Television review: Desperate Housewives #609: 'Would I Think of Suicide?'

#609: 'Would I Think of Suicide?'

Wr: Jason Ganzel
Dr: Ken Whittingham

Synopsis: In the wake of another unexpected attack, Nick decides the time has come for him and his family to move away from Wisteria Lane. In the meantime, Susan and Bree clash over the latter's affair with Karl Mayer, whereas Gabrielle and Lynette clash over the latter's pregnancy. Meanwhile, Katherine's crazy schemes have brought Mike to a point where he can no longer put up with her, and a heated argument between the two of them has shocking results.

Review: At long last, Desperate Housewives appears to be finding its feet again. 'Would I Think of Suicide?' is undoubtedly the best offering we've had so far this season and it's all down to the reduction in the number of contrived storylines being thrown our way. Granted, there are still some questionable moments, but on the whole, this feels infinitely more believable than gumf like 'The Coffee Cup.' Perhaps it's the amping up of this year's suitably intriguing arc plot, which runs a couple of miles forward thanks to the murder of the poor waitress, leading to a refreshingly off-hand revelation (in the background, no less!) about Nick and Angie's storied past and a lovely scene between the two when Danny attempts suicide (no no no, we can't have this hot piece of ass off our screens!); or perhaps it's the well overdue exposition of Bree's illicit affair with Karl, which is milked for all it's worth by having Susan be the one that spots them in the act. There are some considerably amusing exchanges between the two friends, perfectly pitched by Hatcher and Cross, and for all the mock fight sequence is a little silly, it's a small component of a rich whole that contains much that is very, very welcome, particularly Susan's acceptance of their relationship, which is probably the most mature thing the character's done in about three years.

There's also Lynette's difficulties at work which, while containing some less than savoury elements (of course Carlos and Gaby would wait until morning to offer their forgiveness to Lynette; naturally, Lynette would run to her lawyers straight away and they'd be round the next day... ack!), work well thanks to the comedic - and dramatic - talents of everyone involved. Felicity Huffman rides a roller coaster of emotion here, while Ricardo Chavira does a surprisingly impressive job of portraying an aggrieved Carlos, a role that could so easily turn into a one-dimensional soap villain in lesser hands. Both families benefit greatly from a mutually inclusive narrative, especially the Solises, whom the crew often seem to have great difficulty writing for. And it's certainly good to see the whole debacle having significant consequences; a quick fix would have been an incredibly easy and convenient story device but instead, it looks like Lynette is actually gainfully unemployed once more.

The only real disappointment here is the continued bastardisation of Katherine Mayfair's character, whose attempted suicide is hopelessly contrived. The idea that she would mouth off to a young child about how duplicitous his mother is is ludicrous enough, but Mike's confrontation with her takes the biscuit, cake and pecan pie. Right, so this clearly disturbed woman turns a knife on herself and asks her former lover to end it all (which is cringe worthy enough, and a complete betrayal of her character) and what does he do? Instead of appearing concerned, or perhaps acknowledging the considerable part he has had to play in getting her to this point (he led her on for months and months, 'thinking of Susan all the time'? What an asshole!), he hurts her even more with indifference. And then she sticks the knife in herself. Desperate cry for attention? Oh sure... but more on the part of the writers than the character, who are clearly clamouring for their place at the water cooler, thinking up of the most 'controversial' and 'shocking' developments that they can without really giving a toss about whether they make any sense. And next week's pre-Christmas 'finale' looks set to continue the trend...

While the painstaking destruction of Katherine's character is frustrating as hell, 'Would I Think of Suicide?' remains a good episode, buoyed by a series of refreshingly fast paced, humorous and interesting narratives for the central characters that are largely bereft of contrivance. Here's hoping 'Boom Crunch' can defy the insurmountable odds and repeat its success. 8.2