Series synopsis
Desperate Housewives is an American mystery drama comedy television series that premiered on ABC on October 3, 2004. It ended on May 13, 2012. It was created by Marc Cherry. It stars Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Eva Longoria.
Looking down on her friends and family isn't a way of life for Mary Alice Young... it's a way of death. One day, in her perfect house, in the loveliest of suburbs, Mary Alice ended it all. Now she's taking us into the lives of her family, friends and neighbors, commenting from her elevated P.O.V.
Premise
Looking down on her friends and family isn't a way of life for Mary Alice Young... it's a way of death. One day, in her perfect house, in the loveliest of suburbs, Mary Alice ended it all. Now she's taking us into the lives of her family, friends and neighbors, commenting from her elevated P.O.V.
Premise: Secrets. Romance. Murder. All on one street
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer
- Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo
- Marcia Cross as Bree Van de Kamp
- Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis
- Ricardo Chavira as Carlos Solis
- Doug Savant as Tom Scavo
- Nicollette Sheridan as Edie Britt
- Mark Moses as Paul Young
Supporting cast
- James Denton as Mike Delfino
- Alfre Woodard as Betty Applewhite
- Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young
- Vanessa Williams as Renee Perry
- Steven Culp as Rex Van De Kamp
- Tuc Watkins as Bob Hunter
- Kyle MacLachlan as Orson Hodge
- Kevin Rahm as Lee McDermott
- Dana Delany as Katherine Mayfair
- Neal McDonough as Dave Williams
- Cody Kasch as Zach Young
- Shawn Pyfrom as Andrew Van de Kamp
Guest cast
- Darcy Rose Byrnes as Penny Scavo
- Charles Mesure as Ben Faulkner
- Madison De La Garza as Juanita Solis
- Jonathan Cake as Chuck Vance
- Josh Henderson as Austin McCann
- Mason Cotton as M.J. Delfino
- Chris Johnson as Harlan Copp (uncredited)
- Timothy Davis-Reed as Doctor
- Dayna Devon as Lori Jean
- Tom Virtue as Man
- Ashley Rose Orr as Julie's Friend
- Ryan O'Neal as Rodney Scavo
Episodes
This series spans 9 seasons with 232 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 53 | September 25, 2012 | |
| Season 1 | 23 | October 3, 2004 | May 22, 2005 |
| Season 2 | 23 | September 25, 2005 | May 21, 2006 |
| Season 3 | 23 | September 24, 2006 | May 20, 2007 |
| Season 4 | 17 | September 30, 2007 | May 18, 2008 |
| Season 5 | 24 | September 28, 2008 | May 17, 2009 |
| Season 6 | 23 | September 27, 2009 | May 16, 2010 |
| Season 7 | 23 | September 26, 2010 | May 15, 2011 |
| Season 8 | 23 | September 25, 2011 | May 13, 2012 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Unaired Pilot The original pilot featured Sheryl Lee as Mary Alice Young, Michael Reilly Burke as Rex Van De Camp and Kyle Searles as John. Lee was later replaced with Brenda Strong, Reilly with Steven Culp and Searles with Jesse Metcalfe, and their scenes were re-shot for the broadcast pilot. |
|
| 2 |
Oprah Winfrey is the New Neighbor Karen Stouffer with husband Gordon moved in to home at the number 4351 Wisteria Lane. Her character were fitted in fragments of other episodes of the first season: Gabrielle (with John; "Pretty Little Picture"), Bree (with George; "Every Day a Little Death"), Susan ("Ah, But Underneath"), Lynette (beginning of "Your Fault"), Edie ("Who's That Woman?") and with Paul ("Suspicious Minds"). |
February 3, 2005 |
| 3 |
Sorting Out the Dirty Laundry Memorable moments of the season combined with new insight into the many mysteries of Wisteria Lane and its residents including Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), Bree Van Dee Kamp (Marcia Cross), Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) and Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher); a preview of the season's remaining four episodes. |
April 24, 2005 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pilot Looking down on her friends and family isn't a way of life for Mary Alice Young. It's a way of death. One day, in her perfect house, in the loveliest of suburbs, Mary Alice ended it all. Now she's taking us into the lives of her family, friends and neighbors, commenting from her elevated POV. Her husband's acting suspicious, the neighbors are talking, and her girlfriends are wondering why one of their own would do something so rash... and so messy. |
October 3, 2004 |
| 2 |
Ah, But Underneath Mike's dog pays the price when Edie crashes his dinner date with Susan. Meanwhile, Gabrielle realizes that her lawnboy is taking their fling to heart - and that Carlos may actually be catching on. Also, Bree goads Rex into therapy, where the doctor may be the one who needs the most help. Lynette resorts to drastic measures to keep her kids in line, but it blows up in her face. |
October 10, 2004 |
| 3 |
Pretty Little Picture The women decide to go ahead with the big dinner party that the late Mary Alice Young had planned to host, despite the more-than-minor disturbances in their own lives. Adulterous Gabrielle finds herself with a nine-year-old blackmailer who catches Gabrielle in the act in her affair with gardener John. Also, Bree struggles to keep her crumbling marriage a secret. Lastly, Susan bares all--in more ways than one--as she confronts her ex. |
October 17, 2004 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Next The new neighbors, the Applewhites have moved in. Gabrielle, Lynette, and Susan attempt to comfort Bree while Rex's mother arrives on Wisteria Lane for his funeral. Meanwhile Mike and Susan deal with Zach while Gabrielle struggles with the two men in her life. |
September 25, 2005 |
| 2 |
You Could Drive a Person Crazy Susan is surprised when she finds out who Edie's new boyfriend is. Meanwhile, Lynette has gone back to work, leaving Tom at home in charge of the house. Carlos makes an unusual request to Gabrielle after his life is threatened behind bars. Lastly, pharmacist George reemerges in Bree's life, which sets off an alarm to mother-in-law Phyllis and her suspicions surrounding her son's death. |
October 2, 2005 |
| 3 |
You'll Never Get Away from Me Susan tries bravely to accept Edie's new role in Julie's life, while Lynette's demanding boss makes her miss Parker's first day of kindergarten. Bree later on takes a polygraph test to prove her innocence in Rex's death and realizes she has feelings for George. Gabrielle finally comes to the truth about Carlos and John after seeing John with another woman. |
October 9, 2005 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Listen to the Rain on the Roof It is raining on Wisteria Lane, six months after Mike was run over. He is now in a coma, with Susan by his side. Bree gets engaged to Orson. Gabrielle and Carlos are getting divorced, but they are briefly reunited when their 8½ months pregnant surrogate Xiao-Mei runs away. While adjusting to having another child around the house, Lynette realizes that the girl's mother, Nora, is more than she can handle. |
September 24, 2006 |
| 2 |
It Takes Two It's wedding day for Bree and Orson but things don't go quite as planned. Meanwhile, the body of a dead woman believed to be Orson's ex-wife is recovered, which interrupts the reception. Susan goes on a date with Ian, but trouble ensues when his in-laws show up at the restaurant. When Nora breaks up with her boyfriend, Lynette decide to hook up Nora with someone. Edie lets her 18-year-old nephew Austin come live with her for some time. Lastly, Xiao-Mei goes into labor. |
October 1, 2006 |
| 3 |
A Weekend in the Country It is a holiday weekend on Wisteria Lane. Bree and Orson are going on their honeymoon, while Gabrielle and Lynette are going a spa vacation and Tom is going on a camping trip with the kids. Meanwhile Susan is going on a quiet romantic getaway with Ian, not sure if she's cheating on Mike. However, things don't go as planned. |
October 8, 2006 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Now You Know Susan learns that she is expecting a child while Bree continues to fake her own pregnancy. Gabrielle begins an affair with her ex-husband, Carlos and Lynette tries to conceal her cancer from her friends and children. The episode also introduces Katherine Mayfair, Susan's old friend who returns to the neighborhood after being away for 12 years. |
September 30, 2007 |
| 2 |
Smiles of a Summer Night Lynette kicks Tom out of her chemotherapy sessions. Susan is mistaken for a stripper. Bree attempts to steal a prize-winning recipe from Katherine. |
October 7, 2007 |
| 3 |
The Game Bree informs the housewives of what she overheard in the Mayfair house. Stella makes some special brownies to help Lynette through chemotherapy. Susan throws a charades party for the whole neighborhood. |
October 14, 2007 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
You're Gonna Love Tomorrow Five years have passed since Katherine shot her ex-husband as Susan, Lynette, Bree and Gaby stood together in solidarity to protect her. Susan tries to hide her relationship with a new man; Gaby questions her abilities as a mom; Bree is on the verge of publishing her own cookbook as business partner, Katherine, grows envious; Lynette catches her teenaged twins spearheading illegal activities; and Edie returns to Wisteria Lane in jaw-dropping fashion with a new man in tow. |
September 28, 2008 |
| 2 |
We're So Happy You're So Happy Unaware of Jackson's whereabouts, Susan goes to a local bar suspecting that he might be with Mike however, she soon lands herself in-trouble; meanwhile, after spending money that did not belong to her, Gabrielle attempts to get Carlos to get a job at the local country club as it pays better. Bree promotes her cook book on a radio show. |
October 5, 2008 |
| 3 |
Kids Ain't Like Everybody Else Bree's estranged daughter, Danielle, returns to Wisteria Lane and is met with a deluge of criticism. Meanwhile, Gabrielle and Susan find themselves embroiled in a catfight brought on by an altercation between their kids. To her chagrin, Lynette comes home to find Tom and Dave have formed a garage band after she told him to get rid of his old things. Finally, Katherine and Mrs. McCluskey invite Edie to lunch to press her for more information on Dave. |
October 12, 2008 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Nice Is Different than Good Mike gets married and his bride is finally revealed will it be Katherine or Susan? Meanwhile, Lynette deals with the realities of being pregnant again; Bree works to break free from Orson; Gaby is tested by Carlos' niece who continues to stay with them; and a new family with dark secrets moves to Wisteria. |
September 27, 2009 |
| 2 |
Being Alive Mrs. McCluskey falls for a steak salesman called Roy Handler. Julie is found unconscious in the park bushes, which questions Mrs. McCluskey's decision to tell the police that she saw Angie Bolen's 19-year-old son, Danny, fighting with Julie. |
October 4, 2009 |
| 3 |
Never Judge a Lady by Her Lover A chance encounter reunites Gaby with her sexy ex-lover and gardener, John Rowland; Bree contemplates a weekend getaway with Karl; Lynette and Tom break the news to their kids that she's pregnant again; and Susan is convinced Angie's son is responsible for her daughter's attack. |
October 11, 2009 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Remember Paul? Paul Young, now out of prison, returns to Wisteria Lane with an enigmatic new wife; Susan, Mike and M.J. live in an apartment on limited funds; Lynette's successful college friends pays the Scavos an unexpected visit. |
September 26, 2010 |
| 2 |
You Must Meet My Wife Lynette is angry when Renee starts spending a lot of time with Tom; Bree finds herself falling for Keith (Brian Austin Green); Susan feels guilty about her side job. |
October 3, 2010 |
| 3 |
Truly Content Susan is less than pleased when she finds out that some of her best and sexiest internet show moves are being copied by a competitor (guest star Rebecca Creskoff), and Gabrielle hires a private detective to look into an important matter, unbeknownst to Carlos. Meanwhile, Lynette is stunned when Tom's doctor prescribes him a rather unorthodox remedy for his depression, and Renee invites a reluctant Bree to go clubbing with her in order to engage in some local man-hunting. |
October 10, 2010 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Secrets That I Never Want to Know While Bree gives Chuck a ride, a smell becomes noticeable; Gabrielle seeks out a priest in order to help Carlos with his problem; Ben Faulkner, a new neighbor, meets Renee; Susan withdraws from her friends because of what happened to Alejandro. |
September 25, 2011 |
| 2 |
Making the Connection Gabrielle teaches Carlos how to dance on a strip pole; Susan seeks out a punishment for feeling guilty; Renee bonds with one of the customers at a senior center; Tom and Lynette wonder why Parker was at a late night party; Bree discovers Chuck's past. |
October 2, 2011 |
| 3 |
Watch While I Revise the World Lee has a problem with Jenny; Susan and Carlos attempt to find the people responsible for tagging the wall with graffiti; Lynette grows suspicious of Lydia and her fiancé. |
October 9, 2011 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | ABC |
|---|---|
| First aired | October 3, 2004 |
| Last aired | May 13, 2012 |
| Runtime | 42 minutes |
| Status | Ended |
| Schedule | Sunday at 21:00:00 |