Mad for 'Housewives' ('nother article)

[vashti1999]

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
Mad for 'Housewives'
By RICHARD HUFF
DAILY NEWS TV EDITOR
Tuesday, October 19th, 2004

The ladies of Wisteria Lane continue to sizzle like no others.
ABC's "Desperate Housewives," a quirky new drama about a group of suburbanites in various stages of marriage and divorce, tore up the Nielsens Sunday night with an average of 20.6 million viewers.

It was the third consecutive Sunday of 20 million-plus audiences for the show, a feat almost unheard of in a day when most homes have about 100 viewing choices.

"We're all very humbled that this has actually happened," said executive producer Michael Edelstein. "I've been in the TV business for 15 years. This happens every five years…every now and then a drama really hits with an audience."

Has it ever.

Typically, viewership for a new show drops 10% to 15% from the first promotion-fueled week to the next. But, in three weeks on the air, "Desperate Housewives" has become the water-cooler show of the season. For example, Monday WPLJ's "Scott & Todd in the Morning" offered a "Desperate Housewives" recap. They weren't alone.

The show revolves around five women — six if you count the narrator who killed herself in the first episode.

Teri Hatcher plays as a single mom struggling to start a relationship with a handsome plumber. Nicolette Sheridan plays a sexpot single mom, who is also trying to land the plumber.

Eva Longoria portrays a seductive young wife who is bored with her lout of a husband and takes up with a 17-year-old high-schooler. Felicity Huffman is the mom of three bratty kids and has an inattentive husband. And Marcia Cross, the closest one to a Stepford Wife, is going through therapy with her husband.

The story line in Sunday's episode was typical for the darkly humorous series, and atypical for most dramas.

Consider this: Longoria's character got caught canoodling with her boy toy by a young neighbor. Cross' character divulged how her husband acts during sex, causing him to storm out of a neighborhood dinner party. And Hatcher got locked out of her house — nude.

"This has become a cultural phenomenon," Edelstein said. "People are responding to what we're doing. We feel blessed that the audience is relating to some of the characters."

Indeed, there's already been buzz about the Longria character's fling with the high-schooler, suggestions that perhaps that she's committing rape by some definitions.

"You're always walking a fine line when you do anything provocative," Edelstein said. "There are obvious consequences for every action that is taken. As the show evolves, she'll have to take responsibility for her actions."

The steamy story lines, sexy characters and a mystery back story also have fueled interest in the show overseas. It already has been sold in most major markets, Edelstein said.

"I've always had a sense this should do well internationally," he said. "We've had a huge response."

[Mr. Television]

Its so great that this show is getting respect from all over. I hope it lasts a long time.

[JT]

I felt it in my bones that DH would be a MAJOR hit! And it is! I'm so happy that a show that I LIKE is kicking butt in the ratings!