Ugly Betty 1.15 'Brothers'

A lot of episodes post ‘I’m Coming Out’ see the show facing a directional crisis. Without one of the show’s biggest enigmas to drive it forward, there wasn’t much sense of where the show could go. Brothers escapes that fate by tying itself onto the big reveal of the previous week, which saw one of the show’s biggest characters make her debut. And in this case, the fall-out is almost as chaotic as the big reveal itself and due to a big end-of-episode twist, the story promises some even more juicy material down the road. This story isn't over yet.

Ugly Betty 1.14 'I'm Coming Out'

Considering the identity of this woman wasn’t news to the viewers, Alexis’s “coming out” was one of the show’s most mind-smacking moments. Everyone had a part to play, even characters whose roles were minuscule in comparison with the rest of the cast, and the show builds it up with some great drama and hysteria along the way.

Ugly Betty 1.13 'In or Out'

It’s almost fact that Ugly Betty works best when it focuses on the outrageous more so than the mundane. Though it can tackle the latter with conviction when it puts its mind to it, the former is definitely the show’s strong suit. ‘In or Out’ and the following ‘Coming Out’ see the show blossoming into a fully fledged crazy-mill, and I loved every second of it.

Ugly Betty 1.12 'Sofia's Choice'

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Sofia story line, but ‘Sofia’s Choice’ is a fitting and strong end to the arc. Though it felt more like this episode was about her effect on Daniel, the places she brought Betty were equally as important, and though her execution of Betty’s move was a little odd, one can reason that she might have been better off following Sofia’s advice.

Ugly Betty 1.11 'Fake Plastic Snow'

Amanda is one of the few TV characters that you have to root for, no matter how depraved and nuts she may get. ‘Fake Plastic Snow’ goes a long way in cementing her as a fan favorite, if that hasn’t been accomplished already. She’s clearly a favorite of some script writers, some use her more than others, but she’s always greatly appreciated, even if her role is severely diminished later on in the series.

Ugly Betty 1.10 'Lose the Boss'

Just as 'After Hours' is all about exploring all of the changes Betty has been experiencing since taking on her new position at Mode, 'Lose the Boss' shows much Betty has changed Daniel from the self obsessed, girl hound he was early on. Overly cringey stuff was ever present during this episode, but the charm and originality of it all, like always, kept it from going too far.

Ugly Betty 1.09 'Four Thanksgivings and a Funeral'

I’m a firm believer in a good situation gone wrong idea. It’s a tried and tested formula that a lot of shows have been successful with, and of course, others haven’t been. Ugly Betty has a lot of these kinds of stories. In fact, almost every episode revolves around Betty’s optimism for a successful outcome crashing down around her. ‘Four Thanksgivings and a Funeral’ is one that crosses the funny hijinks line and straight into annoying town, but there were a number of themes at this episode’s heart that I loved.

Ugly Betty 1.08 'After Hours'

After she started at MODE, Betty began to change in a lot of different ways. We see these changes most prominently when she’s spending time with the whiny pest that is Walter. Despite his constant presence being more than a nuisance, it was such a clever tool for contrasting the different girl Betty has become already, with the shy, fumbling mess from the pilot.

Ugly Betty 1.07 'Trust, Lust and Must'

I’ve never been a huge fan of Daniel. I see him as more of a means to an end, and while I appreciate his role in the Betty/Daniel friendship, which I love, he never really brings anything truly unique to the show. The Sofia storyline suffered mostly from being a little too long for its own good, but it took Daniel past his initial girl playing self, which had become necessary at this point.

Ugly Betty 1.06 'The Lyin', the Watch and the Wardrobe'

Throughout ‘Ugly Betty’s four seasons, it’s initially superficial characters are all systematically broken down to reveal their hidden feelings and sensitivities. Here, Amanda’s attachment to Daniel, and inner desire for a longer lasting relationship, is touchingly explored, along with some trademark comedy.

Ugly Betty 1.05 'Fey's Sleigh Ride'

Marc and Amanda have always been my favourite characters on the show, if only for the amazing comedy that they bring to the table. This episode was the first one that got them paired up in a way that sparked the duo in such a phenomenal way as to allow them to remain a series staple for ‘Betty’s entire run.

Ugly Betty 1.04 'Swag'

Betty makes tremendous sacrifices in the name of love, especially when it comes to her family. Look at what she’s put through on a daily basis, from the torture to the sadistic comments, she puts up with it in order to follow her dream, but in this episode she gives up what could be her ticket to the inner world of fashion to save her father. It speaks volumes for the wonderful and caring girl that we’re just getting to know.

Ugly Betty 1.03 'Queens for a Day'

An episode like this was a necessity, especially at the beginning of the show’s run. ‘Ugly Betty’ is all about image, and this episode really embodies that all-important theme of staying true to who you are, no matter how much people put you down for it.

Ugly Betty 1.02 'The Box and the Bunny'

Following on from a successful pilot is a challenge, and it’s one that ‘Ugly Betty’ took on with such grace. While the premiere was all about setting up the series and its colourful characters, this episode got straight down to business, establishing the formula that would become familiar territory for the majority of the first half of the season.

Ugly Betty 1.01 'Pilot'

‘Ugly Betty’s arrival couldn't have come at a better time. The cluttered land of television in 2006 was filled with beautiful, stick thin (and yeah, likable) heroines, who always got the hunk and thrived upon using their looks to get places. Betty Suarez was not that character. Taking a spin on a pretty simple straight forward idea, ‘Ugly Betty’ wiped the floor when it came to heart-felt drama, laughter inducing comedy and fish-out-of-water antics. During its first season it racked up critical acclaim, Golden Globe wins, and was basically one of the greatest shows to premiere in ages. That is, until it began to fall prey to the sophomore slump, and like so many of series have, took a dive in quality, essentially dropping what made it so great in the first place. Obviously, there’s a lot to love about the later seasons of ‘Betty, but unfortunately, they lacked so much of the heart that the early episodes had in spades, starting with the pilot.