“Desperate Housewives:” An overdose of drama

ABC, Sundays at 9

What a mess. “Desperate Housewives” has never been very good at paying off long-running storylines (Mama Solis falling down the stairs, the season finale last year), but this is ridiculous.

Am I supposed to seriously buy that Bree would a) buy George’s lies for this long b) go up to the hotel room of the man who murdered her husband and threw her psychiatrist off a bridge c) would tell George that she could forgive him?

The Bree I thought I knew would either call in a SWAT team to take the bastard out or come up with some devious comeuppance on her own, not just sit there and let the guy overdose on pills!

And if you thought that was bad, need I remind you of the whole subplot with Lynette’s boss that has been simmering for over six episodes? It’s weird – I thought the whole story might be building to some sort of climax, instead of the writers just deciding they didn’t care about the story anymore and dropping it abruptly.

And just when I think the show couldn’t sink any lower, the writers put Susan on a quest to find her missing father.

However, the whole Gabrielle verses God in the form of a nun with the winner getting Carlos is promising. Gabby is much more witty here than previous weeks (thank heavens).

But remember when every lead on the show had interesting stories that kept you coming back from week to week? Yeah, I’m starting to forget too.

“The Amazing Race Family Edition:” Cruise Control

CBS, Tuesdays at 9

Slowly but surely “The Amazing Race” has become a complete bore. It’s like driving through Kansas, straight roads for as far as the eye can see; you don’t know when it will end and you don’t really care.

I can’t remember the last detour or roadblock that shook up the lineup to the point where the viewer actually felt like people were racing. Or, for that matter, the last detour or roadblock that looked cool or challenging.

There is just a lot of driving, stops to get envelopes, and nothing else. The Weavers are supposed to be the villains, I guess, but I kind of like them. I really loathe the Godlewskis much more, and yet the editing and directing pulls away from their barbs every time it can.

And then, as Tuesday’s episode rocketed to its finale, I was so happy at least one boring unmemorable team would be gone. Then they arrived at the mat and Phil said the leg wasn’t over. I wanted to throw a brick at the screen, will it never end!?

Contact ALL correspondent Robert Taylor at [email protected].