Becki Newton is hilarious again, announcing as Amanda, “I’m going to get cured, or whatever”.  Then, she says about the beads she has to wear as part of the program, “I don’t like the way they frame my chest-icles”  Heh.  She completes the trifecta by telling Daniel, “You did not tell me I had to read…”

I’m fairly certain that the Community of The Phoenix is a not-so-subtle replacement for a particular worldview we could call “Friends of Tom Cruise”.  All this talk of “Phasing” and “getting to level 5” kind of gives it away.  Not to mention when Daniel says “Maybe you’ll give me something for free”  – that tells me they are charging him for spiritual services. 

Once again, Natalie sure seems to be scheming, at the very least.

The neat thing is, as Daniel gets sucked deeper into this cult, Amanda is going to play a part in pulling him out (I’m guessing a very important part).  It’s almost as if her shallowness gives her a kind of immunity to the methods of the group.  Too funny.

More sneak peeks to come!

Post from: Ugly Betty News

At first I was thinking the scenes with Adam Rodriguez were going to be a dream sequence, but now I’m not so sure.  Betty gets a (fake) tattoo – I guess meeting her schoolgirl crush Bobby has caused her to explore her rebellious side.

I DO, however, think the scene where Betty kisses Bobby might be a dream/fantasy sequence, because it happens in a school (although it isn’t “high school Betty” in the scene, it’s Ugly Betty season 4 Betty).  But then again, Bobby is a teacher (which makes it weird that Ignacio calls him a thug).

I take it the Camaro is Bobby’s – as far as I remember, Betty doesn’t have a car.

In a way, this reminds me of episode 2.12, Odor in The Court, where Betty went a little insane and virtually attacked Henry on the way to the elevator.  THAT was a good episode.  This one promises to be in that vein – especially with brain freeze and shirt ripping. 

However, I think ABC may be toying with us again through the promos, just like they did with episode 4.05, Plus None.  I’m wondering if Bobby may have more of an impact on Hilda – from the synopsis:

Hilda’s bad-boy high school flame and Betty’s schoolgirl crush — Bobby Talercio (Adam Rodriguez) — teaches at Justin’s school, causing the sisters to both doubt their feelings for “nice guys” such as Archie (Ralph Macchio), in Hilda’s case.

I’m HOPING Hilda will have doubts, then discover that she loves Archie.  They are too good together.

Also, it’s not in the promo, but this part of the synopsis looks to be the most interesting part of the episode:

Justin struggles to fit in at high school, and Marc advises him to befriend the mean girl-type cheerleaders, including Ava (Bonnie Dennison).

Awesome.  I think this episode is going to be hilarious from beginning to end.

Post from: Ugly Betty News

Hat tip: B&B

First off, what’s up with Natalie’s Kate-Gosselin-hair?  Yes, it looks wonderful, but it really changes the character, by looks alone.  Maybe that’s on purpose.  As much as I liked her character in Blue on Blue, I’m guessing she’s going to end up being “the bad guy”, and Betty’s going to have to save Daniel from her.

Anyway, in the sneak peek, Natalie cannot eat restaurant food, she is eating “Maca-greenie and cheese”.  She then has a conversation with Daniel about Gloria, a weird woman from “the group”, who wears leg warmers everywhere.  They say she only eats green foods because they help her “phase” better.

Betty is uncomfortable the whole time, obviously out of the loop and feeling a little left out.  It’s kind pf sad – I’ve been there many times before myself, but Betty keeps her good manners and optimism and tries her best to at least appear interested in Daniel and Natalie’s inside conversation.

It looks like in this episode Betty will be jealous both romantically (Matt and Amanda) and platonically (Daniel and Natalie).  We know that things are going to get worse on at least one front, because Daniel is going to hire Natalie as his assistant.

Anyway, this looks to be another good episode!

Post from: Ugly Betty News

Hat tip: B&B

Betty and Daniel meet at the elevator; Daniel is heading to his group meeting, we don’t know what Betty is doing, but she seems to be leaving for the day.

Daniel tells Betty how “the group” is helping him cope with losing Molly.  He then says he notices she and Matt have been “chummy” lately.  He asks if “there’s anything (about them) she’d like to report".

Betty hems and haws, then mentions that the two of them (Daniel and Betty) have their first “non-professional, just friends”  lunch.

Betty then tells him that she’s going to help him find a new assistant, and Daniel says “how could I ever replace you?”

Daniel seems a little uncomfortable throughout this clip.  It would be interesting to know the circumstances immediately beforehand.

One other noticeable thing, for me, is the lack of Jeff Beal’s background music.  There is hardly ever a scene, and never a scene where two people meet, where there isn’t music, so I’m assuming the clip was created before post-production. But, that’s just a guess – maybe they’ve had more “music-less” scenes in the past than I’ve noticed.

Anyway, it’s great to see the producers give a tip of the hat to the Detty fans in the episode, airing this Friday at 9/8c.

Post from: Ugly Betty News

OMG, I’ve been waiting for this one!  It looks to be over-the-top campy, and I mean that in a good way.  As a reminder, here’s the synopsis for the episode:

Betty is overwhelmed with her editorial work, so Wilhemina assigns Marc to be Betty’s temporary assistant. Betty’s story idea to cover the worst jobs in New York goes south when she has to dress up as a hot dog and do a Bollywood dance number. Meanwhile, Marc frets that he’ll never be taken seriously by his idol at Vogue magazine, Hilda gets Archie’s campaign in trouble, Daniel hires a gorgeous but inept assistant (supermodel Brooklyn Decker), and Natalie introduces Daniel to the Community — a group whose charismatic leader (Dylan Baker) zeroes in on Daniel.

(BTW, most have speculated that “the boob” is Daniel.  That’s probably right, but any episode that has “Brooklyn Decker” and “boob”, well…I just can’t help myself )

Anyway, this one appears to be another great episode to showcase Marc (“She-diculous!”), and the fact that Betty’s going to start giving as good as she gets in the insult department will mean there will be even more great quips.

But, Betty and Marc dressed as a hot dog and bun, singing a Bollywood song and dance number, that’s just sublime.  And they are both in pitch, too! (Both America Ferrera and Michael Urie are good singers; the musical talent on this show is amazing, when you think about it).

Add in Hilda getting Archie’s campaign in trouble, and this one might be one of the best.  C’mon Friday!

Post from: Ugly Betty News

The promo doesn’t tell a whole lot about what might happen, except for one intriguing split-second visual:  Matt entering somewhere (I’m assuming a restaurant) arm-in-arm with Amanda.  This, to me, is a very interesting pairing, although I’m sure it’s not going to be a long term ship.

It looks like it will be part of a bigger plan hatched by Wilhelmina / Marc to throw Betty off her game.  But, I also have to wonder, is Matt the “more” that Amanda was wanting out of life after seeing her future through the temp?

I hope not – I like Amanda, and Matt has become totally unlikeable (by design).  I was really hoping Amanda would use her new motivation to get in over her head somewhere (I thought community college would be awesome for her).

As an aside, I think it would be hilarious if in the series finale (whenever that happens), Amanda turns out to be some kind of super-genius who has been playing dumb.  Yes, it’s a lot like the Suzuki St Pierre story, but I still think it would be funny.

Otherwise, it looks like there will be lots of Betty-sabotaging in this episode.  There’s no hint of any Justin or Suarez story line, although certainly there will be one.  Maybe we’ll see it in the sneak peeks, when they become available?

Stay tuned.

Post from: Ugly Betty News

First off, there are some scenes from the new season interspersed with the interview. 

Vanessa talks about the physical changes in Betty, and gives some specifics (I like the phrase “her silhouette is changing”).  She says the socks are going to go (I guess that will be later this season) and that we’ll see Betty’s legs for the first time.

She hints about “a couple of relationships from her past” – these are Connor and Nico, I’m guessing.  She says that Grant Bowler emailed her saying he’s looking forward to coming back (with all the bedroom scenes with Williams, that’s a no-brainer ).

They then go into Wilhelmina’s struggle to keep her job at Mode, and show a pretty funny scene where she insults Claire and asks her and Cal Hartley do go ahead and fire her (which ends in a surprise).

The wait is almost over – Friday is almost here!  From the looks of everything, this is going to be a great beginning to season four!

Post from: Ugly Betty News

(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.

Post from: Ugly Betty News

The clip also introduces Megan.  Not “meh gun”, but “Mee-gun”.    She is bitter toward Betty because she lost her office (which she worked four years to get) to Matt.  She is a little snotty to Betty, especially about her pink bunny, and her chair in the conference room.

But most of the meanness in this clip belongs to Matt.  He introduces what his job will be: as an intermediary between the editors and the editors in chief.  All submissions for ideas have to come through him.  Every side comment he makes is a back-handed insult of Betty (only she knows this, though).

Betty introduces the idea of the malaria problem in Africa, and Matt mocks it.  Megan then works with the idea, trying to steal it for herself.

I can see where Betty’s over-the-top memory of her fist day comes from.

I know some of you will disagree with me, but I think Matt is more likeable as an unlikeable guy, in the same way Willi is at her best when she’s plotting and scheming.

Another good thing from this preview is we see Betty as the underdog, with America Ferrera bringing back that new-girl vulnerability we haven’t seen in a while.

More previews to come…

Post from: Ugly Betty News

We see the cast and crew filming at the UN, working on Betty’s feature article – which of course goes horribly wrong.  There are fisticuffs!

Daniel Eric Gold says that they have the “two nights here at the UN”, and Vanessa Williams, looking fresh as ever, is surprised that she is giving an interview at 3am.

Something about the quotes from the producers struck me, especially when Jim Klever-Weis says that for the first time we’ll see Betty as a leader.  I think that will add a new energy to the show, even more than Betty’s makeover.

Speaking of which, America Ferrera tells us that Betty’s physical transformation will be gradual (I had guessed it will be Nanny-Mcfee like).  Vanessa Williams says that it’s about time and that people want to see some changes in Betty.

Sheila Lawrence says they are taking the opportunity of Betty’s (practically) starting over, to reshape the character as the “loveable underdog” again.

I am so excited for the upcoming season premiere.  Hopefully, there will be heavy promotion on DWTS and the new hits Modern Family and Cougar Town.  With Dollhouse starting badly, there is an opening for Ugly Betty, I think.  Medium looks strong, though, so I’ll be very interested to see how Betty does on October 9.

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