SYNOPSIS:
Take
a trip to the steamy side of suburbs as the acclaimed hit
comedy Desperate Housewives is hotter, hipper and even more
exciting in its sizzling fourth season. Temperatures are rising
behind the closed doors of TV's favourite guilty pleasure.
Primetime's most desired women are back and they're joined
by an old friend who brings the simmering neighbourhood to
a boil.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Okay, this is going to sound absurd but this male
reviewer is going to confess that he feels like a Desperate
Housewife sometimes. Since its first season premiered in 2004,
he has following the trials and tribulations of these Wisteria
Lane ladies. Susan Mayer (Teri Hetcher), Lynette Scavo (Felicity
Huffman), Bree Hodge (Marcia Cross) and Gabrielle Solis (Eva
Longoria Parker) – these names have so evidently become
part and parcel of popular culture that fans became obsessed
with online psychological tests to predict which Desperate
Housewife you were.
And
why would this perfectly normal male reviewer feel like a
Desperate Housewife sometimes? Because after following the
series for four seasons, he can totally connect with how these
ladies feel.
After
three critically acclaimed seasons, the drama comedy takes
us back to Wisteria Lane again for 17 engaging episodes of
sizzling hot plot twists and turns. The main plotline this
time round is about a returning family in the neighbourhood.
Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delany), the latest Desperate Housewife
to join the club after the menacing looking Edie Britt (Nicollette
Sheridan) reaches Wisteria Lane from Chicago with her husband
and daughter. Strangely, her daughter does not remember anything
about her best friend (Susan’s daughter, Julie) or anything
about living in the place before. Secrets soon get uncovered,
and the housewives will have one hell of a day in the neighbourhood
trying to keep things prim and proper.
Of
course, each housewife would have her own story in this season,
ranging from Gabrielle’s extramarital affair, Lynette’s
cancer stricken life, Bree’s own dark secrets and Susan’s
encounters with the new gay neighbours (cue the NC16 rating
from our friends at the censorship board).
You
may ask, what spiritual connection can this reviewer feel
with these Desperate Housewives? And what is it about the
storyline (after four seasons) that he still find addictive?
You
see, this reviewer often finds himself talking over meals
and tea breaks to a few close friends, and at the end of the
day, he wonders through these conversations, how many secrets
are hidden amidst the loud laughter and behind the smiling
faces? This is exactly the sense you get when you see the
ladies sitting together sipping tea, or when they stand at
the roadside gossiping about the new neighbour, or when they
get together for a friendly game of charades. This dramatized
reflection of life does connect with our urbanized lives to
a large extent.
While
some cynics are complaining that the formula of the show is
getting stale after four seasons, the approach of Mary Alice
Young’s (Brenda Strong) deceased character narrating
the show with many quote worthy lines, it’s difficult
not to find yourself wanting to find out more about the housewives’
lives, and becoming addicted to the series.
Season
5 is already showing in the States, and this reviewer can’t
wait to find out whether the housewives will finally lead
the happy and perfect lives they have been yearning for since
Season 1.
Also,
if he hopes to see a happy ending in Gabrielle’s story,
because the online psychological test says that he will lead
a life like hers.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
This Code 3 Sizzling Secrets Edition Code 3 DVD spreads
the season’s 17 episodes over five discs, and includes
a rather impressive palette of bonus features which will entice
the Desperate Housewife fan in you.
Audio Commentaries – Audio commentaries
are included on six of the 17 episodes. In the first episode
“Now You Know” of the season, creator Marc Cherry
and producers Bob Daily and Jeff Greenstein talk about the
things you never knew while watching the show. Did you know
that Edie’s suicide in the finale of Season 3 began
as a joke because the network wanted something juicier than
Bree’s fake pregnancy? Did you know that Felicity Huffman
almost wanted to shave her head for the show until her hairdresser
told her how long it would take for her hair to grow again?
Did you know that for one barbeque scene, not everyone shows
up on the same day on the same set? The commentaries are so
enjoyable we laughed together with the commentators while
listening to their engaging conversations – we really
did.
Getting Desperate: From Beginning To End
– The 27 minute feature is an informative behind the
scene look at what happens at different stages before lucky
viewers get to see a completed episode on screen. We see what
happens at pre production meetings, we see cars being hauled
into the air before dropping onto the road, we see the orchestra
performing the music score, and we see Brenda Strong (Mary
Alice) recording her poignant narrations.
Spare Time: Hanging With The Men of Wisteria Lane
– In nine minutes, see how funny the male cast is as
they talk about how easy their jobs are because everyone is
focusing on the housewives, how they have bonded on set, and
how they do not know which day they may be killed off in the
show. This segment is shot at a bowling alley as the men cheekily
chat over a bowling game. A very innovative approach, we say.
Cherry
Picked: Creator Marc Cherry’s Favourite Scenes
– There are six scenes in the segment with optional
commentary. In one of them, Cherry tells you how the “Trick
Fork” scene in “Now You Know” is silly fun
at its best when Bree gets a fork in her fake belly, and how
it reminds him of his sitcom days.
Alternate Ending - The two minute alternate
ending is, well, a different take on things and we won’t
reveal any spoilers here in fear of incurring the wrath of
fans who haven’t watched the entire season.
Deleted
Scenes – There are 12 deleted scenes totaling
11 minutes. Most of them were deleted for time, and we aren’t
really missing much here.
Bloopers
– Five minutes of bloopers are included here. Edited
to an amusing music accompaniment, watch how Felicity Huffman
tries to turn her husband on in a redhead wig, how Marcia
Cross fumbles her lines, and how Nicollette Sheridan can’t
blow her candle out.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The
disc’s visual transfer is wonderfully crisp and clear,
while there are English, Portuguese and Spanish audio tracks
to choose from.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD
RATING :
Review
by John Li
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