Hello, everyone! Long time no see. I took a little Velvet break after S4 and only just got around to watching the first episode of VC thanks to VV's subtitles! Here are my thoughts:
THE GOOD* It was really nice to see the actors again, and you can tell they're all having fun.
* Little Manolito is back and all grown up into the hyperactive talking-a-mile-a-minute Pedro clone we all knew he'd end up being.
* If we have to have Enrique (see that rant below), at least, at least, AT LEAST it's not to suck face with Patricia. And Ana clutching Clara's hand when Enrique left the room gave me life. What a great little detail. If we have to have Enrique, let Ana and Clara and Mateo and everyone continue to hate him and want him dead and make that clear every time he even breathes in their direction.
* Granted, I've only watched the first episode, but I don't hate the idea of Emilio having a son, and I definitely don't hate looking at the actor. I expect this to change when/if he inevitably causes trouble for Clara/Mateo, but for right now, I approve.
* I was also intrigued by the little twist at the end of the fashion show involving Godó, as well as how the show handled his interaction with Emilio (showing us that Emilio has a problem with him, but having Godo act like everything's cool).
* Mateo and Clara are still sort of together, in a manner of speaking.
* I have to give it up for MH's performance whenever Pedro or Ana mentioned Rita -- Clara looked like she was in such raw pain that I actually felt scared for her.
* It was nice to hear some of the more recognizable tunes from past seasons ("Since You Been Gone" during Emilio's funeral, which also played at Luisa's husband's funeral, and "Too Taboo," which played during Ana's first fashion show in S3).
* So...Blanca's single again...and, as far as we know, Max isn't DEAD.
THE DREAM IS ALIVE. IT WILL REMAIN ALIVE FOREVER BECAUSE MAX IS NOT AN IMPORTANT ENOUGH CHARACTER TO KILL OFF SCREEN. It will ALWAYS be possible that Blanca and Max are meeting up every night in a hotel room, and NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT POSSIBILITY AWAY FROM ME.
THE BAD* I'm never really going to be 100% fine with Rita's death. Granted, it felt more unnecessary at the end of S4 (when there was no dramatic point to letting us say goodbye to the character knowing her days were numbered) than it does now that the show is continuing without the actress (maybe, for whatever reason, CF wasn't planning to continue with the show anyway?), but it still sucks. Rita wasn't my favorite character, but she was such a strong presence, and there's definitely a hole without her that the show will never be able to fill the way they've filled other cast departures (i.e., swapping Max -- sniffle -- for Jonas, or Luisa for Lucia).
* I have to agree with those of you who have called out PE's crying in the scene where Emilio dies. I absolutely get not being able to cry on cue, but she looks so much like she's laughing that it's distracting. I've noticed it in the past, but for some reason it was especially jarring in this scene.
* Is it just me, or do the sets feel cramped (smaller) and not as well lit as previous seasons? I can't tell if it's just the camera work or if there's actually a difference in the quality of the production. Everything felt claustrophobic in a way I don't remember the show feeling in the past.
* How do you NOT play "Carrie" in Clara and Mateo's reunion scene? Come on. That's a gimme right there.
THE UGLY* Enrique's presence just boggles my mind. He went from mild annoyance in S1, to a character I hated in S2 and S3, to one of the things that ruined my enjoyment of S4. DM may be great in real life, I don't know, but there's no way Enrique is popular enough to warrant him sticking around when Patricia and Cristina, his two main ties to show, are nowhere to be seen.
* This has been a problem for me since S3, and definitely since S4: the frequent scenes where characters shout excitedly and run around from place to place making broad comic gestures while the very loud faux 60s soundtrack blares in the background. The show has always had moments of humor, but it seems like it's taking itself less and less seriously (gotten campier) as the years have gone on. Compare this episode to the pilot and you can see so many differences in terms of the pacing and tone.
* Speaking of the music choices...the show's always made some questionable decisions with the music, but this is something else that has gotten increasingly worse as the years have gone by.
FINAL VERDICT: There's more to enjoy here than not, so I'm looking forward to watching the remaining episodes.