Faces to watch this fall
A great ensemble of suburban housewives
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Mark Dawidziak
Plain Dealer Television Critic
It's difficult to isolate one player in the terrific ensemble for ABC's
"Desperate Housewives," a wickedly witty drama that premieres
at 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3, on WEWS Channel 5. The soapy suburban satire
is bubbling with sizzling stars looking to reinvigorate their prime-time
resumes: Teri Hatcher ("Lois & Clark"), Felicity Huffman
("Sports Night"), Eva Longoria ("L.A. Dragnet"),
Nicollette Sheridan (yes, "the" Nicollette Sheridan of
"Knots Landing" fame).
Yet look for Marcia Cross to build on the TV practice she established
with doctor roles on "Everwood" and "Melrose Place."
"Desperate Housewives" is just what the doctor ordered at this
stage of her career. Her character, the mirthfully named Bree Van De Kamp,
is accurately described by ABC as "Martha Stewart on steroids."
"I'm just salivating," Cross said of the chance to play Bree
to the homemaking hilt. "I am so excited and challenged and terrified.
It's such an exciting process if you fall in love with the character, and
I think we're all in love with our characters.
"I love the whole idea of this veneer that covers all these neuroses,
and then sort of being a volcano inside about to implode."
© The Plain Dealer 2004. All Rights Reserved.