Desperate Housewives/Next

Next
Season 2, Episode 1
Airdate	September 25, 2005
Production Number	20124
Written by	Jenna Bans & Kevin Murphy
Directed by	Larry Shaw
← 1x23 One Wonderful Day	2x02 → You Could Drive a Person Crazy
Desperate Housewives — Season Two

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Next is the first episode of the second season of Desperate Housewives, and the twenty-fourth episode overall.

Starring: Teri Hatcher (Susan), Felicity Huffman (Lynette), Marcia Cross (Bree), Eva Longoria (Gaby), Nicollette Sheridan (Edie), Alfre Woodard (Betty Applewhite), Ricardo Antonio Chavira (Carlos), Mark Moses (Paul), Andrea Bowen (Julie), Doug Savant (Tom), Cody Kasch (Zach), Richard Burgi (Karl), Brenda Strong (Mary Alice), James Denton (Mike)

Also Starring: Shawn Pyfrom (Andrew), Joy Lauren (Danielle), Mehcad Brooks (Matthew Applewhite), Brent Kinsman (Preston), Shane Kinsman (Porter), Zane Huett (Parker)

Guest Starring: (in credits order) Jesse Metcalfe (John), Joely Fisher (Nina Fletcher), Currie Graham (Ed Ferrara), Andy Umberger (Officer Romslo), Dakin Matthews (Reverend Sikes), Shirley Knight (Phyllis Van De Kamp), Charlie Babcock (Stu), Nikki Braendlin (Receptionist), Pat Crawford Brown (Ida), Stacy Solodkin (Haggard Woman)

Plot Overview

Mike arrives home to find Susan being held hostage by a gun-toting Zach. Susans' actions bring the situation to an explosive climax during which Zach escapes. Wisteria Lane's newest neighbor Betty Applewhite harbors a secret in her basement. Bree has her hands full with {{ch|Rex Van De Kamp|Rex]]'s overbearing mother, who has arrived for his funeral. Lynette's multitasking abilities help her reenter the working world, despite the reservations of her new boss, Nina. And Gabrielle, feeling guilty about her affair, begins visiting her husband in jail. But will her visits make life on the inside even tougher for Carlos?

The second season picks up where the first left off. Rex is dead, and, new neighbors, the Applewhites have moved in. Gabrielle, Lynette, and Susan attempt to comfort Bree while Phyllis, Rex's mother, arrives on Wisteria Lane. Meanwhile Mike and Susan deal with Zach while Gabrielle struggles with the two men in her life.

Notes

• Although he is credited and is seen briefly in recap of the episode, Mark Moses (Paul Young) does not appear in this episode.
• On its original airing this episode scored 28.2 million viewers for ABC. That is a 6.6 million viewer increase over last year's debut episode.
• Actress Shirley Knight begins her recurring status this season on Desperate Housewives in this episode as Phyllis Van De Kamp.
• Jesse Metcalfe is no longer a full time cast member as he was in the first season of the series. In this episode he his credited as a guest star.
• Alfre Woodard (Betty Applewhite), Richard Burgi (Karl) and Doug Savant Tom) become official cast members, though Burgi does not appear in the episode.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• Stephen Sondheim: This episode takes its name from the Stephen Sondheim song Next from Pacific Overtures.

Quotes

• Gabrielle: (to nurse) I don't need to take a test. I'm just trying to reassure my husband of what I know is true in my heart. So if you could just slip me someone else's results, I can make my own. I got Photoshop for Christmas.

• Andrew: (about Phyllis) I know she's probably a bitch, but she's family; that makes her our bitch.

• Bree: (on the phone with Lynette) ...Of course you can borrow that scarf, I'll even press it for you. So I have some news... Rex died.