Bree Van de Kamp
| Bree Hodge | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desperate Housewives character | |||||||||||||||
| File:Bree Hodge.jpg Marcia Cross as Bree Hodge | |||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Marcia Cross | ||||||||||||||
| First appearance | Pilot (episode 1.01) | ||||||||||||||
| Created by | Marc Cherry | ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Bree Hodge (née Mason previously Van de Kamp ) is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, played by Marcia Cross. She is professionally known as Bree Van de Kamp. Actress Marcia Cross was nominated from 2005 to 2007 for the Golden Globes in the category Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy and the Emmy Awards in 2005 for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Character profile
Born in December 1962 as Marcia Cross, she is a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (she is Presbyterian), the conservative Republican widow of Rex Van de Kamp, recently seperated wife of Orson Hodge as of 5/16/10 ,and one of five main characters in the series Desperate Housewives.
Bree is recognized for her perfectionist attitude and work ethic, which at times borders on neurosis and Obsessive–compulsive disorder. While the writers have shied away from officially diagnosing the character as suffering from Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder, the character herself refers to her “quirks” in terms of anal retentiveness and not obsessive-compulsiveness.
Bree's perfectionism may stem from when she was very young and cleaned her mothers blood off the road outside her house after she was in a hit and run. She said that once everything was spotless she felt much better.
Bree is known for her homemaking skills on the level of Martha Stewart, particularly her gourmet meals, breakfast treats and pineapple bran muffins. She also is well-versed in regards to firearm training; she owns four guns and is a card-carrying member of the National Rifle Association.
Overview
Season One
Bree Van de Kamp is introduced in season one as the perfect wife and mother. However, it becomes apparent that her emotional coldness and obsession with appearance mean her family resent her. She insists she and Rex have marriage guidance counselling when he wants a divorce and conceals her son Andrew's involvement in a hit-and-run accident to protect him. She is determined to keep her family together until she discovers that Rex regularly visits a prostitute when he is admitted to hospital, following a heart attack. Furious at this and the identity of the prostitute Rex has been seeing, she tells Rex he can have a divorce but is "persuaded" to allow him to return to the family home by Andrew and Danielle.
Initially wanting to hurt Rex, Bree starts dating local pharmacist, George Williams, but ends things when she and Rex agree to give their marriage another chance. She and George agree to be just friends and wanting to stop Rex visiting prostitutes, she reluctantly takes part in S&M scenarios with Rex.
Bree is further horrified to learn that Andrew is gay. Worried about his soul, (Bree is a devout Christian), she attempts to "correct" this but only alienates him further. Bree continues confiding George about her family problems. Rex makes it clear to George that Bree will be staying with him so he begins tampering with Rex's medication. This is uncovered when Rex has a 2nd heart attack. Subsequent tests mean the doctors discover that his medication was tampered with. Believing Bree was responsible, he writes a note, forgiving her and dies, leaving Bree devastated.
Season Two
In Season 2, Bree's mother-in-law, Phyllis, visits for her son's funeral. She annoys Bree with her constant sniping and excessive public displays of grief that Bree refuses to let her attend Rex's funeral but Andrew persuades her. The final straw, however, is when she discovers Phyllis has reported her friendship with George to the company handling Rex's life insurance. Bree sends Phyllis home but is questioned by the police about meddling with Rex's medication. She is soon cleared and gets engaged to George. He tries rushing her into marrying him quickly and even having more children but when George loses his temper with an old school friend of Bree's, she ends their relationship. He tries blackmailing her into a reconcilation by telling her that he has taken some pills and admits killing Rex. Devastated, Bree says that she has called an ambulance and it will be there soon but hasn't. She watches him die and tells Andrew, who tries blackmailing her for his trust fund.
Events with Rex, George and Andrew take their toll and she starts drinking heavily, realizing she has a problem when she loses Lynette's children when she passes out while babysitting. In denial, but not wanting Andrew to get his trust fund early, Bree joins AA but only takes it seriously after passing out in a shop changing room, not waking up until late that night. Her AA sponsor, Peter, and a security guard let her out but wanting to distract herself from her alcoholism leads to a brief relationship. However, she dumps him and throws Andrew out after discovering that they slept together and in her bed.
Danielle, meanwhile, starts dating Matthew Applewhite and moves out to be with him. Unfortunately Matthew's mother, Betty Applewhite, and Bree realize Matthew murdered an ex-girlfriend, Melanie Foster, and rush to Bree's house to confront them. Bree was in a psychiatric unit but they wouldn't let her leave voluntarily so she escaped and got home to find Matthew and Danielle demanding money. Bree confronts him about Melanie and refuses to let them leave so he threatened to shoot her but the police shot him first. Betty called them, leaving Bree to console Danielle.
Season Three
Season three sees Bree Van de Kamp marry Orson Hodge after a six-month relationship, but their marriage is troubled by the belief that Orson physically abused his first wife, Alma, and murdered her. Shortly after the wedding, Orson persuades Andrew to come home and they reconcile.
However, the arrival of Orson's mother, Gloria, and Alma's return, cause more trouble. They drug and rape Orson but Bree intervenes, learning that Gloria murdered Orson's mistress, Monique Poulier, so he would stay with Alma. Gloria tries murdering Bree in the bathtub and to make it look like suicide but Orson intervenes. When realising that Alma is dead after falling from the roof of her house, she has a severe stroke.
Bree is not in episodes 3.16 to 3.22 as she is on honeymoon with Orson and Danielle. Bree returns for Gabrielle and Victor's wedding, heavily pregnant, or so it seems
Season Four
In season four, Bree and Orson struggle to make people think she is pregnant but is dismayed by the number of people who want to feel the baby move. Phyllis, Rex’s mother, discovers Bree’s pregnancy hoax and tries convincing Danielle to raise the child herself. Bree and Orson, however, bribe Danielle to give them the baby by offering to send her to college and buy her a convertible. Danielle has a baby boy and gives him to Bree, who names him Benjamin Tyson Hodge (surname later changed to Katz) and agrees that Bree and Orson will raise him.
Bree develops a rivalry with new neighbour, Katherine Mayfair. Bree and Katherine have quite a lot in common, leading to a series of feuds before eventually becoming friends and go into business together, catering dinner parties.
After a tornado damages Bree’s house, she, Orson and Benjamin stay with Susan and Orson admits being responsible for the accident that put Mike in a coma. Horrified, Bree kicks him out and during their separation, Edie Britt comes onto Orson, leading to a feud between her and Bree as she discovers Benjamin is her great-nephew and attempts to blackmail Bree. Bree, however, tells the other housewives the truth so they all snub Edie.
In the season finale, Katherine saves Bree’s life by telling her ex-husband, Wayne, her secrets. When Katherine kills Wayne, Bree and the other housewives tell the police that Katherine was terrified of a stalker so she doesn't go to prison.
When the events of the series shift ahead by five years in the fourth season finale, it is revealed that Bree is now a famous cookbook author and her son, Andrew, works with her as her assistant. Bree and Orson have evidently worked out their problems and are still together.
Season Five
The fifth season opens with Bree just having published her own cookbook, and successfully running the catering business. She and Orson reconcile after he went to prison for running over Mike. A flashback sequence revealed that while Bree awaited Orson's release, Danielle returned and took Benjamin, leaving her completely alone. Devastated, Bree relapsed into alcoholism but overcame it, thanks to Katherine.
Bree puts her career first, alienating her friends at times and causing a rift between her and Orson. In revenge, Orson begins stealing - initially to punish people who he feels have been rude and to hurt Bree. Orson agrees to stop stealing but when Bree learns that he was injured while attempting to rob an old woman (which led to Edie Britt's death) and convince people that the old woman is senile, she decides she has had enough. She hires Karl Mayer as her divorce lawyer but Orson discovers her plan, threatening to send her to prison for insurance fraud unless she stays with him. Bree agrees, reluctantly, but meanwhile shares a passionate kiss with Karl.
Season Six
In early season six, Bree is unwilling to sleep with Karl, despite her marriage being strained. Orson, however, is determined to salvage their relationship, commenting that guilt is sometimes necessary for happiness, defending his use of blackmail so she'll stay with him. Bree takes this motto as her own and consummates her affair with Karl.
When Julie is in hospital after being attacked, Bree worries that she will lose Susan's friendship on hearing that Susan would hypothetically no longer talk to a friend who dated Karl. However, Karl's fragility convinces Bree he needs her and she begins falling for him, acknowledging her feelings when they attend the same event and Karl brings another woman. This distracts her from her business and she only realises the extent of Katherine's instability when an event is ruined. Bree dismisses her and, after getting to know new neighbour, Angie Bolen, hires her instead. Meanwhile, Karl's romantic gestures make their affair harder to hide. Suspicious, Orson gets Angie to spy on Bree. She discovers the tryst but confronts Bree, who explains that she connects intellectually with Orson but sexually with Karl, worried that their relationship will only ever be physical, despite his promises to change.
Bree's fears are realised when Susan also finds out about her and Karl. Initially unhappy, they fight but Susan eventually gives them her blessing. In order to get away from Orson, Karl suggests Bree threaten him, which she does - giving him evidence of him breaking his parole and demands a divorce. Stunned, Orson tells Bree that he wouldn't send her to prison for fraud and goes to pack but discovers her affair with Karl. He and Karl fight and Bree tries intervening but the aeroplane crash kills Karl dead and paralyzes Orson. Feeling guilty, Bree insists Orson come home so she can look after him but he is disgusted by her infidelity and takes advantage. Angry with his lack of manners and personal hygiene, Bree hoses him down but stops when he explains how angry he is with the way his life is now. Wanting to help, Bree gets two other disabled men to visit but Orson asks her to let him kill himself, telling her that he wants to die because no one loves him. When asked, Bree can't say the words but seeing Orson trying to drown himself in a friend's pool brings her to her senses. She stops him by telling him how much she loves him and they finally reconcile.
A young man named Sam visits Bree, offering himself as a new assistant. Impressed by Sam's skills, Bree soon promotes him as vice-president, much to Andrew's anger. While visiting Sam's home, Bree is stunned to see a photo of Rex and Sam together. Sam admits Rex was his father - Sam was born before Rex met Bree. Sam spent years watching Bree's family, wondering why Rex chose them over him and after his mother's death, he came to see Bree. Shocked by this, Bree welcomes Sam into her life but finds herself at odds with Andrew, who suspects Sam has an ulterior motive. Sam plots to make Bree fire Andrew, which she does but after she reveals that she and Andrew have a love-and-hate relationship, it's likely that Andrew will return. After she tells Orson about a sabotaged dinner, suspecting Andrew, Orson says Andrew couldn't responsible because it was well planned, making Bree suspect Sam's true intentions. She discovers that Sam's mother is still alive and reveals that Sam found a letter from Rex, offering to take full custody of him. Bree confronts Sam about his lies and he angrily smashes a vase before leaving. She apologizes to Andrew but tells him and Orson she's not firing Sam for fear of how he might react.
In the season finale, Bree does try to fire Sam but he retaliates by revealing he knows how Andrew ran over Carlos' mother years before (a drunken Danielle told him). He threatens to tell the police unless Bree turns over control of the company to him. Bree agrees to do so and then says she feels sorry for Sam for losing his chance to be part of a family and suspects no one will ever truly care for the man. Orson, who had not known of what Andrew did, calls out Bree on the hypocrisy of demanding he go to jail for his hit-and-run of Mike but hide Andrew's crime. He is appalled at Bree for this and announces he's moving out. Bree tells Andrew she now knows Orson was right and is seen about to confess to Gabrielle.
Cultural influences and impact
Bree is spoofed in MADtv's Desperate Housewives parody,[1] in which they mock the character's plastic exterior and demeanor. In a 2006 interview with Charmed Magazine, Michelle Stafford admitted that her character Mandi in Charmed episode "Desperate Housewitches" was almost entirely modeled on Marcia Cross as Bree. Looking at pictures and episodes of Bree to gain a sense of her posture and body language, she laughed, "I'm just mimicking her. I'm just ripping her off."
Trivia
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (November 2008) |
- Bree is based on creator Marc Cherry's own mother, as the entire Van de Kamp family is based on the family in which he grew up. Bree's family was based on Marc Cherry's teen years, while Lynette Scavo's family is based on Marc Cherry's childhood years.[2]
- Bree has been warned thrice not to get married. The first time, she was warned not to marry George Williams by his ex-girlfriend, the second time she was warned by Carolyn Bigsby not to marry Orson Hodge and the third time she was warned by Susan not to marry Karl Mayer.
- Marcia Cross originally auditioned for the role of Mary Alice Young, but Marc Cherry thought she was Bree the minute she walked in.
- Dana Delany, who eventually was cast as Katherine Mayfair, was originally chosen for the role but turned it down.
- Bree and her first husband Rex were both named after the overtly vain characters on two of Marc Cherry's previous failed sitcoms, The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (Bree) and The Crew (Rex).
- Bree is the only character, from the leading four females, not to appear in every episode because of Marcia Cross' maternity leave during Season 3.
- Bree drives a 2003 Saturn LW300 until Rex dies, when she begins to drive his 2005 silver Chrysler 300C. In season five Bree is seen driving a Lexus RX400h. Bree also later begins to drive a 2008 Lexus LS 600h, which she buys to celebrate the success of her new cookbook.
- Both Bree and Orson have been accused of murdering their previous spouses.
- Bree is the only housewife not to have been pregnant throughout the series - although, she did fake a pregnancy to raise her grandson - Benjamin.
- Bree was the first housewife to become a grandmother, followed by Katherine.
- There is a running gag where Bree delivers a basket of homemade muffins to someone, often to new neighbors, but concludes her gesture with informing the recipient that she will need the basket back.
- Bree has a veneer which she has cracked on several occasions according to Orson.
References
- ^ YouTube - MADtv Desperate Housewives Spoof
- ^ "Mother of Desperate Housewives creator featured in season two extras". The Virginian Pilot. September 1, 2006. Retrieved 2009-09-27.