When Desperate Housewives began airing in 2004 it captivated audiences with its wit and charm. Marc Cherry's dark satire about life in suburbia hit the ball out of the park with its first season. The show went to the Emmy's with a decent round of nominations and anticipation grew for the second season which started on September 25, 2005. Those fans eagerly waiting the show's sophomore year were sadly met with disappointment; the pop found in the first season just wasn't there right at the start.
While the season got better around the half way point, the first part was kind of drab. It's very difficult to put a finger on what went wrong. The writing was still very good, the acting was as enjoyable as ever and the atmosphere still sizzled with a certain guilty pleasure-like sensation. Most all of the characters returned as well, except the ones that kicked the bucket of course. So what was it that made the second season less enjoyable? In my opinion it was simply a season without focus for the majority of its episodes.
In the first season there was a singular plot that was stretched over the course of the 23 episodes; the mysterious circumstances surrounding the suicide of Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong). It was a singular event that drew all of the main characters together for a common cause and really created a bond that translated well from screen to viewer. In the second season the plots that run through are exclusive to the characters they impact. Without a bridge to connect them the characters began to appear isolated in a manner unbefitting of what we came to expect. Because of that the sophomore season felt a tad disjointed.
If you watched the first season then you know how dramatically it ended. One of the characters had a gun pointed to their head, another died, a new neighbor moved onto Wisteria Lane, and someone was sent to jail for a long time. In the grand scheme of things you really don't get more dramatic than that, especially since everything was left as a cliff-hanger. The final episode left you on the edge of your seat and craving more. And that's exactly where things get started in the second season.
Almost immediately the dark and twisted nature of Desperate Housewives comes back into full swing. Mike Delfino (James Denton) has just returned from taking Paul Young (Mark Moses) out to the middle of nowhere to find Zach (Cody Kasch) and Susan (Teri Hatcher) in the precarious position the first season left them in. After the dust settles Susan discovers exactly what kind of relationship Mike and Zach have and that's something she can't live with. She eventually changes her tune, but that's only typical for her emotionally charged personality.
This season sees a lot of ups and downs for Susan and Mike. At one point they're discussing marriage and at another they want nothing to do with each other. I'm sad to say that whenever the two are together the drama is so forced and comical that there is very little chemistry. Susan's character becomes a gibbering goofball every time she is on screen. Sure it's cute and charming now and then, but when it is a constant part of her character she comes across looking like an emotional train wreck and entirely unstable.
With her husband Rex having just passed away it's only natural that Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross) would wait until it was acceptable to inform her friends of her new love interest. She goes through the motions of being a grieving widow and as time passes she begins to spend more time with George (the pharmacist responsible for poisoning Rex). His obsession with her only gets weirder and weirder as the season progresses, though eventually the both of them are brought in to be questioned about possibly poisoning Rex. Naturally Bree is mortified that the police would think she killed her husband, but then again she doesn't know how dark George's soul really is.
Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) has gone back to work and her husband Tom (Doug Savant) has made the sacrifice to stay home with their kids. To say that Lynette isn't exactly pleased with her new job would be an understatement. Her boss is a real beast about everything and the owner has the attention span of a poodle. But overall things go well for the couple until something from Tom's past comes up just a little beyond the halfway point of the season.
With Carlos Solis (Ricardo Chavira) in jail, Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) is trying desperately to get him out. Dealing with the aftermath of her infidelity and pregnancy she does whatever is necessary to get her man back. She begins to imagine life as a mother and realizes that there are more important things in life than chasing after 18 year old gardeners. Seeing their banter while Carlos is incarcerated was easily one of the biggest joys of this season.
Edie (Nicollette Sheridan) is just plain old Edie in this season. She goes out of her way to harass Susan and is still the voice of reason for Wisteria Lane. While the other ladies keep their thoughts to themselves she's the first to lay it all out in the open. I've always enjoyed that about her character though she seems much more confrontational this time around.
Alfre Woodard joins the cast this season and plays a mysterious woman with a secret she tries to hide from everyone. As Betty Applewhite she tries to fit into the neighborhood but winds up sticking out like a sore thumb. She keeps everyone at arms length and sadly that includes the audience. Woodard gives a good performance as Applewhite but the character's "secret" wasn't all that fascinating. She's definitely a good villain to add to this already busy show, but somehow I feel the character could have been better.
As these stories worked themselves out and the season got more into its run things became better all around. It was almost as if feedback about the show made a difference and at one point it was almost like someone hit a switch. The second year went from being mediocre or decent to nearly meeting all of the expectations I came into the season with. The lack of a big mystery to tie everything together still made the episodes here feel like they were lacking something, but overall I was pleased.
In the end the second season of Desperate Housewives just feels a little too surreal for its own good. The chemistry that the first season had was replaced by a sense that the writers lost their sense of direction. Thankfully that was remedied part way through, though it still leaves the season feeling a tad uneven compared to the first. If you enjoyed the original season you'll still have a good time with this one; just not as much. I was beginning to get worried as I made it to the third disc that the entire season was going to fizzle. Fortunately it didn't, but let's just hope that the writers learned from their mistakes and come back with an all around stronger third season.
Once again Desperate Housewives receives a fantastic looking 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Somehow the show doesn't look quite as good as it does during broadcast but that's the difference between HD and non-HD. Overall the image is very impressive with a vibrant color palette and clear picture quality. There were a few points where I noticed some grain in the video and a couple more where edge enhancement crept in. The image also remained moderately sharp from start to finish though there were a few scenes that seemed softer than others. At the end of the day Wisteria Lane is still nearly as beautiful as ever.
Also back for Desperate Housewives in the presentation department is a slick 5.1 surround English track. Because the show is a dialogue based drama with little action the rear channels only kick in with ambient noise or music. Otherwise there is a good degree of directionality to the audio but certainly nothing that will rock your bass. Just like the first season of the show, the second comes to life with a soundtrack that adds to its surreal nature. Optional English subtitles are included on this release as well.
The first season of Desperate Housewives was presented on DVD with great care. Supplemental material was packed onto each disc and consisted of documentaries, featurettes, and commentaries. Fans and newcomers alike were treated well with the material though if you had never seen the show before the arrangement of bonus features meant that you'd be hit with some major spoilers early on if you watched the extras on the first disc. Luckily the second season took the displaced content and packed it all onto the sixth disc in the set.
Compared to the first season, the second DVD release is rather on the light side. For starters there are some trailers for other DVDs, a commercial for the second season that summarized the entire first season into the span of a minute, and the Desperate Housewives video game. Marc Cherry sits down with his mom to discuss his childhood and the inspirations he found for the show. This was a cute little feature and gave a more personal look at the series than we usually see this day and age.
On the meatier side of things there is a look behind the scenes at the writing and directing process. The feature clocks in at over sixteen minutes and consists of a lot of fluff material but there is some decent information provided. Some commentary from the actors and parts of the crew also help to round out the feature. I got a kick out of "Desperate Role Models". In that extra different housewives from over the decades of television chime in on each of the ladies from the show and talk about what they think of the characters. There are a few good laughs but most of those are derived from the clips provided from the show.
Marc Cherry picks out a few of his favorite scenes from this season and gives commentary for them. Sadly this is the only commentary that you'll be getting this season unlike the previous one. Oh, and Marc, I agree, I loved the nun fight scene as well! A couple of unaired storylines appear on the sixth disc as well (one for Susan and one for Lynette) as well as eleven deleted scenes. "Fashion and Couture" is all about the fashion aspect of Desperate Housewives while "Juicy Bites" rounds things out with the actresses talking about their favorite naughty bits from the season.
The isolated feel that came from each of the characters doing their own thing with no interaction just feel gave the season the feel that I was watching five different shows. I know that the first season did pretty much the same thing, but the balance between the main story and that was better. In the second season there really is no singular plot that brings every one together until a little past the mid way point. Therefore it starts out feeling a little awkward. Now, while I had my reservations at first, the second season did win me over by the end.
The DVD receives a fine presentation with video that isn't quite HD quality, but more than acceptable, and a surround mix that compliments the show. The extra features this time around were a little lighter than the first DVD release though there are still a few decent tidbits to take a look at. In the end I'm going to recommend the second season of Desperate Housewives, but not as highly as I did the first season.
First of all Desperate Housewives is the epitome of guilty pleasure television. Everybody and their grandmother in the show has an affair or some dark deep secret they hide from their loved ones and friends. Each episode brings about new revelations about characters that you think you've been coming to know. It's shocking to see the lengths that some seemingly normal people will go to when faced with an abnormal situation. To put it simply; watching this show will make you feel dirty, but in a good way. 
The roster of characters relevant to the plot is pretty vast since the show bounces back and forth between different storylines. The bulk of Desperate Housewives centers on five leading ladies that find themselves trapped in the mundane life of the suburbs. Each of these characters has a lot of depth and are very easy to get to like, even if they do some pretty loathsome things at times. 
It's ironic that Edie Britt who is considered the town tricycle (yes, meaning everyone's had a ride) is the only character that wears her heart on her sleeve. She seems to be the only one throughout the entire season that doesn't have something to hide from others whether it be an opinion or action. Often times many of the other characters in the show can seem two-faced or have ulterior motives behind their actions. Edie says what's on her mind to whomever, whenever and doesn't seem to carry any secrets in this season. 
Yes, behind the show's bright bubbly exterior there is a definite dark undertone that creeps below the surface. Thankfully it doesn't take itself too seriously and there are plenty of quirky moments to ease the tension. My only real complaints with the show is that with so many intersection plotlines and mysteries, several of them get pushed aside until its convenient for the story. With so many characters to look at they each get equal camera time but it also means that it takes longer to get to know them. This isn't a completely negative thing and it certainly gives Desperate Housewives a pacing of it's own but it certainly feels like some situations are dragged out longer than they need to be just to string you along. 
Over the course of the six discs included on the first season of Desperate Housewives there is quite a few special features that are definitely worth taking a look at. For the most part every disc offers a similar theme of special features like extended episodes and deleted scenes with optional audio commentary though there are some featurettes scattered throughout the season. 
The ladies of the show get together for a commentary for their favorite scenes of the season. Each of them picks two scenes and if you have the audio commentary on you'll hear them discuss what they liked about that particular moment in the show. It was nice to hear a different take on a part of the show from the actors point of view compared to the directors. 
The DVD box set offers up a fantastic visual and audible presentation along with a plethora of extra features. It would have been more convenient if most of the features were packed onto one disc instead of a little here and there but it's not that bothersome to go back after you watch the season and check out the extra content. Again, just heed my advice though and do not watch the A Stroll Down Wisteria Lane on the first disc until you actually finish the season. If you do it will completely ruin just about every mystery and plot twist for you. Aside from that little quirk and the overlapping disc design of the case this set gets high marks. 
Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) is one of many surgical interns preparing to begin their first 48-hour shift at Seattle Grace Hospital. Like most of her colleagues, being a surgeon is not just her career goal but her passion, and the pursuit of this goal will be a long and difficult journey. The Chief of Surgery lays it all out on their first day: "The seven years you spend here as a surgical resident will be the best and worst of your life. You will be pushed to the breaking point. Look around you; say 'hello' to your competition. Eight of you will switch to an easier specialty. Five of you will crack under the pressure. Two of you will be asked to leave." A harsh introduction, but an honest one. While they are in the business of saving lives, the path to the top of the surgical food chain is an incredibly competitive one, and only a few will survive. That reality is one of the underlying themes in this season. 
Part of what makes Grey's Anatomy work, however, is that it does not simply focus on these likable interns and their struggle to find a place within the surgical community. It also shares with us the lives of their bosses, who have their own career goals and who shoulder the burden of training these rookies in one of the most difficult professions imaginable. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), the resident to whom the aforementioned interns are assigned, has been unflatteringly nicknamed "The Nazi" for her fast pace, her strict rules, and her sometimes unflinching lack of emotion. She pushes her interns to the point of exhaustion, not because she enjoys seeing them suffer (well, perhaps a little bit), but because it is necessary to weed out those who cannot measure up to the strain that this lifestyle will put on them. At the same time, though, she is trying to work her way up the surgical ladder herself, to learn more and further her own career, and it is interesting to see this balancing act play out. Wilson's performance in this role is really quite amazing, capturing the strength and resolve of this hard-nosed character as well as the endearing warmth of someone who genuinely wants her interns to be the best they can possibly be. 
As her best friend Christina, Sandra Oh has a completely different chemistry with her love interest, and it is all the more intriguing. Whereas Wilson's performance as Dr. Bailey brings a wonderfully grounded depth to the series, Oh's work helps take it to places we rarely see on television. Christina is an excellent doctor, but she is matter-of-fact, often abrasive, and has no concept of bedside manner. Her struggles with these aspects of her personality and the way she handles some of the show's more dramatic moments are really a treat to see develop, and it is no surprise that she took home statues this year from both the Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes. 
Finally, I must address the show's thematic narrative structure. Much like Desperate Housewives or Everwood, each episode has a distinct theme (assisted by narration) that helps make it more than just a series of 42-minute segments arranged in order to form a season. I have always appreciated shows that make this effort, weaving episodic themes throughout a diverse cast of characters while still moving forward some larger arc-driven plots, and Grey's Anatomy does a solid job in this pursuit. Not every episodic theme addressed in this first season is gold, and sometimes Meredith's voiceover narrations can get a little wordy and obvious, but on the whole, it is an effective technique for this series. 
The video is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen with anamorphic enhancement, and it looks very good but shy of great. Putting five episodes on one disc and four episodes plus bonus features on the other keeps the bitrate at about 4.6 MB/s, so there are some small sections in the video that could have more detail, but for the most part everything looks fine. For a series with such bright colors and stark contrasts, there is surprisingly little edge enhancement, but it does crop up now and then, particularly in scenes that take place on the main hospital walkway in front of the large glass windows. The distinct blues and whites of the show's primary palette look good, and as most of the show is shot indoors, there is only a small amount of grain. It is not perfect, but it is a solid video presentation that is a definite improvement over the standard definition broadcasts. 
Included on the first disc are two commentaries for the pilot episode, "A Hard Day's Night". The first is with creator/executive producer Shonda Rhimes alongside the episode's director Peter Horton. Rhimes talks about why she wanted to do a medical series of this nature and how she tried to separate it from so many other shows while Horton goes into some depth on the stylistic choices that were made when trying to stage this pilot episode. You really get the feel for how passionate Rhimes is about her writing and how involved she is with every aspect of the series. It is an interesting listen, as there are some good nuggets of information to be heard, but it isn't overly special. The second commentary is with stars T.R. Knight, Katherine Heigl, and Sandra Oh (who shows up only for the second half as she is busy filming during the recording). As is typical with cast commentaries, there isn't a great deal of insight, but it is moderately entertaining to hear these friends and coworkers joke with one another about their experiences on the show. Knight has some fun pointing out continuity flaws in the filming, and Oh makes some smart observations about the direction in which the writers chose to take her character. If you are a big fan of the series, I am sure you will enjoy hearing these portions of audio -- I certainly did -- but they are not essential. 
Anatomy of a Pilot (11:44) is a frustrating misnomer that implies some analysis of how the pilot episode was created. In actuality, it takes a more literal meaning and is simply a collection of the numerous scenes deleted or altered from the final product. Thankfully, these segments run together in a single piece, so we don't have to select them one at a time. Also included is an audio commentary track for this segment with the aforementioned Shonda Rhimes and Peter Horton. Without much time to talk about each sequence, there isn't a lot of extra information here, just some brief statements of why the scenes were cut. While the two of them at times lament how they wish certain pieces had made the cut, most of these scenes deserved to live on the cutting room floor. It is not that they are bad but that they simply do not fit well with the pace that the pilot ultimately achieved. Rhimes admits that it took her some time to realize that unlike a movie, you don't have to -- nor do you want to -- give the audience all the character background at once, and it is evident from these cut scenes that the initial script bordered on falling into that trap. In addition to the ones from the pilot, there are 5 Deleted Scenes from other episodes as well. None of them is particularly interesting, and disappointingly, there is not a Play All function with them either.