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Desperate Housewives Season 2 Episode 17

Could I Leave You?

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 3/26/06

Susan invites Dr. Ron to meet Karl after he finds out about their arranged marriage. Lynette is surprised that a woman at work is still breastfeeding her child of five. Gabrielle becomes very picky when choosing a birth mother, and a beautiful baby. Bree has to deal with a fresh accusation from Andrew, that of repressed memories.moreless

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Fan Episode Reviews (16)

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9.0

By danny7277, Oct 29, 2011

i liked this episode of desperate housewives the gaby storyline wa pretty funny with all the ugly women to fair that woman at the start was horried to looke at the stuff with bree was also great i thought her going to aa was a brilliant storyline, the susna stuff was fun but not very intresting as it is obvo that she will edn up with mike in the end the lynette stuff was pretty good but mostly just filler overall a pretty goood epsiode but nothing that spectactularmoreless
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Muchas cosas ocurren, pocas de fondo.

9.4

By chupisfunky, May 30, 2008

Bree y su problema de alcoholismo empieza a sentirse cada vez más fuerte. Lynette tiene que enfrentarse a una madre para poder hacer un poco más llevadero el ambiente laboral, lo raro es que pelea con argumentos que ella como madre ni siquiera se cree. Mike, Karl, Susan y el Dr una mezcla que no puede terminar para nada bien, nos damos cuenta que los sentimientos de karl siguen siendo fuertes, asi como su egoismo, como quien dice que susan sea feliz a su lado, o miserable al lado de los demas. Mientras que gabrielle sigue empeñada en su busqueda de un bebe.moreless
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Bree finaly admits she has a drinking problem. Susan is boring as always, Lynette lives on her work as usually, and Gabrielle is being as shallow as every time. Unafortunatly Edie is not in this episode.moreless

9.0

By Rogue_Beeyatch, Sep 11, 2006

This episode is noting special, only interesting thing is Bree final admiting she has a problem. Peter is really sweat to her, and he helps her after she gets in one really shamefull trouble. Andrew is treatening Bree again, this time he say he remembers Bree sexually abusing him while he was a boy.

Gabrielle is trying to adopt. And she finds a perfect shallow stripper girl to get a baby from.

Lynette has some problem with woman who breastfeeding her 5 year old son. Very boring, actually.

Susan is stupid again, she is hiding all the wrong things, and she is more boring and predictable in every new episode. I really hope some good lines for her soon... Seems like she wants to kill the audience.moreless
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One of the funniest episodes to date!

9.5

By BadWolf735, Jun 12, 2006

This episode is a perfect example of Desperate Housewives at its best. It was genuinely funny, moving and exciting at various moments throughout.

Gabrielle once again got some of the best lines in the episode, especially in regards to ugly mothers.

Only Teri hatcher could pull of the wonderfully slapstick 'falling out fo a wheelchair' so well without making it crass. I was also jumping out of my seat cheering for Mike to punch Doctor Ron (Whom I think is a bit weird and creepy!)

As for Lynette's story, I have been creeped out by seeing mothers breastfeed older childen, so I totally knew where she was coming from.

Bree's story, once again, moved me. Marcia Cross's performance was simply outstanding and she seriously needs to be receiving some sort of award for her role in this series.

All in all, a perfect example of a brilliant series.moreless
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Severing Ties Written by Scott Sanford Tobis Directed by Pam Thomas

8.0

By shawnlunn2002, Apr 27, 2006

Mary Alice: “The choice to separate from what we love is painful. The only thing worse is when someone we trust makes the choice for us”.

As you can guess by the above quote, here is an episode that is all about severing ties and with 80% of the plots dealing with children and the remaining 20% on boyfriends you want to love but don’t, this is quite an intense episode.

The more I watch this season, the more compelled I am with Bree’s misery and let’s be honest the poor woman has had quite a lot of it this last few weeks. Desperate to beat Andrew in his savage pursuit of legal emancipation and his trust fund, Bree’s attempts of integrating at AA are a hoot but quite sad.

Predictably enough she doesn’t see herself as someone who behaves in a compulsive manner despite all evidence to the contrary and she even dismisses her new friend Peter’s attempts of reaching out to her until another and more public confrontation with Andrew at a mall has her calling Peter to get her out of a dire and pretty hilarious predicament.

Although I shouldn’t advocate child abuse in any way, I wish to God that Bree would actually hit Andrew, even if it is what he wants. I’d also like to think that the writer for this episode read my review for last week and decided to up the ante when it came to Andrew’s abuse claim but even I can’t take credit for what the evil little jerk decides to do next when he threatens to tell the courts the Bree abused him sexually as a child. Now I really wished she had slapped him!

Even Justin looked disgusted with Andrew and Bree responded to this latest defeat by getting so wasted she passed out in a cocktail in the mall and got locked in, only for her escape attempts getting her caught in between the security gates in a scene that had me laughing out loud and thinking “ouch” at the same time. The cop taking a picture of him and a humiliated Bree was a riot.

Fortunately for Bree, at least she had someone to confide in with Peter (nicely played by ex-Oz actor Lee Teguson). I quite liked Peter and this episode made it hard not to. He listened to Bree as she, in a rather surprising turn of events opened up about all the pain she’s going through and he told her that she had a problem in a caring but matter of fact way. It also looked like Bree paid attention given that she herself emptied all her wine bottles out of the house. At least I hope she is.

Advocating advice seems to be another common denominator in this episode as after a two week absence the Applewhites are back and the hostility between Matthew and Betty is cranking up. I’m beginning to wonder if there really is a point to this whole mystery at all because even with them back, very little actually happens with them.

I’m also finding it easier to side with Matthew a little too much as well. He has a right to want to work and to be able to buy his girlfriend jewellery, even if she is a bumbling airhead like Danielle and he’s right about Caleb too.

I like Caleb like most people but the guy needs professional help that either Betty or Matthew can offer and if Betty doesn’t get off her high horse and acknowledge that sooner than later then Caleb is likely to be a danger to someone again if his scenes with Danielle are anything to go by.

He sneaks into her bedroom to offer her a gift which naturally freaks her out a bit. Caleb has a problem handling rejecting and Danielle has a problem with subtlety and when they both freak out, you’re unsure of the consequences. Danielle may have been safe now but what about if Caleb gets violent again. I’m still not even sure if she handled the situation with Caleb bravely or stupidly. Oh wait, I am – it was the latter. At least she wasn’t hurt – for now.

Unlike Susan, who being the 20% boyfriend trouble ratio of this hour as her doomed relationship with Ron finally hits the skids and we can thanks both Karl and Mike for that when Susan’s meddling sham husband busts a pipe in Susan’s kitchen and conveniently makes sure that Mike and Ron up with one another.

When Mike starts talking about himself, Ron figures that he’s the love of Susan’s life and then argues with a wheelchair bound Mayer before scrapping with Mike in the streets and then dumping Susan, who vents her anger at Mike. The attraction between Mike and Susan is greatly explored as while both of them are still in love with the other neither of them can get past their anger and fear to admit.

Then again, there’s also Karl’s long standing attraction to Susan as well which even Gabrielle and Bree pick up on when he starts acting nice to his ex-wife. There are some things in this world that should not be spoke and I want Karl gagged when it comes to admitting he loves Susan. Seriously don’t do it pal, you two are a lot more fun as enemies than lovers. This week also saw Karl continue to act like a child while Susan was surprisingly adult about things.

Like Lynette, who really is an example to us all in many a way. These mainly being the only person who actually seems to do any work in Parcher And Murphy and who is also forced into telling her new co-worker Veronica not to breast feed her five year old son because Ed and her other co-workers are a complete set of wimps.

Now I have nothing against breastfeeding but when it’s a five year old child and the only other reason you’re doing it is to keep off the fat, then you’re being silly. Lynette did a reasonable thing by talking to Veronica and although offering Donovan chocolate milk as a way to stop him wanting to be fed by his mother was underhanded, I think I would’ve done something similar.

I could make many a smutty joke about this and even throw in the obvious Little Britain comparison but I’ll contain myself. Needless to say this silly plot was heightened by the serious issue it raised.

Last but by no means least, Gabrielle and Carlos’ quest to obtain their dream baby this week has them fighting off a lot of Plain Jane (and even a Scary Mary type) type of women before the superficial duo meet pole dancer Libby, who’s happy to give them her baby as long as they financially make it worth her while. Of course when the Solis’ are hesitant with this, Libby has no qualms with using racism to get what she wants.

Not that Gaby would let a thing like that get in her way and let’s just say that Libby is easily bought. Just like Gabrielle, she’s a manipulative, compulsive liar as it transpires that she’s more than in contact with the father of her baby. I would like to feel bad for the Solis’ but given the attitude they have towards becoming parents, it’s kind of fair that they’re getting a bit screwed over.

Also in “Could I Leave You”

Housewife of the week: Gabrielle and her various shopping exploits such as perfume from Paris, a gown from Milan and designer shoes from Manhattan and well as getting rid of a particularly unattractive mother.

Carlos: “For all you know her kid could end up winning beauty contests”

Gabrielle: “With her DNA? The only thing that kid’s going to winning is best in show”.

The ugly woman in question was Deanna and she gave birth to a boy. I also thought it was cool how Libby mispronounced the Solis’ as “soulless”. Well, it’s not entirely inaccurate when you think about it.

Bree (to Peter): “I’m not like you people. I don’t have a compulsive personality”.

Bree (re Susan/Karl): “Did he just call her baby?”

Gabrielle: “Yeah. When did they stop hating each other?”

Minor bits: Matthew’s 19 years old, Susan lied about who Mike was to Ron (I know at least seven or eight Mikes/Michaels), Libby wants to be a choreographer and invented a move called the serpent’s tongue.

Lynette: “The team’s made up of wimps”

Ed: “The team’s aware of that and accepts your loathing”.

Mike (re Ron): “I thought he was hurting you”

Susan: “Well you were wrong and now he’s gone”.

The full opening credits are back. Is this going to permanent? Have ABC realised the error of his ways?

Gabrielle: “You’re a lot smarter than I thought”

Libby: “I’m a lot smarter than most people think”.

No Paul, Zach, Tom, Edie or Penny this week.

Bree: “You sound impressed”

Peter: “I kinda am. It sounds like you’re raising an Alpha male”

Bree: “I’m raising a monster. No wonder I drink”.

The chronology is according to Mike, a year and a half since the “Pilot”, so that’s six months since “Next”?

Veronica: “I’m gonna have to join a gym”

Lynette: “That’s a bummer”.

Standout music: “Don’t Cha” by **** Dolls. Seeing as Smallville used the same song this season during a strip club scene, couldn’t the producers have used something a little more original and sexier? Series like The L Word and The Sopranos would have no problem on this scope.

Three episodes in a row with new staff writers and we’ve had some of the sharpest writing to date. “Could I Leave You” continues this trend wonderfully while introducing three potentially fascinating characters and getting rid of one who won’t be dramatically missed. However, I’m still thinking that the Applewhite plot is losing steam and the sooner it’s dealt with, the better for all our sakes. Still though, this was another goodie.

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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Eva Longoria	Gabrielle Solis
Felicity Huffman	Lynette Scavo
Marcia Cross	Bree Van De Kamp
Teri Hatcher	Susan Mayer
Andrea Bowen	Julie Mayer
Brenda Strong	Mary Alice Young

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Nichole Hiltz	Libby Collins	Guest Star
Jennifer Lyons	Cecile	Guest Star
John Kapelos	Eugene Beale	Guest Star
Currie Graham	Ed Ferrara	Recurring Role
Ryan Carnes	Justin	Recurring Role
Lee Tergesen	Peter McMillan	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (5)
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- Goof: When Deanna is leaving the Solis House, the boom mic is reflected in the car window.
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- McMay's department store is clearly a parody of Macy's, with the odd hours of being open on Sunday-Friday, but not Saturday.
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- At last we see the Day Care room in the office.
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- In the scene where Gabrielle and Carlos are at the adoption agency and the man is leaving the room to get Libby. When he throws a pen in his mug, the scene right after it, there is no pen in the mug.
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- Music: "Don't Cha" by The Pussycat Dolls plays as Gabrielle pays a visit to the strip club
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QUOTES (25)
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- Susan: So, you ran out of strangers to beat up on the street and you're going from house to house now?
  Mike: I feel really awful about what happened.
  Susan: You don't wanna be my boyfriend? Fine. Don't beat up the only guy who wants to volunteer for the job.
  Mike: Look, I know I overreacted but come on, the way he was yelling at you?
  Susan: I deserved it believe me, after what I did. God, this is such a mess, he won't even return my phone calls.
  Mike: What did you do?
  Susan: I said something to Dr. Ron before the operation and it just devastated him.
  Mike: What?
  Susan: I can't tell you.
  Mike: Yeah, you can tell me anything you know that. (They are interrupted by a phone call) You wanna talk about this later?
  Susan: No. No, not really. What's the point?
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- (Susan sees Dr. Ron walking out of the house)
  Susan: Where is he going?
  Karl: Uh, we've got a bit of a plumbing emergency.
  Susan: So you sent him over to Mike's?
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- Veronica: (to Lynette) Did you know that breast milk is thought to raise IQ scores?
  (they look at the daycare room and see Donovan painting quietly on the floor, while the Scavo boys are yelling and hitting each other and making a mess)
  Veronica: Yeah, maybe if you'd weaned your kids a bit later, they'd be more civilized.
  Lynette: Ouch.
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- Gabrielle: No. No, no, no. I want that woman's baby, and I'm gonna get it!
  Carlos: And just how are you gonna go about doing that?
  Gabrielle: Well, first of all, I'm gonna show her one of our tax returns. Once she sees how much money we have, I have a hunch we're gonna look a whole lot whiter!
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- Veronica: If that's not bad enough, now I'm gonna get fat again.
  Lynette: Huh?
  Veronica: Breast-feeding was the only thing that kept the weight off. Every mealtime was like doing thirty minutes of cardio. Now I'm gonna have to join a gym!
  Lynette: Wow, that is really a bummer.
  Veronica: It is. It really is.
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- Bree: Tonight was a very unusual situation. I wish you could've known me when Rex was alive and my kids were young and everything was the way it was supposed to be. I think you really would've liked me so much.
  Peter: I like you just fine.
  Bree: Really? Because I don't.
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- Peter: Your son threatened you with repressed memories? Oh, my god, he is seriously twisted. I gotta meet this kid.
  Bree: You sound like you're impressed.
  Peter: I sorta am. Sounds like you're definitely raising an alpha male.
  Bree: I'm raising a monster is what I'm raising. It's no wonder I drink.
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- Bree: Well, I'm still appalled that you're helping my son with this ridiculous emancipation scheme, but you are a guest in my house and guests get sandwiches.
  Andrew: You know, if you'd let me go to his office, you wouldn't have to pretend to be nice to him.
  Bree: Andrew, there may be a judge out there stupid enough to emancipate you, but until you find him, I retain all my parental rights. One of which is to ground your sorry behind until kingdom come. Mr. Bormanis, nice to see you again, and, um, please don't get crumbs on my carpet.
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- Bree: Is this Libby's real hair color?
  Gabrielle: Yes, it's all natural, from her straight teeth to her C cup. And I know she's athletic because she's a pole dancer, so I really hope that my little girl inherits that as well. No, the athletic gene, not the pole dancing gene.
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- Gabrielle: These can't be our only choices, Mr. Beale, I mean, come on! Each girl is uglier than the next!
  Beale: Look, finding a gorgeous pregnant woman who is willing to give her baby to a couple with a criminal record isn't exactly a walk in the park.
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- Gabrielle: Okay, look, we have to find another mother.
  Carlos: Why?
  Gabrielle: Okay, this isn't easy to say, so I'm just going to say it, but have you taken a good look at her?
  Carlos: Oh my god, are you trying to say that you don't want Deanna's baby because she's plain?
  Gabrielle: No! Plain I can handle - Carlos, since that woman has walked into our house the clocks have stopped working!
  Carlos: No one can predict what a child is going to look like. For all you know, her kid could end up winning beauty contests.
  Gabrielle: With her DNA? The only thing that kid's going to be winning is best in show.
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- Mary Alice: (opening voiceover) Gabrielle Solis had always been a demanding shopper.
  (Gabrielle is looking out the front window, watching a car pull up)
  Gabrielle: Carlos! Come on, they're here!
  Mary Alice: (continuing voiceover) And whatever the purchase, she always expected the very best - whether it was exotic perfume shipped over from Paris, a high fashion gown straight from a runway in Milan, or designer shoes flown in from Manhattan. But on this day, her expectations were going to be put to the test - you see, Gabrielle was now shopping for a baby, and there was a problem with the manufacturer. (Gabrielle opens the door to a very scary looking girl)
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- Mary Alice: (voiceover) At the precise moment when Dr. Hanson Mills was cutting another umbilical cord, other ties were being severed all over town. (A doctor severs an umblical cord from a newborn) Like the one between a child and a mother, who didn't want him to grow up so quickly (Shot of Veronica giving Donovan a juice box.) Or the one between a case of fine wine, and the housewife who hadn't wanted to admit she had a problem. (Shot of Bree placing her bottles of wine in a box for Goodwill.) Or between a woman and the boyfriend, who couldn't forgive her betrayal. (In the hospital, Dr. Ron talks on the phone to Susan.) The choice to separate from what we love is painful. (At the strip club, a man comes over to Libby.) The only thing worse, was when someone we trusted makes the choice for us. (The man is apparently the baby's father, who is doting on the baby. Libby does not seem pleased.)
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- Libby: What's wrong?
  Gabrielle: You never gave a crap that we're Mexican did you?
  Libby: Not really.
  Gabrielle: So why put me through this?
  Libby: Because I thought if it look like you were gonna get my baby then you might be just a bit more generous.
  Gabrielle: Wow! You're a lot smarter than I thought.
  Libby: I'm smarter than everybody thinks.
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- Bree: Hello there. I thought you and your friend might like some snacks.
  Andrew: He's my lawyer and this is privileged communication so get out.
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- Bree: (about Karl and Susan) Did he just call her "baby"?
  Gabrielle: Yeah, when did THEY stop hating each other?!
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- Carlos: He is gonna dump us as clients if you don't stop being so damn picky!
  Gabrielle: We're gonna have to stare at this face for the next 18 years. I don't think now is the time to skimp on quality!
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- Gabrielle: If I wanna catch flies all I have to do is call one of these girls. Trust me, the flies would follow.
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- Peter: Anyway, here's my card and if you ever do have a problem and feel like talking give a call, ok?
  Bree: I know you think I'm kidding myself but I'm not! I'm nothing like you people! I just don't have a compulsive personality.
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- Carlos: I want a child. Any child!
  Gabrielle: Fine, just know that in a couple of days when that thing is born, you're gonna have to snuggle up with something with THAT face on it don't come crying to me.
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- Gabrielle: I've read the Constitution, and it does not protect ugly people!
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- Dr Ron: You committed insurance fraud??
  Susan: Only in the legal sense....
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- Karl: So how did you get out of that one?
  Susan: Well I lied and told him I didn't know a Mike
  Karl: Everyone knows a Mike...
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- Susan: I need you to ditch Edie tomorrow night and have dinner with Dr. Ron and me....
  Karl: Now why would I do that?
  Susan: Well for starters because you banged your secretary and you owe me for the rest of your life...!
  Karl: I'll bring the wine...
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- Susan: I don't even know a Mike...
  Dr Ron: Everyone knows a Mike!
  Susan: Yes you're right...everyone does know a Mike...
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NOTES (1)
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- Although credited, Nicollette Sheridan (Edie Britt), Mark Moses (Paul Young), Doug Savant (Tom Scavo) and Cody Kasch (Zach Young) do not appear in this episode.
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- Episode title: The title "Could I Leave You?" is taken from a song in Stephen Sondheim's musical "Follies" (1971)
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