Weekend Squee! Richard Burgi Returns to 'Desperate Housewives'
Finally! Desperate Housewives producers and TPTB at ABC have come to their senses. Richard Burgi is back - as Karl The Cad (so named by the fans) for one episode at least - tomorrow night (Sunday) at 9p.
(Here’s Burgi, guest starring in ABC’s Big Shots, and upstaging Dylan McDermott.)
Karl, Susan’s (Teri Hatcher) philandering ex-husband was dropped from the DH storyline after season two. I thought the producers made a bone-headed decision at the time and I said so, forcefully.
Still, I was grateful that the writers didn’t kill him off. Desperate Housewives is to male spouses and boyfriends what the luckless, red-shirted security guards are to Star Trek/The Original Series.
The maddening, complicated Karl kept us off balance. The multi-faceted Burgi played him with glee - alternately tough, self-absorbed, vulnerable, smug, and generous. Karl swaggered onto Wisteria Lane in his bathrobe, and heads swiveled.
The most fun I’ve had watching Desperate Housewives has often involved Susan and Karl antics. I still laugh out loud when I screen an early season one scene in which Karl tries to sugar coat his philandering with New Age speak. “The heart wants what it wants,” says Karl, all doe-eyed and insincere.
Karl finally lures Susan to bed near the conclusion of season two. But a phone call from Edie interrupts their post-coital bliss. Karl’s dissembling, as he struggles to explain that he – ooops! – hasn’t quite gotten around to cutting his ties to Edie, is classic.
Since Karl’s departure, Susan has been paired with a parade of interminably dull love interests including Mike, the unlikable, dour, drug-addled plumber. (See my assessment of the state of DH, December ’07)
Burgi and Hatcher have chemistry and Burgi seems to bring out her playfulness. The series just hasn’t been quite the same without him.
Sources says they don’t know if Burgi has been optioned for season five DH. There is chatter about the series leaping-frogging five years into the future. Word to creator Marc Cherry: make room for Karl. I’ll be reserving precious DVR space for Desperate Housewives if you do.
P.S. Click here for all things Richard Burgi, an extensive fan site which is updated frequently. This is also the officially sanctioned website, so info is reliable.
A sneak peek at tomorrow night’s episode:
Rommie commented:
Burgi's returning to DH? I'll match your squee and raise you. Not only is the man
wonderful eye candy, but talented and
very charismatic. And that's not a usual
combination. Like others, I stopped wtaching DH after he disappeared from its screens because, bereft of his sense of fun, liveliness and chemistry with Susan and Edie, his replacements seemed so darn dull.
Sweeneybird commented:
I'll admit that I've only been a sporadic viewer since RB left the show after season 2, but he was HILARIOUS in the Lamaze class scenes with Susan. Richard Burgi is, of course, my favorite kind of eye candy, but I particularly love his portrayal of Karl as multi-faceted - it's a tribute to RB's skill that he takes a few scenes and manages to show both why Susan was drawn to him in the first place and why she left. MORE RICHARD BURGI, PLEASE!!!
Annie commented:
I'd go back to watching DH if they bring Richard Burgi back. I haven't watched an episode since he left. I'll definitely be watching this one
Juneb commented:
We need more Karl! Now that Mike appears to have received a lobotomy and has lost all personality, Karl is a wonderful breath of fresh air. Yes he's a cad but Richard Burgi plays him with such likability you can't help falling for him and the chemistry he has with Teri Hatcher is unbeatable.
Chloe Emily commented:
You are so right! I watched DH from day 1 and having Richard as part of the cast was icing on the cake. But when he left, so did I b/c by that time he was the only character that was still interesting and fun to watch. If "Karl" comes back to DH, so will I.
Kat commented:
Thank you so much for your kind comments about Burgi. Those of us who have been following his career for many years are appreciative. He is a kind, sweet, talented man who is pleasant to fans and works hard on whatever role he is undertaking.
DH needs Burgi! Trust me on this. "Mike" is dull indeed! Bring on Burgi full-time and I'll be happy.
mary in california commented:
You are so right about Karl. He's the only one who looks like he's having any fun in DH. The chemistry between Susan and Karl has potential, if only ABC is smart enough to exploit it. I found that DH, like other shows that are on for a few years, has lost some of its impact. Burgi's appearance last Sunday really brought back some nice bounce.
Jane Davitt commented:
It was a pleasure to see RB as Karl again and a bright spot in a dull season. In a few short scenes he showcased Karl's layers; the insecurity behind his bragging, the not-so admirable lack of empathy for Mike, and then, when it came to Susan, some genuine feeling. Karl's not perfect; which makes him perfectly entertaining.
And it's telling that Susan was so frank with him about Mike and her concerns; it showed how close she and Karl still are and always will be, divorced or not.
More Karl. Please, more Karl!