Children Will Listen

Season 1, Episode 18, Aired
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Episode Summary

Susan's mother, Sophie (guest star Lesley Ann Warren), pays an unannounced visit to Wisteria Lane after she and her boyfriend (guest star Bob Newhart) break up. Meanwhile, Gabrielle faces Carlos' wrath after he learns about the hospital settlement and tries to change their pre-nuptial agreement in order to keep Gabrielle in check while he serves his jail sentence. Lynette and Bree experience a chill in their friendship after Bree babysits Lynette's kids and dares to discipline Porter. Also, Bree and Rex visit Andrew at the teen rehab camp where they learn some shocking news about their son. Lastly, Felicia (guest star Harriet Sansom Harris) gets closer to Zach and reveals some disturbing details about his family's past.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (5)

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  • great

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By danny7277, Oct 28, 2011 Report Abuse
    loved this episode of desperate housewives as i have done everyone that has procedded it, i loved the stuff between bree and lynette and there diffirent views on parenting it great to see susans mum atleast now we know where she gets all her clumsyness from haha, the gabby stuff was also good although i thought carlous was abit scary, also did the ending narration suggest that gaby is going to get pregnant !moreless

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  • Cada madre recibe a sus hijos, sin saber si serán una bendición o un fastidio.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By chupisfunky, Mar 06, 2008 Report Abuse
    De este episodio dedicado a la maternidad rescato la primera aparicin de la mama de Susan, la cual es mucho ms disparatada que ella misma. Lynette continua mostrando que sus hijos son incontrolables y que ella est llegando al lmite. Carlos busca su hijo, Gabrielle se niega, pero sin saber lo encuentra en otro lado. Y Bree que en mi opinin personal fu el centro de atencin del episodio entero, sus problemas con Andrew son de por s terribles, y ahora enfrentarse a la homosexualidad de su, hasta ahora, nico hijo varn ser un gran problema para su integridad y las apariencias que siempre maneja.moreless

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  • Very good episode but old women doin the dirty like that put me off :(

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By charmed1102, May 04, 2007 Report Abuse
    Gabrielle finds out that Carlos has been keeping secrets from her as well, though his regard his less-than-legal business practices. Bree is outraged that her husband, Rex has been dabbling with the oh-so-perfect Maisy Gibbons. Elsewhere, Lynette tries to confirm her suspicions about her new nanny The relationship between Susan and Mike intensifies. And the mysterious Paul Young has something to get off his chest. Great episode but seems that the other perfect stepford housewife other than bree is up to no good and that was kinda weird especially with Rex and that makes Bree and his relationship more intense !!moreless

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  • Bree spanking Porter, Carlos forcing Gabrielle to sign papers and Susan mother comes for a "visit"

    9.1
    "Superb"
    By Jacky17, Sep 05, 2005 Report Abuse
    Susan's mother is so I don't even know the word to describe her. Sophie makes me want to punch her, I don't know if it's because she's such a drama queen or because she's just a jumpy person I don't know. Although, when she "bumped" her car into Mikes' and then explained to him how and when Susan was conceived she was pretty funny.
    I didi like the exchange of words that Mike and Susan had. I really hope they get back together. They make such a cute couple.

    Carlos was such a beast when he forced Gabrielle to sign the papers. No wonder she went back into Johns arms.

    Although Porter is Lynette's kid and not Bree's, I do think he (not to mention the other two) did deserve that spanking. It was really nice how Lynette took the first step and forgave Bree for what she did. That's what being friends is all about.
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  • Sons And Daughters Written by Kevin Murphy Directed by Larry Shaw

    8.0
    "Great"
    By shawnlunn2002, Jul 19, 2005 Report Abuse
    After the underwhelming and overall disappointing "There Won't Be Trumpets", things quickly return to form in an episode that efficiently explores the oh so intriguing dynamic between parents and children. Like, who's the best mother in the world? Which teen has more cop on than her parent? Which kid (or bunch of them) would you happily put up for adoption and which parent really needs to lay the law? So many questions all neatly answered to a degree in a chaos driven hour.

    First off, out of the housewives, I really feel for Felicity as her character rarely gets the chance to look glamourous, compared to her FHM worthy co-stars, so when Lynette does get a chance to scrub up, you don't begrudge her entirely for dropping her hellspawn onto Bree so she can rejoin civilization for a few hours. Of course, the children of Satan see this as another brilliant opportunity to misbehave but unlike Mommy dearest, Bree isn't a soft touch as Pumpkinhead (Porter) finds out the hard way.

    Question of the day – was Bree out of order for spanking Porter? They are a lot of people out there who would side with Lynette castigating her friend on corporal punishment and while I agree Bree had no right to do so and should have thought of another method of dealing with him, a part of me doesn't blame her. Porter misbehaved deliberately after Bree had asked him not to touch the cookies. It was in her house, she was right to punish him, not to spank him though and that's what Lynette should have realized. After all, Bree openly stated what she had done, not Porter and had also confessed to not actually knowing her friend is against this kind of punishment. Not to down Lynette's parenting because I know young children especially so numerous and at an age like can be handful but unless she steps up and delivers on her own threats to the boys they will walk all over her and then she will be screwed.

    Her fight with Bree during the poker game also rammed home a good few imperfections and factoids for both women. Lynette doesn't want to turn out like her mother and that's fine but her throwback at Andrew was a little uncalled for though. The apology later really doesn't resolve that so much but it was interesting to see some actual tension between the housewives – that was very realistic.

    It's also good to see Bree finally admit she doesn't know shit about her own son. Spending most the episode fretting about how to show her love to the child that purely hates her, then realizing she's a way better mom than the ones for the other delinquents at Camp Hennessey is enjoyable. Though it's all just a distraction for the delicious scene in which Bree learns of Andrew's sexuality through Rex. In any other show, Andrew would have told his mother first to break the news of being gay to tell daddy but here it's Bree who doesn't react to the revelation well though at least she doesn't go berserk either. I really do wonder how much of Marc Cherry's own personal experiences are being drawn out for this storyline. Being gay isn't going to make Andrew more sympathetic nor will it alleviate his lashing out at his mother but it's still compelling stuff nonetheless and at least he doesn't do anything too vile here. As for the husbands of the weeks, both Tom and Rex were great in their subsequent plots. Husbands rule.

    Except Carlos that is. The writers do a great job in the beginning fooling into his inner desire for fatherhood but unfortunately there's one too many nasty stings in the tail when the gloves finally come off between him and Gabrielle, particularly when he learns about the settlement Gabby swindled out of the hospital and demands her to sign a post nuptial agreement. I don't blame the guy for wanting to hold onto the money he has left or his mistrust of his wife but unlike Bree spanking Porter, Carlos running after Gabrielle, forcing her to sit down and reducing her to tears in order to sign the post nup is what I would classify as abuse. Although both parties are dislikeable and solely out to save their own asses, I felt more for Gabrielle than I wanted to. Carlos you are a total prick, who just like your wife, your luck is running out. He may have transferred the account but that's not to say Gabrielle can't lead the feds to it if she wanted to but worse still is that once the ever willing John is caught is the middle of the pair's personal shit. Of course even this development is better than …

    Well to be honest, Susan's main plot of the week is really is the arrival of her mad cap, gym slip mother, with Lesley Anne Warren too youngest to even play a gym slip mother. Seriously, although she's quite funny (in a way that could get weary), wouldn't it have been better if an older actress had been hired instead? That being said, she does a steller job in perfecting Teri Hatcher's mannerisms and her moments of the episode are truly madcap. From crashing into Mike, revealing too much about her sex life and biting her boyfriend, she's enough to make Susan look mature.

    However the storyline that eclipses practically everything this week is the relief that the hacked to pieces body in the toy chest comes back to haunt Paul when the police inquire into a similar one Mary Alice purchased twelve years ago. It's also an eye opening experience for Zach when he learns Paul killed a PI (has to be Deirdre) but the bigger shock is Felicia revealing he is actually Dana. Okay so this has been peddled on a few websites for months but it is an actual shocker and Paul is in serious doo dah now that Zach is getting privier to what's going on. Felicia is going to be one problem Paul won't be able to wrap under the carpet and I say keep the path of destruction a-coming.

    Also in "Children Will Listen"

    Pretty boring opening sequence with Mary Alice withering on about Gabrielle's likes and dislikes in life. One of these dislikes looking set to come true as in the upcoming weeks she may be pregnant. Watch for the 24 piss take of Carlos tampering with her pills.

    Susan: "What are you smiling about?"
    Mike: "I had all these questions about how you got to be the way you are. They were just answered".

    Sophie: "People think we're sisters"
    Susan: "That's because you keep telling them we are".

    That Ashley kid from "Pretty Little Picture" cropped up again.

    Gabrielle: "You don't trust me?"
    Carlos: "Afraid not".

    Lynette: "Please hear me out, this is important. Today I have a chance to join the human race for a few hours. They are actual adults waiting for me with margaritas. Look I'm in a dress, I have make up on".
    Bree: "If it were any other day"
    Lynette: "Oh for God sake's Bree, I'm wearing pantyhose".

    In the original script there was a subplot with Edie trying to contact her father. I wished they had gone ahead with that given the other themes of the episode.

    Rex: "Bree, Andrew told me he thinks he might be gay and he wanted to tell me first because he thought I could handle it better"
    Bree: "Well, he's right. I'll be waiting in the car".

    Zach plays the guitar. Living in a house as depressing as his, I don't blame him for wanting block the negativity out.

    Gabrielle (to John): "Because one day, when the time is right, we're gonna tell him how he drove me right into your arms and that's gonna kill him".

    Now this is more like it. "Children Will Listen" is an instant improvement and a surprisingly insightful social commentary episode. Beside the various contrast in relationships between parents and children, the hour's main strength is showing the responsibilities adult kids also go through. An intriguing hour, laced with the expectancy of juicer things to come.
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Goof: Lynette's children are in the bathroom and one of the twins is about to drop a toothbrush in the toilet bowl. She tells the boys to brush their teeth. The boys turn around and, in the mirror, you can see Lynette saying the same thing with no sound. Edit
    • Parker is tearing all the flowers apart till there were none. Then, in the next shot, there are some flowers left. In the next shot, all the flowers are gone once again. Edit
    • Bree sneaks the lemon bars into the package, when she's preparing a care package to ship to Andrew's camp, and quickly closes the two side flaps of the cardboard box, leaving the end flaps out. The scene cuts and she is immediately taping the box with all flaps down. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Both Lesley Ann Warren and Teri Hatcher have played the role of "Lois Lane". Hatcher in ''"Lois and Clark: the New Adventures of Superman"'', and Warren in ''It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman''. Edit
    • Fictional housewives read fictional magazines in this episode. Susan is seen with a copy of "Dazzle", her mother enjoys "Dream", Gabrielle browses through "Trendy" and Bree finds a new edition of "Woman's Circle" in her mailbox. Edit
    • In the original script the character Edie was supposed to have a storyline where she got in touch with her biological father, but that was later dropped. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Tom: Lynette, the kids are getting older and they are getting smarter. Soon, they're going to realize that they outnumber us and, then... Lynette: We're screwed. Tom: Exactly. Edit
    • Mary Alice: Children come into the world with their own agendas. Some to brighten our days, some to test our patience, some to give us purpose, some to take care of us. Yes, when they come children change everything. Especially when they're not invited. Edit
    • Mary Alice: There were many things Gabrielle Solis knew for certain. She knew red was her color. She knew diamonds went with everything and she knew men were all the same. But the one thing Gabrielle knew above all else...she would never want children. Unfortunately for Gabrielle, her husband, Carlos, felt differently. Yes, Gabrielle Solis knew without a doubt she didn't want to be a mother, but what she couldn't know was just how much her husband wanted to be a father, or that he'd been tampering with her birth control for months. Or that within one week's time, she'd be pregnant. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Episode Title: The title of this episode comes from a song in the Sondheim musical "Into the Woods". Edit

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