I did. Quite a few, and I'd say way too many.  I regularly watched Rubí (reportedly a smash hit in France, where it aired on M6), Contra viento y marea, once upon a time La usurpadora, Lazos de amor and there were two or three others. Some of these had amazingly powerful dialogue (don't laugh) and some of the stories really made sense. What destroyed them was over-the-top, excessive acting, mannerisms (in writing and acting), awful make up and hair and so on. Sometimes, the whole premise was just bullsh!t, but the developments were great, just that you needed to suspend your disbelief.  What they do amazingly well is the campy, exaggerated villainess (Paola Bracho, Catalina Creel de Larios, María Paula, Apolonia Rudell de Serrano) and all those funny words like gentusa, basura...

So, tell us your experience, share YouTube clips, just have fun!

Here's a clip from abovementioned Rubí, and the scene is amazing and dialogue masterful ()! I'm not kidding, the way she destroyed him with her words was beyond belief! The scene really got to me, I'm not sure whether you'll like it even though you didn't watch the show. The premise for the show (historia original) was written by Yolanda Vargas Dulché, and dates back to 1968. Dialogue was written by Virginia Quintana and Ximena Suarez.

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Edited October 3, 200718 yr by Sylph

I caught some pieces of "Salomé"?

Was this the name?

I can't stand telenovelas. They're all the same; admittedly they're cheesy and great fun but overall not my type. I'm not so much into those love triublations and the young heroine foomr the slums fighting for her dream (man) with the evil mother-in-law. Yawn.

Precisely - it's their stupidity that is fun! And one and the same premise all over again (which Rubí didn't have).

Edited October 3, 200718 yr by Sylph

Oh my God, yes! I hardly find a telenovela that I like but, when I do, I really really like it!

I have faithfully watched Gata Salvaje, Maria la del Barrio (lol. Have all the episodes on tape lol), and Marimar. Those I loved from beginning to end. Also, Esmeralda (here and there), Prisionera (here and there), Por tu Amor (w/ Gabriel Spanic) (here and there), Rubi (just a few eps, thought it was good. HUGE success back home!), Angel Rebelde (carbon copy of Gata Salvaje but not bad), Kachorra and stuff like that (all of them just enough to know what is going on in general terms. Would usually get bored after a few eps and give up).

But, nothing compares to the wonderful, amazing LA USURPADORA!!! Oh my God, I so flove this show! I have it all on tape (save the first three eps--didn't know it was being re-run ) and I thought it was extremely well done from beginning to end.

You are right, the acting and dialogue can be very melodramatic and the premises crazy, but, when it works (i.e. La Usurpadora) it WORKS.

Edited October 3, 200718 yr by YRBB

Yes, La usurpadora, written by (reportedly) one of the best Mexican writers - Dolores Ortega. That was fun!

I watch telenovelas. All the ones mentioned above and more. Although I havent found one lately that catches my eye.

I would if I understood them. Did anyone watch the one called Marina which aired earlier this year? It looked really good and I loved hte promos but I dont speak spanish so didnt watch. What was the plotline for that one?

This was one of my favorite telenovelas

Here is a must see telenovela. It is from 1987. It was shown recently on Univision's sister channel. It is a great story with a great ending. Soap executives should watch this telenovela. It is classic soap opera.

I did, when I was younger. Too bad no one cared to comment (or knew about the ones) I mentioned in the official telenovela thread.

If anyone in THIS thread cares, one was "Mirada del Mujer," starring the DIVINE Anjelica Aragon. (That spelling may be wrong but I remember the credits and that WAS the name, thankyouverymuch!)

I would if I understood them. Did anyone watch the one called Marina which aired earlier this year? It looked really good and I loved hte promos but I dont speak spanish so didnt watch. What was the plotline for that one?

The one set in Acapulco?

Set in Acapulco, this love story features Marina (Echeverría), a beautiful, sweet young woman who makes a living driving a tourist boat. Her simple life transforms when her mother dies unexpectedly and she inherits a large family fortune. Marina moves into an elegant mansion owned by the wealthy Alarcón Morales family, who treat her with evil, scorn and rejection.

This humble girl is abruptly immersed into a world of rich, superficial people, who live lives of luxury, intrigue and vengeance. She finds love with the man she least expects: Ricardo Alarcón (Mauricio Ochmann) handsome boy.

Then there's a thing about her baby and her adopted daughter...

Edited October 4, 200718 yr by Sylph

I did, when I was younger. Too bad no one cared to comment (or knew about the ones) I mentioned in the official telenovela thread.

If anyone in THIS thread cares, one was "Mirada del Mujer," starring the DIVINE Anjelica Aragon. (That spelling may be wrong but I remember the credits and that WAS the name, thankyouverymuch!)

Where was the official thread?

I would if I understood them.

I know people who learnt Spanish by watching telenovelas.

Where was the official thread?

Sorry, it may not have been limited to telenovelas, thinking back.

It's "foreign soaps"

I watch Brazilian telenovelas... and Argentinias... I hate Mexican telenovelas, they are just so bad...