"Desperate Housewives" End In Sight

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — The women of Wisteria Lane may have only a few more years to resolve their assorted problems.

"Desperate Housewives" creator and executive producer Marc Cherry told a meeting of the Television Critics Association on Thursday that he plans to end the ABC series after seven seasons.

The domestic comedy-drama starring Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Eva Longoria begins its fifth season this fall.

"I love working with these gals, but the idea of letting anyone else take the show from me kind of makes me sad and sick to my stomach," Cherry said. "We're going to get out while people still like us."

"Of course," he added, "this could be some clever ruse on my part to get tremendous amounts of money in season eight, but who knows."

Cherry, who took part in a "Desperate" panel discussion, also joined a Q&A session with other top ABC producers.

Story continues below

advertisement

One topic of conversation was the refusal by "Grey's Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl to submit her name for Emmy consideration.

Heigl, who plays Dr. Izzie Stevens on the ABC medical drama, claimed last season's scripts were sub-par. Two of Heigl's co-stars, Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson, made the Emmy cut when nominations were announced Thursday.

Shonda Rhimes, who produces both "Grey's" and "Private Practice," told the TV critics' meeting that she was surprised by Heigl's comment.

"I actually have a really wonderful working relationship with Katherine and I love and respect her as an actress," Rhimes said. "And, as everyone knows, Izzie is one of my favorite characters, so for me, it was surprising.

"But Katherine is an outspoken person and I think we all know that already," Rhimes said.

Asked about coping with candid actors, Rhimes said "the story that's out in the press is generally one side of the story. ... Sometimes that's not everything that's going on and that's not everything that's underneath something."

A reporter then asked: "What don't we know about the Heigl thing that we've misreported or not understood?"

"She was drunk," Marc Cherry chimed in with a laugh.

Cherry also joked about having to share the stage with "Lost" producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who had earlier received an Emmy nod for best drama series. "Housewives," like "Grey's," was snubbed in the series categories.

"We haven't gotten nominated since year one," Cherry said. "Season two was not a good season for us creatively ... but season three was better, and season four was really good. So for me waking up this morning it was like, `You know what? I had a really good season.' So I've got to kind of go with what I feel in my heart."

___

On the Net:

http://www.abc.com

Comments

[CAMBEL]

The first season of Desperate Housewives was fantastic television.....after what they put on screen in season 2 I never watched another episode. If they had taken it off after one season I would remember the show fondly. Now I just think of it as crap.

[Jinxykb]

I wish the U.S. would take a cue from the Brits and keep shows on for 1 and 2 seasons only with the occasional 'Christmas Special'. It's terribly difficult to keep a show fresh for any longer than that without a major change in premise and cast.

[wayoutleft]

again, re the comments, the mystifying distaste of online liberals for popular culture. cherry was maybe watching how the sopranos went out. i don't know what he learned. the structure he's indicated is that next year will take place five years in the future (relative to the current plots). then there will be an arc that transpires while mary alice is alive- in the past relative to the 4-yr narrative. i would expect something that developes regarding the death of mary alice in the past to be resolved as a finale in the established frame of future time. this is pretty advanced narrative for tv. a two year future may be liklier that three or certainly four. the future of the wives in romantic comedy beyond the show is not indefinite. i don't think they're young enough to play in a movie version of the show that might be 5-6 years away at the earliest- should the project be considered.

[DRaymond]

Season 4 of DH was not exactly their best, so presuming that three years from now will be 'quitting while people like us' may be presuming way too much.

[ChiGuy]

Say what you will about story lines, scripts, blah, blah, blah......
I, for one, will miss seeing these 5 beautiful women on screen each week.

[Xgal08]

It should have ended a long time ago. Horrible show.

[TroubleNYC]

x2

[booker52]

I never watched it, so I won't miss it.

[psgoodguy]

and we're all glad you stopped by to comment.

[Topfeeder]

I glad. I thought I was the only one that had not seen it.

[Jain]

Stupid show; glad it's over.

[RichBixby]

I think all this criticism of Katherine Heigl is getting overdone. She never said that the scripts were bad, just that they did not provide HER with the material to result in a series of performances that she felt deserved a nomination. And in comparison to the falling-in-love-with-Denny and grieving-over-Denny storylines, this season WAS much less dramatic for Izzy, while other characters got more opportunities for drama - Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson both deserve their nominations because the material was there for them. That's just the way series television flows - different characters get different focus at different times.

[ChiGuy]

Agreed 100%.

[thankulord13]

Katherine Hiegl just needs to shut up and not complain. If it wasn't for Greys and Ms. Rhimes girl would not have the notoriety she has now. Talk about ungrateful.