Ugly Betty Makes TV Guide Hook Up List
September 29, 2009 by Tom
TV Guide, in their Fall Preview section, has a photo gallery of TV couples they would like to see hook up. Or, as they put it: “15 TV Duos Who Should Do It”. Well. No subtlety there. I’m surprised they didn’t throw in the phrase “Tap That”. 
Anyway, Ugly Betty made the list. Not surprisingly, the suggested hook up is a Detty hook up. As their caption (submitted by a fan) to a photo of Daniel and Betty says, “I know [creator Silvio Horta] is saying no, but the fans say yes. I kind of thought it was the point of the show. She was hired by his father to be a competent assistant he was in no danger of sleeping with. In the end, they should absolutely get together and bring it full circle.”
Since every (or almost every) incarnation of this show has ended with the “Daniel” character getting together with the “Betty” character (SirLizard can verify), this discussion will always be there under the surface.
I also think that Silvio Horta, no matter what he says publicly, might be steering us in that direction. EveryGirl Molly was a surrogate Betty, and sex addict Matt is a surrogate Daniel (especially with his new, slick look).
My thinking on this has evolved a little over the years. When the show is winding down (and let’s face it, they’ll know this winter if season four will be the last for Ugly Betty), I’d like to see the two get together. They could have several episodes exploring the excitement and confusion of this. Then in the series finale, I’d like to see Daniel propose.
Betty could accept, and that would surely be a fitting ending for the show. Even better, Betty could turn him down.
The couple could then declare their eternal friendship, and Betty will have truly grown up before our eyes.
(There is the added benefit that such an ending would leave the Henry, Gio and Daniel love stories still possible in the dreams of the fans of each character).
But, I could also live with Betty and Daniel hooking up, too.
Image: Zuma Press
I think that it would make the most sense for the show to end with a Detty pairing. The best relationships, I feel, grow out of solid friendships that have established a sense of trust and respect between two people. Watching TV today, I am frustrated by all the shows where the two characters are attracted to each other because of some sexual tension between the two of them and what is ignored are the elements of a relationship that are necessary in order for it to be HEALTHY and LONG-LASTING. I wouldn’t want the pairing to happen until the show ends since they both have A LOT of growing up left to do. Despite their differences, Daniel’s and Betty’s lives blend so well together and their relationship is more genuine than any romantic relationship that either of them have had in the past. Now, I’m not a Detty fanatic (i.e. It’s not a DO or DIE situation for me) and I would be somewhat comfortable if they both ended up with different people provided that the relationships were done right. I just feel like they both deserve people who will stick by them and who know them well enough to know exactly what they need and when they need it. They both are always able to do this for each other. Also, it would be great if they can both share their lives with someone who shares the same passions as they do (publishing). When I think about the two of them, I see so many similarities despite the differences and I agree that it would be fun to see the both of them in a relationship with each other, even a temporary one, at some point in the show. I think that that kind of plot line is too tempting (even if they didn’t want to end the show in that way) for the producers to ignore. Considering that I love so many other things about the show, I won’t mind if they didn’t end up together, but I would be angry if, in the last season, they both end up in different relationships that are unbelievable and are not done right.
I definitely agree with you Tom. During the episode entitled “There’s no Place like Mode,” Suzuki called Molly “Ugly Duckling” which was so surprising to me. I automatically thought of Betty. Also, Molly had that playful attitude about her and acted like a little girl sometimes (when she was in a happy mood). She reminded me so much of Betty and until you mentioned the Surrogate idea, I thought it was just a coincidence. Matt reminds me of Daniel 3 years ago, when the show first started: adrift with really no direction and possessing a sleek, rich appearance. I thought the sex addiction trait was also just a coincidence and an indication that the writers were running out of ideas, but maybe it wasn’t either of those things. I’m just really confused because the producers/creators are saying one thing and they’re showing something somewhat different on screen. I’m not saying that there are SO MANY signs pointing to Detty, but I am just saying that there are a few that leave you confused and wondering in what direction, romatically, both characters are going with regards to each other. I love the passion that Benry, Getty and Metty fans have and I wish their ships the best of luck too! Hopefully in the end, one of our ships will happen!
no, no, no! only Gio, Gio, Gio!
Ok, maybe id be ok with that endgame, but i want it to be the Getty endgame so bad!!!! If it’s gonna be Matt and Betty ill be so disappointed…
Let’s hope Ugly Betty doesn’t end because I love the show so much!
Can’t see it ending
Tom, don’t misunderstood me for saying this, but I LOVE U!!!! What you said for the Detty was amazing!
First of all it’s awesome that the Detty got into the list!! This shows that there are many people who don’t see Daniel and Betty as brother and sister(Hello!ridiculous!) And they really want to see some true love between them!!
Daniel and Betty’s relationship is the backbone of the show!What is more natural than expecting those two to hook up? Especially after the great Detty hints that the writers gave us this season! Even the finale was a Detty one!!
How can Silvio Horta declare that nothing romantic will ever happen between them and at the same time to create substitutes for them?? Even an anti-Detty fan would agree that the ugly-duckly Molly, was a Betty-substitute and the former player/billionare Matt, is a Daniel substitute! It’s obvius that subconsciously they look for each other in other people!
I think that from all the ships( Benry, Getty, Metty..)the Detty is the most unfortunate one, cause the other fans had at least the chance to see their ships becoming canon even for a little while…
We deserve to see some Detty too!!
I am ok with a Detty ending. The relationship with Daniel has the strongest and longest foundation building (friendship + trust). And the most romantic of all. Although, I have to admit, the most compatible one with Betty is Henry (connection + chemistry). However, Gio is the most fun to be around, and he challenges Betty to bring out another side of her (opposite + spark). So I’m ok with any of those pairings. Matt on the other hand, the only word I can think to describe him is BLAH..
Absolutely every other version that has played through to the end (the adaptations in Croatia and the Czech Republic were canceled before their story arcs completed, and the adaptations in China, Poland, and Brazil are still on the air) ended with the Armando (Daniel) and Betty (Betty) characters getting married. Also, every Betty has had a dramatic beauty makeover before the wedding. But, “Ugly Betty” has been so different from all of the other version in so many ways that I would not be surprised if the producers and writers were to decide against the makeover and/or the wedding.
It is also possible that since Matt is Betty’s new boss, they could be planning to play out some of the stories from “Yo soy Betty, la fea” using a Betty/Matt pairing instead of a Betty/Daniel pairing, in order to keep Betty and Daniel’s friendship platonic. I don’t know that this is what they are planning, but I’m just throwing it out there as a possibility.
Yeah, I’ve never had much against Matt until he turned into a stalker. No normal person takes a job just so he can belittle/watch/maim his ex all day long. That’s more than a little creepy, and I really don’t see how they’ll redeem him, especially since many people’s attitudes towards Matt were “meh” at best to begin with.
I’d like it better if the show didn’t try to downplay how incredibly weird Matt’s behavior is. It was cute as first, but then…eeeeeew!
Oh, and I have nothing against Detty. In fact, I’m a shipper. But it’s always seemed kind of one-sided to me. Daniel gives Betty looks sometimes that no brother should ever give his sister, but I’ve never seen any indication that Betty could ever see Daniel as more than just a brother/friend. So I dunno…
It’s what UglyBettyfan said the writers say one thing and they show another!
They say that Daniel and Betty are like brother and sister and at the same time they give us lines like “You’re better than any model, Betty”, “I’m always looking for a meaning in my life everywhere, but the place I can actually find it”, “You are beautiful”..etc.
This is so irritating!
I’m a Detty die-hard shipper and it’s very disappointing for me to hear the whole bro/sis theory! I think that the writers need to see how many Daniel/Betty fan videos exist in YouTube and also to visit this URL : http://community.livejournal.com/daniel_betty
There are many people, who love the Detty idea!