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%%* BrokenAesop
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%%* GoldDigger: Patricia
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* InformedDeformity: The majority of the members of "The Ugly Squad".
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* InformedDeformity: The majority of the members of "The Ugly Squad".Squad":
** Mariana is actually an attractive woman, whose only "flaw" is being black.
** The actress who plays Sandra was actually a model. She just happened to wear glasses and somewhat unfavorable clothes.
** Aura María is, by almost every measure, an incredibly beautiful woman who has [[ReallyGetsAround no trouble hooking up with whoever she wants]].
** Mariana is actually an attractive woman, whose only "flaw" is being black.
** The actress who plays Sandra was actually a model. She just happened to wear glasses and somewhat unfavorable clothes.
** Aura María is, by almost every measure, an incredibly beautiful woman who has [[ReallyGetsAround no trouble hooking up with whoever she wants]].
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* CelebrityParadox: in one chapter Mario Duarte, the actor who interpreted Nicolás Mora, appeared as himself in his role as a singer, and even meets his character (albeit they aren't shown at screen at the same time). Nicolás later comments in how some people think they look "a bit" alike, and then wonders loudly why Mr. Duarte is considered more handsome than him.
to:
** Towards the end of the telenovela's run, Patricia starts calling anyone who even slightly inconveniences her "Desgrrrraciado" (rolling her R's more and more as the phrase became popular with audiences). It even ends up becoming her last line in her final episode.
* CelebrityParadox: in one chapter Mario Duarte, the actor who interpreted Nicolás Mora, appeared as himself in his role as a singer, and even meets his character (albeit they aren't shown at screen at the same time). Nicolás later comments in how some people think they look "a bit" alike, and then wonders loudly why Mr. Duarte is considered more handsome thanhim.him, and why anyone enjoys his music, even though in an earlier episode, Nicolás was listening to it.
* CelebrityParadox: in one chapter Mario Duarte, the actor who interpreted Nicolás Mora, appeared as himself in his role as a singer, and even meets his character (albeit they aren't shown at screen at the same time). Nicolás later comments in how some people think they look "a bit" alike, and then wonders loudly why Mr. Duarte is considered more handsome than
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Spoiler tags never go above the line.
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Literally: "I'm Betty, The Ugly One" (1999-2001). The most famous Hispanic SoapOpera in the world, a {{Dramedy}} that also [[SubvertedTrope subverts]] the [[BeautyEqualsGoodness paradigm of the beautiful heroine]] by instead starring an ugly one.
Since in Hispanic countries everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Especially since its US remake (''Series/UglyBetty'') deviates quite a bit from the original.
Since in Hispanic countries everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Especially since its US remake (''Series/UglyBetty'') deviates quite a bit from the original.
to:
Literally: "I'm Betty, The Ugly One" (1999-2001). The most famous Hispanic SoapOpera in the world, a {{Dramedy}} that also [[SubvertedTrope subverts]] the [[BeautyEqualsGoodness paradigm of the beautiful heroine]] by instead starring an ugly one.
Since inone. In Hispanic countries countries, everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Especially since its US remake (''Series/UglyBetty'') deviates quite a bit from the original.
parade!'').
Since in
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Deleted line(s) 38 (click to see context) :
* FollowTheLeader: forget the {{Trans Atlantic Equivalent}}s; after the soap aired there was a boom of bad planned soaps who tried to cash in the "non-pretty heroine". And ''Betty'' itself was halted and heavily reworked by its author because a soap named "La mujer en el espejo" (about an unpretty woman who becomes beautiful after a DealWithTheDevil) aired just before.
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* ShootTheMoney: the chapters filmed in Cartagena de Indias.
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How is the aesop of this show (Beauty is only skin deep) "broken"?
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* BrokenAesop
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Since in Hispanic countries everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Especially since its US remake (''UglyBetty'') deviates quite a bit from the original.
to:
Since in Hispanic countries everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Especially since its US remake (''UglyBetty'') (''Series/UglyBetty'') deviates quite a bit from the original.
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* CulturalTranslation: ''UglyBetty''. It is, however, popular here, and there are many multinational re-makes.
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* CulturalTranslation: ''UglyBetty''.''Series/UglyBetty''. It is, however, popular here, and there are many multinational re-makes.
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Changed line(s) 3,4 (click to see context) from:
Literally: "I'm Betty, The Ugly One" (1999-2001). The most famous hispanic SoapOpera in the world, a {{Dramedy}} that also [[SubvertedTrope subverts]] the [[BeautyEqualsGoodness paradigm of the beautiful heroine]] by instead starring an ugly one.
to:
Literally: "I'm Betty, The Ugly One" (1999-2001). The most famous hispanic Hispanic SoapOpera in the world, a {{Dramedy}} that also [[SubvertedTrope subverts]] the [[BeautyEqualsGoodness paradigm of the beautiful heroine]] by instead starring an ugly one.
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* GirlsNeedRoleModels: Averted; while the point of the soap was promoting the inner beauty over superficial attractive, many of Betty's actions can be seen as unethical and just plain wrong. [[WordOfGod The author even admits]] that Betty shouldn't be considered that successful and [[BrokenAesop her "happy ending" is dark-tinged]].
* GoldDigger: Patricia
* GoldDigger: Patricia
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*
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* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy
* KavorkaMan: Armando Mendoza. Yes, he is good looking and seems to care for his loved ones and friends, but most of the time he is a neurotic {{Jerkass}} with a tendency to being overly bossy, and barks to everyone on sight when things doesn't go as he likes.
* LadykillerInLove: Armando [[spoiler: with Betty]].
* LostInImitation
* LoveDodecahedron
* KavorkaMan: Armando Mendoza. Yes, he is good looking and seems to care for his loved ones and friends, but most of the time he is a neurotic {{Jerkass}} with a tendency to being overly bossy, and barks to everyone on sight when things doesn't go as he likes.
* LadykillerInLove: Armando [[spoiler: with Betty]].
* LostInImitation
* LoveDodecahedron
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*
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* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Marcela.
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* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Marcela. See SmallNameBigEgo (which she is definitely not).
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http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Yosoybetty.JPG
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* SmallNameBigEgo: Patricia. Prides on her beauty, her (brief) time studying finance in a (third rate) university, and her rich ancestor. The truth? She is a vain, shallow and egotistical empty-head, whose time in college was only to find a husband (who quickly got rid of her when he realized what she was like), and whose own family wants nothing with her. Nobody denies she is pretty, but ''anyone else'' in Eco Moda is nicer than her - even the WomanScorned, even the {{Jerkass}}es. She tries to live the same way as she did when she was maintained, and that only hastens her fall. She frustrates Marcela, her only friend, by gleefully ignoring every bit of advice the poor woman gives to her. The only person who actually likes her is Nicolás, who is so charmed by her beauty that ignores every clue he is given about her real personality.
to:
* SmallNameBigEgo: Patricia. Patricia ''(¡y cómo!).'' Prides on her beauty, her (brief) time studying finance in a (third rate) university, and her rich ancestor. The truth? She is a vain, shallow and egotistical empty-head, whose time in college was only to find a husband (who quickly got rid of her when he realized what she was like), and whose own family wants nothing with her. Nobody denies she is pretty, but ''anyone else'' in Eco Moda is nicer than her - even the WomanScorned, even the {{Jerkass}}es. She tries to live the same way as she did when she was maintained, and that only hastens her fall. She frustrates Marcela, her only friend, by gleefully ignoring every bit of advice the poor woman gives to her. The only person who actually likes her is Nicolás, who is so charmed by her beauty that ignores every clue he is given about her real personality.
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* RealitySubtext: Ana María Orozco and Julian Arango, the actors who interpreted Betty and Hugo Lombardi respectively, got divorced during the soap. Their respective characters were ideological opposites, and is believed that the bitterness both held for each other helped to make their confrontations more realistic.
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* OverprotectiveDad: Hermes Pinzón, Betty's father. He seems to notice all the awkwardness and ugliness of his daughter, but still insists on advising her against men with "bad intentions" and drives away any prospective son-in-law. Given what happened the one time his daughter ''did'' had a boyfriend, you couldn't blame him.
to:
* OverprotectiveDad: Hermes Pinzón, Betty's father. He seems to notice all the awkwardness and ugliness of his daughter, but still insists on advising her against men with "bad intentions" and drives away any prospective son-in-law. Given what happened the one time his daughter ''did'' had a boyfriend, you couldn't blame him. This trope, howver, overlaps with...
** GoodParents: Hermes is a loving and caring father that often falls into ProperlyParanoid territory while Doña Julia encourages her daughter into socializing and making friends, Betty said that they're the most important thing in life.
** GoodParents: Hermes is a loving and caring father that often falls into ProperlyParanoid territory while Doña Julia encourages her daughter into socializing and making friends, Betty said that they're the most important thing in life.
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* OpeningTheme: A cover of an old Tango, "[[http://www.todotango.com/english/biblioteca/CRONICAS/betty_la_fea.asp Se Dice de mí]]" specially modified to suit the gender of the protagonist
to:
* OpeningTheme: A cover of an old Tango, Milonga, "[[http://www.todotango.com/english/biblioteca/CRONICAS/betty_la_fea.asp Se Dice de mí]]" specially modified to suit the gender of the protagonist
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* TheNineties
to:
* TheNinetiesTheNineties: Armando and Mario even make a Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky joke in one episode.
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* BettyAndVeronica: As a classic Telenovela, this show loves this trope. The love triangle between Betty, Armando and Marcela is the most prominent example but is also very interesting. By Bettys point of view she is obviously the Betty (Sweet, shy and [[HollywoodHomely not quite attractive]] as the stunning Marcela) while Marcela is more of TheVamp, more outspoken and jealous, putting her into Veronica's territory, however from Marcela's perspective, she is Betty, as she knew Armando from early childhood and has supported him from the begining, contrasting with Betty who is a new comer, exotic and different. Betty later becomes the Archie to Armando's Veronica and Michel's Betty. Let's not forget that Armando was the center of another triangle, or more like a square, between Marcela's Veronica and her two Bettys, Betty and Alejandra. The resolution made Armando stay with Betty.
** Also there's Efrain's Archie to Sofia's Betty and Jenny's Veronica, Sofia loses.
** Also there's Efrain's Archie to Sofia's Betty and Jenny's Veronica, Sofia loses.
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Changed line(s) 53,56 (click to see context) from:
* MenAreStrongWomenArePretty: However hard-working and resourceful Betty is, she simply can't be competent enough to make the others appreciate her actions without obsessing about her looks with at least as much emphasis:
wow, she is very educated for a secretary - turned down because she is ugly;
she outmaneuvered the guard into letting her in - the guard mumbles how one can look so disgusting;
she saves Armando's face during a meeting - he wants to put her into the luggage rack, because her brains are worth nothing while she is ugly...
wow, she is very educated for a secretary - turned down because she is ugly;
she outmaneuvered the guard into letting her in - the guard mumbles how one can look so disgusting;
she saves Armando's face during a meeting - he wants to put her into the luggage rack, because her brains are worth nothing while she is ugly...
to:
* MenAreStrongWomenArePretty: However hard-working and resourceful Betty is, she simply can't be competent enough to make the others appreciate her actions without obsessing about her looks with at least as much emphasis:
wow, she is very educated for a secretary - turned down because she is ugly;
she outmaneuvered the guard into letting her in - the guard mumbles how one can look so disgusting;
she saves Armando's face during a meeting - he wants to put her into the luggage rack, because her brains are worth nothing while she is ugly...emphasis.
wow, she is very educated for a secretary - turned down because she is ugly;
she outmaneuvered the guard into letting her in - the guard mumbles how one can look so disgusting;
she saves Armando's face during a meeting - he wants to put her into the luggage rack, because her brains are worth nothing while she is ugly...
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* MenAreStrongWomenArePretty: However hard-working and resourceful Betty is, she simply can't be competent enough to make the others appreciate her actions without obsessing about her looks with at least as much emphasis:
wow, she is very educated for a secretary - turned down because she is ugly;
she outmaneuvered the guard into letting her in - the guard mumbles how one can look so disgusting;
she saves Armando's face during a meeting - he wants to put her into the luggage rack, because her brains are worth nothing while she is ugly...
wow, she is very educated for a secretary - turned down because she is ugly;
she outmaneuvered the guard into letting her in - the guard mumbles how one can look so disgusting;
she saves Armando's face during a meeting - he wants to put her into the luggage rack, because her brains are worth nothing while she is ugly...
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* GangOfBullies: the youths in Betty's street, constantly picking on her.
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* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: Betty wasn't interested in Armando until the moment he touched her chin and said ''you are the kind of woman I need''.
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* CampGay: Hugo Lombardi.
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* CatchPhrase: Patricia's ''"Yo estudié seis semestres de Finanzas en la San Marino"'' ("I studied six semesters of Finance in San Marino College"). The joke is that the college she mentions so proudly is a FictionalCounterpart of a [[StrawmanU third rate university]].
to:
* CatchPhrase: Patricia's ''"Yo estudié seis semestres de Finanzas en la San Marino"'' ("I studied six semesters of Finance in San Marino College"). The joke is that the college she mentions so proudly is a FictionalCounterpart of a [[StrawmanU third rate university]].university]], and for the timeframe mentioned she only went [[MRSDegree to catch a husband]].
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Since in Hispanic countries everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Especially since it's US remake (''UglyBetty'') deviates quite a bit from the original.
to:
Since in Hispanic countries everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Especially since it's its US remake (''UglyBetty'') deviates quite a bit from the original.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
Since in Hispanic countries everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Don't worry, ''UglyBetty'' watchers: it's very unlikely that the adaptation will use the same plot points, even if it shares the overall plot.
to:
Since in Hispanic countries everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Don't worry, ''UglyBetty'' watchers: Especially since it's very unlikely that US remake (''UglyBetty'') deviates quite a bit from the adaptation will use the same plot points, even if it shares the overall plot.
original.
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* GirlsNeedRoleModels: Averted; while the point of the soap was promoting the inner beauty over superficial attractive, many of Betty's actions can be seen as unethical and just plain wrong. [[WordOfGod The author even admits]] that Betty shouldn't be considered that successful and [[BrokenAesop her "happy ending" is dark-tinged]].
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Changed line(s) 13,14 (click to see context) from:
Mind, Betty knows that her "Don Armando" will never notice anyone like her, and so she decides to instead demonstrate her love by being the best secretary possible, even if that means clashing with Patricia (who likes to think of herself as much more important than she is), with Marcela (who works in the company too, and knows Armando's personality too well), with the head designer Hugo Lombardi (a FlamboyantGay who disliked Betty since Day One due to his very rigid concept of beauty), with Daniel Valencia (Marcela's brother, investor, and TheRival of Armando since childhood), and in general with... pretty much everyone. She endures a lot of mistreatment, including being shunted off to a closet as her office. Unexpectedly, she finds support and friendship in the secretaries of the company, dubbed the Ugly Squad by Lombardi.
to:
Mind, Betty knows that her "Don Armando" will never notice anyone like her, and so she decides to instead demonstrate her love by being the best secretary possible, even if that means clashing with Patricia (who likes to think of herself as much more important than she is), with Marcela (who works in the company too, and knows Armando's personality too well), with the head designer Hugo Lombardi (a FlamboyantGay who disliked Betty since Day One due to his very rigid concept of beauty), with Daniel Valencia (Marcela's brother, investor, and TheRival of Armando since childhood), and in general with... pretty much everyone. She endures a lot of mistreatment, including being shunted off to a closet as her office. Unexpectedly, she finds support and friendship in the secretaries of the company, dubbed the "el cuartel de feas" (the Ugly Squad Squad) by Lombardi.
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* CampGay: Ugo Lombardi.
to:
* CampGay: Ugo Hugo Lombardi.
Deleted line(s) 35 (click to see context) :
* FallenPrincess: Patricia is a subversion: after her divorce, she falls in status, but instead of becoming nicer, she acts as the AlphaBitch she always has been, clinging passionately to all the symbols of her former status.
* GoldDigger: Patricia
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* LizLemonJob: Betty has traces of this, and this was inherited (and expanded) by later incarnations.
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* MeaningfulName
to:
* MeaningfulNameMeaningfulName: several.
* OnlySaneEmployee: Betty has traces of this, and this was inherited (and expanded) by later incarnations.
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* OverprotectiveDad: Hermes Pinzón, Betty's father. He seems to notice all the awkwardness and ugliness of his daughter, but still insists on advising her against men with "bad intentions" and drives away any prospective son-in-law.
to:
* OverprotectiveDad: Hermes Pinzón, Betty's father. He seems to notice all the awkwardness and ugliness of his daughter, but still insists on advising her against men with "bad intentions" and drives away any prospective son-in-law. Given what happened the one time his daughter ''did'' had a boyfriend, you couldn't blame him.
* PrincessInRags: Patricia. After her divorce, she falls in status, but instead of that [[FallenPrincess humbling her down]], she acts as the AlphaBitch she always has been, clinging passionately to all the symbols of her former status. Of course, the soap has a particular delight on smacking her with reality. One episode has her trying to keep people of realizing that she is not wearing pantyhose, because she doesn't have money to buy replacements; another has her having to use public transportation for the first time on her life, after her car was collected by the bank.
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* TyrantTakesTheHelm: Daniel Valencia
to:
* TyrantTakesTheHelm: Daniel ValenciaValencia.
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Beatriz Pinzón is a very intelligent woman in her late twenties, has a degree in Economics and a master in Finance, perfectly trilingual, and is extremely clever. She also is ''extremely'' unattractive, with any possible redeeming feature hidden under her unflattering clothes, her bad hair, her orthodontic treatment, her big nerdy glasses and her cringe-worthy laugh. Since she has been considered ugly since her birth, she has very little confidence in herself, and her parents being very overprotective doesn't help her with this at all. Her only friend is Nicolás Mora, a fellow neighbour and classmate, who is as unattractive and nerdy as she is.
to:
Beatriz "Betty" Pinzón is a very intelligent woman in her late twenties, has a degree in Economics and a master in Finance, perfectly trilingual, and is extremely clever. She also is ''extremely'' unattractive, with any possible redeeming feature hidden under her unflattering clothes, her bad hair, her orthodontic treatment, her big nerdy glasses and her cringe-worthy laugh. Since she has been considered ugly since her birth, she has very little confidence in herself, and her parents being very overprotective doesn't help her with this at all. Her only friend is Nicolás Mora, a fellow neighbour and classmate, who is as unattractive and nerdy as she is.
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* SmallNameBigEgo: Patricia. Prides on her beauty, her (brief) time studying finance in a (third rate) university, and her rich ancestor. The truth? She is a vain, shallow and egotistical empty-head, whose time in college was only to find a husband (who quickly got rid of her when he realized what she was like), and whose own family wants nothing with her. Nobody denies she is pretty, but ''anyone else'' in Eco Moda is nicer than her - even the WomanScorned, even the {{Jerkass}}es. She tries to live the same way as she did when she was maintained, and that only hastens her fall. She frustrates Marcela, her only friend, by gleefully ignoring every bit of advice the poor woman gives to her. The only person who actually likes her is Nicolás, who is so charmed by her beauty that ignores every clue he is given about her real personality.
Deleted line(s) 69 (click to see context) :
* TedBaxter: Patricia. Prides on her beauty, her (brief) time studying finance in a (third rate) university, and her rich ancestor. The truth? She is a vain, shallow and egotistical empty-head, whose time in college was only to find a husband (who quickly got rid of her when he realized what she was like), and whose own family wants nothing with her. Nobody denies she is pretty, but ''anyone else'' in Eco Moda is nicer than her - even the WomanScorned, even the {{Jerkass}}es. She tries to live the same way as she did when she was maintained, and that only hastens her fall. She frustrates Marcela, her only friend, by gleefully ignoring every bit of advice the poor woman gives to her. The only person who actually likes her is Nicolás, who is so charmed by her beauty that ignores every clue he is given about her real personality.
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* LadykillerInLove: Armando [[spoiler: with Betty]].
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Added DiffLines:
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Yosoybetty.JPG
Literally: "I'm Betty, The Ugly One" (1999-2001). The most famous hispanic SoapOpera in the world, a {{Dramedy}} that also [[SubvertedTrope subverts]] the [[BeautyEqualsGoodness paradigm of the beautiful heroine]] by instead starring an ugly one.
Since in Hispanic countries everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Don't worry, ''UglyBetty'' watchers: it's very unlikely that the adaptation will use the same plot points, even if it shares the overall plot.
Beatriz Pinzón is a very intelligent woman in her late twenties, has a degree in Economics and a master in Finance, perfectly trilingual, and is extremely clever. She also is ''extremely'' unattractive, with any possible redeeming feature hidden under her unflattering clothes, her bad hair, her orthodontic treatment, her big nerdy glasses and her cringe-worthy laugh. Since she has been considered ugly since her birth, she has very little confidence in herself, and her parents being very overprotective doesn't help her with this at all. Her only friend is Nicolás Mora, a fellow neighbour and classmate, who is as unattractive and nerdy as she is.
Unable to find a job at the same level as her knowledge because her incredible resume is hidden by the photo attached to it, Betty lowers her expectations and applies to a secretarial job in a fashion company, Eco Moda, since they are the only company that doesn't require a photo. The Human Resources man instead hires Patricia Fernández, a very attractive lady; however, Patricia is the best friend of Marcela Valencia, the fiancée of the new president of the company, Armando Mendoza, and, suspecting that his very jealous fiancée wants to spy on him - and since he needs a ''competent'' aid - he hires Betty as well. After all, Patricia is a total airhead, and Betty has the plus of being unattractive. WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong
Well, for a start, Betty falls in love with her boss.
Mind, Betty knows that her "Don Armando" will never notice anyone like her, and so she decides to instead demonstrate her love by being the best secretary possible, even if that means clashing with Patricia (who likes to think of herself as much more important than she is), with Marcela (who works in the company too, and knows Armando's personality too well), with the head designer Hugo Lombardi (a FlamboyantGay who disliked Betty since Day One due to his very rigid concept of beauty), with Daniel Valencia (Marcela's brother, investor, and TheRival of Armando since childhood), and in general with... pretty much everyone. She endures a lot of mistreatment, including being shunted off to a closet as her office. Unexpectedly, she finds support and friendship in the secretaries of the company, dubbed the Ugly Squad by Lombardi.
Armando begins to trust more and more in Betty, who little by little influences in the policies of the company. To him, she is the hideous but trustworthy secretary, who also happens to know a lot of Economics. However Armando's very ambitious plans for the company begin to fall apart when the first collection of clothing produced under his administration fails badly, with the logical loss of money. Afraid of losing his position, his parent's trust and the company (in that order), he and Betty create a plan involving a takeover by a ghost company, and tax evasion. Then Armando's best friend and company vice-president Mario Calderón suggest to him that he should ensure Betty's loyalty by romancing her...
----
!!This show contains examples of:
* BeautifulAllAlong
* TheBrainlessBeauty: Patricia Fernandez and Aura María, among others.
* BreakfastClub: The secretaries of the company, dubbed "The Ugly Squad" by Hugo Lombardi, because none of them have perfect, supermodel looks. Besides Betty, they are an elderly lady, an angry WomanScorned in her forties, an ''angrier'' ChristmasCake over 6 feet tall, a [[BlackBestFriend dark skinned woman who likes to play tarot]], the attractive but short (and [[TheDitz ditzy]]) company receptionist, and the fat BigEater gossiper who, ironically, is the only happily married one, and the best adjusted of all the group.
* BrokenAesop
* BunnyEarsLawyer: a good chunk of the cast.
* TheCameo, SpecialGuest and CelebrityStar: Oh, boy. There was a lot people who appeared at this soap at some point, including several singers, the actress who starred Brazilian soap ''Xica da Silva'', and at one point ''every single one of the candidates'' of the Miss Colombia beauty pageant of that year, and the ''President of Colombia'' (The latter two were justified, since the storyline involved Betty in the preproduction of the pageant, and the President, who happened to be in the city of the pageant, wanted to appear in the soap. Both things became plot points).
* CampGay: Ugo Lombardi.
* CantGetAwayWithNuthin: Subverted.
* CasanovaWannabe: Freddy and Nicolás. The latter acknowledges his lack of physical attractiveness, but both fail to understand that their ''attitude'' is the real cause of them being still single.
* CatchPhrase: Patricia's ''"Yo estudié seis semestres de Finanzas en la San Marino"'' ("I studied six semesters of Finance in San Marino College"). The joke is that the college she mentions so proudly is a FictionalCounterpart of a [[StrawmanU third rate university]].
** ''"El diablo es puerco"'' (The Devil is a Pig), a phrase always spoken by Betty's father, Don Hermes. Particular because it hits the nail while really saying nonsense.
* CelebrityParadox: in one chapter Mario Duarte, the actor who interpreted Nicolás Mora, appeared as himself in his role as a singer, and even meets his character (albeit they aren't shown at screen at the same time). Nicolás later comments in how some people think they look "a bit" alike, and then wonders loudly why Mr. Duarte is considered more handsome than him.
* ClingyJealousGirl: Marcela, albeit she has reasons... and eventually is proven right.
* CosmeticCatastrophe
* CulturalTranslation: ''UglyBetty''. It is, however, popular here, and there are many multinational re-makes.
* FallenPrincess: Patricia is a subversion: after her divorce, she falls in status, but instead of becoming nicer, she acts as the AlphaBitch she always has been, clinging passionately to all the symbols of her former status.
* FlamboyantGay: Hugo Lombardi. Luigi Lombardi from the Mexican version ''La fea más bella'' is an even more blatant example, especially because Flamboyant Gays in Mexico usually assume Italian names.
* FollowTheLeader: forget the {{Trans Atlantic Equivalent}}s; after the soap aired there was a boom of bad planned soaps who tried to cash in the "non-pretty heroine". And ''Betty'' itself was halted and heavily reworked by its author because a soap named "La mujer en el espejo" (about an unpretty woman who becomes beautiful after a DealWithTheDevil) aired just before.
* GenerationXerox: The last episode ends with a scene very similar to the first scene of the opening...
* HugeSchoolgirl: The tallest secretary of the "Ugly Squad", Sandra Patiño, is what happens with this type of character once they leave the school, but retain the complex.
* ICantBelieveAGuyLikeYouWouldNoticeMe
* InformedDeformity: The majority of the members of "The Ugly Squad".
* IJustWantToBeBeautiful: Betty, of course. Not out of shallowness, but because of her experiences: people are judged and treated according to their looks.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy
* KavorkaMan: Armando Mendoza. Yes, he is good looking and seems to care for his loved ones and friends, but most of the time he is a neurotic {{Jerkass}} with a tendency to being overly bossy, and barks to everyone on sight when things doesn't go as he likes.
* LizLemonJob: Betty has traces of this, and this was inherited (and expanded) by later incarnations.
* LostInImitation
* LoveDodecahedron
* MeaningfulName
* {{Mentor}}: Catalina Angel
* {{Meganekko}}: Betty's makeover transforms her into this archetype.
* MultiNationalShows
* NaiveEverygirl
* OneSteveLimit: Beatriz Pinzón and María Beatriz Valencia
* OpeningTheme: A cover of an old Tango, "[[http://www.todotango.com/english/biblioteca/CRONICAS/betty_la_fea.asp Se Dice de mí]]" specially modified to suit the gender of the protagonist
* OverprotectiveDad: Hermes Pinzón, Betty's father. He seems to notice all the awkwardness and ugliness of his daughter, but still insists on advising her against men with "bad intentions" and drives away any prospective son-in-law.
* PetHomosexual: Inverted; the homosexual designer has traits of this type, but he is too moody to be anyone's mascot, and instead treats his elderly secretary as ''his'' pet.
* PlatonicLifePartners: Betty and Nicolás.
* PlayingCyrano: Mario Calderón, for Armando. Subverted because none of them are interested in Betty (at least in the beginning).
* RealitySubtext: Ana María Orozco and Julian Arango, the actors who interpreted Betty and Hugo Lombardi respectively, got divorced during the soap. Their respective characters were ideological opposites, and is believed that the bitterness both held for each other helped to make their confrontations more realistic.
* RevengeOfTheNerd: ¡Y cómo!
* RomanticFalseLead: Michell
* SheCleansUpNicely: She does. Betty's apeareance significantly improves towards the end of the soap opera.
* ShootTheMoney: the chapters filmed in Cartagena de Indias.
* SpinOff: ''Ecomoda'', which only lasted a month.
* SpinoffBabies: The atrocious AnimatedAdaptation ''Betty Toons''.
* StepfordSmiler
* StupidBoss: Gutiérrez, who sprouts GratuitousEnglish all the time, is easily distracted by any good looking female (but treating the ''non''-good looking ones worse than nasty), and is only competent enough to avoid being a PointyHairedBoss by a pinch.
* TedBaxter: Patricia. Prides on her beauty, her (brief) time studying finance in a (third rate) university, and her rich ancestor. The truth? She is a vain, shallow and egotistical empty-head, whose time in college was only to find a husband (who quickly got rid of her when he realized what she was like), and whose own family wants nothing with her. Nobody denies she is pretty, but ''anyone else'' in Eco Moda is nicer than her - even the WomanScorned, even the {{Jerkass}}es. She tries to live the same way as she did when she was maintained, and that only hastens her fall. She frustrates Marcela, her only friend, by gleefully ignoring every bit of advice the poor woman gives to her. The only person who actually likes her is Nicolás, who is so charmed by her beauty that ignores every clue he is given about her real personality.
* TyrantTakesTheHelm: Daniel Valencia
* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Marcela.
* UpperClassTwit: several:
** Patricia, even if she has no money, still brings her uselessness with her.
** Maria Beatriz, who only appears long enough to collect her cheque and go back to Europe for another plastic surgery procedure.
* VirginityMakesYouStupid
* YawnAndReach: Nicolás tries this, but fails almost every time.
* YourCheatingHeart
----
Literally: "I'm Betty, The Ugly One" (1999-2001). The most famous hispanic SoapOpera in the world, a {{Dramedy}} that also [[SubvertedTrope subverts]] the [[BeautyEqualsGoodness paradigm of the beautiful heroine]] by instead starring an ugly one.
Since in Hispanic countries everybody and their cat has watched it (the Mexican adaptation's finale ''was actually a real parade!''), the spoilers in the following description will go unmarked. Don't worry, ''UglyBetty'' watchers: it's very unlikely that the adaptation will use the same plot points, even if it shares the overall plot.
Beatriz Pinzón is a very intelligent woman in her late twenties, has a degree in Economics and a master in Finance, perfectly trilingual, and is extremely clever. She also is ''extremely'' unattractive, with any possible redeeming feature hidden under her unflattering clothes, her bad hair, her orthodontic treatment, her big nerdy glasses and her cringe-worthy laugh. Since she has been considered ugly since her birth, she has very little confidence in herself, and her parents being very overprotective doesn't help her with this at all. Her only friend is Nicolás Mora, a fellow neighbour and classmate, who is as unattractive and nerdy as she is.
Unable to find a job at the same level as her knowledge because her incredible resume is hidden by the photo attached to it, Betty lowers her expectations and applies to a secretarial job in a fashion company, Eco Moda, since they are the only company that doesn't require a photo. The Human Resources man instead hires Patricia Fernández, a very attractive lady; however, Patricia is the best friend of Marcela Valencia, the fiancée of the new president of the company, Armando Mendoza, and, suspecting that his very jealous fiancée wants to spy on him - and since he needs a ''competent'' aid - he hires Betty as well. After all, Patricia is a total airhead, and Betty has the plus of being unattractive. WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong
Well, for a start, Betty falls in love with her boss.
Mind, Betty knows that her "Don Armando" will never notice anyone like her, and so she decides to instead demonstrate her love by being the best secretary possible, even if that means clashing with Patricia (who likes to think of herself as much more important than she is), with Marcela (who works in the company too, and knows Armando's personality too well), with the head designer Hugo Lombardi (a FlamboyantGay who disliked Betty since Day One due to his very rigid concept of beauty), with Daniel Valencia (Marcela's brother, investor, and TheRival of Armando since childhood), and in general with... pretty much everyone. She endures a lot of mistreatment, including being shunted off to a closet as her office. Unexpectedly, she finds support and friendship in the secretaries of the company, dubbed the Ugly Squad by Lombardi.
Armando begins to trust more and more in Betty, who little by little influences in the policies of the company. To him, she is the hideous but trustworthy secretary, who also happens to know a lot of Economics. However Armando's very ambitious plans for the company begin to fall apart when the first collection of clothing produced under his administration fails badly, with the logical loss of money. Afraid of losing his position, his parent's trust and the company (in that order), he and Betty create a plan involving a takeover by a ghost company, and tax evasion. Then Armando's best friend and company vice-president Mario Calderón suggest to him that he should ensure Betty's loyalty by romancing her...
----
!!This show contains examples of:
* BeautifulAllAlong
* TheBrainlessBeauty: Patricia Fernandez and Aura María, among others.
* BreakfastClub: The secretaries of the company, dubbed "The Ugly Squad" by Hugo Lombardi, because none of them have perfect, supermodel looks. Besides Betty, they are an elderly lady, an angry WomanScorned in her forties, an ''angrier'' ChristmasCake over 6 feet tall, a [[BlackBestFriend dark skinned woman who likes to play tarot]], the attractive but short (and [[TheDitz ditzy]]) company receptionist, and the fat BigEater gossiper who, ironically, is the only happily married one, and the best adjusted of all the group.
* BrokenAesop
* BunnyEarsLawyer: a good chunk of the cast.
* TheCameo, SpecialGuest and CelebrityStar: Oh, boy. There was a lot people who appeared at this soap at some point, including several singers, the actress who starred Brazilian soap ''Xica da Silva'', and at one point ''every single one of the candidates'' of the Miss Colombia beauty pageant of that year, and the ''President of Colombia'' (The latter two were justified, since the storyline involved Betty in the preproduction of the pageant, and the President, who happened to be in the city of the pageant, wanted to appear in the soap. Both things became plot points).
* CampGay: Ugo Lombardi.
* CantGetAwayWithNuthin: Subverted.
* CasanovaWannabe: Freddy and Nicolás. The latter acknowledges his lack of physical attractiveness, but both fail to understand that their ''attitude'' is the real cause of them being still single.
* CatchPhrase: Patricia's ''"Yo estudié seis semestres de Finanzas en la San Marino"'' ("I studied six semesters of Finance in San Marino College"). The joke is that the college she mentions so proudly is a FictionalCounterpart of a [[StrawmanU third rate university]].
** ''"El diablo es puerco"'' (The Devil is a Pig), a phrase always spoken by Betty's father, Don Hermes. Particular because it hits the nail while really saying nonsense.
* CelebrityParadox: in one chapter Mario Duarte, the actor who interpreted Nicolás Mora, appeared as himself in his role as a singer, and even meets his character (albeit they aren't shown at screen at the same time). Nicolás later comments in how some people think they look "a bit" alike, and then wonders loudly why Mr. Duarte is considered more handsome than him.
* ClingyJealousGirl: Marcela, albeit she has reasons... and eventually is proven right.
* CosmeticCatastrophe
* CulturalTranslation: ''UglyBetty''. It is, however, popular here, and there are many multinational re-makes.
* FallenPrincess: Patricia is a subversion: after her divorce, she falls in status, but instead of becoming nicer, she acts as the AlphaBitch she always has been, clinging passionately to all the symbols of her former status.
* FlamboyantGay: Hugo Lombardi. Luigi Lombardi from the Mexican version ''La fea más bella'' is an even more blatant example, especially because Flamboyant Gays in Mexico usually assume Italian names.
* FollowTheLeader: forget the {{Trans Atlantic Equivalent}}s; after the soap aired there was a boom of bad planned soaps who tried to cash in the "non-pretty heroine". And ''Betty'' itself was halted and heavily reworked by its author because a soap named "La mujer en el espejo" (about an unpretty woman who becomes beautiful after a DealWithTheDevil) aired just before.
* GenerationXerox: The last episode ends with a scene very similar to the first scene of the opening...
* HugeSchoolgirl: The tallest secretary of the "Ugly Squad", Sandra Patiño, is what happens with this type of character once they leave the school, but retain the complex.
* ICantBelieveAGuyLikeYouWouldNoticeMe
* InformedDeformity: The majority of the members of "The Ugly Squad".
* IJustWantToBeBeautiful: Betty, of course. Not out of shallowness, but because of her experiences: people are judged and treated according to their looks.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy
* KavorkaMan: Armando Mendoza. Yes, he is good looking and seems to care for his loved ones and friends, but most of the time he is a neurotic {{Jerkass}} with a tendency to being overly bossy, and barks to everyone on sight when things doesn't go as he likes.
* LizLemonJob: Betty has traces of this, and this was inherited (and expanded) by later incarnations.
* LostInImitation
* LoveDodecahedron
* MeaningfulName
* {{Mentor}}: Catalina Angel
* {{Meganekko}}: Betty's makeover transforms her into this archetype.
* MultiNationalShows
* NaiveEverygirl
* OneSteveLimit: Beatriz Pinzón and María Beatriz Valencia
* OpeningTheme: A cover of an old Tango, "[[http://www.todotango.com/english/biblioteca/CRONICAS/betty_la_fea.asp Se Dice de mí]]" specially modified to suit the gender of the protagonist
* OverprotectiveDad: Hermes Pinzón, Betty's father. He seems to notice all the awkwardness and ugliness of his daughter, but still insists on advising her against men with "bad intentions" and drives away any prospective son-in-law.
* PetHomosexual: Inverted; the homosexual designer has traits of this type, but he is too moody to be anyone's mascot, and instead treats his elderly secretary as ''his'' pet.
* PlatonicLifePartners: Betty and Nicolás.
* PlayingCyrano: Mario Calderón, for Armando. Subverted because none of them are interested in Betty (at least in the beginning).
* RealitySubtext: Ana María Orozco and Julian Arango, the actors who interpreted Betty and Hugo Lombardi respectively, got divorced during the soap. Their respective characters were ideological opposites, and is believed that the bitterness both held for each other helped to make their confrontations more realistic.
* RevengeOfTheNerd: ¡Y cómo!
* RomanticFalseLead: Michell
* SheCleansUpNicely: She does. Betty's apeareance significantly improves towards the end of the soap opera.
* ShootTheMoney: the chapters filmed in Cartagena de Indias.
* SpinOff: ''Ecomoda'', which only lasted a month.
* SpinoffBabies: The atrocious AnimatedAdaptation ''Betty Toons''.
* StepfordSmiler
* StupidBoss: Gutiérrez, who sprouts GratuitousEnglish all the time, is easily distracted by any good looking female (but treating the ''non''-good looking ones worse than nasty), and is only competent enough to avoid being a PointyHairedBoss by a pinch.
* TedBaxter: Patricia. Prides on her beauty, her (brief) time studying finance in a (third rate) university, and her rich ancestor. The truth? She is a vain, shallow and egotistical empty-head, whose time in college was only to find a husband (who quickly got rid of her when he realized what she was like), and whose own family wants nothing with her. Nobody denies she is pretty, but ''anyone else'' in Eco Moda is nicer than her - even the WomanScorned, even the {{Jerkass}}es. She tries to live the same way as she did when she was maintained, and that only hastens her fall. She frustrates Marcela, her only friend, by gleefully ignoring every bit of advice the poor woman gives to her. The only person who actually likes her is Nicolás, who is so charmed by her beauty that ignores every clue he is given about her real personality.
* TyrantTakesTheHelm: Daniel Valencia
* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Marcela.
* UpperClassTwit: several:
** Patricia, even if she has no money, still brings her uselessness with her.
** Maria Beatriz, who only appears long enough to collect her cheque and go back to Europe for another plastic surgery procedure.
* VirginityMakesYouStupid
* YawnAndReach: Nicolás tries this, but fails almost every time.
* YourCheatingHeart
----
