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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In The Netherlands in Europe, Ugly Betty is a big succes! Every tuesdayevening millions of people watch the show.
I hope that, if it has to end, you guys create a great finale season, but don’t stop just like that… Hope that the numbers from abroad count as well!
Hi
you can read this I don’t know if it is true but it looks like it. I would really want to see Season 5 from Ugly Betty. I am from South Africa and we really love the show.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6002738/1/Ugly_Betty_Season_5
@Nakkie: It’s fan fiction. The TV show isn’t going back into production. Sorry.
I LOVE UGLY BETTY. I JUST HOPE THAT THE MANAGEMENT WILL CHANGE THEIR MIND.
I don’t live in the US, i actually live in indonesia and i know ugly betty, a lot of people do, we don’t just know it, we love it. shouldn’t that be proof that ugly betty is a success?
bring it bk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
omg DONT CANCEL UGLY BETTY!!! its the best show!! I want to see what happens with Betty and Daniel. I’ve watched all the episodes and I really wat to continue.
ABC=> please bring back UB!!!!!!
Continue pls.
THIS IS SOO UNFAIR….I ALWAYS WATCHED IT ONLINE WHEN I WOULD MISS IT ON TV….AND I WAS LOOKING FOWARD TO SEASON 5!!! iTS AT THE BEST PART RIGHT NOW AND PEOPLE HAVE SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS!! ABC REALLY SHOULDNT HAVE CANCELED THE SHOW!!
same! please don”t end the show!!
i am sooo sad ugly betty is over i was really lookin 4ward to season 5!!!!
:(
hey guyz…
isnt ugly betty the best tv show ever?
it makes me laugh and cry in the same time.
its very disappointing to end the show at this stage with lots of unfinished issues
ABC must make a fifth season even if its just anopther 10 eisodes to finalize the show
all the best from Bahrain – Middle East
i hope this show never ends to this :s
yeah!!! they’re right –> I’m a huge fan of ugly betty and the end of season 4 was absolutly unsatisfying!!! you HAVE to find a way to finance a fifth season, it would be such a disappointment if you did’nt
seriously
I would expect more from such a great creative team. Did they run out of juice?! I think people that have invested in 4 seasons deserve more. What’s going to happen to Willy? I really don’t get hooked to series, however Ugly Betty had me. Please end it appropriately, as I believe the rest of the Betty fans aren’t satisfied. Plllleeeease.
it is completely unsatisfying that no season 5…should be more the process of Daniel n Betty become a real couple…i wait for that for almost 3 years ago n end like this…God! that’s not fair
I’m a huge fan of Ugly Betty. I saw all four seasons and i am really looking forward to a season 5!
I’m form Poland and I watched it online!
Betty is amazing….so as Amanda, Marc and Willllhellmina
Hey ABC TV -> It’s so unfair!!!!
Greetings from Poland to all Ugly Betty fans!
Pozdrawiam serdecznie!
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