The Ladies Who Lunch

Season 1, Episode 16, Aired
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Episode Summary

Maisy Gibbons' (guest star Sharon Lawrence) series of unfortunate events shock the residents of Wisteria Lane when she is finally caught and arrested for prostitution. This leaves unexpected consequences for Bree and Rex when Maisy's little black book becomes public of all her clients -including Rex for all the neighbors to see.''Gabrielle and Carlos also face a crisis of their own when the sewer system goes out at their house and they don't have the money to fix it. Also, Lynette braves a scandal herself when it's rumored that the twins started the school's head lice epidemic. Meanwhile, as Susan sinks into depression over her breakup with Mike, she finds a surprising ally - Edie.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (6)

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  • great episode

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By danny7277, Oct 30, 2011 Report Abuse
    i really enjoyed this episode of desperate housewives as i have everyone that has precedded this one my favourite storyline this week was the one of bree's i felt so sorry for her when she discoverd everyone knew about rex and masiy gibbins, i also liked lynette's storyline this week with the whole headlice thingy it was a filler storyline but entertaining to watch

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  • Season 1, Episode 16.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By Wanted23, Apr 09, 2009 Report Abuse
    This was a very interesting episode. I can't remember a lot of season one, and this episode was very good. I liked the storylines. Although, Susan didn't really have a storyline, except for being upset over Mike. I liked that Rex's secret may be exposed. Maisy Gibbons is so cruel. Plus, the lice thing was a good plot. It's similar to the episode of The New Adventures Of Old Chirstine that aired last night (4.19: Hair). I liked Gabby's plot, too. It is interesting to see her not have money. Plus, Edie is amazing. "Your wife's been dead six months, lighten up." LMAO! Good episode.moreless

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  • Todo lo que tenemos en nuestras vidas nunca está asegurado, todo en cualquier momento puede cambiar.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By chupisfunky, Mar 03, 2008 Report Abuse
    Es increible el giro que toma la serie, aunque an no se explota el hecho de la homosexualidad de Andrew y Jason, se traen mas a fondo temas mucho mas importantes, primero la amistad entre las Desperate Housewives, me encant la manera de hablar de Gabrielle y Bree que hace que esta ltima no cometa el mismo error dos veces. La amistad que apenas nace entre Susan y Edie hace casi obligatorio que la rubia provocativa encuentre otra mujer con la cual tener una pequea guerra. Bree Van de Kamp se da cuenta que siempre, en el momento menos indicado vamos a necesitar esa persona a la cual en algn momento tratamos con desprecio, pero pues para eso estn las amigas, para estar juntas hasta en los momentos ms difciles. Y qu nos queda al final? Disfrutar el chisme del momento, sin olvidar que en cualquier momento, habrn rumores sobre nosotros.moreless

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  • Despite several plot inconsistencies, I decided that this was my favorite episode of Desperate Housewives' freshman season. It was funny, lots of character development, and so many great scenes between Edie and Susan.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By dtr679, Oct 25, 2005 Report Abuse
    I loved almost every episode of Desperate Housewives, but I decided that this one is my favorite so far. I know, it may not be everyone else's, but it had some great moments, and lots of great scenes between Edie and Susan. I think that Nicollette Sheridan and Teri Hatcher have the best on-screen chemistry of any of the actors, and that the show should definitely utilize that as much as possible.

    The show began with the exposure of Maisy Gibbon's secret life, which was fun to watch. Sharon Lawrence is a great guest star, and I hope that she comes back next season. There were some great scenes between her and Bree. Also, I loved the scene with Rex and Bree at the country club and everyone looking at them.

    One of my favorite scenes in the episode was Edie playing poker with Gabrielle, Lynette and Bree. It was funny how Edie was trying to poke into Susan's business, and how she of all people ends up becoming Susan's ally. Taking her out for drinks, and then they break into Paul's house was the episode's best moments.

    Also I loved Felicia's scenes with Paul and Edie as well. Felicia is a great character, and the actress playing her is terrific. The scenes with Gabrielle and Carlos fighting about their plumbing, and her stealing the port-a-potty are also classics.

    The episode had some wonderful moments, and was also funny. I really enjoyed it. Plus, we got to see more of Nicollette Sheridan than in any other episode, who in my opinion, is very underutlized. I think that the show will use her more often in season two.moreless

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  • Desperate for the Juicy Details? Written by Alexandra Cunnignham Directed by Arlene Sanford

    10
    "Perfect"
    By DFisher2005, Sep 08, 2005 Report Abuse
    "Guys, we should be ashamed of ourselves for reveling in that woman's misery. That being said, Edie, please continue."--Lynette

    When it comes to news about others that is truly shocking, yet amazingly entertaining I think we all come under the guilt when someone is outed whether it being at a loss of money or affairs revealed, marital problems, sexual preferences discussed it is truly embarassing when someone is talking about you.

    Maisy Gibbons becomes a victim of the gossip when she is arrested for lewd acts and solicitation as we all know she is guilty of after having an affair with Rex Van De Kamp. You have to feel sorry for Maisy because she was once on top bossing around women like Lynette but then she has to turn to prostitution for money.

    The news of Maisy's outing hits home rather deep for Bree since Maisy's little black book will be revealing all of Maisy's previous encounters. Not that the people will get arrested but rather the shame and humiliation the solicitor and his wife will face i.e. Bree & Rex. After being shamed at her country club while dining with Rex, Bree takes this as the final straw and goes to visit Maisy in jail. When Bree offers her a bribe, Maisy questions their friendship when she was not there went her husband lost her job. Maisy refuses to accept Bree's offer which leads Bree to explain to her that if she was a little more nice, she would probably have more friends to count on.

    It seems everyone is being outed this week including Lynette Scavo when cases of head lice plague the school Porter and Preston attend. The school has a no-blame policy however the parents believe the Scavo boys to be the boys behind the lice break out. When Porter and Preston are uninvited to a big birthday party, Lynette digs around for the problem which seems to be her sons taking the blame for being the start of the lice. When Lynette pleads her case to the nurse and offers her a bribe, Lynette learns it was the son of the mother who had originally blamed Porter and Preston. The next day, Lynette and the boys crash the party where a confrontation ensues among the boy's mother and Lynette. When Lynette threatens to tell every parent it was her son, the mother agrees to Lynette's stipulations and the boys are allowed to remain at the party.

    Susan has been down in the dumps since her break up with Mike Delfino which ended the ongoing mystery from last month's cliffhanger. Edie Britt returning from her 3 episode absence returns as a friend to Susan when they both go to a bar and try to pick up a guy. When this fails and the conversation turns into the mystery that is of Mary Alice Young. Edie tells Susan she still has Paul Young's house key and that they should snoop around. When they arrive on the scene, the duo try to find evidence that looks fishy. They then find a video marked with Angela on the tape, a video from her nursing days in Utah according to Felicia Tillman. Paul soon arrives home where Susan escapes while Edie has Paul in a lip lock. They leave behind one visible item: Angela's tape clearly seen still sitting on Paul's couch.

    And finally, we come to Gabby. Gabrielle is ultimately struggling with her accounts freezed and Carlos on house arrest. It's no wonder that they have really hit rock bottom when their sewer system breaks and they have no money to fix it. When Bree hears that Gabby has been using a porto john in her backyard and using her jacuzzi to do the laundry and when Gabby constantly goes to one of the housewives' homes to use their bathroom instead of using the money to renew their country club membership Bree gives Gabby the gift of friendship when she offers to pay their plumbing bills.

    Clearly that is an act of kindness and friendship between the two since they are both going through such difficult life changes. Bree: having to witness the humiliation of her husband's affair and Gabby being broke and not even having the liberties of using her own toilet. And yet they both say nothing to embarrass the other person, that is what friendship is built upon.

    Other important events in "The Ladies Who Lunch"...
    *I really loved Gabby and Bree's conversation about how great friends are always there when you need them and how you are not only just a friend when you help someone you care about.
    *Carlos is still home, why hasn't he taken the plea bargain? He could've been out by now!
    *I loved the parts when Gabby was using the other ladies' bathrooms and then doing the laundry in her jacuzzi.
    *I kind of felt sorry for Maisy Gibbons even though she is probably one of the least of my favorite characters.
    *I feel Rex deserved to be outed what he did to Bree was uncalled for. I think the humiliation really didn't hurt Rex that much, it was more for Bree which is actually sad.
    *Even though up to this point Edie has been really annoying, I'm actually starting to like her. She seems like such a good person underneath even though she is such an annoying person on top.

    "The Ladies Who Lunch" has to be one of my favorite episodes along with "Impossible". It was very entertaining to see an episode that really seems so true to life. Awesome! The next few couldn't come quicker!moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • It was actor Mark Moses that suggested Paul and Edie should be romantically involved. Edit
    • In the scene where Susan and Edie go to the bar, Edie tells Susan that she talked with Paul the other day and he was trying to make Mike look guilty, and later while at the Youngs, Edie says that she wasn't kidding this afternoon, and that she was going to keep his house key. Both of which happened earlier in the episode, but it is unclear whether it was earlier that day or a day or two ago. Paul was also going on business that day in the initial conversation, so there is some confusion here. Edit
    • In the scene where Gabrielle and Carlos fight, there are a lot of editing goofs. First when Gabrielle wraps the towel around her body. In one shot she gets halfway through, actually tucking the towel in, and in the next shot, she still have the towel open and in the process of wrapping. Second is when she picks up the laundry basket. In one shot she picks it up from behind her and has it up to her waist. In the next shot, she picks it up again, this time from in front of her, and brings it up. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • The "little black book" of Maisy Gibbons becomes the focus of Bree's attention as she desperately tries to have her husband's name deleted from it. Coincidentally, that is also the title of the 2004 Brittany Murphy comedy in which Sharon Lawrence who plays Maisy starred. Edit
    • Nicollette Sheridan (Edie Britt) finally returns after a three-episode absence and has possibly the most amount of screen time in any episode she was featured in in season one. Edit
    • Although credited, Jesse Metcalfe (John Rowland) and Cody Kasch (Zach Young) are absent from this episode. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Mary Alice: Yes, everyone loves a scandal no matter how big or small. After all, what could be more entertaining than watching the downfall of the high and mighty? What could be more amusing than the pubic exposure of hypocritical sinners? Yes, everyone loves a scandal. And if for some reason, you're not enjoying the latest one, well, the next one is always around the corner. Edit
    • Maisy: I've been abandoned. I guess that what happens when you become the town whore. Bree: Oh sweetie, they didn't abandon you because you're a whore. They abandoned you because you weren't that nice to begin with. Edit
    • Lynette: I don't get it. I don't get who would pay Maisy for sex. Gabrielle: Obviously someone who is not getting it at home. (Bree is silent) Edit

  • Allusions

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

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