18 episodes for this very first season of FBSF⛈️ were filmed between August 2014 and November 2014, and aired from March to June 2015. This season tells you everything that you need to know about the official cast members, and for most of them, it's NOT positive at all.
This season introduces us to the official inaugural main cast, half of whom graduated from the sizzle reel (Enrique Sapene, Jason Caceres, and Estuardo Alvizures), and the other half of whom was specifically cast for this season (Alex Paredes [aka Alex P], David Ty Reza, and Rafael Luis Silva [aka Rafa]).
And joining the cast as friend-ofs are Alex Caceres (aka Alex C; also from the sizzle era) and Alastair Patton.
Compared to later seasons, Season 1 feels like a different show almost, because of its “Jason & Friends” roots, so there’s a heavy focus on the people who made it past the 2013 sizzle reel. This bothers most people because it always seems like the majority of the cast is always out attacking someone who doesn’t fit their status quo.
Similar to Basketball Wives' Circle, and RHOBH's Fox Force Five, most of the main cast of Flaming Bros San Fernando is part of a clique that viewers mockingly refer to as the Bullies & Snobs (or B&S). It's a label that none of the said bullies or snobs care for, but their attitude and behavior make it more than fair to insult them as such. And their influence on the show makes the viewing experience feel like a chore rather than a delight. At least until we get to the true highlight underdogs, especially one in particular.
Until then, let’s get the mean girls out of the way, shall we?
---
“Hola, my name is Enrique Sapene. I'm an international mega superstar from the magic world of telenovelas.” - Enrique via confessional, Episode 1
The leader of the B&S crew is 31-year-old Venezuelan actor Enrique Sapene, who is also a journalist and FBSF⛈️'s supposed executive producer – the Shaunie O'Neal of Flaming Bros San Fernando, if you will, because he has NOTHING on Mariah Huq. He is a self-proclaimed "citizen of the world" and "mega International superstar," having starred in multiple telenovelas.
A lot of people don't believe that he's a journalist, but he is; at least he’s honest about that. But before that, he had grown up acting since he was a little kid. Enrique has lived in Venezuela, France, and the United States, the latter of where attended the West Hollywood-based Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute for method acting. His family was involved in the world of television (including Marcel Granier and Eduardo Sapene, both from Venezuela's RCTV), so if someone in the family wasn't carrying buckets of water, they were working on the set of a telenovela. And in Enrique's case, he was always cast as a villain, so you can guess what his role is in this reality show, with his method-acting skills. According to Enrique, telenovelas are typically the center of a story that happens over and over again. "Just look at yourself in the mirror as a Latino, and you're gonna find a telenovela," Enrique confidently says.
Since finishing his education at the LSTFI, he has been living in the city of San Fernando since 2005 with his now-sidelined brother Carlos and their mom followed suit. But his work knows no location as he can be in Los Angeles, Miami, or Mexico City.
Enrique is very... scary. And boring. Who knew you could be both? Most importantly, however, he is manipulative to his enemies and very condescending, commenting on certain cast members’ behavior instead of acknowledging his own behavior or that of his alliance. Despite being the leader of the unlikable gang, he’s not necessarily… the face of his alliance, nor is he the first one people think of when they think of the show.
Side note: His 35-year-old brother Carlos would appear sporadically. But if you didn't watch the sizzle, you would've never guessed that he was almost an official cast member. He's very much the equivalent of an extra this season (you either notice him or not), while Enrique happily does nothing as a so-called EP. Given how quickly FBSF⛈️ evolves from its "Jason & Friends" era, Carlos would've have never lasted on this show anyway, friend-of or full-timer.
Yeah, Enrique didn't really give us anything other than what he chose to share. If there’s anything else worth noting, he and his partner Daniel Garcia (who he had been with since March 19, 2010) privately got married in March 19, 2014 (literally 5 days before Jason and Christian got married). We just see Danny (credited as Enrique's husband) as an extra like Carlos, and we're just like, "Um, okay, does he talk?" 😅🤣
---
Alongside Enrique is his 30-year-old best friend and fellow Venezuelan immigrant local of San Fernando, Alex Paredes (aka Alex P), the husband of 42-year-old Peter Monn (who we never see until Season 2) and a lifestyle guru who lives and breathes music festivals and traveling. He describes himself as the life of the party. There’s very little else about Alex P (allegedly by choice), except that he’s kind of… ditsy, gullible, and biased, especially against friend-of Alastair Patton. It's never clear why he's so anti-Alastair.
So far, I've only highlighted what we don't know about Alex P. Because the truth is… we don't know anything about him. He's basically the Marlo Hampton of the group in that sense, because the whole season, the audience is asking, “Why is he here? What does he do? What is he hiding? Why does he hate Alastair so much? What does Enrique have on him? Why is he even a main cast member?" Seriously, what is he there for?! We never get an answer.
Even Rafa hilariously forgets about him multiple times throughout this whole season (and, really, throughout Alex P’s time on the show) until someone has to remind him! Alex P is really THAT forgettable this season, and it's honestly a mystery how he ended up on this show, beyond the fact that Enrique recommended him.
Also, "life of the party?" Shit, it must be a quiet party. 😆😅🤣🤣
---
The first time we see Jason in the season premiere, he lets us know that he brings the *HEAT* from Miami. Now *THAT* is how you introduce yourself!
And if anyone from the B&S side of the cast deserves their flowers - no matter how dead those flowers might appear to be - it's the resident evil heartthrob himself, Jason Caceres.
This 24-year-old Miami-born Cuban actor has that adorable presence that makes you think that he would never hurt a fly. But that fantasy changes very quickly in Episode 1, as soon as he opens his mouth, and you realize that he LOVES to pick on other people and gossip about people, and is often one of the *BIGGEST* reasons why the B&S crew is so dysfunctional for seasons to come. He shows himself to be a bully towards David, Rafa, and friend-of Alastair - the three likable people that we'll discuss momentarily.
After finishing high school in Miami, Jason and his family moved to the City of San Fernando in 2008, with dreams of becoming a celebrity in Hollywood. Oh, goody... another transplant with overhyped Hollywood dreams. Why doesn't that surprise me?
At the time, Jason was married to his 21-year-old sweetheart of a husband (and fellow actor and makeup artist) Christian Gabriel Lopez.
The two met in 2011 (when Jason was 21 and Christian was 18) shortly after Christian graduated from San Fernando High School with the class of 2011. And according to Jason himself, he was very charismatic and confident while Christian was a little shy but very lovely; "Our first date was at an empty Starbucks, and for Christian, it was the most natural conversation he ever had with anyone," Jason says via confessional in Episode 1. They got engaged in 2013 and got married on Jason's 24th birthday on March 24, 2014, when Christian was going on 21.
Christian is not a cast member, but appears frequently, convincing Jason to stop with the hostility towards others. In fact, Jason's storyline away from the group is his complicated relationship with Christian. Jason's family is... too involved in the relationship, which NEVER makes for good television. His parents (Alejandro Sr and Aymee) and older brother Alex C find Christian to be the most boring person ever simply because he's a nice guy and a little shy, which clashes with the family's more spicy and feisty personalities. Jason doesn’t openly disagree with them, nor does he seem too affected by their words, which does NOT go unnoticed by viewers. Even Enrique and Alex P wonder how Jason ended up with Christian "of all people" (Enrique's words). Estuardo disagrees, only because he’s Jason's follower. Don’t worry, we'll get to that Goddamn Estuardo later on, but just know right now that he is a piece of work who ends going from Jason's mouthpiece to a worthless target. Keep the word “worthless” in mind because that word is quite a supporting character. Anyway, even Jason has his own way of treating Christian. Jason's condescending sense of humor doesn't always land with viewers because what feels like a joke to him, is viewed by us as a dig at Christian. And some of the things he says kind of implies that he's more concerned about status and less about having a healthy relationship with his own husband. Seriously dude, this is your husband, for goodness sake! Christian, blink twice if you’re doing alright. It doesn’t help that Jason looks up to Enrique as a person, an actor, and a manipulator/gaslighter.
And actually, if Jason has always acted this way towards Christian, then it likely foreshadows the way he treats Rafa.
Jason - a gossip queen - is also a target for gossip himself when midway through the season, David claims that he saw Jason making out with another man who sounds and acts just like him which sound oddly familiar ("I mean, seriously, bro, single white female much?" says David via confessional), and accuses Jason ON CAMERA of cheating on Christian... multiple times. Now is David exaggerating? We don't know because there's no footage to prove anything! This isn't Jason's first conflict with David, as evidenced by episode 1 (more on that when we discuss David), but it leads to the infamous fan-dubbed "Tidal Wave Trilogy" this season. Also, if David’s description of this mystery guy he allegedly saw with Jason sounds familiar, then you must have been one of the execs who watched the 2013 sizzle reel.
Don't get me wrong, I don't like Jason and the show's not unwatchable without him, trust me. But he's an essential part of the Bullies & Snobs alliance in particular, for better or worse. And without him, that "friend" group is doomed to bore us to tears.
There is, however, a dark side to Jason which lets you know that not only does he control the narrative of whatever goes on with his enemies, but he also controls what goes on in his marriage to Christian.
So yeah, Jason… is a heavy hitter this season. He’s kind of the anchor on the “Jason & Friends” side of things. However, despite being the star and main cast member that I’m sure many fans of trash TV were craving for, he is actually not the real protagonist or the “bookender” for this season.
---
Next up we have Jason's 26-year-old older brother Alex Caceres, aka Alex C (born Alejandro Caceres Jr), who is always down for a good time and a *long* time. To this day, I’m wondering what that even means. 😆😅🤣😂
One Caceres is bad enough, but two? Now, that’s just pushing it too far, honey.
What to say about Alex C... well, he's a friend-of this season, who is just as messy and thirsty as Jason. Not much else is known about him, especially outside of Jason. And that’s probably why Alex C didn't become a main cast member and was instead demoted after the sizzle reel. Besides, two brothers in the main cast with the same personality probably would've been a little redundant, hence why the least interesting Carlos Sapene was given the axe. Just look at the personality of Alex and Jason’s parents, especially towards Christian, and you already know that Jason has too much power (which, by the way, becomes one of the major criticisms of Season 1, and really starts wearing on Christian by the time we have reached Season 4).
But the friend role certainly doesn't stop Alex C from joining in on the chaos and confusion that Jason causes. Alex C enables Jason too much, but it becomes clear that Jason can handle himself and survive a scene without his brother. The other way around? Uh-uh.
I guess if anything else is worth bringing up, it's that Alex Caceres was the first B&S brat to openly say via confessionals, “I’ve never liked Estuardo anyway. Never will,” on the season finale (Episode 17)
Speaking of…
---
Rounding out the Bullies & Snobs is Jason's 26-year-old Bostonian best friend Edgar Estuardo Alvizures who describes himself as a dancing fool, baby. To that, I say, “Dancing fool? More like *A* fool, period!” He prefers to be called Estuardo, so that's what we shall call him. Estuardo was born in Guatemala City and raised in Boston, before moving to the City of San Fernando in 2010. Estuardo is a dancer from Boston, who many viewers will recognize from the 4th and 5th seasons of the 1999 revival of WGBH's "Zoom." On this show, he's normally Jason's sidekick. If Jason doesn't like you, then neither does Estuardo, and that's really Estuardo's personality in a nutshell. And viewers really buy that Estuardo and Jason were really all that close (absolutely no way), not that it’s ever brought up on camera, of course.
And later on in the season, after the second of three tidal waves between David and Jason, Estuardo finds out that he's been another victim of Jason's gossiping and shit-talking, which becomes his karma. How did he find out about what Jason's been saying about him (more on what exactly, later)? David.
But that's not as memorable or widely discussed as his conflict with new guy Rafa in episode 2, when Estuardo calls him "worthless" via flashcard. More on that later.
Still wondering about that supposed potential? Me too.
---
Alex P, Alex C, Enrique, and Estuardo start a trend (exclusive to most villains on the show) of not sharing much/any of their personal lives, which ends up working against them, not once but definitely several times. So, you best believe, viewers, future fans, and even co-stars criticize the Hell out of them for not sharing anything about themselves outside the group.
And when you put them together with Jason, all five men create a dynamic that can only be described as toxic beyond repair, with Jason being the main reason, the Alexes enjoying it, and Estuardo eventually being Jason's main target. And Enrique's just there seeing dollar signs because this is "good TV." And while the Bullies & Snobs clearly have issues with each other, they also have no problem coming together to go after our next two main cast members; three if you count a friend-of who forced himself into the show (thank you Jesus!) and became *way* more important than Alex P and Enrique ever were.
---
Now for the more likable/tolerable cast members.
First up is 32-year-old Mexican-American short film/stage play actor David Ty Reza, straight out of Compton and living his life in Dronfield, Sylmar. In fact, it becomes no secret that he moved to Sylmar, simply to be on the show. But why Sylmar, and not the City of San Fernando? Because it feels like home. Sylmar is a pretty rough area, just like Compton, and David is rough around the edges, so it worked out. This ghetto hood bitch's "don't mess with me personality" against the B&S makes him a fan favorite with viewers. He is brash, outspoken, and "real." But it doesn't take long for viewers to see that this gayngsta (yes, I said GAYngsta, not gangsta) is... a lot.
He is the first underdog cast member we meet in Episode 1 after the Bullies & Snobs have all been introduced. He's brought into the show by LSTFI classmate Enrique – they never liked each other (mainly because David is beneath Enrique socially and financially), but David needed *someone* to bring him into the show, so… it is what it is – and right away, David struggles to mesh with Enrique's group. You would think that his outrageous personality would be enough to let him into their circle.
During the last 20 minutes of Episode 1, at Enrique's birthday bash (his 31st birthday), when Jason and Enrique make fun of David's living situation in Dronfield, Sylmar (often viewed by Sylmar residents as the ghetto), and Alex P, Alex C, Estuardo, and a cameoed Carlos join in (because they're bored and need stuff to do), David takes this very personally and goes the fuck OFF on them. The Alexes, Estuardo, and Carlos just stand there quiet, almost scared.
David: Y'all have been so fuckin' mean to me since we met, dawg. That makes no fuckin' sense.
Enrique: Oh okay. And you've been very sensitive since you met my friends. Try focusing on that.
David: Sure, and y'all can work on your ignorance. Talking about my living situation, bitch, y'all don't know shit about what it's really like growing up in the 'hood!
Jason: And you don't fit in this part of Los Angeles! You don't belong in the suburbs, so just go back to Compton already!
David: I don't give a fuck if you guys think I don't belong here! You two [pointing at Enrique and Jason] don't belong in Hollywood!
Jason: Whatever, I'm not ghetto.
David: Bitch, I ain’t ghetto either!
Suddenly, Jason puts his finger nearly at David's face when saying, "Alright, first of all--", and David cuts him off by saying, "HEY! Don't put your finger in my face. That's what you're *NOT* gonna do," while simultaneously pointing at Jason for a SECOND time.
Yeah, David is... a walking contradiction, which viewers clock immediately.
Jason: *sarcastically monotone, holding his hands up in fake defeat* Okay, I'm sorry Compton Crackhead. It won't happen again. Satisfied?
Damn, not “Captain Crackhead.” Disgusted, David shakes his head.
Christian: *walks to Jason to break up the fight* Jason, babe, come on, that's enough.
David: *annoyed with Christian* Christian, butt out please--
Christian: *cuts David off and raises his voice* Don't tell me what to do, okay?! You can leave.
David is shocked by "goody-goody" Christian’s delivery.
Christian: Now!
David rolls his eyes at Christian. And Jason smirks at this and says to David (while giving the shoo signal), "Shoo." And David scoffs and says, "Whatever, you ain't worth my motherfuckin' time. Shit, let me get my drink. I'm thirsty [FORESHADOWING]. And this party's *WHACK*, Enrique, just like you."
The B&S crew is just... confused and amused, with Enrique saying via confessional, "I don't know if they do that gangsta shit in Compton, but here in San Fernando, it is absolutely unacceptable." That won't be the last time Enrique says something ignorant like that.
And viewers immediately understand David; passionate, but constantly defensive and always ready to spar with his enemies, but is admittedly all talk.
And that "Tidal Wave Trilogy" between Jason and David begins midway through the season.
David comes from a very dysfunctional family of athletic brothers, sisters, as well as homophobic parents who immigrated from the State of Mexico during the 1970s (and married VERY YOUNG). And from what David admits to Alastair and Rafa in Episode 4, he’s still not close with any of his immediate family members. He even admits that he never felt safe in Compton had to stay on the DL socially (and even sexually) while living there to avoid harassment and gay bashing from the environment. It was a very different time in Compton during David’s early years in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, which makes us viewers wonder, “Why would he be proud to be from Compton as a gay male?” It may seem a bit contradictory coming from someone who moved to Dronfield instead of San Fernando proper because it reminded him of his hometown in Compton. But to be fair, that was then, and the gay community has continued to grow by 2014. So, I don’t know. Rafa and Alastair don’t seem confused as they are outsiders who had never been to Compton. But for viewers are familiar with or live in Compton and happen to be queer themselves, David’s position on Compton as of Season 1 compared to the first 32 years of his life may seem a bit… confusing.
And David’s dynamic with Enrique was always strained and contentious from the moment they met in 2001 at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. But perhaps Enrique’s power prevents David from really going there with him. Still, it’s clear that their tension is rather deep, which can mean anything.
David’s tension with Jason is very petty but also may be deep, as Jason alleges during their first Tidal Wave incident that David wanted him (if you catch my drift), which David vehemently denies. After all, Jason lies a lot, so this could just be another lie.
When it comes to the clothes he wears, even though he's not living in Compton anymore, David tends to wear black and white to not draw any attention. And when he was living in Compton, he never dared wear blue or red for obvious reasons. Yes, even the Mexican-American David Ty Reza knew what not to wear for his own good.
---
"Hey guys . I'm Rafael Luis Silva. But you can call me Rafa, if you want. I'm 20 years old, and originally from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. I'm an athlete, a farmer, an observer, an artist, and a survivor in life. To be continued... 🙂" - Rafa via confessional, Episode 2
And then we have the REAL protagonist and saving grace of the show: Rafael Luis Silva, who we first meet in Episode 2. At the time, most would actually argue that he’s also the lead (not that he ever wanted to be one) because it’s believed that “lead” and “protagonist” are the same thing, but not quite. The lead has the primary role, but is *THE* central figure who drives the narrative forward and undergoes significant change, acting as the real main focus. Either way… I agree with the argument that Rafa was the lead of the show. And I think the producers saw something special in him from the moment he was scouted for this show; more on that later.
Rafa is also the *real* bookender for this season. And to that I hear you ask, “How? He wasn’t even in the first episode.” And… you’re right that he wasn’t. So, the bookender role only works if you disregard the first episode. He opens Episode 2 and closes Episode 17 (the season finale).
While the Bullies & Snobs are immigrants, too, or immigrant-adjacent, Rafa is the only original main cast member who actually shares his experiences as such. He is also the only cast member to date who also speaks Portuguese, a language that we never hear him speak until Season 3.
He was born and raised in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, but he and his family moved to the City of San Fernando in the summer 2007 when he was 13. His one and only school year in the San Fernando Middle School (8th grade) was very controversial as he endured the type of racism that made him stand out. Rafa’s family is a farming family, he grew up riding horses, and he only spoke Portuguese. So, he experienced a big culture shock at school, where he had to take ESL. And because of that, he became more introverted, shyer and afraid to be himself, the Brazilian with deep agricultural and equestrian roots and love for nature. He was even called the N-word in particular (despite not being Black) by a middle school classmate, and a teacher even told him to just stick to speaking English and Spanish, because supposedly nobody in California spoke Portuguese, to which Rafa bravely said to the teacher, “The language I choose to speak is none of your business,” which shocked the teacher and Rafa’s classmates. Needless to say the teacher never crossed Rafa again. Rafa learned very quickly what it meant to be an immigrant and that life was not so easy for immigrants.
"I suffered a lot of bullying in this country for being a ‘farm boy’ in the suburbs," Rafa via confessionals, Episode 2.
He attended the San Fernando High School for all 4 years (2008 - 2012), where after his freshman year, he was part of the VPA Academy (Visual and Performing Arts). But in walked the same problem: despite being around other Latinx teenagers in high school, most of them were Mexican/Chicano, and had no interest in getting to know him as a Brazilian. “As long as I was Latino and living in San Fernando, I was forced to just say that I was Mexican or Chicano, which I always refused," Rafa says when opening up to the rest of the cast in Episode 2. The only person who actually wanted to know Rafa as a person and as a Brazilian/Portuguese-speaking person was his best friend Alastair, who was two years older than Rafa and two grades ahead of him. More on Alastair in a moment.
He had his share of racism and colorism throughout his time in America, and it’s truly inspiring that he never lied about his background or identity no matter what. Occasionally, he even showed up in both middle school and high school in shirts that had the Brazilian flag, Brazilian colors, anything exclusively Brazilian, which turned heads of teachers and classmates for the wrong reasons. But it didn't disobey the dress code so he couldn't get in trouble, no matter who thought wearing a Brazilian shirt in a predominantly Mexican campus was "racist."
In addition to riding horses, another one of his only safe havens was acting. He started studying theater during his sophomore year in high school, and that’s right there when his acting career started. If he weren’t an actor, he would probably like to direct or screen-write.
Rafa now attends CSUN as a freshman after taking a 2-year gap from school, following his high school graduation in 2012 to work. Before he was even approached by a producer at the San Fernando Mall for this show, Rafa was laid off from his retail job at a local Rite Aid by 2013, and had struggled to find a job elsewhere, ANYWHERE, since then. And like many people who were constantly rejected, Rafa was ready to give up. He was aware that by joining this show, he was stepping into a cast of an already-established friend group (which he later realizes is a fake friend group). And he dreaded that because he always hated being the new guy. But at the time, he had nothing to lose.
Shortly after filming starts for FBSF, the still-unemployed Rafa makes a life-changing decision during the last 15 minutes of Episode 3: he finally comes out to his family. They all sit down together in the living room of their home and he tells them he wasn’t being honest with them because he has hidden from them that he is gay. And they stood up and started hugging him, and accepted him immediately. Via confessional, Rafa admits, “That was the first time I said it out loud,” and lets out a tear when discussing this.
He has been going to therapy for many years throughout his life for depression and anxiety.
But since Season 1, Rafa's main arc has always been his desire to be accepted for who he is, not in spite of who he is.
And we see him literally live his life in front of the camera. He is showing us his love for acting and riding horses, and is searching/applying for jobs. We see him acting in various short films made for school and local film festivals, and we even see him working on-set and on-stage. We also see him showcase his skills as a dancer, an equestrian (which plays an important part in Rafa's emotionally grounded personality), and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner at the Mission Hills-based Phenom Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Mixed Martial Arts.
It's also because of Rafa that viewers get to see the San Fernando City life from the perspective of a Brazilian immigrant. You would think that the other main cast members would share their experiences exploring in/around San Fernando, but nope. Not even the *MEXICAN-American* David shares his experiences as a Sylmar resident who frequently visits the city.
And after Rafa was cast on this show for his authenticity and his fantastic knowledge of the City of San Fernando (because he has been living there since he was 13 years old, unlike the rest of the main cast who moved to/near the city when they were legally adults), he was told immediately that he could be the one missing puzzle piece for this show because everybody else (minus Jason) is boring, doesn’t want to share their experiences as San Fernando/Sylmar residents, didn’t grow up in the City, and doesn’t seem to know or understand the City itself.
And that is exactly why in the opening scene of Episode 2, Rafa’s first appearance is with his best friend Alastair Patton, and they are both getting their haircuts at the Town Barber Shop (which they had already planned to do that day prior to Rafa getting scouted), while talking about Rafa’s continued quest to find a job (the fact that Rafa was very honest about not having a job (besides this show) was probably the most authentic introduction that any reality show cast member has ever had). We even see Rafa confiding in theatre classmate and future cast member Calvin Seabrooks (an African-American and Mexican-American comedian, singer and actor) about not getting along with the Enrique’s friend group in Episode 5, while they are grocery shopping at the local El Super. And in Episode 7, he is talking to his older brother Dominic about something that Dominic heard in the grapevine (about David spreading the word about Jason cheating on Christian; "Look bro... I don't exactly like Jason either... but I also think that David may be looking for trouble, like he wants Jason to react. Just... be careful, okay?" Dominic says to Rafa) while sitting at the Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Park. By simply living his life on-screen, Rafa literally (and unintentionally) became our tour guide for the City of San Fernando.
But just because Rafa loves the history and culture of San Fernando City, doesn't make him any less Brazilian. In fact, we also get invited into the Brazilian culture via the Silva family. In a small town that has often invalidated Rafa's Brazilian identity, Rafa became the poster child for staying true to who you are, no matter what.
Also, the Silvas seem to have an overlooked yet very special gift of foreshadowing things. His mom Lorena Silva once said to Rafa in Episode 2 that one day Rafa may have to do more than just scold a future boss. And in Episode 4, his dad Ricky Silva said to Rafa, “Son, that’s a lot of people. How are you going to remember everyone’s name?” Heck, even Dominic’s belief that David wants Jason to react was foreshadowing. Interestingly, Rafa's accusation of the group not liking each other and his suggestion that they get help is perhaps the most iconic foreshadowing from Rafa himself. But the evidence that they don't like each other doesn't end up occurring until Season 3 - when he's not around to see B&S mostly fall apart.
It's really cool that people behind the scenes saw something special in Rafa. BUT it can be argued that he was set up (most likely by Enrique) to fail. He was much younger than the rest of the cast - barely 20 years old - and therefore still treated like a kid.
Socially, the B&S guys do not like Rafa, especially Jason who finds Rafa to be too soft and dull (interestingly, that's how his parents and brother feel about Christian). Therefore, Jason's personal slave Estuardo proceeds to call Rafa “worthless” via flashcard and fails to accept accountability for his part. And there's only so much Rafa can say to Enrique because Enrique is the self-proclaimed "boss" (sure, Enrique), so he never really bothers engaging with Enrique throughout their time on the show together, until the season finale which takes place at James’ Restaurant breakfast from Hell. And the Alexes (Alex Caceres and Alex Paredes) are just forgettable non-personalities to Rafa. It gets to a point where Rafa literally forgets who Alex Paredes is until Alastair hilariously reminds him during the Season finale when Rafa and Alastair enter James’ Restaurant (Rafa whispering to Alastair: "Wait, who's that again?"/ Alastair rolls eyes, giggles, and whispers back: "Alex Paredes." / Rafa whispering: "Oh okay, thanks."). Such a cute Rafa moment lol. Hell even at the Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Park (Episode 7), after discussing David and Jason, Rafa talks about the rest of the cast minus Alex P. Dominic literally has to let Rafa know that he left out Alex P ("Wait *laughs* isn't there another Alex in the group?" Rafa’s reaction: "😳😨 Oh, um. Yeah. Um... Alex... some...thing." And Dominic says while laughing, "Alex Paredes," to which Rafa says, "Right, whatever. Him.")
The only reason Rafa remembers Alex Caceres (kind of…) is because he's just Jason's brother and Christian's brother-in-law, and nothing else.
Speaking of which, in Episode 4, at a mixer hosted by Enrique (who proves to be a pretty bad host), we see that Rafa is the only cast member who actually gets along with Christian. This bothers Jason, which is so ironic given what he's allegedly been doing behind Christian’s back. And what Jason fails to accept as the truth (but thankfully the footage was shown) is that Christian and Rafa literally don't talk about Jason (or his marriage to Christian), and they're not flirting with each other. They're literally talking about life, fashion, outdoor activities, acting, their experiences in the City of San Fernando and attending San Fernando High School (Christian attended from 2007 to 2011 and Rafa attended from 2008 to 2012). They both recall seeing each other around many times in the halls of the VPA Academy and talking occasionally and being too shy to really go beyond saying hi to each other at the time. And what really seals the deal for Jason is that Christian – a fellow Cuban-American, who – like the Brazilian Rafa – has had his share of racism and being othered (and the only onscreen Jason-adjacent person), allows himself to get to know Rafa as a Brazilian immigrant in the very Mexican City of San Fernando. Jason sees this as a personal betrayal, which is stupid because Jason and Rafa are not friends. It's also hypocritical given that Jason is literally NOBODY's friend.
When Jason confronts Rafa about this outside Enrique's house, Christian bravely defends Rafa, admitting to Jason, "I approached Rafa, because I wanted to talk to him. I recognized him from high school, and I wanted to get to know him. I don't have a lot of friends, and this is a mixer. We should be free to talk to whoever we wanna talk to." Jason doesn’t believe this, and sticks with his belief that Rafa wanted to steal his man, which leads Rafa to say, "You know what, Jason? If you're really that paranoid, just watch the footage and you'll see that you're dead-ass wrong." And immediately a producer shows Jason footage of Christian and Rafa’s conversation, and... even though he won't show it, he felt dumb. All he could say was, "Oh. Well, alright." Rafa and Christian look at him with an expression that can only be seen as "We're waiting," to which Jason says, "Okay, I'm sorry! Damn." And Rafa and Christian say in unison, "Thank you," which makes them look at each other in shock by the unison and trying not to chuckle. Interestingly, Jason doesn't forbid Christian to see or talk to Rafa again, but he still doesn't trust Rafa, and sees him as a threat to his and Christian’s marriage. "You gotta watch out for the boring ones," Jason says via confessional. But was he referring to Rafa as the boring one, or Christian? Hard to say, knowing how Jason's brain works. And the fact that Jason sees Rafa as a threat to his and Christian’s marriage is very ironic and (again) hypocritical given what we observe and learn, the more we get to know Jason during his duration on the show.
If Rafa and Christian did receive pushback for their friendship from viewers, it's because many haters see it as Rafa being messy and Christian being two-faced, when really, all the two "boring" guys are doing is coming together and getting along, laughing, having a nice stress-free conversation, pretty much forgetting (or perhaps not caring) that one is an Amigo (and associated with someone – David – who was rude to Christian in Episode 1, leading to Christian to immediately snap at the guy) and the other is married to a bully/snob (who is very mean to Rafa and hardly defends Christian against Christian’s in-laws).
As of this season, Rafa is the only Amigo that Christian dared approach, and as we'll see in the future seasons that they never stopped interacting or being friends, but are nonetheless very careful, keeping most of their interactions to a minimum (unfortunately) because of Jason. If there’s one thing that both Rafa and Christian respect better than the B&S crew, it’s boundaries. Still, the fact that he was able to get along with someone that audiences would consider B&S-adjacent, and Christian was able to do the same with a fan-dubbed Amigo is quite the accomplishment if ever I’ve seen one!
Rafa doesn't really engage with the Bullies & Snobs until he has to. You can only avoid them for so long when you're a full-time cast member.
But it's actually during the solo scenes after choosing to disengage with the B&S that we see that he's also an equestrian at home, and fools around with his theater class at CSUN.
In Episode 11, during the latter half of the season, his theater class is doing improv raps which look like so much fun. It's actually during the improv rap scene that we see a cameo appearance from classmate and future cast member Calvin Seabrooks. Rafa sucks at rapping (according to Rafa himself), but he has a great time, and Calvin is cheering him on, which helps Rafa be less nervous and more comfortable. He's really in his element in his class, showcasing his acting, comedic timing, and ability to act out words. "The class definitely showed me that I don’t have to be perfect at everything, and that my passion and love for the arts always outweighs imperfection," Rafa says via confessional.
To viewers' shock, the only main cast member who seems to like Rafa is David, and miraculously they hit it off very quickly when they first meet in Episode 2, so Rafa is not on an island alone. Their friendship becomes one of the FEWEST positive highlights of the season. And the addition of Rafa's friend since high school - Alastair - helps Rafa feel more at ease in the cast for the time being.
In Episode 3, David admits to Rafa that even he's shocked that Rafa took a liking to him, saying, "Normally, I'm known for having a smart mouth, and this group is super mean, so I wasn't sure you'd wanna take a chance with any of us." And Rafa says, "Well I will say that you're very unpredictable," leading to David's shocked "Oh, for real?" And Rafa says, "And I mean that as a compliment, I promise 🙏🏿."
"David and Rafa are buddies? Well, hopefully David treats him right," says Jason (sarcastically) via confessionals (Season 1 Episode 3).
If anyone on the show withered the storm better than anyone else, it was Rafa.
He has the honor of being the main focus during the majority of the Season Finale (Episode 17), especially during the last 15 minutes; first with his dragging of the group’s overall dynamic at James' Restaurant (can't wait to talk about that), and later applying for a job in the Sylmar-based Monteverde Ranch Equestrian Center (as suggested by Alastair's fiance Zachary Garcia, who ironically is afraid of horses lol).
---
So, about that “worthless” comment…
In Episode 1, the bullies and snobs were not impressed by David’s defensive attitude. Therefore, in Episode 2, they were not looking forward to meeting Rafa, who sounded like a boring person to be around, according to Jason. And if Jason doesn’t like someone… you guessed it! Neither does anyone else in his clique, especially that spineless Estuardo.
After Enrique, Jason, Alex, Estuardo, and David meet Rafa for the first time and get a feel for him, it’s very clear to anyone with common sense that the bullies and snobs are very judgmental towards Rafa, with Jason being the harshest in his confessional. Meanwhile, David is more intrigued by and curious about Rafa. So Enrique decides that everyone should come into his house so they can all do some… group activity (?) with his life coach. Who the hell died became Enrique’s life coach (although to be fair, after looking back, he does need help)? But it felt like a setup.
The female life coach suggests that each cast member write an adjective in a flashcard to describe each costar and put it in a box (each box has a cast member’s first name). Of course, the B&S group wrote positive adjectives towards each other, and the life coach reads them out herself.
But when she got to David and then Rafa, the vibe was different. She was clearly bracing herself
The words to describe David were
· Passionate – Rafa Silva
· Ghetto – Enrique Sapene
· Dramatic – Estuardo Alvizures
· Immature – Alex Paredes
· Hideous – Jason Caceres
· Annoying – Alex Caceres
And the words to describe Rafa were
· Understanding – David Ty Reza
· Passive – Enrique Sapene
· Sneaky – Alex Paredes
· Questionable – Alex Caceres
· Boring – Jason Caceres
· Worthless – Estuardo
David could take a lot, but Rafa was hurt, not that he was trying to show it. David with his charisma (who knew that David was a charismatic gayngsta?) tries to soften the blow and tell Rafa that he is not worthless and nobody deserves to be called that.
The life coach ends up putting Estuardo on blast, revealing that it was him who wrote “worthless,” (ooooohhh, BUSTED!) and Estuardo is COMPLETELY caught off guard and wouldn’t explain why he called Rafa such a word, stuttering, "Look I-I'm sorry Rafa, but... I don't think this is the time or- or place--" Rafa cuts him off, “Make time,” which shocks everyone, even Estuardo.
"The boring kid's got balls. I stand corrected," says Jason via confessional, almost in shock.
And Estuardo gives the big speech about how he doesn’t have a lot of gay friends because a lot of them can be messy, and blah blah blah (if only he knew at the time what his so-called friends have been saying about him since the sizzle reel). And Rafa cuts him off again: “That has nothing to do with me. Now focus. Stick. To. The subject.” Estuardo is just speechless by Rafa's cold response - "I'm-- eh *sighs*," and holds his hands up in defeat, completely giving up at that point, and silently saying, "I don't know. I'm sorry. Never mind."
David says not-so-quietly, "Well that's typical."
"This is what happens when you use Jason as your personal brain. If you can't even think for yourself, zip it," David says via confessional.
Yeah… whatever potential Estuardo had based on the sizzle was nowhere to be seen throughout the WHOLE season. Rafa was certainly not impressed with any of the B&S brats.
But what we the viewers realize from the end of Episode 2 is that Rafa is indeed a nice person until you cross him, a lesson that a future friend-of learns in a more brutal way next season.
---
Rafa's best friend, 22-year-old Alastair Patton joins FBSF as the show’s second friend-of. We meet him in Episode 2 when he and Rafa are getting their haircuts at the Town Barber Shop. And in Episode 3, after learning from Rafa about the life coach "worthless" incident, Alastair makes it a point to join Rafa on this journey, officially making himself a friend-of without needing to audition or be scouted. Enrique would never allow such a thing to happen! But this is not really his show. ANYMORE. And frankly, Alastair couldn't care less because Enrique is NOT his boss, something that Alastair has no problem reminding Enrique.
Recently retired from the army, the Mexican-born Alastair shares with us his experiences with always having to leave his family and his friends.
Alastair (a fellow immigrant himself) grew up in the Federal District of Mexico. His family moved to Texas when he was only 15 years old. He has two older sisters and a younger one and has always been very close with his family. But don't worry, his family does NOT get involved in his relationship with his fiancé, 20-year-old Zachary Garcia. At age 17, he and his family eventually moved to the City of San Fernando in the year 2009 ahead of his Senior Year in San Ferando High School where he joined the CTE Academy (Career Technical Education) and graduated with the Class of 2010. Shortly after the beginning of the Fall 2009 semester, he met his Sophomore best friend 15-year-old Rafa, and the two instantly clicked, and became inseparable, like brothers. Their friendship would become one of the most important for the show going forward. They always stayed in touch when Alastair was in the army, and Alastair would visit as much as he could. What Alastair doesn’t reveal until next season is how much the army changed his life, and not for the better. But until then, what ends up being a symbol for Alastair is his dog tags that he wears around his neck for good luck, which you wouldn’t expect from someone who grew up in a devout Christian family. But for Alastair, who’s a progressive liberal Christian, his dog tags were his only best friends during a time in his when he couldn't trust anyone in the army.
Alastair reminisces about the first time he saw Zachary Garcia, a Tejano who (unlike Alastair) is NOT fluent in Spanish. In 2013, (after Alastair's exit from the Army) “Zach had such a magnetism when I looked him up on Instagram, and so I followed him right away.”
Zach also followed Alastair and they started “liking” each other’s pictures, which led to a private message, and an in-person meeting after Zachary (who wanted to move to Los Angeles anyway for better job opportunities) moved to the City of San Fernando for work and an education. They decided to become official boyfriends when they met, and never looked back. Were they moving a little fast? Maybe. But nonetheless, they got to know each other as they were dating, so it worked out regardless.
Alastair has always been Rafa’s guardian angel since 2009 and really helps Rafa be less miserable in the group. And manages to get along with David quite well. And a new trio of sorts has formed, and fans dub them the 3 Amigos.
We get to see Alastair's relationship with future husband Zachary Garcia (who sometimes refers to Alastair as “daddy,” “papi” or the more popular "Big Daddy Al," and is hardly comparable to Christian Gabriel Lopez, because Zachary is Alastair's rock, not a forced babysitter – sorry Christian, I like you though), which becomes another highlight in addition to scenes that Alastair, Rafael and David have together, individually, and/or 2 at a time.
And Alastair (who was made aware by Rafa in episode 3 of how mean and judgmental the B&S crew was to Rafa) has his good eye on those damn bullies, especially Enrique, who Alastair never treats like a boss or EP, calling him a bitch at the reunion (Episode 18).
Yeah, Alastair makes it crystal clear (in the most quotable moment possible) to Enrique during the reunion that he is not buying the EP act; never mind the journalism part: “You want me to bow down to you, you want me to be scared of you, and you wanna keep saying, ‘This is my show, this is my show, this is my show.’ Bitch, sit down. You may have the EP title for whatever reason, but it’s only a VANITY title, honey. You don’t write our checks. You don’t pay our bills. You do not have the authority to hire or fire anyone. And I approve this message, damn it.” Every cast member, and host Ross Matthews are shocked by Alastair's (arguably iconic) monologue, and Enrique is LIVID. And the two would have quite a volatile dynamic throughout their time on “Enrique’s show.”
Buuuuuuut, because of his already-established history with Rafa, we're not supposed to like Alastair at all. You know, if we were that dumb to be on the side of the Bullies and Snobs. At least Estuardo still has THAT in common with the rest of B&S.
In fact, throughout a large chunk if the season, Estuardo constantly harasses Alastair because in the end of Episode 3, when Estuardo is trying to be his typical mean girl self, Alastair calls Estuardo something that literally every viewer thought: "Estuardo, you are a heartless moron." As a result, as of 2026, many viewers continue to refer to Estuardo as a heartless moron to this day and he HATES it.
But back to the show: even Alastair was tired of the constant attacks from Estuardo, so much so that on Episode 15, while the cast is on a trail walk through the Pacoima Wash Natural Park (renamed Cindy Montañez Natural Park in September 2023), Estuardo and Alastair nearly got into it, FACE. TO. FACE. But luckily David and Rafa were there to break it up. Most viewers agree that Estuardo would've lost that match.
And it becomes clear that Alex P absolutely despises Alastair, but it’s never clear why (outside of Alastair's close friendship with the group's mortal enemies Rafa and David, which is such a biased reason), because that would require us to actually get to know SOMETHING – ANYTHING – about Alex P. No wonder Rafa forgets who Alex P is.
---
About that Tidal Wave Trilogy...
ROUND ONE
Since Episode 1, there was always tension between Jason and David over David's living situation. And midway through the season, we find out from Dominic during his talk with Rafa at the Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Park that David claimed that he saw Jason with another man recently, and that Jason was cheating on Christian with this man multiple times. There were already rumors in the city that Jason "got around" which Jason denies and Christian doesn't believe (or at least to the viewers, he doesn't WANT to believe), and when Jason finds out (from Alex C, no less) that David was making this latest accusation and spreading the word on Grindr (just messy, David), Jason is pissed.
Accompanied by his brother Alex C, Jason confronts David who is hanging out with Rafa and Alastair at Carrillo's Tortilleria, a major staple restaurant in the City of San Fernando. Rafa and Alastair are already aware of what David was saying, with Alastair saying, "Dude, you are little stepping into the lion's den." When Jason and Alex C show up with Jason saying, "So I hear you been spreading lies about me, bitch," David is blindsided by this but quickly brags about it by saying, "Yeah. Yeah I did. And guess what I was doin' a lot of folks on Grindr a favor by warning them about you." After denying that he cheats and gets around, Jason deflects by accusing David of wanting him; "You're just doing this because you wanted me and I rejected you." David's response: "I DON'T WANT YOUR BITCH-ASS! THE HELL YOU TALKIN' ABOUT?!"
Jason says that David could've fooled him, to which David insists, "I CERTAINLY don't wanna be with a cheater, bruh. Ain't you engaged?" Jason: "Yes, I am engaged, something that you'll never be!"
Rafa notices people string at them, which makes him very uncomfortable.
David hits a nerve when he says, "I'm surprised Chris is even engaged witcho smug ass! You don't give a fuck about him, baby boy!"
When Jason mutters, "You know what?" and walks forward to David, Rafa and Alastair try to calm both of them down, but Alex C makes things worse by tag-teaming Jason. David shuts Alex C down real quick by saying, "Yo, Alex. You ain't even in this, man. This is me and him." Jason says, "Don't talk to my brother like that! At the end of the day, this shit is your fault! You're the one speading lies, you fraud!"
And as David says the one thing you should NEVER say: "So do something, bitch. DO SOMETHING!"
Jason happily DOES do something: as he is yelling to David, "I WILL FUCKIN' DO SOMETHING, BITCH!" he throws Pepsi in David's face.
And before Jason and David go any further than that PHYSICALLY, Rafa and Alastair pull David back with Rafa shouting "WOAH WOAH WOAH" and Alastair saying "HEY HEY HEY, OK OK OK", and a worn-out Jason says to Alex C, "You know what, that actually felt good. I think we're done here, let's go."
And as they're about to leave, David shouts to Jason, "BITCH I'MA FIND YOU IN THE STREETS!" Jason turns around and says: "FIND ME YOU FUCKING BITCH!" David: "PUNK-ASS HO! DON'T COME OUTCHO HOUSE!"
Alastair is laughing and saying under his breath, "Oh my God," and Rafa is just so speechless that all he can say is, "Wowww..."
ROUND TWO
After that crazy screaming match at Carrillo's Tortilleria, Jason decides to get back at David by basically going on Instagram and Twitter to BASH David and air out David's dirty laundry (aka make up shit about David), at one point calling him a "lonely and desperate bum," and even threatening on IG to sue David if he ever lies on him again. But if one thing is true about David, it's that he was smart to screenrecord opening the apps of IG and Twitter to open the threatening and disparaging messages. Yes, he also took screenshots, but everyone does that. Almost no one thinks to screenrecord, which is an even more effective. He's the reason why I screenrecord it to this day.
It's not until Episode 11 that David decides to confront Jason about this once and for all. And this time, it's just the two of them in person, no one else. Jason meets David at a picnic table at the San Fernando Recreation Park and Aquatic Center, and does his usual, "Hey babe, how you doing?" David doesn't play that shit, and he just cuts to the chase.
Jason: "Damn... why you look so pissed off? Someone took your imaginary boyfriend?"
David: "I have a better question: when have I ever attacked you online?"
Jason: "Well, lying on me on Grindr counts, as far as I'm concerned."
David: "Well since then, have you been DM'ing me?"
Jason: "No."
David: "Have you been posting disparaging shit online about me?"
Jason: "No..."
David: "Well that's not according to what I have found and kept as receipts."
Jason: *Annoyed and Confused* "Excuse me?"
David: "Yeah, that's right. I recorded and took screenshots of everything you said to me, ya dumb bitch."
In his confessionals, Jason denies saying these vicious things about David, even though it came from his ONLY IG and Twitter accounts. He doesn't even try to say that someone else was using his account (which is always a possibility, to be fair). So because he talks a lot of crap and lies A LOT, it's easy to believe that it was him. Of course it was him, but he will take that to his grave, honey! "Shame on him to think that I would do that. Not that he doesn't deserve it. 😈 "
David: shows the printed receipts to Jason "I printed everything you said to me, so you can save your lies for your minions! And by the time this scene airs, you’ll already be exposed! EXPOSED, ya dumb bitch!"
Jason: calm yet unbothered “I know what I said.”
Fans clocked that quote immediately and said, “Wait a minute. Does that mean that you DID say those things about David, or not? WHICH IS IT?!” Classic Jason – the Master of Confusion. And he does it so effortlessly.
David: “Wha – so – what? What's the point of all this?! I’ve never attacked you!”
Jason: “You did when you call me a cheater, dumbass!”
David: “You know what? You are wasting my time right now.”
Jason: “You wasted my time by existing! Why don’t you do what you normally do and hide behind Alastair and Rafa!”
David: "Well let me tell you something: at least I don't hide behind a keyboard or a cellphone! That's what you do! I deal with problems head-on! THAT'S the fuckin' difference between me and you *throws his water from a bottle at Jason's face * you stupid bitch! *Gets up from his seat and shouts* TRY ME IF YOU WANT TO! TRY ME IF YOU FUCKING WANT TO! THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TV, YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! I WILL FUCKING TAKE YOU DOWN, BITCH! ALRIGHT? JUST TRY ME! YOU’RE LUCKY I’M NOT GONNA SUE YOUR ASS, ‘CAUSE YOU AIN’T GOT SHIT!"
Jason: *gets up from his seat, and nonchalantly says* “Well hey, babe, when you find out it’s not me, then what? Whatchu gonna do?”
The fans yelled at their screens saying, “Jason, MAKE UP YOUR MIND! Did you or did you not say those things about David?”
David: “You know EXACTLY what you’re doing, okay?”
Jason: “Alright so whatchu gonna do? Call Rocky and them to whoop my ass, Mr. “I’m from Compton”? I ain’t scared you.”
David: “I’m not scared of you! You da one who SHOULD be scared!”
Jason: “Men from Compton don’t throw drinks, old man!”
David: “Alright, you know what? I’m done here. You can do whatever the fuck you want. You are the biggest slut in San Fernando and everyone knows it, okay? Even your own fucking fiancé no matter how much he don't wanna believe it.” *walks away and mutters* “Fuck outta here with your lies boo.”
Jason: *dries his face off* “Whew. Well, that was a waste of time. I wonder what Christian’s up to right now.” *chuckles*
ROUND THREE
David and Jason would not stop throwing jabs at each other at the reunion, which was thankfully only one part because the season had gone on LONG ENOUGH.
David: “I ain’t even gonna talk to you no more, ‘cause you are not worth a DAMN, honey.”
Jason: *talks to Enrique* “Mm-mm-mm, he’s gonna talk to me again just watch. Thirsty ass…”
David: “No, your whole FAMILY is thirsty.
Jason: *to Enrique* I rest my case.
David: "That’s why your brother wasn’t invited to the reunion. Okay? Remember that. Ya lucky that Christian’s even here at all. Just pray to God that you’ll be back next season, okay?”
Moments later, the cast is taking a break backstage when Jason sneaks up behind David (who was minding his own business) and deliberately spills a pitcher of water on his head, shocking David who now has soaking wet clothes. He is livid, but decides FOR ONCE to just take the high road and just get himself dried up and change into a spare pair of clothes (same type of outfit) that he brought just in case. Child, at least he was smart enough to do that. But after everyone sat back down on their seats, he did say to Jason after getting redressed, “Watch your back, Jason.” Okay, so maybe the "high road" was short-lived? Lord, have mercy.
TIDAL WAVE VERDICT
So, did Jason win that Tidal Wave match? As much as I hate to admit it… yes.
However… he did NOT win by likability; he only won by technicality.
Clearly Jason wanted it his way or the highway, and David just needed to admit defeat. Girl...
-----------------------------
Together, Jason and David are a rare example of "similarities don't attract." But when you don't notice it at all, it goes over your head. But in fact, Jason and David *do* indeed have a lot in common. They have charisma that contradicts their personalities. They never back down. And they are super reactive. They have plenty more in common, and we will know this, the longer they remain on the show. But it never brings them any closer together.
---
After the second Tidal Wave incident, something miraculous happens: Jason has been talking trash about Estuardo not having a backbone, which baffles Estuardo; “I thought we were friends, Jason.”
When Estuardo tries to talk to Rafa about this situation, Rafa’s response to him is, “And?” Estuardo is basically like, “Excuse me, I’m trying to be nice here, you don’t have to be an asshole.” Rafa’s response? “Well, what do you want me to say? You DON’T have a backbone, and your entire existence is worthless. Now, go away.” Oop! There goes that word “worthless”! Rafa does not (and will not) listen to anyone who disrespects him. And we will see that, time and time again.
And Jason’s constant shit-talking about Estuardo causes Estuardo to reach his boiling point with Jason. Even Christian can't save Jason out if this one. But at least Jason's brother Alex Caceres will always have Jason's back; Alex C never liked Estuardo anyway.
And that’s Estuardo’s problem that nobody in the cast likes him. NO. BAH. DEE. You kinda wanna feel bad for the guy, but then you're immediately reminded of how cowardly and nasty he is.
-----------------------------------
The season finale (Episode 17) ended with all mains and friend-ofs in a James' Restaurant, a historic, family-owned diner in the City of San Fernando. What could've been a brunch from Hell (and it most certainly was, for the B&S crew) was eye-opening for viewers when Rafa - who was arguing with Enrique who talked down to him - said, "Alright you know what, Enrique? Don't talk to me like that, okay? I'm getting sick and tired of your big-ass mouth! SHUT UP!" bangs on table when he says, "big-ass mouth." Everyone on the table is shocked by Rafa's delivery ("Oof, go ahead Rafa!" - David via confessional), minus Alastair who says via confessional, "Rafa had all that he can take, and stunned Enrique says under his breath, "Whatever. I've nothing more to say to you. You win." In his confessional, Enrique says, "Are you kidding me? You're gonna attack me on my show? You have completely lost your mind, little boy." And then Rafa says the following to all the bullies and snobs, "I'm sorry, I know I'm new here, and my opinion doesn't matter to you guys, but I gotta say: whatever dynamic you guys have with each other is SO fucked up, it's not even funny. Y'ALL DON'T LIKE EACH OTHER! You talk so much shit about each other ALL THE TIME! But then all of a sudden, you're one big happy family when I show up, or David shows up, or Alastair shows up. And I'm the problem because I'm 'boring,' I'm the 'nice guy,' I'm 'quiet.' MEANWHILE, Y'ALL ARE FULL OF SHIT! Get help." With that, Rafa gets up and leaves the restaurant, and Alastair and David leave with him. And the rest of the table gets quiet...
------------
Season 1 Reunion Seating Chart
Left - Right:
Alex Paredes (fourth chair), Estuardo Alvizures (third chair), Enrique Sapene (second chair), Jason Caceres (first chair), Ross Matthews (HOST), Rafael L Silva (first chair), David Ty Reza (second chair), Alastair Patton [FRIEND-OF] (third chair)
The good thing about these reunions is that nobody has to dress all fancy. They can just show up in whatever makes them comfortable.
Rafa shows up like a cute country boy, in sneakers 🤭😄. David's all-black in a tank top, jeans, and converse. Alastair is wearing his dog tags and has a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. Estuardo has on a Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts (uh, okay). Jason looks so preppy, like a gay Zack Morris. Alex P clothes are a mess, as if he woke up hungover; even his hair is a mess! And Enrique is wearing... a suit, making him the most overdressed. It's almost like Enrique FORGOT that Ross Matthews was the host.
The reunion was something crazy.
A truly underrated moment is when Jason says to Rafa, "You didn't like me calling you boring, did you? You are VERY exciting. I swear."
Rafa: YOU'RE WHOLE FRIEND GROUP IS BORING. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER... *points at Alex P*... THAT GUY'S NAME!
*Alastair and David burst out laughing, while Jason and Ross Matthews cover their mouths, not wanting to chuckle.*
Alex: *annoyed* My name is Alex.
Rafa: ALEX WHAT? THERE’S TWO ALEXES!
Alex: *more annoyed* Alex Paredes!
Rafa: And there's another problem: you and Alex Caceres have last names thay sound *WAY* too similar.
Alex: *yells at Rafa* What do you want me to do, Rafael? Change my last name.
Rafa: That would be helpful, thanks.
*Jason quietly chuckles and shakes his head*
Oh, Rafa.
I think at this point, Jason knows that he can't intimidate Rafa, but it’s not like he won't stop trying, even from a distance. The King of Confusion always has an ace up his sleeve, and that ace's name a starts with the letter "A."
-------------
Another iconic moment during the reunion came from Rafa.
After David's "Watch your back" delivery to Jason, Enrique brings up his disgust with Alastair’s "vanity title" insult, leading to a debate of who's the real reason that the show exists.
Ross Matthews asks the cast, "Well is there anyone on this stage who thinks they're the reason this show exists?"
Jason: Well I'm sure those 3 losers [*pointing to the 3 Amigos*] believe that they're the reason. But the truth is, I'M the reason
David: *to Jason* Well it ain't none of your friends [*pointing to Alex P, Enrique, and Estuardo*]. They brought nothing to the show. *NUH.THING*.
Enrique: Well I beg to differ. I created the show. I casted everybody for this show. And if it wasn't for me, there would be no Flaming Bros San Fernando, period.
Rafa: Um, you didn't cast me; I was scouted by a producer at the San Fernando Mall.
David: I'll admit, you brought me into the show. But don't even do shit on the show. You ain't even nothin' for me. "
Alastair: I just showed up uninvited, so... *the audience laughs* ... it is what it is.
Rafa: And your name is not on our checks; *to Ross Matthews* I brought one to show you if that's okay. *the audience is reacting out of shock and amusement*
Rafa ends up showing the check to Ross, and Ross (without the need to show to writes the check) confirms that Rafa and Alastair's claim against Enrique is true.
Ooh, poor Enrique. 🤣😅😭 His reaction to Rafa is just a death glare. Unfortunately, karma is a bitch and comes for Rafa next season, no thanks mainly to one Enrique.
------------
So yeah, already a jacked-up dynamic within our cast of young queer Latinx men. And while the B&S team are insufferable, and David is entertainingly a mixed bag, it's Rafa who is truly the most likable and essential cast member of the bunch. And if I had to give a bully/snob any credit for relevance, it would be Jason, without a doubt. At least he has an interesting storyline for a villain, which is more than I can say about most villains on this once-asinine show. But it ends up working against Jason, if David's cheating accusation is any indication.
I know one thing: without the dynamic known at this point as the "3 Amigos," especially Rafa, we would have no REAL reason to watch Season 1 of Flaming Bros San Fernando ⛈️ (or FBSF⛈️). They are the real stars this season. Jason is, too, but he’s just tolerable – barely.
Many people have acknowledged that the show doesn’t have a balance, and I agree.
And whether you thought Rafa was boring simply because he wasn't a bitch, a baddie, or a bully, you cannot deny that the show got better because of him. He took us into the world that is the City of San Fernando, while the rest of the main cast just happened to live their (or Sylmar, in David's case).
Even Alastair argues today that the show would've been canceled after Season 1 had Rafa not joined, and had the show not been largely told from Rafa's POV, especially as the season progressed. Yes, Enrique was the first person we met on the Season Premiere, but Rafa closed the Season Finale.
And viewers (especially trash TV purists) who dismiss Rafa as boring begin to see the consequences of nearly losing Rafa during Season 3 because of one OG's treatment towards him. Rafa may not fit the messy archetype, and he may want to be the lead, but lead or not, he's what many trashy reality shows fails to have: a protagonist.
Also, the diversity within the cast in Season 1 (2015) was still not perfect, but definitely better in comparison and contrast to that in the Sizzle Reel (2013), especially with Rafa being that bridge between Enrique’s non-Mexican friend group and the Mexican cast members (David & Alastair)
And poor Carlos Sapene didn't get a chance to at least be a friend-of, but given how to show turns out by Season 12, I'd argue that maybe the show was better off without Carlos. 🤭
Rafa being the unintentional tourist for the City of San Fernando (simply by just doing Rafa) is honestly the coolest and most adorable thing ever. It introduced even a bunch of locals of Los Angeles and SFV to a world that they had never noticed or heard of before Rafa's first appearance on the show.
And the fact that B&S found Rafa boring, while production found B&S boring? Amazing!
"Enrique's show," my tail!
No comments:
Post a Comment