Oh goody, a clip-show. Nineteen episodes and a break between the final four "Fear No More", "Sunday In The Park With George", "Goodbye For Now" and season finale "One Wonderful Day" and those nice people at ABC decided for any remaining specimen not watching this show this would be a great way of pulling in and educating viewers, so without further ado, let's recap…
Wisteria Lane, a picturesque suburban neighbourhood filled with secrets and lies and harbouring some of the biggest mysteries, most notably the suicide of Mary Alice Young, who we all know picked up a revolver and shot herself. Of course, it was because she and Paul swiped baby Zach/Dana from raging drug addict Deidre who wound up in a toy chest. Nasty old Martha Huber found out part of the story, tried a dab hand of blackmail before being killed by Paul. Joining more of the dots to this mystery the more formidable Felicia arrived, we learned she and Mary Alice/Angela worked together in Utah and Zach's sketchy memory got a little clearer as Paul's lies begin to become undone. Now onto the housewives.
Gabrielle Solis – a spoilt, petulant former model who spices up her dull and materialistically driven marriage by romping with the gardener, John. Suspicious of her cheating, Carlos enlisted is mother's aid but before being able to out her adulterous daughter in law she's ran over by a car and dies by falling down the stairs minutes after awakening from her coma. Carlos is also knee deep in legal trouble which forces him to take a plea bargain and go to jail for eight months. Turning violent and forcing Gabrielle to sign a post nuptial agreement, Gabby retaliates by renewing her relationship with John just around the time Carlos' tampering with her birth control pills finally takes effect and Gabby is now left wondering the paternity of her unborn child.
Lynette Scavo – A former high flying corporate career woman who feels trapped into mothering three uncontrollable boys and barely seen baby girl, the show's portrayal of her struggling with motherhood has provided the show's most grounded storylines to date. From stealing children's ADD medication, nanny poaching and her constant paranoia over Tom's commitment (I really do hope his big secret isn't adultery related now) it hasn't been all dull and out of the housewives, Lynette is the most underappreciated out of the bunch.
Bree Van De Kamp – A battened down, Stepford wife, this is one control freak Inever expected to care so much for but Marcia Cross has played her so effervescently it's impossible not to love her. I mean for a character so repressed she often comes out with the most audacious stuff. Whether it's trying to save her marriage to Rex or washing her hands clean off him, her dealings with Andrew and Danielle, unhealthy friendship with creepy pharmacist George, her scenes are truly the most priceless and she is without a doubt the most interesting housewife.
Susan Mayer – When it comes to accident, this one is a disaster waiting to happen. The amount of pitfalls and humiliations she has gone through is enough for any standard gag reel but deep down this divorced mother is desperate for love but goes about dealing with Mike in all the wrong ways, puts her 14 year old daughter (who displays more maturity than Susan) in often risky situations and is the worst amateur spy eve. Still though, her romance with Mike in earlier instalments has provided some touching moments, her rivalry with Edie is brilliant to watch and Teri Hatcher really gets to shine when her character is at her most selfless (investigating the whole Mary Alice mystery). Oh and Mike? He's connected to the whole Young's/Deirdre arc that you'll just have to watch to find out.
Also in "Sorting Out The Dirty Laundry"
No actual contributions from cast and crew. Just clips banded together and divided into character profiles.
Brenda Strong didn't narrate this. It was a guy named Tracy Fraim who sounded a bit like Doug Savant or was that just me?
According to this clip-show (which ABC aired in between "Live Alone And Like It" and "Fear No More"), it's been seven months since Mary Alice's death so it must be May 2005 now.
I liked the opening title sequences for this special, though the promo shots looked a little dodgy.
Edie (to Susan): "Wow get a load of you. You look so pretty, I hardly recognise you".
Bree: "Rex cries after he ejaculates".
Carlos: "Deals are meant to be renegotiated"
Gabrielle: "Well, we're not negotiating my uterus".
Lynette (to Tom): "If you ever betray me I will leave you. I will take the kids and walk out that door and you will never see either of us again … I love you".
Mary Alice (re Edie): "Susan had met the competition and she was a slut".
Julie: "Come on, how long has it been since you've had sex? Are you mad I asked you that?"
Susan: "No, I'm just trying to remember".
To be honest I didn't really have any intention of reviewing this but seeing as TV Tome are classing this as an episode of the series (given it's format) and Billie reviewed the clip-show for Lost, I thought I might as well. "Sorting Out The Dirty Laundry" is okay enough in the sense that any newcomers are easily brought up to speed on the key events but with certain things not properly explained and a lack of inputs from cast and crew, brings this down a bit (although Tracy Fraim did a good job narrating, I would have preferred Brenda Strong instead). Plus would it have been better (with a little editing) if ABC had aired this directly before the final episode? Oh well, three (for me) to go.
Episode Fan Reviews (3)
