MANHATTAN Ignites

Article originally written for Seat42F.

WGN America is making huge plays these days to elevate itself from ‘superstation’ to full-fledged cable network, including creating their own content. Their first original drama, Salem, is good. Their second, MANHATTAN, which premiered last night, is even better.

Set in Los Alamos, New Mexico, which was unnamed in the 1940s when this story takes place, the series dramatizes the invention of the atomic bomb, with a focus on those who helped design and formulate it, as well as their families. A highly secretive project, the men and women employed by the U.S. government at this isolated site were among the best and the brightest. Their spouses often were not, and were not even trusted with knowing what the employees were desperately working on, racing against Germany to end the war.

MANHATTAN is besieged by the ticking clock. The Americans believed that Hitler was also working on the bomb-to-end-all-bombs, and that he was close to finishing it. Thus, they are spurred on not only by patriotism, which nearly all of them possess in spades, but also by the fear of the consequences should they lose the race. As one character muses when his daughter wants to go to college in New York, to paraphrase, ‘A densely populated city on the East Coast? No way.’

The pilot, “You Always Hurt the One You Love,” introduces us to a lot of characters, but thankfully, it keeps the core cast small enough to handle. There’s: Frank Winter (John Benjamin Hickey, The Big C), a brilliant scientist leading a small team competing with Akley’s (David Harbour, The Newsroom) much bigger, more well-funded one; Frank’s wife, Liza (Olivia Williams, Dollhouse), a botanist with a PhD who isn’t allowed to plant crops in the complex; new recruit Charlie Isaacs (Ashley Zukerman, Rush), who is physically nauseated when the purpose of the place is revealed; and Charlie’s wife, Abby (Rachel Brosnahan, House of Cards), who wants to go home, and will likely get Charlie into trouble.

These four are surrounded by a large group of wonderful players, including Daniel Stern (Home Alone, City Slickers), Josh Cooke (Dexter), Harry Lloyd (Game of Thrones), Eddie Shin (Men of a Certain Age), Michael Chernus (Orange is the New Black), Christopher Denham (Argo), Katja Herbers Alexia Fast (Jack Reacher), Richard Schiff (The West Wing), and Mark Moses (Mad Men), but keeping these two couples at the core helps ground the narrative.

Many issues are brought up and dealt with in MANHATTAN, even when just considering the pilot. There’s the military state, security that may be over the top or could be construed as necessary, depending on your perspective. There’s the political nature of the hierarchy, as Frank finds out when he approaches Oppenheimer (Daniel London, Mildred Pierce) with a better idea than Ackley’s, but is shot down anyway. There is the splintering of marriage when trust is broken, mainly because of the constraints of the job. There is the constant threat that even the best intentions could get one into serious trouble, and rumors and gossip spread quickly. There is the challenge of living in a new environment in the middle of nowhere, a major stressor on those who aren’t in the office at all hours.

Yet, despite the extremely full hour-plus running time, MANHATTAN is not overwhelming. Instead, it presents a complex structure with interesting topics and people, an authentic-seeming look at an important part of history. The moral quandaries of The Manhattan Project are still debated today, so MANHATTAN, besides being an entertaining drama, is also a way for modern people to sort out mixed feelings about it, and also get some historical perspective. I find myself thoroughly engrossed and excited about this series.

MANHATTAN airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on WGN America.

MAD MEN Makes Don "Care"

Article first published as MAD MEN Makes Don "Care" on TheTVKing.

AMC's Mad Men only has a single season left, so one should expect this week's season finale to have more than a few big changes and surprises. One would not be disappointed. In the episode, "In Care Of," there is some serious movement, including in some of the show's biggest arcs.

The thing most shocking is Don's (Jon Hamm) firing from the firm. Well, technically it's a forced indefinite leave of absence, but the intention is clear when the partners ask Don to go and Duck Phillips (Mark Moses) immediately shows up with his replacement. Don, the man who brought the firm most of its success for the past six seasons, is no longer employed by Sterling, Cooper, & Partners.

Is this a mistake or a betrayal? Well, despite all of the business that Don has earned the firm in the past, he has lately been costing them money. Lots of money. And given that Don is only getting worse and worse, from a professional stand point, they have to cut him lose or risk losing the company. It's a no-brainer, as hard as it might be personally for Roger (John Slattery), Cooper (Robert Morse), or Joan (Christina Hendricks) to vote Don out.

The reason for Don's change is because he just can't stand to lie any more. Don's entire life has been clouded in secrecy, and his real name isn't even Don. While a handful of individuals have found out bits and pieces about Don over the years, most of who he is and what goes on in his head is kept hidden. This might be why he is so good at advertising, because he is always selling a version of himself, and now that he's losing that ability, it spills over into other aspects of his life, too.

At the end of "In Care Of," Don takes his kids to visit the whore house where he grew up. Sally (Kiernan Shipka), in particular, is affected, seeing her dad for the first time as a real person. She cannot stand the lies her dad has told,  but seeing how he grew up, begins to feel sorry for him. This could be the beginning of a healing in their fractured relationship.

I don't know what Don will do next, but I think he is better off being true to himself. He could go back into advertising, running his own small firm where he is free to be who he wants to be and reinvent his career. This might be what he needs to find peace and break the cycle of drinking and cheating. A new Don could still be brilliant at his work, but without the baggage that comes with the old Don.

As part of his new start, Don may need to find a new wife. He tries to salvage things with Megan (Jessica Pare) when she walks out of their home, furious at having called off their plans to move to the West Coast. Now that he doesn't have his job, he could follow her, maybe with Sally in tow. But considering he doesn't fill Megan in on the extent of what he is going through in "In Care Of," it's hard to see how she might reconcile with him unless he confesses the depths of his pain and emotion.

Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) also is faced with reinventing himself. His wife, Trudy (Alison Brie), is done with him, and he is assigned to the West Coast office of Sterling, Cooper, & Partners under the leadership of Ted (Kevin Rahm). For Pete, this is the opposite of everything that he wants, but he doesn't realize that until it's too late. Trudy's "Well, now you know" is a great comment on where Pete is, and now perhaps he can seek out the life he wants going forward.

Pete has changed and grown over the last six years. He doesn't go after Bob (James Wolk) when Bob's secrets come out. He doesn't annoy and pester Trudy when he loses her. He accepts the transfer, humbled after losing his spot with Chevy in Detroit. Pete, someone who is very hard to like on Mad Men, may finally be on the path to redemption and happiness.

Meanwhile, Peggy (Elisabeth Moss), someone most viewers like and root for over the years, is at her lowest point, completely at a loss over who she should be. Now done with her long-time boyfriend and abandoned by her married lover, Ted, Peggy is aimless. Her career goals are always her focus, but once she becomes like Don or others that she looks up to, she is where she doesn't want to be, having failed to cherry pick the best parts of her mentors, inheriting their bad traits, as well.

With Don, Pete, and Ted gone from the New York office, though, Peggy has the opportunity to flourish. Her distractions are removed and she can re-focus on what's important. This may be the time for her to step up and be the heart of the agency, landing the big accounts. It will be interesting to see how she turns out.

I really love the glimpse of family "In Care Of" gives us when Roger attends Thanksgiving at Joan's apartment with their son and Bob. I still can't decide if Bob is gay and just a good friend of Joan's, or if there's something romantic between them, but they've formed a bond that has allowed Joan to be healthy enough to permit Roger into his son's life. And Roger, seeing the depths of his mistakes with daughter Margaret (Elizabeth Rice), is ready for a do-over where he can be the right kind of father. This grouping may be unconventional as a unit, but is sweet, and is very beneficial for all of them to be involved in.

More minor characters don't get much story in "In Care Of," and that's OK. Mad Men services quite a few faces on occasion, but the core group is Peggy, Don, Pete, Roger, and Joan. Rizzo (Jay R. Ferguson) has a small part in the beginning, but that's it. However, as we move into the final year, time is limited. As much as fans enjoy all of the supporting players, as long as the series serves its main players well, I think the end will be satisfying.

Mad Men will return next year for its seventh and last season on AMC.

The Killing returns with more mystery

AMC's The Killing returned this past Sunday with two new episodes, "Reflections" and "My Lucky Day." Linden (Mireille Enos) decides to stay in Seattle permanently. Suspicious of Holder (Joel Kinnaman) because of the faked photo, she is soon also betrayed by Lieutenant Oakes (Garry Chalk). So she takes matters into her own hands, and is able to clear Councilman Richmond (Billy Campbell) of any wrong doing. Meanwhile, Holder realizes he has been tricked, but can't get Linden to talk to him, let alone work with him.

Holder and Linden's relationship as partners is such a strong component of season one of The Killing, and they go through so much growth, that it is odd to have them at odds in "Relections" and "My Lucky Day." They are both still investigating Rosie Larsen's (Katie Findlay) murder, but from different angles. While Linden and Holder are quite capable on their own, with all these layers of mystery above them, they need to team up. It's going to take more than one person to blow the lid off of this conspiracy.

Holder is not a bad guy. He cuts corners, and gets a promotion for it. But his part in framing Richmond is not a purposeful action. Holder believes Richmond is guilty at the time. This is not an excuse, of course. He still does something wrong, and it's no wonder that Linden doesn't trust him. But he's not involved in the larger plot, as Linden thinks he is. As soon as she realizes that, the sooner they can get back to working together, and the quicker the case will be solved. But scaring her and busting her door, as he does in "My Lucky Day," is a bad idea, no matter how desperate he is to get Linden back on his side.

But will Holder and Linden, when they inevitably team up again, work within the system, or outside of it? Oakes has been replaced by a new boss (Mark Moses, Desperate Housewives, Mad Men) in "My Lucky Day," who may be even more in the pocket of the bad guys. After all, no shady group would let a key player get knocked out by an honest man. Instead, they likely ask Oakes to step down. Which means, while having access to evidence and witnesses is nice, the two lead detectives may just have to go outside of their jobs to find the truth.

What is The Killing's conspiracy about? How is Rosie Larsen involved? These are questions that still need to be answered. Rosie worked for Richmond, and Richmond is a target of the schemers. But why is Richmond a target? Why do these people hate him so much that they frame him for the murder of a young girl? And is Rosie just a random victim, or someone of importance?

At least Richmond can be knocked off the very full suspect tree. He has an alibi: he was trying to kill himself at the time of Rosie's death. This stems from his grief over his wife, the only major back story that has been revealed about Richmond. Which means that the conspirators' hatred of Richmond could somehow be connected to his romantic history. Too bad he's done cooperating with Linden, making the heart of the matter all the more difficult for her to find.

Richmond spends much of The Killing's premiere recovering in the hospital from a gun shot wound. He is now paralyzed. One has to wonder how this injury and near-death experience will change Richmond. He no longer seems to want to die, and he hasn't said anything about giving up his election. Will he return to work reinvigorated, or is something else going on in his head?

Part of the brilliance of The Killing is that it does not shy away from inner turmoil, nor does it spell everything out for the viewer. Much of Richmond's motivation is murky, at best. Gwen (Kristin Lehman) and Jamie (Eric Ladin) spend much of "Reflections" and "My Luck Day" upset, not doing anything much. It makes their actions, when they do act, more meaningful, and allows fans to try to figure out what is going on in their heads, adding another layer of mystery to this unique crime drama. This makes the structure of The Killing very cool.

Richmond is shot by Belko (Brendan Sexton III) in "Reflections," whose reason for doing so is obvious: he thinks Richmond killed Rosie. Belko then takes his own life while in custody. Belko is a tragic character, to be sure, but he is never a central focus of The Killing. Which means, like Rosie, the impact of his death on the people who love him will be more important to the story than the event itself.

Stan (Brent Sexton) is the one most upset by Belko's passing in "My Lucky Day." Stan has lost his daughter. His wife, Mitch (Michelle Forbes), has gone off by herself. And he is still responsible for raising two boys (Seth Isaac Johnson and Evan Bird), who really need him right now. Between Belko's suicide and Rosie's real killer dropping off her backpack on Stan's stoop, Stan is having a very rough couple of days. He can barely keep himself under control, let alone calm his sons. Sexton is knocking this performance out of the park, with these two hours giving the actor the most meaty material he's had yet.

Which leaves Terry (Jamie Anne Allman), Mitch's sister. She is being a good aunt, staying with Stan to help him take care of her nephews. However, Terry also has a hidden agenda. Why is she really there? Not just out of a desire to help, surely. Every scene she has with Stan is awkward, making things even more intriguing. What is going on?


The Killing has lost none of its suspense or draw. Disappointingly, ratings are down, but hopefully fans will return and get over their silly anger at Rosie's killer not being revealed last season. The show is every bit as good a series as it ever was.

Watch The Killing, Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Please click here to buy The Killing streaming episodes and DVDs. Article first published as TV Review: The Killing - "Reflections; My Lucky Day" on Blogcritics.

Desperate Housewives The Complete Seventh Season out on DVD

     Coming to DVD this Tuesday, August 30th from ABC Studios is Desperate Housewives The Complete Seventh Season. Subtitled "Wild, Wild Westeria Edition," just because, as all of the DH DVDs have 'edition' titles, it contains all twenty-three episodes of the hit dramedy's penultimate season. Getting back to the show's roots, the seventh season returns some characters not seen in quite awhile, and tries valiantly to recapture the original tone. Couples fall in and out of love, and secrets get darker. This DVD set is a must-watch for anyone who hasn't seen the series yet. And like other ABC shows, it is only available on DVD, not Blu-ray.

     As season seven begins, Paul Young (Mark Moses, Mad Men), fresh out of prison, moves back to Wisteria Lane, determined to get even with the neighbors who abandon him after his trial. He brings along a new wife, Beth (Emily Bergl, Southland, Men in Trees), who also has a dark secret of her own. Beth is actually Felicia Tilman's (Harriet Sansom Harris, Frasier) daughter, there to get revenge on Paul, who murders Felicia's sister, Beth's aunt, in season one. As both Paul and Beth try to carry out their plots, emotion gets in the way, and Paul soon finds unexpected compassion from one of his old friends. It's a great throwback to what is arguably the best storyline from the entire series, even though it happened at the very beginning.

     Joining the cast in season seven is the amazing Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) as Renee Perry, an old friend of Lynette's (Felicity Huffman) who moves to town. Renee stirs up trouble and shakes up the dynamic of the housewives in deliciously interesting ways. Williams manages to hold her own against the long-time stars, and actually carves herself a nice little niche that she will sadly get to occupy only one more year, before the series goes dark forever.

     Also appearing in an arc throughout much of season seven is Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills, 90210 and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) as Keith, a much younger love interest for Bree (Marcia Cross) after Orson (Kyle MacLachlan) finally moves out. MacLachlan is missed, but Green is also great, in a totally new-flavor way. John Schneider (Smallville, Dukes of Hazard) plays Keith's dad, who takes an interest in Bree, too, a more age appropriate, albeit wrong, choice. Both are gone by season's end, but then Jonathan Cake comes along as Chuck Vance, Bree's newest love interest, so it's safe to assume that Bree's bed won't remain empty for long.

     The seventh season of Desperate Housewives ends with quite the cliffhanger, and a beautiful set up for the final season. All of the housewives, and one of the men, are involved in a murder and the cover up of said murder. For those who haven't seen the episode, I won't spoil the twist with too many details, but needless to say, their actions are not evil. But this does set up a very intriguing final season plot where the four women have to band together as never before to protect each other and stay out of prison. Making matters even more complicated, Bree's new guy, Chuck, is a homicide detective. Talk about a conflict of interest!

     Of course, the real soul of Desperate Housewives is provided by the four main women, all of whom undergo major upheavals in their lives in season seven prior to the awesome finale. Bree not only searches for a new man, but also helps son Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom) deal with the alcoholism he inherited from her. Susan (Teri Hatcher) faces her own mortality. She and Mike (James Denton) also face money problems, and have to temporarily move off of Wisteria Lane. While Mike goes out of town to find work, Susan becomes a sexy online cleaning lady for her landlord, Maxine (Lainie Kazan, My Big Fat Greek Wedding). Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) discovers her and Carlos's (Ricardo Chavira) eldest daughter, Juanita (Madison De La Garza), was switched at birth in the hospital, and their biological child is being raised by illegal immigrants who must flee authorities. It's an Emmy-worthy performance for Longoria, though she is not nominated.

     Lynette faces the possible end of her very long marriage to Tom (Doug Savant), the most stable relationship on the series, up until now. This is a very sad state of affairs. While Mike and Susan have had extremely rocky patches over the years, and Gabi and Carlos even divorce for a time, Lynette and Tom have always been rock solid. With that foundation crumbling, and the threat of a permanent divorce looming, it's going to take much effort to come back from the brink. Given the final season status, a reconciliation would seem to be a no-brainer. But seeing how bad things are as season seven ends, it won't be an easy fix, either.

     On Desperate Housewives The Complete Seventh Season, there are an average number of bonus features for an ABC release, but they are mostly worthwhile extras. Twelve deleted scenes are interesting, but don't add much. Most are from the episode "Assassins." More than four minutes of bloopers seem like too much, yet they are pretty entertaining. A five-minute feature called "Desperate for Trivia" finds the four main women, their three steady men, and Mark Moses answering trivia questions pertaining to all seven seasons of the show. It's hilarious to see who knows what. For instance, did you know that the episode titles in Desperate Housewives are all Stephen Sondheim references? Ricardo Chavira does! Though it's also easy to understand how just being on a series doesn't mean you retain every intimate detail.

     The best bonus feature is "Growing Up On Wisteria Lane." In it, a number of the child actors, especially those who grew up on the series and were never recast, talk about what it's like to be on the set. Some of the adults also provide insight about working with these particular kids. It's a poignant retrospective, appropriate with the end so close. It's also touching that the children, who are forgotten about from time to time, get their very own ten minutes of focus among so few other features. A very worthy addition!

     Make sure you check out Desperate Housewives The Complete Seventh Season, on sale this Tuesday, August 30th.


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     To buy Desperate Housewives DVDs or streaming episodes, please click here.

Article first published as DVD Review: Desperate Housewives The Complete Seventh Season on Blogcritics.

Desperate Housewives - "And Lots of Security...; Come On Over for Dinner"

     Seven seasons in, ABC's Desperate Housewives doesn't need the big finale build up. In fact, despite the fact that the season finale is billed as a two hour special event, unlike in the past, both hours are separate episodes, with their own arcs and stories. In the first, "And Lots of Security...," the Paul Young (Mark Moses) / Felicia Tillman (Harriet Sansom Harris) feud is resolved once and for all. In the second, "Come On Over for Dinner," a new intrigue begins after Carlos (Ricardo Chavira) kills Gaby's (Eva Longoria) sexually abusive stepfather, Alejandro (Tony Plana, Ugly Betty), and Bree (Marcia Cross), Susan (Teri Hatcher), and Lynette (Felicity Huffman) help him cover it up.

     After seven seasons and various murders and secrets, it is fitting that Desperate Housewives moves into what will likely be its final season with all of the main women engaged in a cover up together. It is a justified murder, done in the name of protecting an innocent woman from her long-time tormentor. While police should have been called immediately, that would take away from a concept that has been ripe for quite awhile, and thus, it is time for it to happen. This will cement their deep friendship, as well as right things between Carlos and Bree, who have not been on good terms lately. It will be interesting to see if, one by one, all of the other neighbors eventually become complicit, or the secret will stay confined to five individuals. Both possibilities could be good.

     There is little doubt none of the five will break, but that doesn't mean there won't be an investigation. Plenty of the neighbors have to have seen Alejandro sneaking around, and there will be evidence that leads back to Carlos and Gaby. The question is, is this a good enough mystery to sustain a full season of plot, or will it be one of those stories gone, then quickly forgotten?

     It is not likely to be forgotten because of season seven's themes of the past catching up to people. Paul returns to Wisteria Lane to settle an old score, getting even with the neighbors for their perceived disrespect of him. Felicia follows him to get revenge on Paul killing her sister. Paul tells Susan in the penultimate hour that the past always has a way of coming back, and he ends up confessing to the police for Martha's murder, an event that happened all the way back in season one. It would be folly, just after such a story, to abandon the new arc now, without finding out what the consequences of the housewives' deception are.

     Hopefully, the lead investigator will be Detective Chuck Vance (Jonathan Cake), the recently introduced love interest for Bree. Poor Bree has gone through a couple of husbands and several lovers, but it would be only too appropriate that a happy ending will be out of reach for her because she covers up a murder from the man she is currently seeing. Chuck's presence is what leads the ladies to hide the body in the first place, rather than discussing a more rational plan. Will Bree be able to cope with the stress such an omission can put on a serious relationship?

     It seems that Tom (Doug Savant) and Lynette are finally over. The series's only steady couple who have been together since before day one have found their recent arguments unwinnable, and the pair can barely stand to be in the same room together anymore, let alone spend any time alone. It's a sad, sad end to an era as they separate, and something is profoundly unfair that not one couple on Desperate Housewives manages to go the distance. The only hope is that resolution can be found before divorce is finalized.

     Tom and Lynette's problems have been happening for years, but they've always managed to demonstrate good communication skills and work through whatever happens to them. This time, neither even really try, both choosing to be selfish. Lynette's controlling manner has been a source of contention, but once Tom gets money, he demands more control. She is unwilling to give up even a little. Lynette has trouble with humility, but now, so does Tom, and two egos do not a good marriage make.

    Thankfully, the other couples are as solid as ever. Susan and Mike (James Denton) finally have their home back, and have returned to Wisteria Lane. Susan is past her health issues, and Mike's business seems to be recovering. Gaby and Carlos, too, have found financial and household stability. While neither couple has been married the entire series (Susan spent years wooing Mike, and both couples were divorced for a middle portion of the series), they have been together quite a while. Perhaps monogamy is not a total bust.

     What remains to be seen is if Bree will find a romantic happy ending, as well as new neighbor Renee (Vanessa Williams), who, after a mere one season, has gotten closer to breaking into the main group than anyone else up til this point. Many have tried, some with varying degrees of success. Renee has befriended all four leads, without being too abrasive.

     Renee works because she is an interesting, lively character, who balances bitchiness with heart. She also wants to be part of the group and have lady friends, since up until now, she has defined her life by her marriage. Here is a woman approaching middle age who is just learning who she is and what she wants out of life. Williams has delivered an excellent performance this year, and hopefully she will give an even better one next season.

     Desperate Housewives has already been renewed, and will return next fall to ABC.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

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Article first published as TV Review: Desperate Housewives - "And Lots of Security...; Come On Over for Dinner" on Blogcritics.

The Desperate Housewives are "Seaching"

     With the Oscars last weekend, several Sunday night shows aired their final episode before a month of reruns a week later than other series. ABC's Desperate Housewives entry was less shocking than some of their previous cliffhangers, but still contained quite a bit of good drama, especially in finding purpose, a theme for the episode appropriately titled "Searching".

     Susan (Teri Hatcher) collapses in the episode before this, and this week her doctor does not have good news. Dialysis isn't working, and she needs a donor soon. She and Mike (James Denton) go on a picnic to celebrate their anniversary a few months early, as Susan worries she may not be up to it, if she is even still around, when the real date rolls around. Everything that can go wrong does, and Mike gets angrier and angrier. His anger isn't merely at the comedy of errors, which always follows Susan around, but at the disease, and what he perceives as Susan's give-up attitude. She the convinces him she intends to keep fighting.

     I like that we finally get to see what Mike is feeling. So far, as with most guys until you really get to know them, Mike has kept a strong front throughout. He surely has been struggling internally, and his private scenes with Susan finally allowed him to let some steam out. They are a very compatible couple, and while it feels a little voyeuristic to watch them interact this way, it is also darn good writing and acting, and a side of the issue that we really need to see. Good job!

     I've honestly found Susan's kidney disease arc a little exhausting. Susan's character is better suited to comedy than drama, and this season has brought her more of the latter than before. How many scenes can we take of seeing Susan being strong for her loved ones while a disease eats away at her? That being said, since the writers chose to go down this route, it's been handled as well as it can be. While perhaps sped up a bit to confine it to one television season, the twists and turns have been realistic, and there is emotion to be felt for her.

     My favorite story this week was the end of Beth's (Emily Bergl) tenure on the lane. Beth is clearly a weak personality, easily manipulated and led to do others' bidding. It happens with her mother, Felicia (Harriet Sansom Harris), and it happens again with her husband, Paul (Mark Moses). What makes Beth such a tragedy is that she has no one in her life to support her. After failing both Felicia and Paul, they cast her aside, with no concern whatsoever for her once she is past her usefulness to their schemes.

     Beth's struggle to find who she is is great storytelling, of the sort that crops up now and again on Desperate Housewives when you least expect it. The show has shown genius at throwing curveballs, and Beth's realization of her place in life was one that should have been seen coming from a mile away, and yet I haven't really realized it until it happened. Having Beth choose to fill out the kidney donation paperwork for Susan and then end her own life is brilliant. Beth still serves another person, even in death, but this time by her own free choice. She makes the ultimate sacrifice. My only regret is that I adore Bergl and wish the actress could have stuck around, though her character is being given a perfect finale.

     I was also surprised when Gaby's (Eva Longoria) plot took a turn late in this episode. For most of the hour, it is easy to believe Gaby is back to her old, selfish self. This is not unwelcome after a long, spectacular run at some of the best acting of Longoria's career, as she has coped with hurdle after hurdle this season, allowing her some wonderful range and showcase for her talent. So I had no complaints about Gaby hiding Juanita's (Madison De La Garza) tap shoes when it was clear the young girl's routine might have embarrassed her mother, even though it is a pretty low thing to do.

     Then, suddenly, Gaby's selfish woman routine gives way to her selfless mother. It's a role Gaby embraces more and more these days, and is the reason I believe she has been the most dynamic of all the series's leads. Gaby learns from watching a new father that pride in child is the greatest joy she can find in life, so she embraces it. Gaby does a bad thing, but she makes it right in the end. That is not something she would have done a couple of years ago.

     Rather than let Bree (Marcia Cross) tread water for an episode after her romance story ended last week, Bree has a crisis of faith. She feels useless, and needs a new mission. It is suggested to her that she pursue helping others, and so she goes on a tear down the street looking for a donor for Susan. The neighbors are surprisingly reticent to be tested, so in true Bree fashion, she locks them in at a brunch and forces it upon them. Two donors are found, including herself.

     I guess I was a bit confused as to why Bree hasn't already been tested prior to her mission. I would think she would have done that first and foremost, before beginning her crusade. Other than that, though, I like her independent, forceful spirit. Despite no longer having her business, Bree continues to have the capacity to get things done. I hope that is the focus on Bree moving forward. She should be starting a new entrepreneurial experiment, perhaps something in the charity field.

     The final plot this week involved Renee (Vanessa Williams) wanting a baby. Lynette (Felicity Huffman) lets her babysit, and then publicly humiliates her into accepting she is not cut out to be a mother. Cruel? Yes, but then, that is probably the only way Lynette can get through to Renee. Renee is a stubborn woman not used to being told no, and so she doesn't readily accept a negative answer.

     Williams has meshed magically with the long-time cast this season. She is a more complex version of a few former characters merged together. Renee can be a diva, and often is, but she also has a compassionate heart. She was an old friend of Lynette's, and I enjoy their scenes together, but I also really love the dynamics of the Renee and Susan pairing, as has been done a few times already. I look forward next to a good Renee-Bree or Renee-Gaby story, and hope she sticks around long enough to work her way into the lives of all of our characters.


     Desperate Housewives is taking a break, but will soon return Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

Article first published as TV Review: Desperate Housewives - "Searching" on Blogcritics.

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Desperate Housewives - "Assassins"

     After a heck of a mid-season finale, though the show is known for those, ABC's Desperate Housewives came back strong (and earlier than usual) last night. I don't think there was much suspense for long-time fans over if anyone actually died. I never thought either character in peril would, but it's very satisfying to get a few answers, and be left with a few new mysteries.

     The biggest plot this year is the return of Paul Young (Mark Moses). Paul was a main character for the first two seasons, and returned for three episodes in January 2007, before showing up in last year's season finale. As he is back in the opening credits as a main character for season seven, and his plot for revenge on his neighbors has still gone unfulfilled, I found it likely he would survive the gunshot wound from the fall finale. He did. The first half of the season, we wondered what Paul was up to, and that was revealed a few weeks ago with his halfway house for released convicts. Now, going forward, the mystery is, who shot JR, er, Paul Young? Every single resident of Wisteria Lane has a motive, but the cops say they also all have alibis. The police outed arch-nemesis Felicia Tillman (Harriet Sansom Harris) to Paul, who wasn't aware that she was his mother-in-law, but she seems just as clueless as we are.

     It's an exciting mystery, taking Housewives back to its roots. The series has been consistently good for many years, but the murder committed by Paul in season one, and Felicia's framing of Paul for her own murder in return, was one of the best stories of the show. Returning to it now, taking viewers back to just how good it was, is brilliant. It reminds people that show has always been strong, and it's cool to dredge up the past if there's a fresh twist on it, which there is here. The blend has resulted in a very satisfying mix of nostalgia and new suspense.

     Less predictable was the return of Orson (Kyle MacLachlan). I thought when Bree's (Marcia Cross) second husband left at the onset of the season, we had seen the last of him, at least for awhile. His unexpected arrival on her doorstep last night, and her letting him (temporarily) move in with herself and her new boyfriend, was very surprising. Though Orson's last name did not do Bree justice, and despite their issues and secrets from each other, they had seemed a perfect pairing. I enjoy Bree's hair coming down now that she's with Keith (Brian Austin Green), but Watson would make an even less satisfying last name for her than Hodge. I was shocked that she chose to stay with Keith, despite her obvious remaining feelings for Orson. As much as I like Green as an actor, I wish she'd reconsider. And no matter what her decision, she should keep her first husband's last name of Van de Kamp.

     Hands down, the best acting on the show this year is being done by Eva Longoria (sans Parker once more). This is probably because she is getting the most affecting story. Gabi (Longoria) discovered that her eldest daughter, Juanita (Madison De La Garza), is not her biological child, the hospital having made a mistake. Gabi found her 'real' daughter, Grace (Cecilia Balagot), but Grace's illegal immigrant parents took her away. Now Gabi is struggling to make Juanita feel loved, but not let go of Grace. It's a delicate tightrope. Her husband, Carlos (Ricardo Chavira), has no problem forgetting all about Grace if it helps Juanita's pain, but Gabi is torn. While Gabi surely talks plenty, Parker's best moments this year have been acted completely in her grieving face. It's a situation few women will ever have to imagine, but heart breaking for anyone to even witness. If Parker doesn't at least get nominated for an Emmy for this season, there is little justice.

     Another brilliant move by the show this year was the addition of Renee (Vanessa Williams). Much more sympathetic than the previous resident of the house, Renee is more than just a replacement. Her guilt over sleeping with best friend Lynette's (Felicity Huffman) husband, Tom (Doug Savant), was beautiful. Though, thankfully, Tom and Lynette had been broken up at the time, which was twenty years ago, the betrayal is no less fresh, especially as it just came to Lynette's attention. Renee has also tried to form friendships with the other women on the Lane, and her scenes with Susan (Teri Hatcher) have been particularly good. Despite a prickly personality, Renee is no Wilhelmina Slater. She's staking her place on the show and in viewer's hearts legitimately, already earning her keep. I think rather than Edie's (Nicolette Sheridan) substitute, Renee is more a Katherine (Dana Delany), meaning she has a true chance at being the real, equal fifth housewife in the group. Something many women have tried (Katherine came closest), but no one has yet managed to achieve.

     Speaking of Susan, can her year possibly get any worse? First, she lost her house. Then her husband, Mike (James Denton), went to Alaska to make the family some much-needed money. I know the economic story hit home to millions of Americans, but it's time to get past it. I believe it's gone as far as it can being entertaining in this instance. Susan's health problems, stemming from her recent trampling experience, may be a step in the right direction, though I'm not optimistic it will provide long legs either. As bumbling as Susan has always been, it's hard to watch such a likable character go through so many harrowing ordeals in such a short span of time. Please give her a break!

     Lastly, it's been hell to watch Lee (Kevin Rahm) and Bob (Tuc Watkins) be so ostracized by their neighbors. It isn't clear if their deal to sell the house to Paul went through, as Lee was still shown on the Lane this week, but I sure hope it doesn't. Wisteria's resident gays provide more than just comic relief. Their marital problems were hard enough without everyone else hating them, too. I personally adore both men, and love almost every moment of screen time they've gotten. Like Susan, I want to see skies get a little bluer for the couple, and the hostility to ease.

     All said, it has been one of the best seasons in memory, and that's saying something, because the show has rarely had a mediocre one, with one possible exception while creator Marc Cherry was gone. If the second half of this season can live up to the first, the series has nothing to worry about. After seven years, there's still no clear end in sight for one of TV's best dramas. Desperate Housewives airs Sunday nights at 9pm on ABC.

     If you've missed any episodes this year, right now Amazon is charging a mere 99 cents an episode for the HD versions! It's a steal, as they usually go for $2.99. I highly recommend you check it out.

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Article first published as TV Review: Desperate Housewives - "Assassins" on Blogcritics.