These are what we call the 'YMMV items.' Things that some people find in this work. We call them 'your mileage might vary' because not everyone sees these things in the same way. This starts discussions in the trope lists, a thing we don't want. Please use the discussion page if you'd like to discuss any of these items.
YMMV: Desperate Housewives
Character Tropes
Creator's Pet: Susan, Susan, Susan. Marc Cherry has made it clear that she's his favourite character.
Orson Hodge, who went from being a one-off character, to a short-term villain, to one of the main characters on the show.
Edie Britt's role was increased when she proved popular with the fans.
Harsher in Hindsight: A season 5 episode deals with Juanita wearing make up to school in order to look more like her mother Gabby. On being asked why she did it, Juanita claims that a couple of girls at school told her she couldn't possibly be related to Gabby as she wasn't pretty enough. Two seasons later, and it's revealed that Juanita isn't related to Gabby or Carlos; she was accidentally switched at birth.
Hollywood Homely: Gabrielle supposedly loses her beauty after becoming a mom, but c'mon—this is Eva Longoria Parker we're talking about. Not even sweats can make her look bad. It gets even more ridiculous when other characters comment that she's out of shape.
Paul Young. Granted he killed the woman who drove his wife to suicide but it is difficult not to feel at least a little sorry for him given the estrangement of his son, his long stay in prison and the constant hostility and distrust of the people who were supposedly his friends and neighbours. In fact, read the back. His most unsympathetic trait is that he killed the woman who blackmailed his wife into shooting herself.
During season 8, we discover that Karen is suffering from cancer, and that it was the reason she kicked Roy out, in order to protect him, since his wife died from cancer. The poor Cool Old Lady never was shown so vulnerable.
What The Hell, Casting Agency?: Eva Longoria playing a former catwalk model. She is an extremely beautiful woman, yes, but she is also 5' 2".
Episode-Specific Tropes
Angst? What Angst?: So the sweet Woobie everyone's known for years turns out to be the town serial killer, who holds Lynette hostage, delivers her baby, and turns himself in. Meanwhile, the new neighbor blows up a guy in a car right in front of your house and takes off. Yet the next day, all anyone cares to talk about is that Susan is moving ten blocks away. Just another week on Wisteria Lane...
Fridge Brilliance: Season 6 finale: Why did Angie spill one of her precious seconds by throwing the car door shut? To keep Patrick in the car.
High Octane Nightmare Fuel: The riot against the ex-convicts home which Paul Young set up. Including having Susan trampled, Lee and Bob trapped in a car which is being beat up, Juanita, a child screaming in terror whilst in the car, and the good old fashioned clustrophobia of being pushed along by masses of people. For parents, there is also Juanita beng lost in the mob. This was surprisingly scary stuff for a normaly comedy and drama driven show.
Show-Wide Tropes
Fan Preferred Couple: Mike and Susan to the point where in the opening of season 6, the writers changed the story so that Mike marries Susan solely because of fan backlash.
Seasonal Rot: Some fans have noted a decline in quality in season five.
Testosterone Brigade: Just read the first sentence on the main page. At the height of its popularity, ABC even ran an ad with a guy admitting he watched it... and (unconvincingly) claiming that it was for the story. Riiiiiight.
