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Keeping Up Appearances
Gaby was extra neighborly with Adam to make Carlos jealous. Eva Longoria and Nathan Fillion by Ron Tom/ABC
Episode Recap: "The Game"
Does no one on Wisteria Lane ever learn that playing games to hide the truth can only succeed for so long? Eventually the secrets and lies come to the fore. But to their credit, the neighbors all did a fine job of keeping up the act tonight. Charades was just one among many games that were played at Susan and Mike's home.
We still didn't get much further in the Mayfair mystery. What we do know is that Dylan's real dad didn't do what Mom Mayfair told everyone: "the worst thing a father can do to his daughter." That was just another lie made up to keep them quiet in the future.
Edie flaunted her engagement to bug both Carlos and Gaby, courtesy of a ring she bought herself (she should have used Carlos' money from that offshore account). She also befriended Katherine, assuring her that when Katherine caught Adam and Gaby flirting, it was the latter she should worry about. Before the night was over, Katherine spilled Gaby's sordid history with Wisteria Lane's most popular gardener, news to no one… except Gaby's new hubby. But Victor's nonplussed political take on Gardenergate sent her back into Carlos' arms, and we were privy to a teeny bit more of his game with Edie. The heretofore "hit man," Al Kaminsky, is supposedly a CPA, and needs only a couple weeks to take care of "the Britt file."
Try as Lynette might to pretend that her life is largely unaltered by her illness, she ruined her longstanding reputation as "charades assassin" when her mother Stella (Polly Bergen) baked her brownies stocked with some "kickass chronic" to curb her nausea. It was great to see Lynette not in control, rational and entirely lucid, for once. She'd normally be the last one to insensitively reenact Edie's suicide attempt in hopes of her team guessing the Hang 'em High western. I'm sure her kids also enjoyed Mommy's new appreciation for the genius of SpongeBob SquarePants!
Susan's real pregnancy began making Bree's fake one more difficult to hide. Tonight Susan envisioned sharing the same doctor and scheduling their appointments at the same time. When Bree blindly picked a doc out of the phone book, I just knew Susan was in for a shady place. Once she was late to her own party — thanks to a debacle of a doctor's appointment, replete with slashed tire and stolen cell phone — Bree told more lies to cover up the truth: there had been complications, and she'd nearly lost the baby.
Well, it was true, just not regarding Bree. Danielle, back at the convent, was the one who nearly lost the baby. (Roller blading? Really?) I think the event made Bree remember how much she loved Danielle — that it wasn't all about the baby, but that she had another child involved in the trauma, too. Or am I giving Bree too much credit?
Children certainly learn from their elders: while the grownups were playing charades, Julie deftly opened the lock to the Mayfairs' attic storage room, confirmed it was Dylan's old bedroom and reintroduced her to various childhood things packed away in boxes. Katherine caught them and demanded that Dylan stay away from Julie. (But surely they go to the same high school?) Later Katherine prepared the room for Aunt Sims — and in the episode's final scene, she pulled back the bedroom rug and wept over a jagged gash in the wood floor. What? I guess this will be a season-long mystery after all….
Check out more of the Housewives' dirty laundry with our Online Video Guide.
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Oct 14, 2007 11:30 PM
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Great recap, Aimee.
I loved Susan recounting her "doctor" visit to Bree.
So good to see that Carlos isn't the bad guy they wanted us to believe he was. I figured last week this guy was to do something with the money, not with killing Edie.
Everything was just spot on tonight and I say hooray! After the debacle of last year, DH has returned!
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Oct 15, 2007 1:35 AM
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Im sorry I know it was a little inapproriate, and Edie really didn't try to kill herself, but Lynette doing "Hang em High" when she was high...was a riot. And then when she realized she Hang 'em High had 3 syllables was also funny.
As to the doctors office, I wouldnt even sit down in that place. If that was me, as soon as I saw that place, I would of walked right back out.
As for Bree's "pregnancy" did they ever say when she/danille is due? And I also questioned the rolling blading. What type of convent is it?
Im really enjoying the new mystery. But I cant figure it out just yet. Need more to go on.
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Oct 15, 2007 3:46 AM
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Wow! That "Hang 'Em High" was truly inappropriate. I can't wait till Bree finds out what she did. The guilt!
I'm glad Carlos isn't hiring a hit man, but Edie needs to face the consequences of her actions. Has the woman no pride?
I think that Katherine's husband either killed himself & Dylan found the body or somehow she accidentally killed him. Either way, she was very traumatized. I wonder what the Katherine/Adam backstory is. Does she have some kind of hold over him?
For me the saddest part of the show was Bree on her knees trying to detach the DVD player to take to Danielle. Her guilt was palpable. She really does love her kids.
Why just the brief glimpse of Tom's daughter (I forget her name)? It didn't seem necessary.
And do you think Dylan will stay away from Julie? I don't.
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Oct 15, 2007 4:09 AM
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Thanks for reminding me Imzadi about Katherine's husband and daughter. I also think that either Dylan accidently killed him and she blocked the incident out of her head.
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Oct 15, 2007 4:31 AM
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lizziebelle - When Bree was on the phone with Daniele she asked her what she was doing rollerblading when she was 8 1/2 months pregnant. If she's that far along, Bree should be wearing a bigger fake belly.
Desparate Housewives is back and I am excited about the show again. I love it when the wives interact.
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Oct 15, 2007 7:34 AM
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Imzadi:
I'm surprised that you didn't feel showing Tom's daughter in the one scene was "necessary". Last year, everyone was whining about "where did Tom's daughter go? Why don't we see her with the boys more often?"
Anyway, I always enjoy seeing all of the housewives together--that's when real fireworks are bound to happen. But Katherine is already so shrill and determined to tick off everyone else on the street, I just don't understand it. I know she has a big secret to keep, but I would think it would be easier for her if she didn't ruffle so many feathers, but rather make friends instead of enemies. As much as I love Dana Delaney, I didn't want Katherine to be THIS unlikeable!
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Oct 15, 2007 8:25 AM
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I laughed so hard at the Hang em High scene I was afraid I'd wake up the kids. Good to see Felicity Huffman finally getting to act!
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Oct 15, 2007 9:08 AM
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I loved this episode. There were so many laugh out loud moments.
I loved that moment between Lynette & her mother at the end where Stella reveals that she had remembered Lynette's play in high school (Lynette had griped that Stella was too stoned back then to be a part of her daughter's life). Lynette is so touched and Stella comes back with something to the effect of: a performance that bad could not be blocked out with alcohol. It reminded me so much of my own mother & I that I couldn't help but giggle.
Another great moment was Victor talking to Carlos (after Carlos had just come from kissing Gaby in Susan's upstairs bathroom). Victor saying that Carlos was a patient man to have forgiven the teenage gardener affair... then says if it had been him she cheated on, no one would find the guy she was sleeping with. And Carlos says that no one wants to go to jail over a woman. Victor replies... well, if you have enough money, you could get rid of someone pretty easily. Then he smiles at Carlos, pats him on the shoulder and leaves with Gaby. So, I'm wondering... does Victor have an idea of what's going on?
Ok, now my only issue.... on a street where EVERYONE is so damn nosy and watches their neighbors every move... how is it that NO ONE has seen Carlos sneaking out of he & Gaby's old house in the middle of the day? He's not even going out the back... just the side gate (which is what, 6 ft from the front gate?). That's just sloppy...
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Oct 15, 2007 9:53 AM
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That was a good episode. I agree with the blog...
Just one thing leapt out at me, though. Bree was great when trying to take the DVD player to Danielle -- but why did they end up not going to see her? Just because the baby seemed like she was going be fine doesn't mean it wasn't scary for Danielle & that she wouldn't have been happy to have her mother there to support her. That was just weird to me -- if that "scare" was meant to give Bree a chance to help her daughter, Bree didn't do it. (Instead, she had a talk with Susan.) Why is that?
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Oct 15, 2007 10:42 AM
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There were some pretty great scenes last night. I also loved the "Hang 'em High" charade from Lynette.
The one thing that has been bugging me since this season started (I know- only a few weeks ago, but still) is WHY would Katherine even WANT to move back into that house? If she's been working so hard all these years to repress Dylan's memory why would she risk the memories coming back by going to the same neighborhood let alone the very same house? This just screams way too much of plot device. I like the writing to be more organic (see Friday Night Lights). While I can suspend belief constantly on every show I watch I hate it when things don't even make sense in the world the writer's have created for us. Maybe in the long run it'll pan out- but right now I am just so baffled by them moving back that I can't even enjoy the scenes with Nathan Fillion (he'll always be Captain Tightpants to me!). If there is a reason why they had to get back into the house specifically (something hidden somewhere in the house) then it would make sense. Right now- not so much.
Oh- and I was seriously hoping Carlos had hired someone to kill Edie. In the past I would enjoy her zingers from time to time, but this is beyond despicable. Why would she even want to be with someone who doesn't love her? How is blackmailing someone to marry you a good thing? She has moved on from delightfully evil to just downright horrendous.
I just feel the writers in their desperation to recapture the season 1 charm are trying too hard and it shows. You would never guess by this post- but I actually do enjoy this show. I just wish those two things would have been handled better.
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Oct 15, 2007 10:58 AM
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Did anyone else see it coming when Lynett's mother needed to score some pot just who she would go to? I knew it would be Andrew!! Too funny! I loved that, and also when her mother realized that Lynette had brought the pot-laced brownies to the party and then had to take them out of people's hands before they could eat them - all of the party goers could have been acting like Lynette...that would have been one of Susan's most memorable parties...and last thought on the subject of the brownies - how the mother picked the younest son (can't think of his name) to bring the brownies to Lynette - he had the face that she just could not refuse! Very cunning grandma - but her devotion to Lynette came out when she made the mac & cheese even though she doesn't like to cook, and I also liked the scene when she just said, "Yenta" and stopped Lynette in her tracks as she realized her mother DID remember her part in "Fiddler on the Roof." Isn't Lynette also getting a sister this season? Can't think if it's been said who will portray her but I hope they get a powerhouse who can hold her own with Lynette...
The scenes with Susan and Bree were good and I agree that Bree should be sporting a larger fake belly if she's 8 & 1/2 months along. Aside from the stomach, she so doesn't look, walk, sit down or stand up like a pregnant woman does. I couldn't believe that skeavy ob/gyn's office that Susan went to - that was great! And the appointment made her late for her own party! Too funny. Liked Mike's comment about having the safety latch on the baby's cradle in case the baby would be clumsy like Susan...
Good episode!
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Oct 15, 2007 11:02 AM
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Can someone please refresh my memory? I don't recall Susan ever telling the other women she was preggers. I thought for sure that she was having the charades party to act out that she was pregnant as a way of telling the others.
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Oct 15, 2007 11:19 AM
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Granted Bree was lying about her OB/GYN, but it drove me a bit crazy when Susan asked her for the name and Bree tried to cover up by saying her doctor was booked and wasn't taking on any new patients, but Susan didn't know that and yet she insisted that Bree give her the name, because she just knew that the doctor would take her on as a patient. What part of 'he's booked and he's not taking on new patients' did you not understand, Susan?? I loved it when Bree said to her that it wasn't always about her ... how true! Susan (and I'm sorry, but I think in turn, Terri Hatcher) always thinks everything is about her. It just drives me nuts! Like I said ... I know what Bree was saying wasn't true, but still ... Susan didn't know that.
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Oct 15, 2007 11:19 AM
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I enjoyed it, as usual, and the new turns the show is adding. It'll be interesting seeing where they lead. I wasn't sure that Victor thought Carlos and Gabby were under the sheets again but when I saw Carlos' face (marvelous take there) I thought he thought uh oh if he finds out I'm dead. Wonder if that'll change things?? Surprised when the hit man became an accountant. I rather liked the idea he got someone to off her, because I was sure it wouldn't happen and would lead to lots of funny moments.
So much more I can't think of right now but for the blogger that asked why Katherine had moved back to that house without an explanation, I thought when she first appeared she said that she did it because of her aunt and having to bring her there, like maybe it was her aunt's house before, or that her aunt wanted to live back there with them. If not, well then here comes another mystery. Fun fun fun.
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Oct 15, 2007 11:52 AM
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