Ugly Betty Recap: “Sofia’s Choice”

Title: “Sofia’s Choice”
Original Air Date: 1/11/2007

After a sub-par showing last week, things pick up this week with a much more solid and entertaining episode. Henry, unfortunately, is MIA, but so is Walter. That, combined with a surprising and emotional turn of events that completely turns Daniel and Betty’s lives upside down, make this one of the strongest and most memorable Betty episodes so far.

We begin in a TV studio. As we hear the words “live in 60 seconds”, a frantic Betty searches for Daniel, who looks to be about to go on air for an interview with Sofia. Crew members try to deny Betty access to the pair, saying they were expressedly told to keep her away, but she pushes through screaming Daniel’s name. She’s dragged away as they’re about to go live….

24 hours earlier:

Daniel presents Sofia with breakfast in bed. It’s a parfait, with “lots of layers so she’ll have to eat her way all to the bottom.” Clearly intrigued, Sofia stuffs her face to get to the surprise. It’s papaya! He cut it into little heart-shaped pieces! Aww. I’m totally sold, but Sofia clearly had another p-word in mind: proposal. Daniel, on the other hand, wants to do the “steps of love” in her book before getting engaged.

Betty and her box of desk decorations arrive at MYW. A voice behind her states: “You are not wearing that sweater vest.” Already weary of another insult, Betty asks if she doesn’t like it. “I don’t like it. I love it!” The woman exclaims. Of course she does, since she’s bizarro Betty, similarly attired and styled (played with hilarity by Becki Newton, who plays Amanda). Bizarro Betty (aka Ruthie) is overly friendly and enthusiastic about MYW, but does manage to get Betty settled at her new desk “Ah, I’m home,” Betty says. I think not.

Wilhelmina and her Texan wile away the hours in a bed stupor. He gives her an analogy about the armadillo and the roadrunner that succeeds in getting her to toss away her cellphone in favor of nookie.

Ignacio gets smart with his immigration caseworker, Constance, who has been grilling him about his stay in the country. She wants him to prove 1977 as his year of entry. She also wants a smoothie. I don’t think either of those things is out of the question, but Ignacio wants a new caseworker.

MYW staff meeting, where the ladies are lounging on bean-bags and noshing. Having lost their fish-out-of-water story, Sofia asks Betty to write about her time at Mode. After the meeting, Betty pulls her aside to pushes back, because her time there is too recent, she’d be too emotional, but Sofia insists.

Then Sofia gets kind of emotional herself, crying and saying how she thinks Daniel isn’t emotional enough, isn’t going to make a commitment, is going to break her heart. She left Hunter for him, and now Hunter’s in Europe and won’t even talk to her! OMG MY LIFE IS SO TERRIBLE *SOB*! Betty tries to reassure her, but Sofia says she can go. She leaves Sofia sobbing at desk, but after Betty walks away, Sofia perks right up and dabs her eyes with a laugh. I do NOT have a good feeling about this.

Betty interviews Marc for her Mode story as he prepares Wilhelmina’s office for her return. What did he think when Betty arrived on the scene? He was thrilled – he had a new person to mock and a new hobby: Betty screensavers of shame! Betty’s skin is a bit thicker than when she first arrived, as she proves with this retort: “They’re not quite as flattering of the ones of you I found on “DudeCruise.com”.” BURN, Marc. Just then, Wilhelmina waltzes back in to work, oddly happy, jeans-clad and freshly…er…plucked.

Having heard of Ignacio’s request, Constance comes by the house, first appearing to take his request well, then getting up in his face. He can’t just send her back and ask for another. He has to deal.

Betty has moved on to interviewing Amanda for an honest quote about her first impression. Amanda doesn’t mince words: “I hated you, of course.” But she explains, at a certain point she became envious of Betty, because she didn’t even care about how she looked. “I’ve got to give you props.”

Fresh from vacay, Wilhelmina is way mellow, not caring about the dish about Bradford, about the Vera Wang wedding issue, or anything. She’s even happy to get a stuffed armadillo from her Texan, who she later has lunch with. Wilhelmina is all lovey-dovey, saying her priorities are all in order. She finally gets the “no one to share it with, what’s it worth?” aspect of life.

As Betty moves on to interview Daniel, he’s expectedly sweet, saying he grew to like her, and she helped him grow as a person. Good man, good quote. Betty takes the opportunity to voice Sofia’s concerns about his commitment.

Grabbing lunch on the street, Betty spots Sofia exiting a cab to meet with the definitely-not-in-Europe Hunter. She stuffs a wad of money in his jacket pocket and leaves. He’s rather informally dressed, not like the Hunter we met previously. And – much more interesting – he heads into “Boylesque Boys” strip club. Betty scurries back to the office to dish to Christina about what she spotted. Christina tries to rationalize it at first, but upon hearing more details, decides they should investigate.

Wilhelmina talks to the shrouded-in-mystery-lady, first showing her pics of her time in Texas, then explaining how their plan to take over Mode was foiled. Bradford knows Fey is dead and they have no firm evidence linking him to her murder. Though Wilhelmina has mellowed, mystery lady still wants Mode. She makes a promise to take over Meade sooner rather than later, and tells Wilhelmina that if they aren’t allies, they’re enemies.

Hilda helps Ignacio look for something to prove he was around in 1977. Hilda suggests he try to get on Constance’s good side, do something to make her smile.

Christina and Betty, who have trekked to Boylesque Boys, find Hunter gyrating in a teensy scrap of a police uniform. But how to get his attention when low on funds? Betty: “Do you think he’d take my ATM card?” Christina: “I have a good idea where he’d swipe it.” Hee!

When they finally manage to draw him over, they ask if he has a girlfriend. Hunter: “I’ve got girlfriends, boyfriends, all kinds of friends.” Betty: “Are you bisexual?” Hunter: “Yep. You buy, I’m sexual.” Hee. Just like Samantha is trisexual! Essentially, they find out Sofia paid him to pretend to be her boyfriend.

Daniel, feeling the pressure to up his commitment to Sofia, brings her to have dinner with his parents. Sofia gets along with the family, despite some class issues. Even Mama and Papa Meade appear to be fairly snuggly. It’s a little disconcerting to see them actually be sweet together. They even have a dance, which inspires Daniel to start dancing with Sofia. With a mother’s protective instincts, Mama Meade suspects that Sofia’s hiding something, but stays mum.

Betty calls Daniel to tell him what they discovered, but he’s just proposed to Sofia. The camera zooms in to reveal he’s wearing…BAD IDEA JEANS. Okay, it doesn’t. Unfortunately. Betty can’t bring herself to tell him, so she just wishes them congratulations.

Wilhelmina brought her man tickets to the opera and Ferragamo wingtips. What’s this? He’s packed a bag. He’s bummed, but he had a long talk with his wife, and he’s going to try to give it another shot. Willie is crushed, but keeps a stiff upper lip: “Keep the shoes. And try not to step in any cow dung.” Later, we see her return to the office. The bitch is back.

Sofia admires her bling. As Betty offers her some coffee, she reveals that she knows Betty went to ask Hunter about her. Why’d Sofia do it? She knew Daniel’s reputation. She knew she couldn’t be just another single girl if she wanted Daniel to really fall for her. And, if Betty will excuse her, she’s on her way to Rise and Shine America, where she and Daniel will announce their engagement together on air.

Betty spots some MYW girls with the cover of the first issue. They thought Sofia wouldn’t pull off. Pull off, that is, a picture of her and Daniel with the caption: “From Fling to Ring in 60 Days”. She wrote the article the previous night. SNAP. The girls try to conceal it from her, but Betty nabs it and jets down the elevator. We see Betty read it, going through Sofia’s rules for success, as we see a montage of how Sofia hooked Daniel. It’s just like the Usual Suspects! It was all a lie! Betty rushes to warn Daniel.

And now we’re back in the present as Betty’s dragged away. The interview begins just as usual, with Sofia talking about her magazine. Daniel looks a bit nauseated as she announces she’s newly engaged to the most notorious bachelor in New York, and she did it in just 60 days! And that’s the subject of her first cover piece! The insensitive interviewers ask how things happened so quickly. Daniel: “We met and we fell in love.” Sofia: Actually, you fell in love. I want to concentrate on my career.” She hands him back the ring. “Thanks for being a good sport.” If being a “good sport” is letting a heartless bitch break your heart on camera, then yes, Daniel is an excellent sport.

The interview is live, and the world (or New York, anyway), is watching, horrified. Mama Meade goes for the bottle. Amanda stares in disbelief at her computer screen. Marc sheds “a silent tear.”

After they leave the set, Sofia rushes after Daniel. She tries to explain it was hard for her, but she had to follow through. That’s how she’s gotten where she is. She’s sorry. Daniel just walks away, looking shell-shocked. Even Betty tries to tell him how sorry he is, but he just walks away.

OMG, the waitress in this Olive Garden commercial is AMANDA. Becki Newton! WHY IS SHE EVERYWHERE? I do have to admit, the girl is versatile.

Bradford commiserates with Daniel in his office, telling her he’s going to go fire Sofia. But Daniel says he can choose. The magazine will be a big launch. Bradford’s supportive (“You’re my son. She hurt you.”), but Daniel’s closed off (“It’s just business, Dad”).

As Sofia returns to the office, Betty confronts her, explaining she feels betrayed. Sofia counters that she only lied about Daniel, not about Betty’s potential. “I see a lot of myself in you.” That just ain’t true, as Betty tells her, and quits.

Ignacio, who complied with Hilda’s suggestion and found evidence of his 1977 residence, gives Constance a mug he made with pencils and lollipops and “World’s Best Immigration Officer.” She gives him an enormous hug and “the eyes”, apparently enamored of him. Ignacio looks as disturbed as I feel.

Sofia gets in the elevator headed downstairs. But she isn’t alone. Amanda: “Well hello.” As the doors close, we see Amanda swing her purse over her head to give Sofia some street justice. Meanwhile, I applaud

The next morning, Betty arrives at work to learn that Daniel has disappeared. Um….crap?

Next week: A dark plan for an immediate takeover at Mode, and the mystery lady, unmasked!

Julie is a firm believer in “all things in moderation” — except when it comes to TV, writing, Logan Echolls, and carbonated beverages. When she’s not debating TV Boyfriends with GMMR, she’s writing for her site, TV & Sympathy, or kicking ass and taking names.