A Spy Ring, A Killer Virus, and a Body Double Trying to Steal Carolina’s Life: High Seas Season Three (2020)

So last year my friend and I started watching Alta Mar/High Seas after watching the trailer as it looked really good. We were both thoroughly pleased as it was AMAZING and we couldn’t stop until we finished it.

The story is of two sisters, Eva and Carolina Villanueve. They lost their father, their home country of Spain was greatly changed because of WWII, and both ladies are looking for something new. Carolina had been running the family business, but decided to sell the company and is planning to marry Fernando Fábregas (owner of the ocean liner the Barbara de Braganza). Her sister Eva doesn’t like the changes Carolina is making but is still supporting her. She is also traveling on the Barbara de Braganza to Brazil to meet with a publisher interested in her book.

On our way!

They are on their way to the ship’s dock and hit a woman, a woman running away from an abusive man with powerful connections. Eva takes pity on her, ignores Carolina, and sneaks her aboard as a stowaway. However, this woman is not who she says she is and the sisters are in for quite the journey.

Someone is murdered on the ship, and it turns out their uncle Pedro and family friend Dr. Rojas have some secret they are keeping from the girls, their stowaway vanishes, someone they thought was dead is alive, and more. All this while they are on a ship in the middle of the ocean-you can see how it makes for one fantastic season.

While the first season was amazing, the second was horrible. First Mate Nicolás and Eva have fallen in love and tons of fangirls were ecstatic, but in season 2 they broke them up as Nicolás’ wife turned out to be alive.

Carolina found out that her husband was going to run off before the wedding, but his girlfriend disappeared-murdered. So yeah, their marriage isn’t going that great. And it turned out that Francesca their surrogate mother and housekeeper murdered Rosa Marin.

Veronica broke up with Sebastian, he lost all his money [although they say that’s not why they broke up], and she got with Dimas (he deserves better).

Let’s see…what else happened? Oh yes, Clara committed suicide as she couldn’t handle her rape, killing her rapist (it was in self-defense), and the rapist’s wife/co-killer going after her boyfriend.

So…yeah I hated Season 3, not as much as Season 2 as it did have one amazing storyline. But it was cut short and just not good as a whole.

***Spoilers***

So  we start off with the series with Coronavirus type disease floating in the ocean-weird choice.

What??

So Eva has had her book published and goes into a bookstore to look at it, so happy and pleased! There she is approached by a man going by “Fabio” who is a spy and needs to get on the ship and look at the passports as they are searching for a scientist or his helper who created a killer virus. She agrees, although I don’t know why she would after all that she and her sister have been through, you think they would be the most least trusting people on the planet. Wouldn’t you? I mean the first girl was a crazy lady after gold, the second was a fake psychic trying to drive her sister crazy, plus both their father and surrogate mother were crazy and killed people.

She and Carolina should be like how Sydney was at the beginning of Scream 3 not wanting to befriend or trust anyone.

I don’t trust her.

They prepare to be off.

Let’s go!

Meanwhile in the ship we have Nicolás who is there with his wife Chantel. I tried to hate her but she was tortured in the concentration camps, so….yeah I can’t. Nicolás actually is hardly in this as the other ship’s captain disappears. Nicolás is still first mate, although I don’t know why they let the previous captain keep his job when he was going crazy in the previous seasons, but anyway-so he is set to take care of that ship and is in the first episode, a little in the middle, and then just in the end. What the heck? Why wasn’t he in this.

I watch for Nicolás and Eva, not Eva and Fabio. 

Ugh…

So Pierre (Clara’s former fiance) is moved up to first mate.

So this other ship belongs to Carolina. She put her half of the fortune from selling her father’s company into her own ships. She is still married to Fernando but is freezing him out. I love it as Fernando actually treats her good and tries anything he can to get her to warm up and she is just an Ice Queen. You deserve it Fernando.

So Fabio and his supervising agent come, and they can’t tell anything from the passports. The other agent recognizes someone on the boat and dies-they don’t know who the person is, and now Fabio is stuck on the ship with Eva. He’s supposed to be her love interest I guess, but I don’t like him. Ugh, Fabio get out.

So Carolina has the most interesting storyline. So there is another group interested in the virus-the ship’s new doctor, Dr. Ayala, (we had to replace the murdering one from Season 1 +2), is traveling with a friend of their Uncle Pedro, Carmen. Carmen is taking the trip with her very sick and injured daughter Diana. She’s covered in bandages so we can’t see her. You know what that means-she’s not sick but just disguising herself.

Hmm…

I’m right of course as it turns out she has had surgery to look just like Carolina. Alejandra Onieva is a fantastic actress in her movements and her manner as she goes from street tough Diana to classy Carolina. The whole reason behind her appearance is to befriend Eva and get information out of her.

Diana does what she is told, but she also likes Carolina’s life. She likes the money, the clothes, the husband, etc. Fernando is enthused to have his wife want to be with him, although he feels uncertain about. Whenever he poses a question Diana distracts him. One day he finds a mole on her shoulder that he was 100% sure she didn’t have, but then…like always-she convinces him to focus on other things.

From The Great Gatsby

So Diana continues with her job, taking anything Eva shares and working against her and Fabio. However, she wants to change the terms-she wants Carolina’s life. The doctor doesn’t care, but Carmen is starting to have second thoughts.

Eva notices things are weird too as Carolina has seemed to forget everything that happened in the previous cruise. However, the drugs on the real Carolina have rubbed off a bit that she tries to communicate with Veronique, who’s been assigned as “Diana’s” special nurse. Veronique worries about “Diana” as she seems scared of her mother and the doctor. One day she is really troubled that she returns with help and when she comes back with help, they can’t find “Diana”, they go searching and finds Carolina/Diana trying to kill her…Carolina/Diana?  Who is the real Carolina, Eva has to figure it out, you know after she gets over the shock of seeing two of her sister.

Where is going on?

And I liked Fernando in this, which surprised me as I hated him the last two seasons. He was really trying to make things right with his wife. When he sees the real Carolina and how they had been drugging her.m, he is so upset and worried for her. That was cute.

So yeah, the Carolina and Diana storyline was the best as it sucked me in right away and never let go.

I just had to know what was going to happen next!

So they are after the virus, meanwhile Pierre has made the captain think he is crazy, and has taken over the ship with a plan made with the new first mate. You see-Pierre wanted to ruin Natalia Fábregas and teamed up with the first mate to destroy the company, but it turns out they are terrorists with the virus and planning to unleash it on the ship. They give it to Carolina, but it turns out it was really given to Diana instead.

Hmm…

Nicolas comes and turns everything on the ship right, as Pierre and his people had taken over and mutined. It’s like really fast, snap that’s over.

Well…

Dr. Ayala turns out to be the evil torturous doctor from the concentration camps that hurt Chantel, but they need him as they need a doctor to make an antidote. And surprise, surprise he does in like no time at all from the blood of maid Alex, who is the creator of the virus and had already taken the antidote. And not only is he able to an antidote with the few supplies they had around on the ship, but he creates enough to save everyone onboard. But that doesn’t save them as Mexico bombs the ship as they can’t stand having the people come in and possibly spread the virus. Like why wouldn’t they contact them first.

Eva and Nicholas rush together, but he is stabbed by Alex who survives all the blood being drawn from her, which is literally impossible.

There is no way. I have been with friends who had a little blood drawn and they couldn’t handle driving, let alone running and stabbing someone.

And don’t get me started on Nicolás’ death. First of all I am angry and appalled as I loved Nicolás and wanted him and Eva to somehow be reunited. And secondly I am extremely angry that is all they give us. To be honest if that’s all they were going to do, why didn’t they just not have him come back? He could have told Eva he loves her but as his wife is alive he is taking a job on another ship or he could have written a letter or telegram? And who’s great idea was it to write Fabio? He was boring and we knew nothing about him, and there was zero chemistry. I was extremely disappointed and heartbroken.

The ship goes down destroyed, just like my hopes and dreams of another seeason to love.

For more on High Seas, go to A Psychic Arrives and a Ghost Haunts the Ship: High Seas Season Two (2019)

For more spy stories, go to Murder, False Imprisonment, Nuclear Bombs, and Nazi Spies: Bon Voyage (2003)

Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001)

So this film is supposed to be a modern day retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.

Strangely enough it stars two people who had been in films based on Jane Austen’s work. Hugh Grant plays Daniel Cleaver, our George Wickham, when he was in the 1995 Sense and Sensibility as Edward Ferras.

And then we have Colin Firth as Mark Darcy, having played Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (1995).

Now I understand why Colin Firth decided to be in the film, I read online that he thought it would distance him from the 1995 miniseries, along with killing the wet shirt.

But oh Colin Firth, you were so wrong.

That will never die

So let’s look at the film:

So prior to this viewing, I had seen the part where the mom has left the dad for another guy, the “vicars and tarts party”, and the very end in the snow.

From what I had seen I wasn’t really interested as I didn’t think it looked that good at all.

However, lots of people love it. Everyone says the films are funny and it was just given a third installment.

 My friend is one of those who loves this film and she convinced me to watch it with her.

I did and I really didn’t like it.

I just don’t get the love for this film!

It doesn’t really follow Pride & Prejudice, the characters aren’t that likable, the situations silly and don’t really make sense.

Mark & Bridget Falling in Love

Mark (Mr. Darcy) and Bridget (Elizabeth) barely have any screen time together, so they don’t really have the opportunity to grow in a relationship. This is a problem with modern adaptations as in the original tale (and in history), when people visited they didn’t stay a few days, they stayed weeks or months. Darcy spent a long time with Bingley, encountering Elizabeth when she came to assist in her sister’s recuperating. And then again when Elizabeth stayed with Charlotte. But here they meet up at a family party her parents are throwing, a dinner party, accidentally while she is on vacation with Daniel (Wickham), and they fall for each other?

It doesn’t really work. They should have had them spend more time together. I mean he decides to forgo a new career in New York, throws himself at her feet, etc. We should see why he would.

Bridget is an Empowering Character. Or is She?

Bridget is constantly being sexually harassed but does nothing about it.

What?!

I know! Look at the little tagline there, it says

“For anyone who’s ever been set up, stood up, or felt up”

And it acts like it is going to be real empowering or something. And is it? No!

Bridget never stands up for herself or does anything about; choosing to just suffer through it. We have her creepy uncle who every time he sees her grabs her butt. Does she tell him off or her parents so they stop inviting him? No. Instead she just lets him continue.

And then when Daniel gropes her in the elevator and says inappropriate comments, does she do anything? No She just lets him do whatever.

And then there is the way that her new job treats her, as breasts and a butt.

What kind of message is that saying, especially since it is “based” on a character who is renowned for the beauty of her wit?

I mean I’m not asking her to go all out like this:

I’m just asking for her to stand up for herself.

Where Oh Where is the Witticism?

Where is the wit? Elizabeth was a great character who always put her two cents in.

In this Bridget is made to be more of one who never thinks but just spouts off the first thing that pops in her head.

If only people followed this advice.

She is nothing like who she is based on at all.

Why Does Bridget Continue to Believe Daniel?

Why does Bridget go on believing Daniel after she finds out that he is a big fat liar?

Daniel tells Bridget this story about how Mark Darcy slept with his fiancé, being the nail in the coffin of hate. But then we find out that Daniel is a a liar and was not only cheating on Bridget, but she is the other woman.

What jerks

Yes, he was in a relationship the whole time and leading Bridget on with no intention of ever having it be more. Then when Bridget quits, we discover that Daniel had been keeping Bridget from moving ahead as he wanted to keep her to dabble in.

Why does she think anything he said is the truth? When I found out my ex cheated in me I was really angry:

But it also made me question everything he did and said. Why wasn’t it the same for her? I mean in the book Elizabeth doesn’t find out that Wickham is a liar until Darcy reveals what he did. And as soon as she sees him again, she lets him know that his drivel isn’t welcome here.

Why Did They Have Her Parents Separate?

I really don’t understand why the film has the mother and father split up. It doesn’t really enhance the plot or create growth for the characters. I mean the only thing it “adds” is that with the mom out of the way the truth about Daniel’s lie isn’t given until the end. I also didn’t like that she comes home on Christmas and everything is okay, the parents are back together. There isn’t even an emotional payoff in that.

Why Would Darcy Read Bridget’s Diary?

So Bridget leaves Mark downstairs while she changes out of her embarrassing underwear. She tells him to make himself comfortable and read some magazines and he reads her diary.

Really? I do not see Mark ever doing something like that when he has other options. He’s just not that type of guy at all.

And her running after him in the snow with no pants or coat. Yeah right, she would freeze before she met up with him.

Bridget’s Friends are Atrocious

Bridget’s friends are awful.

All they do is give horrible advice or make the situation worse.

Where is level-headed and realistic Charlotte?

Where is the kind, caring, always seeing the good Jane?

We have Tom who makes the situation worse, bringing the fight into the restaurant and the wait staff out; Shazzer who just complains and places all kinds of doubts in Bridget’s mind; and the other friend who just cries all the time.

No thank you.

So I haven’t read the book, (maybe I will like that better), but as for this film, except for a few good moments, I just don’t see why people like it. I don’t like it.

For more on Pride & Prejudice, go to Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

For more Pride & Prejudice adaptations, go to Austenland

For more Jane Austen films, go to Is Love at the Thanksgiving Parade Really Just Pride & Prejudice?

For more Jane Austen adaptations, go to Midnight in Austenland

For more Colin Firth, go to When I Get Into a Novel

For more Hugh Grant, go to The Eye of the Storm

Sisterly Roles

Ah sisters.

The joys and sorrow of having a sister:

You love them, you hate them, you love them again. Those who have sisters know the ups and downs. Those who don’t, take my word that the above song is pretty accurate.

Now I could go on about my sisters, but that’s not what this post is going to be on. Instead I am focusing on the sisterly bond between the Dashwood sisters.

With the Dashwoods we have three sisters: Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret; although Margaret doesn’t play as big a role as Elinor and Marianne.

Elinor Dashwood

Elinor is the eldest and she is the sense in the title. Elinor is only nineteen years old, but she is wise beyond her years and incredibly mature. She is level-headed, cool in judgement, and always thinks through very clearly on any decision being made. She’s pretty much the sensible older sister that has been copied and used in books, movies, TV shows, etc.

When Fanny comes in and is completely rude to the entire family, Mrs. Dashwood is eager to move out. But Elinor is able to stop her as she can keep a strong hold on her emotions as they need to stay there longer. Now she isn’t completely cold-hearted or an ice-queen. It’s just that she is a closed book.

“She had an excellent heart: her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong but she knew how to govern them…”

She has sense and knows when to say something and when not to.

This is something that no one else in her family does. Now it is true that keeping feelings in can be wrong.

But on the other hand that isn’t always the best thing. Having your feelings out in the world can also cause a world of hurt.

So let’s move onto the middle sister:

Marianne Dashwood

Now Marianne isn’t just some stupid or light-hearted, fluff type of girl. She is beautiful, kind, generous, etc. The only thing is, her feelings were never held in moderation. That is, never keeping them in check. If she is happy, everyone knows. And if she is sad everyone knows.

Pretty much she’s walking around with no filter.

More like feelings than thoughts.

But such is sisters. I did a paper on sisterly roles in college for my family psychology class. When you have sisters, especially those close in age, they tend to gravitate to opposite traits in order to create their own identity, be unique, and carve a role for themselves in the family.

So we have here Sense in Elinor and Sensibility (feelings) in Marianne.

Therefore one that strives for sense as that gives her support and makes her feel completely stable in life. The younger sister sees that her older one is extremely sensible, which makes her want to be the opposite and governed solely by feelings. Also Elinor is the eldest so she also feels more of having to be dependable and responsible for the family.

Just another case of being a sister.

For more on Sense and Sensibility, go to Promises Were Made to Be Broken

More on Coco Chanel, go to Women in Black

For more on White Christmas, go to 25 Films of Christmas

For more of my favorite songs, go to It’s Fantastico!

For more of my favorite quotes, go to I Have A Problem

I’ll Be Alright Without You

So since Michael and I broke up I’ve been looking for a song to listen to to kind of help me through this, as music is always a great solace in any time of trouble. (It’s funny it has only been a week but it seems so much longer) I mean I instantly thought of Breaking Up is Hard to Do, I Will Survive or Missing You; but those just didn’t really seem to be able to capture how I was feeling. So I was thinking I should check out this playlist I made for my friend and see what spoke to me. About seven months ago my friend Jane broke up with her boyfriend, and I made her a care package full of food, games, some lotion/toiletry stuff, etc.; but I also made her a CD full of songs to help her through her breakup that I titled “Heartbreak”. Its actually kind of ironic because after I made it I was going to delete it, but thought hey I should save that in case I need to play it for someone else later (little did I know that was going to be me). So the music ranges from all kinds of songs starting out sad but moving on to things getting better and ending of course in I Will Survive. Maybe I will do that for another post, my recommended playlist for heartbreak, always a possibility. Anyways, so I was listening to it and found the perfect song that really captures how I’m feeling. I’ll Be Alright Without You by Journey.

I’ve actually been playing it like nonstop (with headphones as not to annoy my roommate). It’s such an amazing song with really great lyrics.

So unlike my other musical posts I couldn’t find a whole lot of background info on the song. It was released in 1986 on their Raised On Radio album. The song was #7 on the Adult Contemporary chart, #26 on the Mainstream Rock chart and  #14 in the Billboard Hot 100. It was written by Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry, and Neal Schon. It is one of their most known songs, because of course not only is it amazing but because of the content.

So like I said before the lyrics are really beautiful and truly express trying to get over someone.

I’ve been thinking ’bout the times
You walked out on me
There were moments I’d believe, you were there
Do I miss you, or am I lying to my self again

I do these things…
(It’s all because of you)
I keep holding on, but I’ll try
(try not to think of you)
Love don’t leave me lonely
I’ll be alright without you

There’ll be someone else…I keep tellin’ myself
I’ll be alright without you
Oh…love’s an empty face, I can’t replace
(you don’t need it)

People wonderin’ why we broke apart
The great pretender here I go again
These things I do
(It’s all because of you)

I’ll keep holdin’ but I’ll try
(try not to think of you)
All I wanted was to hold you
I’ll be alright without you
There’ll be someone else, I keep tellin’ myself

I’ll be alright without you
Love’s an empty face…Oh I’ve got to replace
I’ll be alright without you
There’ll be someone else, I keep tellin’ myself

I’ll be alright without you
Oh…love’s an empty place, I can still see your face
I’ll be alright

Breaking up is just hard to do (if it wasn’t there wouldn’t be a song titled that), and this just expresses exactly what I keep telling myself. Its going to be okay, I was fine before June, and I will be fine now in Dec. It’s just hard because all I wanted was to hold him and be with him. And people wonder why we broke apart, I do as well, and I just don’t know. I don’t know what happened. I’m just trying to move on and not think of him, but of course that is always easier said then done. (I don’t remember ever speaking in so many song titles. It reminds me of the Archie comic when Betty does that). It’s weird because it comes in waves. Sometimes I feel just fine and like I used to, getting back into the old routine and everything. But other times I don’t know what sparks it, but I just hurt so much and want the pain to stop.

And I know that I’ll be okay, and that later I’ll find someone else, the only problem is that I don’t want someone else, I want him. Things were easier when I was the Ice Queen. Well I know the only thing that can end this is time. Time, chocolate, ice-cream, and Clint Eastwood (Hey he’s single, it could happen).

I changed the wallpaper on my computer to a young, shirtless, Clint Eastwood. That always makes me feel better. 😀

I mean look at this man! Can you blame me for being crazy about him?

Anyways here is the song, happy listening.

To check out my last musical post go to Jump (For My Love)