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‘Ugly Betty’ is a beautiful new TV program
It would be easy to call “Ugly Betty” beautiful.Charming. Heartwarming. Lovely.
And, while it would also be pretty hokey to use those words, all of them would be appropriate.
“Ugly Betty” is ABC’s new hourlong comedy with a dramatic twist (I refuse to say “dramedy,” for now). It premieres at 8 tonight on KOMO-TV, Channel 4.
It’s an American adaptation of a Spanish-language telenovela, “Yo Soy Betty La Fea,” that started in Columbia and was a hit in many other Latin countries.
It’s easy to see why.
Betty Suarez, who is delightfully played by America Ferrara (“The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”), is a classic fish out of water when she lands a job as the assistant to the executive editor of a fashion magazine.
Betty isn’t, shall we say, classically beautiful and she’s a little round around the edges – keep in mind, this is Hollywood’s version of round around the edges. She has a mouth full of braces and wears glasses, obvious attempts at making her a caricature. But Betty shines through it all, and I’m not spoiling the ending by telling you now that she’s going to be the real hero every week.
Actress Salma Hayek is an executive producer and played a big part in bringing the show to American television.
“I don’t think Betty is really ugly,” Hayek said in July. “But what do we call ugly now? I mean, anybody that is not super skinny and really tall, some people think -some people, not everybody – think they’re ugly.
“I personally have a lot of really skinny, tall models that maybe I think they’re ugly, and they need to eat a little to look healthy.”
Betty lands in the middle of a hailstorm at Mode Magazine, when she becomes assistant to the new editor, Daniel Meade (played by Eric Mabius of last year’s ABC drama “Eyes”).
Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa Williams) was passed over for the editor job despite her many years of service to the magazine and her clear fashion sensibilities, and now she’s out to sabotage her way into the spot she thinks she deserves.
Meanwhile, Betty isn’t a big hit with her fashion-minded peers and they’re out to get her ousted.
Together, Meade and Betty have to fend off their detractors while making sure the magazine gets out every week.
Betty’s home life is just as fun and interesting as her work life. She juggles the home responsibilities with her sister and younger, sexual-orientationally confused brother and has to deal with her nerdy ex-boyfriend, Walter, who pops up now and then.
The show feels like a fairy tale, and it’s a welcome release amid the hourlong dramas of crime and plane crashes and massive destruction.
Ferrara said she feels uplifted when she’s in character.
Source : http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/09/28/100ae_d4balta001.cfm