Watching Ugly Betty

Val Emmich, who plays Betty’s neighbor and love interest Jessie - will take part in a concert benefiting orphans. He will perform tonight at the Canal Room in New York to benefit Worldwide Orphans Foundation.

Emmich will also be in the February 5th episode of ‘Ugly Betty’ and will be singing one of his original songs. The 29-year-old singer/songwriter has released six albums including his latest titled Little Daggers. Emmich has also appeared on 30 Rock and and Lipstick Jungle. But with rumors of yet another love interest for Betty, this could be the last appearance of Jessie.

The doors of the Canal Room open at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15 for the concert. You can order tickets at www.canalroom.com or buy them at the door.

WWO currently serves children in Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Serbia and Vietnam. The organization offers medical services and education to orphaned children.

ABC has bumped ‘Ugly Betty’ from it’s 7/8pm Thursday time slot to showcase ‘Samantha Who’ starring Christina Applegate and ‘In the Motherhood’ - a new show starring Megan Mulley and Cheryl Hines.

News reports are that ‘Ugly Betty’ will leave the air waves March 26th and will not return until June. It will finish its season - there just won’t be repeats.

ABC officials say that the Thursday time slot is the perfect spot to launch these two comedies. Hasn’t ‘Samantha Who?’ already been launched? Anyway, they go on to say the ‘Betty’ isn’t canceled and they are pleased with its performance.

ABC is becoming incredibly annoying with their programming schedules. The last season of ‘Alias’ began in January and just last week we saw the premiere of Lost. It’s never good when a network takes a program completely off the air even it is only for a few months. Hopefully the ‘Betty’ audience will be tuning in this summer to the rest of the season.

Personally I believe this news not to be good. When a show leaves the air, there will be people who will wonder what happened to it and forget about it.

As for as the show goes, ‘Ugly Betty’ is one of my favorites but I loved the first season more than the rest. While the writing and the cast seem to mesh better in later seasons, there was just something about the first season the made it special. It’s that way for a lot of shows. It’s also hard to grow characters on ‘Betty’ because they then become boring. The thing that makes ‘Betty’ work is the fish out of water but when that fish learns how to breathe air and is no longer flopping around, it becomes just another TV show. Without the shallow characters and snotty attitude, ‘Betty’ becomes a show that is hard to distinguish from the pact.

It’s a catch-22 because fans want to see character growth but for many they just want the show that they first tuned in to watch.

So, what do you think? Will there be another season of ‘Ugly Betty’ and should there be?

We will have to wait until February 5th for a new episode of ‘Ugly Betty.’ Now that she is planning to move back home, how will this affect Betty’s ambition and her new independence?

From the preview, it looks like Jessie - Betty’s musician neighbor - returns to the show. Last we saw of Jessie was at the party that Betty threw together just for him to have a gig and to lift his spirits. Jessie wound up making out with Amanda - that crushed Betty.

Also there is still a lot of tension between Betty and Hilda. Even though they aired a lot of grievances last episode, there is still a lot to their relationship that needs to be talked about.

And then there are the new couples - Willie and Connor and Daniel and Molly. How will Connor react when he finds out about Daniel and Molly? I’m not sure if Molly will care as much about Connor dating Wilhemina because there’s really no history there. But with Connor and Daniel being friends, it should create some tension to say the least.

Two characters who roles have definitely changed this year are Marc and Amanda. We see a very ambitious, driven Marc and a kinder, gentler Amanda. Since becoming Betty’s roommate, Amanda has become a friend to Betty. Hopefully another YETI assignment makes it into the show. Also it would be nice to see some ambition from Amanda.

And just when will Christina give birth? How will the new Meade arrival affect everyone? Is Connor ready to play Daddy? There’s just all sorts of interesting twists and turns that can be explored.

The February 5th episode is entitled “Kissed off.” Apparently Jessie is throwing off Betty’s plans to help her family and Connor is determined to find out Molly’s admirer.

What a long title for this episode but it really says it all. Hilda and Betty drive each other crazy trying to take care of their father while love is in the air at Mode for both Daniel and Wilhemina. Not with each other but with the former couple Molly and Connor. Here’s more of a recap typed while watching the show.

The staff returns after two weeks vacation with Molly and Daniel vacationing together while Connor and Wilhemina go on their own adventure.

Mrs. Meade returns from a trip to France where she visited with Alexis and DJ. Betty talks about her dad’s appointment with Dr. Steve. Mrs. Meade then sets up a visit with her cardiologist as a Manhattan hospital that won’t cost Betty a thing since the Meades give so much to the hospital.

Hilda is taking care of their father when Betty decides she isn’t doing the best job - like forgetting to give him his pills. Betty says that she will take over caring for him.

Mrs. Meade’s cardiologist orders some tests for Ignacio and tells Betty she did the right thing bringing him in- worrying Betty and Hilda that there might be a problem with their dad.

Willie and Connor have a ‘meeting’ that turns into some heavy making out. Marc intersects a client to see Willie from catching them in the act. They leave and then Willie tells Marc to call them back.

Betty is at the hospital and realizes she has mixed up some photos she was suppose to link to the press. Betty has to get photos back from Daniel’s and Molly’s vacation.

Fashion reporter guy is going with the story about Daniel at the beach.

Amanda raiding the closet. Willie and Conner making out. Marc removes Amanda from room and makes her swear not to tell anyone. Amanda agrees not to. Marc is afraid this affair will make Willie’s star fade - right before he is about to make his big mark in fashion.

Marc asks Betty for advice on what to do when your boss blows off work for sex. Marc and Amanda give Betty advice for taking care of the Suzuki St. Pierre news dish about Daniel. Apparently Suzuki’s ex works at Mode who they are after to get some dirt on him so that he will drop the story. The ex gives Betty an address.

Daniel and Betty go to the address and hide as a van pulls up with two soccer kids, wife, and a very plain Suzuki - aka Bryon Woo. Bryon says that the fashion world wouldn’t go near him but when he transforms into Suzuki, they love him.

Marc convnces JJ La Clutra(the client and yes I have butchered the name!) to let him give the advertising proposal. Marc is about to give the presentation when Willie walks in after another romp with Connor. She scorns him for not coming to get her.

Betty convinces family man Bryon not to run the story that would ruin lives. Bryon glances at his own kids and agrees not to run it.

Betty returns to the hospital only to find Ignacio gone. The doctor talks to Betty and tells her that he is fine. Hilda is upset because Betty made them take Ignacio to the hospital for all these tests and further tells her that Betty is too controlling. Everything has to be her way and when Hilda does something it’s wrong - like taking care of Ignacio.

Ignacio says he is going to hire a part-time nurse to take care of him - saying he won’t come between Hilda and Betty.

Willie lands the account and gives Marc a nice gift for being thrown under the bus.

Molly still makes page six of the gossip page. Daniel is cut out and Connor knows it’s Molly.

Willie asks Marc to take a meeting for her as she is leaving - showing him that she does think he is capable of doing a good job.

Amanda and Betty are going over bills. Betty tells Amanda she is moving out - or Amanda tells her she knows since Betty’s family needs her.

Justin calls to tell Ignacio is at home. Betty and Hilda have a big blowout over their father which leads to them airing out some of their problems that have been building up for a while.

Ignacio informs the girls that he is going to hire a nurse to take care of him because he will not come between them.

It was a very good episode.

There hasn’t been much here in the past month. We’ve had sickness, illness, and crankiness ever since Christmas.

But now everyone is on the mend and so it’s time to concentrate on important matters - like what is going on in Betty’s world. Ok, maybe it’s not that important as family but it still ranks up there.

Tonight’s previews looks to continue the storyline from last week. Betty’s first YETI assignment is causing rifts at home. Betty’s dad suffers a heart attack at the end of last week’s show. How will this affect Betty?

It should be - as usual - a great show.

The Golden Globe nominees were announced this morning. Congrats to America Ferrera for her nomination for best Actress in a TV series, musical or comedy.

Here is a complete list of nominations.

The 66th annual Golden Globes will be presented January. 11, 2009 and NBC will televise the event.

Congrats to ‘Ugly Betty’ star Eric Mabius on the birth of his second son - Rylan Jaxson Mabius. Rylan has and older brother - 2 year-old Maxfield Elliot.

Eric and his wife Ivy Sherman met in high school and were married in 2006.

After taking off Thanksgiving, ‘Ugly Betty’ returns tonight with a new episode entitled ‘Bad Amanda.” In tonight’s episode, Betty and Amanda work together for a column for the Mode website. The subject - a memorable night on the town which turns into an expensive one that is not so great for tightening wallets.

Should be a fun one. It’s always interesting when Betty and Amanda share the small screen.

Last week’s ‘Ugly Betty’ episode, ‘When Betty Meets Yeti,’ pitted Betty against Marc for a spot in the YETI program or Young Editors in Training. Only one could be accepted from Mode. Who would win this face off and why? The episode, as usual, was entertaining but I noticed a pattern developing that made the episode seem stale. It seems if the main characters do not have an ongoing plot, then they are destined to play out the same scenarios week after week. I’ll explain more after the jump and recap.

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This week’s new ‘Ugly Betty’ episode will have Betty and Marc going head to head for the same position. YETI is the Young Editors in Training program and could be the ticket out of Assistantville. There is only one spot, so both are out to impress and get it.

Not really a spoiler but I’m betting on Betty. Why? Well it is a show about her and this season they have been pushing her career forward. This could continue that storyline. For some time we’ve been hearing that Marc is looking out for himself and his career. If he doesn’t get in the program, it will be a good opportunity for him to show more of his plan to get ahead in the business.

Also in this episode will be Molly - Connor’s fiancee. Daniel has a huge crush on her but will he do anything about it? Wilhemina is also after Connor and you can almost bet that she will be making her move on him.

Plus there is suppose to be a plot with Justin befriending an unlikely friend. It’s unclear if this is the bully from the Broadway audition or a new plot. It had seemed that the bully storyline had come to a close since it was introduced and sort of resolved in one episode. I’ve noticed that some spoilers for episodes may not necessarily take place during that episode. This has left me hesitant to even mention anything other than the small blurb that’s found on ABC.com about the next episode. I guess we will find out tomorrow night.

‘Ugly Betty’ will be off for Thanksgiving but you can tune in to the a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

While the big shots at Meade are preparing for a corporate retreat, Betty is reveling in the fact that she gets to give final approval to the latest issue of Mode in the absence of Daniel and Wilhemina. This simple tasks turns into a nightmare. More after the jump.

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Betty’s crush on her neighbor causes her to do a lot of work this episode. Is Jesse really worth all of Betty’s efforts? The jury is still out on that but from what I’ve seen of Jessie, I would have to say no. This episode really highlights just how different Jesse is from Betty’s other romantic interests. Jesse seems more needy and so creates a different dynamic.

Amanda has been kicked out of her apartment and is living at Mode. That ends and so she shows up at Betty’s door looking for a place to stay. This is bad timing since Betty was planning to have Jessie over to cheer him up since he is down and out about his music career. Betty has to cancel her plans with Jessie.

Later, Betty attempts to ask her neighbor Jessie to a Mode party but he takes it as she is asking his band to play at the party since he had confided in her about being depressed. She doesn’t have the heart to correct him and so winds up throwing a separate Mode party on her roof.

The party is a huge success. Jessie is happy and seems to be into Betty. However, Betty later catches Jessie and Amanda making out. She gets mad and tells Amanda she needs to leave.

Meanwhile, Cliff asks Marc to move in with him. Marc is obviously against the idea, maybe scared of commitment? He puts off answering him and at Betty’s party, Marc cheats on Cliff. Cliff shows up at the party and then out of guilt, Marc asks Cliff to marry him.

Wilhemina learns the truth about Connor - but seems to get over it and develops a huge crush on him. She takes their situation as flirting until Connor mentions a he has a fiancee. Willie looks sad at Betty’s party after she learns this bit of news. The party ends but Willie stays.

Amanda apologizes to Betty and says she didn’t know that Jessie was her crush. They talk it out and Betty lets Amanda stay. Betty then heads to the roof to start cleaning up. Willie calls her over and they share a beer. It’s a real touching moment as both of these women are basically in the same boat when it comes to their love interest.

Wow. Tonight’s episode entitled ‘Crushed’ was something else. It was very emotional and moving at times.

Full recap tomorrow but Jessie does write a song for Betty. The song ‘Snowy Day’ was actually written by the actor who plays Jessie, Val Emmich. Val is a musician and his band is featured in tonight’s episode.

As the song was playing, I was thinking how great it would be to buy it. So it’s good news that it’s available through iTunes. Val has other songs available and his music has been featured before in ‘Betty.’ Earlier this year, his rendition of Tom Petty’s ‘American Girl’ could be heard.

Anyway, it was a great song for a great episode. My full recap tomorrow.

I’m incredibly late with this recap but was out of town for three days. Silly me thought I could get it done while visiting with family. The episode did not disappoint as Kimmie fell really hard. Oh karma sucks doesn’t it? Great episode and the full recap after the jump.

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Thursday’s new episode will have Kimmie showing her true mean colors and Betty in competition with her. From the preview, it looks like Kimmie has ruffled a few wrong feathers as it appears Marc and Amanda set her up for a big fall.

With the announcement that Lindsay Lohan’s guest appearance has been cut back, Thursday’s episode might be her final one. It will be interesting to see just how Kimmie ticks off Marc and Amanda. It must be pretty bad or either pretty petty to get those two on her bad side.