Now I Know, Don't Be Scared

"Now I Know, Don't Be Scared" is the 76th episode of the ABC television series, Desperate Housewives. It is the sixth episode of the show's fourth season and aired on November 4, 2007, in the United States.

Plot[]

Susan Mayer is shocked when her husband Mike reveals that his father is still alive (when he had previously told her he was dead) and in prison for murder. Susan is floored, but she wants to meet him as they need to gather genetic data for the sake of their unborn child. Meeting with Mike's father, Nick tells Susan that he killed his boss, who had gotten the job he had wanted after spreading lies about him. Susan is appalled that Nick does not seem to feel any remorse. Mike stands behind his father telling Susan he was a good person who did a bad thing. When she does not let it go, he says this is why he wanted her to think his father was dead. Susan goes back to see Nick one-to-one and tells him she is afraid of carrying a baby with his genes if he has no conscience. He says the only thing he regrets is making Mike the son of a murderer and advises Susan to "keep an eye on him."

Tom Scavo wants to take his wife Lynette out to celebrate her advanced recovery from cancer but all she can focus on is getting rid of a possum that is digging up their yard. When none of the traps or poison work, Lynette asks to borrow her friend Bree Hodge's gun to kill the gatecrasher. Tom is disturbed at how obsessed his wife has become and tries to talk her off taking down the animal. Lynette makes clear that she associates the possum with her cancer as something that disturbs the harmony of her beloved family and she continues her hunt. The next day she learns that she is free from cancer. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lynette walks into her yard to enjoy the calm night being free from fearing for her life. Suddenly she sees the possum lying dead by the fence and tearfully apologizes to it.

Gay couple Bob Hunter and Lee McDermott are hosting a Halloween party and decide to invite Bree first, since she has a gay son and is more likely to accept them. They catch a glimpse of Bree's pregnant daughter Danielle Van De Kamp, who everybody thinks is in Switzerland and not pregnant, looking out a bedroom window. Bree lies quickly saying that it is just her son Andrew, trying out his costume as Cher. She forbids Danielle from attending the party which leads to an argument between them. Bree tells Danielle she will know Danielle is finally grown up when the day she sees a glimmer of herself in Danielle. Danielle suddenly arrives to the party as a clone of Bree and exaggerating Bree's mannerisms. Even though everyone is entertained by Danielle, Bree is clearly upset and pulls Danielle aside. She explains she is only following her mother's wish to be more like her. Bree tells Danielle to go home, but it is too late as Danielle's water just broke onto the carpet. Andrew, Bree, Orson, and Danielle rush to their house and start to panic, as the baby is coming fast. Orson volunteers to deliver the baby since he's a doctor, but Bree says he's too drunk and he's a dentist. She drags Adam, a gynecologist, to the house and makes him promise to keep what he's about to do a secret. Adam claims to being able to tell Bree was faking pregnancy already. Meanwhile, Parker, Preston, Porter and Kayla are trick-or-treating and ring the doorbell. When no one answers, the Scavo children tell of their tradition of tricking when they don't get treated. As they plan to pull their prank, they accidentally witness the baby being born through a window; they scream and run away. After the infant is delivered, Bree brings him to Danielle, who admits that Bree was right about maternal love, and that giving him to Bree would be best for him. Danielle names the boy Benjamin before giving him up.

Meanwhile, Carlos's ex-wife and secret lover Gabrielle Lang leaves her husband Victor by voicemail. She comes home to find Victor's father, Milton, waiting for her and telling her a divorce on the eve of Victor's running for governor would be damaging. He offers her a substantial check dated for next year, in condition she will have to stay married to Victor for the next 13 months. Gabrielle shows Carlos the check, suggesting they extend their original six-month separation to 13 months. She tells him they need it since he is not working right now, so he tells her about the 10 million dollars. She realizes that he had the money when they were married and during the divorce. She says if she cannot trust him she cannot be with him. Gabrielle plans to go off by herself to think things over but finds Victor waiting for her. He vows to make time for her and starts ripping pages out of his planner proving that he will not run for governor as being governor was his father's dream for him, not his.

Edie Britt catches her fiancé Carlos Solis moving out and tells him she just wants him to tell her if there is someone else he wants to be with or rather why he is leaving her. He lies telling her there is nobody else and she smiles thanking him for making this "all easier" on her. She marches straight to the Internal Revenue Service to tell on him for having an illegal bank account worth 10 million dollars. Edie's revenge scheme falls apart when the Internal Revenue Service agent tells her that the offshore account numbers she gave him do not exist. She confronts Carlos over moving the money and he denies ever having the stash in the first place. Edie warns him that he is going to pay for what he has done to her. Later, Edie meets with Victor and shows him the photos of Gabrielle and Carlos kissing that her private investigator took.

Title reference[]

The episode title "Now I Know, Don't Be Scared" is taken from the song "I Know Things Now" from Stephen Sondheim's musical Into the Woods.

Broadcast[]

This episode attracted 18.6 million viewers in its original US airing. 13.8 million viewers watched this episode in the UK, coming 2nd in weekly ratings.

International titles[]

• Czech: Neboj se, já už to vím (Now I Know, Don't Be Scared)
• French: Ce qui ne nous tue pas... (What doesn't kill us...)
• French Canadian: Face à ses craintes (In Front Of His Fears)
• German: Angst (Fear)
• Hebrew: עכשיו אני יודעת (Achshav Ani Yoda'at; Now I Know)
• Hungarian: Félelmek (Fears)
• Italian: Ora lo so, non aver paura (Now I Know, Don't Be Scared)
• Polish: Teraz już wiem, nie obawiaj się (Now I Know, Don't Be Scared)
• Spanish: Ahora no te asustes (Don't Be Scared Now)
• Greek: Τώρα ξέρω, Μη φοβάσαι (Now I Know, Don't Be Scared)

Series continuity[]

This episode marks Joy Lauren's final appearance as Danielle Van de Kamp in Season 4, and as a regular. Her character was written out from the show, as she moves to Florida for college. However, she is still credited for the rest of the season.

Awards Notes[]

• Felicity Huffman submitted this episode for consideration of her work for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards.^[1]
• Joy Lauren submitted this episode for consideration of her work for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards.^[1]

References[]