Ugly Betty - The Complete First Season

List Price: $59.99 Discount Price: $29.50

Customer Reviews:

a really great show [Posted on 2008-05-09]
with a great message underneath all the backstabbing, lying, egotistical models, plotting, and everything else that makes Ugly Betty a truly great show. It also lets people know that it is okay to be who you are and that you don't have to conform to everyone else's opinions or thoughts on you.

The First Season of the show runs the gamut from evil, vindictive and power hungry creative directors plotting with a secret someone to take back control of the Mode magazine. Run currently by Daniel Meade who's late night out short of being fired on a daily basis with his sleeping with just anyone that comes in his office or within his sights. Until Betty Suarez walks into his life as his new assistant that doesnt fit the model, slim and at your whim mode that he's used to. She's actually very good at her job and manages to get Daniel to change (well in some ways at least). All the while dealing with his brother Alex's "death" (you've gotta see that one coming).

Meanwhile Betty is trying to juggle all the things going on with her family at home. Her father's immigration problems, her sister's job crisis and her nephew Justin. Who would fit in perfectly at Mode as he knows all about fashion, musicals and everything else that Betty is pretty clueless about. She's also seeing Walter who she thinks is the one but isnt quite sure on that even though he "wuvs" her very, very much.

Her sister Hilda is dealing with ex coming back into her life and doing what he did best in the past not showing up. But things get a bit better on that road for her as she still struggles to find her own way and niche in life.

I also love the show because of Marc the gay assitant and Amanda well for being herself. It's great to have that in the show and helps draw more folks to a show that might not watch Ugly Betty otherwise and besides. The way they play off of each other is just another added bonus to watch throughout the season.

The season ender "East Side Story" ends on a shocking and traumatic cliffhanger for the Suarez family as a tragedy rocks Hilda, Betty, and Justin. Suffice to say the first season of Ugly Betty is off the hook and is only a slight peek into what i'm sure will be an equally great 2nd Season of a bright and upcoming show.

An excellent show with all the things listed plus a message in it as well. Be who you are and have fun with it no matter what.

GREAT JOB [Posted on 2008-05-29]
A bit of the Colombian Ugly Betty, the original soap opera...a bit of Return to Eden, from Australia, back on the 80's, a great cast, and great humor.

Ugly Betty - a show that is both entertaining and refreshingly different [Posted on 2008-06-27]
Ugly Betty, Season 1, is a fantastic TV show. It's different from a lot of shows that one can view on television. The main character, Betty, is unique and lovable. It's hard not to like her. All of the other characters are great as well, especially Wilhelmina Slater, who is the villain of the show.
The special features contained in these DVDs are excellent; there are several featurettes as well as audio commentary on several episodes by the cast and crew. My favorite special feature is the audio commentary; it is great because you get all of this behind-the-scenes insight that you can never get by simply watching the episodes alone.

Ugly Betty is beautiful! [Posted on 2008-08-07]
I am not a big television person, which is why I did not watch the first season of Ugly Betty while it aired. I've had the DVD box set for ages, but didn't watch it until recently. I watched the original telenovela this show is based on (Betty la Fea), and I wondered if the American version would do it justice. Ugly Betty, like its Colombian counterpart, has proven that a soap opera-ish TV series could be over the top and entertaining and still be well written and clever.

Betty Suarez is a Mexican-American from Queens is fresh out of college, hoping to land a job in magazine publishing. First impressions are not in her favor. She is not an attractive girl (to say the least), but she's got intelligence, wit and an exuberant personality on her side. Unfortunately, Meade Publications' most successful magazine, Mode, is not interested in the aforementioned qualities. It is, after all, a fashion magazine. So imagine Betty's surprise when she does get hired. But she gets hired for the wrong reasons. Bradford Meade (Alan Dale) hires Betty to be his womanizing son Daniel's assistant (Eric Mabius) to keep him concentrating on his work and not on getting into a beautiful secretary's skirt. Upset, Daniel tries to get Betty to quit, but quickly warms up to her sweet disposition. She is the brains and strength behind most of his decisions regarding both his job and personal life, so she soon becomes something of a lifeline for him. Things aren't easy for Betty at Mode. Marc (Michael Urie) and Amanda (Becki Newton), an assistant to the creative director and the receptionist respectively, decide to make Betty's life hell by constantly mocking her. Everyone else seems to find her amusing. She does have friends though. Christina (Ashley Jensen), the magazine's Scottish wardrobe person and Henry (Christopher Gorham), the hot geeky accountant, are always there with and for her. Throw in lots and lots of office politics, a mysterious woman about to make a comeback, an ambitious creative director who will do anything to become Mode's editor-in-chief (Vanessa Williams), murder, intrigue, and immigration issues, and you have yourself one entertaining show.

First let me give props to America Ferrera. She is absolutely adorable as Betty. Though not classically beautiful, America is a very attractive young woman, and it must not be easy to be shown in the most unflattering light week after week. She pulls it off with aplomb though, and the actress succeeds in endearing the character to the audience with her sweetness and cheerfulness. The show is about an ugly girl working in one of the most superficial industries around, but this one girl manages to bring out depth in the shallowest character. Yes, even Willemina (Williams), Marc and Amanda surprise you every now and then. Rebecca Romjin is surprisingly great as "Alexis." She can be ruthless and petty one minute and vulnerable and complex the next. I probably would have picked a better-looking actor to play Daniel, but Mabius is doing a wonderful job. At times, it seems like he's only using Betty, but he truly cares for his underling and sees her more like a friend and confidante than just an assistant. Marc and Amanda remind me of Jack and Karen from Will & Grace, which is fine with me, for I used to love that show. And who can forget the Latin talent on this show? I love Betty's supportive dad Ignacio (Tony Plana), her loud and tacky sister Hilda (Ana Ortiz) and her fashion-savvy, Broadway enthusiast nephew Justin (Mark Indelicato), who is so going to be gay when he grows up. (I crack up when the family watches what is so obvious to me parodies of a Mexican soap opera.) Put all of that together with guest stars like Salma Hayek (also one of the show's executive producers) and Lucy Lu and you've got a winner. There is comedy, intrigue, romance and poignant moments. I absolutely loved the season finale. So many cliffhangers and sad moments. I am so rooting for Betty and Henry. He'd better be back next season. I can't wait to pick up season two. After that, I will definitely be watching season three every week.

* I haven't had the opportunity to check out the DVD extras, but I look forward to watching the interviews and listening to the commentary. *

Dont think Just buy!!!!!!! [Posted on 2008-08-08]
This is without a doubt one of the if not THE best show ever made. Its certainly the best show i have ever seen. I requested that i could not work thursdays just so i would never miss an episode. Everything about this show is fantastic. Every single character is a joy to watch and there all just so funny. And every episode is simply perfect. There is no such thing as a BAD Ugly Betty episode. So if ur trying to find a new tv show to get into Dont even think about buying another show. U must own Ugly Betty!!!!!!!

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