Season 5 Discussion

[eithne]

I have to say I really like season 5 so far with all the mystery surrounding the past few years on Wisteria Lane. Edie's new husband seems interesting (my personal theory is he was married to the woman Susan killed in the car accident, although that could be too obvious).

I'm loving the teenaged Scavo kids also, and Bree's empire is amusing. I agree that the show has gone back to its roots with more mystery & drama than OTT comedy this year and is a little bit grittier for it.

Anyone else got thoughts/theories?

[Lane Kent]

Episode 1 of Season 5 was much better than I thought it was going to be. Episode 2 I found disappointing, considering all the reviewers raved about it. I think mainly because I found Gaby's social standing story boring, it seemed repetitive, we always see the hosuewives humiliate themselves or their husbands and that whole gate-crashing the party thing I felt here we go again and Gaby being vein as ever. Lynette's story also bored me stupid in episode 2. She is always trying to control people and I'm sick of it.

I've read about episodes 3 and 4 a bit while trying to be good and seen bits of episode 5x05 online and how it opened up the story and where we are at this point in the season with the characters. I couldn't resist and had to take a peek at some of this online and read in more detail about it. I loved the title "Mirror, Mirror" and its signficance to the structure of the episode as each character in turn dealt with the current crisis in their lives while looking back at their past ones and how those past ones impacted their current situations. Like looking into the mirror and back at themselves and seeing all the cracks. Anyway better not say anymore about that as I run the risk of giving away spoilers and this isn't the thread.

So what am I liking two episodes in.

I must say I am really loving Tom's midlife crisis storyline. It seems real yet entertaining at the same time. Who knew that they could make such a boring character so interesting and it is good to see him standing up to Lynette at long last.

I am enjoying Susan's storyline and what is going on in the inner-psyche of her character. Where will it lead? I'm also interested in where Mike is headed. Isn't MJ sweet?

Gaby's story is up and down for me and I am so interested in poor Katherine as she plays second fiddle to Bree. Katherine really is desperate.

In the early seasons my favourite housewives altenated from Gaby, Lynette, Susan and Edie. However I think for a while now my consistant favourites have been Susan and Gaby and Katherine. Although I'm not sure about Gaby's story, I still find the character entertaining even if her situations are a bit hit and miss right now. She is just so OTT that she does things people just wouldn't get away with. She provides light relief. I hope they never loose that aspect of Gaby.

Juanita is an utter brat, a child from hell. Isn't the little girl playing her doing a great job? I can see why they needed to recast the previous girl playing Juanita at the end of Season 4 (because she was too near the character's real age so wouldn't of been up to the what was required). The only flaw with the current actress is that she so obviously is 3 or so years older than her character is supposed to be. She looks older than MJ for starters when in fact MJ is meant to be older than Juanita.

As to who Dave's after, in truth I have no clue. My top scenarios for a while have been that the mystery is either connected to the crash (not necessarily wife and child though) or Dave is connected to Nora in some way? That would be irony, boring Tom finally gets some excitement in his life when a madman comes after him and its his new best friend - Dave! This would also open up a return for Kayla later this season too. However one flaw in this theory, whether justice is being sought for Kayla or Nora, surely it would be Lynette the person would want?

Despite all this about Tom, I think my top choice is Mike and my second choice is Tom. I'm also wondering if indirectly Jackson could knowingly or unknowingly be involved. That would be a good twist.

My reasons for Mike. Okay it might seem too obvious but one thing I've come to notice with DH is that sometimes the who and what are obvious, but the mystery is why, how and the eventual outcome. For example Season 4, Julie made it quite clear in episode 1 that Dylan wasn't Dylan. It seemed too obvious at the time. However despite being sent off on tangents that Dylan's father had been murdered (and it turned her Romanian father had been, but not Wayne Davies), it did turn out Dylan wasn't Dylan. Well this season we already have been hinted at that it was Susan , then Mrs McClusky and soon a whole host more! So we have been sent off in different directions but the season started with a crash.

The other pattern that has emerged over the years is that if a season doesn't open with resolving the cliffhanger, it starts straight with the mystery. Sesons 1 & 3 opened like this. So was there any signficance to starting season 5 with an introduction to Lila Dash and her demise all in the opening two minutes? The opening scene could of been the next one with the women pondering the last 5 years, showing them then and now (as the second scene did) but it didn't. I also noticed that the last main scene of episode 5x01 before Mary-Alice's summing up and the revelation about Dave's anger, was Mike and Susan going over the crash with Susan racked with guilt while Mike banged on about it being an accident.

To my mind the only things against Mike being the one Dave is after are that he was involved with the Season One mystery and it wasn't him driving the car (unless Dave doesn't know that). Unless of course it is his lack of remorse driving Dave crazy.

One thing I am certain of is that before this season is over we will be pulled in several more directions and will probably think it is all of the house husbands at one point or other.

I read on another board a theory for Carlos that was a good one. Dave had lost money in the same business scams as Carlos over the years. I would be shocked if it turned out to be Orson after his heavy role in Season 3.

[sallywebster]

Ive enjoyed the last couple of eps since it returned from its break. Bree is still as fab as ever - I love the fact she managed to come out on top in the war with her new in law!

Also enjoying Susan much more in this series - when she thought she had slept with her gay friend it was hilarious!

[Deleted]

Ive enjoyed the last couple of eps since it returned from its break

So have we - it genuinely seems to have had a fresh injection of 'something'.

(This written before seeing last Wednesday's ep, as we watch the show at the weekend, so forgive me for having missed any vital moment!)

Dave is getting more and more sinister by the day, Gaby is back to her selfish worst - you'd think she'd cut poor Carlos some slack for once, and Susan is still annoying the hell out of me (tho' I still love every one of the main characters).

Definitely getting back to it's best.

[sallywebster]

I agree. Gaby will always be selfish I think - no wonder her kids cant stand her lol!

[sootycat]

I didn't think it would work moving forward 5 years but it has.

The only complaint I have is Gaby's hair. Why on earth did she have it cut.

[Deleted]

The only complaint I have is Gaby's hair. Why on earth did she have it cut

Surely that was just part of the 'Frumpy Gaby' look? When Carlos lost his sight, she didn't feel she had to make an effort with her appearance.

[Deleted]

Really brilliant episode this week (the 100th).

Liked the way they introduced the separate flashbacks, lovely to see all the girls as they were, and excellent performance by Beau Bridges as Eli Scruggs.

Never thought he was a patch on his brother Jeff as an actor, but I thought he played this role really well with a lot of subtlety and quiet assurance.

Had the whole gamut of emotions in it too - lots of humour, and not a little sadness.

Loved the scene where Lynette's waters broke while she was on the phone trying to clinch her new job. Tom desperate to get her to hospital, and saying 'I can see the baby's arm - do you want to high-five it?' ;D

Just great.

9/10

[sallywebster]

I loved all the flashbacks too - didnt realise it was the 100th episode