"UGLY BETTY: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars) STARRING America Ferrera as BETTY SUAREZ Eric Mabius as DANIEL MEADE Alan Dale as BRADFORD MEADE Tony Plana as IGNACIO SUAREZ Ana Ortiz as HILDA SUAREZ Ashley Jensen as CHRISTINA MCKINNEY Becki Newton as AMANDA TANAN Mark Indelicato as JUSTIN SUAREZ Michael Urie as MARC ST. JAMES Vanessa Williams as WILHELMINA SLATER Rated TV-PG Studio: ABC Studios Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Betty Suarez (America Ferrera) continues to struggle with fashion sense and relationships as the meager personal assistant to media mogul Daniel Meade (Eric Mabius). In the third season of the hit show, Betty and her friends as Mode Magazine face a financial crisis and new ownership. Everyone from Betty to Marc to Daniel to even Betty’s sister and papi are finding new relationships in this bubbly prime time soap opera. Betty’s trying to make her way to becoming an editor by joining YETI (Young Editor’s Training Program), she finds an unlikely roommate when she moves to the city and her sister Hilda sets her eyes on the Karate Kid.
WHAT I LIKED
Of all the episodes on ABC’s slate, “Ugly Betty” is probably the one with the most spunk... and with the biggest cajones. It’s not that other shows aren’t daring or controversial. “Ugly Betty” is the only one that – for the most part – can be two things at once.
On one hand, it’s a quirky little comedy. However, it tackles bigger issues like the economy, parental strife and the social struggle of homosexuals. On one had, it shows the struggles of a woman in the city who is completely out of her element. However, it manages to make Betty the most sought-after person in New York ,whether it be as a magazine maven or a hot date.
“Ugly Betty” is cute enough and hasn’t completely fallen into the weepy nature of other shows on ABC like “Desperate Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” Sure, it has its moments of drama and tenderness, but at least it doesn’t launch into a speech every five minutes on how the characters are going to change the world.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Yes, “Ugly Betty” is a cute show, but it has jumped its own self-imposed shark. The basis of the series is that Betty is just so down-to-earth and loveable that she transcends the superficial nature of Mode Magazine and New York City as a whole. However, after three years working at Mode, you’d expect her to have developed a little fashion sense. Nope. She’s still wearing some of the most hideous outfits.
And her gay friend Marc (who as a fashionista should have oodles more fashion sense) wears ensembles that make me cringe. The production design and the costuming has really gone overboard this season.
From a story standpoint, there’s a struggle to keep Betty sweet and naive, but again in this season she’s being pulled in multiple directions by cute guys (one of which is loaded with cash). Last year, I explained that Betty is suffering from the “Ross Syndrome,” named after David Schwimmer’s character on “Friends.” At some point, her serendipitous fortunes started to annoy me, and she lost my sympathy.
Finally, there are times when the show tries to get too serious. In particular, when a relationship is ended (specifically with Wilhelmina and Daniel), it can be quite a downer. I understand that mainstream television audiences eat this melodrama up, but it’s just not for me.
DVD FEATURES
My favorite characters on “Ugly Betty” continue to be Amanda (Becki Newton) and Marc (Michael Urie). And while I am always disappointed with their lack of development in the show, I actually thoroughly enjoyed their participation in the DVD extras.
Amanda and Marc get their own spotlight in the “Mode After Hours” webisodes which are collected on multiple discs. These webisodes feature the best best friends and their shenanigans in the Mode office after everyone else has gone home.
In addition to deleted scenes, audio commentaries and a series of bloopers, there is a featurette on the production moving back to New York. Michael Urie and Becki Newton pop back in to host a special video commentary on one episode, which features trivia facts and additional cast and crew interviews.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of the show and anyone who can identify with Betty, Marc or anyone else on the show.
