Marc Cherry Has A Plan To Reboot 'Desperate Housewives' For A New Generation

Desperate Housewives showrunner Marc Cherry seemingly has an idea on how to reboot the popular 2000s dramedy series.

In a recent interview, the television writer and producer shared his desire to revisit Wisteria Lane and the many mysteries of the seemingly peaceful fictional neighborhood. However, his concept admittedly sounds more than a bit familiar.

Beginning in 2004 on ABC, Desperate Housewives centered on various families living on the fabled Wisteria Lane as they lived, laughed, and loved – and more often than not, suffered great misfortunes due to these common acts.

It would become a powerhouse in the television world, birthing multiple international versions while also reviving the careers of its main cast: actresses Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria, and Nicolette Sheridan.

Beginning in Season 4, China Beach star Dana Delaney would join the cast. In Season 7, former Miss America Vanessa Williams would follow suit.

So, how exactly would Cherry reintroduce the series? By starting from the beginning… and no, not the beginning of the original series, which completed its 8-season run in 2012.

“I have a couple of ideas on how to do it,” the TV writer told PEOPLE. “I would probably want to do the idea, maybe, in an earlier decade.”

How early? Think go-go boots and mod culture, and you might come close.

“There [are] times when I go, 'You know what? I wonder if I could write Wisteria Lane in, like, 1966,” Cherry revealed.

Of course, this would mean that the reboot wouldn’t feature any of the OG Housewives cast, as their characters wouldn’t likely be old enough – or even born – to have a place in the story.

The modern suburban vibes of Wisteria Lane, the main neighborhood featured on Desperate Housewives, often felt like a reflection of any common residential area in the United States.

In reality, it was built on the Universal Studios backlot.

The set is still used in commercials and other television projects to this day, something Cherry says influences his reboot idea.

“When someone shoots a commercial on that street, I know it instantly, because I know all those houses, I know the geography," Cherry claims.

“Because the character I miss writing the most is actually Wisteria Lane. That was the most fun playground anyone in the history of television has ever had,” he continued, “because we owned the whole street. I know that street like the back of my hand."

Though the original Desperate Housewives cast would likely not be involved in a series reboot, some have openly expressed interest in revisiting their characters.

Eva Longoria, who played model-turned-mother Gabrielle Solis, shared in June how much she “misses” the show and that she’s brought the matter up to Cherry more than once.

"I've told him a hundred times," she expressed. "I was like, 'Let's do it again. I miss Wisteria Lane. I miss the girls. I miss Gaby Solis. I miss being her.'"

Cherry similarly remains close to the cast and still has love for them, but Longoria says he’s already told their story.

“He feels like there's no 'Why now?'” she stated in a 2023 interview. “He feels like, 'What do I have to say with these characters that we haven't already fully mined.”

Coincidentally, Cherry appears to be overlooking another series he’s helmed that poses the take, “What if Desperate Housewives took place in a different time?”

In 2019, CBS All Access (now Paramount+) debuted Why Women Kill, a dark comedy anthology series created by Cherry that centered around “desperate” women and the actions that lead them to, well, kill.

Running for two seasons, both featured characters in different decades, including the 1960s.

Season 1 was notable for its storyline that stretched across three separate eras with its connecting base being the home where all the characters resided (albeit at different times).

Actress Ginnifer Goodwin of Once Upon A Time fame portrayed Beth Ann, an unhappy wife from 1963.

Sadly, the series was canceled after its second season despite glowing remarks from critics and a prior Season 3 renewal.

For those “desperate” in their love of nostalgia, Desperate Housewives can be streamed in full on Hulu.

Why Women Kill can be streamed in full on Paramount +.