Ah, But Underneath

Season 1, Episode 2, Aired
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Episode Summary

After her house burnt down, Edie Britt asks Mrs. Huber (guest star Christine Estabrook) to let her stay over for a while. Meanwhile, Martha finds something amond the wreckage that she finds quite interetsing: a misplaced measuring cup.
''Susan wants to ask Mike over for a dinner date, but things don't go as expected when Edie makes her way to the party and charms both Mike and his dog. Lynette can't get her kids to sit down in the backseat of the car, and while Carlos wants to figure out what is making his wife so angry all the time, Gabrielle continues her romantic affair with the underaged gardener, and soon realizes he is starting to think of their relationship as something more than a simple affair. Bree wants Rex to take up marriage counseling with her, and Paul Young tries to get rid of something his family had kept buried for years.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (11)

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  • great!!

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By danny7277, Oct 12, 2011 Report Abuse
    this episode did a fantastic job of follwing from the extremly high bar the pilot set, the character seem really fun and fresh and the actress who portray them are simple brilliant, the mystery seems to be very intriguing and i am looking forward to develing deeper into the youngs dark secrets, im loving the wisteria lane set it is so beatiful i defo want to live there haha, overall a really great episode, im really excited about this series now i think it has so much potential, addicted alreadymoreless

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  • Exciting!

    9.9
    "Superb"
    By charmed1102, Aug 30, 2008 Report Abuse
    Gabrielle Solis was a "drowning woman". Mary Alice only saw the side of Gabrielle that most of the others saw: her expensive jewelry, her fabulous designer clothing, and her diamond watch. Gabrielle knew that she was lonely since her husband Carlos was constantly away but knew that if she lost him or they separated she would be less happy than she already is. This is perhaps the reason that John Rowland is not only Gabrielle's personal gardener but also her current lover. As the two relax in the bathtub, Gabrielle hears a noise from outside. When she looks out the window, she finds Carlos getting out of his car and checking the mail. Gabrielle panics and quickly devises a plan to get John out of there. The two race down the stairs and Gabrielle throws John out a window. John falls into the shrubs and quickly puts his shirt on. Simultaneously, Carlos enters the house oblivious of what is going on. Carlos asks why Gabrielle took a bath in the afternoon which she explains by saying that she just worked out. When Carlos asks where John is, Gabrielle quivers until John pleasantly greets the two from the window while trimming the shrubs. Carlos reminds John to finish work on the ficus tree which he will get on when he is finished. Carlos smiles and the scene ends with John trimming with only his shirt without pants on.

    The women gather the following evening at Susan's to discuss the mysterious note that was used to blackmail Mary Alice. Susan thinks that they should share the letter with Paul since it could be used as evidence to find the writer. Gabrielle thinks that he would break down. Bree agrees but Lynette scoffs at the suggestion since it would only make matters worse. The four leave without a resolution and decide to talk about it in the morning.

    Meanwhile, Bree tries to save her marriage with Rex by going to couple counseling with Dr. Albert Goldfine, supposedly Fairview's number 1 therapist. Dr. Goldfine has handled cases such as domestic abuse, affairs, and marital disputes but has never met anyone as eccentric as the Van De Kamps. At their first few sessions, Rex manages to get his complaints about the marriage out in the open but when it's time for Bree to talk she rambles on with small talk. Dr. Goldfine tells her to think about herself and Rex sometimes other than always obsessing about the housework or the children. As Dr. Goldfine gives Bree these suggestions, Bree focuses on a button that is torn on his suit. Later, Bree returns privately to Dr. Goldfine where she offers to re-sew his button. As she does him this favor, the two talk about how Rex always exaggerates and that the marriage is not entirely her fault. Dr. Goldfine agrees but he believes that the blame be put on both parties. At their next session, Rex talks once again and Dr. Goldfine manages to remind him that he should be thankful that Bree does all the nice things that she does because it is not mandated of her to do so. Rex feels shut down as Bree smiles back at Goldfine.

    Susan decides to make her move on Mike by inviting him to one of her "annual" welcome dinners for the new neighbors. Mike accepts her offer. However knowing that her cooking is bad, Mike agrees to cook and hold it at his house. He also invites Julie to come as well. As they talk, they are interrupted by Edie who asks what is going on. Mike tells Edie that Susan has just invited him over for one of her traditional welcome dinners. Edie asks why she did not get one and Susan replies that it is a new tradition. Edie decides it will be fun and wants to join in. Mike says that it is up to Susan and feeling guilty decides that she can come. Susan definitely decides to bring Julie since she will save her from doing something awkward in front of Mike and Edie. Susan tries to get at Mike's early to help him but Edie has arrived unexpectedly before her. The dinner goes well and the only person Susan has failed to impress is Mike's dog, Bongo who has taken more of an interest in Edie. Susan decides to butter up the dog by putting drops of gravy on her face. Susan successfully manages to get Bongo to like her but he accidentally swallows her earring and begins to choke. Mike rushes out of the house with the dog to drive it to the hospital. Julie and Edie stay behind to clean up as Susan follows Mike in her car. At the animal hospital, Susan apologizes to Mike which he also offers his apology since the dog was originally his deceased wife's. Susan realizes that Mike still has feeling for his dead wife and that he will not be available for a while. Susan quietly hugs him as they get the news that Bongo is alright.

    With Tom away once again, Lynette has trouble with her children in the car. Lynette has tried various methods to get the kids to behave still however they will not comply. After being insulted by a police officer on her parenting, she lashes back at him by telling him how stressful it is to be a stay-at-home mom. When the officer sees how stressed out Lynette is, he gives her a warning and walks back to his car. Later, Mrs. Huber tells Lynette how her mother got her to behave in the car. When Martha misbehaved in the car, her mother stopped the car and left her on the side of the road. She quickly came back however and Martha never misbehaved again. Lynette agrees to try the method out with unsuccessful results. When the children act up once again, Lynette pulls up to a street and lets the kids out. Lynette then drives around the block and comes back. When she arrives back, the boys are missing and Lynette panics. Lynette asks a woman if she has seen the boys but she has seen everything and asks what kind of mother abandons her children. Lynette says that she has not abandoned them and that she was coming right back. The woman recommends anger management and that she call the police. Lynette spots the boys and yells that they run. The family runs into the car as the woman chases them and demands they come back.

    Edie moves in with Mrs. Huber shortly after the fire at her house. At the crime scene, Mrs. Huber finds a piece of evidence: Susan's measuring cup. While collecting clothes for Edie, Martha visits Julie where she learns that they have purchased a new measuring cup. If Martha Huber decides to go the police it could be bad for Susan who accidentally set Edie's house on fire.

    After being almost caught by Carlos, Gabrielle decides that she and John cannot have sex in the house anymore. When Gabrielle shows up unexpectedly at John's house, he offers her a token of his affection by giving her a beautiful rose. Gabrielle treasures the gift and John says that he wants to make sure that their relationship lasts for a long time. Gabrielle feels different about her relationship with John seeing that it only be an affair and can not go any further. When John sees that Carlos has purchased Gabrielle a new car, he learns that Gabrielle is still in love with Carlos and that he will have to share her.

    During the middle of the night, Paul Young throws a child's toy chest in the town lake. The contents inside are unknown at this time, raising more suspicions to the Mary Alice mystery.moreless

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  • El segundo episodio es un poco ms que sobresaliente, pero slo por la guerra entre Eddie y Susan y la comedia que le entrega Gabrielle. Lo dems es un poco obvio.moreless

    8.7
    "Great"
    By chupisfunky, Jan 11, 2008 Report Abuse
    Las sesiones del consejero matrimonial entre Bree y su esposo Rex dejan ver que tienen muchas cosas que resolver entre ellos, pero an falta un poco de informacin sobre sus hijos. Lynnete sigue muy ocupada con los diablillos que le tocaron como hijos, pero podra tener un papel ms importante en la trama.Los roles de los hombres (Carlos, Rex) son poco frecuentes y poco le traen a la serie, la divertida forma de ser de Gabrielle y su tierna y cruda forma de desprenderse de John hacen que este episodio valga la pena... Obviamente la guerra no anunciada entre Eddie y Susan, pero que cada vez se pone mejor hace que la audiencia siga pegada a la pantalla.moreless

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  • A great second episode! Really about the characters and their lifes and with so many funny moments!

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Lostfinding, Aug 26, 2007 Report Abuse
    I love how Mary Alice explain what happens after the death! It was a great episode in that them, Mary Alice voice and the music were perfectly cordinated with the scenes and the filming.

    The camera was really original, you can see it in the first scene when we see the 4 DH in Susan's kitchen.

    This episode is really about the presentation of the characters, specially Bree and Gabi. When can understand the way or thinking and their feeling, I specially liked Bree when she started saying us that she feels bad about not thank her the job! And then Gabi's theme "I want only love" it was really great.

    Lynette's story was not as showing as the other ones, it is funny and original thinking there but it is not such as Lynette as the other stories. I loved her scene when she fights the policemen! Besides her acting is so great! I loved when she was searching for the kids. Another scene that I loved was Bree slow camera obssesion about the doctor's coat! It was hilarious!

    Susan's story was the funny theme in the episode, the whole figth between her and Eddie was great!moreless

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  • People rush through the life.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By vukcevic, Apr 06, 2007 Report Abuse
    Bree goes to the counseling therapies and Albert Goldfine is their shrink. Bree is distracted when she sees a button that is not properly sewed on Albert's coat.
    Susan and Edie are fighting over Mike and dinner is completely devastating as Susan gets Bongo, Mike's dog, to lick her neck and he swallow's her earring and starts to choak.
    Lynette is having a hard time with the kids and she can't control them while they are in the car and she does the stupidest thing ever.
    Gabrielle is almost caught in her adultery and she is now forced to do John at his place.
    Amazing episode.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Goof: If the trunk goes under water that means that the air within it has left, anyway later the trunk gets out the water and that means that it still has air in it that make it back up. So it is impossible that the trunk could do both things. Edit
    • This is the first episode that shows the real sets that will be shown the whole time. The reason is that the pilot episode had slightly different sets (like Lynette's and Bree's houses). Edit
    • In the first episode Susan has an old silver Volvo 240 (we see it on her driveway) but from here on she has one of the newer Volvo models instead (v70 or XC maybe?) and it has a different color. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • The titles of this episode and almost all of the following episodes are either a line from or the title of a Stephen Sondheim song. Edit
    • When camera pans to a secret map of Wisteria Lane in Mike's house, we learn that a Nelson family lives in the house between Susan and Gabrielle (Trent and Debra who are in their 30s). The producers keep that house off-screen as it had already been used in the 60's sitcom The Munsters and is therefore quite recognizable. We also learn that Susan (Teri Hatcher) is 35, Lynette (Felicity Huffman) is 41 and Bree (Marcia Cross) is 42, while Gabrielle's age is conveniently covered by a picture of Carlos. Mike does not know how old Tom and Carlos are, but is 42 just like Bree and Paul (Mark Moses) is 40. According to Mike's map, Julie (Andrea Bowen) is only 12, Danielle (Joy Lauren) is 14, Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom) is 15 and Zack (Cody Kasch) is 16. Also, Mary-Alice (Brenda Strong) was 38 when she shot herself (and that is in line with the dates of her birth and death on her grave). Edit
    • Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher) lives next door to Gabrielle's neighbors, the Nelsons (4353). The Hardy boys lived there in their 1970s series. So did Elijah Wood in the 1998 flick Deep Impact.
      The house that Mike Delfino (James Denton) rents (4356) is across the street from Lynette. It had previously been used in the NBC 1999-2002 drama Providence.
      Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross) lives next door to Mike and across from Susan (4359). Her house appeared in the 1989 Tom Hanks comedy The Burbs.
      Busybody Martha Huber's (Christine Estabrook) house (4350) is next to the Young's house. It had been used in the 1950s police drama Dragnet. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Mike: Actually, he was my wife's dog and one of the last things she said to me in the hospital before she died was to be sure I looked after him and I promised her I would. Mary Alice: (narrating) And just like that Susan could suddenly see something she had never seen before. Mike: He meant so much to her. Mary Alice: Mike Delfino was still in love with his late wife. Mike: And if somthing had happened I would have felt like I failed her. I know that sounds stupid but- Mary Alice: And she knew right then that neither she nor Edie would be laying claim to his heart anytime soon. Susan: No it doesn't. Not at all. Mary Alice: So she decided, for now, she could settle for just being his friend. Edit
    • Paul: (about Mary Alice) I don't care what her reasons were. Maybe she was depressed. Maybe she was bored. It doesn't matter. She abandoned her husband and her son, and I'll never forgive her. Edit
    • John: Ah. This is great. I got tons of homework tonight. It's so easy to concentrate after sex. Gabrielle: Well, I'm glad I could help. Education is very important. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Episode Title: This episode's title refers to the song "Ah, But Underneath" from the Sondheim musical "Follies" Edit
    • Dr. Albert Goldfine: "I don't think Freud would approve of this." Dr. Goldfine is talking to Bree Van De Kamp about Sigmund Freud. Sigmund Freud was a famous psychoanalyst who did studies in the early 20th century on the human unconciousness. He is very popular in the psychology arena. Edit

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