What I’m Watching: Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives: Season 6, Episode 8 “The Coffee Cup” (B+)

It’s fun to see how the determined efforts of one highly motivated housewife can so completely contradict and clash with the efforts and desires of another. It’s debatable who is the pushier of the two women, Gaby or Lynette, but going up against either of them is not a good idea. Gaby’s quickness to bribe the priest to try and get Juanita into the school was entertaining, but it’s also nice to get to see the more mean-spirited side of Gaby and have her get angry at Lynette for keeping her pregnancy a secret. Carlos’ conversation with Lynette also allowed him to be serious for once, and it’s an unfortunate situation that she’s in, though it’s hardly unexpected. Pairing another set of bickering housewives up worked well in comic terms for Katherine and Susan, whose community service sentences provided an amusing conversation that led to Susan trying too hard to have a sex-filled day with Mike and ultimately leading right into a positive reaffirmation of the lasting potential of their relationship. Orson’s resolve to expose Bree’s cheating ways could have ended tragically, but instead Angie steps up to the plate to save the day. The Bolen family is turning out to be extraordinarily interesting, and Nick’s phone call to the agent who’s been tracking him is a powerful one. It seems that they’re destined to keep leaving dead bodies in their wake, as the poor, flirtatious waitress becomes their latest victim. Julie’s run-in with Angie at the coffee shop was a fantastic scene, and having Angie as the possible strangler is a superb twist. Either way, Drea de Matteo is doing a terrific job and should be commended for her performance. This episode also deserves praise for being the most solid in a long time, and for being on the ball with every one of its threads.