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| Available at Amazon.com |
It’s tough for a second season of a new show to maintain the momentum that the first season created and be just as good. But great shows do just that, and often they even get better during the second season. More times than not, though, new shows suffer the dreaded “sophomore slump” in the second season and it feels like the show is just “treading water” and merely rehashing what we already saw in the first season. It’s even tougher for shows with an unique premise to feel as fresh and exciting during its second season. So could a surprise hit on ABC from the 2006/2007 TV season with a unique premise like Ugly Betty overcome the “sophomore slump” and stay on top of its game, or would it just be another show that started hot and fizzled out quickly?
Ugly Betty follows the life of the unsophisticated but good-natured Betty Suarez (America Ferrera), and her job at the ultra-chic New York City fashion magazine “Mode”. Betty’s status as a “fish out of water” drives much of the plot. While Betty lives in the unfashionable New York City of Queens, where she lives with her widowed father (Tony Plana), single-parent sister (Ana Ortiz), and flamboyant nephew, she works in the fashionable New York City borough of Manhattan. Betty was hired at the insistence of publishing powerhouse Bradford Meade (Alan Dale) because she was so “ugly” that she wouldn’t be a temptation for his sex-o-holic son, Daniel (Eric Mabius), whom he’s elevated to the position of editor-in-chief at “Mode” magazine following the car-crash death of its long-time editor. Meanwhile, Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa Williams), the high-powered creative director who was passed over, conspires with other employees to discredit and undermine the new rookie editor’s efforts and ultimately take over the magazine.
When the second season starts, Betty is deciding if she still wants to be with her love interest, Henry (Christopher Gorham) despite his impregnating former girlfriend Charlie. Soon a deli shop owner named Giovanni “Gio” Rossi (Freddy Rodríguez) starts building a platonic relationship with Betty, which instantly creates a love triangle between Betty, Henry, and Gio. This season also unveils Wilhemina Slater’s plans to conquer the Meade empire and unravel family tensions amongst Daniel and Alexis (Rebecca Romijn). Wilhemina will stop at nothing to get at what she wants. Other storylines this season include the biological father of catty Amanda (Becki Newton) being KISS frontman, Gene Simmons, or not; Betty’s gay nephew, Justin, ends up an intern at the magazine, and quickly displays Betty’s prowess for navigating the political waters, but with a much more devious attitude than Betty; and after a car crash Alexis forgets the last few years of her life, including the fact that she was changed into a woman and that her father mistreated her. Bradford decides to use this to his advantage and doesn’t remind Alexis of how he mistreated her; instead, he claims that he was always supportive of her.
While the storylines of this series seem overly “soapy”, and with good reason since this show is based on a Spanish soap opera, there is enough satire towards the fashion world that it doesn’t always seem like unnecessary melodrama. As a result, Ugly Betty feels very similar in style with another ABC show, Desperate Housewives. While this series shouldn’t be considered a comedy, there are some definite funny elements that make up this show. But despite all of the soap opera elements, what really makes this show better than most are the performances. Once again, the second season is filled with outstanding performances from a variety of different characters, including some decent new additions to the cast as well.
Despite the long odds, Ugly Betty was able to avoid the “sophomore slump” and be just as good as the first season. The biting satire of the fashion world is still there, the soap opera storylines are as “soapy” as ever, and the acting is still great. Despite some of the catty characters portrayed on the show, Ugly Betty does have a good heart. This show won’t be for everyone simply based on how the show is set up, but fans of another ABC “dramedy” Desperate Housewives will surely enjoy this show. If the third season can keep the momentum of the first two seasons going, you could see a lot more of Betty for years to come so you might want to give this show a chance if you haven’t yet.
Episodes:
Disc One:
Episode 1 – How Betty Got Her Grieve Back
Betty’s life is turned into turmoil after the numerous upsetting events that have recently occurred. Despite all this, she refuses to accept the fact that Henry’s leaving has deeply affected her. Meanwhile, Amanda has a hard time coping with the news she recently discovered about who her real mother is and Wilhelmina plans to use all the recent tragedies to her advantage.
Episode 2 – Family/Affair
Betty finds out a big secret about Wilhelmina’s new bodyguard so Wilhelmina sets up a devil’s bargain with Betty. Henry returns to work, for health insurance for his baby, and asks Betty if they can be friends. Because of the fatal crash, Alexis gets selective retro-grade amnesia and forgets that she had a sex change or any of the events with her parents. Bradford uses it to his advantage. Hilda comes to terms with recent events. Amanda gets a surprise inheritance from her late biological mother.
Episode 3 – Betty’s Wait Problem
Even though Henry is kind of back in her life, Betty finds herself annoyed and yet intrigued by the new sandwich guy, Giovanni. Meanwhile, everyone at Mode prepare for the Meades’ Black and White Ball. Wilhelmina tries to get her wedding back on track. Amanda prepares to make her first appearance as Fey Sommers’ birth child and fugitive Claire Meade invites herself to Wilhelmina’s wedding.
Episode 4 – Grin and Bear It
Betty gets into trouble in her writing class when she submits a pre-written MODE story written by a woman who survived a bear attack. Alexis returns to work, still with memory loss and having no idea how to act like a girl. Daniel receives a threat from their top advertiser who is against transsexuals and wants Daniel to fire his own sister. Amanda, still trying to figure out who her real father is, learns a shocking secret about Wilhelmina’s past.
Disc Two:
Episode 5 – A League of Their Own
Betty tries internet dating and she gets asked out; Marc attracts the attention of a photographer that Marc doesn’t see as attractive; Wilhelmina tries to prove to the skeptical Daniel and Alexis that she can be part of the Meade family; Hilda is unaware that Justin has become a changed teen when he starts hanging with the wrong crowd and skips school.
Episode 6 – Something Wicked This Way Comes
Betty and Henry secretly go on a date to see Wicked, but Daniel, thinking that her date is Gio, gives two tickets to Betty and Gio and Gio does not want to give up those tickets. Meanwhile, Daniel gets in a meeting with an advertiser, a woman who has an interest in younger men, namely Daniel.
Episode 7 – A Nice Day for a Posh Wedding
As Wilhelmina prepares for her flamboyant wedding, she quickly realizes that her maid of honor, Victoria Beckham, is stealing all her thunder. Meanwhile, Betty is filled with guilt about her pact with Wilhelmina to keep the latter’s affair a secret and Ignacio prepares for his big day as he is about to become an official U.S. citizen. However, when Betty moves in with Henry the father/daughter relationship is strained.
Episode 8 – I See Me, I.C.U.
Following the wedding fiasco, Wilhelmina wastes no time and plots her next move to conquer Mode. Meanwhile, Betty tries her best to regain Daniel’s affections.
Disc Three:
Episode 9 – Giving Up the Ghost
A crisis caused by Wilhelmina has the team at Mode struggling to meet a deadline under extreme time constraints. Consequently, Alexis is forced to flirt with the printer for an extension, and Betty and Daniel try to free a teen star out of rehabilitation for a re-shoot.
Episode 10 – Bananas for Betty
Henry and Betty go on a double date with Hilda and Gio. Wilhelmina tries to change her image as the queen of mean but fails miserably.
Episode 11 – Zero Worship
When Justin and his classmates visit Mode, Betty is bothered by the message the magazine is sending across to the kids and encourages Daniel to use ordinary women as models during fashion week. Meanwhile, Amanda visits a psychic for news about her biological father and Wilhelmina gets an unprecedented turnout in her latest plan for absolute power.
Episode 12 – Odor in the Court
Wilhelmina enlists Christina’s help in her latest mischievous deed through very dirty tricks and manipulation. Meanwhile, Betty falls victim of a poisoned perfume that Fey Sommers had prepared for Claire, and Amanda is faced with a major decision that could result in the indefinite incarceration or freedom of Claire Meade.
Disc Four:
Episode 13 – A Thousand Words By Friday
Amanda and Marc go out of their ways to contact Gene Simmons, who happens to be Amanda’s biological father. Meanwhile, Betty is given a major writing assignment at Mode, but it doesn’t go quite as well as she had anticipated. Finally, Daniel unknowingly falls for Wilhelmina’s younger sister.
Episode 14 – Twenty-Four Candles
Betty plans to spend her 24th birthday accompanied by Henry, but Charlie’s sudden appearance jeopardizes her plans. Meanwhile, Wilhelmina plots against Renee and Daniel’s relationship by hinting at secrets from a hidden past in her sister’s life.
Episode 15 – Burning Questions
Renee becomes convinced that Betty is in love with Daniel and thus starts a rivalry between the two for his affections. In the meantime, Gina returns to Queens to flash her new life and rich husband before Hilda’s face.
Episode 16 – Betty’s Baby Bump
Betty decides to patch things up with Charlie by throwing her an unforgettable baby shower. Meanwhile, Hilda decides to confront Justin’s teacher after learning that he is failing gym class and Christina learns who the father of Wilhelmina’s baby really is.
Disc Five:
Episode 17 – The Kids Are Alright
Betty finds her attempts to suppress her feelings for Gio useless when the two end up chaperoning Justin’s school dance together. Meanwhile, Amanda agrees to do a reality show with Gene, and Hilda goes out of her way to catch the eye of Coach Diaz. Finally, Wilhelmina makes her return to MODE, much to the distaste of the Meade family.
Episode 18 – Jump
Betty finds herself in a dilemma between Henry and Gio when each makes a romantic offer to her. Meanwhile, a softball game between ELLE and Mode has rivals Wilhelmina and Naomi Campbell facing off in the field. Finally, Hilda makes quite a discovery about Coach Diaz, and a surprise visit from an orphaned French boy stirs things up at Mode.
The video is given in anamorphic widescreen color with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, which is enhanced for 16X9 TVs. The transfer is great with minimal grain. This is another ABC show that is high on production values, so you can expect no major problems at all.
The audio included is available in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound or Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound. There are subtitles available in English, Spanish, and French as well. The dialogue and music come out loud and clear. No major problems here either and the overall quality is a little better than your average TV on DVD set like most ABC shows are.
“On Set with the Besties” Featurette –
This runs 7 minutes and Michael Urie and Becki Newton a.k.a. “Marc and Amanda” take the audience on a tour of the set. This includes pop-ups that describe the set in more details and gives facts about the set. They are in full character here and this is quite funny actually.
“The Suarez Tour” Featurette –
This runs 4 minutes and father of the Suarez family, Tony Plana, shows the Suarez home set to viewers in another informational featurette. It is not as funny as the previous tour, but it does provide just as much information.
“Wilhemina Slater: Love to Hate Her” Featurette –
This runs 7 minutes and the cast members share their thoughts and favorite scenes from the show’s main villain, played by Vanessa Williams. Vanessa Williams talks about how she plays the role as well. The hilarious “behind-the-scenes” fight between Betty White and Vanessa Williams is featured here as well. Pretty good insight into Vanessa Williams and the character she plays.
“I Heart Betty” Featurette –
This runs 6 minutes and it features America Ferrera and other cast members discussing Betty’s love life through a series of clips from the show. Fairly interesting.
Betty Bloops –
This is 5 minutes worth of outtakes from the show’s second season. The actors even provide commentary in the heat of the moment and tell you what went wrong there.
Deleted Scenes –
There are 16 scenes from various episodes from season two that didn’t make the final cut of the season. These total 13 minutes.
“Las Pasiones de Telenovelas” –
These are two episodes of the Suarez family’s favorite Spanish language soap opera. Pretty ingenious to create these, and they are funny for what that is worth.
Fans of Ugly Betty should have no fear in buying this the second season’s DVD set. If you are new to the show, you can really jump right in with the second season and won’t be missing much background information. Everyone should give this show a chance rental, because it is a highly underrated “dramedy”. You might not like it in the end, but like the character of Betty, you still can’t judge this show before you find out what is in the inside.
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Buena Vista Home Entertainment presents Ugly Betty – Season 2. Created by Fernando Gaitan. Developed by Silvio Horta. Starring America Ferrera, Eric Mabius, Tony Plana, Ana Ortiz, Judith Light, Christopher Gorham, Alan Dale, Ashley Jensen, Becki Netwon, Michael Urie, Mark Idelicato, Rebecca Romijn, and Vanessa Williams. Running time: 765 minutes. Rated: NOT RATED. Released on DVD: September 16, 2008. Available at Amazon.com
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