Desperate Housewives: The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened

Let me just start with this: I think that this might have been the best Desperate Housewives episode ever. Really. The writing was fantastic and it the perfect 100th episode. Can you believe that it’s been 100 episodes? It feels like just yesterday that I was watching the premiere and loving it.

The concept of this episode was each of the girls’ having flashbacks that were based around times their handyman, Eli Scruggs helped them through difficult times in their lives. The episode kicked off with Eli announcing his retirement and fixing a loose shingle on Susan’s roof right before he suffered a heart attack. Juanita found him an hour later. Over a poker game, the girls’ began to remember the times he helped them.

Gabby’s flashback was set in the early days of her and Carlos’s marriage, when he was constantly absent and she was alone in a new town. Eli introduced her to the other housewives and arranged for her to be the host of one of their poker games. Gabby, however, acted stuck up and made a horrible first impression. Eli gave her a talking to and she immediately made things right, causing her to make the best friends of her life. I thought Eva Longoria Parker gave a great performance. She effortlessly switched between the new Gabby and the old Gabby. It was so sad to see Gabby so lonely and vulnerable. It reflects on her current situation too; Carlos has gone back to work and Gabby will once again be forced to endure his long absences. This time, however, it was her choice. Whether it will turn out to be the right or wrong choice is left to be seen.

Bree flashbacked to when she and Rex were still married and she was completely dependent on him. He made a comment to her that she should go get a job if she wants a new stove and Bree comes up with the idea of making her own cookbook and begins to work on it. When Rex comes home, however, he dismisses the idea and Bree throws the cookbook out. Eli, witnessing the whole scene, takes the cookbook out of the garbage can and saves it. Shortly after Rex’s death he gives it back to her. I thought this was very touching; it shows that Bree finally has the independence she always craved. I’m glad that Eli got to see her become a successful woman. As a side note, I thought that the whole exchange between Tom and Lynette during the scene where they were eating dinner with Rex and Bree was hilarious. Their back and forth was perfectly timed.

Edie and Dave have just returned from the Bahamas and Edie is shocked to find out that Eli died. In her flashback, she is upset that her husband no longer has an interest in sleeping with her. Soon after, she discovers that the reason for this is because he’s gay. Eli tells Edie that she’s an extremely attractive woman and that the idea that she could make someone become gay is ridiculous. He then comforts her in a typically Edie way; he sleeps with her. Classic. If nothing else, Edie is consistent.

Lynette’s flashback occurred when she was pregnant with Penny. She was horrified to discover that she was pregnant since she had just decided she wanted to go back to work. Tom tried to comfort her by saying that it might be the girl they always wanted. Lynette, however, insisted it would be a boy because “it’s always a boy. It will pee in my face…..” Then, when she went into labor, she had a classic Lynette moment; she was negotiating the details of her new job while riding out contractions. Shortly after Penny’s birth, Lynette was distracted while unloading the car and forgets Penny. Eli witnessed the scene, however, and immediately came to Penny’s rescue. Lynette is horrified and thanks Eli profusely. The lesson she learned from this applies to the present day too: even though she’s busy she needs to make time for her kids. This also showed the good and bad sides of Lynette; she’s dedicated and a good mother when she tries but she doesn’t always believe in herself especially where her kids are concerned. She can also be self centered but she always means well.

Susan’s flashback concerned the end of three of her past relationships. The first was when she Carl had just left her for another women. She had called Eli over to change the locks while she threw Carl’s belongings on the front lawn. Eli accidentally revealed to Susan that Carl had cheated on her before and Susan was infuriated both with Carl and Eli. Years later, she called Eli over for the same purpose, this time, however, it was Mike who had left her and instead of being angry she was devastated. Eli comforted her by telling her that even though she had been hurt by love he’d always admired her ability to love. The last time Eli came over it was to give Susan a spare key for Jackson, however, she and Jackson were already over. She then asked Eli to fix a loose shingle and left for the store. When she got back, he was dead. This flashback showed how far Susan has come. She’s no longer the woman throwing her husband’s possessions on the front lawn but instead a self-assured independent woman. At least for now.

The most moving part of the episode was the flashback concerning Mary Alice. This time it was not Eli who helped her but her helped Eli. When he first arrived in Fairport as a poor, out of work handyman Mary- Alice helped him by passing out his card around the neighborhood and basically setting up his business. The next scene takes place on the day that Mary- Alice killed herself. Eli stopped in to drop off a doorknob and could tell something was wrong but didn’t pursue his hunch. Later that day, he sat outside of Mary-Alice’s after news f suicide got out and vowed to always speak up when something’s wrong in the future.

It’s a tribute to the writing of the show that the integration of Eli into key moments of the housewives’ lives felt organic. Eli, of course, has never before been seen on the show but the actor did a great job of making his presence believable.

Sorry this review is so long but this episode was very impressive. I hope you guys enjoyed it as well. Tell me what you think below.

— posted by Tricia

Tricia is your Desperate Housewives girl this year. She’s from upstate New York and is currently a freshman in college. She’s also a hardcore TV fan; check out her homemade TV schedule: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27093551@N08/2782207387/