Ugly Betty Television Program

IN A television season that largely saw shows with unlikely premises ("Knights of Prosperity," "The Nine") fail to deliver on their promise of originality, that saw Aaron Sorkin's highly touted "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" turn out to be a big buzz kill, a few gleaming gems emerged.

Will "Ugly Betty's" move from the Friday-night dead zone to Wednesdays be enough to save what was ABC announced Wednesday that the sassy comedy starring America Ferrera will air Wednesdays at 10, replacing the ill-fated "Eastwick," beginning Jan. 6. The network knocked the show from its coveted Thursday-night perch and switched it to Friday nights last season after steady viewership declines. Since the shift to Fridays, its ratings have plummeted -- falling by an additional 46%, according to a new study by Horizon Media.

ABC executives don't have to cringe anymore when the topic of Thursdays comes up. Thanks to "Grey's Anatomy" and now "Ugly Betty," the network is beginning to unlock CBS' grip on TV's showcase night. "Ugly Betty," an Americanized version of a Colombian soap opera about an unglamorous but resourceful young woman who finds work at a snooty fashion magazine, premiered on Thursday as the most-watched new show of the fall, averaging 16.

At some point during the second season of "Ugly Betty," creator-executive producer Silvio Horta felt the show's operatic shenanigans had gotten out of control. A little too telenovela, if you will. "There was one episode where Betty was talking to a ghost in a fridge, there was this dwarf, and Betty and Daniel were trying to break someone out of rehab," he says. "And I just thought, 'Oh, my God, what are we doing?'

Endorsed: ABC has picked up freshman comedy "Ugly Betty" for a full season.

ABC will yank "Ugly Betty" from its Thursday slot to make way for a new comedy block. Starting March 26, the new comedy "In the Motherhood" will kick off the network's Thursday prime-time lineup, followed by "Samantha Who?" with Christina Applegate. Now in its third season, "Ugly Betty" stars America Ferrera as a plain-looking young woman who works at an upscale New York fashion magazine. "Ugly Betty" started promisingly but has lately stumbled in the ratings. The 8 p.m. Thursday slot is critical for ABC because it leads in to "Grey's Anatomy," one of the network's top-rated series.

ON a chilly winter evening, the television portion of the Golden Globes turned "Ugly" and "Grey." The Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. celebrated "Ugly Betty" in the best comedy series category, and "Grey's Anatomy" won best dramatic series. It was a double victory for ABC and Touchstone, the studio that produces both shows.

THIS month, America Ferrera is gracing the cover of W magazine, a fashion title known better for striking photography and society coverage than for stands of principle. Ferrera is being feted for her portrayal of Betty Suarez, assistant to the editor in chief of Mode magazine, the fictional fashion title at the center of ABC's "Ugly Betty." Her character has pluck, determination and ... braces. And odd clothes. And an allergy to the sort of small talk that would make her job so much easier.

MIRROR, mirror on the wall: Who is the fairest new TV character of them all? Her name is Betty Suarez, the 22-year-old magazine editorial assistant you might know as "Ugly Betty," ABC's fresh and spunky superstar. The show is one of only a few unquestionable successes of the fall season thanks to its appeal to a multicultural, predominantly female audience. More than 14 million viewers, mostly women of diverse ethnic backgrounds and ages, have made "Ugly Betty" the No.

At some point during the second season of "Ugly Betty," creator-executive producer Silvio Horta felt the show's operatic shenanigans had gotten out of control. A little too telenovela, if you will. "There was one episode where Betty was talking to a ghost in a fridge, there was this dwarf, and Betty and Daniel were trying to break someone out of rehab," he says. "And I just thought, 'Oh, my God, what are we doing?'

ABC will yank "Ugly Betty" from its Thursday slot to make way for a new comedy block. Starting March 26, the new comedy "In the Motherhood" will kick off the network's Thursday prime-time lineup, followed by "Samantha Who?" with Christina Applegate. Now in its third season, "Ugly Betty" stars America Ferrera as a plain-looking young woman who works at an upscale New York fashion magazine. "Ugly Betty" started promisingly but has lately stumbled in the ratings. The 8 p.m. Thursday slot is critical for ABC because it leads in to "Grey's Anatomy," one of the network's top-rated series.

Haven't caught "Wicked"? Entertained by the high-concept potential of "Ugly Betty" meets the crew from Oz? The yellow brick road winds through the Pantages and into prime time Nov. 1 when a plot twist brings Betty to the show (which, in real life, is conveniently playing just down the street from the "Betty" soundstages). It's not a front-row seat for the Glinda-Elphaba chronicles -- but the price is right.

Michael Urie and Becki Newton are having a "When Harry Met Sally" moment, and it's not just because they're telling the story of how they met. Urie: The first day of the pilot. Newton: Yup. Urie: We met on 23rd Street. Newton: On 23rd Street, between 5th and 6th, and Ashley Jensen was there. Urie: With Ashley Jensen. The three of us met and we were hi, hi, hi. Newton: We were like, what is this? I guess it's a pilot. Urie: We ran around, had lunch. Newton: Filmed a little. Said goodbye.

IN A television season that largely saw shows with unlikely premises ("Knights of Prosperity," "The Nine") fail to deliver on their promise of originality, that saw Aaron Sorkin's highly touted "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" turn out to be a big buzz kill, a few gleaming gems emerged.

AS the 12-year-old nephew of Betty Suarez on "Ugly Betty," Justin Suarez is not your average television series foil. For starters, he's Latino. He also knows exactly how a belt can accessorize a Valentino gown; he can sing and tap a la Gene Kelly in "On the Town," and when a cheating boyfriend breaks his aunt's heart, Justin's antidote is to offer her chamomile tea. Is there a subtext there?

ON a chilly winter evening, the television portion of the Golden Globes turned "Ugly" and "Grey." The Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. celebrated "Ugly Betty" in the best comedy series category, and "Grey's Anatomy" won best dramatic series. It was a double victory for ABC and Touchstone, the studio that produces both shows.

Will "Ugly Betty's" move from the Friday-night dead zone to Wednesdays be enough to save what was ABC announced Wednesday that the sassy comedy starring America Ferrera will air Wednesdays at 10, replacing the ill-fated "Eastwick," beginning Jan. 6. The network knocked the show from its coveted Thursday-night perch and switched it to Friday nights last season after steady viewership declines. Since the shift to Fridays, its ratings have plummeted -- falling by an additional 46%, according to a new study by Horizon Media.

Over the past week ABC's new fall show "Ugly Betty" has gotten the kind of lucky break most producers would swap their August rental in the Hamptons for. The big question now is whether its target audience of young women will turn the series into this year's sleeper a la "Desperate Housewives" -- or be repelled by a concept that just didn't translate.

MIRROR, mirror on the wall: Who is the fairest new TV character of them all? Her name is Betty Suarez, the 22-year-old magazine editorial assistant you might know as "Ugly Betty," ABC's fresh and spunky superstar. The show is one of only a few unquestionable successes of the fall season thanks to its appeal to a multicultural, predominantly female audience. More than 14 million viewers, mostly women of diverse ethnic backgrounds and ages, have made "Ugly Betty" the No.