History of Desperate Housewives in Timeline
Desperate Housewives is an American mystery comedy-drama created by Marc Cherry. Produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions, it aired on ABC for eight seasons, from 2004 to 2012, totaling 180 episodes. Marc Cherry served as showrunner and executive producer, with additional executive producers joining from the fourth season onward, including Bob Daily, George W. Perkins, John Pardee, Joey Murphy, David Grossman, and Larry Shaw. The series combines elements of mystery, comedy, and drama within a suburban setting.
1995: Crew members of Desperate Housewives also worked on The Crew
In 1995, John Pardee and Joey Murphy who had been with the series since the beginning also worked on Cherry's previous show, The Crew, as well as on the sitcom Cybill.
1996: Best ABC Pilot since Spin City
In 2004, The pilot episode of "Desperate Housewives" had 21.3 million viewers making it the best new drama for the year, the highest-rated show of the week, and the best performance by a pilot for ABC, since Spin City in 1996.
1999: American Beauty
In 1999, the movie American Beauty was released and later served as an inspiration for Desperate Housewives.
April 2002: Marc Cherry's desperation and inspiration
In April 2002, Marc Cherry felt desperate about his career and conceived the idea for Desperate Housewives after watching a news report on Andrea Yates.
October 23, 2003: Desperate Housewives announced by ABC
On October 23, 2003, Desperate Housewives was announced by ABC as a primetime soap opera created by Charles Pratt Jr. and Marc Cherry, described as a mix of Knots Landing and American Beauty.
2003: The O.C. on Fox premiered
In 2003, The O.C. on Fox premiered and showed that a soap opera could succeed in prime time, which lead ABC executives to greenlight Desperate Housewives.
May 18, 2004: ABC Announces 2004-2005 Lineup
On May 18, 2004, ABC announced its 2004-2005 television lineup, placing "Desperate Housewives" in the Sunday at 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET timeslot.
October 3, 2004: Desperate Housewives Series Premiere
On October 3, 2004, Desperate Housewives, created by Marc Cherry, premiered on ABC. The American mystery comedy-drama television series aired for eight seasons.
October 20, 2004: ABC Picks Up Desperate Housewives for Full Season
On October 20, 2004, after airing only three episodes, ABC announced that "Desperate Housewives", along with "Lost", was picked up for a full season.
2004: Desperate Housewives most-watched show in the US
During the 2004–2005 season, "Desperate Housewives" became the fourth-most-watched television series in the United States, attracting 23.7 million viewers each week.
2004: Top ten most-watched series
From 2004, Desperate Housewives was among the top ten most-watched series during its first five seasons.
2004: Touchstone Television produced Desperate Housewives
From 2004, Desperate Housewives was produced in association with Touchstone Television.
2004: Desperate Housewives Biggest Success
In 2004, "Desperate Housewives" became the biggest success of the 2004–05 television season, receiving positive reception from critics and viewers.
2004: Screen Actors Guild Award
In 2004, the entire cast was awarded the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast – Comedy Series.
April 30, 2005: Laura Bush references Desperate Housewives
On April 30, 2005, former First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush, humorously declared, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am a desperate housewife" during a dinner with the White House Correspondents' Association, referencing the show.
September 2005: Release of Music from and Inspired by Desperate Housewives
In September 2005, Hollywood Records released "Music from and Inspired by Desperate Housewives", a soundtrack album featuring music inspired by the series and sound clips from the first season. The album featured female artists such as LeAnn Rimes, Gloria Estefan, and Shania Twain, but controversially, it did not include any music composed for the series.
September 2005: Release of Desperate Housewives: Behind Closed Doors
In September 2005, Hyperion Books released "Desperate Housewives: Behind Closed Doors", a companion book to the first season, written by the production team.
September 25, 2005: Second Season Premiere
On September 25, 2005, the second season of Desperate Housewives premiered, focusing on the mystery of new neighbor Betty Applewhite, who moves onto Wisteria Lane with her son Matthew from Chicago.
2005: Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Awards for Desperate Housewives
In 2005, "Desperate Housewives" won the Golden Globe Award for Best Series – Musical or Comedy at the 62nd Golden Globe Awards and several Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress, Directing, Main Title Theme Music, Picture Editing, and Casting at the 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. The entire cast was also awarded the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast – Comedy Series.
2005: People's Choice Award
In 2005, Desperate Housewives won the People's Choice Award for Favorite New Television Drama at the 31st People's Choice Awards.
2005: Release of Soundtrack Album
In 2005, Hollywood Records, distributed by Universal Music Group, produced the first soundtrack album, Music from and Inspired by Desperate Housewives. Several of those songs have been used in subsequent seasons.
2005: NBC called about Desperate Housewives ratings success
In 2005, after Desperate Housewives premiered and achieved high ratings, the owners of NBC inquired about who had passed on the series.
2005: Desperate Housewives Theme Nominated and Awarded
In 2005, the theme music for "Desperate Housewives" composed by Danny Elfman, received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Main Title Design, a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music and the BMI TV Music Award. Also in 2005, the theme was included on the album Music from and Inspired by Desperate Housewives.
February 26, 2006: Announcement of South American Versions
On February 26, 2006, The Walt Disney Company announced that four South American versions of the show were about to begin production: one for Argentina, one for Colombia, one for Ecuador and one for Brazil.
May 2006: Tom Spezialy Leaves Desperate Housewives
In May 2006, executive producer Tom Spezialy left "Desperate Housewives" shortly before the second-season finale, due to conflicts.
September 24, 2006: Third Season Premiere
On September 24, 2006, the third season of Desperate Housewives premiered, with the main mystery revolving around Bree's new husband, Orson Hodge, and his past.
October 5, 2006: Release of Desperate Housewives: The Game
On October 5, 2006, Buena Vista Games released the life simulation computer video game "Desperate Housewives: The Game" in North America. The game features an original storyline spanning 12 episodes and is set on Wisteria Lane.
October 2006: Publication of The Desperate Housewives Cookbook
In October 2006, Hyperion published "The Desperate Housewives Cookbook – Juicy Dishes and Saucy Bits", a cookbook related to the series.
December 2006: Walk-on part sold for charity
During a fundraising auction for the British child charity ChildLine in December 2006, a walk-on part in Desperate Housewives had the highest bid, £17,000.
December 2006: Announcement of Fashion Dolls
In December 2006, it was announced that Madame Alexander would produce 16-inch fashion dolls of Susan, Lynette, Bree, Gabrielle, and Edie.
2006: Syndication on Lifetime
From 2006, Desperate Housewives was syndicated on Lifetime in the United States.
2006: Awards and Nominations
In 2006, Desperate Housewives received a Golden Globe Award for Best Series – Musical or Comedy at the 63rd Golden Globe Awards. All four leading women received Golden Globe Award nominations, though none won. The cast ensemble won a Screen Actors Guild Award, as did Felicity Huffman. At the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards, Shirley Knight and Alfre Woodard received Primetime Emmy Award nominations, but did not win. The show was also nominated for the Pioneer Award at the BAFTA awards, losing to Doctor Who.
2006: TP de Oro Award
In 2006, Desperate Housewives won the TP de Oro for Best Foreign Series.
2006: Release of Delicious Housewives, A Novel of Erotica
In 2006, RSVP Press released "Delicious Housewives, A Novel of Erotica", by Tamarias Tyree, an erotic parody of the series.
2006: Most-watched comedy series internationally
Since 2006, Desperate Housewives was the most-watched comedy series internationally.
September 30, 2007: Fourth Season Premiere
On September 30, 2007, the fourth season of Desperate Housewives premiered, centering around new neighbor Katherine Mayfair and her family's return to Wisteria Lane after twelve years.
2007: ABC Studios Produces Desperate Housewives
In 2007, ABC Studios began producing "Desperate Housewives" alongside creator Marc Cherry (Cherry Productions) and Austin Bagley.
2007: Publication of Wall Calendars
In 2007, Andrews McMeel Publishing continued to publish official wall calendars for Desperate Housewives, featuring shots taken from the series.
2007: Most popular show worldwide
In 2007, Desperate Housewives was reported as the most popular show in its demographic worldwide with approximately 120 million viewers.
2007: Award Nominations
In 2007, Felicity Huffman received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for the second time, with Laurie Metcalf and Dixie Carter also receiving nominations at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards. Desperate Housewives, Marcia Cross, and Felicity Huffman received Golden Globe Award nominations at the 64th Golden Globe Awards. Huffman and the cast were nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards. Ultimately, none of these nominations resulted in wins.
2007: Desperate Housewives has staying power
In 2007, For its fourth season, the series proved to have staying power.
2007: Release of Limited Edition Fashion Dolls
In 2007, Madame Alexander released the Desperate Housewives fashion dolls in a limited edition of 300 pieces each.
2007: Release of Desperate Housewives Dirty Laundry Game
In 2007, the British company Re:creation released "Desperate Housewives Dirty Laundry Game", a board game based on the third season of Desperate Housewives. Players attempt to guess their opponents' secrets by answering trivia questions.
September 28, 2008: Fifth Season Premiere
On September 28, 2008, the fifth season of Desperate Housewives premiered, jumping forward five years and focusing on Edie's new husband, Dave Williams, and his revenge plot.
December 2008: Online Viewership Numbers Released
In December 2008, Nielsen Media Research reported that "Desperate Housewives" had 723,000 unique online viewers.
2008: Top ten most-watched series
From 2008, Desperate Housewives was among the top ten most-watched series during its first five seasons.
2008: Broadcast of Donas de Casa Desesperadas in Brazil
In 2008, "Donas de Casa Desesperadas" began being broadcast on RedeTV! in Brazil.
2008: Publication of Wall Calendars
In 2008, Andrews McMeel Publishing continued to publish official wall calendars for Desperate Housewives, featuring shots taken from the series.
2008: Awards and Nominations
In 2008, Desperate Housewives received fewer nominations, with the cast nominated at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and four Primetime Emmy Award nominations at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards, including acting nominations for Polly Bergen and Kathryn Joosten. Kathryn Joosten won the show's seventh Primetime Emmy Award, marking the first win since the show's debut year.
2008: Desperate Housewives Beating Popular Medical Drama
In 2008, the show once again moved back into the top five highest-rated programs in the 2007–2008 season, being the number-one ABC drama and beating popular medical drama Grey's Anatomy after falling behind it for the first time in the third season.
August 2009: Presentation of Fragrance Collection
In August 2009, LR Health & Beauty Systems presented a collection of four fragrances based on the Desperate Housewives lead characters: Susan, Lynette, Bree, and Gabrielle. Each fragrance has distinct scent profiles.
August 2009: Marc Cherry Comments on Series Future
In August 2009, Marc Cherry stated that "Desperate Housewives" still had a lot of life left in it and would be on television for a few more years.
September 27, 2009: Sixth Season Premiere
On September 27, 2009, the sixth season of Desperate Housewives premiered. The main mystery of this season surrounds new neighbor Angie Bolen and her family.
October 2009: Cherry Signs Deal with ABC
In October 2009, Marc Cherry signed a two-year deal with ABC that could keep "Desperate Housewives" on the air until 2013.
2009: Top ten most-watched series
From 2009, Desperate Housewives was among the top ten most-watched series during its first five seasons.
2009: Award Nominations
In 2009, Beau Bridges received an award nomination for his work on Desperate Housewives.
2009: Desperate Housewives Pirated Show
In 2009, Desperate Housewives was the seventh-most-pirated television show.
September 26, 2010: Seventh Season Premiere
On September 26, 2010, the seventh season of Desperate Housewives premiered, with Paul Young's return to Wisteria Lane and Lynette's college friend Renee Perry moving onto the lane.
2010: Desperate Housewives Faced Rating Competition
In 2010, Desperate Housewives faced competition in ratings from events like the 67th Golden Globe Awards, 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, 2010 Winter Olympics, and the new CBS reality television series Undercover Boss.
2010: Third-highest revenue-earning series
In 2010, Desperate Housewives was the third-highest revenue-earning series, making $2.74 million per half hour.
2010: Award Nominations
In 2010, Kathryn Joosten received an award nomination for her work on Desperate Housewives.
March 2011: Searching's Success
In March 2011, ratings for Desperate Housewives got higher after the series low.
April 2011: Eva Longoria Confirms Eighth Season
In April 2011, Eva Longoria confirmed that there would definitely be an eighth season of "Desperate Housewives" and expressed hopes for a ninth.
May 17, 2011: Desperate Housewives Renewed for Eighth Season
On May 17, 2011, ABC officially renewed "Desperate Housewives" for an eighth season.
August 2011: Final Season Confirmation
In August 2011, it was confirmed that the eighth season of "Desperate Housewives" would be the final season.
August 2011: Eighth Season Confirmed as Final Season
In August 2011, it was confirmed that the eighth season of Desperate Housewives would be the show's last.
September 25, 2011: Eighth Season Premiere
On September 25, 2011, the eighth and final season of Desperate Housewives premiered. The main mystery of the season is the death of Gabrielle's stepfather and its cover-up.
2011: Award Nominations and Wins
In 2011, Brenda Strong received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards. Vanessa L. Williams won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series at the 41st NAACP Image Awards and a Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.
2011: Airing of Turkish Version
In 2011, the Turkish version titled "Umutsuz Ev Kadınları" aired on Kanal D in Turkey.
April 26, 2012: Filming Ends for Desperate Housewives
On April 26, 2012, filming for the "Desperate Housewives" series officially concluded.
May 13, 2012: Desperate Housewives Series Finale
On May 13, 2012, Desperate Housewives aired its series finale after eight seasons on ABC, totaling 180 episodes.
2012: Award Nomination
In 2012, Brenda Strong and Kathryn Joosten received Primetime Emmy Award nominations again at 64th Primetime Emmy Awards.
2012: Most-watched comedy series internationally
In 2012, Desperate Housewives remained the most-watched comedy series internationally, based on data from Eurodata TV Worldwide, measuring ratings across five continents.
2012: End of Syndication on Lifetime
In 2012, the syndication of Desperate Housewives on Lifetime in the United States ended.
2013: Cherry hints end date of Desperate Housewives
Cherry hinted that Desperate Housewives would end in 2013.
2013: North Korea Executions for Watching Desperate Housewives
In 2013, North Korea allegedly executed eighty people for watching banned South Korean soap operas, with Desperate Housewives being the most common soap opera watched.
2013: Award Win
In 2013, Vanessa L. Williams won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for the series' eight and final season.
2013: Announcement of African Version
In fall 2013, Disney Media Distribution and EbonyLife TV announced they were producing an African version of Desperate Housewives, titled "Desperate Housewives Africa".
2014: Scheduled Premiere of Desperate Housewives Africa
In 2014, "Desperate Housewives Africa" was scheduled to premiere in summer on EbonyLife TV.
September 2015: Desperate Housewives Ranks High on Hollywood Reporter List
In September 2015, "Desperate Housewives" ranked at number one hundred on The Hollywood Reporter's "Hollywood's 100 Favorite TV Shows", as determined by television industry professionals.
2015: Airing of Desperate Housewives Africa
In 2015, the African version "Desperate Housewives Africa" aired its only season.
June 2017: Release of Desperate Housewives: The Game on Mobile Platforms
In June 2017, Megazebra released "Desperate Housewives: The Game" on the App Store and Google Play. The game allows players to play as a new neighbor on Wisteria Lane.
2017: Desperate Housewives Opening Sequence Ranked
In 2017, James Charisma of Paste ranked the opening sequence of "Desperate Housewives" at the 29th position on a list of The 75 Best TV Title Sequences of All Time.
2024: Streaming and Purchase Availability
As of 2024, Desperate Housewives is available for streaming in 1080p HD on Prime Video and Hulu. For offline viewing, all episodes can be purchased from Prime Video, Google Play or Vudu. It is also available on Disney+ in countries with the Star brand. There has been no Blu-ray release.
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