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RSS'Ugly Betty' and the dress for success
Shades of grey are in fashion on Ugly Betty as Betty, Daniel and even Wilhelmina try to balance what they want with what is deemed right, making decisions that immediately create heartache for all those involved.
Spoilers designed by Zac Posen.
As Betty ascends in the world of publishing, some of that shiny, positive spirit will be dimmed, but hopefully not lost. She may have a chance to remain grounded, thanks to her family, but what happens if she chooses ambition over Suarezes?
This is the thrust of the argument that both Papi and Hilda make when Betty skips out time and time again (well, only thrice) on family obligations in order to attend to Mode or YETI business (how abominable! get it?). Huh, I think the Suarezes are overracting un poco.
Twice Betty has to cancel helping Hilda prep her salon relaunch party -- once in order to make contacts for her YETI program and later to pick up a Halston dress that is essential to Mode's April cover. She strikes out the third time during the party when she skips out in order to fix a humongous mistake that cost Mode major business.
You see, as Betty networked at a bar (mentored by Marc), she befriended Elle assistant Teri O'Shaughnessy (she of the outdated pink hair streak), who sneakily discovered that Mode needed that Halston dress to lure Keira Knightly and 30 pages of ad buys for the mag. Yoink. Teri picked up the dress instead, sabotaging Mode's plans.
Luckily, Betty recalled who Teri said was catering the Elle party, and got him to sneak her and Marc in to steal back the dress. Arriving with the adorned mannequin at Wilhelmina's party (you can only have your party on that night apparently), Betty gets invited in and has the opportunity to rub elbows with the fashion elite.
Unluckily, by missing Hilda's party, she finds out after the fact that Papi suffered a heart attack. It's a rather grim scene when she goes to the hospital and the Suarez clan is gathered around.
Now here's my issue: Yes, it sucked that she couldn't help Hilda, but doesn't any of her past sacrifices (hello, lending her apartment so Hilda could canoodle with Coach Adultery) count for anything? And yes, it is horrible that Papi had a heart attack, but Betty's absence is not to blame! Cut the girl some slack. Rant over.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Wilhelmina are mooning over the betrothed Molly and Connor. Wil, not one to wring her hands for long, shows Daniel the security footage of his almost-kiss with Molly and encourages him to follow his heart (so she can pick up the pieces of Connor's).
At first, it doesn't seem like the plan will work since Molly reacts to Daniel's revelation of his feelings by leaving Wil's party upset. But lo, and behold, she later shows up on Daniel's steps. She's dumped Connor. She and Daniel consummate that almost-kiss from long ago.
And Connor? Well, he looked very susceptible and admiring of Wil at the party, so it's not a huge surprise that he also goes to her home later and lays one on her.
Other musings and highlights:
- Bernadette Peters as Jodie Papadakis scares me ... in a good way. Love how she occasionally "sings" her words. Spicy!
- I could have done without Nikki Blonsky as Teri. I mean, not one shaking-her-booty number?
- Oh, and if I were Betty, I wouldn't mess with Teri/Nikki since she or her dad landed Bianca's mom in the hospital.
- Christina's emotional state and false alarms could mean a baby Meade heir is on the way soon!
- Marc calls Betty "Slowpoke Rodriguez." Nice Looney Tunes reference.
- Justin's business savvy is uncanny as he negotiates 40 copies and photo approval for his mom's interview in a local paper. Go Justin!
- Poor Papi. Can't he have good things happen to him just once?
- I'd like to see more Betty and Marc doing the partners in crime thing.
- I'm watching too much fashion-related TV. I just saw Joe Zee and Zac Posen on Stylista and now here. Will they show up on Bravo next? Whores!
Your thoughts? Did Betty act correctly? Do you the whole Danolly/Connormina situation will end happily? Papi WILL recover, right? What's the twist (cuz there has to be one) with Christina's birth?
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Zap2it Twitter Talk 
The episode was way too moralistic for me. Betty chooses to put advancing her own career ahead of her helping her sister's career and she is immediately and severely punished with her father's heart attack. I couldn't stand the way her self-righteous family looked at her at the hospital. Usually I like the Suarezes, but this episode they were at their smothering, demanding worst!
I must agree. Especially with the points raise by the reviewer about the apartment/adultery spot for Hildy and the author previous post.
While it is a fact that family and their needs can often be an obstacle towards one's ambitions this episode seemed just a tad bit off balance - and too inclined towards moralizing.
Dreams have a price if you don't struggle for them, they are not worth achieving.
Betty must lose some naivete if she is to succeed.
I care less and less every week but exactly how was Betty being selfish when she helped set up the party AND managed to get her sister a whole bunch of nice freebies for her gift bags?
Bring back Cliff.
sometimes, people move way across the country, away from their families in order to pursue their dreams. i'm just sayin'.
If they kill off Papi, I'll have a fit!
I didn't watch this episode yet, but I love that Bernadette Peters is working alongside Vanessa Williams. They both played the Witch in Into the Woods. It's a nice bit of casting, Broadway shout out, and use of the New York location. Kudos to casting.
I never did subscribe to the whole Family Above All motif for my own life, but I do know people who can't survive without their families being around (I tend to pity them, actually). I think it's cool that Betty is finally breaking out and getting away from her comfort zones. In order for her to be a completely realized woman, she needs to do her own thing, even if it sometimes means being completely selfish, cruel and near-Wilhemina-ish evil. Everyone invoved with Mode or the other mags in town have said numerous times that a person truly invested in that business has to be willing to sacrifice a great deal of things in order to succeed. Cold as Wilhemina is, she was right on the money when she said that Betty's mistakes were not what somebody interested in the magazine business would do, and that if she can't figure out such a simple thing as that friendship is tenuous in such a cut-throat world, Betty has no business being in it. That is the reality of it, no matter what the profession (even teaching can be brutal, especially when politics and entrenched tenure-hags come into play).
As for Hilda, I think she is going through a severe case of envy right now. For years, she was the hot chick in the family, with a relatively-easy life, while Betty was lucky to make it through a day unscathed. Now the roles are reversed, with Hilda having to claw and scratch to get what she wants, and she's having a tough time dealing with it. Again, I think it's realistic (if a little over-done...remember, though, that this IS an American knock-off of a Spanish-language soap opera).
The only thing I think needs to be changed is that Betty's braces need to go. If those puppies ain't straight now, they never will be. Her clothes have stopped clashing quite so much, but after being around fashion-conscious folks for nearly three years now, you'd think some of that would've sunk in. Betty Suarez will always be the odd woman out, but the writers need to move her out of her old stereotype and pimp out her ride, so to speak.
Betty has to learn if she wants to have her own magazine one day she has to give up a lot. Ditching Hilda's party is tip of the iceberg. The family has to learn the same thing- she can not be answering her phone after the first or second ring.
Why is Molly chosing Daniel? He's not exactly known for his committed relationships. (With her hair pulled back she looks like Lily from "Gossip Girl")
Why is Wilhemnia going to start a 'relationship' with Connor who is on the rebound? Connor is not going to want a serious relationship that she is hoping for. She needs to realize the woman he's been in love with for years dumped him for some other guy. Who would want to start off in a relationship like this?
I hope Papi is going to be okay!
Do you think they will write in Ana Ortiz's pregnancy on the show?
Kara - I am with you - I mean, what has Hilda done about Betty's hair? Not exllactly the doting sister. As for Wilhemina, well, she and Betty have a weird co-dependency! I don't think she would be happy without Betty around, despite the crap she causes for Wilhemina!
Carly - As for Molly and Daniel - he is the person that needs moral redemption, and for him to fall in love with a teacher (who is totally adorable, just not a hot supermodel), well it makes sense! He has been receiving the moral lessons of the Suarez's for a few years now. He is coming to center as Betty takes his lessons and comes to center. (not to mention his brief experience as a dad). He is redeemable and his personality was slutty but still kind of wussy.
And I think Connor and Wilhemina are 2 peas in a pod that were meant to be together! But, I also think most of this means the end of the show, and this IS, after all, a telenovela.
Sad - nobody on this show ever gets to be happy just by the nature of the format. :-(
I think Connor (or is it Conor?) is just using Willy but Molly clearly isn't using Daniel. I'm just looking forward to seeing how Willy exacts her revenge or at least starts to revert back to her old scheming/snarky self again.
Lastly, can we please get more of Mark and Amanda?