Villains. Where would melodramatic telenovelas
be without them? As in grand opera, they are colorful and over-the-top
evil, with grand gestures and outrageous fashions on the women and
basso-profundo voices on the men. They come in distinct
(stereo)types and for our purposes we will discuss them by
classification. Therefore we will examine a series of Dirty Dozens
to determine who is the most evil within each. Controlling parent
villains will also include their usual surrogates (steps, uncles, aunts, grands), peers
will include same-sex siblings, and there is a third category yet to
be named. This week's Dirty Dozen – in this author's mind – is
perhaps the most lethal of them all:
Dirty Dozen #1: Controlling Mothers
Their typical weapon is guilt, often
fueled by deception, more often than not about their own health. Their desperate need to control can be motivated by
greed, but more often merely to insure permanent companionship in their own
misery. Many of their crimes are not punishable by Man's Law, but they
forever commit crimes against Divine Law. Either way, they usually have impressively long
rap sheets. They are narcissists and sociopaths. Often their final punishments do not seem adequate to their crimes.
Who is the most evil of them all?
Character (Actress): Gabriela
Elizondo (Diana Bracho)
Series: Fuego en la
Sangre (2008)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law:
Attempted murder (Sofia, Juan, Oscar, Franco), accessory before and
after the fact (attempted murder of Juan by Fernando), complicity in attempted murder (multiple counts), kidnapping (Eva's daughter, Sofia's
daughter), unlawful detention (daughters in hacienda), unlawful detention (forcing father into mental
institution), attempted grand theft (Sofia's inheritance)
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law:
Hubris, hypocrisy, confessional abuse, forced marriage of Sofia to Fernando
Escandon, manipulating all daughters with feigned illness
Interim Punishment(s):
Public excommunication
Karmageddon: Death by suffocation or cardiac arrest (buried
alive)
Character (Actress): Carlota
Espinoza de los Monteros (Leticia Calderón)
Series: En Nombre del
Amor (2008)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law:
Premeditated Murder (4 counts), 2nd Degree Murder (1
count), attempted murder (3 counts), creation of fraudulent evidence
of murder (2 counts), murder of animals (6 or more counts), forgery, fraud
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law:
Hubris, hypocrisy, confessional abuse, attempted seduction of a priest
Interim Punishment(s): Kidnapping and poisoning by Inaki's father (whom she subsequently murdered)
Karmageddon : Paralysis, followed by imprisonment for life.
Karmageddon : Paralysis, followed by imprisonment for life.
Character (Actress): Bernarda
Iturbide (Daniela Romo)
Series: Triunfo del
Amor (2009)
Crimes
Punishable by Man's Law:
Premeditated murder (7 counts), 2nd degree murder
(2 counts), kidnapping (2 counts), attempted murder (3 counts)
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law:
Brainwashing only son into priesthood (See El Privilegio de Amar), abusive treatment of
servants, psychological torture, hubris, hypocrisy, confessional abuse
Interim Punishment(s): Birth of Maria, nightmares, excommunication, unwelcome entitled houseguests, attempted poisoning (by servant)
Karmageddon : Death (plane explosion)
Karmageddon : Death (plane explosion)
Character (Actress): Jacinta
Lopez, viuda de Vailladolid (Raquel Olmedo)
Series: Barrera de Amor (2005)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law:
Premeditated murder (husband), criminally negligent homicide
(priest), assault for hire, kidnapping via blackmail (Maite's baby
girl), kidnapping (Valeria's baby boy), attempted murder (Valeria's baby boy)
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law:
Hubris, hypocrisy, religious abuse
Interim Punishment(s): Birth of Victoria
Karmageddon: Death by smoke inhalation, following arson
Karmageddon: Death by smoke inhalation, following arson
Character (Actress): Bernarda
Sainz, viuda de Guillen (Jacqueline Andere)
Series: La Otra (2002)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law:
Grand theft (daughters' inheritance), murder (2 counts)
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law:
Adultery, psychological torture, prevarication
Interim Punishment(s):
Seduction by revenge-seeker
Karmageddon: Abandoned by all
Karmageddon: Abandoned by all
Character (Actress): Rosaura
Flores (Ana Bertha Espin)
Series: La Que No Podia
Amar (2011)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law (to date):
Procuring (pimping out Ana Paula
to landlord), accessory before and after the fact (attempted murder
of Gustavo), accessory after the fact (framing Rogelio for murder,
clenbuterol poisoning), accessory before and after the fact
(attempted murder of Rogelio), business fraud, perjury
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law (to date):
constant prevarication, cause of Margarito's accident, being a parasite to existing relations, abuse of servants
Interim Punishment(s) (to date): Working, being called out on her hypocrisy, actual heart attack, gunshot wound
Karmageddon: Permanent limp; imprisonment (term undefined, but long enough to likely be until death)
Karmageddon: Permanent limp; imprisonment (term undefined, but long enough to likely be until death)
Character (Actress): Rosario
Pedraza de Cordoba (Daniela Castro)
Series: Mi Pecado (2009)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law:
None
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law:
Rejection and banishment of innocent daughter, blackening
of several reputations, forcing undesirable marriage on daughter
Interim Punishment(s):
Verbal chastisement by housekeeper, husband, daughter's lover,
priest; loss of son and third baby; madness, depression
Karmageddon: Suicide by drowning (a la Virginia Woolf)
Karmageddon: Suicide by drowning (a la Virginia Woolf)
Character (Actress): Mathilde
Montes de Oca (Alma Muriel)
Series: Yo Compro Esa
Mujer (1991)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law:
Unlawful detention (2 counts), premeditated murder, attempted murder, grand theft (sister's jewels)
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law:
Psychological torture, covetousness, marriage for money
Interim Punishment(s): Temporary poverty
Karmageddon: Death by dehydration (locked in cellar room with no hope of rescue or escape)
Karmageddon: Death by dehydration (locked in cellar room with no hope of rescue or escape)
Character (Actress): Alfonsina Arango (Blanca Guerra)
Series: Abismo de
Pasión (2011)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law (to date): Attempted murder, unlawful detention
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law (to date):
Banishment of son, blackening of others' reputations, psychological torture, abusive business practices
Interim Punishment(s) (to date):
Rejection and attempted flight by husband, embezzlement of funds by trusted employee
Karmageddon: Repentance barely in time for Felice Para Siempre when she accepts Elisa as her nuera.
Karmageddon: Repentance barely in time for Felice Para Siempre when she accepts Elisa as her nuera.
Character (Actress): Ana
Joaquina Villarde (Marga Lopez)
Series: El Privilegio
de Amar (1998)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law:
2nd degree murder (2 counts)
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law:
Psychological torture, railroading son into priesthood (see Triunfo
del Amor), hypocrisy, hubris, confessional abuse
Interim Punishment(s):
Nightmares, burned when her house caught fire
Karmageddon: Imprisonment followed by madness
Karmageddon: Imprisonment followed by madness
Character (Actress): Catalina
Creel de Larios (Maria Rubio)
Series: Cuna de Lobos
(1986)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law:
Premeditated murder (multiple counts), kidnapping, false witness,
unlawful detention
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law:
Psychological abuse
Interim Punishment(s): None
(that I know of)
Karmageddon: Suicide by poison
Karmageddon: Suicide by poison
Character (Actress): Josefina
Alvarez de Monterubio (Rocio Banquells)
Series: Cuando Me
Enamoro (2010)
Crimes Punishable by Man's Law:
Murder (8 counts), attempted murder (5 counts), kidnapping,
blackmail, attempted grand theft (Renata's inheritance), fraud
Crimes Punishable by Divine Law:
Prevarication, psychological torture
Interim Punishment(s): Adultery
by husband, followed by divorce
Karmageddon: Madness, followed by indefinite incarceration in manicomio
Karmageddon: Madness, followed by indefinite incarceration in manicomio
If the above requires correction or better quantification, please advise so I can revise.
Gosh, this is a huge amount of work!! Thank you SO much!!
ReplyDeleteUA- this is great, its chilling to see all this villians together, but I think the worst of the worst is Catalina Creel de Larios. This paticular villan was the worst I have ever seen. The things she did. They say all other villians on TN's are measured by her. I don't think anyone can beat her.
ReplyDeleteGreat concept! Can't wait to see what other categories you've come up with for all the other arch-antagonistas.
ReplyDeleteI've seen 7 out of these 12 TN's. Of those, I feel the most dastardly and despicable villana is Gabriela from FELS. There are a couple of vile atrocities that I remember her committing that you didn't list: her complicity in Fernando's plans to kill two of her other daughters (Sarita and Ruth [and this was after she knew that Ruth was in fact her daughter].)I don't remember all the details, only that he succeeded with Ruth (in the sickest TN scene I've ever seen) and failed with Sarita. I believe that in the case of Ruth, it was Gabriela who suggested it to him.
Anon 05:38 above = Karamy. Forgot to sign my name.
ReplyDeleteI included Cuna de Lobos because I know that Catalina is so iconic, but this is the only series in this list that I haven't seen. If anyone can supply the details of her crimes, please do.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me wish someone would rerun it. I have the DVD in the closet, but I know that can't be more than 10% of the total footage. The information I provided comes from the Wikipedia article about the series.
Urban I never saw this one either. Uni had a special on TN's last year and they showed highlights from this one. I have to say this Catalina Creel was scary. I have ordered the dvd.
ReplyDeleteUS, this is a fun list and invokes a remembrance of a few sleepless nights thanks to these dear "mothers". I have watched 7 out of the 12, though I gave up on LGNPA and didn't catch every episode of FELS ( just kept trying my patience).
ReplyDeleteI wish I had been able to see Catalina as well since I've heard the same assessment of her character: She is the model all others follow and was amazing in the part. I've only seen clips as well---chilling.
The Purple Queen, Carlota in ENDA is probably my favorite of the group I've seen so far. That woman gave me the chills each and every night. I actually "enjoyed" that TN watching her, though I always thought I would have liked to see her get a more dastardly end.
I personally thought that Carlota's end was appropriate. Death would have been too easy; her fate involved the beginning of endless humiliation, the one thing she couldn't handle anymore, along with the ultimate and final rejection by her principal victim.
ReplyDeleteMost of us felt unsatisfied by Bernarda Iturbide's end because it was too easy. Unfortunately, since Mexico doesn't execute, there was no earthly punishment adequate for her rap sheet. Her earlier incarnation was imprisoned (I think in solitary confinement) and the madness that ensued was appropriate. However, that would have been difficult to improve upon.
Had any of the priests attempted to exorcise either of them they would probably have witnessed spontaneous combustion.
Since you mentioned Carlota's obsession with purpole, I'll comment briefly on other specifics. That collar on Daniela Romo's blouse made me think of Erzebet Bathory. The lace shawl worn by Leticia Calderon in her mug shot was a gift from Diana Bracho, who wore it in the previous version of that story as the same character.
Urban Anthropologist, you amaze me with all of these wonderfully delicious 'tidbits' you provide for us. They are so greatly appreciated!
ReplyDeleteRe execution in Mexico. Wasn't Sergio Sendel's character executed in "Destilando Amor". I seem to vaguely him dying by injection. I could be totally confused, however.
Do you remember that scene?
Anon 10:34- Aaron(Sergio Sendel) was executed on Destilando Amor but not in Mexico. It was on a Caribean Island with the death penalty.
ReplyDeleteGreat gallery Urban! Thanks for doing this. The Purple Menace Tia Carloca was a great character, and I liked her end. I had my doubts about Fina/Pepa in CME in the very beginning, but then came to enjoy her antics immensely. She really enjoyed being evil and was fun to watch. She was downright gleeful. Remember how much she enjoyed throwing Blanca over that railing and shooting up her ex-hubby and his new bride at the church.
ReplyDeleteThere is one I'd like to see added to the gallery-- the stepmother (and mother, since she had her own daughter drugged and raped) from hell, Barbara Greco, La Hyena, from MEPS.
Excellent list, thanks. I haven't seen many of these shows but the descriptions are great. Loved Fedra in Llena. She delighted in her evil and ended up burning.
ReplyDeleteVivi, that's a great one. I couldn't remember all the details about her although I did watch the series.
ReplyDeleteWe definitely could think of another dozen maternal monsters if we all put our heads together.
Everyone, in a couple of weeks we can talk about the male counterparts to these demons, the Controlling Fathers. E-mail any you can think of to me and include the stats so I can hunt for photos. I'm trying to build the list but this exercise is telling me that while many mature actresses get a shot at playing Mothers From Hell, their male counterparts are cast with the same handful of actors, at least in the last 15 years.
Early announcement so nobody misses it: Next week we go back to the Cast the Televisa Remake Game for Classic Movies. Start thinking about recasting one or more of your favorite classics with Televisa actors. Hold this till next week's lead post is up.
Urban Anthropologist, thank you so much for putting up this VERY entertaining post. I only saw 3 of the vilainesses: Carlota in En Nombre del Amor, Gabriela Elizondo in Fuego en la Sangre, and Ana Joaquina Vilarde in El Privilegio de Amar.
ReplyDeleteMy chilling choice would be Carlota. She hit all the high spots: unhealthy obsession with a priest, hatred of her niece, greed, and several counts of murder.
We miss you on El Mundo de Telemundo!
Gracias, Novelera.
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago I was actually watching both primetime lineups but I can't do that anymore. I also get Latele Novela Network and finally saw Terra Nostra, which is ending in a few days. They will start showing the original El Clon on the 10th.
I gave up on a number of Telemundo series because the actors talked faster than I can keep up with. I am also rather annoyed at the off-hour start times on both networks that make it nearly impossible to switch from one to the other.
UA - Fantastic list. Thanks for organizing this. I've seen all but three, although I have read about all of them. Chilling list. Difficult to decide who is the cruelest of them all: Gabriella, Carlota, Bernarda's Iturbide and Sainz and Ana Joaquina Villarde were all blood chilling cruel and cold. Looking forward to the Controlling Fathers list.
ReplyDeletesfchicabonita
I'll need someone who recapped El Talisman to send me the dirt on Pigorio because I bailed on that series after a few weeks. He's definitely one for the books and a new actor to add to that list.
ReplyDeleteAs to my vote for the above list, I never saw Catalina in action, so I reserve judgement until I at least screen the DVD set. Until then I declare a tie between Bernarda Iturbide and Carlota Espinoza:
Bernarda restricted her son's life for her own selfish reasons and went to the most extraordinary -- and criminal -- lengths to protect herself about it while Carlota did the same to her niece, finally almost killing her and even killing someone in front of her. I don't think Bernarda would ever have actually tried to kill Juan Pablo unless he left the priesthood, which he did briefly contemplate. However, her rap sheet is a little longer.
Carlota's fate would have worked for me with Bernarda but in the end it was definitely better for Juan Pablo for her to die.
Urban--Excellent list with photos to match. It's a great way to recall great moments in past and present tns and expand our "knowledge base" of Mexican telenovelas.
ReplyDeleteYes, the punishments don't always fit the crimes and we feel let down at the end. However, I do not need to see men's eyes gouged out or being tortured in a public execution scene.
So far,my only familiarity on your list is Carlocca in ENDA, Mi Pecado, Triumfo, La Otra, CME & LQNPA. I think Carlocca ranks #1, followed closely by Bernarda de Iturbide of Triumfo in #2.
Rosario in Mi Pecado was a tortured woman who took her pain out on her daughter, but evilness, not quite up there. Same with Bernarda of La Otra--because of greed she was willing to ruin both her daughters' lives. Tia MentiRosa is a criminally guilty schemer who wants to coast on someone else's luxury but will stop short at getting her hands in the dough.
So, next I would put Fina in the #3 slot.
UA--we recapped El Tal. Believe me when we tell you that Don Gregorio was not much of a villain that we could see. He had a reputation as an evil man and a lover boy, but we didn't see the former and wished we hadn't seen the latter. He was just crude and boasted too much. Antonio was only a shadow of his shadowy dad. You can probably leave them out.
To the women, I would definitely add Mrs. Arismeni (Susana Dosamantes) in Eva Luna. She chaulked up quite a number of poisonings, shot her lover at the end and kept terrible secrets.
Lenore in STuD, Jose Miguel's mother was pretty awful, but no murders on her rap sheet.
I agree with Vivi that Barbara Greco in MEPS should be on the list.
In Amor Real we have Matilde's mother (Augusta, played by Helena Rojo) AND aunt (Prudencia, played by Ana Bertha Espin) conspiring against her. There are some betrayals, but no murders by these two.
And...how could we forget the magnificent Juana Arellano vda. de Manrique in ALBORADA (played by Daniela Romo--she's so good in this one). A more evil, conspiring two-faced hypocrite mother/aunt never walked this tn earth.
We also have a developing villainess in Roselena Torreslanda in Un Refugio. Mainly she's crazy but has a stanglehold on her children's lives.
Thanks again for the memories. Can't wait for the men.
Anita
Anita, what about Pigorio's beating of the pregnant Mariana and having her dumped in a dangerous area in the first two weeks? He was brutal. Not to mention boinking his own daughter-in-law.
ReplyDeleteThe other females do deserve to be in the rankings. I thought, however, that it would be best to restrict this to a dozen (for space purposes, and it is now crowded off the home page) and I didn't want to repeat actresses if I could help it. Dona Juana was a great one but I thought that Bernarda was worse since she not only got her hands dirty with murder, she relished it.
However, we can develop another list later.
I left Rosaelena off the list for now because we're waiting for more data.
I agree about holding the line at graphic violence. But the Karmageddon can be something survivable that leaves the perp with an earthly purgatory.
Well, UA, you have a point on El Piggorio. He didn't kill Mariana right off, he caused her baby to die and later abandoned her on the streets of LA. That brutality should not have gone unpunished. Having him off himself was not good enough for us. Even before the tn started, we saw him start the fire that inadvertently permanently sickened his beloved Matilde (wife of Bernardo).
ReplyDeleteBarbara Greco was definitely a villain, but UA stated that the category was controlling mothers.
ReplyDeleteBarbara didn't find out about her child until very late in the telenovela (Mañana es Para Siempre). So she would be in there on a technicality! The true controlling mothers (or tías) start out controlling young people and get worse.
Barbara Greco was a stand-in mother from the time Fernanda and Eduardo were very small and was already controlling & manipulating them. I guess you could say the same about that Abismal Orangina, no? Well, we love the ones UA chose for us and I love how we've expanded it and why. If we reach back far enough, we could probably find a lot more.
ReplyDeleteAnita
UA, gracias for this! What a lineup...I wonder who would win the cage match :D
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Kat. My vote for a cage match outcome goes to Carlota because she is insane enough to be able to lift a car off the street if she needed to; I'm not so sure about the others, even Bernarda.
ReplyDeleteHowever, a match between them would still be interesting because we'd all want to know whose concealed hypodermic would contain the most lethal poison.
The only one of this bunch I've ever seen was FELS, but Gabriela Elizondo was bad enough to make any top-12 list. Major props to Diana Bracho for being able to pull off such a good performance in such a stinky TN. And maximum props to UA for pulling together this great list!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julie. Before I ever saw the opening episode of FELS the promo shots I saw clearly showed that Diana Bracho was going to make Gabriela a world-class Mother From Hell. The Gabriela of Pasion de Gavilanes was merely a garden-variety snob.
ReplyDeleteThis is a terrific list. Urban A, thank you for your hard and thoughtful work. I think I've seen three on this list, and know of a couple more by reputation. And what a great list of actresses! Kudos to them and to our Urban A for this villainous treat.
ReplyDeleteGreat work, UA!
ReplyDeleteDont forget Federico Rivero (Cesar Evora) in the male villain list. that is my vote for top villain character and performance ever!
Anon, Aaron in Destilando was executed in a caribbean island because he sold them tainted alcohol (not sure if it was tequila or not) and many people there died from the poison/intoxication. so he got a death sentence there and there was nothing anyone else in the family could do about it.
Urban
ReplyDeleteWhat a great,concise list. I seen almost all of them but would do anything to get a hold of Yo Compro era Miner.
I also noticed that youtube has deleted quite a few episodes of one of our favorites, CME