Listen, I know we’re all used to seeing games in this segment. But this week, we’re doing something a little different. We’re going to be looking at one of my favourite shows from my teen years, Ugly Betty.
Ugly Betty is the story of Betty Suarez, a young, opimistic girl living in New York city who dreams of becoming a magazine editor. Despite being somewhat aesthetically challenged, Betty lands a job at a top fashion magazine called ‘Mode’. Little does she know that she was hired by the owner of the company so that his son, Daniel Meade, the editor of ‘Mode’, wouldn’t sleep with his assistant again. Whilst trying to succeed in this beauty dominated industry, Betty struggles with her home life, her new job and, of all things, a murder plot involving the Meade family and the former editor of ‘Mode’.
Fashion Is Murder
As I’ve said, this was on of my favourite shows in my teen years. It was the kind of show that you always walked away from satisfied. It was very campy and positive, but had just the right amount of drama and intrigue to keep you coming back. No matter how much crap Betty had to deal with in her life, you were always rooting for her. She was bullied because of her looks, dealing with her family issues and being drowned by the Meade family drama and yet she never gives up. Whether it was reckless optimism, naivety or perhaps a mixture of both, she won you over.
Not to mention she was a very relatable character for a young girl. At the beginning of the series, Betty is very much the epitome of a young college grad. She’s fresh off her degree, full of hope and ready to change the world. However, as the series progresses we see her become more mature. She has her heart broken, moves into a terrible apartment, and learn’s the reality of what it takes to survive in a cut throat industry. But all along the way, she remains true to herself. Yes, she get’s older and wiser and learns to take her lumps. But at her core, she’s still that optimistic girl with a smile full of braces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3WU893iWzY
Not Playing Favourites
That said, Betty wasn’t the only great character on the show. There was Daniel Meade, the millionaire playboy who had to grow up and take charge. There was Wilhelmina Slater, the undeniable villain for much of the series who did whatever she could to get on top.
Then there was Betty’s family, living in a suburb in Queens and desperate to make ends meet. Betty’s sister Hilda was a single mother, struggling to open a beauty salon. All the while raising Justin, her son, who struggled with his sexuality. Her father, Ignacio, suffered from health problems and served as guidance for his children in times of need.
However, my undeniable favourite characters of the show were Marc St. James and Amanda Tanen. These two were the comic relief characters more or less. Marc was assistant to Wilhelmina, and despite enjoying her nefarious schemes, had enough heart to know when she went too far. He loved making fun of Betty at every opportunity, but we do see some development in the show when he comes to respect her.
Likewise, Amanda is the secretary of ‘Mode’ and views herself as the face of the company. She has lofty aspirations of how fabulous she is, and is always the life of the party. Along with Marc, Amanda goes a long way to make fun of Betty, hoping to take her job as assistant. However, like Marc, she also goes through a transformation, showing a much softer side behind her beautiful bitchy exterior.
Not only do these two characters go through one of the most striking transformations through the series, they’re both hilarious! No matter how nice we are, we all love to poke fun at people from time to time. And don’t get me wrong, I love Betty. But that won’t stop me laughing at all the shade they’re throwing her way! Whether they’re dressing up as Betty for Halloween or kidnapping stuffed animals from her desk, these two are undeniably funny. Truly the shining point of the show for me.
Fashion Never Dies
Despite being dated back in the 00’s, I do still recommend you watch this show. Yes, the phones aren’t touch screens and the celebrity references might be a bit dated,but on the whole the show still holds up. It’s still just as funny, dramatic and endearing as when I first watched it. And I say with no shame that this is one of the few shows where I cried at the finale. If you’ve never watched it, and you’re looking for something along the lines of Jane the Virgin or Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, I definitely recommend Ugly Betty.
