Photos
Video
RSS'Ugly Betty' endures Fashion Week and childbirth
Ugly Betty feels new again after weeks of wretchedness. All it took was a new love interest and baby -- not two-in-one, because that's gross, unless you're in the Twilight universe, and then yeah, it's still kind of gross.
Spoilers that look like Michelle Obama at the mall.
What I've been harping on for weeks has come to pass: Betty is finally focusing on her career, namely putting some time and effort into YETI. To get a broader experience, the wannabe editors must partner up and shadow each other, learning what it's like at other magazines. Betty's disappointed because she's paired up with Matt, who works at a sports mag. She had her heart set on something meatier -- like the New York Review.
But hey, Betty, aren't you noticing your new love interest? He gets a thumbs up after that disaster that was Jesse. Matt is pleasant-looking in a non-threatening way, considerate, smart and most importantly, will call Betty out on her s***. That's what I liked about Gio, and Matt even has similar career ambitions to Betty. Go get him!
Betty gets to write a press release to feature Heinrich, an uber-artiste who's all about pain, barbed wire, broken glass, vicious angel wings -- you know, fun and accessible stuff. When a joke press release she writes dramatizing all this angst is received well, Heinrich insists she produce his Fashion Week show because she "gets him."
Only after digging deep and learning an important lesson from Matt does she figure out how to put on the show (it includes the Berlin Wall and Iron Curtain) and more importantly, finally learns respect for fashion because it's art. No duh, Betty. It took you three years to figure that out?
Meanwhile, Elena is done with her nursing duties with Ignacio (Tell me why Betty had to move home again?), so that means the sordid affair is over, right? Nope. Hilda just cannot see past the kissy faces and general feelings of ick and resentment, so Justin makes the ultimate sacrifice and gives up his Fashion Week ticket -- forcing Hilda and Elena to spend time together. It works like a charm: they bond over their love of spandex and stirrup pants and set some reasonable ground rules.
Finally, the Mode co-editors are having problems again. Molly is getting written up as an eyesore at Fashion Week, and after getting her a stylist and hair/makeup artists, Daniel has to apologize and say that he likes her just as she is. An exchange of "I love you" on the phone is bittersweet though since Molly is hiding some grim medical secret from him. It doesn't look good.
Wilhelmina thinks that she's lost her edge now that she's in love, and when she's treated like some second-row nobody at Fashion Week, she's determined (after a pep talk from Connor) to make another big statement and claw her way back up. She proves she's the Queen of Exploitation when Christina, in labor, is trapped on the end of the Heinrich runway show.
Wilhelmina gets Heinrich's bizarrely attired models to provide a human screen, calls in Elena to help deliver the child and then uses the show's theatrics -- a hydraulic riser and confetti -- to help her re-create the Roots/Lion King scene where she holds the newborn aloft.
Assorted musings and highlights:
- Wow. Such a good episode after all that crap. Betty is back on track, love is in the air, family relationships feel right and there's just enough over-the-top zaniness to make me smile.
- Bernadette Peters just doesn't read a line badly.
- Heinrich when Christina is in labor: "It's more pain that I could ever dream of. It's perfect."
- I love Matt's moments of dorkiness, like when he calls Betty "pardner" and fires his imaginary finger gun.
- Nice shout out to Step Up 2: The Streets. I still like You Got Served and Stomp the Yard better.
- The old glittering, opinionated Justin I love is back!
- I've never tried to dress up spandex.
- Now that Betty figured out that fashion could be art, will she dress better or at least slightly differently?
Your thoughts? How do you like Matt?
Post a comment
Zap2it Twitter Talk 
What a great over the top episode!!! I actually have been enjoying this season alot and I love the inclusion of Matt. Not to mention the always awesome Lauren Velez as Elena...she is a great actress ('Closer' watchers...doesnt she look like Gina 'Detective Daniels' Rivera??????)
Anyway...the childbirth scene was over the top, a necessary way for Willie to get back on top!!! The scene with Wilemina holding the baby reminded me of 'Mommie Dearest' when Joan Crawford adpots Christina....LOL Vanessa's hair was Crawford-like as well!!
Fun episode and a taste of the original fun that drew us to the show.
So, bets on Molly: fatal disease or pregnant? If pregnant, by who??? (Since I read somewhere that she might be leaving, I'm thinking it's gonna be dying or the baby is Connor's).
And, while I really like the whole childbirth scene and yada, yada, yada... WHAT HAPPENED TO CHRISTINA?! The woman falls to the floor, claims to be delirious (and true to Christina-fashion, you can't tell if she's joking or not) and then disappears from the rest of the show! I loved the Daniel/Betty scene at the end, by why did no one seem worried about Christina nor mention her? The deal with Willie, the money, Christina's dying husband! Lots of loose ends and I'm really anxious to see a couple of them wrap up. Plus, how will Connor handle this?! I've lost track; does he even know about all this?
Loved the episode, and I loved Matt too. You described him perfectly..."pleasant looking in a non-threatening way" and adorably dorky as well (although it's not as over-the-top as Henry was in the end). Hopefully he'll stick around.
And I have to disagree with you, Hanh. Justin described it perfectly: "Step Up 2 The Streets" is "the best cl***ic vs. urban dance movie" LOL.
Awwww. I was happy with the show and I love Bettys new Love Intrest.
They do need to tie up some loose ends.
Oh, sure. I ditch the show for Survivor and it's good again. Thanks for the up-to-date!
A fun episode at last! I liked Daniel's comment at the end where he talked about Betty's enduring fascination with clashing colours and patterns. I agree that there are lots of plot threads hanging loose, but Ugly Betty has always been frayed along the edges.
I am relieved that the world's longest pregnancy is finally over. After such a long gestation period, Christina should have given birth to an African elephant instead of a human baby.
A better episode than the past few weeks for sure, but of course with a few glitches..
As mentioned above, what the heck happened to Christina? She falls to the floor and the next thing you know Wil is holding up a perfectly CLEAN baby. Amazing. We'd like to hire Papi's nurse girlfriend. She's a miracle working. No water, towels needed! LOL
Speaking of which, Papi and her on the couch all happy and cozy. umm so explain again why did Betty need to move home???
A line we'd like to hear from Matt. "Betty, I really like you, but I'd really really like you if you didn't dress to look like a clown!"
Nice to see Wil thinking it is time to show the 'B' side of her personality again.
We're guessing the Molly character will be killed off. That will allow the writers to have Connor in an emotional tug-of-war between supporting Molly and dating Wil, while also fighting for Molly-time against Daniel.
Darn, I was predicting that the baby would have red hair. I still think the parents are Christina and Stuart, but I was hoping for immediate discovery.
Heckuva final scene. Good thing that the (astonishingly tidy) baby wasn't slippery.
Agree, this was a return to form after a few lacklustre episodes. Loved that daft over the top finale with Christina giving birth behind the ridiculously clad models. This show needs the extreme daftness. Willy rising up with the baby reminded me of The Lion King :D Circle of Life indeed...
I'd so wear one of Heinrich's creations to a high school reunion...if only to slice open a vein on some of the girls (and two guys) who gave me grief. Fashion as art? I like fashion as pain, myself. :P
Great episode, too bad it's right near the March hiatus, when folks might go away and not come back.