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Ugly Betty Episode 2.18 Full Recap

by Tom on May 23rd, 2008

Here is the full recap of Ugly Betty episode 2.18 (Jump).  Let me give you some quick thoughts before the recap, which follows after the jump.

• At first, I was underwhelmed by the episode.  But when I watched again to do the recap, it really grew on me.  It was quite a nuanced episode (for Ugly Betty).  Now I can say I really liked the finale.  I don’t think we should try to compare it with last year’s over-the-top finale, because each year is different.
• I now see that the Betty video for Madonna was part of a plan to incorporate Madonna’s new CD into the show as much as possible.  I counted 3 songs (including “Jump” at the end).  I wonder how much they paid ABC for the tie-in, which was obviously planned from the start?
• Yes, the Coach Diaz revelation was cliche, but Hilda’s eventual reaction was not.  Should make for some interesting arguments with Ignacio next year.
• The consensus in the live blog seemed to be that Betty chose “herself”.  But, where did she go?
• Judith light’s performance was great this episode.  Her look at Alexis at the end tells me she’s going to really assert herself next season.
• The scene with Ignacio at Mode was quite touching.
• They probably shouldn’t have used Lindsay Lohan so much in the pre-airing hype.  The part we saw in the sneak peek video was the only part she was in.  That being said, I think she’s going to be great in the show next season.
• This should have been a two hour episode.  There was obviously much that was cut out.  There was no Christina, and although Marc and Amanda were great, there wasn’t enough of them.  Had it been a two-hour episode, it might have been my favorite of all time.

Recap after the jump!

Flashback to 1999. Betty is on a school playground, younger. They are choosing sides for dodgeball. A pretty girl named Kimberly (Lindsay Lohan) chooses Betty instead of big-boned Mona to be on her team. As soon as the teams line up for battle, Kimberly yells, “Get behind the human shield!” All the girls form a single file behind her. Betty is then hit with a barrage of dodgeballs.

Back in “now” time, Betty explains to Gio that this is why she hates organized sports, and why she won’t participate in the Mode vs Elle charity softball game. Gio says it’s very important to Daniel, he even came down to his sandwich shop to recruit him. Betty says that Daniel loves to hold the trophy over his head while everyone cheers. Gio says that he thinks he game would be something fun to do “as a couple”

Betty says, “We’re not a couple”. They are in an “exploratory phase”.

Gio tells Betty that he’s going to Italy for a month. He says he needs to do like Mario Batali did, and discover his own “flavor”. It’s all part of his 5-year plan. As they are speaking, Betty notices that the new issue of Hot Flash is out. She runs to look at one. She was disappointed that they gave her a tiny space and cut down her article, and completely rewrote it. Someone replaced the word “naturally” with “natch”.

She confronts Claire about it, and Claire explains that her article was too “safe”. Claire asks Betty what she wants to be when she grows up. Betty says she wants to own her own magazine like Claire. Claire says that she’ll never do it by playing safe. She tells her to start taking risks, at work and in life.

Coach Diaz has brought Hilda lunch (tater tots and Jello). They flirt – and Tony tries to kiss her, but Hilda pulls away. She tells him she wants to take it slow.

Daniel is working, his desk is a mess. He has been working nonstop on the Madelon De Bie presentation. Alexis tells him that he doesn’t have to work so hard- he can get Wilhelmina’s help. He refuses. Alexis complains that Daniel doesn’t trust her lately; Daniel responds with “What did you expect? You gave Wilhelmina her old job when you know she wants mine”

Amanda and Marc are trying on their (flamboyant) cheerleader outfits. Betty approaches, and they tease her about “natch”. She then asks if she can be a cheerleader. Amanda then makes her try out. She gives her instructions, leading to “Jump! Jump! Jump!” Marc takes a photo and yells to the room “We were wrong. She CAN get of the ground!” Amanda then tells betty they don’t “have uniforms in your size”.

A boy walks up to the desk, speaking French. Amanda asks if he minds if she dresses him up like a doll and puts makeup on him.

Daniel makes his presentation to Madelon De Bie, and it’s not going well. She doesn’t understand his numbers. Wilhelmina chimes in and apologizes for the confusion. She tells her about the Mode vs Elle softball game, and offers to donate the proceeds to a children’s charity in the Netherlands that De Bie co-chairs, in return for a one year commitment at 20 pages per issue at a 30% reduction in rate. De Bie agrees.

Betty tells Daniel that he needs to find a way to work with Wilhelmina. Daniel says she doesn’t work with people, she works against them. He congratulates Betty on her article. He says he liked “natch”.

At lunch, Betty is complaining to Gio about her edited article. They are in Central Park. Instead of lunch, Gio pulls a bat out of a bad and offers to teach Betty how to hit a softball. She refuses, but he teases her about playing it safe.

The boy walks into Daniel’s office. Daniel does not understand and calls for anyone who speaks French. Someone comes to translate. The boy tells him his name is Daniel, and his mother was a model, and Daniel had met her in Paris many years ago. She died recently. He is in town on a school trip. He left the group because he wanted to meet his father. He (Daniel) is his father.

Gio pitches to Betty – she closes her eyes and swings terribly. He tells her to keep her eyes open and focus on the ball. She then hits one, then another, then another. Gio then tells her “Come to Rome with me!” He then playfully tackles her and leans over her suggestively. He says, “I want us to have the most romantic first date ever”. She says “Yes”

Betty comes in and announces that she’s joined the softball team, and tell him about her trip to Rome, but Daniel is distracted. Betty turns to see the boy. Daniel tells her that he says he’s his son. Daniel says he doesn’t believe it – many people tried to scam Bradford in this way. He also suspects that Wilhelmina was behind the boy’s appearance.

Daniel confronts Wilhelmina, who denies she had anything to do with the boy. After Daniel leaves, Wilhelmina says she didn’t plan it, but that “God must truly love us!” Marc adds, “Go God! And Viva la France!” She decides to use the fact that Daniel wants to keep the boy secret against him.

Daniel and the boy draw blood for a paternity test. Daniel then abruptly leaves to go party. The boy is upset by this, and Wilhelmina comes to him and offers to take him to dinner.

At the Suarez house, Justin accuses his mother of being a tease; Hilda says she’s playing hard to get. Ignacio likes this strategy, because they don’t know anything about Coach Diaz. Betty walks in and announces that she’s going to Rome with Gio. Ignacio asks how they will afford it, and what their sleeping arrangements will be. Hilda says, “it’s not like she’s a virgin!” Ignacio is taken aback; Justin leaves. Ignacio is quite upset about this. Justin says someone is at the door for her. Betty walks to the door – Henry is there. He gets on one knee, and asks Betty to marry him.

Betty asks why he’s doing this to her right now when she’s just starting to get over him. He says he’s not over her, and he loves her. He wants her to move to Tucson with him. He tells her that a friend of his can give her a job there as a writer in a magazine. He says, “Just say yes” (just like Gio did). He says he’s going back on Monday, and that he’s like her to come with him. He puts the ring in her hand, kisses her head, and leaves.

Ignacio then tries to talk her into going to Rome with Gio. He doesn’t want Betty to get married and move to Tucson. Hilda would rather Betty marry Henry, and argues with Ignacio. Betty interrupts and tells them that she’s asking for advice, not approval. Ignacio says, “Good. Because you’re not getting any from me”.

Fashion TV reports on Daniel’s son. They make Daniel look bad by showing that he reacted by partying the night away at Lotus, promoting the softball game. They show footage of little Daniel roaming the streets of Ney York, going through dumpsters for food (gotta love Wilhelmina!) Seeing this on TV, Claire decides that they boy is indeed her grandson because of the resemblance. Alexis walks in and says that Madelon De Bie pulled out of their deal, upset over Daniel’s behavior.

Alexis thinks they boy is Daniel’s son as well, because she was there in France with Daniel and remembers him drooling all over the hand model. She tells Daniel he needs to take a leave of absence while they attempt to win the account back.

Hilda speaks to Ignacio as he irons clothes. She reminds him how hard it is to find love, and that you have to jump at the opportunity. She says you never know if the person will be there the next day (she is obviously remembering Santos). Ignacio is touched by this, and comforts Hilda. Hilda then leaves and says she’s going to seize HER opportunity.

Betty and Daniel discuss Daniel Jr and the leave of absence. Daniel says he had a letter, written by the child’s mother translated, verifying that he indeed was the father. Betty advises him to “be there for his son”. He then gives Betty a gift: a full, first class, paid vacation to Rome for her and Gio. Betty tells him she doesn’t know what to do, after Henry’s proposal. Daniel advises her to go to Rome (because he can’t imagine being at Mode without her).

Wilhelmina calls De Bie and smoothes things over. She then makes her move and asks Alexis for Daniel’s job. She tells Alexis that she should reassign Daniel to another job in the Meade empire that would be a better fit.

Betty watches as Daniel welcomes his son into his life, the camera pans and we see Ignacio walk up. He shows her childhood pictures (she was “Baby Madonna” for Halloween one year). He tells Betty a story of when they went to the pool when she was little, and wanted to jump off the high board. Ignacio didn’t want to let her, but she did it anyway. Betty says she doesn’t know what she wants, this time, and asks her what she should do. He says he can’t tell her, and that he can only tell her that he loves her and will support whatever decision she makes. He tells her to search deep inside, then take a deep breath, and jump.

In Tony’s car, he gives Hilda a necklace. He says there’s something he’s been meaning to tell her. Hilda kisses him. Then Diaz springs it on her that he’s married. His marriage has been on-and-off again (but they are together now). He tells Hilda that he feels he’s falling for her. Hilda gets very upset, and leaves the car.

Daniel bonds with his son by showing him the NY sights through a telescope, until he spies a couple “having a little fun in the window”. They then talk about movies, and learn that they share a love for movies with “hot chicks” in them. He asks the boy about sports; he says he likes baseball.

At the softball game, Suzuki St Pierre reports. Amanda barges into the report and tells all of her “fans” that she will have a new single, or reality show, or sex video out soon. After she leaves, St Pierre asks, “who was that?”

As Betty speaks to Daniel, who brought Daniel Jr, Gio approaches, so Betty leaves quickly (avoiding Gio). The boy asks if Marc is “Tres Drole”? (Very funny?) Daniel thinks it’s strange that the boy knows Marc.

After passing Marc and Amanda, who ask Betty if they can “jump on her”, Betty runs into Gio, who says she’s been avoiding her. As they speak, Henry walks up in uniform. Both he and Gio had volunteered to help Daniel. Gio tells Henry about the trip to Rome, Henry tells Gio about the proposal. They both stare at Betty, but then St Pierre announces the start of the game (Play ball, bitches!). Betty is in center field between Gio and Henry.

The game is supposed to start, but Daniel is arguing with Wilhelmina. She tells him that Alexis gave her the Editor in Chief job. As everyone waits, Wilhelmina volunteers to pitch. She strikes out Joe Zee. He yells, “I must have been distracted by how fat you look in white!”

Daniel confronts Alexis, who confirms that he is being “reassigned”. He leaves with his son.

Wilhelmina catches a line drive from Robbie Myers, who yells to her, “Bite me!” Next up is Naomi Campbell. As she approached the plate, her cell phone rings. Everyone in the crowd ducks. She tells Bono that she can’t talk, she’s playing cricket. She then hits a fly ball to center. Betty tries to catch it, but Henry and Gio run into her, and she gets beaned.

In an obvious dream, Henry serves Betty breakfast in bed in Tucson. In the dream, Henry wants to take Betty and little Nate to a dam, but Betty has to complete her article. She goes to start working on it, but as she walks through the door, she steps into a hotel room in Italy, where Gio sits. They start to plan their day, then Henry walks in.

Both he and Gio approach her menacingly, asking for “an answer” and telling her to make a choice. Betty stands on the edge of the verandah, and jumps. She then wakes up on the softba ll field, with Henry and Gio and Amanda and Marc and Naomi Campbell and Joe Zee and Robbie Myers standing over her. She proclaims “I know what to do”.

We then see a montage of things happening. Hilda approaches a shirtless Diaz and kisses him, Wilhelmina holds up the softball trophy while everyone cheers, Claire looks at Alexis disapprovingly, Daniel packs up his things at the office with his son, Betty packs her bags, walks downstairs and hugs her family goodbye. She walks out the door.

The camera then pans out to a wide view of NYC, and we see a plane pass by.

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