Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy drama/mystery series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. It aired for eight seasons on ABC from October 3, 2004, until May 13, 2012, for a total of 180 episodes. Executive producer Cherry served as showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season included Bob Daily, George W. Perkins, John Pardee, Joey Murphy, David Grossman, and Larry Shaw.
Set on Wisteria Lane, a street in the fictional town of Fairview in the fictional Eagle State, Desperate Housewives follows the lives of a group of women as seen through the eyes of their friend and neighbor who took her life by suicide in the pilot episode. The storyline covers fifteen years of the women's lives over eight seasons, set between the years 2004–2008, and later 2013–2019 (the storyline includes a five-year jump in time, as well as flashbacks and flashforwards ranging from the 1980s to the 2020s). They work through domestic struggles and family life, while facing the secrets, crimes, and mysteries hidden behind the doors of their—on the surface—beautiful and seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood.
The series features an ensemble cast, headed by Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree Van de Kamp, and Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis. The supporting cast included Nicollette Sheridan as Edie Britt, Dana Delany as Katherine Mayfair, and Vanessa Williams as Renee Perry. Brenda Strong narrates the series as the late Mary Alice Young, appearing sporadically in flashbacks or dream sequences.
Desperate Housewives was well received by viewers and critics alike. It won multiple Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards. From the 2004–05 through the 2008–09 television seasons, its first five seasons were rated amongst the top ten most-watched series. In 2007, it was reported to be the most popular show in its demographic worldwide, with an audience of approximately 120 million and was also reported as the third-most-watched television series in a study of ratings in twenty countries. In 2012, it remained the most-watched comedy series internationally based on data from Eurodata TV Worldwide, which measured ratings across five continents; it has held this position since 2006. Moreover, it was the third-highest revenue-earning series for 2010, with $2.74 million per half an hour. The show was ranked at number fifty-six on Entertainment Weekly's "New TV Classics" list.
In 2011, it was confirmed that Desperate Housewives would conclude after its eighth season; the series finale aired on May 13, 2012. By the end of the series, it had surpassed Charmed with the most episodes in an hour-long television series featuring all female leads.
Cast and characters
- Teri Hatcher - Susan Mayer
- Felicity Huffman - Lynette Scavo
- Marcia Cross - Bree Van de Kamp
- Eva Longoria - Gabrielle Solis
- Nicollette Sheridan - Edie Britt
- Steven Culp - Rex Van de Kamp
- Ricardo Antonio Chavira - Carlos Solis
- Mark Moses - Paul Young
- Andrea Bowen - Julie Mayer
- Jesse Metcalfe - John Rowland
- Cody Kasch - Zach Young
- Brenda Strong - Mary Alice Young
- James Denton - Mike Delfino
- Alfre Woodard - Betty Applewhite
- Doug Savant - Tom Scavo
- Richard Burgi - Karl Mayer
- Kyle MacLachlan - Orson Hodge
- Dana Delany - Katherine Mayfair
- Shawn Pyfrom - Andrew Van de Kamp
- Neal McDonough - Dave Williams
- Drea de Matteo - Angie Bolen
- Maiara Walsh - Ana Solis
- Kathryn Joosten - Karen McCluskey
- Vanessa Williams - Renee Perry
- Kevin Rahm - Lee McDermott
- Tuc Watkins - Bob Hunter
- Jonathan Cake - Chuck Vance
- Charles Mesure - Ben Faulkner
- Madison De La Garza - Juanita Solis
International versions
| Country | Title | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Amas de Casa Desperadas | Canal 13 |
| Brazil | Donas de Casa Desperadas | RedeTV! |
| Colombia Ecuador |
Amas de Casa Desperadas | RCN Televisión, Teleamazonas |
| Nigeria | Desperate Housewives Africa | Ebony Life TV |
| Turkey | Umutsuz Ev Kadınları | Kanal D, Fox |
| United States (Spanish) | Amas de Casa Desperadas | Univision |
International broadcast
| Country | Network(s) | Local title |
|---|---|---|
| United States | ABC, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu | Desperate Housewives |
| International | Disney+ (Star) | |
| Asia | Star World, Sony Channel, AXN Beyond | |
| Latin America | Sony Entertainment Television | |
| Australia | Seven Network, Arena | |
| Austria | ORF eins | |
| Belgium | AB3, RTL-TVI, Be 1, Plug RTL, Eén, Canvas, Vitaya, Fox | |
| Brazil | Sony Entertainment Television, RedeTV! | |
| Canada (English) | CTV | |
| Chile | Canal 13 | |
| Costa Rica | Teletica Canal 7 | |
| Cuba | Canal Educativo 1, Cubavisión, Tele Rebelde | |
| Denmark | TV 2 Zulu | |
| El Salvador | Canal 2, Canal 6 | |
| France | Canal+, M6, Téva, 6ter, W9 | |
| Germany | Premiere, ProSieben | |
| Hong Kong | TVB Pearl | |
| India | Star World, AXN | |
| Indonesia | Indosiar | |
| Ireland | RTÉ Two | |
| Lebanon | Future TV | |
| Malaysia | 8TV | |
| Netherlands | Net5, RTL Lounge | |
| New Zealand | TV2 | |
| Panama | Canal 4 | |
| Philippines | Studio 23 | |
| Singapore | MediaCorp TV Channel 5 | |
| South Africa | M-Net, SABC 3 | |
| Sweden | Kanal 5 | |
| Switzerland | SRF zwei, RTS Un, RSI LA1 | |
| United Kingdom | Channel 4, E4 | |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai One | |
| Venezuela | Televen | |
| Arab World | MBC 4, OSN First | ربات بيوت يائسات |
| Argentina | Sony Entertainment Television | Amas de casa desesperadas |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Mreža Plus | Očajne kućanice |
| Bulgaria | bTV, Fox Life, TV7, Diva Universal | Отчаяни съпруги |
| Canada (French) | Radio-Canada, Mlle, Elle Fictions | Beautés désespérées |
| China | CCTV | 绝望的主妇 |
| Croatia | Nova TV, RTL Televizija, RTL 2, Fox | Kućanice |
| Czech Republic | Prima televize, Prima Love | Zoufalé manželky |
| Estonia | Kanal 2, Fox Life, Sony Channel | Meeleheitel koduperenaised |
| Finland | Nelonen, Liv, AVA | Täydelliset naiset |
| Greece | Fox Life, ET1, NET, ANT1 | Νοικοκυρές Σε Απόγνωση |
| Hungary | Cool TV, FEM3, TV4, TV2, Story4 | Született feleségek |
| Iceland | RÚV | Aðþrengdar eiginkonur |
| Israel | Yes Drama, Star World, HOT VOD, HOT3 | עקרות בית נואשות |
| Italy | Rai 2, Rai 3, Rai 4, Fox Life, Mya | Desperate Housewives - I segreti di Wisteria Lane |
| Japan | NHK BS2, NHK General TV, GyaO!, LaLa TV, Hulu, Dlife, NHK BS Premium | デスパレートな妻たち |
| Macedonia | A1 TV | Очајни домаќинки |
| Mexico | Azteca 7 | Esposas desesperadas |
| Norway | TV 2 | Frustrerte fruer |
| Poland | Polsat, Fox Life, Comedy Central | Gotowe na wszystko |
| Portugal | SIC, Fox, Fox Life | Donas de Casa Desesperadas |
| Romania | TVR1 | Neveste disperate |
| Russia | STS, Domashny, Sony Entertainment Television, Fox Life | Отчаянные домохозяйки |
| Serbia | RTV Pink, RTS, Fox Life | Очајне домаћице |
| Slovakia | Jednotka | Zúfalé manželky |
| Slovenia | POP TV, Pro Plus, POP BRIO | Razočarane gospodinje |
| South Korea | KBS 2TV | 위기의 주부들 |
| Spain | La 1, La 2, Fox, Divinity | Mujeres desesperadas |
| Taiwan | Videoland Recreation Desk | 慾望師奶 |
| Turkey | CNBC-e, e2 | Umutsuz Evkadınları |
| Ukraine | ICTV, Novyi Kanal, K1, OCE TV | Відчайдушні домогосподарки |