After four years on the air, ABC has decided to pull the plug on Ugly Betty. There won’t be a fifth season but will longtime fans get a true series finale?
Ugly Betty debuted in 2006 and follows young Betty Suarez (America Ferrera) as she navigates her way through the world of high-fashion, working at the trendy magazine Mode. Others in the cast include Eric Mabius, Tony Plana, Ana Ortiz, Becki Newton, Mark Indelicato, Michael Urie, Vanessa Williams, and Ashley Jensen.
After being a modest hit for its first two seasons, the series’ viewership dropped to an average of eight million viewers and a 2.8 rating in the 18-49 demo last year. That would usually put a series “on the bubble” but ABC gave it an early renewal. It was pretty clear that the network wanted to try to keep it going to accumulate more episodes for the syndication package.
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The network assigned the series to a Friday night timeslot this season, hoping that the loyal fans would follow it there. Not many did. After cancelling Eastwick, they moved Ugly Betty to a better slot, on Wednesday nights. The ratings haven’t been very good there either.
The show’s fate seemed essentially sealed by Ugly Betty’s syndication deal. While episodes of The Mentalist and NCIS: Los Angeles sold for about $2.2 million each in syndication, Ugly Betty episodes have been licensed to the TV Guide Network for “a low six figures.”
Today, the network and production team made a joint statement, saying, “We’ve mutually come to the difficult decision to make this Ugly Betty’s final season, and are announcing now as we want to allow the show ample time to write a satisfying conclusion. We are extremely proud of this groundbreaking series, and felt it was important to give the fans a proper farewell.”
What do you think? Are you surprised that the show’s been cancelled? What would you like to see happen before Ugly Betty goes off the air?
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So excitedddd."
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Ugly betty is the best show i ever seen me and my Gf couldnt get enough off it make a SEASON5,NOW we WANT MORE
ok first of all, there is no reason for ugly betty to be canceled .obviously ALOT of people like this show including me and my sister. ugly betty is probably the best show ive ever seen and i cannot live without it. im literally addicted to this show. ive been watching it on netflix EVERY DAY & right now i’m almost done with season three an when im done watching all four seasons i will probably die because i cant live without this show and i just started watching it this year. please please PLEASE put the show back on. it would mean the world to mee and every other person who loves this show as much as i do.
put Ugly Betty back on! How can u get a real number for people that watch the show its impossible…… I strike abc and Disney should be ashamed that they took ugly betty off the air. It was a real show with a real girl not a size 0 girl.
Yes I adored this show. I just really felt CUT when the story ended. How about Daniel? What is his true feeling? Wilhemina and MODE? Justin and Austin “ROMANCE” (love it, I’m gay) and Lastly, What’s happening with Betty’s new found career? I truly am DEVASTATED!!!!
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