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Desperate Housewives season 4

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Desperate Housewives Season 4
Season 4
No. of episodes16
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseSeptember 30, 2007 –
May 18, 2008
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 3
Next →
Season 5
List of episodes

This article contains a summary of the fourth season of the American dramedy television series Desperate Housewives. The first episode aired on ABC on September 30 2007, and one special "Secrets and Lies", which aired September 23.[1]

This season was affected by the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, which halted production after the tenth episode of the season. Initial plans called for a hiatus to begin in December 2007 following the ninth episode of the season ("Something's Coming") and to hold the tenth episode ("Welcome to Kanagawa") until further episodes were produced. Instead, that episode debuted on January 6, 2008, with encores of fourth season episodes shown during the hiatus.

The season's eleventh episode, entitled "Sunday", aired in the United States and Canada on April 13, 2008, more than three months since the last original episode. A total of seventeen episodes — fifteen regular episodes, plus a two-hour season finale on May 18[2] — are expected to complete the fourth season[3], the shortest season to date.

Episodes have been broadcast in Canada on CTV concurrently with the U.S. broadcasts. Outside the U.S. and Canada, episodes began airing internationally in Poland in October, in Turkey and Italy in December, and in Ireland, South Africa and the Arab World throughout January. The season debuted in central Europe and Latin America by mid-February of 2008. In the United Kingdom, the season premiered on March 26,2008 on Channel 4. If the strike had not have taken place, the season would have began on January 9.

Cast

Starring

Also starring

Notable guest stars

Production

Joe Keenan, one of the three executive producers during the third season, as well as writer of the critically acclaimed season episode "Bang", will not be returning for season four as executive producer, but as consulting producer.[4] Replacing Keenan, and joining Marc Cherry and George W. Perkins as executive producers, is season three writer and co-executive producer Bob Daily, whose previous work include sitcoms Frasier and Out of Practice, as well as cartoon series Rugrats. Keenan will serve as Cherry's second-in-command for the next two years. Also joining as executives producers are writers and former co-executive producers John Pardee and Joey Murphy who have been on the show since its first season.[5]

Production was halted effective November 7, 2007 because of the writer's strike.[6] Beginning January 18, 2008, the series has aired in repeats of fourth season episodes, with its time slot on ABC shifting from Sunday evenings to Friday evenings.[7]

Post-Strike episode reports

Actress Brenda Strong, who, as the dearly departed Mary Alice Young, narrates in each episode, told TV Guide from the Bebe Lingerie Launch Party earlier this week that when the show returns with new episodes, a significant amount of story-time will have passed.

"A lot of storyline got dropped because of [the strike-shortened season], so we're going to consolidate it [into seven episodes]," the actress said, adding that viewers can expect to see some nonstop drama in the upcoming installments. “It will definitely be worth watching because a lot of the juicy stuff will be jam-packed into every episode. You don't want to miss it."

Strong also said that the new episodes will “tie up Season 4 in a nice bow,” so that the show can present fresh storylines in its recently acquired fifth season. [1]

Plot summary

The main mystery this season is about a family returning to Wisteria Lane, after 12 years away. Katherine Mayfair comes to Wisteria Lane from Chicago with her (new) husband, Adam, and her daughter, Dylan. Dylan used to be Julie's best friend, although Dylan now does not remember anything about Julie, or living in Wisteria Lane at all. Katherine is happily reunited with her old friend Susan, although she does not get along at all with Bree. Katherine claims that she returned to Wisteria Lane to take care of her ill aunt Lillian, but private conversations between Katherine and her husband suggest otherwise.

Susan's story

Susan Delfino is finally married to Mike Delfino, but has difficulty in settling down as she fears Mike isn't as happy as he should be. When finding out there is a possibility she has menopause, Susan grows emotional and turns her relationship with Mike to a blatant line. When she is told it isn't menopause but pregnancy she is overjoyed, even though there's an unmentioned possibility the father is Ian Hainsworth. Susan's daughter Julie has difficulty in living with Mike, as both of them clash with their separate opinions. Susan is later told by both Mike and Julie to choose between one of the two, and stick to the decision. Susan asks Bree to see her gynecologist after she says it feels funny seeing Adam, as he's Katherine's husband. Susan is later sexually violated, and her relationship with Bree becomes corrupted. Susan then discovers that Mike is addicted to drugs once again. She meets a student named Barrett. Believing him to be a fantastic child, she sets him up with Julie only to find out he's Mike's drug dealer and throws him out of the house. She then sends Mike to rehab for 30 days in which she is forbidden to make contact with him. Therefore, she becomes dependent on Bree (Marcia Cross) who has been staying with Susan while her house is re-built.

Lynette's story

Lynette Scavo is sick with cancer and is hiding the fact by wearing a wig similar to her hair. No one knows except Tom, her mother Stella, who is staying with the family, and Lynette's sisters. Tom and Stella attempt to convince her that things would be so much easier for her if she told everyone the truth. After losing energy and suffering from fatigue and nausea, she tells everyone the truth. Lynette's cancer disturbs Gabrielle and makes her uncomfortable, as her father had died of cancer. Lynette's issues with Stella continue, meanwhile Stella bakes pot into brownies to get Lynette's nausea settled and her energy back. Despite Lynette's illness, she still wants to seem attractive to Tom and she buys a wig to turn him on but he doesn't feel like making love to a sick person, and Tom's feelings about Lynette's disease come forth. Katherine Mayfair gets on Lynette's nerves when Katherine wants to run for President of their neighborhood and get rid of unsightly things on Wisteria Lane, and Lynette runs against her; she loses the race because of Susan. She later forgave Susan. After killing an opossum that came into their home uninvited (she was really mad at cancer) her doctor pays a house call to let Lynette and her family know that her cancer is gone. Now, the last uninvited thing she needs to rid her house of is her mother. Following a conversation between her three daughters which she overhears, Stella is brokenhearted and leaves without warning. A few days later after constant searching, Lynette arrives home to find her stepfather in her kitchen. Devising a plan to get Stella to return home, Lynette and Glenn (her stepfather) go to the park where Stella asked Glenn to meet her and give her money. After Stella catches Lynette, she appears angry that she was set up. In the mess, Glen reveals to Lynette that he didn't leave Stella because she cheated on him, but because he is gay. The situation ends with Stella agreeing to live at Glenn's home, due to a spare bedroom in the home. Lynette's family hides in Karen McCluskey's house during the tornado. However, her house gets destroyed while Lynette and Karen are not inside the house during the tornado, and the two escape the collapse. It is revealed that Ida Greenberg got all of Lynette's family under the stairs and they survived. Ida, however, died as there was not enough room under the stairs. She had to sit in a corner, and was killed when the house collapsed in.

Bree's Story

Bree Hodge is pretending to be pregnant with Danielle's baby so she can adopt and raise it without anyone knowing it's Danielle's. She faces some obstacles along the way, with an elderly woman wanting to touch her belly and a BBQ fork being stabbed into her false belly. Orson tells her that he thinks they should throw in the towel, but Bree refuses to do that. Bree's ex-mother-in-law finds out about Bree's faux pregnancy but promises to keep her secret. Danielle goes into labor at Bob and Lee's Halloween party while she's dressed as Bree, and Adam Mayfair, who promises to not tell anyone, delivers little Benjamin Hodge. Danielle decides to let Bree raise her baby and leaves Fairview, probably to go to college. Bree then gets Benjamin circumcised against Orson's wishes. Following the circumcision, Bree attempts to raise Benjamin in what is known as a family bed, where she has Benjamin sleep in bed with Orson and herself. After a confrontation at the dinner table, Orson begins sleeping on the couch while Andrew moves out having been labeled a "mistake". Shortly after, Bree goes to visit Andrew only to finally realize that her son has become a man and matured greatly.

Gabrielle's Story

Gabrielle Lang is in an unhappy marriage with Victor. She wants to get back with Carlos, but, although he wants her as well, he feels responsible for Edie, who faked a suicide attempt to win Carlos back. She discovers his hidden assets in an offshore bank account and uses this to blackmail him into continuing their relationship. Edie gets crabs from a tanning bed that she transmits to Carlos, which he gives to Gabrielle, who eventually gives them to Victor. Edie puts the pieces together and realizes what's going on. She hires a private investegator and the PI finds Carlos with Gabrielle in a liplock. Edie shows these pictures to Victor in hopes of him doing something awful to Carlos. On a boat trip out to sea Victor confronts Gabrielle about the affair and pulls a black bag out of a cabinet. Fearing the bag contained a gun, Gabrielle hit him over the head with an oar, knocking him overboard. She meets up with Carlos back on shore and the two realize there was no weapon in the bag - only a sweater. They go back into the water and find Victor and pull him back onto the boat. Victor and Carlos then get into a fist fight. Just as Victor is about to kill Carlos with a knife, Gabrielle, once again, knocks him overboard with an oar. This time, Victor is nowhere to be found. Gabrielle and Carlos assume Victor is dead and return to shore and send the boat back into the ocean by itself, attempting to make Victor's death appear as accidental - and not involving them. Two detectives appear at Gabrielle's home questioning her about Victor's whereabouts and following a conversation with Carlos, and an "anonymous" phone call by Edie, Victor is found alive but unconscious on shore and brought to the hospital. Leaving Carlos drugged at her home, Gabrielle arrives at the hospital with the two detectives only for Victor to reveal he remembers nothing. However, after leading the detectives out, Victor reveals he does remember everything, but does not reveal what he will do with the information. He is eventually killed by a fence picket shoved through his stomach during the tornado which had hit Wisteria Lane. Gabrielle finds out at Victor's funeral that she will not be getting a cent from his will because he knew about the affair. Having gone blind and losing all his offshore money, Carlos did not tell Gabrielle about his blindness until she heard it from Edie.

Ratings

United States

Episode number
Production number 		Title Original airing Rating Share Total viewers (in US) Rank per week Running average Season average
71
4-01		 Now You Know 30 September 2007 12.2 18 19.317m #4 19.317m
12.2/18		 18.821m
13.3/17
#4
72
4-02		 Smiles of a Summer Night 7 October 2007 11.7 17 17.817m #5 18.567m
12/18
73
4-03		 The Game 14 October 2007 11.8 18 18.892m #4 18.730m
11.9/18
74
4-04		 If There's Anything I Can't Stand 21 October 2007 11.5 17 18.214m #5 18.472m
11.7/18
75
4-05		 Art Isn't Easy 28 October 2007 11.8 17 18.280m #4 18.376m
11.8/18
76
4-06		 Now I Know, Don't Be Scared 4 November 2007 11.8 18 18.579m #6 18.478m
11.8/18
77
4-07		 You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover 11 November 2007 11.9 18 18.632m #5 18.555m
11.9/18
78
4-08		 Distant Past 25 November 2007 11.6[8] 17[8] 18.638m #4 18.597m
11.8/18
79
4-09		 Something's Coming 2 December 2007 12.7[9] 18[9] 20.650m #3 19.965m
12.3/18
80
4-10		 Welcome to Kanagawa 6 January 2008 12.1 18 20.320m #2 20.142m
12.2/18
81
4-11		 Sunday 13 April 2008 10.1 15 16.371m #8[10] 18.257m
13.3/17

United Kingdom

Episode number Title Original airing on Channel 4 Time of Airing on Channel 4 Original airing on E4 Time of airing on E4 Position in Channel 4's ratings Position in E4 and E4+1's ratings Total viewers
71 Now You Know 26 March 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 30 March 9.00pm-10.00pm 3.4m[11] Unknown Unknown
72 Smiles of a Summer Night 2 April 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 30 March 10.00pm-11.00pm 2.4m 3.4m 5.8m
73 The Game 9 April 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 6 April 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 2.4m Unknown Unknown
74 If There's Anything I Can't Stand 16 April 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 13 April 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 2.0m 4.5m 6.5m
75 Art Isn't Easy 23 April 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 20 April 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
76 Now I Know, Don't Be Scared 30 April 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 27 April 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
77 You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover 7 May 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 4 May 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
78 Distant Past 14 May 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 11 May 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
79 Something's Coming 21 May 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm 18 May 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
80 Welcome to Kanagawa 28 May 2008 10.30pm-11.30pm 25 May 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
81 Sunday 4 June 2008 9.00pm-10.00pm 1 June 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
82 In Buddy's Eyes 11 June 2008 9.00pm-10.00pm 8 June 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
83 Hello, Little Girl 18 June 2008 9.00pm-10.00pm 15 June 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
84 Season 4 Episode 14 25 June 2008 9.00pm-10.00pm 22 June 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
85 Season 4 Episode 15 2 July 2008 9.00pm-10.00pm 29 June 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
86 Season 4 Episode 16 9 July 2008 8.30pm-9.30pm 6 July 2008 10.00pm-11.00pm Unknown Unknown Unknown
87 Season 4 Episode 17 (season Finale) 9 July 2008 9.30pm-10.30pm 6 July 2008 11.00pm-12.00am Unknown Unknown Unknown

* Note 1: All episodes after Hello, Little Girl Are unnamed as their names have not been published as off 30 March 2008

* Note 2: All episodes after Something's Coming have been given estimated start and finish times because of the ninth series of Big Brother and this will have some sort of effect. That show normally is an hour and a half on the premiere of each season which is normally the last Wednesday of may. (This was noticeable last year as it meant that episode Getting Married Today started at 10.25pm on May 30 2007 instead of the usual 10.00pm slot.) Normally when Desperate Housewives isn't on, Big Brother normally fills the 10.00pm Wednesday slot until the last week of August. Sometimes due to special shows, That show has been divided into two parts, one starting at 8.00pm and the other at 10.00pm. It is unknown if this will acommodate around the Two-Part Season Finale, or force the two part season finale to be shown over a two week period, unlike everywhere else.

Australia

Airing Mondays at 8.30 on the Seven Network; the show has remained very popular in the market of Melbourne and has been regaining momentum in Perth. The other markets - of particular note Sydney; have seen 'so so' audiences with the fourth season thus far. The first five episodes have aired oposite CSI on the Nine Network - which has had the better of the Housewives. However following the easter break in Australia Nine is moving CSI to Sundays, replacing it with Australian drama series Sea Patrol.

Episode number
Production number 		Title Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth TOTAL WEEKLY
RANK
71
4-01		 Now You Know 358,000 480,000 193,000 109,000 131,000 1,271,000 19
72
4-02		 Smiles of a Summer Night 373,000 414,000 185,000 119,000 146,000 1,237,000 20
73
4-03		 The Game 383,000 439,000 211,000 149,000 158,000 1,340,000 13
74
4-04		 If There's Anything I Can't Stand 375,000 432,000 198,000 125,000 172,000 1,302,000 13
75
4-05		 Art Isn't Easy 357,000 402,000 185,000 121,000 181,000 1,245,000 14
76
4-06		 Now I Know, Don't Be Scared 306,000 374,000 182,000 120,000 149,000 1,132,000 30

Season Debuts

Date Country Channel Time
30 September 2007 USA ABC 9.00pm/8.00pmc
30 September 2007 Canada CTV 9.00pm/8.00pmc
15 October 2007 Poland n (Poland) Video On Demand
4 December 2007 Turkey CNBC-e (cable TV) Tuesdays 9:00pm
5 December 2007 Italy FOXlife (Sky Italia - SAT TV) 9.00pm
7 January 2008 Arab World Showtime Arabia 9.00pm
8 January 2008 Ireland RTÉ Two 9.50pm
31 January 2008 South Africa M-Net 8:30pm
4 February 2008 New Zealand TV 2 8.30pm
11 February 2008 Switzerland SF2 8.00pm
11 February 2008 Austria ORF1 9.00pm
11 February 2008 Australia Seven Mondays 8.30pm
13 February 2008 Germany Pro7 8.15pm
13 February 2008 Latin America Sony Entertainment Television This Date was decided to bring the show in a non-stop season because it is scheduled that the 10th Episode will air on Late April and to have the opportunity to work with the subtitles for the new episodes. 10.00pm
25 March 2008 Malaysia 8TV 10:30pm
14 February 2008 Poland FOXlife 9:00pm
08 January 2008 Portugal Fox Life Tuesday's 9:00pm (local time)
19 February 2008 Norway TV 2 9.45pm
10 March 2008 Finland Nelonen Mondays 9.00pm
26 March 2008 United Kingdom Channel 4 10.00pm- initial terrestrial airing. Sunday's will be repeating episodes from 11.45pm
30 March 2008 United Kingdom E4 9.00pm (repeat) Channel 4's next episode follows at 10.00pm

(This is a sneak peek for UK viewers who have digital television. They can view the next episode a week before its initial airing on C4). Desperate Housewives will be part of "Sunday Ruddy Sunday" airing 2 episodes each Sunday on E4 from 9pm which is a repeat and 10pm which is a brand new episode,which then leads into new episodes of the new series of Brothers and Sisters at 11.00pm. When Dirty Sexy Money finishes in May, it's likely that E4 will be onto a ratings winner, with the new series of Ugly Betty re-commencing with the 13th episode of its second season straight after Desperate Housewives. On E4+1 all showing times are just exactly one hour after E4 have shown them.

27 March Wales S4C 2.20am

(Airs later on S4C due to Welsh programming airing in prime time. Analogue only, digital Welsh homes can watch C4.) Episodes will initially have a late-night "first-run" and will be dubbed into Welsh. Episodes will be repeated the next night at 10.30pm-11.30pm

25 April 2008 Hungary TV2 9.00 pm
Fall 2008 Poland Polsat (free-TV premiere) TBA
Fall 2008 Lithuania TV3 10.00pm
Summer or Fall 2009 Serbia RTV Pink TBA
Fall 2008 France Canal + 8.50pm
Summer 2009 France M6 8.55pm

Episodes

Most Recent Episode Name
Production 		Country Channel Date Time Next Episode Next Date Next Time
Sunday United States of America ABC April 13, 2008 9pm/8c In Buddy's Eyes April 20, 2008 10pm/9c
Sunday Canada CTV April 13, 2008 9pm/8c In Buddy's Eyes April 20, 2008 10pm/9c
Sunday Ireland RTÉ Two April 15, 2008 9.55pm In Buddy's Eyes 22 April, 2008 9.55pm
Welcome to Kanagawa South Africa MNET 3 April, 2008 20.30 Sunday 17 April, 2008 20.30
If There's Anything I Can't Stand United Kingdom Channel 4 April 16, 2008 10.00pm Art Isn't Easy April 23, 2008 10.00pm
If There's Anything I Can't Stand United Kingdom E4 April 13, 2007 10.00pm Art Isn't Easy April 20, 2008 10.00pm
The Game Wales S4C April 10, 2007 10.30pm If There's Anything I Can't Stand April 17, 2008 10.30pm
Distant Past Australia Seven Network April 14, 2008 8.30pm Something's Coming April 21, 2008 8.30pm
Something's Coming New Zealand TV 2 April 7, 2008 8.30pm Welcome to Kanagawa April 28, 2008 8.30pm
Art Isn't Easy Sweden Kanal 5 Unknown date, 2007 Now I Know, Don't Be Scared April 15, 2008 9.00pm
Something's Coming Germany Pro7 April 16, 2008 8.15pm Welcome to Kanagawa Fall 2008

References

  1. ^ ABC Announces Fall Premiere Dates, The Futon Critic, July 25, 2007
  2. ^ ABC Medianet
  3. ^ The Watcher - All TV, all the time | Chicago Tribune | Blog
  4. ^ Schneider, Michael & Adalian, Josef: Keenan not 'Desperate' any more, Variety Magazine, March 29, 2007
  5. ^ Development Update: Week of June 11-15, The Futon Critic, June 15, 2007
  6. ^ 'Housewives,' 'Office' stopped by strike - CNN.com
  7. ^ Daily News Releases
  8. ^ a b NBC Sunday win is patriot-ic Zap2it Retrieved 2007-12-24
  9. ^ a b Sunday wind blows ABC's way Zap2it Retrieved 2007-12-24
  10. ^ http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/04/15/nielsens-most-watched-shows-broadcast-networks-2/3346
  11. ^ http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/weekreports.cfm?report=weeklyterrestrial&RequestTimeout=500
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