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Home » Ugly Betty Recap 204: “Grin and Bear It”

Ugly Betty Recap 204: “Grin and Bear It”

by
Steven Frank

October 23, 2007

Suddenly, we get this peculiar voiceover, delivering this weighty speech about how “sometimes we want things to be different.” Uh, oh. Has Ugly Betty finally gotten the memo from ABC upper management that stipulates all their shows must have a smug, intolerable, pointless voiceover to sum up key themes for braindead viewers who can’t figure this out for themselves? Is the show now being narrated by Betty’s dead housewife neighbor? Her internist? The Harry Potter-on-tape guy?

Actually, it’s just Betty’s voice, as she addresses her writing class. She admits she screwed up and lied, but says she now wants to read her own story. “Queen of My Own Prom,” she reads, and she actually gets a few laughs and makes Ben Foster’s evil twin smile.


Justin Fabulousness Meter (Scale of 1 to 11): 0. Drinking milk out of a container. Making bodily noises in public. Wearing oversized hoodlum clothing. Using the words “whatevs” and “yo’” unironically. Do I really have to go on? Does this storyline?

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Submitted by
Dennis Ayers
on Mon, 2007-10-22 23:48.
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David Ehrenstein's picture

Justin's going to need an intervention -- possibly from Marc.

Submitted by
David Ehrenstein (7805 points) (1725 posts)
on Tue, 2007-10-23 10:16.
Hey, that's it! Justin sees Marc and his new boyfriend (debut next episode) and gets with the Gay Agenda! Meanwhile Marc's Fabulousness went right off the meter with this episodes fainting bit quickly followed by his reaction to the "Slater" cover. As for Betty I was so pleased that her creative writing class is being taught by my favorite Gay-and-doesn't-hide-it-but-hasn't-made-a-formal-announcement-on-Oprah-yet actor (drumroll please) Victor Garber! Maybe Silvio Horta can arrange Victor to sing "Johanna" -- his big number from the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd.
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Liz T's picture

justin....

Submitted by
Liz T (8822 points) (1837 posts)
on Tue, 2007-10-23 12:45.
what's going on with him doesn't bug me so much. he is still young and still is learning about himself and people do things after someone's death that are 'out of character' - - just a phase, like my scary "gothic-listening-to-death music...phase that i went through. kinda....OoOH, btw, do you guys know when alexis is gonna get her memory back?
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Jimmyjazz's picture

Justin's phase

Submitted by
Jimmyjazz (217 points) (43 posts)
on Fri, 2007-10-26 03:51.
Come on people...this "evil twin...butch" phase is just that. A phase. It's called character development. Having his homophobic father murdered and the resulting changes it has on Justin gives his character more to do. Arent you glad they're developing his character and adding some dimension? This series will no doubt be around for awhile and imagine what they can do with him as he gets older? As this show evolves (along with society) they'll probably explore his emerging sexuality and he may not even turn out to be gay. Probably...but maybe not..the writers probably don't even know yet. The mere fact that we're writing about Justin so much says something. I didn't have a character like him on TV when I was in high school but God knows I resemble him...right down to the pseudo "butch" phase!
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