Warning! Spoilers for Netflix’s Uglies ahead!
Netflix’sUgliesmade a handful of frustrating changes from Scott Westerfeld’s sci-fi book, but cutting the most unnecessary of Tally’s conflicts was the right move. Book-to-screen adaptations are always challenging to pull off since it’s nearly impossible for the resulting film to faithfully represent the novel. In the case of Westerfeld’sUglies, which was first released in 2005, there are nearly 20 years' worth of readers ready to criticize Netflix’s various changes. While the 2024 movie wasn’t perfect, one such change was entirely worth it.
In theUgliesmovie, Tally arrives at the Smoke and has a joyful reunion with Shay, who shows her around and introduces her to their fellow Smokies. Of course, what Shay didn’t know was that Tally was secretly a spy, sent to the Smoke so that Dr. Cable could retrieve the runaways andstop David’s cure. Once this was eventually revealed (when Tally accidentally set off her tracker and Dr. Cable showed up), Shay was enraged.Tally’s betrayal puts a devastating rift in their friendship, which never has a chance to be resolved because Shay gets turned Pretty. IntheUgliesbook, however, this wasn’t all Shay was angry about.
Netflix’s Uglies Cut The Love Triangle Between Tally, Shay, & David
Shay Was Already Dating David When Tally Arrived
In Westerfeld’sUglies, things were already pretty rocky between Tally and Shay when Dr. Cable turned up in the Smoke. This is because, when Tally first arrived, Shay was in a romantic relationship with David. At first, Shay was excited that Tally and David got along so well. However, as they spent more time together, her jealousy began to grow. Shay’s anger came to a head when David gave Tally his hand-made gloves. When Tally admitted that she had kissed Shay’s Smokie boyfriend,a bomb went off in their relationship that was only made worse by Tally’s betrayal.
Love Triangles Are A Worn Out YA Trope (& Uglies Never Needed It)
The Love Triangle Served A Purpose, But It Wasn’t A Must
The obligatory love triangle was a staple of2000s YA fiction.TwilightandThe Hunger Gamesare prime examples, andUgliesclearly participated, too. These types of conflicts are tried and true and well-suited to teenagers—the target demographic of this genre. Still, the love triangle trope has gotten pretty worn out since the 2000s. Since it took almost two decades forUgliesto finally get made into a movie, it makes sense that Netflix would have cut it.
Still, there were plenty of other messy issues in Tally and Shay’s friendship for the Uglies movie to lean into.
To be fair, Shay, David, and Tally’s love triangle inUgliesserved an additional purpose.This trope is a great demonstration of the messiness of teenagers, which is a factor in theUgliesseries as a whole. Pretties never fight since their brains have been surgically altered to be passive. Love triangles would be considered strictly Ugly business, which is why Shay no longer cared that Tally stole her boyfriend when she became a Pretty. Still, there were plenty of other messy issues in Tally and Shay’s friendship for theUgliesmovie to lean into. There was just no reason to make these characters fight over a boy.
Uglies
Cast
In a futuristic society where everyone undergoes compulsory cosmetic surgery at 16 to become “pretty,” Tally eagerly awaits her transformation. However, when her friend goes missing, she embarks on a journey that challenges her beliefs about beauty, conformity, and rebellion, ultimately questioning the foundations of their world.
