It's official: 'Ugly Betty' moves to Queens

NEW YORK--Silvercup Studios announced today it will be home to ABC's "Ugly Betty" this summer, after ABC Television Studios decided to move the production to the East Coast to take advantage of new tax credits.

Silvercup executives said the move will bring more than 200 jobs to New York, much to the dismay of the below-the-line workers in Los Angeles, who complain that state officials aren't doing enough to stop runaway production.

The studio, located in a former bakery in Queens, will be bustling this season. Fox's "Fringe" will also be produced at Silvercup, which currently hosts "30 Rock" and "Gossip Girl." Can't wait to hear what happens when America Ferrera, Tina Fey, Joshua Jackson and Blake Lively run into each other in the cafeteria.

-- Matea Gold

'Ugly Betty': Where do you stand?

Right now, I’m firmly in Camp Gio.

It’s like in “Lost,” Gio is Locke, the guy with the real answers. He’s the guy who keeps things interesting, who gets things done. But Henry, like Jack, is just so darn noble and likable that you completely understand the folks who stayed on the beach with him. (It's not that much of a stretch!)

Seriously, though, I’m not pro-Gio because I’m not a fan of Henry -- who, for the record, is infinitely more likeable than Jack -- but Henry’s evil baby mama is about to tear him away from Betty forever. And as far as second choices go, who isn’t totally charmed by our newly buzzed sandwich boy? C’mon, the pint-sized tough guy swoons over carriage rides.

'Ugly Betty': Happy endings (for now)

That wasn't what we were expecting!

ABC teased last night's season-ending episode of "Ugly Betty" with carefully edited commercials hyping a showdown of sorts between Henry and Gio. It looked like things were going to get ugly, that Betty would have to choose, that there would be a winner and a loser.

And well, there was a showdown. But not over Betty. Instead, Henry and Gio went head-to-head in a competition over who could charm the most phone numbers out of bar-going women ... by being the biggest jerk. Not exactly what was teased, but more on that in a bit ...

Still, the episode was not intended to be "Ugly Betty's" last. (Just ask exec producer Silvio Horta, who says that, because of the strike, several story lines are now in limbo, as well as a planned musical episode.) And instead of a serial-making cliffhanger, last night's ending left characters in various states of bliss (however temporary they will ultimately be).

Way to go, Danny boy

For a while there, we were worried.

Daniel has been letting Betty (and by Betty, we mean us) down lately. Firing her one moment, begging her back the next. Losing the paint-ball battle for control of Meade Publications to Alexis in a moment of emotional weakness.

No new lady loves, no falling off the wagon, no nothing. That is, until last night.

We're finally back to work at Mode, and Betty -- who got her motivational kick in the pants long ago from our favorite sandwich man Gio -- manages to persuade Daniel to feature "real women" models in the magazine's next issue. ("Real" in that they aren't rail-thin.)

Of course, Daniel goofs at first. He lets Alexis shoot down the idea, resurrects it, but then rigs the scales at a press conference to fool Betty and the media into thinking their regular models were 20 lbs heavier than they were.

Then, finally, the epiphany! He decides to defy Alexis on his own and mount an alternative fashion show. Meanwhile, Betty got to sashay down the runway (even if the "Ugly Betty" costume designers put her in a hideous dress-shrug combo).

Ah, redemption at last.

Final shout-out to Bow Wow, who hit on Betty without flinching. Who knew? The kid could act.

-- Denise Martin

(Photo courtesy ABC)

'Ugly Betty': Scoreboard: Henry 2, Gio 0

Don't get us wrong. It's not that we don't love Gio in all his 5'6" sandwich-peddling glory. We loved how he played along, posing as Betty's new boyfriend during a night out at "Wicked" while she tried to fool Daniel into thinking she was over Henry. And while we despise all things Reggaeton -- that "Gasolina" song makes us want to light ourselves on fire -- his dance moves in last night's episode were considerable. And Hilda was right: He and Betty did look good during their impromptu two-step.

But in the end, he was no match for Henry and those . . . moves.

It's difficult to find the right words to describe his Mr. Roboto-meets-Riverdance-meets-Reggaeton jig. Difficult because our eyes were full of tears, we were laughing too hard. (Christopher Gorham, we knew you'd find a series that played to your strengths. "Popular" wasn't funny enough. "Jake 2.0" was, well, on UPN. And we liked "Out of Practice," but we think the CBS demo wasn't able to appreciate your talents.)

Just when Gio starts to win us over, Henry reminds us why Betty is so resolute to overlook the fact that he's leaving in 17 weeks to play father to a son he's having with his ex-girlfriend. Still, this battle is just heating up . . . .

'Ugly Betty': Hurts so good

What are we supposed to do with Henry, the accountant who won over Betty's heart (and ours) with his nerdy charm and jousting ineptitude on display at the Middle Ages?

Didja have to go and impregnate Charlie? Do you have to keep reeling us in with moments like "Wicked. Wicked awesome!" last week or last night, when you forced Betty to ditch you (once again) and attend her father's citizenship ceremony? 

What's for sure is that Betty is headed for some big-time heartache, and it's all made for some of the best "Ugly Betty" episodes to date.

"Betty" haters complain that the show is too "cartoon" and that it skews heavily female. But what other show can be the best comedy and drama on broadcast TV at once?

'Ugly Betty': Henry vs. Gio ... Let's get it on!

"Ugly Betty," why do you have to play us this way? After a year investing in her geeky love match Henry, and now that he and Betty are this close to getting together, you waltz in pint-size motivational butt-kicker Gio to steal away our attention?

Well played.

Sure, Walter was sweet in a sort of delicate way, but he never stood a chance against Henry. But Gio ... Gio we loved instantly. Played by the wondrous Freddy Rodriguez of "Six Feet Under" and "Grindhouse" fame, Gio is not only from Betty's 'hood, he's Henry's polar opposite: brash, no-nonsense and cute in a different, spunky way. Gio and Betty may not share the same knowledge of the Earth's circumference or love of the website SoCuteItsSick.com like she and Henry do. But during last night's episode, Gio gave Betty something better: a much-needed wake-up call.

'Ugly Betty': Marc and Justin a la Mode

After last week's heartbreaking premiere -- Santos is dead . . . Noooo! -- thank goodness for the new twosome Marc and Justin, who joined forces to manage the morose mood.

After his father's untimely death, Justin is recruited by Betty to intern at Mode. And who better a sensei than Marc, in all his couture-gorging glory?

Marc, of course, gives Justin menial tasks, sending him to update Wilhelmina's contacts on her cellphone and on a scavenger hunt to acquire everything on Shakira's extensive Mode photo shoot contract rider, otherwise known as a list of her demands. Apparently the curvy, often-gyrating Latina gets her curves from rice cakes! (Yeah, right.)

'Ugly Betty': Pass the tissues

I guess I should have known that I'd need a box of them for an episode called "East Side Story."

Happiness is always short-lived on primetime soaps, but Thursday's finale of "Ugly Betty" kept the wallops coming one after another.

Henry has been trapped in the clutches of his evil ex after Betty confessed her love. Alexis and Daniel get into a car wreck after finally mending their relationship. And, most tragically, Santos was killed before he and Hilda could say "I do."

The show's final moments, ending with Betty telling Hilda the news to the sound of Hilda's Justin singing "Somewhere" from "West Side Story," was especially poignant.

Unlike deaths on other series that are meant to shock -- Sorry, Milo, "24" can chug along without you -- when tragedy hits the characters on "Betty," it hurts. Underneath colorful, larger-than-life trappings, each struggles to be better than they are, making their despair all the more heartbreaking.

'Ugly Betty': Ye old buckin' bronco

Henry, thou art a fool. A fool, I say!

Who wouldst settle for the simpering Charlie when Betty, the fairest and funniest maid in all of broadcast TV land, pines for thee openly?

Thy intentions were indeed noble at The Middle Ages putting thyself on the line when thou didst learn of Betty’s dangerous plan to mount the wild metal steed that she might win the currency to buy passage abroad for her troubled father.

“I have thighs of steel,” she didst explain to Christina. “If that’s what it takes to help my father, I will ride that giant robot horse all the way to Mexico!”

Thou quickly made haste to take her place, though thwarted by a call from Charlie. And when Betty was flung from the beast, again thou tried to do the right thing, suffering grave injury after defending her honor to a heckling knave “American Gladiator”-style. But no sooner didst thou confess to Betty of thine affection with an “I love you,” then thou didst leave with Charlie!

Pray, tell me how a lad darest leave with one lady after professing love to another. Methinkst, Henry, thou art a bonehead.

(Photo courtesy ABC)