ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” chronicles the lives of several suburban women, their families and their scandals. While the show receives rave reviews and awards galore, many question the validity of the show’s content and it’s moral standards.
Look a little deeper than the dirty laundry, love triangles and basement secrets of Wisteria Lane, however, and you will find a witty and satirical commentary on the role of modern housewives and contemporary relationships.
Each character represents a different choice women may face-between true love and money, happiness and security, a profession and a family, etc. Certainly none of these decisions are “either/or” scenarios, but the characters of “Desperate Housewives” struggle, as many real women do, to strike a proper balance.
Take Gabrielle, the rich, beautiful Latina who has realized that her marriage to the macho Carlos provides her with everything she ever wanted in life-financially. But as she becomes more like a pet to him than an equal, she realizes she that wanted all the wrong things and begins searching for happiness outside her marriage.
Or Bree, the picture-perfect suburban housewife and mother who has been so concerned with maintaining appearances that she won’t let herself-or anyone else-see how unhappy she really is. After a failed marriage and becoming a widow, she now battles alcoholism and a rebellious teenage son.
There’s Lynette, who in a former life was a rising star of the advertising profession but put aside her career ambitions to become a full-time mom. Lynette has returned to the workforce and now must negotiate the male-dominated business world while worrying about her husband, who feels emasculated by her success.
And then there’s Edie, the shallow slut. Edie is what men want and what all the other women despise, and as a result, she never has a serious and rewarding relationship-romantically, or platonically with a female friend.
Can you find a reflection of yourself in these characters? I can. I think I have the ambition of Lynette, and while I am the polar opposite of Bree’s conservatism, I do love her red hair. And like Gabrielle, I find shoe shopping a therapeutic escape.
Sure, the stereotypes these characters portray are not representative of every woman, and the show has been criticized for only featuring rich, well-educated families. But in the same way that “Sex and the City” inspired women from all walks of life to discuss their sexual needs, so does “Desperate Housewives” provide a talking point for open dialogue on women, success, family and love.
And for those of you not looking for anything deeper than a love triangle when you watch TV, take note-because “Housewives” is a lot of fun even when you aren’t in the mood to think about it.
Where else can you find a neighborhood full of rich, beautiful people who cheat, lie, embezzle, kill and lock people in their basements? And I’ll be honest, even my boyfriend thinks the plumber character is cute-just a little.
The bottom line is that “Desperate Housewives” is a great show that skillfully combines elements of humor and entertainment with commentary and critique. Watch it with your friends, and then see what kind of things you end up talking about together. Maybe, with some discussion, we all will be a little less desperate and a lot more satisfied.