| “ | Betty: I'm Betty Suarez. It's a pleasure to meet you. Daniel: Hi, Betty. Um, um... Who do you work for? Betty: Well, um, I work for you. I'm your new assistant. |
” |
— Betty Suarez meets her new boss, Daniel Meade
| ||
Pilot (alternatively I Am Not Going to Sell Herbalux) is the first episode of the first season and is the series premiere of Ugly Betty.
Synopsis[]
A plain, young woman becomes an executive assistant in the high-fashion world; however, her employer wants to make sure that her first week on the job will be her last.
Plot[]
Betty Suarez is an unattractive woman in her 20s who starts work for a fashion magazine called MODE, and in the process introduced to the harsh treatment she'll have to deal with from her more beautiful co-workers. She also meets with her boss Daniel Meade, who was just named the new editor-in-chief by his father. Daniel succeeds the revered Fey Sommers, who was killed in a hit-and-run that reeks of foul play. The announcement of Daniel being named editor-in-chief did not sit well with Wilhelmina Slater, MODE's Creative Director, who greets his first day by giving him a gift with the "Danny" being misprinted (on purpose).
Daniel isn't so keen about having Betty working with him, so he plots to have her quit by giving her difficult and outrageous tasks. When Betty gets wind of this from the company seamstress Christina McKinney, she tests him by standing in for a modeling shoot to see if it is true. Her theory proves correct, resulting in Daniel being the one made to look the fool.
Daniel later regrets his mistake when he realizes that he is danger of losing the Fabia cosmetics account. He is unaware that he is being sabotaged by Wilhelmina and his best friend, a photographer who has been known to plagiarize other people's work (after Betty mentions a layout he did) and is responsible for the aforementioned shoot that Betty was in. Sensing this and after seeing a new cosmetics layout proposal created by Betty, Daniel decides that he needs her. So he convinces her to come back and in the process not only saves the campaign but also his job.
In her personal life, Betty has to deal with her sister Hilda Suarez, a single mother who thinks that her college-educated sister isn't cut out for work in the fashion world and wants Betty to join her in selling Herbalux. Betty takes responsibility for her father by phoning his HMO to get treatment for his health condition.
In this episode, Betty's boyfriend Walter dumps her for Gina, her next-door neighbor. After going to Gina's house to complain about her dating activities, and walking in on her making out with a man that isn't Walter, Betty learns that Gina was using Walter in order to get a discount on a plasma TV. Fuming, Betty storms out of Gina's house, accidentally destroying the TV in the process.
Meanwhile, Wilhelmina pays a visit to a person whose face is partially wrapped up and it is discovered that the two are already discussing behind-the-scenes sinister plans to take over Meade Publications. While she looks in the mirror, she also says that they should keep a close eye on "that ugly assistant..."
Cast[]
Starring[]
Guest Starring[] |
Co-Starring[]
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Trivia[]
- The apartment that Betty's boss lives in is the same apartment in Big that Tom Hanks character lives as an adult.
Featured Music[]
| Song | Artist | Scene |
|---|---|---|
| "Hips Teens Don't Wear Blue Jeans" | The Frank Topp Ensemble | Walking into the hallway |
| "She Works Hard for her Money" | Donna Summers | Montage of Betty completing her tasks from Daniel |
| "Wanna Fly" | VASSY | First intro to The Closet |
| "In the Car Crash" | Swayzak | Fabia photo shoot |
| "I like It a Lot" | Princess Superstar | Betty posing for the photoshoot |
| "Lo Quiero To" | Solo Dos | Betty sits on her front stoop and gets pep talk from Justin |
| "Suddenly I See" | KT Tunstall | Ending Scene |
Quotes[]
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Gallery[]
