Smokin' Hot

"Smokin' Hot" is the 14th episode of the fourth season of the American comedy-drama series, Ugly Betty, and the 79th episode overall. It originally aired on ABC in the United States on February 10, 2010.^[1]

Plot

It's Fashion Week at Mode and Daniel (Eric Mabius) helps Betty (America Ferrera) to cover a low-priority show, this after Betty is singled out by Wilhelmina (Vanessa Williams), who then gives her something else to do a story on, like the history of the sewing machine. However, thanks to a malfunction in Daniel's new bluetooth that recorded a conversation between Daniel and Wilhelmina about Betty that later shows up on Betty's cellphone, Betty ends up giving Daniel the cold shoulder at work but she forgives him.

Betty discovers a new designer called Marisa, and decides to help promote her as one of the '10 Designers to Watch', however she faces stiff competition from Marc (Michael Urie), who gives her tips on how to pitch the designer to Wilhelmina. During the pitching, Marc does the talking while Betty plays Vanna White, but after winning over Wilhelmina, its Marc that gets all the credit instead of Betty.

Also hoping to make the list is Amanda (Becki Newton), who teams up with Helen to create a new clothing line, but struggles to persuade Marc and Betty to lobby Wilhelmina on her behalf. Unfortunately, both Marc and Betty agreed that Amanda and Helen had great ideas, they couldn't pitch the idea to Wilhelmina and comes clean to Amanda. Amanda, jealous of Betty and Marc moving up in the world, is upset with the two.

Daniel gets seduced into male modeling, which is spurred on by Wilhelmina after several of the female models bailed out but at the same time hoped to add more males to the event. Daniel tries his best to walk, talk and act like a model, but realizes that at his age and with his excess weight that he was not cut out to be a model and opts out of the event.

Claire's (Judith Light) son, Tyler, arrives in New York to find his mother, only to get sidetracked by Wilhelmina, who mistakes him for a male model, so he is now part of the show, where he becomes the reason for Daniel's attempts to try to become a model.

At the Suarez home, Ignacio (Tony Plana) brings home a huge chandelier from the restaurant, which seems to have problems, and Hilda (Ana Ortiz) tells Bobby she wishes her salon would be struck by lightning, so she can use the insurance money. Unfortunately, just as Betty comes home later that afternoon, Marissa, feeling nervous about the event, asks Betty if she can leave her designs at the place. This is later followed by Amanda, who stops by that evening to apologize to Betty. When Marissa stops by to tell Betty that she wants to back out but Betty calms her down, the three sees Bobby yelling after they smell smoke coming from the salon as the Suarez home mysteriously catches fire and Marissa's designs are ruined.

Despite the damages, and thanks to a suggestion from Justin, Betty, Marissa and Amanda redesign the burned outfits to make them "Smokin' Hot", and Marissa's show is saved, although Wilhelmina ends getting the credit for "discovering" Marissa. Also at the event, Helen tells Marc and Amanda that she met a guy during the show and tells them that she is getting married, while Betty and Marc tells Amanda that she does have talent as a stylist, which goes to Amanda's head, and just as Claire and Tyler discover each other at the event, Claire does come clean to him afterwards, but tells Tyler not to say anything about being her son yet. Unfortunately, when Daniel sees Tyler talking to Claire, Claire lies to Daniel, who remarked that he was glad that he won't have to see him [Tyler] again, which hurt Claire's feelings.

As for that fire at the Suarez home, Bobby consoles Hilda and tells her that because of the fire that she will be able to collect the insurance. This put doubts into Hilda's head but unaware at the same time outside the house, just as Justin prepares to take out the trash... Justin takes out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter fluid from his jacket and puts them in the trash bag to cover his tracks.^[2]

Production

"Smokin' Hot" was written by Brian Tanen and directed by John Scott. It first aired on 10 February, 2010 in the United States on ABC, but was originally scheduled to air on 3 February 2010.^[3] Kristen Johnston, who previously starred on the American NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, makes another guest appearance as Helen, Amanda's friend and temporary roommate. It was reported last year that Johnston took over the role after Paula Abdul left.^[4] John Tartaglia, best known for roles puppeteering Princeton and Rod for the Broadway musical Avenue Q, also makes a guest appearance.^[4]

Ratings

Smokin' Hot posted a small increase in numbers from the previous week, with 4.7 million viewers tuning in and a 1.7/5 among 18-49s.^[5]

Reception

Entertainment Weekly writer Tanner Stransky said the episode 'had it all'; "A fire at the Queens home of the Suarez clan, Fashion Week, yet another guest spot from the always hilarious Kristen Johnston, male models and the reappearance of Suzuki St. Pierre."^[6]

References

External links

• "Smokin' Hot" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Smokin' Hot" at ABC

See also

• Ugly Betty
• Ugly Betty (season 4)