Sabrina Wind Movies
- 2004
One of ABC's most popular series of the 2004-2005 season, the weekly, hour-long Desperate Housewives took place on Wisteria Lane in an upscale suburban neighborhood. That Wisteria Lane was not as quiet and respectable as it appeared at first glance was brought home forcibly in the opening episode, when housewife Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong) committed suicide right in the middle of her comfortable living room. From her vantage point in the great beyond, Mary Alice served as the series' wry, all-knowing narrator, filling the viewer on the various sordid details in the lives of her four best friends. There was divorcée Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), ever-looking for love in all the wrong places and agonizing over the behavior of her daughter, Julie (Andrea Bowen). There was Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), who every day of her life kicked herself over her decision to give up her business career to care for her highly competitive husband, Tom (Doug Savant), and her irritating children. There was Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross), the all-too-perfect, control-freak homemaker who eventually drove her husband, Rex (Steven Culp), to divorce court and her son, Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom), into malevolent misanthropy. And there was ex-model Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), who despite having married into money and luxury couldn't stop herself from fooling around with teenaged gardener John (Jesse Metcalfe). Though her controlling husband, Carlos (Ricardo Antonio Chavira), was not privy to her infidelity, he had his suspicions that she was less than faithful. Prone to extreme displays of machismo, he took many measures to maintain the marriage. Weaving in and out of the proceedings was the oft-divorced Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan), with whom Susan competed over the affections of supposedly widowed plumber Mike Delfino (James Denton). The sexual intrigues of Wisteria Lane were augmented (during the first season at least) by the mysterious activities of Mary Alice's husband, Paul (Mark Moses) -- including digging up the backyard swimming pool in the dead of night -- and the strange emotional outbursts of their tormented, unstable son, Zach (Cody Kasch). Created by Marc Cherry, Desperate Housewives debuted October 3, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2001
The WB network sitcom Reba afforded country singer Reba McEntire to display her unique flair for combining comedy with pathos. The star was cast as Reba Hart, who, as the series opened, was in the midst of a divorce from her dentist husband Brock Hart (Christopher Rich). That the breakup was wholly Brock's fault was implicit in the reason: Dr. Hart had to marry his hygenist-mistress Barbra Jean (Melissa Peterman) after getting her pregnant. Meanwhile, Reba's vacuous 17-year-old daughter, Cheyenne (Joanna Garcia), was also with child as a result of her romance with high-school football star Van Montgomery (Steve Howey) -- who, after being thrown out of his own house by his outraged parents, moved into Reba's house and made an "honest woman" of Cheyenne by wedding her (their daughter Elizabeth was born at the end of the series' first season). Despite all this sexual intrigue, down-to-earth Reba tried to make the best of things, as did her wisecracking younger daughter, Kyra (Scarlett Pomers), and easygoing son, Jack (Mitch Holleman). Whenever things got too sticky, Reba could count on her pragmatic best friend, Lori Ann (Park Overall), to put things in perspective -- and to get off a few zingers at the philandering Brock's expense.
Reba needed all the moral support she could get; running out of money for herself and her kids, she was forced to go to work for her ex-husband -- making Barbra Jean her boss! This went on until Reba found a new job with Brock's chief rival, Dr. Fisher (played by Dan Castellaneta, best known as the voice of Homer Simpson). As for Cheyenne and Van, they had plenty of problems of their own, especially when Van lost a football scholarship after banging up his knee in a car accident. Ultimately, however, Van recovered sufficiently to return to the college team. When Cheyenne's sister, Kyra, opted to move in with her dad Brock and his second wife Barbra Jean, it caused a rift between Kyra and her mom Reba. But as it turned out, Kyra exerted a positive influence on the insensitive Brock, helping heal some of the pain of his and Reba's breakup. Meanwhile, Barbra Jean bonded with Cheyenne, bringing the two separate Hart clans even closer together. Alas, things got a bit too close for Barbra Jean's taste when in the third-season cliffhanger she spots Reba and Brock tearfully embracing! One of the WB's highest-rated programs, Reba debuted on October 5, 2001. ~ All Movie Guide
Reba needed all the moral support she could get; running out of money for herself and her kids, she was forced to go to work for her ex-husband -- making Barbra Jean her boss! This went on until Reba found a new job with Brock's chief rival, Dr. Fisher (played by Dan Castellaneta, best known as the voice of Homer Simpson). As for Cheyenne and Van, they had plenty of problems of their own, especially when Van lost a football scholarship after banging up his knee in a car accident. Ultimately, however, Van recovered sufficiently to return to the college team. When Cheyenne's sister, Kyra, opted to move in with her dad Brock and his second wife Barbra Jean, it caused a rift between Kyra and her mom Reba. But as it turned out, Kyra exerted a positive influence on the insensitive Brock, helping heal some of the pain of his and Reba's breakup. Meanwhile, Barbra Jean bonded with Cheyenne, bringing the two separate Hart clans even closer together. Alas, things got a bit too close for Barbra Jean's taste when in the third-season cliffhanger she spots Reba and Brock tearfully embracing! One of the WB's highest-rated programs, Reba debuted on October 5, 2001. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Reba McEntire, Christopher Rich, (more)
