What I’m Watching: Ugly Betty

Ugly Betty: Season 4, Episode 5 “Plus None” (C+)

There are a lot of relationship-changing revelations in this episode, and most of it isn’t good news, and hardly surprising or shocking. We knew already that Claire and the elder Hartley had an affair once, and the existence of another Meade sibling isn’t necessary. Other shows like “Brothers & Sisters” and “Grey’s Anatomy” introduce newfound surprise siblings to try to take the show in a new direction, but less Meade drama would probably be a good thing for this series. It would be much better to simply have Alexis return to the show, and it would be good for Rebecca Romjin to get out of “Eastwick” fast since that show is really awful. The Meade brother currently on the show needs to wake up and realize that he sucks at picking assistants, and Natalie’s standoffishness to Betty’s efforts to be helpful comes as a bit of a shock and certainly not a welcome surprise. It is good to see Matt back in his role as philanthropist and great lover of everybody, most especially Betty and Amanda, though his obliviousness of their feelings is extremely frustrating. Amanda’s attempt to cushion what she thought would be her very public date with Matt were funny, and as I always articulate, more of Amanda is always a wonderful thing. Wilhelmina’s storylines have always been better when they weren’t quite that outlandish, and the fact that there wasn’t even a murder committed at all is crazy. If Wilhelmina proclaims that she doesn’t have money to pay the blackmail amount demanded by Nico’s boyfriend, why does Nico think that she does? This can’t possibly work out well. The episode did go out on a great high note - Betty dancing with herself.