Robot horse?

I love, love, love this show. Yet another episode where I laughed out loud (Amanda's acting reel, Nick's triumphant "secretaries day!" shout). Here's what happened!

ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL'S DAY: Betty is in charge of planning the Mode office's Administrative Professional's Day festivities, traditionally held at a location "commoners" enjoy so the snotty (don't call them) secretaries can get their mock on. This year it's the TV-version of Medieval Times, and because Henry loves it (and Betty) earnestly, he decides to come sans-Charlie, despite being an accountant.

betty and the gang

I can't believe this is episode 20 of Ugly Betty. It has already become a show I know I'll miss over the summer. Thank god for the distractions of Netflix! Last we saw Betty, she had been hurt by Daniel and Christina. Can her friends win her favor back? And can Daniel deal with the even larger issue of his statuatory evening with a scheming foreign model?

oh betty

Yay! Betty is back! This week's episode, by storyline.

BETTY AND THE BOSS: Daniel Meade is back to his old ways- sleeping, screwing, drinking, and all while Alexis is taking over the company. It's precisely the wrong time for unauthorized biographer Quincy Combs to show up. Betty shoos him and warns Daniel that he's digging for dirt, but her pep talks aren't getting to Daniel the way they used to. The psychological damage of Alexis ruining six months of his life in a minute is just too much for this pretty boy to bear. Besides, he's just so good at partying.

Previously on Ugly Betty: Marc was horrified by Betty, Betty and Henry "broke up", Constance fitted Ignacio with an alarmed tracking device, and Claire turned herself in for the murder of Faye Summers. Now...

MOMMY DEAREST: Mark's in-the-dark mother is in town so he's playing things straight. After years as his beard, Amanda has been "shaved". Unaccustomed to rejection in any form, Amanda gets back at Mark by introducing his mother to his new "girlfriend" Betty. Reluctantly, Betty goes along with the plan in exchange for inside information on Alexis Meade's plans. Date night is on for Mark and his Mom at the Suarez residence!

Previously on Ugly Betty: Bradford Meade was sent to jail by his vampy son/daughter/thingamabob, Alexis, who also screwed Wilhelmina out of the promised Mode Editor-in-Chief job in favor of her brother, Daniel. Claire Meade and Betty bonded and Claire 'fessed to the murder of Faye. Disbelieving Daniel started banging his Dad's lawyer, "The Chin", and stumbled into post-coital proof of his mother's guilt. Fast-learning Hero/Henry's not-ex-enough-ex showed up in town and derailed a burgeoning Betty/Henry romance. Ignacio was being stalked by his amorous immigration officer Constance. And Hilda and Justin were just as adorably lovable as can be. With so much going on, we're going to have to break this one down by storyline, starting with...

MEADES, MODE and THE CHIN: Alexis and Daniel are finally getting along which means prior plans to oust Daniel in favor of Wilhelmina have been ditched. Not one to take such an offense lying down, Willie and Mark look to drive a wedge between the Meade siblings. Presto, a wedge arrives in the form of Alexis' feelings towards Bradford. She absolutely hates him, and it's Daniel's renunciation of him that has earned her trust. When she learns that someone has hired The Chin to defend Bradford, she's furious and goes straight to Daniel. He denies knowing about it, or knowing The Chin at all (Which is a lie. He knows her. Biblically.). A lurking Mark hears the whole thing, and reports back to Willie.

Meanwhile, Daniel is trying to keep The Chin from interviewing his mother, who he knows is guilty and prone to talking. He hides Claire in a hotel, he sends The Chin gifts from the Mode closet and he distracts her with sexy talk. All of this comes crashing down, however, when a begrudgingly indebted Christina reveals to Willie and Mark that Daniel is gifting and therefore bedding The Chin, and Claire insists on meeting with her at a restaurant to talk about the case. Finding his mother and lover at dinner, Daniel panics. Briefly alone with Claire, he tells her she's irreperably damaged the family and needs to disappear. He gives her some get away time by convincing The Chin to get frisky in a private dining room. Mark captures the sexy shenanigans on his cell phone.