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Here is another sneak peek of the Ugly Betty season four 2-hour premiere, airing October 16th on ABC.
(Once again, sorry to you folks outside the US for the restrictions)
This one is set at the end of Betty’s awful, horrible first day. She heads into the steam room in Mode’s gym (in case this is lost on us, the wonderful UB set department puts “STEAM” in huge letters on the doors).
Betty lies down, but her moment of peace and quiet is interrupted by Wilhelmina, who has also come for some steam. Willi, knowing about Betty’s day, informs her that if Betty is expecting a pep talk from her, she’s going to be disappointed.
Wilhelmina lays it straight: being an assistant is boot camp, being an editor is war. She also gives Betty a hard time about her malaria story suggestion.
When Betty finally asks for advice, Willi tells her she will need to change or be eaten alive.
I like this scene. Wilhelmina is being helpful to Betty, on some level so far down we can barely recognize it. Yet, she is still her usual scheming and grasping self. This isn’t the first time Betty has seen her possible future self in Wilhelmina (remember America Ferrera’s amazing impersonation?), and Willi sees something of her younger self in Betty.
It’s almost like some weird, fashion variation of a scene from A Christmas Carol. But, I still like the Willi/Betty dynamic.