Desperate Housewive Recap: Series Finale (Part 2)

Recaps

By Hypnotoad | Friday, May 18, 2012 | 9:10 am | 27 Comments
Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in: Desperate Housewives, Recaps

Later on, Tom pulls Lynette aside and asks her if she meant what she said.  Lynette says that she did and that she’s happy where she is right now.  Tom says that she could probably be happy anywhere . . . Even New York.  Awwwww!  But kind of annoying, since Tom threw one of his hissies like 10 seconds ago — LET IT GO, LET IT GO!

Speaking of letting go, Roy puts on the “Wonderful!  Wonderful!” 45 for McCluskey to listen to again.  Okay, this song is great and lovely, but ever since that “Home” episode of “The X-Files,” it’s really hard for me to listen to it without picturing that, so I’m envious of those of you who have not seen it.  So, if you have seen “Home,” be like me and mute your television and play Rebecca Black’s “Friday” over this scene instead.  You won’t regret it.

So, the Johnny Mathis song plays while Renee and Ben run through the procession (I’m happy for them, I’ll admit it); while Julie’s giving birth; while Tom, Lynette, and Porter run through the hospital; while McCluskey closes her eyes and quietly passes away; while Julie’s baby is presented to her; while Bree gets a phone call; while Carlos and Gabby dance with their daughters (that one was the one that started the waterworks, people), while Bree and Trip arrive at McCluskey’s to see Roy kiss McCluskey one last time (annnnd tears).  It’s a very, very touching and nicely done scene.

Moving day for Susan!  And a cameo from someone, perhaps?

Life’s been rough for Mr. Cherry since ABC passed on his latest pilot . . .

But before Susan can leave, she has one last poker game with her friends AND OHMIGOD THIS IS THE LAST EPISODE EVER OF DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES!!  Nooooooooooo!  WAAAAAAHHH!  Susan tells Gabby that for the last ten years, whenever she’s bluffing, she taps the side of her wine glass.  Bree says that it might be the last time they all play poker together since Susan is moving and Lynette may take the job in New York.  Lynette says they’ll still get together, but Gabby says that she’s always had a fantasy of the ladies staying on Wisteria Lane and growing old together (except Gabby will “stay gorgeous while the three of [them] age horribly.”  Hee!)  Then Gabby laughs a very hearty laugh, which I love because it seems like it’s coming from Eva Longoria and is really, truly heartfelt AND OHMIGOD THIS SHOW IS ALMOST OVER FOREVER!!  Susan says that some people never even get to know their neighbors but they’ve shared everything and they’re really lucky.  Lynette makes them promise that they’ll play poker again . . . But Mary Alice says that “sadly, it was not meant to be.”  Sad . . .

She says that Lynette and Tom left for New York 4 weeks later, where Lynette was a CEO, where they bought a condo overlooking Central Park — where she’d take her 6 grandchildren and yell at them.

Mary Alice tells us that the next year, after Carlos helped Gabby develop a personal shopping website, the Solis family moved from Wisteria Lane as well.  SAD!!!  They moved to California, where Gabby has her own home shopping network show.  They “argued happily ever after.”

The finale throws us a tiny shirtless bone.  We’ll take it.

Bree, Mary Alice adds, left Fairview two years later with her husband, Trip (I’m okay with it, I guess).  They moved to Louisville where Bree joined a conservative women’s club, followed by a push into local politics by Trip, followed by an appointment to the Kentucky state legislature.  I’m going to politely ignore the little voice in my head that’s saying, “Um, given Bree’s completely and utterly insane past, she got elected in Kentucky?!  For reals?”  BECAUSE IT’S THE LAST EPISODE EVER.

“But Susan Delfino was the first to leave Wisteria Lane,” Mary Alice adds.  “And this is how it ended.  She introduced herself to the woman who was moving in . . .”  The woman’s name is Jennifer and Susan hopes that she’ll be happy there.  Jennifer says that Steve (husband?  Fiancee?  Cat?) is excited to live in the suburbs, but she’s worried that it’s going to be boring.  Susan tells her that Wisteria Lane is a lot of things, but “boring is not one them.”  You can say that again!

“This street is a lot of things.  But boring is not –”

Yeah, Susan — don’t.  It’s just a saying.  Susan gets to her car and asks M.J. and Julie (and the new baby, I guess) if it’s okay if she takes one last spin around the block.  They’re cool with it.  Take it home for the last time, Mary Alice (SAD!):  “As Susan left her driveway, she had a feeling she was being watched.  And she was.  The ghosts of people who have been a part of Wisteria Lane were gazing on her as she passed.  They watched her as they watch everyone, always hoping the living could learn to put aside rage and sorrow, bitterness and regret.  These ghosts watch, wanting people to remember that even the most desperate life is oh-so-wonderful.”

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Hypnotoad
About

Hypnotoad is a 2009 graduate of the MFA Writing program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He was a staple of the Chicago Quickies reading series, has been published in various Art Institute publications, and served as an actor/playwright for the Curious Theatre Branch's Rhinoceros Festival. His works have been online at Fiction At Work and is included in their short story collection. A victim of the crappy economy, he is now living back in Kansas. With his parents. His days now consist of perusing Yahoo Hot Jobs, and sporadically posting horrible ideas on his blog. Good times.

27 Comments

  1. 1
    April
    Posted May 18, 2012 at 12:17 pm

    I think if nothing else Susan and Lynette would keep in touch considering they share a grandchild. They probably at least saw each other at some holidays and weddings and birthday parties. As long as Porter still acts like a father.

  2. 2
    April
    Posted May 18, 2012 at 12:23 pm

    It makes me sad because I think about my best mom friends and how close we are. Then I think about that one day we will all probably move away from each other and not talk anymore. Our kids are close and I am close to their kids and vice versa. It will be hard.

  3. 3
    Clair Clair
    Posted May 18, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    Hypo, I will miss your recaps. You don’t just tell the reader what happened – you make it funny, you point out discrepancies, you talk about past seasons, you add shirtless pictures of Mike and Carlos… I will definitely be looking for more recaps from you. I may not watch the shows, but I’ll read your recaps.

  4. 4
    yummy
    Posted May 18, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    Random thoughts:

    I’ve always loved Gabby’s cackle, it cracks me up every time
    Kudos on the Mike and (especially) Bob pics
    I think they saw each other after parting ways, too. There’s no way they didn’t at least talk on the phone
    I miss Edie!
    And lastly, I’ll miss this show so much. Here’s to you, Desperate Housewives

  5. 5
    exene
    Posted May 18, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    I really enjoyed the series (even the bad years)– I was crying my eyes out during the Wonderful, Wonderful sequence (although it had been done before on Six Feet Under– and better). I will miss the show and your recaps. :)

  6. 6
    Kammie
    Posted May 18, 2012 at 3:20 pm

    I gave up watching the series after season 5, but have regularly been following your recaps. I am so going to miss them, and hope you pick up another show soon (do you recap another show already?) I love your writing and humor and I think the tears I had in my eyes were for your last DH recap….ok, well maybe a little of it was your description of the last scenes. You really captured the show beautifully! Anyway, I’m going to stop now before you think I’m some kind of crazy fangirl….or am I? Just kidding – I’m not. Thanks for the laughs!

  7. 7
    Hypnotoad Hypnotoad
    Posted May 18, 2012 at 6:52 pm

    Oh, you guys, you’re so wonderful (wonderful), just like always. I really think that I have the best readers and commenters EVER. Like in the entire history of TVGasm. Throughout these four years, you all have been right there with me through the ups and downs, highs and lows, always giving me something interesting to think about, posting theories, catching my continuity mistakes, and making me laugh. To paraphrase Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz: I think I’ll miss you most of all, DH Gasmii.

    I DO recap another show! It’s just not on right now. BUT it will start up again on June 5th! That’s so soon! The show is “Pretty Little Liars.” It’s on ABC Family and it’s pretty much Desperate Housewives in high school. It doesn’t have the humor of DH and — this may blow your mind — it’s even more convoluted and neglectful of continuity than this show ever was. I know, right?! So you’ll be able to read those soon. Alas, they do not have any hunky middle-aged men on the show. Although Doug Savant’s gorgeous wife, Laura Leighton, is a regular on the show, so there’s a DH connection.

    I’m going to admit that I was fully prepared to hate this finale. Marc Cherry hadn’t written a finale since season 2 and hadn’t written any episodes of season 8 so I figured it wouldn’t be up to par. But I was wrong. I think because this season was merely okay and not spectacular, I had low expectations. Which turned out to be a good thing. I can’t really say too much more than I said in the recap, but I was pretty satisfied.

    I do think, though, that the relationships between Renee and Ben and Bree and Trip were really rushed this season, just so they could pair everyone up. Except Susan, I guess. I’m still sore that Mike was killed off for no reason whatsoever and that Susan never really got any closure (did the mafia dude/loan shark go to jail? Was he murdered by someone else?).

    I wish there was one more season, just so that my Kayla-Back-For-Revenge story line could play out, but I guess I’ll have to live with it.

    If they had continued the show with Jennifer and others, would you guys have watched it? I would have. But there’s something so delicious about leaving a series finale on the note that Cherry left it on, leaving the audience to speculate . . . I still think it was a pretty genius move on his part. I wanna know what’s in that box!

  8. 8
    Hypnotoad Hypnotoad
    Posted May 18, 2012 at 6:55 pm

    I said in the previous comment that this season was “merely okay and not spectacular.” I retract. This season was not “spectacular” but it was more than merely “okay.” I think it was the best season since season 4, actually.

  9. 9
    Hypnotoad Hypnotoad
    Posted May 18, 2012 at 7:30 pm

    Annnnd I’m downloading “Wonderful! Wonderful!” as we speak. Desperate Housewives has reclaimed it’s wonderful-ness from The X-Files. For now, at least . . .

  10. 10
    atlgirl
    Posted May 18, 2012 at 9:19 pm

    Thanks for all of the great DH recaps, Hypno, I loved reading your insights about the show and all of your knowledge of past seasons. I’m so going to miss this show, the finale was perfect. I agree with you, I think the ladies kept in touch over the years, it just was never the same, like when you graduate high school.

  11. 11
    kczar
    Posted May 19, 2012 at 4:12 am

    I’m really going to miss most of these women (I yelled “I hate Susan” about six times during the finale). I’m happy the ladies seem to have gotten their happy endings after all the crap that happened to them on the lane. Maybe that’s the problem – Wisteria Lane is cursed.

    Hypnotoad, thank you so much for recapping this show over the years. You’ve done an amazing job and how you can remember all the little details from seasons past is amazing! And you’re right, X-Files definitely tainted “Wonderful, Wonderful”. I had forgotten about that episode and wondered why I was a bit creeped out when they kept playing it!

    I’ll miss Lynette’s gut wrenching emotional scenes, Gaby’s wacky schemes, Bree’s anal retentive ways and Susan’s…daughter Julie. I hope these actresses find other venues for their talents. I’d watch them in almost anything.

  12. 12
    Kammie
    Posted May 19, 2012 at 4:26 am

    By the way, I re-watched the “Home” episode of x-files last night. That is probably why I yelled in terror when my husband gently touched my shoulder to tell me he was home (I was asleep). I think I gave him a heart-attack. Unless I watch this episode of DH, I might never want to hear that song ever again!

  13. 13
    Bioscotto
    Posted May 19, 2012 at 9:30 am

    Much love, Hypno! I’ll miss Desperate Housewives way more for the lack of your recaps than for the lack of the show itself!

    I’ve enjoyed your wit and humor, and have truly appreciated your eye for a certain male aesthetic that you were willing to share with us ;)

    I really liked the way they ended with the start of another mystery…had a nice symmetry to it…and as a Louisville, KY native, I find it hilarious that Bree ended up here…I guarantee she lived in the east end and shopped at The Summit!

    Take care…maybe I’ll have to start watching Pretty Little Liars so I can get my Hypnotoad fix…or just read the recaps and skip the show…that could work, too! :D

  14. 14
    Hypnotoad Hypnotoad
    Posted May 19, 2012 at 7:39 pm

    I would love it if you read my Pretty Little Liars recaps! Be forewarned: The show is exhausting.

  15. 15
    PlathAddict PlathAddict
    Posted May 20, 2012 at 11:39 am

    Thank you so much for sharing my favorite kind of cake – BEEF! I think I will miss your recaps more than I’ll miss the show. I kind of hardened my heart against it after they killed Edie, but I just couldn’t quit the crazy of Wisteria Lane. I do think it’s crazy that Bree went into politics. I mean think of all the shenanigans this woman has been involved with. She abandoned her son, she was accused of murdering her husband. Her second husband covered up the murder of his mistress, attempted to murder Mike, and was a freaking burglar.
    Then there is the alcoholism, the second murder accusation, and all of the crap with her daughter. I guess the vetting process wasn’t that stringent.

  16. 16
    aman
    Posted May 21, 2012 at 7:34 pm

    hooray for winning! boo for the show ending!

    my sister watches PLL and loves it, and i intend to watch it (and follow your recaps) once im done watching all of the futurama episodes on netflix. woop!

  17. 17
    Hypnotoad Hypnotoad
    Posted May 21, 2012 at 9:44 pm

    Yay! I was waiting for you to comment so I could email you. And I love Futurama! (Obviously, hence my recap nickname. All glory to the Hypnotoad!). PLL is annoying. My recaps are not. ;-)

    I’ll email you soon, aman!!!

  18. 18
    georgiababe
    Posted May 21, 2012 at 11:45 pm

    I won? Huzzah! I’ll have to remember my email password now…

    I honestly loved this finale. I was worried that I would be left disappointed, but I thought it was really great. I cried so hard during the “Wonderful Wonderful” montage, it was so sad and sweet. I figured that McCluskey would die in the finale, which makes me sad, but I loved her in the last two episodes and I am perfectly happy with how this whole thing ended.

    Also, totally agree, Gabby’s laugh during the poker scene was completely Eva Longoria. I imagine that the actors had lots of mixed emotions about leaving, I hope that the finale was as satisfactory for them.

    My only beef? There were significant people missing from the ghost sequence. Edie, obviously, but had they used her image somehow I’m sure that Sheridan would have sued. But what about Ida Greenberg?! Or Victor Lang? Or Deirdra? Or Eli Scruggs (the handyman)? Or Felicia Tillman? Matthew Applewhite? Or Wayne (Katherine’s ex)? Or Sylvia (Adam Mayfair’s ex-lover)? I think that those people are far more significant than Bradley Scott or Mona Clark (who were featured in 2 episodes max before being killed). And Orson’s mother would have been a nice addition, but Dixie Carter is dead, so…

    All in all, I’m satisfied. I was BAWLING during the ghost scene. Yes it’s kind of cheesy – especially dressing them all in white – but the music is amazing. The music on this show has always been so amazing and rather haunting, I have re-watched that clip a million times on YouTube just because I love the music.

    And I have to hand it to Cherry, I LOVE that they ended with a mystery. That felt like the show getting back to good old season 1 quality and it made me want to watch it with new characters.

    I don’t think there was a special for DH like there was for Lost, but I think that Lost was more popular at the end. DH had a lot of steam for the first four seasons, but then it kind of tuckered out. I hated the ending of Lost, but I think there was a lot more anticipation for that series finale than for this one, hence the additional special.

    I have so enjoyed reading your recaps over the past couple of seasons Hypnotoad (has it really been that long?) and I will definitely miss bitching about the love/hate relationship that we all have with this show. I don’t watch any other shows that you recap, but now I feel like I’ll need to start to fill the DH void!

    I am seriously going to miss this show. The finale made me remember why I loved it so much in the first place. Le sigh.

  19. 19
    Hypnotoad Hypnotoad
    Posted May 22, 2012 at 7:04 pm

    Aman & georgiababe — I just emailed you! I’m a teensy bit oak-bray, so it may take a little while, but I will NOT forget your DVDs!

    Did Felicia Tillman really die? Did we have confirmation on that? I remember her getting hit by a truck, but I can’t remember if we saw her actually dead and/or dying. And I don’t think Orson’s mom died — she was just in a coma the last time we saw her. Am I right? I don’t know . . . And I sort of remember Mona being in about 5 or so episodes because she was blackmailing Drea De Matteo, but you’re right — she wasn’t in a whole bunch of them. Also, where was Paul’s second wife, the one who killed herself? Was she in there? Did I miss her?

    I’m disappointed there wasn’t a special. They had one for Will & Grace and that show didn’t have as much success after the 5th season or so. I really feel that ABC should have honored the show more than it did. Yes, after season 4 it declined in both ratings and storytelling, but the show was a juggernaut when it first came out. (I don’t really know what juggernaut really means, but it’s a fun word, isn’t it)? We, the fans, should have been respected, dammit.

    I’ll agree on the Lost episode. I didn’t hate it quite as much as everyone else did (people were piiiiiiissssed!), but even though I was let down by the plot and how everything ended up, it was emotionally satisfying for me. I thought it was true to the characters (for the most part) but not true to the story-line and mythos of the show by any means. I’m glad I had low expectations going into this finale, because I really was satisfied with the way things played out. They should have added more shirtless men, though.

    You guys so do not have to watch Pretty Little Liars, but I may require you to comment on the recaps. Even if you’re just making a comment about Desperate Housewives that has nothing to do with Pretty Little Liars — that would be awesome.

    PLL is the only other show I recap. I can’t recap reality shows because I feel really bad making fun of people who are, for lack of a better word, being “real.” I blame that one time I recapped that stupid “Dating in the Dark” show and at least one contestant per episode commented on my recap. Which was kind of fun, but it made me feel a little guilty. But only a little . . . So I tend to do scripted shows and Pretty Little Liars is my cup of tea — it’s dark, it’s bitchy, there are a couple characters that I truly HATE, and it’s incredibly ludicrous. Like, INCREDIBLY. If you put Sweet Valley High, Saved By the Bell, and Desperate Housewives in a blender, you’d come up with Pretty Little Liars.

  20. 20
    Hypnotoad Hypnotoad
    Posted May 22, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    Here’s a youtube link that lists the ghosts:

  21. 21
    Hypnotoad Hypnotoad
    Posted May 22, 2012 at 7:07 pm

    Holy shit — the video just showed up! I didn’t have to do any fancy tagging or HTML tags or anything! I love the new TVGasm!

  22. 22
    georgiababe
    Posted May 22, 2012 at 7:39 pm

    Yup, you’re right, Orson’s mom didn’t die, I forgot she was just in a coma. And I don’t know if Felicia died, I don’t know if they confirmed it, but I figure that getting hit head on by a semi when you’re in a sedan will probably do it.

    Paul’s second wife was totally there, she was standing with Rex and Chuck and Katherine’s aunt Lily in front of Bree’s (I think) house.

  23. 23
    CrazyTrain CrazyTrain
    Posted May 24, 2012 at 7:31 pm

    Aww Hypno, thanks so much for all of these years of recaps. I have read every word, and have always loved the shirtless pics! This was a pretty good finale, all said and done.

    PLL is such a crazy show. I cannot wait for it to ocme back and for your recaps! <3

  24. 24
    Hypnotoad Hypnotoad
    Posted June 2, 2012 at 5:19 pm

    Kathryn Joosten, who played McCluskey, has sadly passed away.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/02/kathryn-joosten-desperate-housewives-dead_n_1565040.html

    RIP, Kathryn. You deserved every bit of praise and every reward you received.

  25. 25
    See-Jay
    Posted June 3, 2012 at 12:39 pm

    Just heard about her passing. :(

    Fuck cancer.

  26. 26
    Hypnotoad Hypnotoad
    Posted June 3, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    Indeed.

  27. 27
    Kris
    Posted July 13, 2012 at 5:57 pm

    Tom ‘I’ve been having mid life crisises for the better part of a decade’ Scavo has something to say about Lynette never being happy? Right……..

    At least he came through in the end. I did like Lynette’s speech. I kind of think maybe it touched Tom in the sense he realized it should be true about him as well

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