"You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover"

• Nov 12, 2007 05:05 AM ET
• by Aimee Deeken

For those of us (I include myself) who often bemoan the ditzy, clutzy storylines consistently given to Susan ( Teri Hatcher), tonight's episode was certainly a departure. Last week we saw a single brief glimpse of Mike taking some medication, on the sly. Tonight Bree discovered, and alerted Susan, that Mike was taking a "highly addictive narcotic." Feel free to disagree (seems Hatcher's acting ability is a divisive issue), but I really do think she can act, and the writers' constant use of her character as bimbo comic relief was/is a shame. In fact, I think she can play dark, dramatic and sinister better than Mike ( James Denton). But it's Mike who has the drug problem, whether it's an addiction to painkillers or something worse. Susan assured him that he shouldn't feel pressure to overwork and provide an upscale suburban lifestyle for their child, but should focus on being a healthy father. And though she believed him when he shoved the pills down the drain, the episode's last moment proved otherwise. (I did think it curious that he didn't run any water down said drain; I also thought that if his addiction really was over, that was the shortest story arc this show's ever had!)

In other news of spouses deceiving spouses, it was "to snip or not to snip" in the Hodge household. Orson and Bree couldn't be more perfect for each other - both so cunning, quick on their feet, stubbornly passionate about their opinions, not to mention organized clean freaks - except when they disagree. How very Bree to go behind Orson's back and take Benjamin to the local hospital for the procedure. How very Orson to foresee Bree's action and write a formal letter to doctors, hospitals and "two neighboring states" forbidding the procedure! The bris scene was another classic moment of Bree thinking on her toes and charming others to do her bidding. And in a way, she didn't even lie, saying she would raise him to be as devout a Jew as she (the WASP) was! But back at home, the truth behind the "piggyback bris" was that the child was only eight days old and already Bree thought Orson's parenting opinions should take a back seat to hers because the little boy has her blood, not his. Orson defended himself as the child's parent and Bree seemed to understand. Still, something tells me they may continue to clash over equally shared parenting duties and decisions.

Victor trapping Gaby on a boat wasn't nearly as scary - for Gaby - as I thought it would be (from the promos). She must be stronger than she looks, the way she handily wielded that kayaking paddle twice. Victor didn't appear nearly as angry and vindictive as spurned men and women of DH past, even with that knife. Clearly he's unfamiliar with the Wisteria Lane voting block. Poor guy had to be rescued by Carlos, the very man sleeping with his wife. Victor's disappearance was certainly unexpected, and Gaby and Carlos' care for and loyalty to each other is now linked to a crime and cover-up. Do you think Victor ( John Slattery) is really gone? (By the way, since when is Fairview on the ocean? I always imagined it in middle America, maybe off one of the Great Lakes, near Chicago, since so many residents seem to have Chicago connections.)

Lynette, now cancer-free, was back in full-force, taking whatever actions necessary to kick her mother - with her smoking, swearing, whisky-sour lessons and bed buddies - out of the already crowded Scavo home. Apparently, Lynette has been the proactive, assertive, take-no-crap woman we love since, well, forever, as evidenced by her interaction with her sisters. Lunch at the diner with sister Lydia ( Sarah Paulson sporting a shorter 'do since Studio 60) was hilarious, with Lynette sneaking her mother's luggage into Lydia's trunk while Little Sis tried to use direct quotes from her therapist in lieu of a backbone. In the end, Lynette showed the sensitivity and heart toward her mother that we know Lynette has, and she was willing to take her back. But Grandma ( Polly Bergen) jumped in a cab. Is Stella really gone as well?

Speaking of backbones, Dylan acquired one tonight - albeit, briefly. When Katherine found Dylan ( Lyndsy Fonseca) researching her father for a genealogy project, Katherine lashed out as usual. But this time Dylan fought back with a fair point: Why did Katherine never talk to Dylan about him but apparently he was viable game-night fodder? Of course, we all know why: Game night's conversation was a lie, and so too was what Katherine did next. Wow, that was some performance she put on for Dylan: crying, talking about abuse and fearing him ever knowing where she was. Then as soon as Dylan left the room, having decided not to pursue her father and the project anymore, she turned stoic and unfolded the paper of contact information to reveal nothing. And so the Mayfair mystery continues.


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