TV RATINGS 'Desperate' viewers are connecting with show

Even rival networks are surprised with how well the show is doing.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Viewers are falling hard for a group of "Desperate Housewives." An estimated 24.9 million of them tuned in Sunday night for ABC's red-hot drama, giving the new series its largest audience yet. It was also the biggest audience for any scripted show on ABC since the May 2000 farewell episode of Michael J. Fox on "Spin City."
No wonder. During the course of an hour, viewers got to see:
UFelicity Huffman's Lynette Scavo tangle with a fellow parent at her sons' upscale school.
UEva Longoria's Gabrielle Solis ditch her mother-in-law at a casino to be with her boy toy.
UAnd Marcia Cross' Bree Van De Kamp drop a fur coat to reveal her wearing red lingerie.
"I honestly think 'Desperate Housewives' is one of those shows that taps into the sentiment ordinary Americans feel," said Stacey Lynn Koerner, who analyzes viewing patterns for ad-buyer Initiative Media. "It's slightly over the edge of what the normal person would do, but it's certainly plausible."
Indeed, "Desperate Housewives" has connected with viewers in a way no ABC drama has in a decade and in a way few scripted shows have since reality TV hit big.
Water-cooler show
To that end, the upward viewing trend for "Desperate Housewives" mirrors that of early "Survivor" and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Each generated extensive water-cooler chatter as folks discussed the previous night's show.
"The best television shows have always had those water-cooler moments," said executive producer Michael Edelstein, citing "Seinfeld," "ER" and "Sex and the City."
"With reality TV, it's here, you got to know about it now," Koerner said. "With scripted TV, you usually don't fear that."
But viewers are following along in a big way.
Fan Web sites are flooded each night after the show ends with thoughts on plot lines, the characters and the future.
"You start to feel like you have a relationship and a responsibility with the audience," Edelstein said.
He's also quick to note that "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," which airs before "Desperate Housewives," had a huge audience Sunday, too, helping drive viewers to the drama.
Surprised
Rival networks are also surprised with the show's performance.
Before the season started, executives at ABC's competitors believed the show would do well, grabbing much of the female audience Sunday night, recalled an executive at another network. What they hadn't figured on was how many men were watching as well.
It should be noted, CBS' "CSI" remains the most-watched show this season and had more than 30 million viewers last week.
But "Desperate Housewives" is rapidly climbing in the rankings.
"It's not about the angst of young life, it's about the angst of real life," Koerner said. "It's figuring out where you are in terms of the choices you've already made. It's 'thirtysomething,' but more domestic."