Down with the Beautiful is a remake of the Argentinian telenovela Muñeca Brava, and it knows exactly what it wants to be: a soap opera that trades on family conflict, betrayal, and the slow burn of romance. Produced by Angelli Nesma Medina for Televisa, the series ran for 176 episodes across one season, airing first on Las Estrellas starting October 8, 2007 and ending July 9, 2009.
The show follows the Belmonte family, wealthy and proud beyond measure, and the Arango family, who want everything they have. The central couple, Milagros Belmonte Ramos de Miranda and Alejandro Miranda Arango, played by Allison Lozz and Eugenio Siller, are the kind of opposites-attract pairing that drives the genre. On the other side, César Évora Díaz and Laura Flores play the antagonists, Constancio Belmonte Lascuráin and Luciana Arango Ex. de Belmonte, a pair whose feud is the engine of the whole series.
The cast runs deep. Altaír Jarabo plays Valeria Belmonte Arango de Juárez, Alicia Rodríguez plays Regina Lascuráin, Marco Muñoz plays Damián Arango, and Mónika Sánchez plays Rosario Ramos #1. Ricardo Margaleff is Ricardo “Rocky” Juárez “Morgan,” Leticia Perdigón plays Socorro Luna / Amparo Rodríguez, Margarita Magaña plays Karla de Arango, and Derrick James plays Ramsés #1.
The show’s premise centers on the clash between the Belmontes and the Arangos, a pairing that gives the series its shape. The drama is pure, unapologetic melodrama, with betrayals, secrets, and the occasional dramatic exit. It is a show built for audiences who want their soaps to feel big, and it delivers on that promise.
The series ran for nearly two years, and it shows in the quality of the production. The sets are grand, the costumes are lavish, and the pacing is steady enough to keep viewers hooked episode after episode.
It is not subtle. It is not meant to be. And that is the point.
The show’s strengths are also its weaknesses. The plot can feel repetitive, with familiar twists that repeat across episodes. Some of the antagonists lean into caricature rather than depth, which can wear thin over the course of the series. The romantic leads are strong, but the supporting cast sometimes gets lost in the shuffle.
Still, the show knows how to deliver a payoff. The long-running feud between the families builds slowly across the season, and it lands with weight when it finally comes to a head.
Key Facts
– Title: Down with the Beautiful (2007)
– Creator: Enrique Torres
– Network: Las Estrellas
– Seasons: 1, 176 episodes
– First aired: October 8, 2007
– Last aired: July 9, 2009
The show is a solid entry in the telenovela canon. It is not reinventing the wheel, but it does not need to. For viewers who love this genre, it delivers exactly what it promises: drama, betrayal, and a family feud that spans seasons. It is worth watching for the performances, the production values, and the sheer scale of the story it tells.
It is a soap opera at its finest, and it knows exactly what it is.
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