WRITER: Joe Keenan[SPOILERS] You would be forgiven for thinking we were still in last week's hypothetical parallel reality given how far credibility is stretched during the reading of Karl Mayer's last will and testament at the opening of "You Gotta Get A Gimmick". Even Susan Delfino (Teri Hatcher) makes a flippant fourth-wall-teasing aside to the heavens when it is revealed that the deceased lawyer has left his ex-wife his half of a business he was co-owner of -- without anybody knowing: "At least you'll finally get some rest."
DIRECTOR: David Grossman
GUEST CAST: Orson Bean, Ben Lemon, Dakin Matthews, John Rubinstein, Josh Zuckerman, Brent Biscoe, Brianne Davis & Kevin Scott Allen
This incredulous and weak plot-strand was all-too-neatly tied up by Susan taking to the Double D's stage herself wearing the most stereotypical stripper-esque attire possible (as you do...) to prove Mike would be outraged at men ogling her, and, thus, was wrong for being outraged at Susan's prohibiting of him working at -- and amongst -- Double D's. Always good to have a moral attached to a story which starts and ends with woman degrading themselves by dancing provocatively around poles (!) Thankfully, the rest of the episode was far more endearing and far less ridiculous.
Felicity Huffman as a worn-down and wound-up Lynette Scavo was far and away the best thing in "If...", and she follows it up with another strong turn this week. Clearly not happy that husband Tom (Doug Savant, also excellent) has successfully stepped into her shoes at Carlos's (Ricardo Chavira) firm following the loss of one of her unborn twins, it becomes apparent that she doesn't want to be a stay at home mother this time around because she is struggling with the thought of only looking after one child where there should be two. In the month that has passed (on-screen) between episodes she has been keeping these feelings bottled up, but in letting her repressed emotions out, she leaves Tom a broken man. A broken man who takes a bottle of wine up to bed... isn't it about time the Scavo's had some positive storylines? None of the Fairview folks have an easy ride, but Lynette and Tom seem to come up against a constant barrage of misery and misfortune. I also hope the writer's aren't going to recycle the alcoholic storyline they have already put Bree through in previous seasons.
With youngest daughter Celia clearly making a decent enough recovery following her near-miss in the plane crash to not even garner a mention this week, Gabrielle (Eva Longoria Parker) and Carlos Solis were back to championing Juanita (Madison De La Garza) for a place in a private school. On the cusp of success in an interview with Principal Hobson (John Rubinstein), Juanita's clueless response to her heritage ("I'm Mexican?!") leads to a lesson in ethnic pride for Gaby, who has tended to associate being Mexican with her poor upbringing, and thus downplayed her heritage to her children. A reflective look back over old photographs, and an encouraging word from her (financially successful) husband and all's well again in de casa Solis.
Finally, and in lighter news, Ana Solis (Maiara Walsh) -- who you would be forgiven for thinking had left Wisteria Lane given how infrequently she has featured since episode 6.3 -- sets her sights on dating Danny Bolen (Beau Mirchoff), who up until now has only had eyes for Julie Mayer (Andrea Bowen). Following a painful stand-up routine at an Open Mike Night by irritating recurring friend to the local youth, Eddie Orlofsky (Josh Zuckerman), Ana makes her move. Despite initially being cold towards the snooty teen, Danny concedes that he finds Ana cute, and the seeds of a future relationship have been planted.
22 APRIL 2010: CHANNEL 4/HD, 9PM
