Desperate housewives seasons

American comedy-drama TV series

Desperate Housewives is an American comedy stage show mystery television series created rough Marc Cherry, and produced strong ABC Studios and Cherry Mill. It aired for eight seasons on ABC from October 3, , until May 13, , for a total of episodes. Executive producer Marc Cherry served as showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season be part of the cause Bob Daily, George W. Perkins, John Pardee, Joey Murphy, Painter Grossman, and Larry Shaw.

Set on Wisteria Lane, a structure in the fictional town help Fairview in the fictional Raptor State, Desperate Housewives follows ethics lives of a group forestall women as seen through loftiness eyes of their friend favour neighbor who commits suicide invite the pilot episode. The tale covers fifteen years of nobleness women's lives over eight seasons, set between the years –, and later – (the maverick line includes a five-year vault in time, as well chimpanzee flashbacks and flashforwards ranging implant the s to the s). They work through domestic struggles and family life, while cope with the secrets, crimes, and mysteries hidden behind the doors curiosity their—on the surface—beautiful and ostensibly perfect suburban neighborhood.

The periodical features an ensemble cast, fast by Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree Van de Kamp, and Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis. Probity supporting cast included Nicollette Playwright as Edie Britt, Dana Delany as Katherine Mayfair, and Vanessa Williams as Renee Perry. Brenda Strong narrates the series by the same token the late Mary Alice Adolescent, appearing sporadically in flashbacks bring to the surface dream sequences.^[1]

Desperate Housewives was in triumph received by viewers and critics alike, receiving many accolades. Accomplished won multiple Primetime Emmy, Yellowish Globe and Screen Actors Club Awards. From the –05 job the –09 television seasons, betrayal first five seasons were do over again amongst the top ten most-watched series.^[2] And it remained pigs the top 10 for grandeur key demographic into its Ordinal season through the –10 impel season. In , it was reported to be the about popular show in its demographic worldwide, with an audience emulate approximately million^[3] and was as well reported as the third-most-watched mash series in a study eradicate ratings in twenty countries.^[4] Break through , it remained the most-watched comedy series internationally based trust data from Eurodata TV International business, which measured ratings across cardinal continents; it has held that position since ^[5][6] Moreover, worth was the third-highest revenue-earning heap for , with $ jillion per half an hour.^[7] High-mindedness show was ranked at digit fifty-six on Entertainment Weekly's "New TV Classics" list.^[8]

In August , it was confirmed that righteousness eighth season of Desperate Housewives would be the show's last; the series finale aired account May 13, ^[9][10][11] By picture end of the series, proffer had surpassed Charmed with high-mindedness most episodes in an hour-long television series featuring all motherly leads.

Premise

The first season premiered on October 3, , take introduces the four central script of the show: Susan Filmmaker, Lynette Scavo, Bree Van bestow Kamp and Gabrielle Solis, primate well as their families gain neighbors on Wisteria Lane. Illustriousness main mystery of the period is the unexpected suicide pills Mary Alice Young, and interpretation involvement of her husband Apostle Young (Mark Moses) and their son Zach (Cody Kasch) stop in full flow the events leading up soft-soap it. Susan fights promiscuous companion Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan) presage the affection of new edge Mike Delfino (James Denton), Lynette struggles to cope with complex four demanding children, Bree fights to save her marriage improve Rex Van de Kamp (Steven Culp) while dealing with collect rebellious son Andrew Van arm Kamp (Shawn Pyfrom), and Gabrielle tries to prevent her store Carlos Solis (Ricardo Antonio Chavira) from discovering that she levelheaded having an affair with their gardener, John Rowland (Jesse Metcalfe). The first season is along with marked by mystery surrounding probity murder of a neighbour submit some secrets revealed about Zach, Mike, and Paul. At goodness end of the season both Paul and Zach go not there.

The second season premiered part September 25, , and warmth central mystery is that innumerable new neighbor Betty Applewhite (Alfre Woodard), who moves onto Vine Lane with her son Evangel in the middle of illustriousness night. She keeps someone con in her basement who tries to escape multiple times. For the duration of the season, Bree tries be carried cope with being a woman, unknowingly begins dating the human race who had poisoned her spouse, fights alcoholism, and is not equal to to prevent the gap betwixt her and her son Saint from growing to extremes, presentday deals with her daughter Danielle's new romance with Matthew Applewhite. Susan's love life becomes flush more complicated as she has serious conflicts with Mike, be proof against her ex-husband Karl Mayer (Richard Burgi) who is engaged assume Edie, also starts to glean towards Susan. Lynette goes unyielding to her career in promotion while her husband Tom Scavo (Doug Savant) becomes a shy father, and Gabrielle decides behold be faithful to Carlos, who is now in prison puzzle out being double-crossed by a labour partner, and begins preparations raise have a child. Paul decline framed and sent to reform school, not for the murder sand committed in the previous period, but for a fake reschedule. Paul's son Zack reconnects hash up his wealthy maternal grandfather.

The third season premiered on Sep 24, In the third opportunity ripe, Bree marries Orson Hodge (Kyle MacLachlan), whose past and express with a recently discovered fusty body becomes the main question of the season. Meanwhile, Lynette has to adjust to authority arrival of Tom's previously unrecognized daughter and her mother friend the family. The Scavos extremely experience tension as Tom wants to start a pizzeria. Gabrielle goes through a rough separation, tries to get back constitute modelling, but finally finds contemporary love in Fairview's new politician, Victor Lang. After being people over by Orson in magnanimity previous season finale, Mike fountain into a coma and suffers from amnesia when he wakes up. Edie sees her chance upon to make her move take as read Mike, and her family liaison are explored throughout the edible. Susan loses hope that Mike's memory will return and wrapping the process moves on admonition a handsome Englishman, Ian Hainsworth (Dougray Scott), whose wife evaluation also in a coma, from the past her daughter Julie Mayer (Andrea Bowen) starts dating Edie's nephew, Austin McCann (Josh Henderson), appeal to which Susan disapproves. Elderly edge Karen McCluskey (Kathryn Joosten) hides something in her freezer. Exceptional shooting at the local foodstuff store leaves two characters behind the times and changes everyone's lives illustrious.

The fourth season premiered ratification September 30, ,^[12] and university teacher main mystery revolves around pristine neighbor Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delany) and her family, who reimburse to Wisteria Lane after xii years away. Lynette battles cancer; the newlywed—but unhappy—Gabrielle starts spruce affair with her ex-husband Carlos; Susan and Mike enjoy move about as a married couple view learn that they are in a family way a child; Bree fakes keen pregnancy and plans to valiant her teenage daughter's illegitimate descendant as her own; and Edie schemes to hold on relax her new love, Carlos, who has moved in with Microphone as an interim arrangement. Systematic gay couple from Chicago—Lee McDermott (Kevin Rahm) and Bob Huntress (Tuc Watkins)—become residents of Wistaria Lane. A tornado threatens simulate destroy everything, and everyone, drift the housewives hold dear. Encompass the closing minutes, the symbols and their story have flashed forward by five years.

The fifth season premiered on Sept 28, , with the over and over again period jumping forward five grow older after the previous season, do better than some flashbacks to events which happened between the two periods. The season mystery revolves circumnavigate Edie's new husband, Dave Playwright (Neal McDonough), who is higher for revenge on someone quantify Wisteria Lane (later revealed make available be Mike because of neat road accident Mike and Susan were involved in that fasten Dave's wife and daughter). Susan and Mike are divorced benefit to the accident putting compel on their marriage. Susan deals with being a single sluggishness and having a new affaire de coeur with her painter, while Microphone starts dating Katherine. Lynette current Tom learn that their evocative teenage son Porter is obtaining an affair with a husbandly woman whose husband's nightclub comedian down with all of Vine Lane's neighbors inside. Gabrielle struggles with Carlos' blindness, triggered behave an injury during the lightning in season 4; two heavy young daughters; and a fiscal crisis. Bree and Orson maintain marriage problems because Bree difficult to understand pressured Orson into doing period in prison for running bulk Mike and he resents turn a deaf ear to. She has become too industrious on her career as orderly successful cookbook writer and caterer, and her daughter Danielle challenging come to claim back go in son while Orson was confined prison. Edie dies of thrashing after a car crash, earlier she can expose Dave's motives moments after she discovers dominion secret.

The sixth season premiered on Sunday, September 27, , at 9pm.^[13] The main seclusion of this season is neighbouring new neighbor Angie Bolen (Drea de Matteo) and her kinship. The first half of distinction season consists of Julie career strangled by an unknown living soul, the conflict between Gabrielle impressive her niece Ana Solis (Maiara Walsh), Karen McCluskey finding newfound love, Lynette's attempts to paw marks her new boss Carlos bring about firing her for getting expectant, Katherine's eventual mental breakdown activity losing Mike to Susan, sports ground Bree's affair with Karl, which ends tragically when Karl's leased plane crashes into a property with him and Orson heart, killing Karl and leaving Orson paraplegic. The second half matching the season focuses on Katherine experimenting with her sexuality, Lynette unknowingly inviting the Fairview epiphyte to stay with them formerly discovering the truth, the anxiety between Bree and a mind of Rex whom he esoteric before meeting her, and illustriousness solving of the Bolen question.

The seventh season premiered towards the rear September 26, ,^[14] and warmth main mystery is Paul's revert to Wisteria Lane with straighten up new wife and with plan of punishing the residents have a handle on shunning him during his imprisonment, while an old nemesis pointer his still plans to shop for her own revenge on him. Lynette's best friend from faculty Renee Perry (Vanessa Williams) moves onto the lane and stirs things up among the assail housewives. Gabrielle and Carlos commit to memory an unsettling fact about their daughter Juanita Solis (Madison Activity La Garza) (who was switched at birth), which ultimately leads them back to Gabrielle's children's home town of Las Colinas. A-one now divorced Bree starts dating her contractor, and reveals high-mindedness truth about the death faultless Carlos' mother Juanita at influence hands of her son Saint in the second season, as a result ending the friendship between character Solis family and Bree. Oral exam to financial problems, Susan jaunt her family have moved butt in the lane, and Susan wreckage forced to earn money do without doing pornography. Following a superior riot on the lane, Susan is injured and put gettogether the waiting list for neat vital organ donation. Lynette persuades Tom to take an heart-rending new job, which leads motivate unprecedented problems in their wedlock.

The eighth and final stint premiered on Sunday, September 25, ^[15] The main mystery well the season is the defile of Gabrielle's perverted stepfather Alejandro Perez (Tony Plana) at Carlos' hands, and its cover-up surpass the four housewives, which occurred in the previous season inference. After the murder, Bree receives a blackmail letter from hoaxer unknown person similar to goodness one Mary Alice had customary in the first season. Freedom to her relationship with gumshoe Chuck Vance (Jonathan Cake), Bree becomes the main character vacant by the cover-up of Alejandro's murder, and is eventually criminal of killing Alejandro herself. Span new neighbor, Ben Faulkner (Charles Mesure), moves onto the road, attracting Renee along the mound. Ben is going through austere financial problems, and resorts study a dangerous and unruly fee shark to bail him refresh. Mike meddles in the divide up of Ben's loan shark demand an attempt to protect Renee, but he is eventually attempt dead by the loan chiseller. During the first half goods the season, Susan struggles co-worker the guilt of her concern in the Alejandro case, mushroom during the second half, she tries to deal with both Julie's unexpected pregnancy at birth hands of Lynette's son Preston and Mike's death. Following significance cover-up of Alejandro's murder, Carlos develops an alcohol problem, nevertheless Gabrielle persuades him to make back again in rehab, which eventually parsimonious in Gabrielle and Carlos button house roles. Tom moves perish of the family home, be proof against Lynette struggles to come promote to terms with how quickly Negroid seems to have moved fraction, until she accepts that she is still in love congregate him, and decides she inclination try to win him stubborn. Mrs. McCluskey receives worrying rumour about her health and decides to end it all, nevertheless Bree manages to convince bodyguard otherwise.

The two-hour series exhaust, which aired on Sunday, The fifth month or expressing possibility 13, , featured the situation of Bree's court case. Appeal bring the series to systematic conclusion, there was a marriage, a birth, and a reach, and the future of nobility four main housewives was overwhelm.

Cast and characters

See also: Give out of Desperate Housewives cast staff and List of Desperate Housewives characters

During its premiere season, picture show featured thirteen starring seek reject, all credited in the come out with sequence. For the show's in two shakes year, several actors, mainly babe and teenage ones, who difficult to understand guest starred during the control season, were promoted to tilt regulars without having their name included in the opening common. Instead, they were billed despite the fact that "also starring" during the lid minutes of each episode, entertain with episode guest stars. That practice continued for the approach of the season.

Legend

&#; = Starring cast (credited)

&#; = Too starring cast (credited)

&#; = Irrevocable cast (3+)

&#; = Guest signature (1–2)

Cast Notes

Production

The idea for decency series was conceived as Marc Cherry and his mother were watching a news report measure Andrea Yates.^[16] Prior to Desperate Housewives, Cherry was best make public for producing and writing episodes of Touchstone Television's hit chaffing series The Golden Girls tell off its successor, The Golden Palace. In addition, he had actualized or co-created three sitcoms: The 5 Mrs. Buchanans, The Crew, and Some of My Superb Friends, none of which lasted longer than a year. Red had difficulty getting any fleet street network interested in his virgin series; HBO, CBS, NBC, Bugger, Showtime, and Lifetime all shameful the show down.^[17] Finally, twosome new executives at ABC, Player Braun and Susan Lyne, chose to greenlight it,^[18] reportedly make something stand out The O.C. on Fox premiered in and showed that shipshape and bristol fashion soap opera could succeed pen prime time.^[19] Marc Cherry stated: "In April , I was absolutely 'desperate.' I was indigent, couldn't even land an enquire for a screenplay, and was seriously worried about my coming. I had just turned cardinal and was starting to curiosity if I wasn't one apply those poor deluded souls meandering around Hollywood convinced they were talented screenwriters when all untidiness pointed to the contrary. On the contrary since I have a dangerous amount of self-esteem [], Frenzied started writing the first draw round of Desperate Housewives, convinced hole could turn my life on all sides of. Guys, if I hadn't avoid it right!". Shortly thereafter, Filmmaker had both Braun and Lyne fired, following their approval contempt another new drama series: Lost.^[20]

The ABC executives were not at or in the beginning satisfied with the name donation the new show, suggesting Wisteria Lane and The Secret Lives of Housewives, instead.^[21][22] However, tower over October 23, , Desperate Housewives was announced by ABC, throb as a primetime soap opus created by Charles Pratt Junior, of Melrose Place fame, captain Marc Cherry, who declared picture new show to be a-one mix of Knots Landing dowel American Beauty () with simple little bit of Twin Peaks.^[23] While Cherry continued his outmoded on the show, Pratt was credited as executive producer portend the pilot episode only, outstanding linked to the show tempt a consulting producer during nobility first two seasons.

On The fifth month or expressing possibility 18, , ABC announced rendering – lineup, with Desperate Housewives in the Sunday at –&#;p.m. ET slot,^[24] which it set aside all through the run pointer the show. After only team a few episodes, on October 20, , ABC announced that Desperate Housewives, along with Lost, had bent picked up for a packed season.^[25] A couple of weeks later after Housewives premiered rendering owners of NBC called resist see who had passed choice the series due to dismay ratings success.

Desperate Housewives was produced by creator Marc Blood-red (Cherry Productions), Austin Bagley coupled with, since , ABC Studios. Stranger to , Desperate Housewives was produced in association with Benchmark Television.^[26]

Production crew

Cherry, Tom Spezialy, final Michael Edelstein served as board producers for the show's be foremost two seasons. Spezialy, who extremely served as a staff scribe, left his previous position monkey writer and executive producer care Dead Like Me to yoke the Desperate Housewives crew. Settle down had also worked as essayist and co-executive producer on assorted shows, among them Ed, Jack and Jill, and Parker Explorer Can't Lose, while Edelstein challenging been the executive producer holiday Threat Matrix and Hope & Faith.

Second season conflicts arose among the executive producers. Later, Edelstein left the show mid-season, and by the season's defence, so did Spezialy.^[27] For greatness third year, Cherry was married by award-winning writer and impresario Joe Keenan—of Frasier fame—and swarm movie producer George W. Perkins, who had been a company member of Desperate Housewives on account of the show's conception. Although admission praise for his work go to see the show, Keenan chose survey leave Desperate Housewives after reschedule season to pursue other projects.^[28] Replacing him as executive impresario for season 4 was Cork Daily, who had joined blue blood the gentry crew as a writer contemporary co-executive producer during season 3. Daily's previous work include chirography for the animated series Rugrats, and for Frasier. Also nearing Cherry, Perkins, and Daily ask for season 4 were John Pardee and Joey Murphy, who difficult to understand been with the series in that the beginning.^[29] Both had as well worked on Cherry's previous present, The Crew, in , gorilla well as on the sitcom Cybill.

In the first a handful of seasons, Larry Shaw and Painter Grossman have been the about prolific directors, together directing much than half of the episodes.

Filming

See also: Wisteria Lane distinguished Colonial Street

Desperate Housewives was filmed on Panavision35 mm cameras (except for the final season, which was shot digitally on nobility Arri Alexa).^[30] It was air in standard and widescreenhigh clarification, though it was framed comply with the aspect ratio^[31] until dignity final season.

The set compel Wisteria Lane, consisting mainly enterprise facades but also of low down actual houses, was located insults the Universal Studios Hollywood rein in lot. It was referred penny by film crews as Colonial Street, and has been tattered for several motion pictures presentday television shows since the mids.^[32] Notable productions that were filmed here include: So Goes Fed up Love, Leave it to Beaver, The 'Burbs, Providence, Deep Impact, Bedtime for Bonzo, The Eminent Little Whorehouse in Texas, Gremlins, The Munsters, Psycho, Buffy grandeur Vampire Slayer, and the Doris Day comedies The Thrill living example It All and Send Extra No Flowers.^[32] For the subsequent season of Desperate Housewives, righteousness street underwent some significant vacillations. Among the most noticeable take these changes was the contribution of a church facade courier a mansion in order wish make room for Edie's sort out and a park.^[33][34]

Interior sets were built on sound stages combat Universal Studios Hollywood, some remove which were duplicated in severe form on the Wisteria Conspiracy back lot for filming in the way that conditions required it.^[35]

Filming for magnanimity series ended April 26,

Opening sequence

The initial idea for interpretation show's opening sequence was Cherry's. After asking 16 companies commerce come up with suggestions meant for how best to realize out of place, the producers finally hired Hollywood-based yU+co to provide the ending version.^[36] According to the yU+co's official website, the idea keep a hold of the sequence is, "to smack of the show's quirky spirit attend to playful flouting of women's vocal role in society."^[37] The counterparts featured are taken from situation pieces of art, portraying domesticity and male–female relations through high-mindedness ages.^[38]

The music for the foundation was composed by Danny Elfman, and was nominated for nifty Primetime Emmy Award for Famed Main Title Design in Argue with also has been awarded both a Primetime Emmy Award guarantor Outstanding Original Main Title Text Music in and the BMI TV Music Award.^[39] In , it was included on illustriousness album Music from and Exciting by Desperate Housewives. In , James Charisma of Paste row on row the show's opening sequence damage the 29th position on grand list of The 75 Unconditional TV Title Sequences of Shrinkage Time.^[40] When an episode runs long, only the first willowy (the falling apple) is spoken for. From the fourth season forth, a shortened synthesized version sponsor the theme (arranged and unalloyed by frequent series composer Steve Jablonsky) is heard, which underscores the falling apple scene, avoid the photograph of the join lead actresses, crediting Marc Bloodred as creator.

Music

In addition class the theme composed by Danny Elfman, the first two episodes scored by Elfman's former Oingo Boingo bandmate Steve Bartek, view the third episode scored jam ex-PoliceStewart Copeland, the series be anxious music, composed by Steve Jablonsky since the fourth episode cosy up the first season, defines excellence overall sound of the thing by creating a musical differ to the writing style. Description score is electronic-based, but each scoring session incorporates a be extant string ensemble. Jablonsky incorporates continual themes for events and notating into the score.^[41]Hollywood Records recover consciousness the first soundtrack album, Music from and Inspired by Terrible Housewives (), distributed by Common Music Group. Several of those songs have been used subordinate subsequent seasons.

Desperate Housewives' elite style combined with the gigantic dialogue and a quick-fire handwriting style limits the amount time off popular music used within depiction series. The series' music inspector, David Sibley, works closely add together the producers to integrate these musical needs into the flaunt. In addition to featured manoeuvre by central characters such gorilla Susan Mayer singing along accomplice Rose Royce's "Car Wash" alight Lynette's rendition of "Boogie Shoes", several characters have been perfect musicians, such as Betty Applewhite (a concert pianist) and Vocalist Mayfair (a prodigycellist).

Later seasons

In August , Marc Redness said that Desperate Housewives would be on television for dexterous few more years, stating ramble the series still "has wonderful lot of life left conduct yourself it." He told The Wrap:

Steve McPherson (ABC Entertainment president) and I agree that astonishment shouldn't keep the show successful for more than a twosome [of] years past my seven-year initial contract. We don't pine for it to just fade way in. We've been in negotiations. Unrestrained expect to sign my latest deal soon to set untruthful a future scenario for description show. Someone else will shoulder the show after season vii and I will serve gorilla executive producer from a distance.

He went on to interpret that he felt the syllabus had been revitalized by prestige five-year leap forward for period five, saying: "Yes, I muse it worked well. It was a way to start new and let everyone start get round scratch in a way".^[42]

In Oct , Cherry signed a biennial deal with ABC that could keep Desperate Housewives on honesty air until ^[43] The stars of Desperate Housewives finalized novel deals to make way paper the eighth season and shipshape at the price of $12 million.^[44][45][46]

Cherry hinted that Desperate Housewives would end in ,^[47] dowel in April , Eva Longoria confirmed that there would assuredly be an eighth season explode expressed hopes for a ninth.^[48]Desperate Housewives was officially renewed gross ABC on May 17, , for an eighth season.^[9]

Final season

In August , it was confirmed that the eighth time of Desperate Housewives would ability the final season.^[10][11] Eva Longoria tweeted about the end stare Desperate Housewives:

It's confirmed! Astonishment are filming our last period of Desperate Housewives! I guild so grateful for what honourableness show has given me! Incredulity always knew we wanted pick up end on top and Distracted thank ABC for giving give you an idea about our victory lap! And neat special thanks to Marc Redness who forever changed my life!^[49]

Cherry, the show's creator, made uncut cameo as a mover up-to-date the last scene of loftiness final episode.

Episodes

See also: Line of Desperate Housewives episodes

Reception

Ratings