Episode Report Card Potes: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Giving Up The Ghost
By Potes | Season 2 | Episode 9 | Aired on 11.21.2007
Cut to Mode, where Henry greets Alexis and Daniel by telling them that the tech guy said all the hard drives were dead and they might as well bury them. He apologizes for the metaphor, then tells them that the layout, editorial, graphics, and everything are all gone. The issue ships in twelve hours, and Daniel says that they'll never make their deadline. Alexis counters that they have to. Mode is already in trouble, and if they can't get the issue out, Henry says, it will be the final nail in its coffin. This is why Henry does math for a living instead of grief counseling. Daniel tells Henry to start making calls and getting everyone in, and Henry says that they're already there. Yep, Betty called everyone she could think of, since she thought Daniel could use some help. She's back for tonight, she says, and Daniel gets a big smile. Dear Santa: for Christmas I want a plucky, monobrowed sidekick to always save the day!
Back at Casa de Suarez, Hilda is having some troubles putting the lights on the tree. She climbs down from her ladder, tired of Ignacio's criticism, and knocks the whole thing over, which of course sets the tree on fire. That's so Hilda!
At Mode, everyone is scrambling. Betty's gotten drafts of stories from some of the freelancers, but the cover is still a no-go. Daniel tells her to stay on it. With impeccable timing and hair, Wili enters the room. She notes the somber faces, and asks if somebody died. Alexis removes her earrings in preparation for kicking Wili's ass, but Daniel holds her back. Wili tells the rest of the staff that she's seeking greener pastures, and so can they. Marc unveils the mockup for Slater, a luxury fashion magazine for trendsetters and jetsetters. Wili tells the staff that there are still positions available, and asks who wants to leave this crumbling dynasty. When there are initially no takers, Wili tells them that everyone who comes to Slater will get a 15% raise and benefits including dental and cosmetic surgery. Amanda tries to push Betty to the Slater side of the room on this last point, but Betty, of course, won't go. No matter, though, because Wili has plenty of defectors. Daniel tells her that Bradford built Mode, and that he and Alexis are going to continue his legacy. Wili tells the Meade progeny that Bradford thought Daniel was an incompetent buffoon, and that Alexis was a circus freak, and on this last point Alexis has to hold Betty back from giving Wili a beating. To add insult to injury, Marc tells Daniel that his fly is down just so that he can say, "Made you look." He beckons Amanda to come with the defectors, but Amanda says that Mode wasn't just Bradford's magazine; it was also her mother's. Best friends, torn apart by this magazine rivalry! Betty, Alexis, and Daniel take the "See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil" positions as we head to commercials.
When we return, Betty calls home to check in. Hilda has to admit that the tree caught fire. None of the family members got hurt, but unfortunately Popsicle Santa was one among a raft of ornament casualties. Hilda says that they saved the angel, which is the most important thing, since it was their mom's favorite. Betty is distracted by Subconscious Manifestation Of Her Guilt Bradford, who pops up inside her "SoCuteItsSick.com" screensaver. He points out that Daniel is in the middle of a crisis, and asks whether this isn't the place when Betty usually gives one of her annoying pep talks. He tells her to go, and her cute little kitten screensaver won't get hurt. Ah, Bradford. Crusty even as a figment of someone else's imagination!