Desperate Housewives (TV Series) Look Into Their Eyes and You See What They Know (2009) User Reviews

In loving memory

[Alecssei · 9/10 · 20 April 2009]

Since the creator, Marc Cherry, had to cut down the expenses of 'his' (more or less) show he decided to kill one of the main characters on Visteria Lane. He decided that the one person who had to go, was the character that perpetually shocked it's viewers for the past 5 years and the one character he felt that could surprise no one any more.

Unfortunately, I don't agree with Marc Cherry. I always considered the bitter, juicy and delicious comments of his character, Eddie Britt, to be one of the main things I would watch this show every week. When Marc Cherry created the character of Eddie, he created more than just a twice-divorced-and-still-full-of-live-next-door-vamp - he created an icon I think a lot of people (not only women) can identify with. As a guy, this is my opinion - I hope I'm not being sexist.

Because Eddie was this character that everybody either loved or hated and because they wanted for people and viewers not to see that she had been fired, it was decided that Eddie should be the narrator for this episode. It was also decided that the entire episode should be dedicated to her, so that people who saw only the neighbor whore, would see the full strength of Eddie. She is being portrayed, one last time, as a witty, courageous and cordial person. I believe that Marc Cherry always did that - show that it's OK for a woman to speak her mind and be open about her sex life (or even lack of it).

I can't go on and state that it was either wrong or right to take Nicolette Sheridan out of the show. I can't imagine the show without those gals, especially without the sometimes bitchy lines of Gaby (Eva Longoria Parker) or Eddie. However, I really wish Eddie hadn't died. The episode was dedicated fully to Eddie's character and was completed with an interesting 'funeral' and a typical ending narration.

I truly hope Nicolette Sheridan will return (even as a guest star) on the show in the future and that Mac Cherry won't need to kill off one of his characters ever again.

Thank you Nicollette Sheridan!

[abdullabuhamad · 10/10 · 16 July 2020]

I must start of by saying that Edie was the most interesting character in the entire show, Nicollette Sheridan did an amazing performances as Edie throughout the show! It's a shame that she didn't receive an Emmy or a golden globe for playing as Edie!

I think killing of Edie was a bold decision but it's not a good one, Her character was the best and in every season she takes big turns, her death didn't surprise me because Marc Cherry (The Creator) mentioned before that killing Edie was an idea at the writers table but sadly he went with it! I think this is the first poor decision that he went with throughout the show!

However, I think this episode did a great job honoring Edie, It was a great way to set off a legendary character and I actually cried at some of the scenes, even though am not fan of the decision I think they did a great job executing it!

Thank you Edie! Thank you Nicollette Sheridan!

A challenging concept that the writers and actors realise well

[pob_iii · 9/10 · 15 September 2009]

This episode is comparable in structure and purpose to #5.13, "The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened". Both episodes centre each act on one of the protagonists and heavily involve flashbacks, with the aim to eulogise a particular character. In this offering, the task is far greater. The character in question has been with us since the pilot - Edie Britt.

It doesn't make things easy that Edie served such a complex role on the show. Originally conceived as Susan Mayer's foil and love rival, and deservedly the outsider of the lane, the character was significantly developed when she became a replacement lead for Marcia Cross' character at the end of season three. Ultimately, we began to see a more vulnerable woman; despite her promiscuity, we were to understand, Edie Britt was very unlucky in love and insecure. The fourth season saw Edie's status reduced to a supporting role, whereas the fifth began her character's tragic involvement with the mystery plot.

Fittingly, this episode remembers the candid Edie with a minimum of schmaltz or sentimentality; as Lynette remarks, "we're talking about Edie - a little more irreverence is in need". The structural road trip scenes are sparkling with zingy lines and the characters - Susan Mayer, Lynette Scavo, Bree Hodge, Gabrielle Solis and Karen McCluskey - play off each other magnificently.

But it's the newly created flashbacks that do the heavy lifting. Susan starts things off, and it's a good move on the part of the writers to show the very beginning of her and Edie's relationship. It nicely caps off all the great scenes Nicolette and Teri have shared over the series. Also of note is Gaby's sequence of flashbacks. They best display the comedy and tragedy of Edie's character, in a fun competitive bar scene, and Edie's consequent morbid predictions.

Bree and Lynette's flashbacks are less successful. Bree's focuses on her relationship with her husband. This is problematic as this is also the character's current story-arc, and upsets the episode's attempt to be a stand-alone tribute. Meanwhile, lack of character continuity is the problem with Lynette's flashbacks. Lynette, with cancer, has her friends fluffing her pillows, until Edie reminds her of how strong she is. However, one of the distinguishing features of this storyline, when it occurred in season four, was Lynette's refusal to let her friends treat her differently, or let her illness drastically effect her.

In Mrs McCluskey's flashback, Edie defends being an absent mother figure to her son, as she does to Carlos in the season three episode "My Husband, the Pig". Kathryn Joosten and hair and make-up do a good job of recalling the Mrs McCluskey we saw in earlier seasons. Saying that, Teri Hatcher does a similarly good job of playing her scenes too, which predate the events of the show's pilot.

This episode is sparsely done, with a minimum of guest stars, and the absence of supporting regulars. The focus is on female relationships - the show's strength. It's a very well written episode, relying mostly on verbal humour. Some of the jokes are a little crude (I'm not sure I really wanted to know about the bald eagle tattooed on Edie's ass as a parting remembrance), but there's also some great one liners, such as Edie's description of Bree as a "redheaded ice cube". Nicolette Sheridan acts every scene well; it's a real shame she didn't get an Emmy nod. She also does a good job of the voice-over narration - better that is, than the other one-time narrator, Steven Culp; not as good as our resident other-worldly presence, Brenda Strong as Mary Alice.

When this aired, I was less enthusiastic about it. Part of the problem was it came so soon after the other tribute episode mentioned at the start of this review. The shocking decision of the writers to kill off such a beloved character was another factor. But I have a feeling that this is an episode I and - I'm sure - others, will enjoy returning to on DVD. Whether it was ultimately a good idea to write Edie out remains to be seen, however.

Big mistake killing Edie!

[Just-A-Girl-14 · 7/10 · 26 July 2023]

Edie was the only character in the show who told the housewives the truth straight to their faces. It was a huge mistake to kill her!

I'm glad that they paid a nice tribute to her character by focusing the entire episode on her but I think she is going to be terribly missed!

She wasn't just another housewife, she was the one to always say the harsh truth out loud. There are so many lies and masking in the show. The main characters are creating so much drama. Who is going to call out the hypocrisy and expose the lies now?

Take the flashbacks for example, in every single one it was Edie who told the god honest truth. She had a way of being straight forward and just call it as it is. Whether it was to expose Bree's hypocrisy when she send her husband to jail to prove his love but couldn't love him back enough to even visit. Whether it was to tell Lynette to start fighting back or whether it was to tell the truth about herself (her relationships with men, her youth, her son etc).

If you get her out of the equation then you're left with too much drama and no one to call out the other characters. Even with Edie I find it too hard to watch so much hypocrisy and lie but without her I worry it would become unbearable.

Sorry but I seriously think it was a huge mistake to remove such an important character. I'll keep on watching for now but I got a lot of satisfaction from watching Edie expose the other characters. She was the one who represented the audience by saying out loud what we were thinking while watching the show. Who is going to do this now? I don't see anyone else who can replace here.