I was thinking this was a solid episode of Ugly Betty, but it got kicked up into greatness territory by Judith Light's stop-over at the Suarez home. It was funny. "Wow, you really can't bottle this kind of chemistry." It was poignant. "I watched the man I love love someone else, and it killed me." It even advanced the plot. "I had her brake lines cut. I followed her for 18 miles until the fluid ran out. I watched her crash into a tree and burn and burn and burn." I just hope that sending her to prison doesn't mean we'll be deprived of her martini-swilling witticisms.
I love how this show is able to make the emotional lives and problems of all of its characters valid. It would be so easy to dismiss the Meades and all of the Mode characters when compared to Betty and her family, who have very real problems - HMOs, immigration, single motherhood, etc. On the other hand, you wouldn't think all those mundane, real world problems could share the stage with sex change operations, murders and backstabbing fashionistas. Yet, once you get down to the emotional truth of the situation and the shared humanity of the characters, anything seems possible - like Claire Meade holding Betty's hand and deciding to turn herself in while Betty commits to stay away from Henry and Charlie. I guess that makes this week's unofficial theme "facing up to the hard stuff is a bitch, but there's no point in running."
Ironically, the chemistry between Henry and Betty has never been as open and unabashed as it was this week. I know Charlie is sympathetic, but I hate her and her purple coach, hippie ways. Take your star signs back to Arizona and get your hands off the accountant. ("I've seen the accountant - much hotter.") I felt sorry for the poor dentist - asked out for all the wrong reasons - but I have a feeling we'll see him again. After all, Betty's braces have a new wire gauge. It's just a matter of time before they take those puppies off.
On the purely comedic side of things, it was great to see Becky Newton get a little screen time even if it had to be in latex fetish wear. Marc was golden this week, and you can just tell that Vanessa Williams loves playing nasty not nice. She's was on fire this week. The only element that didn't ring true to me was the Constance/Ignacio storyline. I actually enjoy both performers, but the ankle bracelet thing was weird. Is that legal? Confining someone to their home? It brought the whole concept of stalker to a new, high tech level. That storyline has been played for laughs, and that's all well and good, but I'd be fine with it ending sooner rather than later. I'm also not looking forward to two potential courtroom storylines - one for Claire and one for Ignacio. I don't want Ugly Betty spending any time in a courtroom unless it's set in Rem Koolhaas' Prada flagship store. Only a courtroom that fabulous would be Betty worthy.
Wilhelmina Quip of the Week: Stop talking in the third person, and take your pick from the goodie basket.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-17-2007 @ 12:24AM
Karen said...
Great review!!
How I love this show! It is the perfect show to just RELAX to and not have to think or see gore, although I do think and watch gore also.
They could not have cast this show better! Perfect!
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3-16-2007 @ 7:52AM
Stacy said...
I absolutely love Ugly Betty, and couldn't wait for a new episode. However, I felt a little bit let down this week. I agree that the Ignacio/ Constance storyline is getting a bit creepy. In additon, I felt that the Amanda storyline was pointless. Funny as some moments were, like when she fell down, I felt like every moment she was on screen this week slowed the episode down.
Also, I hope that this was the orthodontist's only episode, because if it isn't, then that might just mean that another show I like, The Class, might be cancelled, or that he's leaving it. (He's really good on that show.)
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3-16-2007 @ 2:18PM
Dave said...
I really got into this show, but I feel like the plot line has gone south after the Rebbecca Romain reveal, and last night made me slightly confused. I didn't enjoy how quickly Daniel and Alexis made up after it seemed like a huge struggle for the magazine was coming. And now that the dad has been cleared of all charges, doesn't that take away any power that Alexis had and furthermore make Wilhelmina's chances of taking over almost moot? Maybe I am remembering how Alexis gained control of the magazine incorrectly.
Can anyone clarify?
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3-16-2007 @ 2:46PM
CT A said...
How I've missed this show..
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3-16-2007 @ 6:52PM
yamahamama said...
No mention of Lucy Liu in this episode. I think she's great & I liked how Daniel had to work fairly hard (for him) to convince her to sneak off with him as he tried to prevent her from talking to his mom.
I agree that Judith Light is great as Mom. She's much more interesting than Dad. I'm not enjoying the Christine character (seamstress) much.
Amanda's priceless. I want more of her & Marc!
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3-20-2007 @ 4:21PM
Not a fan - telling the TRUTH said...
I just noticed all the abuse I got in the last thread about this show for telling the truth about America Ferrera and what an immature brat she is in real life. Since that thread is long dead, I wanted to defend myself here.
I really like the show, but...sorry to all you naive folks who choose to believe that people on TV are just as nice in actual world. I mean, come ON! Wake up already!
I fully stand by what I said in the previous thread. I am close friends with a series regular who has been treated very badly by America Ferrera - and he is not the only cast member who has been. My friend is a very nice and professional person who doesn't deserve this treatment. It's made his working experience on the show very difficult.
But hey, you all go on and believe what you want. I'm telling the truth - sorry it hurts you to hear it! What point would there be in me making this up?
P.S. By the way, I am not "the competition," as one person accused me of being. (what would that BE, anyway??)
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3-23-2007 @ 12:09AM
Anita said...
Great review, but my only suggestion is make it longer, puh-lease. I know it's difficult churning out quality yet witty writing on a weekly/daily/hourly basis, but what I love next to watching my favorite show is reading about it. Sometimes, I sense that you're probably tired after four paragraphs and quickly summarize elements of the episode rather than spending the time necessary to fully articulate what occurred. As for the Ignacio/Constance angle, I remembered thinking before they started the stalker caseworker angle that it was hightime for Ignacio to start dating and that Constance might be a good choice. If Betty and Hilda can get it on in varying degrees, why can't Papa Suarez? But rather than play the I/C connection out on a serious plane, we have the comedic one instead. All the same, I do love the I/C route and I'd love to see Constance on the show in a less fatal attraction kinda way.
As for 'not a fan', if you're not a fan why are you posting to this site? And would your friend the series regular really want you posting on her/his behalf in what could potentially reflect badly on him/her? Anyways, do the names Stone, Grant, Murphy, Gibson, O'Donnell, Trump, or Danza ring a bell? If the thread is long dead, let it die. I will. Post this on tvguide.com or starmagazine.com and tell your friend to let their agent handle their problems.
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3-23-2007 @ 1:54AM
Anita said...
P.S. Henry AKA Chris Gorham gets hotter and hotter every week. He is so smoking hot, that he not only causes solar flares, but I've resorted to watching old episodes of Odyssey 5 and Popular as a fix for watching Gorham's hot ass in the weekspan of time in between new 'Ugly Betty' episodes.
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