LITTLE CABIN IN THE WOODS

There are two kinds of people in the world: one who likes surprises and is thrilled by the unexpected and other person who finds comfort in a controlled situation. We all know where Pepa and Silvia fit in.

This episode is significant for a number of reasons. First, Pepa and Silvia have their first fight, they act like they are a couple, we see their first and only bed scene (and two women are actually in bed and touching on TV-hello!) and Silvia comes out to her father. Where to begin?

For this lecture, I am focusing on the events that take place at the "Pepa Hideaway". Pepa has made up a story about the Kaiser as she has to get Silvia to the cabin for their romantic rendevouz. Pepa has arranged a lunch and a hopeful liason in a twin bed. This is an unusual cabin, as its walls and furniture kind of change throughout the show, but who really cares? Silvia believes that she is going to catch the Kaiser and clear Sara.

Their argument demonstrates how different these two women are. Pepa calls Silvia rigid and Silvia agrees, stating that someone has to be the responsible one. Pepa knows how stressed Silvia is and believes she needs a break--she reminds her that it is their two month anniversary and what better way to celebrate it than with this surprise? Pepa and Silvia are two sides of a coin--each side is different, but together they make something that is unique and perfect.

When Silvia demands the car keys, Pepa pretends to throw them in the bushes. She knows that she can't let Silvia leave and this impulsive act delays Silvia's exit and naturally, it really pisses Silvia off.

Silvia has been searching for quite awhile and she is hot, sweaty and has sticks in her hair--but she is still adorable. Pepa apologizes and asks for forgiveness and begs her to eat lunch. Silvia is angry, but she is also hungry and thirsty, and that is why she agrees to sit down with Pepa.

The next scene is one of my favorite PepSi moments. I smile when I see Silvia so calm and happy--because she has eaten and is still drinking the wine. The beast in Silvia has been tamed. Pepa asks her how many lovers she has had and Silvia tells her about the five men she has slept with. Pepa then shares her numbers: twelve/thirteen men and about forty women. Silvia's reaction is beyond funny. She blinks her eyes and gulps her wine as she tries to be so nonchalant and cool.

Pepa is her first female lover, but she realizes that she is Pepa's 41st. She admits that it makes her feel insecure. Pepa, in a very tender moment, tells Silvia the difference between Silvia and the other women is that she is now in love...it is like "the first time". And Silvia agrees and admits that it is her like her first time too. The shared look of silence is loud and clear--they are with whom they want to be with.

The following scene is one more reason that LHDP is a TV rule breaker. We hear the PepSi theme song, Soul Ghost, and there they are naked under the luckiest sheets in all of Spain. It's not necessary to detail all of the moments in this scene, as if I was a sports commentator. But I do want to make a few observations:

• the focus on their hands is not an accident, as this is the scene that began all the camera shots of their intertwined hands in many future episodes
  

• the magnificent back of Laura Sanchez cannot be ignored. Her back is like an atlas that I wish my hands could travel
  

• the biggest impression of this scene is the way they constantly look at each other. Their eyes never leave each other, their looks are intense and very intimate
  

• LHDP is making a statement with this scene: this is about two women who love each other...this is a love scene and not a sex scene ( I know how hot it is, I know)

At the end of this scene, Pepa and Silvia are laughing. Why? My guess (and hope) is that they had multiple and loud orgasms that even surprised them... and maybe even some creatures in the bushes too.

Here is my take on the appearance of Don Lorenzo and feel free to disagree with me. I think that DL and Jose Luis, after seeing the women in bed together, went back to the car and waited. Could have DL have heard the women and believed that they were done and were ready for story time? Did DL believe that it was safe to come back to the cabin and confront his daughter? I do not believe he saw anything more than the women laughing and rolling around--nothing more.

He made his presence known by picking up the chair and that startles the women. Silvia dives under the sheets and peeks her head out when her father says "Silvia". She sits up, as Pepa is already up and looking like a scared little girl. Silvia sees this and pauses, and then puts her arm around Pepa. She looks down and then raises her eyes to her father and her gaze never falters. He knows what she is saying without speaking a word: "this is who I love, this is who I want and this is who I am prepared to fight for."

When DL starts talking about Silvia's mother throwing out appliance manuals, Silvia thinks her father has lost his mind. It is only after he talks about the important things in life not having manuals that Silvia sees where her father is going.

DL eloquently admits that he is a hard man, he is turning 60 and he is looking at life differently now. During this monologue, Silvia faces her father and Pepa (still nervous) keeps checking on Silvia.

 DL wishes the best for both of them. Silvia blinks in gratitude and Pepa smiles while her eyes fill up.

During this entire speech, Silvia never takes her arm away from Pepa. At the end his speech, when Silvia realizes that her father is not angry and is actually accepting her and Pepa, her hand begins to dance on Pepa's shoulder. Her hand shows us the relief and joy that Silvia feels. As DL leaves, Silvia looks at Pepa, they smile and Silvia leans into her woman.

This scene between the two women and Don Lorenzo was essential to this show. In previous lectures, I have discussed why it was important for Silvia to make the first moves. The show needed to tell the audience that their "beloved straight Silvia" wanted Pepa and that she was not forced into this relationship. But the show also needed to have its biggest star and patriarch endorse this couple. The Spanish viewers needed to know that Don Lorenzo was okay with this. What a powerful message this was to the audience--not only was Silvia okay with this big change in her life, but so was her sister, brother in law and her father.

We can appreciate many milestones in this episode, and once again, be profoundly grateful for these wonderful characters and actors.

To see two women in love...to see them kiss and touch each other....to see them fight and make love....to see them never lose sight of each other...that makes us fortunate viewers, indeed.

Dr. Booker

Booker Bonus: I just want to comment on the actors and the filming of the bed scene. First, I wonder how many out takes there were and where are they now? It is obvious that Laura and Marian were looking out for each other. Both were aware of the sheets and what was covered (there was one little mishap) and not covered. But the simple act of Silvia sitting up and Pepa/Laura helping her with the sheet, was it the actor or the character? No matter what, it looked natural.

Finally, the crew had quite a challenge with Marian's hair--if it fell around her, we would miss her face, and that just could not be. So Laura helped her out quite a bit. Imagine this scene with Marian's new hair cut--Laura's hands would be free for other things.