By Christanna Ciabattoni
Thursday, Sept 28 marked the premier of ABC’s newest fall sitcom, Ugly Betty, and it has quickly come to dominate its 8-9 p.m. time slot. The new show is known for its Latin flavor, written by Silvio Horta and staring Latin-American actress America Ferrera.
Betty Suarez, a resident of Queens, New York, is introduced physically as a fashion nightmare. Her old-school bangs, red-grandma style glasses, bulky braces, and lack of style deem her a fashion victim. Ironically, Betty is determined to get a job at a magazine publishing company, where looks and style are shamefully essential.
However, Betty ends up as a shoo-in for the job. Bradford Meade, (Alan Dale) the mogul of Mode Magazine, needs an assistant for his son, Daniel (Eric Mabius) who was just appointed editor of the magazine. Daniel is fairly good looking, so his father surely wants the most ugly, yet capable, woman to take the job as to not distract him from his work. At first, Daniel hates Betty and the viewer cannot help but feel sorry for her as she tries her hardest to fit in at the job.
Soon enough, her charm and positive attitude wears him down, and he begins to appreciate her hard work and devotion. In addition to work problems, the show depicts her struggling Latino family trying to make it in America.
Betty is an all-around loveable character and it is impossible for the viewer not to fall in love with her homeliness and na’ve personality. All she wants to do is fit in, and although it is hard, her persistence never fails to keep her going. It is clear that the show is providing the old-fashioned moral that internal beauty is far more important that outside appearance.
Aside from teaching a moral, the show is also steeped in the style of a telenovela, based on the Columbian series Yo Soy Betty La Fea. With its sitcom-like structure, each episode leads into the next. Simultaneously, it also mocks the superficial world of fashion, touching on topics such has brain-dead supermodels and plastic surgery.
Ferrera is not the only character that makes this show so lively. Ignacio Suarez (Tony Plana), Betty’s father, supports his daughter and her new job even though he is struggling from a severe heart condition. Hilda Suarez, her sister, is a single mother and door-to-door salesman not afraid to tell Betty she is being taken advantage of at her new job.
Oppositely, Vanessa Williams plays Wilhelmia, the conceited, ex-model primadonna who is infuriated because she wasn’t chosen as Mode’s new editor-in-chief. However, nothing is stopping her from reaching the top, especially not Betty. Betty does have one friend, Christina (Ashley Jensen.) They both have big dreams, for Christina aspires to be the next best fashion designer.
Ugly Betty’s diverse cast makes it fun to watch, providing an hour of laughs and heart-filling moments. Each character brings their own personality to the show, making it well rounded; there is sure to be a favorite character for everyone.