Dodgy title but its not what you think... (Desperate Housewives)

Member Name: TheWriter

Product:	Desperate Housewives
Date:	14/06/09 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Drama and action; twists in the plot

Disadvantages: Overly dramatic and unrealistic at time- suspend your disbelief before watching!

Everyone likes a good 'ol soap opera and Desperate Housewives definitely falls into that category. Drama, suspense, mystery, affairs, back-stabbing and even murder are all to be found in this American drama TV series. First broadcast in 2004, the show now has fans all over the world.

**Cast***

The main characters are:-

The glamorous ex-model and money-obsessed Gabrielle Solis (played by Eva Longoria-Parker). Starting off incredibly spoilt, Gabrielle shows maturity and depth of character as the series progress. Gabby's husband Carlos is a hard-working businessman who neglects Gabby but tries to make up for it buy buying her things. Fabulous designer dresses and shoes, expensive jewellery and even a mercedes are all showered on Gabby- but giving her his time is another matter and Gabby soon finds herself looking for solace in another man's arms (que her hunky and underage gardener). Gabby is the character who provides most of the steamy scenes and showy outfits- she is always perfectly made-up and glamorous.

The bad cook but great friend, ditzy Susan Mayer (played by Lois Lane Teri Hatcher). Susan is sweet and kind-hearted. She is always a good friend and helps and supports her best mates when they need her most. Unfortunately she is also incredibly unlucky in love and in this first series accidently burns down her enemy's house. As if that wasn't bad enough Susan also finds herself locked out of her house naked...total humilation- all in a day's work for poor Susan!

The very intelligent but married to an idiot, Lynette Scavo (played by Felicity Huffman, who has been in loads of shows including Frasier). Lynette is very strong and -withous spoiling it for you- she undergoes a series of testing hardships which serve to illustrate the strength and depth of her character. She's my favourite. She has an idiot husband (who is sweet but gives her more problems than help) and five kids including two twin boys, and she STILL manages to stay on top of things. Inspirational.

The uptight perfectionist Bree Van de Kamp (played by Marcia Cross). Bree wants to be perfect and basically pulls it off. When she's threatened by another woman in the street who hosts a more perfect dinner party with exquisite food, Bree goes to extreme measures to get rid of her rival. (She calls the police and exposes her rival's slave labour operation!)

The character of Mary Alice Young (played by Brenda Strong) commits suicide at the very start of the series and then becomes the narrator of the show.

The supporting cast include Nicollette Sheridan (who becomes a main character), Ricardo Chavira, James Denton, Kyle MacLachlan, Shawn Pyfrom and Doug Savant.


***Plot***

This series follows the lives of a group of friends, all from very different backgrounds and with differing characters. They all have two things in common- they live in the suburbs of Wisteria Lane and they are all housewives. We've all heard about the secrets of the 'burbs...things look perfect but people are forcing things to look that way...kind of like a "let's make everything perfect like in the '50s" sort of thing. Underneath the picturesque exterior of white picket fences, manicured gardens and perfect neighbours lies scandal, deceit and murder.

***My Opinion***

Some plots are ridiculously over the top but that's part of the charm. It is no way at all realistic that that many murderers would be living in one street much less that the people seem unfazed by the mysterious deaths, people chained in the cellers and mysterious digging-up-of-holes- in the back gardens.

Sometimes the storylines are soppy and there's a lot of hugging and character growth and testing and bonding of friendships.

The characters all bring something different to the mix- and there's never a dull moment. I genuinely found myself sitting on the edge of my seat during one season finale...definitely worth a watch if you like action, drama and girly fashion and hairstyling.

Summary: If you don't like soap operas, you won't like this.