Previously on Rebelde Way: Manuel’s brain damage has left him unable to do a high-five, yet he can apparently talk extensively about his past and emotions. Sure. Pablo refuses to believe that Manuel won’t be able to get his full faculties back and decides to enlist a second opinion.
The new doctor comes in and tries to high-five Manuel. Manuel misses the high-five and the doctor’s like, “Well, pack it up, he’s gonna be an invalid for the rest of his life.” The doctor tells Pablo and Papa C what we’ve heard a million times already; blah blah Manuel COULD get better but he’s lost the will to live blah. Pablo’s like, “That’s because this hospital sucks!” and the doctor says, “No, the hospital’s not the problem.” I mean…maybe it’s not the main problem, but I feel like it’s a factor, what with their penchant for not letting their patients outside and habitually lying to them. (That’s not even GETTING into what happens at the end of this episode.)
Pablo suggests that they send Manuel back to school to try and resume his normal life. The doctor says that it’s not up to him; Manuel’s guardian will have to sign off on it. For some reason, Papa C dramatically stares off into the distance with a look of anguish. What? Manuel’s clearly not getting any better so you might as well try something else; all the kids at school have been supportive; and Manuel’s shown that his higher brain functions are all pretty much working normally. Maybe it’s not quite as simple as all that, but it’s hardly some kind of brutal decision, worthy of many sleepless, tear-filled nights.
Etchamendi goes to see Papa B and tell him that Dunoff refused to resign. Papa B’s like, “But how? He’s usually such a pushover.” Etchamendi’s like, “IKR, I don’t know what’s gotten into him.” Hee. He frets that they can’t outright fire Dunoff, as that will cost the school board tons of money in…idk, broken contracts and lost enrollments or something (I mean, don’t tell me anyone was enrolling in that school for Dunoff’s principal skills). Papa B says he’ll come through with the money; their only focus now is getting rid of Dunoff.
Vico takes her dad to his AA meeting. He’s all nervous and sweaty about going in, but Vico gives him a speech about how everyone in there is in recovery so he shouldn’t be ashamed. She promises to wait for him, and he goes in. It’d be really dark if he was lying about going to AA and there’s actually like, an opium den inside the building.
We never find out, though, because he goes in, and then when we cut back, he comes out and he’s like, “Well, that wasn’t so bad.” He tries to get Vico to come back to the house with him again, but she holds her ground and says no.
You’ll recall that Mia decided not to go to Lalo and Feli’s house so that she could go to lunch with her mom. While she waits for Mama C, she tries to write a letter to Manuel explaining why she doesn’t want to see him. She’s like, “Dear Manuel, we used to date and were the power couple of a famous telenovela, but then you bleached your hair and started cheating on me and assaulted me when I tried to move on after our breakup, and you don’t even have the decency to remember me after all that bullshit.” Not in so many words.
She gets interrupted by a call from Mama C, cancelling their lunch for today. OMG, do you guys think that Mia’s mother, who abandoned her when she was young, is…not a reliable parent? I’m shocked. Mia asks where Mama C is, saying that she’s willing to come to her if Mama C can’t pick her up. Mama C acts really cagey and sus and tells Mia no. Mia is suspicious and decides to track her down anyway. Aw! Detective Mia is the best Mia!
Papa C comes home and wants to know where everyone is. Hilda tells him that Sonia and Marizza went out, and Mia is still avoiding him. Papa C is alone, so very alone.
Meanwhile, Guido is failing to study history. His tutor is like, “Are you not here because you genuinely want to improve your schoolwork?” and Guido’s like, “No, I was just trying to use this opportunity to get Laura to fuck me. Passing my exams would be a bonus, I guess.”
Luckily for Guido’s poor tutor, Mia rolls up in search of a nerd to help her track down Mama C. She asks Guido’s tutor if he can trace the phone number that Mama C called from. The tutor’s like, “Of course I can, in 2003, we believed that anyone who was slightly geeky was capable of tracing literally anything that was sent over a wire.”
Sol calls Feli’s mom, pretending to be Vico. She tells Feli’s mom that Feli and Lalo are going to move in together, and gives Feli’s mom the address. Mama Feli speeds over there posthaste, but then all the kids convince her that this is the new location of Feli’s fashion boutique — remember, she told her mom she needed her inheritance early to start a business — and not because she’s fixing it up to live there in sin with Lalo and their illegitimate child. Mama Feli doesn’t really believe this, but she leaves so that they can save their dramatic confrontation for the end of the episode.
Pablo goes to the hospital and tells Manuel that he and Marizza broke up. Manuel’s like, “That’s rough buddy. Hey, speaking of girls, do you ever like…get a funny feeling…when a girl is around…like in your pants?” Oh, Jesus Christ. Can somebody just hook Manuel up with the Puberty in New Zealand sockpuppet so that I don’t have to hear about his dick anymore? I am so tired. Anyway, the reason Manuel is asking is because he’s been getting butterflies in his stomach whenever he sees Angeles. You know, his nurse, who surely is at least in her twenties, if she’s finished nursing school and has a steady job at a hospital.
Pablo says, “Well, Manuel, sometimes you get crushes on people who are older than you, like nurses or teachers or celebrities. This often happens when you’re young and inexperienced, because you’re not ready to embark on a real relationship with a peer, so you focus on someone who is not on your age or social level so you don’t actually have to act on your feelings. It’s normal for you to feel this way, but if any of those people actually begin a relationship with you, they’re taking advantage of you and should be stopped.”
Okay, just kidding, Pablo doesn’t know that many big words. He actually says, “Yeah, that happens, and Angeles is cute, but it’s just a crush and it’s never gonna happen because she’s way older than you and also your nurse.”
Haha, just kidding again. Pablo ACTUALLY encourages Manuel to go for it, and tells him that when Angeles comes in to check on him, he should assault her by grabbing her and kissing her. What the fuck! That’s the worst fucking advice ever, what the hell is wrong with you, Pablo???
Papa C goes to see Mia again and tries to talk to her about her mother. Mia seems to finally accept that Papa C was trying his best and wasn’t the sole reason Mama C left. Nevertheless, she still wants to get away for a while — except she no longer wants to live in Italy with her uncle; she plans to follow Mama C on her globetrotting adventures. Papa C’s like, “I mean…good luck with that.”
Back at school, Guido gets a call from Pablo. Pablo says that he needs a favor from Guido. At first I was like, “Please, God, don’t let him ask Guido to explain erections to Manuel or something,” but the call is mostly just a pretext for Guido to be on the phone when Papa B shows up at the school. Guido tells Pablo that his father is here, and Pablo asks Guido to cover for him. Guido tells Papa B that Pablo went out, and Papa B says he’ll just wait here until he gets back. Wow, running Buenos Aires really doesn’t involve any actual work at all, does it?
Also, I spoke too soon, because Guido goes to the hospital anyway! He has a bag full of…something (dirty magazines? sex toys? I shudder to think), but Pablo tells him that they don’t need whatever it is anymore, since he convinced Manuel to assault Angeles on his own. And then Pablo tells Guido to go back to school and get rid of Papa B. Glad we spent time on this scene.
Manuel’s doctor comes back and Pablo tries to stop him from going to see Manuel. Because…he thinks Angeles is reciprocating her underage patient’s advances, and they’re having sex in the hospital room right now? What is going ON with this plot? Anyway, the doctor shoves past and instead finds Manuel curled up in the bed, while Angeles hovers awkwardly in the doorway. Manuel refuses to talk to anyone, and the doctor privately tells Pablo that he thinks Manuel is falling into depression. Pablo’s like, “It’s because this hospital is making him miserable!!! He can’t be depressed, he was fine five minutes ago!!!” Wow, do you think maybe something happened in those five minutes? Something that maybe you told him to do, like forcefully kissing his nurse? WHAT’S NOT CLICKING, PABLO???
Mia gets a ride to a random building, and she asks the doorman if anyone matching Mama C’s description lives there. “That’s impossible! Nobody lives here!” the doorman says really ominously, before revealing that nobody “lives” here because it’s an office building. I feel like he could’ve just said that without the dramatics. Anyway, for some reason Mia is really shocked by this. She decides to wait until Mama C comes out, much to the complaint of the taxi driver.
We cut to see that Mama C is sitting in a really dark room, talking to some guy that she calls “Doctor.” I feel like being in a room lit either like a sketchy hotel or a murderer’s basement is not conducive to therapy. Anyway, the doctor mentions that Mama C has talked about leaving Buenos Aires, and tells her that she should stay and work on not being such a flake.
Over at Feli and Lalo’s house, Marcos is like, “You know what will really nourish us after a long day of manual labor? Bubble gum!” Everyone cackles and product places Bubbaloo some more, while Lalo, Feli, Laura, and Francisco talk about her pregnancy some more. Feli sighs that she’s gonna have to tell her family about it. Oh my God, just do it already.
Pablo makes his way back into Manuel’s hospital room and asks why he’s suddenly emo. “Because you gave me shitty advice and Angeles was really freaked out by me kissing her, shockingly,” Manuel says, although not in those words. He wails that it must be because he’s shit at kissing, and Pablo’s like, “No, no, I’m sure it was just because she’s your nurse and it would’ve been unprofessional to kiss you back.” I mean…that’s not the only reason, but at least he’s acknowledging that it was inappropriate, I guess. In that case, though, why the hell did Pablo think this was a good idea to begin with? WHAT IS HAPPENING???
Anyway, Pablo assures Manuel that he’ll find some other girl to help Manuel with his newfound penile issues. Once again, the way this show treats girls like abstract resources that boys can simply draw from whenever they’re horny is so gross. Manuel pouts that that won’t fix the problem, because the problem is him. I mean, he’s not wrong, just not in the way that he means right now.
Vico goes back to school and sees Rocco. He’s got a box full of crap and says he’s bringing it to Lalo and Feli’s house. Why are you just leaving NOW, Rocco? They’re done fixing the house! Feli is on her way back to school to have her dramatic showdown with her mother! Whatever. Vico volunteers to go with him, and Rocco is snippy until Vico explains that she was actually going to an AA meeting with her dad. She gives him a pretty good speech about how she wants her dad to get better and she’s going to support him as long as he puts in the effort, and if Rocco doesn’t believe her, he can fuck off. Rocco’s like, “Oh.” Then he and Vico make out. I mean…you could apologize, too, Rocco!
Mia is still waiting for Mama C. The cab driver — I guess? His car literally has no markings at all — asks if he can leave, and Mia’s like, “Why, it’s not like you have anything better to do.” Heh.
Mama C comes out, apparently still in her therapy session, since she and the doctor are talking loudly about why she wants to leave: the therapist is like, “I don’t know why you’re so EAGER TO GET AWAY FROM YOUR DAUGHTER, because I don’t think it’s healthy for you to TRY AND AVOID HER BECAUSE YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE HER!” Mama C frets that, by spending time with Mia, she’ll taint Mia with her mental illness. The therapist reminds her that Mia has Mama C’s genes, so she’s already “contaminated” anyway. What a nice way to talk about people with mental illness. Mia sees them and decides to leave. I’m not sure if she heard them or if she now suspects Mama C has a boyfriend on the side.
Over at the Convenience Store Foster Home, Lujan finally tells Mauro who Blas was. She says that he always took care of her, but she didn’t realize that she loved him until he died. Lujan, he…he repeatedly physically assaulted you, verbally abused you, and also was abusing your classmates. He didn’t even die defending you or anything! He was literally running away from having to deal with you! Am I taking crazy pills??
Anyway, Lujan was hoping that Marcos’s files had some more info about Blas, but it doesn’t seem to be much besides old paperwork. Mauro notices that there’s a phone number on one of the papers and suggests calling it. Lujan’s like, “What for?” and Mauro’s like, “To…see if it leads us to more information about Blas?” Heh. Once again, a character on this show professes to care deeply for someone but gives up about 2 minutes into attempting to find them.
Mauro calls the number and it turns out to be for a lawyer, by the name of Antonio Fernandez. Lujan’s like, “UGH, clearly lawyers have NOTHING to do with it, so calling this Fernandez guy is POINTLESS and we should just NOT BOTHER.” Mauro points out that Fernandez’s name is on all of the papers about Blas and is like, “Maybe he DOES have something to do with this, dummy.”
Back at school, Guido tells Pablo that he successfully annoyed Papa B until he left, but Papa B still wants Pablo to call him. Then Javier comes in, and Pablo needles him for not being at home, sucking up to Papa B. Javier says that he’s waiting for his dad — his real dad. Oh, show. Please don’t try to make me care about Javier’s daddy issues.
Anyway, Pablo keeps being snippy, and finally Javier is like, “Just ’cause Marizza broke up with you, don’t take it out on ME.” Pablo does not like that at all. He jumps up to break Javier’s face and Javier runs away while Guido has to hold Pablo back. Guido’s like, “Calm down, I’ll get you a beer and everything will be fine.” Oh, sure, enable the alcoholic. Guido is such a terrible friend.
Then Guido walks out to see Javier on the phone, telling Papa B that Pablo has come back to school. Heh. At least do your sketchy spy work on the other end of the school, Javier. Guido immediately goes in to report back to Pablo, and Pablo’s like, “Now my father knows I’m here! This is the worst thing that could have possible happened!” Seriously, why is he even avoiding Papa B? I mean, I can understand that Pablo doesn’t want to see him, but he already committed to joining the Dark Side, so like…what exactly does he think is going to happen?
Anyway, Guido yells at Pablo to just suck it up and call Papa B. I can’t believe I’m siding with Guido, but for real, we’ve cumulatively wasted like half an hour over the drama of whether or not Pablo is going to pick up a fucking phone. So Pablo calls, and Papa B offers to double Pablo’s existing allowance, as long as Pablo comes by tomorrow. Papa B has an interview and wants his son there to make him look like a family man. Pablo doesn’t want to go, so Papa B also says he can bring along “two friends.” I like how he says that in the abstract, as though Pablo clearly isn’t going to invite Guido and Tomás.
Back at Lujan’s foster home, her foster mom comes in with Blas’s file, saying Lujan left it at the convenience store. Mauro grabs it and snaps at Lujan for leaving something so important at the store. Lujan whines some more that all it had was that ONE phone number, so clearly it’s not important at ALL and there’s NO POINT IN EVEN TRYING. Mauro’s like, what the fuck is wrong with you, and Lujan ends up crying that nothing she wishes for ever comes true — she wants Blas and Marcos and Marizza to all reach out to her, but obviously it’s never going to happen. “Everything I want is impossible.”
I thought this sounded bizarrely familiar for several minutes, then I realized that it was making me think of the lead-in to “Impossible” from Cinderella. Does that make Mauro Whitney Houston?
(Could not find a clip that had the relevant dialogue before the song, but whatever, here it is if you want to take a break and listen to some Rodgers & Hammerstein.)
Anyway, tragically (?), Mauro does not break out into song. He just tells Lujan to suck it up and call the lawyer on Monday.
Pablo is still pitching a fit over Javier selling him out to Papa B. I mean…whatever, Pablo, you live at this school. You can’t avoid your dad forever. Guido tells him to calm down and to leave Javier to him: “I’ll serve you his head on a platter.” I can’t say that’s too threatening, coming from Guido.
In her room, Mia is internal-monologuing about how both of her parents lied to her and how alone in the universe she is. Then Mama C shows up, asking if Mia wants to get dinner. Mia wails that the only thing she wants is the truth — Mama C lied to her! She was meeting up with some guy today! I mean, all Mama C said was that she was too busy to have lunch, which wasn’t exactly a lie. Whatever. Mia ugly cries and Mama C says that she’s only happy when she’s with Mia. I guess that’s all Mia really wanted to hear, because she immediately hugs Mama C. Sure. Whatever.
Javier’s actual dad comes to see him, and he’s just…some random white dude? Remember when Martavio was like, “Not to be racist or anything, but Javier sucks“? What was that about??? Am I supposed to think Ines isn’t European or something???? That moment is going to haunt me to my grave, I swear to God.
Anyway, Javier is all snippy about how his dad is late. His dad tells him to quit being such a whiny punk. “You know why we never see each other? Because I can’t stand how much of a baby you are!” Papa Javier says. HEE. I mean, wow, that’s a harsh thing to say to your child, but also — whatever, he’s not wrong. Also Javier is 35 years old anyway, as we know. Anyway, Papa Javier says that this is Ines’s fault for coddling him, then he tells Javier to grow up before he leaves.
After Papa Javier storms out, we cut to Guido looking devious. I guess he…impeded Papa Javier’s arrival in some way, so that he was late? Whatever, I don’t care that much.
Over at the hospital, Manuel is still sulking when Angeles comes back, dressed in a pink tank top. She tells him that he doesn’t need to be ashamed of kissing her earlier today — the only problem was that he didn’t romance her properly beforehand! So she’s brought champagne so they can have a “date” before Manuel tries to stick his tongue down her throat again! “We have all night for you to seduce me and kiss me like a real man, and not a boy stealing a kiss from your teacher.” I…okay, at first I was just like, “Whatever, this is just a dream sequence, but…it’s going on for a really long time? Show? Is Manuel going to wake up soon? Hello????
So Angeles makes out with Manuel (GROSS!!! SO GROSS!!!) and he starts fantasizing that she’s Mia instead. Somehow, this gives him the inspiration to finally control his motor functions. Wow. Horniness really does remain undefeated.
Back at school, Feli and Vico finally come back from fixing up the house. Vico leaves to get them some food, and Feli’s mom waltzes in. She tells Feli that she wants to know the truth about what Feli’s up to, and Feli finally confesses that she’s pregnant and planning to marry Lalo. You know what? Good! Finally! This was getting exhausting!
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