Liaisons (Desperate Housewives)

"Liaisons (Desperate Housewives)"

"Liaisons" is the 64th episode of the ABC television series, Desperate Housewives. It was also the eighteenth episode of the show's third season. The episode was written by Jenna Bans and Alexandra Cunningham and directed by David Grossman. It aired on April 15, 2007.

Guest Starring

• John Slattery as Victor Lang
• Jake Cherry as Travers McLain
• Dougray Scott as Ian Hainsworth
• Jason Gedrick as Rick Coletti
• Kathryn Joosten as Karen McCluskey
• Rachel Fox as Kayla Scavo
• Corey Mendell Parker as doctor
• Kenneth Kimmins as Mayor Johnson
• Mel Fair as moderator
• Kylie Sparks as Kim
• Pat Asanti as Arnold
• Pat Crawford Brown as Ida Greenberg
• Michael Guarnera as Toby
• Thomas Crawford as campaign rally introducer
• Ron Rogge as middle-aged man
• John Harnagel as Gilbert McCluskey
• Wayne Lopez as Clyde
• Joy Jolise as Mayor Johnson campaign supporter

Plot

The episode opens with Mary Alice describing the lonely ones of Wisteria Lane; Ida Greenberg talking to her plants, Kayla whispering secrets to her dog, a neighbour shouting at the TV, and Mrs. McCluskey talking to her husband, as if he were still alive, there with her.

Carlos and Edie awaken after having sex, both feeling awkward at how bad the sex was between them. Edie makes an excuse and tries to leave as early as she can. Later that day, Travers asks Edie if she was bad in bed, because he heard Carlos telling someone that on the phone. Edie confronts him and they reveal how bad they thought one another was, and they have sex for a second time. Things go worse and both Edie and Carlos have to go to the hospital when they sustain injuries. They agree to stay friends. Travers, Edie and Carlos spend the day together at the Zoo and when looking at pictures, they comment on how they look like a good family. They share an emotional moment together and Carlos kisses Edie, and they finally have good sex with each other, and their relationship hit a new level.

Gabrielle and Victor have another date together, and Gabrielle refuses to have sex with him when Victor brings it up. When at his rally for mayor, she notices how the females around look at Victor, so she decides to have sex with him, in the back of his limousine. Gabby becomes obsessed and offended when Victor doesn't call within 24 hours. She turns to her friends for help and Edie suggests making him jealous. She takes a man to Victor's rally and kisses him in front of him, making him jealous and distracted from the rally. He then calls Gabby a number of times but refuses to answer, and when he visits her house, he confesses he's in love with her.

Ian becomes paranoid that Mike's following them when he runs into him at the orange stand at the market. Mike suggests Ian should move to the city if he's sick of seeing Mike all the time, as Fairview is a small town, and Ian pitches in a suggestion to Susan of moving to London while driving home. Susan becomes distracted from driving and swerves to avoid hitting a deer. This causes the car to go off the road and flip over into the lake. Both Ian and Susan are fine, but when saying they have to swim to shore, Ian reveals he can't swim. Mike's truck pulls up and he pulls them out, saving both of their lives, leaving Ian feeling emasculated. That night, Susan agrees to move to London with Ian but when Ian spots a thank you gift to Mike from Susan, he becomes paranoid again. She realises he only wants to move to keep her away from Mike and storms out, taking the thank you gift with her to Mikes. Mike realises something isn't right and asks if she's okay. When she goes to explain, he kisses her, and Susan runs back to her house. Ian is waiting for her and apologises for his paranoid behaviour, saying it won't happen again.

Meanwhile, Lynette feels under pressure, as with Tom's back injury, she's forced to manage the Pizzeria on her own. Mrs McClusky baby-sits Tom and the kids while she's out at work desperately trying to find a good assistant manager for the restaurant. All applicants seem useless until Rick, who previously worked at a 4-star restaurant, comes along. Lynette tells Tom of his expertise in food but when Tom learns Rick is an ex-cocaine addict, he tells her to keep looking. Tom becomes a burden for Mrs McClusky and she takes the kids to the pizzeria, telling Lynette she quits. When dealing with the kids being at the Pizzeria and a rude complaining customer, Lynette says she can't do it and breaks down in tears. Luckily, Rick is there to help and she gives him the job of assistant manager. Tom phones Mrs McCluskey and apologises for his behavior, and she accepts, and when Mary Alice closes the episode with the theme of passion, we see the body of Mrs McCluskey's husband lying at the bottom of her freezer in the basement.

Quotes

• Travers: What does 'Bad in Bed' mean?.
  Edie: Well it means that you're not good at making... your bed. Mommy doesn't like people saying she can't make a bed because, trust me, nobody makes a bed as good as your mommy.
  Travers: If you want, I can tell people you're good in bed.

• Susan: Oh, my god. Mike, you saved our lives.......and our cheese! Ian, can you believe it? Mike saved our cheese!
  Ian: Yes, he's quite the hero.

• Gabrielle: (to Victor) Well, you've laid out your positions. Don't you want to get acquainted with mine?

• Andrew: What was wrong with that guy?
  Lynette: He kept asking what we do with the food that people don't eat.
  Andrew: So, he's a fat loser. Who do you expect to get for $8.50 an hour?
  Lynette: That's what we pay you and you seem happy enough.
  Andrew: That's cause I'm doing the beer delivery guy.

• Carlos: I'm sorry, I was on the phone to my cousin in Tucson and we always trade bad date stories.
  Edie: And to think I went out of my way to spare your feelings.
  Carlos: What's that supposed to mean?
  Edie: You think you were bored? I've had more thrills leaning up against my dryer.

• Edie: No man respects an easy conquest. I make all my men wait.
  Susan: It's true, she has a little room with magazines and an aquarium.
  Edie: I have so missed our friendship.

Notes

• This episode had 16.1 million viewers on its original airing.
• Although credited, Bree Hodge (Marcia Cross), Julie Mayer (Andrea Bowen), Orson Hodge (Kyle MacLachlan), and Danielle Van De Kamp (Joy Lauren) do not appear in this episode.
• Brent Kinsman and Shane Kinsman submitted this episode for consideration on their behalf in the category of “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series” at the 2007 Emmy Awards.

Title reference

• The episode title, Liaisons is a song taken from the Stephen Sondheim musical, A Little Night Music, the third episode to be named after songs from this musical.

International Titles

• German: Leidenschaftlich (Passionate)
• Italian: Liaisons
• Español: Relaciones (Relationships)
• French: Madame est desservie (Who's not the boss)
• Hungarian: Viszonyok (Liaisons)
• Polish: Kłamstwa i kłamstewka (Lies And Some White, Too)