Desperate Housewives.... a Desperately Good Season Premiere

The season premiere of Desperate Housewives was on tonight. I enjoyed every minute of it! It had funny moments and some touching bits added in here and there. And, of course, the thrill of a new mystery on Wisteria Lane was enticingly introduced to viewers. A summary of tonight's episode is here.

The beginning of the show recalls ending moments of last season's finale episode. We are reminded of Bree's fake pregnancy, Susan and Mike's wedding, Gabby and Carlos' kissing in the guesthouse at Gabby's wedding reception, and Lynette dealing with her cancer diagnosis. Finally, viewers are shown Edie at the end of last season apparently preparing to commit suicide after being rejected by Carlos.

The suicide attempt by Edie is shown to be a plot she has planned to lure Carlos back. Edie takes precautions to ensure her "suicide" will be prevented just in time by the arrival of Carlos. Edie carefully lays scissors nearby so Carlos will be able to cut the tie quickly in order to rescue Edie, or so Edie plans anyway. When all the preparations are set, Edie then climbs on the chair, puts the noose around her neck, and waits. When she hears Carlos come in the front door, Edie kicks out the chair from below her, and is left hanging, as she planned. However, what she didn't plan on was a neighbor coming in the door right behind Carlos, and distracting him from proceeding upstairs to where Edie is hanging. Edie hears Carlos speaking with the neighbor, realizes she is in trouble with Carlos NOT on his way up the stairs anymore, and desperately tries to loosen the tie around her neck. Carlos has meantime walked outside with the neighbor to look at the trashcans she wants Carlos to move. As they are talking, the neighbor looks up to the bedroom window and points to the hanging Edie silhoutted in the window, and asks Carlos, "what is that?'. Carlos looks up, realizes it is Edie hanging lifelessly, and races inside. Yes, Edie survives. But as the narrator says, Carlos may be sorry he saved her as he experiences what Edie will have in store for him down the line.

A month passes, as the cute message on the screen displays to viewers.

Susan and Mike squabble because Susan believes Mike is not happy, for some unknown reason. Mike tries unsuccessfully to convince the emotional and irrational Susan that he is indeed happy, but she doesn't believe him. The arrival of a moving van across the street distracts the "not- so -blissful -at -the- moment" newlyweds.

Bree is having difficulty fastening the strap of her fake pregnancy padding...or whatever that is called...I do not know. She is also distracted by the moving van.

Gabby returns to check on her house on Wisteria Lane. When she arrives, she is dismayed to find her new politically driven husband and his realtor discussing the sale of Gabby's house. Gabby, who is now hoping for reconciliation with Carlos once Edie has fully recuperated , does not want to sell her home. Just in time, the " not- really -in -love -so- much" couple are distracted by the arrival of the afore mentioned moving van.

We then see Lynette being wakened by one of her sons knocking loudly on the bedroom door and calling to her. Now, I assume most people watching were as caught off guard as I was at the next poignant scene...a completely bald Lynette rising from her bed. Oh, it was so well done, in my opinion. Lynette really has cancer, and the battle has begun. The scene continued in a heart wrenching way, for me anyway, as Lynette frantically searched for her wig so that she could open her door to reassure her son who was still calling out to his mom and knocking on the door nonstop. Lynette's concern for her kids was very touching to me, I guess because I'm a mom. Tom argues that Lynette should stop hiding her cancer from people, at least the neighbors. Lynette responds that she cannot deal with other people's pity for her...and vehemently states that she wants to do this her way. Anyway, she does find her wig and can finally open her door.

We get lighter moments again as the housewives gather outside to speculate on the new neighbors that are moving in. A car pulls up, a stretch something or other, and the woman that gets out is apparently a one time resident of Wisteria Lane from years ago. Susan recognizes her right away. Apparently Susan's daughter and the neighbor's daughter, Dylan, were best friends as little girls living on the same street. The neighbor is also apparently remarried, and her husband is a doctor.

We get a couple of amusing scenes next. One with Bree, her fake baby tummy, and her husband shopping at a department store. A friendly elderly acquaintance runs into them, and is excited by Bree's "baby tummy" and wants to rub it. Of course Bree can't allow that because her secret will be found out. She firmly tries to dissuade the well-meaning and cute and also persistent acquaintance, but fails. In Bree's desperate attempt to keep the woman's eager hands off her fake belly, Bree grasps the frail woman's hands roughly. Bree's husband laments that the pretense is getting out of hand with Bree accosting old women.

Next, Susan is at her gynecologist's office for a check-up. A nurse tells her that the doctor is delayed, and asks Susan if she will be ok with the partner instead. Susan agrees, but immediately regrets it when the partner turns out to be the husband of her new neighbor. Susan is clearly uncomfortable with this doctor examing her, but goes ahead with the check up. Listening to Susan's complaints re: her health issues (trying to be discreet here), the neighbor-doctor speculates early menopause could be the root of Susan's troubles. In her dismay at this possible diagnosis, Susan gets irrational and upset (again), and lashes out at the doctor. Now, in this scene, Susan utters some remark that is now being called a "racist" remark on the message boards. I am not going to put in my 2cents in on this issue....I did not even hear the remark clearly enough to warrant giving my opinion. However, it probably will be discussed a lot in days to come. And then again, maybe not. Anyway, Susan eventually calms down and agrees to a bloodtest to determine if she truly is going through early menopause or not.

We then have the scene of a very ill feeling Lynette at a school play to see her son . Lynette and her mom are seated, with Lynette obviously feeling and looking ill. Another mom approaches Lynette and somewhat rudely badgers Lynette about some school obligation Lynette is supposed to handle. Even though she is worn down by her chemo treatments, Lynette agrees to fulfill her obligation instead of admitting she has cancer. Lynette ends up throwing up in a purse that she believed to be her mother's, but turns out it was an unsuspecting woman's purse in the row in front of Lynette's. A bit of humor thrown in.

There is a party, I missed what exactly for, but it appears to be a welcome back to the neighborhood outdoor luncheon for the new neighbors. Bree continues her pretense of being pregnant, and has to really be an actress when her husband accidentally pushes a bbq utensil/fork thing into her fake baby stomach. And the same neighbor/acquaintance from the department store sees the mishap, and runs to get the neighbor-doctor to help Bree. The doctor comes rushing to help, but Bree and hubby pretend they were just fooling around with a "joke utensil thingy" that only looks like it is stabbing someone. Hmmm....doctor-neighbor looks very unconvinced, and aquaintance-neighbor elderly woman looks horrified. Bree and hubby make a quick exit. Bree pleads with her husband to continue the ruse, as Bree desperately wants to raise her teen daughter's baby as her own. It will be Bree's "second chance" at doing the parent thing the right way. Also, Bree truly believes her daughter is not capable of raising a baby. Hubby smiles and gives in. What a guy!!

In the midst of the party, Edie arrives home from the hospital with Carlos. Edie incorrectly assumes the party is for her. The others don't correct her. Carlos goes to unpack the car while Edie drools on about how close she and Carlos are now. Edie comments that they have discussed marriage. Gabby is upset, since she and Carlos had previously planned on running away together, before Edie's suicide gone bad fake attempt. Gabby confronts Carlos, who assures Gabby that she is the one he wants; he just doesn't think he can tell Edie yet. It ends with Gabby flouncing off angrily.

At the party, the first subtle hints of a mystery are dropped. Susan's daughter sees her old best friend again for the first time in years. But Dylan, the new but not really new neighbor ( remember, this family used to live on Wisteria Lane years ago when both girls were small) does not remember her one time best friend, and as it becomes apparent, does not remember much, if anything, of her past. Hmmm.....

A significant scene occurs when Lynette is sitting at a table with her mom at the party. The annoying mom from the school play shows up and is nasty again. Lynette agrees again to handle whatever it is that she had agreed to do before the cancer. Lynette's mom disapproves of her daughter trying to do things she does not have the energy for in order to hide her cancer. When Lynette's little girl runs up to her mom and wants to play, Lynette has to tell her she is too tired. Lynette's mom picks up her little granddaughter and says she will go with her. Lynette's mom makes a statement at that moment, to the little girl but aimed at Lynette, to the effect that Lynette needs to save her strength "for more important things." I was taken aback at the harsh words, but realized why Lynette's mom said them when I watched Lynette's actions in the next scene.

Lynette marches over to the snotty mom, and tells her she simply cannot fulfill the obligation-school thing. The annoying mom states that Lynette should fulfill her responsibilities, blah blah...... . Lynette tries to explain that she is not well but gets cut off by the blah blah blah of nasty mom again. Lynette whips off her wig and announces that she has cancer. Nasty mom exits quickly, saying she will call so and so to replace Lynette. Yea for mom....her harsh words made Lynette realize that she should be using any energy she may have for her kids and family, not projects. Fighting her cancer has to be her priority, not trying to do school functions.

Lynette turns to find her DH.friends staring at her now bald head sans wig. We watch the friends sit together and listen to Lynette. It is sweet and sappy, but enjoyable and heart tugging as well. They all conclude, at Lynette's request, to NOT keep secrets from each other anymore...they will tell each other everything. They all pledge by putting their hands on top of each other's. But viewers know this will not be a promise kept. Ah......

Carlos wants to go see Gabby, so he tells Edie he is going out alone for some beers. Edie is perturbed Carlos won't take her with him. Carlos goes to Gabby's and they make love. Next morning we see a smiling Carlos asleep on the living room couch as Edie comes downstairs. She is coy with Carlos (or smug??) and brushes off his apologies for coming home late and sleeping on the couch. Edie tells Carlos that she trusts him, and that he should trust her. Apparently Edie did some digging through Carlos' things while he was off romping around with Gabby. Edie found proof that Carlos has an illegal bank account with over 10 million dollars in it. Ah...the blackmailing of poor Carlos begins....how will it end?

Doctor-neighbor comes to see Susan. Susan is pregnant, not in menopause after all! Susan and Mike are ecstatic. But we all know the question will be...."Who's the Daddy?" Ian or Mike?

Finally, Susan's daughter is not happy. She tells Susan that her best friend from earlier times and the girl that just moved back across the street with her family, are not the same girl. Susan glances out her window at the house across the street and has a look of concern and dismay on her face.

We go inside the house across the street for the final scene of the show. The mom is standing in an empty room. Step dad-doctor-neighbor comes in and asks his wife if that wasDylan's bedroom when they lived there before. The upset looking mom answers it was, and that is the room where "IT" happened. Upset mom says that Dylan has asked her mom for that room to be her bedroom. Step dad says, "why not...she will not remember anything"...or something close to that. Upset mom says, "No Way this will NEVER be Dylan's bedroom again." The mom and step dad leave the room, and the bedroom door is closed and locked from the outside (we get to see the lock on the door turn). Ahh.......a new mystery on Wisteria Lane!!