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?
what..?!
are they serious..?! why do they want to close it down. i mean the Show is very funny and very inspiring. every episode is a surprise..
The people behind Ugly Betty is very well intelligent and clever to put such situations..
i hope ABC will reconsider this.. I love Ugly Betty.
I always watch this everyweek. it’s my life.LOL
i never get boring when i watch this..
Seriously!!!!!! They are canceling so many good shows lately it is really starting to make me mad!!!! I hope they have a good finale and not just leave it like blah!
I have been seeing this coming. The show jumped the shark when Betty fixed her hair and got a promotion. It was no longer “ugly Betty.” It was “successful Betty” and who cares about that. I am sorry for the actors in her family because they are all great. Hilda, Justin and Ignacio are a credit to Latino family values. New character Bobby was interesting, former thug, and now he is out of a job since he left CSI.
OKAY in the series finale i would like to see Betty get a makeover by Wilamenia and then have Daniel fall in love with her and them get married!!! and have her take over be like Mrs. Mede! AHH that would be amazing! and i want to see more of Wilamenia!!!!!!
R U SERIOUS!?!??!?! i LOVE this show! i have watch all 4 seasons every friday/wednesday!!! i am a loyal fan and i think they would be pretty dumb to cancel this show! i wont watch ABC anymore if they cancel this bc/ its the only show i watch! i have a 3 seasons on DVD and this show does NOT deserve to be canceled!!! EVERYONE SIGN TO PETITION TO SAVE UGLY BETTY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eastwick and this too!?!?!? Yet they keep shows like Jersey Shore and Wife Swap on!? I mean it’s really ridiculous!
Please don’t take off Betty. I look forward to her every wek. The cast is funny they work VERY well together. It is the first show I actually look forward to see every season. I will miss Betty and her witty cast. Farewell Ugly Betty, and for the record. Betty isn’t Ugly, it’s the network thats UGLY. Do her proud and write a great ending. I am so very sad.
I absolutely cannot believe that the powers that be would be sooooo stupid for cancelling Ugly Betty. It is by far one of the best shows on TV. Very creative and funny and sometimes sad – it mirrored a lot of scenarios of everyday life (break-ups, arguments, financial troubles, etc.). The actors are great – one funnier than the next. The story lines are realistic with mostly a commical twist. Taking Ugly Betty off the air will leave me no choice but to save electricity and turn off the TV. I will be sad to see it go and so… Read more »
it died when they killed the henry-betty-gio storyline. i am still an avid watcher and hate to see it go, but the more it became less of its essence, betty trying to go aganst the tide and survive, but now its betty assimilating, i kinda dont look as forward to it as i did.
As a latino I’m proud of the way we were portrait on Ugly Betty. The show was well written and they where able to touch topics that no other tv show has ever done. It is sad to se it go but, they should be happy because they prove that the changes in demographics are a huge opportunity for television to explore, specially cultures and beliefs and how they blend with the america today.
Hopefully they will give us a GOOD ending to this nice version of Bety la Fea!
I am devistated (well as devistated as you can be over a TV show). This is my favorite show! I can not believe they are canceling. I am sooooooooooooooo upset. Seriously upset!!! No, No, No!
Appartently, the network decided there were enough episodes of the series for syndication, cable, and DVD box sets, and “cut their losses”. Yes, I said losses, because ABC doesn’t have the money it once had to renew “bubble” series like “UGLY BETTY” (cheaper reality series like “WIFE SWAP” and “THE NANNY”, that attract more viewers, are more desirable these days). As mentioned above, not enough viewers were tuning in to keep advertisers happy, and the move to Wednesday night was the final blow. However, there WILL be a “proper ending” to the series, ensuring “closure”.
I am going to miss this show soooo much.
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ?????? I GUESS YOU’RE NOT…….
Good riddance. The show became a non-sensical farce, with extreme overt flamboyancy without merit. Although the show was called “Ugly Betty”, was the show really about her? Here we have a huge opportunity to showcase Hispanic actors with poignant plotlines and more realistic situations, especially Betty’s plight with herself, her family, her cultural background, job and self-image. ABC could retool the show and call it “a la MODE”. Retain the cast that represents the working staff at MODE, America will never have a problem as a working actor, I’ve always admired her work. Betty needs to move on…she is too… Read more »