Desperate Housewives -2004- Jun 2026

Desperate Housewives was an immediate ratings powerhouse, helping rescue ABC from a slump alongside other hits like Lost and Grey’s Anatomy .

Before the red apples and the haunting score of Danny Elfman, creator Marc Cherry was a struggling writer facing financial ruin. He pitched Desperate Housewives as a sort of mashup of The Simpsons (for its satirical take on the American family) and Peyton Place (for its lurid secrets). Every network turned him down. They said the premise—a show about bored, lonely, and dangerous suburban women—was too niche. They said the lead actresses (all over 30) had no box-office pull. Desperate Housewives -2004-