Marcia Cross
An awful lot of awful things happen in the outwardly respectable neighborhood surrounding Wisteria Lane during the first season of Desperate Housewives, beginning with the suicide of Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong) -- who still manages to stick around in spectral form to serve as the series' narrator. Why did she do it -- and what exactly is her husband, Paul (Mark Moses), trying to cover up by throwing that old box he'd dug up from the backyard swimming pool into the river? Then there are Mary Alice's housewife friends Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross), and Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria). Divorcée Susan starts dating handsome plumber Mike (James Denton), only to be undercut by the neighborhood's resident vamp, the much-married Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan). Lynette has given up a high-paying business career to take care of her family, only to be rewarded with the cutthroat competitiveness of husband Tom (Doug Savant), the miserable behavior of her children, and the open scorn of such obnoxious neighbors as Maisy Gibbons (Sharon Lawrence). Control freak Bree, described by the ABC publicity folks as "Martha Stewart on steroids," finds her life spiralling out of control when her husband, Rex (Steven Culp), divorces her and her sociopathic son, Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom), adopts a "so what" attitude after striking down an old woman with his car. And sexy ex-model Gabrielle is cheating on her moonstruck millionaire husband, Carlos (Ricardo Antonio Chavira), with hunky 17-year-old gardener John (Jesse Metcalfe). And that's only a sample of what season one has to offer. Want more? Well, you asked for it! Susan accidentally burns down Edie's house and is blackmailed on that account by a Mrs. Martha Huber (Christine Estabrook) -- who is later killed by Paul Young, but it is Mike who is arrested for her murder. Later still, Susan is descended upon by her ex-husband, Karl (Richard Burgi), and her intrusive mother, Sophie Bremmer (Lesley Ann Warren). As for Lynette, she finds out that her husband's sainted father (Ryan O'Neal) is a serial philanderer. Also, after painfully adjusting to the breakup of her marriage, Bree starts going out with pharmacist George Williams (Roger Bart); Paul Young's son, Zach (Cody Kasch), inexplicably drops out of sight; and it is revealed that the oh-so-judgmental Maisy Gibbons has been sleeping with practically every man in the neighborhood -- including Bree's ex Rex! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, (more)
- 2001
The CSI team investigates when the body of famed real-estate entrepreneur Bob Fairmont (Spencer Garrett) is found in a hotel elevator. An early verdict of "natural causes" is thrown out when Grissom (William L. Petersen) determines that someone has re-dressed the corpse and tampered with the evidence. And besides, all of Fairmont's organs have been removed and donated -- apparently even before the body was cold. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Reggie Rock Bythewood makes his directorial debut with this sharp comedy-drama about love, compromise, and TV. The film opens with the parallel childhoods of Tomasina "Tommy" Crawford (Nicole Ari Parker) and George Washington (Isaiah Washington). Both were utterly shaped by television -- watching Roots was one of the few times that Tommy's parents stopped fighting long enough to sit on the couch together, while George was traumatized by being banned from TV for a month after swiping some church donation cash. As adults, George is a programming executive at the WPX network where fledgling writer Tommy tries to pitch shows. On the strength of both her passion for her craft and her striking good looks, George decides to champion her show called "Just Us," a serio-comedy about a juvenile offender adopted by a judge. They shoot the pilot, the network greenlights the project, and eventually they fall in love. Even though Tommy longs to present her characters in an uncompromised, unvarnished manner, pressure from network execs and advertisers forces her to water down the plot. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Avery, Nicole Ari Parker, (more)
- 1999
Reporter Monica (Roma Downey) endeavors to persuade cynical Chicago tabloid publisher Liz Bradley (Ann Jillian) to return to her original, lofty journalistic ideals. Alas, Liz is so obsessed with reporting the "truth" at all costs that it threatens to destroy everyone around her. Particularly victimized by Liz's ruthlessness is her own sister Lauren (played by Desperate Housewives'Marcia Cross), who finds herself in the middle of a horrendous international scandal involving a corrupt politician (Scott Wilkinson. It takes the combined efforts of Monica and guileless young reporter Ray Rifkin (John Patrick White) to persuade Liz not to use "the truth" as a lethal weapon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
It's "splitsville" for Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel), and likewise for Shawn (Rider Strong) and Angela (Trina McGee-Davis). The question: who is going to keep the apartment shared by both couples? The answer: A winner-take-all wrestling match between the boys and the girls. And just to keep the whole thing honest (if not credible), professional wrestler Mankind (playing himself) acts as referee--after breaking down the door of the apartment! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Just when it seems that nothing else could go wrong with the preparations for the marriage of Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel), Best Man Eric (Will Friedle) throws another spanner in the works by changing the locale of the wedding from the Matthews home to the very expensive Philadelphia Victorian Hotel--"borrowing" someone else's catered ceremony in the process, and forgetting to pick up the rings to boot! And why didn't Cory choose Shawn (Rider Strong) as Best Man instead? Well, he did--but Shawn had angrily refused to show up at the wedding after a particularly nasty argument with the bridegroom. Series regular Will Friedle plays a dual role in this Very Special episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
Armed with "insider" information--mainly, that Pennbrook College's star football player Jerry Mungo (Grant Garrison) may lose his eligibility because of terrible grades--Jack (Matthew Lawrence) places what sounds like very small bet on Pennbrook's rival amish. Eric (Will Friedle) matches Jack's bet, little realizing that he has wagered a thousand dollars! Meanwhile, Topanga (Danielle Fishel) has a heart-to-heart with her divorcing parents, which helps change her mind about her future with Cory (Ben Savage). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Ever since the 1950s, the area around the city of Springfield, Illinois has been plagued by mysterious 3-day abductions, with the victims returning just as quickly as they disappeared, seemingly none the worse for wear. In truth, however, these victims have been harvest by aliens, who, using implants on their human prey, are laying the groundwork for a mass takeover of the world once those implants are activated. But the only person who has an inkling of what is really going on is police detective Sam Adams (Christopher Meloni), a local "character" whom no one takes seriously. Things begin to intensify when Sam investigates the case of a local six-year-old girl who has undergone a sudden change of personality. Dabney Coleman and Chad Lowe play key roles in this made-for-TV derivation of the old favorite Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Target Earth originally aired February 5, 1998, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Somehow or other, Kramer's (Michael Richards) purchase of a meat slicer qualifies him to diagnose the significance of a growth on the chest of George's (Jason Alexander) new boss. Jerry finds out that dating an attractive dermatologist (played by Desperate Housewives' Marcia Cross) can be an adulterated bore. And Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) resorts to drastic measures to counteract the noisemaking activities of her rude neighbor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Writer-director Joshua Beckett also stars in this romantic comedy, winner at the 1997 Hollywood Film Festival. Self-confident wedding photographer Nick Evans (Beckett) has a domineering Jewish mother, Muriel (Liz Sheridan) and a pregnant sister, Donna (Polly Draper). But womanizing maneuvers are Nick's central preoccupation. Thus, Nick is somewhat taken aback to find himself developing a more lasting interest in clothing-designer Anne Kidwell (Marcia Cross). They begin living together and all is well until Anne begins to question Nick's commitment. At the same time, Nick starts to contemplate his career choices. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joshua Beckett, Marcia Cross, (more)
- 1996
- R
An outwardly successful woman teeters on the brink of emotional collapse in this psychological drama. Evelyn Stevens (Tilda Swinton) is a skilled and well-regarded attorney who is being considered for a prestigious judicial appointment. However, she's plagued by self-doubt and neurotic obsessions (the "perversions" referenced in the title), including an obsession with expensive clothes and cosmetics, lingering fears about her relationship with her lover John (Clancy Brown), an exaggerated sense of competition with the new lawyer in her office, and an intense sexual curiosity about Renee (Karen Sillas), the psychiatrist who has just moved into her building. Evelyn is forced to put her own problems on hold for the moment when she learns that her sister Madelyn (Amy Madigan), a Ph.D candidate struggling to complete her doctoral thesis, has been arrested again for shoplifting. In time, the two sisters realize that they have to come to terms with the psychic damage inflicted upon them in their childhood. Female Perversions was based on the best-selling novel by Louise J. Kaplan. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tilda Swinton, Amy Madigan, (more)
- 1996
Per the title of this made-for-TV drama, all Rachel Stockman (played by future "Desperate Housewife" Marcia Cross) has ever wanted is to bear children. Unfortunately, Rachel suffers from a bipolar disorder, requiring her to take lithium, which thus far has prevented her from becoming pregnant. In desperation, Rachel discontinues her medication, and before long she is "with child." She is also undergoing severe and horrifying mood swings, leading to confinement in a hospital--and ultimately a competency hearing that will determine whether or not she can be legally obliged to take lithium...and to terminate her pregnancy. All She Ever Wanted originally aired April 14, 1996, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcia Cross, James Marshall, (more)
- 1994
Carl Lumbly stars as an unlikely super-hero in this made-for-television sci-fi movie. Lumbly stars as Dr. Miles Hawkins, a wheel-chair bound scientist who concocts a device that not only liberates him from his chair, but turns him into a crime-fighting super hero. The idea was later developed into a popular TV-series of the same name, also starring Lumbly. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gina Torres
Successful LA marketing analyst Michael Boll (James Spader) seemingly has it all-except a sense of self-confidence. Enigmatic drifter Alex (Rob Lowe) enters Michael's life and immediately begins to exert a negative influence. As Michael's self-esteem zooms (aided by generous dollops of sex and drugs) he allows himself to be dragooned into a life of crime by the demonic Alex. The "doppelganger" aspects of Bad Influence, and the film's many unexpected twists and turns, echo films of Alfred Hitchcock, especially Strangers on a Train. The film's boldest stroke is to cast the likeable Lowe as the bad guy (albeit a charming one) and the often villainous Spader as the malleable milquetoast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, James Spader, (more)
The made-for-television film Storm and Sorrow is based on the true story of Molly Higgins (Lori Singer), a mountain climber who joins a team about to climb a 24,000-foot peak in Russia's Pamir Mountains. On the lengthy climb up the mountain, the team confronts a number of dangers--not only natural disasters, but also conflicts between the members, as well. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
