Suburban housewife Mary Alice Young takes her own life and finds that, for her, the afterlife consists of watching and commenting on the lives of her friends and family.

Gabrielle goes to great lengths to hide her affair; Lynette tries tough love to discipline the twins; Bree and Rex try marriage counseling.

Despite their chaotic personal lives, the women decide to follow through with the big dinner party the late Mary Alice had planned to host.

A break-in on Wisteria Lane leaves everyone feeling vulnerable, especially Susan, who reluctantly accepts a date with a persistent policeman.

At the twins' school, Lynette battles with another mother (Sharon Lawrence), who is trying to produce a politically correct version of "Little Red Riding Hood."

Susan is miffed when Mike's sexy houseguest (Heather Stephens) forces him to postpone their first official date; Lynette grows more dependent on the twins' medication; Gabrielle becomes jealous of the other woman in John's life.