Ugly Betty - Holiday Cheers

Lose the Boss?
Fake Plastic Snow

Everyone's moving on up! Just as I was getting slightly bored by the early sweeps episode, here comes Ugly Betty bouncing right back, continuing the holiday Thanksgiving episode the morning after. Daniel is still drunk from the previous night of losing Sofia and in bed at Betty's house. He refuses to leave and takes part in the Suarez's holiday festivities as they dress up the house for Christmas. Justin's father also starts questioning Justin's taste in hobbies and leaves again after Hilda defends their son's choices (with some help from Daniel).

Betty is left in-charge at Mode as everyone looks for Daniel's direction, especially when Mode gets an exclusive at two big movie stars new baby. Sofia helps out with the issue and becomes quite impressed with Betty's work, offering her a better job at her new magazine.

Wilhelmina is onto Marc and Amanda and the suspicious phone call to the suspicious woman, but Marc turns the tables around and uses the information to blackmail Wilhelmina into making Marc a bit more equal, at least until Wilhelmina gets a suspicious looking mobster type to track Marc down. However, it's a surprise Hummer for Marc. (Uh. Is that really a gift when the gas to drive it probably costs more than Marc's salary?)

Daniel thinks he really is in love with Sofia, because he has heart palpitations and sweaty palms, so Betty gets Amanda to prove herself (so that she can win Betty's job if Betty should take Sofia's job offer) by keeping tabs on Daniel and his usual womanizing ways. Betty herself begins to sweat when Henry reappears (an always welcome Christopher Gorham), especially when she feels trapped beside Walter's basic Queen lifestyle.

Also of note, Christina getting all drunk at the Christmas party. Give Ashley Jensen more lines and make her interact with Wilhelmina back! Cowboy man is back for Wilhelmina's heart! The ever bitchy (but fun to watch) Gina is at war with Hilda again until Gina slips and falls and hell freezes over as they begin to bond (at least for the night). Amanda tries on one of the many rings Daniel has to offer to Sofia, but gets it stuck of course (when she tongues herself to get it off was funny, when Betty spits on her fingers, that was just downright hilarious). Oh, and Ignacio gets arrested but then is released while they sort out his case (how convenient for the writers and us).

What else? Basically two fantastic holiday episodes with both Marc and Betty gaining a few more points of power. Amanda gets to show her brains to get the job to work with Daniel. Hearts are a flutter all over the place (Wilhelmina and Cowboy? Daniel and Sofia? Amanda still hearting Daniel? Betty and Henry or Walter?). Seems like they are actually moving the story forward and we aren't just going to get the weekly repeats of Betty being ugly, but then saving the day (which was already fine with me, but this is even better).