Desperate Housewives - The Complete Third Season (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)After a good though not great second season, "Desperate Housewives" got back to full form for its third season. Even though season three wasn't as good as the first season, it was definitely better than the second season. Teri Hatcher (Susan), Felicity Huffman (Lynette), Marcia Cross (Bree), Eva Longoria (Gaby), and Nicollette Sheridan (Edie) all return for more hijinks on Wisteria Lane (located in the fictional town of Fairview), which saw plenty of the usual ingredients (romance, sex, murder, secrets, etc.) mixed in with its share of sharp comedy, serious drama, and intriguing mysteries that have been frequently featured in its first two seasons. Other series' regulars who came back for season three include James Denton (Mike), Ricardo Chivara (Carlos), Doug Savant (Tom), Andrea Bowen (Julie), and narrator Brenda Strong (Mary Alice).
After the disappointing storyline involving the Applewhites of season two, creator Marc Cherry and his staff of writers came up with a storyline for season three that was far more intriguing. This starts with a new character for the third season: Orson Hodge (well played by Kyle MacLachlan). As most fans of this show know, Orson was first introduced late in season two, and played a major role in the last episode of the second season, which led to a bigger role in season three. As we began to sense in the season two finale, Orson was someone with a troubled past. This led to him hitting Mike with his car (Mike was suspicious of Orson), and then in the final scene starts having a relationship with Bree (who met Orson at the psychiatric hospital that she checked herself into after thinking she was about to have a nervous breakdown after dumping her son Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom) along the side of a road in the middle of nowhere and daughter Danielle (Joy Lauren) running away from home). In the first episode of season three (which begins 6 months after the end of season two), we start to know some of Orson's past, and it's not pretty. But his relationship with Bree brings some joy into his life, and they marry in the second episode. But the journey into marriage turns incredibly bumpy when Bree starts to sense some of the things that have haunted Orson's past, and some of those elements come back, most notably in the form of his crazy mother, the return of a previous wife (who everyone thought was missing and presumed dead), and the mystery involving a dead woman who Orson had an affair with. All these situations are put to good use and in the end the payoff delivers. Though the end of this storyline comes sooner than anticipated, thanks in part to Marcia Cross' real-life pregnancy. Shortly after production began on the third season, Cross announced that she was pregnant, which kind of put a little bump in the road for what Cherry was planning for the season. He didn't want to make Bree pregnant, so he and his crew devised ways so that we don't notice Cross' pregnancy in the episodes by having constant close-up shots of her face or putting items in front of her in many scenes. If there was a scene where Bree had to perform a minor stunt, a body double was used (such as a moment where Bree walks up a ladder). And when Cross was ordered to stay on bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy (with twins), she invited the crew to come to her home to shoot some scenes. As a result the storyline ended two-thirds of the way into the season, which allowed Cross to go on maternity leave from the show. But no need to fear, Bree makes a triumphant return in the final episode. Thank goodness, because of all these desperate housewives she has become my personal favorite. "Desperate Housewives" slightly lagged a bit without her perfectionist attitude.
Besides MacLachlan, there were other interesting new characters that get introduced. Dougray Scott was superb as Ian, an Englishman who strikes up a relationship with Susan; Josh Henderson is excellent as Edie's bad boy hunky nephew Austin, who starts a sweet romance with Susan's daughter Julie; Valerie Mahaffey is terrific as Orson's previous wife Alma, who appears in the first episode, then disappears for a while before reappearing at the mid-point of the season (much to Bree's shock); John Lafferty is very good as Gaby's new beau (and Fairview mayoral candidate) Victor Lang; Kiersten Warren is obnoxiously hilarious as Nora, (first introduced in the season two finale) an incredibly annoying woman who Tom had a one night stand with years ago and got pregnant with his child before he married Lynette, and tried to wreck havoc on the Scavo household by trying to get Tom back; Rachel Fox is cute as a button as Nora's daughter Kayla, who also happens to be Tom's daughter; Laurie Metcalf (from TV's "Roseanne") is memorably menacing as Carolyn, a friend of Alma's who suspects Orson murdered her; and the great Dixie Carter (from TV's "Designing Women") is a hoot as Orson's evil mother Gloria.
While new characters popped up in season three, there were some old characters from the previous two seasons that turned up as well. Mark Moses and Cody Kasch returned for a couple of episodes as Paul Young and his troubled son Zack (who actually was Mike's son); Jesse Metcalfe shows up in an early episode as Gaby's former gardener (and lover) John; Richard Burgi turns up briefly as Susan's ex-husband Karl; and Steven Culp returns to narrate an episode as Bree's late husband Rex (Mary Alice got the day off on that episode).
While there have been so many memorable characters on "Desperate Housewives", there is a reoccurring character who's so funny on the show that it would be a shame if I did not mention her. And that character is the old cranky Wisteria Lane neighbor Mrs. McClusky, played to the hilt by Kathryn Joosten. First introduced back in season one, Mrs. McClusky was at complete odds with just about everyone, especially Lynette. But since then she has started to show a softer side that is wonderfully touching. She's now good friends with Lynette, and helps out the Scavo family by babysitting their kids while Lynette and Tom are at work. The character even had a minor storyline late in season three that involved her late husband. This character has become one of the best things on "Desperate Housewives", and Joosten is perfect in the role. She's already won an Emmy for the role (as Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for season one). This character doesn't appear in every episode of the show, but for the episodes that she does turn up in (whether its one scene or five scenes) brings a smile to my face, which is usually followed by laughter. This character provides some of the biggest laughs on the show.
During its first three seasons, there have been many great episodes of "Desperate Housewives". But the very best episode of the show so far (in my opinion) comes in season three. Episode 7, titled "Bang", is the bone-chilling, on-the-edge-of-your-seat episode about that supermarket hostage crisis that affects the residents of Wisteria Lane. This episode has all the elements: some big laughs, high drama, and suspenseful thrills. Plus, Laurie Metcalf gives a great performance in this episode as Carolyn, the crazed woman who literally snaps after hearing some very disturbing news and proceeds to go off the deep end by taking some residents of Wisteria Lane hostage at the supermarket. This episode is an absolute must-see.
"Desperate Housewives" - The Complete Third Season should be out on DVD before the start of the fourth season, and I encourage anyone who bailed out on the show after season two to go out and get it the moment it becomes available. Until then, you'll have to catch reruns of season three throughout the summer. Or you can view seasons one and two, already out on DVD as well as reruns airing on Lifetime. But one way or another, the third season of "Desperate Housewives" is a winner. And the season ends with another stunning cliffhanger, which will lead into season four.
*** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ***
Since this review I watched these episodes again on DVD, and I need to bump my original rating of 5 stars down to 4 1/2 stars. Don't get me wrong, this is still an excellent season of "Desperate Housewives", but I had a few annoying quibbles about it while watching the episodes on DVD. And all of this takes place in the second half of the season. First off, the character of Ian started to get on my nerves in the later episodes. If you recall, Susan started dating Ian while Mike was in a coma from his accident at the end of season two. Susan fell in love with Ian, but not long after Mike woke up for his coma he wanted Susan back. And every time there was a scene where Mike and Susan shared a moment together and Ian either saw it or heard about it, Ian would constantly complain about it over and over again. I started to get really tired of hearing him complaining about Mike. It's like you just want to shout out at the character: "quit your whining!" Another setback was the behavior of Lynette's husband Tom. This (which also takes place during the last part of the season) deals with Tom's job as the owner of his new pizza parlor. After hiring wife Lynette to be the manager, they start disagreeing on certain things, but this storyline takes a slight detour when a new character is introduced. After Tom suffers a major back spasm that requires bed rest, Lynette hires Rick (played by Jason Gedrick), who's a master chef. During the course of these later episodes, it seems that Lynette and Rick are attrached to each other, and that drives Tom into a jealous rage. Plus while Tom is at home recuperating from his back problems, he starts having angry fits that I found to be kind of unpleasant. I only wish that the writers could have found a better way to handle these situations. But in the end all the resolutions turn out to be good, and the show moves on. But because these two storylines got a little irritating during the second half of season three, I now give "Desperate Housewives" 4 1/2 stars.

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The women of Wisteria Lane are back, and it’s time to air some dirty laundry.In the Emmy Award®-winning show’s sensational third season, the gossip is juicier, the secrets are more scandalous and the revenge is even sweeter."Desperate Housewives is back," raves The New York Daily News. Experience all 23 tantalizing episodes of Season Three, and get the dish on Susan’s new love, Bree’s unsettling marriage to Orson (Kyle MacLachlan) and a dangerous new presence living down the lane.Everything will come out in the wash in this spectacular six-disc set. Bubbling over with exclusive bonus features, including a behind-the-scenes look at the season finale and even more secrets straight from the show, this is the sudsiest season yet.

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Desperate Housewives: The Complete Fourth Season Review

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(More customer reviews)"Desperate Housewives" made its debut in 2004 to rave reviews and high Nielsen ratings. Season one of the show is considered a modern classic. For most people, the same couldn't be said for seasons two and three. Many people though the second and third seasons were disappointing. I thought the second season was good (though not great), and the third season was a slight improvement over season two (though it still didn't top the first season). But after watching the entire fourth season of "Desperate Housewives", the show is back on track. This is the best season since the first.
Season four of the show about those housewives from the fictional Wisteria Lane (located in the town of Fairview) was the most interesting, most intriguing, and most entertaining season since season one. Many of the same major characters are back: Susan, Lynette, Bree, Gabrielle, Edie, Mike, Carlos, Tom, Orson, and narrator Mary Alice. But what really makes the fourth season of "Desperate Housewives" so great is the addition of a new character: Katherine Mayfair. As season four begins, we find out that Katherine used to live on Wisteria Lane many years ago but has now moved back to the neighborhood with her much younger husband Adam and daughter Dylan. And yes, we can tell from the first episode that Katherine is hiding a deep dark secret that will eventually unfold as the season progresses. Some of the other major storylines throughout season four include: Lynette battling cancer (which she discovered late in season three); Susan (after marrying Mike at the end of season three) finds out that she's pregnant; Bree faking a pregnancy to protect daughter Danielle's real pregnancy; Mike developing a drug problem when he becomes addicted to pills; Gabrielle finding marriage to town mayor Victor Lang to be so dull that she starts having an affair with ex-husband Carlos; and probably the biggest story of the year, Wisteria Lane being destroyed by a tornado.
That tornado episode, titled "Something's Coming" (episode #9), was easily the best episode of the season and the second best episode overall (the very best episode of "Desperate Housewives" still remains that supermarket hostage crisis episode from season three). This was reportedly the most expensive episode of "Desperate Housewives" to date, obviously since special effects played a big part in it. But just like that supermarket hostage episode, it's a thrilling and entertaining episode that keeps you on the edge of your seat as you wonder who will come out of it alive or dead.
The stars of this show once again do a great job just as they have in the previous three seasons. Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria Parker, and Nicolette Sheridan are fine as usual, but in season four they get upended by the newcomer to Wisteria Lane. Two-time Emmy winner Dana Delany ("China Beach") is an absolute standout as Katherine Mayfair. There's an interesting back-story involving Delany and "Desperate Housewives" when the show's creator Marc Cherry was casting the principal roles back in 2004. Cherry originally offered Delany the role of Bree, but turned it down since she claimed it was too similar to a role she had on a short-lived TV series she starred on a few years earlier (that show was called "Pasadena", which aired on FOX). But Cherry never gave up on her. After he created new character Katherine he wanted Delany for the part, and this time she accepted. It's interesting because Katherine is kind of like Bree, but only darker. And Delany stepped right into the role of Katherine and made it her own. I think this was similar to what Cherry and the rest of the "Desperate Housewives" writers were trying to do two years ago when they created the Betty Applewhite character for season two and failed miserably. This time they got it right, and the writers should be congratulated for not messing up the Katherine Mayfair storyline. This was an intriguing storyline throughout season four, and it ends perfectly in the final episode. And what makes it even better, Delany's Katherine will be back next season.
My only complaint about "Desperate Housewives: The Complete Fourth Season" is that the season was shorter than usual. You can blame that on all the writers from the small screen to the big screen for going on strike for three months, which ended shutting down the production on not only "Desperate Housewives", but all shows on television. And that was kind of a bummer, because a few more storylines had to be cut short. For example, there was a very funny storyline involving a gay male couple that moved to Wisteria Lane, and I think the writers originally had planned to expand this storyline throughout the season. But after the writer's strike ended and there was only room for seven episodes, the writers couldn't expand this storyline has they had planned. Whether or not this storyline will be expanded for season five remains to be seen.
And when season five debuts in the fall of 2008, it'll be interesting to see what will be going on. In the final moments of the last episode of season four, the action flash forwards to five years later, which I presume is where the show will pick up when season five starts. And it'll be interesting to see what's going on, because "Desperate Housewives" leaves us dangling with another bizarre cliffhanger: who's the man (and it's not Mike) that's kissing Susan in the final scene?


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UPC786936754155DESCRIPTION: A truly contemporary take on happily ever after, Desperate Housewives takes a darkly comedic look at suburbia, where the secret lives of housewives aren t always what they seem. END

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Desperate Housewives: The Complete Sixth Season Review

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(More customer reviews)The five-year jump at the end of season five highlighted what was to be a rocky road for the inhabitants on Wisteria Lane. For the viewers, too. A lot happened at the end of season five and also when the show returned for its sixth run on September 27, 2009.
Dark, ominous creatures moved into town and took the shape of the Bolen family. By the end of episode one, NICE IS DIFFERENT THAN GOOD, a regular cast member is jumped from behind and strangled into a violent coma. Susan Mayer's daughter, Julie, is hospitalized and Susan is left to grieve (Hatcher's acting chops are versatile in this season) next to her newly recycled beau, Mike Delfino. Hatcher gives a flawless performance as an anguished mom.
The sixth season unfolds with scores of strange undercurrents. Lynette and Tom are expecting twins. As if their lives are not consumed with enough energy from the other rug rats in the family. Bree finds solace, albeit reluctantly, with a man named Karl Mayer--Susan's ex. And later in the season, Bree reveals a secret that may surprise some viewers. Gabrielle and Carlos have to deal with a rebellious teenager to whom many moms watching can attest. Jesse Metcalfe returns as John, but only to stir up dirt between Gabrielle and Carlos, who seem to be "settling down" in their own comfortable life. Only that illusion dissolves later when Gabriel puts her own life on the line to help try and save Angie Bolen.
A same-sex love affair/relationship blossoms between Katherine Mayfair and a newcomer to the show, Julie Benz. It fizzles, and by the end of the season the question whether or not Katherine and Robin will return hangs in the air. Nonetheless, Benz's depiction of Robin is lovely and down-to-earth--a nice addition to some of the unpleasant characters living on Wisteria Lane. Turmoil suddenly erupts during the Christmas holiday, leaving lives hanging in the boughs. Later in the season, a stranger drifts into town and marks his presence at the Bolen family house.
The ongoing Fairview "strangler" storyline is an interesting arc throughout the season. Who attacked Julie Mayer? Viewers are left to wonder until the end, horror-struck, who the culprit really is. And when that happens, more disaster between the characters explode into a nail-biting finale. Questions are left unanswered, and the women on Wisteria Lane are in another conundrum--a perfect but somewhat frustrating dilemma for rabid fans of the show. Now we must wait until the fall to revisit our favorite guilty pleasure and get answers to our many questions.
Desperate Housewives season six may tread water at times, however: viewers are hungry for interaction with the women of Wisteria Lane. The absence of Lynette, Susan, Bree, Katherine and Gabrielle sitting around the table playing poker and gossiping about the latest goings-on is solely missed in this season. The problem: Too many new characters and storylines seem to have drowned out the lives of the main players. For example, the relationship between Susan and her daughter, Julie, is limited during the sixth season. We miss the bond that they had developed in earlier years. Maybe when Julie is out of the hospital, she can go home to recover. Newcomers, Bob and Lee, were introduced to the show in season five to a standing ovation. By the fifth year, the show needed a revamp of new characters. However, their storylines in season sixth are pitiful and are in need of a tune up. For two good actors, they do not get an adequate amount of camera time. Fingers crossed, let's hope Marc Cherry and his family of writers introduce a juicy storyline for them in subsequent seasons.
As for the characters, some will stay, while others have already flown the coop, never to return, and new and old comers will arrive to Wisteria Lane in season seven. The drama continues ...
Whatever your opinion is of the sixth season, whether you hate it or love it, there is no denying that Desperate Housewives delivers the best entertainment week after week, with a cast of brilliant actors and actresses. With this DVD box-set, you can watch it at your own pace, in your home, at any time.
Nice is Different Than Good
Being Alive
Never Judge a Lady by her Lover
The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues
Everybody Ought to Have a Maid
Don't Walk on the Grass
Careful the Things You Say
The Coffee Cup
Would I Think of Suicide?
Boom Crunch
If
You Gotta Get a Gimmick
How About a Friendly Shrink?
The Glamorous Life
Lovely
The Chase
Chromolume No. 7
My Two Young Men
We All Deserve to Die
Epiphany
A Little Night Music
The Ballad of Booth
I Guess This is Goodbye T.B. Grant

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When things get rough on Wisteria Lane, the Housewives band together like neverbefore. Relive the passion, the laughter, and the mystery of television’s celebrated dramatic comedy with The Complete Sixth Season of Desperate Housewives.The neighborhood is jolted with the arrival of Angie Bolen (Drea de Matteo) and her family, and it soon becomes clear that they are hiding something. But what is their secret, and what are their true intentions? Meanwhile, a plane crash on Wisteria Lane causes everyone to reflect on their lives and the choices that have made them who they are. Experience every juicy episode, and get inside access to your favorite show with never-before-seen bonus features. Find out more on DVD with this spectacular 5-disc set. It’s the perfect addition to your Desperate Housewives collection!

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Desperate Housewives: The Complete Fifth Season Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm having a difficult time understanding why this season is rated so much lower than all the rest. First of all, Desperate Housewives is one of the most consistently good shows on TV and every season is solid. However, season five is special in that it revamped and refreshed the series by beginning five years ahead of where season four left off. This technique provides the viewer with a slew of new storylines:
Susan: In season five, we find Susan and Mike divorced after a terrible incident tears them apart. Connected through their five year old son, Susan and Mike struggle with old feelings while beginning new relationships, Susan with her much younger house painter and Mike with Katherine Mayfair.
Lynette: Tom and Lynette continue to struggle raising their four children, specifically their teenaged twins Porter and Preston. On top of that, Tom finds himself in a midlife crisis and Lynette discovers the woes of returning to the world of advertising at age 50.
Bree: No longer a mere housewife, Bree is now an established cookbook author and businesswoman, owning her own catering company with Andrew and Katherine by her side. However, success comes with a price as she struggles to maintain her marriage to Orson, now a former convict.
Gabby: The beginning of season five finds Gabby as a harried mother of two young girls; now a house frow, she is far from the glamorous fashion model she once was. When Carlos regains his sight, Gabby and Carlos find themselves at a crossroads as they begin to simultaneously adopt and question their former lifestyle.
Edie: After being banished from Wisteria Lane five years prior, Edie returns with a new husband in tow. This husband is at the center of season five's mystery, as he has manipulated Edie into moving back to the lane so he can exact revenge on several main characters.
In all honesty, the only critique I have of this season is the mystery. In fact, I didn't find it to be all that mysterious, as I figured pretty much the entire thing out the night the premiere aired. It still remains, however, an interesting storyline to watch unfold.
There you have it. If you enjoyed seasons 1-4 of Housewives, you should definitely enjoy this. It's my second favorite season after season two, which interestingly enough was also unpopular among many fans. Negative reviews aside, this is an extremely solid season with captivating storylines and the same mix of comedy and drama we have come to expect from the show. To avoid spoilers for those of you who haven't seen the season yet, I'll just say that the finale gives us many things to look forward to in the fall, as each housewife's life takes an interesting turn.
Hope this helps,
Justin M. Green

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A primetime soap with a truly contempoary take on the happily ever after, Desperate Housewives takes a darkly comedic look at suburbia where the secret lives of housewives aren't always what they seem. Desperate Housewives The Complete Fifth Season fast forwards five years where new mysteries bind true friendships with a balance of humor and drama, twists and surprises.Bonus Features Include: A closer look 5 years later, Miss Piggy takes Wisteria Lane, dialogue between Marc Cherry and Teri Hatcher, Desperate Housewives evolution of a modern classic, Cherry picked, audio comentaries, bloopers, deleted scenes

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