Caray, Caray!

Urban is switching to Monday; Elvira is on Wednesday; 5 foot and Keri are keeping their Thursday - Friday slots for "La Que No Podia Amar" - this leaves only Tuesday as a question mark. Do we have a taker? Thanks!

Labels: Fuerza, no-podia, recappers-needed

I think this one is starting January 2 at 9 pm.

The story begins in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México, with Ana Paula Carmona, who as a girl had to take care of her sick mother. After the death of Mariana, Ana Paula decided to study nursing so she could always help others.

Ana Paula is now about to graduate. She meets Bruno, lawyer to the fearsom Rogelio Montero. Bruno needs a nurse to take care of his ailing boss. The salary is good and Ana Paula takes the job to help her aunt Rosaura with money. Rosaura has taken care of her and her brother Miguel since they were children.

Rosaura is resentful that she lost chances for love because she was taking care of them; she wants them now to take care of her, that's why she's pretending to be sick.

Miguel's girlfriend is Dany, a lively, enthusiastic girl who tries to change his insecure character. She's Ana Paula's best friend - they studied together in nursing school.

Ana Paula doesn't know she'll be working under very difficult conditions in the hacienda 'Del Fuerte' (of the strong), an isolated, far-away place; Rogelio is a very difficult man, he hasn't gotten over the consequences of an accident that occurred when he was about to marry Vanesa, a frivolous and egotistical woman who dumped him when he was injured.

Rogelio's sister Cinthia also lives at "La hacienda Del Fuerte." She feels trapped because he won't release her part of their inheritance, forcing her to remain at his side to take care of him. In order not to be bored, in secret she gets involved with Efraín, foreman on the estate, who truly loves her; for her sake he evades Consuelo, a servant who loves him innocently and sincerely.

Also living at Del Fuerte: María, Consuelo's godmother, a kind woman who's been like a mother to Rogelio y Cinthia. She was their nanny, now she still takes care of them. The touch of happiness in this strict household is Margarito, an innocent, enchanting little boy who has no family and whom Maria protects.

Ana Paula meets Gustavo Durán, a noble, hard-working engineer who has a sick sister named Mercedes. They fall in love, but their happiness is cut short because Rogelio also falls in love with her. This love triangle has terrible consequences.

When Miguel causes a terrible accident and is about to lose a hand and go to jail for life, Rogelio saves him in exchange for Ana Paula's hand in marriage. She sacrifices herself for her brother but doesn't imagine the hell she will suffer at Rogelio's side when he discovers she loves someone else.

It's only at the end of the story that true love triumps and Ana Paula can choose freely whether to stay with her spouse or with her first love.

Labels: no-podia, synopsis-cast

By Lila


“It's a family affair, it's a family affair
It's a family affair, it's a family affair
One child grows up to be
Somebody that just loves to learn
And another child grows up to be
Somebody you'd just love to burn”

Sly and The Family Stone



My friends! I hope everyone had a warm, fuzzy, and awesome Christmas or whatever sacred holiday you cherish. I know you all have been waiting for tonight and I am honored to be your little fly on the wall! I’ve got a lot of places to buzz around to so let’s get to it!

Left Overs

Isidro presses the bank official for final results on Renata’s fingerprints. Renata calling hotels in Vegas looking for Sow-ul and cradling her baby bump, assuring it everything will be all right. Autustin calls and she is brusque and brief with him! Augustin feigns ignorance about Jeronimo’s disappearance and hisses his intention to see her tomorrow, “Mi Amor.”

The painfully swollen Jeronimo deliriously mumbles Lazaro and Matilde’s names and unclogs the cogs in Sabina’s noggin. She’s knows Jero is the Patron missing from La Bonita!


Served up Hot Tonight

At Empresas Monterrubio: Germy and Berta bid farewell to Gonzo, off to “take care of business.” Berta pretends to be concerned about the goings on with Jeronimo and Renata, Gonzo gazes sternly from under his brow at Germy, and instructs him to take good care of his daughter. I’m sure he will, Gonzo.

Over in Hon’s office, he and Matias are joined by Adri who has confirmed that Germy and Berta have an appointment outside the empresas. They speculate about how they’ll be received when they crash the love nest. Adri mocks Roberta’s probable copping of a plea of abuse by Germy. Matias asks about the impact of this illicit rendezvous on the empresa. Hon’s bottom line is no matter how accomplished in business, Ibarrola has abused the confidence of the Monterrubios with his accosting of Beth and his bedding of Bert.

We’re with Gema now, lost in thought and sepia-toned flashbacks of Germy begging off from their spending time together during his weekend business trip. . . her shrug and shake of the head tells us she didn’t buy his story that it’s a boring good ole’ boys weekend.

Now we’re back in Saul’s former office where Marina and the Nurse are rifling through his things looking for evidence of the bastard’s whereabouts. They jimmy open a desk and Marina examines what looks like bills and a matchbook from a hotel.

Ah. . . now we’re in Isidro and Ines’ house where Ines, Connie and Regina chat about how well the women at the Center have recovered from the drama of the previous week. In files Gonzo, Isidro and Tony. Gonzo and Regina are expectant but nervous and want to get to the point. Isidro and Ines share a look of delighted anticipation.

Not yet. . . .Speaking of delight, we cut to Fina sniffing and caressing wads of Euros, Pesos and Dollars informing the cash with a grin that soon she will be far away from here, poised to complete the job she started 25 years ago. She, too, is swept away in a reverie of remembrance of the day she kidnapped baby Regina (Renata). We are forced to relive the day she hired a goon to create a distraction by stealing Regina’s purse as baby Regina/Renata was grabbed. (Yes, writers, stoke the fires of hatred for this miserable, self-centered, psychopathic wretch whose hatred for the woman SHE tortured has not abated in all those twenty five years. Thus we can more completely enjoy her demise!) Fina details her plan, never missing a beat in her counting or cackling: She plans to reveal Renata’s true identity as Regina’s Daughter after she and Roberta have left for Switzerland with the inheritance money but by that time Renata will be dead. Fina cynically pats herself on the back for having “let” Rentata live for many years but now her hour has come: She plans to kill Renata!

Back at Isidro’s. . . were Regina is reminded of the process they had to go through to verify that Roberta was indeed the baby she gave birth to and which was stolen from her: Roberta’s fingerprints had to be compared with those on the birth certificate of the child she gave birth to. Regina’s face is frozen in a kind of disbelieving suspense but Ines looks almost radiant as she declares that fingerprints never change from the time we are born. Gonzo gives words to the suspense which has congealed in Regina’s face: “Where are you going with all this?” Thus comes the words we’ve been waiting for:

“The analysis reveals that the fingerprints of Roberta do not correspond to those on the birth certificate of your daughter,” states Isidro.

“Como?” Regina begins to thaw.

“ROBERTA MONTERRUBIO NO ES TU HIJA!”

Regina protests that this can’t be! The DNA tests confirmed that Roberta is her daughter. Isidro calmly and firmly maintains he doesn’t know how but the DNA test results were wrong: Roberta is NOT the daughter that was stolen from her.

Connie, as jubilant as Ines beams that she knew all along that Roberta couldn’t be her daughter cause she’s nothing like Regina or any of the Monterubbios. Gonzo has picked up the glow now. “If Roberta is not Regina’s daughter then does this mean that Renata is?” With this question Regina begins to allow the shock to melt away. . . until Gonzo suggests maybe it’s neither of them and this is a further lie of Josefina!

Back at Monterrubio Mansion Renata is, of course, oblivious to all the high drama swirling around her identity as she continues her search for Saul and thus clues to the whereabouts of Jeronimo. Panchita announces and then ushers in Marina who gives her the hotel papers from Saul’s desk. Renata immediately begins to call the number on the papers.

Back at Isidro’s. . Antonio speaks: ”Regina, I promised you I wouldn’t rest until I found your Daughter and God has allowed me to complete this mission. It gives me great pleasure to tell you that we found your Daughter and now there is not the least doubt. Regina, the daughter that you have searched for almost twenty four years is no other than Renata, Renata Monterrubio. Renata Monterrubio and Regina Gamba Soberon are the same person and here is the proof.” Antonio’s solemn words are tempered with a soft smile as he hands Regina the documents. Regina gasps and stares at the papers. . . .

Again we’re with Renata as she asks in English if Saul is staying at the hotel. She gets a yes and hands the phone to Marina as it rings. Ugh! I, for one, could have done without this shot of Saul’s hairy gams. . .or, whatever they’re called on guys (notice I’m not calling her Maritata!). When Saul answers Marina completes the ruse by asking in English for Edward Smith. Saul answers, also in English that no, she has the wrong room. “It’s him!” whispers Marina. Renata promptly proposes they take off for Vegas to trap this first third of the Rat Pack. Marina is persuaded by the Velvet Steamroller that is Renata. You go Girl! Her 57 varieties of tears are sooo last week.

“Renata is Regina’s Daughter!” “Say it loud and there’s music playing. Say it soft and it’s almost like praying!” Gonzo fairly sings. “Then, my real Daughter is Renata?” Regina asks, joy struggling to flutter from her heart to her tear-streaked face. “Of course,” Connie joins the chorus: it all makes sense why Fina always treated Renata better, it all makes sense. Ines reminds Regina how Regina herself has always felt a special, inexplicable connection to Renata. “Yes, I always felt the call of the blood,” cries Regina, the smile having made it to her face, to her eyes. “But I thought Roberta was my daughter,” Regina cries. “But the fingerprints don’t lie!” Ines beams. “Renata IS your Daughter!” Ines sings the happy chorus. Gonzo begins putting the pieces together, Renata’s heart defect added to the confusion. (Gonzo gives us insight into how he was able to live under the same roof with Fina and never notice her emotional abuse of Renata and Matias: after two baby abductions, feigned brain tumor and insanity, theft, realized and attempted murder, he attributes this to a failure or confusion, not a deliberate manipulation . . .) Antonio repeats his earlier confirmation of Renata as her Daughter, this time with a smile that brightens even his beady eyes and sweeps around the room.

Phew. After that emotional intensity we’re in the kitchen of La Bonita where Alfonsina, holding her impossibly fat and cute baby discusses the likely murder of Ezekiel with Laz and Kari. Alfie wonders if Mal-icio knows anything. Laz warns her to keep her distance from Melesio, that he is baaad news. The toss of Alfie’s head tells us she’s got other ideas.

The dynamic duo with Jero’s trio in tow make their way down the escalator at the airport.

Gonzo gently explains that this is the answer to the photograph confusion: the first picture Fina sent to Regina was actually her Daughter, Renata. She argues again that she herself took Roberta’s brush which was submitted for the DNA test. Isidro suggests that the hair brush may not have been Roberta’s and Fina may have switched the names on the toothbrushes. Regina rides the emotional pendulum between excitement over knowing Renata is her daughter and back to despair and confusion and then alarm: How will she ever tell Roberta? How will she take it? Regina knows that they all don’t trust Roberta but she has grown to believe her and treat her like a daughter. She is afraid it will break her heart! Ines comes close to Regina and meets her at eye level: “And Renata. What about Renata? Hasn’t she suffered enough thinking her mother was a crazy killer?” Overtaken by a new wave of deliriously joyous tears Regina cries that she is dying to see Renata and hold her in her arms. “I always loved her before I knew she was my Duaghter, now I love her even more!”

. .but she does not want to forget Roberta, she does not want to hurt her. Ines gently delivers a verbal wake up slap that Gonzo feels when she reminds Regina that she herself not only had doubts Roberta was her daughter but thought she may even have been in cahoots with Fina. Gonzo is like “Como?”. Damn straight says Ines (or the equivalent thereof) . . .Ines says she thinks not only has Roberta continued to see Fina but is involved in this whole “error” (Ines punctuates with big air quotes) of DNA results. Gonzo wants someone to explain how they could possibly have these suspicions.

Valle de Bravo, Estado de Mexico. Ahhhh, it’s the “business” meeting and Berty and Germy are just arriving.

I think we’ve been spared the surely arduous task of clueing Gonzo in on Berta’s machinations with mommy. He gets it but Regina denies its possibility. Gonzo agrees with Isidro that before the girls are told about this “new” revelation about their identities, it must be determined if Roberta has been Fina’s accomplice all this time. Regina continues to protest. Connie maintains firmly that Regina must remember that Fina is not only Roberta’s mother but raised her as well imparting all her eeeevil. Regina can’t understand why? Why did Fina do this to her? Ambition and Money offers Brother Antonio. Pepa has been after the money Roberto left his Daughter when she turned twenty five. Gonzo and Isidro want to entrap Roberta by letting her think she is getting her inheritance and then following her as she seeks out Fina as she surely will. Connie is concerned about Renata being left in the dark. She has a right to know Fina is NOT her mother and Regina is. Regina agrees and wants to tell Renata herself and embrace her as her Mother. Gonzo says it’s a plan: They can count on Renata’s discretion but not a word to Roberta! By George! I think he’s got it!.

Back at the airport Renata questions Marina about how well she knows Saul, if she knows if he was capable of hurting Jeronimo. Marina doesn’t have much confidence in him though she doesn’t know what motives he would have for hurting Jeronimo. . .unless it’s for money which he loves more than anything. Who could provide him with that kind of money? Marina muses it must be someone who wanted Renata and Jeronimo separated. Hmmm. Who could that be? Marina says perhaps Augustin. Renata has her Gonzo moment: “How could you possibly think that of Augustin.” Marina spills Augustin’s proposal that she ally herself with him to break Renata and Jero up. A proposal which she, of course, declined. Cara impactada de Renata.

Pissypants knipps at Carlos’ heels, ragging him about Matilde as they walk amongst huge shiny stanless vats of wine. He fires her ass. Nuff said.

Anibal and Alison are sitting in the parlor at La Bonita. Anibal has decided to tell all on Auggie. Alison snags Laz and Carlos to listen as Anibal tells them of Augie contracting Saul to stop Jero and Renata’s wedding.

Alfie follows her boobies through the shiny, plastic, amber beads of a curtain in a cheap little cantina where Melecio sits at a table. She asks to join him in a copita of tequila to drown the sadness that clings to her over that stupid Eziquel who took his own life. She throws the copita back in one quick swig and Melesio inhales the heat rising from her bosom and moves in to retrieve the tequila from her throat but she turns away. “That damned coward, leaving me, leaving his children.” Melesio swallows hard and eyes her breasts as if they each coo as sweetly as does Alfie’s pouting lips.

Back at La Bonita Anibal is on a roll. He tells of how he saw proof on Auggie’s computer that he was investigating Marina and Saul. Alison helps tell how Auggie threatened to kill Anibal for messing with his computer. He told Anibal that he could not abide traitors. Carlos and Laz want to get their hands on the proof!

Regina and Gonzo back at former Hell Hacienda look for Their Daughter but are given a note from Renata saying that she and Marina have gone to Vegas! Say What? Go Gonzo and Regina.

Super Laz, Carlos and Super Anibal in training sneak over to Cruz Sin Amor just as Augustin is leaving. They whisper to each other that Auggie is probably going to Mexico City to look for Renata, so they’re in luck. They tip toe through the blue haze of night into his study and have their hands on his computer when. Doh! Auggie forgot his cell and has come back! They scatter like cucarachas when the light comes on. His maid comes in and hands him his cell and he thankfully leaves right away, barking on his way out. Whew! The Tremendous Trio grab the lap top and high-tail it back to La Bonita.

Now we are with Hon, Matias and Renata as he relays to them from Connie that it is confirmed that Renata is Regina’s Daughter. They grin with glee and hug. Renata will find out that her mother is not a demon but a Saint and finally she is going to have some happiness after so many disgraces. (Ouch! I know there’re only two weeks left but Adri, tempteth not more anvils!) Ok, Hon reminds them to stay focused, that they’re on a mission. Adri whips out her camera and off they go.

Roberta and Germy clad in their post-business attire enjoy glasses of wine and afterglow. Their slurping and stroking shares the screen with the urgent yet quiet strides of the Bod Squad. Busting these two bods, that is. Click, goes the camera as we catch the canoodling duo in the center of the frame. The second click catches Germy wide/wild-eyed impactado. Germy has the nerve to demand what are THEY are doing there? Hon, Mat and Adri take turns ripping in to them: Germy has not only shown a glaring lack of respect for Gonzalo Monterrubio and the entire Empresa but an absolute lack of trustworthiness. Their age difference is cited, that Roberta could be his daughter. But she’s not, she shouts and tries to throw them all out. Adri smiles sweetly that yeah, they’ll leave and take with them the evidence of what kind of people they are. She chides Germy for being a man that likes to extract youth through trysts with young women but lets him know that Roberta would never be with him if she thought she couldn’t extract money from him! Hon parts with you two are birds of a feather and Gonzo is going to know of this right away!

“BUENAS NOCHES!” salutes Gema as she marches in! Time for Germy to swallow hard as Roberta looks off with a “well I’ll be dipped” look.

Back at La Bonita. . .Anibal, Laz and Carlos run in with the lap top and Anibal furiously pounds the keys as Kari, Mati and Alison look on. Oh crap! Auggie changed the password! They start a guessing game.

Gema demands an explanation and Germy stammers, “How did you know we were here?” This is a cue for big mouth Berta to have the nerve to accuse The Bod Squad of telling on them. Gema lets them no that she didn’t need any information from Roberta’s family nor did she know they were there. She had her suspicions and investigated with Beth. Germy had fallen in his usual pattern of being artificially attentive to her. A sure sign that he had another “chippy” on his shoulder. She asks why indeed are they there and Adri shares that they, too, had suspicions and came to unmask them. Adri smiles and waves her camera as Gema turns to Germy and whollops him so hard Adri gasps and grabs her own face! Oh Lord, man, just. shut. up. He tries to say he and Roberta only have a business relationship. Well, it’s the second firing of the night. Gema makes a present of Germy to Roberta, but she can have him as he was a few minutes ago – butt nekkid - and how he was when she met him - without a dime! He’s free to keep seducing young tarts of easy virtue like Roberta. Germy gulps like a guppy but no words come out.

Uh. Help me out here. Who’s bed is Auggie laying on as he calls Renata’s cell phone? Creep-o-lah! This is the second third of the Rat Pack! Panchita answers and tells him Renata isn’t in the Hacienda de los Huevos Grandes. For a minute I though she was going to tell him she went to Las Vegas! Phew! Augustin curses that she’s not at home crying in pain.

The La Bonita hackers have run out of steam. Kari suggests Anibal have at it again after some rest.

Aye. Pobrecito de Jeronimo. (Man! Televisa does hellified makeup no?) Jeronimo is actually doing better than he looks, his temperature is under control. Sabina has been thinking about the things Jeronimo mumbled. Sabina is resolved to look for Matilde’s phone number and call her: she is convinced there is a connection.

Roberta nags Germy as they leave the Luuurv Shack. He’s an imbecile, he should’ve been more discrete and no one would’ve found them. .Germy’s turn: How was he to know her family was on to them and she need not play the innocent with him, she’s certainly done this before. She tries to defend her honor by warming the side of his face Gema didn’t fire up but he catches her hand and wrenches it down. He refuses to let her put all the blame on him. To her question what happens to us he answers you need to try to straighten things out with your family as I try to do the same with my wife. Roberta fires back with her disappointment and anger that Germy did not protect her as he promised. Germy reminds her of how he covered the money she embezzled from the business. This brings Berta down a notch and she tries a different approach. She wants to know why Germy doesn’t go to Gonzo and tell him Roberta did indeed think it was a business meeting but he tricked her. No, Germy is not going to make a fool of himself in front of Gonzo with that cock and bull story. Roberta begins to whine. “Why did you tell me you loved me and would leave your wife for me?” (Need help with his reply): “Como, por que iba a mentirle?” Because I lied to you?

Regina, Connie and Gonzo at Connie’s: Regina is talking to Antonio on the phone who is in the Church. She tells Antonio that Renata and Marina have gone to Las Vegas. Antonio tells her he thinks it best that he return to Valle de Guadelupe, that he may be of some help there to find Jeronimo. She thanks him for keeping his promise to help her find her Daughter. She will never forget him, nor never be able to thank him enough. Antonio looks like a man at peace.

Gonzo and Regina face Connie. Regina asks where Hon, Mat and Adri are? “Well, I won’t hesitate to tell you now that you know Roberta is not your daughter. As a matter of fact this proves that she is the spawn of satan, I mean, Fina, aw, same thing.” Gonzo wants to know what Roberta has to do with the whereabouts of Hon, Mat and Adri. “Because, they went to expose German and Roberta. They were not on a business trip but they were spending the weekend together because THEY ARE LOVERS.” Regina is stunned, Gonzo is stern and turns with pursed lips to look at Connie as the color drains from his face.


Preview: Fina and Roberta kiss and make up and then are surrounded by police; the third member of the Rat Pack, Saul, is confronted in the middle of the casino by Renata and Marina: Jackpot! He spills the truth like a slot machine spilling coins!


Thank you for your attention, my friends! Let the revelations continue as this year and our time of scholarly voyeurism come to an end. I’ll see you in comments but let me take this opportunity to thank you for letting me ramble and rant at you like this, it’s been fun and I hope you enjoyed it too. It’s wee hours so I’ll see you all later in cyberspace! I wish you all a New Year full of Peace, Prosperity and Love!

Labels: Cuando

I cooked dozens and dozens of Hanukah doughnuts tonight for a party, then cleaned up, then watched the show, and then blogged it. I don't have time to proofread it, sorry!

Pina rewards Candy with 2 spa passes for finding Abeja. She and Vince tell Adoracion, "Take this devil dog, with hate in his eyes, away!"

Rebeca misses much of Chela's in-the-dark monologue (which she, and we, have heard dozens of times) as she dozes in Pancho's bed ("in MY house" Chela barks). When Rebe sort of wakes up, Chela yells louder. "What an idiotic excuse, that your house burned, right, like I believe that."

Chela stalks out of the house crying. Rebeca staggers into Pancho's room, still dizzy. She knows the kids hate her. She and Pancho kiss. Pepe enters without knocking and grins at them.

In the barrio, Chela cries at Jessenia. She seems ready to move on but Jessenia eggs her on until: "I'll never accept that I've lost Pancho."

Pepe wants to open a auto shop with Tomas.

Adoracion comes to Pancho's house and says the "usurper" (the false Abeja) got her fired.

Vince calls Candy on their new secret cellphones. He's on the roof with binoculars. He reads her more poetry, pretending he wrote it.

Only Pepe stands up for his dad; the other kids say: "she goes or we go." Regardless, Pancho says she stays till the next day.

Pancho dreams: he's kissing Rebe, but suddenly Rebe turns into Chela. Then Rebe kisses Vince, Pancho screams, NO! Beto arrives in the dream saying: "I told you everything in life turns out badly and ends in death!" Pancho wakes up, hears shouting, and opens the door: there's Rebe, bleeding. "Chela stabbed me with a knife." No, it's another dream! He wakes up again and staggers into the next room, waking Rebe. He tells the dreams.

Enzo dreams of Violeta, Monica's mom. Now we find out she didn't die - she left him!

Pina sits alone in the living room. Freddy comes in and nicely asks what she's doing. "Waiting for dawn... That Tasmanian demon wasn't Abeja. But how are you?" "Did I tell you I asked Moni to marry me? And she said no." "Well, you don't like her much." "But wouldn't she make me a good wife?" "She's unstable." Pina thinks they're too young, anyway, then reminds him "You're the most important thing in my life... after the dog. Let her go to the grocer's son, there are lots of pretty girls out there."

Pancho brings Rebe breakfast in bed. She's still sick from the pill, her house is burnt and Chela hates her.

Candy comes and tells Pancho the show Pina Opina will, today, be half her and half Pina for the first time.

Adoracion comes in with the usurpadora. She cries to Ana: "I miss the shouting, I miss my home." Tomas comes in, she throws herself into his arms.

At the dog psychiatrist Pina says her dog has gone crazy. Vince is there, but he's texting Candy. The doc says they will soon be the happy grandparents of six puppies.

Ana, confused as usual, tells Lupe "I like Manuel, sort of, but there's tension with the other guys now."

"Carmen Matahari" (Candy) enters the spa, two VIP passes in hand. Close behind, "Bergerac" (Vince). Both have hats over their eyes. Bergerac says his wife is dead. Matahari: "My husband is not dead." "I am sorry to hear that." "He went off with his taichi master." "Sorry." "I'll get over it." She lets Bergerac have her second pass.

Wait, how did Vicente get into the lady's steam room? Candy: "Tell me a poem." "I didn't bring the book." He tells her about Mesoamerican spa rites: The temascal purifies body and soul...

... naturally, down the hall come Pina and her friend! Candy rushes out and says "Don't go in there, it's cold and there's fungus! It smells bad, like a rotten egg!"

Rebe and Pancho take a meeting with the director of the school Rebe is recommending for Temo. This woman, supposedly German, is scary looking and humorless, maybe a transsexual. She says Temo will have to take an admission exam. "But Temo doesn't know any German." "He'll take a class in the afternoons." When they leave, Pancho derides the director, she's like a badly-paid sergeant, he's not sure about this, he'll have to talk it over with Chela. Rebe starts up with her speech, "you want Chela," Pancho gets pissed and leaves.

Back at the spa: while Candy works hard to convince Cati and Pina not to go in the steam room, Vince gets so well boiled, he faints and the paramedics have to come for him. Mouth-to-mouth, oh no! Only from Candy! Vince goes running through the lady's dressing room; then Candy runs through the men's dressing room. She kisses Vince there and Pina and Cati are about to bust in and see! But they get intercepted by another guy who reminds them it's the men's room.

At Avon the receptionist flirts with Pepe again, and again, Moni sees them and is very jealous.

Uh-oh, Rebe left her cosmetics bag at Pancho's house. She goes back for it and encounters the crying Adoracion. Then Pancho comes in. He tells her, offhandedly, that Chela has a boyfriend. She says that changes things - but then why hasn't Chela come back to the house?

In the barrio, Chela runs into a guy who says he's lost. "You and me both," Chela mutters. As she's giving him directions Ana sees the two together; she runs after the guy to scold him. Then she scolds Chela for having a boyfriend; then she says she wants to stay with Chela in the old neighborhood.

Beto has a wife! He's ironing, so he must be hen-pecked. The wife, Maria, yells: her clothes are old, he mustn't leave a single wrinkle while ironing, he hasn't paid the rent, his love is worth nothing to her.

Pina is having no luck at all making her own breakfast. Everything boils over and burns. "I quit!" She tells Vince the eggs are well cooked, they've been on for 48 minutes. He spits out the coffee, perhaps made from socks. She says, "Then you make breakfast next time! ... I miss Adoracion, I need her!"

Ana yells at Rebe. Yikes, she is so so rude! "You have no business here, leave and never come back. It's your fault our family is a disaster. We will never accept you, never." Lupe comes in and tries to reason with Ana, who turns on her and yells, "You were always dad's favorite."

Beto enters Pancho's office sweating. "My beloved wife has wanted me to ask you to eat with us for a long time..." So Pancho goes to dinner and is assaulted by the bossy wife while Beto cooks and serves in an apron. The wife, Maria, flirts disgustingly and disparages Beto's cooking. Then she presses Pancho hard to give her husband a promotion and raise. Pancho: "Yes, he deserves it, but since we are cutting costs, it would look strange." Beto apologizes later; Pancho says "I'll give you a 20 percent raise since otherwise your wife will kill you!" Now he knows why Beto is so nervous all the time.

Enzo yells at Vince: "You abandoned our 'plans' just to chase a skirt." In fact, Vince had forgotten about their plans (to buy a majority share of Avon) - and anyway he doesn't see what marriage has to do with it. "Why are you so insistent that your daughter marry Freddy?" "Because I don't want Moni to end up doing what my wife did - leaving. I loved Violeta with all my soul." He tells Vince she isn't dead, and cries.

Labels: familia

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Labels: index

By Urban Anthropologist

There is a Christmas tree in the back of the set and large wrapped gift boxes and poinsetta plants on the floor in front of the guest chairs.

Laisha Wilkins is the first cast member to be introduced, on set with Don F. She talked about how Maripaz' mother taught her to always get what she wants although Lucia turned out differently. She thinks that Ivan was the love of MP's youth. She wanted a man of means and Ivan just wasn't it when they were 19.

David Zepeda is via satellite from Mexico. He thinks that Ivan was attracted to Maripaz and it was a learning time in Ivan's life but that Alex was the light of his life. He was the greatest gift to Ivan. There are many angels that pass through our lives and that Alicia and Tony were his. Meeting Tony changed his destiny in a lot of ways.

DZ will be starring with Angelique Boyer soon. That should be interesting.

Here is where we find out that this program was taped before anyone knew about Pedro Armendáriz' condition.

Gabriel Soto via satellite, sitting on the same couch as DZ. He feels that Camilo was very conflicted. He loved and respected Ivan but saw an open door when he left with Maripaz. Later he merely weakened to Maripaz' sexual advances at a vulnerable time. “We're just men, after all.” However, in the end his friendship with Ivan won the day. Nothing new here.

Laisha thinks Maripaz learned the error of her ways just at the end.

Rosa Maria Bianchi joins them on the set. Speaking as Lucrezia she believes that she raised Maripaz as best she could. She wanted her to have everything (including the education Maripaz rejected). She favored Maripaz because she was more like her while Lucia was more like Gerry. Maripaz and Lucrezia were women “de mucho carácter.” Ambitious, willful, etc.

Delia Casanova via satellite: We were a family of “mujerones” [Will someone please explain that one?] Everyone makes mistakes they don't know are mistakes until later. She was always there for Lucia, who needed her the most. Tony appealed to Carlota because of his love of life. She thinks they did do the trip.

Laisha re the transplant story: Maripaz was desperate for the love of her son after the rejection of everyone else. She was too afraid to lose her mother (the only person who loved her) not to donate the kidney. Neither Laisha nor Rosa Maria would IRL accept a kidney from an offspring because you don't know what can happen to them in the future.

Kika Edgar joins DF on the set. She said that caring for a child makes for the maternal feelings that Carolina had for Alex. Furthermore, it was challenging to care for a child because Carolina was blind. She loved Antolin just as blindly. Her belief in him made him turn his life around.

Marcelo Cordoba via satellite from Mexico: Love changed Antolin, who previously did what he had to for survival. Gorgeous guy, but I prefer him without the beard.

I'm sure none of us agree with Don F's provocative comment on Antolin being the most evil character in the story.

There was a joke about actors feeling nothing during a certain type of scene.

Viewer questions submitted through Facebook: A viewer asks Laisha if she ever knew anyone like Maripaz or if she is anything like her. She answers “Thank God, no” to the second but to the first that she has known people worse than Maripaz, who had no regard for other people. Marcelo says that any person can change in life as Antolin did. Why not? DZ said that the most difficult time during production for him was when he was also doing promotional spots and had to exist on very little sleep and work in cold climates. He also felt he learned responsibility from playing Ivan.

Don F gave New Year's greetings and mentioned that Laisha will be on the New Year's program.

Interesting that the three ladies in DF's studio are all dressed in black with very modest jewelry. Is that because of the white chairs?

This must have been taped more than a week ago and I think the network should have had a disclaimer about Don Pedro's death before the beginning of the show.

More comments to come later.

Labels: Fuerza

Recap by Urban Anthropologist

La Fuerza del Destino Gran Especial Lunes 12/26/11: Los Mejores Momentos


Ivan Crossing the Desert: If he had walked to San Diego we wouldn't have this shot.

Alicia Arriving at Casa Curiel and meeting with Carlota for the first time. Not a comfortable encounter for either, but particularly for Carlota.

Teen Ivan meets Juan Jeil-Me or just bite me.

Ivan asks Alicia about his father and we hold our breath.

Alicia reveals Ivan to JJ as his son and JJ gets insulting, as usual.

Alicia asks JJ for help only to get sexual harassment in return and young Ivan takes a fall defending her.

Young adult Ivan plays with Pipo the Doberman showing us he can raise a loving dog. That usually scores with chicks.

Maripaz flirts with Ivan and coerces a kiss from him as young Lucia looks on and walks away crying. Ivan tells her that he and Maripaz have a thing for each other. Little does he know it won't last.

Maripaz tells Ivan she doesn't want the baby. We knew the second she said the “A” word she would come to no good.

Alicia has the illegal abortion. She didn't deserve this hell.

Lucrazia tells Ivan to get out. Little does she know.

Arcelia gives Ivan the bad news about his mother dying. On her deathbed Alicia tells Ivan she doesn't want him to get revenge for anything. She gives him the crucifix she wears and makes him promise to be a good and honorable man. He kisses her goodbye and she dies.


Commercial Break that leads with a promo for La Que No Podia Amar..

Lucrazia sics the ranch hands on Ivan and Antolin kills one defending him; the others run off.

Antolin talks to Camilo about not telling anyone who really did the killing. And we wonder about his character.

Antolin convinces Ivan to leave Mexico because he will be accused of the murder. Not that he has to be, as we know.

Maripaz tells Lucia she's going to get an abortion, trying to say that Ivan is a bad person. Lucia isn't buying this. This scene looks even more ominous in retrospect.

Ivan places flowers on Alicia's grave, knocking over the ones left by Gerry.

Camilo and Antolin talk again about the killing, with Antolin telling him to be quiet about what really happened. This is the most selfish we have ever seen him, since he seemed to think himself above the law.

Ivan crosses the desert. He looks both strong and vulnerable here.


Commercial Break that leads with a promo for ¡Feliz 2012!.

Ivan meets Benito in California.

Ivan works in the produce field.

Alex is born. Of those receiving the news from the doctor only Lucrezia is miserable.

Ivan saves Tony's life. Their first conversation is in English.

Baby Alex is home, but only for a moment. We knew that would happen.

Tony expresses his gratitude to Ivan.

Tony adopts Ivan.

JJ hears about McGuire and Sons.

Tony and Ivan look over Alamos and Ivan wants to know about Maripaz. Boy, will you ever change your mind about her.

Lucrzeia and Maripaz talk about her pending marriage to David. The anvil was being hoisted and how many of us knew that?

Ivan and Camilo reunite. Maripaz interrupts this meeting and everyone else's lives.


Commercial Break

Ivan and Maripaz talk about loving each other. But he is already on to her in a way he doesn't recognize.

Ivan and Alex meet for the first time as we wonder how Ivan didn't recognize him immediately as his son.

Maripaz accuses Lucia of stealing Ivan and Carlota makes her first threat at tossing Maripaz out on her ramera ass.

The fan and the doves. I think this was somebody's fantasy.

The dolphin pool scene. One of my favorites in the series.

Amusement park scene

Tony and Ivan talk about his feelings.

Maripaz tells Gerry she will get custody of Alex And why didn't Gerry take action here?

The judge gives custody to Maripaz. proving that good men can make bad decisions.

In LA Ivan tells Maripaz like it is and we knew havoc would reign for a while.

In Alamos Alex and Ivan encounter Lucia, Camilo, and baby Perla. and Lucia looked like she wanted to disappear.

Ivan and Camilo fight over Lucia. Maripaz catches a punch and we laughed.

Maripaz in the hospital to donate her kidney to Lucrezia. The last time Alex has to see her alive.

The doctor announces Maripaz' death. Carlota, Lucia, JJ, and the viewers son impactados.

Saul and El Gordo talk about their plot to kidnap Alex. Stupid crooks are biting off more than they can chew.

El Gordo shows up in his clown get-up. We never want to see another clown again.


Commercial Break leading with the promo for the finale.

Antolin fills Tony in on Saul and El Gordo. They discuss Bruno's ability to help and next steps.

El Gordo and Fausto talk about ditching Saul.. El Gordo disables the tracking device in his cell phone.

Ivan calls Lucia. The last call before his dangerous trek into the woods.

Camilo waits outside in his car and El Gordo calls Ivan just after sunrise with instructions.

Camilo watches Ivan's departure and starts to follow him out.

Antolin and Tony discuss next steps

Lucia and Carlota talk over breakfast.

El Gordo calls Ivan and tells him where to go. He and Fausto laugh and talk about meeting half an hour after El Gordo gets the money.

Antolin figures out what the kidnappers are up to and talks to Tony. Bruno is paying attention.

El Gordo calls Ivan who is still walking.

El Gordo walks out of the barn and mention is made of the rich guy with the yacht. Fausto looks like he's going to turn Saul against El Gordo, but that's possibly a trick.

Antolin, Tony, and Bruno rescue Alex and we get the satisfaction of seeing Antolin take Saul down. The second bullet could have shattered the femur.

Alex comes home to the maternal women who love him as everyone worries about Ivan and Camilo.





Please provide any missing details. Gracias.

Antes

The kidnap, the plans, Alex's near-escape, the goading, the shootout, and Fausto's temporary getaway with the money and Camilo's cell phone.


Nuevo

Near the edge of the woods, after sunrise. A native mother and her teen daughter find Camilo lying across Ivan. The mother determines that both are alive (although barely) and sends the daughter to get her brother. El Gordo is dismissed as dead. Nobody's sorry about that.

Shack: The native mother – hereafter referred to as La Curandera – sterilizes a knife in a candle flame. Her son is paranoid about being accused of shooting the two white men, but his mother points out that he doesn't have a firearm. She gets her daughter to pour cold water, then gets Ivan to drink it. The woman chants as she removes the bullet from Ivan's stomach . [panza] Ivan screams out his pain.

Alamos Police Station: Commandante Aguilar informs Antolin and Tony that Saul has been found in Hermosillo. He mentions the three bullet wounds. Antolin said he had to do it and Tony backs him up.

Shack: The curandera's son isn't happy that Ivan and Camilo are there. Camilo has a high fever.

Hacienda Curiel: Tony tells Carlota what they found out from Saul. Alex's doctor has told them that nothing had happened to him (i.e., he hasn't been abused). Lucia is worried about Ivan and Camilo.

Casa McGuire: Tony comforts Alex without telling him what's really happening. He tells Alex that Ivan is on a business trip. I wonder how Alex will react when he learns the truth.

Casa Galvan: Arcelia prays to la Virgencita as Carmen sits at the table crying.

Shore: The curandera's children argue about what will happen when the police get there. Apparently they have been exiled because of something that happened on the Isla de Tiburón. The brother expresses the wish that the two injured men die.

Shack:: The curandera chants and uses maggots (ewww!) to help Ivan, and that they may have to gather more. The maggots [gusanos] will eat any dessicating flesh but may not work for everyone.

Hacienda Curiel: Tony tells the ladies that El Gordo has been found dead and Camilo's rented car has been found. When Lucia leaves the room Tony tells Carlota that there was other blood at the scene.

Casa Carolina: Antolin is trying not to lose it when Carolina asks about what's happening. She sounds more and more like a little girl.

Shore: We find out that the curandera's son killed someone defending his sister and he's afraid someone will find out. The curandera tries to make her son understand that his violent tendencies aren't good. Her daughter comes out to tell her that Ivan's fever is going down. Ivan wakes up and asks about Camilo. The curandera tells him that Camilo is alive but unconscious. She and the girl try to help Camilo as Ivan starts asking about Alex.

Casa McGuire: Alex talks about what happened to him. The kidnappers held him for ransom, they gave him food, and did not sexually abuse him. Lucia is on board with Tony about telling him that Ivan is on a business trip. Alex had a nightmare about a dark place. Later she tells Tony and Carlota that she thinks Alex will get over this with time. Carlota says that what the kidnappers did is unforgivable. Tony had gotten no news yet about Ivan and Camilo.

Casa Galvan: Antolin has heard about El Gordo's death, but that there was blood from two other people at the scene. That this means that Ivan and Camilo are alive but injured. He tells his mother and Carmen he will go to find out what he can. Arcelia cries as she blesses him and he tells her to take care of Carolina. Uh oh.

Hacienda Curiel: It's been four days and Lucia is starting to panic. Carlota and Lucrezia try to get her to calm down.

Police Station: Antolin argues with Aguilar. He wants to join the search party in Hermosillo but Aguilar tells him the local police don't allow civilians to do this.


Commercial Break that leads with a promo for La Que No Podia Amar.and tonight's cast reunion show on Don Francisco Presenta.

Casa Mondragon: Esther and David arrive to find JJ drinking tequila. He's in a sarcastic mood.

JJ: Ah, the traitors. Have you come to get more money out of me after leaving me in la miseria? Why have you come?
David: Have you heard much about Saul?
JJ: No. The newspapers and TV don't have much to say. Now I have a son who is a kidnapper of children besides being a rapist. Now I can't set foot outside the house.
Esther: Juan Jaime, David and I think that if you can use your influence –
JJ: What influence? I don't influence, money. Nothing. Where is this imbecile?
David: In the prison hospital.
JJ: I hope he dies. That will wipe out the family shame.
David: I agree that my brother is the worst. But if you talk to the governor, perhaps –
JJ: I thought I taught him to be smart, worthy of my name. But he's turned out a porqueria. Delinquent of the worst kind. Imbecile. I don't want to know any more about him. Damn Saul. OK. Are you going to defend him?
David: Let's go, Mama.
JJ: Go. Leave me alone. I want to be alone.

David and Esther leave. We know JJ is in for lots of solitary time.

Casa McGuire: Alex is having trouble sleeping. Tony tries to tell him Ivan is on a business trip in L.A. He reads to him from the pirate story book.

Shack: Ivan and Camilo are alive. The curandera's daughter talks about getting them to a hospital where the doctors can help.

Casa Carolina: She doesn't want to let Antolin go to resolve this. But he can't sit around with crossed arms because he can't sleep and his mother won't stop crying.

Prison Infirmary, the next day: Esther and David visit Saul, who knows he will face 40 to 60 years in prison. He hopes that Ivan died in the desert and ridicules his mother praying to God. Pendejo. God will get you for that.

Casa McGuire: Still no news. Tony is preparing to go out and search. Antolin will go with him. Alex talks to Carolina on the phone, telling her that he will be going back to school in a few days. Tony asks him if he wants to spend a few days with the Curiels.

Hacienda Curiel: Lucia insists on accompanying Tony. He agrees. Carlota assures Lucia that Perlita will be well cared-for. Lucrezia looks forward to Alex staying with them.

Shack: Ivan is awake and struggling to get up.

Ivan: Camilo, brother, it's me. Camilo, open your eyes. Camilo... listen to me.
Camilo: Ivan, I thought I was lost.
Ivan: No.
Camilo: Where are we?

La curandera and her daughter return with plants and roots.

Ivan: The house of a native healer. She took the bullets out of both of us.
Camilo: I don't remember. Alex?
Ivan: I don't know. I don't know where he is. (tries to get up, but slumps back in pain)
Curandera: Don't move.
Ivan: Where is my cell phone?
Girl (helping him lie down): We didn't find one. Just your clothes.
Ivan: I need to make a phone call. My friend is dying. Is there a town near here?
Curandera: It's very far.
Ivan: How far is Hermosillo?
Curandera: Many hours' walk.
Ivan: Señora, I can't let my friend die. I can't let that happen. You have family. Mother, siblings. You know how that is, don't you?
Curandera: Yes, we know.
Ivan: Besides, I have a lost child. A little boy. Help me, please. Help me.

The woman's son throws something down on the floor and exits. She notices.

Curandera: Yes. I will help you. (pats daughter's shoulder to get her attention) Take care of him. (exits and talks to her son) Hijo, I want you to go to the authorities to help these men.
Hijo: Ay, Madre. I will not go. (gets up and walks away)
Curandera: If you don't, I will.
Ivan: Save yourself, brother. Aunque la cueste la vida.
Camilo: No. Your life is worth a lot. You have a woman, a child –
Ivan: You have your mother, Camilo. You have a life ahead of you.
Camilo: An empty life. With nothing.
Ivan: Camilo, we've both made mistakes. I abandoned Lucia and you dreamed of her. That was for the best if I had never returned.
Camilo: She married me but kept loving you. I didn't count for anything. It's better this way. (The wise woman enters and listens.) I suffered my whole life for her love.
Ivan: You're thinking like that because you're weak, Camilo. You aren't thinking of other possibilities. You have to live, Camilo. You have to live to find them.
Camilo: I don't want to.

The music swells.


Commercial Break that leads with a promo for La Que No Podia Amar.

Hermosillo: Tony sends Antolin and Lucia into the hotel to register while he talks to the police chief, who gives advice about dealing with the local natives.

Hotel Room: Tony shows a map to Antolin, Lucia, and Benito, pointing out where El Gordo's body was found. He lays out the plan. Antolin and Benito will go on foot in that area while he and Lucia will take the copter.

Hacienda Curiel: Carlota and Lucia talk on the phone. Lucrezia is playing with Alex. Lucia tells her they will search in the morning. Carlota tells her to have faith. If Ivan could survive days in the desert in the US he's got a strong spirit. Lucia todavia is worried.

Shack: La curandera chants over Ivan, then tells him he has a strong spirit. She points out to Ivan that his bullet came out easily but that she had to work hard to get the two bullets out of Camilo's back and that he's lost a lot of blood. She is sure that Camilo can't be saved because he doesn't want to live and that nobody can save him because of that. She leaves the two alone. Ivan crawls over to Camilo and props himself up.

Ivan: Camilo, listen to me. You want to live, don't you? Camilo.
Camilo: I'm too tired. Leave me.
Ivan: Think of your mother, your people.
Camilo: I've lost them.
Ivan: You have to live for them.
Camilo: Ivan, when you went to the US, I got your letters, but I tore them up.
Ivan: Why?
Camilo: Because I felt guilty. [something about Antolin] When you came back rich and powerful I was envious.
Ivan: That's in the past, Camilo. It's over.
Camilo: It's over for you. But not me. It always stayed in my soul, this guilt.
Ivan: Don't say that. Things like this are part of destiny.
Camilo: On top of everything, you have Lucia.
Ivan: It's better not to talk, Camilo. You're too weak.
Camilo: But I want to tell you because I may not have another opportunity. Ivan, I won't get out of this.
Ivan: Don't say that, Camilo. We will. Do you hear me? We will both get out of this.

Edge of the woods: A local man leads Antolin and Benito to the spot where El Gordo, Camilo, and Ivan were found. They talk about what is in which direction. The helicopter hovers overhead.

Shack: Camilo tells Ivan how he came to marry Lucia.

Camilo: Dona Carlota suggested that I propose marriage to Lucia because she was pregnant. It was your child but that didn't matter to me. I was in love with her but she never was mine. She always belonged to you, Ivan.

Ivan hears the helicopter and runs outside.

Ivan (waving): Aqui, aqui! Aqui, por favor!

Of course, anyone with common sense realizes that nobody in a helicopter can hear anyone yelling on the ground because of the motor noise.

Ivan yells at the curandera that Camilo needs help and why doesn't she do something. The woman is amazingly understanding (by TN standards of general behavior).

The helicopter turns back. Both Tony and Lucia have binoculars but they don't seem to be close enough to see.

Hotel: Tony has words with the authorities and talks about going to Isla de Tiburón.

Hacienda Curiel: Arcelia cries about the possibility of losing her sons. Carlota tries to animarla. They embrace as the phone rings. Carlota answers and asks Lucia what's up.


Commercial Break This break includes the news report about the death of Pedro Armendáriz, Jr. Descanses in pax, Don Pedro. We will miss you big time.

Casa Carolina: After some suspense music, Antolin calls to let Carolina know he's alright, but that they aren't giving up.

Shack, a noche: Ivan tells Camilo he needs to get help for him.

Ivan: I need to get help for you. You've lost a lot of blood, but I can't leave you alone either.
Camilo: Why are you doing this for me? Better go. You saw a helicopter which I hope was looking for us. If you save yourself you might save me.
Ivan: I'm saying we're getting out of this together, brother.
Camilo: I don't follow in your footsteps, bro. If you find help you can come back for me. For all that you love, go. Go Ivan. And forgive me. Forgive me for everything I've done.
Ivan: The same has happened to me. We won't talk like this again. I love you, brother. I've always loved you.
Camilo: Go, Ivan. Go. You are our only hope.
Ivan: You're right. (He gets up)

The music swells as the curandera persuades him to stay until morning so she can give him another herbal treatment and get some medicines together to take with him. She tells him her son will accompany him because he knows the way. Furthermore that her son will obey her.

Shore: The curandera's son is paranoid as she tells him to accompany Ivan to the town.

Shack: Sad cello music underscores Ivan's leave-taking.

Ivan: Brother, I'm going.
Camilo: Tell my mother I love her.
Ivan: You will tell her that yourself.
Camilo: Kiss your family for me. Lucia. Perlita. Tell Lucia to forgive my selfishness and lack of understanding.
Ivan: No. She loves you (te quiere). She always did and you know that.

The curandera tells Ivan it's time. Ivan places Alicia's crucifix in Camilo's open right hand.

Ivan: Camilo, promise you'll get up and we'll see each other again. (kisses him and gets up. Camilo's hand closes over the crucifix.)

Outside the curandera and her daughter give the son and Ivan food, water, and herbs for the journey. She assures Ivan that her son is only a wounded soul who will be healed. She blesses him and they leave.

Casa de Vega: Fausto and his wife laugh over the money as the police enter to arrest him.

Police Station: The chief calls Tony to inform him that the leader of the native people has given permission for Tony to go to la Isla de Tiburón. Furthermore that Fausto has been caught.

Edge of desert: Ivan collapses in need of rest. The curandera's son gives him something to drink. Ivan gets him to talk about his behavior. He admits to having killed a man who attempted to rape his sister. Ivan promises he will not turn him in for this. We know Ivan understands him now.

Shack: The curandera chants over Camilo as her daughter enters.

Hija: Will he die?
Curandera: He has a powerful spirit watching over him.

Alamos, en Iglesia: Arcelia prays for her sons, saying she will die if anything happens to them. She also invokes her husband's spirit to look after them and Ivan.

Shore: The curandera and her daughter enter the rowboat.

Edge of desert: Tony's helicopter flies overhead; Ivan tries to get its attention. The boy rejects the idea of starting a fire and they walk on despite the pain Ivan is starting to feel.

Isla de Tiburón: The curandera and her daughter arrive to see El Jefe, who doesn't want to see them. She reminds him that according to their ways a person who takes a life earns a pardon by saving one. She is there about her son.


Commercial Break that leads with a promo for La Que No Podia Amar..

Isla de Tiburón: The two curanderas argue the points of their ways. El Jefe says that saving white men's lives doesn't count, but the wise woman tells him that all humans are children of Madre Tierra. The helicopter approaches and lands. Tony and Lucia come out and approach.

Shore: Antolin and Benito are headed to the wise woman's shack.

Isla de Tiburón: Tony explains about Ivan's disappearance. La curandera explains the bullet wounds and why they didn't alert the police.

Shack: Antolin and Benito arrive. Camilo's hand opens. He tells Antolin Ivan went for help.

Isla de Tiburón: The curandera tells Lucia that she and Ivan will have many years of happiness and will have children. Antolin calls Tony to tell him that they found Camilo and the ambulance is en route.

Shore: The boy tells Ivan they are near the road (carretera). Ivan starts bleeding again. The boy takes something out, but we can't be sure he can be trusted.

Hospital in Hermosillo: Camilo is rushed into the emergency room. The crucifix hangs from his hand.

Road: How did Ivan and the boy hitch a ride in this isolated area? The boy leaves Ivan in the back of the pick-up as it slowly heads for town.

Hospital: Antolin calls Arcelia to tell her he's found Camilo but that it doesn't look like he will live. Both cry as Arcelia insists on being there. Antolin tells her it's four hours away, but Tony has called David to arrange for his private plane to bring her there. A handsome young doctor enters to tell Tony and Lucia that Ivan has arrived. Also that he's bleeding, the wound is infected, and he has a fever.

Hacienda Curiel: Lucia calls Carlota to tell her that Ivan has been found. She tells the family. Alex is confused about this, but Carlota manages to not reveal much as they hug.

Hospital: The doctor tells Tony and Lucia that both patients are stable, but that Camilo is in very serious condition despite the blood transfusions.

Hospital, Ivan's Room: Lucia and Tony enter.

Lucia: Mi amor! (they kiss)
Ivan: Lucia.
Lucia: Welcome back to life.
Ivan: Alex?
Tony: Alex is saved. He's well. (They clasp hands)
Ivan: Thank God. And Camilo?
Tony: Camilo's condition is grave.
Ivan: Dad, they have to do everything to save him. Save him, save him please. I can't be calm if they don't.


Hospital, Camilo's Room: Ominous music as Arcelia and Antolin enter. Camilo is clutching the crucifix in the same hand.

Antolin: Be calm, mother. Be calm. (They stand at the foot of the bed as a nurse closes the door)
Arcelia: Son, here I am.
Camilo: Mama.
Antolin: Animo, carnal.
Camilo: Energy? I have no energy.
Arcelia: Son, don't say stupid things or I'll hit you. You have so much to live for. You're young, you have your lands, you have a family that loves you, and many people who respect you. Because you are Camilo Galvan. El Señor Camilo Galvan!
Camilo: What good is that without happiness?
Arcelia: Do it. Do it for us. You will get out of here. You know your brother did the impossible to find you.
Camilo: Thanks Antolin. I asked Ivan to forgive me.
Antolin: For what?
Camilo: You know. For envying him. For the way I tried to take Lucia from him.
Antolin: Ivan always loved you.
Camilo: They found him?
Arcelia: Yes.
Camilo: And Alex?
Arcelia: He's home.
Camilo: Therefore it was worth it. (he takes Arcelia's hand in his left). I love you, mother. I love all of you.

He flatlines as Arcelia keeps crying his name. The doctors rush in as Antolin restrains her.


Commercial Break

Isla de Tiburón: El Jefe pardons the boy and his family and they can return to their community.

Hacienda Curiel: Lucrezia and Carlota look at bridal magazines to plan Lucia's wedding. Carlota mentions that Lucia and Ivan are visiting Carolina and her baby girl in the hospital. We must have skipped six months without being told.

Hospital: Carolina and Antolin admire their baby girl. They agree that Ivan and Lucia will be her godparents. Lucia and Ivan come to visit, bringing a medallion of the Virgen as a gift. Antolin mentions being in the delivery room. Fatherhood looks good on him. All appear to be happy.

Prison: Ominous music plays as Saul prepares a noose. Excellent close-up showing a single tear falling from his right eye. He hangs himself. Good riddance.

Casa Mondragon: JJ looks at family photos as he takes a call from the prison. There must be an edit in here because the next part is too quick. He then calls David to tell him.

David: Yes, Papa. Tell me.
JJ (voice breaking and he starts to cry in the middle of the next line): I'm calling to tell you that your brother committed suicide in prison.
David: How did he do it?
JJ: Hanged himself. [colgar]
David: My god.
JJ: Call your mother and make the arrangements for the burial. I can't do it.
David: Yes, Papa.

JJ ends the call and we get shots of both men crying. JJ looks at formal family photos on the table while David stands still with his cell phone in hand.

Casa McGuire: Benito tells JJ he will get Ivan.

Ivan: What can I offer you?
JJ: Saul committed suicide. Hanged himself in the prison.
Ivan: I'm sorry.
JJ: It's my fault. I didn't know how to raise my children. I treated my wife worse than an animal. So they all left me. And you know what? That was just as well. I deceived and stole; the whole world knows I ruined my own family name. I've lost everything. I'm paying for everything I've done. You believe it's possible to start over? I don't. I know you're about to get married.
Ivan: Yes. In a few days.
JJ: I know you will be happy. Treat your wife and children well. (turns to leave, but changes his mind) A few days ago I visited your mother. I asked her forgiveness. It didn't help. How do they say it? Ask the son? And for what, really? (turns to leave)
Ivan: Señor Mondragon? (JJ stops and turns) Yo lo perdono.

JJ exits with a slightly ironic smile. Tony enters; he and Ivan embrace.


Commercial Break that leads with a promo for Don Francisco Presenta. The cast reunion show.

Iglesia: Ivan (suited in white) is escorted down the aisle by Arcelia, who looks very upscale dressed to the nines. Camilo awaits as best man and they do the man-hug. Lucia walks down the aisle in a strapless gown with a train. She and Ivan kneel before the priest.

Casa Mondragon: JJ sits alone looking at the photos. The maid tells him that Ivan and Lucia are being married.

Maid: They didn't invite you?
JJ: No.

The maid exits and JJ pours himself a shot of tequila.

JJ (raising the glass): To your happiness, son.

Iglesia: Ivan and Lucia kiss and walk back down the aisle to the Mendelssohn recessional and the applause of all their guests. Quick shots of some of the couples.

Wedding Reception: Everyone dances. Camilo holds Lichita. Lucrezia holds Perla, who looks bigger than when we last saw her. Alex is with them. Antolin dances with Carolina. David dances with Berenice, Judith with Carlos and without her bangs; Carlos proposes and Judith accepts. Carmen and Ezekiel encounter each other. It looks like she will get him. Tony dances with Carlota and they talk about taking a long trip. Benito with a plump lady whom we think is his wife. Camilo finally looks up and approaches an attractive woman with light brown hair. They introduce themselves to each other; she works for the McGuires. Yes, Camilo; there is a woman for you!

Shore: La curandera gives a prayer of thanks to her spirits for her son's salvation and the happiness of the others. To heal others is a great gift but the greatest of all gifts is love. Love and forgiveness are life itself. Did this speech come from an old episode of La Rosa de Guadalupe?

Another shore: Ivan and Lucia look out over the ocean.

Lucia: I never thought this day would come.
Ivan: But it did. We were destined for each other since a long time ago.
Lucia: You think it was destiny?
Ivan: Call it what you want. I love you. I desire you. I need you.
Lucia: I want to start every day of my life in your arms.

El beso final.

Fin.

We break the fourth wall with production shots with the last time we hear this great theme song.


Vocabulary:

carnal mate, buddy
carretera highway
colgar to hang
gusano maggot
panza belly, paunch

Thus ends my stint on this series. It's been a pleasure and a privilege and I hope you guys want me back for La Que No Podia Amar

Labels: Fuerza

See you all Tuesday night. Fuerza's Gran Finale is tonight.

Labels: Cuando

... just two hours of the rather unlucky-looking family of Fuerzo. Tomorrow, Familia runs two hours from 8-10.

Labels: familia

Labels: Fuerza

Wishing you all a joyous holiday! See you in a week!

Labels: casa-lado, flor-salvaje, maid, telemundo

First, a quick summary of last night's highlights (#55):

Pepe asks Pancho for help getting a new car. Pancho is sympathetic, but not THAT sympathetic. If he buys Pepe a new car, he won't learn his lesson. (To Pepe's suggestion to sell La Burra, Pancho replies, "I'd sell you first!")

Jess thinks Pancho said those hurtful things to Chela because he's jealous. Chela thinks she should just tell him that she's in love with him. (Oh, sure, NOW she wants to tell him??) Jess says no, don't use up all your weapons at once. He'll soon be eating out of your hand!

Candy takes Ana to Pina's house and says she'll be her assistant. Pina questions why Candy needs an assistant but at least finally takes the trouble to find out Ana's name. Meanwhile, Ana cheers up Abeja.

Pepe fixes Celeste's lamp at the Avon reception desk. The phones ring and ring while she flirts with him. She invites him out for coffee. He accepts. Mónica overhears and is bien enojada. They'll leave at 7.

Pancho is excited about the new cell phones with a better plan, etc. etc.

Rebe rehashes the latest kisses with Bárbara. She says it's one thing to feel and another thing to think. Bar says Rebe had better act soon, because the train's leaving the station.

Ana corners Chela and voices a lot of suspicions about the mysterious new boyfriend, who Chela says is named Luis Enrique. Ana says if she's in love with Pancho she should fight for him. If she doesn't act soon, Dad will marry la tísica.

Candy meets Vice for a date. "You were born of the foamy surf," he tells her. [Ocean spray? Seafoam? Take your pick, they all sound awful to me, but I'm not an ocean person.] Also, he's in love with her. She does not return his feelings, just asks for more champagne and says she feels guilty about Pina.

Fraud wants to have coffee with Mónica. She'd better get all dressed up because he's got something huge to tell her. Enzo remembers Moni's tearful declaration of love for Pepe, but encourages the tangerine anyway. Fraud arrives at their house at the appointed time, and she's still in sweats. Fraud complains, and Enzo tells her to change her clothes. ***fume!!!*** But she sulkily remembers Pepe making a date with Celeste, and goes along. At the coffee place, Fraud reminds himself that he's got to beat the mechanic. He apologizes to Mónica, says he only took Elena to Brazil in hopes she'd help him forget, but it didn't work. He loves her SO much, he wants to get married. She responds with angry disbelief. Yesterday you just wanted to be friends, now you want to get married?? He didn't even bother talking to her after they broke up... until Pepe entered the picture. And now he's allied with her father. Besides, she's 20, she's too young to get married, she doesn't love him, and she wouldn't marry HIM to save her own life. He says he wants to live with her and have lots of Frauddycitos. She says he is CRAZY and she doesn't believe him.

Pancho and Rebe daydream about one another and try to call each other at the same time. They both get a busy signal, try again, and get another busy signal.

Abejita is depressed. Tomás cheers her up. Pina invites him to stay for dinner. They have a grand time. She is charmed by his coarse table manners. I think Tom is about to tell Pina a dirty joke when Alex comes over to see Frauddie and get his cell phone. Pina tells him that Fraud is out with Mónica. Tom hears this, of course. And Alex wants to wants to know what Tom is doing there. Tom says Pina invited him for dinner and to cheer up the dog. He excuses himself.

Pancho has a big milk mustache. Gross. He tells Lupita he's not jealous of Chela's new boyfriend - just curious. Who is he? What are his intentions? Lupita says it's all because of the money and Rebeca. He points out that if their lives hadn't changed, then Chela would have just gone on loving his clueless self in secret anyway.

Monica's still ranting and raving at how crazy stupid Frauddie is to think she'd marry him. I don't want to be your friend, much less your wife.

Tomas is telling Pepe of his strange evening - consoling the dog and dining with Pina. Naturally, he also reveals that Alex came by and Pina said Frauddy was with Moni.

Frauddie and Alex. Frauddie is absorbed in his TV show as usual; Alex has to stand in front of the TV to get his attention. Fraud is happy to know that Pepe will hear from Tomas that he went out with Mónica. Alex thinks Fraud is pursuing Moni in the stupidest way possible. Maybe he's still in love with her and can't admit it.

Hey, what about Pepe and Celeste? Maybe their date will be some other night.

Next day:

Pina says Abeja has been whining since last night.

Frauddie revs Champi's engine outside Pepe's window.

Pancho is ready to throw in the towel with Rebeca. He can't be professional, knowing how he feels about her.

Bonus vocabulary word: sobredimensionado (oversized)

---

#56: The Case of the Smelly Secretary

Jess says Chela spends so much time at the new house, the only thing she doesn't do there is sleep. Lupita runs in, Temo ran away from school.

Fraud tells Pepe, "I found out why you lost the race. There was some crud in the gas line, but my mechanics fixed it all up and I'm gonna race your car day after tomorrow and win. Don't you want to watch?" It's only thanks to Tomás's big muscly arms that the tangerine remains unsqueezed. Anyway, Tom's got a plan that can't fail.

At the doctor: Abeja has emotional problems. Pina and Vice blame one another. The doctor says she needs a stable home. He wants to hypnotize her. OK, no hypnosis, but how about group therapy? Role-playing? Pina can be the dog. Vice can be Vice. Vice sweet-talks Pina. Pina responds happily. Vice is angry - all that sweetness was for Abeja, not her. Pina starts to quarrel. (I think the doctor is seriously considering calling the Humane Society.)

Temo's at Pancho's office. He hates school; they call him a naco with no mother. And he gave a kid a bloody nose and made him cry. Then he ran away to avoid punishment and because the kid's friends were coming. He wants to go back to his old school. Pancho sends him down to the cafeteria with Enriqueta for a soda. Temo gives Rebe a funny look on the way out.

Rebe says Fer won't will understand if Pancho takes him out of a school where the kids are so cruel. Anyway, they could have problems with the parents of the boy Temo hit. Pancho wants to call Chela. Rebe stops him and says she can help him pick a new school for Temo that has a better atmosphere.

Ana and Manuel. He's told her his life story, so now it's time for hers. At first she says there isn't much to tell, but then tells him about Chela and gets weepy. She is embarrassed by her crying. Miguel says she doesn't like people to see that she has feelings, but everyone has wounds and it's nothing to be ashamed of. He's an only child and it was hard to leave his parents, but he hasn't had any contact with them since. He likes Ana because she's talented and nice and pretty. It's her charisma, her style, her heart. He goes to kiss her mouth, then changes his mind and goes for the cheek. A platonic hug follows. Ana looks ambivalent.

Tomás has a plan to beat Fraud without violence. (Where's the fun in that?) But they'll have to get into the Irabiéns' garage. He'll need the remote control. Pepe doesn't want Tomás sabotaging his car. Tom says if Pepe won't help him, he'll do it himself.

At home, Abeja is crouching in a nook and whining. Pina has some kind of medicine for Abeja's nerves and promises it'll taste good. Candy shows up and coaxes Abeja out by asking if she wants to see Popeye. Abeja thinks she can trust Candy. Pina gives her the medicine. Oh no! It was all a ruse! Popeye's not here at all! Pina tells Candy that the dog's psychologist is also Vince's. She's drowing in the melodrama of her life. Tomas arrives; Abeja runs to greet him. "They're in love," Pina explains to Candy.

In the Avon cafeteria, Pancho tells Temo not to hit any more kids. Rebe joins them; Temo gives her another sullen look. Moni comes over wanting help needs help with something, Arnold's not there, Pancho says he'll talk to her in his office later.

Rebe and Pancho start to tell Temo about the other schools, but Chela shows up. Don't go around hitting your classmates, she tells Temo. She's not interested in the list of schools. She makes snide remarks at Rebeca instead, much the way kids at school tease Temo. Not that Rebeca lets a single remark slide, but Chela is definitely the aggressor. Pancho sends the boy up to his office. Poor kid, Pancho's always sending him somewhere else. Chela and Rebeca trade barbs about their personal philosophies about education and child-rearing. Chela challenges Pancho to take a side. The bitchery goes on and on. It seems that, because Rebe is in favor of taking Temo out of that school (that Chela did NOT approve of at first), Chela now thinks he should stay there and learn how to fight his own battles. (Some bullied children will tell you that it's hard to learn all the other things you're supposed to learn in school if you're always worried about the next battle.) Pancho does not. Chela leaves in a huff, griping that now Rebeca's going to raise his kids. Pancho assures Rebeca that he'll win her over.

Sandy prances clumsily into Vice's office clad in lingerie and fishnet stockings. He doesn't want any. He takes a call from Candy and sends Sandy out. He's sent Candy a pink cell phone so they can text one another all day. (It looks a lot like her old pink cell phone.) He wants another date tonight. Ana disapproves.

Adoración is looking for Abeja. She's afraid she'll be killed if she doesn't find the dog. Abeja is standing in the middle of the street, thinking that she just wants to escape. Ado finds her just in time to see her "almost" (i.e., not even close) get hit by a car.

Vice is on his cell phone, outside his car, telling Enzo he's hardly the one to be giving advice about love since the only woman he ever fell in love with was Moni's mom and that was a long time ago. Sandy sneaks into the seat of Vice's car and crouches behind the passenger seat while he takes a call with Arnold. He complains aloud that he smells like Sandy's perfume.

Chela is taking Temo home. She tells him she hasn't been crying, it's just that she walked past some onions in the trash. He doesn't believe her; he knows she's been fighting with his father, and it's all his fault. Pancho pulls her aside and says she only disagreed with him to disagree with Rebeca. She makes more sarcastic comments and Pancho gets angry. Temo is horrified. Chela and Pancho are horrified.

Abeja is playing dead in the middle of the street, but the man didn't hit her. In fact, he notes that she's still breathing. At his urging, Adoración gives doggie CPR and Little Bee gets up. While Ado praises God, Abeja wanders off again.

Vice picks up Candy. Candy smells Sandy's perfume. She gives him a good sniff, but realizes that the stench is coming from the back seat. Uh-oh.

Pancho tells Rebeca that he's confused. She feels that he's more indecisive than confused. He's more messed up by his feelings toward Chela than his feelings towards her. He says she cares for my children, blah blah blah. She thinks he still lets Chela manipulate him and he should put her in her place and if he doesn't, it's because he loves her. He tells Rebeca SHE'S the one who's confused. (Hey, why can't they both be confused?) He says she knows who he loves!

First of all, he feels guilty that he can't return Chela's love. Second, the kids are upset since she left home, and if they're upset it affects him too. Third, he's in love with her and her kisses tell him she feels something too, but doesn't have the courage to admit it. She says she feels that he loves his SIL and doesn't have the courage to admit it, and runs out of his office.

Candy, Sandy, and Vice have a lengthy but unimportant argument in the middle of the road while impatient drivers wait for them to get out of the way. Candy denies having an affair with this married man; they're doing a business deal. Idiot Vice invites Sandy to join in on the deal!

Adoración goes to Fernanda's house looking for Abeja. Popeye hasn't seen her, and he's sad about it. Ana comes up with a great plan.

Tomás takes advantage of Adoración's absence to swipe the garage door remote control.

Rebe finishes up on the phone with Fernanda just as Pancho comes in. Pancho wants an update. Rebeca coldly informs him that Fer's feeling fine and is writing a book. He apologizes for being so harsh in their conversation earlier and wants her opinion on a plan he's written up for the Japanese investors' money. She doesn't really reply, but then she gets a call - her apartment is on fire! They take off to investigate.

They didn't break between episodes, so I'm arbitrarily cutting #56 off here.

---

#57: The Case of the Painted Pom


At the office, Vince backpedals with Sandy - he invited her to HELP with the deal, not be a partner. She threatens to go to Pina and Pancho with the truth. Vice quickly agrees to a partnership. Arnold comes in with a head scarf and Vice calls him Bin Laden. (This episode aired in Mexico just a few weeks before he became difunto.)

Jess jokes that Chela sweeps so much, she might as well get a job. Chela says Pancho keeps sending her money. She asks if reading cards pays well. Jess says she's losing customers because lately they prefer horoscopes and telephone psychics. Chela suggests that Jess become an Avon lady. She goes back to her sweeping and complains about Rebeca. She thinks says their plan isn't working. Jess is sure that it will work. He's only temporarily dazzled by Rebeca.

Outside a pet store, Ana explains her plan to Lupita and Adoración: They'll buy an identical dog. OMG stupid, not to mention costly. That doggie in the window looks nothing like Abejita and doesn't have her necklace (nor a litter of buns in the oven) and is the wrong age, but that doggie is for sale, so they're going to dye her fur.

Enzo and Vice bring Arnold up to date on all the latest hijinks, i.e. baring souls with Candy. Arnold thinks it sounds like a telenovela. Hardy-har-har, that self-referential joke never gets old. Enzo asks Arnoldo's help to tighten their friend's loose screws (tornillos flojos).

Pina looks for Ado. Or the dog. Arnold is there. He gives her some lingerie from Paris to help with her marriage, which she thinks is hopeless. He tells her about the hot men in Turkey.

Speaking of hotness, flames are shooting from Rebeca's apartment. People are fleeing for their lives. A zillion fire trucks are there. So is La Burra. Rebe wants to go in. The fireman says it was a short circuit (how can they know that while the fire's still in progress?). The curtains and draperies have burned, and she's not going to be able to stay there for a while. Pancho offers to put her up at Fer's place. She wants to stay in a hotel. She keeps swooning.

Vice calls Candy and they talk about the color of their eyes. (Actually, he's reading his side of it out of a book.) Pina interrupts Vice to tell him about the missing maid and the missing dog. Missing dog? Vice panics. Candy is momentarily forgotten.

Rebe is at Pancho's after all. The doctor prescribed a sedative, she doesn't want that or the calming tea he wants to make for her. He says he knows what it feels like to lose one's home. She says it's not the same thing. She doesn't think it's proper for her to stay there. He agrees to take her to a hotel but she has to talk the sedative.

Fraud comes home. Yet again he's accused of having egg-eyes, this time in reaction to Pina's charge that Ado has kidnapped his sister. He jokes that she might be in a parallel universe. (Much cleverer than I would have expected from him.) Vice is not amused. Pina starts swooning all over the place.

Rebeca takes the sedative AND the calming tea and paces restlessly. Her eyes are all puffy from crying. Pancho tells Candy about the fire. Candy wants to make sure Rebe won't stay there forever. Pancho goes to check in on Rebe and she passes out, so instead of taking her to the hotel, he takes her to his room.

Ado shows up with Not-beja. Vice and Pina are so busy scolding Ado that they don't notice the imposter right away.

Half-conscious, Rebe asks Pancho to bring her to a hotel. Apparently, Candy is still unconvinced. She watches Rebe sleep in Pancho's bed and gloats that asleep, she looks like she couldn't hurt a fly.

Pina says the dog doesn't smell right. She smells like hair dye.

Candy's going out. Pancho is suspicious. She says she's taking Popeye for a walk.

Pina tells Ado to prepare a bath for the dog. Ado eagerly offers to wash the dog. Pina observes that Ado never wants to wash the dog. She's gonna dunk the pup herself.

Candy runs into Alex with a bunch of flowers. Lupita's not home. She tells him to hang in there, don't lose hope. Popeye starts barking. The real Abeja is here. They're happy to see each other.

Adoracion prepares to meet her doom as Pina demands the dog shampoo. Ado stalls and pretends it's stuck, but finally the bath is ready and the imposter is exposed. Downstairs (I don't know why the change of venue), Ado admits Abeja ran away and she lost her; but when she puts Notbeja down, the usurper runs upstairs to make herself at home! Candy arrives with Original Abejita and Popeye. Pina is overjoyed.

Rebe wakes up in Pancho's bed, confused, and finds Pancho sitting creepily at the foot of the bed in the dark. She wants to sleep in a different room. She doesn't think it's appropriate for her to be in there. But he disagrees and she's too dizzy to move. She passes out again.

Frauddie visits with Enzo. Enzo glowingly contrasts Fraud and Pepe. (Ugh, Enzo, you're single - if you like Fraud so much, why don't YOU marry him?) Fraud promises that Moni will become disillusioned with her bleach-blond mechanic and come running back to his arms. Then they'll get married.

Lupita and Temo come home with Chela. They beg her again to come back. They need her and if she doesn't, Rebeca will win. Lupita says Temo needs his mamá. She says she'll talk to Pancho.

Vice comes home and is upset to see Popeye. Candy credits Popeye for finding Abejita. Ado is ready to pack her bags and be fired. Pina goes upstairs to get Candy a token of her gratitude. She tells Vice to offer Candy something. Hah! He takes advantage of their moment of privacy to mash on her some more and nearly gets caught. Pina gives her two passes to a fancy spa. Pina tells Ado she's fired and take la usurpadora with her.

The wet, dyed usurpadora has ruined Pina's favorite pajamas and Vince's shoes. They call her the Tasmanian Devil. Vince says there's hate in her eyes. Pina summons Ado to get rid of this angel of death and clean up the room.

Moni tells Karina about Fraud's unexpected proposal. Karina agrees that it is ridiculous, but it's also ridiculous that she won't confront her father and she'll never forgive herself.

In the kitchen, Ana helps Pancho fix a sandwich. Temo and Lupita tell him that is waiting in Pancho's bedroom to talk with him.

Wait, where?

She seems to realize that someone is in the bed and assumes that it's Pancho, but it's not clear whether she thinks he's awake or asleep. Her speech is the usual self-pitying drivel about how he turned their lives around 180 degrees and it's soooo awful. She puts her hand on Rebeca's ankle, but strangely does not notice that it's not the big gnarly man-foot she's been rubbing for years, and continues with some choice words about Rebeca, "this little thing, es una... una...".

Rebeca has been awake through some of this. She and turns on the light and tries to sit up in the bed. "Es una qué, Graciela? Una qué?"

End credits: new going-to-sleep song, weird animation, Popeye's as big as Temo. No me gusta, especially after that sleeping pill Rebeca took.

Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukkah already in progress!

Next time:
The kids give Rebe a warm welcome... roasting her over hot coals. Candy takes a steam with Vince... and Pina and Cathi!

Labels: familia