Yo Soy Betty, La Fea is a well-known series I have never seen. I have always wanted to watch it but never had the opportunity. Prime Video’s announcement of Betty La Fea: The Story Continues, a continuation spin-off series, gave me the perfect chance to explore the world of Betty and Ecomoda.
Naturally, I enjoy knowing the lore, reading the source material, and preparing for TV shows and movies if they have prior existing content. Therefore, I would have loved to watch Yo Soy Betty, La Fea before watching Betty La Fea: The Story Continues, but the original series isn’t currently available to stream in the United States.
Therefore, I worried I wouldn’t enjoy watchingThe Story Continues if I didn’t see the original series. Surprisingly, I loved this new Prime Video show and didn’t feel I missed much by not seeing the original.
It’s a series that others may find themselves enjoying too, even without knowing the original series. Here’s why.
Warning: minor Betty La Fea: The Story Continues and Yo Soy Betty, La Fea spoilers ahead.
Betty La Fea: The Story Continues Makes Things Easy For New Viewers
Betty La Fea: The Story Continues takes place at least 20 years after the original series. It follows Betty (Ana Maria Orozco) and Armando (Jorge Enrique Abello) as their marriage nears an end. Their daughter Mila (Juanita Molina) also creates trouble as Betty and her are estranged. Meanwhile, their fashion business, Ecomoda, faces some major issues, including not being able to compensate the company’s employees fairly.
The story focuses on this new chapter for Betty, Armando, their friends, family, and co-workers. Things from the past affect the current state of Armando and Betty’s marriage, such as his past treatment of her. New viewers quickly learn that Armando once manipulated and used her to further his business needs.
The pain of that betrayal still haunts their relationship, even if they’ve had decades of happiness. Exes also seem to meddle in their lives. The show’s focus on these current issues makes it easy to jump into this story and want to know what happens next. Additionally, it uses clips from the original series strategically.
This makes it easier to understand better what happened in the past. The show does a good job of explaining things without the clips, but they enhance these details. Additionally, I am sure people who used to watch Betty, La Fea are excited to see clips from key moments.
It’s A Love Letter To Those Who Love Telenovelas
My four years of studying the Spanish language gives me more than a basic understanding. However, I watched telenovelas with no knowledge of the Spanish language. I mainly watched them because I have native Spanish-speaking friends who loved and got me into telenovelas. A few of my favorites were Rebelde, Clase 406, and Lola Érase Una Vez. Therefore, I am not a telenovela expert but I have a decent history with them.
Despite The Story Continues not technically being a telenovela (way shorter, for one), it has so many core elements. It uses classic telenovela themes, techniques, twists, and storytelling choices. It operates like one, just without the hundreds of episodes. It actually made me miss telenovelas. I wanted that daily hit of something silly, melodramatic, and ridiculous in all the right ways.
It made me want more telenovelas to make continuation series. This one truly feels like one of Prime Video’s best series because of how much it embraces the beauty of that genre.
It Has A Nostalgic Feel To It
This is a show for fans of the original series and conjures nostalgia for a certain time. Betty La Fea, The Story Continues Season 1 Episode 5, “Your Prison,” plays “Atrévete-Te-Te” by Calle 13. That’s a song I used to hear all the time, so it immediately brings up nostalgia for the early 2000s and the many great early 2000s series. For some, this Prime Video series triggers a specific nostalgia that only those who watched early 2000s telenovelas may understand.
I am one of those people, because telenovelas were a huge part of my TV consumption as a teen. Betty La Fea: The Story Continues takes me back to when I would watch telenovelas daily, obsessed over them, and my love of RBD and Rebelde, which was the major telenovela of my youth. It’s also why I was so excited for the reboot.
The Rebelde Netflix reboot was a disappointment, but Betty La Fea: The Story Continues is a success. It succeeds because it understands how to capitalize on nostalgia while expanding this world to a new audience.
There’s So Many International Versions That You Probably Already Know The Original Premise
Money Heist and other great Spanish-language shows have been dominating the streaming charts. Who Killed Sara? and others like it constantly become instant hits. Spanish-language shows are popular now and have been in the past. Yo Soy Betty, La Fea was a very popular Spanish-language series during its initial run. This is why it has had so many international versions.
According to Wikipedia, almost 30 international versions have been made. Ugly Betty was one of them. I used to love the series. Therefore, I was familiar with the premise of Yo Soy Betty, La Fea from watching that. I have also seen clips (and maybe even episodes) of La Fea Mas Bella.
If you’re like me, you've probably seen Ugly Betty, so you know enough to have the general premise. If you live outside the United States, your country probably has its version you've seen. That’s the great thing about a show so universally acclaimed; it allows many people to see it in their language and style.
You’re Immediately Engrossed In The Betty La Fea: The Story Continues Plot
The show works because it’s just interesting. It’s about a marriage falling apart, a business crumbling, a broken mother-and-daughter bond. Then you add a budding love triangle, major family secrets, sketchy characters, and a woman regaining her confidence. The show is just a very entertaining and engrossing series.
I was entertained watching all ten episodes and can’t wait to see Season 2. It kept me hooked, because even with my limited knowledge of the original series, it was just good storytelling.
It’s a great Latinx TV series that more people need to check out.
