When I was learning Spanish in high school, I used to watch telenovelas. The awesome thing about telenovelas is that you know exactly what's going on even if you don't quite catch all of the dialogue since the acting is so dramatic. Unlike soap operas in the U.S., telenovelas actually end so they don't feel as repetitive and cyclical. Some of the novelas I watched on a nightly basis included Primer Amor and Los Teens. My favorite one of all though was Yo soy Betty, la fea (I am Betty, the ugly). It's about a not so attractive but extremely intelligent woman named Beatriz Pinzón Solano who works for a fashion company and is constantly scrutinized for her looks by her co-workers. Eventually her fashion ideas get recognized, she gets a makeover and starts fucking the boss. In the beginning it was sort of like a drama but then it took a comedic turn which was definitely 10x better. There's even a cartoon!



Betty la fea was filmed in Colombia and aside from being very popular in Latin America and the U.S., it became a worldwide success airing in the Philippines, Hungary, the Czech Repulic, Israel and China! India, Mexico, Russia, the Netherlands and Greece also have their own versions of Betty la fea. Even Germany has one! It's called Verliebt in Berlin. I always see it at the video store but I never knew what it was about but now I wanna check it out.


India's version


The Netherlands' version


Russia's version
Why am I plugging this telenovela that's already over? This fall ABC is premiering Betty the Ugly starring America Ferrera and I am VERY excited. Fridays at 8pm. Check it out!