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'Desperate Housewives': Gotta have faith
Welcome back, faithful readers, to Wisteria Lane. It's been a while, but everything is pretty much how we left it. And in case you haven't been rereading my old Desperate Housewives recaps in preparation for this episode like I had to, "how we left it" means that Victor is dead, Carlos is blind, Mike is in rehab, Bree is living with Susan, Adam found Aunt Lily's note and left Katherine, and Dylan found the burnt fragments of said note. Oy. Tonight's episode, though, was an above-average showing from a show that had picked up lots of momentum this season--momentum that I was afraid would be lost during the strike. Let's take the storylines one by one, shall we? (Many, many spoilers ahead...)
Katherine: We find out via flashback that Katherine's first husband, Wayne, was abusive. Up until the day when she hit back. Hard. Back in present day, her fellow desperate housewives try and fail to comfort her on her failed marriage with offerings of jam and muffins (as if anyone would actually eat those two things together--jam is for biscuits, toast, or maybe scones, Bree), and encourage her to let her feelings out. Which she does. AT A SECRET WOODLAND GRAVESITE!!!1!
And okay, WTF? So Katherine hooked up with Susan's 16-year-old (at the time) cousin (most enthusiastic line of the episode: "She took my virginity!"), he saw her clobber her husband with a candlestick, and he just went off to band camp and never said a word? Um, sketchy. Also, why were Katherine and Susan all happily waving to each other at the end of the episode? I mean, I get Susan not wanting to let on that she suspects Katherine killed her first husband, but wasn't she still supposedly pissed at Katherine's hooking up with Tim?
Dylan: Man, Dylan is totally going to grow up to be a psychopathic murderer, or something. Poor kid. So we kind of got to see Aunt Lily's note when Dylan showed it to Julie. It was hard to make out, partly because it was burned, and partly because I suck at reading Old Lady Cursive, but the words "your father was murdered" come through loud and clear. All told, it looks something like "I tried...her tell you...your father was murdered...sor...never knew the...id to...the [some word I can't read]." Sorry, but that's the best I can do. Where's the team from CSI and their magical burned note reconstruction equipment when you need 'em?
Anyway, the Katherine/Adam relationship is pretty fascinating. He's clearly pissed, especially since he may not know the whole abuse story, but is still willing to lie to Dylan for Katherine. Like, right to her face. Yeesh. I at least would have gone with an "I don't know, maybe you should ask your mother." Though Dylan was clearly already pretty messed up, especially if her first (and, it seems, correct) assumption was that her mother killed her father.
Gabby: Okay, I seriously can't help but love these two. They are officially my new favorite characters. (Sorry, Bree. And Mike's chiseled pecs.) Anyway, Gabby throws Carlos a surprise wedding at the hospital, Carlos wusses out on telling her about his permanent blindness, and Edie weasels the whole story out of a nurse and breaks the news to Gabby. Awk! Ward! But for real, that whole dog food for dinner, tripping Carlos all over the kitchen, and throwing fruit at him while chewing him out scene was hysterical. Those two are fantastic at physical comedy. But hello, I understand Gabby's being extremely pissed that Carlos lied, but being pissed that he thought she would leave him? Has she met her?
Lynette and Bree: Aaaand, I've saved the worst plotline for last (in my humble opinion). And not just because I'm not the church type. First of all, I totally don't buy that everyone goes to church but Lynette. I mean, Edie? Really? Susan? Where IS this town? Anyway, completely fair that Lynette wants to join in now that she's got lots to be thankful for. Also completely fair that Tom feels he did his time in childhood. In fact, that pretty much sums up my personal feelings on attending mass. But anyway, since Lynette wins every battle ever, they're headed to church with Bree, where Lynette raises her hand to ask a question during the service. HA! Way to drag yourself up a notch in my esteem, Lynette. That's some awesome stuff.
Unfortunately, the plotline descends sharply into a giant, misplaced examination of religion, climaxing with an incredibly sappy conversation between Bree and Lynette about the importance of friendship and finding one's faith. I mean, forget the subject matter--the writing was just very, very after school special. Ah, well. You can't win 'em all. Especially if it's Lynette's plotline.
Overall, I extend Desperate Housewives a hearty "welcome back," and eagerly await next week's installment, which will hopefully involve more throwing of fruit and less Lynette.
How did you feel about Desperate Housewives' return to the air? Do you love Gabby and Carlos as much as I do? Do you eat jam on muffins?
I'm really glad this is back, though a lot of momentum has been lost and this episode wasn't as good as the pre-strike ones.
Losing one's virginity to Katherine... god that guy's a lucky bastard. It didn't make sense though that he would see her clobber Wayne and just walk away. Also, if she killed an abusive husband, why would Adam be so unforgiving?
Did not like the Lynette-Bree storyline at all. I am strongly anti-religious, and even I wouldn't go to a church and interrupt a service with an obvious question. Rationality and faith do not mix, and if you are going to ask questions or think logically, it should not be about the Bible.
AC | Apr 13, 2008 8:57:42 PM | #Everything was great tonight (especially got laughs out of the religion gags throughout) EXCEPT the clumsy and contrived way the show dropped the hot and creepy accountant cousin in on things. The second I saw him sitting at the table I wondered who he'd be sleeping with by the end of the ep. I guessed Edie. Maybe next week.
CT | Apr 13, 2008 9:26:33 PM | #I agree with AC that the show definitely lost momentum during the strike. Hopefully they will be able to cover all that they had intended to in the fewer eps remaining to have closure to the season and all of its storylines. It seems like aside from the Katherine storyline there doesn't seem to be a way to tie any of the other storylines together by season's end - at least not in a fashion that will make sense and feel right.
Rishi | Apr 13, 2008 10:06:38 PM | #I thought Susan was really funny in this episode.
I also liked how Mike was in just one quick scene. I like the show so much better without him.
I hope there is more to Katherine's mystery.
this is the 2nd time a DH character has committed statutory rape with a minor (remember gaby + john?). while it's definitely not ok to show an adult male with a 16 yo girl, why is it ok to show an adult female with a 16 yo boy and then act as if nothing's wrong?
tc | Apr 14, 2008 9:59:41 AM | #Good to see Nathan Fillion back. I was afraid we'd never see his beefy ass again.
Also good to see Dylan get something to do other than act confused.
Loving Dana Delany!
The plot with Lynette was as terrible as always. I mean, I've long since forgotten why she ever used to be my favorite character. Now she's my least favorite character. She's the epitomy of the kind of person who drives me up the wall in real life.
Much as I like Felicity Huffman as an actress, her character in this show sucks ass. And not Nathan Fillion ass. I seriously wish they'd get rid of her, her ball-less husband and bratty kids.
Francine Fishpaw | Apr 14, 2008 10:04:35 AM | #The "Katherine Mystery" went in a confusing direction for me. The way Dylan had no memory of so many things from her childhood led me to believe that she wasn't the "original" Dylan (i.e., Dylan died and Katherine kidnapped this girl to replace her). Okay, so I'm twisted.
Loved your question as to whether Gabby has ever met herself! REALLY!!!
When Teri Hatcher flips out over Dylan and the accountant and runs away from the rehab clinic, leaving Julie there and asking Mike to "scare her straight" about drugs, I totally wanted a little scene between Mike and Julie where Mike basically looks at Julie and says, "So I guess she's got some crazy half-baked scheme that needs her attention. To which Julie would reply, " That would be my guess!"
David | Apr 14, 2008 11:39:48 AM | #Jan, I completely agree with your theory about Dylan. I too think she's not the real Dylan. Why would Julie remember them hanging out when they were kids, but not her. Maybe we're both twisted.
LostFanatic | Apr 14, 2008 11:57:12 AM | #Has anyone else heard Marc Cherry's recent comments which imply that Nicollete Sheridan will be leaving the show at the end of this season?
Laverne | Apr 14, 2008 11:59:07 AM | #That was some tornado, huh? Aside from a few very tidy curbside piles of trash, and one destroyed house, all is perfect.
Katherine definitely did NOT kill her ex. Way too obvious. We will eventually learn the note said, (You may think) "your father was murdered" (but he was not.)
Fred | Apr 14, 2008 12:23:32 PM | #Yea, this episode was slow. But i gotta admit i am giving at least a 2 episode grace period to all of my shows as they get back to work since the stupid strike. Kudos to getting us an episode though. this season, lynette has also become my favorite. I liked last night that she tried to explore her faith options. It wasn't the best but i really appreciated the try. I loved her questions and i love the quirkiness about it all. I loved her argument with bree...it was poignant. The stuff with the cousin-susan-katherine...i think was all a set up to begin finishing out this mystery. Do i think she killed her husband...no...too easy. Did anyone hear the news about when the show comes back it will be 5 years later...?
Meeks | Apr 14, 2008 12:38:45 PM | #good...i actually hate her as an actress and her character
| Apr 14, 2008 12:40:17 PM | #I disagree that this was an above-average showing. In fact...the episode was just ok for me. Coming off the strike it should have been awesome. And the lack of tornado damage bothered me too.
Suzy | Apr 14, 2008 3:15:49 PM | #Sorry Liz, I can't agree that this was an above average episode. It was kinda flat and lost some of the sparkle that the show had pre-strike. With that said, I'm going to side with MEEKS post and give all of my favorite dramas one episode to shake off the cobwebs. Perhaps Mark Cherry wants to ease the audience back in, which makes sense. What that doesn't explain is the clunky introduction of Bree's cousin. Aside from the fact that we now know Katherine commited statutory rape, I always cast a suspicious eye on shows that introduce random relatives and hangers on in order to advance a plot. Then there is his odd recounting of witnessing Katherine beat down her abusive ex. So you see someone whale on someone else with a candle stick and you don't say a word? When you do finally tell someone (Susan) it's done offhandedly, as if witnessing that kind of behavior is a normal, every day thing. Very odd and, in my opinion, one of the only huge misfires in an otherwise great season of the show. A couple of comments about the comments here. First, what's with the Lynette hating? Hers is the single most realistic, multi-dimensional character on the show. That is a credit to the beyond talented Huffman and some great writing. This episode showed her in partiularly fine form. I also welcome any primetime discussion of the hypocracy rife in many organized religions and the dubious downside of blind faith. As far as the tornado damage, several weeks have passed since the disaster. The show is set in an upper income neighborhood which, right or wrong, would be among the first to have the resources to recover from a disaster. Of course, we are talking about DH here...do you really watch the show for realistic depictions of disaster recovery?
Ron H. | Apr 14, 2008 3:45:12 PM | #Sorry...I meant the clunky intro of SUSAN'S cousin.
Ron H. | Apr 14, 2008 3:46:06 PM | #Susan's cousin killed Catherine's husband and Dylan witnessed it and her mom did some electro shock therapy to help her forget she witnessed her dad's death except whoops she erase some other random memories too.
Lynette is soooooo annoying. Like she's all about her, so selfish! She complains to Bree that no one ever asked her about something (I was confused on what she was bitchin about) yet she never really did much to help Bree. Besides lie in court. Eh.
I liked her much better when she was weak minded in with the whole Rick thing. Maybe it'll pick up when he comes back.
gus | Apr 14, 2008 6:25:11 PM | #welcome back --- no matter the unusual and unexpected story line that kept us laughing and enjoying the comeback show!
m little | Apr 14, 2008 7:53:36 PM | #I read that actor Gary Cole will be coming on the show in upcoming episodes to play Katherine's (Dana Delany) ex-husband. So Katherine definitely did not kill her ex.
From the beginning of the season I've thought that Dylan is Dylan 2.0, i.e. a child who was kidnapped to replace the real Dylan who died as a child. So I agree with the other people here who said that they think that Dylan is a substitute daughter that Katherine created.
Desperate4Closure | Apr 15, 2008 10:13:04 AM | #I bet the REAL Dylan is buried in the woodland grave that Katharine went to.
| Apr 21, 2008 1:47:57 PM | #
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