aaack!! now i am the one pleading for a summary Author: B. (---) Date: 09-22-03 23:33 PDT
or at least, part of one. my cable company has been playing with "upgrades" (or som they claim) and as a result there have been a few "problems." well, one of those problems wiped out all the pre-programming on my cable box. this would not be a problem if i were going to be at home, but since i knew i wouldn't be home until well after it had started, i was counting on the programming of my cable box to change to the right channel, and my VCR to tape the show. fortunately, i got home earlier than expected, and i immedately figured out the VCR was busy taping totally the wrong show for some reason, but by then it was already half-way through. so. i have only got the second half of the episode; i've completely missed the first half.
of course, based on the second half i can certainly guess at least some things:
1. Auntie Ditz was not swayed at all, or at least not enough, by MatAAo, that she is willing to get back together with him, and she still hasn't forgiven Mom (by the way, why didn't Father Anselmo point out to AD that she's sortof in a glass house herself since Mom isn't the only one keeping secrets around there? i mean, i know AD's cancer is her problem, but still -- she's been lying to Mom about it from the start. or did Mom tell AD she Knows All sometime in the first half of tonight's show?);
2. Jailbait went into detox, but did she actually talk to FBBG first or did she end up blowing him off?
3. CAMB let, or was forced to let, DD have sex with her, and now she thinks (or is sure) she's pregnant (or, best case scenario right now: she just said it to make DD go away). the words clichéd, trite, hackneyed, old, tired, overused and abused, Televisa'd, and generally sucky all spring to mind and they are only the start of the problems i have with this particular plot line. those damn guionistas diabólicos over there at Argos/Telemundo had better get their rears in gear and do something interesting with this plot PDQ that does NOT involve CAMB pretending to be pregnant with Gus' child, because right now the DGDs are haemorrhaging points over this plot line and CAMB herself is thisclose to being back on the Hit List (so far the only thing that's keeping her off it right now is her apparent attempt to make it up to Tarta (altho she did lose some once again trotting out her same old, lame old "you're my only friend" bleat), subject to my rewatching that scene again, because i was too distracted with other, i've-just-recently-gotten-home things, to be certain i caught the whole scene correctly).
but i would love it if someone could take pity on me and give me the straight dope on what i missed. i managed to get all of the show from just about the straight middle, starting with the scene between FBBG and Ex-Yellow Tie where FBBG is talking about how Jailbait should not have to pay for his mistakes and he wishes the earth would just swallow him up now because he can't do anything for his daughter, and E-YT, a bit lost in this strange parental territory, tries to tell him that Jailbait will get better.
pleasepleaseprettyplease??
Okay, here's the Reader's Digest version summary... Author: Robin N (---) Date: 09-23-03 07:06 PDT
First, Tarta dragged Nenena to see MatAAo giving testimony at an AA meeting, but she stood out of sight. There, MatAAo spoke of how he'd been an alcoholic almost half of his life and how he'd challenged himself for the past 10 years not to drink, but last night he lost that challenge and drank. He explained how he drank as a way to erase the pain of hurting the woman who is the only person to truly love him, instead of being a man strong enough to go after her and help her, and he also drank as a way to make her pity him. He talked about how he recognized now, that by drinking he proves that he is indeed a man who's worth nothing. He spoke of his profound love for that woman (notice he hasn't named names yet, and although Nenena must be sure he's talking about her, she may have some small doubt yet) and how she's given him love and a great gift, a child. (Now she knows it's her he's talking about, but although she's moved, she doesn't relent, leaving when he finishes, without him even knowing she was there.) MatAAo ends, and is awash in misery, with a strong yen to drink, but firm in his resolve to begin another day without alcohol. To that end, he tells Tarta that he's going to stay in, avoiding the bar.
Chepe tells the Brigada that they're going to search DD's house and office (interestingly, not Maria's casita) and the gang is understandably surprised, particularly Vero and EtU. She tells Chepe that she thinks this will cast a shadow on her father's good name and she can't be part of it. EtU comes to her afterwards (eavesdropping on her call to Gus who's checking in from NY at the airport, coming home -- there were only scenes of he and Elena in NY walking and talking, but not anything we could hear) and tells her he thinks Chepe is making a mistake. He suggests that Gus could have something to do with this, as, after all, he's been working undercover with FBBG all this time, surely he'd know about the taping of DD by FBBG. Vero denies it, but he's planted the seed of doubt. Later, she talks to Nancy in the locker room and tells her about EtU's attitude/suspicion and Nancy tells her it's just because he's jealous, there's nothing in it.
As for FBBG and Claudia, they have a teary, heartfelt, tender scene in the church. He apologizes to her for not being a very good father and she tells him she behaved badly too. He promises to always be there for her if she needs him (not if DD has anything to say about it). There time together is brief: Anselmo tells them it's time for him to take Claudia to the facility. FBBG asks Anselmo what he owes him, he's deeply grateful, but Anselmo tells him he owes him nothing, he owes God. The father and daughter embrace tenderly and part.
CAMB did try to avoid having sex with DD, but he insisted that as she was the one who came to him asking for help, she can't back out now. He continues to hold her aggressively close and remind her that it's the only way to make Gus pay, and she wants to see him suffer, doesn't she? Finally, she closes her eyes and gives in and he paws at her, roughly pulling her shirt down.
Those are the highlights: I hope this helps.
*A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan.*
USA, 9/23/03 Re: the very end of yesterday's episode Author: B. (---) Date: 09-24-03 10:16 PDT Chepe tells Gus that in spite of the home and office searches not turning up anything the least bit incriminating, he still has very serious doubt about DD -- something just doesn't ring true about DD to Chepe. he wants Gus to help him continue to investigate DD, but it will have to be handled strictly outside the O-Team offices; NO-ONE else can know about it. if Gus agrees, this will mean lying to Vero again because a) Vero is already up in arms about the investigation they just did AT DD'S OWN INSTIGATION AND INSISTANCE; b) she is totally not ready to believe anything against her father, and particularly now that the investigations have apparently not turned anything up; and c) she would almost certainly either tell DD he's still under investigation or let it slip, either to DD or to someone else who would tell DD. we can tell Gus is torn: while he wants to help Chepe, he and Vero have agreed not to lie to each other any more (altho i note that he is already doing so -- he didn't tell her why he didn't answer her calls last night!). in the promo it appears that Gus decided to refuse and Chepe is putting pressure on Gus to convince him to help anyway. the very last scene in the episode was a white van swooping up on someone we can't make out (or at least, i couldn't make out) walking along the street, kidnapping him or her, then speeding away. we don't know if it's FBBG's people going after someone else he now suspects ratted him out to the cops, or DD practicing some new revenge tactic for putting him to the trouble of having to permit his office and home to be searched (and by the way, why hasn't anyone had lip readers in to see what FBBG and DD were saying to each other on the tape?? that was the first thing we all thought of; i can't believe Chepe's that dumb. and i'm also curious to see what the financial review turns up. since they're taking so long about it, i can't help but suspect that's going to turn out to be Significant somehow...). or DD just making sure that CAMB goes to the damn doctor and gets a pregnancy test so that if she isn't pregnant after all, he can again do his duty to make sure she becomes so. and much as i dislike CAMB, i sincerely hope and trust it isn't this third possibility because she's waaaay too messed up as it is. something like this is bound to put her right 'round the twist.
USA, 9/24/03: ok, let's try this again... (summary Wed 24 Sept 2003) Author: B. (---) Date: 09-25-03 22:40 PDT
this time i'm going to do it in pieces, and keep going back in and re-editing to add new pieces. that way, hopefully! this time i won't lose everything (again!) if my computer decides to crash...
summary / Wednesday, 24 September 2003
*some downtown park sort of place. Chepe insists to Gus that this isn't anything personal, but DD just gives him a really bad feeling. he tries on just about every argument, from every angle, that he can think of--including that DD might have ratted Gus out to FBBG, thus provoking the attack on Gus-- to convince Gus to secretly pursue an investigation of DD's ties to FBBG and discover how deep and how far back that relationship goes. even though Gus admits Chepe's arguments have a certain validity, he well remembers what happened the last time he lied to Vero and no way he wants a repeat. in fact, Gus' unwillingness to consider that DD might be a Bad Man begins to border on the sort of hysteria Vero is showing -- it's as if Gus is so afraid of what will happen to Vero should DD in fact turn out not to be the clean, upstanding citizen Vero wants to believe he is that Gus wants to stay as far away from that can of worms as possible.
*O-Team squad room. Nancy, as a friend, warns Vero she should be prepared for the off chance that the financial investigation, which is still ongoing, might turn up something incriminating. Vero reacts by accusing Nancy of being a traitor and wanting to find something against DD. she implies that a true friend would have stopped this ridiculous investigation yesterday, and never mind what her boss orders her to do. Nancy is totally reasonable and trying to be understanding while getting Vero to see her side of things, while Vero is practically hysterical insisting DD is innocent, they're not going to find anything, and they should just stop this whole thing NOW. it seems pretty obvious that Vero's panic is caused at least in part because deep deep down inside she KNOWS there's something to find and is terrified of the implications, so she just wants it all to go away.
*Mummy María's. Tony the Ex-Brat tells MM that he suspects Chepe's motives for investigating DD. specifically, he thinks it possible Chepe is pursing DD in order to remove DD from his (Chepe's) path (to MM). MM pooh-poohs this idea of such an insidious ulterior motive and reminds TtE-B that Chepe is a friend of DD's (wow, what planet is SHE living on...?) who helped TtE-B get out of prison sooner. Chepe's investigation has nothing to do with her. TtE-B snorts at this. he tells MM that if she wants to continue her flirtation with Chepe, fine. but he's still convinced that the only thing Chepe wants to do is 'perjudicar' DD.
*O-Team's spiffy co-ed locker room. Estéban el Bruto Imbécil comes in and reminds Vero that, as the man with whom she lived for a couple of years (who knew??), she can't hide from him that something's upset her. Vero asks him if they really made a thorough search of the house and DD's office, and he assures her they did. she tells him it really hurts her to walk the halls and know that people she cares about are talking about her behind her back, certain she's the daughter of a crook. maybe it doesn't seem important to him, but it matters to her because it's about her father.
*some apartment or hotel room somewhere. Father Anselmo is over seeing Auntie Ditz, who apparently has just told him that she is going to move away, immediately, to some tiny tiny village whose name she can't immediately call to mind. FA asks if she even knows anyone in this tiny tiny village and she replies that she has a friend who lives in Morelia, an hour away, but even she seems to realize how lame that is. FA points out that she has responsbilities right now, both to herself and her daughter, and she cannot just simply run away to some small town that might not even have a hospital. AD doesn't deny she's running away, but insists she has no other option.
*Mom's. MattAAo comes over to talk to Mom. he tells her he's trying to get his life back, and is starting by admitting his mistakes. he apologizes for failing to realize that she would have never done anything to hurt AD. MattAAo tells Mom he really did care for her, but she became an obsession, and because of that he pressured her and put her in an impossible position. Mom tells him he wasn't the only one to make mistakes -- she allowed herself to be ruled by her fears and insecurities. the important thing now is that he is in love with AD and that he forge ahead with her. MattAAo tells Mom he needs to know that she forgives him and that she's going to be ok. Mom assures him she, too, is trying to learn from her mistakes and move on with her life. what she wants him to do is to find AD and not leave her alone until AD consents to come back with him. MattAAo says he hopes he can find her, and that AD will forgive him. I hope she can forgive us both, Mom replies.
*Dr Slime's House of Fun. DD is visiting Tere. see my earlier post on this. (or click here: DD & Tere; Tere & Vero)
*Chepe's office. Chepe and EeBI come in to find Vero impatiently pacing around, fuming. she's found out Chepe's investigation of DD includes an investigation of Tere and she's livid. EeBI interjects, almost apologetically, that Vero does have a point. Chepe points out that it's nothing personal, it's just part and parcel of the investigation and he'd be remiss if he didn't include Tere. Vero throws a hissy fit and asks if Chepe thinks her mother has been drugging herself all these years. she tells Chepe if he wants she'll hold the gun on her poor, helpless, sick mother herself while Chepe interrogates her. Chepe snaps and practically shouts at Vero that he's not a torturer and she knows it. he is conducting an investigation that was instigated at DD's own insistence. Vero's just about losing it and she snarks at Chepe, telling him she forbids him to mess with her mother, before stomping out in a fit.
*the office at the taller or maybe at MattAAo's cantina. Gus has brought MattAAo up to speed on what Chepe wants him to do. Gus is still looking for excuses why he should believe in DD's innocence and not investigate any further, and postulates the tape was just some attempt by FBBG to incriminate DD. but for once, MattAAo actually agrees with Chepe 100% and he insists this whole matter of DD and FBBG needs to be thoroughly investigated. Gus continues to be in a state of denial. the biggest sticking point for Gus is that DD's being a Narco would imply he was a mover and shaker in the very organization (since they all agree DD would never be a mere footsoldier) that ordered Vero be kidnapped, tortured, and left for dead. DD adores Vero -- he might be a lot of things, but he would never be part of something like that, Gus insists.
*Chepe's office. now EeBI is the one pacing around. if you investigate anyone thoroughly enough you will always uncover something that looks suspicious, he fusses. using Chepe as an example, EeBI asks what would happen if an investigation of Chepe were to turn up a photo of Chepe and Gus -- how would Chepe explain that?? Chepe rather lamely tries to insist that it's not the same thing while trying not to let on that EeBI's point has struck a bit of a nerve. EeBI snarks some about trusting civilians --and especially civilians with criminal connections!-- to do police work, then slams out without really giving Chepe much of a chance to reply.
*Dr Slime's House of Fun. Dr Slime asks what's going on that DD has suddenly decided to honor them with a visit for once. DD warns Dr Slime that in all likelihood the O-Team will be out to ask questions about him. Dr Slime should not resist the investigation but not tell them anything except how worried about and attentive to Tere he's been all these years.
*city street. a sedan driven by a woman, with a girl in the passenger seat, screeches to a halt to avoid hitting a red van that has suddenly turned in front of the car and stopped, blocking the road. as the woman leans on the horn in annoyance, a white van swooshes up behind the sedan. armed masked men pile out of the white van and kidnap the woman and the girl at gunpoint, stuffing them into the white van which then races off with a squeal of tires, the red van following closely.
*park. Gus tells Vero about how FBBG's drug-induced paranoia led to his temporary kidnap the night before, and that's why he didn't answer her calls. Vero rants some about how upsetting this whole investigation thing is, how she's sure FBBG is just trying to smear her poor, squeaky-clean father by trying to falsely implicate him in something criminal. she admits how guilty she feels for being the cause of this whole investigation thing, by doubting DD when she never should have since she knows DD is innocent: DD would never do something against his principles, Vero states flatly. but it terrifies her to think of the consequences if a false accusation were to be believed. meanwhile, we're all watching and thinking she doth protest waaaaay too much, and by so doing is only trying to convince herself. Gus reassures her that DD loves her and understands why this investigation has to happen. DD doesn't blame Vero for it. Vero whines to Gus that she is tired of all this. she doesn't want to investigate anything anymore, she just wants to get away from all of this. she wants peace and tranquility. she pleads with Gus to just go away with her, but Gus reminds her they'd both hate it, knowing they'd left so much undone and unresolved back at home. Vero reluctantly agrees.
*street. Brie, apparently having one of his firmer days, is chauffering DD around (DD is in the back seat this time). he takes a call from someone, then after a brief conversation reports to DD that the kidnap went off without a hitch. they didn't even have to fire a shot. DD gloats that the kidnap will distract the attention of the O-Team, not to mention swaying public opinion (hello?? was the public at large even AWARE DD was being investigated?? i don't think so!! more of DD's typical overreactions...): this kidnap of the wife and daughter of the director of the most important and influential newspaper in the country, La Republica, will be all over the news media by morning. DD will have said Influential Newspaper Director eating out of the palm of his hand. I'm a GENIUS! DD crows. that topic over with, DD confirms that Brie has spoken with CAMB and arranged to pick her up and bring her by to see him later. Brie has and he will.
*Chepe's. EeBI bursts into Chepe's office and breaks the news about the kidnap. they rush out to get right on it.
*park. Vero thanks Gus for letting her rant a bit. Gus is glad she feels better. he doesn't want to leave her, but he has to go see FBBG, to show him he's not afraid and to try to work his way further into FBBG's confidence. will he see Vero that night? Vero says she's not sure -- she has to go see Tere. she'll call him later.
*an apartment that looks suspiciously like "Cíntia's" but might actually be MattAAo's (if his is also over the Cantina?). MattAAo is making the bed (some sort of orange/olive/white plaid sheets) and if it IS "Cíntia's," has clearly been doing a lot of tidying, which is why i'm inclined to think it must be his own place there. but anyway. FA knocks and comes in. he starts to lecture MattAAo (in a rather self-righteous, smug way) on the evils of MattAAo resorting to drink until MattAAo tells him to cut it out -- FA isn't telling him anything he hasn't already told himself. FA cuts him a break and instead asks if MattAAo truely loves AD. when MattAAo assures him he does, FA tells MattAAo about AD's planned move to the tiny tiny no-name village. she's leaving on a bus that very afternoon. he insists that MattAAo go after her and not let her leave. MattAAo rushes off.
*kidnap scene. the place is swarming with cops, the O-Team, and a pretty aggrieved bald man who we discover is the very IND whose wife and daughter were kidnapped. he huffs about how the O-Team didn't do anything to prevent this, which in my opinion and even allowing for him being justifiably upset, is a rather unfair accusation to make unless he'd been receiving kidnap threats and the O-Team had been ignoring them (which we are left to assume is not the case). we learn the kidnap vans were abandoned a short ways away, and there are no immediate clues as to where the kidnappers and their hostages went after that. Chepe and EeBI assure IND they are doing and will do everything in their power and beyond to get his wife and daughter back safely.
*Vega country house attic. damn, that place is a real trysting site anymore... DD seems to have it all set up for a rendezvous-d'amour. CAMB comes strutting in with a model-on-the-catwalk stride (which she does do pretty darn well, i must say), wearing some sort of slinky top. DD tells her she's perfect, just what he needed. she disagrees, saying she thinks she's awfully imperfect. DD says he shouldn't say it because Vero is his daughter, but Gus is an idiot. he's totally in lecher mode, the way he always gets when he's pleased with himself. Repulsiva is not going to be happy to find out she missed out on the action...
*bus station. AD walks in, towing a small suitcase that makes me wonder where the rest of her stuff is (remember, there was too much of it to fit into a single car and the guy moving her out of Mom's had to make at least two trips?). she dejectedly, but with a muslish look on her face, sits down on one of the benches. MattAAo enters, sees her, and comes over, sitting down on the same bench. AD looks at him wordlessly.
*Dr Slime's House of Fun. Vero is visiting Tere. see my previous post on this. (or click here: DD & Tere; Tere & Vero)
*more Dr Slime's. Nancy arrives to talk to Dr Slime as part of the investigation of DD which Chepe ordered her to undertake.
*FBBG's. FBBG is stretched out on a sofa reading a small comic book. Ex-Yellow Tie ushers Gus in. FBBG asks if Gus didn't have enough punishment last night. Gus says if FBBG was going to kill him, he'd've done it already. he's come to talk business. FBBG wants to know what's on Gus' mind. Gus tells him that FBBG is clearly in a bad way -- his business is going downhill, he's paranoid and surrounded by people he doesn't trust. FBBG is unpleasantly startled when Gus concludes by asking how he (FBBG) could have entrusted the security of his various businesses to someone like DD...
<end>
Escrito desde Sep 29, 2003, 8:12 AM de la dirección IP 128.248.12.180
