Acapulco Season 2 Episode 7 Review: Always Something There to Remind Me

There’s nothing like a wild joint bachelor/bachelorette party to make you second guess your engagement. Acapulco Season 2 Episode 7, “Always There to Remind Me,” gives us a chaotic crossover of all of Las Colinas’s finest. There’s a little hope for Maximo and Julia too, even though we’re celebrating Julia’s engagement to Chad.

Stylistically, Acapulco Season 2 Episode 7 opens unusually on 1980’s Diane and Maximo interrogating the employees at Las Colinas. Since this story is primarily told through flashbacks between Old Maximo and Hugo, we typically get some setup before jumping right into the meat of the ’80s.

It’s fun to toss it up a bit, especially knowing how serious the gossip leak has been throughout the season. And it shows how serious Diane is about the consequences that Maximo is facing due to his actions. I’m surprised that Diane has found out about the leaks but wasn’t told who the culprit is.

In the same way that Maximo taking the reins from Don Pablo has been teased all season, Chad assuming more responsibility from his mother has also been hinted at. And while Chad is usually clueless, thinking Memo is the mole wasn’t a bad guess.

There’s a tentative friendship between Chad and Maximo, outside of all the Julia drama. This episode, with how Maximo intentionally drives away suspicion from himself towards Hector, has me convinced that the mystery person Present Day Maximo is avoiding is Chad.

It would make sense for Chad to feel betrayed by Maximo hiding the truth from him, putting a strain on their relationship. Factor in Diane trusting Maximo more than her own son, and that makes a perfect storm of reasons why Present Maximo would want to avoid Chad — even outside of the Julia situation.

Acapulco Season 2 Episode 7 is definitely one of the more fun stories we’ve seen, in either season. It’s not often that we get so many characters in the same spot outside of the resort. And the dinner party at Isabel’s restaurant is the perfect setting for the chaos that ensues.

On one hand, it feels out of pocket to introduce a brand new character just for the added chaos. On the other, Kelli is just crazy enough that she poses no real harm. Sara also feels a little out of place with this friend group, but I suppose living under Julia’s roof for a few weeks makes them fast friends.

Does their wild dynamic make this episode more interesting? I definitely think so!

If it was just Chad interrogating Memo about why he spoke to Fabian, it would have been a low-stakes affair.

Kelli and Sara get the juices flowing enough that so many more secrets were spilled, many of which seem to set up the rest of Acapulco Season 2.

The B plot in Acapulco Season 2 Episode 7 doesn’t serve Nora and Esteban’s storyline at all.

It’s a good sign for their relationship that he wants Nora to meet his mother, but adding Don Pablo into the mix throws everything off. I’m glad to see Don Pablo still has a place in this season, but their interaction in this episode makes no sense.

If it’s being used to show just how much the community of Acapulco cares for Don Pablo, I guess it has its place, especially with his memorial coming sooner than later. But if they’re trying to make him feel guilty for leaving Acapulco, it’s a disservice to his character.

If anyone deserves a sweet retirement and to move closer to loved ones, it’s him.

When a series like Acapulco builds its story off flashbacks, there are bound to be some weird pacing issues. That feels more evident than ever in how the bracelet story is handled.

With only a handful of episodes left in Acapulco Season 2, I understand why Maximo confessed he’d been the one to originally purchase the bracelet. In a perfect world, there would be more build-up to that confession after Julia finally gets her hands on the bracelet.

For a slow-burn relationship, this major turning point is rushed. I’m excited to see where it’s going next, but I wish the pacing was more consistent throughout this season.

Chad might be clueless about Maximo and Julia, but Isabel is definitely catching some vibes. It’s going to be really interesting to see how those relationships progress through the final episodes of Acapulco Season 2.

Stray Thoughts

• Present Day Memo’s son being the complete opposite of Memo as a teenager is perfect — really brings life to the “when I was your age” adage.
•  Julia putting Maximo’s bracelet on the same hand as her engagement ring before she finds out it’s from him is great symbolism.
• I didn’t realize Sara wasn’t a good English speaker in the ’80s. Her communication with Kelli is giving “donde esta la biblioteca.”
• Maximo’s Virginia Woolf quote inscription on the bracelet has me tearing up.
• Hector being so downtrodden about Diane is still pretty surprising, but him telling Chad that he “would have been a good father to [him]” is too much.

What did you think of this episode of Acapulco? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Acapulco airs Fridays on Apple TV+.

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