On Sunday May 15, 2011, ABC aired the final episodes of the seventh season of the hit comedy drama series, Desperate Housewives.
Broadcasting the final two episodes of the season in a single two hour block, many storylines that had actually been opened in the first season saw some long awaited resolutions, and other unexpected new storylines were introduced.
Teri Hatcher, James Denton, Mark Moses, Harriet Sansom Harris as Susan, Mike, Paul, and Felicia
While Susan had been one of the first neighbors to raise a pitchfork against Paul, the widower husband of her dear deceased friend, Mary Alice, Mrs. Mike Delfino mellowed towards pitiable Paul Young in more recent weeks. Having re-established their former friendship, Paul prepared to move from Wisteria Lane as Susan and Mike prepared to move back to the street.
As these home moves were in motion, Felicia captured Paul, planning to avenge her sister’s death, but Susan foiled the crazed Felicia. Together, Paul and Susan overpowered Felicia, who fled as police arrived.
The last that is seen of Paul, he turns himself into the police for the long ago murder of blackmailing Martha, and meanwhile, far from the lane, Felicia loses control of her car, colliding with a huge truck.
Happily, Susan and Mike return to their former home, and the neighbors decide to throw a progressive party to welcome their return.
Eva Longoria and Ricardo Antonio as Gaby and Carlos Solis
To Gabrielle’s horror, the step-father who raped her when she was only fifteen comes to Fairview. Threatening him with a gun, she warns him to go away forever, but on the night of Susan and Mike’s welcome home party, he breaks into the Solis house when Gaby is alone. Carlos, returning home, sees through a window that Gaby is being attacked, so he sneaks up behind the man, hitting him in the head. Gaby is saved, but to their surprise, the single blow has killed her criminal step-father.
Marcia Cross as Bree Van de Kamp
Happy in a new relationship, Bree is only saddened by Carlos’ continued unwillingness to forgive her family’s role in the death of his mother, but Carlos becomes more understanding when at Bree’s suggestion the women band together to help hide the body of Gaby’s dead step-father.
Felicity Huffman as Lynette and Vanessa Williams as Renee
Meanwhile, Lynette and Renee each face husband worries. Renee is shocked by the news that her ex-husband is to remarry, and Lynette faces the prospect of separation from Tom.
Review of Desperate Housewives Season 7 Finale
It seems a wonder that anyone would be desperate to return to a lane that has seen more murders and other horrific acts than most soap opera communities or real-life cities, and with Susan having been around just as much as if she were living on the street, viewers may have understandably forgot that one of the leading ladies was still in need of being transplanted back to Wisteria Lane.
Yet, why wouldn’t Susan wish to return to the most dangerous street in suburbia? Audiences keep returning to it, so why shouldn’t the fictional residents?
The plots of the series have grown repetitive, and the series has never managed to either fulfill the potential it showed in its first season or return from its massive second season decline. Yet, the almost Technicolor glow of the show does offer a level of escapism to combat the inevitable gloom of a Sunday night, and while all the acting may not be brilliant, the outstanding acting of Marcia Cross, along with the endearing performances offered by many of her co-stars does carry the often struggling show.
While Desperate Housewives usually only provides a dim distraction on a Sunday evening, it must be admitted that the season finale actually achieved being enjoyable and entertaining.
Viewers that long since gave up on the show could enjoy seeing Susan finally realize that Paul was a good person, who had been driven to the edge, rather than an actually bad person, and everyone must have cheered when Felicia ran into that truck. Her demise was long overdue, but with no seen dead body one must worry that she will come back like some sort of bionic villain.
Eva Longoria was able to show some noteworthy acting skills in her serious scenes, and Marcia Cross played a good comic turn in a very un-Bree 1970s get up.
Felicity Huffman was somewhat underwhelming in her serious scenes, which should have been moving, but it was refreshing to see the show finally split Tom and Lynette, an unsuited couple who have unrealistically remained the ‘stable’ couple for most of the seasons.
Of course, the season ending with a body being hidden in a chest was a mistake since it drew attention to how reused the plots have become, but while watching the episodes, until the viewer realized that the storylines were going to revert, it was exciting to watch for developments.
Desperate Housewives Season 8
The original contract for the series was for seven seasons, and the tiring season should have probably concluded with this season. However, it has been officially agreed that an eighth season will be produced.
Elizabeth Fredericks - Elizabeth Fredericks is a graduate of Oxford University, and she has worked as a freelance writer since her first paid assignment as a ...
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