Desperate Housewives - Rose's Turn

The Rose in the episode title referred to Rose Kemper (Gloria LeFoy)--an elderly Wisteria Lane denizen who had the misfortune of meeting up with Orson on one of his pilfering runs prior to Edie's crash.

Actually, Orson was the unfortunate one. Although as Rose told the story to Katherine, "It was Death. He came for me. I chased him out. With my baseball bat!"

A confused Katherine responded, "Death collects knick-knacks?"

Orson maneuvers poor Mrs. Kemper into an institution so no-one will figure out it was he who caused Edie's crash. He assures Bree that he will change his ways and be happy. When Bree relates this to Andrew, he asks her, "Just how happy will he be? Will he whistle while he works or just skip around the house?" Andrew is not convinced that Orson can change and tells Bree he'll be researching divorce lawyers.

When Bree finds out from Katherine about Rose's encounter with the masked intruder who was stealing her knick-knacks, she of course puts two and two together. But Orson continues to lie about how he was injured, so she tells Andrew (who can barely conceal a smirk), "Orson’s lying to me again. So I think I have to divorce him."

In the aftermath of Edie's death, the housewives are worried about Dave. He rebuffs Mike's efforts to sympathize, so Mike recruits Susan to visit. As if a visit from Susan wouldn't expedite someone on the verge of suicide to do the deed. While at Dave's house, Susan sees his gun and makes it her mission to remove it, all the knives, belts and ties from Dave's house.

On the way home, she is stopped by a police officer for not using a hands-free device. (Where are all the police officers in Los Angeles? I see someone violating this law on a daily basis!). When he asks for her license and registration he notices the basket (closed shut when Susan left Dave's place but conveniently opened in this scene...) filled with knives and the gun.

He orders Susan out of the car and has her on the ground in cuffs when Katherine drives by. Susan goes back to Dave's place to return his ties and belts and apologize. When he admits to her that he and Edie had a fight prior to her crash (omitting the fact he attempted to strangle her...), Susan tells him he can't blame himself for her death.

She then confides to him about the crash she and Mike were involved in five years ago and admits it was she that was driving. The reasoning for the switcheroo is that Susan didn't have her license with her--which is the lamest reason ever. You are required to have your driver's license in your possession while driving, but if you don't you just need to be able to produce it in court.

If Susan had had a drink, it would make more sense for Mike to lie and say he was driving. Anyway, Dave's focus has been diverted from Mike to Susan. Or more accurately, M.J.

The other subplot of neglected Tom and been-there, done-that Gabby bonding plus Carlos saving Lynette when she hit her head in the shower was pretty uneventful. Although I wonder if the writers are possibly setting up a future dalliance between either Carlos and Lynette or Gabby and Tom (or both!)...

The two-hour season finale is May 17th and for next week's episode it looks like Jackson is back in town!