Wysteria Lane

I survived my first Sunday in three months without my favorite television show MadMen, which had its season finale two weeks ago. Fortunately there was an entertaining football game on NBC, concluding with a triumphant victory of the Indianapolis Colts over the New England Patriots.

Sunday’s the only day that I really watch TV, so I got back into watching ABC’s Desperate Housewives, a tongue in cheek, and wink of the eye look at suburban life on the fictional Wysteria Lane. MadMen it is not, but it makes up for quality with humor. It has one thing in common with MadMen, and that’s the popping up of an occasional Black actor, generally in the roll of a domestic at worse or some other service role at best. At least MadMen has an excuse – if you will – its time period. In a recent role, a Black character plays a motel maid who advises one of the shows characters, Bree, on the harm that her extramarital affair will cause. Wise? Maybe, but a domestic role nonetheless.