Ugly News?
I've been a big booster of Ugly Betty in the past; I think America Ferrera is charming, and love everything to do with the gang at Mode - the ridiculousness of the characters, the sharp banter between Marc and Willy - and, in the past, didn't even mind the occasional heart-warming life lesson thrown in now and again.
With the news the ABC is benching Betty from March-June in favour of Samantha Who, I have to admit, I've been losing my enthusiasm for Betty all season. And I'm not alone, ratings are down dramatically from the campy heights of season one. This season, the plots are dull (Daniel's a dad, oh wait, no he's not), under-developed (Amanda and Betty are roommates - oh wait, now they're not) or tiresome, like all that moralizing (choosing career over family - even at age 21 - makes you a horrible person). For a long time now - since Santos' death, lets day, all of the subplots with Betty's family cause me to reach for the fast-forward button. I had some hope for Justin when he seemed to have found a potential boyfriend earlier this year but, surprise, surprise, that came to nothing too. Betty's love-life is barren - no Henry, no Gio, not even a Walter. All the fun and froth, it seems, has been dropped for melodrama about Betty's dad's health. Ugh. Is it wrong that I hoped he'd die?
Earlier this year, much hay was made about America Ferrera's notably low-opinion of friend (and Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants co-star) Blake Lively's Gossip Girl. At the time, she said the show made girls out to be mean, that it was dis-empowering for girls. Seems to me the girls have all the power on that show - and occasionally learn lessons about wielding that power that don't come delivered by sledgehammer. It's irreverent, soapy, silly and - oh yeah - fun. That, to me, is Betty's missing ingredient.
With the news the ABC is benching Betty from March-June in favour of Samantha Who, I have to admit, I've been losing my enthusiasm for Betty all season. And I'm not alone, ratings are down dramatically from the campy heights of season one. This season, the plots are dull (Daniel's a dad, oh wait, no he's not), under-developed (Amanda and Betty are roommates - oh wait, now they're not) or tiresome, like all that moralizing (choosing career over family - even at age 21 - makes you a horrible person). For a long time now - since Santos' death, lets day, all of the subplots with Betty's family cause me to reach for the fast-forward button. I had some hope for Justin when he seemed to have found a potential boyfriend earlier this year but, surprise, surprise, that came to nothing too. Betty's love-life is barren - no Henry, no Gio, not even a Walter. All the fun and froth, it seems, has been dropped for melodrama about Betty's dad's health. Ugh. Is it wrong that I hoped he'd die?
Earlier this year, much hay was made about America Ferrera's notably low-opinion of friend (and Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants co-star) Blake Lively's Gossip Girl. At the time, she said the show made girls out to be mean, that it was dis-empowering for girls. Seems to me the girls have all the power on that show - and occasionally learn lessons about wielding that power that don't come delivered by sledgehammer. It's irreverent, soapy, silly and - oh yeah - fun. That, to me, is Betty's missing ingredient.
posted by Jen @ 12:01 p.m.
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