After critics praised the first season of mystery-laced soap dramedy Desperate Housewives, Marc Cherry and his five darlings of prime time were on top of the world. Teri Hatcher won the Golden Globe and the SAG award, Felicity Huffman won the Emmy, the show itself was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series, and the ratings were through the roof. It was everyone's guilty pleasure. But when season two began, even though the premiere's ratings had outdone all the previous episodes, the show began to go downhill. The one-liners weren't as sharp, the story lines were more predictable, and the central mystery was a dud. By the end of the season the show had begun hemorrhaging viewers and critics complained Desperate Housewives had lost its edge.
In season three Cherry attempted to regain some of the spark of season one, and for quite a while, he succeeded. "Bang", an episode in which Laurie Metcalfe, playing a scorned wife whose husband was cheating on her, held up a grocery store, was the best episode the show had seen in quite some time. It even managed to get Felicity Huffman yet another Emmy nomination. But when Marcia Cross had to go on immediate bed rest due to her pregnancy, everything fell to pieces.
Everything seemed force and disjointed, and even though they beefed up Edie Britt's role in the show, nothing really filled the void left when the resident anal retentive, red-headed NRA member left Wisteria Lane. The show suffered for the rest of the season until the finale when Bree re-appeared, wielding a fake pregnant belly to hide her teenage daughter's pregnancy. But even then, audiences didn't quite take. The finale averaged a lukewarm 18 million viewers, the lowest finale of the show's three seasons.
So many fans of the show, myself included, were quite skeptical when it came time for the fourth season to premiere. But luckily, I found myself quite pleased with what Marc Cherry and his team of writers came up with — particularly the new mystery involving beloved actors Dana Delany (China Beach) and Nathan Fillion (Firefly). Katherine Mayfair has moved back to Wisteria Lane with her daughter Dylan, except this time with a new husband, Adam, who is a gynecologist. Katherine lived on Wisteria Lane back before any of the current ladies lived there except for Susan and Mary Alice. Dylan and Susan's daughter Julie used to be best friends when they were little girls, but oddly Dylan doesn't remember Julie or any of the other people they knew years ago.
Article comments
1 - Josh Lasser
Congratulations! This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States.
2 - mama jean
Unfortunately, there are more than 11,000 people (and counting) who are unhappy about last Sunday's show of Desperate Housewives. Here's why: Susan Mayer made a remark that has caused a lot of outrage
3 - mama jean
Unfortunately, there are more than 11,000 people (and counting) who are unhappy about last Sunday's show of Desperate Housewives. Here's why: Susan Mayer made a remark that has caused a lot of outrage http://www.PetitionOnline.com/FilABC/
4 - Alvin Navarro
Congratulations to Desperate Housewives! Although it saddens me that the episode discriminates Filipino's in the medical profession. Kudos to Teri Hatcher for being a good actress she is.
5 - LSMartinez
Too bad, Marc Cherry and Teri Hatcher have hurt a lot of Filipino people and Filipino Medical Practitioners(in particular) in the process of their quest to regain their viewers' interest to get their ratings to go up.
The show should start to be sensitive to all people whatever their race, color, nationality or country maybe. They should first apologize.
6 - Teddy D. Siao
Well, what can you expect of such a show consisting of middle-aged housewives who need to spice up their constantly declining boring lives. They will probably say anything they can think of in order to 'jolt' their viewers to give their show an additional lease of life. Teri Hatcher and Marc Cherry congrats! Hope you are happy now. Just don't overdo it. You might eat your own words later---and that would be pretty bad for your health which might require you to see a physician. Hope somebody knows how to cure that!
7 - rv
WE THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES DEMAND A FORMAL APOLOGY FROM ABC FOR INSULTING THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS OF OUR COUNTRY IN ONE OF THE EPISODES OF DH...THE PURELY RACISM! IS THIS WHAT AMERICA STANDS FOR? WE ARE FAR BETTER MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS IN THE US....WE DOMINATE THE NURSING PROFESSION IN THE STATES BECAUSE WE ARE AMIABLE AND VERY PATIENT SERVANTS...WE TAKE CARE OF AMERICAN PEOPLE WHOEVER THEY WITH ALL OUR PASSIONS AND OUR LOVE FOR OUR WORK. THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL ATTACK SINCE IT'S JUST NOT FAIR FOR OUR PEOPLE..WE HAVE ALSO OUR NATIONAL PRIDE....IF YOU CANNOT HELP US JUST DON'T HURT US..AGAIN, WE DEMAND AN APOLOGY FROM ABC....
8 - RJ
OVER 68761 signed the petition for ABC... apology letter to media is not enough.... we filipinos that work our ass off to to take care of any nationality including americans doesnt deserve to be treated this way.
9 - NancyGail
i thought the potential suicide was Bree's daughter with Edie just part of the montage.
10 - karen
desperate housewives has come to an ultimate low. what a racist piece of need for attention tv.
11 - janice,R.N.
stupid show with your stupid casts!!!!!!!!!! racist,insensitive and totally disgusting!!!!! we filipinos have more higher education than your cast on this show... we demand your sincerest apology on national tv...u have to do something about this!!!! idiot teri hatcher!!!! ur face is just as dumb as your mind....
12 - evtbMD
It’s a fictional degradation of my profession, and fictional or not, when you are in the US, it’s hard not to get hurt…because the mere fact that WE ARE PHILIPPINE GRADUATES of some medical schools made us feel that it is what they thought of the Philippine Medical graduates. What others don’t know, we give our sweat and tears to be in the mainstream, head to head with our American colleagues. It’s not about NOTHING, it was an INSULT to us medical professionals…..We Filipinos, just like other immigrants always have to prove ourselves in America, and we are not going to allow the ABC, the ignorant writers and Teri Hatcher to make fun of us who worked so hard to be where we are right now. People have to respect the 917,000 people who signed the petitions. FYI: in the first place, the writer was not informed on how a physician is able to practice in the USA. First, the foreign educated docs need to pass their countries’ board exam. Then they go to their countries’ residency program, Then, apply to the US to get to residency matching program, then if accepted, would have to pass the FMG’s exam. Then these docs will go to internship and 3-4 years of residency AGAIN. Then will take the US grueling board exams. It’s not about Diploma, you can have as many diplomas as you want, but if you are not SMART enough to go through above….you’re not practicing in the USA. It’s a lot of work to be able to practice Medicine in the US, Now guys…do you now get it? WHY WE ARE FURIOUS??? so what are they trying to say about “diplomas from some med schools in the Philippines”..
13 - Carol Baltazar
You guys never learn your lessons. Last thing you wanna do is disparage the Filipino people. Filipinos are one of the smartest and creative creature on earth. They also happen to be very united when they need to be.
Shame on ABC, Teri Hatcher, the writers. Do you know that you guys are so poor in spelling - so slow in reading? You are hardly what we can say smart and well read. There's only a handful who are college graduates and who can excellently express themselves. Otherwise, generally you guys are so bad, shamefully bad with your grammar, your spelling. Since English happens to be your native language, naturally you speak it with such ease and fluidity. But dare you to write and read and you are gonna fall flat on your face. Even in school, it pains me that even teachers are writing peculiarly funny spelling on the board transferring their so-called knowledge to kids, poor kids. And you guys have the guts to be condescending.
Never belittle Filipinos, we value education more than getting busy with pushing our kids out of the house once they're 18, we value education than being able to get a car and an apartment at 18. We are not really a materialistic lot. You need to READ who designed a lot of things that you guys get the credit for just because you happen to have the resources. You are nothing but a bunch of overrated so called freedom-loving 'to the point of rudeness' people.
You need to bear in mind, shove it down your throat, and hammer your head with, you guys will have your parents, even you, taken cared of by these sweet little Filipino nurses, because you don't care much for the hard dirty work.
Next time, when you write your scripts, and you speak your lines in a series or a film, exercise some caution. Give respect to every single person, every lowly race. Like it was said, "even the dull and the ignorant" - they too have their story.
This world was not created just for your race or your color. You have to be less self-centered. You can't forever live with the myth that world will stop revolving if your race and color is out of it.
Wake up. Give credit where it is due. Stop and look at the mirror and get out of yourself for a few brief moment. Look at yourselves in the mirror. You may be in for some surprises.
Don't bring your stupidity and shallow thinking out in the open, by committing this same obnoxious mistake ever again. You guys are funny if you don't suck ..... Carol Baltazar
14 - oj delos reyes
ABC and DH staff you have just lost my respect and admiration for a wonderful show. Definitely you made the wrong decision by showing your ugly racism on primetime tv.
I say you're an ungrateful hypocrates. In the last decade the United States has been lacking good medical staff such as nurses and care givers. A profession most americans in general perceived as "uncool".
These men and women leave their families and worked very hard to pass the scrutiny of the US nursing board exams. There has been controvery in the past about the credibility of the Philippine nursing board. But if the DH writers has been researching at all or even using their brains for that matter. Most filipino medical professionals would not even set foot in the US mainland for work without at least a good background education and passing licensure exams.
You may not know this but some Philippine doctors even would go to lengths of going back to nursing school to practice nursing in the US. Drastically degrading the medical system in the Philippines. The US's gain is the Philippines' Loss.
In the US's 232 year history. Racism has never ever died. America stand for equality for all yet it is practiced selectively. America should be a model for all governments of the world to look up to with our high standard of living and effective laws and systems. Yet this simple task of removing and eradicating hatred to people of a different race remains very much here in our culture.
Do not judge people in the color of their skin. judge them for the things they do for this country.
15 - oj delos reyes
errata: the correct recognized founding anniverary of the United States is 224. but with the declared anniversary the US is actually 231 yrs old and 3 months.
America in your 232nd birthday will u truly live up to your flag?
The DH writers and Editors who wrote and approved that script should be fired. Ok maybe not fired a public apology will do plus a complete episode dedicated to tribute the Filipino medical professionals that DESERVE recognition.
16 - dasen
I don´t agree whith stupid review. The third season show doesn´t go down when Bree go away. The ultimate episodes of the third season are very goog as the ones.The second season is good, and only is bad he middle and last episode only Bree´s character.
Marcia Cross is stupid performance and she does ever the same. It´s the worst of the show.
17 - Desperate Housewives Episodes
Felicity Huffman's Best Moments:
Season 3: The 'Bang' episode where she was taken hostage in the supermarket with Nora and other residents. I thought her speech after Nora was shot was extremely moving and poignant it was sooooo raw!!!! STUNNING
Season 4: Her reaction to the tornado destruction/ when she sees Ida Greenburg's house destroyed...very real. Also her breakdown after she kills the possum/when she is cancer free.
Season 5: Elie Scruggs episode...when she leaves Penny in the car and Elie brings her in from the car and Lynette is stunned at her carelessness...very moving.
18 - Jessy
susan mayer is disgusting.. she's clumsy, messy, over reacting, and i hate her eye lids.. so ugly.. i longer i look at her, d more i hate her, i just don't know why