“Are you the ‘before’ ?” - Amanda Tanen (Sommers) to Becky Suarez, at the beginning of Ugly Betty’s pilot, 2006.
And so began one of the wittiest TV series that sadly, ends its four year run tonight.
Ugly Betty was a television masterpiece that revolutionized how Latinos and gays are depicted on television. The show, a great spoof of
telenovelas, was not politically correct and downright edgy. Some Latinos have complained that the show perpetuates stereotypes: ridiculous considering that its star and producer are both Hispanic. True, the father was an illegal alien, and his plight meant that he had to deal with (and almost get married to) the lascivious case worker, Constance. But there was nothing stereotypical about a family that was comfortable with a gay teenage son, a mother (Hilda) who was warm, open, and supportive of the flamboyant Justin, and a father who worked hard to provide for the working-class family in Queens.
Sadly, the writing on the show never kept pace with the outstanding talent on
Ugly Betty. Many of the show’s stars had worked in cutting-edge films and theater, and the results showed. Unfortunately, after a stellar first year, the writer’s strike hit during season two, and the show was never quite the same. A brilliant episode would follow one that was clumsy and poorly written. But this was not the fault of the cast: we’ll miss Betty’s glaring fashion errors and her drive to succeed in the cutthroat world of publishing; the banter between Marc and Amanda, who probably made the best pair on television; and who could not resist Vanessa Williams as the deliciously deceitful Wilhelmina Slater—a smirk and raised eyebrow from Slater was enough to save an episode. Leave it up to the show’s casting director to have Judith Light of
Who’s the Boss fame to play an alcoholic, murdering socialite; Freddy Rodriguez to go from
Six Feet Under mortician to UB’s sandwich man; and Eric Mabius from the
L Word stud to blundering Daniel.
Anyone who has struggled fitting in at work or school could strongly identify the show. Intelligent but dowdy Betty was the butt of so many cruel jokes and taunting from her mean lean co-workers. And then there was Justin, whose journey found this character coming into his own, going from humiliation at school to having one of the most groundbreaking kisses ever seen on television.
But what I will miss most about
Ugly Betty are the scenes on involving New York’s transportation system. Whether it’s Betty hallucinating on the bus or subway, Wilhelmina and Marc getting lost because of their vain reliance on limousines, or Ignacio paternally insisting that Betty can eat a pancake on the train, the show reminded us how overwhelming and yet welcoming New York’s subway is for residents and visitors. Some of the best scenes were on New York’s trains: Justin serenading passengers on a stranded train with songs from
Hairspray; and then Betty ditching Henry’s girlfriend in that subteranean hell, a scenario to which any first time visitor to New York could relate.
Ugly Betty was a beautiful canvas that displayed the realities and joys of urban living. For that and so many other reasons, it will be missed. I know where I’ll be tonight at 10:00 p.m.: it will be like saying good-bye to good friend.
