The third season of the American comedy-drama television series Ugly Betty was confirmed by ABC on February 11, 2008.ABC Announces Scripted Show Renewals The season premiere aired on September 25, 2008, while the season ended with a special double episode on May 21, 2009.
In Australia, season 3 premiered on 3 November 2009, as one of the first exclusive premieres on the new digital channel 7TWO, after two years on the Seven Network. Season 3 premiered on Tuesday 13 January 2009 in South Africa and on Wednesday 24 June 2009 in the UK.
The season would be the first to be produced in the show's actual setting, New York City, in an attempt to take advantage of a credit change.
Cast Most of the main cast from the show's second season returned for the third season, with former main characters Alexis Meade (played by Rebecca Romijn) and Henry Grubstick (played by Christopher Gorham), becoming recurring characters.
Main cast America Ferrera as Betty Suarez Eric Mabius as Daniel Meade Judith Light as Claire Meade Vanessa L. Williams as Wilhelmina Slater Becki Newton as Amanda Tanen Ana Ortiz as Hilda Suarez Ashley Jensen as Christina McKinney Tony Plana as Ignacio Suarez Michael Urie as Marc St. James Mark Indelicato as Justin Suarez
Recurring cast Christine Baranski as Victoria Hartley David Blue as Cliff St. Paul Grant Bowler as Connor Owens Julian de la Celle as Daniel Jr. Eddie Cibrian as Coach Tony Diaz Val Emmich as Jesse Daniel Eric Gold as Matt Hartley Christopher Gorham as Henry Grubstick Sarah Lafleur as Molly Lindsay Lohan as Kimberly ‘Kimmie’ Keegan Ralph Macchio as Councilman Archie Rodriguez Alec Mapa as Suzuki St. Pierre Bernadette Peters as Jodie Papadakis David Rasche as Calvin Hartley Derek Riddell as Stuart Rebecca Romijn as Alexis Meade Lauren Vélez as Elena Sanchez
Guest cast Nikki Blonsky as Teri O’Shoughnessy Barry Bostwick as Roger Adams Mark Consuelos as Det. Averaimo Rachel Dratch as Penny Meadows & Mindy Meadows Max Ehrich as Randy Max Greenfield as Nick Pepper Cheyenne Jackson as Timothy D’Artagnan Mo Rocca as the Kitchen Rumble Host Freddy Rodriguez as Giovanni ‘Gio’ Rossi Steve Schirripa as Frankie Burrata Michael Stuhlbarg as Heinrich Heather Tom as Holly Wright
In addition, the season featured cameo appearances by Adele, Mark Badgley and James Mischka, Nigel Barker, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Billie Jean King, Adriana Lima, Rachel Maddow, Isaac Mizrahi, Roberta Myers, Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa, Zac Posen, Antonio Sabàto Jr., Liz Smith, Robert Verdi, and Joe Zee as themselves.
Music ABC released a promotional video featuring the cast singing "New York, New York". Australian singer Lenka made a music video of "The Show" showing never-before-seen footage from the third season of Ugly Betty. The iTunes Store provided a free music download of both of these features. At the end of episode 3, Two of Cups's "Breathe" was played. In episode 10, "Bad Amanda", an unreleased track by Lady Gaga titled "Fashion" can be heard. In the episode, "When Betty Met YETI", Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" can be heard. In the episode "Curveball", another Lady Gaga song, "The Fame", can be heard.
Production During production of season 2, the ideas for both a musical episode and a recurring guest role for Lindsay Lohan came up.'Ugly Betty': Plans for musical episode and Lindsay Lohan cameo on hold | Strike, TV Biz | Hollywood Insider | EW.com Both ideas were put on hold due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike and in the end, only Lindsay Lohan's storyline came to fruition, with Lohan making a brief uncredited cameo appearance in the season two finale "Jump", before reprising the role in season 3.
Shooting of the episodes moved from Los Angeles to on-location shooting in New York City, where the show was set."'Ugly Betty' is the New Kid on New York City Block" from ABC News (September 24, 2008) The last time the show was shot in New York was in the pilot episode.Ugly Betty's Move to New York: "It's a Done Deal" In addition, the season had more physical elements, especially for Betty.Stuntman Manny Siverio Makes Sure Everyone's Safe in "Ugly Betty" from New York Daily News (July 17, 2008)
In an interview about the new direction the series would be taking, Silvio Horta told E!'s Kristin Dos Santos at an ABC press meeting for its show runners: “This season is going to be about growing up. We aren't going to be doing anymore child-like storylines. It is going to be about moving Betty forward."ABC's Big Bosses Dish on Grey's, Lost, Desperate and Betty from E! Online (July 18, 2008) He then added more details to MediaWeek about the changes: "On Ugly Betty I think we started to veer a little too much into the romantic storyline, where it started to really become the show. And it started to just get away from what I originally wanted to do and where we originally started, which was about a girl making it in the city and her work life. So we're trying to refocus that back. But there's always temptation and you want to explore it. You want to have the opportunity to explore it. And the second you start getting too involved in it, it's like any plot line. You go in; it's very hard to get out and it takes a little longer."TCA: ABC Dishes on Ugly Betty, Private Practice, and More from MediaWeek (July 18, 2008) He later revealed that the audience would see a more evolving Betty: "Betty will solve a crime. Inject Botox. Get attacked by an animal. Throw a Wilhelmina mannequin down a flight of stairs. And that's just the first three episodes."
Casting changes It was announced before the season aired that Rebecca Romijn would only be returning as a recurring character because of Romijn's dissatisfaction with the direction in which the writers had taken her character.ABC – UNHAPPY ROMIJN TO QUIT UGLY BETTY It was speculated that the move was also, partially, due to Romijn's pregnancy, although TV Guide's Michael Ausiello reported that it might have been a ploy to ask for a salary increase.From TV Guide (May 19, 2008)
Christopher Gorham (Henry Grubstick) revealed to TV Guide that "the show is moving, I am not."SpoilerTV On July 11, 2008, TV Guide confirmed that Gorham and Freddy Rodriguez would be moving on from Betty as the two actors would be making their last appearances due to other commitments; especially Gorham, who began working on CBS' Harper's Island.From TV Guide (July 11, 2008) However, in a Q&A submitted to Ausiello at his webpage at Entertainment Weekly, he asked Ferrera about the absence of the two actors after they were no-shows at the Season 3 premiere party in New York City on September 12, 2008: "Betty's decision at the beginning of this season is not an ending to anything," Ferrera insisted. "It's more about huge beginnings for her. Christopher [Gorham], who we love and adore, and Freddy [Rodriguez], who is wonderful and so great on our show, are not gone [forever]. You'll never know when they'll pop in or pop out, but they'll be around."From Spoiler TV
Episodes
Notes: ABC placed Ugly Betty on a temporary hiatus after the March 19, 2009 episode to air Samantha Who? and In the Motherhood in the 8-9PM E/P slot, but returned it after the shows complete their runs."ABC Slots Comedies 'Motherhood,' 'Samantha' on Thursday Night" From TV Week (January 26, 2009) Ugly Betty returned on April 30, 2009 to finish its 3rd season, ending with a 2-hour season finale airing on May 21, 2009.
Webisodes For the third season, a spin-off online series called Mode After Hours accompanied the main series. The program followed Marc St. James (Michael Urie) and Amanda Tanen (Becki Newton) having fun around the Mode offices when they were not working.From community.livejournal.com/uglybettyABC.COM LAUNCHES ORIGINAL WEBISODES TODAY FOR "UGLY BETTY" WITH PREMIERE OF "MODE AFTER HOURS" From The Futon Critic (September 24, 2008) Thirteen 5-minute episodes were produced.
September 23, "Guadalaharahh" – Amanda and Marc make fun of Betty and Daniel respectively September 25, "Friend-iversary VLOG" – It is the "friend-iversary" of when Marc first met Amanda, but Amanda completely forgot about it October 9, "Bowling for Cliff" – Amanda teaches Marc how to bowl before his bowling date with Cliff October 16, "Slumber Party Secrets" – Amanda and Marc sleep at Mode, and share some of their secrets. October 23, "Sommers Seance" – Marc and Amanda organize a seance trying to contact her dead mother Fey October 30, "Trapped in the Elevator" – Amanda and Marc get locked in the Mode elevator and share their darkest secrets. October 30, Behind the Scenes Extras and Making of Mode After Hours March 19, "Big Package" – Marc and Amanda have their own Christmas with unopened and undelivered office package. March 23, "April Fools" – Marc and Amanda think of clever ways to trick Betty on April Fools. March 30, "Roller Girlz" – Marc teaches Amanda how to skate in order to lose weight. April 8, "Breaking the Band" – Marc and Amanda compete to sing at a local karaoke bar. April 16, "London Calling" – Marc and Amanda call the Mode UK office for a YETI assignment and end up finding their British counterparts. April 23, "When Marc Met Mandy" – Marc and Amanda flash back to the first time they ever met. April 27, "I Spy" – Marc cancels dinner plans with Amanda to spy on his crush, Jake.
DVD release On March 13, 2009, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment announced that the release date of Ugly Betty Season Three, subtitled "Start Spreading the News", would be September 22, 2009 in the United States and Canada. All 24 episodes were included in the set, along with additional "Betty Bloopers", alternative takes, deleted scenes and a featurette, "Coming Home to New York City", detailing the show's return to the Big Apple after having filmed the pilot there.from tvshowsondvd.com (March 13, 2009) DVD name Ep # Release dates Additional Features Region 1 Region 2 Region 4 The Complete Third Season – Start Spreading the News 24 September 22, 2009 December 7, 2009 November 10, 2010 This six disc box set contains all 24 episodes from the third season. Among the features: Audio Commentary Look Who Keeps Popping Up Coming Home to New York City Mode After Hours – Webisodes "Gwadalaharahh" "The Friend-iversary VLOG" "Bowling for Cliff" "Slumber Party Secrets" "Sommers Seance" "Trapped in the Elevator" "I Spy" "Prank Calls" Deleted Scenes Betty Bloops
US ratings Episode # Title Air Date Rating Share 18–49 Viewers Rank 42 "The Manhattan Project" September 25, 2008 6.6 11 3.3 9.77 #26 43 "Filing for the Enemy" October 2, 2008 5.7 9 2.6 8.58 #35 44 "Crimes of Fashion" October 9, 2008 5.8 9 2.6 8.48 #35 45 "Betty Suarez Land" October 16, 2008 5.6 9 2.6 8.21 #35 46 "Granny Pants" October 23, 2008 5.7 9 2.8 8.66 #39 47 "Ugly Berry" October 30, 2008 5.6 9 2.6 8.55 #45 48 "Crush'd" November 6, 2008 5.8 9 2.7 8.95 #31 49 "Tornado Girl" November 13, 2008 6.3 10 2.8 9.20 #41 50 "When Betty Met YETI" November 20, 2008 5.4 9 2.6 8.30 #37 51 "Bad Amanda" December 4, 2008 5.8 9 2.6 8.47 #38 52 "Dress for Success" January 8, 2009 5.0 8 2.4 7.51 #43 53 "Sisters on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" January 22, 2009 5.1 8 2.4 7.54 #42 54 "Kissed Off" February 5, 2009 5.0 8 2.4 7.27 #44 55 "The Courtship of Betty's Father" February 12, 2009 4.9 8 2.3 7.44 #40 56 "There's No Place Like Mode" February 19, 2009 5.1 8 2.3 7.65 #35 57 "Things Fall Apart" February 26, 2009 4.6 7 1.9 6.78 #41 58 "Sugar Daddy" March 5, 2009 4.3 7 1.8 6.35 #50 59 "A Mother of a Problem" March 12, 2009 4.9 8 2.1 7.21 #46 60 "The Sex Issue" March 19, 2009 5.2 9 2.2 7.82 #41 61 "Rabbit Test" April 30, 2009 4.7 9 2.0 6.81 TBA 62 "The Born Identity" May 7, 2009 4.9 9 2.1 7.49 TBA 63 "In the Stars" May 14, 2009 4.7 8 2.0 6.83 TBA 64 "Curveball" May 21, 2009 4.1 7 1.8 6.16 TBA 65 "The Fall Issue" May 21, 2009 4.2 7 2.0 6.37 TBA
UK ratings