Ugly Betty Episode 202 Recap: “Family Affair”

Conference Room á la Mode. Wilhelmina is reading a letter she’s written in her temporary role as "acting-more-like-an-editor-than-the-actual-editor-in-chief -ever-will" acting editor-in-chief.

She’s talking about how in times of crisis, she is reminded of the importance of family, when Betty reaches for a pastry from a nearby table and slips, sending breakfast items flying all over the room like the start of a good old fashioned cafeteria food fight.

Sigh, another goofy pratfall. When did Betty turn into Gerald Ford? Or at least, Gerald Ford as played by Chevy Chase during SNL’s golden years? It’s like she’s so clearly in command at Mode now the writers need to come up with even more slapsticky ways to remind us she’s supposed to be this “ugly” fish out of water.

Betty says she thinks the letter from the editor should be from the actual editor.

Wili: Oh Betty. Pie-eyed, pie-eating Betty … I know he pays you for your south of the border spirit, but let’s give Daniel a break.

And seriously, it’s not like Daniel’s breaking down the conference room door insisting he can work through the pain if only they’d let him.

Cut to Hospital of Soap Opera Maladies. “Partial retrograde amnesia?” Betty asks, in reference to Alexis’ post-coma memory loss. Daniel explains that Alexis doesn’t even remember what happened during the last few episodes. She doesn’t know about their parents’ divorce, Bradford’s impending nuptials to Wilhelmina, or how she switched from the M to the W restroom door.

“Look at her, she’s been doing that all night,” he says, pointing to Alexis doing something with her boobs most girls learn about by reading Judy Blume.

Although Daniel says he’s too preoccupied with Alexis to think about work, Betty persuades him he should at least sign off on “the book” (which you might remember from that episode last year when the book went missing is fashion biz lingo for the current issue in progress).

Just then, Alexis calls Daniel in to watch a breaking news update on Fashion Buzz, mentioning how Claire Meade is still at large after breaking out of Rikers three weeks ago.

Alec Mapa (Yay, he’s back! Love him!): Claire, if you’re watching, lose the ankle bracelet. Chunky is out.

Secret Love Dungeon. Marc is sending off Amanda and Bradford’s hair for DNA testing, while Amanda sits looking through an old issue of Mode.

It looks to me like Amanda has miraculously lost a fair amount of the weight she was carrying only last episode. Either that or dressing like a bumble bee is a pretty effective way to hide flab. (Note to self: start wearing a black miniskirt, bright yellow jacket, and fishnets, and no one will even notice the lack of six-pack abs. It’s brilliant!)

Amanda is staring at an old picture of Fey, and seeing that boney pixiehead and annoying bob ’do and irritating sunglasses, clearly modeled on Anna Wintour, reminds me of how ironic it is that so many bigwigs in fashion — the ones who have taken it upon themselves to make women everywhere feel like crap for not living up to some supreme standard of beauty they’ve cooked up — are completely freakish looking themselves.

Amanda: I just stare at her picture all day. Then I stare at myself in the mirror.
Marc: More than usual?
Amanda: Yeah. I just wish I got to know her better.
Marc: And I wish I got to know Marlon Brando before he got fat.

Marc’s into young Marlon Brando? When did he become a lesbian? Was it around the time he started dressing like one?