WRITER: Marco Pennette[SPOILERS] If, like me, you read the title of this episode and went "eh?!" then fear not, the answer is at hand: like a majority of the episode titles this season, "Chromolume #7" is taken from a song from a Stephen Sondheim musical. Housewives creator Marc Cherry is a big fan, apparently. According to the resource engine that is Yahoo! Answers: "Chromolume #7" is the name of a fictional color and light machine in the Stephen Sondheim musical "Sunday in the Park with George." If you're still thinking "eh?!" then fear not -- I am, too. Not for the first time in recent memory, I have been totally non-plussed by the frankly ridiculous and seemingly unrelatable choice of episode names. Bringing to light new revelations is the closest association I can think of, and that's at a stretch.
DIRECTOR: Lonny Price
GUEST CAST: Julie Benz, Max Carver, Shawn Pyfrom, Sam Page, Suzanne Costallos, Helena Mattsson, Ellen Crawford, Jonathon Adams, Barry Livingstone, Tracy Fraim, Heidi Klum & Paulina Porizkova
The dynamic between Angie (Drea de Matteo) and Gabrielle (Eva Longoria Parker) as they flew to New York to once again break up Danny (Beau Mirchoff) and aspiring model Ana (Mairia Walsh) was superb: Gaby sharing stories (read: bragging) of her glory days as a model to a cagey and uninterested Angie. Running into her former agent Luke Rayfield (Jonathon Adams), as well as notable guest stars Heidi Klum and Paulina Porizkova (both of whom really can't act but just about got by on star appeal), lead Gaby to realize how much of a queen bitch she used to be (duh!). This is her second epiphany in as many episodes -- we soon won't recognize her if this character transformation continues!
Gaby's vow to change starts with owning up to Angie about overhearing her row with husband Nick (Jeffrey Nordling) some weeks ago, only for Angie to reciprocate by revealing a startling amount about her shady past with the enigma that is Patrick Logan -- including the shocking disclosure that Danny is Patrick's son and not Nick's. I find it hard to believe that Angie, having been so careful for 18 years, would suddenly decide to spill -- especially to someone as gossipy as Gaby -- but for the good of plot and character progression, it worked well. Thanks to a tip-off from nosy neighbour Iris (Ellen Crawford) while Angie is picking up Danny from her estranged mother's (Suzanne Costallos) house, it won't be long before Patrick is once again back in the Bolen's life's...
Andrew Van De Kamp's (Shawn Pyfrom) distrust over do-gooder Sam Allen's (Sam Page) promotion within Bree's (Marcia Cross) catering company came to a head this week, resulting in a drunken physical confrontation. Ironically, it turns out that the jealous son's suspicions were correct, when Bree discovers a photograph of a much younger Sam with Bree's ex-husband, the deceased Rex, at Sam's house. Eventually given a chance to explain himself, Sam reveals that Rex and his mother had a one night stand prior to Rex meeting Bree. I cannot believe that this is the end of this speedily exposed storyline (and was surprised at how little Bree seemed to dwell on Rex's secret life), and would like to see it progress further, if only to see how head-strong Andrew reacts to Sam being his half-brother.
Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delaney) is still bewildered after her passionate night with house guest Robin (Julie Benz). Episode writer Marco Pennette chose to take the pressure off the sexually confused housewife by getting Robin out of her hair for the majority of the episode (she was at a family wedding, apparently), leaving Katherine free to chat to Bob (Tuc Watkins) and Lee (Kevin Rahm) about the possibility that she has "turned gay." The couple laugh the suggestion off -- and rightfully so -- but it was a humorously quirky conversation nonetheless, if only for Bob and Lee's bickering. A returning Robin, however, is less willing to believe the night was a "drunken mistake" (funny, I don't remember alcohol being a factor last week?), leading to a rather forced kiss.
Finally this week, Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher) has used part of the money she received from selling her share in gentleman's club "Double D's" to pay off husband Mike's (James Denton) business loan -- without his knowledge. Coupled with the slowly spreading news of his former partner's "leprechaun" encounter with the former stripper (a chucklesome mishearing), Mike is left feeling somewhat emasculated, and after an attempt to reassert his masculinity with a kitchen romp leads to hilariously embarrassing awkwardness (and a bump on the head), Susan agrees to cancel the bank cheque and allow Mike to pay off the loan by himself.
26 MAY 2010: CHANNEL 4/HD, 9PM
