Scripted TV Fans header image 1

A site for fans of scripted tv shows

Desperate Housewives 1/15/12 “Who Can Say What’s True?” Episode Recap

January 19th, 2012 · No Comments

“It’s always easy to know who our friends are. They’re the ones who tell us when we look ridiculous. Or when we’re deluding ourselves. Or when we’ve had enough. But only the best of friends will tell you the truth. Even when they know it will upset you”.

Bree makes her way over to 4349 Wisteria Lane, with the mysterious letter in hand. Gabrielle and Lynette are sitting outside on the porch. There, she gives Gabrielle the letter, who reads it as Lynette watches over. “That’s what I found in my mailbox,” Bree says. Gaby hands the note to Lynette who admits that she doesn’t understand what “You’re Welcome” could possibly mean. Bree explains that the stationary is exactly the same as the letter Mary Alice received and she got it straight after Chuck’s funeral. “You think this is who killed Chuck?,” Lynette asks seriously. Bree concludes that that is the only logical explanation. “There’s nothing logical about any of this. Don’t you remember the first note?,” Gaby mentions. The two discuss the first note and agree that someone was threatening them. Gaby expresses her confusion; why would someone who originally threatened them now be helping them by killing cops who had evidence against them? “This doesn’t make sense,” Lynette deducts.

After a slight pause, Gaby hands Bree back the note, and asks if they are all still mad at each other. Lynette says they are. Gaby takes a seat and Bree asks what they’re all going to do. Gabrielle realizes that Bree is the only one getting the letters – Bree politely informs Gaby that she doesn’t appreciate her accusatory tone. “Well, I can use a different tone, but I’m trying to accuse you of something,” Gaby says snarlingly. Lynette agrees with Gaby. Bree becomes flustered and annoyed at the accusations and announces that she is going home. And she leaves. Once she’s gone, Gaby and Lynette agree to be friends again, but they’ll continue to be mad at Bree.

Yes, only your friends will tell you the truth. So when they warn you about someone suspicious, maybe you should listen to them.

Mary Alice Young Down the Lane, Bree approaches her home and makes her way to the front door. Meanwhile, inside a car parked across the street, a mysterious figure (only the hand on the steering wheel is shown) watches the housewife enter her house. Act I

Susan Delfino was on a mission. And she had planned it down to the last detail. She brought the proper identification. She mapped out the correct route. And she brought plenty of cash for emergencies. But the one small detail she hadn’t planned was what to do when she got there. Mary Alice Young Susan has arrived in Oklahoma and is driving to the house that Alejandro’s family own. Mary Alice narrates her journey. Once she arrives, Susan is hesitant about speaking to the family and phones Mike from her cellphone. “Mike, I’ve got a problem,” Susan says down the phone. Back at home, Mike asks what the problem is and Susan explains that she has no idea how to get inside the house.

Mike reminds Susan that she spend the entire day on an airplane and is annoyed that his wife didn’t give this any thought at all. Susan apologizes – she got caught up in an in-flight movie. Susan tells Mike that she thinks this whole idea was stupid, as Mike reassures her that she’s only doing this because she’s a good person. As the two took over the phone, a car pulls up beside the house. Susan begins to try and think of a cover-story to get inside the house. A small, ginger-haired woman steps out of the car behind Susan, carrying a plate of food – “You’re a little early!” a voice calls out. Susan lets out a confused “huh?” The woman reveals her name, Connie Thomas, and proudly announces that she comes from a real-estate agent firm. “Officially the open-house doesn’t start for an hour, but if you help me lay out the finger sandwiches, I’ll let you sneak the first peak,” Connie says excitedly.

Susan looks up and down the house and spots a for-sale sign and a open-house sign standing in the garden. Susan finally has access to the house. Meanwhile, back on Wisteria Lane, Ben Faulkner is talking on his cellphone about his plans for the building development. He hears a knock at the door – it’s Renee Perry, his girlfriend. Renee confesses that she misses him. Ben smiles and says he misses her too. He immediately continues talking on the phone and disappears back inside. Renee follows him inside and tells Ben that she misses him; she never usually misses people – she forgets them, she ignores them and she verbally abuses them, but she definitely isn’t a ‘missing people’ kinda-gal. Ben asks the person on the phone to hold on. He turns to Renee and says, “I love that you miss me. I’m just really busy right now. Talk later.” Renee’s mouth hangs open in shock. She is disgruntled and leaves…slamming the door violently behind her.

Bree is sitting miserably in her kitchen drinking a glass of wine. Renee enters and begins to explain to Bree how Ben just acted towards her. Renee sees that Bree is depressed and asks what’s wrong. “Nothing,” a glum Bree replies. Renee tries to get more details and brings up Gaby and Lynette – Bree admits it involves them and she wants to deal with it herself. “Keeping things inside is how you ended up at that motel with a gun,” Renee exclaims. Bree urges her friend to relax. She is no longer suicidal.

Renee reluctantly agrees but tells Bree she isn’t going to watch her sit in the house for the next few days – the two of them are going out. “I know all sorts of naughty places which are filled with all sorts of naughty men. Be ready to leave by 8 and try to wear something that doesn’t scream ‘Frigid-school-mom’,” Renee says casually. Bree tells Renee she isn’t going out and orders her to return home. She no longer needs her here. Bree begins to pour herself another glass of wine but Renee adds, “Wow another glass of wine!” Bree places the glass and bottle down and tries to control her addiction. Bree stands up and finally agrees to go out with Renee but says that her wardrobe is a little ‘frosty.’ Bree asks Renee to run back to her house to fetch her something sexy. Renee agrees and Bree knocks back another glass of wine. She finds comfort in satisfying her addiction.

Gabrielle and her daughter, Celia are raking leaves off their property and placing them on the lawn next door – which belongs to neighborhood grouch, Mitzi Kinsky. Just then, Carlos’ secretary, Marilyn, arrives and drops off some of Carlos’ mail before asking Gaby if perhaps her boss could get out of rehab tomorrow – he has a business meal to attend. Gaby apologizes and informs Marilyn that letting Carlos out to go to a meal where he will be served wine is not a good idea. Marilyn tells Gaby that unless the deal is sealed, the company will loose out on a 90 million dollar account. Gabrielle agrees – she has an idea.

In Oklahoma, Susan is looking around Alejandro’s house, which he shared with his wife and step-daughter, before his murder. While looking around, Susan spots a framed photo of the 3 of them all happily smiling while sitting on a park bench. Meanwhile, Connie is preparing the house for the open-house event. Susan asks why the house is for sale and Connie informs her that Alejandro disappeared a few months back and that she believes it’s a drug problem or he could possibly have another woman. Connie continues to tell Susan of the family’s troubles – Alejandro’s wife had to take up a second job to make ends meet. “Yeah,” a voice calls out from the kitchen, “Tell the buyers how poor we are. That might jack up the sale price.” It’s Claudia Sanchez, Alejandro’s wife.

Connie apologizes and remarks that she didn’t realize her client would be home so soon. Claudia tells Connie that there are several fliers of hers littering her garden and Connie excuses herself to go gather them up. With the two woman alone, Susan makes her way over to Claudia. She apologizes for prying, Claudia seemingly takes no notice, instead she asks Susan if she’s interested in buying the property. Susan reluctantly tells Claudia that she was in the market for something a little bigger. “Well, that’s too bad,” Alejandro’s wife replies solemnly. Silence falls into the room – Susan quickly breaks the awkwardness and asks if there is something she can do. She spots several LEGO construction bricks on a side-counter. She turns back to Claudia and pretends that she is a collector of Americana.

Claudia is taken aback that Susan wants to buy LEGO bricks off her. But Susan is determined to pay Claudia some money, which she does – she writes a cheque. Just then, Marisa, Alejandro’s step-daughter, appears in the kitchen doorway. Claudia glances at the cheque and tells Susan that she added an extra 0 too many. Susan admits that she wants to help Claudia and Marisa out because of their “situation.” Claudia informs Susan that the situation is temporary – she knows her husband will come back. Susan, knowing the truth, convinces Claudia to keep the check. As Claudia talks about Alejandro, Susan spots Marisa looking upset and hurt. Claudia thanks Susan, who starts to leave. She pauses when she walks past Marisa and hesitates before saying nothing and exiting.

Act II At the Scavo residence, Parker and Penny are sitting at the table. Lynette pulls a chicken pot-pie out of the oven and places it on the dinner table in front of them. Lynette begins to serve her children but a flickering light bothers her. Lynette tries to ignore it but she is clearly bothered. Parker and Penny both inform her off the broken light, to which she replies, “No it’s not. Everything is perfect.” Parker turns to his sister and jokes about how convenient it is that the light broke while their dad was on holiday in Paris. Lynette is annoyed at the comment. She says she can do whatever Tom can do.

Penny tells Lynette that their father opens the tool-box and wiggles some switches until the light is fixed. Lynette gets up and heads off to the utility room to do so. “Anything?,” she calls out flustered from the other room. Suddenly all of the lights in the entire house go off, leaving Parker and Penny sitting at the table in darkness. Lynette reappears in the door way and looks confused. “Well,” Penny says calmly, “It stopped flickering.” Parker suggests they call their father – Lynette refuses. She wants to be an independent woman. She says all they need are flashlights…except she doesn’t know where they are. Both Parker and Penny point to the cupboard and Lynette heads off to collect them.

The next morning, Mike knocks on Ben’s front door. It opens and Ben and Mike greet each other. Mike explains to Ben how a check just bounced and so he called his bank and they told him that his last paycheck was returned due to insufficient funds. Ben sighs and pulls a large roll of bank-notes from his trouser pocket and hands Mike several of the notes. “I just switched banks, so maybe there was trouble with the transfer,” Ben shrugs. Mike is becoming suspicious. Mike asks his boss about how the condo development is coming along as things seem to be moving very slowly. Ben informs Mike that everything is fine and hands over another note. Mike refuses to take it, saying all he wanted was his paycheck, and he leaves. Ben doesn’t look pleased and he shuts the door behind him firmly.

Penny comes downstairs and sees a bunch of wires hanging from the ceiling where the broken light used to be. Sitting at the table, Lynette has diagrams, instructions and various electronic wiring sprawled before her. “Fixed it yet?,” Penny asks curiously. “No, but I’ve figured out that it’s not the light. So, I’m going over the blue-prints to try and find out what the real problem is,” Lynette replies, as she uses her finger to follow the instructions before her. Penny suggests she hire an electrician, but Lynette does not agree. “I went on the Internet. I did some research. And other than a few electrocution stories…it doesn’t sound too bad,” Lynette explains.

Penny says that all Dad had to do was ‘jiggle something.’ Lynette says that that was Tom’s approach to everything – just keep patching things up, which ultimately lead to all the problems they have now. Just then, the doorbell rings and Gabrielle enters. Gabrielle explains her predicament to her friend – She needs to learn all about the world of business in order to ‘wow’ Carlos’ business partners at a dinner function. Lynette says that she has spent her entire life learning about financing and business and that it’d be impossible to teach Gaby everything in a few weeks. Gabrielle says the dinner is tomorrow. Lynette is frustrated but ultimately agrees to try and teach Gabrielle the basics later on that night.

Act III Bree and Renee are at a nightclub and the two are sitting at the bar. Renee is dressed sexily in a dress that clearly shows off her cleavage, while Bree is wearing a more conservative dress and throw-over. Bree is disgusted at the lack of hygiene at the bar and wonders if the bartender has any anti-bacterial wipes. “Urgh, you can ask again but I don’t think so,” Renee sighs, “Anyway, the fun of coming to a place like this is getting the germs on your elbows.”

Bree continues wiping her hands with a napkin and jumps when a young-man reaches beside her to reach his drink. Renee informs her that everyone else at the club seems to be having fun – she points to a mirror and the two look at their reflections. They look bored and uninterested – “Not fun,” she says. Renee then asks why Bree always has to be so conservative and asks what happened to her to make her like this. When Renee suggests her mother is to blame for making Bree into such a cold woman, Bree informs her friend that her mother died when she was 10.Renee tells Bree to hit on a stranger which she does then gets embrassed after getting caught skinny dipping with him in his boss’s pool.

“Who Can Say What’s True?” is the 168th episode of the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. It is the eleventh episode of the show’s eighth season and was broadcast on January 15, 2012.

All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

Tags: Desperate Housewives

0 responses so far ↓

  • There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.

You must log in to post a comment.