Caray, Caray!

Okay. I am totally freaked out. Those creepy writers have kept Gretel in the wine cellar for two years....in the same pair of jeans and t-shirt! We still have no info on the bathroom arrangements (a pail?). And clearly there are no shower facilities. Not a toothbrush or hairbrush in sight. Just one stringy blanket and some food scattered here and there. Give. Me. A. Break. Hell's Bell's, give Gretel a break. It's absurd. But alright, let's get on to the rest of the new stuff that happened last night.

You remember the business from before, right? Emanuel doing his Garbo I vant to be alone schtick. Mari vowing to live and not be vanquished. And then the little Matilde pregnant pastiche from Amor Real, where she passes through each column and is more and more pregnant...only this time it's Manny, passing through trees, getting out of his wheelchair, then walking and finally running well enough to compete again.

Also, Mari jumps into the pool a fattie (how'd you like to be the person chosen to play that part?) and as she swims across, becomes leaner and more sculpted until voilà. Disney music plays and she emerges from the pool svelte and gorgeous in a bikini. Still don't like her hair though.

So, onto the new stuff: She and Tia Carlota are discussing the changes. Two years ago she couldn't swim across the pool. Now she's a champ. Well, she did it for her parents. Just them? queries Carlota. Are you sure it isn't for Emanuel as well? Heated denials. Yeah, right.

Back in Mexico, Eman's winning a race. He's an International Champion and Fedra's thrilled. That's my boy! Illitia likewise. That's my fiancé! Big smooch. And......

Big creep. Lorenzo, I mean. He's doing his usual number off in the woods, taking leering photos of a new young model and promising her a spot in the next tanning lotion commercial. Good to know he hasn't changed at all during the last two years. Consistency is his greatest quality.

Nearby, Fedra's dousing her champion son with champagne, Kristel is giving Ilitia all the credit for the triumph (behind every great man is a woman) and Axel is pooh-poohing the whole thing. Manny did it for himself, he maintains...by his own strength. The girls pretty much ignore him and Ilitia trots up to present the trophy. And now comes that special moment. Emanual dedicates it to......drumroll...... his cousin Marianela. Way to go fella. Ilitia looks pissed.

Eman's still the subject of conversation twixt Carlota and Mari. Tia reminds her he called every day for so long. And she also remembers Mari looking at the phone pensively. How could she forget him? Well, he hasn't tried for a month now, notes Marianela.... and besides, he tried to poison me! How do do expect me to have any feelings for him at all!? Satisfied that she's over him, Carlota crows, Then now I know you're ready to return to Mexico and claim what's yours!

No way, vows Mari. Undeterred, Carlota muses that one day, like it or not, she'll have to go back. Anyone want to take bets on how soon it will be?

Back at the race, Axel continues to rain on Ilitia and Kristel's parade, pointing out that if Marianela comes back, "Adios boda" (good-bye wedding). We can but hope.

Well, Emanuel's race (which looked pretty dinky) must in fact be Big News in Mexico because the closing ceremony, if you will, is on TV and who should see it but Gladiola, presently engaged in giving Netty a pedicure. Umbrage and outrage at the dedication to cousin Mari. What a cynical guy! How dare he!? And it's all his fault that Netty is so unhappy and missing her little niece. And what about Gladiola, missing her little daughter Doris, adrift in that Land of Perdition, the US!!

Well, of course Doris is having her own triumph, winning first place in some Make-up Competition and dedicating the prize to her family whom she misses terribly.

So, a tidy little wrap-up here before the ads. Mari has triumphed over fatness; Eman over paralysis; Doris over second-rate make-up skills. Time for everybody to get back to Mexico and start mixin' it up!

Brief recess while I confer with the guys replacing our furnaces (we have two). Yes, it's 20 degrees outside, the door's been opening and closing all day, both furnaces off but now I learn I might have a little heat while I watch the show. Right now it's brrrrrrrrrrr. But...I missed something while we were talking. The police are closing in on somebody. Will figure it out later. Because now we switch to the orphanage where Muñeca is clutching a valise of cash. Some Robin Hood criminal type, sought after by the police, has just funded the orphanage with some needed cash. This guy can't be all bad, muses our Doll. Just then-- uproar. It's the baby of the orphanage who just fell from a tree, the little rascal. Yes, it must be Begoña's baby all grown up. Doesn't sound good for Begoña. But maybe she's better off dead than stuck in a wine cellar in the same pair of jeans and t-shirt for two years. Just sayin'.

Okay. Back to the police. They storm a place and come up empty. Then a man enters. You're el Lirio de Plata, they yell. No, I'm not. Hmmm.. did I talk THAT LONG to the furnace men? I have no idea what's going on here. And neither does the guy they take into custody.

Zoom zoom. Back in Spain. In a restaurant. With Tia Carlota and Mari. Now forgive me, but I still think Mari's hair looks awful. Kind of limp and uninteresting. And Ilitia's hair is wretched. Those stupid bangs and shaggy lengths! Jeez. Is she trying to look like the old Mari, only thinner? Her asymetrical cut was so flattering and fashion forward. Wha' happened!? On the other hand, I DO like Muñeca's ironed-flat hair. And the point is, I guess, the Passage of Time. With women, coiffures change. Except with Fedra. Same serpentine ringlets.

Well, the Passage of Time has not dimmed Carlota's quest to repair the hideous damage she's done to Gretel, Paula and Max. She's got the detective still looking for Gretel and won't die before she's righted the wrong. And BAM! God strikes her dead.

Well, okay...not dead. But He gives he a helluva blow and next thing we know she's in bed in blue jammies exhorting Mari to make the trip for the publicity junket anyway. Don't worry about her health. She has someone to take care of her.

Chamber of Horrors time. Gretel. Yes, the Passage of Time has made a rip in her t-shirt sleeve. Otherwise, it's the same outfit. And same hair of course. And same litany. I'm Gretel. I have three siblings..... Enter Fedra dearest with a plate of food and a tad of repugnance. As Gretel scurries like a wild animal off with her chow, Fedra notes that Bernardo really needs to clean up in here more often. Really. This doesn't. bear. thinking. about. Shoot the writers someone please! Gretel has turned into a crazed animal. But frankly how could she be anything but? Carlota's going to be roasting somewhere big-time for her part in this.

We find ourselves with the police chief now. He's bound and determined to make this poor boob they've collared confess to stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. The fella looks confused. And unlikely to be the culprit. So let's get back Fedra and her little family gathering. She's toasting Emanual's dual triumph in sports and relationships. He's about to be married to Ilitia whose patience and tender care helped him regain use of his legs. Jacqui, who's become the girlfriend of Eman's best bud, slithers over and gives him a kiss. Ilitia gives her the evil eye. But then toasts to Love as an Epidemic. Their romance is catching. Here here! Emanual starts musing about Mari again and Ilitia breaks in with "Ya es 'too much'!" You should have dedicated the prize to me. Yep. Our Ilitia is pissed. And totally reverted to bitchaholic. We know this doesn't bode well for the Boda. Let's think about that while we're subjected to more ads.

Nope. Not boding well at all. Seems it's the next day but Manny stood Ilitia up last night. Here she was with champagne and everything and he's a no show. Well, he's tired. And please, no questions. Don't try and control me. But you should be thinking about me all the time, she protests. Dark days ahead. No doubt about it.

Back to Carlota and her blue jammies. Mari's getting ready to leave for her publicity trip. How nifty is it that she's in the same business as Emanual, no? But what should arrive but Another Letter from HIM. Almodena (lady who's caring for Carlota) thinks she should read it...and answer it, goldurnit! After all the letters he's written, it's the least she could do. Mari begs to differ. And leaves.

But what's this? A stretch limosine. White. Another wedding? Nope. Exit the barrio lawyer. Followed by Netty who has evidently reclaimed her telenovela stardom. A small clot of fans shrieks and cheers and waves papers to be autographed. Netty obliges.

Back to the police. And confusion as far as I'm concerned. Chief is cogitating. This Lirio de Plata must be an orphan. We need to check out the orphanages to find a record of him. He's very intelligent, subtle, shrewd. He always picks parties of rich folks to make his strike. Hmmmm. Just then the door opens and Oliver, looking like he spent the last two years in the wine cellar with Gretel, pokes his ghastly head in. And gets rousted. Is this how you respond to a rise in rank!? You're not worthy of the uniform! Go home! Take a bath! Clean up! Oliver's sulking. Leave me alone. I'm stressed. Police chief leaves but Brandon's not having it. He grabs Oliver in a big ol' man hug and cradles his head while Oliver bleats about "this pain in my heart and soul". Dude, you have it so much easier than poor Gretel. So man up and find the girl already!

Emanual's back at work, grousing at people on the set about a wrinkled piece of fabric. In other words, He's Not Happy. And Dad knows it. Emiliano takes him aside and begs him not to marry Ilitia. He knows Son will be miserable if he marries the wrong woman. Ah, but Emanual has no choice. Ilitia stood beside him during all his recuperation. Pushing his wheelchair. Encouraging him. And where was Marianela? Couldn't even answer one letter! Ever! Manny stalks off. Emiliano looks perturbed. End of scene.

Red Alert. Tia Carlota, still in the same blue jammies, has taken a turn for the worse. Almodena decides to call her family in Mexico. Mientras tanto, Mari's at the airport with a weedy looking guy named Jorge. Guess he must be Manny's competition. He's got that fruity Spanish accent and is all flirty, calling her "hermosa", removing her glasses and hinting she could be model material herself if she wanted to be. Yuck. Well, for sure he wants her to work in his publicity agency. In the creative section. 'Cause she's so creative. Experience not necessary. Just love your work (and me, subtext). She says "yes". To the work, anyway. Not liking where this is going.

Bernardo and Fedra. Also not liking where things are going. Seems they've heard about this Lirio de Plata guy too. Hell, it must be Chema. Come back from..... wherever. It's no coincidence. And could be dangerous for Fedra. She could be recognized. Aha! Chickens coming home to roost. About time. Just then the phone rings. It's Almodena. Bernardo answers, passes the phone to Fedra, who plays like she's worried about "her aunt" and vows to arrive on the very next plane to see how she is. Grinning idiotically, she reassures Bernardo that she's going to get her hands on every last centavo of Carlota's money and that's that. Bernardo fusses that it's too close to the wedding to be gallivanting off to Spain but Fedra's cool with that. She'll zip in and zip out (and no doubt dispatch Carlota to the next world) and make it to the church on time. No problem.

Big problem with Mari though. Skivvy little Jorge hands her a Mexican newspaper. You guessed it. Emanual and Ilitia's marriage is front page news. Our plucky little Mari sheds some tears behind those humongous , unflattering glasses. Jorge doubts that she's over her grand amor. She swears she is. Just...well, the picture shook her up a little (me movió el tapete) They agree memories must be buried and their flight is announced.

Ah memories. Seems Nereida has parlayed her memories of the Kristel-Mauricio tryst videotape into an elevation of rank. She's now Head Housekeeper, with a swank outfit, and frequent dustups with Kristel. The latest scandal is someone has burned one of Kristel's frocks and she wants someone to pay for it. Nereida declines, and also makes a malicious remark about Mauricio's frequent trips out of town. Trouble in Paradise? It will be interesting to see what he's been up to in the last two years. But first, more ads.

Now we're in the final countdown of the episode. Here's how it wraps up. Netty has a Secret Admirer who keeps sending her flowers. Shall we guess it's Emiliano?

And Fedra's off to Spain. But telling Emiliano she's off to Switzerland. To check on Gretel. Who's finally allowed to see people. But noooo, not you Emiliano. You stay here and tend to the wedding while I fly off to see how her treatment's going. Bye! Emiliano looks perturbed. Again.

Jacqui and Eman's skanky buddy are filming a commercial about a product that gives you kisses without bad breath. Insensitive doofus buddy envies Manny's coming nuptials and canoodling with that luscious body named Ilitia. Manny sighs and notes that his buddy still doesn't realize it takes more than a body to make a man happy. Fine, says doofus, but let's relax and toss back a few brewskis and talk about it.

Nereida's flown into the kitchen ready to raise Hell and fire Delicia over the scorched dress. Paula and Delicia make fun of her and her pretentions. And Axel forbids her from firing anybody. Good stuff.

Bad stuff at Ilitia's. She's being a Bridezilla about the colors the wedding planner picked out for the tables. She wanted beige and burgundy, this idiot brought her vanilla and old rose. Out! Bye! Come back with better stuff. Chauffeur and maid watch this with squinchy disapproving faces. Bridezilla doesn't notice. She wants them to fetch her stylist and the poor wretch designing her wedding cake. But wait! She's smiling. A huge bouquet has arrived. Joy. It must be from Emanuel. She opens the note.

And a sinister note it is indeed. "I'm nearby. And I have a very special wedding present for you. Mauricio Fonseca."

Ooooh. Creepy. Muñeca, who is hovering by her daughter's side, looks perturbed. So does Ilitia.

A lot of Perturbing tonight folks. And that's it.

Previews:
Fedra wants the wedding to be the social event of the year.
Eman's buddy is worried that he has one foot in church while his mind's still on another woman.
Eman says he needs to have Marianela look him right in the eye and tell him she doesn't love him before he'll believe it.

Vocabulary:

ama de llaves = housekeeper (a rank above mere maid. and one Nereida holds now)
me movió el tapete = shook me up. (sometimes has a romantic meaning, but not here)

estirar la pata = kick the bucket, die. (what Tia Carlota's about to do)
todo se va a arreglar = everything's going to be alright (Brandon's reassurance to a distraught Oliver)

Dicho of the Day

Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda. Lit. a monkey dressed in silk is still a monkey. Fig. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Delicia and Paula, making fun of Nereida in her fancy outfit and presumptuous ways.

Labels: llena

Capitulo 109.
Read Julie’s original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Fernando tells Omar he’s taking Lety to his house tonight because he wants to. Omar asks what the heck is happening to him, then teases, “There’s love there.” Fernando, aggravated, responds, “So what if there is?” and hangs up on Omar.

2. Pilar plays the prima donna. Ali hears that Pilar should be paid 500K pesos, exactly what Alicia needs to rescue her car. Ali tells her papi that she deserves the modeling job because she’s been at Conceptos a long time, and she’s Marcia’s best friend. She’s depressed so she’s going shopping – grocery shopping.

3. Pilar describes Pavel, the love of her life, so Irmita tells about hers, Sara wishes for hers, and Pilar asks Lety if she’s ever been hopelessly in love.

4. Pilar says Fernando is exactly like Pavel in everything. Lety counters that Fernando makes all his women suffer a lot, and Sara adds that he’s a terrible mujeriego. Since that doesn’t scare off Pilar, Lety adds that he leads a double life, but she quickly regrets saying it.

5. Very sweet: Fernando calls his mama to ask for a recipe for something easy to make. Mama reminds him that he’s all thumbs in the kitchen.

6. Marta couldn’t get a caterer within budget for the commercial shoot, so Lety asks Julieta to cook for the event. Erasmo thinks she’s in over her head. Mama throws a fit: our daughter needs us!

7. Pilar concludes that since Fernando leads a double life, Pavel must have changed his identity. She tells him that when they’re together he won’t be able to deny his past.

8. Matilde calls Erasmo and tells him she wants to be alone with him. Pop says, “Wrong number.”

9. Fernando takes Lety to the market because he’s going to cook dinner for her. Pilar follows them.

---

Capitulo 110.
Read Amanda’s original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Fernando and Lety go grocery shopping, and he’s so clueless, he can’t even open the plastic bags. He wants to get some bonsai trees but Lety says they’re broccoli. He wants to make a turkey but Lety says it needs two days to thaw. They act like they’re already married. Alicia is in the same store and almost sees them several times.

2. Lety says she never learned to cook because her dad made her study instead, and Lety thinks he was mistaken because learning to cook takes time, and everyone needs to eat. Fernando adores her clear thinking. Who’d have thought grocery shopping could be such a romantic date?

3. They arrive at his house and Lety is euphoric. She says, “I can’t believe that I’m here. It’s your house, and if you invited me here it’s because you genuinely.. you genuinely..” Fernando finishes, “because I honestly want you to be with me. And to share our time together.” She just wants to stop and drink it all in, and she cries from happiness.

4. Lety imagines Marcia tearing into her. Marc says she’s fought for Fernando against women more beautiful and higher class than herself, and she’s always won. Beating Lety is a slam dunk. Lety explores Fernando’s bedroom, his most intimate space. Fernando surprises her and plays nuzzle/tickle games. She’s troubled by the ghost of Marcia, but Fernando says to forget all about that and enjoy their night together.

5. Mama Julieta picks up Matilde’s call trying to pick up Erasmo. She demands an explanation from him and he tries to hide in the bean bowl. Matilde invades the house and MamaJ walks in on her sucking Pop’s face.




6. Fernando’s nuzzle is interrupted by fears over the red bag, and Lety suggests that they make the fondue. Fernando is all thumbs with cooking, and he admits he’s been in his kitchen all of three times. He’s no good at cutting bread, but he does a magnificent job of distracting Lety while she does it.

Don’t miss Thursday! The first episode is another great one. The second one has good sections in the first 10 minutes, but the rest is a perfect example of why Fea fans cringe at the words "Underwear Commercial."

Labels: fea-2010

Eva Luna, November 30, 2010, Episode 19—Stupid galáns and broken crockery.

Note: All video clips hosted on my own (very bare-bones) site. They are streaming Flash clips (the same kind as on YouTube). Right-click on the links to open to a new window. And as always, corrections to this recap are welcomed. Thanks!

We start with a rewind of yesterday's episode; Daniel parking The Red Car, Eva seeing The Red Car, running after The Red Car as it drives off, but not seeing who was driving it. (Of course she loses her job because she ran into another waitress as she was running out and the waitress dropped a bunch of crockery.)

Renata and Justa have a close encounter in the grocery store. Renata is muy impactada to see Justa, and almost approaches Justa, but chickens out at the last minute. Justa blissfully wanders around, smelling various fruits, oblivious of all of this.

Marisol is chatting with Alicia and dreamily talking about rich men giving her flowers—fantasyland stuff. Alicia wants to talk reality. No fun! The doorbell rings, Marisol answers. It's Carlos looking a bit droopy, holding a modest bouquet of carnations for Alicia. Marisol tries to dissuade him from presenting this pitiful display, saying that those little things will pale in comparison to the garden they've got inside.

Don Ricardo wins $10,000 from the lottery, from that same store where Tony and Alicia shoplifted. The clerk speaks in accented English while Ricardo responds in Spanish. I include a clip of this (link below), since I am fascinated with the use of English in this telenovela. Some unknown person is watching all of this go down.

A still-droopy-looking Carlos is ushered inside and presents his carnations to Alicia. They're to congratulate her for getting into college, he says. She gets right to the point. She doesn't want "him" (meaning Tony) to see them there together.

Video clip of droopy Carlos with flowers, and the English-speaking store clerk telling Don Ricardo that he's won the lottery.

Renata is back in the kitchen looking very shell-shocked. She knocks over some crockery as she walks out and doesn't even notice. "No puede ser!" she thoughtbubbles. She thought Justa was dead! Marcela told her that Justa was dead in the clinic! She wonders if Marcela knows the truth (that Justa is indeed not dead). Then Renata thinks that Justa will never forgive her for what she did.

Marcela approaches Eva outside of the pension and wants to talk to her.

Don Ricardo tells Justa and Marisol about his good luck with the lottery. Much elation and celebration occurs.

Marcela is at her sneering best as she makes it obvious that the pension is a pathetic place. Eva is not tolerating this very well. Marcela then suggests that maybe Eva quit just because of the "little talk" they had about Daniel? More snarking back and forth.

Adrian is out somewhere looking for his dad. Some mysterious person grabs him from behind.

Don Ricardo is talking about Adrian with Marcela. He understands that Adrian is always going to feel connected to his dad, because blood is thicker than water, basically.

Meanwhile, Adrian is being restrained by two thugs in some dark room as he screams for help.

Renata is looking after Don Julio and is dropping crockery. Julio wonders what's up. She tries to give him his medicine. He won't take it from anyone other than Eva.

Raised voices between Marcela and Eva. Finally Marcela pulls the heartstrings and tries to guilt Eva into returning because Don Julio is doing so poorly. (Yeah, as if Marcy cares about that! Ha!) This works because Eva is genuinely fond of Don Julio. Marcy even goes so far as to say that if Don Julio dies, it'll be Eva's fault.

Daniel and Francisco are talking. Daniel (who in my opinion is acting like a defeated and whipped dog), resignedly says that he wants his life back to normal, and that means sticking with Victoria. Francisco does basically a spit take and reminds Daniel that he doesn't love Vicky Icky.

Eva is telling an astonished Alicia about Marcy's plea to get her to return to work. Eva also mentions that she saw The Red Car today. Alicia says "Qué?"

Don Ricardo is wondering where Adrian is. He should be home by now. Everyone in the pension says they'll go look for him.

Adrian is kicking up a fuss and the two thugs have to gag him. One almost hits him but the other stops him.

Manure is slinging as Marcela tells Don Julio that because she loves him so much, she went to try to get Eva to return. But Eva won't come back. Don Julio isn't buying this and says she's got to try harder.

No sign of Adrian at the pension. They are talking about maybe calling the police. The doorbell rings. Nobody there, but Adrian's backpack and a note are left. It's a ransom note. You guessed it, they want Don Ricardo's lottery money or the kid gets it.

Icky Vicky is calling Daniel and oozing all over him. He is half-heartedly asking her out to dinner, but you can tell he's not totally into it. But being a clueless galán, he's going to persist with this idiocy of fooling himself that he can settle for Icky.

A resigned-looking Daniel after asking Icky Vicky out for dinner.

Renata is still so freaked out that she spills the wine she's pouring at the dinner table. Icky Vicky is crowing about going out with Daniel to dinner.

A new person walks into the room where Adrian is being held. Adrian looks up with blissful amazement. It's Papa! Creepy Loser Dad manages a small smile in return.

Our stupid galán is going to actually propose to Icky Vicky. She of course is elated and thinking of all the wedding plans. You can tell he's trying to convince himself he'll be happy.

Eva and Alicia talking about Adrian's kidnapping and Don Ricardo paying the ransom money.

Creepy Loser Dad isn't explaining to Adrian about what is going on, but says he won't be coming home.

Don Ricardo returns to the pension. He paid the money but no sign of Adrian yet.

Loser dad is insisting that Adrian lie about him being involved in this whole kidnapping thing.

Tony the Lollypop boy returns to the pension, his mood all buoyant, and the rest of the residents of the pension clue him in about what's happening. Ah! Adrian has now returned! Of course he won't tell them that his own dad was involved. He's quite distressed and Don Ricardo can tell that he's hiding something.

Francisco is in Daniel's room. He's imagining that Marisol (the millionairess) is wondering why he only has more than one suit. Francisco comes up with the grand idea of "borrowing" one of Daniel's suits. Of course none of them fit, though Francisco tries to fool himself otherwise.

Meanwhile Marisol is basically doing the same thing—wondering about what kind of clothes a millionairess should be wearing and talking about it with Alicia. Alicia would like to help with the clothes, but she's got to go to class.

Jackie walks in on Francisco trying on suits and chews him out. He says something clueless and cheeky. She ends up slapping him across the face. Well-deserved, too! Francisco can't figure out what's bothering her.

Lollypop boy Tony is shoveling manure to Alicia. Blah blah blah.

Tony also reminds her that he's the one that made college work for her, after the cheating episode. She gives him a little beso then runs off to class.

Eva at her dad's grave, talking about what to do, what to do . . . she wants to forget about Daniel, but she wants to help Don Julio. He's not to blame for this. Then she smiles and ponders, maybe Alicia is right, and Daniel is in love with her for real?

Trouble at college for Alicia.

Adrian is at home, happy happy happy. Justa and Ricardo fuss over him lovingly. He almost spills the beans about his dad, but doesn't. Ricardo gets him alone and wants to have a man-to-man talk and wants Adrian to tell the truth.

Turns out that the Math professor has told the college that she was coerced into letting Alicia into college. Alicia is of course flabbergasted.

Celebration at the big house, as they toast to the wedding plans. Leonardo whispers in Daniel's ear all sorts of manure, further convincing him that Eva never cared for him, is never coming back, blah blah blah. You can see the resignation in Daniel's face—he'll settle for Icky Vicky. (Idiot!)

Adrian is getting distressed as Ricardo tries to press him for details about the kidnapping. Don Ricardo figures that Adrian is afraid to tell him what happened.

It all comes out—the math teacher was a victim of extortion. Alicia has no clue of course.

They're planning on announcing a formal commitment of Daniel and Icky Vicky tomorrow. "Welcome to our family," Leonardo says. Yeah, yeah, whatever.

Ricardo is one smart old dude. He asks Adrian, "Is your dad the one who kidnapped you?" Adrian looks impactado.

Poor Alicia protests her innocence but the school isn't buying it. They are going to start a legal investigation.

Daniel is in the hallway as the doorbell rings. It's Eva! Impactado looks are exchanged.

Here's a video clip of the last two scenes.

Avances: It looks like it really hits the fan. Video clip of Avances.

Note about the video clips: I just got HD on Dish Network. I am getting an HD video capture device tomorrow (hopefully). Because I am a geeky fangirl, I may add some more high quality video clips tomorrow or the next day. Check back on this page because (if things go well) I'll update this with links to HQ or HD clips. (Wow, HD looks really fabulous!)

Closed Captioning video clips: And yes, being the geek that I am, I have discovered that since upgrading to HD, the closed captioning works differently. I was able to make a sample video clip which shows the English closed captioning on Eva Luna. With this upgrade, I believe that the English CC is as accurate is it can be (not sometimes jumbled around, like it was before). This video clip (from yesterday's episode) shows how "accurate" the English subtitles are! LOL.

This clip (from yesterday's Soy tú Dueña) show the closed captioning in Spanish, and explains a little more about how the closed captioning works with HD.

Labels: eva

Labels: llena

* At Leonardo's flat Ramón tries to explain how he lost sight of Fausto. Leo is nervous: how on Earth could that man disappear?! However, Ramón did see two men leaving the house and he describes Abelardo and Mario. Hmm. Mario Genovés may be connected to the case of Santiago Guzmán since he and Adolfo Ávila talked about Marta.

* Elsa learns for Caramelo that she and JJ will play the girl's parents at Angie's party and as usual she gets very pissed off at Juan José.

* Adolfo visits his wounded captive to talk about the millions he spent on him - for nothing! Roberto he swears he did kill Mario, he saw him burning, he can't be alive! Please don't hurt Smeagol. Adolfo lets him go but he has to kill Mario for good and all. And if he fails again...



* Alejandra is looking for a jewel in Bertha's drawer and discovers the bracelet Adolfo gave to her sister. Bertha admits it's from Dracula and he gave it to her for Gabriela's photos. Alejandra doesn't understand why he needs those photos, and how could Bertha do that?

* Daddy JJ and Limón have a fight over the "Elsa & JJ are Mom & Dad" fairytale, JJ's sudden wish to adopt Caramelo, that vieja (old) Alejandra, Elsa and Medina and the good old "you hurt Elsita's feelings" issue. But all Asunción can achieve with his arguments is a big kiss on his cheek.



* Adolfo asks Yolanda about Faidella. What did he say to her? Don't leave town? Anything else? Nothing. It seems he doesn't suspect anything about Adolfo.

* Susana reads The Letter. She learns Dora is David's mom and gets to know a new name: Carlos Ávila.



* In the villa David and Gabriela talk about their relationship, Carlos and her male friends for the 1000th time. Actually, she asked Carlos about the photo. And why did he meet Leo? Because he's a good friend of her and believe it or not, she has problems, too! But she only loves him, David, and she knows he loves her, too, that's why she stayed. At last the brain cells of David start to work again and Gaby's sweetness and persistent love melts his heart. They hug each other.



* Leonardo follows Fausto to a hotel and while the old man is on the 14th floor he's waiting for him in the hall. And once again, Mario and Abelardo show up instead of Fausto. He greets the men and ask about Fausto to which they respond he's still in his room. However, he learns from the receptionist that although Sr. Genovés did book a room, there is no reservation for Fausto Guillén.



* In the car Fausto tells Abelardo about Leonardo, Gabriela and the tomb of Marta. Both men are scared and Fausto states they'll have to do something about this!

* David and Gaby complain to each other about their fathers. Mario's changed so much, and they both act so strangely lately. In fact, Mario's tantrum reminds Gaby on her father. Doorbell. Adolfo storms into Mario's study and a few minutes later Mario shows up too. In the study Adolfo sets out his demands: David forgets that audit and Mario gives a flat to his nieces because they are his blood while David is just an adopted son. If Mario doesn't obey then he'll tell everything to the police... and to David. A month ago Mario would panic but this new guy just laughs in loser Adolfo's face. Let's see, what would happen if everyone found out David isn't his son? Nothing, he adopted him legally. And as for the murder of Marta: come on, he has no proof, only his word against Mario's and surely the word of a jewel-smuggler doesn't count for a lot. Yes, yes, he does know about the investigations of Leonardo Faidella. Adolfo is sincerely surprised at Mario's new-found strength and says he seems like a completely different man.



* Susana asks Gaby about her past and says once they met in Sagitario: when she and her "husband" celebrated their anniversary. Gabriela finally recognizes her and she's pleasantly surprised. Sue keeps babbling about her luck for being so beautiful and for finding a rich, loyal husband... And by the way, does Sr. Abelardo live in the neighbouring house? Gaby admits she doesn't know where Abe lives. One more question: does her father-in-law wear a wig? What?! No, Gaby doesn't think so.



* After Dolphie leaves Mario and Abelardo show David the famous contract. David can't comprehend how could Mario accept those conditions, especially that ridiculous clause of death! He takes the contract to examine it closely. After he leaves Fausto has a tantrum. Again. He is about to leave when Abelardo discovers that the order of the books has changed... and the letter's disappeared! Fausto thinks that stupid Bertha's surely switched the books, and orders Abe to keep looking for the letter.

* The party of Angie becomes a nightmare for poor Caramelo: when Elsa finds out she has to spend the afternoon in the same room with JJ she decides to leave, and while JJ and Medina are having a conversation about their private life in his study (oh yeah, Elsa is my girlfriend), in the living the room the illiterate kid loses a raffle and gets humiliated by Angie.



* Leonardo gives up waiting for Fausto and leaves the hotel.

* Adolfo confesses Yolanda he's very worried about Mario, he knows about Faidella and their smuggling operation! But how could this happen? Did the waitresses' father tell him about the diamonds? He wants to talk with Fausto immediately!



* Fausto got rid of his Mario outfit and tries to leave the neighbourhood through the Genovés villa. However, Susana notices them and her smile isn't too promising.



* In the hotel apartment Caramelo is fuming about the party and the bike she lost. JJ promises to buy her a great bicycle, he gives the money to Asunción and says he is going to visit Elsa. Limón protests, and the men argue about Elsa and Alejandra again. *Viewerville: yawn*

* David and Gaby visit his lawyer who affirms the contract is absurd and it's strange that a businessman like Mario would've ever accepted it's conditions.

* When Fausto arrives at home Leonardo's voice welcomes him in front of the flat: are you Santiago Guzmán?



Aribeth

Labels: verdad

Capitulo 107.
Read Julie’s original recap, then come back here to discuss it.

1. Alicia wakens Marcia to tell her the cuartel is making an X-rated movie.

2. The cuartel auditions models, but Alicia tells the models it’s all a joke and there is no job, so they all leave. Ali also locks Jazmín in a dressing room so that Alicia is the only remaining model candidate.

Nothing else happens. Nothing.

---

Capitulo 108.
Read Julie’s original recap and Read Maricruz’s additional info, then come back here to discuss it.

The first half of this episode is mostly blither. The second half, starting when Pilar arrives, gets much better.

1. Lola tells the cuartel that Jazmín is locked in a dressing room. Irma puts her foot down because they need Jaz for the shoot.

2. Alicia shows Fernando her qualifications for the modeling job, as does Jazmín. But instead they hire Czech model Pilar who insists that Fernando is her lost love Pavel Novak.

3. Fernando remembers the night of the hotel when he told Omar he didn’t want to let Lety see his house and his “intimidad” (he said the same thing about Fatima). Now he decides to take her to his house because he DOES want to bring her into his personal space, and both of them recognize that this is a significant step for him.

4. Pilar decides that she’s going to win Fernando because Pavel is the love of her life.

5. Alicia failed on her only mission – she never made room reservations, and Luigi and his crew arrived in Germany without rooms.

Labels: fea-2010

Labels: eva

Friday: Fedra thinks she’s having a heart attack. Mari leaves for Spain, having given Netty a letter to give to Emanuel, who’s come too late to the airport and gets held back by security and told off by Netty.

******

Okay, let’s see if my turkey-addled brain is working. Bear with me!

Weeping Emanuel is dragged off by security.

Kristel is visiting Mauricio in jail and after a little smooching, she tells him he’s going to get out and guess who’s going to do it? Fedra! His number one enemy, who yeah, still hates him, but Kristel’s got something on her. More coochy-coo smooching until Mauricio’s lawyer the mafia guy comes in and says he wants to talk to him alone.

The lawyer smilingly tells him he had to grease some very important palms, but he’s going to get Mauricio out, tonight! Mauricio wants to know how that Eman-exterimation plan is coming, the one to break Fedra’s heart. It’s in the works, the lawyer assures him. They chortle evilly.

Instead of holding him as a terrorist suspect and giving him the deluxe body search, the airport security guys deposit Eman on his Eman-mobile and tell him to get lost. They go inside and he sits on the thing and weeps and opens the envelope with Mari’s letter in it and reads:

Goodbye Emanuel. You must be wondering why I took off so suddenly without saying goodbye. I just didn’t have the strength to look you in the eye. It’s best for both of us. I’m going to save you the trouble (ahorrar el trabajo) of lying to me. My love for you is so powerful that it blinded me to the truth. You never loved me.

Eman boo hoos a bit, then goes back to reading: I’m leaving because every word you say is a mockery of my feelings. I’m going far away so I can forget you. Live your life and leave me in peace to live mine, far from you. Goodbye forever.

Goodbye, Eman wails. But the problem is that I love you! He sobs and anguishes some more, and, fortunately for his machoness, there is not one single soul walking into the front door of the Mexico City international airport. Maybe security put out a warning because they think he’s going to explode.

A jet is taking off and Eman yells to it that he’s not going to give up until he finds her and gets an explanation. It’s not fair! All he’s done is love her.

Say, here come a couple of people to the airport, but they’re not passengers. It’s our favorite thugs Baldy and Moustache. Moustache jabs a gun into Eman’s side and the two escort him away.

Flora the maid is a bundle of nerves about missing Muñeca and wants Lorenzo to go looking for her. He says he has to wait for Garduño to call. He wonders where Ilitia has gotten to, and Flora says she’s off moving heaven and earth to save her mother.

We see Muñeca trying the windows at the very upscale home where she’s being held. Garduño comes in and in a creepily gentle voice says he’s not letting her go yet and that she should dry those tears and make herself all pretty like the muñeca that she is. He wants them to have some champagne together. He hands her a coat that might be fur and says he picked it out just for her. He leaves the room.

At the station, Oliver and Brandon are discussing Mari. Brandon thinks she’ll be gone a long time, but Oliver thinks she’ll be back very soon, as her family is here. Brandon thinks it’s best she stay away, but Oliver sees through him. Brandon says he has to get Mari out of his heart, it’s not gonna happen. Oliver says you never know. Ilitia bursts in, weeping please! Please!

Fedra’s in a hospital bed with the monitor beeping and the doctor asks Emil, Bernardo and Axel to leave, he’s doing everything he can. Bernardo jabs a finger at Emil and says if she dies, it’s his fault. Yeah, says Axel, she caught a heart attack from you asking for a divorce. Bernardo says all Emil cares about is romping with that actress. Emil snarls and grabs him by the lapels and yells at him to butt out of his family’s business. The only reason he’s let Bernardo hang around is to make Fedra happy, but no more. You’re just an employee. Get out.

The smallish doctor says “Gentlemen!” but stays safely in his corner.

Muñeca walks into the den or whatever at the Mob Hill mansion where Garduño is waiting. He tells her how beautiful she is and says that Low is crazy, if he were married to a woman of such beauty and refinement, he wouldn’t go chasing after floozies. Muñeca offers him as much money has he wants to leave her family alone. He pretends to be offended. He says he just wanted to have champagne with her, and points out that he just got out of prison and it’s been a very long time since he’s been around such a beautiful woman. Years! He wants to enjoy every second of her company.

Come with me, he says quietly. I don’t want to have to make you, but I can. He takes her by the hand and sits her in a chair. He sits opposite and flips open a board game, telling her that his jailmates were too stupid to play it, but she should make a good opponent.

Ilitia is beside herself and can’t exactly explain to Brandon what happened. She tells him she doesn’t know the guys and that it was a simple kidnapping. He tries to calm her down, and Oliver comes in and tells him that Mauricio is getting let out

The board game seems to be some kind of Trivial Pursuit. Muñeca reads from a game card and asks Garduño who wrote the lyrics to the Ode to Joy. He guesses wrong, and she gets to move her marker. He’s very upset, so she quickly says she counted wrong. He’s furious when his cell ringing interrupts the game. It’s Baldy, reporting that they have Eman, who indeed we see out cold in the back of a delivery van.

Now the van is on its way through the rain. Some guy is driving and Baldy and Moustache sing to the radio, then get into a fight about bad singing. In the back, Eman starts to come to, and starts yelling to be let out. Somebody tells him to shut up.

We’re in Madrid! And so is Marianela who has arrived at Carlota’s. Carlota gushes about how fabulous Madrid is then notices that Mari doesn’t look too red hot. Mari says the flight made her kinda urpy and… she passes out.

We are snatched back to Mexico, where Netty is sitting at the kitchen table with her gal pals lamenting that she misses Mari. They try to assure her that Mari’s just off on a trip, not dead. Netty curses the Ruiz y de Teresa in general and Emanuel in particular. Lightening strikes. Doris drops a bomb – she’s applied for a student visa in the U.S. She wants to go to L.A. to study makeup. (Judging from these telenovelas, we don’t have as much makeup happening here as in Mexico, but I guess she means Hollywood.) Gladiola doesn’t want to let her little chick fly the nest.

Fedra asks the doctor if she’s dying and he tells her she’s healthier than he is. It’s must’ve been a chest cramp from stress and he’ll prescribe some sedatives. She offers him big pesos to say she has some fatal illness.

Mari’s in a hospital bed too, with Carlota hovering over her. A handsome doctor comes in and says she has something I didn’t catch, but it sounds like general galloping body rot. He’ll have to run more tests. Mari’s life is in danger.

More of Eman pounding on the sides of the truck. The baddies, one of whom has a gun in hand, decide to pull over in the wooded area.

Mari says it’s not the first time she’s passed out, and Carlota remembers it happening in Mexico. Mari says the family doctor said she had anemia. And here comes the Spanish doctor with the results – they’ve found traces of poison. Is this our takeaway lesson, that Spanish medicine is superior to Mexican medicine? Or maybe that the rich-folks’ clinic is superior to a neighborhood doctor who is unlucky in love?

Mauricio is picking up his things at the prison, and the prison guard hands him a piece of paper, saying somebody left a message for him. It’s signed Garduño, who says welcome to the big leagues, show up at this address. And none of the guards read this paper that’s just folded, and not in code, gives an address and is even signed by a mob boss?

While Axel and Bernardo listen, the doctor tells Emil that Fedra has suffered a bad heart attack and any upset could do her in. Bernardo remarks pointedly that a new life – alone – will be very stressful for her. Axel tells his father that if he divorces her, it’ll kill her. Fedra, pretending to be asleep, smiles a tiny smile.

Mari tells the doctor that Paula always fixed her meals and she trusts her completely. He asks her to remember whatever else she might have eaten regularly. Mari remembers the chocolates and freaks out. We see flashbacks of her receiving chocolates and eating them, even once being fed a chocolate by Eman. I hate him! she wails.

The baddies get out of the van and one ties the gearshift securely and tromps on the gas and then jumps out. They run to a car they had waiting by the roadside. Eman is being tossed around in the out-of-control van.

Emil says that all that time he had eyes only for Fedra, but then one day, everything changed and he realized… Axel finishes his thought You realized she wasn’t the person you thought, but still, if you leave, it’ll kill her and none of us will forgive you. We can tell Fedra is enjoying this enormously. I can’t leave her right now, says Emil.

Garduño thanks Muñeca for the splendid time. She thanks him too, using Usted even though he uses tu, for the dinner and everything and can she go home now? It’s raining too hard, he observes. He tells his servant to take her to her room and keep an eye on her.

In comes Mauricio who thanks Garduño for springing him and wants to know if he took care of that Fedra thing. Yes, says Garduño, she’ll be getting a box delivered with her son inside, chopped into little pieces. Even Mauricio looks a bit grossed out. Garduño says time to sign a contract and he pulls a gun on Mauricio.

Maurcio is taken aback. Garduño tells him that as long as he does what he says, everything will be fine, but from now on, his life - and his death - are in Garduño’s control. He smiles and hands the gun to Mauricio as a welcome present. This fellow sure has a flair for the theatrical.

I think Brandon and Oliver are setting up a wiretap on the phone at Lorenzo’s house. Ilitia is very scared about her mother and Brandon promises they’ll get her back safe and sound. He takes Ilitia’s hand and presses to his heart (on the second try – first he presses it to the right side of his chest, then realizes he’s wrong – cute!).

Mari has some leftover chocolates in her purse which she hands over to the doctor for analysis. Mari is raving about how he gave her chocolates, how he was the love of her life, how he just wanted to kill her for her inheritance, all the time neglecting to say who “he” is. Finally Carlota gets it out of her – Emanuel. Carlota’s jaw drops. Mari explains the plot for Eman and Fedra to share the inheritance. Carlota just can’t believe it of Eman, and can’t believe that a Ruiz y de Teresa would kill someone of their own blood for money. Mari stuns her with the news that Eman isn’t a real Ruiz y de Teresa, that he’s actually Type F, and that he and Fedra are just out to take every centavo for themselves.

Eman’s face is bloodied, but I can’t tell if the van is still moving. He calls out for help. Somebody outside is shouting that his wife is bad off and Eman shouts that he’ll help if they get him out. Finally somebody opens the door and Eman sees a scene of horror – a huge pileup with lots of cars, one burning, and accident victims shouting and staggering about holding their sides in pain.

Low, Ilitia and Brandon and Oliver are waiting for a phone call. The phone rings and both Low and Ilitia jump. Low wants the police to answer, but they tell him he has to. While they listen, Garduño tells Low he doesn’t deserve a classy woman like Muñeca and that they had a lovely evening together. Low is furious, and wants her returned right now. Oh no no no, says Garduño, it’s too late, it’s raining and the city if very dangerous, you know. Low insists on talking to her directly, and Garduño hangs up. During the call, Oliver and Brandon watch a computer screen with maybe voice recognition software running.

Ilitia runs towards her father, then decides to hang on Brandon instead. Low peels her off and has her hug him.

Some locals have kindly taken all the accident victims into their home while they wait for help. One man is bawling inconsolably because he lost his wife. Eman tries to comfort him, and says he too has lost the only woman he ever loved. One of the accident victims runs in and says her daughter has fallen, and Eman runs off to help.

Mauricio has showed up at the big house and Kristel is thrilled. She exults that Fedra got him out, but he says it wasn’t Fedra, so Kristel wants to tell her off. Nereida says that’ll have to wait because she’s in the hospital and adds that she’s going to be a lot worse when she sees Mauricio is out. Kristel and Mauricio don’t pay a shred of attention because they’re busy smooching. Avert your eyes.

Low has gone to bed, but Ilitia comes down to the living room and tells Brandon she can’t sleep. Her poor mother! They’ve had such distance between them and she’s said such terrible things to her. I’m a horrible person, she says. Brandon assures her she’ll have time to fix things up with her mother. Ilitia says how wonderful her mother is, what good care she always took of her, the time she always gave her, even though she isn’t… What? says Brandon. Never mind, says Ilitia leaning into his arms.

Eman carries the wounded girl into the house and says she’ll be okay. He lays her on the bed while the mother cries with gratitude, then he falls over into a faint. The victims realize he’s wounded.

Avances: Carlota is astonished to find out Fedra’s real name. Ilitia and Brandon kiss. The Spanish doctor tells Mari she has to lose weight. Delicia, holding the phone, tells the family that Eman is maybe dying.

Labels: llena