A few weeks ago, we all participated in the ritualistic rending of garments to honor the tenth anniversary of the premiere of Lost. People still have some strong Lost feelings. But if you can remember back to fall 2004, Lost was not the only show people were excited about, not the only mystery TV was promising to solve. Desperate Housewives premiered ten years ago today, and man, was that first season ever a fun ride.
I know I can watch Devious Maids and Mistresses and get a lot of the same DH vibes, but neither show is as biting and funny as Desperate was. It wasn’t just an over-the-top prime-time melodrama; it had a serious bite to it. In the years since its premiere, my feelings about DH have kind of swirled together with my less-positive feelings about the Real Housewives franchises the series inspired, and the behind-the-scenes drama eventually overshadowed anything the show was able to generate in its later seasons. But sweet Lord, did I ever love that first season. Its hypersoap tone, borderline Edward Scissorhands aesthetic, and sense of well-groomed menace really charmed me, and Melrose Place alumnae are my weakness. It was a murder mystery without being a cop show. Romance, intrigue, Teri Hatcher falling down a lot — hooray forever.