Compelling from start to finish, the 'theme' of this episode is competition and boy does Desperate Housewives show everyone how to do an adult soap drama. Lacing slapstick humour with the more devious, Machiavellian sort, succinct with plot twists and for the first time so far in season 1, real emotional depth, Anything You Can Do, isn't quite Bree Van Der Kamp's lawn but is damn close to that perfection.
Lynette becomes addicted to her children's ADD medicine, the consequences superficially sparkling, however the effects on her mental state are clearly portrayed by Huffman as anything but beneficial. She struggles to keep up with the Jones's (or the Van De Kamps in this case), and goes to great extremes to keep the right profile. Susan picks up the slack of having the funny storyline, and it's measured very well, with Mike's character pushed further into the shadows, and Susan still knocking herself out on a bucking bronco, without even getting on it! Bree and Rex look set for a divorce and Rex tries to bribe the kids, which they're a little too enthusiastic about for Bree's liking. Gabrielle and Hunky Gardner (his name - probably) also look ripe to part ways, when Gabrielle suggests a 'closing goodbye'. Unfortunately, Mama Solis intercepts them during this 'farewell' and takes a picture that's probably not going up on the family's wall too soon, especially since Gabrielle manages to take the camera and any evidence against her (thanks to Bree's drunk son running her mother-in-law over). As well as all this the main storyline gets a tad darker with Edie brought in the frame - could she really be so ruthless?
Truly a fantastic episode that laid to rest any lingering doubts in my mind about the ability of the writer's to effectively spin a plot twist, and captivate me for forty minutes.
Lynette becomes addicted to her children's ADD medicine, the consequences superficially sparkling, however the effects on her mental state are clearly portrayed by Huffman as anything but beneficial. She struggles to keep up with the Jones's (or the Van De Kamps in this case), and goes to great extremes to keep the right profile. Susan picks up the slack of having the funny storyline, and it's measured very well, with Mike's character pushed further into the shadows, and Susan still knocking herself out on a bucking bronco, without even getting on it! Bree and Rex look set for a divorce and Rex tries to bribe the kids, which they're a little too enthusiastic about for Bree's liking. Gabrielle and Hunky Gardner (his name - probably) also look ripe to part ways, when Gabrielle suggests a 'closing goodbye'. Unfortunately, Mama Solis intercepts them during this 'farewell' and takes a picture that's probably not going up on the family's wall too soon, especially since Gabrielle manages to take the camera and any evidence against her (thanks to Bree's drunk son running her mother-in-law over). As well as all this the main storyline gets a tad darker with Edie brought in the frame - could she really be so ruthless?
Truly a fantastic episode that laid to rest any lingering doubts in my mind about the ability of the writer's to effectively spin a plot twist, and captivate me for forty minutes.
