Ugly Better Season 4 Review

Ugly Betty: 4th and Final Season Review

DVD released August 17th, 2010

ABC

The 4th and final Season of Ugly Betty was one filled with many changes. The most obvious change is in her looks.  Betty Suarez' style grew up this season as we see her in much more fashionable attire.  This was far from the only change this season though, as there was a change around every corner, and it seemed like at least one in every eipsode.

As a matter of fact, there were so many changes that is is actually hard to talk about this season without mentioning them.  This season felt like Betty was growing up, and the show was trying to grow up with her, but it wasn't exactly sure where it wanted to go. 

All of the main characters played a large role, although for the second season in a row Daniel Mead, one of my favorite characters, played a smaller role.  Wilhelmina Slater (played wonderfully by Vanessa Williams) had some surprising turns this season, but in the end learned the lesson that all she ever had to do to get what she wanted was to be nice. Justin Suarez finally did something interesting this season, and he learned a lesson or two himself (for the first time in the series, the lesson was not about fashion).  The friendship fostered between him and Mark St. James was entertaining, and led to some very humanizing and sympathetic moments for the often cold and mean Mark.  Amanda tried very hard to grow up this season, even though she didn't really seem to know how. The turning point was when she finally found her father, after two seasons!

We had some returns as Matt Hartley returned as Betty's boss (and boyfriend), as did Gio and Henry, Betty's former boyfriends.  Christina, Betty's former friend and Mods magazine's former seamstress returns for a few episodes as well.  We also see Nico, Wilhelmina's daughter, return for a few episodes.

We also had some guest stars this season as "Third Rock From the Sun" alum Kristen Johnston plays Helen, in a hilarious turn as Amanda's friend and perpetual leech.  RuPaul, and Kathy Najimy, Christie Brinkley guest star as well.  Shkira guest stars as herself, and in one of the funniest turns of all, Chris Williams, Vanessa Williams real life brother, plays WilhelDiva Hater, a drag queen modeled after Vanessa's character. 

Betty goes through some changes as well..but most of those would give away the season. Suffice it to say, where Betty and Daniel end up in the last episode is pretty much where i expected them to from the start of the series, but it's too bad it took so long because it would have been interesting to explore.  I will say this - Betty finally gets rid of her braces!

The series finale was one not filled with endings but with beginnings and it was overwhelmingly positive.  It is among my favorite episodes of the series.  The entire cast, by the end of season four, had grown up.  There were many life changing events this season for every character, and they all ended up in a better place then they were in the beginning of the season, having moved on.  Just as the cast of Ugly Betty had to move on now that the show was cancelled, so did all of Ugly Betty's characters, each of them to a new, more mature place.


3 1/2 Stars out of 5