After a string of lackluster episodes, the show seems to finally want to pick up its narrative by delivering an episode that’s both funny and interesting from all fronts – A true feat considering the current state of the series.

Though lacking a main plotline, the episode is mainly dedicated to dealing with currently open ones while also introducing Bree’s son Andrew to the season in the continuing effort by Cherry to have as many past characters return for the final season.

The framing storyline is about the continuing investigation the police officers have on Bree, suspecting she killed Alejandro after being tipped off anonymously by Orson. However, said storyline barely appears – And the only hint about it during the episode (Besides the finale) is when they knock on Ben’s house as he’s proposing to Renee saying they need to question him regarding a dead body that was found on the construction site, along with the scene where he later lets Bree know of this.

The rest of the episode is spent in four storylines – First, Bree gets a surprise visit by her son Andrew, who wants to introduce her to his new partner who’s apparently helping him get back on his feet. Though initially thrilled, Bree gets quite the shock when she learns this new partner is a woman (Quite a change for Andrew who’s stated his homosexuality since the first season of the show) and then gets more shocked when she learns that the woman is a heiress – And not quite right in the head.

Being the generally overbearing mother she is and keeping with her track record of going to extreme lengths for what she considers to be the wellbeing of her children, she throws Andrew an engagement party where she invites only his gay acquaintances in an attempt to point out Andrew’s homosexuality to his fiancé. Her plan sort of backfires when she is told by the girl that she knows Andrew to be gay but she simply deals with it because she believes she could do much worse due to her issues. Nevertheless, in a rather heartwarming moment, Bree rightfully advises her not to settle for something and to hold on for true, passionate love, thus prompting her to break up with Andrew.

After his fiancé leaves him, Andrew admits to only wanting to marry her for her money, while letting her mother know exactly what position he finds himself in, and immediately after finding her supporting him with it.

Lynnette continues her storyline from the previous episode by crafting a rather complicated, if not ridiculous, ploy to get Tom back. After almost succeeding, a slip on her part gets Tom to realize it was all a set up, making the whole plot apparently backfire on her, with Tom complaining about Lynnette deciding to actually do something to rekindle their relationship right after his new girlfriend moved in with him. Nevertheless, though having complained about her advances, we later on get a scene where Tom lies to Jane about what went on that night and excuses himself from having sex with her by saying he has work to do – An outright lie, if the scene set-up is to be believed.

Gabrielle tries to deal with Carlos quitting his job by trying to get a new job herself, entering with the downright unrealistic expectations of earning a “Six figure salary, plus benefits” along with a month-long vacation, only to be told by the employment office worker that she’s pretty much unemployable after she turns down a daycare job because she could barely take care of her own kids. Nevertheless, luck smiles at her and after going on a shopping spree she gets hired as a fashion consultant on a high-profile clothes store due to her apparent talent at putting outfits together, in the purest (i.e.: Stupid and unrealistic, though at least funny) Desperate Housewives fashion.

Last, but not least, Susan finds herself and M.J. dealing with Mike’s death in the form of allowing M.J. to do as he pleases as a way to give him a bit of happiness in the middle of all he’s going through. However, her ways are mainly spoiling him, a situation that devolves into M.J. throwing a stapler at a teacher’s head in school, which serves as a wake-up call of sorts at Susan.

To close the episode, we see Bree talking with Ben over the phone and thanking him for covering up for her regarding the dead body while the policemen spy the conversation from a van that’s parked on the neighborhood, once again, in the purest Desperate Housewives fashion, which allows them to finally get the last bit of evidence they needed to jail her.

All in all, this episode should rank among the best ones in the current season and it is a refreshing one considering the previous episodes had been perfect examples of how not to handle a TV drama. Though not a shining example of storytelling either, this episode was at least both funny and interesting enough to keep the narrative going without much of a problem and, though it didn’t advance the main plot much, at least it worked smaller plotlines well enough and managed to give its viewers an entertaining time.

Final review rating: 4/5