day 2.73

in mourning

ok, i'm not really in mourning, but i am disappointed. one of my favorite series, ugly betty, is ending this may. the abc show was always a ratings winner until this season, its fourth, when the alphabet net decided to move the show to friday nights. no one watches tv on friday nights. was it any surprise when the show was barely pulling in 4 million viewers a week, down by close to 60 or 70 percent? apparently it was for abc, but i wasn't shocked. that's when i started to get scared that abc might want to kill the show. but, when abc announced that betty would be moving to wednesdays starting in january, my hope for the show was back. sadly, the network has announced that this will be the final season for the show. i'm glad that both the fans and the creative team behind the show is getting advanced notice, but i hate hate hate when shows don't know they're entering their final season. i feel like writing for a season and writing for a finale are completely different, especially for this show. this season has been one of creative resurgence for the show and i'm sad to see it come to an end. maybe abc got scared because the show was developing beyond its original pitch, with betty getting a makeover, becoming more independent and starting to find her place in the world. on top of ending the show prematurely (i would have at least liked to seen them get a 5th season), the episode order for the current season has been cut down from 22 to 20. that's two less episodes to bring the show full circle. can we at least get a tv movie to really wrap things up? i can't help but think the show will be rushing to an ending rather than building up to a finale. from what i've read, though, the show has always had an ending in mind, which probably will make this unexpected finale better than it would be. i've also heard that that ending will - spoiler alert - feature a major wedding. chances are it's either betty and lost love henry or between hilda (betty's sister) and baby daddy bobby. i think this cancellation will make what episodes are left - which include kristen johnson's return as an over-the-hill party girl temp, a drag queen version of vanessa williams and a new love interest for vanessa's character - that much better. i'll just miss seeing becki newton and michael urie having witty banter every week. someone get those two a sitcom! the good news that comes from this is that the great cast of the show is now free to do other projects. american ferrera, the show's star, is set to focus on her film career - she stars in our family wedding and how to train your dragon, both out this year - but ana ortiz, becki newton, michael urie, vanessa williams and eric mabius are all reportedly being courted for pilots going into production in the next couple of months. the same is true for the casts of nip/tuck, dollhouse, three rivers, lost, scrubs and better off ted are in the same boat. i guess the silver lining is we'll get some (hopefully) really good shows next fall.