"You're Gonna Love Tomorrow" is the fifth season premiere episode of the American comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives, and the 88th episode overall. It originally aired on September 28, 2008, in the United States on ABC (American Broadcasting Company). The episode was written by series creator Marc Cherry and directed by Larry Shaw. "You're Gonna Love Tomorrow", as well as all subsequent episodes, takes place five years after the events of the fourth season finale following Cherry's decision to revamp the series with a time jump.
In the episode, Edie (Nicollette Sheridan) returns to Wisteria Lane after a five-year absence with her new husband, Dave (Neal McDonough). While Susan (Teri Hatcher) hesitates to make a romantic commitment to Jackson (Gale Harold), Lynette (Felicity Huffman) struggles with her defiant teenage children and her husband's midlife crisis. Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) deals with her daughters' weight problems and Bree (Marcia Cross) faces the ramifications of her success.
"You're Gonna Love Tomorrow" received mostly positive reviews from television critics, most of whom agreed that the time jump refreshed the show. According to Nielsen ratings, the episode drew over 18 million viewers, making it the most-watched show of the night and the second most-watched program of the week across all networks.
Plot
Background
Desperate Housewives focuses on the lives of several residents living on Wisteria Lane. In recent episodes, Susan (Teri Hatcher) and Mike Delfino (James Denton) celebrate the birth of their son. Bree Hodge (Marcia Cross) chooses to raise her grandson while her daughter, Danielle (Joy Lauren), attends college. She also issues an ultimatum, telling her husband, Orson (Kyle MacLachlan), that she will leave him if he does not turn himself into the police after committing a hit-and-run. Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) struggles with Carlos' (Ricardo Antonio Chavira) permanent blindness. Also, Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan) leaves Wisteria Lane after the other residents shun her for her malice.
Episode
"You're Gonna Love Tomorrow" takes place five years after the aforementioned events. Important plot information that takes place during the time jump is revealed in flashbacks. Orson has completed his prison sentence and the success of Bree's catering company has provided her the opportunity to write her own cookbook. Her business partner, Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delany), resents how Bree's success has changed her and intentionally sabotages Bree's television interview, further straining their friendship. A flashback reveals that Danielle married a lawyer and coldly took her son away from Bree. Meanwhile, Lynette is frustrated with Tom's (Doug Savant) relaxed approach to parenting their rebellious teenage sons, Porter and Preston (Charlie Carver and Max Carver, respectively). She encourages him to employ more disciplinary actions.
During the time jump, Susan and Mike were involved in a car crash that killed a mother and her child. As a result, the couple divorced and now share custody of their son, M.J. (Mason Vale Cotton). Susan engages in a sexual relationship with her house painter, Jackson Braddock (Gale Harold), but keeps their romance a secret from her friends and family. Jackson seeks a more substantial relationship, but Susan is weary of such a commitment following her divorce. Elsewhere, Gabrielle has been raising two overweight daughters, Juanita (Madison De La Garza) and Celia (Daniella Baltodano), and has also lost her own figure as well. Gabrielle tricks Juanita into exercising by driving away and making Juanita chase after her car.
After five years of absence, Edie returns to Wisteria Lane with her mysterious husband, Dave (Neal McDonough), who seems to have a calming effect on his ill-tempered wife. Later, Dave receives a phone call from Dr. Samuel Heller (Stephen Spinella), who reminds him that monthly check-ins are a condition of his release. After the conversation, Dr. Heller reviews a taped therapy session in which Dave threatens to get revenge on the man who destroyed his life.