Watching the season six finale – where the characters' stories ranged from the everyday (Mike and Susan's money troubles) to the ridiculous ( Adriana from The Sopranos blew up an eviled-up Captain Jack from Torchwood) – DH looked like a show in rude health. Until recently, I'd have gone along with that assessment. Fast forward to 2010 and, certainly in the UK, it's become shorthand for the kind of glossy, big-budget drama that's not as smart as it thinks it is. Once upon a time, Desperate Housewives was the hottest show on television, a sharply written reflection on well-to-do suburban life that made international superstars of its leading actors. Spoiler alert: Do not continue reading if you have not watched the series six finale and intend to do so
