Episode 1: "Una nueva oportunidad"
English subtitles https://youtu.be/Pvk-j4KLhEQ (only first part of episode)
Spanish subtitles https://youtu.be/zmGZR-KTN6c
For complete capitulos go to www.Telemundo.com All entire episodes of PARIENTES A LA FUERZA can be seen On Demand with www.NBC.com app. Also available on streaming services such as Spectrum.
If you absolutely want to watch PALF for first time without slightest chance of anything approaching a "spoiler", wait to read below. (Book discussion group member once got angry with me for mentioning something I thought obvious from cover of sequel to THE ROSIE PROJECT showing bicycle built for two followed by stork carrying bundle--I mean, couldn't you tell what that indicates will happen in first few pages? She also didn't understand what famous "green light at the end of the dock" meant in GREAT GATSBY. ) I've seen PARIENTES A LA FUERZA numerous times, so know it's very enjoyable re-watching.
Panorama of Los Angeles, California, City of Angels (2nd largest city in USA) in opening scene of PARIENTES A LA FUERZA while George Cruz travels from LA's wealthier West side, south along beach-side Pacific Coast Highway, across to Hollywood and skyscrapers downtown, over concrete-contained Los Angeles "river" to East LA, is stirring sight for this Angelino, resident born and bred there. It's lovely to see again after two years quarantine. Like song says, "I love LA!" (Did you know California was named for mythical Queen Califia in book from 1510--perhaps one of "romance" novels read by wind-mill fighting Don Quixote that "turned his head"?)
Three women in George's life--wife, manager Tania & mother are quickly, cleverly introduced thru only their voices or words, not "en vivo y todo color"--unlike someone to soon become the most important woman of all to him.
Very colorful restaurant TENOCHTITLAN where funeral is held for mother of the two estranged Cruz brothers is big contrast to gray concrete house--seemingly not a real "home"--of protagonist George, Hollywood screenwriter who at this point in story is distanced from his Latino roots . Mural seen (between Dando y Dando pawn shop & washing machine store) as George walks to Tenoch's Mexican restaurant for funeral of their mother includes what looks like Hollywood movie camera, Virgin of Guadalupe, LA Dodgers' baseball team logo, heart "milagro", blonde Catrina https://dayofthedead.holiday/traditions/who-is-la-catrina and maybe a car chase scene, all surrounded by silver chains. Wooden casket containing ashes of George's mother has carving of heart with wings.
Watch for use of color to signal what a real family is. Grids & geometric designs in gray & black seem dead in comparison to floral prints that convey life and growth. Black framed photo of George's mother with himself & brother as children is next to book with pink floral & green cover (I recognized this guide for writers). When "Tacos & Tiros" (Tacos & Bullets) movie franchise posters are shown and George sadly looks at old photo, not remembering it's his birthday, song lyrics sound to me like: "I've seen it in People, they're holding strong, I've seen it all before, can't feel it anymore, waiting for a savior, riding out the storm".
Is it purely coincidence? First song we hear Carmen sing is dedicated to Don Jose & Dona Mari for their 50th wedding anniversary; she alludes to his having cheated on her long ago. George will soon have his 50th birthday. George never actually got to introduce himself to his mother's old friend Don Fidencio in bell tower where she requested son take her ashes. Why did Cruz mother and sons leave Mexico for Los Angeles? (To be continued!)
Wikipedia says "Tenochtitlan was a large Mexica altepetl in what is now the historic center of Mexico City. The city was the capital of the expanding Aztec Empire in the 15th century."
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Coming from background of literary analysis, some traditional symbols caught my eye (HOW TO READ LITERATURE LIKE A PROFESSOR by Thomas C. Foster is quick introduction for anyone who isn't Lit Major). Falling into water can mean ritual death & rebirth, as full-body baptism is for Christians. Shadow covers George's eyes during meeting with divorce lawyers when he says "How come I never noticed what kind of family I had?" Trio of George's second wife Leticia and their twins Tommy & Paz all turned their backs on him.
Leticia is a "shady lady": When we first set eyes on George's soon to be ex-wife, she wears black broad-brimmed sun hat AND black sunglass (not to mention black swimsuit which may never have entered swimming pool). Her coverups hint there's something hiding under her projected surface of glamourous Beverly Hills "Housewife". Phrase "hacer que lo blanco es negro (prove black is white) means to distort or twist the truth/facts.
In traditional English saying, seeing something "written in black and white" proves it is true--but does that apply to fiction and fantasy penned by a Hollywood writer like George? Picasso reputedly said something like, "Art is a lie that tells the truth''. Ultimately, script inspired by real life, because it comes from real love, may prove truer than Leti's fabrications and view of the world. Classic 1998 telenovela LA MENTIRA (inspired by Shakespeare's Othello and Midsummer Night's Dream) also explores putting on performances & deceptions in society, and contrasting reasons behind doing so.
I used to go see annual Academy Awards (also known as the Oscars) exhibit of film costumes, so I know designers work hard behind the scenes to help convey meaning on-screen. Photo is of Colleen Atwood's for 2016 Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them, first film in J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World to win an Oscar)
Idiom "Poner los cuernos"--English "cuckold"--is visually depicted by bizarre sculptures of human heads with horns displayed on wall by guest room where George's wife & neighbor betray his trust during his "golden" 50th birthday party. Adopted son Andy gives him charm with his childhood name "Jorgito" he will now always wear.
Figurative blindness is also expressed when he says after his family forgets his mother's funeral "The good thing about this family is that you never cease to surprise me" (because workaholic writer really doesn't know them). That scene at Cruz family dinner table where all are focused on their phone screens is example of how "communication" devices can actually keep people apart. George is amazed and charmed by lively dinner he's invited to at Jurado home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico which really shows true family togetherness.
Jurado family (including Marga's brother & niece) all chime in when Carmen sings to George a Pedro Infante song SERENATA HUASTECA https://www.musica.com/letras.asp?letra=941141 "I sing at the foot of your window so you will know I love you; tho you don't care about me, I'm dying for you...you're mistaken, I will be your lady love".)
George tightly lacing boots after his dunking suggest his repressed or contained feelings--very different from when his shoe slips off in San Miguel de Allende to hit Carmen, like a role reversal of Cinderella and Prince Charming. (In LA MENTIRA, I noticed many times "dazzling like the sun" Veronica being higher than Demetrio, and focus on shoes & feet seeming allusions to Spanish idioms I may not be familiar with, tho I do know "mete la pata" or as Britons say "put your foot in it"). In PALF, "give me a hand" is used in dialogue (Carmen's prayer to Virgin of Guadalupe--namesake of George's mother Lupita; she asks Mary to send her the right man, to give her a signal--which turns out to be shoe hitting her head) and literally, when Carmen grasps George's hand to save his life.
Theme running throughout PARIENTES A LA FUERZA of mistaking appearance for reality is seen when Carmen jumps to conclusion that George had repented of planned suicide, then when he says "I just threw my mother out", she exclaims "murderer!" He clarifies, "I mean her ashes". I think Fidencio couldn't hear George's shouts, likely deafened after lifetime of ringing bell in church tower where as children, he and little girl Lupita played with the wind, referred to in song lyrics when George is in taxi going along cobblestone street in San Miguel de Allende: "La brisa trajo de vuelta a que siempre fue mi hogar", the breeze returns to what was always my home.
Wind takes other forms: Carmen's ex calls her Torbellino or Whirlwind. Breath & air are often mentioned. (More in upcoming chapters). After his rescue "to new life", George pants heavily. Carmen gives inspiration--literal meaning, to breathe in--to writer who's creatively blocked. (BTW, physical position at first meeting of couple seems foreshadowing. Did you ever see waterslide scene in1984 romantic comedy/action-adventure movie ROMANCING THE STONE with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner as a smuggler & repressed romance writer searching for emerald "El Corazon"--The Heart--in Colombian jungle? I recall when title song was big radio hit.)
Soap bubbles float in air as George gets out of car to walk thru "mini-Mexico" LA shopping village on way to his mother's "velorio" (in English, a wake). Watch for other references in story to flying & air, angels (Lupita's wood casket is carved with winged heart). Learn to recognize some versions of verb "volar" (to fly), volando, vuelo.
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Colors also seem to have meaning in PALF. Juancho points out his bruises (morados) to his cock fight pal Aurelio. Emotionally bruised Carmen wears faded purple or lavender after being cheated on by Joaquin; Tania wears purple skirt when she gets blow to her heart on finding George has returned from Mexico with a new love. His color may be blue, color of coat he wears when he first meets Carmen (he's her "Principe Azul", Spanish form of Prince Charming) same as "his favorite blue sheets" maid Maria plans to put on his bed, which Tania thought she had good chance of sharing in time-frame window after Leti leaves him and before Carmen shows up.
Orange walls in San Miguel are seen when George asks Carmen to return with him to LA to star in film she inspired; may refer to expression "mi media naranja" (literally, "my half orange") in English, "my other half" or "my better half". Use in future episodes to be cited later, along with ideas for other color meanings--keep your eyes open! Also fine-tune your ears for "dog" related dialogue, theory on which will have to wait until Ep. clinching proof is given.
When they first walk together to park in San Miguel, George tells Carmen he prefers her to people in Hollywood because she's "a real person of flesh and blood, who blushes when complimented." (Red & pink are symbolic too.) Jurado home in San Miguel de Allende is red, white & green--colors of Mexican flag. House number "7" might refer to Carmen's seven family members--maybe not Snow White's Seven Dwarves, but close! Who do you think is most like wise old Doc, belligerent Grumpy, innocent young Happy, Sleepy (virginal sleeping beauty?), blushing Bashful (clue--Yuli is nicknamed Roja), weepy Sneezy or Dopey? Carmen tells George: "mi familia es mi vida, son todo para mi."
Carmen asks for advice from her family (in colorful cozy kitchen--"heart of the home") on whether to accept George's invitation to go with him to Los Angeles; some remark, at 28 and 50, the couple isn't getting any younger. Juancho says if she waits longer, her hair will start turning gray ("salir canas"). Yuli's cooking metaphor "Georgie ya no
se cuerce al primer hervor" seems equivalent to English "no spring chicken" which Carmen feels as insult on his behalf. http://www.mexicoguru.com/mexican-slang-meaning.php?date=140816 may be useful for other phrases.
Juancho also warns Carmen may "be left to dress statues of saints in church", meaning "become an old maid", expression I encountered in CORAZON SALVAJE, when jilted heroine pretends she wants to become a nun. Hero Juan del Diablo teasingly calls her "Santa Monica", but like her historical namesake, she will convert her renegade husband to Christianity. BTW, Juan's nickname ("apodo") is related to English John Doe--in French, Jean Dieu--given to a baby of unknown parentage, literally, Jean "of God". (Story was first set on French island of Martinique involving actual volcanic explosion, replaced by hurricane or earthquake in later versions.) Because of his untamed behavior, Juan was instead dubbed as being "of the devil"--but like phrase "alta sociedad" (high society) is turned into "alta SUCiedad" (very dirty, soiled), story shows snobs and aristocrats in reality may prove to be "whitened sepultures" with hidden sins as in Bible verse Matthew 23:27.
Some telenovelas are worth re-watching and scholarly study. http://www.henciclopedia.org.uy/autores/Bary/Corazonsalvaje.htm
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Song at end of chapter is "(She's) Gonna be Famous" by Nick Nolan. I've searched but can't find song at opening of PALF. Lyrics sound to me like: (Power to?) open up that gate. I said girl it's not too late to let me in, it's not a sin (sister?) you are there, and fill your hair (air?) with old wives tales that keep you alone, but you're not, you're on your own."
Using www.NBC.com App, viewers can re-watch all PARIENTES A LA FUERZA episodes (so far) as fun way to improve comprehension of Spanish. "Students" of PALF might also print out posts to make book to refer to later.
https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-great-gatsby/symbols/the-green-light-and-the-color-green
