I think it may be my favorite new series of this season, and the first time I read about it I had great doubts about me watching it or liking it... How wrong I was!!!



Let's say that I knew about this series just the moment I read its title, but it's a good thing that I decided to check it out and not let my assumptions rule over me (although they've had a bit since it took me months to start watching it!)

Some years ago we got the original series here, a South American 'soap opera' titled 'Betty, la fea' (literary 'Ugly Betty') that was about Betty, an ugly girl working in a fashion company (not magazine, but a company that produced clothes) as the boss' secretary. I don't remember the reason that got her there, but the boss was married (or close to be) and there was another rival company trying to boycott Betty's. I didn't watch it all because I got tired of it (too many episodes and slow plot) but I started watching and also watched some close to the end (if I'm not wrong, Betty changed her looks and her style and gets married with the boss). However, the most hilarious moment I recall that brought me big laughs was when Armando, Betty's boss, dressed as a drag queen because he lost a bet... He was beautiful! but the funny thing was all that happened to him at a party he had to attend to.

Anyway, now there is also a series called 'Yo soy Bea' ('I'm Bea') that I'm not following but is a variation of the first one.

I find a lot of things from 'Devil Wears Prada' in 'Uggly Betty' as well, stuff that makes the series more interesting, because a show about fashion, in my case, gets my attention ;)


To my surprise, 'Ugly Betty' (America Ferrera's version) is the best of all, and for now I love it to bits. It may be the difference between budgets in the production of those series, the difference in plots and plot twists... but probably is mainly the difference in cast.

I really like America Ferrera since I saw 'The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants'. I think she's a very talented young actress but I have to honestly admit that when I saw pics of her as Betty, I didn't recognize her at first!

I haven't seen a lot of Vanessa Williams movies (just Eraser and Dance with me) but in my head she had the potential to make a great baddie, and imho, she is absolutely fantastic as Wilhelmina Slater). The opposite it happens to me with Tony Plana, who plays Ignacio Suarez, who I had seen in a lot of movies, playing a bad guy and I didn't know he was going to be such a lovely father with a lot of touching moments...

Alan Dale, who plays Bradford Meade, enjoys playing rich guys in top positions, for what I've seen: The O.C., Navy NCIS, The West Wing, 24... and this one isn't different, but I like him more here.

Ashley Jensen, who I love in Ricky Gervais' 'Extras', makes an adorable Christina with Scottish accent!

A great surprise was to find Christopher Gorham as geeky but cute Henry... I've seen him in so many tv shows (Popular, Jake 2.0, Medical Investigation, Without a Trace, CSI, Boomtown...) that I've grown fond of him ;)


The changes made to the plot I supposed I knew have been pretty inteligent and interesting. Betty working for Mode and dealing with Daniel who knows nothing about being Chief Editor of a fashion magazine is a good starting point. The fact, that so far she is loyal to her style that is also part of how she sees life, is something I really like (although some of her outfits are a bit 'too original'). It's interesting that in a place full of supposed beauty as a fashion magazine, at the end, Betty is the most beautiful of them all.

I like the fact that those critizising her and saying awful things about her at her back of straight to her face, make their comments in a way that although it hurts, don't affect Betty and to the viewer, they are also laughable for some other reason, so it's fine. I mean, Betty isn't a top model, dresses awfully and all you want to add, but Amanda can't stop eating all kind of food, Daniel is a total disaster as Chief Editor at first, Wilhelmina is powerful and rich but is getting old and does a lot of stuff to remain young... All of them have flaws but ironically they seem to focus in the ones Betty has at their eyes... because she is different.

I admit that she can be too good hearted but I think that for now, they've measured pretty well where she has her limits.

I should mention this later but I have to say that probably one of my less favorite characters is Walter. I don't know why and maybe I'm alone here but he's a bit annoying sometimes (so different from Andrea's boyfriend in 'Devil wears Prada'). It's okay that he is afraid of losing Betty because of her job, but the series starts when he cheated on her with Gina, and although he makes efforts to get her back, I don't see him as the boyfriend Betty should have. My choice is Henry, because I love the moments Betty and Henry have shared so far... and obviously (although at this point is pretty impossible although previsible) Daniel.

Although I've started watching pretty late, I'm glad I've done it now, because I've seen 13 episodes in a row and last week episode ends like 'finishing' a story (Sofia's) and starting a new one (Alexis').

There are a lot of moments I want to talk about... How Betty goes to her job interview and how is treated by the Meade's Human Resources guy, when she dresses as a model so Daniel sees what is her limit trying to make her job and be valuable to him; the moment Betty gets her Gucci bag and holds it while she is in bed, watching a pic of her mom; Ignacio Suarez and his Halloween preparations, Justin's visit to Mode, Betty arriving at the hotel she has to write the review about; Betty in her Halloween costume; Betty and Henry moments, especially Betty's dream during Christmas; a lot of Betty/Daniel moments; Wilhelmina and Ted LeBeau (Brett Cullen, love!); Mark and Amanda celebrating Christmas at the office; Amanda when she discovers Daniel's rings for Sofia; Daniel and Sofia's first meeting...

But so far, my favorite moment is in last week episode, when Betty goes to Daniel's loft to leave there clothes from the dry cleaner and flowers and finds Daniel there hidding in the closets because he didn't go to Rio... that moment and the 'high fives' are the best thing ever! So, so incredibly cute!

I've been reading spoilers and I just hope they don't ruin the series, that is fresh, cute, funny but also sentimental and romantic! I'm glad to read that there will be more Henry coming... and so far, that it's a good idea to me.