El secretario
Encyclopedia
El secretario is a 2011 Colombia
n telenovela
produced and broadcast by Caracol TV
.
) was living in New York
working as a pizza delivery guy, despite his background in finances. He finds out through a Facebook
-like social network that he has a 6-year-old daughter in Bogotá
, and decides to come back to Colombia, but he is broke. One of his clients (Hernán Méndez), who turns out to be a mafioso
, pays his plane tickets with the condition of taking a suitcase full of clothes. When arriving to Bogotá, customs police find the suitcase has a double bottom packed with thousands of dollars
. Romero co-operates with justice and is released under parole
. He meets his daughter Valentina (Hillary Vergara), who lives with her mother and Emilio's ex-girlfriend Lorena (Helga Díaz) and her stepfather Franklin Sotomayor (Fernando Solórzano).
With no money in his pockets, Emilio managed to find a place to live: an apartment whose former tenant (Fabio Camero) is to be evicted. There he meets Gertrudis Dudis Buenahora (Margalida Castro
), his new neighbour. Emilio also accepts (reluctantly at first, as he had applied to be an accounting assistant) a job as a secretary at Industrias Copito, a toilet paper
company. His immediate bosses are Mario Segura (Fabián Mendoza), the operations manager
and the owner's half-brother, and Antonia Fontalvo (Stephanie Cayo
), the workaholic
commercial manager
and fiancée of Félix Segura (Martín Karpan
), the company's owner. Félix has a clandestine affaire with Paola Zorrilla (Andrea López
), Antonia's best friend.
As the only male secretary of the company, Emilio is mocked by the other secretaries and his male coworkers. Mario hates him because Antonia hired a male secretary in order to keep Mario's sexual instincts away from his former secretary, Yensi (Alexandra Serrano). Though loyal, optimistic, kind, and efficient, Emilio is clumsy and gets easily into trouble, specially with Félix; nevertheless, Antonia constantly defends him and stands by his side.
electronica
band Systema Solar (Mi kolombia, Sin oficio, En los huesos) is featured in many episodes. In episode 45, many Copito employees perform a choreography
with Bomba Estéreo
's 2008 hit Fuego. Other songs already used by Caracol TV in other telenovelas, such as Ensamble's Otra vez (ep. 5) and Lucas Troo's Sin tu fe (ep. 29), are also featured.
and Clase ejecutiva and that it does not have anything "special;" he criticizes Argentine actor Martín Karpan but praises Espinosa for his "commitment and energy." Days later, his perception of the telenovela improved, praising its incidental music and stating that, since it is a comedy, it is "unavoidable" to see "caricatured characters."
Ómar Rincón, writing for El Tiempo, slams Karpan, Mendoza, and López calling their characters "un-bear-able," and says that at Industrias Copito "no one works, everyone yells." Rincón praises the plot, "it sounds plausible, it's sweet and creates empathy [with it]," and actors Espinosa and Cayo.
At gossip website lafiscalia.com, pinksauce praises its opening sequence, its scenes taped in New York, and the visual effects, but found some inconsistencies from the legal point of view on Emilio's return to Colombia, and criticizes Espinosa, Mendoza, Karpan, and Cayo, as well as the costume design and the make-up. Diana C., from telenovela portal todotnv.com, claims that though the love story with unresolved sexual tension
between Emilio and Antonia is "weak," praises the "cuteness" brought by Emilio's daughter, and the fact that Cayo and Karpan don't hide their native accents (Peruvian
and Argentinian, respectively); she praises most main actors, except López.
Ratings improved during its first week and, after having started in fifth place among the programmes broadcast in prime time
, it finished third after the fourth episode. On 22 September 2011, it climbed to second place and became the most watched telenovela in Colombia that day.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
produced and broadcast by Caracol TV
Caracol TV
Caracol Televisión is a Colombian private national television network, owned by Julio Mario Santo Domingo.- History :Caracol Televisión started in 1954 when Organización de Radiodifusora Caracol offered to afford national television costs, then state-run, through commercial spots...
.
Plot
30-year-old Emilio Romero (Juan Pablo EspinosaJuan Pablo Espinosa
Juan Pablo Espinosa is a Colombian actor, born 28 October 1980 in Bogotá.After graduating from Gimnasio Moderno high-school in Bogotá, Espinosa went to study acting at Boston's Emerson College. He also lived in New York and Los Angeles, before returning to Colombia in 2004. In 2005 he debuted in...
) was living in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
working as a pizza delivery guy, despite his background in finances. He finds out through a Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
-like social network that he has a 6-year-old daughter in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, and decides to come back to Colombia, but he is broke. One of his clients (Hernán Méndez), who turns out to be a mafioso
Mafioso
Mafioso may refer to:* Mafioso , a 1962 Italian crime comedy film* Mafioso , a member of an Italian mafia clan* Mafioso rap, a hip hop sub-genre...
, pays his plane tickets with the condition of taking a suitcase full of clothes. When arriving to Bogotá, customs police find the suitcase has a double bottom packed with thousands of dollars
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
. Romero co-operates with justice and is released under parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
. He meets his daughter Valentina (Hillary Vergara), who lives with her mother and Emilio's ex-girlfriend Lorena (Helga Díaz) and her stepfather Franklin Sotomayor (Fernando Solórzano).
With no money in his pockets, Emilio managed to find a place to live: an apartment whose former tenant (Fabio Camero) is to be evicted. There he meets Gertrudis Dudis Buenahora (Margalida Castro
Margalida Castro
Margalida Castro is a Colombian theatre and television actress, born 19 November 1943 in San Gil, Santander.Ms Castro grew up in Bogotá and studied music as a child...
), his new neighbour. Emilio also accepts (reluctantly at first, as he had applied to be an accounting assistant) a job as a secretary at Industrias Copito, a toilet paper
Toilet paper
Toilet paper is a soft paper product used to maintain personal hygiene after human defecation or urination. However, it can also be used for other purposes such as blowing one's nose when one has a cold or absorbing common spills around the house, although paper towels are more used for the latter...
company. His immediate bosses are Mario Segura (Fabián Mendoza), the operations manager
Operations management
Operations management is an area of management concerned with overseeing, designing, and redesigning business operations in the production of goods and/or services. It involves the responsibility of ensuring that business operations are efficient in terms of using as little resources as needed, and...
and the owner's half-brother, and Antonia Fontalvo (Stephanie Cayo
Stephanie Cayo
Stephanie Cristina Cayo Sanguinetti is a Peruvian actress, singer, and model.As a child, she made her first notable acting appearance in Travesuras del Corazón, a Peruvian soap opera...
), the workaholic
Workaholic
A workaholic is a person who is addicted to work.The term generally implies that the person enjoys their work; it can also imply that they simply feel compelled to do it...
commercial manager
Commercial management
Commercial management-- is a term used to describe the non-technical business disciplines within a company or organization, particularly the administration of revenue and expenses to generate a financial return...
and fiancée of Félix Segura (Martín Karpan
Martin Karpan
Carlos Martín Karpan is an Argentine actor, notable for playing a heartthrob in the telenovela El Cuerpo del Deseo.- Television :* El secretario - Félix Armando Segura...
), the company's owner. Félix has a clandestine affaire with Paola Zorrilla (Andrea López
Andrea López
Andrea Lopez is a Colombian actress. She is best known for her antagonistic roles in telenovelas.- Telenovelas :* El secretario .... Paola Zorrilla* El Clon .... Marissa...
), Antonia's best friend.
As the only male secretary of the company, Emilio is mocked by the other secretaries and his male coworkers. Mario hates him because Antonia hired a male secretary in order to keep Mario's sexual instincts away from his former secretary, Yensi (Alexandra Serrano). Though loyal, optimistic, kind, and efficient, Emilio is clumsy and gets easily into trouble, specially with Félix; nevertheless, Antonia constantly defends him and stands by his side.
Cast
- Juan Pablo EspinosaJuan Pablo EspinosaJuan Pablo Espinosa is a Colombian actor, born 28 October 1980 in Bogotá.After graduating from Gimnasio Moderno high-school in Bogotá, Espinosa went to study acting at Boston's Emerson College. He also lived in New York and Los Angeles, before returning to Colombia in 2004. In 2005 he debuted in...
as Emilio Romero García, the secretary - Stephanie CayoStephanie CayoStephanie Cristina Cayo Sanguinetti is a Peruvian actress, singer, and model.As a child, she made her first notable acting appearance in Travesuras del Corazón, a Peruvian soap opera...
as Antonia Toni Fontalvo, Industrias Copito's commercial manager, Emilio's boss, Félix's fiancée - Martín KarpanMartin KarpanCarlos Martín Karpan is an Argentine actor, notable for playing a heartthrob in the telenovela El Cuerpo del Deseo.- Television :* El secretario - Félix Armando Segura...
as Félix Segura, Industrias Copito's owner, Antonia's fiancé - Fabián Mendoza as Mario Segura, Industrias Copito's operations manager, Félix's half-brother, Emilio's boss
- Andrea LópezAndrea LópezAndrea Lopez is a Colombian actress. She is best known for her antagonistic roles in telenovelas.- Telenovelas :* El secretario .... Paola Zorrilla* El Clon .... Marissa...
as Paola Zorrilla, Antonia's best friend, Félix's lover - Hillary Vergara as Valentina Redín, Emilio and Lorena's daughter
- Helga Díaz as Lorena Redín, Valentina's mother, Emilio's ex-girlfriend
- Fernando Solórzano as Franklin Delano Sotomayor, advertising executive, Lorena's husband
- Margalida CastroMargalida CastroMargalida Castro is a Colombian theatre and television actress, born 19 November 1943 in San Gil, Santander.Ms Castro grew up in Bogotá and studied music as a child...
as Gertrudis Dudis Buenahora, Emilio's neighbour - María Margarita Giraldo as Delfina, Félix's secretary
- Valentina Lizcano as Olga Lucía Linares, secretary, interested in Emilio
- Alexandra Serrano as Yensi Catalina López Pereira, former secretary of Mario
- Andrea Nieto as Kelly Milady Díaz, secretary, secret lover of Patricio
- Sara CorralesSara CorralesSara Corrales is a Colombian actress, model, dancer and business owner. She is renowned for her appearance on the 2004 telenovela Todos quieren con Marilyn as Catalina Osorio, a role which won her the TV y Novelas award to the revelation of the year, and the 2008 telenovela Vecinos where she...
as Lucila Janet Castillo, secretary (ep. 25-51) - Walter Luengas as Patricio Conde, tax assistant
- Alberto Barrero as Álvaro Patequiva, auditory assistant
- Freddy Ordóñez as Julián Aguirre, accounting assistant
- Ricardo Vesga as Ernesto Castillo, human resources chief
- Hernán Méndez as Don Omar, mafioso
- Fabio Camero as Pedro Dávalos, former tenant of Emilio's apartment (ep. 1)
- Margarita Amado as María Puentes, the attorney in charge of Don Omar's case (ep. 1, 25, 26, 27)
- Nayra Castillo as Albita, Félix's maid
- Rosalba Pagotes as Flor, Lorena and Franklin's maid
- Jorge Bautista as Rodolfo, Copito's security guard
- Alfredo Cuéllar as Yamid, Antonia's pilatesPilatesPilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates in Germany, the UK and the USA. As of 2005, there were 11 million people practicing the discipline regularly and 14,000 instructors in the United States....
coach - Rafael Uribe as Michael Jair Riaño, aka Sangre azul, head of a gang related to Don Ómar and Félix
- Ignacio Hijuelos as Jaime Acosta, Félix's lawyer, involved with Don Ómar
- Marcela Vargas as Valentina's therapist
- Víctor Cifuentes as José Octavio Linares, Olga's father
- Humberto Arango as Patricio's father, a family lawFamily lawFamily law is an area of the law that deals with family-related issues and domestic relations including:*the nature of marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships;...
yer - Hugo Gómez as Alberto Ayala, foreign trade minister
- Nikol Sofía Díaz as Íngrid Ayala, Valentina's friend, foreign trade minister's daughter
- Giorgio Difeo and Phillipe Laurent as executives of a French company (ep. 8, 9)
- Diego Ospina as a cab driver (ep. 7, 8, 9)
- Orlando Vásquez as Darío, Félix's guard
- Jorge de la Torre as Fermín Polanía, Antonia's plumber (ep. 10)
- Mario Jurado as an advertising executive at Industrias Copito (ep. 11, 12)
- Liliana Escobar as Amalia, Valentina's teacher (ep. 16)
- Néstor Alfonso Rojas as Restrepo, Minister Ayala's bodyguard
- Rafael Pedroza as Tote, gang member
- Jhon Jairo Rodríguez as Bandola, gang member
- Manuel Vega as drunk manager of a club (ep. 20)
- Daniel Rocha as Father Lucas (ep. 21, 22)
- Shirley Marulanda as a nurse (ep. 24)
- Alberto Bossio as a policeman (ep. 24)
- Eileen Moreno as Dora Méndez, Emilio's secretary at the trade ministry (ep. 25-33)
- Oscar Salazar as César Aristizábal, Emilio's coworker at the trade ministry (ep. 25-33)
- Oscar Julián Beltrán as Camilo Turbay, Emilio's coworker at the trade ministry (ep. 25-33)
- Dorian Díaz as waiter at restaurant Las Castañuelas (ep. 23, 28)
- Germán Hernández as manager at restaurant Las Castañuelas (ep. 23, 28)
- Darwin Fuertes as the guard of the building where Paola lives
- Mauricio Goyeneche as a recycler (ep. 31)
- Jacob Isaza as a member of the congregation Lucila attends (ep. 32)
- Enrique Cabrera as a guard at the trade ministry (ep. 33)
- Arcenio Robelto as a policeman (ep. 33)
- Mario Cabrera as a policeman (ep. 33)
- Eyvar Fardy as Adolfo Ortiz, representative of a bank (ep. 34)
- Danilo Smith as a tailor at the boutique where Antonia buys her wedding dress (ep. 42)
- Margarita Reyes as minister Ayala's wife (ep. 47)
- Fernando Corredor as Father Adolfo, a Catholic priest presiding a pre-wedding course (ep. 48)
- Irlán Rubio as a doctor at the hospital (ep. 49)
- Sandra Mendoza as a receptionist at the hospital (ep. 49)
- Josué Bernal as a guard at Antonia's house (ep. 52)
- Diana Carolina Lindo as a receptionist at the hotel (ep. 55)
- Silvia Suárez as a news presenter (ep. 55-56)
Episodes
- Emilio viaja a Colombia y conoce a su hija (2011-08-22)
- Félix continúa con las mentiras (2011-08-23)
- Mario le hace la vida imposible a Emilio (2011-08-24)
- El puesto de Emilio corre peligro (2011-08-25)
- El secretario ve desnuda a Antonia (2011-08-26)
- Todos en la empresa creen que Emilio es gay (2011-08-29)
- A Félix se le complica la vida (2011-08-30)
- Emilio gana puntos en la empresa (2011-08-31)
- Emilio le paga con la misma moneda a Mario (2011-09-01)
- Lorena descubre que sigue enamorada de Emilio (2011-09-02)
- Mario se le insinúa a Paola (2011-09-05)
- Se descubre la gran mentira de Emilio (2011-09-06)
- Emilio se dedica a remendar corazones (2011-09-07)
- Emilio se mete en la grande (2011-09-08)
- Emilio logra estar con su más preciado tesoro (2011-09-09)
- A Emilio se le cumple un sueño (2011-09-13)
- De secretario a superhéroe (2011-09-14)
- El secretario sigue de capa caída (2011-09-15)
- Emilio queda como todo un caballero (2011-09-16)
- El heroísmo del secretario es bien retribuido (2011-09-19)
- Lorena descubre que Emilio es secretario (2011-09-20)
- Emilio se va de Copito (2011-09-21)
- Antonia peca por confiada (2011-09-22)
- Emilio, Franklin y Lorena se llevan un gran susto (2011-09-23)
- El puesto que dejó Emilio ya tiene dueña (2011-09-26)
- Emilio consigue nuevos "amigos" (2011-09-27)
- Paola tiene un plan para recuperar a Félix (2011-09-28)
- A Olguita le rompen el corazón (2011-09-29)
- Milady sufre por culpa de su infidelidad (2011-09-30)
- Mario es acusado y perseguido por una errónea infidelidad (2011-10-03)
- Lucila tratará de acercar a Mario a su congregación (2011-10-04)
- Félix espía a Emilio y a su novia (2011-10-05)
- La policía persigue a Emilio (2011-10-06)
- Emilio descubre irregularidades en el Ministerio (2011-10-07)
- Olguita planea tener una noche de pasión con Emilio (2011-10-10)
- El secretario regresa a Industrias Copito (2011-10-11)
- Olguita recibe unas singulares clases (2011-10-12)
- Lorena quiere reconquistar a Emilio (2011-10-13)
- Olguita termina lastimada por sorprender a Emilio (2011-10-14)
- Franklin cree que Emilio está conquistando a Lorena (2011-10-18)
- Mario Segura está a punto de dar un gran paso (2011-10-19)
- Emilio y Antonia comparten más tiempo juntos (2011-10-20)
- Yensi le enseña unos truquitos a Félix (2011-10-21)
- Emilio conoce al suegro (2011-10-24)
- Una tarde llena de música y baile en Copito (2011-10-25)
- El secretario le enseña a Félix a bailar (2011-10-26)
- Mario es bautizado en "los seres de la luz" (2011-10-27)
- Emilio y Antonia asisten a un curso prematrimonial (2011-10-28)
- Antonia pasa un gran susto por culpa de su prometido (2011-10-31)
- Olguita y Emilio pasan la noche juntos (2011-11-01)
- Emilio vuelve a caer en las trampas de Paola (2011-11-02)
- El secretario y Antonia se besan (2011-11-03)
- Caen los cómplices de Félix (2011-11-04)
- Lorena recupera de nuevo su familia (2011-11-08)
- Emilio y su novia se van de viaje (2011-11-09)
- ¿A Félix se le acabará el reinado? (2011-11-10)
- Mario está a punto de dañar el matrimonio de Félix (2011-11-15)
- Félix es arrestado en plena ceremonia de matrimonio (2011-11-16)
- El secretario se queda en la misma habitación con Antonia (2011-11-17)
- Emilio enfrenta a Paola (2011-11-18)
- Paola quiere a su amante en la carcel (2011-11-21)
- Olguita tiene envidia de Antonia (2011-11-22)
- Yensi se enamora de Mario (2011-11-23)
- A Félix le dan casa por cárcel (2011-11-24)
- Félix engaña a Antonia para justificar su detención (2011-11-25)
- Félix ordena secuestrar a Antonia (2011-11-28)
- Intentan secuestrar a Antonia (2011-11-29)
- (2011-11-30)
- (2011-12-01)
- (2011-12-02)
Music
The theme song is Solo tú, by in-house composers Fabo Romero and Jimmy Pulido López; the latter performs the song. Music by Afro-ColombianAfro-Colombian
Afro Colombians refers to Colombians of African ancestry, and the great impact they have had on Colombian culture. Notable Afro-Colombians include Colombian scientists like Raul Cuero, writers like Manuel Zapata Olivella and politicians:...
electronica
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
band Systema Solar (Mi kolombia, Sin oficio, En los huesos) is featured in many episodes. In episode 45, many Copito employees perform a choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
with Bomba Estéreo
Bomba Estéreo
Bomba Estéreo is a band founded 2001 in Bogotá, Colombia that describe their music as "Electro Vacilón" or "Electro tropical". The band began as a project of Simón Mejía's, releasing their first album as a solo project with contributions from various musicians...
's 2008 hit Fuego. Other songs already used by Caracol TV in other telenovelas, such as Ensamble's Otra vez (ep. 5) and Lucas Troo's Sin tu fe (ep. 29), are also featured.
Reception
After watching the first episode, television critic Javier Santamaría stated that the telenovela is similar to other Caracol TV series such as Nuevo rico nuevo pobreNuevo Rico Nuevo Pobre
Nuevo Rico Nuevo Pobre is a Colombian telenovela produced and broadcast by Caracol TV starring Martín Karpan, John Alex Toro , Maria Cecilia Botero, Carolina Acevedo, Hugo Gómez, former Miss Colombia Andrea Noceti and Andrés Toro .The show started on July 16, 2007 on Caracol TV and it is...
and Clase ejecutiva and that it does not have anything "special;" he criticizes Argentine actor Martín Karpan but praises Espinosa for his "commitment and energy." Days later, his perception of the telenovela improved, praising its incidental music and stating that, since it is a comedy, it is "unavoidable" to see "caricatured characters."
Ómar Rincón, writing for El Tiempo, slams Karpan, Mendoza, and López calling their characters "un-bear-able," and says that at Industrias Copito "no one works, everyone yells." Rincón praises the plot, "it sounds plausible, it's sweet and creates empathy [with it]," and actors Espinosa and Cayo.
At gossip website lafiscalia.com, pinksauce praises its opening sequence, its scenes taped in New York, and the visual effects, but found some inconsistencies from the legal point of view on Emilio's return to Colombia, and criticizes Espinosa, Mendoza, Karpan, and Cayo, as well as the costume design and the make-up. Diana C., from telenovela portal todotnv.com, claims that though the love story with unresolved sexual tension
Sexual tension
Sexual tension is a social phenomenon that occurs when two people interact and one or both feel sexual desire, but the consummation is postponed or never happens....
between Emilio and Antonia is "weak," praises the "cuteness" brought by Emilio's daughter, and the fact that Cayo and Karpan don't hide their native accents (Peruvian
Peruvian Coast Spanish
Peruvian Coast Spanish is the form of the Spanish language spoken in the coastal region of Peru. The Spanish spoken in Coastal Peru has four characteristic forms today: the original one, that of the inhabitants of Lima near the Pacific coast and parts south, ; the inland...
and Argentinian, respectively); she praises most main actors, except López.
Ratings improved during its first week and, after having started in fifth place among the programmes broadcast in prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
, it finished third after the fourth episode. On 22 September 2011, it climbed to second place and became the most watched telenovela in Colombia that day.
External links
Official website-
- Demo reel (Caracol TV InternacionalCaracol TV InternacionalCaracol TV Internacional is the international signal of Colombia's Caracol TV. It offers general programming aimed to Colombians abroad, mostly consisting of old Caracol TV telenovelas, series, and entertainment shows...
, with English subtitles)
- Demo reel (Caracol TV Internacional