With all this talk about Ugly Betty being one of the best new shows of the season,my curiosity was peaked enough to check out ABC.com's online program viewer to catch the first two episodes. I am so glad I did because this show kicks all kinds of butt,starting with it's leading lady America Ferrara. I did see Real Women Have Curves on DVD so her talent wasn't a complete surprise to me but what she brings to the character of Betty Suarez is truly unique.
UB is based on a telenovela which,like any good soap opera,has it's strong set of stock characters:the louse of a boyfriend,the boss who starts off as a jerk but really is a good guy underneath it all,the scheming co-workers. Betty's persona is of the sincerely good natured person who tries to be open and honest in the real world and yet triumphs over evil with her naively sweet self intact. Alot of actresses would've turned this into an overdone SNL skit but America makes Betty as believable as one of your friends or family.
Yes,there's plenty of Devil Wears Prada riffs(including an open reference to the movie in the second episode)but that's to be expected and frankly,it's a plus for the show. DWP did better than anticpated at the box office this summer and with the ever growing interest in the world of fashion,why not capitalize on it?
I love so many things about Ugly Betty that's hard to pick just a few to focus on but here are my basic Top Five at this point:
1)her nephew Justin:if that kid isn't hanging out with his Aunt Betty at Mode by the end of the first season,it will be a shame. The shocked expression he made when the Mode book was lost,totally priceless!
2)Wilhemina and her fashionable flunky Marc: Every soap needs a great villian,complete with sidekick and these two are the best pairing since Tabitha and Timmy on Passions.
3)Betty's bunny:That little graduation gift was so ugly that it was cute and I felt sorry for the poor little thing being tortured in those photos! How high school mean was that? Glad to see it saved and hope that it doesn't get kidnapped again. Also wouldn't be surprised to see a demand for Betty's bunny in stores by legions of UB fans by Christmas time.
4)Keeper of the Closet,Christina:It's good that Betty has some allies at the office,especially with that skank Amanda lurking about. Christina sounds like someone who'd fit right in with the AbFab crowd.
5)Betty's "B" necklace: I know it's tacky but it looks great on her. Hard to picture Betty without that beaded bauble adorning her throat-maybe they make one with a "T"?
Well,I'm going to be watching UB online from now on(gotta have my Smallville and Betty,too!). The ABC program viewer is great,with only limited commericial interruptions-a few 30 second spots dropped in-and it holds up to several episodes at a time if you want a mini-marathon. Click the title link above to see for your self. Meanwhile,let's hope that the big ratings help keep UB on the air for a good long while but I wouldn't mind if it was moved to another night so that I could catch a first run episode. The price you pay for fandom,folks!
And how HOT is her boss???
ReplyDeleteYeah,pretty hot-no Christian Troy there but quite the looker:)
ReplyDeleteI love her nephew. How adorable and sassy is he? Her sister is a trip too. Very Jenny from the Block.
ReplyDeleteYeah,Betty's sister kills me to no end with her ready-to-throw-down-at- the-drop-of-a-hat attitude. I hope we see more of her family and that some of them make appearances at Mode.
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