A Tree Grows in Guadalajara

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"A Tree Grows in Guadalajara"
Ugly Betty episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 22
Directed byLev L. Spiro
Written byTracy Poust & Jon Kinnally
Original air dateMay 10, 2007 (2007-05-10)
Running time43 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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East Side Story
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"A Tree Grows in Guadalajara" is the 22nd episode of the

dramedy Ugly Betty. It was written by Tracy Poust and Jon Kinnally and directed by Lev L. Spiro. The episode was originally broadcast by the American Broadcasting Company
(ABC) in the United States on May 10, 2007.

Ugly Betty centers on Betty Suarez's job at the fashion magazine MODE, where she works despite not fitting their expectations of female beauty and style. In this episode, Betty accompanies her family on a trip to Mexico and learns more about her mother. Back at MODE's New York office, Alexis Meade has a tense reunion with ex-girlfriend Jordan Dunn. Amanda Tanen and Marc St. James disagree over her relationship, and Bradford Meade attempts to recapture his youth.

"A Tree Grows in Guadalajara" features guest appearances by

time slot
. The scenes in Mexico have attracted attention from scholars who discussed the episode's representation of Mexico, the Suarez family's cultural background, and Betty's relationship with her mother. "A Tree Grows in Guadalajara" received a mixed response from critics, some of whom praised certain lines of its dialogue.

Plot

Ignacio Suarez returns to Mexico, accompanied by his two daughters, Betty and Hilda, and his grandson Justin, to obtain a United States visa. Betty researches her mother Rosa and their family tree. She learns that her maternal grandmother, Yolanda Salazar, is alive and that she disapproved of her parents' relationship. Betty takes Hilda to look for a blue house that a curandera ("healer") predicts holds answers about their mother. Following visions of her crush, Henry Grubstick, Betty finds Yolanda, who is being treated for Alzheimer's disease. Yolanda mistakes Betty for her daughter, and apologizes for mistreating Ignacio. Betty is gifted her mother's wedding dress, which she gives to Hilda for her upcoming wedding. Ignacio tells them that his visa request was denied and he must remain in Mexico. A waiter recognizes Ignacio for murdering Rosa's first husband, Ramiro Vasquez, and sets up a revenge plot.

At the fashion magazine MODE, creative director

sex addiction. He accompanies Jordan on a bungee jumping
photo shoot to make Alexis jealous. Alexis and Jordan reconcile and kiss. While trying to get more pills, Daniel is beaten by two men.

Meanwhile, MODE receptionist

Fey Sommers had built during her affair with Meade publications CEO Bradford Meade
.

Bradford hesitates about finalizing his divorce from his wife Claire Meade. Wilhelmina encourages Bradford to get a makeover to relive his younger days and enlists the help of MODE's seamstress, Christina McKinney. Wilhelmina tries to build Bradford's ego by ordering Marc to flirt with him, but Bradford realizes he cannot recapture his youth; Wilhelmina says she prefers his refinement compared to his younger and cockier self. Touched by her words, Bradford signs the divorce papers.[1]

Production

The 43-minute episode was written by

May sweeps.[5] Prior to the episode airing, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Slezak speculated that Gayheart could play Amanda Tanen's older sister since he believe she resembled Becki Newton.[6]

East Side Story", instead.[8][9]

Themes

The episode's portrayal of Mexico received academic attention.

Chicana/o studies professors Eliza Rodriguez y Gibson and Tanya González argued that Ugly Betty unironically invokes and parodies popular images of Mexico to address sociopolitical issues around immigration. They wrote that the series uses camp by characterizing Mexico through stereotypes.[13]

Scholars discussed the episode's representation of nationality. Although the Suarez family has a Mexican background, none of the actors portraying these characters are Mexican or Mexican American. Instead, the show casts Hispanic actors of varying nationalities to establish a broader connection with its Latino/a viewers.[14] Academics noted that during the scenes in Mexico, the Americanness of Betty and her immediate family are emphasized to contrast with their surroundings.[14][15] Throughout the episode, Betty struggles with Spanish, which represents similar experiences felt by second-generation immigrants.[16][17] According to Latino studies scholar Isabel Molina-Guzmán, "A Tree Grows in Guadalajara" is one of the few instances where Ugly Betty uses Betty and Hilda's ethnicity for humor; scenes focus on their "adept acculturation to U.S. society and foreignness in Mexico", comparable to a fish out of water story.[18]

Betty's relationship to her mother was the subject of scholarly analysis. Yo soy Betty, la fea includes a mother character, but for the Ugly Betty adaptation, Betty's mother is shown as dead prior to the series premiere.

mother country.[20] Karyln had a different interpretation of the episode, writing that by finding her grandmother and learning more about her mother, Betty grows into her "own adult identity" and decides to pursue Henry.[12]

Broadcast history and release

"A Tree Grows in Guadalajara" received a

Vudu.[2][25]

Critical reception

"A Tree Grows in Guadalajara" received a mixed critical response. Alex Strachan, writing for the Ottawa Sun, praised the episode as "funny ... but also sweet and gently charming, without being sentimental or cloying".

Vulture's Amina Akhtar criticized the fashion, specifically the clothing worn by Hilda and Marc.[28]

Lines from the episode's dialogue were highlighted in reviews. Akhtar praised one of Marc and Wilhelmina's conversations, citing "You're as dead on the outside as you are on the inside" as an example.[28] Strachan described Wilhelmina's response to Tavares' heterosexuality, "Well this is my very first public 'in-ning.' And while it's interesting, I don't see how it's relevant", as an example of the show's wit and subversion of stereotypes.[29] In a retrospective review of Ugly Betty's most notable quotes, Zap2it's Andrea Reiher included Marc's line, "Of course, Tavares. Clearly you replaced me with that African queen, I'm yestergay's news".[30]

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b "A Tree Grows in Guadalajara".
  2. ^ a b iTunes.
  3. ^ a b c Morales 2007.
  4. ^ The Futon Critic 2007a.
  5. ^ Ottawa Sun 2007, p. 124.
  6. ^ Slezak 2007.
  7. ^ Villalón 2007.
  8. ^ Donahue 2008, p. 19.
  9. ^ Donahue 2008, p. 167.
  10. ^ a b Bevan 2019, p. 173.
  11. ^ Bevan 2019, p. 174.
  12. ^ a b Karlyn 2011, p. 213.
  13. ^ González & Rodriguez y Gibson 2015, pp. 55–56.
  14. ^ a b Sowards & Pineda 2011, p. 131.
  15. ^ González & Rodriguez y Gibson 2015, pp. 55.
  16. ^ Sowards & Pineda 2011, p. 132.
  17. ^ Denzel de Tirado 2013.
  18. ^ Molina-Guzmán 2010, p. 126.
  19. ^ Paredez 2010, p. 140.
  20. ^ Graf 2015, p. 338.
  21. ^ The Futon Critic 2007b.
  22. ^ The Futon Critic 2007c.
  23. ^ The Futon Critic 2007d.
  24. ^ WorldCat.
  25. ^ TV Guide.
  26. ^ Strachan 2007a, p. 48.
  27. ^ Stransky 2007.
  28. ^ a b Akhtar 2007.
  29. ^ Strachan 2007b, p. 54.
  30. ^ Reiher.

Citations

External links
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