- Susan is mortified when the students are asked to show up in art class nude; Lynette struggles with dating again; Carlos finds himself hitting rock bottom.
- Susan is mortified but tries her best to comply when her art teacher, Andre Zeller, asks the students to show up to class in the nude in order to help them create from a point of honesty; Bree serves up some delicious, homemade soup for the homeless at the local shelter, but ends up enticing the local hipsters and pushing out those in need; Gaby finds herself without a staff to help set up a school event when her lackadaisical approach to her new job as president of the PTA insults the parent volunteers; Renee helps a reluctant Lynette get back into the dating pool by taking her to a singles bar; and Carlos finds himself hitting rock bottom when the guilt over murdering Gaby's stepfather begins to engulf him.—ABC Publicity
- "Desperate Housewives" - "The Art of Making Art" - Oct. 23, 2011
Tom and Lynette bicker in couples therapy. The therapist asks what their goal is: get back together or find a graceful way to the end the marriage? It doesn't have to be decided now but they do need some ground rules. Tom admits to dating another woman but say he hasn't had sex yet. Lynette thinks that 'yes' means he wants door number two. Tom says that's not true, he wants to work it out but right now they don't make each other happy and haven't for a long time and what if there's someone out there who could? He says if they don't look they'll just end up back in therapy hating each other. Lynette says it's time for the dating to begin and she can't wait to let her boyfriend do the thing she never lets Tom do.
Gaby is late to her first PTA meeting, because of a spa appointment, thereby annoying the rest of the association. She's also unprepared to plan the first event. The women, who normally run as a unit all abandon her. Gaby is oblivious to the other ladies alienation with her.
Meanwhile, Bree's reverend Sykes comes to see her since she hasn't been to church in five Sundays. She says she should've called but hasn't been feeling very spiritual lately. He says it's not uncommon to feel that way sometimes. She says she doesn't feel worthy of God's love right now. (Mostly because of the secret she and her friends are hiding) Reverend Sykes says God is easy to find and if she seeks out those who need help she might find him. He suggests some work with the homeless through new neighbor Ben's organization.
Susan tries to chat with another student about her nerves about Andre and talks about her pain, like MJ walking into school without kissing her. The other student offers her father's suicide. Andre enters and says they'll be working with light and shadow and drawing the male form. A model comes in and disrobes. Susan lets out a "whoa." He is very well-built. Susan can't stop giggling much to the dismay of Andre and her fellow students.
Carlos is stewing at home. He has trouble going in the living room. Superficial Gaby isn't very sympathetic. She complains about the PTA gig and has a drink. She thinks the other women are jealous. Carlos reaches for the bottle even though he initially begged off saying he'd been hitting the sauce too hard lately.
Ben brings Bree to his homeless shelter. He asks what she did, since usually when people want to give back it's because they've done something wrong. She says she could ask him the same thing. He says he would also be as sensible not to answer. She says she just wants to give back. Ben introduces her to Donnie, the man in charge. She offers to prep, saute, and chop. He offers her a big old can of soup and the "spice rack" a shaker of salt and pepper. She offers to make soup from scratch. She makes an acorn squash bisque, something "simple."
In art class, Andre says one cannot create real art when one is crippled by their inhibitions so for the next class he's going to make them paint in the nude. Susan claims she has no problem with this.
The next day, Gaby calls the women from the PTA back in for a meeting. She apologizes for blowing them off at the last meeting. She's brought her "beauty team" masseuse, manicurist, and hairdresser and offers them treatments with all of them so they won't be jealous of her fabulous life anymore. She says it's her treat and she's now off to her travel agent while THEY do the decision making for her. The angry women all claim that they'll help but they say to each other that they're just going to treat themselves to a spa day and leave her high and dry.
Renee comes over to get something from Lynette and discovers she's signed up for an online dating service. Lynette shows her the awful video she made. Renee says she will take Lynette to a bar to meet a man. Lynette is nervous but agrees to go with her on Friday. Renee is free since Ben canceled a date with her again over some real estate development deal for the poor.
Meanwhile, Mike discovers Susan naked in the kitchen. She explains. She says she's trying to get used to it. Mike says Andre is good, he gets to see a bunch of coeds naked and call it work. Susan doubts that she can do it and puts on a robe. She says she's going to quit the class. Mike says it's been good for her and pulling her out of her dark place besides the guy sounds like a jackass and she shouldn't let him win. She says he's right and she just needs to let people see her naked. Just then Lee knocks and Susan
At the shelter, Bree's soup is a hit but she's starting to attract the "wrong crowd." Turns out some college students -- with their laptops-- are showing up at the shelter. She tells one he has to leave. He says it's too bad since he just gave her "mad props" on his blog. He's an amateur foodie blogger and his stuff is being liked and re-tweeted. She is flattered and lets him stay.
Carlos comes over to talk to Mike and/or Susan but Mike blows him off and Susan isn't home. He says he'll come back later and Mike tells him not to. Carlos asks if he has something to say. Mike says if the roles were reversed and if he had killed Gaby's stepfather he would've gone right to the police to report it, and not dragged Gaby into covering up the incident... even if it meant going back to prison. He tells him to leave Susan alone and let her find a way to get over what he put her and all the ladies through. Carlos says it helps to talk to her about it. Mike says it doesn't help Susan for she is only feeling even more worse about herself. Carlos says he won't do it anymore than and leaves. Mike seems to feel bad.
Susan shows up to class naked. She is the only one who is. Turns out the entire school put the kibosh on Andre's plan. He says an email was sent out canceling the plan. Susan claims that she never got any e-mail. She thinks Andre didn't send it to her in order to humiliate her. He says in the vast landscape of his life Susan is a dust speck and to get dressed and sit down. She says no, tells him off, and quits the class.
Meanwhile, Bree has turned the soup kitchen into a restaurant essentially. Reverend Sykes is surprised at this turn of events and had to wait in a long line to get in. She says she's never felt more needed and more important. He says that's not the point of charity. She says of course it's to help people, feeling important is just a bonus. He asks where she thinks the homeless might find a hot meal now that she's made the soup kitchen into a place they no longer feel comfortable. She realizes the errror of her ways and starts kicking out the hipsters, making an eloquent speech about who this place is really for. She turns to Ben and apologizes for messing up his soup kitchen. He says he doesn't mind and wonders if she can make another eloquent speech tomorrow to the town council on his behalf to make them see that his real estate development for the poor is a good idea. She sees this as her new opportunity to do good so she says yes.
The next day she shows up and works her magic and Ben is certain he'll get the green light. Bree is thrilled. He asks if she'd like to see where he's building the new site. She says sure. It turns out it's in the woods where they buried Gaby's stepfather. When Ben turns to Bree and asks if she's ever been there she says, "yes, once." He says they hope to break ground soon. Zoinks!
Andre Zeller shows up at Susan's house and convinces her to come back to class. She hopes it's because he thinks she's the only one with real talent. But it turns out the girl whose father committed suicide is the only one with real talent. Nope, Zeller wants her to come back because he does see something, he thinks she's hiding something and when he pulls it out of her he will turn her into a great artist. Susan returns with trepidation.
Gaby shows up to the PTA event and is upset to find the women just sitting around not doing anything to help her. They point out they're all too blissed out from their spa treatments. Gaby says no problem, she's got two hours and a capable husband and she can do it herself. As she's futzing with the sound equipment the women mock her. But they all change their tune when Carlos shows up... drunk, stumbling, incoherent. Gaby realizes this and tells Carlos he must leave. He insists on staying. She turns forlornly to face the other woman. One of them, Cindy, snaps the women into gear telling them to take care of everything. She turns to Gaby and tells her to take care of her husband. Later we see her pouring booze down the kitchen sink.
Renee drags Lynette to a bar and then essentially ditches her when she realizes she's got a man and there's no reason for her to be in this depressing meat market. As Lynette builds a house of coasters various men hit on her. One bails when he hears she has kids, another is a cheeseball with a set of light up ribs under his tie. Finally a cute boy approaches saying he recognizes her. She is excited until she realizes he's a friend of Porter and Preston's who remembers her as the cool mom who always made grilled cheese for them. She bolts. She tries to hand her ticket to the valet but it turns out the guy isn't a valet, he's just a dude who was given ill-advised sartorial choices from a gay guy in his office. As they chat they discover they both have kids, have been out of the dating scene awhile and, gosh darnit, have some chemistry as they joke and laugh and decide to go back in the bar to talk. They head back to his house and start making out which Lynette seems really into. When he suggests moving into the bedroom she seems game. When he leaves the room she notices her wedding ring and in her struggle to get it off loses it in the guy's shag carpet. They search for it and he finds it. But then Lynette, tearfully, realizes she is not ready to make the ten foot walk to this guy's bedroom yet. He is very understanding and she leaves. We later see her looking wistfully at her wedding picture.
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