It's been months already since ABS- CBN launched a new primetime show, "I Love Betty La Fea" and I honestly don't love it! Well, I am posting an honest opinion and I am not encouraging readers not to love it the way I don't love it! If you enjoy watching the show on a daily basis, then good for you because in my case, I just can't stand it!
Frankly, I am a big fan of ABC's Ugly Betty! I had 2 of its seasons downloaded on my laptop and used all the episodes for my American Accent Training sessions at work. We all really can't get enough of it- the story, clothes, accessories, humor, acting, Betty (America Ferrera) and of course, Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa Williams)- they are just superb!
Well, I think the local one that we have here has a different plot and theme, I must say. It is based on the original Betty La Fea, the Columbian telenovela we grew up with plus ABC's Ugly Betty which most of us (American TV Series fanatics) are very much familiar with. I don't love "I Love Betty La Fea" for 2 reasons. One, I think Bea Alonzo (Betty La Fea) is too good for the role! The character is no challenge to her that's why her acting appears too tacky on screen. I fully recognize how good Bea's acting is and I think this role isn't for her. Her acting makes people think that Betty is a mere lunatic running around the office of a famous fashion magazine, madly inlove with her boss and becomes smart in random chances and pathetic circumstances. But what Betty in both of the Columbian and American TV series is, a smart- all- the- time assistant who's always there to save the day... just lacking aesthetic polish and fashion sense... Well, it seems to me that America Ferrera and Anna Maria Orozco can pull the character off far better and doesn't really make it cheap. Second, is Ruffa Gutierrez's being Wilhelmina Slater! It bothers me a lot! Why wasn't the character given to Ms. Cherry Gil or someone who is beautiful and fashionable but fierce! I'm not saying that Ruffa isn't beautiful and fashionable... she is! Very much! She's an icon for being both! But she isn't fierce enough for the character! She lacks the devilish attitude of Willie that can make people around her feel inadequate and beat down the lovable personalities of those like Betty. Wilhelmina is another important character, but way to lame in our local series.
As for me, the Philippine's "I Love Betty La Fea" is clearly doing a poor job of getting its message across by these two characters. It's nothing but a TV series that makes viewers laugh at a poor assistants' uncomfortable situations, garner sympathy for Betty's state, and continuously think that "ugly" people can only get jobs out of pity or random chance. Where is the concept of "Ugly is the new Beautiful" that both Ugly Betty and Betty La Fea are all about? Well, I believe it's lost by the flashy set and actresses who are not really meant to play Betty La Fea and Wilhelmina Slater roles.
