Episode 17: "Una idea absurda"
Episode 17 https://youtu.be/xZVopBDnxi0
(Old Youtube links below may no longer be available) English subtitles https://youtu.be/TY0nzy29TJo (with CC option for Spanish subtitles)
Spanish (no subtitles) https://youtu.be/FQN5-ZxT73g
Viewing PARIENTES A LA FUERZA would be very entertaining way to help students learning Spanish, especially for those whose first language is English. I've got my fingers crossed, wish that both teachers and pupils will help spread the word about this fun guilt-free, educational binge watch. (see prologue to 20th anniversary edition of book BREAKING OUT OF BEGINNER'S SPANISH for number of good reasons to increase fluency in Spanish.)
PALF includes many idiomatic expressions to reinforce symbolism. In my opinion, knowing idioms and other cultural expressions is more useful for enlarging one's comprehension of another language than studying obscure, often little-used verb tenses. Plus, lively discussions of plot twists and turns can make students try to express themselves more than typical (and so boring) topics like weather, shopping, getting directions, etc.
In this episode, many characters are blind, in the dark, unaware of what's really going on around them.
GEORGE puts his hands over his eyes (figuratively, "he can't see") : A ver....No lo entiendo. O sea te vas a casar conmigo y vas a ser mi esposa--y ahora vas a ser mi nuera?! (his voice adorably goes up with emotion)
CARMEN (in a wifely way): Calmate. Calmate o que luego te des el dolor de espalda baja que no te deja ni dormir. Dejame explicarte.
(Through window behind George can be seen mural of man with tiger mask--has black & yellow stripes on forehead; noticed earlier that slats of chairs painted black outdoors also give effect of stripes. Tiger stripes--in Spanish called "rayas", as in title of classic Colombian novel La otra raya del tigre by Valderrama, inspiration for first telenovela starring Guy Ecker--may also be reason for black and yellow book covers in George's study. Phrase "baje dos rayitas" is repeatedly used; English version might be to turn it down a notch or two. Tenoch tells Andy not to "pasar la lista" with Carmen--don't cross the line?--which seems similar in meaning.)
Juancho lets piglet Chicharon sniff envelope of money--at this point in story, he is totally unaware of link between cash Leti gave him and missing watches. MARGA: Dejalo, que lo vas a indigestar. JUANCHO: Este porquito esta entrenando para ver si dinero mal habido. (Now I recall simile Paz used earlier when she stressed differences between Cruz and Jurado siblings: one family was likened to expensive Italian truffles--frequently found by trained pigs--the other was more like onion powder (tho I'd think Jurados use fresh produce; mention of fragrant cilantro that colored kitchen counter green makes my mouth water).
Later, Margarita is scandalized when Juancho, concerned about piglet's thinness, tries to feed it pork scraps from his own plate of food; she forbids him to make it cannibal. Later in the episode (and probably not for last time, Cruz siblings and mother turning on each other makes them figuratively cannibals; in contrast, the Jurado's often try to sacrifice themselves to aid family members).
TENOCH to Andy: Que me va durar mas esta chela (bottle of beer) que tu relacion con Clio.
Bruto el papa, bruto el hijo. (More explicitly pertinent to situation in story than English subtitles (I think) saying "apple doesn't fall far from the tree", as Tenoch criticized his brother, that for all George's learning, and gifts as writer, he can say stupid things when trying to express his love to Carmen.)
MARGA (after Mama Rosa finds watches in Lara's bag: Ya no puedo ni que VERte. Esta no es mi hija.
Carmen and Gina had also earlier used expression "Poner las manos en el fuego por alguien" when wearing black gloves (color of ashes?), discussing whether men were trustworthy. https://yourspanishguide.com/curso/most-common-expressions-in-spanish/leccion/expresiones-1/tema/poner-la-mano-en-el-fuego/ I also guessed origin of phrase is similar to trial by combat as in novel Ivanhoe https://www.muyinteresante.es/cultura/arte-cultura/articulo/icual-es-el-origen-del-dicho-poner-la-mano-en-el-fuego
Gina tries to teach snobby rude Paz a lesson for insulting her, dumping salsa and tossing tortilla chips on girl, then telling Pedro: There's your order of chiliquiles "to go". PAZ: que me avento salsa! PEDRO: Y unos totopos.
Gina calls her gomelita = child of wealthy family, preppy, after girl calls her much worse,* criticizing her colorful makeup that I think very pretty with her rich skin tone; I don't much care for "cat's eye" makeup of catty Paz. Don't know if remark about "3" is like English "Three's a crowd".
*(Foreshadowing that few may recall later; may refer to English expression including word "table" used in short comic film THE TROUBLE WITH TONIA https://youtu.be/1JqioFzOOAk with brief scenes of jovencito Guy Ecker in imaginary telenovela; similar shared soap opera trope appears much later in PARIENTES A LA FUERZA.)
In kitchen confrontation, repeated comments that salsa "huele bien rico" evoking aroma of savory Mexican food makes mention of "lengua y garganta" more fitting than English sub-title "tonsil hockey", which would be more appropriate if Gina hit Paz with a spoon, or threw hard rolls at her. Love recent Lay's commercial spoofing martial arts fighter films, with kick breaking tossed bag, disbursing spray of distracting potato chips in slow motion!
GINA: Yo no tengo vela en ese entierro. BIG RED BOOK OF SPANISH IDIOMS translates "No se les dara vela en este entierro. They will have no say or will not be given any say in this matter. Quien te ha dado vela en este entierro? Who asked for your opinion? What business is it of yours?" Who asked you to poke your nose in?"
As George drives Paz back home, her jealousy of his new closeness with Jurado family spills out. She bitterly declares dear Dad has neglected her and Tommy for 18 years, as he was always working and (emotionally) unavailable to them--a cry that hits home, as will be shown in next episode. Making money isn't the most important thing to do for family; older male characters have faults they will try to correct: workaholic George, alcoholic Tenoch, gambler Juancho. PALF will include numerous lessons about what fatherhood really means.
Carmen on phone to Yuli waiting for car to pick her up, stands by black and white street sign that says "One way" with "or another" written underneath in chalk. (famous Blondie song: "One way or another I'm gonna get you".) More graffiti, black on white down pole looks like IVANNO. CARMEN tells Yuli she only considered Andy's proposal to get her papers "Por un segundo" because she felt so desperate: "Tengo agua a la cuelo".
JUANCHO (reflected in window of lower level of George's study): A ver a ver a ver. Con que me anda quieriendo ver la cara? Fuiste tu la que le puso los relojes a mi nina. LETI: Por favor no hagas idiota. Porque habia yo de hacer algo asi? JUANCHO: Pues, porque no mas tu y yo los que sabiamos eso y pues ni modo que yo echa cabeza mi sobrina cuando se que no es cierto al menos que has hecho una de tus cosas esas raras que le ha dicho alguien mas. (Leti replays in her mind flashback of when she phoned Juancho with pawn shop address and could have been overheard)
I think "Echar a cabeza"=give someone away, reveal truth, "squeal", betray. In LA MENTIRA, Veronica mock-affectionately uses after visitor Juan praises meal, then Demetrio deflates intended compliment for bride's cooking skills by saying food was fixed by their housekeeper--thus revealing newlyweds are not so happy honeymooners. Other very funny moments are when duo pretend to be entwined enamorados--but in actuality, they're sticking close to prevent further revelations about real relationship of revenge.
JUANCHO: Eh, que estas papanda moscas? (Juancho snaps LETI out of flashback reverie with saying referring to someone in a daze, lost in thought often has mouth open which might "catch flies"--tho her mouth is actually shut tight. But may evoke another saying, a version of which he quotes much later to George, "Me extrana, arana, que siendo mosca, no me conozca". Leti is definitely a spider spinning webs to catch unsuspecting flies.
LETI: Si tu quieres ser, seguir como mi "partner" no puedes hacer acusaciones falsas, entendiste? Porque hasta donde yo recuerdo, tu y yo eramos un equipo.
JUANCHO: Perate, que es este de "partners"?
LETI (she gives him language lesson): ser mi "partner"--socio, colega, equipo, confiar en mi.
JUANCHO: Ahora resulta que quieres que seamos equipo, ponemos en que conviene, verdad?
LETI: Las cosas estan muy sencillas, ok. Si tu vas a querer seguir siendo mi partner, seguir conmigo, vas a que tener mucho paciencia y mucho confianza y lo unico que tienes que saber es que se no le meti los relojes a su sobrina en la mochilla, ok? O confias en mi or esto no functiona.
JUANCHO: Bueno, "partners".
TENOCH uses expression about "cabras al monte" Proverb quoted in BIG RED BOOK OF SPANISH IDIOMS:
"La cabra siempre tira al monte" = the leopard never changes its spots.
TENOCH to Pedro about Paz: Chiquita pero bien picosa. (Familiar saying that refers to peppers like Habaneros, small but very hot--typically describing a hot-tempered girl). Other fire related expression in this episode when uncle warns Andy: "Me cae que estas jugando con fuego y esto puede terminar en tremendo incendio."
In Orbit recording studio, lemon yellow light shines on Clio as she hits sour notes attempting to sing "Para Siempre" while Kurt and Tania listen disbelievingly. Even with the best equipment and sound engineer, result is dire.
Tania tactfully tells diva that we're not getting what studio is asking for. Clio in low spirits says she needs to be "alineada para que fluya" and lays the blame on problems with Andy, and Tania failing to give help she's promised. "Tu no compliste con tu promesa y todo con Andy termino", Clio upbraiding Tania for her lack of partnership in plans they'd made to mutually assist other in attaching men they want.
Andy didn't keep away from Carmen whom Clio now fears is not an "equis", Spanish pronounciation of letter "x", expressions she's used before, apparently to mean "a nobody" or "nothing"--I remember typists would literally x-out unwanted words. X is also "unknown" factor in a mathematical equation. Paz reproaches her father for treating her and Tommy like "un cero a la izquerdo--we've never been, never will be a priority for you". Online urban dictionary defines equis as "bland, uninteresting, dull"--generic Brand X? Another use of "x" such as symbol Cruz/cross is plus mark +=X. English expression "plus one" is used by Alan when introducing Lara as his invited guest at Green Hills Country Club.
LETI guesses that Tommy overheard her give pawn shop address to Juancho, and her son bought back and planted the watches on Lara. He pretends that he did it to show solidarity with his mother (tho in reality, he did it in fit of pique because girl seems to prefer Alan). Leti tells son that his father will forgive him, but she doesn't have benefit of George's goodwill. If boy tells dad who is real thief, she threatens to tell George about Tommy's bet with Alan to bed Lara. "Caring, loving" mother coldly advises Tommy, if he's found out: "You're on your own."
Carmen blames herself for worsening matters between father and son; failing to reach young man by phone, she goes to studio looking for Andy to warn him how George reacted. Clio overhears her and Yuli talking to Tania and accuses Carmen, that having failed to capture George, now has set her sights on Andy in hunting for a "sugar daddy", English expression which innocent singer doesn't even know the meaning of. Carmen clarifies she's not interested in Andy, preferring an older, more mature man: "me gustan mas grandes" (me too!) Later Pedro suggests to Carmen--as they walk to blue car taking them to George's house--that she marry George as way the couple can both get to know each other better.
Tania's new tactic is to support Andy's suggestion: De verdad, esta relacion (of Andy being Clio's boyfriend) solo existia en la cabeza de Clio. Puede ser tu mejor opcion, urging Carmen to sleep on it, consultar su almohada. Tania now sees that if Andy and Carmen marry--even if merely to help her get Visa--could lead to Carmen's permanent estrangement with George, leaving way open for her to step in and have closer relationship she wants with him. Wary Clio came to same conclusion by herself. Lots of shots include photo on Tania's desk of herself with happily grinning George receiving award, which points out what is in mind of scheming woman, tho Carmen is totally unaware. Skillful spin doctor Tania explains away previous friction, disagreement between her and Carmen as "Roces que fortalesan las relaciones profesionales".
Tania counsels Clio to see matters "en perspectivo. Desde qui no veo que tienes muchos opciones", but if she agrees to let Andy help Carmen, Clio would look saintly, "iluminada". Clio gets bright idea to denounce false marriage to Immigration Department even before it takes place, stressing--sanctimoniously as well as maliciously--it's a crime, thus getting Carmen deported and out of their lives. Her choice of phrase "Como anillo al dedo" purposely has echo of wedding rings, symbolically more apt than (English "fits like a glove").
Aristides goes to talk with Maria to explain something that happened in their past (Maria is steaming wrinkles out of one of her uniforms--reminds me of use of steam in original 1994 CAFE CON AROMA DE MUJER--one of forms water can take, that is, "solid, liquid, gas"). Aristides gets alert on his phone, suddenly changes what he was going to say to Maria "yo, yo...yo tengo que atender eso--el deber me llama" (getting to be his catch phrase).
Juancho decides to take the blame to help clear suspicion, consequences from falling on Lara, "echan la muertito" (plant dead body or frame someone?). He plays with his hair, another reference to idioms involving "pelo". Useful to know: "manos en la masa" = English "catch red-handed".
Again like classic country house murder mystery, everyone is summoned to hear verdict of "who did it". And like typical Agatha Christie, person who committed the crime is least likely of suspects, someone overlooked entirely by most. (Just started re-watching enjoyable 1961 British film, MURDER SHE SAID, inspired by a Christie novel, but with added humor. First of four films starring wonderful character actress Margaret Rutherford; librarian character is played by her husband in real life, who proved real love by taking care of her in her final illness. Films are similar to PALF by featuring in leading roles more mature, skilled actors, not limited to standard "film star" looks.)
*On subject of A Mystery Solved, may have cracked case of "The Grapes of Laugh-Out-Loud" (semi-pun on Grapes of Wrath): As noted in comments on Ep. 13, looking ahead to incident in Ep. 83, was puzzled by several scenes emphasizing grapes, both visually and verbally. The penny dropped upon recollection of advice in Chapter 10 of book BREAKING OUT OF BEGINNER'S SPANISH (at bottom of page 127 in first edition)--which could be reason why little boy and sweet little old lady repeating phrase "tenemos uvas" as they leave the kitchen, provokes spontaneous delightful laughter. Elsewhere in a future episode https://pensandoenparientes.blogspot.com/2022/06/episode-50-una-decision-absurda.html Yuli tells Carmen something like "tienes los ovarios bien puestos", which has related meaning (remember also allusion to "producto de gallina"?)
Viewers, don't get let dialogue between other characters distract you from very cute silent scene-stealing moments of our favorite Guy and ninito playfully mirroring each others' expressions in Ep. 83 highlight. (George's look of dawning concerned comprehension--he's put two and two together--before Susana states her secret "sin rodeos" is masterful. His indignant defense later of maligned motherhood is demonstration of true manhood.)
For complete capitulos go to www.Telemundo.com All entire episodes of PARIENTES A LA FUERZA (so far) can be seen On Demand with www.NBC.com app.
