“Desperate Housewives” returns to our screens for a fourth season, however, it looks like the show is off to a rather bumpy start.

The recent season premier entitled “Now you Know” uses Filipino medical schooling as a punch line in a conversation between Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher) and her doctor.

In the episode, Susan goes in for a health check, unfortunately she is informed by her doctor that she may be entering menopause.

She responds quite outraged, “Okay, before we go any further, can I check these diplomas? Just to make sure they aren't, like, from some med school in the Philippines?”

As one would expect, this comment has resulted in not only an online petition being sent to Filipino's around the globe but also an immerse outcry from viewers and the Filipino government.


ABC was quick to issue out a response last Wednesday, explaining that the line was not meant to offend and stating that it was considering editing the episode.

“The producers of ‘Desperate Housewives' and ABC Studios offer our sincere apologies for any offense caused by the brief reference in the season premiere. There was no intent to disparage the integrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines,” the network's statement said.

This whole incident however raises very radical questions. Such as do the media, in the identities and understandings they so powerfully circulate, suggest to large audiences that certain characters is typical of a group, and therefore, the whole group should be viewed in certain ways? Are these ways best portrayed as negative? And how does the relationship between media images and particular groups, or indeed identities, get changed?

Certainly, from where I'm standing, there is plenty of evidence that stereotypes can be changed and shifted over time, as well as awfully shocking that a show broadcast in multiple languages and shown all over the world would openly use such a derogatory remark and not comprehend its impact.

The story so far...

In the beginning of the episode we learn that in a desperate attempt to hold on to Carlos, Edie plots a fake suicide. Her plan almost fails and it was not until the very last moment that Carlos, with the help of Mrs. McCluskey, comes to rescue her.

Lynette, it seems, is having problems telling everyone, including her friends, that she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. She eventually summons up the courage though, and all four friends take a vow to “tell each other everything,” the only problem is would they?

Gabriella, on the other hand, realizes on her wedding day that marrying Victor was a big mistake. She begins a secret love affair with Carlos and they plan on running away together on her wedding night. However, after Edie's attempt suicide Carlos feels obligated to remain with her...but only for a while.

Bree is having problems in keeping the secret that she is not pregnant and Susan thinks that her marriage with Mike is doomed.

Nonetheless, the real mystery begins when Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delany) returns to Wisteria Lane after 12 years with a new husband and a teenage daughter. We learn that Katherine's daughter was once best friends with Julie. But Julie soon realizes that she has changed a lot and has no memory of her stay at Wisteria Lane, only a very disturbing dream that keeps on haunting her.

Ultimately we find out that Katherine and her husband are concealing some dark secret linked to Wisteria Lane.