By Waiching Liu
It's hard to believe it is over- 4 years ago, the world including America were introduced to a world full of craziness, drama and soap opera-ish moments, as the so-called fictional Mode magazine came onto our screens and opened its fashion doors to us, garnering a new set of fans. It was new at the time, fresh, invigorating and a somewhat uncanny take on the fashion magazine industry.
Betty & Company
It was spear-headed by one female character: her name was and is Betty Suarez- a plucky-if not so attractive Latina from Queens, New York, who just got hired by Bradford Meade, owner of Meade Publications, which owns Mode magazine. She became Daniel Meade's assistant. America Ferrera-then a fresh faced newbie and after her feature debut in The Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants movie a year earlier-, was plucked from thousands of applicants to play the brace-face wearing, unattractive Betty.
The rest of the cast were made up of other relative unknowns in the TV world: Eric Mabius, Becki Newton, fresh out of NY's Julliard's school of performing arts a then 24- year-old Michael Urie, Scottish actress Ashley Jensen, Ana Ortiz, Veteran Tony Plana, Alan Dale- who fans of Australian soap, Neighbours would recognise- played Mode head honcho, Bradford Meade and father of Daniel, new kid on the block Mark Indelicato and 2 already established actresses, Vanessa Williams and 'Who's The Boss?' Judith Light- whose character Claire Meade became a regular from Season 2 onwards. For the exception of the latter two actresses, fans were introduced to the efforts of Michael Urie, Becki Newton etc as Marc, Amanda.
The interesting thing about the Marc St James character is that he was supposed to last no more than 1 episode- the pilot. Likewise, there was a storyline where Wilhelmina would fire her assistant every week. But the producers etc were so impressed by Michael Urie that they made his guest starring role into a permanent one. That indeed was a great move.
The Show
The idea to make Ugly Betty an American show actually began as far as back as 2001 when it was initially planned as a 30-min sitcom by network, NBC. However, the concept around the Betty character didn't take off until Selma Hayek and ABC had stepped in during 2004 and re-modelled it as a 1 hour show.
BETTY (New!) - Reveille's Ben Silverman is once again looking outside the U.S. for television series, pacting with Colombia's RCN Television for the rights to adapt "Betty La Fea," the phenomenally popular telenovela about an ugly duckling secretary who falls in love with her boss. NBC tried to import the series two years ago with the help of Sony and writer Alexa Junge, but the project never made it beyond the early stages. Silverman reportedly is looking for an unknown actress to play Betty.
In May 2006, ABC- affiliate to Buena Vista aka Disney announced that the show would be part of the 2006/07 season line-up. By that point, it was to only have 13 episodes. The show was then titled: 'Betty The Ugly' but that was then later changed to 'Ugly Betty'. Rumoured to be a daily show, the buzz and hype surrounding the dramedy meant it would be on week-nights at 8pm. On Oct 16 2006 after the screening of the initial 3 eps, Ugly Betty was then picked up for a full 23 episodes.
Season 1 was epic- it was in many ways outstanding, brilliant, hilariously funny and so well-written. it was truly its greatness that had audiences tuning in on Thursday nights at 8pm in U.S and around the world. Thus, it garnered a new set of fans-mostly those under 30.
A year before the series began, one of the producers Selma Hayek had pitched the Betty character to America Ferrera, and she immediately fell in love with Betty and embraced her in the way she did.
The first season was mainly about Betty's attempt to fit in and to assimilate herself into an environment she was in at Mode without having to lose her identity and dignity and self-respect. Betty's only allies at Mode were Christina McKinney, the Scottish seamstress and Daniel Meade, editor of Mode, whilst Wilhelmina Slater, Marc St James and Amanda Tanen Sommers were Betty's main foes. The latter trio of whom would go out of their way to make her life a misery by calling her names and mocking Betty's appearance.
The story-lines in season 1 were the most enthralling, interesting and at times poignant- it was a season of truly riveting and humorous writing. Who could forget episodes such as Marc pretending to be Betty's boyfriend in an attempt to impress his mother? Or of Nico, willie's daughter and willie's so-called turbulent relationship?
As I re-watch the episodes time and time, it brings back memories and offers a timely reminder to most fans as to why it was in many of the fans eyes still the best season of the show in its history. It was for me inch perfect. There was not one single episode that I loathed- as the season continued, the episodes improved and so did the quality of the writing.
Season 1's figures were in between the region of 9+ to 15 million each week on Thursday in the U.S, which was not only impressive for its first season, but it was also a terrific achievement.
The season finale drew almost 11 million viewers in the U.S with an ending that would break hearts and surprise fans all at the same time.
Ugly Betty back then became a huge show and its impact from the U.S during season 1 immediately made its transition all over the world- from the UK to Canada, Australia, Italy; thus, it became a global TV phenomenon in under a year. Ugly Betty- based on its first season alone- really pushed the boundaries but also it was a refreshing take on a show, which was in many ways mirrored on the movie, The Devil Wears Prada. Only unlike the latter, Ugly Betty seeked to highlight the trials and tribulations of not just the lead character, but of all the other characters- from the modies in Daniel, Wilhelmina, Marc, Amanda, Christina to Betty's immediate family, sister Hilda, Ignascio and Justin.
The Awards And Its Success Then
Awards wise- between 2006 & 2007, the first season clocked up numerous awards which included best new series in 06' (family tv awards), the ALMAs (American Latino Media Arts). Golden Globes and Emmys for America Ferrera's performances as Betty and Vanessa Williams's as Wilhelmina.
The show's success in the first season, not to mention how great it all was was reflective of all the accolades and awards it received. Ugly Betty was on a roll; the actors were having a great time and the fans realised that in Ugly Betty, they saw something that was special and had masses of potential in the long run. The potential for its greatness to be realised was inevitable.
The only way this show was going was up... or so that was what was supposed to happen...
(continued in part 2...)
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