The Sun Won't Set (Desperate Housewives episode)
Encyclopedia
"The Sun Won't Set" is the 31st episode of the ABC
television series, Desperate Housewives
. The episode was the eighth episode for the show's second season. The episode was written by Jenna Bans
and was directed by Stephen Cragg
. It originally aired on Sunday November 20, 2005.
(which was created in episode 1.05, Come In, Stranger
). Each of the neighbors puts in their input about the current situation. Things begin to get out of hand however when Karen McCluskey initiates the idea of hiring professional security. Betty manages to calm the mood down a little when she wins over the neighbors with a song on the piano (the first notes of Beethoven
's 5th Symphony
and then Chopin
's Minute Waltz
).
Shortly after falling down the stairs, Gabrielle suffered a miscarriage
. As she sits pondering on the choices she has made she takes the time to acknowledge her unborn baby has died and decides to shroud any memory that it ever existed. At first, Gabrielle thinks that the miscarriage was something from the beyond since she was not ready but when she looks hard enough at it she knows that it has hurt her the most. On her routine trip to visit Carlos in prison, Carlos reveals to her that he has been very depressed since learning the fate of their unborn child. He continues to tell her that shortly after Gabrielle told him the news, he began to become very violent (which includes tearing open his mattress and crying in front of the other inmates). After these episodes, Carlos goes on medication and seems heavily sedated when Gabrielle visits. When he becomes emotional once more, Gabrielle reminds the prison guards that it is probably time for another dosage.
As she reads the morning paper, Bree Van De Kamp comes across a very noticeable announcement in the town's wedding announcements: Bree Van De Kamp to wed George Williams. Bree scoffs at this announcement seeing that Rex has only been dead for two months and already George is pulling out the big guns. Bree visits George at the pharmacy where she explains her take on the situation. George decided that he wanted everyone to know they were a couple but is seen in Bree's eyes as showing off. Bree tells George people only read the announcement section when there's nothing important in the front page. But luckily that day, a flood in Sri Lanka
made the headlines. When George notices that Bree is not wearing her engagement ring, he reminds her to put it on. Bree refuses saying that she feels uncomfortable wearing it. George forces her to which Bree does and quickly leaves. The following afternoon, Bree is visited by George's ex-fiancé Leila who informs Bree that George is dangerous and extremely jealous. Examples include George slapping her after accusing her of seeing an old boyfriend and torching his car and stalking her. Bree does not believe Leila but later comes to the revelation that maybe she is right. While dining with George, Bree meets up with an old college boyfriend, Ty who asks her to dance. George becomes envious of their platonic dance but cuts in and demands Bree put on her wedding ring. George proceeds to ask her to put it on. When things begin to get physical, Bree tells George the engagement is off and asks him to leave. George does as he is told but quietly steals Ty's valet card, steals his car and burns it in a deserted area.
Susan asks Mike if he will still be her date to Sophie's wedding which takes place in a few days. Mike regretfully informs her that he will not be in attendance but has sent his apologies to her mother. Susan tries to persuade him to reconsider but Mike has his mind made up. Susan also shares with Mike the fact that she is writing an autobiography
based on her life and about her father who was a merchant marine who was murdered in Hanoi
during the 1960s. Mike tells Susan that merchant marines do not fight and that Hanoi was an enemy territory. Susan looks confused and proceeds to ask her mother at the rehearsal what actually happened to her father. Sophie hesitates to answer but Morty sticks around to tell her that she was the product of a one night stand
. Susan gives a shock and disappointing expression but recognizes that Sophie was young and made a mistake. Little does she know that Sophie will reveal to her in front of friends and family that she had actually had an affair with a married man who was her boss and that he is her father. Susan leaves the wedding accompanied by Julie in anger and goes on a search to find her father who actually runs a business nearby.
Lynette worries that her twin sons, Porter and Preston will fall prey to a stranger if one ever approaches - possibly because they are secretly sneaking out of the house without Tom's knowledge. Lynette decides to put the twins to the test when she asks Tom to talk to them about the dangers of being kidnapped by a stranger. When Tom does the bare minimum, Lynette stages a mock-kidnapping involving Stu, her secretary from work to show up and drive away with Porter and Preston. With Lynette and Tom watching at a distant, Stu approaches the boys and bribes them with candy which they fall for and jump into the car. Unexpectedly, Karen McCluskey sees the entire scene from her window and begins to tase Stu. Lynette runs out of the house to help Stu and tries to shoo McCluskey away.
Shortly after her visit with Carlos, Gabrielle is visited by an ex-con who was a friend of Carlos' while in prison. Hector informs Gabrielle that he will be watching the Solis premises to protect her from any unwanted intruders. Gabrielle tries to persuade him to leave but all of her attempts fail until she bribes him. The two then leave for the bank when Hector comes clean that Carlos did not hire him. Gabrielle begins to freak out and demands she be driven home. When they arrive at a deserted park, Gabrielle makes a run for it but Hector tells her that Carlos hired him to help her with grief
. A relieved Gabrielle moves towards Hector who tries to tell her to let go. Gabrielle lets out her true feelings that she really didn't want the baby at first but grew to love it. Hector tells her to let go by giving her a balloon
to throw into the air. Gabrielle sobs quietly and releases the balloon into the air.
Matthew Applewhite continues to search for Caleb but arrives once again with no sign. On yet another one of hunts for Caleb, instead of searching he joins Danielle Van De Kamp on a park bench where the two talk. Finally, Caleb is discovered by Mike when Bongo sees someone suspicious lurking around who is trying to break into a car. Mike comes from behind and tackles him. Mrs. McCluskey asks if he needs a taser
but Mike just asks that she call the police
. As the police arrive, Caleb is placed in handcuffs while the entire neighborhood watches. Caleb looks befuddled as Betty raises a finger to her mouth telling him to keep quiet about where he came from.
), Andrew Van De Kamp (Shawn Pyfrom
), Zach Young (Cody Kasch
), Karl Mayer (Richard Burgi
), Paul Young (Mark Moses
), and Parker Scavo (Zane Huett
) do not appear in this episode.
musical, A Little Night Music
.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television series, Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
. The episode was the eighth episode for the show's second season. The episode was written by Jenna Bans
Jenna Bans
Jenna Bans is an American Writers Guild of America Award nominated screenwriter.Originally intended as a staff writer for Jerry Bruckheimer's cancelled action series Fearless, Bans became a part of the crew of Desperate Housewives in 2004...
and was directed by Stephen Cragg
Stephen Cragg
Stephen Cragg is an American television producer and director. Cragg has directed for several present-day network television series. More recently Cragg has directed episodes of Desperate Housewives, Boston Legal and Third Watch...
. It originally aired on Sunday November 20, 2005.
Plot
After the sudden break-in at Gabrielle's home, the neighbors are panicked when they suspect a thief in the area. Betty becomes suspicious of what the neighbors are thinking and decides to host the annual Neighborhood WatchNeighborhood Watch
A neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch , also called a crime watch or neighborhood crime watch, is an organized group of citizens devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood...
(which was created in episode 1.05, Come In, Stranger
Come In, Stranger (Desperate Housewives episode)
"Come In, Stranger" is the fifth episode of the ABC television series, Desperate Housewives. The episode was the fifth episode for the show's first season. The episode was written by Alexandra Cunningham and was directed by Arlene Sanford...
). Each of the neighbors puts in their input about the current situation. Things begin to get out of hand however when Karen McCluskey initiates the idea of hiring professional security. Betty manages to calm the mood down a little when she wins over the neighbors with a song on the piano (the first notes of Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's 5th Symphony
Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1804–08. This symphony is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in all of classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies. It comprises four movements: an opening sonata, an andante, and a fast...
and then Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
's Minute Waltz
Minute Waltz
The Waltz in D flat major, Op. 64, No. 1, popularly known as the Minute Waltz, and also Valse du petit chien, is a waltz for solo piano by Frédéric Chopin. It is dedicated to the Countess Delfina Potocka.-History:...
).
Shortly after falling down the stairs, Gabrielle suffered a miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
. As she sits pondering on the choices she has made she takes the time to acknowledge her unborn baby has died and decides to shroud any memory that it ever existed. At first, Gabrielle thinks that the miscarriage was something from the beyond since she was not ready but when she looks hard enough at it she knows that it has hurt her the most. On her routine trip to visit Carlos in prison, Carlos reveals to her that he has been very depressed since learning the fate of their unborn child. He continues to tell her that shortly after Gabrielle told him the news, he began to become very violent (which includes tearing open his mattress and crying in front of the other inmates). After these episodes, Carlos goes on medication and seems heavily sedated when Gabrielle visits. When he becomes emotional once more, Gabrielle reminds the prison guards that it is probably time for another dosage.
As she reads the morning paper, Bree Van De Kamp comes across a very noticeable announcement in the town's wedding announcements: Bree Van De Kamp to wed George Williams. Bree scoffs at this announcement seeing that Rex has only been dead for two months and already George is pulling out the big guns. Bree visits George at the pharmacy where she explains her take on the situation. George decided that he wanted everyone to know they were a couple but is seen in Bree's eyes as showing off. Bree tells George people only read the announcement section when there's nothing important in the front page. But luckily that day, a flood in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
made the headlines. When George notices that Bree is not wearing her engagement ring, he reminds her to put it on. Bree refuses saying that she feels uncomfortable wearing it. George forces her to which Bree does and quickly leaves. The following afternoon, Bree is visited by George's ex-fiancé Leila who informs Bree that George is dangerous and extremely jealous. Examples include George slapping her after accusing her of seeing an old boyfriend and torching his car and stalking her. Bree does not believe Leila but later comes to the revelation that maybe she is right. While dining with George, Bree meets up with an old college boyfriend, Ty who asks her to dance. George becomes envious of their platonic dance but cuts in and demands Bree put on her wedding ring. George proceeds to ask her to put it on. When things begin to get physical, Bree tells George the engagement is off and asks him to leave. George does as he is told but quietly steals Ty's valet card, steals his car and burns it in a deserted area.
Susan asks Mike if he will still be her date to Sophie's wedding which takes place in a few days. Mike regretfully informs her that he will not be in attendance but has sent his apologies to her mother. Susan tries to persuade him to reconsider but Mike has his mind made up. Susan also shares with Mike the fact that she is writing an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
based on her life and about her father who was a merchant marine who was murdered in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
during the 1960s. Mike tells Susan that merchant marines do not fight and that Hanoi was an enemy territory. Susan looks confused and proceeds to ask her mother at the rehearsal what actually happened to her father. Sophie hesitates to answer but Morty sticks around to tell her that she was the product of a one night stand
One Night Stand
One Night Stand is an HBO stand-up series that first aired on February 15, 1989. The half-hour series aired weekly and featured stand-up comedy specials from some of the top performing comedians. The series originally comprised 55 specials over the course of its four years on HBO...
. Susan gives a shock and disappointing expression but recognizes that Sophie was young and made a mistake. Little does she know that Sophie will reveal to her in front of friends and family that she had actually had an affair with a married man who was her boss and that he is her father. Susan leaves the wedding accompanied by Julie in anger and goes on a search to find her father who actually runs a business nearby.
Lynette worries that her twin sons, Porter and Preston will fall prey to a stranger if one ever approaches - possibly because they are secretly sneaking out of the house without Tom's knowledge. Lynette decides to put the twins to the test when she asks Tom to talk to them about the dangers of being kidnapped by a stranger. When Tom does the bare minimum, Lynette stages a mock-kidnapping involving Stu, her secretary from work to show up and drive away with Porter and Preston. With Lynette and Tom watching at a distant, Stu approaches the boys and bribes them with candy which they fall for and jump into the car. Unexpectedly, Karen McCluskey sees the entire scene from her window and begins to tase Stu. Lynette runs out of the house to help Stu and tries to shoo McCluskey away.
Shortly after her visit with Carlos, Gabrielle is visited by an ex-con who was a friend of Carlos' while in prison. Hector informs Gabrielle that he will be watching the Solis premises to protect her from any unwanted intruders. Gabrielle tries to persuade him to leave but all of her attempts fail until she bribes him. The two then leave for the bank when Hector comes clean that Carlos did not hire him. Gabrielle begins to freak out and demands she be driven home. When they arrive at a deserted park, Gabrielle makes a run for it but Hector tells her that Carlos hired him to help her with grief
Grief
Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which a bond was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions...
. A relieved Gabrielle moves towards Hector who tries to tell her to let go. Gabrielle lets out her true feelings that she really didn't want the baby at first but grew to love it. Hector tells her to let go by giving her a balloon
Balloon
A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
to throw into the air. Gabrielle sobs quietly and releases the balloon into the air.
Matthew Applewhite continues to search for Caleb but arrives once again with no sign. On yet another one of hunts for Caleb, instead of searching he joins Danielle Van De Kamp on a park bench where the two talk. Finally, Caleb is discovered by Mike when Bongo sees someone suspicious lurking around who is trying to break into a car. Mike comes from behind and tackles him. Mrs. McCluskey asks if he needs a taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
but Mike just asks that she call the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
. As the police arrive, Caleb is placed in handcuffs while the entire neighborhood watches. Caleb looks befuddled as Betty raises a finger to her mouth telling him to keep quiet about where he came from.
Cast
Although credited, Edie Britt (Nicollette SheridanNicollette Sheridan
Nicollette Sheridan is an English film and television actress. She is best known for her roles as Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives and as Paige Matheson on Knots Landing.-Early life:...
), Andrew Van De Kamp (Shawn Pyfrom
Shawn Pyfrom
Shawn Caminiti Pyfrom is an American actor who has appeared in several television series and movies, and is best known for his portrayal of Andrew Van de Kamp on ABC's Desperate Housewives-Life and career:...
), Zach Young (Cody Kasch
Cody Kasch
-Early life:Kasch was born of Scottish heritage in Santa Monica, California and raised in Ojai, California on a working ranch until he was nearly fourteen, when he moved to Camarillo, California.-Movie career:...
), Karl Mayer (Richard Burgi
Richard Burgi
Richard William Burgi is an American film and television actor. He's best known for the roles of Det. Jim Ellinson on The Sentinel and as Karl Mayer on Desperate Housewives.-Personal life:...
), Paul Young (Mark Moses
Mark Moses
Mark W. Moses is an American actor, known for his roles of Paul Young on Desperate Housewives and Herman "Duck" Phillips on the AMC series Mad Men.-Life and career:...
), and Parker Scavo (Zane Huett
Zane Huett
Zane Alexander Huett is an American child actor.Zane is most famous for his featured role on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives playing the role of Parker Scavo, the younger son of Lynette and Tom Scavo. He plays the youngest Scavo boy, yet is older by six months than the actors Brent...
) do not appear in this episode.
Title reference
The episode title The Sun Won't Set is the Act II opening song of the Stephen SondheimStephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
musical, A Little Night Music
A Little Night Music
A Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a literal English translation of the German name for Mozart's Serenade...
.
International titles
- French: L'Ex-Femme de sa vie (The Ex-Woman of His Life)
- German: Der rote Ballon (The Red Balloon)
- Italian: Il Sole Non Tramonterà (The Sun Won't Set)
- Hungarian: Veszteségek (Misses)
- Polish: Słońce nie zajdzie (The Sun Won't Set)