Mas Sabe El Diablo...muy diferente, pero me gusta.

For my telenovela, I have been watching Mas Sabe el Diablo, which is quite the perfect case of the reverse Cinderella, but at the same time, very different. It isn't your typical novela rosa because it is about this guy, named Angel, who at the beginning of the novela is in jail for robbery and involvement with drugs. No one has faith that he can change his life around, except for one person, his lawyer Manuela. After her testimony at his hearing, they let him out. Also in the first episode, it shows the story behind Angel's mother, who had Angel when she was 16. She was a maid at a rich family's house in Mexico City, and slept with the son whose name is Martin. Of course, she gets pregnant and Martin doesn't want the kid. For school, Martin goes to New York and Esperanza, Angel's mother tries to follow him there. Later on in the novela, we find out that Martin is actually Manuela's (Angel's lawyer) fiance. Of course, just like in the normal novela, Manuela and Angel fall in love and of course, he becomes mortal enemies with Martin who is actually his father. I can't wait to see more of the story. It seems even better than the typical novela, there are so many connections and so much drama. I love it :)

Nada Personal and government critique

Nada Personal and government critique

I have begun watching Nada Personal and I love the realistic problems and issues which this telenovela attacks. I was reading some background info on the telenovela and found out that it is based on the life of Carlos Sortinas de Gortari, former president of Mexico (1988-1994). He was known for keeping shady company around him and his life has quite a wild plotline to boot. Already I have been able to match some of the events of his life to specific problems within the telenovela. Among some of his more notorious doings: two suspicious shut downs of the computerized voting system while votes were being cast and counted during his election day, spending tons of government money on self promotion, a self imposed exile to Ireland (in which he of course found himself a new wife), and his eventual return to Mexico support his own book release. His on-screen scumbag personality is played by Rogelio Guerra in the role of a crooked cop boss, Comandante Fernando Gómez Miranda, or 'El Águila Real'. In the first episodes of the telenovela ‘El Aguila’ has already killed his good friend and honest political figure while developing a profound interest in his newly widowed wife. I realize that such a direct criticism of a recent government (Nada Personal aired in 1996, just two years after Gotrari’s term ended) can be hard to get approved in many corners of the world, but I wonder if Mexico’s government at the time saw it as potentially beneficial smearing of Gortari and his party, and were therefore more willing to let real problems for them such as police corruption and drug problems to air at the cost of political gain. It will be something worth looking into as I get to watch this story unfold.

Telenovelas: A Microcosm of the World They Portray

As we discussed in class, people view media representation in many different ways. For the purpose of this course it was stressed that it should be viewed as a construction. The growing influence and importance of telenovelas has a direct correlation with the evolution of television and the media. Globalization has paved the way for the increased advancement of technology and quickened the spread of information. Latin American telenovelas depict key social, political, and economic issues of countries in the region. They are included in political rhetoric, come up in policy discussions, and encourage discourse between viewers of all ages, socioeconomic status, and gender. I'm really interested in the effect Telenovelas have had at calling national attention to key social issues that are normally swept under the rug and ignored. For example, in Patria Mia, the female protagonsit is a single mother. This telenovela portrayed the hardship of single motherhood and really opened people's eyes to this way of life. Venezuela, a country whose culture breeds a society of men that don't share in the process of parenthood and which is tolerated. Women are looked at as keepers of the home and of children, oftentimes displacing all responsibilities of men. Machismo/Marianismo are very much still applicable to today's societies in the region and will only fade with direct societal attention dedicated to improving the current situation. Throughout this course, I look forward to delving more into this topic and watching efforts to change this aspect of Latin American culture in the years to come.

Alma de un Pirata

I have really fallen in love with the telenovela i have been watching, Alma Pirata. Although it is not a telenovela rosa, i feel like it isn't a realist telenovela either. Instead, this series seems to orbitate around humor, and does a great job of it. After some research, i was not surprised to find Alma Pirata won the 2006 Martin Fierro award for Best Youth Comedy.

The story follows three childhood friends who, after years of not seeing one another, are bought together by a cunning and passionate aunt who reveals a forgotten past to them. Their fathers had formed la Liga de las Espadas (League of Swords) to fight social injustice before they died in a mysterious incident burned in the memory of the main characters. Now their sons, who have inherited their father's law breaking ways and are quite the con men, have a chance to turn their lives around and put their mad skills to a good cause. PIRATE STYLE.

Being a telenovela, there is the love factor too, in the shape of adventurous and foxy duo Allegra and Clara. These girls were planning to travel Che Guevara's famous route across South America when their destinies crossed the boy's (as they try and steal an ancient secret relic from Allegra's father's yacht). They quickly discard these plans and become obsessed in trying to figure out what the boys are up to (these girls seem to have extraodinary amounts of time in their hands), which happens to be a search for the mystically expensive emerald called Alma (aha! hence the title...). How this emerald has anything to do with fighting injustice, i have yet to find out. At this point the characters seem as self absorbed as they can get.
Alma pirata's plot is kind of slow moving, with a lot of seemingly irrelevant scenes, but i figure these may hold some meaning further on in the telenovela. But i can't complain, the characters have me rolling over laughing and they're not hard on the eyes either. I'm already a huge fan of the main couple (Allegra and Benicio, with his flowing locks), and love their love/hate relationship and constant bickering. It's endearing. All the characters really have a lot of personality, which i think is an important contributor in the addictiveness factor of a telenovela. I am certainly hooked, and I really hope that I can keep finding the episodes on Youtube.

Dónde Está Elisa- Oh how I hate Cliffhangers

I wonder how many times the phrase "Dónde Está Elisa?” was said/screamed/whispered during the Gran Lanzamiento of this telenovela. The reason this telenovela is intriguing to me is because its more of a “who did it” kind of show- it has that kind Sherlock Holmes kind of appeal to it.

The first episode revolves around the disappearance of Elisa, the eldest daughter of the wealthy Mariano and Dana Altamira. After celebrating Mariano’s birthday with her entire family, Elisa convinces her father to let her go to a popular club with her cousins. Guess what happens next? Yep, Elisa disappears. Not one of her 3 cousins notices her disappearance from the club…hmm?

Of course Mariano is pissed, and Dana won’t stop crying, but that’s expected from parents with a missing daughter. The rest of the Altamira family are the ones that I’m questioning. One of Elisa’s cousins is a little weird, because I think that he and Elisa have some kind of physical relationship -__-…maybe they’re cousins-in-law and I may have missed that part because my Spanish language comprehension isn’t 100%.

All in all, I’m really excited to see what else in store for this telenovela. At the end of the Gran Lanzamiento, Mariono received a telephone call from a person with a disguised voice who said “Elisa está con mi,” or something like that. Which means she was kidnapped! I wonder who committed the kidnapping?? Was it one of her primos, or another family member? Maybe it was the next-door neighbor? Well we’ll know soon.

The social consequences of narcotraficantes

The War on Drugs. Living in the US, we have all heard administration after administration spew the same tired rhetoric about the necessity of controlling the drug trade in the only way that we know how to do anything: with money and guns. "The moral and social fabric of our society will be destroyed!" shout US politicians from all sides of our fairly narrow political spectrum. Astronomical amounts of money are spent on programs like the Mérida Initiative and, more appropriate to this post, Plan Colombia. American noses snort violent cartels and insurgencies into existence, each of whom rely on our country's (to a lesser extent Europe's) insatiable appetite for cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, ect. However, despite the fact that most of the news coverage of these events is superficial in nature, it at least gets reported in the US. What does not get reported are the social consequences that America's drug addiction has on communities within these countries. It is here that the Colombian telenovela I am watching, Sin tetas no hay paraíso (translate it yourself, reader), comes into the story.
As I previously mentioned in a post, STNHP deals with the social phenomenon of "prepagos," or "prepaid" prostitutes for narcotraficantes. The idea, from my understanding, is that these women make nice (have sex, for those of you not into euphemisms) with men rich in drug-money with the hope of receiving in return money, gifts, or simply a better life. However, in order to have any success in such an occupation, a certain standard of beauty is needed. With this in mind, the novela's protagonist Catalina decides that she wants breast implants. Hence the title of the program. I am fascinated with these unreported (at least in Western media) social consequences that the drug trade has on entire generations whose lives have been effected by dirty drug money. Living in a society that is almost entirely at fault for this money, I feel a unique (and guilty) connection with these characters. But the phenonmenon does not just stop with prepagos. STNHP deals with the issue of sicarios, among a slew of others whose only possible employment is in the drug business.
In dealing with such occupations, STNHP confronts directly a number of social issues such as gender relations, poverty, and violence. Although I am only just beginning the novela, it is already obvious that the series takes a serious look at the view of women in Colombian society as objects of sexual desire. The title of the novela alone draws criticism to this sexist/macho view of womens' roles in society. In this sense, the novela functions as a testament to the many drug-related stories not deemed "news worthy" by Western (or maybe any) media. What a wonderful way to draw attention to social problems in society. I can't wait to see what conclusions the novela draws in its analysis! Check out the first scene on youtube and see for yourself. The first scene is SSSOOOOO good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d0pLXXLu5U

my relationship with technology is like a telenovela

So for the past week I have been fighting my computer and multiple websites to allow me to watch telenovelas but sadly I have been losing so far. One website said that the service wasn't availible in my area, another said it was free but to watch I had to give them my credit card info- well it charged me about $35 so I quickly had that one taken off. Then after searching for other places and trying three times to get the software downloaded to work it, I have given up on that site as well. I finally got some other links to places that I am going to check out today and cross my fingers that it will work. I have had significant problems with technology in my other classes this semester too. So here is my telenovela called Muerte por Tecnologia. It's a rosa with a little suspense. The telenovela and I are the protagonist who just want to spend time together so I can fall in love with one but the antagonist- technology tries to keep us apart. The baby swap involves my Mac when it was in the assembly line and another one. In the end I know me and my telenovela will be inseparable but we will see how the fight plays out between me and the technology to get there.

Gabriela meets all of the telenovela rules...in one episode

Gabriela, Giros del Destino has all of the elements of a telenovela. Within the first episode, the protagonist Gabriela had her professional skating rings dashed when the handsome Pablo runs her over. Afterwards, she has to find a job in order to help support her family. In the meantime, Pablo's rich father tells him that he must work in his juice factory in order to gain responsibility. Insert Cinderella cliche.

Of course, Gabriela does not know that Pablo has run her over and ruined her career. Pablo also finds himself surprised that his womanizing ways diminishing when he finds himself falling in love with Gabriela. About 7 episodes in, Gabriela and Pablo finally kiss. While I have not gotten to the episode where Gabriela finds out that Pablo is the one who ran her over, I know it will be explosive and dramatic.

One thing that I do have to say about this telenovela is that even though it does have the traditional elements of a telenovela. I have never heard of a series where a woman was a professional skater, yet alone a beautiful one. Another less glamourous aspect about the telenovela is the fact that they are working in Pablo's father's juice factory. However, even they make that look attractive.

Needless to say, yes I am hooked. I'm anticipating the spiraling drama that will occur when Gabriela finds out the truth about Pablo. I'm anticipating seeing what will happen when Gabriela and Pablo's family also get involved with the situation, as well. It will be good, I am sure.

El Foro

I've been dabbling around in the forum for my telenovela, partly just to see what other people's opinions are on it, and half because I'm hoping someone will fill me in on what happened when my listening skills failed me.

I'm watching "Soy Tu Dueña," which is a Mexican telenovela that aired its finale on December 27 of this past year. It was apparently extremely popular, sweeping North American ratings during its final airing.

All that's great, and they obviously have the numbers to back up their claims of popularity, but I have a question for taniacaballero in the forum: It's February 2012 -- why are you still posting about how much you loved the theme song to "Soy Tu Dueña"?

And taniacaballero isn't alone. There are still over 15 running discussions on this forum that have gotten responses in the last week, all reminiscing about the good times they had watching the telenovela.

I guess it's just solid proof of what Dr. A has said in class -- people are crazy for telenovelas. I guess it's still a bit odd to me that cookie-cutter stories like these could have such staying power with viewers so as to elicit discussion two months after the finale.

Then again, those people are probably no different than my roommate, who's still semi-active in "Lost" online forums.

No, I totally don't judge him for that.

A Rough Start to Kassandra

After everything we have been learning about in this class I have been looking forward to find a telenovela that I can become addicted to. Throughout the process of narrowing down the choices, I was torn between a story about a gypsy, pirates, or twins. All very convincing choices, but in the end I decided to go with the gypsy story, Kassandra. I have been researching how I was going to go about watching this telenovela and had a few different websites lined up to choose from. I was finally ready to sit down one night and watch my first ever telenovela. So excited I clicked on the first website, found the first episode and was ready to watch. Little did I know this was going to be a bit more of a process....45 minutes of downloading time was required. So Im sitting around, as the anticipation rises, and finally the moment comes, 30 seconds to go.....3, 2, 1! And a pop up pox appears with the words, "the movie is not in a format that QuickTime Player understands"...apparently my computed doesn't speak spanish. Not only am I upset that 45 minutes of anticipation quickly went to depression, but I was literally almost in tears not being able to watch Kassandra...

Dr. A, I hope you read this post and help me out with this dilemma! Is it time I move on and find a different telenovela to watch or is Kassandra worth fighting for? Im still trying to find other websites or places to purchase this series but so far no luck....If anyone has any suggestions let me know!

"Yo Soy Betty La Fea" Unites Colombia!

I was truly inspired after reading Juan Forero's New York Times article entitled, "An Ugly Duckling Wins TV-Watchers' Hearts". To hear how a telenovela such as, "Yo Soy Betty La Fea" has ultimately brought a struggling country of turmoil together for 30 minutes everyday is phenomenal. As a country, Colombia has been dealing with warfare and corruption, yet the airing of this telenovela has provided temporary comic relief for Colombians.

In Colombia, beauty is everything and women are even required to provide a photograph when applying for job positions. It is no wonder that "Yo Soy Betty La Fea" has received such rave attention since the telenovela goes against Colombian norms. Millions of Colombians tune in to see what Betty would get get herself into despite what is going on outside of their family homes. And Betty doesn't stop there. There have been other versions of the telenovela worldwide, including the United States, which makes this telenovela inter-cultural and something numerous of cultures have in common.

During class time, we discussed the impact of politics on telenovelas and "Yo Soy Betty La Fea" is an example of how reality's struggles are ignored and put to the side by a group of people who sharing a common interest for a cultural phenomenon. Not only is Colombia's current turmoil not thought of while its citizens watch this particular telenovela, but they are also provided temporary peace. And that is absolutely beautiful. Thanks Betty.

Mexican Telenovelas

Telenovelas have played a huge part in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries for decades. Because they are so culturally significant in countries that have such enormous national pride, it is no coincidence that the types of telenovelas vary from country to country. Mexican telenovelas are lloronas, Venezuelan telenovelas are gritonas, and Brazilian telenovelas are realistas.

Mexican telenovelas have always been stereotypically known as the most melodramatic. They can also be broken down into subcategories. The first is the working class melodrama, which includes the “Cinderella” fairytale as a plot line. A second is the historical romance that romanticizes the past. A third is a teen drama appeals to teenagers. And finally, there is a music story that follows an artist or band on their climb to the top of the charts.

I am truly looking forward to analyzing the telenovela “Kassandra.” This telenovela combines the Cinderella romance with the historical romance.

A Pleasant Surprise

No offense Dr. A, but I will admit that upon signing up for this class I was pumped to be taking a class about telenovelas, but I wasn't all that sure about how much you could actually learn about and study from telenovelas. I think part of that feeling came from my previous view of telenovelas, which I blogged about before. I was comparing the study of telenovelas to the study of soap operas, which I think would be somewhat of a joke. I am really loving everything I've been learning in this class. There is so much more to the genre of the telenovela than I expected.

Something that has really stuck out to me is the writers' use of the telenovela to get social and political messages across to the public. It amazed me to learn about Por Estas Calles, and significance of it in daily informing the public of the real-life events going on around them. The concept seems strange to me, to think about watching a fictional television show every night that replayed things that actually occurred in real life. I think that is a great way to keep the public informed, but I also think it would have its downfalls. The confusion of reality and fiction must have come alongside the show, as it daily mixed them together.

Another example I love is Cosita Rica. The metaphor of the woman representing the country is brilliant, and I think it would be so neat as a citizen of a country to watch a show like this and be able to make the connections between your country and this telenovela character. The writers of these telenovelas must be extremely creative and intelligent.

I was hoping to be able to watch Kassandra, the telenovela that stopped a war, but I am unable to find the full episodes or a DVD of it anywhere. I am going to order and begin watching Corazón Salvaje in the next week and am really excited to get going on it. As I get into that, I will post more reflections on what I'm actually watching. I can't wait!

Politics in Telenovelas

The telenovela Cosita Rica really sparked my interest in a type of telenovela that differs from the telenovela rosa and the cinderella-like stories that personifies most telenovleas. We have learned a lot about the different types of telenovleas and the type of reaction they are trying to invoke in their audiences. Telenovelas involving politics bring about the drama and central themes of other telenovleas into real life situations and real life issues. Hugo Chavez has always been an interesting character, which is why it is funny that the characters that represent him in telenovelas appear to be spot on in their interpretations. The clip of the perfume company owner speaking with his employees on the "open mic" was very comical after watching and learning about Hugo Chavez's rants on public TV, in front of the Venezuelan people.

The way "Por Estas Calles" portrayed daily events during the coup d'etat was a perfect blend of fiction and reality. No matter of political affiliation, the people were able to see a dramatic interpretation of the events that took place the day/earlier before the episode. A lot of times in the U.S. we see movies made after political issues or political unrest but not typically daily TV shows. These telenovelas not only shed light on these social and political tensions but also, in a way, help the people of a nation kick back and relax during a time of turmoil without acting like everything is peachy outside their homes. It almost seems that this telenovela reiterated the political turmoil of the country without the negative conotations of a news program.

The polarization of media, however, is an issue that I feel (although not the most cultured individual) most countries can relate to. The Anti-Chavez and Pr0-Chavez stations/channels/networks is very similar to the Republican and Democratic shows/networks/news channels present in the U.S.

No way! Oh yea this is uncut

When I was growing up in the Dominican Republic I HAD to watch telenovelas with my grandma, since I lived with her and that was the only TV in the house. So after dinner we would watch the typical telenovela Rosa. Fast forward more than a decade and I learn that not all telenovelas have a dominant love story.
This is where my telenovela for this class comes in. You see, I picked "Sin Pechos No Hay Paraiso" (Without Breast There Is No Paradise) because 1. I wanted something different and 2...well you can guess the second reason from the name. I'm on the second disc and this is what I've gathered. The main character, Catalina, is a poor girl trying to make it out of poverty so she hangs out with some prostitutes that sleep with drug dealers for money, clothes, cars, and other cool stuff. Only problem is that her pimp, and friend Jessica, is constantly telling her she will get more "business" if she gets breast implants butttt, no guy even takes a chance with her because of the lack of boobs. I know it sounds a little far-fetched but dammit it's the only way to get out of poverty because, as she states, "education gets you nowhere," even though her mom (who ironically has luscious breasts) wants nothing more than her kids to go to school. Instead she has a daughter trying to be a prostitute and a son who just joined a hit squad killing people for cash.
Catalina, who is a virgin, gets mad when a kingpin doesn't want to sleep with her so she sleeps with one of his men to get enough cash for breast implants...so she looses her virginity in a rented horse stable to a guy that is not even a top dog (its wrong either way but that is pretty low). A small surprise was that apparently I bought the uncut version because I definitely saw a boob during the sex scene, a bit graphic:yes, necessary: maybe. I doubt that the guy will pay for her breast since its still early in the telenovela but we shall see.
I thought this would be a hassle to watch a telenovela since it has never really been my thing, but I must say...not bad, not bad at all.

A Somewhat Cinderella Story

I must admit that I am also completely addicted to Corazón Salvaje. I have the condensed DVD version, which at first took a while to get used to. Because it is not in episode form, it is just a string of the most critical scenes from the telenovela. At first this seemed choppy and random, and it was hard to follow exactly what was going on. However, after watching for about 30 or 45 minutes, I became so absorbed in the story that I didn't even notice the rapid scene changes. The worst part about the condensed version is that the story will end so quickly! I may even go on YouTube to try and find full length episodes.

Though I'm not terribly far into the telenovela, I can already see the Cinderella storyline forming. However, it is not a traditional Cinderella story. The character Juan is the one who loses his family name because he is a "bastard" child. His father was extremely wealthy and high in society, but did not know about Juan's existence until right before his accidental death. After he dies, his wife refuses to accept Juan as a member of the family. This clearly is setting the storyline up for a Cinderella ending: I predict that Juan will in the end recover his rightful inheritance and will rise up in society.

As of yet it is somewhat unclear who the "evil stepsisters" are in this story. I can tell that Aimee, the darker and more sultry of two sisters, will play a role as antagonist. Her sister Monica is the typical telenovela rosa lead woman: innocent, naive and beautiful. However, I think there will definitely be a few twists in the storyline that will reveal other "evil stepsisters." I can't wait to see what happens next!

Thanks Dr. A I am now an addict

I cannot believe I am actually blogging about how hooked I am on a telenovela. I find it odd that I want to watch more a telenovela that was clearly geared towards hopeless romantic Mexican women in the 1990s. Perhaps Corazón Salvaje is a polite reminder that I grew up during this time period.

I admit I started watching Corazón Salvaje with a poor attitude. I sat down hours ago to have dinner - and since I must watch and listen to someone or something while I eat - I decided that I might as well be a good student and watch an episode before I study. I watched the first couple episodes of Corazón Salvaje, and I am dying to watch more of the drama. I have my GRE tomorrow, and I know I should be studying for that; however, I am still in awe that I feel so motivated to type this blog entry!

In the case that I have some nonbelievers of my newfound insanity, here is something of substance to prove that I actually watched this telenovela and love it already:

Edith Gonzalez is an astounding actress. In episode one, she is already bawling her eyes out to a very serious issue (I won't spoil what the context was) and does it without a cut. In one camera movement. Just ONE. As someone in television, it is incredibly difficult to find actors and actresses who can cry on command and make it believable. I sympathized for her so much in that moment. She has that look that makes her so homely and cute that I would want to propose to her, because she would make an excellent wife and mother. Don't ask me why.

I really hope her character, Monica, tames Juan. Why? Because Juan is a philandering a**hole, and it would be immensely entertaining to see a quiet little woman like Edith Gonzalez knock the stuck-up-edness out of him. Also, Eduardo Palomo really overdoes his character. I don't care that he's the male lead - I don't like him. His poor attitude is not very well hidden behind his poor looks and dress. I cannot understand why Hispanic women would fall in love with someone who needs a shower and haircut like him. His perma-scowl annoys me to no end. If he doesn't smile genuinely soon, I will be very upset with this series. Poor actor choice.

I know I make it sound like Palomo and Juan are one in same, but I can't help it... Thanks Dr. A making me another telenovela addict! You were right after all.

Characters in Rebelde Way

Now that I am further into Rebelde Way, it is easier to remember the insane amount of characters, who they're involved with, and how each of their interactions and situations add to the standard telenovela content that we've been discussing in class.

I think Rebelde Way has characteristics of both a Telenovela Rosa as well as a Telenovela de Ruptura because of the fact that it does have so many characters and sub-stories. For example, although Luna may not be one of the main characters, she was introduced as the pretty but poor girl who's from a rural area who is at the Elite Way School on scholarship. She is kind and naive. Throughout the first ten episodes she is not one of the main stories, but I have a strong feeling that this "cinderella" type situation will breakthrough at some point and become one of the main topics of drama at some point in the telenovela. I am definitely curious to see if there will be some transformation.

Currently, one of the main topics of drama in this beginning set of episodes (1-10) is the love triangle of Marizza, Mauro, and Marizza's mother and super model Sonia. Marizza likes Mauro who is the chaperone of the summer school trip but Mauro likes Sonia who randomly appears at the event because she misses Marizza. Naturally, Marizza loathes her mother for coming and taking all the attention away from her and for taking Mauro's heart. The triangle is rather unrealistic because of the expansive age differences, but for this telenovela, anything seems possible.

Another possible "cinderella" situation that is going on is the involvement of Feli and Manuel. Feli is the only overweight girl in the entire show and she is one of Mia's (the ring leader) minions. She constantly has problems with eating her feelings and then is embarassed about getting into a bathing suit. Manuel is her current boyfriend. It is hard tell whether he is just using her to get closer and more in with Mia so that he can finally get to Mia's father and take revenge for his father's death, or if he genuinely likes Feli. I think Feli could be categorized as the "ugly duckling" of the show. There is also the potential for her transformation between now and the end of it.

It is very interesting to me how the focus changes from one character to another within a couple episodes. For four or five episodes one situation is a huge melodramatic thing and then suddenly something else takes over. The build-up and release of problems within the characters is really what makes the show so interesting and captivating.

Rubi: what a B****

So, my telenovela, Rubi, came in the mail yesterday afternoon. I'm not sure if this makes me a loser-- but I was really excited. This morning I sat down and decided to watch an episode or two......almost three and a half hours later I am more than half way through the first season. Needless to say, I am already hooked. The main reason I think this show is so entertaining is because of the devious ways of the female lead (Rubi). She is definitely one of those character you love to hate...or is it that I hate that I love her? I'm not sure... I am still kind of confused. But in any case, Rubi has the viewer constantly on their toes..you're never quite sure what her next move will be. So far she has led on multiple suitors, given her mother multiple heart attacks..oh yeah and seduced her (crippled) best friend's fiancé (who also happens to be her off again/on again lover's best friend). Yup, girlfriend is on a roll.

However, through all the backstabbing, I some how still continue to like Rubi's character--maybe even sympathize with her. Which leads me to wonder--am I crazy? I have decided on a solid no (for now at least). I don't think I'm crazy, but I do think I may be drawn to Rubi because her imperfections are what make her human, and for that reason I can relate to her...everyone makes mistakes after all, right? Even if Rubi's mistakes are a little on the extreme/psychotic end. Or maybe I continue to like her because I am an eternal optimist, and hope that in the next DVD she will realize the error of her ways, repent, and live happily ever after etc..??

Aren't we all somewhere, deep down rooting for the villian just a little? Despite their evil ways, isn't there some psychological understanding that their actions are stemming from some deep-rooted, traumatic childhood experience --and as a result they can't be held %100 percent responsible ? Don't get me wrong, while I like Rubi, she is definitely a b****---but what would any good story be with out one? Can you imagine a world with no wicked witches, evil step mothers, or back-stabbing vixens?! It would be so peaceful...and SO boring. And besides Rubi's Megan Fox good looks and cunning charm have her fooling everyone---and what they don't know can't hurt them, right?...right!?!??!!? So, here's to all the bad girls. Can't wait to see what happens next

Rebelde Way: Likes and Dislikes...So far

After watching a few episodes of Rebelde Way, there are definitely certain things I like about this telenovela, as well as a few dislikes. The people who warned that telenovelas are addicting were RIGHT. Every cliffhanger before a commercial break has me hooked, and the end of every episode is a dramatic peak. I love that about it. I also like how Rebelde Way consists of a handful of different stories. You have Mia Colluci, the narcissist, who is always trying to get attention, especially from her dad. Then you have Sonia Rey who used to be in love with the principal of Elite Way. She sends her daughter to Elite Way, desperately trying to avoid losing custody of her. The diversity in the plot keeps me entertained, but on a dislike note, it has been difficult trying to keep track of every character and their situation. Most characters, like Mia, Pablo, and Manuel, were introduced in the very first episode, but others, like Diego, are not introduced until the second or third episode. I thought that was abnormal at first, but when I compare the amount of characters to shows in the U.S that I watch religiously, there are usually about 10 or more characters (some main characters, and some not) in those as well. Rebelde Way definitely has its over dramatic parts (such as when Mia is strutting ridiculously down the hallway in a sports bra and spandex), but those parts only add to the humor and entertainment. I see now how this particular telenovela is geared toward high schools students. For the obvious reason, it takes place in Elite Way- a boarding school for high school students, but also, there are themes geared toward that age group, such as bullying, gossiping, and eating disorders. So far, I am enjoying Rebelde Way, and there is more to come.

Being an Orphan Never Seemed so Appealing.

Like Dr. A, my parents were never prone to watching telenovelas. However, my first exposure to this genre was still at a very young age. At my grandparent’s house, where i spent a lot of my childhood, the telenovela “Camioneros” would air during supper every night. Though i didn’t understand much, watching television always seemed like a good alternative to eating veggies. Not surprisingly, i tended to associate telenovelas with older folks. This all changed when i moved to Brazil and caught a serious obsession from my new school friends: Chiquititas.

            The plot of this Argentine children’s telenovela revolves around an orphanage and the troop of street-smart orphans that live in it. Little Orphan Annie status, complete with musical interludes and dance sequences. Also included in the plot are a witchy orphanage director, a poor but caring heroine, and the usual secret blood ties and love triangles. And let’s not forget the super catchy music, which catapulted the telenovela to new heights of popularity, all across Latin America.

            Forgotten for more than a decade, watching clips of my childhood telenovela brought on a tsunami of nostalgia: playing “Chiquititas” at school with my friends... these games would go for days! Crying if i was forced to miss an episode (those cliffhangers really get to people!)... I wish I could show you all my Chiquititas CD, scratched from use and being carried from sleepover to sleepover. I had truly connected with the endearing characters of Chiquititas, and grown to love the personality quirks associated with each of them.

            I feel like a look into the past was the right move in order to understand this class from a Latin American perspective. Initially, I thought that because my parents never watched telenovelas, I did not have personal experience that would influence my opinions in this class. However, after some hindsight analysis, I have found that i do have a history with the genre, and am very much vulnerable to its addictive qualities. Uh-Oh.

Here is one of the forementioned jams: very cheesy but undeniably adorable...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byBx3iXRVMo


Carla C.

Love Is A Battle Field

From the beginning we have learned that one of the most powerful aspects of the telenovela is the dramatic structure of the "love triangle". This is what gets people hooked, the constant battle between three or more people for love. We enjoy getting to watch as others (for a change from our lonely love lives) struggle and compete with one another all for what they believe is true love. This is why we tune in every day or week; to see who will be the chosen one and who ends up heart broken or to see new love begin and old flames die. These aspects I have noticed not only appear in the telenovela, but are a constant theme in any dramatic T.V show these days. One I am currently obsessed with in which I have found the best combinations of triangles is "The Vampire Diaries".

The Vampire Diaries doesn't just have one love triangle happening, it rounds out with a grand total of four! There is a whole lot of Vampire loving going on in this show (the main reason why I have become hooked)! First is the most well known family triangle, like the telenovela mother, daughter, and man. Vampire Diaries takes a spin from this keeping it all in the family creating a love triangle between two vampire brothers and the lovely human girl. The next triangle is between one vampire brother, the human girl, and (bare with me this could get confusing) an ancient vampire women who is the ex lover of the brother who was the one who converted the brother to a vampire and who happens to look exactly like the present day human girl...talk about a serious mess. Another main love triangle is between a once human girl(best friend of the main human girl) who is now a vampire too, her ex boy friend (human), and the ex boyfriends best friend/werewolf. The final love triangle that is present is between the main human girl's human brother, another vampire girl, and another best friend of his sister's who happens to be a witch. So all in all these are just like the infamous telenovela love triangles yet they just add vampires, werewolfs, and witches into the mix...Basically this recurring dramatic structure is why we are all so addicted to our T.V's and laptops, its why we cant give up watching. To sum it all up the "love triangle" is perfectly explained by the wise words of Pat Benatar, "love is a battle field", or better put from a telenovela stand point, love is one complicated,twisted mess of a battle field.

Transcending Generations

This past fall semester I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As part of the program I lived with a family in the city. This gave me the chance to totally immerse myself into the culture and lifestyle of the Argentine people. Silvia, my "madre," was a single mother of three whose children had grown and left the house. Every night she would watch her favorite telenovela after we ate dinner - definitely a telenovela addict.

Throughout the semester I also worked as an intern at a PR agency called Furgang Comunicaciones. From time to time I would hear the girls talk about episodes, and was surprised to hear that many of the girls followed the same telenovela as Silvia. There was at least a thirty year age difference between them, and yet they were hooked on the same show. As part of my internship I looked for media clippings in Argentine tabloids (Furgang is an entertainment agency) and could not believe that the magazines were filled with telenovela actors. This truly shows the difference between soap opera actors in the US and telenovela stars in South America.

On one of my last nights in Argentina, Silvia's five-year-old granddaughter came over for the evening. Sure enough, she sat with Silvia on the couch and watched her telenovela. While I'm sure she didn't understand everything that was going on, I began to understand the lifestyle of telenovelas and their importance in culture and family. These shows provide entertainment to all different generations of people! I cannot think of many shows in the U.S. that transcend age in that way, especially not our soap operas.

The O.C.

After learning about the characteristics of telenovelas in class, many primetime dramas that I watch on television strongly share these traits. One of my all-time favorite teen dramas is “The O.C.” “The O.C.” was on air from 2003 to 2007, and it took place in Orange County, California. As we have learned in class, in the first episode of the telenovela, the two main characters meet for the first time. The first episode of “The O.C.” begins with Ryan, the protagonist, going to jail for robbery. His attorney is Sandy Cohen. Sandy realizes all the potential that Ryan has to offer, and he insists that Ryan stays with him and his family for some time so that Ryan can stop getting into dangerous situations. Ryan then stays with the Cohen family and becomes best friends with Sandy’s son, Seth.

Towards the end of the first episode, Ryan steps outside of the Cohen house to smoke a cigarette. There on the sidewalk next to him is Marissa. Immediately, the two make a strong connection. Marissa and Ryan’s plot line is especially interesting because Marissa comes from one of the wealthiest families in Orange County, whereas Ryan is abandoned from his alcoholic mother. The plot thickens when Marissa’s boyfriend Luke picks up Marissa in his truck. The love triangle is immediately born, which is a very important element of the telenovela. “The O.C.” series is completely addicting, just like a telenovela, because of family issues, multiple love triangles, many issues with the law, bankruptcy, and everyday issues that teens must deal with.