TV Shows Like Ugly Betty
If you like Ugly Betty, here are 11 similar TV shows — each with its current AI renewal verdict, so you can see which are still going and which have been cancelled.
ABC · Comedy · Ugly Betty is ended
Ugly Betty works because Betty herself is at odds with the world she inhabits. She's competent and intelligent but visibly mismatched with the shallow glamour of Mode magazine, and that friction drives the comedy and drama alike. Her coworkers regard her as an interloper, the boss's secret weapon hired to keep his son on task rather than for her actual talents. Yet she gradually earns respect through sheer determination and goodness. The show appeals to anyone who knows what it's like to be underestimated, to fight for professional credibility while surrounded by people who judge based on appearances alone, and to maintain your integrity in an environment that actively discourages it.
The best shows like Ugly Betty
1. 2 Broke Girls
Two women from different backgrounds form a bond over work and ambition in New York, much like the friendships Betty develops at Mode. The show explores how shared struggle and humor build connection across class and cultural divides, with the same witty workplace banter you'd find in Betty's office.
Cancelled0%
2. 30 Rock
Liz Lemon faces similar workplace chaos managing egos and keeping a New York media institution running, and like Betty, she's resourceful and driven despite never quite fitting the mold of her glamorous industry. The show shares Ugly Betty's blend of character-driven humor and genuine emotional stakes.
Stream on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Ended0%
3. Just Shoot Me!
This is the closest spiritual cousin to Ugly Betty, set inside a high-fashion magazine where workplace hierarchy and superficial judgment are just as prominent. Like Betty, the core conflict revolves around an outsider trying to prove herself among vain, talented, and difficult colleagues who would prefer to dismiss her.
Stream on Hulu
Ended0%
4. Night Court
While the setting and tone are much looser and sillier than Ugly Betty, Night Court shares the ensemble workplace comedy structure where an eccentric mix of characters interact in the same space day after day. The humor comes from how personalities clash and collide.
Stream on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Ended0%
5. Alice
Alice is about a woman starting over and finding dignity and community working at a diner, which mirrors Betty's own journey of earning respect in an environment where she wasn't initially wanted. Both shows balance workplace comedy with genuine warmth and character growth.
Ended0%
More on shows like Ugly Betty
Fans of Ugly Betty tend to seek out workplace comedies where the central character has to navigate complex office dynamics and hostile colleagues. They appreciate shows that mix humor with genuine character development, where the protagonist's struggle to belong feels earned. They want smart comedy built on situational conflict, not just punchlines. They also gravitate toward ensemble casts where supporting players have their own arcs and quirks.
The recommendations here explore different angles on that foundation. Just Shoot Me is the closest match, trading Manhattan publishing for high-fashion magazines with a staff just as dysfunctional and style-obsessed as Mode. 30 Rock offers a similar premise of a hardworking woman managing chaos in a New York media institution, though its humor is faster and more absurdist. 2 Broke Girls and Alice both center on working-class women building their lives despite economic pressure, creating workplace bonds through shared struggle. Night Court takes the ensemble workplace premise in a comedic direction that's far looser and weirder, building its humor around how personalities collide in the same space day after day.
More shows like Ugly Betty
Frequently asked
- What is the most popular show like Ugly Betty?
- 2 Broke Girls is the most popular show similar to Ugly Betty in the IsItRenewed catalogue.
- Are shows like Ugly Betty still on the air?
- Of the 11 shows similar to Ugly Betty listed here, 0 currently carry a renewed verdict — the rest are cancelled, ended, or awaiting a decision.
- How does IsItRenewed pick shows like Ugly Betty?
- The recommendations come from TMDB's similar-titles data, and each is shown with its current AI renewal verdict so you know which are still going.