Flashback (Desperate Housewives)

"Flashback" is the 148th episode of the ABC television series, Desperate Housewives. It is the fourteenth episode of the show's seventh season and was broadcast on February 13, 2011.

Plot

Susan begins her long wait for a kidney donor with the same DNA as her. She runs into Monroe, an old high school classmate who has clearly tried to get in contact through social networking sites over the past few years. In mid-conversation, Susan bursts into tears because of her four-year wait for a donor. Clearly touched, Monroe gets his DNA tested and decides that he will give Susan his kidney. When Susan finds out, she is overjoyed and she gives Monroe a big hug, which pleases him. Susan realizes Monroe has been obsessed with her since high school; there’s a photo album filled with pictures of her among other things. Susan finally breaks it to Monroe that even though he’s giving her a kidney, he’ll never be more than just a friend to her. Disappointed, Monroe decides not to give Susan his kidney; putting her back on the list.

Stella’s new husband, Frank, wants a family portrait. When Lynette tries to weasel out of it, Frank tries to bribe her which doesn't work. However Lynette tells them that they are more than welcome to come over to the Scavo place for a family photo. As they all gather around for the picture they discover that Frank has died. Stella turns sad, mainly because Frank’s new will doesn’t go into effect until the following day. If they call the coroner before midnight, she gets nothing. If they wait until morning, she gets millions. Lynette remains reluctant and insists on doing the right thing but when Stella points out to Lynette that after all these years of Lynette looking after her it will be reversed, Stella could help her out. Lynette decides to wait until morning. When Stella eventually gets the millions she wanted Lynette realises that the money perhaps wasn't the best thing for the family after all.

Bree has a late night meeting with Amber. The cheque she gave her will take five days to clear. Amber needs bills paying right away so Bree offers to give her a cashiers cheque. The new money exchange takes place at a pizza place, where Amber asks Bree to watch her son, Charlie, while she runs to the bank. Keith spots Bree’s car in the parking lot and pops inside. He meets Charlie. Bree tells him she’s watching him for a friend, but what she’s actually doing is seeing the immediate bond Keith forms with the boy. Back home, Bree finally comes clean and tells Keith that Charlie is his son.

Gabrielle is in therapy and has extreme difficulty talking about her childhood. The session does not go well, though that’s not what she tells Carlos. Gabrielle says she needs to step up her treatment to three sessions a week. Carlos is livid when he discovers this triple play of appointments isn’t with the psychiatrist. They’re at the beauty parlor. So, Carlos serves as his wife’s personal escort to her next therapy session. Gabrielle tells Carlos the reason why she's reluctant is because the therapist wants to talk about her childhood. Carlos attends sessions to support her as Gabrielle opens up about the sexual abuse she suffered from her stepfather as a child.

Reception

On its original broadcast on ABC, the episode scored 9.201 million of viewers and achieved a 2.7 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic.^[1] With the DVR Rating, this episode is up 2.2 in million of viewers (rising to a total of 11.2 million of viewers) and it was up 1.0 in the adults 18-49 demographic (rising to a total of a 3.7 rating).^[2] The much lower ratings were because the episode aired against the 53rd Grammy Awards.

Notes

• Kathryn Joosten (Karen McCluskey), Tuc Watkins (Bob Hunter), Madison De La Garza (Juanita Solis) and Mason Vale Cotton (M.J. Delfino) do not appear and are not credited.
• Like almost every episode of the show, "Flashback" gets its title from a Stephen Sondheim song - in this case, the name of a song from Passion.

International titles

• Arabic: الفلاش باك! (The Flashback)
• German: Der Spender (The donor)
• Italian: Ombre del passato (Shadows of the Past)
• French : Le passé (Past)

References