(S01E02) Betty Suarez continues to charm the heck out of me. I just can't get over how America Ferrera brings such confidence and resilient spirit to the role, and her charm is what makes Ugly Betty so watchable (Heck, America even makes the act of nuking empanadas look charming). It doesn't hurt that the "Betty and Daniel against the world" plots are also very engaging.I'm just starting to wonder whether the campy dramatic aspects of the show, including the machinations of Fey and Whilhelmina, the bitchiness of Amanda and Marc, and the secretiveness of Daniel's father Bradford Meade, are going to eventually drive me away. Every time those soapy scenes came up, I could only think of one thing: "I want to see more Betty."
The entire episode revolves around "The Book," the mock-up of the latest issue of Mode. Whilhelmina has it, Daniel rightly takes it, and Betty mistakenly brings it back with her to Queens. Gotta love how Justin knew exactly what "The Book" was: "I've seen Prada seven times." I had to rewind the tape several times to figure out what he was saying, of course, he was referring to The Devil Wears Prada, the movie that Ugly Betty has been compared to many, many times. Good to see that the movie is acknowledged in the world of Betty; maybe that'll finally kill the comparisons.
Betty's skanky neighbor Gina kidnaps the book and holds it for ransom, because she thinks Betty owes her a new flat-screen TV (remember that in the pilot, the TV fell off the wall when Betty slammed Gina's door). That plot point was a bit weak; you knew that the book was going to eventually get back to Mode, and that Marc and Whilhelmina were going to get it. It would have been better if Fey or someone more sinister had the book; at least the "weave fight" between Gina and Betty's sister Hilda was good for a chuckle.
The other story involves the unretouched photos of Natalie Woodman, an actress who gained weight to play a Bridget Jones-like character (signature line: "You do the math!"), but never lost the weight. Wilhelmina, of course, puts the unretouched pictures in The Book to embarrass Daniel. But, the ever plucky Betty fights through the lies and "twisitng the truth" that a person has to do in the fashion biz and tells Natalie that she aspires to look like her. The turnaround that saves Daniel and Betty's ass -- and screws Whilhelmina -- was a plot point I saw coming a mile away. "Let the women look like they are!" is not a new theme in women's magazines; it's just not seen that often.
That's OK; seeing Betty win out over the cackling hens at Mode is always good to see. The graduation bunny she brings with her to the office -- all her tacky knick-knacks were so out of place there, it was startling -- gets the brunt of the staff's dislike for Betty. Each successive photo of the bunny being threatened was funnier than the last, especially the one where he's in the toilet. Thankfully, Betty has Christina; she was nice enough to sew the bunny back together after Betty found it torn apart. The bunny's not going anywhere, and neither is Betty.
We also find out that Fey knows something about Bradford that might end up being his ruin. Also, we're pretty sure that Bradford caused the "firery crash" that he thought killed Fey. But there's some secrecy going on with Bradford as well; the German newspaper, the music box, the picture of him and Fey. I guess it carries some intrigue, but it distracts me from wanting to see Betty and Daniel fight the good fight. I really, really hope they keep this stuff to a minimum.
(By the way, Lucy Davis -- Dawn from the UK version of The Office -- is getting around, huh? First Studio 60, now here, as the fashion show reporter. Interesting that she's building up cameos on new American shows.)
So, the conclusion? Betty, Betty, and more Betty. That's what I want. If the ratings continue to be strong, I'm hoping that's what we'll get.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-06-2006 @ 11:25AM
Margaret said...
I love how this show can be sweet without being trite. On my "must watch" list for the season.
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10-06-2006 @ 12:22PM
frank heranelli said...
Ugly Betty and the devil wears Prada is a spawn of Internationally succesful telenovela "Yo soy Betty la Fea" is the story of Beatriz Pinzón Solano, a well-educated, intelligent, idealistic and timid woman who was ugly looking. This telenovela was produced by the RCN network in Colombia, became a phenomenal hit and was exported successfully to many other countries in the world. The chart below shows the ratings in achieved by the Yo Soy Betty la Fea in four Latin American countries during the month of March in 2001.
Source
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10-06-2006 @ 12:28PM
Joel Keller said...
Thanks, Frank, but we knew that already. Do you have an actual opinion about the acutal episode that aired?
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10-06-2006 @ 12:57PM
cdmc said...
I enjoyed last night's episode. I just could not get enough of America Ferrera. Underdog stories will never go passe.
It beat Survivor in households again!
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10-06-2006 @ 1:11PM
Gene said...
I love this show simply because it's FUN. I'm tempted to say it is a guilty pleasure, but I don't feel guilty in the least for watching it.
I was confused by the title this week - do you think they meant to call it "The Book and the Bunny"? What's the "Box" they refer to? Is it the music box we saw briefly?
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10-06-2006 @ 2:17PM
Jimmy said...
I'm officially hooked on this show. It doesn't take itself too seriously and it's just a lot of fun without being condescending. Betty's sister, Hilda, is damned hilarious (although, the son destined for a gay life is a bit of stereotype). I especially, love the Salma Hayek scenes where she's playing a maid in a spoof of a Spanish telenovella. I have no idea what they're saying since my Spanish is limited to a couple years of high school classes, but they are just so over the top.
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10-06-2006 @ 4:15PM
cybele said...
I'm wondering if Betty is going to quit (or try to) in every episode.
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10-06-2006 @ 4:43PM
Anita said...
I like the show, but they should make Daniel a litttle more inept. He should also be a little more comical.
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10-09-2006 @ 2:45AM
Sophie said...
I love this show! Betty and her whole family is just so lovely.
I love Christina too. Am I wrong or is she from Extras?
Also, for those that are interested, I just made a quiz for this episode.
I know its a bit late but I've been away for a couple of days.
http://www.tvtriviaquiz.com/uglybetty.htm
Thanks to everyone who did last week's, I got some really nice comments from people. Thanks :D
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10-10-2006 @ 1:54AM
Hibiscus said...
I loved this episode of Ugly Betty. And I totally agree I want to see more Betty, Daniel and dare I add Wilhelmina! Vanessa was a perfect casting choice!
I loved the scene where Daniel asks Betty if she "wants in" on an important meeting.
But who else thought they were censoring what Hilda really wanted to say to Gina....I wished they pushed the envelope just a little more. But loved the catfight!!
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10-10-2006 @ 10:44PM
GuyK said...
I'm sorry but the show is just not good enough. I'm thinking it may be because I've seen the Columbian original, which was amazing - but the storylines here are full of holes.
OK, so betty is employed: now what? if her boss likes her and can't work without her brains, where's the problem? Who cares about the co-workers? we don't even know their names! What's up with Betty's friends at work? what do they have in common? How did they become friends all of a sudden? And who cares about the silly Wilhelmina/Daniel's dad points of view?
Where's the sexiness?
Why would Betty wanna change physically if she's all for "love yourself the way you are"?
No, no, no.
Daniel should have hated Betty's guts and try to get rid of her all the time. Betty should have hated him as well but also fasll inlove with him. The whole show is a mere shadow of the original. A show that has only 2 characters to show for (Betty + Daniel) is just not interesting.
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10-13-2006 @ 1:48PM
Gisselle said...
I really love to watch "Ugly Betty". I am also watching the spanish telenovela of La Fea Mas Bella, which is hilarious. With all the violence going on in the world it's refreshing to watch America Ferrera. I have enjoyed watching her in all the movies she's been in. I believe UB is watchable because of her. The music is also fabulous, it just makes you want to dance.
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