Desperate Housewives
Episode 91

Title: Back in Business
Season: 5
Episode #: 5.04
Episode: 91
First Air Date: October 19, 2008 (9pm)
DVD: Desperate Housewives - The Complete Fifth Season
Writer: John Pardee and Joey Murphy
Director: Scott Ellis
Guest Stars:
Gale Harold as Jackson
Mary Pat Gleason as Ms. Elenora Butters
Charlie Babcock as Stu

Fan Rating: ??/10 (Average of all fan submitted ratings)


Synopsis:

The women of Wisteria Lane are envious of Bree's cookbook and her entrepreneurial success; Lynette weighs in on Bree's marketing plan; Mike feels that he is not enough of a presence in his son's life.

(From ABC)
Bree's new cookbook and entrepreneurial success has the women of Wisteria Lane feeling envious; Lynette's longing for a taste of her breadwinning days as an ad-exec leads her to lend an unsolicited hand to Bree's marketing plan; and MJ's drawing of a family portrait has left Mike feeling like he's not a presence in his son's life. Meanwhile, Gaby hatches a plan to have more sex with Carlos, Susan teaches a reluctant MJ how to fall, and Dave's motives for moving to the neighborhood continue to take shape.


(Recap From ABC)
During parent night at school, Mike is upset when he barely figures in MJ's drawing of his family: "That little bug with a hat on, that's me?" He buys his son a new bike but then doesn't have time to teach MJ how to ride. Mike is finally on his way over to show MJ the basics, but Susan realizes that MJ's already had Jackson, who's around a lot more, teach him. She orders MJ to fake a few spills to convince his dad he's a beginner and MJ ends up with a sprained arm. At the hospital, MJ admits he fell on purpose and Susan tells Mike that being divorced means that each one of them will miss important moments in their son's life.

When Bree's cookbook comes out, her friends are not-so-secretly jealous. Lynette sees this as her big chance to get back into marketing and comes up with a whole "jazzy" ad campaign, which Bree politely declines.

Lynette is even more upset when she realizes that her old assistant is the one handling Bree's account. At the luncheon to celebrate Bree's being named Businesswoman of the Year, Lynette drunkenly tries to offer some unasked-for advice so Bree asks her to leave. Bree admits that all her success has come at a high cost if it means losing her friends and possibly her husband and Lynette assures her. "All your friends are proud of you. Bitterly jealous, but proud."

Bree discovers that Orson has been fired from his post-prison job. Finding no luck in landing a new position, he suggests that she hire him, an idea that doesn't sit well with Katherine, who threatens to cut Bree with the scissors she's using to arrange flowers. Katherine tries to talk Orson out of the idea, describing what Bree's like as a boss: "Bitchy, tyrannical, shrill!"

Bree suggests they revisit the idea in a month but Orson decides to move into the guest bedroom and to skip her luncheon. He finally moves back in when she offers him the gift of a chef's hat -- and a partnership in her business.

Gaby is desperate for more sex with Carlos, so she arranges an afternoon playdate for Juanita. Unfortunately, Juanita comes home early and catches them in bed. When Juanita blurts out her newfound sex education to her friend, the playdates are abruptly canceled. "I guess it's back to the old schedule of ten minutes of grope and snore at midnight," Carlos sighs. Gaby insists that parents need "playdates" too and convinces the friend's parents to reconsider.

Edie asks Dave to buy a now-empty house on the block so they can rent it out. "My friend Mary Alice blew her brains out in this house. I let that slip and we can get it for a song." She's shocked when Dave refuses and even more so when he yells at her.

The house comes in handy when Dave realizes that Mike's only reason for refusing to join his and Tom's garage band is the time he spends commuting to his current place. Mike can't afford the rent on Wisteria Lane, but Dave buys the house -- as a present to Edie -- and gives Mike a fantastic deal on the rent. He insists that no one, especially Mike, know that he and Edie are the landlords.