An Ugly (Betty) Finale! (Long post = a ship-related rant. Joy.)
Here's a story of a drama/comedy show that dared to be different. A show that eschewed the pretty, white female archetype and gave us a character who was smart, kind, driven, and... ugly. This show is Ugly Betty and it was one of the most brilliant comedies to hit ABC in a long time
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I was telling a few people last night that I didn't like the classist vibe the writing (and yes, many of the shippers) of Betty/Daniel has given off. I remember when Henry showed up in the first season, a lot of D/B shippers liked him as someone who would knock Walter off and be a "stepping stone" as Betty upgraded her way to Daniel. A "starter" boyfriend, if you will. Then after they turned on Henry, they awarded identical praise to Gio, only to turn on him as well when they thought Betty would choose him.
The only thing is, Daniel being the pinnacle of Betty's love life wasn't based on his personality or character. It was because after Betty got her makeover, she'd be "too good" for an "ugly" nerd with an "unsexy" career, and IMO, the writing has reflected those views. Look at how Betty's love life has evolved:
Walter - a "loser" who worked at the UB equivalent of Best Buy. The only thing he had to offer a woman is a discount on a plasma tv.
Henry - a nerdy accountant who wears glasses and sweater vests and lived in a one-room apartment in New York. He liked doing "geeky" things like going to museums and watching foreign films while eating ice cream sundaes rather than being a social butterfly or dropping it like it's hot in the club.
Gio - a "too cool for school" bad boy who slickly managed to charm everyone (except Henry, who was vilified for it, despite the fact that Gio doesn't even respect him enough to call him by name), has his own business, but is still working class.
Jesse - I'm fuzzy on this because I never watched any of his episodes, but as he was a "hot" singer trying to get famous, I'm guessing he was supposed to be seen as more glamorous than a deli owner or an accountant, had he made it.
Matt - cute and rich, but flighty; couldn't decide on a career.
Finally:
Daniel - Filthy rich, powerful, good-looking, popular, always dressed to kill in only the best clothes, and can get any woman he wants. The ultimate prince for any Cinderella story.
Even the way Henry was presented and treated versus other characters was completely different, based on him "getting another girl pregnant". It was okay for Daniel to forget about a girl he slept with -- to her face or to go on a sex binge with women whose names he didn't even know, because his character was going to improve in the future. It was okay for Gio to blatantly disrespect Henry and the fact that Henry was Betty's boyfriend because he was "better" than Henry and "deserved" Betty more. Even Walter was essentially forgiven for the Gina Gambarro incident and he's since been retconned by Henry haters as a decent guy who was victimized by Henry. With Henry it was "one strike and kick him out of the game". He was the Worst Boyfriend Ever because he didn't enjoy having ice cream eaten off his stomach and he didn't like being put on display at a salsa club. By the end of the second season, Henry had been painted as a rotten boyfriend and a rotten father. He has never gotten a free pass or a reprieve for anything. He didn't even get a happy ending that every single other character on the show has gotten. I guess Horta and the writers didn't want to make the Betty/Daniel shippers even angrier.
I guess is that my point is that it seems to be hating on the nerd versus the bad boy and the Ultimate Rich Prince. You don't have to be in high school to have that high school mentality.
But this jealousy reaches the point of sabotaging Henry's job offer?
Nobody mentioned this. Daniel sabotaged Henry's job?
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Also, this was the best response I could've ever hoped to get (when I saw I had a comment, for a second I dreaded it was a pissed off "Detty" shipper. It's like there are no other UB shippers on here except for them!) you've touched on so many points I didn't even think of mentioning (half because I wanted to keep the post current, and half because it would be the longest post ever. Thanks for taking the time to read it, BTW, hun.)
I feel like the unabashed amount of hatred Henry gets over all other Betty suitors is because he was considered the best choice for Betty at the time. I recall reading somewhere that Silvio Horta had worked with Chris Gorham on another show so they've got that history going. Plus when he put him together with America, the chemistry was apparent. Everyone who watched UB in the first (and best!) season adored Henry. But his "downfall" was crappy writing and the fact that this show was a soap opera who can never have the protagonist in a loving, stable relationship.
Oh contrived inconveniences for the sake of drama. They are the bane of my television shipping existence. That and really serious, crazy fangirls.
I'm sure that when Henry was perceived as an actual threat to the possibility of Daniel & Betty, the fangirls attacked with everything they got. Every mistake was exaggerated and demonized. Any sweet moments and feelings of reciprocated love were denounced as boring and stupid.
You are SO RIGHT about the Bad Boy being preferred over the Nice Guy, it's not even funny. That's a real sore spot for me. Just about every couple I've ever shipped has screwed over the guy who was crushing on the girl. It makes me sad, mostly because apparently a large majority of girls agree with this view. Most girls want rich, hot bad boys whom they can totally win over with their love power...
So yeah. Thanks for the incisive comment and reminding me why the writers of Ugly Betty (and many dramedies and sitcoms) deserve my scorn. Scorn towards the raving fangirls is already a given for me. I've been around the shipping block and ship wars suck. (FWIW, It's just the fanatical, catty ones who I don't like. The ones who needlessly attack Horta and trash poor, sweet Henry all in the name of their ship. I mean, geez, you don't see me listing every single fault of Daniel's, and believe me, that list is pages longer than Henry's.)
BTW: Daniel sabotaged Henry's job offer at an accounting place by calling up Henry's potential employer and giving a bad (and false!) recommendation about Henry. Betty got upset, Daniel pretended like he only did it because he didn't want to see her get hurt, and when she yelled at him to stay out of her personal life and fix the Henry job thing, he did because, well, besides being a childish move on his part, I think it might be illegal. Slander or something.
So Daniel did something bordering on illegal (not the first time either!) and Henry is the bad guy? No. Just no.
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Certainly! And I'll add you too. I probably won't discuss UB very much though.
Also, this was the best response I could've ever hoped to get (when I saw I had a comment, for a second I dreaded it was a pissed off "Detty" shipper. It's like there are no other UB shippers on here except for them!)
There's plenty of Betty/Gio shippers around too. I made the mistake of posting on the ABC boards where they were gloating that Henry's(H/B's) only fan was Horta. That's something both ships love to say -- that nobody likes Henry. Actually nobody who likes Henry likes getting their head ripped off, chewed, and spit for expressing a positive opinion toward him.
I feel like the unabashed amount of hatred Henry gets over all other Betty suitors is because he was considered the best choice for Betty at the time.
The raw, uncontrollable hatred Henry gets is stunningly disproportional to his actual flaws. Even with the whole Charlie/baby thing he was one of the most innocuous characters on the show. And when you take into account how most of the other characters have gotten away with murder (some literally), I can't understand why Henry, of all people, is so hateable that UB viewers start spitting venom at the mere mention of his name. They can no longer claim that he's a Gary Stu who gets a pass for anything.
I'm sure that when Henry was perceived as an actual threat to the possibility of Daniel & Betty, the fangirls attacked with everything they got. Every mistake was exaggerated and demonized. Any sweet moments and feelings of reciprocated love were denounced as boring and stupid.
The writing did some of this too. By the time Henry left for Tucson, nearly every character on the show was against him or telling Betty to get rid of him, post haste.
You are SO RIGHT about the Bad Boy being preferred over the Nice Guy, it's not even funny. [snip] Most girls want rich, hot bad boys whom they can totally win over with their love power...
Yeah, watching a German film makes someone a loser while trashing a junior high school trophy case or hooking up with random girls in a club is smokin' hot.
I mean, geez, you don't see me listing every single fault of Daniel's, and believe me, that list is pages longer than Henry's.
*snerk*
Daniel sabotaged Henry's job offer at an accounting place by calling up Henry's potential employer and giving a bad (and false!) recommendation about Henry. Betty got upset, Daniel pretended like he only did it because he didn't want to see her get hurt, and when she yelled at him to stay out of her personal life and fix the Henry job thing, he did because, well, besides being a childish move on his part, I think it might be illegal.
If it isn't illegal, it should be. I can't believe how many people think him doing that is the most darling, romantic thing ever. It doesn't say much for the Betty/Daniel relationship if Daniel felt he had to cheat to get Henry out of the picture. Suppose we found out that Henry had somehow engineered Walter's job transferring him out of state because he wanted to protect from Walter cheating on her with Gina Gambarro? I can assure you that none of the Henry Haters would be soiling their pants over how "romantic" it was and how it "proves he really loves Betty". I think the words used would be "creepy", "possessive", "manipulative", etc. and they wouldn't think Betty was "overreacting" when she freaked out about it.
So Daniel did something bordering on illegal (not the first time either!) and Henry is the bad guy?
More classism - someone who has lived his entire life in the lap of luxury thinking nothing of screwing with the career of someone who needs to support not only himself but a child, all over something that is NONE OF HIS BUSINESS.
It's funny that Henry is supposed to be the worst guy ever for Betty because he has a kid, but Daniel's been around so many blocks, who can guarantee that another Daniel Jr. won't pop up -- and really be his?
You pointed out that Daniel slept with Amanda 3 episodes ago and I've seen enough to know that Daniel, uh, regresses, a lot. Who says Betty and Daniel's marriage will be any better than Bradford and Claire's?
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