ABC

Click here to watch the episode on Hulu.com .

For those of you who are old enough to remember, these episodes slightly resemble the old VH1 show “Pop Up Video”, albeit with no annoying bubble sound.  From time to time, relevant facts about what is happening will pop up on the lower third of the screen.  This serves two purposes:

1) The fill in back story, for those who have never seen the show or those who had stopped watching the show in seasons 2/3.

2) For those of is who have seen and analyzed EVERY episode, they pop up little behind the scenes facts, like the title of the currently playing song, or trivia about the set.  (For instance, the images on the monitor in the elevator always reflect the theme of the show).

These are very well done – the pop ups never interfere with the focal point of the screen, and they use them sparingly.

I learned a few things I didn’t know (Cal Hartley was partially inspired by Ted Turner?  Well, I have heard he could be a jackass…)

Here is the schedule for the airings of the enhanced versions of Ugly Betty:

Friday, August 14 – "Rabbit Test" (OAD: 4/30/09)
Friday, August 21 – "The Born Identity" (OAD: 5/7/09)
Friday, August 28 – "In the Stars" (OAD: 5/14/09)
Friday, September 4 – "Curveball" (OAD: 5/21/09)
Friday, September 11 – "The Fall Issue" (OAD: 5/21/09)

These will also be available the day after airing on ABC.com and Hulu.com.

So, what do you think of “Enhanced Ugly Betty”?

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Ugly Betty Enhanced Episode: 3.20 – Rabbit Test

• I thought the episode overall was slightly better than average.  There just wasn’t enough comedy to make it one of the top five of the season, but I understand that the writers used this episode to set up the end-of-season story lines.
• This might have been the most visually beautiful episode of Ugly Betty that’s ever aired.  The colors were astounding – they just jumped off the screen.
• There was something not quite right, however, with the music.  It seemed mixed too softly, and its lack of presence was distracting to those of us who watch the show every week.
• I’m starting to believe the theory that Matt will become the new boss at Mode.  Apparently, Cal wants to control everything, and the one thing he hasn’t been able to control is his son.  Getting into publishing gives him an “in”, and something tells me Cal is going to force Matt into the job (which Matt will have to do for Betty’s sake).
• Great acting job by Ashley Jensen.  The show is really going to miss her.
• It’s interesting that Silvio Horta has ruled out a Daniel/Betty pairing.  With the entrance of the Hartleys, Daniel is moving down in societal stature, and Betty up, which makes a Detty pairing more believable.  But, I do get the whole brother-sister dynamic between the two.
• Matt grew a little in my eyes this episode.  He actually seemed to have a backbone, although he eventually gave in to Betty (with good reason). 
• The title was quite clever – not only did it allude to the blood test for baby William, but for Daniel’s bunny suit “test” for Cal.

Full recap after the jump.

Poor Wilhelmina and Daniel.  With the failure of The Sex Issue of Mode, Wilhelmina is reduced to riding the subway to work, and Daniel has to take the bus.  At the same time, Betty is riding a limo to work, courtesy rich boyfriend Matt, who has promised her everything from limo Tuesday to submarine Thursday.  As they part, Betty predicts that things at work are going to get better.

However, as she gets off the elevator, she finds that everything leased or non-essential in the Mode offices has to go.  (The movers even try to take Betty’s bunny).

A very fancy deliveryman with a briefcase arrives for Betty.  After Betty signs her life away, she receives.  The man explains that the Hartley charitable foundation requires full identification of all recipients.   Daniel overhears this, and thinks the package is for him (an egg containing an invite for a very exclusive Easter charity gala).  He has wanted to attend the gala his whole life.  He is disappointed, however, when he discovers the invite is for Betty, and that Hartley is Matt’s dad.

Justin calls, excited because the rest of the Suarez family has gotten invites as well.  When Daniel hears this, he’s so disgusted, he walks away.

Wilhelmina and baby William pose for a photo shoot.  As Christina, who has now become a temporary nanny for William, takes him away, Miles the photographer notices that William looks a LOT more like Christina than Wilhelmina.

The Suarezes and Matt watch a promo (why does a billionaire need a personal promo?) for Cal Hartley.  He’s apparently a jet-setting do-it-all like RIchard Branson. The Suarezes tell Matt that they’re a little uncomfortable going to the event (except for Justin), but he assured them it’ll be fine.

Betty later tells Daniel that she’s learned as much as she can about Hartley, and pulls up an article where he says that he likes to rescue failing companies, especially media companies.  Betty convinces Daniel that this might be their chance to save the company, if she can talk Matt into letting Daniel go to the event.

When she talks to Matt about his, he refuses, though.  Betty, though, doesn’t have the heart to tell Daniel. 

The Suarezes advise her to honor Matt’s wishes.  She agree and prepares to tell Daniel.  But, Daniel has spent an entire night excitedly making his own promo, and Betty just can’t bring herself to disappoint him.  Matt arrives at the office to surprise Betty, and Betty desperately tries to keep Matt from running into Daniel.  It eventually happens, though, and the two find out that Betty had told them different things about Daniel and the party.

Unfortunately, this means that the company has reached the end of the rope, and that layoff have to happen for it to survive. 

Wilhelmina tells Marc what Miles said about baby William, and Marc agrees that he looks like Christina.  They summon a doctor, who tells them that it IS possible that the baby is Christina’s but only if she had sex prior to the implantation.  Wilhelmina then sends Marc to snoop around and find out if Christina had sex at the time of the implantation.

As Marc plays 20 questions with Christina, Amanda butts in, saying she has a “pornographic memory” and that she’s the Einstein of sex.  Christina won’t fess up, but later puts two and two together and deduces that Wilhelmina wants to know if the baby is hers.  Apparently she HAD had sex with Stuart (whose condition is improving) the night before the procedure.

Betty arrives to work the next day, and they are handing out pink slips.  Everyone is heartbroken as one is handed to Amanda.  There is then a funny scene where Amanda insists she can’t be replaced, but she is, with a clipboard and a flower.  Betty confronts Daniel, who tells her he had no other choice.  (Five magazines were shut down, and Jenny in accounting was let go, too!).  Betty decides that, no matter what, she’s going to get Daniel into the party for that meeting with Hartley, even without Matt’s approval.

The party is at a museum, and kids are having an Easter egg hunt.  The Suarezes arrive, and Matt introduces them to Cal.Cal likes Betty, because she gets under Victoria’s skin.

Daniel arrives (in the kitchen), and Betty leads him out to meet Hartley.  Unfortunately, security stops him first, and begins to escort him out of the building.  Matt sees all of this and is disappointed in Betty.

In the meantime, Wilhelmina and Christina agree to have a blood test to determine the mother of William.

Betty tells Matt that she ahd no choice but to do what she did.  After Betty pleads, Matt agrees to arrange the meeting, and orders the security people to let Daniel go. 

Matt introduces the two, and they walk off to have a drink together.  Daniel makes his pitch, but Cal won’t talk about it unless Daniel agrees to dress up as Floppy the Bunny to hand out Easter eggs. 

Hilda finds a $500k Faberge egg she’s been searching for, then discovers that it will be auctioned off for charity in her name.  She’s furious.

Matt is angry at Betty, but they talk about it and make up.  Matt tells Betty she may regret it though – when it comes to business, his dad is Satan incarnate.

At this time, they see Daniel hopping around in a pink bunny suit, handing out eggs.  Unfortunately, he is mobbed by the kids, and falls right into a cake.

Later, Daniel is sitting alone in the now empty museum, still in the cake-stained bunny suit.  Betty apologies, but Daniel says it was worth it, because Hartley agreed to save the company.

The lab results return, and it turns out that Wilhelmina is indeed the mother of William.  Christina is devastated, and Wilhelmina fires her as a nanny.

The next day, Betty comes to work, and the furniture is returning , along with all the fired employees (including Amanda).  She sees that Hartley has sent Daniel a carrot basket.  Christina looks on in tears as Wilhelmina holds baby William, and Betty stares into the distance, smiling a tepid smile.

Post from: Crushable

Ugly Betty Episode 3.20 Full Recap

What’s going to happen?

The Suarez family gets an invitation to meet Matt’s famed billionaire dad, Calvin Hartley (guest star David Rasche), at his legendary Easter Egg hunt. While Betty sees this as a chance to get closer to Matt, Daniel seizes the opportunity to get Mode a bailout. Meanwhile Wilhelmina suspects that little William might not be her biological son.

I hope you’ll join us at 8/7c for all the fun!

Post from: Crushable

Ugly Betty Episode 3.20 Live Blog

This was one of many posted by B&B, and my favorite, because it introduces us to a new character: Cal Hartley.

I find it interesting that Matt’s demeanor is different, more subdued, around his father. One of the other preview clips sets that back story – well done, Daniel Eric Gold.

I also like the fact that although Justin is the one who is normally celebrity obsessed, he seems to be the only member of the Suarez family who does not fawn in these situations. He actually has to restrain his mother (who is trying hard to get inside info on a hidden Faberge).

Mark my words: the fact that Cal likes Betty because she gets under Victoria’s skin will play a large role in the plot of the upcoming episodes.

Reminder:  there will be a live blog of the episode tonight here, at 8/7c.  Join us!

Post from: Crushable

Ugly Betty Episode 3.20 Sneak Peek

Now, there’s another promo that ABC was running heavily Sunday night, which I REALLY liked, with protesters demanding the return of Betty.  But, alas, i haven’t been able to find that one in embeddable form. 

But, back to this one, it’s pretty generic.  The best line, of course, is Wilhelmina (to Marc):  “Put your game face one.  Not your gay face.  Your game face”.  That little snippet, with all the people following, reminds me of the return of Wilhelmina after her banishment (which was actually a great scene for Michael Urie).  

The makers of the promo did something very sneaky.  They showed Hilda hugging a man (supposedly Archie), followed immediately by Betty saying excitedly, “You’re getting married?!!”  I doubt that it’s actually Hilda getting married, but a lot can happen in 5 hours in the Betty world.

Now, some of the snippets included were from past episodes, I think, so possibly much is being kept close to the vest.

Just FYI, there WILL be a live blog this Thursday at 8/7c!

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Ugly Betty Returning Promo