Ah, Wisteria Lane. All white picket fences, ridiculously toned residents, and unimpeachable facades. But this irreverent comedy-drama wasted no time in revealing the illicit desires and dark secrets that lurked beneath the surface. The jewel of the 2004-2005 television season, Desperate Housewives deftly combined elements of American Beauty, Sex and the City and even Twin Peaks to forge a potent soap-opera cocktail: equally light, bubbly, and sharp and tangy.
Want to know how to watch Desperate Housewives online from anywhere? Read on as we detail how here - it's even possible to do so free in most regions.
Airing on ABC between 2004 and 2012, Desperate Housewives was a comedy-drama from the brain of series creator Marc Cherry. It ran for 8 seasons and amassed 180 episodes, with the two-hour finale being broadcast on May 13 2012. In the US, all episodes can be streamed FREE as part of Hulu’s month-long trial (opens in new tab).
We’re introduced to Susan, Lynette, Bree and Gabrielle moments after the death of their friend and neighbor Mary Alice Young; it’s her honeyed voice that narrates the events of each episode from beyond the grave. She regularly explicates on their personal lives: Susan (Teri Hatcher) is an accident-prone single mom unlucky in love; Lynette (Felicity Huffman) has traded a career for full-time domesticity and four rowdy children. Bree (Marcia Cross) desperately seeks perfection – she’s described as “like someone running for the Mayor of Stepford” by her son – and Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) is a disenchanted former ex-model having an affair with the hunky teenage gardener.
Desperate Housewives may have teetered on the absurd – arson, murder, felony and accidental death were daily occurrences on Wisteria Lane – but it was never less than entertaining. Over eight seasons there were tornadoes, plane crashes, cover ups, shoot outs, sociopaths, and multiple arrests.
Tempering any narrative excess, however, was quality writing that demonstrated a keen awareness of human behavior. The characters might have made immoral choices, but they often had our sympathy anyway. Kathryn Joosten in particular was a delight as disgruntled neighbor Karen McCluskey, a recurring role that earned her several Primetime Emmy awards.
So, if that sounds like the mind balm you're after, then prepare to greet the enigmatic residents of Wisteria Lane, as we detail how to watch Desperate Housewives online from wherever you are.
- Want to binge more drama? Here's our guide to watch Billions online
How to watch Desperate Housewives online from outside your home country
If you find yourself outside your country of residence and struggling to access regional streaming services, chances are that’s due to geo-blocking restrictions – leaving you unable to connect to your preferred VOD platform and therefore binge-watch Desperate Housewives.
Luckily, this doesn’t need to be a drama. Downloading the best VPN (opens in new tab) will let you watch Desperate Housewives wherever you’re located. This invaluable piece of kit changes your IP address, allowing you to watch all your favorite shows Live or On Demand, just like you were watching from back home…with your husband, gardener, or significant other.
- More like this: discover all of today's best streaming VPNs