The last time I paid a visit to Wisteria Lane to see what the gorgeous ladies were up to on ABC’s "Desperate Housewives" (2004-2012) was when a young serial killer known as “The Fairview Strangler” was terrorizing the neighborhood. That was during season 6. I have been out of the loop ever since.
As the countdown to the May series finale approaches I have been paying a weekly visit to Wisteria Lane this season, courtesy of free episodes on Hulu.com, to see the latest soap opera entanglements that Republican cooking perfectionist, not to mention my favorite character, Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross), emotional basket case Susan Meyer (Teri Hatcher), self-absorbed unfaithful wife, Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), and Miss “I am always right” - stay-at-home mom, Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) have gotten themselves into.
Every Sunday night the score was Women: 5 (when you count neighborhood sex-siren Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan) who got killed off in 2009) and for the Men: a big fat ZERO.
Ironically, it’s not the four actresses, as attractive as they are, or the sleazy storylines chock filled with unexpected twists and turns that was the reason I got hooked on the show. What I liked most about "Desperate Housewives" was how it presented a picture of community companionship where everyone knew everyone else on Wisteria Lane.
Sure, I may acknowledge the occasional dog-walker when they wave at me on my block or I may wave at the person next door as I head to my car today, if they wave back that is, but other than that I have no idea who any of my neighbors are.
So, as viewers bid farewell, I would like to take this moment to raise a glass of expensive wine and offer a toast to the four women of Wisteria Lane.
Me, being on a tight budget however and I am not a wine connoisseur and considering that Bree Van De Kamp could stand to cut down on the alcoholic beverages this final season (Hey I am only looking for you, Bree!), I’ll just do what the ladies have been doing on all those sexy commercials the past eight years and take a bite from a big juicy red apple. Those are, after all, healthier.
So thank you Bree, Gabby, Lynette, Susan and last but not least, you too Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong) for your brief Rod Serling-Twilight Zone-Esque commentaries at the beginning and end of every episode from beyond the grave for taking me on a weekly entertaining, gossip mongering hour long stroll down memory lane, excuse me, “Wisteria Lane” these past few years. You gals briefly reminded me of the kind of street and neighborhood I once lived on minus all the soap opera drama and occasional run-ins with devious former residents harboring personal vendettas.
Your weekly adventures made me wonder if we all should take a moment to get to know who our neighbors are, or maybe not.
“It’s the age-old question isn’t it,” to quote Bree Van De Kamp. “How much do we really want to know about our neighbors?”
©1/28/12
As the countdown to the May series finale approaches I have been paying a weekly visit to Wisteria Lane this season, courtesy of free episodes on Hulu.com, to see the latest soap opera entanglements that Republican cooking perfectionist, not to mention my favorite character, Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross), emotional basket case Susan Meyer (Teri Hatcher), self-absorbed unfaithful wife, Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), and Miss “I am always right” - stay-at-home mom, Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) have gotten themselves into.
When I started watching Desperate Housewives upon its debut in Fall 2004, I saw the series as the “I am Woman! Hear Me Roar Hour!” As a guy, I took personal offense at how Bree, Gabby, Lynette and Susan were seen as the pure white angels who can do no wrong despite their engaging in extramarital affairs and in some cases, even murder and cover-ups. Their behavior was in most cases worse than the men’s but for the past eight seasons it was the male characters who always got the shaft (literally) and harbored dark secrets.They included a mentally disturbed pharmacist (Roger Bart) infatuated with Bree Van De Kamp, former residents (Mark Moses, Neil McDonough) with personal scores to settle against the whole neighborhood, spousal abusers (Gary Cole), crooked politicians (John Slattery), and an assortment of husbands who were either jealous alcoholics (Ricardo Chavira), into kinky sex (Steven Culp), adulterers (Richard Burgi), had a daughter with another woman without the current wife knowing about it for years (Doug Savant) or had backgrounds in criminal activity (James Denton and Kyle MacLachlan).
Every Sunday night the score was Women: 5 (when you count neighborhood sex-siren Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan) who got killed off in 2009) and for the Men: a big fat ZERO.
Ironically, it’s not the four actresses, as attractive as they are, or the sleazy storylines chock filled with unexpected twists and turns that was the reason I got hooked on the show. What I liked most about "Desperate Housewives" was how it presented a picture of community companionship where everyone knew everyone else on Wisteria Lane.
The last time I witnessed such camaraderie was back when I was a kid living on Newberry back in La Grange Park, Illinois during the early 80s. Because my sister and I hung out with the kids from three other residences two or three houses down, my parents got to know their parents. As a result, it was not unusual to see my mom or someone else’s mother drop by to chat while the fathers sometimes went golfing and played tennis together.That’s what "Desperate Housewives" never lost sight of. This season in particular, for example, I took note during the Halloween episode how everyone on Wisteria Lane dressed up in costumes and took their kids trick or treating. I can’t remember when the last time was where I saw kids with their parents walk down my street on Halloween knocking on doors for candy. Today, the kids wear their costumes to school where they get all their goodies to bring home simply because it’s safer.
Sure, I may acknowledge the occasional dog-walker when they wave at me on my block or I may wave at the person next door as I head to my car today, if they wave back that is, but other than that I have no idea who any of my neighbors are.
So, as viewers bid farewell, I would like to take this moment to raise a glass of expensive wine and offer a toast to the four women of Wisteria Lane.
Me, being on a tight budget however and I am not a wine connoisseur and considering that Bree Van De Kamp could stand to cut down on the alcoholic beverages this final season (Hey I am only looking for you, Bree!), I’ll just do what the ladies have been doing on all those sexy commercials the past eight years and take a bite from a big juicy red apple. Those are, after all, healthier.
So thank you Bree, Gabby, Lynette, Susan and last but not least, you too Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong) for your brief Rod Serling-Twilight Zone-Esque commentaries at the beginning and end of every episode from beyond the grave for taking me on a weekly entertaining, gossip mongering hour long stroll down memory lane, excuse me, “Wisteria Lane” these past few years. You gals briefly reminded me of the kind of street and neighborhood I once lived on minus all the soap opera drama and occasional run-ins with devious former residents harboring personal vendettas.
Your weekly adventures made me wonder if we all should take a moment to get to know who our neighbors are, or maybe not.
“It’s the age-old question isn’t it,” to quote Bree Van De Kamp. “How much do we really want to know about our neighbors?”
©1/28/12
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