| Abstract: | Telenovelas are serialized melodramatic love stories whose happy endings are postponed by intrigues and obstacles. The main source of these impediments is also the basic building block of every telenovela: the love triangle. Because they unsettle the mother–daughter relation, mother–daughter–man triangles can be risky. But they can be successful too. This study examines the production, representation, consumption, and social regulation of the mother–daughter–man love triangle in three telenovelas: Ciudad Bendita (2006, Venevisión-Venezuela), Doña Bárbara (2008, Telemundo-USA), and La Mujer Perfecta (2010, Venevisión-Venezuela). Located under the umbrella of cultural studies, the study uses a multimethod approach that includes textual and ethnographic methods. The analysis underscores the writing and production challenges of this particular love triangle, considers the fit, or lack thereof, of the mother–daughter dyad with the virgin/whore dichotomy present in the majority of telenovelas, and fleshes out the nuances of audience reception of this type of triangle. |
