Ugly Betty Recap: Brothers

Title: “Brothers”
Original Airdate: February 8, 2007
GMMR Recapper: Julie

The Suarez family starts their morning by watching the fashion news at home. Betty educates everyone about the difference between a transsexual and a transvestite with the help of a pamphlet (Alex/Alexis is a transsexual). Just as Betty is leaving for work, Walter shows up with a single powdered donut and a hint at some big news. Betty quickly bustles out the door in a blatant attempt to avoid him, leaving Walter with a disappointed (and soon to be powdered) face.

Wilhelmina gloats over her new “Editor in Chief” business cards and Alexis heads in for her first day at the office in her new skin. Meanwhile, Daniel visits his father in prison. Daniel wants to believe that his father is innocent, but he admits that the lawyers think the case against Bradford is strong.

Betty and Alexis ride up in the Mode elevator alone, and Betty can’t help but ogle. Alexis finally confronts her and explains everything she had done (chin, butt, breasts, and more). Betty covets Alexis’ hormone patch (it prevents her mustache from growing back), wishing she didn’t have to bleach so often. Alexis seems amused.

Daniel tells Betty to call a staff meeting for 11:00. He wants to get the troops back in line (and out of the line for faxing resumes).

Henry invites Betty to see Wicked, and she eagerly accepts. When he says “great, it’s a date,” Betty balks and reminds them both that she’s with Walter. They decide to go, but just as friends.
Daniel starts the meeting, but is quickly interrupted by Alexis. She’s holding a copy of the Meade Publications charter, and informs everyone that the first-born son assumes control should Mr. Meade be incapacitated. She wastes no time in promoting Wilhelmina to Editor in Chief and tossing her brother out on his can. Wilhelmina makes a half-hearted attempt at surprise, but it’s obvious to everyone that it’s an act.
Betty gives Daniel some educational material about sex-reassignment, hoping that it might help him and Alexis to get along better (and maybe save their jobs). She even gives him a DVD of Tootsie, “it’s not relevant, but it’s a good movie.”

Betty’s dad shows up at Mode looking totally discombobulated, “it’s so…white.” He wants to let Betty know ahead of time that Walter got a promotion (in Maryland), “and I was hoping to get a look at the she-male.” He tells Betty that unless she plans on standing in front of a priest with Walter, she should let him go. Daniel succeeds in getting an injunction against the hostile takeover of Mode, and Wilhelmina leaves in a huff. If she can’t be top dog at Mode, she won’t be there at all.

Justin shows up at home with his Dad in tow. Justin got in a fight at school and he called his dad to come get him. Justin’s dad is concerned, but not surprised given Justin’s personality.

Mama Meade invades Daniel’s office, and she seems as happy as a clam. Her family is back together, and all is right with the world. Daniel thinks she’s mental (literally). His dad is in jail and his dead brother is now his very much alive sister. He thinks his mother is going to have an episode, so Betty takes her to the spa for some relaxation (and to keep an eye on her).

As they soak (Betty in mud, Mrs. Meade in a tub of roses), Betty gets repeated text messages from Walter. Even Mrs. Meade realizes “this guy is a pain in the ass. Break up with him already.” Betty and Mrs. Meade bond, and Betty receives some sage advice about love.

Daniel and Alexis have a very public argument vying for competing press conferences. Betty intervenes to let them know that their mother has gone missing. She slyly hints that maybe they should check an old family gathering place, Coney Island. Seems like maybe Betty and Mrs. Meade are in cahoots.

Despite having walked out in a fit of principle, Wilhelmina can’t stop thinking about work. She gets Marc to send her a live feed of Mode using a covertly placed orchid with a spy camera in it. Now that the “witch is dead” and Daniel/Alexis are nowhere to be found, the office is one big party (they can even eat cake now). That’s the last straw. Wilhelmina has to come back to work to make sure the swimsuit edition goes out on time.

The doorbell at the Suarez home rings and standing on the doorstep are an unattractive mother and son duo, there to complain about Justin. It turns out that Justin started the fight because the boy called Hilda a “slut.” Another fight almost breaks out when the mother echoes similar sentiments. Justin’s dad tells him he’s proud that he defended Hilda’s honor.

The Meade siblings find their mother at the Coney Island bumper cars and promptly get into a fight. This time it’s on a deeper level, and Daniel says how hurt he is that Alexis never told him how he felt. Alexis reveals that Mr. Meade said he’d rather Alex were dead than a woman. Daniel says he would have understood, but Alexis sticks a dagger into his heart when she says Daniel is just like their father.

Daniel mulls over what Alexis said on the way to dropping Betty off at home. Betty reassures him that he’s not like his father, that people can change. When they get to Betty’s house, she sees Walter waiting. She suggests they go back to Coney Island for a hot dog, but Daniel insists that avoiding someone is much harder than facing them.

Betty tells Walter that it isn’t working out, but before she can finish Walter steals one last kiss. He knew it was coming, and he already took the job in Maryland. Betty says how much she’ll miss him, even though she thinks he won’t believe her.

Harry looks chipper as he leaves a “Wicked” shirt on Betty’s desk. Just as he’s about to get on the elevator, someone walks out that surprises him.

Hilda gets ready to take Justin to school, and she walks out in a frumpy “mom” sweatshirt. Justin says that he loves the way his mom dresses (except for some over-accessorization and too many animal prints). She quickly strips off the itchy sweatshirt in favor of a revealing blouse. Sometimes you’ve just got to be yourself.

Henry gives Betty an envelope with her ticket for the show, and a second ticket. It turns out that the mystery person in the elevator was his ex-girlfriend, and they’re gonna give it another go. He says that now Betty can go to the show with Walter, since he is her boyfriend; Betty doesn’t correct him.

Daniel and Alexis shake hands in the conference room and agree to try working together. Wilhelmina watches on her Orchid-Cam, realizing she just “got served.”

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.

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