Ugly Betty is siphoning off a lot of the potential female demographic. Survivor gets its usual reality TV audience, and that leaves the rest to MNIE/Office, and a bit towards Smallville/Supernatural and Fox's "comedy" hour. Ugly Betty is filling a void, and it being rewarded by its curious demographic, and it'll probably tune in again this week as well because the show wasn't bad, and offers some hope that the ugly duckling will turn into a swan in the magazine world.

I'm not about to start something in the Ugly Betty thread, particularly in light of last year's Sons & Daughters thread experience. I just don't get it at all, though. It's a turgid retread combination of Just Shoot Me and Less Than Perfect with a partially Hispanic cast and a telenovella pedigree. How the hell did a pilot get made, much less get a series commitment?

I understand that MNIE is not everybody's brand of whimsy, so I can accept its ratings. I truly don't get how anybody could even consider Betty over The Office, though.