'Desperate Housewives' returns in strong form

They're heading for a wedding on Desperate Housewives, but you'll have to watch to find out who "they" are.
Don't fret. The answer comes almost immediately, and while it may not be the answer some fans want, it's well-delivered and likely to strike most as acceptable. And that's just the first bit of good news about a strong seasonal return that starts with a bang, ends with a cliffhanger jolt, and offers a good story for each of the wives in between while dropping a possibly worthy new addition in their midst.
The newcomer to this suburban lane is a tough city girl played by The Sopranos' Drea de Matteo, who moves into Mary Alice's now-empty house with her husband (Jeffrey Nordling) and possibly troubled son (Beau Mirchoff) in tow. They clearly have a secret, because if they didn't, they wouldn't serve much of a purpose on the show.
Intros are efficiently made, but the episode's real focus is on the four main housewives. Whether it's Susan's wedding or not, you know she'll be preoccupied by it, so that's her story. Bree is torn between Orson and Karl (Richard Burgi, who has one of his best episodes yet), Lynette is still reeling from her later-life pregnancy, and Gaby is struggling to deal with her now live-in niece.
There's humor and poignancy in all the stories and good work all around. In particular, the hour serves as a reminder of how strong and varied an actress Felicity Huffman is, and of how strong a comic force Eva Longoria Parker has become.
It's true that, over time, Desperate has lost some of its ability to shock. (How could it not?) And it's equally true that the removal of the Mary Alice story has cost the show some of its depth. But it remains a very good TV series, and this is a very good start. There are landmines and possible dead zones ahead, as there always are for TV series. But depending on how some of these stories play out — Lynette's in particular — there's also the potential for a season that returns this already-solid show to top form.
And you get a wedding. What more do you want from one hour?
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