Post by Forever Xena on Feb 20, 2007 2:44:53 GMT -6
'Housewives' taking Desperate measures
Note to producers: Try to keep Housewives plots in realm of the believable
By BILL HARRIS -- Sun Media
Desperate Housewives' Kyle MacLachlan as Orson. Is he dead? Is he hurt? Is it all a dream?
Here's a "ground-breaking" proposal for TV producers:
Let's impose a ban on having two characters engage in a squabble which results in one of them accidentally (or not accidentally) falling over a railing and crashing down several stories.
Perhaps in Hollywood this happens far more often than it does elsewhere.
But speaking objectively and dispassionately as a viewer, we're sick of fall guys.
A recent example occurred last week on Desperate Housewives, and the aftermath will be a major part of the new episode tonight (CTV, ABC, 9 p.m.).
Spoiler alert: If you've joined the PVR revolution and haven't watched last week's episode yet, be warned that plot details are about to be discussed.
Orson Hodge (played by Kyle MacLachlan) and Mike Delfino (played by James Denton) were fighting in a parking lot when, inevitably, one of them took a tumble. It was Orson.
The confrontation took place because Mike -- with the aid of hypno-therapy -- has started to remember the circumstances regarding the night Monique Pollier (played by Kathleen York) was killed. Mike now knows he did not kill Monique, but at this point he believes Orson did.
All signs have been pointing to Orson for a while. But it can't be that easy, can it?
Mike, of course, hadn't put anything together previously because he suffered severe memory loss while he was in a coma. Oh, while we're at it, there's another thing that should be banned, namely, having a character fall into a coma as a lazy means to propel a plot.
Then again, who knows? Orson might be in a coma as of tonight!
All this belly-aching may make this next bit difficult to believe, but we actually still like Desperate Housewives. At least a couple of times per episode, the snappy dialogue provides a chuckle, if not outright laughter.
Last week, Gaby (Eva Longoria) was complaining about having turned 31 years old. "Single woman in her 30s," Gaby lamented. "I now have to subscribe to Cat Fancy. It's the law."
And when Tom Scavo (played by Doug Savant) tried to offer Edie (played by the luscious Nicollette Sheridan) a coupon for his new pizza place, Edie shot back: "You've checked out my butt enough times to know I don't eat pizza."
(Uh, by the way, where exactly do we sign up to be part of that ongoing research?)
The thing is, while we know Wisteria Lane does not operate like a real neighbourhood, you never want the storylines to be so outlandish that they become a distraction. If you find yourself pausing to think, "That never would happen," then whatever happened sticks out too much.
Ugly Betty is another example of a largely good show that has pushed the plausibility borders in recent episodes. Like Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty exists in its own idiosyncratic TV world, but a little subtlety from time to time goes a long way.
As for Desperate Housewives tonight, the episode is called The Little Things You Do Together. All of Wisteria Lane will gather at the assuredly ill-fated Pizzeria Scavo for the grand opening. Meanwhile, surprise marriage proposals are in the air and a resident meets an untimely fate.
Oh no.
We always have enjoyed MacLachlan's work as an actor, and his mysteriously slick Orson is one of the best characters on Desperate Housewives. They're not killing off Orson, are they?
After all, if TV has taught us anything, it's that falling from great heights only makes you stronger.
Note to producers: Try to keep Housewives plots in realm of the believable
By BILL HARRIS -- Sun Media
Desperate Housewives' Kyle MacLachlan as Orson. Is he dead? Is he hurt? Is it all a dream?
Here's a "ground-breaking" proposal for TV producers:
Let's impose a ban on having two characters engage in a squabble which results in one of them accidentally (or not accidentally) falling over a railing and crashing down several stories.
Perhaps in Hollywood this happens far more often than it does elsewhere.
But speaking objectively and dispassionately as a viewer, we're sick of fall guys.
A recent example occurred last week on Desperate Housewives, and the aftermath will be a major part of the new episode tonight (CTV, ABC, 9 p.m.).
Spoiler alert: If you've joined the PVR revolution and haven't watched last week's episode yet, be warned that plot details are about to be discussed.
Orson Hodge (played by Kyle MacLachlan) and Mike Delfino (played by James Denton) were fighting in a parking lot when, inevitably, one of them took a tumble. It was Orson.
The confrontation took place because Mike -- with the aid of hypno-therapy -- has started to remember the circumstances regarding the night Monique Pollier (played by Kathleen York) was killed. Mike now knows he did not kill Monique, but at this point he believes Orson did.
All signs have been pointing to Orson for a while. But it can't be that easy, can it?
Mike, of course, hadn't put anything together previously because he suffered severe memory loss while he was in a coma. Oh, while we're at it, there's another thing that should be banned, namely, having a character fall into a coma as a lazy means to propel a plot.
Then again, who knows? Orson might be in a coma as of tonight!
All this belly-aching may make this next bit difficult to believe, but we actually still like Desperate Housewives. At least a couple of times per episode, the snappy dialogue provides a chuckle, if not outright laughter.
Last week, Gaby (Eva Longoria) was complaining about having turned 31 years old. "Single woman in her 30s," Gaby lamented. "I now have to subscribe to Cat Fancy. It's the law."
And when Tom Scavo (played by Doug Savant) tried to offer Edie (played by the luscious Nicollette Sheridan) a coupon for his new pizza place, Edie shot back: "You've checked out my butt enough times to know I don't eat pizza."
(Uh, by the way, where exactly do we sign up to be part of that ongoing research?)
The thing is, while we know Wisteria Lane does not operate like a real neighbourhood, you never want the storylines to be so outlandish that they become a distraction. If you find yourself pausing to think, "That never would happen," then whatever happened sticks out too much.
Ugly Betty is another example of a largely good show that has pushed the plausibility borders in recent episodes. Like Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty exists in its own idiosyncratic TV world, but a little subtlety from time to time goes a long way.
As for Desperate Housewives tonight, the episode is called The Little Things You Do Together. All of Wisteria Lane will gather at the assuredly ill-fated Pizzeria Scavo for the grand opening. Meanwhile, surprise marriage proposals are in the air and a resident meets an untimely fate.
Oh no.
We always have enjoyed MacLachlan's work as an actor, and his mysteriously slick Orson is one of the best characters on Desperate Housewives. They're not killing off Orson, are they?
After all, if TV has taught us anything, it's that falling from great heights only makes you stronger.