What I’m Watching: Ugly Betty (Series Finale)

Ugly Betty: Season 4, Episode 20 “Hello Goodbye” (B+)

This is a fitting finale that helps seal up a great series without any truly crazy plot twists or anything like that. It’s fun to see Suzuki St. Pierre covering everything in his very dramatic fashion, since he’s been there since the beginning and he was always such a great peripheral character. Starting with the fake-out funeral was enjoyable, and the bizarre emphasis on Amanda’s dog was a bit strange but didn’t detract at all. Having Amanda find her real father and have an inane discussion with him about the things fathers and daughters are supposed to say to each other was great, and Bryan Batt was a great choice to play her father, who thought that her mother was actually Andy Warhol. Ignacio trying to keep Betty from going to London by cooking her portions of the disgusting-sounding food and researching facts about the city on the Internet was entertaining, and it’s nice that he ultimately accepted the decision of both of his daughters to move on with their lives. I like how the bonds between Marc and Wilhelmina and Betty and Daniel, respectively, were emphasized in this last installment. Seeing Wilhelmina look nervously over to a disappointed Marc when she was about to turn Tyler is was a powerful moment, and Marc’s subsequent smile was equally rewarding. It turns out that selflessness often ends up working out pretty well, as Wilhelmina doesn’t have to fight one bit for her job, and she just gets it handed to her. Daniel’s attempt to go for a dramatic effect by burning Betty’s release letter was a great last stupid act by him: “in my defense, it looked a lot cooler in my head.” Him ultimately following her to London and asking her out on a date is a lot better than a make-out scene would have been, and I’m very pleased with the show’s ending. I especially liked how the “Ugly” disappeared from the show’s title in the last frame. Betty has had quite a journey over the past four years, and this is one show that’s going out on a good note, since it never really reached any low point and has remained solidly good throughout its whole run. Betty and crew, we’ll miss you.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Michael Urie
Best season: Season 1
Series grade: B+
Series MVP: Becki Newton & Michael Urie