In terms of coming back strong, Desperate Housewives pulls a relatively safe if not interesting episode with ‘If…’.  The alternate reality paints an interesting picture of what could have been, but it is the urgency of the present that makes the episode sing.

The Rules

The main problem with an alternate reality is that the consequences hardly seem relevant.  Why should we care if it is all imagination at the end of the day?  Ultimately, Desperate Housewives makes a very formidable and colorful attempt, but for the most part, it’s all fluff.

What’s not fluff is the death of Karl Mayer.  Unlike the passing of Edie Britt, Karl gets a sendoff of sorts but still remains the shady, devious man as always.  Even in the alternate realities, he remains the consummate cheater.  Even worse, he dies a second time in Bree’s alternate reality still in love with the woman.  It’s hard to guess if the show finds the loss as a clearance sale or a true loss.

Never Born

Even after a lackluster disaster episode and imaginary popcorn fun, the episode does deliver one great emotional performance thanks to Lynette.  Even though the loss of one of her babies is tragic, it is the combination of this news and Lynette’s alternate reality that makes this storyline work.

In showing a life that could never be, not only do we get a sense of loss, we see the strength of Lynette as a mother and a woman.  The storyline reunites Lynette with another mother, Gabrielle, and she survives.  She survives for Tom, for her children, for her friends and for herself.  Without the depiction of another reality, this storyline would never have this much impact.

The Reality

Although the alternate reality has come and passed, Desperate Housewives remains entertaining.  I consider this Christmas season a slump for the show, but it still remains compelling in more ways than one.

Rating: 7.7/10

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