Felicity Huffman’s Unhinged 2019 Comedy Is Perfect For Impatient Desperate Housewives Fans

While fans eagerly await news on the upcoming Desperate Housewives reboot, Felicity Huffman’s 2019 black comedy Tammy’s Always Dying can help fill the temporary void. Despite some atmospheric and structural differences that prevent the film from becoming a perfect stand-in for the TV series, Huffman’s movie ticks off a few boxes that even Desperate Housewives reboot Wisteria Lane likely won’t.

Not many network TV shows have quite managed to scratch the itch that many fans have felt since the Desperate Housewives series finale, as the series’ blend of cutting humor and soap opera-style melodrama is surprisingly difficult to replicate. And, while Felicity Huffman’s Doc season 2 role could come close in some ways, there are better options in the meantime.

Tammy’s Always Dying Is Perfect While Waiting For The Desperate Housewives Reboot

Anastasia Phillips as Catherine MacDonald in Tammy's Always Dying — Anastasia Phillips as Catherine MacDonald in Tammy’s Always Dying

Independent Canadian comedy Tammy’s Always Dying doesn’t immediately look like it would be a perfect Desperate Housewives stand-in. Felicity Huffman’s Tammy MacDonald is an alcoholic mother with self-diagnosed manic depression and formally diagnosed lung cancer, a story that demands a much тιԍнтer scope and significantly slower pacing than Housewives. The movie is also much more focused on Tammy’s daughter, Catherine.

This latter point might especially steer some fans away. Huffman played one of Desperate Housewives’ best characters, but Tammy is clearly a major departure from Housewives’ Lynette. However, for those who particularly enjoyed Desperate Housewives’ scandalous plotlines, Tammy’s Always Dying excels at examining grave subject matter with an edgy sense of humor, demanding trigger warnings to even discuss certain details.

But even ignoring particular plot points, such as why the underside of Tammy’s favorite bridge is outfitted with safety netting, those who loved Desperate Housewives for its morbidly comedic tone will find no shortage of that in Tammy’s Always Dying. This becomes especially clear when Catherine tries to profit from Tammy’s death with the help of an unscrupulous TV producer.

Lynette Scavo fans should especially appreciate Tammy’s refusal to speak anything but her mind. Tammy resents becoming a mother is presented more tragically than in Lynette’s case, but the fact that said resentment affects Tammy as much as Catherine is unapologetically on full display. That hints at one thing Wisteria Lane won’t be able to offer.

Felicity Huffman’s Black Comedy Fills A Nostalgia Void Wisteria Lane Likely Won’t

Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo in Desperate Housewives

Considering there’s been a huge boost in Disney+ subscribers watching Desperate Housewives, it seems there’s no shortage of people excited about the reboot. The problem is that anyone who finishes their rewatch won’t find much outside content to fill the void. There were already few options, and NBC’s cancelation of Grosse Pointe Garden Society took yet another off the table.

On top of that, while there might be enough overlap between Desperate Housewives fans and Shonda Rimes fans that Kerry Washington’s involvement in Wisteria Lane will likely fuel a decent amount of excitement, others will care substantially less without confirmed involvement from the original cast. Huffman supports the reboot, but there’s no indication that she’ll actually appear in the show.

“You can never see what’s broken in a happy person,” says Huffman’s character in Tammy’s Always Dying. The same applies to reboots. Fans excited to revisit the world of Desperate Housewives may not all have considered how different it would be without the original cast, but that difference is huge.

Tammy’s Always Dying is a broadcast fan’s dream, directed by Felicity’s Amy Jo Johnson with familiar faces from shows like NCIS, The Rookie, and CW’s Reign. But the Desperate Housewives reboot should offer new reasons to watch. Hopefully, that will bring a new audience. But those watching for nostalgia alone might want to stick with the original cast’s previous works.

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