Party Of Five (2019) - General Discussion

[Scarlett45]

These kids (and Emilio) are good people. You can tell their parents did a great job with them. Beto is such a kind and thoughtful brother to Val. 
 

 

[bybrandy]

I don't know why it amuses me but the part where they had to give Beto/Bailey the same nickname while keeping no other names the same/similar?  It amuses me.   

I appreciate the fact that they are dealing with the fact that being able to talk to the parents when things are going wrong is inherently different from the original show and how that contact can be for better or worse.  

I don't know anything about stealing a social security number but when ice raids the restaurant and looks at um... homeless kid's... papers they won't run his social security number through a database and see that he should be 0 years old?   

 

[paulvdb]

1 hour ago, bybrandy said:

I don't know why it amuses me but the part where they had to give Beto/Bailey the same nickname while keeping no other names the same/similar?  It amuses me.

Lucia and Julia are also similar. They have three letters in common out of five.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Vanessa: In my defense, I really prioritized not having a roommate over livability.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Heh, I'm with Vanessa - I'll take a smaller place if that means no roommates! I didn't mind having roommates when I was younger but once I was done with college, I was like NO THANKS.

Like Emilio, I am really allergic to cats and unfortunately (1) everyone seems to have one and (2) cats love me. Whenever someone invites me over for the first time, I have to ask if they have a cat because I really can't be around them or I start wheezing. Sometimes I break out in hives. It suuuuuucks.

And in Emilio's defense re: Vanessa, he didn't know that Beto was interested in her. But to be fair, it doesn't really matter which guy is interested in Vanessa because it's her choice and she chose Emilio. It just goes to show how immature Beto is that he thought it was perfectly okay that he hired her because he was interested in her (and that he thought a grad student in her mid-20s would want to date a 16 year old high school student). It was so gross that he went out of his way to tell her that Emilio was just going to dump her. I'm so tired of watching guys act like women owe them something. Just because you like her doesn't mean she has to date you, Beto.

Maybe Emilio can't forbid Beto from driving Uncle Louie's convertible, but is Beto paying for his own car insurance?

Valentina's obsession with her parents not calling is really unhealthy. I know that she misses them but all of the possible explanations that Lucia gave her for their parents not calling were all valid, logical, and reasonable. Val really needs a therapist, even if it's just the free counselor at school. Panicking, imagining worst case scenarios, and obsessing about the fact that they're a few hours late calling all point to Val needing some therapy.

[Scarlett45]

3 hours ago, bybrandy said:

I don't know anything about stealing a social security number but when ice raids the restaurant and looks at um... homeless kid's... papers they won't run his social security number through a database and see that he should be 0 years old?   

SSNs don’t exactly work that way. Now in 10-20 years maybe they will, but your bday isn’t attached to your SSN in every single system. 
 

Foster kids have their SSNs/identities stolen and sold all the time, and identities are stolen by people you know (a family member or a friend who has your information, many parents steal their child’s identities to get around credit requirements and cause problems for their kids later)- that part was very realistic (and awful, that baby will have tons of problems when they open their first bank account etc). Also purchasing that SSN is a federal crime, and will effect that young man’s status in the future- ugh I understand his desperation but a felony is not the way to go!!!

 

its nice to see the actor from The Fosters get work (Uncle Louis)- but it’s good to show that exploitation doesn’t just mean sexual or physical abuse (or threats)- 30% of the bar for 16 years?!!!!!!!! So they essentially made no profits from the bar, after fees, buying the liquor and expenses. However Emilio is still young and prone to mistakes- in his shoes I’d have paid up what was owed plus a “thank you”, once the license was transferred to my name to pacify that scum, cause now he’s got to watch himself. (For the record I’m not saying Louie was right- but when you deal with shady people being straightforward isn’t always the smoothest course). 

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Valentina's obsession with her parents not calling is really unhealthy. I know that she misses them but all of the possible explanations that Lucia gave her for their parents not calling were all valid, logical, and reasonable. Val really needs a therapist, even if it's just the free counselor at school. Panicking, imagining worst case scenarios, and obsessing about the fact that they're a few hours late calling all point to Val needing some therapy.

I agree. Poor Val. Beto is a great brother but he’s not a professional and a kid himself, she needs someone to talk to. But because she’s the “good kid”, if she’s not screaming or messing up in class people might ignore that she needs help. 
 

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

And in Emilio's defense re: Vanessa, he didn't know that Beto was interested in her. But to be fair, it doesn't really matter which guy is interested in Vanessa because it's her choice and she chose Emilio.

I 100% agree! And like you said above- Beto is a KID! Vanessa is a grown ass woman. (Isn’t she over 21?) That’s RAPE. She doesn’t exist just to be a pretty object for him to look at, him thinking he had a chance or a claim was ridiculous. Now it wouldn’t be right but it would make more sense if he and Lucia were interested in the same person and fighting about that cause they are TWINS and it would be socially appropriate. But still, just cause you think a girl is hot doesn’t mean she exists for your viewing pleasure. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

25 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

Beto is a KID! Vanessa is a grown ass woman. (Isn’t she over 21?)

She's a grad student so unless she's a prodigy like Doogie Howser, she's at least 22 (and that's if she started her grad program immediately following her undergrad - most of the grad students I know are in their mid to late 20s). In other words, way too old for 16 year old Beto!

As a separate issue, it's ludicrous that Beto is mad that Emilio wasn't psychic enough to know that he was interested in Vanessa and should therefore not pursue her. He never said or did anything in front of Emilio that indicated he was interested in Vanessa so calling Emilio an asshole was out of line. I mean, Emilio shouldn't be dating anyone who works at the restaurant because that's a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen, but in terms of Beto, he's acting like Ross on Friends when the guy at the museum ate his clearly labeled Thanksgiving sandwich with the moist maker. Heh, I know the food analogy is not great since Vanessa is a person with free will, not a sandwich, but the point still stands that Beto was being possessive about something that wasn't his to be possessive about in the first place..

44 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

just cause you think a girl is hot doesn’t mean she exists for your viewing pleasure. 

Or that she's off limits to other guys!

40 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

But because she’s the “good kid”, if she’s not screaming or messing up in class people might ignore that she needs help. 

Sadly, this is exactly the issue. Since she isn't a problem child, they've all been assuming that she's fine. Lucia only got some (unwanted) attention because she was acting up in class so that's where Emilio turned his attention. I get that they're all busy and they're all dealing with this loss and simultaneous new responsibility but Val waking Beto up every night should have been a pretty big clue.

[Maggie71310]

Not sure how Beto expected Emilio to know he had a thing for Vanessa.

I agree with Vanessa and everyone that roommates can be the worst.

I understand Lucia wanting to help out her new friend but not at the expense of possibly hurting her family future and them being able to stay together. 

 

[KaveDweller]

16 hours ago, bybrandy said:

I don't know anything about stealing a social security number but when ice raids the restaurant and looks at um... homeless kid's... papers they won't run his social security number through a database and see that he should be 0 years old?   
 

Even if they don't, it still seemed risky to stay. I mean, they made a point of saying that Emilio didn't have to be an expert at looking at papers, but wouldn't ICE be more knowledgeable?

I am enjoying this so far, but the parents being alive and calling all the time makes it very different from the original. I am also finding Val super, super annoying. I understand why she is struggling, but that doesn't mean I like it. I don't remember Claudia being so annoying in the original, but I was about her age so I may have seen it differently.

[memememe76]

Still loving it. I really bought Val’s fear about the ICE attack. With a parental death, you don’t view the parental POV, other than through flashbacks. Here, we can see how the parents are grieving too. For me, we see enough parental deaths on teen oriented shows. I like this change from the original. 
 

I like Beto, but I thought the creators would have the Bailey character gay. His infatuation with Vanessa is short term and his best quality is interaction with Val. We don’t know what he is passionate about. 
 

There are long term redemption arcs for Emilio and Lucia, but not sure where Beto is heading to, bit of a blank slate. 

[shoregirl]

I would guess Val has extra trauma from watching her parents be detained and having to be the one to call her older siblings to break that news.  I can't imagine how terrible that must have been so I could see her getting overly concerned or upset when they don't call when she expects them to.  But I agree they definitely need to get her to talk to someone be that a therapist or a counselor at her school.

[tennisgurl]

I really wish they could find a professional for Val to talk to, she is clearly struggling terribly with everything that happened (and was the one who was actually there to see her parents get taken away) and is happening, her anxiety is getting out of control. Beto is trying his best to help, but he is also a kid going through stuff, so he can only help so much. 

Beto can be pretty mature for his age a lot of times, especially with his family, but he is such a kid about Vanessa. Him being mad at her and Emilio for being together is unfair to them, I mean its not like they even knew he was interested in her, and even if they didnt, she isnt under any obligation to fate him because he likes her, and, this is a big one, Vanessa is way too old for teenage Beto. He might not see it that way, but Vanessa does (thank god) and if she is a grad student, she must be at least 22, possibly closer to 24 or so, that is far too old for him. 

The parents still being alive adds a lot of interesting elements to the show, especially the issues between Papi and Emilio and their differing management styles. I am liking this show a lot so far. 

[paulvdb]

Season Finale of "Party of Five" to Air as Special 90-Minute Episode on March 4

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S1.E4: Authentic Mexican

Quote

Emilio sees an opportunity to make extra money catering on the side; at the party, Beto encounters Ella and a flirtation begins; Lucia finds her voice in an unlikely way; Val unravels when she learns about her mother's new job in Mexico.

Promo:

Clip:

Original air date: 1/22/20

[Scarlett45]

Oh THATS what Val was talking about, from my first viewing of the promo I couldn’t tell, but it seems that Gloria is a nanny/housekeeper/caregiver for a family as her new job. Well Gloria has raised 4 kids and likes children, that would be a good job for her. Assuming the family wasn’t crazy or sexually harassing her, that would be an advantageous position given she doesn’t have a lot of education. She’s indoors, meals are likely covered when she’s on shift, it’s not physically demanding or dangerous etc. 
 

Poor Val needs to talk to someone- her Mom taking a nanny job doesn’t mean someone has taken her place with her mom. Of course I understand why she’s upset. I do like the actress that’s planning Val- and the writing is good for her too. She’s a smart kid but she’s still a kid, writers often do horribly at writing between the ages of 8-14, precious preschoolers are easy, and teens have lots of Romance and coming of age drama, but those middle years are often written way younger than they are in real life. Just because Val is academically smart and has high IQ doesn’t mean she still isn’t emotionally 12 years old and wants her mom. 

[VCRTracking]

Man, lucky Jenny.

 

[methodwriter85]

On 1/16/2020 at 10:35 PM, memememe76 said:

I like Beto, but I thought the creators would have the Bailey character gay. His infatuation with Vanessa is short term and his best quality is interaction with Val. We don’t know what he is passionate about. 
 

There are long term redemption arcs for Emilio and Lucia, but not sure where Beto is heading to, bit of a blank slate. 

I thought they were going to make Lucia gay where she got asked to hang out by the lesbian, but they didn't go there. (Maybe they still will- Julia did experiment with lesbianism on the OG show.) I did note the former friend who got left behind, which I think did happen on the OG show, right? Julia had a close nerdy friend who she ditched for "cooler" people and she wound up committing suicide, which led to Julia deferring/turning down Stanford for a year. (Which she wound up only attending for like a year or two before dropping out anyway. LOL.)

I figure the LGBT representation is Matthew, who is played by an openly trans person named Garcia. I did figure that's why he didn't have ID to show to Emilio and why he's estranged by his parents.

I would be down for Beto discovering he was bisexual- bisexual men are a serious rarity on T.V. I do figure that the alcohol storyline from the OG show will happen here- I thought the dad looked/sounded drunk when he and Emilio had an argument on the phone. I would rather them do something else than just alcohol, though.

Vanessa is really well done, and I loved that she's being treated like an actual person and not just a dream girl for the brothers to fight over. I'm so used to twisty mystery who's it, what's it dramas that seeing slow-burning shows based on character relationships is so strange to me. They all talk and act like real people. I also loved Beto and Lucia's teacher representing the viewpoint that people who came here legally can feel about those who did not.

I'm going to hand it to the creators- they did a fantastic job of rebooting their show concept into something that has echos of the original show, but feels like something else entirely in a good way. I'm actively rooting for these people.

Quote

Lucia and Julia are also similar. They have three letters in common out of five.

I looked it up and the meaning of Claudia is "lame, crippled." The meaning of Valentina is " healthy, strong." They are literally opposite names. LOL.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

1 hour ago, methodwriter85 said:

I'm going to hand it to the creators- they did a fantastic job of rebooting their show concept into something that has echos of the original show, but feels like something else entirely in a good way.

I agree - they did a great job of making it a new show with its own identity while still reminding us of the old show (but without being an exact copy).

[Was-MArsenault]

How come Wikipedia only lists four out of the five Acosta children? Who is the fifth?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

3 hours ago, MikaelaArsenault said:

How come Wikipedia only lists four out of the five Acosta children? Who is the fifth?

Probably because the babies playing Rafa aren’t really acting. 

[Was-MArsenault]

Just now, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Probably because the babies playing Rafa aren’t really acting. 

Thank you.

[Scarlett45]

Okay I had no idea Emilo was so built. I’m swooning- and going to follow the actor on Instagram. 🤩👏🏽

[possibilities]

The baby who plays Rafa is seriously adorable.

 

[Scarlett45]

4 hours ago, possibilities said:

The baby who plays Rafa is seriously adorable.

 

He is!

I am proud of how Vanessa handled herself “I wouldn’t like myself very much if I agreed to that.” - GOOD FOR YOU GIRL. Emilio, damn man, so you want all the benefits of being exclusive (like sex without condoms), but want to be able to dump Vanessa when something better comes along without guilt. Vanessa deserves better. (I know she’s still a cast member and they will likely get back together sometime but Emilio has a lot of making up to do for that sentence)

Beto- yeah I know he and that girl were feeling each other (in an age appropriate way) but you don’t make out with people on the job- which he knows but teenage impulse control and all. As always he’s a great brother to Val and I’m glad the young lady seems to actually like him too. 
 

Lucia has her own emotional demons- nothing wrong with being like your Mom Lucia, it’s not a curse. Your mom is a beautiful kind woman (and a good cook), being like her in some ways doesn’t mean your lives will be identical. Val was just trying to pay her a compliment. 

[Scarlett45]

On 1/22/2020 at 3:07 AM, methodwriter85 said:

I figure the LGBT representation is Matthew, who is played by an openly trans person named Garcia. I did figure that's why he didn't have ID to show to Emilio and why he's estranged by his parents.

Oh I didn’t know that! Thanks for sharing. I knew there was a good reason Matthew left home (likely abuse or something), but his being trans makes sense as to why he didn’t take his state id/DL with him. (Or did but won’t show it). 
 

One of the things I like about FreeForm shows is that they actually cast trans people to play trans people!!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Beto: Is there something you could say [in the wedding toast] about what they love about each other?
Ella: Money. Boobs. It's a tale as old as time.

Lucia: Why do you think I can't handle this? I know how to argue with people. It's one of my many skills.

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Oh, Emilio. You know there are stores in LA that are open after dark where you can buy condoms, right? Or hey, spring for an Instacart delivery if you absolutely can't leave the house!

That client was a nightmare. If you want a mariachi band, HIRE ONE YOURSELF, LADY. Finding a band is not part of the caterer's job. But note to Emilio: that's why you have a catering contract that spells out exactly what you are providing.

I was waiting for the client to get mad that instead of a mariachi band, all she got was Emilio with a guitar.

Beto is an immature idiot. He is a minor so he can't serve alcohol. Despite the fact that his family's business is barely keeping its head above water, he decided to risk that by (1) serving alcohol (2) to someone who could be under 21. Either of these offenses could get the restaurant into HUGE trouble.

I'm glad Vanessa has enough self esteem not to put up with Emilio's bull shit.

So Ella is the new JLH?

[Samwise979]

6 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Oh, Emilio. You know there are stores in LA that are open after dark where you can buy condoms, right? Or hey, spring for an Instacart delivery if you absolutely can't leave the house!

Vanessa: if we're going to have sex without a condom we better get tested first. 

Emilio: know anywhere we can get tested in the next 10 minutes?

Me: no, but you can drive to the store for more condoms in the next 10 minutes..... 🙄🙄🙄

[ElectricBoogaloo]

6 minutes ago, Samwise979 said:

Vanessa: if we're going to have sex without a condom we better get tested first. 

Emilio: know anywhere we can get tested in the next 10 minutes?

Me: no, but you can drive to the store for more condoms in the next 10 minutes..... 🙄🙄🙄

Ha, I thought the exact same thing when he said that!

[Jeddah]

13 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Lucia has her own emotional demons- nothing wrong with being like your Mom Lucia, it’s not a curse. Your mom is a beautiful kind woman (and a good cook), being like her in some ways doesn’t mean your lives will be identical. Val was just trying to pay her a compliment. 

I think being like her mom is definitely a curse for Lucia. She’s a teenager and she is literally raising her mother’s kids. She doesn’t want that, and she has every right to be angry about it. I thought it was a sad, but well done moment when she saw her reflection in the window. I like how happy she was when the guy said she could be a lawyer. I hope she gets the chance.

[tennisgurl]

Aww Lucia looked so happy when the guy she dinged said she should be a lawyer one day! Poor Lucia, there is certainly nothing wrong with being like your mom, even if she now feels like she is suddenly being put into a "mom" role while still in high school, she can cook AND be have be a kickass fighter of injustice! 

I did like the part where Val was crying and upset about their mom and Lucia leaving her, and Lucia starts getting upset too and throwing all of her own personal stuff out there, while Beto just picks her up and carries her back to her room. Beto is definitely the most naturally nurturing of the siblings, there is probably a reason he is normally the one taking care of Val. 

Beto can be so mature and responsible about some things, but such a dumbass teen about other things, IE making out with the clients granddaughter in the middle of the cringy party they got hired to cater. Pretty dumb of him, but at least this girl is age appropriate and seems to really like him back, so thats a step forward from being pissed and hurt about Vanessa and Emilio at least! 

Oh Emilio, dont throw away a good thing because you have commitment issues! I figure that they will get back together, as Vanessa is a main character, but I am glad that she told him she wasnt down for his No Strings Attached thing, when you has stronger feelings for him. 

That client was an absolute horror show (old lady in the corner? You want to use people as props?!) what a messed up family that is. Beto might have been unprofessional kissing the granddaughter, but her dad was a total asshole, and I am glad that Emilio stood up for him. Its interesting that Beto got in trouble for kissing a clients relative, when Emilio just got yelled at by his father for dating an employee! Boundaries people! 

What is up with all of these stories about Emilio dating or trying to date much older women when he was a teenager? Its rather concerning considering how young he apparently was, and how this was apparently a pattern. Unless of course Beto was lying or exaggerating the driving instructor story, which is also possible, but this one definitely happened, even if nothing apparently...happened. 

Poor Val, it much be so hard to find out that her mom can be a mother to another girl when she cant be a mom in person to her anymore. At least she has a decent job now. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

5 hours ago, Jeddah said:

I think being like her mom is definitely a curse for Lucia. She’s a teenager and she is literally raising her mother’s kids. She doesn’t want that, and she has every right to be angry about it. I thought it was a sad, but well done moment when she saw her reflection in the window. I like how happy she was when the guy said she could be a lawyer. I hope she gets the chance.

I totally understood where Lucia was coming from. She's at the age where as much as she loves her parents, she doesn't want to be like them, which is not uncommon. On top of that, being a housewife is a very traditional role and a lot of girls I knew at that age (including me) wanted more out of life than getting married, having kids, and cooking/cleaning for their families. It's totally okay to want to have a career outside the home. But for her to know that's not what she wants and then to see that's exactly what she's doing (holding a baby, wearing an apron, and cooking) just infuriated her, especially because she had no choice in the matter.

I think that eventually Lucia will realize how hard being a mom is and appreciate just how much her mom worked to keep everyone fed, clothed, and out the door on time every damn day. And hopefully she will also see that what her new friend is going through is what her mom was faced with. There aren't a lot of lucrative careers available to people who don't have a social security number so it's not like her mom turned down a job on Wall Street to raise a family and work at the family restaurant.

[alexvillage]

This show and the actors are growing on me. I like the new setting and family situation - even if it is hard to watch sometimes - and I like that they are keeping some of the original plots but not completely copying it. Not sure is intentional, but it works for me. For example:

 

19 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Beto is an immature idiot. He is a minor so he can't serve alcohol. Despite the fact that his family's business is barely keeping its head above water, he decided to risk that by (1) serving alcohol (2) to someone who could be under 21. Either of these offenses could get the restaurant into HUGE trouble.

Well, he is a teenager, his hormones begging him to do something, he doesn't think when he gets the attention of the girl. In the original Bailey worked at the restaurant and became an alcoholic. Kids drink all the time, they make mistakes and the point of the show, imo, is the growth a this family without the parents, just like in the original show.

Don't some states allow (or don't punish) underage alcohol at their homes? I have friends whose kids drink in their parties or gatherings.

 

 

[BonnieD]

Quote

It didn't take long before I couldn't stand the way Claudia whined, "CHARLIE!"

And Charlie just whined period. Like ALL the time. Matthew Fox's delivery was less than stellar.
Do hope they'll kill off the parents. Dealing with death--not separation that may or may not be permanent--was a huge part of the original show. The episode where the drunk driver came to make amends and how each child reacted to him was truly great. 

But reminiscing aside... I do like having this reboot to watch, even though I haven't fallen in love with the show. The actors are doing fine. Oldest brother is much less annoying than Charlie ever was, yet still a selfish loser who you want to smack for being so self involved while his family is falling apart. Of course, if the character didn't start that way, there would be no growth and therefore no story to tell.

I'll stick with it--unlike the detestable Roswell reboot. Speaking of...when is that proposed Buffy reboot happening? If I was a young actor, I think i'd be afraid to be involved in that. Fandom is just too hardcore.
 

[memememe76]

I totally get where Lucia is coming from. I saw hard my parents worked at the bakery (while my dad held a second job in construction) and I learned that I NEVER want to run my own business. But as I have grown older, the more respect I have for my parents. I still don’t want to run a business. 
 

I vaguely recall Bailey having a girlfriend with some mental issues in the first season before Jennifer Love Hewitt came on board. I didn’t much care for the girlfriend storyline back then but I do like the actress here. If I were that girl, I would have paid the tip (she probably has the money) but doubt Beto would accept it. 

Edited January 24, 2020 by memememe76

[windsprints]

On 1/23/2020 at 7:06 AM, Scarlett45 said:

I am proud of how Vanessa handled herself “I wouldn’t like myself very much if I agreed to that.” - GOOD FOR YOU GIRL. Emilio, damn man, so you want all the benefits of being exclusive (like sex without condoms), but want to be able to dump Vanessa when something better comes along without guilt. Vanessa deserves better. (I know she’s still a cast member and they will likely get back together sometime but Emilio has a lot of making up to do for that sentence)

 

I think Vanessa is going to be the Kirsten of this series. If you didn't watch the original Kirsten was the nanny. She was initially either engaged or married, I can't remember. Bailey had a crush on her but she & Charlie hit it off. My memories are fuzzy & I don't remember how long it was until she and Charlie got together. 

I had extremely low expectations going in. I like the show quite a bit so far. I'm in for the season.

Edited January 24, 2020 by windsprints

[paulvdb]

11 hours ago, memememe76 said:

I vaguely recall Bailey having a girlfriend with some mental issues in the first season before Jennifer Love Hewitt came on board. I didn’t much care for the girlfriend storyline back then but I do like the actress here.

If I remember correctly her name was Jill and she was Griffin's sister.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

17 hours ago, memememe76 said:

vaguely recall Bailey having a girlfriend with some mental issues in the first season before Jennifer Love Hewitt came on board.

 

6 hours ago, paulvdb said:

If I remember correctly her name was Jill and she was Griffin's sister.

Jill was one of Bailey's S1 girlfriends. She died of an overdose (back when Griffin was played by James Marsden).

[methodwriter85]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:35 AM, BonnieD said:

I'll stick with it--unlike the detestable Roswell reboot. Speaking of...when is that proposed Buffy reboot happening? If I was a young actor, I think i'd be afraid to be involved in that. Fandom is just too hardcore.

Given the way the CW is doing their reboots, Buffy will be a Latina woman called Buffy Verano, Willow will be a transgender lesbian, Xander will be Asian, Angel will be black, and Giles will be a Muslim woman who's stuck in a wheelchair.

Actually, in all seriousness, I hope they think about this and decide to focus on one of the many, many slayers that have existed at many different time period. The New York City slayer of the 1970's looked like a cool woman.

Back to topic...can we please have an episode where Valentina doesn't tearfully angst about her parents? It's not Claudia level yet, but it's getting there.

If they're setting up an eventual abortion storyline for Lucia (which I hope they are because I'm still so pissed at Fox for nixing that storyline and giving Julia the convenient miscarriage), they're doing a great job at showing why she wouldn't keep it but also why she'd be conflicted. I liked the detail of making them Catholic.

As much as Emilio has the body of a Marvel movie star, I'm glad Vanessa had enough respect for herself to drop him when it was clear that a deeper relationship isn't what he actually wants.

I liked Beto and his new "other side of the tracks" love interest. (Still wishing they made Beto gay, but whatever, Wilson Cruz can show up at some point as a nanny for Rafa Make this happen, Lippman.)

Quote

But reminiscing aside... I do like having this reboot to watch, even though I haven't fallen in love with the show. The actors are doing fine.

I like that this reminds me so much of how dramas used to be made- just characters going through life and getting to know each other. I'm getting so over all the twisty dramas that build everything on the plot while very little gets based on the character.  (That's why I pulled out of This is Us after 3 years of watching, because I realized that the characters were never going to be fully developed or expanded upon because things had to be kept back in order to keep giving "twists" and "tearjerker" moments.)

Edited January 26, 2020 by methodwriter85

[Misslindsey]

On 1/26/2020 at 4:20 AM, methodwriter85 said:

I like that this reminds me so much of how dramas used to be made- just characters going through life and getting to know each other. I'm getting so over all the twisty dramas that build everything on the plot while very little gets based on the character.  (That's why I pulled out of This is Us after 3 years of watching, because I realized that the characters were never going to be fully developed or expanded upon because things had to be kept back in order to keep giving "twists" and "tearjerker" moments.)

This. So much of this. I do not need some kind of twist or tearjerker moment every episode. Some of my favorite dramas are ones about people and their lives. I do not mind an occasional twist or teary eyed moments, but when a show relies on them too much it ruins things for me.

I have the unpopular opinion of liking all the characters from the original. I did not always love their storylines or actions, but overall I liked them. I like all the characters so far in this version as well. I am a sucker for these kinds of dramas, so I am in.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S1.E5: Rafa

Quote

Just when Emilio thinks he has it together, baby Rafa becomes ill; after a visit to the emergency room, the Acosta siblings reevaluate how to approach parental duties; Ella and Beto become closer; Lucia continues to risk her safety for Matthew.

Promo:

Original air date: 1/29/20

Edited February 18, 2020 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Emilio: Here's what you really need to know [about sex]: forget everything you learned from porn.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Emilio's plea for everyone to turn off the unused lights reminded me of my dad. He trained us to turn off the lights as we leave each room.

[Scarlett45]

13 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Emilio: Here's what you really need to know [about sex]: forget everything you learned from porn.

Emilio is a good brother. He was right though.
 

Yay for condom use on tv. 

 

The babies playing Rafa are SO CUTE. 

[tennisgurl]

I actually had to look away when cute baby Rafa was having a seizure and you could see his eyes rolling into the back of his head! I dont know what they were actually doing, but it seriously freaked me out. Poor little guy, the family does need to do a better job communicating about him, even if this time it wasnt really anything that they could have done. 

This is why you dont go in hot every time Val, because things get awkward when you dont know the whole story. I knew as soon as she freaked out on that nurse, that it would be something like "I let them in because that guy is about to kneel over and die" so I was majorly cringing, it was the first time I ever saw Val go totally quiet! Good thing Emilio turned on that charm. And finding the women with the baby, I knew that something was up right away. 

I like Betos new girlfriend, but he has clearly bitten off a bit more than what he can chew, dropping L bombs so quickly, and while she does seem to really like Beto, and I like her in general, this might also have a pinch of "dating a person who you know dad wont like to piss him off and get attention" even if its subconscious. 

Emilio's sex talk with Beto was awkward but also rather sweet and a pretty decent sex talk all things considered. Ignore what you see in porn indeed. Being a sudden parental figure for kids from the ages of sixteen to infant means you basically get to have ALL the parenting experiences. 

[alexvillage]

7 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I actually had to look away when cute baby Rafa was having a seizure and you could see his eyes rolling into the back of his head! I dont know what they were actually doing, but it seriously freaked me out.

It was a well done TGI, It did look like a seizure. 

I really like this version of the show. The actors continue to grow on me and even if Val is a little irritating sometimes, I can see more of her grief than I can remember seeing in Claudia, so that's another positive. 

[Zima]

On 1/30/2020 at 8:01 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Emilio: Here's what you really need to know [about sex]: forget everything you learned from porn.

 

On 1/30/2020 at 8:24 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Emilio's plea for everyone to turn off the unused lights reminded me of my dad. He trained us to turn off the lights as we leave each room.

 

13 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Emilio is a good brother. He was right though.
 

Yay for condom use on tv. 

 

The babies playing Rafa are SO CUTE. 

I liked Emilio's sex talk with Beto, and I sincerely hope that he has similar ones with his sisters when the time comes. I hate it when parents/caregivers/older siblings encourage boys to have sex, but then act like girls are supposed to be saving themselves for marriage. The double standards are gross.

My mom also trained us to turn the lights of whenever we left a room. It drove me crazy when my husband and I first started living together, and he left all the lights on all the time. 

[Scarlett45]

19 minutes ago, Zima said:

I liked Emilio's sex talk with Beto, and I sincerely hope that he has similar ones with his sisters when the time comes. I hate it when parents/caregivers/older siblings encourage boys to have sex, but then act like girls are supposed to be saving themselves for marriage. The double standards are gross.

They are absolutely so gross.
 

I definitely think if Lucia came to Emilio he would give her a similar speech. None of that “value yourself” BS (like for women having a drive for partnered sex means you don’t value yourself) but be safe, your voice matters and you own your body and sexuality for YOURSELF.

I also think it’s good that we saw Ella CLEARLY CONSENT to everything that was going on and Beto want her consent. Very important in adolescent sex scenes I think. 

[Scarlett45]

I didnt mention this in my first post because I had to jet- BUT Lucia stealing a supposed dead man’s SSN (how does she even know that was the SSN of the man that died)- Lucia STOP IT. If you really want to be a lawyer and an advocate breaking the law is not the way to go. Matthew already committed a felony buying that SSN, don’t stack the deck against him with another and IMPLICATE YOURSELF. Wtf.