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The Critics Swoon For ABC’s UGLY BETTY!!
SPOILER ALERT !!
I am – Hercules!!
Like “Desperate Housewives,” it’s a super-sitcommy ABC hourlong. Unlike “Desperate Housewives, it’s from “Jake 2.0” creator Silvio Horta.
It’s about a fashion magazine exec forced to hire an ugly assistant because he keeps sleeping with all his pretty ones.
America Ferrera, who plays the title role, is terrific – and far closer to “cute” than “ugly” – but the show surrounding her is an unfunny cartoon jam-packed with unpleasant and annoying characters.
But what matters Herc’s opinion?
Variety says:
… America Ferrara is just a wisp of a thing, which makes it all the more remarkable that this whimsical new drama fits so neatly on her shoulders. Unspectacular in every other way, this adaptation of a popular Spanish telenovela -- liberally adorned with swatches of "The Devil Wears Prada" -- rises above the norm almost entirely on Ferrara's winsome, winning portrayal of an duckling treading water amid fashion snobs. … Throughout, there's a sweet, storybook quality to Betty's underdog status that clashes, sometimes awkwardly, with an overly broad comedic tone. …
The Hollywood Reporter says:
… Overall, to its great benefit, "Ugly Betty" focuses mostly on its title character. Anything else is little more than an afterthought. … This isn't a telenovela simply translated into English, like the two dreadful series on MyNetworkTV. This is a warmhearted dramedy, which gushes charm and family appeal. If you don't find yourself cheering for sweet, hardworking, slightly naive but tenacious Betty and her family and friends, you deserve a high standing on some heart transplant list. …
Entertainment Weekly says:
… Arguably, best new show. But why are we arguing? …
USA Today gives it three and a half (out of four) stars and says:
In the long run, charm can be far more appealing than beauty. And it there's one thing Ugly Betty has in near-excess, it's charm — led by an enormously endearing, unobtrusively skillful, star-making turn from America Ferrera as Betty. … From work to home, Betty is a collection of stereotypes, but this is a show (and a genre) that works in very broad strokes. … like its characters, Betty would benefit from a steadier hand at the wheel. The second episode, while still enjoyable, is a bit slight and repetitive. And aside from Mabius, the performances on the Mode side of the story are no more than adequate. (And a few fall below that mark.) There is no new show more likable, but that affection may waver if Betty can't give Ferrera the scripts and support she deserves. Even intense charm can curdle if you lean on it exclusively.
The New York Times says:
… “Ugly Betty” is indeed cute. But she’s the new girl. Let’s not all pounce on her at once. It’s too much to ask of this mostly guileless, slightly ungainly series that it be another “Lost” or “Desperate Housewives” for ABC this year, so maybe we should watch aloofly, starting tonight. Let’s let Betty find her locker and her lunch table, and observe her without asking that she be more than she is. … Can this sitcom setup work in an hourlong format? Seems dubious, but “Ugly Betty” is onto the doubts about it and stands ready to turn them into plot. … “Ugly Betty” is a sweet, funny show. It’s worth watching. And we’ll see.
The Washington Post says:
The heroine of "Ugly Betty," as the title does considerably more than imply, is not by traditional or contemporary standards a raving beauty. But she's a beautiful person just the same, and you might be raving once you meet her via the ABC series premiering tonight and raising the bar on new-season comedies way, way up. … It's more of a dramedy, since Betty's persona lends herself to the occasional poignancy. But the creators of the series, which was adapted from a successful Colombian telenovela, have wisely been sparing with the pathos; there are no self-congratulatory fanfares to herald or warn of a Tender Moment Ahead. Betty sneaks up on you and steals your heart -- rather than turning on the pixilated cutes and screaming "Love me!" in your ear. … It's sweet, touching and deliriously cheerful -- the best new show of the year and a great big blast of happiness.
The Los Angeles Times says:
… one of the season's best new shows. … it's not like anything else on the U.S. network schedule. … Ferrera, who starred in "Real Women Have Curves" and, out of costume, takes a glamour shot as well as any young Hollywood actress, is certainly what makes this version go. It's a sparkling performance of a many-faceted character — a girlfriend, daughter, sister, aunt, helper and heroine, on a journey not to the prince's castle but someplace she can call her own.
The San Francisco Chronicle says:
… The second episode is a tad more gimmicky -- "Fashion TV" updates that take the humor to a less naturalistic level, and the ratcheting up of a weaker plotline about extra-sensitive (possibly deadly) family secrets (this is based on a telenovela, so that's hardly a surprise). Tone issues, then, are at hand. And those are always dicey until an audience knows what kind of show it's getting. Even with that mild caveat, "Ugly Betty" is worth checking out. It retains a charm that far outstrips expectations. And Ferrera's performances are small wonders to behold. …
8 p.m. Thursday. ABC.
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But I'd like to be.
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It's not from 'silvio horta creator of jake 2.0', it's from some mexican soap-opera writing dude (or where ever it was from, it might even be from my own country). I have nothing against mexicans, but WTF?? it's a soap opera! Anyway, from what I saw of the original show (about 15 seconds, the accumulated time it took me to change the channel every time it showed up on my tv; that shit was everywhere), isn't the main character supposed to be hot? She's just wearing big glasses and her hair is tied back so you can't tell, and then at the end she takes the glasses off and everyone goes "zOMFG, she was hot all along!! what a shocking twist!". that, or the original soap was very poorly cast.
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Univision spanish network. It has the same premise an semi ugly fat girl work at some business office the boss goes out with super hot girls.
"Creator" of Ugly Betty must have seen that show when switching channels heh. -
You're messing with my mind!
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Don't ask.
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and that Verliebt In Berlin is the German version of this show.
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It is one of the most successful Telenovelas of all time and has had several remakes across the globe, including a new Mexican verson called "La Fea Mas Bella" that is currently airing on Univision.
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The movie kicks ass. America Ferrara was great in it! It was the one at Sundance. Does it have a distribution deal!?
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Critics are going apeshit for a Colombian remake? The original Betty La Fea was huge when it came out. DO SOMETHING ORIGINAL. And talking about original, I have some ideas for TV programs, where can I get help to pitch them to a TV company.
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but since ABC/Disney decided that they were propogandists more interested in keeping Republicans in Congress than actually portraying the events of 9/11 in a truthful and respectful way, I will not be watching it.
I will never watch anything on this network again. -
I thought she'd be a pig with a crater face and maybe even some sort of deformity in the hands or arms. But she's kinda cute looking.
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Is about all the women having huge silicon enhanced breasts... Why didn't they remake that one?
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of course I am the guy who didn't see Spiderman, Jurassic Park, or Titanic when they first came out because I was too cool for school.
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She played a character the Z-Boys called "ThunderMonkey."
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Cleavage shots! Not from the ugly girl but the good looking ones that's what makes telenovelas so great woot!
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original actress:
http://sweb.cz/telenovela_Betty/ana2.jpg
Sure, she has a bit of a dog face, but it's far from 'kinda cute'.. she's hot.. I just assumed that the big goofy glasses were just 'misdirection'. -
It looks so fucking terrible. Who the fuck is going to watch this! Besides the lonely 35 yr old ladies sitting at home waiting for their knight in shining armor to come over and sweep them off their feet.....
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the Melrose Place/OC/Desperate Housewives crowd: older women.
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Fuck. I wanted to see this.
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With the dud that My Name is Earl was last week, I plan on watching this and recording MNiE (I just invented an abbreviation) and I've never really cared for the Office. And I actually enjoyed the first season of the OC, so I guess I'm in the target audience.
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Conan Doyle wrote it first. + + +
Studio 60 is the best new show (HBO-quality, just missing the cussin and nudity), but I guess I'll give this a chance. Just one though. -
stlfilmwire,
Steel City is still seeking domestic distribution but will be playing at the Chicago International Film Festival, the Austin Film Festival and the St. Louis Film Festival all within the next month. Hopefully if America's show becomes a big hit distributors will take another look at the film because she (and the film) are great.
For more info on her and the film you can check out the film's myspace.
www.myspace.com/steelcitythemovie -
I wanted to like it. I really did. I figured it'd be my guilty pleasure of the season, but it was terrible. I turned on MNiE with about 5mins left and I laughed more at that than I did at 25mins of Ugly Betty.
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One can only hope that it is not as insanely bad^^
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Lame cartoon bullshit. "The Office" blows this away. I really HATE this show.
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Are all these critics on crack??? This will be cancelled before mid-season.
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That the three major networks have to scrape the bottom of the well and redo Mexican Telenovelas. Probably the worst programming ever on TV!
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Also, quiche lorraine is delicious
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I went to the sold-out Museum of Radio and Television salute to The OC two years ago. There were NO older women in that big long line. Trust me.
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Sep 28, 2006 11:36:55 PM CDT
I'm sure this'll be another show championed by woman
by archduke_chocula
But like Grey's Anatomy and Gilmore Girls, I will hate forever.....really I have Grey's Anatomy in the house....not watchin' it. http://www.spottheweasel.com
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With so many critics praising the show, I had to give it a chance. Betty is charming and funny and likeable, but no one else on this show comes close to any of those descriptions. If this time slot wasn't so busy with other good shows, I might give it a few more episodes.
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Doesn't mean crap.
http://www.imdb.com/gallery/hh/1065229/HH/1065229/iid_950736.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Ferrera,%20America -
Thank God for Salma Hayek, who dictated that the heroine of this series be sweet, brave, resourceful and intelligent, something almost never seen in American TV portrayals of Latinas. Ferrera is great and singlehandedly elevates this series to something beyond a telenovela or "The Devil Wears Prada" clone. I hope it succeeds - we need a positive Latina character on network TV.
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Is the same guy from Ugly Betty? What's his name and is this a show? He's funny! http://www.youtube.com/pbntv
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Yeah it was very "girl power" but she was cute & funny, Gina Gerson was hilarious, it had Maggie from Extras- at least it wasn't some fake fucking bullshit like Sex & the City. Although I like girls in glasses so I'd watch it even if it was shite.
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Tuned into "Ugly Betty"...didn't laugh once. Didn't think she was as "ugly" as she should be (take a look at the Columbian/Spanish version's Betty and you will see what I mean). My mom, who also watched it, called it "cute". I gagged at that and decided: Not Funny + "Cute" = I will not be watching again.
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