Can "Ugly Betty" survive a move to Friday nights?

ABC has announced its new fall schedule and one change stands out -- Ugly Betty will be moving from the Thursday night time slot that's been its home for the past three seasons to Friday nights. Is this the latest reason to worry about our favorite administrative assistant in clashing patterns?

Friday is a night when few people watch TV and when networks dump shows facing low expectations -- recent Friday night programs include short-lived disasters like the Parker Posey sitcom The Return of Jezebel James and the controversial Book of Daniel. It's also a night when struggling shows are allowed to wither and die -- ABC sent Men in Trees and Six Degrees to Fridays for their final seasons. Will Betty experience a similar fate?

This is just the latest bump Ugly Betty fans have faced. After watching ratings drop, the show was put on hiatus a few months ago to make room for the Megan Mullaly comedy In The Motherhood. Gay reporter Michael Ausiello got a comment on the move from ABC president Stephen McPherson:

"I love the show [and] America [Ferrera] is one of our biggest stars... [But] you look at [Betty's declining ratings on] Thursday night and we think we have a big opportunity with Flash Forward. You have to make some bold moves sometimes. To me, I'd love to see [Betty] have a great run on Friday night the way Ghost Whisperer has [for CBS]."

Meanwhile, Michael Urie voiced optimism on his Twitter feed:

There is reason for optimism. After all, Joss Whedon fans were certain that a Friday night time slot spelled doom for Dollhouse and that show will be returning for a second season, due to a large number of DVR and online viewers. Could something similar offer hope for Betty?