This quirky dramedy, a surprise hit during the 2006-07 season, enjoyed a superb sophomore year, building on its fan base by delivering uniformly excellent episodes that pushed the show's characters to new limits of flamboyant outrageousness while maintaining the lovability of its heroine, Betty Suarez, winningly played by America Ferrera. The hallowed halls of Mode magazine still reverberate with the blistering rants of two-faced, eternally conniving Wilhemina Slater (Vanessa Williams), who not only makes life miserable for her staff, but is also carrying on an affair while planning for her wedding. Things come to a head in one of the year's best episodes, “A Nice Day for a Posh Wedding,” in which former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham threatens to overshadow Wilhemina on her big day, while Betty suffers pangs of guilt for keeping her boss's affair a secret. And in “Giving Up the Ghost,” another first-rater among the 18 episodes compiled here, Betty and Daniel (Eric Mabius) race against time to meet a grueling deadline as they try to fetch a teen star out of rehab for a photo shoot. As might be expected, the fierce fashionista rivalries continue to play out (with frequent displays of backbiting and treachery) in this deliciously catty series that boasts sharp writing and fine acting. DVD extras include tours of the set and the Suarez house, cast interviews, deleted scenes, and bloopers. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)
Ugly Betty: The Complete Second Season
Buena Vista, 5 discs, 765 min., TV-14, DVD: $59.99 Volume 23, Issue 6
Ugly Betty: The Complete Second Season
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