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"Remember Paul?"
Desperate Housewives episode
Episode no.Season 7
Episode 1
Directed byDavid Grossman
Written byMarc Cherry
Production code701
Original air dateSeptember 26, 2010 (2010-09-26)
Running time43 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"I Guess This is Goodbye" 		Next →
"You Must Meet My Wife"
Desperate Housewives season 7
List of episodes

"Remember Paul?" is the seventh season premiere episode of the American comedy-drama television series Desperate Housewives, and the 135th overall episode of the series. It was originally broadcast in the United States on September 26, 2010, on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). In the episode, Paul (Mark Moses) announces his return to Wisteria Lane while Carlos (Ricardo Chavira) learns that his daughter was accidentally switched with another baby at the hospital eight years earlier.

The episode was written by series creator Marc Cherry and directed by David Grossman. It included the introduction of Renee Perry (Vanessa Williams), Lynette's (Felicity Huffman) former college roommate. "Remember Paul?" also dealt with Bree's (Marcia Cross) divorce and continued the storyline of the financial problems of Susan (Teri Hatcher) and Mike (James Denton).

"Remember Paul?" garnered generally mixed reviews. Many critics drew both favorable and unfavorable comparisons between Williams' performance in the episode and her portrayal of Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty. According to Nielsen ratings, the episode drew just over 13 million viewers, making it the least watched season premiere at the time.

Plot

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Background

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Desperate Housewives focuses on the lives of several residents in the suburban neighborhood of Wisteria Lane, as narrated by their deceased neighbor, Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong). In past episodes, a local hospital discovered that a nurse had accidentally switched two children at birth years earlier and that one of the involved families lives in town on Wisteria Lane.[1] Bree Hodge (Marcia Cross) decided to confess to Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) that her son, Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom), was driving the car that killed Gabrielle's mother-in-law eleven years earlier. As a result, her husband Orson (Kyle MacLachlan) decided to leave her.[1] Susan (Teri Hatcher) and Mike Delfino (James Denton) slipped into financial crisis and decided to move into a small apartment across town.[1] Mary Alice's husband, Paul (Mark Moses), avenged her suicide by killing her blackmailer, Martha Huber (Christine Estabrook).[2] In response, her sister, Felicia Tilman (Harriet Sansom Harris), framed Paul for her own death and fled town.[3] Ten years later, Paul was released from jail and returned to Wisteria Lane.[1]

Episode

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News of Paul's return jolts the neighborhood, including Susan, who did not know that she had rented her home to him. Paul expresses interest in buying his old home across the street, despite just having signed a lease for Susan's house. Felicia, whose plan was foiled when she was pulled over by a police officer for speeding, is now incarcerated and swears that Paul will be dead within six months.

Jack Pinkham (Kevin Symons), a lawyer for Fairview Memorial Hospital, tells Carlos Solis (Ricardo Antonio Chavira) that his daughter, Juanita (Madison De La Garza), is not their biological child and was accidentally switched at birth with their daughter. Carlos decides to keep this information from Gabrielle to spare her the pain. Meanwhile, Bree tells Gabrielle that Andrew ran over Carlos' mother, but Gabrielle decides not to tell Carlos because she does not want to upset him.

Despite downsizing to a small apartment, Susan and Mike are still struggling financially. Susan receives an offer from her landlord, Maxine Rosen (Lainie Kazan), to appear on her home-run erotic website—"Va-Va-Va-Broom!"—for which she would film herself doing housework in lingerie. She initially refuses the offer, but when Mike considers taking a job on an oil rig in Alaska, Susan agrees to appear on the website; however, she conceals her new job from her friends and family.

Bree struggles with her impending divorce. However, when Orson reveals that he has already begun dating his physical therapist, Bree takes an interest in her contractor, Keith (Brian Austin Green). Meanwhile, Lynette's old college frenemy Renee Perry (Vanessa Williams), wife of New York Yankees player Doug Perry, comes to visit her, but their friendly bickering quickly escalates into an argument. Lynette threatens to kick her out but changes her mind when Renee reveals that Doug has left her for another woman.

Production

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Vanessa Williams made her debut appearance in this episode as New York socialite Renee Perry.

"Remember Paul?" was written by series creator and executive producer Marc Cherry and directed by David Grossman. It marked the debut of Vanessa Williams as Renee Perry, an old college rival of Lynette Scavo. The addition of Williams to the cast was announced after the close of the series' sixth season,[4] as well as the finale of the ABC series Ugly Betty, in which Williams starred as Wilhelmina Slater. The character, who was originally named Renee Filmore-Jones, was conceived as a trouble-making vixen, similar to the Edie Britt character (Nicollette Sheridan), who appeared on the series until the fifth season.[5][6] Following the casting announcement, Williams admitted to having been a fan of the series during its first year, but stopped watching because of the racially insensitive second season mystery storyline. It focused on Betty Applewhite (Alfre Woodard), the series' first black main character. Williams explained to Entertainment Weekly, "[Betty] had her son in chains in the basement. It was like, 'Really? Do we have to go there with our first Black character?' I honestly fell off the show after that. I think it was just so implausible and just an image that Black folks don't want to see their child chained and shackled in the basement."[7] Cast member Felicity Huffman commented on Williams' addition to the cast, saying "She's such a great dash of vinegar to Wisteria Lane! It's going brilliantly—she's a wonderful woman, she's really smart, she's really strong, a real team player. She's a great addition."[8]

The episode also reintroduced the storyline of Paul Young and Felicia Tilman's rivalry. Mark Moses returned to the series as a series regular after appearing briefly as Paul in the sixth season finale.[9][10] On his return, Moses commented, "There was some talk about [me coming back] a year ago. And there’s often talk in Hollywood. Sometimes it pans out, sometimes it doesn’t. I don’t get super-excited about a 'maybe' in this town, because there are lots of maybes that don’t happen. But then this last year they called up my agent and said, 'We're really thinking seriously about [this].' And eventually, they made an offer, and I was very pleased."[10] Harriet Samson Harris also returned to reprise her role as Felicia,[11][12] while Steven Culp and Christine Estabrook returned as Rex Van de Kamp and Martha Huber respectively in flashback sequences. Kyle MacLachlan, who left Desperate Housewives as a series regular at the end of season six, reprised his role as Orson Hodge in this episode.[13]

Kevin Rahm and Tuc Watkins, who have been portraying gay couple Bob Hunter and Lee McDermott since the series' fourth season, were both promoted to series regulars for the seventh season.[14][15] Darcy Rose Byrnes also joined the main cast as Penny Scavo,[16] a role previously portrayed by Kendall Applegate.[17] Brian Austin Green made his series debut in the episode as Keith Watson, "a new contractor and charming playboy" who catches the attention of both Bree and Renee,[18][19] while Lainie Kazan began a multi-episode guest appearance as Maxine Rosen, Susan's landlady.[20]

Reception

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Ratings

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According to Nielsen ratings, "Remember Paul?" was watched by 13.056 million viewers and held an 8.1 rating/12 share on its original American broadcast on September 26, 2010. Among viewers between 18 and 49 years of age, the episode drew a 4.3 rating, making it the twelfth most-watched show for the week in that demographic.[21] The premiere was outperformed by Sunday Night Football on NBC and Family Guy on Fox, which respectively drew a 7.3 and 4.5 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic in the Desperate Housewives time slot.[21] At the time, the episode was the least-watched season premiere of Desperate Housewives, with an eleven percent decrease in viewership from the sixth season premiere one year earlier.[22] ABC reported that the episode gained an additional 2.1 million viewers and 1.0 rating in the week following the original broadcast due to DVR recordings.[23] "Remember Paul?" was outperformed by the following episode, "You Must Meet My Wife", which drew 13.234 million viewers and scored 8.2 rating/12 share in total viewers and a 4.4 rating in viewers between 18 and 49 years of age.[24]

Critical reception

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Moving the former Ugly Betty star [Vanessa Williams] onto ABC's Sunday-night franchise was a smart, smart move[...] That's not to say that our four principal actresses have stopped delivering. But let's be honest, new blood is a crucial ingredient for any soap to chug along into its seventh season.

Tanner Stransky, Entertainment Weekly[25]

The episode received mixed reviews. Tanner Stransky of Entertainment Weekly gave the premiere a positive review. He praised Williams' performance, stating that she brought back a "brand of bitchery" that had been missing from the series since Nicollette Sheridan's departure; additionally, he favorably compared the performance to Williams' portrayal of Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty. He also complimented Harriet Sansom Harris' performance, naming her "the creepiest character... in the best possible way." Stransky called the Gabrielle and Carlos storyline "sweet," but criticized the ridiculousness of Susan's storyline.[25] Neal Justin of the Star Tribune said, "the premiere is packed with the zippy zingers that made us fall in love with the dramedy in the first place," accrediting the series' improved quality over season six to the return of Mark Moses as Paul Young. He also commented that Vanessa Williams gave "a repeat performance" of her character on Ugly Betty.[26] Damian Holbrook of TV Guide also drew a comparison between Williams' performances in the episode and on Ugly Betty, stating the two characters "have the same stiletto-sharp tongue and prickly chemistry with everyone who enters her orbit."[27]

John Griffiths of Us Weekly gave the premiere a negative review, awarding it only two stars. He stated the show had turned into "a run-of-the-mill sitcom" and criticized the writers for not being able to develop material to match the "venerable cast capable of great things." He called the Paul storyline "corny" and the switched-baby storyline "as compelling as a manicure," and commented that both Williams and Brian Austin Greene deliver underwhelming performances.[28] Isabelle Carreau of TV Squad called the episode "a solid season premiere for the series."[29] She was surprised by both the identity of the switched child and its early revelation. Carreau also praised Williams' performance, writing: "The banter between Lynette and Renee was priceless!"[29]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "I Guess This is Goodbye". David Grossman (director), Alexandra Cunningham (writer). Desperate Housewives. ABC. May 16, 2010. Season 6, no. 23.
  2. ^ "Guilty". Fred Gerber (director), Kevin Murphy (writer). Desperate Housewives. ABC. November 28, 2004. Season 1, no. 8.
  3. ^ "No One Is Alone". David Grossman (director), Kevin Murphy (writer), Chris Black. Desperate Housewives. ABC. May 14, 2006. Season 2, no. 22.
  4. ^ Abrams, Natalie (May 18, 2010). "Ugly Betty's Vanessa Williams Joins Desperate Housewives Cast". TV Guide. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  5. ^ Keck, William (June 18, 2010). "Keck's Exclusives: Vanessa Williams' Desperate Housewives Character Revealed". TV Guide. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  6. ^ Stanhope, Kate (February 12, 2010). "Desperate Housewives Searching For the New Edie". TV Guide. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  7. ^ Arceneaux, Michael (September 13, 2010). "Vanessa Williams On What 'Desperate Housewives' Got Wrong". BET. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  8. ^ Huver, Scott (September 24, 2010). "Desperate Housewives: More Drama and More Fun". TV Guide. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  9. ^ Ausiello, Michael (May 6, 2010). "Exclusive: A 'Desperate Housewives' baddie returns!. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  10. ^ a b Ausiello, Michael and Andy Patrick (May 17, 2010). "'Desperate Housewives' finale scoop: The story behind last night's big return". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  11. ^ O'Connor, Mickey (September 26, 2010). "Desperate Housewives: Vanessa Williams Is the 'New Gunslinger in Town'". TV Guide. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  12. ^ Keck, William (June 30, 2010). "Keck's Exclusives: Harriet Sansom Harris to Join Mark Moses on Housewives!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  13. ^ Ausiello, Michael (May 19, 2010). "Exclusive: Kyle MacLachlan to exit 'Desperate Housewives'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  14. ^ "Tuc Watkins Talks 'Desperate Housewives' & Playing A Rogue Off Broadway". Access Hollywood. June 3, 2010. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  15. ^ Jensen, Michael (August 2, 2010). "TCA Update: Brothers & Sisters, No Ordinary Family, Cougar Town and more!" Archived 2010-08-17 at the Wayback Machine. AfterElton.com. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  16. ^ "The Young And The Restless: Darcy Rose Byrnes To Desperate Housewives!" Archived 2013-01-26 at the Wayback Machine. Soaps.com. August 17, 2010. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  17. ^ Keck, William (June 21, 2010). "Keck's Exclusives: Desperate Housewives Casting New Roles, Recasting One". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  18. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (July 8, 2010). "Brian Austin Green Joins 'Housewives'". Deadline. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  19. ^ Ausiello, Michael (August 12, 2010). "Exclusive First Look: Brian Austin Green heats up 'Desperate Housewives'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  20. ^ Abrams, Natalie (August 17, 2010). "Lainie Kazan to Guest-Star on Desperate Housewives". TV Guide. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  21. ^ a b Seidman, Robert (September 28, 2010). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: Sunday Night Football, Glee, Grey’s Anatomy, Dancing with the Stars Top Premiere Week". TV by the Number. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  22. ^ Heller, Corrine (September 27, 2010). "'Desperate Housewives' season 7 premiere pulls 12.8 million viewers". On the Red Carpet. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  23. ^ "ABC Series Surge in L+7 DVR Playback Claiming TV's Top 2 Biggest A18-49 Gainers". The Futon Critic. October 11, 2010. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  24. ^ Seidman, Robert (October 5, 2010). "TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: Sunday Night Football, Glee, Two and a Half Men, Dancing with the Stars Top Week 2 Viewing. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  25. ^ a b Stransky, Tanner (September 27, 2010). "'Desperate Housewives' recap: There Will Be (Fresh) Blood". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  26. ^ Justin, Neal (September 25, 2010). "'Housewives' seek substance". Star Tribune. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  27. ^ Holbrook, Damian (September 27, 2010). "Watercooler: Vanessa Williams Heats Up Desperate Housewives". TV Guide. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  28. ^ Griffiths, John (September 20, 2010). "Review: 'Desperate Housewives'". Us Weekly. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  29. ^ a b Isabelle Carreau (September 27, 2010). "'Desperate Housewives' Season 7, Episode 1 (Season Premiere) Recap". TV Squad. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
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