Ugly Betty/Headscratchers

Ugly Betty

 * Pretty much the last half of the of the second season of Ugly Betty has been a test of fridge logic. The show remains a fun ride, but heaven help you if you stop to think about what certain characters are trying to accomplish with their machinations. Why again was it so important for Willhelmina to break up Daniel and her sister? How does the Meade / Slater baby have any claim on the Meade assets, being born after Mr. Meade's death (when all the assets get passed to the wife automatically)?
 * His will said everything goes to his children, which is supposedly vague enough to work.
 * Legally, this is a fairly common occurrence, with property being divided up between children equally having to be expanded to include unknown children. (And, thanks to Supreme Court rulings, this has included children out of wedlock for some time.) Where it fails is while that can include children who haven't been born yet, it can't include children that haven't been conceived as of Mr. Meade's death, because, at that point, all the property was theoretically instantly divided up, and people who don't exist yet don't get any. So that means that, yes, Christina and/or the fertility clinic can blow the lid of this thing retroactively at any point and Wilhelmina's scheme will fail.
 * Daniel and HIS sister, perhaps?
 * No, he dated Wilhelmina's mentally ill sister, remember? They committed her after she lit his apartment on fire.
 * Everyone on this show wears garish sweater-vests and inadvisable neckwear, yet it's only nerdy when Betty does it. Seriously I'm watching it now and Mark is wearing a lavender plaid suit with a bow-tie and a little pyramids of curls on his head, and is supposed to be a male style-obsessed brainless beauty. How is this or, good God, this any better than this? Justin is supposed to be a "fashion elf" in the making but is usually to be found dressed like this. By the standards of the show, Betty should be the peak of style!
 * I guess there's some huge damn irony working here. Actual irony, for the record.
 * Hmm, I always just figured that the idea was that weird things became fashionable and that's why they dressed that way. And now that I think of it, every time I walk into a popular clothes shop, I find this to be distressingly true. Like the above troper said, there's quite a bit of irony going on here.
 * I think the show is subtly but rightly implying that things don't necessarily need to look good to be fashionable, you just need to have the charisma and confidence to make people think it's fashionable and you can literally wear rolled up newspapers and get away with it - people will just say it's avant garde or daring. There ARE trends, but those trends are only really precipitated by people wearing whatever they want and convincing a lot of people it's good regardless of quality, taste, or looks. This is pretty much Truth in Television and it goes all the way back to the Emperor's New Clothes fable. I like to think of it as quantum fashion.
 * Because Marc's clothes come from the Closet and are designer labels. Betty buys hers at Target or some other department store. Have you ever seen a designer handbag? They're hideous. A lot of designer stuff is. You're paying for the name, not the fashion. Same with the wardrobe of Mode.
 * Wait, how is Mark "brainless?" He's running an impressive gambit!
 * How did Sofia Reyes' dumping Daniel on live TV not backfire on her?? In the real world, she would be hated for it.
 * For one, because she is a "real woman" feminist who is getting back at the "Daniel Meades of the World" (aka people who are players, use women as objects, etc). Also, the point was that it generated a media storm, regardless if it was out of love or hate, people are going to want to read the magazine to get more details on a new scandal. Such is life.
 * When is Betty getting her braces out anyway?
 * The show would end if she did!
 * Those aren't braces. And THAT's why she's called Ugly Betty. No but seriously, they contain her soul or something.
 * "The show would end if she did!" Funnily enough, she has gotten her braces out now that the show is ending.
 * Why does Betty's new apartment have a shower in the living room?
 * It is a cheap apartment. Maybe it was designed by a really cheap architect.
 * I could maybe see not being able to fit it in the bathroom, but in front of the door?
 * Speaking of which, what planet was the architect who designed the MODE offices from, because it clearly wasn't Earth? The show even Lampshaded this with Hilda saying that it looked like "a gay version of Star Trek" (it does).
 * I look at modern architecture and ask myself the same question.
 * Funnily enough, the set for Mode is based off of an actual office they found. So, yeah, it exists somewhere.
 * Okay, I know Betty has bad taste in clothes, but why has she suddenly started dressing like a reject from Godspell? Last season her choices were slowly starting to evolve, but now her outfits are worse than the Guadalajara poncho! She's always worn the clashing skirts and sweater vests, but with neon tights, tacky belts, and a clown bow tie?
 * Maybe she noticed that her outfits were becoming actually fashionable (as mentioned above) and thus decided to push them even further, as I'm pretty sure she's trying to not fit in on purpose as a statement against conformity.
 * The real answer is because they switched costume designers a few seasons in and the new one practically ejaculates to neon colours.
 * Things I and many others love about this show: Betty and Daniel's friendship, Betty/Amanda/Marc as a team, Justin, Claire being awesome, Cliff, Betty doing good at her job and trying to work up in her career. Is there anything on that list that hasn't been corrupted or neglected in some way? Are they intentionally trying to fail? The good characters get minimal screen time and the horrible love triangles never end. And worst of all, Betty trying to succeed is treated as a sin she must be punished for. All this ridiculous stuff about "neglecting" her family when she had already got her sister a ton of free stuff and made an appearance at the party. Saving your career and reputation is more important than standing around passing out chips and dip, Hilda. And moving BACK home now? I'm kind of glad for the hiatus about now, hopefully they fire some writers.
 * The answer to all these questions is Rule of Drama. In fairness, though, Betty's messed up love life was much more annoying in the second season.
 * I think Christina's been pregnant for over a year now.
 * I heard this story from a friend that Scottish women and elephants have the same gestation period.
 * Who owns the controlling stake of Meade publications now? Originally, the shares were split evenly among the three Meade children, Daniel, Alexis and William. Then Alexis sold her shares to Daniel and Wilhelmina, leaving each with a 50/50 stake. Now, it turns out William isn't Bradford's son, so what happened to his shares? Were they split up between Daniel and Alexis again, meaning that the ownership is now 66.65% Daniel, 16.65% Alexis and 16.65% Wilhelmina? Meanwhile, how much of the company does Cal Hartley now own?
 * Wilhelmina lost her share when William turned out not to be Bradford's son -- remember Daniel and Claire had planned to fire her immediately after that happened, but Cal Hartley forced them to keep her. And considering Cal Hartley seems to have absolute sway in recent episodes, I guess he pretty much owns the company at this point.
 * Update: Now, of course, they've kicked Hartley out and given Wilhelmina back her 50%.
 * But, now Tyler's come along and apparently he should get some as well. Why, exactly? He's Claire's illegitimate son, not Bradford's.
 * It seems Tyler's grab for shares was more an act of guilting Claire into giving him hers than any actual legal standing, threatening to go to Cal if she didn't.
 * So Ignacio and Bobby go clubbing with Justin. Justin is, what, maybe sixteen? Are there any clubs that would actually let him in?
 * Justin is fifteen. Many clubs do allow minors. Legally, they're are required to make minors wear a red tag, have a special marking on their hand, etc. to make sure no alcohol is served to them. Bobby likely knew which clubs (drugs, sex, etc.) to steer his future father-in-law and minor stepson away from.
 * This troper is disappointed Austin's personality won't be expounded on. In his first episode, he and Justin have Slap Slap Kiss relationship with Betty commenting she's heard so much (off-screen) about him. He laughs with the others when Betty appears but is polite to her when Justin introduces him. He's and Justin are both somewhat Tsundere-ish to one another, and it's fairly obvious he's into theatre. When Justin breaks the kiss, he apologises and drops the class, hinting he was afraid he'd crossed a line and wanting to not deal with the fallout. His next episode he appears for literally less than a minute and says nothing. In the episode after that, he tentatively asks Justin on a date and regains some of his cockiness when he suggests he'll surprise Justin. Then, he assures Justin that they can do reschedule their plans with no apparent sulkiness. He leaves very quickly after Bobby sees them but it's unknown if he realised why Justin broke the kiss or if Justin just kind of signaled for him to leave and explained the situation later. In the next episode, he either buys bracelets for him and Justin or convinces Justin to buy one while he presumably buys one for himself. He's supportive of Justin's desire for his family not to know, and then, they decide matching bracelets are lame. Although, it's later revealed that they decided to go with the matching bracelets just in a different colour. He apparently has no reservations with the Suarez family knowing that he's into boys and dating Justin as evidenced by how he shows no qualms when Justin signals he's ready to come out. So, Austin's a polite kid who acts Tsundere-ish towards his crushes, or maybe just towards Justin, until he actually gets in a relationship, and then, he's low-key lovey-dovey. This troper has no complaints with how the relationship has been handled, but I do wish Austin's character had been more fleshed out either before or immediately after the kiss.
 * Austin doesn't even have a last name. He was probably intended to be a Shallow Love Interest.
 * The writers had to focus on wrapping up Justin's story arc in the remaining five episodes. This is essentially why, for all intent and purpose, Austin is completely okay with his sexuality, is probably out to his own family, doesn't care the Suarez family knows and doesn't even mention it. They needed to put the focus on the character the audience had been with for four years, not the one introduced in the final stretch. Though, this just opens up Austin's characteriation and their relationship to the wonderful world of Fanfic. It has a small following on Fan Fiction Dot Net after all.
 * Much was made (certainly in earlier episodes anyway) of the Queens/Manhattan dichotomy, summed up by Walter's boss' wife at the Christmas party: "We're Queens girls, Betty. Born and bred. We belong here." While definitely part of Betty's (and later, other family members') Fish Out of Water schtick, it's not like Betty is commuting into Manhattan from Amish country.
 * Did they really have to make Justin gay? Seriously, the first few season's, everyone is scrambling around his sexuality, never actually talking about it, acting as if he was. The show could have made a point that just because you like fashion and theatre a lot doesn't mean your gay. But no, they couldn't have that, could they.
 * They didn't "have" to make him anything, but the point is, this character just happens to be gay. Why does every character have to be a "message" or "make a point"? Justin is gay because that's who he is. And in a show about accepting who you re, it's odd that this is such a prevalent thought among some fans.
 * Maybe because it sends the message that if a man likes fashion, he must be gay?
 * Just because Justin happens to like fashion and is gay doesn't mean that the show was trying to say that if a man likes fashion he has to be gay. Many of the males on the show have an interest in fashion, such as Daniel. There was even that designer in Season One who was straight and felt like he had to pretend to be gay to get anywhere. There's also the consideration that there are some gay characters in the show who do not seem to have any interest in fashion like Troy or Cliff or Austin. So, no, there is no message there, just ones that audience members like to make up for no reason.
 * Writer On Board -- Silvio Horta (show creator, a gay Cuban-American) wanted Justin to symbolize his own journey
 * The series ending. Betty is certainly more self-confident and accomplished than when she started at Mode, but the Hollywood Makeover she gets in the last few episodes rubbed me the wrong way. She gets the braces off, Justin gives her trendy glasses, and she starts wearing more mainstream clothes (though not necessarily better looking clothes; see neon-nightmare discussion above). Now that she's given up her personal and cultural identity, PRESTO! Now she's a winner. The final scene's pullaway and title card struck me as especially Anvilicious.
 * But she's still Betty. Just because she happens to look better doesn't change who she is inside, and that's a huge point of the show. She'll always be a hard working sweetheart even if she is more polished on the outside these days.
 * Santos. I give Justin a pass, but everyone but Ignacio giving him a second chance pushed my Berserk Button. He left a pregnant Hilda. For almost twelve years, she and her family were the ones to make sure Justin was safe, happy, and well-provided for. When he finally decides to give being a father a try, he makes clear his disdain for his son. And that's the guy Hilda decides to marry. That's the guy Betty has no problems with her sister marrying. The fact he eventually stops trying to change Justin, which probably wouldn't have lasted, does nothing to make up for the fact he abandoned the mother of his child and their baby. Ignacio was not being unreasonable or misguided in trying to get such a man away from his daughter and grandson.
 * You can't expect someone to change overnight, and Santos, finally spending time with his family, was still getting used to everything. Getting beat up, saving the clerk from a robber, and standing up for his wife and son show that he may not be perfect but at least he's trying. Ignacio never saw those moments so he only sees Santos the way he always saw him. True he may have regressed at some point if he and Hilda married OR he might have actually changed and become a great father. Sadly we'll never know if he truly had a change of heart so this head scratcher may end up staying that way...
 * One of the nicer Santos scenes in the first season was when they were all stuck in the subway on the way to see Hairspray during a blizzard, and Santos ended up defending his son who was acting out the entire production of Hairspray in the subway car.