While there’s always a ton of TV shows on the air at any point, certain titles manage to rise to the top and become bonafide sensations. Desperate Housewives was one of those shows, becoming wildly popular and inspiring Bravo’s Real Housewives series (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription). I’ve been rewatching the show with my Hulu subscription, and I’ve got to say I’m really loving it the second time around. Seriously, it holds up!
As a kid, I watched Desperate Housewives during its original run on TV, but I stopped sometime after a hurricane tore through Wisteria Lane. I wasn’t sure if the early aughts humor would translate nowadays, but it definitely does. And every episode I’m impressed by just how strong the performances from the Desperate Housewives cast are.
While Desperate Housewives has plenty of high stakes drama and dramatic twists (I mean, it literally opens on a suicide), the show is largely a dark comedy. And the four starring women, as well as Nicolette Sheridan’s Edie Britt, are firing on all cylinders while embodying their characters’ specific quirks. But if there are two performances that have been especially wowing me as I re-watch the series, it’s been Teri Hatcher and Eva Longoria.
Desperate Housewives was a star-making moment for Eva Longoria, who recently appeared in Only Murders in the Building. Gabrielle Solis is a constant scene-stealer, with Longoria finding a way to make her endlessly likable despite the character’s vain and self-centered tendencies.
While Teri Hatcher doesn’t seem like she wants a reboot, I can’t imagine the show without her. She does pretty outstanding physical comedy as Susan Mayer, going through countless pratfalls and shenanigans amidst the high stakes drama of the Wisteria Lane. Although back in 2018 Hatcher expressed interest in returning, so maybe there’s hope she’ll change her mind.
Since I watched the show’s original run for years, there are certain events and plot points that I remember. For instance, Gabrielle’s affair with John the Gardener or the episode where Laurie Metcalf is a shooter in a grocery store. But there’s also a lot I don’t remember, and jokes that probably went over my head as a young person watching the series with my family.
Desperate Housewives really does have such a unique tone, which is also why I’ve been binge watching for my second viewing. From Danny Elfman’s iconic theme song to the production design, the show is equal parts camp and drama. And so while the cast are all comedic forces, they also get to have some moving scenes as well when things go wrong or the titular Wives.
Only time will tell if a Desperate Housewives reboot happens, but fans shouldn’t expect for it to pop up on the 2025 TV premiere list. For now, the original series is streaming on Hulu.