Background
Bradford Meade is a famous publishing mogul whose company, Meade Publications, publishes the popular fashion magazine MODE. He is the ex-husband of recovering alcoholic Claire Meade and the father of Daniel Meade, the womanizing editor-in-chief of MODE, and Alexis Meade, his transgender daughter.
Bradford is also responsible for making major changes at the magazine after the mysterious death of chief editor Fey Sommers, including handing over the day-to-day operations to the inexperienced Daniel. He is also responsible for getting Betty Suarez hired as Daniel's personal assistant because he didn't want his son to be tempted to sleep with his assistants anymore. Betty and Daniel form a very strong friendship.
Bradford's decision to put Daniel in charge and to make Betty his assistant are reasons alone for Creative Director Wilhelmina Slater—who wanted the editor-in-chief job—to plot against them in an effort to manipulate Bradford into reconsidering her for the top job.
It is eventually revealed that Bradford tampered with Fay's steering wheel. After noticing Fey's casket is closed at her funeral, he hires a private detective, Steve, to find out any information implicating him and whether she faked her death. Prior to her death, Bradford and Fey had an affair and later he broke into her apartment and retrieved a photo of them together. After the funeral, he burns the photo to hide it from Daniel and Bradford's wife Claire.
Bradford learns Fey is still alive and Steve is actually working for her (it is later discovered in "Sofia's Choice" Steve was really working for Wilhelmina). In turn, he hires a henchman, Mr. Green, to "clean up messes" starting with Mr. Green burying Steve in Fey's empty tomb—though Steve survives. Bradford plans to step up his scheme to bring Fey out into the open by any means, dead or alive, even though he is unaware his "late" son, Alex, is actually behind this scheme and is planning to frame him for Fey's murder, which happened during Fashion Week, when he was arrested. Alexis then stuns him by revealing her sex-change to the world as Bradford is about to hand over the reins to Daniel. He is actually innocent; it is revealed in the episode "Brothers", that Claire in fact killed her. When Claire visits him at Rikers Island and tells him she will turn herself in, Bradford begs her not to, but in the end she does and he is released immediately.
It is later revealed Bradford's company only publishes MODE; Claire is the actual owner of the magazine and has the ability to pull the strings. She is able to do this as Bradford had put the magazine under her name to evade taxes.
In the episode "Punch Out" it was revealed Bradford is turned on by women's feet (a fetish Fey Sommers exploited to keep their relationship alive). Wilhelmina uses this information to her advantage and seduces Bradford (successfully), so she could "own" and control Meade Publications. She also succeeded in convincing Bradford to divorce Claire after Wilhelmina made Marc beat her up, and told Bradford the injuries were caused by someone Claire hired.
In the season finale, he gave Wilhelmina an engagement ring he made himself, setting things up for a November wedding. Unbeknownst to Bradford, Claire had just escaped while en route to prison, hoping to stop him from marrying Wilhelmina. In the finale it was also revealed the brakes on Bradford's car had been cut by the hitman Alexis hired to kill her father; ironically, Alexis makes this discovery while driving the car in order to take Daniel to the hospital.
As the second season starts, Bradford is unaware (at first) that Wilhelmina is making sure that once they are married, she fully takes over Meade Publications. Claire tries to reach him so she can warn him and save their marriage, only to be thwarted by Wilhelmina. Meanwhile, speculation looms over whether he had an illegitimate child with Fey...who happens to be Amanda Tanen, the magazine receptionist and Daniel's ex-girlfriend; the results would come back negative. Wilhelmina trying to bond with Alexis, even as Daniel is suspicious of her true intentions. The latter would cause major friction when Bradford begins to favor Alexis over Daniel.
On the day of his wedding, Bradford collapses of a heart attack while at the altar with Wilhelmina; this after Daniel told him about Wilhelmina sleeping with her bodyguard. At the hospital Bradford would later come to his senses by admitting he really did love Daniel, learning about Wilhelmina's infidelity, and finally reconciling with Claire before she is arrested. He later dies in the I.C.U. moments after telling Betty to watch over Daniel.
Bradford's passing also opens up a new scheme for Wilhelmina. When she went to the morgue to see the body, she bribed the person who was about to do the preservation into acquiring Bradford's sperm so she can use them for impregnation.
In "Giving Up The Ghost", Bradford returns as a manifestation of Betty's guilt for not being there for Daniel, guiding Betty in her actions throughout the episode to save MODE. At the end of the episode when the lack of magazine cover issue is resolved, Bradford leaves Betty realizing she will now be there for Daniel. Having taken back her job at the magazine, Bradford comfortably disappears into the white light, and presumably his soul is now at peace.
He also appears in a video message for Alexis and Daniel in "Bananas for Betty", recorded weeks before his death.
Beatriz U. Suarez is the protagonist of the American comedy-drama series Ugly Betty. She is portrayed by America Ferrera, who won a 2007 Golden Globe Award and 2007 Screen Actors Guild Award for her portrayal of the character, as well as the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the role at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards and was nominated again in the same category at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards. AOL named her one of the 100 Most Memorable Female TV Characters.
Wilhelmina Vivian Slater is a fictional character in the American dramedy series Ugly Betty. She is played by Vanessa Williams, who received a supporting actress award at the 2007 and 2008 NAACP Image Awards, a Best TV Villain award at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards and a supporting actress nomination at the 59th, 60th, and 61st Primetime Emmy Awards for her portrayal of the character. Her name is similar to Wilhelmina Cooper, a successful model who eventually established her own modeling company in the 1960s. In June 2010, Entertainment Weekly named her one of the 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years. In July 2012, she was on the #25 list of TV's Greatest Villains of All Time.
Daniel Meade is a fictional character in the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, portrayed by Eric Mabius.
"Fey's Sleigh Ride" is an episode from the dramedy series Ugly Betty. It is the fourth episode in the United States, Canada and Australia but is the fifth overall. The episode first aired on October 19, 2006, even though it was scheduled to air October 26, 2006. This would be the first Ugly Betty episode writing and production duties for Shelia Lawrence and Tricia Brock, respectively.
Christina McKinney is a fictional character on the American dramedy Ugly Betty, which aired on ABC between 2006 and 2010. Christina was portrayed by Ashley Jensen. Introduced as a seamstress for the fashion magazine MODE, she is a close friend to the series protagonist Betty Suarez. She became increasingly involved in creative director Wilhelmina Slater's schemes over the course of the show. Jensen left Ugly Betty at the end of its third season to pursue other projects, though she returned the season four episode "London Calling". Response to the character was primarily positive.
Amanda Tanen is a fictional character in the American dramedy series Ugly Betty and spin-off web-series Mode After Hours. She is played by Becki Newton. Like Henry Grubstick, Amanda shares a last name with a real-life member of Ugly Betty's production staff — writer Brian Tanen.
Marcus St. James is a fictional character in the American comedy-drama series Ugly Betty and spin-off web-series Mode After Hours. He is played by Michael Urie.
Claire Meade is a fictional character in the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, portrayed by Judith Light.
"Brothers" is the 15th episode of the dramedy series Ugly Betty, which aired on February 8, 2007.
Alexis Meade is a fictional character from the ABC dramedy series Ugly Betty, initially portrayed by Elizabeth Penn Payne for the first twelve episodes of her appearance. Alexis was portrayed by Rebecca Romijn for the remainder of the series.
"Punch Out" is the 19th episode from the dramedy series Ugly Betty, which aired on April 19, 2007. The episode was written by Oliver Goldstick and produced by Miguel Arteta.
"East Side Story" is the 23rd episode, and first season finale, of the dramedy series Ugly Betty, which aired on May 17, 2007. After ABC had previously announced 22 episodes for the season, this 23rd episode was added for the debut season, due to the series' success.
The first season of the American dramedy television series Ugly Betty began airing on September 28, 2006 and concluded on May 17, 2007.
"How Betty Got Her Grieve Back" is the season two premiere of dramedy series Ugly Betty. It aired on September 27, 2007. It is the 24th episode in the series, which was written by Silvio Horta & Marco Pennette and directed by James Hayman. The episode's title is a play on the book and film How Stella Got Her Groove Back.
"Family/Affair" is the second episode in season two of the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, which aired on October 4, 2007. It is the 25th episode in the series, which was written by Bill Wrubel and directed by Victor Nelli, Jr.
"Grin and Bear It" is the fourth episode in the second season of the comedy-drama TV series, Ugly Betty. The episode was written by Veronica Becker and Sarah Kucserka and directed by Tucker Gates. It is the 27th episode overall, which aired on October 18, 2007.
"Giving Up the Ghost" is the ninth episode in the second season, and the 32nd episode overall, of the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, which aired on November 22, 2007. The episode was written by Charles Pratt, Jr. and directed by Gary Winick. The episode is the last appearance of Alan Dale on the series.
The third season of the American comedy-drama television series Ugly Betty was confirmed in the ABC lineup, which was picked up for a full season on February 11, 2008. The season premiere aired on September 25, 2008 and ended with a special double episode on May 21, 2009.
"Filing for the Enemy" is the second episode in the third season, the 43rd episode overall, of the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, which aired on October 2, 2008. The episode was written by Joel Fields and directed by Michael Spiller.
