Desperate Housewives: The Complete Fifth Season

Clearly attempting to get out of a rut, the makers of Desperate Housewives shake things up by moving the action in the 2008–09 season ahead five years. Lynette (Felicity Huffman) is the mother of two teenagers; Gaby (Eva Longoria Parker) is a stay-at-home mom; Bree (Marcia Cross) is a celebrity chef; and Susan (Teri Hatcher) and Edie (Nicollette Sheridan) have new men in their lives, while Bree's assistant, Katherine (Dana Delany), has taken up with Susan's ex, Mike (James Denton). The good news is that the leap in time is less disastrous than it sounds, but some of the changes work better than others. Lynette, for instance, has recovered from cancer, but her earlier character offered more interest as an advertising exec trying to balance family life with a high-powered career. Edie's new husband, Dave (Neal McDonough), on the other hand, adds some suspense to the scenario, since he's hiding his true identity and real reason for moving to town—to seek revenge against the driver who killed his wife and child. Toward the end of the season, one of the wives leaves Wisteria Lane for good (I won't reveal which one, although this character added a bitchy spark but never enjoyed as much screen time as the other ladies). Compiling all 24 episodes, DVD extras include audio commentary from cast and crew, a trio of featurettes, series creator Marc Cherry's favorite moments, deleted scenes, and bloopers. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)