WISTERIA LANE
JUICYLICIOUS AGAIN

ABC is bringing back "Desperate Housewives" for a third season tonight ("Listen To The Rain On The Roof" at 9/8c) and the word is out that the Marc Cherry-penned dramedy is back to being funny, sexy and wicked.

Following its inaugural season when critics praised Mr. Cherry for reinventing scripted drama and coming up with a fresh and original way of storytelling , ABC's hit show was heavily criticized all second season long, both on the part of viewers and critics.

Everyone detested the new Applewhite mystery, lost interest in the old Mary-Alice plot and missed seeing the housewives hanging out together and their lives and storylines twist together. The show was accused of becoming campy soap, the genre it had successfully parodied back in the brilliant season one.

Although seeing all season two episodes back-to-back on DVD may prove the show had not gone off course as much as some claimed it had, the new episodes written by Mr. Cherry himself as well as "Frasier" and "Will and Grace" veterans, clearly show the writers had listened to all the criticism and they have come up with a new, improved and a more focused show.

The viewers will no longer have a feeling that the four leads are starring each in their own show. The new mystery will not involve any new neighbors, but rather touch upon the lives of the characters we all love and know. And there will be plenty of humor.

The only thing missing is the only thing that may never return to Wisteria Lane. Novelty. Obviously, "Desperate Housewives" will never be as fresh and revolutionary as they had once been. Still... Although they can no longer surprise you, they will sure make you smile again.