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22 Episodes 2002 - 2002
Episode 1
Wed, Jan 23, 2002 60 mins
In the series opener, Nina and her brothers and sisters finally persuade their mother (Sonia Braga) and father to move from East L.A. to a suburban condo. Meanwhile, social workers want to take Pablito (Gilbert Leal Jr.) away from Esteban; and Aunt Dora (Raquel Welch) has a typically theatrical reaction to the news that she's to become a grandmother.
Episode 2
Thu, Jan 24, 2002 60 mins
Nina moves her office back home to keep closer watch on Pablito, but he doesn't exactly appreciate her sacrifice. "You are bad," he tells her. "Since you have been here, bad things have happened." And a flashback recalls one sacrifice Berta (Sonia Braga) made for Nina. Meanwhile, a store owner (Liz Torres) down the street from Jess's barbershop has her eye on him. Pablito: Austin Marques.
Episode 3
Wed, Jan 30, 2002 60 mins
A comet is hurtling through the night sky and love is in the air. For starters, an old flame (Shawn Elliott) lights a new fire for Aunt Dora (Raquel Welch); and a false alarm in a community center leads to romance for Esteban (Esai Morales). But Rosa's love potion misses its intended target. Ofelia: Kate Del Castillo. Christy: Maria Canals. Rosa: Liz Torres. Uncle Pete: Pete Leal.
Episode 4
Wed, Feb 6, 2002 60 mins
Part 1 of two. As Cisco tells Pablito a Mexican folk tale about a mother who loses her children, a mother (Patricia Velasquez) whose husband has been picked up by the INS seeks out Nina. Meanwhile, Pablito's mother, Laura (Seidy Lopez), is hanging around outside the Gonzalez house, wanting to see her son (Austin Noah Marques). Emilio: Erick Carrillo. Gordie: Jackie Guerra. Cisco: A.J. Lamas. Nina: Constance Marie. Berta: Sonia Braga.
Episode 5
Wed, Feb 13, 2002 60 mins
Conclusion: "I am gonna get Elena's baby back," Nina vows. First, though, she must find Elena (Patricia Velasquez), who has been deported to Tijuana. Meanwhile, Pablito can't understand why his father and grandfather won't let him see his mother (Seidy Lopez). Also: Jess makes an infomercial for his digital barbershop ("log on and your locks off"). Ofelia: Kate Del Castillo. Gordie: Jackie Guerra.
Episode 6
Wed, Feb 27, 2002 60 mins
While Esteban (Esai Morales) works with gang youth in a mentoring program, Ofelia (Kate Del Castillo) learns about his criminal past. Kiki Calderon: Enrique Castillo. Miguel: Robert Zepeda. Jorge: David Zepeda.
Episode 7
Wed, Mar 6, 2002 60 mins
Part 1 of a two-parter finds Nina fighting to save a recreation center that politicians are threatening to close. The up-and-comer they tab to shut it down: Nina's old boyfriend (Mark Consuelos). Meanwhile, Vangie's "spoiled brat" daughter, Tiffany (Deonna Lanay), hits it off with a muralist named "Spyder" (Pablo Santos), and flashbacks recall the teenage Vangie's romance with the poetic son of migrant workers. Featured are appearances by the Taco Shop Poets and the Tommy Mora Band. Vangie: Rachel Ticotin. Larry Taylor: John Brennan. Scott Taylor: Dylan Krug. Nina: Constance Marie.
Episode 8
Wed, Mar 27, 2002 60 mins
Conclusion. As Nina leads a mural-painting protest against the proposed rec-center closing, flashbacks recall the birth of her activism, as well as Vangie's first love. Meanwhile, the feuding Jess and Dora (Raquel Welch) have fun with paint---at each other's expense. Eduardo: Mark Consuelos. Tiffany: Deonna Lanay. Spyder: Pablo Santos). Vangie: Rachel Ticotin. Nina: Constance Marie.
Episode 9
Wed, May 1, 2002 60 mins
At a family reunion, Jess tells a story (seen in silent-movie flashbacks) about his grandmother (Constance Marie), a fighter in the Mexican revolution. Meanwhile, Nina and Vangie are on opposite sides of a labor dispute involving Vangie's employees, and Jess might be falling love. Juana: Rita Moreno.
Episode 10
Wed, May 8, 2002 60 mins
The Gonzalezes react to the Sept. 11 attacks in an episode punctuated by Jess's recollections (shown in flashbacks) of his experiences during the Korean War. Nina organizes a blood drive and enlists her physician-brother Conrado (Kurt Caceres) to help. But Conrado wants to do more. Meanwhile, Dora (Raquel Welch) puts Jess's considerable KP experience to use in the kitchen. She gets him to peel potatoes. Juana: Rita Moreno. Young Jess: Bodie Olmos. Sergeant: Daniel Spector.
Episode 11
Wed, May 15, 2002 60 mins
As Jess dresses for his first date since Berta's death, he sees a picture of them on their wedding day. This triggers a wealth of memories (shown in flashbacks) of their life together. Tying a number of them together: a string of pearls he gives her on their nearly disastrous wedding night. Young Jess: Bodie Olmos. Young Berta: Alexandra Barreto. Berta: Sonia Braga. Jess: Edward James Olmos.
Episode 12
Wed, May 22, 2002 60 mins
Cisco (A.J. Lamas) visits Tijuana on a journey of self-discovery, joined by his girlfriend Valeria (Valeria), his father and the L.A. rap group Ozomatli. This is a combustible mix. Jess: Edward James Olmos.
Episode 13
Wed, May 29, 2002 60 mins
Esteban proposes to Ofelia (Kate Del Castillo). Bad timing---she's just been offered a slot with a prestigious ballet company in New York City. As if that's not enough, Pablito runs away. Esteban's search for him, and the harrowing events that follow, are filmed in real time in one continuous shot. Esteban: Esai Morales. Pablito: Austin Marques. Laura: Seidy Lopez. Police Officer: Anthony Diaz-Perez. Nina: Constance Marie.
Episode 14
Wed, Jul 17, 2002 60 mins
Jess struggles to come to terms with Esteban, who has been missing since his run-in with the police when he rushed Laura to the hospital. Esteban's parole officer must see him, too, or he could go back to prison. And as Jess searches for his son, flashbacks recall their tempestuous relationship. "You never stop being a father," Jess says. "You never stop trying to win the love of your son." Berta: Sonia Braga. Laura: Seidy Lopez.
Episode 15
Wed, Jul 24, 2002 60 mins
Vangie (Rachel Ticotin) just might have hit a home run with the new jacket she has designed: a baseball star is wearing it and a major apparel company wants to distribute it. That's exciting stuff, but it'll take lots of work (and time away from Larry and the kids). It also involves a major financial risk. In flashbacks, Vangie recalls a similar risk Berta (Sonia Braga) took when she took in some piecework. Juana: Rita Moreno. Larry: John Brennan.
Episode 16
Wed, Jul 31, 2002 60 mins
Nina organizes a girls football team. Trouble is, the girls can't play and she doesn't know anything about football herself. Enter Jess. He's skeptical, of course, but he once was a football hero, so he takes over the team. He also finds an excellent prospect (America Ferrera) for quarterback. Her mother (Anne Betancourt), however, needs her to work. Flashbacks depict a strikingly similar dilemma that young Jess (Bodie Olmos) faced when he was in high school. Dora: Raquel Welch.
Episode 17
Wed, Aug 7, 2002 60 mins
A 13-year-old street kid (Angina Alvarez ) wants to learn to be a barber, so Nina drops her off at her father's barbershop. Meanwhile, Jess and his pals are in for a hair-raising day. Flaco: Paul Rodriguez. Valeria: Valeria. Lili: Arlene Rodriguez. Arti: Pepe Serna. Off. Roberto: Erik Estrada.
Episode 18
Wed, Aug 14, 2002 60 mins
Part 1 of two. Jess and his old friend Pete (Pete Leal) are finally getting ready for an oft-delayed fishing trip when Pete collapses. It seems he's a diabetic and didn't know it. Meanwhile, Dora (Raquel Welch) is giving dance lessons to neighborhood ladies and Pablito, who misses Ofelia (Kate Del Castillo) greatly, fantasizes that they're dance partners, á la Fred and Ginger. And in flashbacks, 10-year-old Jess and Pete (Albert Gutierrez, Bubba Rivas) fight World War II "battles" in a junkyard guarded by a blind caretaker, then find themselves in the middle of L.A.'s "zoot suit riots."
Episode 19
Wed, Aug 21, 2002 60 mins
Conclusion. Jess is very upset because Pete's daughter (Yareli Arizmendi) put him in a nursing home, and he vows to do something about it. Pablito is very upset because Dora (Raquel Welch) didn't mail his letter to Ofelia (Kate Del Castillo, seen dancing with Pablito in fantasy sequences), and he tears the house apart looking for it. Pete: Pete Leal. Pablito: Austin Noah Marques. Young Jess: Albert Gutierrez. Young Pete: Bubba Rivas.
Episode 20
Wed, Aug 28, 2002 60 mins
Part 1 of two. Jess, Nina and Esteban all travel to Mexico---to different places and for different reasons. Esteban's in Mexico City, searching for Ofelia (Kate Del Castillo), who left her New York dance company. Nina goes to Chiapas to join Gordie in distributing aid. But when she arrives, Gordie is missing. And Jess is on a mission from Berta: to give her mother's crucifix to her brother, Don Leon (Henry Darrow) in Oaxaca. St. John: Michael E. Rodgers.
Episode 21
Wed, Sep 4, 2002 60 mins
Conclusion: In Chiapas, Nina finds Gordie (Jackie Guerra)---and they both experience the civil war firsthand. In Mexico City, Esteban finds Ofelia (Kate Del Castillo), but he doesn't find her in a good way. And in Oaxaca, Jess learns why Berta had to leave---and how she found her way to him. Leon: Henry Darrow. Young Berta: Alexandra Barreto.
Episode 22
Wed, Sep 18, 2002 60 mins
The Gonzalez clan gets together to paint the house in a flashback-filled series-ending episode. But Jess wants nothing to do with it. And neither, it turns out, does Pablito, who hides the paintbrushes. Flashbacks trace the house back to the 1920s, when Jess's grandmother, Adelita, bought the land and gave the house its "teotl," or spirit.