After Hours (''Ugly Betty'')

"After Hours" is an episode from the dramedy series Ugly Betty, which aired November 9, 2006. In the United States, Canada and Australia, it is the seventh episode but the eighth overall, and was written by Dailyn Rodriguez and directed by Jim Hayman.

Plot

As another working day passes at MODE, Daniel finds his day cut out for him trying to find a freelance reporter to write an article on a newly opened hotel. Betty arrives with his bagel (which got wet as she handed it to him), and Daniel decides he has found the person to write the review.

After accepting the assignment from Daniel, Betty realized that this was a dream come true. But there was one problem: She and Walter had made plans to go to Atlantic City that weekend, and Walter is none too happy about because his heart was set on attending a The Price Is Right Live show. Betty tried to get him to accompany her, but Walter declined, leaving Betty to visit the hotel on her own. Upon arrival, Betty found herself being given the VIP treatment and (as expected) her out-of-her-element trademark was evident after sitting in a bubble chair, handing her Metropass card to the bellboy and trying to control a TV set. Later on in the evening Betty is given a massage by a handsome man, only to be interrupted by a surprise guest -- Walter.

After she clears up the explanation in order to calm down his jealousy, both Betty and Walter agreed to spend time in the hotel, just as long as Betty can finish her review, which also includes a dinner at the hotel's fancy restaurant. However Betty (who decides to wear her high school prom dress) insists that Walter dress formally for it, which is not sitting well with Walter. As they look at the less-than-desirable cuisine in the restaurant, Walter's frustration starts to get to him and tells Betty that he is jealous of her working at MODE and he doesn't know her anymore ever since she started working there even as Betty defended her job, but in the end Walter got up and left her.

After realizing what Walter said days later, Betty left a message on his phone to apologize. After returning home Betty sees Walter sitting on her steps; they later kissed and made up after she told him that despite her job she is still a Queens girl.

However her article was rejected by Daniel because it wasn't right for MODE. Upset over the rejection, Betty sought solace in the bathroom when Sofia Reyes came to give her encouragement and then told Betty that she will publish the article in her magazine. After she left, Betty's mood turns to excitement as she does a dance in the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Daniel found himself dealing with a new occupant in the magazine's conference room, Sofia. Daniel is none too happy that she is now taking up space as she prepares to launch her new mag. And as the banter between the two continues, along with the sexual tension and accusations over his womanizing and her being a tease, it wouldn't be long before they would give in to the temptation after the two shared an evening of unwinding over a game of pool at a bar. But when you think that this romance was about to steam up, get ready for a cool down because the following day after Sofia finished up using the conference room Daniel was hoping that they would hook up for another night together, only to have Sofia drop a bombshell; she has a boyfriend.

In Bradford's office Wilhelmina is given a task that would guarantee a major deal as Bradford asks her to entertain a department store chain mogul from Texas. After being convinced by Bradford she and Marc agrees to it. As Wilhelmina and Marc transform the office into "The Lone Star State," the two get a chance to learn more about their guest, who arrives just in time to be given the intro and pitch by Wilhelmina (who also was thinking of Nico and the care packet she sent to her). But the Texan wants a lot more excitement than just the pitch, so instead of a planned dinner reservation, the guest takes Wils and Marc to a honky tonk bar, where the women wear a shirt with a menu list and belly shots take on a new meaning. After an evening of shots, the guest revealed that he will sign the deal after telling them that he was impressed before he thought of the bar idea and told Wilhelmina about what it is like to be a parent.

Over at the Suarezes, Hilda told Ignacio that she might find a way to pay Leah so she can represent him, and that is to get the money from her former boyfriend Santos, who also happens to be Justin's father. Hearing the word of Santos does not sit well with either Ignacio or Justin, but Hilda assured her father and son that this was the only way. Later in the evening Hilda sees Santos playing dominoes and approaches him to ask about the money. Santos then pulls out a roll and gives it to Hilda on the condition that he sees Justin later in the evening.

After she shows Ignacio the money her dad was none too happy because of Santos' background, and was made worse when she said he was stopping by, but he failed to show up. Hours later Santos does show up at the Suarezes...beaten up by thugs who wanted the money he gave Hilda. Hilda then treated his wounds and told him that he can still come by for Thanksgiving; but when Hilda told Justin about those plans Justin was hoping that it would be Martha Stewart instead of his father that would show up for the dinner.

Production

This episode welcomed Kevin Alejandro to the cast as Santos. In addition, stuntperson Anna Mercedes Morris would appear in the first of three episodes in which a stunt double was used for America Ferrera's character.

Reception

Notes Entertainment Weekly's Tanner Stransky: "Think about it: Every Betty episode to date has been a variation on the same theme. Garishly dressed heroine heads to work, tries to fit in at unforgivingly chic fashion mag, fails miserably, then finds last-minute success/redemption thanks to her kind heart, intelligence, and sheer determination. The boss always acts like a horndog. His nemesis is always hilariously catty. The big sister brings the sass, the boyfriend brings the annoying, and the nephew brings the camp."^[1]

There was a lot of negative feedback from websites and blogs about Salma Hayek being added to the cast, as evidenced by these messages,^[2][3] which has called Hayek's character a "Mary Sue."

Ratings

The episode was watched by 12.81 million viewers in the United States and placed 27th in the Nielsens for the week ending November 12, 2006^[4]

References

Also starring

• Kevin Sussman - Walter
• Michael Urie - Marc
• Kevin Alejandro - Santos
• Salma Hayek - Sofia Reyes

Guest stars

• Brett Cullen (Ted)
• Darryl Stephens (Waiter)