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?
I just watched Ugly Betty for the first time these past few days via netflix. I watched all FOUR seasons. I have to say that I was very disappointed when I heard they do not have any more upcoming seasons. In fact, this very disappointing ending was leaving me say when the credits were rolling, please have there be another episode, please have this not be the end. The way it had been set up could leave so many new twists and turns for the series. What you need is to keep it going. Send Betty back to New York… Read more »
I had watched Ugly Betty originally in spanish, and was skeptical about watching it. However, I gave it a shot, and now see that there will be no season five?!!! I LOVEDDDDDD Ugly Betty, the humour the twists, I love how they let other stupid shows stay on, but a show that promotes sense of loyalty in family, and inspires to go from nothing into something in an honest way is shut down!! NO!!!! 🙁 Put Betty back on!
ABC, please bring it back!!!!!!!!!! find a way to fix this, this is so unfair to your viewers! it was the only show i watched. who wants to keep watching more shows like ncis? i think there are enough detective shows out there already!!! please do something
NO! I DO NOT CANCELLED UGLY BETTY, I really love this movie. I want to know how is going between daniel and betty. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
oh bring it back its my ultimate favorite show!!!everything about it is perfeeect!!why do u care about the damn ratings!we lovvvvvvvvvvvve IT!!Bring it back PLEAAAAAAAAAAASE
I was surprised in a badly way to find out that there wont be a new season. Ugly Betty is a a funny, loving serie, inspirational to all those who like Betty have to fight they way throughout the world, not being the beautiful faces and bodies that apparently everyone today love so much. I am sad and displeased to know that I will not be able to know Betty’s fate. So many series about murders and violence and when some interesting one shows up it’s cut down! Oh well, that shows how the world goes!
I would love to see more Ugly Betty!! I feel like there is plenty more to write about. The ending was good but I think we need more.
BRING BACK UGLY BETTY! I miss it already, such an unsatisfying finale!! sort it out ABC!
and to add , i change befome fan of Betty over gossip girl ! bring back Betty !
trully sad it was canceled ! this is a good series , it even won the award why the producer cant see that ? rating is ******** ! why depend a good shows on stupid ratings ?
worse is the ending is not even satisfied ! what happent to betty’s bf Matt ???? shouldnt the original Betty change her appearance in the end to be more beautifull and marry the boss ??? why even start a show which you cut suddenly for unsatisfy ending ??? this is stupid !
Couldn’t agree more!!!!!
Bring Ugly Betty back he is right change the title to Betty i want to see how she and daniel will fall in love hopeful get married and i want her to be successful in her new company with daniel by her side hopefully they end up getting married and some action and drama would be good at well if betty bought her company from london to new york and mode and her company fight against each other.
D: I recently started watching ugly betty and it suddenly became my new favorite show!! I was heartbroken when I found out that it was cancelled. :'(
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NOOOOOO!!! DO NO CANCEL UGLY BETTY! It’s like the only Spanish show IN ENGLISH!!! Myself and my family LOVE to see Ugly Betty and it makes us feel good about our heritage…even though I married an Irish woman…lol. Anyways, anybody who is Mexican/Spanish, would agree with me. I will do the best to my abilities to support and protect this show. I am hoping that the white man that owns Hollywood continues this show and NOT replace the show with some crappy show they can make on the top of their head, that has no uniqueness in it. Like: Pretty… Read more »
Ugly Betty was a good show. Betty back on the air. The show was good. I want to see what happen next. Ugly Better teaches us to be better people.
Ugly Betty was a very inspiring show and Brought out great features within my self, I would love to see more life lesson’s and the romance between Daniel Meade and Betty Suarez! Maybe you can bring the new show where it left off at but change the title to just “BETTY”. Because she is all grown up and pretty now. There are alot of loving fans out there that I know have learned and grew with this show. Bringing ugly Betty back with a come back as the new title “Betty” Would bring even more viewers than there was before.… Read more »