¿Ya se acabó la clase? (The class is already over?)

     Is it really over?

     I can't believe that this wonderful class has come to an end. I liked Telenovelas before, but now? I am in love, absolutely smitten. Completamente enamorada. I came into this class not knowing much about them. Except for the fact that once you started one, you were practically hooked until you finished it and in some of the worst cases, for life. This class has taught me so much about the history, characteristics, typology, representation and identity, consumption, production, regulation, and globalization of Telenovelas. 

     I figured the perfect way to end this class is to kind of do a review on all these things but center it around my Telenovela. I was watching "Lo que la vida me robó" before class started, but I wasn't really giving it a chance. This class made me sit down and analyze this Telenovela to the best of my ability and it didn't ruin it! Thank God because its good! Lo que la vida me robó is a remake of a Telenovela called "Bodas de odio" and is an adaptation of "Amor Real." It is absolutely Telenovela Rosa. It's the classic Cinderella story with a twist because the male protagonist is Cinderella. 

  History

    It is a telenovela that was produced in Mexico by Televisa and it was broadcast on Canal de las Estrellas or Las Estrellas (Mexico)and Univision (America) from October 28, 2013 to July 27, 2014. It was broadcast in a prime time slot. This Telenovela is contemporary and the cast is very diverse. The cast member I found the most interesting is Monserrat (Angelique Boyer). She is a French-born Mexican actress. There is also Argentinian, and Puerto Rican presences, but predominantly Mexican.

  Representation 

     I think this Telenovela provides all kinds of representation. They give us looks into Machismo/Machisma, the submissive wife, the independent daughter, conniving mother and brother, supportive figures, etc. They also faked me out a couple of times. They had me thinking that one character was this way and then boom! They're actually like this. Lo que la vida me robó definitely had many of the characteristics that makes an epic telenovela. I don't there was anyone that was just not attractive. Well, maybe Juventino. But that's another story for another day. Alejandro Almonte (Sebastián Rulli) possesses a killer smile. Angelique Boyer had a nostalgic beauty about her.

  Consumption 

     Montserrat's and José Luis' chemistry was off the charts, the same cannot be said for her and Alejandro Almonte. . . yet. When Monse and Jose Luis are together I feel all happy and bubbly on the inside and I have so much hope for them. I think all the actors were pretty talented. Especially Monse, she switched between emotions so often. The obstacles in this Telenovela that the protagonists are facing are probably some things that I don't know that I could handle. All of these things together take me on a never ending roller coaster ride as said before. I'm happy one second, three seconds later I'm annoyed and it just becomes a vicious cycle. 

Production:

- Writing Team

• Author - Juan Carlos Acalá
• Writers - Caridad Bravo Adams, Jorge Cervantes, Rossana Ruiz, Rosa Salazar Alenas, María Zarattini, and Fermín Zúñiga 

- Directing Team

• Main Directors - Sergio Cantaño and Claudio Reyes
• Assistant Directors - Rafael Léon de los Cobos and Mario Serrano
• Floor Manager - Gerardo Fernández S., Adolfo Rivera,

- Production Team

• Executive Producer - Angelli Nesma 
• Production Assistants - Fernando Garrido, Mayra Angers, Juan Manuel Azbell, Denise Carmargo, Nancy Lhoman

- Theme Music 

• El Perdedor - Enrinque Iglesis and Marco Antonio Solís

  Globilization

      Unfortunately, Lo que la vida me robó is not a telenovela that has reached an international scale. It was good, but I guess it didn't relate to more than one audience. It wasn't able to appeal. Maybe it was meant to be written that way though. However, there are telenovelas out there that speak to more than one audience. There are a few telenovelas that have been capable of drawing people out of their own little bubble into a new world entirely. Two being El Clon and Kara Para Ask. 

  Final Thoughts

In the beginning I couldn't say that I loved this Telenovela. It started off a little slow and it was like so many other ones that I have seen before. But I'm happy that I stuck around because it had some very interesting things in store. I like how there is constantly conflict, the use of dramatic irony is awesome, the love triangles, the betrayal, the resentment, I love it all. Even though this class is over I will continue to watch because I have been dragged into the whirlpool and I HAVE to know what's going to happen next. Thank you Dr. A for being so passionate about what you do and spreading such infectious attachment.