TV show review: Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty looks like more an ABC Family movie of the week than a weekly show. A feel good movie for 15-year-old girls who are at the age where they feel like everyone in the world is prettier than them. (It would be funny if now I just blurted out how much I loved it.)
The show revolves around Betty Suarez, a Latin girl from Queens who dreams of working for a high-profile magazine. Unfortunately, according to the show, no one will hire her because she’s ugly. This confuses me since I didn’t know that unattractive people had that much trouble finding work. Betty isn’t even that ugly. In typical Hollywood style, all they would have to do is take off her ridiculous glasses, dress her in something halfway appealing and lose the braces. Which I’m sure they will do in some episode down the road when she’s about to go out on a big date with some guy she’s had a crush on for a while but just now noticed her.
But I digress.
Betty applies for a job at a magazine and was turned away without even an interview because of her appearance. But on her way out she is noticed by the head of the publishing company. He has just appointed his son Daniel to run his fashion magazine and wants him to stop screwing his assistants and get to work. So he hires Betty to be his son’s assistant.
Of course, Betty is a fish-out-of-water in the world of fashion and Daniel has no interest in an assistant who isn’t hot, so it’s Betty against the world. And, just as predictably, she works hard and wins Daniel over while succeeding in her new position.
The central message of the show was “if you work hard, things will work out for you – even if you’re ugly and poor.” And this message was brought to you by Executive Producer Selma Hayek, who has never been ugly nor poor.
If you’re a 15-year-old girl or need some uplifting because you’re too ugly to find work, you might enjoy Ugly Betty. Otherwise, skip it. I can’t see it making it long in it’s 8 p.m. Thursday time-slot anyway.
I give Ugly Betty a 2.
Ugly Betty: Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.