And Lots of Security...

"And Lots of Security..." is the 156th episode of the ABC television series, Desperate Housewives. It is the twenty-second episode of the show's seventh season and was broadcast on May 15, 2011. This episode was the first part of the 2 hour season finale of season 7.

Plot

Susan is arrested after Paul informs the police of his suspicions that she has poisoned him; the police find evidence of Susan's involvement (presumably planted by Felicia) in her apartment dumpster. The police ask Felicia to come in for questioning. After Mike tells Paul that Felicia had offered him $10,000 to kill Paul, the two attempt to confront her, and discover that she has apparently fled in haste.

Lynette and Tom's weekend away aggravates their marital problems, since both repeat the behaviors that have led to their increasing estrangement.

Gabrielle fears that she is being stalked by a strange man. She asks Bree for a gun; Bree refuses but advises her to take gun training classes and obtain legal permit. The first class goes badly, and she withdraws. After recognizing her stalker as the stepfather who raped her as a teenager, who she had been told was dead, she returns to the classes with renewed determination.

Lee tells Bree that he recognizes her new detective beau as a gay man he has seen in local gay bars. Bree drops in on him at the police station, and her suspicions deepen.

Paul and Mike inform the police of Felicia's disappearance; Paul withdraws his accusations against Susan, and she is released. Susan visits Paul to thank him; Paul tells her he is leaving the neighborhood, and returning the house to her, allowing her to move back in immediately. As Paul returns from packing his car, Felicia emerges from hiding and knocks him unconscious, binds him to a chair, and hooks him up to a poisoned IV drip.

After a dinner date, Bree insists that Chuck take her to a gay bar, where several patrons and a waiter recognize him. Chuck tells her that he had worked undercover in the bar, and discloses that his marriage broke down because his wife had been having an affair with his police partner.

When Paul regains consciousness, Felicia tells him he has only a short time to live before the poison kills him. She demands that he express remorse for killing her sister Martha. He admits killing Martha, declaring he was right to do so because her blackmail drove his first wife Mary Alice to suicide, a confession Felicia captures on a hidden camcorder. When Susan, unnoticed by Felicia, enters the house, she calls the police, then diverts Felicia, disconnects the IV, and removes some of Paul's bindings. Felicia returns and attacks Susan, but Paul breaks free and seizes her by the throat. Susan convinces Paul not to kill Felicia; he releases her, and Felicia runs away before the police arrive. Paul surrenders to the police.

As Felicia is driving away, she loses control of her car when Beth's ashes fall over and as she tries to get them back she swerves her car into the other lane directly into the path of a truck and is killed in the collision.

Reception

This episode was part of the two-hour season finale which was watched by 10.251 million and received a 3.1 in the 18-49 age group and is the lowest rated season finale in the show's history.^[1] When the DVR ratings were released the ratings rose 32% from a 3.1 ratings in the 18-49 to a 4.1 in the 18-49 age group. With an increase of 2.306 million viewers the viewership rose to 12.557.^[2]

Notes

• The title of this episode comes from the lyrics of the song "The Miller's Son" from the Stephen Sondheim musical A Little Night Music.
• The network broadcast featured unified credits for the consecutive broadcast of two episodes. Several credited performers appeared in only one of the two episodes.
• This is the first and only episode of season seven to not feature Vanessa Williams as Renee Perry.
• Harriet Sansom Harris makes her final appearance as Felicia Tilman.

International titles

• German: Trügerische Sicherheit (False sense of security)
• French: Ce qui nous rassure (What reassures us [That which reassures us])

References