The WORST episodes of Desperate Housewives

Every episode of Desperate Housewives ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Desperate Housewives!

In the town of Fairview there's a street called Wisteria Lane; a peaceful cul-de-sac with manicured lawns and beautiful houses. It's a place where you know all your neighbors and your neighbors know all about you. It's the perfect suburban fantasy. But, behind every picket fence there are secrets. And, in every seemingly happy home, you'll find jealousy, lust, passion, and sometimes... murder.

Last Updated: 8/3/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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The Story of Lucy and Jessie
star
7.17
1371 votes

#1 - The Story of Lucy and Jessie

Season 5 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/15/2009

Susan tries to impress a teacher at work, Gaby talks Carlos into hiring Lynette, Edie continues to look into Dave's past.

Directors: Bethany Rooney
Watch Now:Apple TV
Careful the Things You Say
star
7.22
1524 votes

#2 - Careful the Things You Say

Season 6 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/8/2009

Susan believes that Katherine may be Julie's assailant. Angie invites reluctant Bree and Orson to dinner. Gaby struggles to home school Juanita. Lynette has her own suspicions about who attacked Julie. Angie confronts Nick.

Directors: Bethany Rooney
The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues
star
7.25
1707 votes

#3 - The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues

Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/18/2009

Losing Mike takes its toll on Katherine. As Katherine unravels, Bree comes to her aid; Gaby grows weary of John’s intentions towards Ana with twins on the way, Lynette calls upon her family to step up around the house Susan learns Julie has been harboring some secrets and Angie throws a party for son, Danny.

Directors: David Warren
Hello, Little Girl
star
7.26
1205 votes

#4 - Hello, Little Girl

Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 4/27/2008

Bree and Katherine decide to start a catering business together. Lynette tries to deny her feelings for Rick. Mike learns the truth about his nearly fatal accident. Carlos gets a seeing-eye dog. Dylan meets her estranged father.

Directors: Bethany Rooney
Watch Now:Apple TV
Kids Ain't Like Everybody Else
star
7.26
1237 votes

#5 - Kids Ain't Like Everybody Else

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/12/2008

Bree's estranged daughter, Danielle, returns to Wisteria Lane and is met with a deluge of criticism. Meanwhile, Gabrielle and Susan find themselves embroiled in a catfight brought on by an altercation between their kids. To her chagrin, Lynette comes home to find Tom and Dave have formed a garage band after she told him to get rid of his old things. Finally, Katherine and Mrs. McCluskey invite Edie to lunch to press her for more information on Dave.

Directors: Bethany Rooney
Writer: Joe Keenan
Watch Now:Apple TV
Never Judge a Lady by Her Lover
star
7.26
1715 votes

#6 - Never Judge a Lady by Her Lover

Season 6 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/11/2009

A chance encounter reunites Gaby with her sexy ex-lover and gardener, John Rowland; Bree contemplates a weekend getaway with Karl; Lynette and Tom break the news to their kids that she's pregnant again; and Susan is convinced Angie's son is responsible for her daughter's attack.

Directors: Andrew Doerfer
Writer: Bob Daily
Connect! Connect!
star
7.27
1285 votes

#7 - Connect! Connect!

Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/11/2009

Susan and Edie accidentally lock themselves in a basement; the search for Porter leads Lynette to her mother; Mike and Katherine define their relationship; Dave gets closer to exacting revenge.

Directors: Ken Whittingham
Watch Now:Apple TV
Being Alive
star
7.32
1698 votes

#8 - Being Alive

Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/4/2009

Mrs. McCluskey falls for a steak salesman called Roy Handler. Julie is found unconscious in the park bushes, which questions Mrs. McCluskey's decision to tell the police that she saw Angie Bolen's 19-year-old son, Danny, fighting with Julie.

Directors: David Grossman
Writer: Matt Berry
Farewell Letter
star
7.32
2386 votes

#9 - Farewell Letter

Season 7 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/20/2011

Gabrielle and Carlos head to Texas to visit Gabrielle's stepfather's grave; Lynette prohibits Porter and Preston from bringing home girls; Renee tries to use Susan's dialysis to help her get into a restaurant, but fails.

Directors: David Grossman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Back in Business
star
7.33
1339 votes

#10 - Back in Business

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/19/2008

Bree's new found success causes the rest of the women on Wisteria Lane to feel envious. Lynette longs to return to her days as an ad-executive, and finds an outlet as Bree's marketing manager. Mike feels that he is not a big enough presence in his son's life after M.J. draws a family portrait and leaves him out. Meanwhile, Gaby comes up with a way to have more sex with Carlos.

Directors: Scott Ellis
Watch Now:Apple TV
Don't Walk on the Grass
star
7.33
1836 votes

#11 - Don't Walk on the Grass

Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/1/2009

Bree begins to fall for Karl and drifts further from Orson. Katherine continues her sad attempts at seducing Mike, as her conflict with Susan grows. Gaby gets Juanita expelled from school. Lynette learns Tom is cheating on his mid-term, and Angie hides the truth about her mother.

Directors: David Grossman
Flashback
star
7.33
2416 votes

#12 - Flashback

Season 7 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/13/2011

While in therapy, Gabrielle learns the truth about her past; Keith becomes suspicious about Bree's secret; Lynette's mother tells a lie to a coroner about Frank's death; Mike confronts Zach about Paul's shooting; someone makes arrangements to give Susan a new kidney.

Directors: Andrew Doerfer
Writer: Matt Berry
Watch Now:Apple TV
Marry Me a Little
star
7.33
1196 votes

#13 - Marry Me a Little

Season 5 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/10/2009

Bree goes to extremes to hide her true intentions from Orson, while Susan and Jackson put on an act for the authorities. Lynette is shocked at the lengths Tom will go to in order to look younger, and Katherine masks the truth from Mike, afraid to lose him. Meanwhile, Dave is on edge when he learns a key witness to his misdeeds surfaces.

Directors: Larry Shaw
Writer: Jason Ganzel
Watch Now:Apple TV
Nice Is Different Than Good
star
7.34
1768 votes

#14 - Nice Is Different Than Good

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/27/2009

Mike gets married and his bride is finally revealed will it be Katherine or Susan? Meanwhile, Lynette deals with the realities of being pregnant again; Bree works to break free from Orson; Gaby is tested by Carlos' niece who continues to stay with them; and a new family with dark secrets moves to Wisteria.

Directors: Larry Shaw
Writer: Marc Cherry
Everybody Ought to Have a Maid
star
7.35
1674 votes

#15 - Everybody Ought to Have a Maid

Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/25/2009

When Juanita’s party is on the verge of being ruined after Gaby is deemed a bad mom, Gaby is determined to prove she’s a responsible parent. Bree gets defensive when she’s judged by a motel maid for having an affair with Karl. Lynette is put off by her new handyman when he defers to Tom for approval on all things and Susan and Katherine come to blows over Mike. Meanwhile, a lapse in judgment on Danny’s part leads to a terrible mishap that Angie and Nick must cover up.

Directors: Larry Shaw
A Spark. To Pierce the Dark.
star
7.37
1469 votes

#16 - A Spark. To Pierce the Dark.

Season 5 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/22/2009

Bree contemplates selling her business in order to revive her marriage. Meanwhile, Lynette is threatened at work; Katherine is caught in an unforseen circumstance; and Edie's worst fear begins to come true.

Directors: David Grossman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Me and My Town
star
7.37
1430 votes

#17 - Me and My Town

Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/30/2008

For Gaby and Carlos, injuries sustained in the fire lead to a fortunate discovery. But for most, the consequences are less forgiving. Lynette and Tom vow to protect son Porter at any cost. Susan must learn to let go of the man she loves. Orson's attempt at a good night's sleep puts Bree in a most precarious, though amusing, position on the day of her big cooking demonstration.

Directors: David Warren
Watch Now:Apple TV
We're So Happy, You're So Happy
star
7.39
1183 votes

#18 - We're So Happy, You're So Happy

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/5/2008

Unaware of Jackson's whereabouts, Susan goes to a local bar suspecting that he might be with Mike however, she soon lands herself in-trouble; meanwhile, after spending money that did not belong to her, Gabrielle attempts to get Carlos to get a job at the local country club as it pays better. Bree promotes her cook book on a radio show.

Directors: David Grossman
Watch Now:Apple TV
A Little Night Music
star
7.40
2391 votes

#19 - A Little Night Music

Season 6 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/2/2010

Angie comes face to face with her ex, Patrick Logan, after years on the run. Meanwhile, Gaby and Susan plan an elaborate scheme against their husbands, Lynette sees a darker side of Eddie, and Bree meets a woman who knows Sam all too well.

Directors: David Warren
Writer: Matt Berry
There Won't Be Trumpets
star
7.41
1052 votes

#20 - There Won't Be Trumpets

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/3/2005

The residents of Wisteria Lane all attend the unfortunate funeral of Juanita Solis as Carlos and Gabrielle fret over their financial and court issues. Lynette befriends a deaf woman, Alisa Stevens, whose children also attend Barcliff Academy with Porter and Preston, but her newfound friendship is quickly put to the test. Meanwhile, Bree encounters more trouble with her son Andrew when it comes to disciplining him and lastly, Susan finds herself attracted to Edie's hunky new contractor, but Edie doesn't want her to go with him as a favor to their fragile friendship.

Directors: Arlene Sanford
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Glamorous Life
star
7.41
2200 votes

#21 - The Glamorous Life

Season 6 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/31/2010

Gaby and Angie challenge each other's parenting skills, Susan befriends a stripper and takes her under her wing, Lynette and Tom argue the merits of their new therapist, and a concerned Bree keeps a watchful eye on Orson for fear he may take his own life.

Directors: Bethany Rooney
Opening Doors
star
7.41
1219 votes

#22 - Opening Doors

Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 5/4/2008

Susan meets her ex-husband, Karl at a Lamaze class, and finds out that he has remarried and is having another child. Lynette learns who was responsible for starting the fire at Rick's restaurant. Bree wants Orson to turn himself in to the police. Meanwhile, Gabrielle rents a room to a hip artist, Ellie, who has a dark secret. Elsewhere, Dylan continues meeting with her father, Wayne, and Katherine decides to go spy on her.

Directors: David Grossman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Rose's Turn
star
7.41
1268 votes

#23 - Rose's Turn

Season 5 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/26/2009

Carlos finds Lynette in a precarious position, which she chooses to hide from Tom, and Gabrielle hastily covers for Tom's coy behavior. Orson tries to hide the truth about his wounds from Bree, while Katherine confesses to Mike, which leads to a surprising realization. In the meantime, Susan confides her dark secret in Dave.

Directors: David Warren
Watch Now:Apple TV
Everybody Says Don't
star
7.41
1288 votes

#24 - Everybody Says Don't

Season 5 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/17/2009

Gabrielle runs into an old acquaintance who's lost everything, Lynette is upset with Tom for his latest "bright idea," Orson threatens to blackmail Bree, and Susan accepts Dave's "friendly" gesture.

Directors: Bethany Rooney
Watch Now:Apple TV
Where Do I Belong
star
7.41
2687 votes

#25 - Where Do I Belong

Season 7 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/9/2011

Susan's mother and aunt visit her at the hospital, Lynette plots revenge against Tom, Gabrielle becomes increasingly obsessed with getting Grace back and Bree wants to be friends with Beth.

Directors: David Grossman
Watch Now:Apple TV