Betty (TV series) explained

Genre:Teen comedy[1]
Creator:Crystal Moselle
Director:Crystal Moselle
Music:Aska Matsumiya
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:2
Num Episodes:12
Cinematography:Jackson Hunt
Camera:Single-camera
Runtime:29–31 minutes
Network:HBO

Betty is an American teen comedy television series created by Crystal Moselle. The series is based on Moselle's 2018 feature film Skate Kitchen, which was in turn based on her 2016 short film That One Day. It includes most of the cast of the original feature film, and focuses on the Gen Z all-girl group's efforts to stand out in New York's predominantly male world of skateboarding. The series premiered on HBO on May 1, 2020. In June 2020, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on June 11, 2021. In August 2021, the series was canceled after two seasons.

Betty received positive critical reception, and was nominated for a Gotham Award for Shortform Breakthrough Series.[2] [3]

Plot

Betty follows "a tight-knit group of girl skaters and follows their everyday lives as they navigate the male-dominated world of skateboarding. The title comes from the derogatory nickname sometimes thrown at them by men."[4]

Cast

Main

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

Season 2 (2021)

Production

Development

On August 14, 2019, it was reported that HBO had given Betty a series order consisting of six episodes.The series is created, directed, executive produced by Crystal Moselle who also co-wrote and directed Skate Kitchen. The series is a spinoff of the film and features many of the same actors, with some tweaks to various storylines. Lesley Arfin, Igor Srubshchik Jason Weinberg were executive producers alongside Moselle. Production companies involved with the series are Untitled Entertainment, A Dreamy Crystal Moselle Sequence, and Arfin Material.[7]

The series premiered on May 1, 2020.[8] On June 18, 2020, HBO renewed the series for a second season which premiered on June 11, 2021.[9] [10] On August 24, 2021, HBO canceled the series after two seasons.[11]

Casting

Alongside the initial series announcement, it was reported that Rachelle Vinberg, Nina Moran, Moonbear, Dede Lovelace, and Ajani Russell would reprise their roles from Skate Kitchen as series regulars.[7] As with the film, the actors play fictionalized versions of themselves.

Filming

The series was filmed on-location in New York City.[8] The show has no sets.[12]

Reception

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 97% based on 30 reviews, with an average rating of 7.15/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Earnest, audacious, and effortlessly cool, Betty captures the spirit of skating and friendship with style."[13] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 77 out of 100 based on 14 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[14] Betty was noted by Vogue for depicting the friendships of women, several of them queer or of color, "in a naturalistic way."[15] Ashlie D. Stevens wrote of the series in Salon, ""Betty" isn't fast-paced or bursting with dramatic turns, but therein lies its appeal. This is a show that is about watching a new generation of women empower themselves and the women around them, seemingly in real time." Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times noted while "there is no nudity, that old HBO staple", that a strength of the show is "its main themes are friendship, self-knowledge, identity, equality and freedom...It feels innocent, which is not to say naive. And it is appropriately, almost casually exhilarating."

The New York Times and Time named the first season to end-of-year "best new series" lists.[16] [17]

The second season has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10.[18] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[19]

Ratings

Season 1

Awards and nominations

!Award!Year!Category!Nominee(s)!Result!Ref.
Gotham Independent Film Awards2020Breakthrough Series – Short FormCrystal Moselle, Lesley Arfin, Igor Srubshchik and Jason Weinberg[20]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: "Betty" Debuts May 1 - Based on Crystal Moselle's Critically Acclaimed Feature "Skate Kitchen". The Futon Critic. April 9, 2020. May 1, 2020.
  2. Web site: 'Betty' First Trailer: Crystal Moselle Turns 'Skate Kitchen' Into New HBO Series . Hersko . Tyler . February 25, 2020 . . February 29, 2020 . February 26, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200226013634/https://www.indiewire.com/2020/02/betty-first-trailer-hbo-1202213526/ . live .
  3. Web site: New Skateboarding HBO Comedy Betty Has Some Major Gay Energy . Henderson . Taylor . February 26, 2020 . . February 29, 2020 . February 27, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200227221836/https://www.pride.com/tv/2020/2/26/new-skateboarding-hbo-comedy-betty-has-some-major-gay-energy . live .
  4. Web site: Murray. Iana. Everything You Need to Know About HBO's New Must-See Skate Series. November 26, 2020. GQ. May 2020 . en-us. December 3, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201203052513/https://www.gq.com/story/everything-you-need-to-know-about-betty-hbo. live.
  5. Web site: Stevens. Ashlie D.. June 7, 2020. HBO's "Betty" is a sun-soaked celebration of women who find freedom on skateboards. November 26, 2020. Salon. en. November 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126043947/https://www.salon.com/2020/06/07/betty-review-hbo-skateboarding/. live.
  6. Web site: Betty Cast & Crew. HBO. May 2, 2020. August 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210825033236/https://www.hbo.com/betty/cast-and-crew. live.
  7. Web site: HBO Orders Female-Led Skateboarding Comedy From Crystal Moselle, Lesley Arfin. Otterson. Joe. August 14, 2019. Variety. February 29, 2020. February 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200226073639/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/hbo-skateboarding-comedy-betty-crystal-moselle-lesley-arfin-1203302596/. live.
  8. Web site: 'Betty' Premiere Date & Teaser: 'Skate Kitchen'-Inspired Comedy From Crystal Moselle & Lesley Arfin Hits HBO In Spring – Update. Petski. Denise. February 25, 2020. Deadline Hollywood. February 29, 2020. March 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200301232955/https://deadline.com/2020/02/skate-kitchen-inspired-comedy-crystal-moselle-lesley-arfin-series-order-hbo-1202668290/. live.
  9. Web site: 'Betty' Renewed for Season 2 at HBO. Variety. Will. Thorne. June 18, 2020. June 18, 2020. June 20, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200620053931/https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/betty-renewed-season-2-hbo-1234641990/. live.
  10. Web site: Jean Smart Comedy 'Hacks' & 'Betty' Season 2 Trailers Unveiled By HBO Max, HBO. Deadline Hollywood. Denise. Petski. April 28, 2021. April 28, 2021. April 30, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210430021408/https://deadline.com/video/jean-smart-comedy-hacks-betty-season-2-trailers-hbo-max-hbo-watch/. live.
  11. Web site: 'Betty' Canceled at HBO After Two Seasons (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. Ellise. Shafer. August 24, 2021. August 24, 2021. August 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210825032651/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/betty-canceled-hbo-1235048461/. live.
  12. Web site: Lloyd. Robert. May 1, 2020. HBO's 'Betty' is an exhilarating glimpse inside the world of female skateboarders. November 27, 2020. Los Angeles Times. en-US. December 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201204113443/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-05-01/betty-hbo-crystal-moselle-skate-kitchen. live.
  13. Web site: Betty: Season 1 (2020). Rotten Tomatoes. June 25, 2021.
  14. Web site: Betty: Season 1. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. June 3, 2021.
  15. Web site: Specter. Emma. HBO's 'Betty' Will Make You Long To Be an NYC Skater Girl. October 30, 2020. Vogue. May 8, 2020 . en-us. November 7, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201107234608/https://www.vogue.com/article/betty-hbo-interview. live.
  16. News: Soloski. Alexis. November 25, 2020. Catch Up on These 12 Great 2020 Series This Thanksgiving Weekend. en-US. The New York Times. November 27, 2020. 0362-4331. November 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126223629/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/25/arts/television/thanksgiving-best-series.html. live.
  17. Berman. Judy. October 25, 2020. The 10 Best TV Shows of 2020. November 27, 2020. Time. November 27, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201127032148/https://time.com/5912862/best-tv-shows-2020/. live.
  18. Web site: Betty: Season 2 (2021). Rotten Tomatoes. July 2, 2021.
  19. Web site: Betty: Season 2. Metacritic. July 2, 2021.
  20. Web site: Davis . Clayton . November 12, 2020 . Gotham2020: Gotham Awards Nominations: Female Directors Lead Best Feature Category . November 12, 2020 . Variety . en . December 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201205113946/https://variety.com/2020/film/awards/gotham-awards-nominations-2020-1234830105/ . live .

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