The Chinese Ugly Betty: TV cloning and local modernity

Abstract

This article examines the themes inherent in the serial Ugly Wudi, a Chinese version of the Ugly Betty. By comparing the Chinese version with its American counterpart, conducting interviews with producers of Ugly Wudi and audience focus groups, this article analyses the modifications made by the producers in Ugly Wudi. After conducting in-depth interviews with the producers, examining audience reactions and analysing the context of the show, the authors argue that the modifications in the Chinese version are deliberately made to suit the local understanding and acceptance of modern television dramas. Unlike Ugly Betty, Ugly Wudi is positioned within a more politically restrictive but rapidly liberalizing economic climate. Thus Ugly Wudi bears the marks of attempts to merge the demands of market forces with those of the paternalistic state, as its producers seek to embrace the global popular aesthetics of modern television dramas.