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?
This was a great show. Sorry to see it end.
I am not happy that Ugly Betty has been cancelled. I didn’t like that they switched nights that the show was on, and I don’t like that it is on so late. I always watched it on the internet because I work, and I can’t stay up that late! I watch so little TV anymore since most of the shows are so bad, and I looked forward to Ugly Betty. YOU PEOPLE IN HOLLYWEIRD REALLY NEED TO EXAMINE WHAT YOU ARE AIRING. I hate Samantha Who, and I never watched the other show you want to air instead of Ugly… Read more »
I just started to watch the show “Ugly Betty” and i really like it! Who cares if the viewer rating dropped, some people cant afford to pay their cable bill due to this recession or job loss. I myself whom is a college don’t have the time to watch TV, so I watch the show on via internet. In fact I watch mostly all TV shows online; its way more convient for my time schedule anyways! Looking at the show from a sociological view I think the show emphasizes an open view for the Latino community. Also the I I… Read more »
This is bs! I don’t watch ugly betty on weds nights because its late and I’m watching destination truth while falling asleep. Besides I didn’t even know it was on weds at 9pm central. I just found out today. I normally watch ugly betty online with less commercials and to the privacy of my ears! It was just starting to get better and they wanna cut it off, what’s up with that! I’ve followed ugly betty for 4yrs now online viewings. And now lost is almost over. I will only have greys anatomy!
Waw.. I just saw the series finally of U.B. & it was a beautiful end but, i still feel that there has to be more than that end. Because, she’s now working in London & she saw Daniel there & maybe, they could be a couple at the end. Still, I think it was best if there were more or a few more episodes of the last season. But, who am I to talk about these decisions. Anyway, all I want to say is that, I really enjoyed this show and I really loved Betty. It so sad that it’s… Read more »
i am shocked that ugly betty, is stopping she really helped me get through some decisions and if betty can do so can i….. i still do not understand why they are stopping, but i think that the last episode did not keep me satisfied.. because it never told us how the rest of betty’s family did after she moved to london and, it never told us how betty’s and Daniel’s relationship went(did they get together)…..
Im going to miss it !!!!!!!! its such a good series i wish it could go on !!!!!!!! i love ugly betty please let there be a 5 th season please 🙂 !!!!!!!! im gonna miss it so much its one of the best shows !!!!!!!!! please dont cancel _________
Im sure there must be OTHER programs that dont have as much popularity. There are hundreds of people I know who watch ugly betty and I dont think it should be cancelled. I think they should keep it going but have less episodes to save money.
Why cant they just sell the program to another TV company?
i don’t get why they have to cancel ugly betty because the number of viewers dropped…7-8million viewers is still pretty high…what about gossip girl, it only has about 3-4 million viewers..or smalllville!!!! smallville only has 3-4million viewers as well and it is now on its 9th season and maybe going on tenth…(i love those shows too by the way)…so why cancel ugly betty????? =(
NO!!! You can’t do this to all the Ugly Betty fans! Even the episode tonight left me wanting SO SO SO SO SOOOO much more! WHY!? PUT IT BACK ON THE AIR! (just Thursday nights at 8) PRETTY PRETTY PLLLLEEEASSSE!
i think that before the show ends that betty should find her sole mate either mat or gio as they were cute together. and at least get to own her own magazine like she dreams of.
I really like ugly betty why cancel it now it was begining to get interesting i wanted to see if betty and daniel was going to end up being together and the ending they gave us only making the majority of us want more new seasons and episodes of ugly betty to me the suspense is still kicking to find out what happens like what will happen to justin, marc .amanda, WILHEMIENA especially ,claire, hilda and bobby and last but least BETTY AND DANIEL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am truly, truly, truly going to miss Ugly Betty and think that this is a huge mistake taking off the show. It’s a Hit!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ugly Betty should have stayed on thursdays @ 8pm. I cant say what i would like to happen because I am truly sad that it is going off 🙁
I think that it should have been left where it was at to begin with, Thursdays at 8 PM. People don’t watch TV like they use to on Fridays and when it changed to Wednesday 10 PM it was not really announced, like you wanted it to fail due to the rating drop of moving to Fridays. When Bravo has something coming out or change they announce it to the point of obnoxious but it is affective. I will truly miss Ugly Betty and I wish some how it can come back even with it low ball syndication deal.
Ohh it is soooo heartbreaking to know that another season of Ugly Betty shall not ensue. If at all there happens to be a few more episodes to give a proper ending, I would really love to see Betty and Daniel get together as a couple….please ..please..please “Let there be a happy ending to this amazing TV series”