Desperate Housewives: Pest Control

Although last night's episode of "Desperate Housewives" was definitely the weakest of the season, but there was still plenty to like.

There was stuff to like right at the beginning when Bob and Lee (pictured, left), a gay couple from "the city" (umm, what city is that again?), arrived in Wisteria Lane. Unfortunately, the first person they met was Susan, but fortunately for us, her attempts at sounding PC ("I watch a lot of cable") were comedic gold. In her efforts to get them to like her, she went on to pretend to bake cookies for new neighbors. Later, she planned to pretend to find their beloved dog Raphael (not a third partner as Susan had guessed) and seem like a hero, but that plan went to hell when the dog escaped from her garage followed by an incriminating streak of yellow paint (nice touch on the paw prints leading right to the garage).

I'm not really sure how the new neighbors are going to fit in, but for one episode, it was fun watching them hate needy Susan. Still, judging by jerky Lee (the one who hates the suburbs), it may be just a short term move. Despite the fact that they were a tad oversensitive, and I think we're meant to root for Susan, it would've been nice if she hadn't been constantly trying to trick them. Overall, I like their addition to the show.

The new couple wasn't the only arrival in the neighborhood as Katherine's sick aunt came home to live out her last days. This week, Katherine didn't have any interactions with the rest of the ladies (which was disappointing), but Dana Delaney was still VERY effective and kinda scary in her scenes with Aunt Lilian, who wanted to clear her conscience about what they'd done all those years earlier. The reason I know these scenes were effective was because I was genuinely bummed when Katherine interrupted the older woman right as she was about to tell young Dylan why the girl couldn't remember living in Wisteria Lane (Katherine seems to have some otherworldly radar about when people are about to discover something in her house).

So what didn't work for me? Bree's ex mother-in-law Phyllis (Rex's mom). Ugh, hated her. I know the character is supposed to be annoying, but it got to the point where I just didn't want to watch that character on screen (which can't be what ABC or the writers want). Phyllis had sent Danielle a scooter as a present, but Bree refused to accept it and wouldn't let Andrew or Orson keep it, though Orson did manage to get in some wacky stunts in one of the highlights of this storyline — where the hell did he learn that stuff?

Also, though I know Andrew is supposed to be a jerk, I don't at all buy the fact that he would jeopardize his mom's fake baby ruse by having her friends throw her a baby shower just because she wouldn't let him have a scooter. Not good enough, writers.

The writers are also not doing a good enough job with the Edie character, and every week that goes by I wish more and more that they would've just left her hanging from her ceiling. This week, an outbreak of crabs (which Edie got from a tanning bed) led to Carlos and Gabby teaming up to discretely cure Victor. Eva Longoria-Parker (I'm getting used to saying it) once again helped salvage a mostly groan-worthy storyline as she dressed up as a hot-nurse and rubbed Victor down with the medicine ("For a guy getting a rubdown from a hot nurse, you ask a LOT of questions!"). In the end, Edie figured out the connection between Carlos, Gabby, and Victor after smelling her medication on Victor and after the four of them were served crab cakes (subtle!) at Bree's baby shower.

Finally, there was the saga of Tom and Lynette, who was feeling a little frisky while on break from chemo treatments. Unfortunately, her wig slipped off during foreplay, which kinda horrified Tom a bit. Eventually, Lynette got a replacement wig and engaged in some role-playing with Tom, though it turned out Tom was a bit TOO much into role playing and not enough into plain ol' Lynette.

There was some interesting stuff in there about how Tom should be in love with Lynette and not her costumes (and definitely not her "soul" as Lynette said), but mostly Tom came off sounding like a whiny little baby as he complained that Lynette had never asked him how HE was doing as SHE was undergoing treatment for cancer. Poor baby. At least that led to the best line of the night from Lynette, "I'm a cancer bitch." Only Doug Savant's acting and just overall likeability saved him from looking like a huge jerk.

So what'd you think of this episode? Is it just me or does Mike seem to be getting more fed up with Susan than usual? How will the gay couple be received by the rest of the neighborhood? Are they hiding something (which seems to be mandatory for that neighborhood)? Where the hell was Adam (Katherine's husband)? Finally, what did Katherine's aunt write on that piece of paper before she died?