The Desperation continues (Desperate Housewives)

Member Name: bilbob20

Product:	Desperate Housewives
Date:	05/06/09 (38 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good writing, good acting

Disadvantages: Its geared towards the women - so I take a pelting for lovin it

I remember catching the pilot for this 5 years ago and being excited by it. It didn't put me off at all that it's title and its advertising marketed it towards women. It looked like a hoot, and the people in my office were all talking about it. I tuned in with excitement, the first show in ages I'd bothered to stay in to catch. The opening episode threw us straight into a storyline that would run for a year and breed other storylines that wouldn't fizzle out until at least Series 3.

We are introduced firstly to our main character, Mary Alice Young, as she commits a deed that will change the lives of everybody on Wysteria Lane. That she will only be on screen for five minutes, and yet remain in the show until this present day, is a mystery in itself that I wont spoil for those of you who haven't caught up with it yet. Quickly, the focus shifts though to 5 other women who live on the suburbian street.

Bree Van Der Kamp (or Hodge as she has now re-married) is the street's premier housewife, hellbent on making up for her other shortcomings by appearing to be the perfect housewife. She presents dinner party's that are fit for royalty and her house is perfectly kept. Behind closed doors though, Bree's 2 husbands have commited a series of acts such as adultery, visitations to prostitutes, attempted murder, theft, blackmail and she is just about to find herself in bed, metaphorically speaking, with another wrong 'un.

Gabi Solis is a former model, small and beautiful, but a dab hand with spikey insults. She lives with her husband Carlos and recently underwent a bit of a face overhaul when they found themselves in financial difficult. Carlos was left blind after being caught up in a sensational storm, and had to quit work. Gabi then found herself raising their two children without much assistance. Recently though, in one of Housewives many remarkably far-fetched twists, Carlos regained his sight, they regained their money and Gabi regained her face pack.

Susan is the kooky one - dim but delightful. Every intention is for the best, but ends in disaster. In the first season alone, she accidently burned down her enemy's house, found herself locked out naked and unwittingly spurned the advances of her love interest Mike Delfino - who she would later marry and have a child with. Mike and Susan would divorce after an accident that left two people dead. Divorce means nothing in this show though...

Lynette Scavo has been through it. She's a never-ending baby machine, her husband Tom clearly never hearing about protection. She left her job to bring up the kids and is somewhat resentful. Her husband then opens his own pizzeria, but then decides in a mid-life crisis moment that its not for him. Lynette then returned to work herself, unwittingly used as a spy for good friend Gabi. A latest turn of events at the end of season 5 might just see her back at home though. Strong and resourceful, Lynette's biggest battle was a poignant fight with cancer that also allowed the introduction of her equally vitriolic mother.

There are two other Housewives who are somewhat bit players in comparison. Katherine Mayfair is currently tangling with Susan Meyers ex-hubbie Mike, in a series of low key storylines that followed her arrival 2 seasons ago. Originally, she was set up as a bit of a baddie when it was revealed that she was raising a daughter who wasn't hers to raise.

The best of the baddies though has to be the late Edie Britt. Edie arrived as a small character way back at the beginning, but her acidic tongue and her man-eating ways saw her invited to stay long term. Her first integral storyline came with her return to the Lane at the beginning of Season 5, where she introduced a new husband with an ulterior motive. Edie was wicked to just about every character on Housewives, but formed a bond with old Karen McCluskey who is also a continuing bit player.

The storylines have never been the most realistic on Desperate Housewives, but writer and creator Marc Cherry has managed to weave them around a camp sense of humour that gives each of the characters their own individual quirks. The writing is incredibly deft, although the narrative is something of a pain. The voiceover is done by the same character every episode although 2 other late characters have had the opportunity to play moral guide to the audience.

Series 1 was something of a slow start, taking time and care to introduce the characters, before focusing on the death of 2 women. The 2 women had a child in common, which would be the string that held much of the storylines together. It ended with a bang, literally.

Series 2 introduced a character named Caleb who was imprisoned by his mother for a heinous crime that he might or might not have been responsible for. It also allowed Bree Van Der Kamp to hit the bottle after the death of a loved one.

Series 3 saw the introduction of Lynette's wicked step child after it was revealed that Tom had fathered a child prior to meeting her. The series also saw the introduction of the Lane's first gay couple, and set the stage for a hugely frightening storm that would wreak havoc. We also witnessed Mike come out of a 6 month long coma that would eventually be the undoing of another couple. We also witness Lynette's fight against cancer which produces some of the show's most esteemed acting.

Series 4 saw the introduction of Katherine Mayfair who harboured a heartbreaking secret. At first, she gets the backs up of many of the other laides, but soon finds support in unexpected corners. Edie is drummed out of town for her interference with the men of Wysteria Lane.

Series 5 allowed the narrative to pick up 5 years after the previous events ended. This gave scope to a good many changes and gear shifts. Gabi found herself dowdy after two many chocolate bars and running around after her blind husband and kids. Lynette's twins grew up and gave her even more grey hairs than ever before. Bree became an established businesswoman with her traditional values put into a cook book. Susan was left on her own once again with a five year old son and had to endure two ex-husbands as opposed to one. Finally, one of the original Desperate Housewives would bow out in one of the sadder elements of the show.

The show has saw a few familiar faces turn up as well. Beau Bridges recently made a one off appearance as a middle aged handyman who had made a difference to all of the other Housewives lives. Kyle McLachlan, of Twin Peaks fame, joined the cast in Series 2 and has become a mainstay as Bree's well-meaning but menacing husband.

The main cast is made up of Teri Hatcher, who the show was originally hung on given that she was the most known, as Susan. Marcia Cross is Bree Van Der Kamp and is on the only one of the main 4 woman to have had a lengthy break from the show when she had a baby. Eva Longeria Parker is Gabi. Felicity Huffman is in fine form as Lynette. The other main Housewife who has now departed was Nicolette Sheridan who was perfect as the bottle blonde surgically enhanced bitch of the show.

Summary: A well written show that may be geared towards women, but has a universal humour