnant” explains Brandon. We will all soon weary of the constant mention of Ilitia’s pregnancy, trust me. Kristel derails the conversation and annoys Ilitia by slithering all over Brandon.

Things are more pleasant over at Netty’s where Gladioli is Que bárbara-ing all over the place and extolling Netty’s great talent. (She uses usted; aren’t they better friends than that?) Gladi says Eman has a heart of gold for hiring a guy who has been in jail for so many years. Oops, Netty reminds her to keep her mouth shut because they are the only ones who know this. Gladi promises her lips are sealed. (Anvil anyone?)

OMG, Netty’s doorbell rings. Who knew she had a doorbell? I thought people just walked in. Anyway, its sexy-voiced Emiliano whose “Can we talk?” is practically foreplay. Netty, fanning herself, would agree.

Fedra comes home to Misery Manor and is irritated to find the place overrun by cops. She is even more irritated when Brandon explains it’s because Orangey escaped. She punches him and shrieks they are not the policía, they are the porquería (worthless)!

It’s gonna be a busy night for Brandon. After Fedra exits he’s joined by Eman who announces Vicky doesn’t need Brandon’s protection because he, Eman, will protect her. Brandon advises Eman to take care of his own pregnant wife and he, Brandon, will take care of Vicky. After a bit more chest thumping Eman heads indoors but oopsy, looks like he dropped something on the ground. Brandon picks up a shiny Lirio de Plata!

Eman, king of smart-alecks, says there are a bunch of these silver goodies floating around and he has it because he idolizes El Lirio de Plata.

Brandon asks does Eman just idolize El Lirio or is El Lirio Eman’s alter ego, eh? He advises Eman that the truth will surface and he plans to be Eman’s shadow.




Inside, Fedra amuses herself by boozing it up and watching Vicky and Ilitia bicker. She sends Ilitia, in her pregnant condition, upstairs to bed. Vicky tells Fedra she’s not going to get away with insulting her because her past will soon come back to haunt her. She shocks Fedra by saying she met Chema; Fedra demands to know what he told Vicky.

Fedra accuses Vicky of having her own secrets and threatens to out her. Vicky reminds Fedra that Jorrible snatched the prints and Fedra has no proof. She’s told Fedra a thousand times, she is Victoria de la Gartha! Do we think this will stop our Fedra? Not a chance; she’s determined to expose Vicky’s deception.

Stupid Vicky heads to the kitchen to calm her nerves. She loudly calls herself Marianela while she rifles the cupboards for CHOCOLATE. Must have CHOCOLATE, it’s the only thing that calms her down. Fedra rushes in with a “Gotcha! La Gorda always used chocolate to calm her nerves.” Vicky tries the “how could we be the same person” ploy but Fedra just snickers “you were fat and now you’re skinny”. She threatens Vicky with a knife and demands a confession.


Emiliano whinges a bit about being a rotten dad so that he can get a soothing kiss out of Netty. In walks Jose Maria with a “Well well, the husband of Fedra is kissing my landlady”. Emiliano gets all huffy and defends Netty’s honor saying he loves her deeply, but Jose Maria says her honor doesn’t need defending. Then he casually lets drop that he kissed Netty. Cara impactada de Emiliano.

Vicky stomps on Fedra’s foot and Fedra yells that she has the same stompy foot as Mari! Fedra keeps trying to trick Vicky into admitting she’s Mari and suggests that she should watch her back because Jorge’s out for her money. Mari’s money you mean, corrects Vicky, blah blah blah they threaten each other ad nauseum. Fedra keeps calling her Marranela which is pretty funny (marrana = sow).

Emiliano, annoyed by Jose Maria’s chivalry, tells Netty what she does is his business because he is crazy in love with her. She reminds him that she’s waited for him for years and begged him to leave his witch of a wife but she ends up telling him she is his completely. Big kiss.

Gretel (dressed as Gretel) joins them and says she loves seeing them like this. Group hug as Emiliano thanks Netty for being like a mother to his kids. He wants to talk wedding with Gretel’s novio but she tells them thanks to the escape of rapey snake he is standing guard at Misery Manor.

Angela is at La Buena Vida reading cards for Fidel and Benigno. She says the cards don’t lie, Eman is El Lirio de Plata. Angie, do the cards also tell you to keep your voice down? Beni blathers on about Eman having a good heart ever since he was a kid but he sure has been unlucky in love. Angie says tonight will be different. It’s a night for lovers but tonight the pairings will be tangled and confused. Doesn’t sound different from any other night to me but we’ll have to trust the psychic.

Vicky whines to Jorrible that Fedra knows she’s Mari, but how? (Don’t get me started, don’t even get me started.) She also mentions that Fedra accused him of going after her inheritance. Jorrible suavely slithers around that one and assures her he loves nothing more than helping her out.

Brandon interrupts and wants to talk to Vicky alone. Jorrible smugly departs and Brandon observes “I don’t trust that guy”. Vicky laughs and says he’ll never change. Rocks-for-brains Brandon keeps calling her Marianela.

Vicky hugs Brandon in thanks for his protection as Eman observes from the stairs above.

Kristel is in her room freshly made up, sporting a negligee and admiring her bodacious ta-tas in the mirror. She positions herself on the bed and cries “Help! Auxilio! Help!”. Oliver bursts through the door, gun drawn, and tells her he doesn’t like her little games.
She dedicates herself to finding out what exactly he does like.

Lorenzo sits alone agonizing over the thought that Kristel might have sprung from his loins. He damns Fedra and says starting now, thanks to her, his luck is going to change. He calls someone named Santos and tells him to find out all financial information pertaining to Juana Felipa Perez, everything, especially the most hidden, and he wants it by tomorrow.

Fedra’s hanging out (pun intended) outside the Manor, in her cups (pun intended), slurring to Bernardo that she’ll never forgive his perfidy in saving Jose Maria’s life. She will never trust him again, ever, slosh slurp. He confirms that he will protect Jose Maria’s life with his own if need be. (Foreshadowing?)

Meanwhile Kristel is upstairs entrapping her super polis. She locks the door, drops the key down her cleavage, and tells Oli he can leave any time; all he has to do is unlock the door. Poor Oli tells her to stop the game, last time he was with her it caused a huge fight with Gretel and he wants O-U-T now.

Vicky tells Eman to quite whining about her hugging Brandon, she’s a free woman. He disagrees, she’s HIS woman. Wrong, pregnant Ilitia is his woman. Wrong, Vicky is his woman and he proves it by laying a big yummy kiss on her.

Upstairs Kristel continues to chase Oli around the room, putting her octopus hands all over him, kissing him and trying to take his clothes off. I believe she accomplishes this by getting a death grip on his huevos.

Ice Queen Vicky pushes hot, panting Eman away and tells him to go to his pregnant wife’s room where he belongs. Ooh, cold!

Bernardo asks Fedra to leave Jose Maria alone. He’s sick, a condemned man and should be able to live out his last days in peace. He should know he has a son. “Never!” she insists.

Eman tries to sneak a pillow and blanket out of his room so he can sleep somewhere else but Ilitia catches him and drops her robe, displaying her naked loveliness to Eman who is still vulnerably hot and bothered by Vicky’s rejection. It’s her turn to lay a big yummy one on him.

A few doors down Vicky paces in her room and calls herself weak and stupid. No argument here. Brandon hears her crashing vases and runs in to comfort her. She whines that it’s all her fault that she’s lost Eman forever. Brandon tells her he, too, knows what it’s like to love the unattainable.

A few more doors down Kristel has covered Oliver with lipstick marks and uh oh, there is a knock at the door. Its daddy and Gretel! Panic time.


Capitulo 165
Kristel makes Oliver retrieve the key from you-know-where.

Meanwhile, outside the door Gretel is freaking (or freakeando as Kristel would say) because she’s worried about Oli’s virtue. Nereida tips her off that Kristel’s lovers always exit via the window so off Gretel dashes.

Ilitia is still naked and still trying to persuade Eman to do the hootchy kootchy with her. Amazingly, he is able to resist and he re-robes her. She says he needs to sleep somewhere so he should just share the bed with her but they won’t do anything. Now people, I ask you, did you ever believe that line? No, I didn’t either.

Vicky is curious about Brandon’s unrequited love. Anyone she knows? Uh, just someone he met, it’s not worth mentioning. It’s Consuelo, right? Uh, yeah sure. He reasons that since they are both solo they can start a new life together, one nail drives out the other (we know this dicho so I won’t repeat it in vocab). Vicky tells him he’s a great guy and they hug just as Eman walks in.

As predicted Kristel’s got Oli on the balcony and is showing him the way out, or down to be specific. He takes a leap, drops and rolls, and fares better than his predecessors. “Nothing happened!” he exclaims in delight as he feels for broken bones. Nothing except the mighty slap to the face that Gretel gives him.

In fact she slaps him a few more times (yikes, enough with the physical abuse), points out he’s got lipstick all over his face and shirt, and ends up pushing him into the pool. That was an ugly scene. Let’s move on.

Back in the bedroom Eman and Brandon try to out-sneer each other. Vicky is again with the “I’m a free woman without commitments” and she and Brandon tell him to run back to his own room and wife. Just then Ilitia bounces in and wants to know what Brandon is doing with that woman? Jorge slithers in and says he wants to know too!


Ilitia tells them to get a hotel and Eman pipes up that they were on the verge of kissing. Gasps all around. Brandon informs them that if he and Vicky want to bump cars it’s their business. Ilitia wonders what Eman is doing there this time of night when he should be in bed and this elicits ribbing from the others. They finally disperse but sinister Jorge stays behind to let Vicky know he’s all hurt because she turned to Brandon instead of him.

Gretel returns to Kristel’s room and tells dad that she wants to talk to sis alone. She demands to know what happened with Oliver. “Who’s Oliver?” Kristel tries. Nope, doesn’t work. Gretel keeps pressing until Kristel lies that she and the bored super cop had wild and crazy sex. She earns a slap for her lie and next thing they are on Kristel’s bed, with Gretel astride her, strangling Kristel and crying that Oliver is the love of her life.

Kristel manages to push Gretel off but Gretel chases her, says she’s like her mother, and starts strangling her again. Gretel has a flashback of when Fedra was strangling Luis Felipe which freaks her out. She runs from the room and smack dab into Axel where she weeps to him that she caught Oliver with Kristel. She’ll never forgive him and doesn’t want to see him ever again boo hoo.

Bernardo, having a moral crisis, sits alone and reflects to himself about how his life has turned out without the guidance of his capitan. Nereida interrupts his thoughts and spitefully comments that she wants to stop Delicia's wedding. Bernardo forbids it but Nereida spills the beans to Fedra that Axel and Delicia plan to get married at Netty’s place tomorrow. Fedra swears that will never happen.

The next morning at the country club Lowrenzo meets with his private investigator Santos who reports that a Juana Felipa Perez Fernandez has three accounts, two in Mexico and one in the Cayman Islands. Santos adds that Juana Felipa also owns a club called La Mala Noche where the famous La Reina dances; she’s notorious for driving the men crazy. Lowrenzo reviews the records and gleefully notes the lady is loaded. This will be his best business venture yet.

Brandon finds Ilitia in the kitchen and they bicker jealously about the night before when he was in Vicky’s room. He mentions Acapulco, they used protection, so there’s no chance the baby is his, right? He says something that causes Ilitia to throw a glass of water in his face. He grabs her, she yells “let me go!” and Eman comes into the kitchen and wonders what’s up between them.

Speak of the queen of Rome, Fedra arrives, apparently at Lowrenzo’s request. She’s starting early today, pulls out a flask and adds a splash to her coffee. He tells her he was up all night thinking about Juana Felipa, Jose Maria Sevilla, and how she could have kept the news about Kristel hidden for all this years and then allow things to go so far. She hopes he was tormented because he deserves it.

Back at Misery Manor Eman is all up in Brandon’s face for bothering Ilitia. Brandon says hey she threw a glass of cold water at me. Eman wants to know why they always end up fighting but before his rusty cogs and sprockets have a chance to work Ilitia feigns dizziness. Eman wants to fire Brandon but Vicky arrives and asks Brandon to accompany her to work. Eman and Ilitia might look purple but they are seeing green.


Axel and Delicia happily plan their wedding for tomorrow. A nice lady in a white uniform meets them and I gather that Axel is treating Delicia to a day at the spa. After Delicia goes inside one of Axel’s creepy (but studly) “friends” approaches him and rags on him about marrying a servant. Jerk.

Lowrenzo wants Fedra to tell him about Jose Maria Sevilla. Did she love him? Yes she was crazy in love but that’s over. She was only 15 years old and thought he sank in the ocean. The thing that they (she and Low) have is different. They are like a couple of scorpions. She goes on to describe that Jose Maria was always so high and mighty but he was an excellent thief. Now he’s returned after 27 years to torment her. Low tells her that she can count on him unconditionally. She eyes him suspiciously.

There is a great scene between Fedra and Lowrenzo that got edited out. They admit they have the hots for each other but they also can’t resist trying to sabotage each other. Lorenzo raises his hand and tells Fedra that one of his men has a gun aimed at her and when he drops his hand he’ll shoot her, pow. Fedra raises her hand and says she also has a man with a gun pointed at Low’s head. They threaten each other until their arms are so tired from being raised that Low has to hold his arm up.


Fedra finally leaves, backing out with her arm raised. Everyone at the club stares at them wondering why the two nut jobs have their arms raised.

Axel defends Delicia but after he walks away his creepy friend says something threatening that I didn’t understand.

Eman and Ilitia go in for an ultrasound. Eman is very excited to see the blood of his blood on the screen. Ilitia observes him with tears in her eyes, she never thought he’d be this excited.

The nice spa lady tells Delicia to disrobe (cute pink bikini underneath) and relax on the massage table. Creepy friend comes up behind and attacks her. Luckily another patron sees this and demands to know what’s going on. Unluckily that patron is Fedra.

Ilitia’s meets with her doc and the doctor tells her that she is 5 weeks pregnant. No way, Ilitia says she’s 2 weeks pregnant. Nope, doc is absolutely sure that it’s 5 weeks. Ilitia has a flashback to that night in the country when she and Brandon made love under the stars. No way!!


So was Angela right? There was no actual loving but the pairings, such as they were, were definitely tangled and confused.



Tomorrow: Fedra enlists the aid of Axel's creepy friend and sabotages Axel’s wedding with a trite telenovela ruse that works every time.


Calladita te ves mas bonita – Keep it under your hat. Keep your mouth shut. Silence is golden. (Lit. Stay silent and look prettier) – what Netty told Gladi about Jose Maria’s secret
Encargarse – to take care of, to be in charge of
Manos de pulpo – octopus hands (what Oliver said Kristel has)
Marrano/a – swine/sow
No confío en ese tipo – I don’t trust that guy
Porquería – worthless (also means nastiness, filth, dirty)
¡Que bárbara! – How awesome! Cool! Wonderful!
Soy una tumba – My lips are sealed (Lit. I’m a tomb)

Labels: llena

Capitulo 257.
Read Amanda's original recap, then come back here to discuss it.


1. Fernando manhandles Aldo like Aldo does to Lety, to get him away from her. Fern says the cave is now his office, and Aldo loses his cool.

2. Tom tells Ali he’s trying to get her hired back as his secretary. Aldo asks Luigi to get to know Lety, and to respect her. In exchange, he’ll openly recognize Luigi as the genius of Conceptos.





3. Fernando ponders the cave in a very moving scene. He still feels her essence there. He remembers just before she left. He remembers that he lost her forever, and it was his own fault.



4. Omar tells Caro how much he loves Aurora. She brought light to the emotions he kept hidden. You can tell Caro wishes those emotions were directed at her. He asks her to get him another date.

5. Aldo tells Erasmo that he bought Conceptos’ debt for Lety. Erasmo proclaims him part of the family.

6. Humberto respects Fernando for becoming Lety’s assistant. It means he’s maturing and wants to save the company. He promises his support. Marcia’s angry but FrostyPop tells her to lose her bitterness, and she agrees. If only he would’ve told her that months ago!

7. Ali hogs three sandwiches so there aren’t enough for the kids. Lola kicks her out for abusing their hospitality.

8. Fernando uses Luigi’s cake as an excuse to go to Lety’s. The menfolk want to kick him out. MamaJ invites him to stay, and Lety doesn’t argue.

9. Tom offers to put Ali in a mid-range hotel. She objects that it’s not good enough, but he’s broke from paying for the sandwiches. For once she accepts reality instead of blaming it on him.

10. Erasmo asks why the men aren’t married (why doesn’t Aldo say that his wife died two years ago?). Moty interrupts the awkward moment by dragging out Aurora’s wig.

11. Fern and Aldo scrap, and Fern gives him a ride home. Con rancor! Pop recalls what he heard the men say, and he wonders if they are fighting over Lety. Mama tells Lety she needs to decide.

---

Capitulo 258.
Read Julie's original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Pop tells Lety she can’t go playing with two men like that. Lety doesn’t know who she loves. Aldo is honest, but Fern is Don Fernando. Pop doesn’t understand, but we do. After Lety leaves, Mama says she thinks Lety will end up with Fern. Pop says he likes Aldo.


2. Tom asks Aldo how to get Ali to like him. Marcia tells Ali she can sleep at her place tonight.

3. Caro tells Lety she thinks this time Omar is really in love. His card reminds Lety of how much pain he caused her, and he has made many women suffer. It’s time for him to get a taste of his own medicine. Caro warns of the dangers of revenge.
4.
Fernando interrupts Aldo who is getting nose-to-nose with Lety.

5. Marcia surprises Fern while he’s gazing at the picture of him and Lety, taken while he was still engaged to Marcia. Shrew Marcia would take this opportunity to make a cutting remark, but kinder, gentler Marcia overlooks it and offers her support while he tries to rescue Conceptos.

6. Tom sells his car so he can buy a house. But Ali says it’s not good enough and she’ll stay with Marcia.

7. Aurora meets Omar for lunch and yanks him around like a puppet on a string. She says the meal isn’t good enough so Omar calls for the chef. Aurora leaves his table and sits with two other men. Chef Aldo comes out. He sees Aurora but doesn’t recognize her. Omar is stunned to see Aldo. When he turns, Aurora is gone.

8. Teresita is appalled that Fern works in the cave. Fern says it’s a big challenge for him. He lost the company by arrogance. He wants to win it back by humility, and he can learn that from Lety. Humberto says he admires what Fern is doing, promises his support, and is proud of him. At dinner, Fern tells his dad that he’s in love for the first time in his life, and it’s with Lety.

9. Lety wrestles with her choice. Fern evokes passion, but Aldo sacrificed everything for her. “Do I want to keep suffering with Fernando, or give myself an opportunity with Aldo?” Aldo would never make her suffer. And if she accepted him, he might be even sweeter. She had a relationship with Fernando and it ended in tears. “How would it be with Aldo?”

10. Lety finds Aldo in the park. She steps up and gives him a big kiss, and the sprinklers go off (Fernando should pray for a drought in DF). Lety tells him she loves him. She says, “I believe we should give ourselves an opportunity to be together.”

Labels: fea-2010