And who ever said there’s no religion on Wisteria Lane?
Last night’s episode of Desperate Housewives was one of the more overt discussions of religion in prime time that I’ve seen in a while. Here’s the rundown, courtesy of TV Guide:
You gotta have faith: When a Scavo twin announces that Jesus is “the guy who helps Santa Claus,” Lynette (Felicity Huffman) – who loves “that new Bible smell”-decides it’s time for the Scavos to get some religion. She has survived both cancer and a tornado when others have not, and she has some capital-Q Questions. She turns to Bree (Marcia Cross) for spiritual guidance, who advises against Catholicism’s kneeling and genuflecting (“I go for worship, not a workout”).
So off to the Presbyterian Church they go, where an overzealous Lynette turns the starchy service into a hilarious Q&A session that includes the word “dumbass.” Lynette’s behavior makes Bree clutch her pearls, since she believes it will jeopardize her chances of heading up the church’s ladies’ auxiliary.Bree coolly advises Lynette to switch to a more interactive house of worship (“If you really enjoy talking back to the pulpit, why don’t you try that Gospel church by the airport?”), so the Scavos skulk on over to Casa Catholic, creating a temporary rift between the church buddies. Ultimately, though, the friends share a touching rapprochement, in which Bree apologizes for, um, being Bree and Lynette renews her faith in their friendship.
Sure, it’s fluffy and a little vacuous in its theology, but it does prompt interesting questions nonetheless. Why do people go to church at all, and what do they find once they get there?
