Guest Author - Dani M. Sanders

Who is returning on April 24, 2008 to make TV's airwaves safe for normal-sized women again? Why, Ugly Betty, of course! The show that features a normal gal's quest to succeed in the cutthroat world of fashion picks up where it left off before the 2006-2007WGA strike with five new episodes.

Ugly Betty is a show that we have borrowed from our Columbian neighbors, and it is doing just as well here as it has already done in a dozen other countries. The US version has retained many of the crazy twists and turns that are a part of the Latin telenovela tradition. In a time when brutal realism seems to rule the airwaves, the improbable story lines have charmed audiences. Based on this success, ABC has already added it to its schedule for the 2008-2009 season.

I believe that the key to Ugly Betty's popularity is that it appeals to the underdog in all of us. Betty (played by AmericaFerrara ) is the only normal girl working at a top fashion magazine, not only in appearance but also in attitude. She struggles to stick to her values amidst all the craziness in her business and personal lives. Believe me, there is definitely some craziness! Affairs, corporate takeovers, prison escapes -- oh, my! Unlike many shows that show everyone having shades of gray, this show portrays right and wrong in black and white. Betty always stays true to herself so we know who to root for.

There are several elements that would make this show family-friendly. The best reason for young girls to watch would be Betty herself. She is a reminder that each person can follow her own path, yet the show is realistic about how hard that is when you are young. There was an episode in the second season where Betty hijacked a fashion show and put in models of all ages and sizes to show her nephew's classmates that there are all kinds of beauty. The mini-fashionistas in the class still rejected the message, but one girl ran back when the other girls weren't looking and thanked Betty. The show is good at sending out that kind of message in plain language that even my 11-year-old daughters could understand. However, there is a lot of other stuff (like one character's womanizing and drug abuse) that I am not sure I want to expose my girls to yet. So I would say, this show is good for kids over 13.

If you missed a few episodes this season or lost the plot during the writers' strike, ABC has the entire season thus far on their website as part of their Start Fresh campaign. For those who have never seen the show before, the first season is available on DVD. If you run to the rental store now and take a day off work, you could do a marathon before the new episodes start!