In This Section
|
« Desperate Housewives
September 24, 2006: Listen to the Rain on the Roof
Looks like Marc Cherry is keeping his promise: He's been in the media everywhere proclaiming that the show's quality will be back in tip-top shape, like it was in the first season. He deserves a pat on the back for cowriting a (for the most part) first-rate script with Jeff Greenstein (Emmy-winning writer/executive producer of Will & Grace - Jeff wrote the pivotal '80s flashback episode where Will first came out to Grace). I thought it was a smart thing to fast-forward to six months from the last time we saw them. This way they didn't have to deal with following up on the aftermath of the Applewhites' departure; also, Xiao-Mei's more pregnant and they could have Bree realistically able to say yes to Orson's proposal.
Poor unlucky-in-love Bree. She went from one disastrous relationship to the next and then to the next. But tonight's biggest highlight for me was Bree experiencing her very first orgasm without even realizing it. I had been wondering what she was exactly referring to in the promos when she said "I don't do that - I'm a Republican!" Orson's reply was one of the best of the many zingers tonight: "I'm a Libertarian - I believe in minimizing the role of the state and maximizing individual rights." I was already dying when Orson started to go "down there" and Bree was like "Excuse me - did you lose something?" The actress who played the nurse who told Bree she had her first big "O" - Vernee Watson-Johnson - has played a lot of characters in her career, but she will always be remembered (at least to me - hello - showing my age) as one of the original cast members of Welcome Back, Kotter playing Verna Jean, who hung out with the Sweathogs. But let's talk about what made Bree want to have sex with Orson in the first place - he recleaned the wine glasses with red-wine vinegar. Hilarious that Orson's being a clean freak was an aphrodisiac for Bree.
Speaking of great guest stars, Laurie Metcalf gave us her usual brilliance as the Gladys Kravitz-like Carolyn Bigsby. Her final scene, when she exposed Orson as a wife killer, was my second favorite scene and was definitely one of those classic "Desperate Housewives moments." Marcia Cross showed us just why it was a travesty that she wasn't nominated (?!?) for best actress at last month's Emmys (umm... she should have won the frickin' thing, but she wasn't even nominated... don't get me started on that). Also briefly effective was Valerie Mahaffey from Northern Exposure as Alma Hodge. Having the parrot say "Orson - no!" twice when Carolyn arrived at the door was ingenious. Can we assume that was Alma's body in the dirt at the end? We'll have to stay tuned.
Eva Longoria provided the best comic relief tonight. She had so many funny moments that I will randomly choose this one to mention. After Xiao-Mei (the fabulous Gwendoline Yeo) shouted to her: "You are meanest person," Gaby shouted back: "I am the meanest person! You've been in this country for a year - modify your nouns, damn it!" Xiao-Mei: "What a bitch!" I also enjoyed the Susan "misery loves company" story line: Having her meet Ian (Dougray Scott) at the hospital while they both waited for their other halves to come out of their comas was quite clever. Teri Hatcher was awesome in the poignant scene where she asks the comatose Mike permission to go on the (almost) date with Ian: "It's really just dinner." That had to be an easy day at work for James Denton - no lines to memorize.
Nice to see my Nicollette Sheridan back in full form as Edie (she wasn't in the two-hour season finale). I loved how Edie kept trying to sell Paul Young's house with continually bad results. It was perfect to have Mrs. Landingham, I mean Mrs. McCluskey (Kathryn Joosten), be the one to spill the beans to those potential buyers that someone was murdered in the house.
The weakest link is still the Scavo story line. I didn't like it in the season finale and I still don't. The fact that Nora (Kiersten Warren) expects to be such a part of the family now (like wanting to be in the holiday family photo) was absurd. Lynette and Tom scurrying like rats to remove evidence of a kiddie party so Nora wouldn't catch them? Dumb. Let's hope Nora and her daughter Kayla leave town soon (but not Kayla's daddy, Tom - he can stay). I did like Felicity Huffman's line when Tom asked Lynette how he should tell Nora not to be in the photo: "How about 'You're in the frame, bitch - move'?"
So what did you think? Do you agree that this looks to be a better season, for the most part? Or are you desperate to find a different show to watch in the same time slot?
|
TVGuide Links:
|
|
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 3:18 AM
|
I thought the episode was pretty good with the one liners, esp. Gabby's !!
Like you not big on the Scavo storyline right now.
Don't want to pass judgement on Bree's storyline just yet but Orson seems to be Patrick Bergin in Sleeping With The Enemy. The only difference between Alma and Julia Robert's Sarah/Laura was that she got away. What I did like though was Laurie Metcalfe as the neighbor just walking in, almost like her scene in Uncle Buck. I just love having her back on my TV.
Edie trying to sell the Young house was a nice throw in so we could see Nicolette. I miss her.
Susan of course still klutzo and spilling that strawberry smoothie on coma wife (i forget her name) was a chuckle and then telling the nurse on her way out that she needed a sponge bath. I was expecting soap cliche for Mike to open his eyes when she left the room and have her miss it.
In all I think it was a decent season opener.
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 3:35 AM
|
OMG the stupid internet ate my post !!!
its late and i can't retype it all but in a nutshell
Bree = Sleeping With The Enemy. Don't like Orson. Glad to see Laurie back.
Gabby = great + Xiao-Mea = awesome. i love that Xiao tries to be fiesty like Gabby.
Susan = loved that she in Susan fashion spilled the smoothie on coma wife. Expected soap cliche of Mike to twitch or open his eye as Susan walked out after asking his permission to go to dinner.
Lynette = not a fave storyline with Nora. DO NOT like her (Nora)
Edie = happy me!! lol I love that she was in the episode, i missed her. And her attempts at selling the house and being contradicted when she would say something, great.
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 3:41 AM
|
i loved the premiere episode of dh. im also glad that they jumped 6 months foward instead of leaving where we just left off.
why is it about bree that attracts psychopaths? she went from george to orson in a year.u think after carolyne told her about orson killing his first wife she would of remembred her bad experiences with george. did love her her realization that she had her first REAL big o. but i do hope they bring back laurie metcalf real soon.
i like susan...but why does she get so many love interests when i cant get one?? (who is at least sane) dont know yet if i like ian just yet.
love gaby scenes. it would of been funny if the soap she was talking about
"the one with the detective and the blong laywer" hinting to eva's former soap role on y&r. but i couldnt stop laughing at her with carlos when he was about to talk his american dream...and she took off before he could even say anything.
now i dont like the whole thing lynette. nora is just plain crazy. and annoying. i dont blame lynette for not wanting to count nora in on the family birthday parties. and all nora is doing is just using poor kayla. i hate nora and hopes lynette takes her down. real soon.
but i do want more of edie....and bring back felcia.
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 4:19 AM
|
My stomach muscles hurt from the incredibly clever lines in this one. Definitely back to season one hilarity and unique representations of the character by the actors and writers.
Loved everything except the Nora character. That's a bit too much of a stretch even for this show. However, still loved the dialogue and interplay of Tom and Lynette.
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 4:45 AM
|
must admit, I was one of the viewers who stopped watching partway through last season. It just didn't hold my interest. I heard good things about the new season, though, and loved most of the first season, so I decided to give it another try.
I'm glad I did.
Favorite lines:
Lynette: "How about: you're in the frame, b**ch, move."
Xiao-Mei's demonstrated ability to modify her nouns.
Gabrielle: "Don't worry, I'm just gonna replay that look I had when I found out you hadn't banged him yet."
Of course, Bree: "Uh, excuse me- did you lose something?" "Oh, I don't do that. I'm a Republican!"
And when Bree went to the doctor after thinking she had a stroke, I laughed out loud.
I made more comments that I don't have time to type out now, but you can see them here under the Desperate Housewives entry:
http://community.tvguide.com/forum.jspa?forumID=700002362
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 7:50 AM
|
|
I LOVED IT!!! I was ready to give it up, but I am really looking forward to the coming episodes. I'm not liking the Scavo storyline, but at least it gives Lynette a chance to deliver some great snarky comments. "How about 'You're in the frame, bitch - move'?" Hysterical!!
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 8:42 AM
|
While I won't be removing it from my weekly DVR schedule anytime soon, I wasn't nearly as enamored with the first episode as I had hoped I would be. This is especially after reading the articles that indicated this show would be returning to form from its first season high.
I'm glad the show is back, though, and I'm definitely going to give it a chance to shine again, as I know it can!
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 9:36 AM
|
Let me start off by saying, yup, loved the season premiere! Hopefully they are over that pesky "sophmore slump".
I, too, am so not digging the Lynette/Tom/Nora story. It was an interesting twist last year that revealed Tom's illegitimate child, but the Nora part is just annoying. I can see how the writers might have thought it might add comedic value to the show, but personally, I'll be hitting the FF button on my remote control during this story line.
I'd like to add this to the discussion too:
While I enjoyed the Bree/Orson wine glass-cleaning "foreplay" and their subsequent frantic dash for the bed, I was left dumbfounded at Bree's orgasm scene. From things I've read about this scene during the weeks preceeding the DH season premiere, I was really anticipating the "event" during last night's show. After it was over I thought to myself, "That's IT?????" I was expecting a When Harry Met Sally restaurant scene-type orgasm. I was disappointed... too much buildup to the scene and nothing much delivered when it happened. The whole scene would have been so much more hilarious to actually see her face and hear her go through it, and THEN go to the doctors office because of her "stroke". I see that scene as an opportunity missed.
Other than that, it was a fun episode and I'm looking forward to this season. 
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 9:44 AM
|
|
I did not like tonight's episode... everyhwere you look, people are shouting, "I'll be better than last season, I promise!" But it wasn't. It seemed like the actors were tiptoeing around their lines, unsure if the critical audience would like this or that... plus, Susan's "accidental" smoothie spill? Terribly executed. I hate her character. There was only one funny line in the whole episode. Sigh. This show is moving down my Season Pass list... FAST.
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 9:51 AM
|
"it would of been funny if the soap she was talking about
"the one with the detective and the blonde lawyer" hinting to Eva's former soap role on y&r."
I missed this part of the show, but if that is the line Gabby said, then it IS a reference to Y&R. (I wasn't sure if you were saying it was, or if you were questioning it - if it's the former then I'm sorry!)
That's actually a direct reference to not only Y&R but to the storyline that Eva was part of - Christine is the blonde lawyer, and Paul is the detective. Eva's character broke them up and had a kid with Paul.
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 9:57 AM
|
|
Loved the show - it was a great start to the season. My question - one that has been bugging me since they introduced Nora last season is... I thought that when Lynette followed Tom to that house, that he went upstairs with the lady in that house, correct? It seems like she was in conservative clothes (nice blouse & skirt?) and they shared glasses of wine. Maybe I'm remembering it all wrong, but if I'm right... that memory doesn't jive with how Nora comes across. And, how did she afford that big, elegant looking house?
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 9:59 AM
|
Well, continued quality will be the real test, but I honestly enjoyed this episode as much as I did the first season. Everything - right down to the Mary Alice voiceover - was just better written than anything in a long time.
The rain at the beginning of the episode, I think, was the creators' way of washing away a mediocre season 2. The show finally managed to balance funny and poignant again, and already I care more about this mystery than I did about the Applewhites (especially w/ Laurie Metcalf involved).
Anyway, DH is appointment viewing for me again - at least for now - and that's a good thing.
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 10:03 AM
|
It was better than last season but it's just a rehash.
Bree is with another Psycho. And instead of someone burried under the pool, it's at the golf club. (It was be nice if there were twists here we didn't see coming. For example, Orson's wife is alive, and it being someone else's body.) I forgot who he visited in the santitarium, and there no mention of his link to Mike-something else I forgot about. I love Laurie Metcalf but isn't this just a rehash of the storyline with Mrs. Hoover and her sister-that has yet to be wrapped up. And there was no mention of Bree's kids.
Nora aggravated me-since we fast forwarded 6 months you think this situation with her trying to butt into their lives would have been settled by now. A better storyline would have been having her dump the daughter on them and leave town.
Susan's storyline is promising. I would love to see Edie get her own storyline-what happened to her son that was mentioned in the pilot. Wouldn't it be funny, if Susan got involved with one of her ex-husands? I believe she is supposed to have two.
The jury is still out on the Gabby storyline-though it had some funny moments tonight.
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 10:06 AM
|
|
i almost didn't watch this episode becuase i had been so disappointed with last season - but - i loved it!
|
|
Sep 25, 2006 10:32 AM
|
|
|
