In the second episode, the four girls, Bree, Lynette, Susan, and Gabby, tried to uncover the reason for Mary Alice’s death along with dealing with the dramas of their own lives. 

This episode would fail the Bechdel test 

  • At least two girls 
    • There are four main characters that are girls 
  • These two girls talk to each other 
    • The four girls are all neighbors and close friends, so they interact almost daily
  • They talk about something other than a man
    • In this episode, all conversations involved conversations revolved around a man or boy. 

This episode was also analyzed with the Bem Sex-Role Perspective which looks at whether the characters are presenting feminine or masculine traits from the Bem sex-role inventory list. 

Bree

  • Feminine traits: loyal, sensitive to others’ needs, eager to soothe others hurt feelings
    • While Rex and Bree have marital problems, they begin to see a counselor. He brings up issues of her always wanting to be perfect and only helping others, never expressing her own feelings or needs. She was very adamant about wanting to try counseling showing her loyalness to Rex. 
  • Masculine traits: independent 
    • Bree is very independent around the house as she does all household work while Rex works in the medical field. 

Susan

  • Feminine traits: not susceptible to flattery, sympathetic
    • As she lives across the street from the Young family, she went to visit Paul, Mary Alice’s husband, to assure he was doing ok. She also was very sympathetic as Mike Delfino, her love interest has her over for dinner, and his dog swallows her earring on accident. 
  • Masculine traits: self-reliant, competitive 
    • She is still very competitive with Edie to win Mike’s love. She is becoming more self-reliant while dealing with her divorce. 

Lynette

  • Feminine traits: none 
  • Masculine traits: assertive, willing to take risks, willings to take a stand, ambitious, leader 
    • Lynette has a lot of trouble dealing with her children in this episode. She decides to leave them on the side of the road since they weren’t behaving in the car. She becomes very assertive and risky with them while trying to stand her ground as being the leader of their household. 

Gabby

  • Feminine traits: cheerful, affectionate, childlike
    • Gabby becomes very cheerful and affectionate as her husband buys her a brand new Maserati, but is very childlike as she also sneaks around to have an affair. She plays with the other boy’s feelings while using him for sex. 
  • Masculine traits: assertive, willing to take a stand
    • She becomes frustrated with her husband, Carlos when he buys her a nice bracelet and expects her to have sex with him.

Shared by: Lexi Anderson
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