Translate

Friday 6 July 2012

Desperate Housewives - 7.10: "Down the Block There's a Riot" Review


The final episode before the Christmas break sees a riot erupt on the Lane, that's never been done before. Tempers flare, fights galore, bullets sound and anger rages; it's not too long before people get hurt and Paul gets his comeuppance.

Mary Alice (Brenda Strong) "We know what they look like, we know how they dress  and we know how they behave.   Yes we can all recognize the wrong kind of people and when we see them coming, we do what we have to do to protect ourselves."

Paul (Mark Moses) is getting the parolees to fix up the house.   He wants them living on the street where everyone's so friendly.   The women all need to gather support from the others so he can't buy up the last house he needs.

Mary Alice: "My friends went to work trying to stop Paul Young...he didn't care.   He should have...he knew what the ordinary men and women will do to protect themselves from the wrong type of people."  Lots of people packing heat this episode, but of course we don't get to see everyone's faces, that'd lose the mystery and effect.

Mary Alice: "...a woman departed - news of her disappearance would spread and the sound would be deafening."  But a "young man in love had plans to make some noise of his own."  Keith (Brian Austin Green) proposes to Bree (Marcia Cross) but before he can actually get the words out, Bree stumps him with a proposal of her own.   Ain't that the way Bree, always has to interrupt first.   She wants him to move in  ith her.   It's too soon to contemplate marriage.   Keith thinks he can use this as a "tiny napkin ring."  It'd be a hoot how her friends will gossip about her 'living in sin.'  Obviously Bree wouldn't do something like that but then that's the new Bree, a marked difference in her character.   She wouldn't drink, she wouldn't live in sin, or believe in sex before marriage etc, but she does just that now.

Lynette (Felicity Huffman) is approached by the Hydrangea Circle Homeowner's Association for help with getting the halfway house removed.   (The names of these streets must drive people potty, if they're all named after flowers and plants!)  He can scare the hell out of the person opening up the halfway house.

Susan (Teri Hatcher) chats with Mike (James Denton) and how he misses her, he even put boobs on a snowman and the only female he's seen had antlers.   She tells him about Tom (Doug Savant) and Renee (Vanessa Williams) but he suggests she not tell Lynette.  Gaby (Eva Longoria) cries over losing Grace (Cecilia Balagot) and Juanita (Madison La Garza) asks her why.   Gaby forbids her from playing in her bedroom and to not wear her expensive jewellery.   Juanita liked her better when she was crying.

Lee (Kevin Rahm) confesses to Lynette that he didn't know what Paul was planning.   Paul watches from his window and tricks him into selling his own house, so he has the final vote he needs.   Lee thinks Mitzi (Mindy Sterling) has sold her house and so prices will plummet.   Bob (Tuc Watkins) thinks Lee made the right move in selling since everyone on the lane holds him responsible.   Lo and behold, who turns up, none other than Mitzi.   She wouldn't "screw over" her neighbours.   And boy are they right royally screwed!

An episode full of propositions and proposals from left right and centre.   Gaby has to speak with Lynette as she's the only one who's lost a child.   She tells her to write a letter to Grace, but not to send it out.  Her therapist told her this and it worked.   Not surprisingly, Juanita reads the letter, as she never does what she's told and hides under Gaby's bed.   She and Gaby have a falling out and Juanita runs away, after pushing Gaby to the floor.   She's not her mommy.

Richard (John Schneider) attempts to discourage Keith from marrying Bree.   She only wants fun and he's just a "distraction." Paul announces the Mayor of Fairview is bestowing him with an award for Outstanding Public Service and all his friends should come.  Carlos (Richardo Antonio Chavira) asks what this service is?  He has the necessary votes to open the halfway house.

Renee mistakes the schoolbus and the children for 'creepy characters' who were staring at her.   Susan lets Tom know she's aware of Renee's love for him and their weekend in the past; but Tom loves Lynette.   Renee was "forever ago."  Susan thinks he should get Renee to leave.  Couldn't keep her mouth shut, as usual.   Keith wants Bree to wear his ring if marriage is only a formality and they'll be married eventually.   He needs more commitment from her.   See, once upon an eon ago, Bree would be in Keith's position and demand a commitment from the man in her life.   He repeats Richard's line of him only being a "diversion" and how they're not meant to be together.

Lynette takes up the Hydrangea Circle offer of help and thinks they'll be organizing a peaceful protest, with slogans and embarrassing the mayor.   After an ex-con enters Bree's house  by mistake, Richard gets the chance to rescue her from him and kisses her.   So what was said a few weeks ago by me, actually happens.   Bree tells Keith about this and when he confronts Richard outside, one of the protesters thinks Keith is an ex-con, starting a fight, which escalates into a full-blown riot.   Lee packs a gun.   Bree shoots her gun to stop them attacking Keith.   Juanita hides out in Lee's and Bob's car and they're attacked.   Gaby rescues Juanita, but they leave behind Lee and Bob; so much for neighbourly spirit!  It's up to Lynette to come to their help by shouting he's her neighbour!  Lynette accuses Paul of all the trouble and he replies,sarcastically, that the residents were supposed to be better than ex-cons.

Renee tells Susan she's here to stay and they get separated by the crowd, leading to Susan being trampled.   She's unconscious when Tom and Renee find her.

Mary Alice: you "could no longer hear the screams of frightened bystanders...cries of help from the injured...just footsteps of a man who had finally pushed them, who had betrayed them...the silence was broken by what the neighboours would say sounded like that of a gunshot...Paul knew it was the sound of revenge..."

This was the Christmas cliffhanger and it came as no surprise that Paul would be shot, with so many guns around, the question now being who really did it.   My bets on his wife, Beth (Emily Bergl), but you never can tell with this show.

No comments: