Desperate Housewives ran for eight seasons on ABC. However, one season, season 4, had fewer episodes due to an unexpected production challenge.
ABC's hit series Desperate Housewives aired for eight seasons; however, season 4 was cut short due to an unexpected challenge with the show's production. Desperate Housewives followed the mysteries and stories of four housewives in the fictional town of Wisteria told through the eyes of their deceased neighbor Mary Alice. The series began in 2004 and ran for several seasons before concluding in 2012.
During its long run on television, Desperate Housewives' eight seasons became an immediate success and cultural phenomenon. Its combination of female-led suburbia stories and dark mystery undertones led audiences to not only enjoy the series but, at times, relate to it as well. While the show covered macabre topics of murder and affairs, other parts of the series, such as problems of substance abuse and motherhood, spoke to viewers more intimately. Unfortunately, despite the show's success, the fourth season did not receive the typical 23 episodes that Desperate Housewives typically generated and instead had 17.Desperate Housewives season 4 had fewer episodes than the previous and following seasons because of the 2007 writer's strike. During the fall of 2007, Desperate Housewives' behind-the-scenes production of season 4 had to be put on hold because the series' creators and writers decided to strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Desperate Housewives was the first major network show to be negatively affected due to the strike.
The 2007 writer's strike originated when various Hollywood writers in the Writers Guild of America demanded secure payment from the sales of television series and movies being broadcasted or downloaded online. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers refused this demand, leading to the eventual strike. Other programs, such as nighttime talk shows, were also halted because of the strike. Despite stopping production, members of the cast supported their writers and producers. Desperate Housewives' Eva Longoria, in particular, supported the strike and offered pizza to picketers.
Although the writer's strike made Desperate Housewives season 4 different from other seasons, the change might have been good. Despite being cut down, the season still had 17 episodes which, by 2023 standards, is an overwhelming amount. Most series that air these days have an average of eight to ten episodes, which is far more binge-able but also improves the storytelling. A show with too many episodes often has filler episodes or dragging storylines. Therefore, the series cut down on useless storylines and forced writers to use their allotted time more wisely because of the lessened load in episodes in Desperate Housewives season 4.
Desperate Housewives season 4 may have had fewer episodes than the rest of the series, but this didn't hurt the show in the slightest. On the contrary, the difference benefited the series and gave a sneak peek at the future structure of television. If Desperate Housewives were made in 2023, it probably would look much different from the original series and, potentially, could parallel what was seen in Desperate Housewives season 4.
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