We begin where we left off. Francisco, Lola, and Laura apparently don’t know how to use people’s names in conversation, so they’ve all been talking to each other about having a crush on a person, and being in love with a person, and dating a person, without ever making it clear that they’re all talking about each other. Contrivance! Lola, under the impression that Francisco likes her, planted a kiss on him, not realizing that Francisco and Laura were trying to tell her that they’re dating. Just think, a more judicious application of proper nouns could’ve avoided this whole thing.
Francisco and Laura are like, “Uh…” but rather than settle this all quickly, they choose to let Lola keep on believing that Francisco likes her. Laura runs away, and Francisco tries to sit Lola down and explain to her, but she cuts him off to ramble about how she knew their love was real when he helped her with her sister, and saved Chopy, and defended her against Blas, and comforted her when she was sad, and gave her his necklace, and honestly when she lays it all out like that it really makes Francisco look like a dumbass. Then the bell rings and Lola runs off. Francisco’s like, “Well, shit.”
Papa B calls Etchamendi and he’s like, “So now that the school’s shut down, are you reconsidering my offer?” He threatens that it would look very bad for the nation’s top school to be closed because it doesn’t comply with “the very minimum of hygiene standards.” Please, like Elite Way ever complied with any standards to begin with. Etchamendi grits his teeth and agrees to sell Papa B 51% of the school board.
Sonia has her first…show? rehearsal? Public rehearsal where like, there’s an audience but she’s not dressed up or doing her usual routine at all? I don’t know. Erreway is wearing caps and sunglasses, which I guess is what Pablo meant by putting on a cunning disguise. They do a dance to “Para Cosas Buenas,” which is not a song that they have ever mentioned or alluded to Erreway writing or rehearsing before this point. On the other hand, “Para Cosas Buenas” only has about five lines that are repeated over and over, so I guess it couldn’t have taken them that long to write. (Confession: I totally think it’s a jam, though. One of the best Erreway songs, to be sure.)
Anyway, Sonia does literally nothing except dance and lip-sync to words that Mia and Marizza are “singing.” I mean, they’re the only ones with microphones! What is Sonia supposed to be doing! The Broadway producer is all impressed anyway, even though Sonia at no point in that performance proved that she could sing or act. And Sonia’s old director is there, and naturally he gets his comeuppance for daring to go against a main character.
Despite Erreway’s masterful disguises, some chick in the audience recognizes them and tells her inappropriately-aged date, “That’s Erreway!” “Erre-qué?” he asks. She’s like, “UM, they’re only the most famous band in Argentina that’s never released any CDs or done any promotion or performed more than one song at a time, DUH.” (And then I realized her date is the Broadway producer. I was confused because all the old white guys on this show look the same.)
Francisco finds Laura crying in the school’s lone stairwell. She wails that everything is a mess now, and Francisco suggests that they, you know, tell Lola the truth. Laura’s like, “No way, lying to her will work out better for everybody!”
Erreway goes back to school after doing their usual performance of one song. I swear, will they ever have a storyline where Erreway behaves remotely like a normal band? (I say like I don’t already know the answer, which is no.) They’re all pumped over their success: “Pablo Bustamante IN CONCERT! How does that sound?” Pablo asks them. “Pathetic,” Manuel deadpans. Hee. Pablo and Marizza go off to their rooms, and Mia tells Manuel that she promised they would talk about Blas after the show, and she’s keeping that promise. She tells him to wait for her in her room while she changes (out of…the clothes she changed into after the performance? I don’t know). Naturally, once he’s in her room Manuel gets all paranoid about the present Blas gave Mia earlier, and starts pawing through her stuff. Mia flips out, but then when he tells her he’s upset that Blas gave her a present, Mia starts laughing her head off. I mean, Manuel is 200% more jerky this season, but Blas is Mia’s ex-boyfriend and also a sex offender, so Manuel’s concern isn’t exactly misplaced, I must say.
“You think I’m in danger hanging out with a pedophile! Oh, Manuel, you’re so wacky!”
Gloria tries to sex herself up (read: puts on some lipstick that looks like her usual makeup anyway) to meet Dunoff, but when she walks by his office, he’s hugging Pilar and Mama D and cooing about how much he loves his family. Gloria is shocked, shocked! that Dunoff is not interested in having a torrid affair with her. I mean, everything else about his personality aside, so far Dunoff’s sleaziest behavior is getting slack-jawed over Sonia’s cleavage.
Marizza rants to Lujan about her failed relationships. All the boys she’s ever dated have lied to her, and all men are the same! Have I mentioned that I love when the girls on this show get all angry and man-hating? That said, it’s a pretty realistic depiction of disappointment. Lujan protests that Marcos isn’t like that, and Marizza’s like, “Whatever, eventually he’ll disappoint you too.” I mean, she’s not wrong. Also, Lujan could feel guiltier over forcing Marizza to give Ivan a chance in the first place.
Mia finally sucks it up and takes Manuel to see Chopy. He’s less than thrilled that all this drama was over a dog. Same here, Manuel. Mia’s like, “Here, stop worrying about this bullshit storyline and just hold the cute dog.” Manuel is still salty over Blas, and tells Mia that she can’t talk to him ever again. “You have to choose: me or him,” he tells her.
The next day. After another night of ambiguously sleeping with Maria Jesus, Andres decides to sit her down and tell her that she’s just a tertiary character and there’s no point in having a relationship when they’re both gonna get written out of the show anyway. Maria Jesus is like, “What relationship?” and reveals that she only wants Andres for his body. All she’s interested in is being fuckbuddies, and she doesn’t want to date Andres at all. HA! And just like that, I love Maria Jesus.
Back at school, Mia has gone to Vico and Feli for relationship advice, even though neither of them have managed to hold down a relationship any longer than she has. Vico points out that it’s creepy for Manuel to dictate who Mia’s friends are, which is true. On the other hand, Blas is…Blas. God, there are no good sides here. Feli sides with Manuel, which I guess has a slight edge due to being the side of keeping Mia away from a pedophile. Anyway, speaking of whom, the kids all go off to gym class, and Mia tells Blas that she can’t hang out with him anymore. Blas accepts this but in a super passive-aggressive way, all like, “Well, I GUESS if this is what you REALLY WANT, I’ll respect your decision even though IT WOUNDS ME TO THE MARROW and I THOUGHT YOU CARED.” Whatever, Blas.
Lola gives Francisco a little felt heart (I think?) and once more chirps on about how much she loves him. Francisco tries to gently let her down, telling her that he didn’t mean for her to think he like-liked her. Lola flips out and says she never wants to see him again. I mean, you guys live and go to school in the same building, so…good luck with that.
Papa B comes to school to brag to Pablo about how they own Elite Way now. He’s like, “Isn’t this awesome?” and Pablo’s like, “It’s so awesome!” and Papa B’s like, “Wrong, it’s not awesome!” Keep moving those goalposts, Papa B. He tells Pablo that they have to keep it on the DL for now, and nobody can find out.
Meanwhile, Etchamendi goes to Dunoff and tells him that the school board has come up with the brilliant idea of making…a student council. No school has ever had one of those before! The concept totally escapes Dunoff, but never missing a chance to suck up to Etchamendi, he agrees the democracy and transparency are core values of Elite Way and a student council is the best idea ever. Etchamendi’s like, “And speaking of students, how are your classes going? You know, for your master’s?” Dunoff’s like, “Oh…I thought we dropped that plotline, you know, after the whole Font thing.”
In the cafeteria, Blas approaches Mia, like five minutes after she told him she wasn’t allowed to see him anymore. Respect those boundaries, Blas! At one of the tables, Manuel nearly loses his shit, but Marcos somehow manages to hold him back. Is Manuel weaker than Marcos? That’s embarrassing. Blas tells Mia he wants to talk to her in the gym.
Lola cries to Laura that she thought Francisco loved her, and she’ll never love again! Laura’s like, “That’s rough, buddy.” Lola decides that meeting Laura’s boyfriend would be a nice distraction, and Laura’s like, “Uh…yeah, sure, sounds like a great idea.” Then she has to run off to scrounge up a boyfriend who’s not Francisco.
Sonia meets with Erreway and brags to them about how her old director realized he was wrong for trying to make her adhere to a schedule and respect people’s time, and he apologized to her, but he is NOT FORGIVEN! Whatever, Sonia. And…that’s really all she came to say, she mentions that she might need them for her show again, and then they all leave. Uh, okay. Andres and Maria Jesus show up to the school for some reason — does Maria Jesus only teach gym class like, once every other week? Why isn’t she at her job at a normal hour? “Oh, and what was your name?” Sonia asks. “Maria Jesus,” Maria Jesus deadpans. I’m starting to like her. She waltzes off to work, and Sonia makes a remark referring to her as Andres’s girlfriend. Andres is like, “Well, she’s not my girlfriend,” but Sonia says he doesn’t have to explain anything, and she doesn’t care if he’s dating around.
Blas goes to the gym, but instead of finding Mia, he finds Manuel instead. Manuel starts yelling at Blas to stay away from Mia, and Blas is like, “Never! The government will never find me and order me to stay 1,000 feet away from schools and playgrounds!” He gets all racist about how Manuel’s afraid that Mia’s going to realize she’s dating a poor Mexican who’s probably here illegally and that’s why they need to build a wall to make Argentina great again, or whatever. Manuel punches him (WOO!) and they start wrestling to the ground. Then Mia runs in, and…yells at Manuel for beating up Blas. MIA, Y U NO LOVE YOURSELF. She kicks Manuel out so she can comfort Blas, while he sob stories to her about how nobody ever defended him in his life. Maybe it’s because you suck, Blas. Mia needs someone to sit her down and explain grooming and the cycle of abuse to her.
Carmen keeps the kids after class so Dunoff can talk to them. She takes a brief detour into pining after Font, because I guess she missed the episode where he was FIRED FOR BEING A PEDOPHILE. What is wrong with all the adults on this show? Anyway, Dunoff comes in to tell the kids about the student council elections, and he’s all like, “This is going to teach you about democracy and fairness!” and all the kids are like, “Uh, since when have those concepts ever applied to this school?” Both Pilar and Marizza get contemplative looks on their faces.
Manuel catches up to Mia and points out that she didn’t like it very much when he was hanging around Sol, and in total fairness, Sol isn’t a statutory rapist. Manuel points out that Blas still wants to get into Mia’s pants, and Mia’s like, “No way, Blas would never!” Nevertheless, she promises to stay away from Blas again, some more. They hug and Blas creeps at them from behind a pillar.
Marizza tells Lujan and Laura that she’s thinking of running for student council president. She wants to clean up the mean streets of Elite Way school, and fight against corruption! And also against teenage heartbreak. Lujan’s like, “That last one is not really a political platform.” Nevertheless, she and Laura promise to vote for Marizza.
In the teachers’ lounge, Carmen and Hilda gush over Bécquer‘s poetry, and Carmen’s like, “The fourth year students just don’t understand ROMANCE!” Hilda’s like, “No way, they totally forced me together with Hilario last year, and it was hella romantic, right up until he died two minutes after our wedding.” Carmen bitters that she’s too old for love, and all guys care about is sex, anyway. Gloria comes in with drinks, as Maria Jesus tells Carmen that there are ways to keep men interested even beyond sex, if you’re smart. “Without realizing it, my father was giving me lessons,” she says. WHAT? Oh, wait, she just means that one time he took her fishing, and she decided that fishing lessons were also applicable to sex. I mean, if you say so, Maria Jesus. Carmen doesn’t want sex lessons from Maria Jesus, but Gloria’s like, “Shut up and let me learn how to seduce my boss.” Maria Jesus tells them you have to reel men in, then let them drift away a little, then reel them in again. Is that what she’s meant to be doing with Andres? “What if the fish is hooked on another line?” Gloria asks. “Then you cut it,” Maria Jesus chirps.
Laura is playing pool with Marcos when Lola rocks up and demands to meet Laura’s new boyfriend. Laura panics and grabs Marcos, and then Lola’s like, “Kiss him! Do it! Chug!” Laura gives Marcos a peck on the lips, and naturally Lujan rounds the corner at that moment. Oh dear.
Papa B eats lunch with Pablo. He wants Pablo to run for student council president, which will…somehow cement Papa B’s power in the school. Papa B knows that student councils don’t have any real power, right? Pablo’s not keen on the idea, but Papa B starts waxing on about how power is the hottest thing ever, it’s even better than the love of a thousand women (what) and he might actually have a boner right now. It’s super uncomfortable.
Manuel corners Blas and tells him that he’s going to finish what he started last year: he’s going to figure out who Blas really is, hopefully without getting sidetracked by Blas’s Count Olaf-esque troupe of traveling actors this time, and Blas is going DOWN. I dig it! Redeem yourself, Manuel!
Lujan finds Marcos at his locker, and lays him out with one punch. That’s horrible, but I have missed Lujan’s violent tendencies dearly. It’s good to have her back! Laura pulls Lujan off Marcos — who’s apparently been concussed with one punch — and tries to explain, but then Lola comes up to defend her sister, and Laura can’t very well say Marcos is her fake boyfriend with Lola right there. Eventually Francisco runs up and drags Lujan off, and the four of them (sans Lola) have a talk about Laura’s madcap plan to pass Marcos off as her fake boyfriend. “So the thing is that my sister is in love with my boyfriend,” Laura starts. “Marcos is MY boyfriend,” Lujan cuts in. “No, I mean, my boyfriend is –” “Marco is MY boyfriend!” Oh my God, Lujan. Finally they manage to explain the situation to her, and Lujan grudgingly agrees not to rearrange Laura’s face.
Meanwhile, Lola’s all impressed with Laura for having the guts to steal another girl’s boyfriend. Heh.
Pablo tells Guido and Diego — hey, where’s Tomás in this episode? — that his dad wants him to run for president. He still doesn’t love the idea, even though his dad was trying to sell it to him like a spam email selling Viagra, but Diego and Guido think he should do it, and promise him votes.
Manuel skulks around the office, and overhears Blas not-at-all conspicuously give Gloria a super secret folder for safekeeping. She puts it in the teachers’ lounge, and Manuel sneaks in to read it. For a second I thought it was going to be a trap like everything else Blas has done so far, but Manuel manages to successfully make off with the folder. He finds a list of transactions, with a couple of names circled. (I can’t make out the first one, but the second name is Victoria.)
Gloria sees an ad in the paper for some woman named “Madame Finsky” (Finski? I don’t know), who’s some fake Russian woman — I’m guessing by the way she constantly says “Da” instead of “Sí,” but otherwise speaks perfect Spanish. Gloria goes to her house, where Madame Finsky has some kind of seance set up. How many fake psychics are there running around Buenos Aires? Madame Finsky asks a lot of leading questions and susses out that Gloria’s in love with a married man, and Gloria’s like, “Omg, you’re so wise!”, because she’s never read a book about psychics in her life. Madame Finsky says she can cast a spell to break up Dunoff and Mama D’s marriage, but first she needs Dunoff’s underwear. Wait, what? I feel like this is all a front for some weird panty-sniffing fetish.
Dunoff rounds up the class and asks if anyone is interested in running for student council. “Me!” Marizza chirps. “…anyone else?” Dunoff asks. Heh. Marizza brags that everyone knows she’s the only choice, and nobody will bother to challenge her, which gets Pablo het up enough to announce his candidacy as well. “May the best one win,” Dunoff mutters, clearly not giving a shit.
Manuel leaves the school, folder in hand. He’s not outside for five minutes when a car pulls up and two men wrestle him inside. How do all these kidnappings occur right outside of Elite Way? Invest in some cameras, Dunoff!
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