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It’s truly a sad day. ABC has cancelled Ugly Betty.
This wasn’t totally unexpected, but it is a tough pill to swallow, nonetheless.
EW’s Ausiello reports that the network not only cancelled the show, but also reduced its current season to 20 episodes. According to Silvio Horta, this is still enough time to properly end the story lines.
In a joint statement with ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson, Horta says, “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.”
I am in shock (even if I saw it coming), and I’m sure I speak for hardcore Betty fans everywhere when I say that it is difficult to put to words the sadness we feel over this. Such potential, just recently being realized, lost.
To my fellow Betty fans, I would say this: although our first impulse is to throw up our hands and say, "screw it!", we should instead savor the short time we have left with the Suarezes and the gang at Mode. I don’t know about you, but I’ve come to care greatly about these characters, and I do not want to say goodbye.
I know that many from the cast (and showrunners) read here from time to time. I just want to say a heartfelt "thank you" for the great entertainment you’ve brought us these past few seasons. All of you are extremely talented, and I know you are headed for even bigger things (which I will continue to report on as long as fans keep reading).
But today, I’m going to mourn.
Image: SplashNewsOnline.com
miss waiching liu:
I agree, not everyone was a fan of season 2. The ratings decline started from the first season.
But I don’t feel Betty’s character was damaged in season 2 like it was in season 3. And, as the central character, Betty is the most important. Incidentally the introduction of Freddy Rodriguez as Gio in season 2 was a huge bonus for many.
Unfortunately for fans that liked Henry, on the other hand, season 2 was a disaster. They transformed him from Betty’s prince to a baggage-laden jerk.
Did they really have to kick all the Benry shippers in the teeth?
It seems the writers went out of their way to disappoint those fans, and that is kind of the point I was trying to make.
…just another reason to hate ABC …. I saw this coming with all the jumping around timeslots…Someone like FOX should pick this series up!!
It does seem to me that alot of people were taken by Suprise at the Cancellation of “betty”. There also seems to a pretty big “save” betty rally going on but while I am not sure it will resolve anything, as I said On facebook “Do your part, “betty” would”
Bill
Freddy I love your enthusiasm on saving Betty I wish everyone was like you I’ve already sent a complaint but I think abc is done the fact that they cut 2 episodes supports this. Ugh how do we get a cable network to pick them up? How do we do this can anyone answer because I think abc is done. Tv guide owns the rights still though don’t they? Do they even have original programing? Can some Of you elaborate on this? We don’t have much time I don’t think abc has ever brought back a cancelled tv show let’s get it picked up elsewhere!
Thank you, Ashley…
and by the way…
ACB, GIVE US BACK OUR 22!
-But I don’t feel Betty’s character was damaged in season 2 like it was in season 3. And, as the central character, Betty is the most important. Incidentally the introduction of Freddy Rodriguez as Gio in season 2 was a huge bonus for many.-
B.G- i totally agree with you about betty in season 3. i was one of the few who enjoyed it actually, but the things which got to me that season was molly’s storyline, betty’s regression as a character, as well as kimmie.
the writers made a mockery of america’s character last season- one min she’s happy, the next she’d be confused and she also made some terrible decicisions. i wasn’t the least happy when she moved out of her apartment in manhattan, well, most of us fans weren’t.
gio was a great addition- i think he bought something to the show, thanks to freddy rodriguez. i just wished we didn’t have that love triangle. it was just so unneccessary. they could’ve had betty settle for gio throughout. but no, the writers really had to throw that storyline in.
-Unfortunately for fans that liked Henry, on the other hand, season 2 was a disaster. They transformed him from Betty’s prince to a baggage-laden jerk.
Did they really have to kick all the Benry shippers in the teeth?-
that also angered me somewhat- i liked chris gorham’s henry in season 1, but in season 2, they just turned him into an obsessive, jealous, needy person.
-It seems the writers went out of their way to disappoint those fans, and that is kind of the point I was trying to make.-
i do feel sorry that both benry and getty shippers got kicked in the teeth by horta and co. i just wished that particular storyline was handled and dealt with in a much better fashion – or have betty with gio or whomever and have her stick with one guy throughout and not jump from one guy to the next.
Is it too soon to have the Reunion show???
Ashley, I don’t think that it’s possible for us or anyone else to get a cable network to pick up the show. I can only think of a single example of this happening to a live-action network TV series, “The Days and Nights of MOlly Dodd.” NBC had ordered 13 episodes of “Molly Dodd” to air during the summer of 1987, then they ordered another 13 for the summer of 1988. They decided to cancel the series and didn’t even air the 13th episode of the second summer season. Lifetime picked up “Molly Dodd” in 1989 for three more 13-episode seasons. I think that this was Lifetime’s first series.
After FOX canceled “Family Guy,” its reruns became so popular on the Cartoon Network and on DVD that FOX ended up bringing it back, but I don’t think that the Cartoon Network ever produced new episodes. Another canceled FOX animated series, “Futurama,” actually was revived with new episodes on Comedy Central, but, again, this was not a live-action series.
Other precedents I can think of for live-action series that survived after network cancellation were shows like “It’s a Living” and “Baywatch.” “It’s a Living” was canceled by ABC in 1982, but it came back in syndication with new episodes in 1985. “Baywatch” is another series that survived network cancellation by producing new episodes in syndication, and it became very popular after it was abandoned by NBC after its first season. I don’t think that first-run syndication is an option anymore, because “Ugly Betty” just costs too much per episode.
As for the TV Guide network, they only purchased the re-broadcast rights for “Ugly Betty” episodes. They do have a small amount of original programs, but I think that their new shows are limited to things like that show in which they give people makeovers to turn them into celebrity look-alikes.
I hate to sound defeatist, but I really don’t see “Ugly Betty” getting picked up by another network, whether cable or broadcast.
I also ponder if America wants to continue being “Ugly Betty”. My guess is she would have bailed after Season 5, not that I have any direct knowledge just a feeling-so I doubt she would agree to the show on a cable network anyway.
-but I did want a Season 5 and I do feel that more than anything ABC did just Tossed Betty Aside and were the catalyst in telling folks that show wasn’t worth watching anymore. Sadly Many people choose what they watch based on what the others at the water cooler watch and Lord forbid you watch something Not a “hot topic” show.
Bill
Bill and Sir Lizard, what I don’t get it is that Ugly Betty lacked only 13 oe 14 episodes for syndication. ABC could have put UB ANYWHERE just to complete the necessary amount of episodes.
Bill, having this in mind, I think Silvio Horta could have thought about this possibility. By the way, it could be a possibility for us to see a mid-”season” Ugly Betty season, wouldn’yt it????????
I will never understand why ABC hasn’t waited to complete 100 episodes. And I will be avid for news from Silvio Horta (who regained by respect) about extra episodes to complete the 100 necessary ones.
SIR LIZARD AND BILL: WHAT DO YOU THINK???
I’m sick and tired of getting hooked on a TV show only to have ABC yank it off the air after moving it around 3 or 4 times. Ugly Betty was a refreshing, “fun” show with a very talented cast. I looked forward to it every week. That’s it for me, no more ABC shows!
[...] the recent news of the cancellation of Ugly Betty on ABC, Alejandro said he still stays in touch with Ana Ortiz, who played Hilda [...]
I do think the Writer’s strike didn’t help Betty one bit either, but that was a force of nature and nothing we could about it.
I think IF “betty” has a prayer to continue the decesion will have to be made VERY shortly as actors as well as workers will be hunting down their next jobs for Post-betty as well. I really do not think “betty” will be saved.
But….you know….I love to be wrong! and I will continue to encourage all I know to write ABC and let’s go for a massive Love in for “Betty” this wednesday….
Bill
[...] the recent news of the cancellation of Ugly Betty on ABC, Alejandro said he still stays in touch with Ana Ortiz, who played Hilda [...]
Tom, I don’t think that 100 episodes was ever a requirement for syndication. I think that it was just a desirable goal, particularly because I’m pretty sure a show’s per-episode value goes up after it reaches its 100th episode. Shows like “The Munsters” and “The Addams Family” never came close to 100 episodes (70 and 64, respectively), yet they’ve been in syndication since they went off the air.
As for “Ugly Betty” reaching 100 episodes by the end of this season if there hadn’t been a writers strike, that is not the case. After four complete 22-episode seasons, “Ugly Betty” would have had 88 episodes. We only lost 4 episodes because of the strike. Since the first season had 23 episodes, and the third season had 24, the total at the end of this season would have been 91. Even if ABC had ordered extra episodes during the second season, had the strike not occurred, and even if they ordered extra episodes for this season, it is extremely unlikely that they would have ordered a total of 9 extra episodes, split between the second and fourth seasons. Back when the average order for a season was 25 episodes or more, it would have only taken 4 seasons to get to the coveted 100 milestone, but the regular season order has been 22 (initial order of 13, plus the “back nine”) for many years now.
Linda, I agree with you completely. ABC has done this to me many times. FOX has been guilty of it many times too.
Tom, I made some maths and by the end of the fourth season, Ugkly Betty will have reached the very respectfull amount of 86 episodes (23 +19 +24+20).
Is is not necessary to reach 100 episodes anymore for syndication??? Really?? Does anybody really knows and understands how this currently works???
Freddy, the second season had 18 episodes, not 19, so the total will be 85.
Sir Lizard…even worse than I thought??? geeezzz…
Ok kids..I pulled my three Dvds sets.
Season one 23
Season two 18
Season three 24
So that totals 65 and if there are 20 this year that be 85.
bill
85, I thought that’s what I’ve been saying…
I correct myself (twice) I’ve done some WRONG math and there are actually 85 episodes….
Freddy, it’s understandable why you might get a little confused. That writers strike really messed things up. I was “accidentally” watching “Days of Our Lives” on SoapNet last night and I was thinking that it would be nice if even they, SoapNet, were to give “Ugly Betty” a fifth season. I think that it would fit on there, especially since they’ve branched out into original programming now. I think that the TV Guide deal for “Ugly Betty” rebroadcasts may be a hindrance, though. Well, that and the high per-episode cost of “Ugly Betty.” I’m trying so hard to be optimistic that every channel I watch I’m thinking, “Hey, I wonder if they’d be interested in picking up ‘Ugly Betty’.” Well, not SpikeTV, Fox News, CMT, or ESPN, of course. Not one of those would be a good fit, I suspect.
That show was really lame and gay as her little nephew. Thank god it’s over. Perhaps we can get some reality tv or additional sports!
j/k. it was innovative, cool and balanced humor with depth. I’ll miss yall
Sir Lizard, thank you very much for your comments (thank you too, Bill). I was actually trying to understand why no network has (apparently) made any offers to Ugly Betty producers. If you put “Ugly Betty” on the google, you will sure ewnough be amazed on the huge huge amount of articles commentiong on UB`s cancellation (US and abroad). I can’t imagine ABC isn’t feeling this kind of pressure and response from audience and even from abroad!!
I am still very angry because it trully feels a little bit too soon. In we reached Season 5, then I might say “Ok, that could be basically enough” not because of stories and characters but because there is a point in keeping Betty a young character. Betty could not reach 30 (at least on the air). So, I am very frustrated and confused.
I wish Silvio Horta made a declaration of gave an interview. By the way, I read that Michael Urie and Vanessa Williams were on Regis and Kelly today. Was that true??? How was it?!
I was so mad when Ia heard about this. I was soo close to crying cause i couldnt takee that mii favorite show of ALL time was being cancelled. All the drama..I litterely like now watch onlii 4 shows and thos e are all on certain days. Ugly Betty was always my favorite and NO SHOW can replace it..
Guys, I am sorry for bringing it back but I took a look at Vanessa Williams alleged official website (I think it really is).
In her curriculum, the following is posted:
“TELEVISION
Ugly Betty role of Wilhelmina Slater
(79 episodes, 2006-2010)
- Chica and the Man (2010)
- Blackout! (2010)
- Back in Her Place (2010)
- The Passion of the Betty (2010)
- Be Shure (2009)
- The Bahamas Triangle (2009)
- Level (7) With Me (2009)
- Plus None (2009)
- Backseat Betty (2009)
- The Wiener, the Bun and the Boob
- Blue On Blue (2009)
- The Butterfly Effect I & II (2009)
- Shoe Strings (2009)
(…)
Did you notice “Shoe Strings” in the bunch?? Along with “The Butterfly Effect I and II”. Guys, I am sorry again for repeating myself but I honestly think now this is one unaired episode. Can’t you guys twitt Michael Urie so this can be REALLY clarified??? I don’t have twitter, otherwise I’d do it myself.
Thanks!
Just found this link to Vanessa Williams interview on Regis and Kelly. She says the cast and crew are devasted with the cancellation and not ready to end the show.
WHO IS, RIGHT??????????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5ZpUMR80lM
TOM, I REALLY THINK you should do an article on Vanessa Williams interview.
Interesting enough, Regis and Kelly airs on….ABC!!! And Vanessa really speaks with her heart, you can tell it.
Heh. You really had me going, lawrence.
ABC has made a terrible decision. The quality of writing and acting in this show is too special to throw away.Betty’s optimism made my Wednesday nights. If Ugly Betty is cancelled I will have no reason to live. Please cancel one of the hundreds of doctor/lawyer/police dramas instead JUST DON’T TAKE BETTY!
Tom i posted the Video on youtube of the Vanessa interview if you wanted to post it! sorry for the quality i was very excitied lol so there is some camera shaking
but the syndacation question you dont need 100 episodes from what i know you can have a 5 season show with 13 episodes in each making it 65 by the end if you notice during season 3 they reached that mark anyways but then there is the series with 4 seasons and the standard 22 which totals 88 so UB is actually in that range!
Thanks For Posting The Interview although it breaks my heart that they don’t want to move on yet either…I agree that maybe had it been five seasons I be ok (Well, that’s a lie,)I want Betty to go on for the rest of my natural life..LOL
I just hope the ratings go up tomorow night, now they people know The “Big Yellow Taxi” is about to be taken away.
Bill
There is a “Save Ugly Betty” page on Facebook for those fellow facers. Again, I am not sure this will help anything, however we must try it IS what Betty Would do!
Bill
so mad
I am soooo incredibly FED up with this crappy network of ABC. I will never watch another show from them. NEVER. Everytime I love a show they cancel it. All the time. This time it’s enough. Ugly Betty is a fantastic show like no other. It is so others, so original, all the actors are amazing, it’s funny and warm hearted. Now they will rush it and end it stupidly. There are so many ideas and things they haven’t done with thsi show. I’m so mad. Another network should pick it up!!!! HELP!!!!!!! people react.
Everyone go to http://www.petitiononline.com/qd4d2547/petition.html
and sign petition or write to nbc or fox… another network need to pick it up especially if not they get more viewers!!!!!
http://www.petitiononline.com/764398/petition.html
I am BEYOND sad that they are canceling the BEST show on TV! This is the only show out of the week that I look forward to watching! The show just made me happy while I watched it and I can’t imagine not being able to watch it every week!
Freddy, I’m pretty sure you don’t need 100 episodes to syndicate anymore. Interestingly, if it hadn’t been for the writer’s strike, I THINK UB would have had 100 by the end of this season.