Desperate Housewives

Original Pilot (unaired)

Season 1, Episode 0

Episode Summary

Looking down on her friends and family isn't a way of life for Mary Alice Young. It's a way of death. One day, in her perfect house, in the loveliest of suburbs, Mary Alice ended it all. Now she's taking us into the lives of her family, friends and neighbors, commenting from her elevated POV. Her husband's acting suspicious, the neighbors are talking, and her girlfriends are wondering why one of their own would do something so rash and so messy. From her unique vantage point, Mary Alice sees more now than she ever did alive and she's planning to share all the delicious secrets that hide behind every neighbor's closed door in this seemingly perfect American suburb. In the end of the episode, the girls find a threatening note written to Mary Alice, while a ghost of Mary Alice is standing in her yard looking at them.moreless

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Cast & Crew

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Teri Hatcher

Susan Mayer
Felicity Huffman

Lynette Scavo
Marcia Cross

Bree Van De Kamp

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Actually, 911 operators are required to obtain verbal confirmation of location/address from each caller, so if the 911 operator was doing his/her job correctly, he/she would have obtained Mary Alice's address first, then Mrs. Huber's. This "automatic computer database" obtains its information from the phone company, and it's not 100% reliable, so 911 Operaters are not permitted to rely on the information it provides unless the caller is unable to provide the location, for example with 911 hang up calls or callers that are not able to speak freely. And : If you're calling from a cell phone, there is no "automatic computer database" locator, so you should know where you are. Not true... the location setting on your cell phone allows the police to find you. That is why the only option is 911 only or allow all. Edit
Notes
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- Marc Cherry has said that Bree is based on his own mother. Edit
- The house that Bree Van De Kamp lives in was previously used in the NBC 1999 drama Providence. Edit
- According to the book Desperate Networks, show creator Marc Cherry insisted every actor had to audition for a part. Several actresses up for the part of Susan declined to audition and passed on the role. Felicity Huffman also declined to audition for the role of Lynette, preferring to be offered the role instead. Her agents convinced her otherwise, and she agreed to audition. Marc Cherry was so impressed with her performance, that he offered her the part. Edit
Quotes
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- John: So, why are we here? Why are we doing this? [having an affair] Gabrielle: Because I don't want to wake up one morning with the sudden urge to blow my brains out. John: Hey, can I have a drag? Gabrielle: Absolutely not. You're much to young to smoke. Edit
- Rex: (to Bree)I want a divorce. I just can't live in this detergent commercial anymore. Edit
- Lynette: (to children)Now listen to me, you are going to behave. I will not be humiliated in front of the entire neighborhood. And just so you know that I'm serious, I am. (She pulls out paper) Son: What's that? Lynette: Santa's cell phone number! Son: How'd you get that? Lynette: I know someone who knows someone, who knows an elf. And if any of you acts up, so help me I will call Santa and tell him you want socks for Christmas! All right, are you willing to risk that? Edit
Allusions
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- Bree Van De Kamp: "It's the reason why I joined the NRA."
  Bree discusses with the girls on why she joined that NRA to keep in the back of her her husbands head not to cheat on her. The NRA stands for National Rifle Association, an organization in favor of using guns. Edit