[INT. Meade publications building]
(Close up on Betty Suarez, sitting vaguley impatiently. The title screen "UGLY BETTY" comes up briefly. She smiles, and moves over as another young woman sits down next to her. In comparison, Betty is awkward whereas the woman is elegant. The latter is texting someone.)
Betty: I like your poncho. My dad got me one in Guadalejara.
Woman: Milan. Dolce and Gabanna. Fall.
Betty: Oh.
Man: Betty Suarez?
(This man is obviously conducting a job interview of some sort. Upon seeing Betty, his face scrunches up in disaproval.)
Betty: Hi! Um, that's me. Uh, I have a hard copy of my resume if you need it. Should I follow you?
Man: Uh actually.. there's been a mistake.
Betty: A mistake?
Man: All the entry level positions we've been hiring for? They've been filled. I'm sorry.
(The man turns and walks away. Betty's face falls. Then she hurries up the stairs behind him.)
Betty: Um, sir? While you've got me here, I thought I could tell you a little about myself. Magazines are my passions, ever since I was a little kid. And I can't imagine a more amazing place to start my career than Meade publications. I know most of your magazines inside out, I try to devour as much as I can.
(The man takes Betty's arm and leads her back down the stairs during her frantic tirade.)
Man: Clearly.
(He heads back up stairs. Betty again looks deflated, but hurries back up after him.
Betty: Also, I've learnt so much through them, stuff so beyond my world, like who the up-and-comers are on the London art scene, or what the political ##### in Darfur are all about or which ###### is considered the most romantic in the world. And I have tons of ideas, I'm always jotting stuff down on the subway, but I'm getting ahead of myself, sir. All I really want is a chance, any position or publication-
Man: Goodbye!
(He closes the door on her, leaving Betty outside.)
Betty: I can do a hundred words a minute!!
(Throughout this, Bradford Meade has been watching Betty from upstairs, with mild interest. Betty looks despondent.)
CUT TO Justin watching a telenovela, in which a maid is holding a gun on a handsome man. As she tries to shoot him, the man takes the gun away from her. She breaks into tears, they start making out, and she rips his shirt off.
Justin: I hate telenovelas. I want to watch Fashion TV.
Hilda: Justin, you can watch Fasion TV later when your Aunt Betty is babysitting ok? Come have some flan.
Justin: I don't want flan. I'll get fat!
Hilda: Honey, you're a boy. It doesn't matter if you're fat or not. Betty, did you order Dad's birthday cake?
(Betty walks in, joining Hilda and Ignacio at the table.)
Betty: Of course. Chocolate Volcano, same one I got last year.
Ignacio: So, how was your interview?
Betty: Um, I think it was really good. I mean, they were impressed.
Hilda: You didn't get it.
Betty: Well they said that they had hired everyone they needed.
Ignacio: I don't understand. You're sharp, you're prepared, someone should have begged you to have worked for them the day you graduated Queens College.
Hilda: But Betty, have you thought about exploring other options?
Betty: Hilda, I'm not going to sell Herbalux.
Hilda: Well, I wasn't saying that. Necessarily.
Betty: Dad!
Ignacio: This career is Betty's dream.
Hilda: Ok. But I hear somebody else has some pretty big dreams too.
Betty: What are you talking about?
Hilda: Justin, tell your Aunt Betty what her boyfriend was saying the other night.
Justin: Walter was on his cell phone, talking to someone, and he said "She's the one."
Ignacio: He wants to marry you?
Betty: He does?
Justin: Well, would you do it?
Betty: Well, I- we haven't talked about that yet but
Hilda: Well, I think he's a catch. Flan?
(Someone knocks at the door.)
Betty: That's him!
(Walter comes in, carrying a tv.)
Walter: Hi Ignacio, Helda. Hi Betty.
Betty: Hey.
Walter: Here.
(He hands her the tv.)
Walter: It's a return. The mute doesn't work, but it sounds awesome.
Betty: Thank you.
(Hilda takes the tv from Betty and the two exchange looks.)
Walter: Uh. Betty, can we talk?
Betty: Yes. Sure.
(Walter tilts his head.)
Betty: Oh, outside, yeah, ok.
(CUT TO outside. Romantic music swells dramatically as we CUT TO inside, where Justin flips from the telenovela to Fashion TV.)
Fashion TV host: Celebrity studded funeral services were held today for Fay Sommers, the much loved and hated editor-in-chief of fashion bible, Mode Magazine. It was the bitch slap heard around the world when long time Mode creative director, Wilhelmina Slater was passed over for the top spot in favour of Daniel Meade, the nominally experienced son of Mode owner, Bradford Meade. Can the notorious man-whore translate his talents at bedding women to dressing them?
[EXT- City at night. Zoom inside a building, where Daniel Meade is sitting at his desk, leaning back into his chair, eyes closed. Bradford walks in and Daniel snaps to attention.]
Bradford: How do you like your new office?
Daniel: Ah, you scared me. Will you just give me a few minutes, there's some things I need to wrap up before I leave..
(Bradford turns to go, and catches sight of a pair of lacy pink underwear over a bunch of flowers. He picks them up.)
Bradford: Interesting decorating motif.
Daniel: He knows you're there.
(From under Daniel's desk, his assistant climbs out, holding a pencil.)
Daniel: I'd like to introduce you to my new assistant, Charmaine.
Bradford: Sorry to interrupt your.. uh, dictation, but this is not the way you run a magazine.
(Off Daniel's face, we CUT TO Betty's, stunned.)
Betty: What?
Walter: I'm in love with someone else.
Betty: Wh-I- How? I mean, I thought we.. well, who is it?
(Walter turns to look at another house.)
Betty: Gina Gambarro?
Walter: Sorry, I-
Betty: No, you don't have to say anything else.
Walter: Good luck, Betty. With everything.
(Walter walks away, as sad music swells. CUT TO Betty stuffing her face at the table. Justin walks in.)
Justin: Are you feeling any better?
Betty: I'm fine.
(The phone rings. Justin picks up.)
Justin: Hello?
(He covers the mouthpiece and turns to Betty.)
Justin: Some guy from Meat publications.
Betty: Meade?!
(She spits out the food in her mouth into a tissue and grabs the phone.)
Betty: This is Betty Suarez. Mm hmm. Are you serious?! Yeah, I of course, I can start tomorrow. Um, what magazine is this for? Mode? Yeah, I'll be there first thing in the morning. Ok, thank you, bye.
(As she hangs up, Justin presents her with an issue of Mode magazine, of which she is unfamiliar.)
Betty: Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief!
Justin: I didn't know you wanted to work for Mode!
Betty: Well, this wouldn't have been my first choice, but if I do good here, I can go anywhere in the company!
Justin: Well, just try and dress fashionably.. Do you have anything?
Betty: Actually, I do.
(CUT TO Betty, walking into Mode, wearing an enormous poncho, the one her father got for her from Guadalejara. It is bright red, with green and yellow writing. She looks ridiculous.)
Amanda: Oh. My. God.
FADE TO BLACK.
(Betty is standing there, smiling happily. Amanda, the receptionist, regards her with shock.)
Amanda: Are you the before?
Betty: Huh?
Amanda: Before and after? The photoshoot? Are. You. De-liv-er-ing. Some-thing?
Betty: Oh, no, no. I uh, I work here.
(Amanda swallows a snort.)
Amanda: For?
Betty: For the new Editor-in-Chief.)
(Betty grins widely, Amanda looks more than surprised and maybe a little pissed off. They begin walking through Mode.)
Amanda: So everyone's in the conference room and Daniel's about to start his first staff meeting. I'm Amanda, by the way.
Betty: Betty.
Amanda: Ok FYI, Betty, assistants are usually here before their bosses.
Betty: Oh, I was filling out paperwork in H.R
Amanda: Yeah, just don't let it happen again. So uh, where do you come from?
Betty: Queens.
Amanda: What job did you have?
Betty: Oh acutally, apart from internships and part-time jobs to pay for school, this is my first real job!
Amanda: That's funny. I was told I didn't have enough experience for the position. It's over there.
(Amanda waves Betty off, and walks back to the front.)
Betty: You are an attractive, intelligent, confident business woman.
CUT TO inside the conference room, where Daniel is talking to the staff.
Daniel: So I confess, I'm probably not going to remember everyone's names.. I'm really uh-
(Betty walks into the glass walls of the conference room and everyone turns to look. There's some laughter.)
Daniel: Are you ok?
Betty: I'm ok, I'm fine, I'm so sorry.
(Betty walks in, and sits down, as people beside her shuffle to make room. Daniel tries to continue.)
Daniel: Uh, I wish I wasn't coming in as the new guy in such terrible circumstances,I realise I have some aweful big-
(Daniel is looking around the room, and catches Betty's eye. She grins widely at him.)
Daniel: teeth-SHOES, to fill but I can't tell you how excited I am to be working with such an amazingly talented and dedicated staff. Now I'd like to take a moment to talk about-
(Wilhelmina and her assistant, Marc, come in, drawing attention.)
Wilhelmina: So sorry I'm late-Oh. You began without me.
Daniel: Sorry, Wilhelmina, I waited-
Wilhelmina: Shh! Marc? Gift.
(Marc hands Daniel a box, as Wilhelmina sits.)
Daniel: Thank you. Now, as I was saying-
Wilhelmina: Well, aren't you going to open it?
(There's a tense moment, as Daniel pauses, then begins to open the gift. Betty observes this power struggle with mild indignation on behalf of Daniel. Anyhoo, Daniel pulls out a crystal tulip, with his details engraved, wrongly so.)
Wilhelmina: It's a ----- crystal, to commemmorate your first day.
Daniel: Thank you. But it is Daniel, not Danny.
Wilhelmina: What? I'm hellaciously upset, Marc.
Marc: Ohmygod, I'm so sorry!
Wilhelmina: Shh! Purge this from memory, please.
Daniel: As I was saying, it's a particularly exciting time for me.
Wilhelmina: I think we need to discuss the Fabia cosmetics supplement.
Daniel: Fabia cosmetics?
Wilhelmina: The biggest ad buy of the year and the only paid layout editorial ever works on.
Daniel: Well, I'm sure Fabia will love whatever we come up with.. right?
Wilhelmina: Daniel, you don't understand. Given the new circumstances, Fabia needs to sign-off on the spread before we go to print. Obviously, we're all here to help you succeed and we've got plenty of ideas. So I think that we all need to get back to work to make sure that this, your very issue with your name on the masthead, sparkles! Ok, everyone! Let's not dilly-dally, our editor needs us.
(Throughout this, Daniel looks resigned, as he realises that Wilhelmina is running a show that he's trying to.
Marc: Killer poncho!
Betty: Thanks!
(As Marc walks away, he makes a gagging gesture with his hand. Betty approaches Daniel as everyone files out.)
Betty: Mr Meade? Excuse me, um, Mr Meade? Hi, I just um, wanted to come and introduce myself personally. I'm Betty Suarez, it's a pleasure to meet you.
Daniel: Hi Betty. Uh. Uh, who do you work for?
Betty: Well, um, I work for you. I'm your new assistant.
(Daniel looks even more resigned. Off his look, we CUT TO a needle, being inserted into Wilhelmina. Marc is Botoxing her up.)
Wilhelmina: Did you get the crease underneath the hairline?
Marc: Yes, Willie.
Wilhelmina: Twenty years, Marc. No one has done more, worked harder, I have lived for this magazine. Helped make it into the icon it is today. Than that nasty nepetistic sonofabitch gives my job to his-
Marc: His son.
Wilhelmina: Who's a self absorbed Nefario punk who knows nothing about fashion! Tell me the truth. Is it because I'm getting old?
Marc: Absolutely not! Uh! Though you could do with a tad bit more between the brows.
(He injects more between the brows.)
Marc: So, what are you gonna do?
Wilhelmina: Just wait and see.
Marc: Well, he's well on his way to falling flat on his face. I mean, can you believe that assistant? This is Mode, not Dog Fancy! Done!
(Wilhelmina stands to look at herself in the mirror.)
Marc: What do you want me to do with the uh, leftover?
Wilhelmina: All yours.
(Marc mouths 'I love you' to Wilhelmina and she smiles indulgently as her phone rings.)
Wilhelmina: Give me a moment, Marc.
(Marc obligingly leaves but pauses at the door when part of the conversation catches his attention.)
Wilhelmina: How are you recovering, darling? .. Well, I'm sure you'll start feeling better once everything here starts coming to a boil. Mmhmm.
(CUT TO Betty, working at her computer, researching Fabia cosmetics. Amanda approaches her.)
Amanda: Here.
Betty: Oh, thank you.
Amanda: What are you doing?
Betty: Um, I'm just gather information on Fabia for Daniel.
Amanda: Ugh, she's so fabulously douchey. Who's he in with?
(She is referring to Daniel, who is talking to another man in his office.)
Betty: Oh um, Phillipe Michaud. He's a photographer.
Amanda: Ohhh. He's doing the supplement, isn't he?
Betty: Mm hmm!
Amanda: Oh, he's amazing. He's shot like everything.
Betty: Yeah, it looks like they're really good friends.
Amanda: Ah well, there's been some drama. Daniel hooked up with Phillipe's ex-girlfriend a couple of years ago. They're fine now. Yeah, we went out for a week. And they don't call him the Tripod because he's a photographer, if you catch my drift.
(Inside Daniel's office, Phillipe is going through a photo album, presumably with ideas for the Fabia supplement in it.)
Phillipe: Mm, this is crap. No. Nope. Too down. Too out. Can't go down. All this is terrible.
Daniel: That's what I thought. Phillipe, can I trust you with something?
Phillipe: Of course, Daniel. You know you're like a brother to me.
Daniel: I don't think anyone wants me here. Especially Wilhelmina.
Phillipe: Well, that's no secret.
Daniel: I think she's trying to take me in the wrong direction with this Fabia layout. Do you have any ideas?
Phillipe: Like, a million? But keep things on the quiety. Most of these people are still loyal to Wilhelmina and you don't want them mucking things up.
(Betty knocks at the door.)
Betty: Um, sorry to interrupt, but can I get you lunch?
Daniel: No, no. But you go ahead, thanks.
Betty: Hi, I'm a really big fan of yours. That travel layout you did with the Tiki torches? Wow, that was, that was really gorgeous.
Phillipe: Heh.. thank you.
Betty: Yeah, it kinda reminded me of this Heroki spread I saw a couple of years ago.
Phillipe: Listen, I don't know who you are or what you're implying but I would never use another photographer's idea.
Betty: Oh! No, no, no, no! I wasn't- I wasn't saying- um. Uh. I should go.
(Betty leaves as Daniel smiles.)
Phillipe: What's the story here? I know the type of woman you hire.
Daniel: My father made me.
Phillipe: You're kidding me.
Daniel: What? She appears to be good, capable-
Phillipe: Fugly! Listen to me. You are the editor-in-chief of Mode magazine. This business is all image. Is that what you want representing you? Papparazzi taking your picture and she's standing behind?
Daniel: Oh, I can't fire her, Phillipe.
Phillipe: Well. What if she quits?
Daniel: And how do I get her to do that?
Phillipe: You beat her down. To a pulp.
(CUT TO Betty, who is in the Mode cafe, looking around. People look her down, and move so that she can't sit nex to them. She finally manages to claim a seat, when Christina approaches her.)
Christina: Hey you. Betty right? Daniel Meade's new assistant?
Betty: Yeah, how'd you know that?
Christina: Oh, everybody knows everything around here. I'm Christina. I work in the Closet.
Betty: The Closet?
Christina: Mm, where all the claws are kept. No, I act as an in-house seamstress, keep track of things. Sometimes they even let me keep some of the crappy stuff from last season, but I have to improvise because everything is a size zero. Voila! Anyway, I like it. Mostle because I'm by myself, away from all the chiccies.
Betty: The chiccies?
Christina: The bitches that work at Mode. Hey girls!
(Two other women approach Chrstina.)
Christina: Zelda, Nancy, this is Betty.
Betty: Hi, it's nice to meet you.
(And we pan over to Marc and Amanda who've observed the little scene.)
Marc: It's the bizzaro version of Sex In The City.
Amanda: Stop it, I'm gagging.
(CUT TO Bradford Meade, sitting on a bench feeding pidgeons. After a few moments, a man approaches the bench and sits next to him.)
Man: Funny, you look like any old schlupp sitting here, feeding these stupid pidgeons.
Bradford: I doubt if any old schlupp would be feeding them artesianal pan they made themselves.
Man: There's nothing to worry about. She's gone. Weren't you sitting front row at the funeral?
Bradford: Closed casket. Double-triple check the things Fey Summers knows about me. About the company.
Man: I'm on it.
(CUT TO: Daniel, placing a call to Betty as Phillipe watches, amused.)
Daniel: Hi Betty. There's a problem with my lunch.
Betty: Ok.
Daniel: I love coleslaw, I hate cabbage.
Betty: But- coleslaw is-
Daniel: No, no, no, no, I know, I like the tart, tangy dressing. Can you do something about it? Before it gets to room temperature?
(Betty tries to pick the cabbage out of coleslaw. We then see her receiving a call at 3:23 in the morning.)
Betty: Hello? Hi Daniel.
(Next, Betty is delivering coffee to Daniel and Phillipe. A large dog (Phillipe's, presumaby, although Daniel is the one holding onto it) jumps onto Betty. In the next scene, Daniel is walking down one of the Mode corridors without a shoe, because Betty is removing gum from the bottom of it. Finally, we have her sitting outside at night, when her cell rings.)
Betty: Hi.
Hilda: Betty, where are you?
Betty: I'm still working.
Hilda: You forgot, didn't you?
Betty: Ohmygod, Dad's birthday! Yeah, I was busy.
(A taxi pulls up on the other side of the road, and a woman steps out.)
Betty: Look,I gotta go ok? I'll get home as soon as I can.
(Betty hangs up on Hilda, and calls Daniel, who is in the apartment above Betty.)
Betty: Um yeah, the red turkey is on the move.
(Upstairs, in the apartment, Daniel is lying next to Amanda. They are minimally dressed.)
Daniel: Uh hold on, it's work stuff. Will you sleep over another night?
Amanda: Sure. So, uh, when's this position going to open?
Daniel: Hopefully, very, very soon.
Amanda: Oh, ok. Well uh, goodnight, boss.
(Amanda leaves, and Daniel turns back to his call to Betty.)
Daniel: Hey.
Betty: Hi. Uh, do you need anything else?
Daniel: Why don't you stick around for a little bit? Make sure everything's ok?
Betty: Yeah. Ok, no problem.
(Betty hangs up. Daniel looks guilty for a second, but the woman from the taxi arrives, and drops her jacket.)
Daniel: Perfect timing.
(Cut to Betty walking down her street.)
Gina: Mmm. Oh, Walter. You're such a big boy.
(Betty looks unhappy, and continues to her house, where Hilda is taking down the party balloons.)
Hilda: He's sleeping.
Betty: Hilda, I know
Hilda: Do you realise this is the first time since Mom died that we haven't all been together on his birthday?
Betty: Yes, I realise that, and I'm sorry. But I was working..
Hilda: It's fine, Betty. I just hope it's all worth it. We saved you a piece of cake. It's in the fridge.
(Betty collapses on the sofa, and a picture of her and her mother catches her eye. She takes out her notebook, and writes WORK IDEA across the top.)
(CUT TO: Mode, where Betty is following Daniel as he is talking on the phone.)
Daniel: Oh, this photoshoot is going to be absolutely sick. Best spread we've done for Fabia by far.
(Betty drops some of her belongings, and hastily picks them up and rushes after Daniel.)
Daniel: Oh yeah, I'm on my way to set as we speak. Uh, hello?
Betty: It's a really exciting day, huh? I mean, with the photoshoot? Hey Daniel, I know you're really overwhelmed right now, but I was wondering if-
(Daniel walks away. Betty, after a moment's pause, follows him outside Mode.)
Betty: Daniel, I was wondering, if you had a quick moment..
(She holds out her proposal to him.)
Daniel: Do I look like I have a quick moment?
Betty: No. So sorry.
Daniel: Dammit! They forgot one of the outfits. Go up to the closet and bring it to the set.
(He takes the folders from her and then gets in the car.)
Betty: Please?
(Betty goes up to the Closet, where Christina works.)
Christina: Feel the fabric in that thing.
Betty: It's kind of rough.
Christina: That's because it's burlap. Basically, you're talking seven thousand dollars for a designer potato sack.
Betty: I can't believe people acutally buy this stuff.
Chrstina: I can't believe they wear it. And usually just once before they chuck it to make room for the next season but that's fashion and I've got to say, I love it. Oh, you're not too much into it, are you?
Betty: Um, no. Not really.
Christina: So, how's it going?
Betty: Um.
Christina: Brutal?
Betty: Well, nothing I do is good enough. He treats me like dirt, and just now, I was trying to show his this one idea that I had. It would have taken him thirty seconds but he bit my head off. What?
Christina: Betty. Nancy was down in Human Resources, and some people, they were talking and well apparently, Bradford was the one that wanted to hire you.
Betty: Bradford Meade? Wait, he knows who I am?
Christina: He made Daniel hire you because he didn't want his son to be tempted to sleep with his assistants anymore.
Betty: Oh.
Christina: I'm sorry, Betty.
Betty: No, that explains a lot.
Christina: Betty-
Betty: No, no really, it's fine. I should be grateful that I got my break. It's not so easy for everyone. This is just how it was supposed to happen for me. Well, I should be going so.. thank you.
(Betty hurries away, but leaves her proposal behind accidentally.)
(CUT TO: Daniel and Phillipe's photoshoot for Fabia, which involves a car crash, bright colours, and vivid make up on dying people.)
Amanda: So I was on my lunchbreak, and I thought I'd stop by. This is really amazing.
Daniel: Thanks Amanda.
Amanda: And if you need anything..
(Phillipe walks up, talking on the phone.)
Phillipe: Did anyone read the contract to her? She needs to be here for the test shots!
(He hangs up.)
Daniel: Hey, what's going on?
Phillipe: The Brazilian model? She's late. This is a crazy complicated shoot, and I need her dressed and ready, right now.
Daniel: Phillipe, they're test shots. Let's just use a stand in.
Phillipe: No, she's too specific. I need someone with her skin tone. Someone like her.
(He points at Betty, who has just walked in.)
Daniel: Her?
Phillipe: I bet you she quits before she does it.
(Betty is eating a donut. When Daniel approaches her, she spits it out.)
Daniel: Betty, I'm so glad you're here. Look, we have a crisis and we really need your help.
Betty: Ok.
Daniel: One of our models didn't show up. We really need someone to stand in for her. In the wardrobe.
Betty: Um, so. You want me to do it?
Daniel: Mmhmm! Well?
Betty: Well. This is what you want me to do?
Daniel: Yeah!
(Betty has been looking at all the other models, who are taller and thinner than she is with some reluctance. She walks away. Daniel exhales loudly and approaches Phillipe.)
Phillipe: Well?
Daniel: Looks like she finally quit.
Phillipe: Good. ####### had no business working for you in the fi-
(Phillipe freezes, as has Amanda, who are staring at the door. Betty walks in, in the costume, which is basically a tight, revealing leather combination. The chatter and laughter starts up, but Betty bravely ignores it.)
Betty: Where do you want me?
Phillipe: Right here. I see a shadow, can you move that light?
(Phillipe positions Betty next to two other girls, and then gets them to pose "sexily", which Betty cannot do. The room starts to laugh, much to Betty's- and Daniel's- distress.)
Daniel: Stop it. Stop it.
(Betty's eyes fill up, and she hurries away. Daniel goes after her.)
Daniel: Betty, wait.
Betty: This is what you wanted, isn't it? To humiliiate me, make me quit? God forbid you had to work with the ugly girl your Dad forced you to hire. Well, congratulations.
(Daniel looks thoroughly ashamed, as Betty walks away.)
(CUT TO: Betty, sitting on the front steps of her house.)
Justin: Chamonmile?
Betty: Thank you Justin.
Justin: I'm sorry it didn't work out.
Betty: It happens.
Justin: Mom said she wasn't surprised.
Betty: Hilda said that?
Justin: She said all the stuff you want to do? Owning a magazine? Doesn't happen to people like us. Unless you're J.Lo or something. She said she wishes you'd be more realistic, but I think she's full of crap.
(Betty smiles at her nephew, and then is distracted by Gina making out with a guy.)
Betty: Hold this.
(Betty gives her cup to Justin, and then stomps up to Gina's house.)
Betty: I just want to say that this is really unfair. I live TWO DOORS down. I can see you!
Gina: What the hell you doing?
(Beneath Gina, is a random man. It is not Walter, as Betty had presumed.)
Betty: Um, where's Walter?
Gina: It's over. Look, Walter, he's sweet and everything but I told him from the start that I wasn't looking for anything serious. And he said fine, he could still get me thirth percent off a flatscreen.
Betty: You used him for his discount?
Gina: Ugh! He offered.
(Betty slams out of the hosue, and Gina's flatscreen falls to the floor.)
Gina: Bitch! You broke my plasma!!
(CUT TO the Mode office, where Fabia is waiting to clear off the new photoshoot. She plays with her dog as she waits.)
Daniel: We are so thrilled to have you hear, Fabia. Now, why don't we let the pictures speak for themselves?
(Daniel starts a slideshow, which displays a variety of pictures from the shoot. Fabia doesn't look impressed.)
Fabia: This is freaking joke, right?
Daniel: Uh, no.
Fabia: Il stupido. All of you, stupido! Idiots! Idiots!
(Fabia grabs a handful of M&Ms and throws them before leaving.)
Daniel: What? What just happened?
Marc: Well, Fabia's probably still a little sensitive about the accident.
Daniel: Accident?
Marc: Oh, you didn't know? About a month ago, she backed her SUV into twelve people outside Marquais.
Phillipe: I was in San ######. I had no idea.
Daniel: Why, why didn't anyone say anything?
Wilhelmina: Daniel, if I may, you didn't include me in the concept. We all thought you knew what you were doing.
(Daniel is with Bradford as Bradford works out, with an assistant assisting him with his stretches.)
Bradford: Fabia's not just talking about cancelling the Mode supplement, she's considering pulling advertising from every one of my magazines. Is it true you worked on this on your own? Didn't consult Wilhelmina or anyone else?
Daniel: I can explain. I had-I had a very strong feeling she was trying to sabotage me.
Bradford: The only person who sabotaged you was yourself.
Daniel: Sorry I let you down.
Bradford: I'm sorry I keep hoping you're something you're clearly not. Ugh. My leg is cramping.
Daniel: Look, I can fix this. I'll just present her with a whole new idea.
Bradford: We just closed book, it's too late.
Daniel: Tomorrow morning. Please. Give me another chance.
(CUT TO: Wilhelmina is in bed, taking a call from Marc.)
Marc: Daniel called again for you.
Wilhelmina: What part of unavailable doesn't he understand?
Marc: I'll let him know.
(Wilhelmina hangs up on Marc. Phillipe gets into bed, handing over a glass of wine to Wilhelmina.)
Wilhelmina: You really should have come to me earlier.
Phillipe: It really wouldn't have made any difference now, would it?
Wilhelmina: Not really. To teamwork.
Phillipe: To revenge.
Wilhelmina: Ahh.
(They click glasses, drink and then start kissing. Fade to Daniel, working at Mode to come up with a new idea. He brushes an assortement of papers away from his desk, and comes across the folder with Betty's idea in it and looks at it pensievely. CUT TO the telenovela, in which a maid is caught with a pretty dress, and has a bitch fight with a posh looking woman.)
Betty: He has a heart condition. Yes, he needs his medication.
(Betty is talking on the phone to Social Services.)
Betty: But you can't just cover the pills and then randomly decide to stop. But it's a real person's health, it's not a case number!
Ignacio: Give me the phone!
Betty: No! No, I don't want to hold again! Not again, no, just wait!
(She hangs up, exhasperated.)
Betty: It's fine. We'll just get them tomorrow. It's fine.
Ignacio: Thank you, amore. You're so much better at dealing with bureaucratic stuff than I am.
Betty: You know I don't mind.
Ignacio: I know. You're always so good to me. So strong, determined, optimistic. Just like your mother was.
(He kisses her head. Someone knocks at the door.)
Walter: Why haven't you returned my calls?
Betty: I've been busy!
Walter: Betty, I need to talk to you, I made a terrible mistake.
Betty: Well, did you realise this before or after Gina dumped you?
Walter: What? No, no, I broke up with her. Betty, it was wrong, and I want to make this up to you. I-
(He is interrupted when Daniel knocks at the door, and comes in.)
Daniel: Betty, I-
Walter: Are you dating someone?
Betty: Walter, please go!
Walter: Dating this guy?
Betty: Look, you need to go, please.
Walter: What? Betty, I was just-
(She closes the door as he is still speaking.)
Betty: What are you doing here?
Daniel: I want to talk. Uh, nice place.
Betty: Yeah, we're just in between interior designers.
Daniel: Really?
Betty: No.
Daniel: Oh right, it's a joke. Betty, I am so sorry. You didn't deserve what I put you through. I listened to all the wrong people about a lot of things and I have no one to blame but myself.
Betty: Well, I appreciate that Daniel. But you're going to leave here, and you're going to take your town car up to your SoHo loft, and I'm still going to be here. Out of work, and dealing with problems that you'll never understand.
Daniel: Try me. Betty, come on, we've all got problems.
Betty: Oh, what are yours, Daniel? What restaurant you're going to eat at? Which model you're going to sleep with? Try spending the day on the phone with some crappy HMO getting them to cover your Dad's presriptions, or try lining up a job, any job because you have to help pay the rent next month!
Daniel: Look, I lost a brother a while back. He was the good one in our family, and I've never quite measured up, but I am trying. Betty, I could never compare my problems to yours but they are mine. Nothing's ever easy. I saw the layout you made for Fabia.
Betty: You did?
Daniel: I thought it was very smart and beautiful.
Betty: Well, thank you.
Daniel: I want to take your ideas to Fabia, giving you credit, of course. I really want you to come back, be my assistant. I promise you, things will be different.
Betty: I, um. Daniel, I really have to think about that.
Daniel: Yeah. Well, you have tonight, because I'll probably be out of a job as well.
(Daniel leaves, with Betty staring thoughtfully after him.)
Betty: Did you hear that?
Ignacio: Mmhmm. Every word.
(CUT TO the Mode offices, where Fabia is back, and once again waiting.)
Fabia: So? Where the hell is he?
Bradford: He said ten AM.
Wilhelmina: Well, Fabia, on behalf of the entire magazine, chi padome. This whole thing has been unacceptable. Marc?
(Marc hurries to Wilhelmina's side.)
Wilhelmina: Now that I have a moment of my time, I'd like to show you some of my ideas?
(At that moment, Daniel and Betty arrive.)
Daniel: Sorry we're late. There was obviously no time for a new photoshoot, so what we're going to be showing you is just a rough idea.
(Betty starts her projector, and a photo of her and Walter comes up.)
Betty: Uh wait. No, this is not the right file. One sec, one second. This is it.
(She finds the right files, and projects them. Images of Betty, as a young child, and her mother come up: singing, riding a bike, experiementing with make-up.)
Daniel: Uh, in order to show the softer side of Fabia cosmetics, we're going to use the concept of mothers and daughters focusing on the small, special moments that are usually taken for granted, the theme being, it's the the big events, but the little moments that matter.
Fabia: I just had a daughter. I do none of those things.
(For a second, Marc and Wilhelmina look gleeful.)
Fabia: But I can understand it. What makes you think it's going to appeal to my customers?
(Daniel is lost for words, so Betty steps in.)
Betty: Um, if I may, I do have the statistics here. Um, though one might assume that your demographic is very young, in fact, there's been tremendous brand loyalty since you've launched, which means that the people who were teenagers when they began using your cosmetics well, are now, like you, beginning to settle down and have children. Um, fifty-eight percent, to be exact.
Fabia: And you could do this in time?
Daniel: Of course. Uh, did you want to approve the models and images beforehand?
Fabia: No! Just make sure it's not too sappy. Do a picture where they're pulling their hair or biting each other. But it's nice. Now I go.
(And Fabia waltzes out. Bradford comes up to Daniel.)
Bradford: Good work.
Daniel: Well the idea was actually-
Betty: His best one, don't you think?
Wilhelmina: Indeed. Welcome back, boss. Marc!
(They all file out of the room. Daniel and Betty exchange pleased smiles.)
(CUT TO the dark room, with Wilhelmina and the wrapped up woman.)
Woman: I'm very unhappy.
Wilhelmina: It's a setback but it's just a matter of time. Once he's out of the picture, the company will be ours for the taking.
Woman: Considering the way that everything's played out, it seems to me that you should keep an eye on that damn ugly assistant. What's her name?
Wilhelmina: Betty.
(CUT TO Gina, looking at her dead tv.)
Gina: Betty!
(CUT TO Amanda, still the receptionist.)
Amanda: Betty!
(CUT TO Walter, moping over his loss.)
Walter: Betty!
(CUT TO Daniel, gesturing to Betty.)
Daniel: Betty! Betty!
Betty: Oh Christina, thank you again, so much.
Christina: Shh! No, no, no, no, go. Go!
Daniel: You should've let me tell him it was your idea.
Betty: Don't worry, I will the next time.
Daniel: Thanks.
Betty: You're welcome. So, I've confirmed your lunch for tomorrow and your 3:15 with the Graphics department is set, the feature with-
Daniel: Betty. Tomorrow morning. It's ok.
(A hand inside the car gestures to Daniel to hurry up.)
Daniel: Ahem. Good night.
(He goes to get in the car, and pauses to watch Betty walk off. She stacks it near the lights, but gets us quickly and continues, smiling. Daniel smiles, amused, before he gets into the car.)
END EPISODE
Source : twiztv
