‘Betty La Fea, The Story Continues’ Prime Video Series Review - An Unnecessary, Empty Noise

Wikipedia tells me that Yo soy Betty, la fea, a Colombian telenovela, is one of the world's most acclaimed as well as popular TV shows. It's also considered the most famous Latin American telenovela that spawned many remakes worldwide. In India, we had Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin starring Mona Singh, while the US had America Ferrera's Ugly Betty and Elyfer Torres's Betty in New York. What did the audience find so appealing about this story? Wikipedia has an answer. People, apparently, were fascinated by the show's decision to have an unattractive character as the main protagonist. I have not seen the original series or any of the remakes, for that matter. Still, on the basis of the short recap I saw before the beginning of the first episode of Betty, La Fea: La Historia continúa (Betty, La Fea: The Story Continues in English), I can only assume that the 1999 telenovela must have been filled with uneasy moments that must have put Betty through torturous situations like name-calling. The audience must have strongly sympathized with her pain, leading to its tremendous success.

However, as soon as I saw Ana María Orozco (she plays the role of Betty), it became clear to me that the makeup department worked hard to pass her off as "unattractive." This is one of those shows where a beautiful actor/character wears glasses to become "ugly." I was always aware of Orozco's beauty, even during flashbacks to the original series, so the central idea of this show - the reason behind its popularity - didn't work for me. In fact, I only wondered if other characters are blind, given they find Betty unappealing. Betty's idea of ugliness is superficial, almost ridiculous. She puts on her glasses and changes her hairstyle. Yes, Betty returns to her original look in Betty, la fea: la historia continúa after a while. The insults, however, are toned down this time (based on the flashbacks I saw, it seems as if the name-calling was intense in Yo soy Betty, la fea). When studios greenlight an old property, you see it as a sign of creative bankruptcy. Did we really need a sequel to a beloved TV series? What's more, Betty, la Fea: la Historia continúa, after Ecomoda, is the second sequel from Yo soy Betty, la Fea! You feel underwhelmed before even entering into the world of this series.

Betty, la fea: la historia continúa opens with a funeral and Betty's voiceover in which she says she has died. Within a few minutes, we discover she is, in fact, alive. What's the reason behind this misdirection? Instead of figuring out an answer, you let your hopes sink. The bar very quickly is set so low that nothing throughout the ten episodes leaves you dissatisfied. You accept you won't find anything new in Betty, la fea: la historia continúa so the badness, the mediocrity doesn't disappoint. One can sense how the events are being manipulated to fill the runtime. Betty and Armando (Jorge Enrique Abello) go through the divorce process because she finds Marcela (Natalia Ramírez) kissing him. The reality, of course, is that the kiss doesn't mean anything. Armando is taken aback by Marcela's action and politely pulls himself away from her, but Betty isn't interested in listening to an explanation. Armando constantly claims he is innocent. His claims, however, fall on deaf ears, mainly because Betty, at the same time, also learns that Armando knew she was being fired from her position as the President of Ecomoda but never mentioned anything. Betty, in other words, finds it difficult to trust her husband. Hence, the separation.

A smart series would have tossed out the clichés by allowing Betty and Armando to have a calm conversation, which would have cleared up all the misunderstandings and mess. Betty, la fea: la historia continúa doesn't feel the need to be smart. It mostly unfolds within the premises of Ecomoda - a fashion design company with a meeting room where nothing remains hidden from eavesdroppers. Whatever discussions occur in this room, they instantly reach the ears of the people outside the room. A rival company simply has to send their man in disguise, and he will come out possessing all the secrets of this business. Then again, Ecomoda doesn't seem to have any competition. As far as you know, there is no other company, fashion-related or otherwise, in this world. Ecomoda might as well be dominating the market. At one point in the show, we learn about a severance pay scandal. This merely gives rise to mild protests and disappointments. These complaints come across as footnotes. It's hard to care about employees' problems because we never actually see anyone facing money problems. No credit card is declined during shopping, no landlord gives a rent reminder, and no character frets about paying a medical bill or any other bill for that matter.

This indifference regarding professional issues spills over to personal complications. Betty and Armando's divorce hangs limply in the air. We don't care whether they stick together or get separated. Other romantic threads also generate a lack of interest because they aren't allowed to linger or develop. The series speedily moves from one scene to the next. Many hookups or breakups happen before you can say, "Betty, la fea: la historia continúa." Sex is almost always present in the air, but the scenes are too tame. Zharick León's Majo and Lorna Cepeda's Patricia exude sensual powers, yet the screen never catches fire because the series is pretty shy about sex (we just get some kisses). Jorge Enrique Abello is very cute and charming, which is why you can see why Majo is so attracted to him. Other actors merely exist in the frame. You don't mind watching them, but they look like mannequins posing in colorful dresses. They are okay. Yes, even María Orozco is simply not bad. Everything about her reeks of exertion - her acting, like her makeup, is exaggerated to sell her as a sort of kind-hearted, competent, clumsy loser. In one of the episodes, a character reads her diary, and the camera looks at her in such a way as if saying, "Behold this poor little woman. She is innocent." Such a klutzy appeal to our emotions makes us chuckle. Instead of arguing with Armando, Betty should have fought with the cameraman.

Final Score- [4/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times
Note: All ten episodes are screened for this review.
Premiere Date: July 19, 2024, on Prime Video