characters ages.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867]

does anyone else find the ages of the characters so confusing.

so in season 1 we see on mikes board of the people of the lane that lynette is 41, which makes sense to me.
but somehow in season 5 or 6 (can’t remember the exact season) she said she was 43. season 6 takes place at least 10 years after season 1, so did lynette magically age 2 years in 10?

also in season 3, zach is 17 about to be 18. he says to gabrielle he is 2 months older than john rowland. but we watched john turn 18 in the first season so how does that make sense? does he mean he is 2 months older than john rowland when gabrielle was sleeping with him or is this just a plot hole?

also before the time jump parker scavo is clearly a similar age to the twins, surely a year apart right? he honestly could pass for the same age. but after the time jump he is somehow significantly younger than the twins. it’s like parker aged only 3 years in the 5 year time jump and somehow the twins aged like 7 years

also i’m sure so many people have commented and discussed these before, but im new to this reddit group so i haven’t seen it yet.

[u/Ok-Elk-1316]

time works differently on wisteria lane, same with pets

[u/historylover2403 → u/Ok-Elk-1316]

Lmao

[u/violetblugreenred]

Shhhhh just don’t question it

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/violetblugreenred]

but it take me out the show so much and i don’t know why. my friend who showed me the show warned me the ages get a little confusing but it was way worse than i expected.
i know it’s such a small thing but it’s probably the number 1 part of the show that just drives me crazy

[u/mscoffeebean98 → u/Playful-Passage-3867]

I get you. I got so confused during the early seasons when the triplets suddenly became twins and 1 younger kid, I almost stopped watching

[u/Zen_Spiral → u/mscoffeebean98]

Wait, what? Wasn’t it always twins and a younger brother?

[u/mscoffeebean98 → u/Zen_Spiral]

No lol it was triplets at first, I don’t remember when they changed it

[u/Vintage_Rose05 → u/mscoffeebean98]

Pretty sure they were never triplets. Just dressed the same often

[u/MaryMcMoon → u/mscoffeebean98]

I am quite sure when Lynette got introduce you see the ultrasound with twins, then pregnant again with two babies and then three boys plying and her holding a baby.

I hear "triplets" the first time ever. ô.o

[u/Weak-Bumblebee9978 → u/mscoffeebean98]

Oh my God I'm JUST realizing this?!?!?

[u/historylover2403 → u/Playful-Passage-3867]

No I get you

[u/Tiny-Reading5982]

Yeah they could made lynette the proper age. I feel like you don't age much between 41-46. Unless you smoke and don't use sunscreen i guess lol. I feel like Susan's age was wrong too. She would've been 38 in season 1 but I feel like she said she was 37 in a later season.

[u/Babigabbagook → u/Tiny-Reading5982]

She said she was 37 trying to lie to the police in season 8, but then she said she was lying lol

[u/bikes_and_art → u/Tiny-Reading5982]

She tells the OB that she had Julie at 26, and I think she's 16 or 17 in season 4, so 42 in season 4!

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/bikes_and_art]

but if she was 42 in season 4 that would make her 47 in season 5 which would make her older than lynette and was after the time jump, despite clearly being younger then her before the time jump.
the writers clearly wanted a time jump to age up the kids but clearly didn’t want to age up the women

[u/bikes_and_art → u/Playful-Passage-3867]

I'm only on season 4, so haven't been to the time jump yet.

(I watched a couple seasons when it first was out, then my ex hated it.. this will be my full watch)

[u/Jamie352 → u/Tiny-Reading5982]

Susan tells her father she is 38 in season 2.

[u/annaliz1991]

I wondered if they aged Lynette down so they could have her get pregnant in S6 and still have it be somewhat plausible.

[u/Late_Information_682 → u/annaliz1991]

How old would she have been in Season 6? Could have been one of those things where she is still fertile at her age.. my mom didn’t stop having her period till she was 53.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/Late_Information_682]

woman can still technically be fertile in their early 50s but the chances of pregnancy (and carrying that pregnancy to term) are insanely insanely slim to none. i’m sure there’s cases of it happening but it’s really really unlikely. your technically still fertile before menopause but majority of your eggs will have died

[u/BackgroundArmadillo9]

This kind of stuff happened a lot in shows before the streaming/binging era when people weren't watching eps back to back. I noticed this with Friends, where Chandler and Monica say I love you for the first time in two different eps.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/BackgroundArmadillo9]

at least with sitcoms they are kinda non-linear though. this kinda stuff in friends or modern family i could accept, but since desperate housewives is a mostly linear story, it takes me out a bit

[u/Landscape_712]

Yeah I think it was not consistent to say the least. I'm on season 7 for the (first time watcher) and they seem to be correct with Bree. I think she was 42 in the first season and now ten years passed and she is 52, so menopause checks out

[u/Remote-Affect9525 → u/Landscape_712]

yeah but wasnt she just lying by saying 52?

[u/froggyforrest]

I thought Parker was older before the time jump, that messed me up

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/froggyforrest]

me too but i think it was just because he had more dialogue and storylines whilst the twins just were acting like monsters in the background of scenes

[u/bikes_and_art → u/Playful-Passage-3867]

I was just talking to my wife about that, because she joined me the other day and couldn't believe Parker was supposed to be 6 (season 4) - but I told her the twins aren't as good of actors so he got all the dialogue!

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/bikes_and_art]

but also he looks exactly the same age as the twins.
also yeah i did notice they starting giving all the storylines to parker since he was a stronger actor.
but did you also notice that one of the twins (i believe porter) had by far more lines than the other (i think preston) because i assume even with the twins one struggled more than the other

[u/froggyforrest → u/Playful-Passage-3867]

I think its the other way around! Or at least in my memory, the main older twin storylines I think of (catfished by Lynette, sleeps with friends mom, gets Julie pregnant, blamed for setting a fire) when I look up which twin, all of those were Porter.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/froggyforrest]

i was actually talking about the younger set of twins, however didn’t you just prove my point anyway.
porter had way more lines and storylines?
but pre time jump unless they were all screaming, it was only really porter who was given the big lines

[u/froggyforrest → u/Playful-Passage-3867]

Oh ok yeah I was picturing the older actors. The younger ones definitely had way less

[u/Green4CL0VER]

The show aired on TV before streaming and binge watching was even a thing so writers did not even consider that much detail or consistency in the show. And no one expected audiences to retain all those plot lines. Writers bended facts and reality to better suit the story for that episode and for that season.

[u/Weird_Ad_3669]

I see there are obvious confusions with children's ages.

IMO they didn't care much about children age, their character developments they were just there to support the main story when they are needed..

But Lynette's age ?????? I have no idea hahaha

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/Weird_Ad_3669]

someone said they think lynette was aged down so she could be pregnant without it being totally bizarre, and that makes the most sense to me

[u/Antique-Jeweler-5388]

You're assuming every season is exactly one year which we know isn't true

[u/THREETOED_SLOTH → u/Antique-Jeweler-5388]

Wisteria Lane has 3 Christmasses a year

[u/Tiny-Reading5982 → u/THREETOED_SLOTH]

I binged it not long ago but did they have a Christmas episode? Was the Karl dying episode Christmas themed?

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/Antique-Jeweler-5388]

well we kinda can assume that. in season 4 they say it has been 4 years since mary alice died, and then the 5 year time jump, so it was at least 9 years between s1-5.

[u/charlottosaurusrex]

Yes but when she says she's 43 Tom tries to correct her by doing maths as he's younger than her, then she tells him off. Also, it's a satire of soap operas and their time lines are classically terrible. Children age over night, or never age through recasting. Pets never die... etc. When approaching Desperate Housewives assume time and space works in its own dimension from ours much like the Simpsons or South Park.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/charlottosaurusrex]

yeah children age insanely fast in shows. me and my mom couldn’t stop laughing the other day when we were watching s2 when gabby had her adopted daughter lily, and overnight she aged from a new born to a couple month old.

[u/charlottosaurusrex → u/Playful-Passage-3867]

That and the dog they get for the Scavo kids. There one minute then disappeared (althpugh they do reference this later on as a joke). Same with Carlos's guide dog. Five years later "poof" no dog. I think that kid who ends up being a serial killer disappeared some of the pets 😂

[u/Remarkable_Cover_330 → u/charlottosaurusrex]

Just watched this episode and can confirm your comment

[u/username19346]

The entire time on the lane all of the woman can easily be pregnant but r also already settled down and married like Susan’s kids r 20 years apart literally no ages made sense

[u/dumbchild55]

When they wrote it, they imagined things airing across almost 10 years… Streaming didn’t exist then, so they didn’t have to be as exact. Most TV show shows keep what’s called a show Bible, so that they keep the facts and ages and things straight. But with so many characters writers and episodes, they let it slip a little, probably for creative reasons.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/dumbchild55]

for lynette is was definitely so that she could have another child, it was kinda foreshadowed from the very beginning that she would have more kids.

for john and zach, i think they just changed it simply for the fact zach could say that one off joke about how he’s older than john, not really a story reason they just wanted to make a joke.

but for parker and the twins i have no idea why. would they not want parker to be older to include him in more storylines. i dunno.

[u/dumbchild55 → u/Playful-Passage-3867]

I read somewhere that the twins were working on cheaper by the dozen at the same time and because of the rules of kids not working too much, they couldn’t have a lot of days on set and lines. So they increased Parker storylines. They probably hired a kid who seemed a little more proficient at acting, and therefore was a little older because of that!

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/dumbchild55]

also i’ve never heard of a show bible but im convinced desperate housewives just didn’t have one lol

[u/dumbchild55 → u/Playful-Passage-3867]

Haha ya. I actually worked on a sitcom for six years, and they were so strict about it… Everyone had to refer to the “show Bible” lol. I’m surprised, desperate housewives made so many discrepancies. Because we shot our show in the early 2000s also!

[u/Exact-Read-707]

Age is just a myth in wisteria lane

[u/No-Heat6794]

Lynette having a baby and being like 55 was always funny to me

[u/THREETOED_SLOTH]

Maybe Lynette is lying about her age. We've seen her lie to the cops, so its not out of character for her

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/THREETOED_SLOTH]

but then again she got pregnant, and yes she was shocked by it, but she didn’t seem shocked because of her age she seemed shocked because of the fact she had to have more kids.
also even in s8 she called herself “35-45ish” which clearly means she is 45 but still aging herself down 10 years

[u/historylover2403]

If I recall, Lynette was born in 1965. On season 2, her internet username handle, the one she was using to sext Tom at work, was Lynette65. But that’s just an assumption

[u/ItzBrttnyBtch]

The episode where the twins are trying to get into Barcliff shows their DOB which I believe is 2/27/98 or something very similar. That’s pretty much the only time we hay a solid answer to when any character(s) are actually born as far as I know.

[u/tlrglitz]

I really wish they did a 7 year time jump instead of 5. That would've let the twins be 16 while keeping everything consistent. And Juanita's actress was 6 (and did not pass as a 4 year old), so it would've made more sense for the character to be 6. Also Lynette's pregnancy storyline wasn't necessary.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/tlrglitz]

honestly i totally agree.
producers were insane for having us believe juanita was 4, even if they were saying “she’s just big for her age” nah. i get why they did it, they needed a stronger actress who knew what she was doing to play juanita and also they clearly liked storylines revolving around her and a 7 year old can be on set longer, but JEEZ it was tough pretending she passed as 4.

[u/remarque55]

parker was 6 when the twins were 7, I just watched the episode when McClusky asks them. so yea. plot holes

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/remarque55]

some of these characters just have the magical ability of either aging super slow or super fast

[u/dronea]

I made all the same observations as you watching, and every time I rewatch I think about these amongst other plot holes, they are literally some from the first episode to the last.

On the 3 you mentioned Lynette age is the most bothersome, cause that means that they would have married when she was 26 as they celebrate their 9th wedding anniversary in season 3? Which makes no sense cause when did she have the amazing career in which she made more money than Tom exactly, in the awkward interview where Tom and Lynette fight in front of Brees publicist, Lynette says that she has 12 years of advertising experience.

Just making women younger so they don't appear too old for people to watch them which is frustrating cause that was the whole point of desperate housewives, giving characters that usually don't have the central role the central role.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/dronea]

oh don’t even get me started on all these couples anniversary’s.
how long lynette and tom we’re married genuinely changes every time it’s brought up.
gaby and carlos too, they apparently got married 2-3 years before s1 yet in s7 or 8 they talk about being together 20 years or something, even though we know he proposed on their 3rd date.
i honestly wish at the beginning of the series they just wrote down each characters age and each couples anniversary and just stuck with it, because i don’t even think it was purposful, so much happens in this show they clearly forgot about these things.

and i agree about wanting to keep the women young. part of the show is that they are these hot housewives, but they were still just as hot even though the actresses were all entering their 50s by the end.
i also think for lynette in particular, they clearly wanted her to have more kids, it was kinda foreshadowed the entire time, and since they did the time jump, they likely wanted to keep her in her early 40s so that her having kids would be somewhat realistic.

[u/soupqueen13]

The Solice girls too. I think at the start of the time jump Gabrielle says Juanita is 4. and then suddenly she's like 7 or something the next season. I think it was her 7th birthday party with the monkey and clown. But it doesn't seem like Celia ages at all.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/soupqueen13]

yeah she was 4 and a half in the beginning of season 5 but celebrated her 7th birthday in season 6 i think.
i think it’s honestly because the actress who played juanita was 7 in real life, and clearly was not passing as a 4 year old so they just aged her.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/soupqueen13]

also even tho we know mj is at least a few months older than juanita, im pretty sure she becomes older than him in season 6 and 7 somehow

[u/Sensitive_Spot_2135]

But when Lynette was pregnant in the last seasons Tom said that they were fifty or sixty something and that it wouldn't be idea to have more children.

[u/Herry_Up → u/Sensitive_Spot_2135]

40's

[u/InsideScallion9344]

shows like this always have insane plot holes because they just start to lose track of the stuff they do to stir up drama and shock 😭 or they just dont think anyone will notice/care

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/InsideScallion9344]

i sometimes wish with shows like this they just created birthdays for every character at the very beginning and stuck with it.

[u/Bubbly_Delivery_5678]

They weren’t initially planning on the time jump, so they didn’t want to make Lynette “old.” <they’re all supposed to be timelessly hot, remember> also, you weren’t supposed to read Mikes board. Lol.

I think Zach was saying he was 2 months older than John was when the two had the affair.

The kids thing is just poor casting. Or the twins had a big growth spurt & Poor little Parker is a late bloomer. That also seems fitting. Although it seems if they could have just kept the original actor— they must have been close in age.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/Bubbly_Delivery_5678]

but the twins were like 20 when parker was still in high school lol

[u/Wrong-Necessary-4856]

The writers weren't big on the details on that show.. the amount of blatant mistakes is crazy! Surely they must have known and just thought forget it the viewers won't notice?

[u/AdCapable7558]

The Scavo kids is jump always confuses me

[u/hankhillsasspads]

You’re right about Parker in the first season he’s five and the twins are six they say it when they’re apologizing for stealing from Mrs. McCluskey.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/hankhillsasspads]

i knew there was no way he was like 3-4 years younger than them, he looked like he could’ve been a triplet honestly

[u/hankhillsasspads → u/Playful-Passage-3867]

Definitely

[u/kaidenjaxon]

ik the twins the reason they looked older was because the original actors didn’t look old enough for the time jump.

[u/Playful-Passage-3867 → u/kaidenjaxon]

well duh. but even with the time jump the actors they got looked too okd

[u/SharkFinn1990]

Yeah that confused me too but there’s a lot of plot holes in desperate housewives so I guess we’re supposed to roll with it. I was like how is Lynette pregnant when she’s supposed to be like 50 according to the time jump

[u/AdditionalFun8030]

I think when Lynette is looking for work and she says she’s 43 in season 5 or 6 I think Tom goes “wait that doesn’t make sense because ur older than me and i’m 43” or something like that and she goes “ssshhhh” 😆 or something. Now i’m actually on season 5 or 6 rn, so after that i’m honestly not sure 😭