Desperate Housewives
Pilot
Season 1, Episode 1 · Aired 2004-10-03
Synopsis
One day in the suburb of Wisteria Lane, residents are shaken up by the sudden suicide of Mary Alice Young. At her wake, her four close friends and the main characters, Susan Mayer, Lynette Scavo, Bree Van de Kamp and Gabrielle Solis, are introduced. All of them lead seemingly perfect lives, trying to keep their problems from each other. Susan and Edie Britt fight over the new neighborhood resident and plumber Mike Delfino. Lynette's children cause a ruckus in the Youngs' pool, putting her in an embarrassing position. Gabrielle is having an affair with her teenage gardener John Rowland, because she is neglected and treated condescendingly by her busy husband, Carlos. Bree's husband Rex collapses from an allergic reaction at a diner, shortly after asking her for a divorce. Susan accidentally burns Edie's house down, after going over to see if she was with Mike. While the ladies put away Mary Alice's belongings, they discover a mysterious blackmail note addressed to her, leaving them to wonder what she had done.
From the desk: Desperate Housewives opens its catalog run with “Pilot” (2004-10-03). Primetime soap revival with mystery scaffolding. Cast shakeups and the endless 'who's the narrator' watercooler.
In the series
This episode is part of Desperate Housewives (2004–2012) on ABC.
Wisteria Lane: lawns perfect, secrets not.
Key cast
- Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer
- Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo
- Marcia Cross as Bree Van de Kamp
- Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis
- Nicollette Sheridan as Edie Britt
- Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young