When You Are Mine (2001–2002)
10/10
Probably best telenovela I know of!
20 April 2012
I'm an avid telenovela watcher, with more than 50 titles in my resume, and yet only few are really good. Among those which are good, only few get to be good like this. Maybe 2-3 get to compete. The thing about this series is that, once you are watching it, you get the feeling you are watching a drama series, not a soap opera. It's not cheesy, feels realistic, and not over-the-top. Every character is someone you can relate to. There are no 'goodies' who are dull as they can be, nor 'villains' who are mean just for the sake of it, everyone can be presented as the hero or anti-hero of the story from different point of view.

Acting is amazing, Silvia Navarro and Sergio Basanez really have lot of chemistry and their characters, Paloma and Diego, really look like people deeply in love. And unlike most telenovelas, where protagonists are angelic and their platonic child-like love is attacked by vicious passionate villains, in this one two leads have very passionate and physical, yet very deep emotional relationship. And unlike those stories where the leads are always being manipulated by the villains and they are just standing doing nothing until deux-ex-machina gets them back together, Diego and Paloma are very active, and sometimes very difficult personalities. I'd actually say that their own characteristics are more causing their problems than all other circumstances combined. Both are very short-tempered, she is decided to succeed by her own doing, and he is just crazy for her and will do anything to be with her, and yet is sometimes too angry to see in front of him.

The villains are also most realistic that I have seen in any telenovela and easy to relate. Instead of usual bitch-type socialites, who suddenly become multiple serial killers for no apparent reason other than being evil, Fabian, Barbara and Berenice have all the reasons in the world to be as they are. Fabian is Diego's cousin, calmer and more sneaky, but also better in business than him, who just wants to step out of his shadow and prove to everyone he can do better than his cousin. He isn't evil, but in order to keep Diego from producing the first heir, who will inherit most of grandfather's money, he will do many immoral things. His wife Barbara will support him in that mainly because she truly loves him (while he is cheating on her all the time). And her anger at her husband's affairs will be transferred into lying and plotting against their mutual business enemies. Berenice, Diego's wife whom he marries of of despair thinking Paloma left him forever, is Barbara's best friend, but unlike her, she isn't so loud, but rather likes to do things behind people's back, thinking that her affairs and stuff probably aren't bad as long as nobody knows. Every character, weather primary good or bad, has their ups and downs and there are scenes in which you can actually believe that person is right all along.

The trademark of the series is coffee, which is the subject of their business and coffee fields are the place where Paloma and Diego first met. And it's been presented throughout the whole show, and somehow it's never shoved in your face over the plot. There are telenovelas of 80 episodes, filled with action, dozens of dead, and so many plot twists you barely believe it, and yet, are very boring and unimaginative. Cuando Seas Mia (When You Will Be Mine) is a story of 237 episodes, and I assure you that each just gives quality and prolongs the relationships, which actually should be the point of any show. It has, so far, a record in my eyes, as the series with most episodes without cast changes, plot changes or any other stupid stuff (American soaps anyone?) that most series do when they run out of ideas. Of course some subplots are added, but when you come to it, it's history of two different love stories throughout about 10 years and their ups and downs. If anyone has time to see it, I highly recommend it, you won't regret, it's worth it.

Pure 10/10, even for movie standards.
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