Guilty (Desperate Housewives episode)
Encyclopedia
"Guilty" is the eighth episode of the ABC
television series, Desperate Housewives
. The episode was the eighth episode for the show's first season. The episode was written by Kevin Murphy
and was directed by Fred Gerber
. It originally aired on Sunday November 28, 2004.
(due to Andrew
's drunk driving), Bree Van de Kamp
tries to find a solution in order to save her son from life in prison and Mama is left in a coma
. When Bree asks her son if he learns from John that he went to confession shortly after Juanita's accident and recommends that she do the same. Gabrielle Solis
talks to the priest and he tells her that she should regret what she had done, but she says she doesn’t because all she wants is to be happy. The priest tells her that, that is a selfish answer. She says that she already knows that and she leaves. As a small act of gratitude, Gabrielle Solis
quietly helps Carlos give Mama a sponge bath. Lynette tries to get her sleep cycle back on track with some acupuncture, but to no avail. When she has to help her sons' boy scout troupe right as she is falling asleep, she starts to lose it. Lynette dreams of killing herself with the help of Mary Alice and her gun. Mr. Shaw decides to execute Paul's wishes but when he finds out from Edie that the stationary was not hers but Mrs. Huber's, the story changes completely. Paul asks Mrs. Huber for an explanation of the blackmail note she wrote. She says that she needed money and she had thought of asking it to a bad person: Mary Alice, and she sometimes prays for her. Paul asks her if she regrets it, because Mary Alice committed suicide. She says that Mary Alice Young
was a bad person and says that a terrible thing happened because of what she did to that kid. Paul gets very mad and he kills her. Meanwhile Susan and Mike make peace by having sex for the first time.
and Simon & Garfunkel is played during Lynette's disturbing dream. Originally the dream was to have Lynette driving through the country with her kids who were in the backseat and then proceeding to drive the car into a lake, drowning her kids, à la Susan Smith
who did this very thing in South Carolina. ABC Execs were against the idea of Lynette killing her kids and Marc Cherry changed the dream to being one about suicide, thus Mary Alice was shown. Stated on the commentary for this episode on the season one DVD.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television series, Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
. The episode was the eighth episode for the show's first season. The episode was written by Kevin Murphy
Kevin Murphy (screenwriter)
Kevin Murphy is an American screenwriter, television producer, lyricist and composer. He wrote the book and lyrics of the musical Reefer Madness, as well as its television adaptation...
and was directed by Fred Gerber
Fred Gerber
Fred Gerber is an American film and television director. Gerber has directed several popular television series which include Family Law, Desperate Housewives and House...
. It originally aired on Sunday November 28, 2004.
Plot
Shortly after Juanita's car accidentCar accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
(due to Andrew
Andrew
Andrew is the English form of a given name and surname common in many countries. Alternatives include André, Andrey, Andrei, Andrej, András, Andrés, Andreas, Andreu, Anders and Endrew. ‘Andrew’ is a common name in English-speaking countries. In the 1990s it was among the top ten most popular names...
's drunk driving), Bree Van de Kamp
Bree Van De Kamp
Bree Van de Kamp is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, played by Marcia Cross. Actress Marcia Cross was nominated from 2005 to 2007 for a Golden Globe Award in the category of Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy...
tries to find a solution in order to save her son from life in prison and Mama is left in a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
. When Bree asks her son if he learns from John that he went to confession shortly after Juanita's accident and recommends that she do the same. Gabrielle Solis
Gabrielle Solis
Gabrielle Solís is one of four main characters on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. She is portrayed by Eva Longoria...
talks to the priest and he tells her that she should regret what she had done, but she says she doesn’t because all she wants is to be happy. The priest tells her that, that is a selfish answer. She says that she already knows that and she leaves. As a small act of gratitude, Gabrielle Solis
Gabrielle Solis
Gabrielle Solís is one of four main characters on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. She is portrayed by Eva Longoria...
quietly helps Carlos give Mama a sponge bath. Lynette tries to get her sleep cycle back on track with some acupuncture, but to no avail. When she has to help her sons' boy scout troupe right as she is falling asleep, she starts to lose it. Lynette dreams of killing herself with the help of Mary Alice and her gun. Mr. Shaw decides to execute Paul's wishes but when he finds out from Edie that the stationary was not hers but Mrs. Huber's, the story changes completely. Paul asks Mrs. Huber for an explanation of the blackmail note she wrote. She says that she needed money and she had thought of asking it to a bad person: Mary Alice, and she sometimes prays for her. Paul asks her if she regrets it, because Mary Alice committed suicide. She says that Mary Alice Young
Mary Alice Young
Mary Alice Young is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. The character is played by actress Brenda Strong and narrates the series from beyond the grave; the character's suicide in the pilot episode served as the catalyst of the series...
was a bad person and says that a terrible thing happened because of what she did to that kid. Paul gets very mad and he kills her. Meanwhile Susan and Mike make peace by having sex for the first time.
Development
"The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" by Harpers BizarreHarpers Bizarre
Harpers Bizarre was an American pop-rock band of the 1960s, best known for their Broadway/Sunshine Pop sound and their remake of Simon & Garfunkel's "The 59th Street Bridge Song ."- Career :...
and Simon & Garfunkel is played during Lynette's disturbing dream. Originally the dream was to have Lynette driving through the country with her kids who were in the backseat and then proceeding to drive the car into a lake, drowning her kids, à la Susan Smith
Susan Smith
Susan Leigh Vaughan Smith is an American woman sentenced to life in prison for murdering her children. Born in Union, South Carolina, and a former student of the University of South Carolina Union, she was convicted on July 22, 1995 of murdering her two sons, 3-year-old Michael Daniel Smith, born...
who did this very thing in South Carolina. ABC Execs were against the idea of Lynette killing her kids and Marc Cherry changed the dream to being one about suicide, thus Mary Alice was shown. Stated on the commentary for this episode on the season one DVD.
Title reference
- The episode title Guilty is taken from a song by Randy NewmanRandy NewmanRandall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
of the same name.
International titles
- Finnish: Syyllinen (Guilty)
- French: Nous sommes tous des pêcheurs (We are all sinners)
- German: Schuldig (Guilty)
- Hungarian: Bűnös (Guilty)
- Italian: Sensi di colpa (Guilt-feelings)
- Spanish: Culpable (Guilty)
- Croatian: Krivica (Guilty)