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'Desperate Housewives' picks up the pieces
It's always tough for the episode that comes after the big, exciting episode. Sure, two weeks ago we had fights, arson, and general mayhem on Desperate Housewives, but tonight's installment was tasked with cleaning up the aftermath, which isn't quite as sexy. That said, it wasn't half bad - it's a rare episode when none of the B-plots annoy me, so huzzah for that.
Lynette: The police, obviously, are onto the fact that Porter and Warren had a fight right before the fire. Lynette lies that Porter never threatened Warren, but she secretly suspects (and reasonably so, given his history) that he did set the fire. Tom doesn't want to believe it, but they decide together that if he did do it, they'll protect him. Really? Even though at that point he'd be a serial arsonist? Okay, I admittedly don't have any kids, so maybe the protective parenting instinct is beyond my comprehension, but at some point you have to teach them about consequences, no? Porter denies setting the fire when Lynette asks him point blank, and she seems to believe him.
When Anne is discharged from the hospital, Lynette gives her an envelope full of money, a ride to the bus station, and the threat of statutory rape charges as a get well soon present. Aww, you shouldn't have! She also makes Anne promise to contact her or Tom, not Porter, when the baby comes. Anne's parting words: "There's no baby. There never was." I...knew it? Hmm. Even though that's totally what I thought, the fact that she admitted it so freely makes me wonder if there actually is (was?) a baby. Oh, and apparently honesty is a one way street in the Scavo residence: Lynette flatly denies knowing where Anne went when Porter asks.
Susan: Mike has a new lease on life, and is ready to go public with his relationship. Katherine's a bit more hesitant but, of course, makes the situation worse by letting Susan find out on her own. Susan's pissed. And even more pissed that Bree knew. (Also, she's wearing an adorable red dress.) Bree lays some truth on Susan about how she's actually mad at herself for letting her marriage fall apart. Yeah, maybe, but I still think it's legit to be mad at one of your oldest friends for dating your ex-husband behind your back. Nice deflecting though, Bree. And though Susan forgives Katherine by phone, it's clear that their friendship has suffered.
Bree: Orson has a nose injury, and thus a serious snoring problem that can't be fixed for a couple weeks. And let me just say that after hearing the snoring, I approved in advance of whatever crazy shenanigans Bree got into to try and fix it. AWFUL. Her description: "Imagine a terrified elephant summoning his herd." Ha! Orson's not on board with unnecessary surgery, but seriously, it's necessary. Trying to sleep while someone in the room is snoring is my idea of hell - no flames or pitchforks necessary.
In a shocking turn of events, it's Orson who instigates the crazy shenanigans! Without realizing that Bree has already taken a sleeping pill, Orson doses a cup of tea with sleeping medication, taking it back at the last minute when she mentions that she's already taken some. She oversleeps, though, and downs the medicated tea upon waking. And thus arrives at her cooking demonstration both late and drugged. It goes about how you'd expect, allowing Bree to drag Orson in to schedule the surgery. And the doctor, unbeknownst to Orson and Bree, is Andrew's boyfriend! They just moved in together! Awwww!
Gabby: Carlos wasn't terribly injured in the fire, but his doctor discovered a bone fragment that could be causing his blindness. Surgery, which could be scheduled in a month, may allow him to regain his sight. Gabby freaks out about her less glamorous appearance, going into a workout and dieting frenzy. I can't decide if it's annoying that she's weeping about something so inconsequential when her husband could be getting his sight back, or realistic. She panics when the surgery gets bumped up, and admits to Carlos that she's afraid he'll be disappointed in her looks. He tells a really sweet gross story about how he knew he wanted to marry her when he saw her devour a plate of ribs. Aww?
Dave: The police talk to Dave about the fire, calling him a hero, which leads to what appears to be a troubled look on Dave's face. Is he actually human? When Mike tries to thank him and asks what he can do, Dave says that ever since his brother died he hasn't had a really good friend, and asks Mike to step up. More evidence that Mike is the target, I suppose. Odd, perhaps, that Mike didn't ask what happened to Dave's brother. Painkillers? Unwillingness to be nosy?
The worried look continues when Dave learns that the fire killed seven people (unidentified to us, aside from the psychiatrist) and injured 100. Dave seems even more troubled when he hears that Porter is a suspect. Great line from Edie, telling Dave how she always knew that Porter was no good: "Trust me - I'm a really good judge of character." Oh, Edie. So karmically deserving of all of this. Dave finally confesses to the detectives, in a well-scripted and -acted fake-out, that he was by the storage room the night of the fire...and saw Porter coming out. Boo!
Are Gabby's image concerns absurd or realistic? Do you believe Anne about the baby's nonexistence?
This episode was a bit of a letdown after last, but I'm glad that they are finally giving Andrew a personal life. It's good that he's not spending all his time being his mother's assistant!
Gabby must have been mad to eat all those ribs while wearing a WHITE sundress. That was the really disturbing part of Carlos's story. Gabby's always been really concerned with appearances so I don't find her concern at all unrealistic.
Really I don't care about Porter's baby either way. I hope she's not pregnant just so this cougar plotline will go away.
Amarantha | Nov 30, 2008 8:25:39 PM | #I actually found this episode better than the last 3 combined. I was really beginning to lose my patience. I'm not even entirely sure I'm onboard with half the stories but it's my favorite show so I'm not giving up now.
The highlight of the episode was finding out Andrew has a boyfriend!
D | Nov 30, 2008 8:53:34 PM | #although Lynette was apparently supposed to be lying to Porter, she really doesn't have any idea where Anne went. And the fire injured 100 people? I sure never heard that line. I don't think there were even 100 people in the club. They didn't actually say that did they?
ELizabeth | Nov 30, 2008 10:36:48 PM | #ummm... If Gabby has been sleeping with a blind man for 5 years, I'm pretty sure he's got a good idea of the shape (s?) of her body...
just sayin | Dec 1, 2008 1:32:16 AM | #I think it is somewhat funny that the strongest couple on the show is Gabby and Carlos. But ... they do fit well together as a couple on that show.
Tony | Dec 1, 2008 2:04:28 AM | #@Elizabeth- When Dave was watching the news report, the anchor said 7 deaths and up to 100 injuries. So yeah, just about everyone in the club!
Liz Pardue | Dec 1, 2008 4:37:46 AM | #Regarding the 100 injuries -- unless the club is in some isolated clearing beneath the trees where nobody sees, some of those may be people outside the club or in adjacent buildings.
I LOVE that Andrew has a boyfriend. I LOVE that the fact that no one knows about it has more to do with the status of his relationships with people as opposed to either of them being in the closet. I LOVE that Andrew's boyfriend is his mother/stepfather's doctor.
I officially do NOT like the Dave character right now. The fact that he blamed someone else for his crimes is one thing. The fact that he blamed a MINOR is absolutely unredeemable. Although it was an opportunity to capitalize on the existing suspicion of Porter Scavo, he could have said Jackson or even continued to pretend he didn't know. Argh.
Terrence | Dec 1, 2008 7:15:46 AM | #I still kind of like evil Andrew from a few seasons ago, but am buying his turnaround, since it's been gradual-- looking forward to the boyfriend storyline. I think Anne is lying about the absent baby, and don't know what to think about Gabby...
J | Dec 1, 2008 8:29:40 AM | #I think this was a nice clean-up episode. I hope Carlos does get his sight back--I think they have milked the blindness for all its worth.
Jen | Dec 1, 2008 10:09:38 AM | #I am thrilled that Gaby is finally not going to be dowdy anymore - Stacy and Clinton from What Not to Wear should have gotten to her ages ago! Why is it a foregone conclusion that a mother of small children should lose all sense of herself? The best was when Edie said re: Gaby losing her looks... "Yeah, that was my first thought when I found out he was getting his site back" (paraphrase).
I am intrigued by the potential bad background on the Dr. about which Andrew was pumping info from his neighbors that we saw in the previews for next week!
Michelle | Dec 1, 2008 10:10:04 AM | #A couple of things:
Like Elizabeth I agree that Lynette didn't lie since she doesn't know where Anne ended up - Lynette only knows that Anne is leaving town via the bus terminal. Here's to hoping that Anne doesn't just hide out somewhere in town or on the outskirts of town just to found out 9 months from now (or however many months to go until she delivers - since when you deny the pregnancy the way Anne did, it is an almost 100% certainty that she is in fact pregnant).
Also, I see a flaw in Dave's ploy to implicate Porter: Dave can tell Porter and Preston apart? I'm sure that theory will be tested soon enough.
Rishi | Dec 1, 2008 11:41:25 AM | #Am I the only one who thought that Susan didn't really forgive Katherine, that she's actually planning something?
Lynette not telling Porter what she knew about Anne was a lie by omission so a lie nonetheless.
I'm pretty sure that Carlos know that Gaby's put on weight just by touching her. Dumb story.
Tracey | Dec 1, 2008 11:56:17 AM | #The Anne story puzzles me, more than "is she pregnant or isn't she"? (And aside from what will Lynette tell Tom and Porter about the bribe / no baby.)
As a realtor, Anne should have considerable assets of her own. This is a well-off neighborhood, her husband owns a club, and there was nothing to indicate that she needed outside money. Yes, I remember that she expected to get cash from Porter, but the reason was a mystery to me. Surely they aren't saying that women are poor unless they get money from a man. (Also, Anne seemed sort of up-market for someone leaving her husband on the Greyhound, but I suppose it would be less traceable.)
Here's the real puzzler: What about Kirby? We've never seen him, or at least not the teenage version, but he's Porter's best friend and Anne's son (no mention of hospital visits, either). Does this mean that he got left behind with The Brute?
I liked the scene between Gaby and Carlos. Agreed that the ribs feast didn't sound like her, but hey, it was sweet.
Maureen | Dec 1, 2008 12:30:24 PM | #I think some viewers take the show too seriously; like, all these women are REALLY good friends? after all the discord among them? Nah....And, Carlos doesn't know Gaby has gained weight? These things keep the story going and provide the humor. Just enjoy it and don't worry too much about it.
Ana | Dec 1, 2008 12:48:27 PM | #Way to go, Andrew! He's dating a doctor who is cute. (The porn issue- Andrew probably knows about it and it does not bother him. More-than-likely that is how the doctor paid for his medical school tuition.)
Gabby does not realize that Carlos can feel the shape of her body, because before she had two pregnancies her whole life was about her appearance for Carlos (and let's not forget the gardener). She sort of doesn't give a damn what other people think about her weight, but when it comes to her husband it's a whole different ballgame. How would we feel if we were in Gabby's shoes?
Carly | Dec 1, 2008 12:49:44 PM | #I can't believe Gabby and Carlos have such homely children
fran | Dec 1, 2008 3:15:05 PM | #I wonder about Kirby too. Did the writers forget about him when writing in Annes departure?
Wow! Another solid episode of DH, one of my fave scripted shows. Usually the next episode after a disaster is always a major let-down (like after the tornado last year) but tbis one did not disappoint and got me looking forward to the weeks to come.
Lynette: Lynette is like a mama bear protecting her cubs so its no shock she would do anything to protect her kids. Good point the one commentator made about Preston. Where was Preston in all this and can anyone (besides his family) tell he and Porter apart? Nice line by Anne: "There's no baby, there never was." Or is there? We have not seen the last of her, one way or another.
Dave: When Edie mentioned Porter to Dave, I just knew he would plant a bug in the police's ear about Porter somehow being involved with the fire. Maybe he could have found out some other way. Just wait til Lynette finds this out. I smell that confrontation maybe for Feb. sweeps? ;)
Bree: How funny was Bree at the cooking demo. "Who wants to be my daughter?" Everybody's hand goes up. Nice. And did you catch Bree calling Orson, "Rex"?
Andrew: *Hooray*!!! Andrew finally has a bf! And hopefully more screen time as well. Someone else mentioned a porn past. Whose porn past? If I recall, Andrew was a street hustler, not in porn. Someone mentioned weeks ago that Lee was in porn previously. Maybe those stories got crossed? I have seen every episode and I don;t remember anyone's porn past. Hmmm.
Katherine/Susan: Susan needs to grow up. She already has Jackson, so why not let Mike move on with Katherine? Although I don't see that story going on forever. Dana Delany is woefully underused. I liked her better mysterious.
Mike: Still don't think he is the object of Dave's revenge. They are making it too obvious, even for DH standards.
Gabby: Thank God for Eva Longoria. She always makes me laugh out loud week after week. Who knew she was adept at physical comedy when she first came on the show? Not me, especially since her last role was a psycho on Y&R. I could not help but laugh when the doc told her they would bump up Carlos' surgery and she was doing squats in the hospital room. Nice scene with Carlos and Gabby at the end. It was very sweet. Who knew they would be the most stable couple on the show? Not me! But especially since he is a masseur, Carlos knows every inch of whatr Gabby looks like but its totally within her character to obsess about her looks anyway.
Also, can't wait to see what happens when Carlos sees Dave for the first time. Maybe he will recognize him.
Great show...cannot wait til next week!
Wouldn't it be less than ideal for an alcoholic to take sleeping pills? And shouldn't her husband hesitate before dosing an alcoholic with a potentially habit-forming sleep aid?!?!?
Abby | Dec 1, 2008 9:31:03 PM | #Good point, Abby, but you'd be surprised how many people think that it's okay for an alcoholic to have "just a beer" now and then. They'd never think about cross-addiction to pills.
Re: Gabby
She's always been such a self-absorbed airhead that it wouldn't occur to her that Carlos was familiar with the changes in her body. I'd be more concerned about the haircut. It looks though she's either cutting it herself or Carlos did it. Heh.
I know there's speculation that Anne is actually pregnant. (I'm surprised Lynette didn't ask about the baby when Anne was in the hospital.)
Putting that aside: Did Anne mean that she was lying about being pregnant or mistaken? Usually a woman would speak to another woman using terms identifying a mistake "I guess I was late", etc. Anne is old enough to be in the early stages of menopause.
To me she sounded as though she was confessing to a lie. If that's the case, a lie requires an explanation - what was the hoped result? I'm staying with my theory that Anne was setting up Porter to murder her husband.
Maureen | Dec 2, 2008 5:03:30 PM | #What happened to Anne's husband?
Danielle | Dec 3, 2008 6:56:32 AM | #Anne's husband is alive and kicking, as far as we know. Should have been arrested for spousal abuse, but I don't think it was mentioned either way.
Maureen | Dec 3, 2008 9:30:41 AM | #Felicity needs to die a slow death.
Gertie | Dec 4, 2008 8:03:31 PM | #
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