Ugly Betty

When the Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea (“I am Betty, the Ugly”) aired in 1999, it sent shockwaves across the globe, prompting worldwide release and even successful remakes in Mexico, Germany, Russia and India. Now it is quite literally America’s turn.

Betty Suarez, played by America Ferrera, is a budding writer but despite being smart and hard-working, her dream has always been shadowed by the fact that she isn’t the most attractive young woman. Ironically, when she finally gets a job at the glossy New York fashion magazine Mode, she is hired for her looks. Publishing magnate Bradford Meade (Alan Dale) has specifically employed the unattractive Betty to stop his Mode editor son, Daniel (Eric Mabius), from his playboy ways.

Betty is an endearing and loveable character, and even though her naivety is sometimes taken advantage of, we still see her as a shining example of what a good person should be, irrespective of their appearance. Though she eventually finds out why she really got the job, it doesn’t dishearten her and she strives to be the best she can be, which makes her all the most likeable. The Suarez family offers a glimpse in to the hardened but happy life of a working family and they are just as entertaining and charming as Betty herself.

As will all the other versions of the show, there is no doubt that eventually our Betty will undergo a make-over, transforming her from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. However let’s hope that instead of falling for her boss Daniel or settling for ex-boyfriend Walter, Betty manages to make a better choice – hopefully in the form of accountant Henry (Christopher Gorham) who appears later in the series.

Vanessa Williams stands out as Wilhelmina Slater, the highly entertaining Cruella-De-Vil-esque villain who seeks to drive a wedge between Daniel and Bradford and to sabotage Daniel’s newfound job so she can move up the career ladder. As the embodiment of all that is cynical and manipulative about the business of appearances, striving for beauty and greed, she makes the perfect opposite to Betty.

But it is not all fun and games. Behind all the cosy comedy lies a sinister back story, focusing on the mysterious death of the much-revered old editor of Mode, Fey Sommers, and a behind the scenes scheme involving a hostile takeover of the Meade Publications. Though it is a tad melodramatic, it adds more depth to the plot in a bid to keep viewers watching week after week, and the style echoes the niggling mystery that kept audiences hooked on Desperate Housewives in its first season.

Don’t hold the fact that it stars Jim Robinson from Neighbours against it, as Ugly Betty is a warm-hearted, touching and entertaining comedy. Even if you have no interest in the fashion industry or soap operas, it still manages to draw you in with gushes of charm, wit and family appeal that will have you beaming from ear to ear. And with Extras’ star Ashley Jensen and Salma Hayek on the cast, Ugly Betty is definitely the one to watch.

Natasha Kundaiker