Betty (TV series)
Betty is an American teen comedy television series created by Crystal Moselle. The series is based on Moselle's 2018 film Skate Kitchen. It includes most of the cast of the original movie, and focuses on the Gen Z all-girl group's efforts to stand out in New York's predominantly male world of skateboarding. The six-episode series premiered on HBO on May 1, 2020. In June 2020, the series was renewed for a second season. Betty received positive critical reception, and is nominated for a Gotham Award for Shortform Breakthrough Series.[2][3][4][5]
| Betty | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Teen comedy[1] |
| Created by | Crystal Moselle |
| Based on | Skate Kitchen |
| Directed by | Crystal Moselle |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Aska Matsumiya |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
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| Cinematography | Jackson Hunt |
| Editors |
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| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 29–31 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Release | |
| Original network | HBO |
| Original release | May 1, 2020 – present |
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."[6]
Cast
Main
- Dede Lovelace as Janay,[7] a bold vlogger
- Kabrina Adams as Honeybear,[7] a shy aspiring filmmaker
- Nina Moran as Kirt,[7] a flirtatious ladykiller and a "lovable stoner"[8]
- Ajani Russell as Indigo,[7] a low-level marijuana dealer from a wealthy family
- Rachelle Vinberg as Camille,[7] a serious skater who tries to fit in with the male skaters
Recurring
- Caleb Eberhardt as Donald
- Edmund Donovan as Bambi
- Katerina Tannenbaum as Ash
- Reza Nader as Farouk
- Alexander Cooper as Charlie
- CJ Ortiz as Luis
- Brenn Lorenzo as Ceila
- Jules Lorenzo as Yvette
- Raekwon Haynes as Philip
- Karim Callender Abdul as Dante
- Noa Fisher as Peachy
- Kai Espion Monroe as Kai
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Key Party" | Crystal Moselle | Crystal Moselle & Lesley Arfin | May 1, 2020 | 0.158[9] |
| 2 | "Zen and the Art of Skateboarding" | Crystal Moselle | Patricia Breen | May 8, 2020 | 0.172[10] |
| 3 | "Happy Birthday, Tyler" | Crystal Moselle | Moshe Kasher | May 15, 2020 | 0.048[11] |
| 4 | "The Tombs" | Crystal Moselle | Britta Lundin | May 22, 2020 | 0.192[12] |
| 5 | "Perstephanie" | Crystal Moselle | Naima Ramos-Chapman & Veronica Rodriguez | May 29, 2020 | 0.148[13] |
| 6 | "Ladies on Fire" | Crystal Moselle | Lesley Arfin | June 5, 2020 | 0.172[14] |
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.[6] 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.[15]
The series premiered on May 1, 2020.[4] On June 18, 2020, HBO renewed the series for a second season.[2]
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.[15] As with the film, the actors play fictionalized versions of themselves.[6]
Filming
The series was filmed on-location in New York City.[4] The show has no sets.[16]
Reception
Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 96% based on 27 reviews, with an average rating of 7.16/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Earnest, audacious, and effortlessly cool, Betty captures the spirit of skating and friendship with style."[17] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 77 out of 100 based on 12 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[18] Betty was noted by Vogue for depicting the friendships of women, several of them queer or of color, "in a naturalistic way."[19] 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."[8] 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."[16]
The New York Times and Time named the first season to end-of-year "best new series" lists.[20][21]
Ratings
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Key Party" | May 1, 2020 | 0.03 | 0.158[9] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2 | "Zen and the Art of Skateboarding" | May 8, 2020 | 0.03 | 0.172[10] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 3 | "Happy Birthday, Tyler" | May 15, 2020 | 0.01 | 0.048[11] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 4 | "The Tombs" | May 22, 2020 | 0.03 | 0.192[12] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 5 | "Perstephanie" | May 28, 2020 | 0.02 | 0.148[13] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | "Ladies on Fire" | June 5, 2020 | 0.04 | 0.172[14] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gotham Independent Film Awards | 2020 | Breakthrough Series – Short Form | Crystal Moselle, Lesley Arfin, Igor Srubshchik and Jason Weinberg | Nominated | [22] |
References
- ""Betty" Debuts May 1 - Based on Crystal Moselle's Critically Acclaimed Feature "Skate Kitchen"". The Futon Critic. April 9, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- Thorne, Will (June 18, 2020). "'Betty' Renewed for Season 2 at HBO". Variety. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
- Hersko, Tyler (February 25, 2020). "'Betty' First Trailer: Crystal Moselle Turns 'Skate Kitchen' Into New HBO Series". IndieWire. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- Petski, Denise (February 25, 2020). "'Betty' Premiere Date & Teaser: 'Skate Kitchen'-Inspired Comedy From Crystal Moselle & Lesley Arfin Hits HBO In Spring – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- Henderson, Taylor (February 26, 2020). "New Skateboarding HBO Comedy Betty Has Some Major Gay Energy". Pride.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- Murray, Iana. "Everything You Need to Know About HBO's New Must-See Skate Series". GQ. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
- "Betty Cast & Crew". HBO. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- Stevens, Ashlie D. (June 7, 2020). "HBO's "Betty" is a sun-soaked celebration of women who find freedom on skateboards". Salon. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
- Metcalf, Mitch (May 4, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.1.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- Metcalf, Mitch (May 11, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.8.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- Metcalf, Mitch (May 18, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.15.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- Metcalf, Mitch (May 26, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.22.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- Metcalf, Mitch (June 1, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.29.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
- Metcalf, Mitch (June 8, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.5.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
- Otterson, Joe (August 14, 2019). "HBO Orders Female-Led Skateboarding Comedy From Crystal Moselle, Lesley Arfin". Variety. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- Lloyd, Robert (May 1, 2020). "HBO's 'Betty' is an exhilarating glimpse inside the world of female skateboarders". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
- "Betty: Season 1 (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- "Betty: Season 1". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- Specter, Emma. "HBO's 'Betty' Will Make You Long To Be an NYC Skater Girl". Vogue. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- Soloski, Alexis (November 25, 2020). "Catch Up on These 12 Great 2020 Series This Thanksgiving Weekend". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
- Berman, Judy (October 25, 2020). "The 10 Best TV Shows of 2020". Time. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
- Davis, Clayton (November 12, 2020). "Gotham2020: Gotham Awards Nominations: Female Directors Lead Best Feature Category". Variety. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
