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Secrets & Lies
Wilhelmina covered her lies with the help of a "bueno" earring. Vanessa Williams by Mitch Haddad/ABC
Episode Recap: "Family Affair"
It appears that in addition to Alexis not remembering her new body (and getting to know it by — here's a PG description — giving herself breast exams, then a hilarious thumbs-up to Daniel), she also doesn't remember the last two years, which include, let's see, Fey's death, her mother being jailed for murder, her father's affair with Fey being revealed, her father divorcing her mother and getting engaged to Wilhelmina, her heated competition with Daniel over "Mode," Daniel's drug habit, etc. Bradford decided against telling Alexis that he'd disowned her over the sex change or that he'd divorced her mother, let alone that he was planning to marry Wilhelmina. I think the new warm and innocent Alexis is rather creepy; she seems to have lost the assertiveness and spunk she used to have. But we'll see how long that lasts.
Back at "Mode," Amanda's discovery that Fey was her mother has gone from affecting her assets to (she had hoped) her monetary assets, but it turns out there's no townhouse, car or designer wardrobe left. Her inheritance: a hairless Chinese Crested dog by the name of Halston. The smelly old pooch gets a ribbing, but Amanda is in puppy love with the $1,000 weekly caretaker's allowance she's receiving. After a jaunt to the dog kennel where she considers giving it up for adoption, Amanda realizes the mangy gremlin "with a weird rash on [its] butt" is her only connection to her mother, so she keeps him.
Justin aced his first day as intern at the magazine, and Marc was in fine form playing the treacherous dictator over him and five other "ambitious suck-ups." (Well, he did learn from the best!) What were Justin's emotions tonight regarding his father's death? He was so excited about earning a pass to Shakira's photo shoot, but then thrown for a complete loop when he unwittingly found himself in the convenience store that was the site of his dad's heroic end. With Hilda's encouragement, he saved one item of Santos' to remember him by. I'm not sure whether he feels guilt or is confused about what to feel at this point.
Rick Fox's role as Willy's new "bodyguard" is an amusing addition to the cast, not least because he is Vanessa Williams' ex-husband. He was hired to do more to her body than just guard it, as Christina and Betty discovered while hiding under her bed, having snuck into her apartment ("Lucifer's chamber") to steal the "Mode" book for Daniel. Loved seeing them talk to each other via text messages!
Betty's loyalties to Daniel, her job and her family were tested when Willy found Betty's "bueno" earring left behind in her bedroom. Note to Betty: when sneaking into other people's homes, wear less distinctive accessories. Definitely the best scene from the episode was when Wilhelmina called Betty up to the roof. She was met with a death valley of decapitated mannequin heads and de-limbed torsos — with Marc making stormy sound effects, to boot. My first thought was, how does Wilhelmina come up with these terror tactics so quickly? But back to that later. "Wilhemeister" dramatically revealed the earring and offered Betty a deal: If Betty doesn't tell Daniel about the affair Willy's having behind Bradford's back, her senator father will bring Ignacio home from Mexico. Betty decided to take the bait. Was it a lie to not tell Daniel? Does her father's return justify keeping mum? Isn't family more important than work? But then again, one family could still be affected — Daniel's. Betty was racked with guilt, and the knife cut deeper into her chest when Daniel emphasized how trustworthy she was.
Back to the Valley of the (annihilated) Dolls: Bradford appealed to Willy to postpone the wedding while Alexis continued to recover, and she gave a sugary-sweet OK. Cut to her mutilating mannequins on the roof. (So that's how she relieves stress!)
At least Betty was honest about her inability to be just buddies with Henry, though the truth came out only in the heat of the moment (loved her punching Henry with an over-exuberant "Hey, buddy!"). But Henry's showing up at Betty's door wouldn't have happened without dear Christina. Thank god someone around there is always willing to tell it like it is. So there Henry is, disheveled, drunk and glasses askew — about as unkempt as a dorky, sweet accountant chugging a wine cooler can be. He pleaded with Betty to be with him. We'll find out what she says next week. (We'd better!).
Meanwhile in Mexico, Ignacio answered the door and was suddenly held at gunpoint. I'm anxious to see what happens next week; it looks like his past has come back to haunt him. Hilda was so excited to hear that he was coming home. I wonder whether Betty will continue to lie to (or withhold the truth from) her.
Best line, Wilhelmina to Betty: "Come on girl, I am black, you're Mexican. Let's not talk around it like a couple of dull white people."
Watch more classic scenes from Ugly Betty on our Online Video Guide.
To get a behind-the-scenes look at the gang from "Mode," tune into TV Guide Network for inFANity: Ugly Betty; October 5 at 7pm/ET.
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Oct 4, 2007 10:06 PM
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If I changed my gender from male to female and forgot that it happened, I wouldn't care that I have boobs. I'd be more concerned about how to pee.
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Oct 4, 2007 11:20 PM
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I thought this was a good episode.
I agree with you Wilhemina's "I'm black your Mexican..." line was the best of the night.
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Oct 5, 2007 4:30 AM
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I loved Henry all drunk on wine coolers. Quite possibly the cutest thing ever. Well, that and Justin as mini-Marc. They make a good team, I hope Justin gets more scenes because he is absolutely adorable.
Thank gawd this week was better than last's. Christina and all her Beezlebub/Lucifer/etc comments were hilarious. Kept me giggling.
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Oct 5, 2007 4:55 AM
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Ugleeee Betty always adds that extra portion of absurd but never too much to spoil the brew.
I think Justin was conflicted because he wasn't sure his Dad would approve of his job. I know the departed father had warmed some what.
I think the Wilameister is behind Ignacio's kidnapping. Unless she snatches Pop he hold over Betty is gone.
Amanda is always hilarious especially when Marc is helping her.
I'd forget vanessa and Rick were married. How delicious is that.
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Oct 5, 2007 8:36 AM
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Justin and Marc make a good team but I'm hoping to see some scenes with Justin and Willy. They were hilarious together last season.
I, too, was confused with Justin's emotions. I initially thought he felt guilty that he wasn't as sad as a son should be after losing a father. After all, they weren't that close. I felt they were still getting to know one another. It wasn't until the end of last season that Santos was starting to accept Justin's ways.
Marc telling Justin "It's OK to be happy" was touching.
I can't wait until Ignacio returns to the U.S.
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Oct 5, 2007 8:53 AM
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The person holding Ignacio is most likely a relative of Betty's mom's former love who Ignacio killed before leaving Mexico.
I think after we saw Justin choose the basketball from his father's stuff, its clear the funk he's in is due to the fact that he doesn't have any father figure to show him how to teach him about guy stuff anymore. With Ignacio gone, its just him and the girls for the time being.
Also, kinda random but I really loved the Amanda/Christina scenes from last season when they discovered Fey was Amanda's mom. I bring it up because the Marc/Justin combo was just as entertaining and I like when two unlikely characters team up. We need more of that!
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Oct 5, 2007 9:23 AM
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The person holding Ignacio is most likely a relative of the man, Betty's mom's former love who he killed before leaving Mexico.
Agreed. I remember when the family went down to Mexico and Hilda started talking to some random guy at a small, outdoor "cafe." After Hilda left, the guy made a call to someone and let him know that Ignacio Suarez was back in Mexico...and it definitely had a sinister tone to it.
Speaking of Ignacio, I just found out that actor was Jefe in The Three Amigos and now that is all I can see when I look at him. Funny movie.
Sorry, back to the show. My favorite parts have already been mentioned; the wine cooler drunk and Christina's many names for the devil's lair.
I guess I will just add that right when Marc is at his meanest (hazing Betty & the interns,) he turns around and gives Justin some much needed support.
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Oct 5, 2007 9:31 AM
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Almost all of Justin's scenes made me want to cry. He is understandably conflicted, his father was missing from his life for, it seems like the better part of ten years. Then suddenly, he is back and gone just as suddenly. Justin is sad, but his actual life probably isn't that different except that his mother is a little mad with grief. He wants to be sadder, but Santos was little more than an idea to Justin. Marc's final scene with Justin was what the kid really needed.
And who else thought, well, Betty, how you can tell everyone about Wilhemmia is a) have Christina do it or b) lead Daniel to discover the whole affair, then you didn't tell any of the Meades!!
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Oct 5, 2007 10:00 AM
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Wilhemina's line about black and mexican was definitely the funniest of the night! But Henry drunk off of WINE COOLERS? How great is that...actually I kinda take offense I'm an accountant and I can certainly hold my liquor, but I digress...
How sweet and touching that Mark was nice to Justin. Remember last season it was when Mark's mom made fun of Justin that Mark outted himself, so I'm sure Mark feels a connection to Justin, or sees himself in him. Maybe Mark will be the "manly" figure that Justin needs in his life right now.
I'm not sure exactly what's going on w/ the Alexis arc, i'm sure she's going to have her full memory come back eventually and then she'll be able to see how people are playing her. Also I think Daniel should have just told her the truth about how the accident happened, I honestly don't think she would have been that mad at him. All his guilt is very ironic because I'm sure the REAL reason behind the accident will come out before long!
Ignacio's history is catching up to him..I hope it doesn't prevent him from getting out of Mexico!
I LOVE this show and how over the top it is, it really makes getting thru the work week worthwhile (along w/ GA)!
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Oct 5, 2007 10:09 AM
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I loved Marc with Justin...I thought that was great! Justin was really in his element. I think he got sad when Marc gave him the Shakira pass, becuase he started to say something about telling his dad and realized he couldn't.
Other things I thought were hysterical:
*Betty and Christina texting each other under the bed while the bed was bouncing up and down.
*Alex(is) feeling her/himself up.
I just LOVE this show!
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Oct 5, 2007 10:11 AM
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I agree that the person holding the gun on Ignacio is tied into the past and Betty's mother's first husband - BUT - if Ignacio changed his name when he got to the US and had a fake identity (as we found out last season), how do these people in Mexico know who he is??? This detail bothered me at the end of the last show, too. The other part of what bothers me is when he, Betty, Hilda and Justin so blatantly stayed with his relatives in Mexico - I think word would get around that an older male relative was visiting from the US, and that the first husband's family would find out - how about keeping a much lower profile, Ignacio?
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Oct 5, 2007 10:11 AM
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OH I forgot to mention how HAPPY i was that Christina just told Henry the truth about what was going on! I hate how shows beat around the bush w/ info that you know in real life would have come out long ago! Cheers to Christina!
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Oct 5, 2007 10:17 AM
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tvforever - I may have been wrong about the guy actually using the name Ignacio Suarez when he made the call. I really cannot remember the details of that episode from last season. I should probably go back and edit my last post.
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Oct 5, 2007 10:28 AM
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Clearly, they want us to think that the guy who's holding Ignacio at gunpoint is involved with the guy who wants revenge for Ignacio killing Ramiro Vasquez all those years ago, but it's also possible that inlo1 is right and it could be Wilhelmina. After all, last year the writers certainly wanted us to believe that the masked lady was Fey Sommers, back from the grave, but she turned out to be Alex/Alexis Meade. I have one point to make to tvforever, though. They never said that Ignacio Suarez changed his name, just that he was using the Social Security number of an Ignacio Suarez who was born around 1889. Although, I guess if you're on the run, it's kind of stupid not to change your name.
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Oct 5, 2007 10:58 AM
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