Desperate Housewives

Okay, a tad embarrassing but now that it's out in the open, I feel I can continue.

My reason for watching this series was really one of pure coincidence. I believe it was a Wednesday morning, a few weeks ago. I was staying at my girlfriend's flat and she had already left for the academy early that morning so I thought I should spend my time constructively. I thought, a film and television student - I should watch a television programme however given that what was being broadcast at that point in time was mostly the likes of Jeremy Kyle, How Clean is Your House and A Place in the Sun - (programmes that, shall we say, are aimed at a particular niche market of which I am not a member) - I turned to the trusty DVD boxsets. The first thing that entered my line of vision was a show I had heard lots about but had never really watched - Desperate Housewives, series one. So I thought, 'why not, I'll try one episode' - this plan did not really come to fruition.

Desperate Housewives, the evidently highly addictive, Emmy Award winning show focusses on the women of Wisteria Lane and their struggles to cope with everything from murder to gardening - basically, American suburban life. Episode one of the first series opens with one of the central characters friends committing suicide - from this point on, she acts as narrator as the repercussions of this mystery start to unfold. The use of narration adds a creative, yet strangely creepy touch.

The stars of the show all give great comedic performances - the writers playing on every character's stereotype - Susan, the klutz - Lynette, the over-worked mother - Bree, the uptight and clean-freak housewife and Gabrielle, the spoiled ex-model. The show uses both hilarious and heart-breaking storylines and as well as the truly likeable characters to keep the audience enthralled. And I think it's fair to say, there are more than a few outrageous moments and situations to keep you going. For example, in series one alone, we are presented with Bree's husband's S&M fetish, Lynette's addiction to her son's medication, a suicide, a strangulation, Gabrielle's affair with a minor and a hit and run - things are only getting more outrageous and complicated as the series progress and now with series six now being broadcast - I'm sure we can expect a whole lot more!

The show is both laugh out loud funny and exremely touching - an unusual choice for me but nonetheless(having completed 4 series boxsets in only a few weeks), I feel, a good one.