Ugly Betty: The Complete First Season(The Bettyfied Edition)

While the TV novella has been a staple of Latino television for decades and beloved by many Spanish-speaking women, only recently has it been assessed of any commercial potential for American TV. The fledgling MyNetworkTV attempted last year in its inaugural season to make Americanized versions of telenovelas like Mesa Para Tres (Desire), Salir De Noche (Fashion House), and La Calle De Las Novias (Saints And Sinners) that aired daily like their Latino counterparts and failed.

At the same time, ABC came across a Colombian telenovela known as Yo Soy Betty, La Fea. Becoming one of the most unexpected new hit TV series of the past season, Ugly Betty: The Complete First Season is now available on DVD in what is known as "The Bettyfied Edition".

Betty Suarez (America Ferrara) is a young Latino woman from Queens, NY, who is trying to make it in the world of the fashion magazine business. Unfortunately, she despite her kind-hearted nature and daring, working against her is her social awkwardness, her chubby frame, her geeky clothes, her thick-glasses, and most obviously, her braces.

She works a high-pressure job as an assistant to the womanizing Daniel Meade (Eric Mabius), the new editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine Mode, a position she succeeded after her predecessor died in a mysterious car accident. After being previously rejected for a job at the Mode's parent company Meade Publications due to her supposed ugliness, its CEO Bradford (Alan Dale), who is Daniel's father, personally hires Betty as a means of keeping his son, who is troubled by his sexual compulsions, in line.

Upon arrival, Betty is treated rather maliciously by her co-workers, who nickname her "Ugly Betty". Her and Daniel's many antagonists at Mode include corporate ladder climbers like the ruthless Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa L. Williams), who is jealous of Betty getting the position instead of her, her gay assistant Marcus St. James (Michael Urie), receptionist Amanda Tanen (Becki Newton), and Daniel's transsexual brother Alexis Meade (Rebecca Romijin). However, she does manage to find a friend in seamstress Christina McKinney (Ashley Jensen).

At home, Betty lives with her loving, but worried father Ignacio (Tony Plana) and older sister Hilda (Ana Ortiz) and her more supportive nephew Justin (Mark Indelicato). She also contends with an ex-boyfriend Walter (Kevin Sussman), who dumped her for the pretty and conniving Ava Gaudet (Gina Gambarro), but pushes to get back together with Betty.

Betty slowly wins over Daniel as the two become more of a success in the fashion world, to the ire of her co-workers. However, troubling Daniel are continuous affairs with co-workers, particularly with up-and-coming rival magazine mogul Sofia Reyes (executive producer and guest star Salma Hayek), and an increasing drug problem, much of his excesses linked to that of his alcoholic mother Claire (Judith Light). Later on, she, in particular, is discovered to be the

reason behind the death of Betty's predecessor due to getting wind of an affair between the woman and Bradford.

Ugly Betty undoubtedly lives up to its numerous accolades as one of the best new series on network television this year. One of the amazing things about it is not only does it already win with a great and unique main character that is highly relatable that the viewer can identify with, but really excellent supporting characters that are also as equally well-developed, unique, and highly believable as Betty.

It builds up on the great promise of workplace comedies like The Office with great insight into the cutthroat nature of the corporate world. However, what makes this series even more special is how the mix of comedy and drama and both the workplace and personal aspects to Betty's life are rarely so seamlessly blended together so well.

This great bedrock is buoyed by a fantastic cast of performers, including noteworthy moments from Vanessa L. Williams, who's at her most wickedly best as here Wilhelmina, and Judith Light at her most complex and intense. Shining most brightly in the cast is Ugly Betty's star America Ferrara, due to her ability to effectively be both quirkily funny and sympathetic and endearing in the same breath.

The DVD's picture quality is in the 1:85:1 widescreen aspect ratio of the original high-definition network TV broadcasts, with the sound quality in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. Also noteworthy is there is also a Spanish audio dub for viewers of the Latino originals to compare and contrast. The "Bettyfied Edition" also comes jam-packed with plenty of special features.

The first special feature is audio commentary on select episodes, usually one per disc. The "Pilot" features episode features executive producer/director Silvio Horta, director Richard Shepard, and executive producer Teri Weinberg.

"Fey's Sleigh Ride" features cast members Becki Newton and Michael Urie, "Sofia's Choice" features executive producer and guest star Salma Hayek and cast member Eric Mabius, and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" features cast members Vanessa L. Williams and Michael Urie. Each of the commentaries are really informative with the participants consistently engaging throughout the proceedings.

The second special feature is the behind-the-scenes featurette Becoming Ugly. It features interviews from producers Ben Silverman and Teri Weinberg who talk about how the series was was adapted from a telenovela into a 60 minute dramedy. While it also features some great interviews from the cast who talk about their characters and the dynamic they each bring, the highlight is footage showing of America Ferrera's fascinating makeup metamorphosis into Betty.

The next special feature is the “Green is the New Black” featurette, which talks about the highly surprising CGI special effects process used in order to show the characters interacting on the streets of Queens. It's particularly fascinating to show how the footage transforms from the actors behind green screen to them looking like they are

actually in the area.

Also included is the featurette A La Mode: The Style Of Ugly Betty, which features an interview with costume designer Eduardo Castro, who talks about the process of creating some of the eye-popping wardrobes for the characters. Also, director of photography Ross Berryman and director Michael Spiller are also interviewed, discussing the set designs of the Mode office, as well as Betty's home, and what they contribute to the show's atmosphere.

Also, included are twenty-deleted scenes cut from the episodes which are your typical mildly interesting, but ultimately nonessential material. And rounding out the special features are Ugly Bloopers, which features a mildly amusing outtake reel.

All in all, "The Bettyfied Edition" of Ugly Betty: The Complete First Season is a great compilation of one of the most unique and promising new series to come out on network TV in a long time. It shows proof positive of why this show is worth watching from the great characters buoyed by a fantastic cast on top of an extraordinarily unique and well-balanced blend of comedy and drama.

Season Grade: A+

DVD Features Grade: A+

Overall Grade: A+