ABC Thursday 8pm
debuts September 28, 8pm
concept
from
In the superficial world of high fashion, image is everything. Styles come and go and the only constants are wafer-thin beauties who wear it. Where could a girl who is less than pretty and a little bit pudgy possibly fit in? If you knew Betty Suarez, you'd see how sweet, intelligent and hard-working she is. Few people ever get to know her because in the world of fashion, Betty is the oversized square peg, in the petite round hole. But finally, her looks and lack of fashion sense are going to be an asset. When publishing mogul Bradford Meade hands the reigns of his fashion magazine, Mode, over to his son Daniel, he specifically hires Betty as his son's new assistant - mostly because she's the only woman in NYC who Daniel won't sleep with. Repulsed at first, Betty will win him over with her efficiency. Neither of them really knows the ins and outs of the fashion world, but the two of them are a formidable team against the label-wearing sharks who will do anything to see them fail. That includes many couture co-workers with botoxed smiles on their faces and knives behind their Galliano backs. 
stars America Ferrera, Alan Dale, Mark Indelicato, Tony Plana, Ana Ortiz, Ashley Jensen, William Abadie, Eric Mabius, Vanessa Williams, Michael Urie, Becki Newton
producers Salma Hayek, Silvio Horta, Jose Tames, James D. Parriott, James Hayman, Ben Silverman
studio Touchstone, Reveille, Ventanarosa
my take
America Ferrera is anything-but-ugly Betty, she's just not your typical stick-figure, attitudinal model-type. It's a classic fish-out-of-water situation based on one of Colombia's most successful telenovelas. It's more than likely going to be a little painful to watch, partly for unattractive digs and partly because I just know they'll be a moral in every episode. It's going to have to get buzz going to get an audience -- it's in one of the more competitive slots of the week. It would fit perfectly between "Wife Swap" and "What About Brian."
Copyright © 2006 letterten media • ABC logo Copyright © Disney/ABC