U is for Ugly Betty #AtoZChallenge #PandemicAlphabet

Here’s where I admit that I never finished watching Ugly Betty. It’s not the show’s fault, honestly. It’s just that I was working on my PhD and felt immensely guilty when I watched anything I actually enjoyed on television. So, this was just one of many TV casualties. It was a dark time.

Anyway, the point is that every time I see that Ugly Betty is streaming on Hulu, I think now would be the perfect time to actually revisit the show and finish watching it.

Ugly Betty is about a young woman who lands a job as an assistant to a high ranking fashion magazine mogul even though her own fashion sense is…questionable, to put it mildly. Homegirl is way out of her element in high end fashion, but she has a dream of running her own magazine one day so sticks with it. Along the way, she encounters lots of mean people and drama but manages to keep her sweet core.

I loved this show when I was watching it, for sure. I mean, for one thing: America Ferrera. I have loved her since Gotta Kick It Up!, the Disney Channel movie (which is adorable and streaming on Disney+) and Real Women Have Curves (and of course Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants–OF COURSE). I love her so much that even though I knew she was too old for the role, I still wanted her to play Jane on Jane the Virgin and was upset that she wasn’t cast. I know it doesn’t make sense. I don’t care. I WANT HER TO BE IN EVERYTHING. I love her.

Second of all: living queen emoji Vanessa Williams.

Also never forget the time Wilhelmina was in a feud with Betty White and went viral for violently stealing a cab from her.

For the youth, back in the day–before static memes–people got remixed into viral videos. Same energy.

Third of all, living queen emoji Judith Light.

The racial and gender diversity on the show is outstanding as well as the various sexualities represented. There’s even social class diversity addressed within the actual show itself, which is a rare thing to see on TV even now. And it’s not just super wealthy and the precariously lower middle class (at risk any time of losing their toehold being considered even that) but also the in-between. Not to mention Betty’s family! I just adore them. I also like that the shallow characters get depth but are not let off the hook for their bad behavior.

I always really enjoyed watching this show because it also has that perfect mix of humor and drama–though it does veer heavily into melodrama. I love soaps, though, so that’s not a complaint for me and the fact that the telenovela of it all was prevalent also fed my soul.

So what I’m saying is that part of why I have constantly been pulled to rewatching and finally finishing this show is that I know it’s something I wouldn’t mind watching during this here pandemic. Maybe (definitely) I should give it another shot.

• 

• 

For this year’s A to Z Challenge, I have decided that I’m going to focus on comfort reads/watches as we enter our second (!) April in the pandemic. Tune in Monday to see what I choose for V!