Desperate Housewives (season 3) portrays the deceased Mary Alice Young, as she observes from beyond the grave, the lives of the Wisteria Lane residents and her former best friends. Susan Mayer, portrayed by Teri Hatcher, is a divorcée and single mother, who is in a continuous search for a stable relationship. Felicity Huffman portrayed Lynette Scavo, devoted wife and mother of four, in desperate need to get some time for herself. Marcia Cross portrayed Bree Hodge, widower and mother of two, struggling to be perfect in every aspect. Former model Gabrielle Solis, portrayed by Eva Longoria, has to deal with her upcoming motherhood and
Desperate Housewives Springer Show". "Reading 'Desperate Housewives': Beyond the White Picket Fence" (), from I.B. Tauris, is an academic look at the show by film studies lecturers Janet McCabe and Kim Akassm. "Welcome to Wisteria Lane: On America's Favorite Desperate Housewives" (), published by BenBella Books, consists of seventeen essays written from a feminist perspective. In Chalice Press' "Not-So-Desperate: Fantasy, Fact and Faith on Wisteria Lane" (), author Shawnthea Monroe is giving a Christian interpretation of the series. Also, following the "real life desperate housewives" phenomenon, several books have been released dealing with life strategies for contemporary women. In December 2006, it