Ugly Betty - The Must List

The Lyin', the Watch and the Wardrobe
Trust, Lust and Must

In the past two episodes, we get Christopher Gorham (as a nerdy accountant with Betty above), Judith Light (as Daniel's mother and drunk woman scorned), Debbie Mazar (as a fellow Queens resident who happens to be a lawyer with Hilda below), and exec-producer Salma Hayek (as an editor-in-chief for a new magazine about modern women). As if we couldn't love this show more, they get perfect guest casting (though I guess Salma Hayek is a given, and I think I preferred her more as an actress on the telenovelas show in the background).

Last week we had Betty dressed in a butterfly costume chasing around Manhattan trying to find Daniel's missing watch from all his one-night stands. Amanda had it all along, and yearns for Daniel's monogamy, which we all know is pretty laughable, but Becky Newton's heartfelt performance beyond her hilarious bitchy meaness (especially as her shell continued to unravel last night) gives some great depth to what could have been a one-note character.

Nico keeps calling Wilhelmina who keeps dodging the calls, until Nico finally shows up to reveal herself as Wilhelmina's daughter, who is angry at Wilhelmina for avoiding being a mother and showing any signs of warmth. Wilhelmina reasons that (her dad) The Senator taught her to build a shell in this tough world, and so must she to Nico, but it get's Wilhelmina thinking about it all as she sends Nico back to a boarding school (this one in Paris).

Daniel Meade, oblivious to Amanda's yearnings, goes after Salma Hayek's smarter-than-her-bossoms-look Editor-in-Chief, only to be outwitted far beyond his little boy's mind could handle. Trapped in an elevator, Daniel tries to withold looking up Salma's dress as she tries to escape through the roof, and the hilarity in Eric Mabius' face of the contemplation was Golden Globe worthy (I'd say Emmy's but they are dead to me after this year's travesty).I can't even remember all the great lines but I had a back to back burst out laugh-out-loud moments when Hilda notes that Mode magazine's office looks like a gay version of Star Trek and when Marc tells an acting-out Nico “Did you really think at imitating that very special episode of Punky Brewster was going to get your mother’s attention?".

Betty and Hilda find out that dad Ignacio is illegally in the United States and did not apply for green cards or anything because he and their mother were escaping her past, since Ignacio killed her first husband (GASP!)

How much do I love this show right now? Even news of a manslaughter from a beloved character this early in the game works (sorry Glowy Box, I beg to differ). I also have to put my two cents in between Christopher Gorham (who I adore since Popular) and Kevin Sussman as Walter. I SOOOOO WANT Chris Gorham on a TV show and Ugly Betty would be perfect, though the fears that he's a show killer is a little distressing (Jake 2.0, Out of Practice). His nerdy accountant and flirtations with Betty are wickedly cute and I want to see more of where this is going. Which is not to say I don't want Walter around either. I think Kevin Sussman has created a wonderfully dweeby character and while I don't want him to win back Betty (he DID cheat on our girl with the slutty neighbour who thankfully will be back in future eps), I like him enough that I think he could fit in somehow onto the show, if only to accentuate Mode's coolness with his foibles. Either way, bring on more Betty!