Leaving the Lane

We’ve stuck with Susan, Gabi, Lynette and Bree for yesterday, today and tomorrow.

We’ve loved the Desperate Housewives (2004-2012) through 17 years of their lives living on Wisteria Lane (thanks to time hops both forwards and backwards). We’ve gone behind their perfect frontdoors to see their secrets, sins and dreams exposed and on Saturday 12 December, we’re waving goodbye to the original four: Susan ( Teri Hatcher), Lynette (Felicity Huffman), Bree (Marcia Cross) and Gabi (Eva Longoria). Nothing has turned out the way they expected, but the future looks bright on the other side of the storm…

SUSAN MAYER

Then: scatty new divorcee and single mother Susan was desperate to land a man before she passed her sell-by date.

Now: Susan got divorced twice more and found plenty of love on Wisteria Lane before being tragically widowed this season from her great love Mike (James Denton). Aside from dodging murder attempts and occasional prison sentences, her financial situation has always been shaky, leading to her having to move to a less posh area and even having to do housework in her undies online to raise cash. Poor, silly Susan.

Ever after: Susan leaves Wisteria Lane to help her daughter Julie (Andrea Bowen) raise her baby and get her degree after selling her house to someone who has her own secrets.

LYNETTE SCAVO

Then: desperate mother Lynette gave up a high-flying career to raise a family of four mischievous kids, only to find herself mired in irritation and exhaustion while her husband Tom (Doug Savant) thought that being the bread winner was the hard job.

Now: Lynette’s battled cancer and endless trouble from five (in total) unruly children. She’s been shot and had unexpected twins, one of whom died tragically in utero following the Wisteria Lane plane crash in season 6. Her marriage was torn apart by work pressures, jealousy and infidelity and her natural instinct to manipulate.

Ever after: Lynette reunites with true love Tom and moves to New York to be the CEO of Katherine Mayfair’s (Dana Delany) company. She can afford a penthouse overlooking Central Park, where she bosses around her six noisy grandchildren, including Julie’s daughter with her son Porter (Charlie Carver).

BREE VAN DE KAMP

Then: domestic tyrant Bree had everyone intimidated into believing her image as the perfect wife to her doctor husband Rex (Steven Culp) and mother to her perfect children Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom) and Danielle (Joy Lauren).

Now: once widowed and once divorced, Bree struggled with alcoholism and is on trial for murdering Gabi’s abusive stepfather. She’s had trouble accepting Andrew being gay (and an ex-hooker and habitual blackmailer) and Danielle having a secret baby and growing up to make sex toys. Fortunately Bree has embraced her inner tart.

Ever after: Bree marries her lawyer Trip Weston (Scott Bakula), moves to Kentucky where she joins a club for conservative women and embarks on a successful political career.

GABI SOLIS

Then: bored with life as a suburban trophy housewife to materialistic Carlos (Ricardo Chavira), gorgeous ex-supermodel Gabi was secretly sexing up her teenaged gardener John Rowland (Jesse Metcalfe).

Now: as a model, one of Gabi’s biggest struggles has been accepting her chubby children Juanita (Madison De La Garza) – who turned out to be switched at birth – and Celia (Daniella Boltodano) and temporarily losing her own looks to motherhood, as well as Carlos’s blindness and her family’s descent into poverty. And she’s had to process growing up being raped by her stepfather along with covering up a murder or two.

Ever after: Gabi moves to a mansion in California with Carlos, who helps her to start a fashion business, leading to her hosting her own show on the Home Shopping Network. Gabi and Carlos “argue happily ever after”.