The magic of streaming makes classic shows new, and that's seemingly been the case for Desperate Housewives, which is available for those with a Hulu subscription. When I started my re-watch of the show, I was surprised by how well it aged, as well as the hilarious performances by actors like Eva Longoria. But now that I've gotten to Season 5, I'm remembering why I dropped off the show during its original run on ABC.
Desperate Housewives was a huge hit during its eight seasons on the air, and inspired Bravo's Real Housewives of Orange County (streaming with a Peacock subscription). Some folks are hoping for a reboot, but it remains to be seen if that ever happens. Although I have to admit that Season 5 of the show is way less enjoyable than its predecessors (so far, at least).
Deseperate Housewives' Season 5 Time Jump Is A Tough Adjustment
I was pretty young when I originally watched Desperate Housewives, and I don't remember much after that wild tornado episode. Season 5 is a game changer for the series, as it takes place five years after the events of the fourth season. This plot device allows for the characters to be changed greatly, but I'm having some growing pains.
Perhaps the subplot that I'm finding the most challenging is Eva Longoria's Gabrielle Solis. While she was always a delightfully self-centered former model, the fifth season shows her as a schlubby mother of two who is struggling to make ends meet. She's rocking a sad bob and doesn't have any of the glamor the character has previously been known for. She's always been one of my favorite characters, and her fall from grace is making Gabi far less fabulous. Justice for Gabi!
There have been a bunch of strange plotlines throughout Season 5 that I can't quite settle on. Case in point: the episode where Felicity Huffman's Lynette Scavo basically catfishes her son, Porter, online. That entire narrative felt very uncomfortable and has honestly aged like milk.
On the subject of the Scavos, Tom's new passion for starting a garage band is also killing me softly. Namely because the entire family was already put upside down when he decided that opening a pizzeria was his "dream." He's somehow grown discontent with the restaurant, and is once again whining and changing the entire family's priorities.
I have to assume that these issues with Season 5 are why I dropped Desperate Housewives as a young person during its OG run. I'm going to stick around and keep watching this time around, but I'm really hoping that future episodes become a return to form. The time jump complications just aren't doing it for me.
Desperate Housewives' full eight-season run is streaming now on Hulu. Hopefully I'll settle into Season 5 as I get deeper into its 24-episode run.
