What I’m Watching: Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives: Season 8, Episode 15 “She Needs Me” (B)

This is one of those episodes where the ends somewhat justify the means, where the conclusions all of the characters come to make the less impressive events of the hour somewhat worthwhile. The whole business involving Porter was the most grating of all the plotlines, but I like how it provided the opportunity for Mike to go talk to Lynette and Tom to go talk to Susan, to explain to both women what the other is like and how to cope with that. I’m not sure how a baby Lynette born in 2012 will fare, but I’m sure she’ll have plenty more problems with Porter as her father. This emphasis on Lynette as a caretaker makes it unclear whether reuniting with Tom will be a priority for the show before it ends. Gaby’s meddling proved much more productive than usual, allowing Roy to make up with Karen and be there to take care of her. Now that Carlos is back, she can get back to normal as well. Bree, on the other hand, almost made it to Maine without realizing Orson’s true nature, and instead she spotted an incriminating photo in his trash can and pieced the whole thing together. Orson mailing the evidence to the police is sure to backfire on everyone just when they thought they were completely in the clear. Mike’s noble, staunch defense of Renee is going to get him into a whole different kind of trouble, and Renee is just as much in harm’s way