Amac Productions

I have so many thoughts about this episode.

This review might be incoherent key-smashing. I apologize in advance.

Alright, so we start off with Duda pulling a prank on Luiza that I do not find amusing at all. I’m with Luiza here.

She lost her memory and is counting on the people around her to guide her in this life she’s living. I don’t think it helps to purposefully mislead or trick her while she’s probably feeling very vulnerable.

Although, I suspect the scene was meant to couple with the scene at the therapist later – when Luiza says she’s feels caught between her more mature adult self and the version she used to be in college.

Which, I want to give the actresses such credit for. Their ability to make themselves vibe and feel younger during the moments we see in flashbacks or during videos is some of the best work I’ve ever seen.

I genuinely believed them to be younger during those moments. So shout-out to Buiar and Reis for their stunning acting!

Back to the therapist scene – which was wonderful and is a wonderful continuing thread throughout the series. I was so happy it wasn’t a one-off moment.

Mostly because around the time I found this series – I myself started therapy, and for some reason it was really comforting.

When I first saw this episode I thought there was going to be some weird it’s all a dream moment and was thrilled it didn’t happen.

Then my next thought was that it was a bit harsh for Luiza to want to wake up and for it to all be a dream.

But then again, she knows very little about her life currently. Except that she’s married to a woman she remembers despising. So, I rethought it – and decided I’d probably want to wake up too.

Next, I cannot stress enough how much I loved Valentina in this episode.

Their moment after therapy was beautiful.

I didn’t even think at the time that Luiza wouldn’t want to keep going to therapy or may not like the therapist. So it was absolutely sweet and thoughtful that Valentina tried to give Luiza her agency.

While she is absolutely making decisions for Luiza because the end clearly shows she’s hiding something from her – she’s not doing it maliciously.

The scene after therapy shows Valentina is trying to create a safe space for Luiza to explore her life, to make her choices, and get the help she needs while trying to reestablish their relationship, and get her wife to fall in love with her again.

I loved that about Valentina.

She was a bit less pushy in this episode which was nice.

And Luiza appeared more receptive to Valentina’s advances.

Quick little note here though, Luiza you cannot have it both ways. You can’t say that you don’t like this woman when you’re clearly very attracted to her. Every moment is charged with electricity between them, from the dance studio to the bathroom.

Yeesh.

Not to mention when she’s alone watching videos and her reactions don’t match up.

She says she’s disgusted or freaked by the thought but then she smiles and bits her lips watching them flirt in the home movies.

Right, you feel something for her. Even if you’ve lost your memories, some part of her recognizes Valentina.

When I first watched this through I had to double back and check to see if they had mentioned they were law students cause I was confused.

How did we go from law student to dance studio/instructor?

Then Luiza mentioned she wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted beyond something that was hers. And I brushed it off. People change majors. It happens.

In fact, I liked this choice because it shows the effect, they had on each other as we’ll see later on. Luiza took a chance and followed her dreams. I love that.

I also found Luiza question odd at the dance studio.

Why would she think that Valentina handed her, her dream?

Does she really think she’s changed so much that she would take a hand-out like that?

Because Valentina almost snort at the suggestion reaction indicates Luiza would never.

I think Luiza thinks she must have changed dramatically to have married Valentina, not the other way around. Because of that, it feels like she’s raging against her current life.

But she finds things out from her family and Valentina that show she hasn’t changed that much.

She still dances.

She still works hard.

Loves her family.

Loves her son.

She earns what she makes.

(Also, who wouldn’t love to have her schedule?)

She’s matured, she didn’t throw out her values.

And Valentina isn’t who she portrayed herself to be back then. And instead of getting to know her life, she just wants things to go back.

Which is why I loved when Valentina showed her how far she’s come. What she’s earned and accomplished. And that Luiza loved it. Was proud of herself.

Now if only she could get to know Valentina too.

One other thing I wanted to mention was Sarah.

Clearly, the last time Luiza remembers her, Sarah was a little girl still sitting on their mom’s lap.

Which – for me – brought me to her relationship with Valentina.

She’s the only one who didn’t mention Valentina changing.

Then I thought, she wouldn’t have known Valentina before she and Luiza started dating. She’s only ever known her as a kind person who loves her sister.

She would also have been young enough that might not remember life without Valentina in it.

Because when I rewatched, I watched them a bit closer.

Valentina treated her a bit differently.

She hugged her when they came in, she’s showing her how to use a camera, and they partnered for the Tik Tok dance.

They seemed so close.

A different close than Valentina to Carol.

Like another big sister. Someone who is part of the woodwork. Someone who has always been there and always will. It was interesting to me because it was another example of how far Valentina has come.

She was hated by these people. They were upset at the sight of her joining them at the table in episode one.

Now everyone speaks of her highly, encourages Luiza to get to know her, that she’s changed, that she’s a wonderful mother, wonderful wife.

Even Luiza’s parents respect her.

They have been honoring her wish to hide something from Luiza.

Sarah treats as part of the family because she is family.

And I fucking love that.

I grew up in a family that didn’t act like that. They didn’t treat the married side of the family like family. It was always people we were stuck with.

On Mad About You, there was a moment where Paul is trying to have an argument with his wife’s sister and he insists his wife stop protecting her. She’s his family too and he can yell at her for his mistake if he wants to. They were so stunned that he thought of her as another sister.

But I loved that moment.

Because you are.

You didn’t just marry one person, you married all the people they come with. Their entire family.

I love that Valentina embraced them and vice versa.

Also, I love healthy family relationships.

I haven’t really found a w/w family dynamic I’ve loved until this one. I love their son. Léo is adorable. And I loved the moment when Valentina discussed not undermining her in front of him.

Something all too important.

Okay, enough babbling!

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