Caray, Caray!

I just want to repeat the notice I posted on the weekend Telemundo y Más page and that LXV has included on the current cover page: all of Telemundo's evening telenovelas are being pre-empted by the US presidential debate. The novelas will resume tomorrow, September 27.
 

Did you see that Telmundo has it labeled La Gran Batalla? So much more dramatic that a boring ole presidential debate, and keeping with the themes of our telenovelas. Any chance a secret evil twin will show up? (Or the secret good twin, depending on how you feel about the candidates?)

Kelly
 

General. Well, I must say that this particular election does have a lot of elements of a telenovela! :)
 

Senora Acero 3: Chucho wreaking havoc from Los Pinos!


 

General

they should do the debates on Caso Cerrado,
could use a little gavel action by the doctora.
 

General. deb: tee hee. :) Well said!
 

Span Prof: You know there's going to be a Telenovela about this debate with cutthroat tactics, evilness, etc.,


 

General. Actually, some of this reminds me a bit of some of the plots in a classic Univisión telenovela, "Para volver a amar."
 

General

I agree, Deb MLOL

Well, I did not watch the debates because I could not find my telenovela beanie hat.
 

General

Ah, doris, now I understand why I was able to watch the debate and actually enjoy it: I was wearing the beanie I've started to wear when watching Silvana! I put it on automatically at 8 pm even though there was no telenovela and didn't take it off until I went to bed. :-)
 

General

Love the comments about the debate resembling a telenovela and, Juanita, how your enjoyment was increased by having the right headgear!
 

General


I think we all need beanies 24/7 until November. Also, copious amounts of wine.
 

General

Jude, I volunteer to bring a good French Sancerre, my favorite! I haven't used my beanie as much since I stopped watching Univisión novelas.
 

General

You guys! Clinton fainted! Does that means she's pregnant?

Turns out this election season is way more fun when it's looked at as a telenovela. Probably needs more stairs though.

Kelly
 

GENERAL

Kelly - Yes, Escaleracide!!! Dual staircase needed!
 

Silvana

This discussion is a lot more fun than tonight's episode. Anyway, I'm simply writing to say that I'll post a recap (of the episode, not the discussion :-) ) sometime tomorrow morning.
 

SILVANA

That Manuel and lucia scene was very cute

Olise
 

SILVANA SIN LANA (cap. 49) - MARTES - Parte 1 de 3

Chivis has come to see Manuel. She is very upset about the embargo notice she received. Manuel tries to calm her down. He says they have no right to take anything from her, and the the notice must be an error. When she protests, he assures her that, though things may look bad now, there's always a solution. He says they'll get a good lawyer. Chivis says she'll have to get in touch with Rafael again. Manuel declares emphatically that even if Rafael were the only lawyer in the world, she shouldn't seek his help. "Do you want him to take advantage of you again?" Manuel asks. Chivis says that Manuel doesn't understand how she feels: "I have a knot in my stomach." Manuel takes a lighthearted approach, turning nudo, the word for knot, into desnudo, naked. He again assures Chivis that he's there for her, and all will be well. He kisses her goodby, just as Lucha comes down the stairs. She's not pleased to see her father kissing Chivis. After Chivis leaves, Manuel looks at a message he received while she was there and says, "This one is even crazier than Stella," so we can be pretty sure he's talking about Cata.

Speaking of crazy, the scene shifts to Stella in the ladies room at the fancy restaurant where she is with Steve. She's trying to get the fish smell out of her wig. She first waves the wig about, then sprays it with perfume. Hearing some women about to enter, she retreats to one of the stalls. The women enter and immediately comment on the awful smell of fish and cheap perfume. They find it so unpleasant that they leave. Desperate, Stella washes the wig in the sink and then dries it. Steve has been waiting at the table for her. When she finally reappears, she looks quite different, since her wig is now more bouffant-like and a bit dishevelled. He asks her whether she smells something strange, like air freshener (ambientador). Stella agrees and says it must be from those nacas at the next table. Steve suggests that they leave and go elsewhere. Stella tells him she's just remembered that she has a busy day ahead of her tomorrow and she feels sorry for her chauffeur, who is waiting for her, so she has to go home. "Call me," she says to Steve in English as she leaves.

Angie and Benji are meeting for one of their tutoring sessions. Angie tells him that she doesn't want him to go away, but she also doesn't want him publicizing their relationship. He says that the problem is that she's still in love with Jorge, but he (Benji) likes her a lot and wants to be more than just a friend.

Manuel brings some food up to Lucha. He asks her about Mauro, and then she starts in on his relationship with Chivis. You're an adult, she tells him, you should be able to be more selective. He admits to being interested in Chivis. She asks how he has changed his tastes so much. "Chivis is everything we've never liked," she says. Manuel suggests that these are mistaken prejudices. Lucha continues, "Chivis is the opposite of my mother. No one will replace her." Manuel agrees that no one will replace her. However, he also tells her quien no se arriesga, no cruza el rio (i.e., nothing ventured, nothing gained). Lucha mentions that Mauro said the same thing to her, and that her father and Mauro are somewhat alike. [Hmmm...a good sign for Mauro?]

Chivis comes to her mother's bedroom and says, "You'll never guess what has happened." Without giving Chivis time to explain, Trini starts listing the disasters that occur to her: Antonio José has been arrested; Maria José is pregnant; Chivis has become the novia of the vecino (Trini declares this last one is her worst nightmare). Finally, Chivis is able to interrupt long enough to tell her mother about the threatened embargo. Of course, Trini faints.
 

SILVANA SIN LANA (Cap. 49) - MARTES - Parte 2 de 3

When Stella leaves the restaurant and gets into her rented car, Poncho is asleep in the back. At first, he doesn't recognize her. Fearing that she's a car-jacker, he pleads with her not to hurt him. Stella identifies herself. He asks how things went, and she tells him that she's had the worst embarrassment of her life (pasé la peor vergüenza de mi vida) [apparently she has already forgotten about her "wedding"]. Interestingly, Poncho tells her he tried to warn her, and to my surprise he adds the well-known Spanish saying la mona, aunque se vista de seda, mona de queda (a monkey dressed in silk remains a monkey).

Vicente and Manuel talk in his office about Lucha and her reaction to seeing Manuel kiss Chivis. Manuel then asks Vicente for a favor: erase all the photos that Cata has sent him. Vicente's eyebrows go up as he sees the photos, which he erases just as Stella barges in. Vicente leaves, and Stella eventually tells Manuel that she no longer wants to sell fish and wants to move her work into his office. He refuses. He takes a phone call from Chivis, after which Stella tells him that all her friends are calling Chivis "Silvana sin lana." Just then, Stella gets a phone call from Steve inviting her to a "get-together." She asks him to repeat the word, claiming the noise is preventing her from understanding him. He finally invites her to a reunión with all kinds of celebrities. She ecstatically accepts. [We see him call her from a rather luxurious setting, so perhaps he really is wealthy. Perhaps.]

Lupita comes into Trini's room to ask that she do her hair the way Majo did. She also mentions that she doesn't yet have a dress for her first communion. Trini gets upset at the oversight, and says they'll go to a boutique. Lupita says there's no need, that all her classmates either rent dresses or have them made by their mothers. Trini is horrified at the thought. Lupita suggests they could go to a second-hand store. Trini manages not to faint, but she does say no, that's what la gente humilde do. Lupita is confused and asks, "Are we poor or lowly?" (¿Nosotros somos pobres o humildes?). Trini replies that they're poor, but NEVER lowly. She underscores this by saying "never" first in French (jamais) and then in Spanish (jamás).

Trini goes crying to Don Benito about how poor they are, and how can she explain this to a 10-year-old who needs a first-communion dress? He comforts her, as always, but I'm wondering whether she's trying to get him to pay for the dress.

Lupita writes a note to her father, addressing him as querido amigo profugo (dear fugitive friend). She tells him about Majo's leaving home, and she invites him to her first communion, though she says she'll understand if he can't come. (Earlier, when talking with Trini, Lupita said she hopes Angie can record the entire first communion ceremony on her cellphone so AJ won't miss anything.)

Andrés is sitting by himself outside the university when Lucha comes by. She asks about his living with Majo, and he tells her they're living with his parents. Mauro comes by, and Lucha greets him enthusiastically with a kiss in front of Andrés. Mauro has brought sandwiches, because he and Lucha are going off to be clowns at the hospital. They leave, and Mauro hugs and kisses her repeatedly as they walk.

Manuel suggests to Chivis a way to deal with the embargo: she should bring all the furniture and valuables to his house. [Beds? Sofa? ??] Chivis says this sounds crooked (chueco) to her. He assures her that they're doing nothing illegal.
 

SILVANA SIN LANA (Cap. 49) - MARTES - Parte 3 de 3

Manuel then asks Chivis to come with him to Cata's to discuss arrangements for the big event Cata has mentioned. Chivis is puzzled, and he tells her Cata insisted upon the meeting being in her house. He gropes for a further explanation, and Chivis understands: Cata is descarada (shameless, brazen). Manuel agrees.

When they arrive at Cata's, Manuel is amazed at how luxurious the house is. Cata is surprised to see Chivis: "I didn't know you'd be here." [Do I hear Cata's plans being flushed down the toilet?] Cata talks about a trip to Mexico at which Chivis was present. Chivis is embarrassed. Cata says "You were always the santurrona (goody-goody, overly pious person). Chivis responds that Cata was always the most viva, which I take to mean excessively alive and clever. Cata again asks Manuel to use tu, not usted. The maid appears with martinis, but both Manuel and Chivis refuse. Cata calls them wet blankets (aguafiestas). She then asks Manuel why he hasn't said anything about the photos she sent him. "What photos?" Chivis asks. "Tell her, Manuel," says Cata. "Show her the photos." Manuel tells Chivis the photos were about the merchandise (mercancía). Cata laughs and makes suggestive remarks about the "merchandise." Manuel laughs, too. Chivis is clearly not pleased. After she and Manuel leave, he tries to assure her that she shouldn't be jealous, that she's the only one he cares for.

At Stella's, Dominique and Poncho don't want Stella to go by herself to Steve's reunión. What if Steve is a psychopath? Dominique suggests that she should bring him as "a typical gay, accompanying a fresa." Stella rejects the idea, saying that "this is my moment."

Speaking of fresas, the scene shifts to Majo selling supposedly high-class clothes out of the back of a car. [I have no experience with such things, but I find it a bit hard to believe that expensive, high-class clothing would be sold this way.] While she's showing the merchandise, she gets a call from Andrés; she tells him she's at the university. [I suppose it's possible that the car is parked somewhere on the university's grounds.] Soon afterward, Vicente appears and asks whether they can talk. A few minutes later, they do talk. Majo asks him how he knew where she was. He reminds her that she posted it on Facebook. He tells her that he lied when they spoke last. He's not going to give her up. She tells him yet again that it's over, she cares for Andrés and is going to marry him. Vicente says "you care for Andrés, but you love me." She goes on about what a good person Andrés is. Vicente asks, "If he's so good, do you think he deserves a woman who doesn't love him?" He tells her that what happened between them was no sin, it was beautiful, and it has bound them together forever. He declares "I'm going to fight for the woman I love." They kiss...a long kiss. Their music plays. Majo looks sad and very confused. The episode ends.
 

SILVANA:

Thank you so much, Juanita!

Honestly, I continue to be baffled by Majo’s appeal. Loved when Vicente asked "If he's so good, do you think he deserves a woman who doesn't love him?" That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking. Why does Majo think that Andres deserves the crumbs of her love? She’s not all that. Set him free to be with someone who loves him just as much as he loves her. Although it does seem that he’s feeling jealousy over Lucha, but I’m not convinced he’s actually fallen in love with her. Lucha is also still into him, so as great at Mauro is, looks like the poor guy will eventually get dumped.

The conversation that annoyed me to no end was the one between Lucha and Manuel (although, yes, the father-daughter moment was cute). The reason is because I don’t think that Manuel does enough to defend Chivis when Lucha goes off about her. When Lucha says that Chivis in NOTHING like her mother, I would like Manuel to answer something like this: “Chivis is not your mother, nor will she ever be or try to be a replacement for your mother. But like your mother, Chivis has a kind heart, is a hard worker, a loyal friend, a loving mother, and is beautiful inside and out. That’s the exactly the kind of woman I could fall in love with, and have now had the luck and honor of meeting twice in my life. I’m also sure she’s the kind of woman your mother would want me to bring into our lives.”

 

First, Juanita--Thank you for the recap of this episode. For once I didn't >>FF through Stella and the Boys, although I turned the sound down on Trini. She never seems to say anything really important, to me anyway. Your details were wonderful and your one big aside "[Do I hear Cata's plans being flushed down the toilet?] was sidebar worthy.

Vivi--Your postscript was a perfect picture ending. Manuel is a bit of a wimp when it comes to Lucha. Maybe he sees too much of his deceased wife in Lucha and being the only girl in the family softens his stance with her.

My heart was wrenching for Vicente last night, then I looked at who he was delivering that heart-felt speech to and wondered what others are wondering here. What on earth does he see in MaJo? She's more like an upper class Stella. The clock is ticking for us to see if she becomes more likeable and more suitable for someone of Vicente's stature. So, he's not taking his father's advice to better himself for his own sake. He told her he wanted to better himself for her.
 

Silvana

Great comments, Vivi! I too have never understood Majo's appeal. As for Mauro, I suspect he will get dumped, but I'm still rooting for him, and Lucha's likening him to her father seems a hopeful sign. Lucha is so much more alive and happy with Mauro than with Andrés.

Wow, what a great speech you've written for Manuel! It's too bad he doesn't read CarayCaray. Seriously, though, what you've written is terrific.
 

Silvana

Anita, I think your FF decisions were the right ones. The scenes between Stella and the other two stooges were somewhat better than usual, and Trini for the most part was just same old, same old, especially with Don Benito. Her discussion with Lupita was moderately interesting, though.

I think it's clear that Majo will be happier with Vicente than with Andrés, but what either man sees in her remains a mystery. Perhaps we should get her together with Steve, who may (or may not) have the wealth and social position she's looking for. Most important, anyone who could spend ten minutes in Stella's presence and not flee clearly has no sense, so Majo's emptiness and immaturity are unlikely to bother him.
 

Silvana. Excellent recap, Juanita. I too loved "Do I hear Cata's plans being flushed down the toilet?" I also agree that if Andrés is so good, he deserves someone who loves him (though I too would prefer Lucha to end up with Mauro--I have a feeling that as with Benji we're going to find out something terrible about Mauro)I agree, though, that at least for the moment, being like Manuel is a good sign for Mauro. I wonder what Steve is up to? I bet it won't be Gloria and Emilio ESTEFAN at that party! At least Angie will have a great command of math by the time she finds out about Benji's Margarita-inspired scheme and all his character defects. I'll bet she aces the SATs. About the clothing sales--My younger daughter has a friend who's a stay-at-home mom who sells a line of clothing items for some firm. I guess for some people it's that or Mary Kay.
 

Silvana

Many thanks, SpanProf. I fear you're probably right about there being a Dark Side to Mauro, but I hope not. And I too have my doubts about Steve.

As for the clothing sales, there are several things that give me pause. One is selling the clothing out of the trunk of a car. That seems to me a lot tackier than selling from someone's home. Admittedly, Majo's home, though probably nicer than the car, is in an unfashionable neighborhood, so perhaps that gives the car an advantage, but still... Another thing is how Majo is dressed. Again, if she were selling inexpensive clothes, I wouldn't think twice about what she's wearing. Perhaps if I were her age, rather than old enough to be her gr... oh, never mind! :-) All I'm saying is that I recognize I may not be in touch with what matters and doesn't matter to people her age. To me, though, her business seems tacky.
 

Silvana

Wonderful recap, as always, Juanita. Yep, I’m chiming in on “Cata’s plans being flushed” as a great line. Telenovelas always have to have another option for our protagonists, someone else who’s after them. Since Stella is clearly not getting Manuel interested in her again, the writers give us Cata. Unusually, Silvana’s only other suitor is her fat, repellent husband.

Vicente disappointed me again by pursuing Majo. Me four or five on her lack of appeal. The obvious extensions on her hair are a big negative for me. Many TN actresses have hair down their backs that is probably not all their own, but you can clearly see where her extensions start. Maybe less well-known actors have to pay for their own hair and makeup.

Ditto on Lucha. It drives me nuts that she feels free to give little lectures to her father. And she doesn’t seem to have owned up or apologized to her father for her lousy judgment in trying to push Stella down his throat.

I am fascinated by the Steve thing. Is it possible Gloria and Emilio Estevan might make a cameo in the telenovela? I can’t wait to see what the denouement of this plot point will turn out to be.
 

Silvana

I agree that selling the clothes out of the trunk is odd. She came up with this scheme after seeing someone selling them on the internet, so why didn't she set up a web site. [Oh, wait. Majo probably doesn't have the smarts to do that.]

And, if she's supposed to be imminently marrying a rich guy, why does she need to sell them at all.
 

MaJo and Steve? Brilliant. I loved your allusion to Stella/Steve vs. MaJo/Steve being somewhat interchangeable. He needs a trophy wife. MaJo is a trophy as long as she keeps her mouth shut. Personally I think Steve is still hiding something. He could have "rented," or "borrowed" the pad to run a scheme on a bunch of people, but if he's on the up and up, he's dumber than we give him credit for being.

SpanProf--How true, everyone right now is with the wrong person. However are they going to get this game of musical chairs all sorted out without someone ending up without a seat at the table?
 

SILVANA

Juanita – Thank you for the great recap, and the phrase translations!

Vivi – I prefer your proposed answer from Manuel to Lucha over what we got.

Ooooh, that Cata is a real piece of work, isn’t she?!?! I hope she's had her shots.
The sound echos in that house of hers was hard to miss.

I thought Majo was selling some of her own clothes out of her car, to raise money for herself. Thank heavens for Caray! I probably missed the real story when I was FFWD—> thru one of her scenes.

Andres looks like he wants both Lucha and Majo. Too bad he doesn’t fall in front of a bus.

The Steve character is being played like he’s a decent guy, so I’m going to stay with this as my theory. I think Stella will end up embarrassing herself horribly and running back home to Poncho & Dom.

Stella washing and drying her wig in the restaurant ladies' room was a real telenovela beanie hat moment.
 

Thanks Juanita. I can hardly wait to see where the writers go next with plot development. Your recap makes it possible for me to understand the storyline. Again many thanks. Helen
 

Silvana sin Lana – Wednesday, September 28 – Capítulo 50, part 1/2

No Vicente in this episode; just his voice. :(

Chivis informs the girls and Trini about the notice of embargo, and how they’re going to move everything to Manuel’s house so nothing will be taken from them. Angie thinks it’s really strange and Lupita knows it’s her father’s fault. Manuel, Pedro, and Jorge arrive to help.

Poncho tries to get Stella to back out of the party at Steve’s. She goes inside.

Trini whines to Don Benito about having to move everything to Manuel’s for a few days. He offers to let her stay at his house instead of sleeping in an empty room. (They are leaving the beds behind and still sleeping there, but everything else is being moved over to Manuel’s.)

Stella walks into Steve’s house but finds no one. Steve finally comes out in a robe, shorts, and handkerchief around his neck. He says the other guests are on their way. Then he starts dancing for her and Stella looks at him with a bewildered look on her face [and mine too.]

Andrés takes Majo to an empty apartment. HIs father bought it for them. He asks if she wants to get married as soon as possible. She responds of course she wants to get married, but so soon? Andrés thinks they both made mistakes but they both forgave each other. Majo admits that she was the only who made mistakes; he always supported her. It’s just not the right time with everything else going on. Andrés wonders if she has doubts or if what happened with Vicente is still leaving her confused.

Benji helps pack up the rest of the things. Angie is sad about Chivis having to deal with all of this because of her father. She comments that she could never forgive someone who lies to her. Benji again asks her to let him be with her and support her. She doesn’t respond but they hug. [Even though he is a lying liar, he still seems so sweet.]

Steve finishes his odd dance and keeps coming on to Stella. She seems a little uncomfortable and makes her way out to the terrace. He changes the music and they slow dance to the least subtle song ever: Súbete a mi cama y derrámala sin brasier ni nada, quédate sin nada. Después del trance más sutil que excitara tu punto G, vas a sentir tanto placer… (Climb into my bed and spill?? without a bra, or anything, stay with nothing. After the subtlest trance that will excite your G spot, you’re going to feel so much pleasure…)

Andrés asks Majo if she still feels something for Vicente. She lies and says no, but that it’s not the right time because her father hasn’t come back and she’s still fighting with her mother. Andrés understands and agrees they will get married when she’s ready. They hug and Majo remembers Vicente saying no te equivoques, María José, sino, Andrés, tú y yo vamos a salir mal de esto (Don’t make a mistake, Maria Jose, otherwise, Andres, you, and I are going to end up hurt).

Benji and Angie kiss just as Trini walks in. Angie lets her know that she already explained everything to Benji. Trini is slightly worried he’ll tell people, but he assures her that he doesn’t like gossip. After he leaves, Trini tells Angie that she approves of him.

Steve keeps coming on to Stella. Every time he gets close and tries to kiss her, she starts making him dance again. Poncho sees them on the terrace. Steve says he has houses in NY, LA, Buenos Aires. Stella lies about exporting salmon and having tons of money.
 

Silvana sin Lana – Wednesday, September 28 – Capítulo 50, part 2/2

Chivis and Manuel take one last look around the house. Manuel says they’ll leave the DVD player but take the TV since they bought it together as “husband and wife”. Manuel is really adorable in this scene. Chivis is worried that the problems will never stop, but Manuel just keeps reassuring her and saying flirty things. She tells him that Trini and Angie know why Majo left the house, so when they’re all in his house together, he needs to be more discreet. He claims he’s only like this when they’re alone. He goes upstairs to get a heavy box from Chivis’ room, leaving his phone downstairs. Chivis looks at it since it keeps making noise and she sees photos of Cata in a bubble bath.

Lucha and Mauro arrive home and find Angie and Jorge and all the furniture and boxes in the living room. Apparently Manuel did not tell Lucha what was going on. Angie explains that they will still sleep next door; they just needed a place to store all their belongings. Jorge adds that they will also eat there. Lucha and Mauro have an awkward kiss bye and Jorge teases Lucha for being nervous. She tells Angie there is space in her room if she needs it and heads upstairs. Angie is on the verge of tears, saying this brings back bad memories of the first time they had to leave their home. Jorge comments that he has good memories of the day they arrived. He starts talking about second chances when Margarita walks in.

Stella thinks she had better leave since the other guests haven’t arrived. Steve claims he asked them to arrive later so they could get to know each other better first. She agrees to stay and dance some more, except her wig flies off and Steve freaks out. Poncho hears the screaming and grabs a fire extinguisher.

Margarita is the most annoying she has ever been, and Jorge barely does anything to shut her mouth. She disses Angie’s clothes and makes fun of her and her father, saying stealing must run in the family. Angie yells at her, to the point where Jorge holds her back and tells her to go to the kitchen. He is angry at Margarita for being so insensitive. She just yells even louder for him to shut up and to not defend her. [I can’t with her anymore. SHE. IS. THE. WORST.]

Poncho rushes in to save Stella, using the fire extinguisher on Steve, who seems most concerned about his silk robe. Poncho and Stella run out.

Trini gets ready to go to Don Benito’s. Chivis goes upstairs to take one last look. Angie comes home in tears. When she goes to Chivis’ room, she finds her with Manuel’s cell phone. Cata has sent a message asking him to join her for a bubble bath.

Manuel goes to talk to Lucha. She is actually not angry that he didn’t tell her about the neighbors. Manuel jokes that he likes Mauro since he seems to have taken some of her amargura (bitterness) away.

Trini arrives at Don Benito’s. He will sleep on the couch downstairs and he warns her that he talks in his sleep. She gets scared thinking that he’s a sleepwalker and she’ll have to lock the door. He tells her not to worry, and helps take her heavy suitcase upstairs.

Angie is upset about Margarita and missing Majo and feeling frustrated that bad things keep happening. Chivis tries to cheer her up, mentioning Benji and how she should let him in her heart. Manuel knocks on the door, looking for his phone. Chivis is a bit cold to him, saying it won’t stop making noise so maybe he should turn it off.

Returning to his parents’ house, Andrés asks Majo if she liked the apartment. She says yes, but sounds a bit unsure of herself, especially when he mentions that it’s where they’ll spend the rest of their lives. Laura comes home and informs them they can choose any day for the wedding; the venue will be available. Andrés tells her they decided to postpone the wedding for a little while. Laura starts getting upset and asks Majo why she’s playing with her son’s feelings.
 

SILVANA

Thanks so much for the recaps. I'd be pretty lost without them!
Anyone noticed how Mañuel always looks like he's about to start laughing in the scenes with th faux fresa Stella? So cute!

Pet peeve alert: the clockwork, baby-nursery-toy theme music they have for Lupita is increasingly annoying. She's not one year old!
 

Silvana. Excellent, perceptive recap, J. Based on last night's episode, could Steve be rich but stupid? If he didn't realize that Stella wasn't a wealthy sophisticated businesswoman until her wig fell off, he's pretty dim. Also, his seduction attempts were very amateurish. No party? Indeed! I think derrámate in the context may mean "spread out."You're right, absolutely the opposite of subtle. Again: Andrés, if you want someone needy, get a puppy! But he's right on about MJ and Vicente. I wonder if what Vicente said about himself, Andrés and MJ ending up hurt is foreshadowing. It's so ironic that Benji is supportive about Angie's attitude toward liars, and, boy, has he fooled absolutely everyone! But still, math skills--very important in the modern world. Laura has a point about Majo's playing with Andrés' feelings. I think the writers are making Margarita so over-the-top cruel and shrewish toward Angie so that we won't feel even an ounce of pity toward her when Jorge breaks up with her.
 

SILVANA:

Wonderful recap, J. And thanks for translating that song. I wasn't even paying attention to it, I was so confused about the whole bizarre Steve situation. Still scratching my head about it. I honestly have no theories about the weirdo.

Margarita has so often shown herself to be a cruel, evil shrew in front of Jorge, that I want to slap him for 1) not standing up to her more forcefully, and 2) not dumping her for good.
 

J--This was so really, really good. You could have titled the episode, "I Could Have Danced All Night." All I could think of when Steve started dancing is that he was a weasely pervert. He did keep trying to get her to respond, but at least he was gentlemanly about it, though weird. I'm glad Poncho was there for her. Who knows if she would have been able to leave on her own. This was one Stella scene I enjoyed watching!

I think Chivis knows Manuel will always be there for her, but her "friend" Cata and Cata's intentions have her buffaloed. How can she be angry or jealous? Poor Manuel is on the receiving end, not the sending end and he's told her she's the only one for him in his heart.

I just knew MaJo would back off from a wedding date, but postponing the wedding because of her parents should have been a reasonable excuse for Mama Laura. However, she jumped to a (true) conclusion.

Trini? Yawn.
 

Didn't see the prior postings until after I read the recap and posted. I should have said something about Margarita, too, but it was been well said.
 

SILVANA
J - Thank you for the recap! And thank you for the translation to that song Steve had playing. I did not understand it all but thought it was a bit … um…. risqué sounding. I think I'll go back, turn on the English CCs, and see how that was translated.

When Steve started that dancing routine, I could not stop laughing. What a QTH? moment ... like a SNL skit. (good thing there was no food or tea in my mouth because I guffawed)

If Steve is not cray-cray + with a loose screw, perhaps he is the pool boy or gardener for whoever really owns that mansion (and who might be out of town.)

Poncho spraying Steve with the fire extinguisher was another LOL moment. More guffawing.
#BestStella/Ponchoepisodeyet

I’m so glad I FFWD--> thru the Jorge/Angie/Marga scenes. Thank you, J, for suffering thru them in the name of recapping!

It's interesting (and ironic) that the kids use the word "menso" frequently, and that its meaning is the opposite of the English word "mensa", as in Mensa Club.
 

J. Thank you for a great recap. Can we start a patio table for those of us who can't stand Margarita? And, while we are at it, I'm ready for a Trini table also. Actually, I'm not really feeling Majo either. Perhaps one table with all three names might suffice. 😇 Helen
 

Silvana

Thanks, J, for another really great recap! I appreciated the translation of the song lyrics. I have a tendency to pay no attention at all to song lyrics since usually they’re the hardest to understand and I don’t bother to back up and listen until I do. A friend of mine from Nicaragua used to ask me to translate English lyrics for him. He had the same problem I sometimes do with songs in Spanish. He was quite fluent, but the English lyrics stumped him. I can’t put my finger on why it is [SpanProf?] that musical lyrics are harder to understand in a learned language.

I had the same reaction as the rest of you about Margarita. Even if he didn’t care about Angie at all, how can he not just blow his top at how nasty she is to another person? I agree they’re probably working on dousing any pity when he dumps her. I want her to end up with NOBODY! Vivi, you nailed it with “cruel, evil shrew”.

Who in blue blazes greets a guest they’re NOT sleeping with in an open robe and some shorts (or were they boxers, couldn’t really tell). The slapstick in this novela far surpasses what Telemundo usually presents. The dancing was funny. And I’ve noticed that the woman playing Stella IS a good dancer. We’ve seen that before.

I enjoyed Andrés’ mother calling Majo on her crap. I’m surprised her face isn’t ruined by her nose growing all these months. Andrés has, several times now, outright asked her if she doesn’t have feelings for Vicente.

I do need to start fast forwarding during Trini and Don Benito’s scenes. I can’t take any more of her egocentric yo-yo game with him. She visits him constantly, but every time he makes even a timid move, she behaves like she thinks she’s a 22-year-old virginal princess. Every time she gets called on something, I love it. Like when Chivis asked her why she was tired since she hadn’t lifted a finger during the moving of things next door.
 

Silvana

I have book club tonight - and a long way from my home. I usually at least watch the episode when I get home so I won't miss out on the fun on Caray the next day. If there are no volunteers for a real recap, I do volunteer to put up a few lines to stimulate conversation.
 

SILVANA

novelera - I always FFWD thru Trini/Don Benito scenes.

Helen - I'll join you at the MarTrinJo table on The Patio! We must unite in our suffering.
 

Silvana. Novelera. I have trouble understanding song lyrics in either Spanish or English. I have heard that it's because the natural stress of a language is thrown off somewhat by the music, but I will ask one of my Spanish Linguistics colleagues what the science is behind this.
 

Silvana

J, thanks VERY much for this magnificent recap! I didn't see the episode until a few minutes ago, and didn't want to read about it until I saw it. Wow, you did a super job. I too had a bewildered look on my face as I watched Steve acting like a crazy ape (aka dancing??) in front of Stella. I gotta say, I find it very hard to believe he's who he says he is. So his houses in New York, LA, and Buenos Aires are "just the ones he can remember"? Yeah, right, I often have that problem, too. Even though I'm no fan of Stella's, I'm glad Poncho came to her rescue AND ruined Steve's silk robe. I love doris's "#BestStella/Ponchoepisodeyet."

I've hated Margarita for quite a while, but never more than in this episode. I totally agree, J, "SHE. IS. THE. WORST."

I assume that the writers will give us reason to like Jorge again by the end of the novela, but frankly, he's so humorless and such a wuss that I can't be happy sticking Angie with him. [#GrowAPair]

Yikes, I don't normally sympathize with Majo, but I can certainly understand her uneasiness at Andrés' calling the apartment the place where they'll spend the rest of their lives.

J, you may be right that Trini helped Don Benito carry her very heavy suitcase up the stairs, but all I remember is that he had difficulty even getting it into the house, and when he tried to lift it to take it up the stairs, he couldn't do it. Did she see that and then help him? Somehow, that doesn't seem like her.

I want to thank you for including so much Spanish. I always find it very helpful.
 

Silvana

Novelera, I can do a sort-of recap, perhaps not quite a full-blown recap, but something. My only constraint is that I'll have to have it posted before I go to bed. So don't worry about having to write something after you get back from book club. I'll do it.
 

SILVANA

I'm surprised that 'Steve' was shocked by Stella's wig. I've thought from the get-go that HE was wearing some sort of hairpiece!
I love the idea someone upthread mentioned about him being the pool guy or house-sitter of the actual owner of the huge house. I think if he was the real deal, he'd have seen right through Stella's terrible act pretty quickly!
 

Silvana

You're all very welcome for the recap! I'm glad I'm not the only one completely bewildered by Steve or why he's so afraid of a wig. He is very odd, and that dance was beyond bizarre.

Whenever Don Benito "helps" Trini, it's really "do all the work" for Trini. The scene ended with him trying to lift the heavy suitcase but I assume Trini did not help at all to get it up the stairs. Poor DB.

The tick tock sound effects during Lupita's scenes are annoying but I suppose they are just trying to reinforce that she's an innocent child (especially since the actress is 15, not 10...)

I didn't have time to comment on Tuesday's episode, but Majo is selling her friend's "exclusive" clothes at the university. She wanted a job to get her mind off her family problems. I didn't expect her to be selling from the trunk of the car though.