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- Desperate Housewives is a fun series to rewatch, as the episodes are packed with action and drama but also share the everyday lives of the characters. There is a lot of murder, intrigue, and secrets in every season. But fans come back to the show because of the love that the main characters have for each other and the way that they are always there for each other. Viewers have rated every episode of the popular TV drama on IMDb, and it's interesting to see which ones came out on top, thanks to the plotlines that made an impression.
Teri Hatcher is currently starring as Morticia Adams in a production of The Addams Family, according to Playbill. This is a very different role from Hatcher's Desperate Housewives sweet mother and artist Susan Mayer, who lives on idyllic yet creepy Wisteria Lane with her best friends. The show did a great job proving that life in suburbia is not always perfect, and everyone has secrets that they don't wish to share with those close to them. For 8 seasons, Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), Susan, and Bree Van de Kamp (Marcia Cross) mourn their late friend Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong) and deal with different kinds of drama.
Many Desperate Housewives episodes have gotten high ratings on IMDb, and the best episodes include wild moments but also compelling shifts in the friendships and relationships that the main characters have.
Updated on October 21st, 2022 by Aya Tsintziras:
Desperate Housewives is a fun series to rewatch, as the episodes are packed with action and drama but also share the everyday lives of the characters. There is a lot of murder, intrigue, and secrets in every season. But fans come back to the show because of the love that the main characters have for each other and the way that they are always there for each other. Viewers have rated every episode of the popular TV drama on IMDb, and it's interesting to see which ones came out on top, thanks to the plotlines that made an impression.
"The Little Things You Do Together" (S3 E15) - 8.7
Rated 8.7 out of 10, this season 3 episode is all about Lynette's husband Tom following his dream of owning a restaurant. Tom is about to open Scavo's Pizzeria, which will fulfill him but also cause some stress and tension in Tom and Lynette's marriage.
Many episodes of the series are about characters covering up their dark past or even committing murder, and these are the most memorable ones. Viewers also found out that Orson Hodge's mother Gloria killed Monique Polier. While she didn't mean to, she did want to stop Monique from seeing Orson, as she didn't approve of the affair.
"Look Into Their Eyes and You See What They Know" (S5 E19) - 8.7
This season 5 episode, which got an 8.7 out of 10 rating on IMDb, is devastating, as Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan) has passed away and the characters are remembering her. Some memories are positive and others show how mean she could be, but she had moments of real humanity, which brings a lot of emotion to the episode.
Since this entry has a "look down memory lane" format and is so popular, it seems to work well for the show. Saying goodbye to Edie is tough and this is one of the most emotional Desperate Housewives deaths.
"One Wonderful Day" (S1 E23) - 8.8
The season 1 finale received an 8.8 rating out of 10 from fans, which is fairly high. This is a big episode as it sets into motion a lot of the conflict that the characters deal with in the second season.
Bree loses her husband Rex (Steven Culp), Lynette's husband Tom (Doug Savant) insists that she get a job, and Carlos learns that Gaby has been cheating on him. It makes sense that this was a highly-rated installment, as it's incredibly intense. Susan goes to Mike Delfino's (James Denton) place and finds Zach Young (Cody Kasch) there, who won't let her leave and wants to murder Mike. Everything works out, but there are quite a few wild scenes.
"Free" (S4 E17) - 8.8
"Free" is a significant episode for the character of Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delaney) as fans learn that her husband was abusing her. Katherine has been hiding a huge secret: her daughter Dylan died and she covered it up, adopting someone else and acting like this was her child.
The episode also has a five-year time jump and Katherine and the other main characters are playing poker. Tom and Lynette's kids are getting into trouble, Susan has a new love interest, Bree writes cookbooks for a living, Carlos is blind and Gaby has two kids, and Katherine's daughter is getting married. It's very intriguing.
"Give Me the Blame" (S8 E22) - 8.8
Bree is on trial for murder in this episode, and it's a bit of a frustrating storyline to watch since no one is telling the truth about what happened (Gaby and Carlos have ties to the deceased character, and it was Carlos).
The storyline gets more interesting, though, when Karen McCluskey (Kathryn Joosten) says she did it, which is an incredibly good deed. Neither she nor Bree gets into trouble and everything seems to be okay. Lynette and Tom also reconcile after a tough spot in their romance. Lynette and Tom's Desperate Housewives relationship isn't often on solid ground, but it's clear that they love each other.
"Down the Block There's A Riot" (S7 E10)- 8.9
Some of the highest-rated and most unforgettable Desperate Housewives episodes see the main characters in situations that could be life or death. There's a big, chaotic protest in this episode as Paul Young wants to start a halfway house and Susan ends up getting hurt.
It's satisfying for fans that someone shoots Paul before the episode is over as he's not a likable character at all. It's interesting that this episode got such a high rating as the execution is as messy as the protest, but there are definitely worse episodes of this show.
"Finishing the Hat" (S8 E23) -S 9.1
"Finishing the Hat" is the series finale of Desperate Housewives, and it has a 9.1 out of 10 rating on IMDb. In true TV drama season finale fashion, there is a baby and a wedding. It's possible to say this is one of the best TV series finales, as it's very emotional.
Renee Perry (Vanessa Williams) gets married and Susan's daughter Julie (Andrea Bowen) breaks her water on the day of the wedding. Mrs. McCluskey also passes away, which is awful, as she's a lovely character. It's a sad, bittersweet send-off as the women all move away from Wisteria Lane. Susan is the final one to go, and while it's cheesy that she sees spirits while she drives off, it's still pretty fitting. The end is similar to what happened on Pretty Little Liars: just like a new group of friends are dealing with a mystery, a woman named Jennifer now lives in Susan's house on Wisteria Lane and has a big secret.
"Something's Coming" (S4 E9) - 9.2
"Something's Coming" has a 9.2 rating on IMDb and has a lot going on. There's a tornado, which could be seen as corny since it reflects the turmoil in the characters' personal lives as Carlos and Gaby have reunited and want to run away to avoid her new husband Victor (John Slattery). But it also works, as it's a fast-paced episode.
Like many episodes of Desperate Housewives, the wildest moment happens right at the end: Lynette realizes that McCluskey's home is ruined and Lynette's children are trapped there.
"The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened" (S5 E13) - 9.2
The main storyline of this episode is the death of Eli Scruggs (Beau Bridges), who was always around to fix things for the residents of Wisteria Lane. Desperate Housewives often uses a character's death as a storytelling device, allowing the other characters to reflect and remember and think about how that person impacted them.
In this episode, it's beautifully done and very moving. Unlike the worst Desperate Housewives episodes that move slowly and don't feel intriguing, this one allows fans to get a deeper look at a minor character who is sweet and deserves the spotlight.
"Bang" (S3 E7) - 9.5
The highest-rated episode of Desperate Housewives on is "Bang," which has a 9.5 rating. It's interesting that this episode is the seventh episode of season 3. It's not a season finale or even the series finale.
It makes sense why this episode got such a high rating: it has a compelling storyline that is pretty scary to watch. People are held hostage in the grocery store by Carolyn Bigsby (Laurie Metcalf), as she wants to kill her husband for cheating on her. Lynette is there, so it's terrifying to watch, but thankfully although she is hurt, she survives. This episode is also very moving as she has a dream about Mary Alice who lets her know that she's doing well and she shouldn't worry about her.