Desperate Housewives
—Overview
—Photos
—About this Series
—Spiritual Connections
I have heard a lot of flack from the Christian community over this show, and most are appalled at its immoral content: primarily the endorsement of multiple extra-marital affairs. But, I have a different viewpoint. Unlike many movies out there, this show follows the affairs to their true end results! It doesn't just show an affair and pretend that everyone lives happily ever after - that some get away with it, that others get caught, that forgiveness is in the air, tra la la la la! It deals with the REAL LIFE consequences of betrayal and the REAL LIFE difficulty of remaining faithful when life around you seems to be crumbling.
First case in point: Upon discovering her husband's betrayal, Bree suffers from fierce anger, desire for revenge, thankfulness and acknowledgement of the good years her husband did give her, and the bitterness that arises from deliberately choosing not to forgive and reconcile. The divorce is expected to be very harsh! What I like about Bree is that she's a three-dimensional character who struggles through the entire process of losing trust in her mate. She is not limited to one thought or overly-simplified character trait. Bree runs the gamut of emotions and feelings associated with betrayal, and responds realistically rather than idealistically.
Second case in point: Lynette and her husband battle the legitimate temptations that face married couples over the years. While people can be happily married for a long time, the appearance of a sweet, young, nanny's nakedness can still cause temptation. Why can't we admit that? And the recent revelation of his dad's infidelity points to a legitimate fear that women have when their husbands travel. What I like about their relationship is that they resolve to DISCUSS and WORK OUT their issues. Rather than denying the tensions that exist in a marriage, the two deal maturely with the issues and make changes that are necessary to keep a marriage alive. The nanny was fired after all. It will be interesting to see how the newest kink in their relationship develops - a secret which has not been openly discussed will soon hit the table. I'm hopeful that the writers will maintain the standard of honesty and integrity in this relationship. After all, that IS what it takes to make a relationship work.
Third Case in Point: Gabrielle's extra-marital relationship with John, the gardener, points out the dangers of dealing with 1. younger, more trusting individuals and 2. using people as playthings. Each person suffers from the fleeting nature of the relationship. The other realistic element is the extreme lengths that Gabrielle must go to in order to cover up their time together. Consider how much time and thought actually goes into hiding an affair - it's all consuming. The episode where Gabrielle had to mow her own grass was testimony to the rediculous feats that must be done to keep an affair hidden. This storyline explores even MORE consequences of affairs.
Overall, I think this series is fantastic - not because it is so morally pure, but because it actually educates people on the consequences of sin. Rather than simply saying "Don't do it because you know it's wrong," this series takes morality a step further. It deals with real feelings, addresses issues of the heart, shows the consequences of actions, and even seeks to resolve many of the legitimate frustrations of being married and being parents. Inevitably, Bible studies, lectures, retreats and conferences that have dealt RESPECTFULLY and HONESTLY with my fears, temptations, and errors have had the greatest impact on my life. They haven't tried to pretend my sins don't exist, but rather helped me acknowledge my humanity and the need for help from God. I guess I would say that's the only thing the series lacks: giving at least one character the outlet of faith. Because, truly, it is through faith and God's help that we can overcome temptation and learn forgiveness.
I don't know what the rest of the season will bring, but I hope it maintains its current standard. It's success seems to lie in connecting with people where they are. I hope it doesn't start "pretending" that life is easier than it really is, or creating "false endings" that don't follow a logical conclusion. At the same time, I realize they have to keep it interesting, so I guess we'll see what happens.
And I hope that the folks out there who do watch the show will see it differently too. Rather than slamming its content, we must open our eyes to its potential. This show is an incredible conversation starter!! Mary Alice's closing remarks always force us to examine our own motives and morals. In a strange way, her statements actually ask us questions - and those questions can open doors of honest conversation with our peers. We all struggle with temptation, fear, bitterness, etc...wouldn't it be nice to have someone trustworthy to talk to about those things? It would certainly open doors to sharing the tools and hope that God has given each one of us.
—Overview
—Photos
—About this Series
—Spiritual Connections
—Photos
—About this Series
—Spiritual Connections
I have heard a lot of flack from the Christian community over this show, and most are appalled at its immoral content: primarily the endorsement of multiple extra-marital affairs. But, I have a different viewpoint. Unlike many movies out there, this show follows the affairs to their true end results! It doesn't just show an affair and pretend that everyone lives happily ever after - that some get away with it, that others get caught, that forgiveness is in the air, tra la la la la! It deals with the REAL LIFE consequences of betrayal and the REAL LIFE difficulty of remaining faithful when life around you seems to be crumbling.First case in point: Upon discovering her husband's betrayal, Bree suffers from fierce anger, desire for revenge, thankfulness and acknowledgement of the good years her husband did give her, and the bitterness that arises from deliberately choosing not to forgive and reconcile. The divorce is expected to be very harsh! What I like about Bree is that she's a three-dimensional character who struggles through the entire process of losing trust in her mate. She is not limited to one thought or overly-simplified character trait. Bree runs the gamut of emotions and feelings associated with betrayal, and responds realistically rather than idealistically.
Second case in point: Lynette and her husband battle the legitimate temptations that face married couples over the years. While people can be happily married for a long time, the appearance of a sweet, young, nanny's nakedness can still cause temptation. Why can't we admit that? And the recent revelation of his dad's infidelity points to a legitimate fear that women have when their husbands travel. What I like about their relationship is that they resolve to DISCUSS and WORK OUT their issues. Rather than denying the tensions that exist in a marriage, the two deal maturely with the issues and make changes that are necessary to keep a marriage alive. The nanny was fired after all. It will be interesting to see how the newest kink in their relationship develops - a secret which has not been openly discussed will soon hit the table. I'm hopeful that the writers will maintain the standard of honesty and integrity in this relationship. After all, that IS what it takes to make a relationship work.
Third Case in Point: Gabrielle's extra-marital relationship with John, the gardener, points out the dangers of dealing with 1. younger, more trusting individuals and 2. using people as playthings. Each person suffers from the fleeting nature of the relationship. The other realistic element is the extreme lengths that Gabrielle must go to in order to cover up their time together. Consider how much time and thought actually goes into hiding an affair - it's all consuming. The episode where Gabrielle had to mow her own grass was testimony to the rediculous feats that must be done to keep an affair hidden. This storyline explores even MORE consequences of affairs.
Overall, I think this series is fantastic - not because it is so morally pure, but because it actually educates people on the consequences of sin. Rather than simply saying "Don't do it because you know it's wrong," this series takes morality a step further. It deals with real feelings, addresses issues of the heart, shows the consequences of actions, and even seeks to resolve many of the legitimate frustrations of being married and being parents. Inevitably, Bible studies, lectures, retreats and conferences that have dealt RESPECTFULLY and HONESTLY with my fears, temptations, and errors have had the greatest impact on my life. They haven't tried to pretend my sins don't exist, but rather helped me acknowledge my humanity and the need for help from God. I guess I would say that's the only thing the series lacks: giving at least one character the outlet of faith. Because, truly, it is through faith and God's help that we can overcome temptation and learn forgiveness.I don't know what the rest of the season will bring, but I hope it maintains its current standard. It's success seems to lie in connecting with people where they are. I hope it doesn't start "pretending" that life is easier than it really is, or creating "false endings" that don't follow a logical conclusion. At the same time, I realize they have to keep it interesting, so I guess we'll see what happens.
And I hope that the folks out there who do watch the show will see it differently too. Rather than slamming its content, we must open our eyes to its potential. This show is an incredible conversation starter!! Mary Alice's closing remarks always force us to examine our own motives and morals. In a strange way, her statements actually ask us questions - and those questions can open doors of honest conversation with our peers. We all struggle with temptation, fear, bitterness, etc...wouldn't it be nice to have someone trustworthy to talk to about those things? It would certainly open doors to sharing the tools and hope that God has given each one of us.—Overview
—Photos
—About this Series
—Spiritual Connections
10 Comments:
A brilliant anlysis Melinda! As a church minister in England (where the show has only been going for a few weeks - but I'm hooked already!) I was recently asked to comment on it on our local radio station. I think anything that helps people think more deeply about what is going on 'below the surface' in our lives - and engage with those often supressed realities (sadly often even more so in Christian circles) - is to be welcomed.
PA
Exellent Melinda....My first reaction was to summarily dismiss this show and then I saw it and realized what a great discussion starter this could be as we deal with people around us, following the likes of Dick Staub and John Eldridge, I firmly believe in using popular culture to engage our world for Jesus!
Last week I asked my women's Bible Study to watch Desperate Housewives, you should have seen the looks on their faces :), As we study how to stand up for Jesus in a Non-Jesus world I think this show could be a great vehicle. We'll be discussing the show tomorrow...I can't wait!!!!
I'm a graduate student with not as much free time as I'd like to get, but I did manage to see one episode of this show. "Desperate Housewives" is definitely fairly racy in content, but I suspect Melinda's comments are on-target.
I have a concern. While insightful, Melinda does not take the vital step of suggesting how viewers can disentangle the fairly salacious visual content from the larger moral implications of immoral conduct (which is depicted accurately in the show). I suspect that that does not happen. I suspect that it is the titillating content of the show that draws viewers.
We are instructed to "avoid the very appearance of evil" by Scripture. Therefore, although adults probably *could* harvest much of what happens when we do sin, that is not as strong an argument to suggest that this show is what we *should* be watching.
Having said that, it's probably apropos to see both sides of the show, and I think Melinda's essay does that well.
I am sorry to say that I believe you miss a serious point of maintaining morality. That is the avoidance of temptation. What is a television show? An opportunity to exercise objective analyis? Or a medium to promote a point of view to unwitting masses?
I remember my history teacher who used to talk just like Johnny Carson and would do his monologues in class.
I think our nation is in desperate need of good role models, not desperate housewives who teach the unwitting masses a dual message, try something that is immoral like the actress in the show, and then you will potentially be as popular as a television actress. Selective reasoning tunes out the part that the viewer doesn't want to see, that there are negative consequences to bad behavior.
The truth is that this television show is a bad influence and therefore should be taken off air, not applauded for being dual minded. The truth is that this and other television shows along similar lines, know that they are misleading the masses and pretend to cover all bases by showing the negative consequences. The truth is why have a show like this on television at all?
Our goal here at HJ is to take spiritual truths, specifically about Christ, to the "unwitting masses" (a rather derogatory term for non-belivers, I think) via a medium they are already watching: tv and film. We never strive to act as a moral policing agency. And while there is certainly Biblical support for protecting our minds from temptation or moral filth, this issue has two sides, like a coin. The flip side is that we are also called to be a light in the darkness, not a light in the lightness. Our great commission as Christians is not to morally reform the "unwitting masses", but to lead them to Christ - a power source greater than our own advice, our own "good example," or our theories on how to remain morally pure in a corrupt world. We can take them to the very thing that can actually change their lives, Christ. So, with that goal in mind, how would you take a legitimately morally impure show like Desperate Housewives and use it for the greatest good of Christ? What message would you bring to the people who are watching it regardless of whether the Christian community approves?
I think this comment is great (Thank you!):
"Melinda does not take the vital step of suggesting how viewers can disentangle the fairly salacious visual content from the larger moral implications of immoral conduct"
Taking that into consideration, I plan to start a new section, maybe in the fall, discussing how we can carry the message of Christ using specific DH episodes. It is complicated to bring up such touchy issues, even with close friends. Thanks for jumpstarting my brain on this!
Unfortunately, the only "Christian" represented was Mrs. Huber -- who was a heartless woman, blackmailing others for what she could get, while pretending to be religious.
I would rather they didn't have a character with the outlet of faith, because she/he will always end up coming out like Mrs. Huber. Better to take what is there and use it to witness to others than having the stigma of another Hollywood "Christian" between you and the person to whom you're trying to witness...
There is no justification for shows like this. With all the struggles in my own walk with God, I can't imagine anyone thinking I could actually grow spiritually by idly watching filth.
Maybe you think you're a better person by watching these fantasies, but I really don't think the gay writers of this show have your moral health in mind. That's certainly not why they plan to write "darker" episodes for next season.
Go ahead and make excuses. It's people watching these shows that help liberals corrupt America. As for me and my family, we can learn the results of Sexual immorality by simply using our heads, and we certainly don't need Hollywood to teach us how we ought to or ought not to live.
Yes! That's the point exactly! We've got to stop "idly watching filth" and hoping to grow spiritually. This site is all about learning to see something of spiritual value BEYOND the ordinary, mind-numbing, mind-corrupting experience.
The idea is to get people to view film and tv much like we view the Bible. On the surface, the Bible is a morally dangerous book - full of stories about murder, war, betrayal, sex (including incest, infidelity, and entrapment), unethical business dealings, hatred, revenge, basically everything that we claim we need to "shield our eyes and hearts" from. It's all there. So, why isn't it banned from the libraries? Why aren't Bible stories rated R or X?
...Because we view them through SPIRITUAL EYES. We look at the immoral behavior and say it is wrong. We look at the genuine love between people and say, "That's why Christ died." We use discernment instead of letting someone tell us that the Bible is all about a mean, hateful God who is wielding his power over mankind to be cruel. No - we understand something deeper that the Bible has to say about grace.
Now, I'm not saying that Hollywood films should be anything sacred like our Bible. That would be to miss the point entirely. What I am saying is that film and television have messages beyond their surface. All stories, whether in a novel, on television, in a newspaper, in magazines, in textbooks, in your Readers Digest or on the movie screen or in the Bible have a deeper message.
We have got to go beyond idly watching filth and start discerning the messages of what we are viewing. Some messages are good. Some are horrible. But if we can't look analytically at film, then we ARE allowing Hollywood to teach us how we ought or ought not to live.
I would like to challenge every reader here to view films and television through spiritual eyes and discern what the messages are. Teach your kids to do it so that they are not **victims** of media influence. If the messages don't fit your value system, then by all means, don't watch. If the surface smut is too heavy to wade through in order to get the message, then by all means, don't watch. If the subject matter is something you can't handle because of past experiences, then by all means, don't watch.
Use your judgement, but by all means, USE YOUR JUDGEMENT!! Don't rule something out just because it has morally contestable material. Look around - everything in this world is wrapped in morally contestable material, even our conversations.
In the end, whether the messages in TV and film are good or bad, they are doors of conversation. Conversations where we have a chance to share our experience, strength and hope. If we close off all media entirely, we can still share with people, but in different ways. The hope of HJ is to urge those inclined toward the visual medium to connect with the world around them through film. I cannot state it any more simply.
Christ did what HJ does today. He used a modern form of storytelling (for his day) to connect with people. He used the story form called "parables" to tell truths. Do we tell parables today? Not much. Our primary medium is entertainment. I challenge you to consider what that means for you.
Excellent review of Desperate Housewives! You have written exactly what I have felt about the show. Most Christians dismiss it simply because of the title of the show, but there are tons of great discussion points for Christians in this show and the show does NOT schmooze over sin and its consequences. One poignant episode for me was a scene where Bree, dealing with a rebellious son who she discovered was a drunken driver in a hit-and-run, went searching the Bible for answers to how to handle the dilemma. They showed her really struggling between doing the right thing, reporting him to authorities, or doing something to cover it up. She decided to leave the car in a bad side of town with the keys in it to get rid of the evidence. Mary ALice, narrating from her POV comments, "Bree knew what she was about to do was wrong, but like most sinners, she would worry about her guilt tomorrow." That is so true. Sometimes people, us super Christians included, make the wrong decision instead of the God decision. We struggle with our flesh and our mind everyday. This show is good at examing that Romans 8 struggle we deal with. Most of the Christians who totally dismiss the show based upon moral content have not watched the show. Don't let the tintillating Hollywood title and commercials throw you off on this one. The show really does deal with life struggles better than any show I have seen. That's what it's fan base is really hooked on.
Please take a look at the transcipt from the episode I am referring t, http://desperatehousewives.ahaava.com/0108.htm. This scene opened the show so it is right at the beginning.
Thank you for the comments. I love to see people taking a deeper look at film and television. That's what the writers and directors intend for us to do. And thank you SO MUCH for the link to the transcripts. We are going to set up a separate DH blog here on HJ, and they will cover each episode. I just needed to have the opening and closing lines at my disposal to make it all complete! Thanks so much for making that happen - looks like God is still working in our funny little small-world lives, eh?
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