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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

Silvia dies on her wedding day on "Los Hombres de Paco"

On yesterday's season finale, the Spanish TV show Los Hombres de Paco (Paco's Men) killed off one-half of its very popular lesbian couple Silvia, played by Marián Aguilera, only a few hours after she was married to Pepa (Laura Sanchez).

I mentioned last week in an article that the wedding would turn violent, but I admit I didn't think Pepa or Silvia would be among the final body count. Four characters including Silvia were shot at the wedding, however, and Silvia died a sad, slow death in Pepa's arms. (Read a full recap of the finale here.)

There are rumors that Aguilera requested to leave the show (she has been with the cop drama for most of its eight seasons), but this hasn't been confirmed by the actress. UPDATE: Aguilera confirmed it.

Theories abound as to why the writers chose to write her character off by killing her — from laziness, to maximizing ratings, to freeing Pepa up to love again eventually (the most optimistic interpretation by far). Regardless, Silvia has now become the latest in a long line of dead lesbians on TV and film, a fate that befalls lesbian/bi characters disproportionately more often than their heterosexual counterparts.

There will be more written about this in the future, but for now, leave your thoughts on Silvia's death in the comments below, and read other readers' reactions in our Los Hombres de Paco forum thread starting here.

  • Sarah Warn's blog
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  • Fiona's picture

    to be honest...

    LHDP point-of-view: I would say that the season finale was really spectacular. It keep me at the edge of my seat. It was a nice blend of action and emotional scenes.

    However from a pepsi-fan point-of-view: The ending of SUCKS! If one has to die, i rather both lovers die. Rather than pepa survives and silvia dies. But then again, there could be many many factors that could explain why the ending turn out to be this way.

    I would really hope to have offical word from either the writers of LHDP or marian aguilera as to why they had to kill off silvia. If marian wants to leave the show, i will close my case. But if it was the writer's idea, damm them!

    I really pity pepa. Pepa and silvia are such an awesome couple. It really pains me. Really. 

    Belou's picture

    I agree that the finale was

    I agree that the finale was heart pounding and exciting. It was also a ballsey move for the show to kill off 4 lead character's, two of which are the romantic leads. I don't think the producer's were thinking Still, it sucks because Pepa and Silvia were a great couple, but I am interested in how the next season will unfold.
    Stephy-O 's picture

    Marian did want to leave

    Marian did want to leave the show - it's not always TPTB's fault.
    And frankly, the way they've written the couple, one half would have to be killed off in order to break them up for good and keep it in character. Sad. I'd rather have this end than the Sara/Lucas/Aitor mess. BUT I have to admit I can't bring myself to watch the last scene. Too much blood. 

    Oh, and Montoya died as well, just when he and Rita finally got together. So we can lay off the snark because hets have it just as hard on LHDP. ;) 

    ice cream's picture

    omg.

    that sucks!!
    Betty's picture

    Why do all good things come to an end?

    My heart sunk. I feel speechless.

    No more Pepa calling "pelirroja", their kissing, touching, eye-shagging, fighting, teasing.

    How will Pepa live without Silvia? 

    *cries*

    PepSi may no longer be on screen but the phenomenal couple will live forever in their fans' memory.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    "The last time I was inside a woman was when I visited the Statue of Liberty."

    Shesfiiine's picture

    Don't forget to vote... and watch this...

    Hi,

    Thought you might want to see this interview from yesterday with Marian aka Silvia... this is one thing that actually managed to put a smile on my lips this morning.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJGns66ZIec

    oh and don't forget to vote NO to this question on the official LHDP site...

    http://www.antena3.com/PortalA3com/gusto-final-Los-hombres-Paco/2335875/encuesta/7392425

    silvi13's picture

    It was not Marian Desicion...Please vote No in the antena 3

    Yes vote No in the antena 3 web:

    http://www.antena3.com/PortalA3com/gusto-final-Los-hombres-Paco/2335875/...

    To vote asking for the Don´t kill Silvia, or the return of Silvia to the series:

    http://foros.antena3.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=18925.

    And this is the link to tha last interview to Marian Aguilera:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ0jKXvF99E

    where she say goodbay to the serie, she also say she didnt know what was going to hapend to her caracter,and that in this jmoment she doesn´t have any proyect so she is going to take it as vacations. So i believe she didn´t go because she wanted to, but because the writers like to kill lesbian couples.

    (sorry for my spelling i´m learning english).

    OrangeRamen's picture

    *sigh...*

    I think for most of us, our problem with this was that she didn't need to die in such a gruesome way. Maybe they wanted to evoke more emotion from the viewers, maybe they wanted to lengthen the 'dying scene', but good god, the open stomach and the pristine wedding dress covered in blood in front of a very desperate Pepa? NO.

    I watched a few seconds of Part 5 on Antena3, but I don't think I'll ever get myself to watch all of it. Not that I'm still in denial or anything, but I just don't like watching depressing things in general, and I can't bear to have that horrifying moment etched in my brain--ready to pop up everytime I watch any other PepSi video. I'd rather just remember the happy moments and leave it at that...and thank Laura and Marian for being Pepa and Silvia for us, even for just a couple of years.

    bQ's picture

    my own sentiments exactly.

    my own sentiments exactly.

    They didn't have to be so tragic to get rid of Silvia.

     

    brownlipstick's picture

    THIS. SUCKS. BALLS.  BIG.

    THIS. SUCKS. BALLS.  BIG. TIME. EVER.

    Sorry I wish I could be more diplomatic but what the effff... I'm so disappointed.

    Nuria Watts's picture

    It was really

    It was really heart-breaking....

     

    "I've gone too far to come back from here...but you don't have a clue"

    Laura's picture

    the ending sucked, and I'm

    the ending sucked, and I'm not only talking about PepSi, Sara-Lucas-Aitor storyline didn't make sense either, and so with Rita-Montoya's (and on and on).

    I think I've never cried this much for a character's death. I don't really know how they'll manage next season, 4 deaths are a lot and Pepa and Rita will be devastated for sure (will Pepa stay or go?).

    As for the reasons why this happened, I'd bet Marian wanted out, it wouldn't make sense otherwise, after all, PepSi has a huge and diverse fan base. 

    I'm not sure if I'll watch next season.. x_x

    Wander's picture

    Vote Antena 3 is asking

    Antena 3 is asking if we like the ending, please vote on this as we have voted on the wedding.

    GO TO: 

    http://www.antena3.com/PortalA3com/Los-hombres-de-Paco/P_2335875

     NO 

     

    I'm a wreck and will probably stay away from anything Pepsi for awhile. It has been a pleasre meeting great people in this community. Hope we bump into eachother again some day.

    sarah's picture

    :(

    I'm actually all teary... That never happens to me.
    ONE DAY's picture

    I'm

    I'm disappointed.

     

    Like everybody i really wanted a happy end, with dance, smiles. That will be really fun to see Pepa and Silvia try to find the best way to raise their child during the next seasons. I have no problems to imagine the scene ;p

    I'm little sad because we won't have in the future a cute teasing scene between this couple. No more sexy scenes or crazy fight which ended with a kiss.

    The actresses done a beautiful work. During all the seasons and in the last episode.

    It was a great fiction lesbian tv couple.

    swiftlyreloaded's picture

    even though MA..

    wanted to leave TPTB coulden't write a better exit? come on THE WEDDING OF THE YEAR? more like the perfect way to gather everyone together for the slaughter. did they think we as PepSi fans wanted our minds to be stained w/ the gruesome death of a beloved character? Seriously NOT upset about MA's character Silvia dieing just UPSET about their choice of how they portrayed it. IT STAINED MY MIND.

    eve_jig_it's picture

    Oh nooooo

     

    I'm still watching clips of  LHDP on Youtube where Silvia's still very much alive, and now, I read that she's DEAD !!!

    Ari's picture

    NoWay!!!

    Omg..i so don't wanna see that!!! What were they thinking?! *.* I guess it's my turn at comforting Pepa now..^^ 

    Lakshmi is my homegirl <3

    A Muse's picture

    I really like the coverage

    I really like the coverage this show is getting here on AE. without it I would have probably never started watching it. but did we really have to have the spoiler in the damn friggin headline of the article?

    I know the episode already aired, therefore it is not really a spoiler anymore. but not everyone has seen the episode yet and usually there are spoilerwarnings here on AE in case someone has not seen something... why not here? If I don't want to know about something I just don't read it. hard to do when the spoiler/plotpoint is in the headline.... dontcha think? #majorfail (oh wait, I'm not on twitter...)

    ------------------------------------------------------
    Films, tv, games, travel, sport, books - everything you want to chat about on The Trial Run. Make new friends or meet old ones

    Sarah Warn's picture

    Covering news-worthy events on the site

    We have to balance our responsibility to cover major news with some people's desire not to be spoiled even after an episode has aired. We waited a full day after the finale aired to write about it, but if we waited a week or two until everyone possible has seen it to cover it, we would be disappointing the majority of readers who want to read and talk about it now.

    And since Silvia's death IS the news here, there's no way to avoid leading with that.

    If you don't want to be spoiled about a significant storyline on a show that's already aired, and you know we cover it, you might want to avoid the site until you're caught up on it.

    sta_k's picture

    I've

    been reading your latest posts and all you do is 'defend' yourself, your website and your work when people give you crap.

    I am amazed you put up with their sh*t. No one in particular, of course.

     

    meatisadelicacy's picture

    really!

    How dare you put headlines on your articles! They should all just read: "Something Happened"
    yasmin suki's picture

    about Silvia( marien aguilera)

    when I see this movie pepa and silvia, is really intresting movie from begining and really romantic movie , when the last movie is coming ,on the pepa and silvia wedding is changed to horror story. In this part silvia get gun shoot on her stomach, why the director didn't called ambulance for emergency or someone to get help. I really sympati for what happening. But i didn't like this ending movie will be going like this.

    Does silvia still live?, i ask many my fan but didnt send me a feedback. What about this movie, what happend to pepa (laura) are she will continue any movie or she will doing her modeling job.

    Could u please send me a feedback according to my question.

    alittle's picture

    This is the DUMBEST POST EVER

    Knock it off, Muse!!!  The important point here is that the writers chose not only to kill this newly-wedded lesbian but also to do it with such gratuitous violence. There were many ways to end this storyline if the actress wanted out.  One way was simply to have the couple leave town together. 

    I was VERY pleased to see Sarah's article today, and it was absolutely appropriate as a show of support for fans shaken by this news.

     

     

    bosyeux's picture

    totally right muse

    ae could have used a different flipping headline that still would have captured everyone's attention--talk about lazy writing! this is bs. we're not supposed to spoil fellow readers, but it's okay for the folks running it to do it cuz it's news? let's see a lesbian cop gets killed on a cop show. shocking! stop the presses!

    oh, well, maybe not cuz the actor wanted to leave and 3 other characters were killed off at the same time. 

    so what did we learn in the article? basically what we would have learned if simply allowed to watch the show unspoiled. oh yeah, and that we can look forward to yet another article about how lesbians are poorly portrayed in television and film. no kidding? i'm all for addressing the politics of the media representations, but shouldn't you be a little more certain of the news value of a story before ruining the entertainment value of the very shows you're writing about and critiquing?

    but yeah, i'm just whining. don't worry, there's no risk of that ever happening here again.

    Iximioca's picture

    ::choice::

    you are free to not come here anytime you want

    lookatthestar's picture

    Nooooo!

    Not again...look at the dress full with blood! sob sob

    I just started watching this show on youtube...come on!

    oh well...just another show..lets move on to the next one..

    but to be honest i really love this couple. Thanks to AE for spreading the PESPI vipe.

    Malbeca's picture

    Wedding or killing of the year?

    The death of Silvia could have been less confrontational with regards to the feelings of the fans. PepSi had gathered an extemely large international fan base any Spanish show could ever wish for.

    Marian and Laura both deserve the highest Spanish award for their outstanding performances. The chemistry between the two of them has been overwhelmingly realistic. We can only hope that one day a believable couple like them will reappear on our screens.

    And of course dear Wander, I'll post my vote.

    SapphicDay's picture

    Dead Lesbians on TV

    This is exactly why I stopped being a lesbian on television :oÞ No Good ever comes of it :o/

    Technology Will Lead To The Demise Of Civilization As We Know It. 

    sparkly underwater 's picture

    DONT BE SAD people !

    Please dont be sad. 

    Im sure like me, you are all sick n tired of giving not only your time, but your attention and your emotions to shows that turn out to be insulting at the end.  (It is insulting becos these shows actually send pretty direct msgs to our heads.. and these msgs do not come from Infinitie Intelligence.. they come from rich old men who cleverly get your money by selling you dreams but manage to crush your dreams and have their reality survive at the end. Ofcourse snow-white is 'asleep' until a man comes and wakes her.. ofcourse she dies when left to the 'witch'. COME ON ... wake up. These are man-made stories)

    We can be tough and say it doesnt effect us.. but yeah.. it does.

      

    Now back to REALITY:

    Its all about the funding. Thats a fact.

    The people who put in the money are the people who say what happens

    Gosh.. there are so many of us... Lets put some money together and BE our own Producers of our own dream shows...

    WE pay the writer

    WE pay the director 

    WE SHOW IT to the world  AS WE want to SEE it.

    We show them how beautiful it is to be us.

    What we give our time to watch matters.

    Visibility matters.....  POSITIVE visibility matters.

    BUt only WE can make it happen

    Eve's picture

    Youread my mind

    I second that idea. Like Ilene says we need to put ourselves out there. I have been working on a personal project with a script I had written and was going to put in place some kind of a website to have people of the community get involved with the realisation of the project.

    At the light of the new events when it comes to having the fans' wish granted, I want to expend it to us writing our own stories, directing them, acting them and putting them out there for people to enjoy.

    Shows like We Have to Stop Now, and 3Way have been the precursors to that whole concept. I think it is time we put our heads together to create something of signficance. Only gay and lesbians allowed.

    sparkly underwater 's picture

    cool !

    wow thats great!

    Can you please tell us about your website?  never know... it might be a big hit .

    We Totally need to start telling our own stories... 

    Wander's picture

    http://www.20minutos.es/entre

    alittle's picture

    could you translate this?

    Can you tell us in English which parts are significant to you?  We are very interested in the producer's thoughts.

    Thanks for your post.

    happykt's picture

    Silvia -- Offed like Xena!

    I was super depressed at the end of Xena Warrior Princess when the writers killed Xena in a most horrific way.  After climbing out the fog of despair two months later, I vowed never to be emotionally invested in a deep way in a TV show again. Yes I enjoyed Pepa and Silvia but the end of their happiness was all in the stars --- because after all they are lesbians on TV!
    TS's picture

    Honestly, this show seems a

    Honestly, this show seems a little soapy, so until there is confirmation that the actress won't be coming back next season, there's hope that she'll be back in one form or another. Maybe they wanted an edgier Silvia and to do that they needed to start over on a clean slate by killing her off and bringing her back as a long lost twin or clone or pepa's long time stalker wearing silvia's skin ala silence of the lamb O_o

    Sorry, I haven't slept all night so my chip's a bit haywired right now.

    d!'s picture

    sigh

    there are no words to describe how sad this makes me. i have not watched the finale, and i refuse to accept her death until it's confirmed that she's leaving the show.
    eohl's picture

    F---Me!

    You know ... it is high drama, but why always one of a happy lesbian couple?

    happykt, I'm still not over Xena's death, a good 18 months after watching 'THAT' last episode. Like you, I've vowed never to be emotionally invested in a TV show since then. But. I also said that after they killed Jadzia Dax off in DS9. :(

    ice cream's picture

    WTf!!!!!!

    :)>
    So F ing sad!! Im Devasted!!! NOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo:(
    ice cream's picture

    dont be devastated

    hey girl. dont be sad. who knows silvia's still alive on the next episode. remember curtis? i thought he died but in turned out that he was alive and recovered. do u agree? u can smile now darling. ;)
    acrid13's picture

    An unbelievable..truly holy shit moment.

    I'd rather Silvia went missing in the parking lot then...umm...die. I'm sad beyond words. And I haven't even watch the episode yet.
    Wander's picture

    Lesbian community mean nothing per LHDP Executive Producer

    After reading from the Executive producer of the show on http://www.20minutos.es/entrevistas/alex-pina/178

    I feel slapped in the face and need to say something after reading this and other Globalmedia press releases. It does not seem the actors want to go, but they had to go to help with ratings. Alex Pina feels the Online community does little to nothing for the show. Forums are only a small viewership

    He acknowledges us PepSi fans and the gay and lesbian community, but oh well you do nothing for us. "thanks for the pepsi forums".

    LHDP wants to make history and be better than US shows, thus they killed 4 main characters unlike US only killing one at a time. But they failed to realize that they did make history with their Pepa and Silvia story line.  

    Am I over interpreting what Alex had said? Reading too much into it? The big question is . . . are we going to take this as a community or are we going to fire back?

    I became a pessimist and think we are just going to continue to let our lesbian couples die. We are just going to have the producers think little of us. I am pissed, but I am livid with them thinking we in the community is nada.

    So write, harass, what not, because they killed the 4 characters in hope to have 100 more episodes of LHDP.

    Sorry I can't word this eloquently, but it is just LAME!!! 

    Fiona's picture

    alex pina

    Wander, thanks for your link!

    As much as i'm disappointed with Silvia dying, what senor pina has said is definitely right in his own way, from the perspective of an executive producer. What is ultimately important is viewer ratings. On the big picture, pepsi fans will only be a small minority.

    On the part of creating a "new" Los Hombres de Paco season, deaths of characters seems the reasonable way. Frankly, i believe that they decided to kill-off Silvia, also because of how the lesbian storyline may be in "completition" with the Aitor/Lucas/Sara storyline. Alex also goes on about developing each character in the story with a creative/emotional depth. If pepa does continue for the next season, it would then seem better if silvia dies and pepa character can be brought to a whole new level.

    But there's he also mentioned about one more character disappearing from the show, that could be pepa for all we know. Unable to accept the death of the love of her life, she disappears. But then again, speculation is that the one disappearing might be Aitor. Who knows.

    I think we should all remember this: Los Hombres De Paco was created for the mass. It wasn't specifically (like the L word, just for lesbians) for lesbians. I thank them for bringing in the pepsi storyline as much as i'm dismayed that silvia dies.

    Maybe in this way, I will always remember silvia.

    alittle's picture

    think again, Fiona

    Is the murder of a spouse the only way to bring a character to "another level"?  Sorry, Fiona, but that is ludicrous.  You are paddling hard to justify this sloppy, careless writing that entertains people who enjoy the thought of happy lesbians dying.  Any writer who uses this much gratuitous violence is not the kind of writer interested in higher levels of consciousness.

     

    Elita's picture

    I think he refers to Sara

    I think he refers to Sara cause she actually "disappears" with Lucas. They fade away. And Lucas is not in the show anyways so... it must be Sara. Just guessing!! Farewell anyways, that was enough for me.

    I write what I think here: (in Spanish though, sorry!)

    http://foros.antena3.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=19088&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

    ice cream's picture

    WHAT?!

    I'm so not watching that episode and that picture above, what a nightmare!
    clik scribe's picture

    hmm

    i don't think they had enough blood. they missed a few spots at the bottom of her dress...
    Lyle's picture

    I can't believe it.. Why!?

    They just got married and now she's dead!!! I really loved watching them!

    ttstod's picture

    I have this hope

    I have this hope that come the season premiere, we'll find out that she's in witness protection or something like that.  i am crossing every appendage I can think of.  Because there is no excuse for that. 
    caterpillar's picture

    WTF?

    WTF????