La Catrina (educational program)

La Catrina is an educational mini television series made for  Rinehart and Winston Inc. for its level III Spanish programs by David Curland. It follows the voyage of Jamie Gonzalez, a Latina high schooler, into her roots in Querétaro, Mexico. It spawned a sequel, La Catrina: El Ultimo Secreto for Rinehart and Winston's Spanish level IV program. The story revolves around her attempts to discover and execute the will of her wealthy great-grandmother which leaves her all of the property that the villain, Don Silvestre Aguilar, currently occupies.

There are also short, textual versions of both La Catrina and its sequel (similar to readers) meant to be read in conjunction with the shows.

Plot
La Catrina is an educational Spanish soap opera. It focuses on Jamie Gonzalez (a high school graduate from Los Angeles, California), who spends the summer in Querétaro, Mexico. Upon arrival, she surprises her new Mexican family (the Navarros) who, mistaking her name to be "Jaime", expected a boy (Jaime is a masculine name in Spanish). After some consideration, the Navarros decide that it would be scandalous to keep Jamie at their house because Carlos, their son, is very attracted to Jamie and they would be sharing a bedroom. Therefore, Jamie is sent to the Linares' house, where Carlos's friend, and ex-girlfriend, Maria lives. Maria and Jamie become very good friends. In addition, Jamie and Carlos fall in love.

Besides wanting to improve her Spanish and enjoy the culture of Mexico, Jamie has another mission: to find more information about her great-grandmother, Doña Josefa de Gonzalez (otherwise known as La Catrina). She robbed the rich and donated it to the poor during Mexico's revolution. Throughout the series, Jamie learns more about her ancestor than she previously believed and uncovers some dangerous secrets along the way. Don Silvestre Aguilar, who currently occupies the estates that are in "La Catrina's" will, is threatened by the inquiries Jamie is making and worried about losing his political campaign, uses his extensive power in Querétaro to put a stop to Jamie's investigation. Will Jamie be able to win back what is rightfully hers? Or will Carlos find out about Jaime's secret love affair with Santana, the detective? "Es una Sorpresa!"

Cast
Evangelina Sosa as Jamie González

Esteban Soberanes as Carlos Navarro

Reception
The show has been viewed by many Spanish students across the USA, but has been criticized for the show's awkward close-ups and poor filmography.

Episodes
1. La Llegada A México     (19:34) Jamie Gonzalez and Phil Armstrong, two students from an L. A. high school, arrive in Queretaro, Mexico to spend the summer. Jamie wants to improve her Spanish, but she also wants to learn what happened to her great-grandmother, who disappeared during the Mexican Revolution. A mistake was made in placing Jamie with the Navarro family, who thought Jamie was a male. To avoid a scandal with Jamie and the family's son, Carlos Navarro, Jamie is taken in with the Linares family, where she meets Maria Linares, Carlos's ex-girlfriend.

2. ¿Quién Es La Catrina? (19:18) Jamie's arrival is of keen interest to a number of people, especially to Carlos Navarro. A local landowner, Don Silvestre Aguilar, has a much less friendly interest in her.

3. De Compras en San Miguel   (19:22) Jamie, Carlos, Phil and Maria go to beautiful San Miguel, but are being watched by Aguilar and his henchmen, including Santana, the sneaky detective. Carlos gets two flat tires and uses his manly man muscles to carry the car to a gasolinera nearby. screws up hair in procese

4. La Prima de Puerto Rico  (19:08) Fellipe claims he can't swim but gets some help from Maria. The local librarian promises to help unravel the mystery of La Catrina.

5. Felipe Y María:  ¿Qué Pasa? (19:26) Jamie and friends leave a big party to go see Carlos, who is depressed because he had to work at the family restaurant and they make sweet love in the freezer.

6. Un Joven de Bolivia    (19:31) Phil and Maria have a date. A mother writes to the environmental center where Carlos works asking for help against Aguilar's use of pesticides, which are contaminating the crops. Villagers are getting sick due to the pesticides.

7. Jamie Y Carlos: Una Discusión   (19:23) Carlos and Jamie go shopping for fruits and vegetables and end up finding the source of contamination at the health department, after hours. Jaime learns that the land once belonged to Doña Josefa Gonzalez, her great-grandmother.

8. Demetrio Lo Explica Todo  (19:11) Carlos gets angry at Felipe but doesn't know why. Don Demetrio Alcocer explains to Jamie that La Catrina's will is valid.

9. En La Capital  (19:12) First Jamie and Carlos talk to a lawyer about the legality of her great-grandmother's will, then they go to the zoo and the amusement park in Chapultepec Park. Don Silvestre's henchman attempt to steal La Catrina's will at night, but fail. Rogelio admits that he is gay.

10. El Juez Decide: Una Gran Sorpresa (19:26) The judge rules on the Catrina will. A terrific farewell to the U. S. students with some promise for the future. Jamie finds out that she is pregnant, but little does Carlos know, Phil is the father. Maria also finds out she is pregnant and Carlos is the father. Santana reveals himself as Jamie's guardian angel and protector. Jaime and Felipe suffer A LOOOOONNNNG plane ride back. Demetrio is found dead of a heart attack the day after.