"Pilot" is the first episode of the American dramedy-mystery series Desperate Housewives. It premiered on October 3, 2004, on the ABC network. It was written by series creator Marc Cherry and directed by Charles McDougall. The pilot introduces the residents of the suburban neighborhood of Wisteria Lane. Following the suicide of an outwardly successful neighbor, her friends begin to deal with the problems in their personal lives. Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher) competes for the attention of a new plumber who has moved across the street; Bree Van de Kamp (Marcia Cross) struggles with her failing marriage and ungrateful family; Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) continues an affair with her sixteen-year-old gardener; and Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) copes with life as a stay-at-home mother of four. Cherry conceived the idea for the series while watching coverage of the Andrea Yates murder trials, and was fascinated by how women lead lives of quiet desperation. He began writing the script in 2002 and pitched it to several networks throughout the following year. In October 2003, ABC announced that it had picked up the pilot. Casting began in February 2004 and filming took place the following month primarily on the Colonial Street backlot set at Universal Studios. According to Nielsen ratings, the episode was watched by 21.6 million viewers on its original American broadcast, becoming the most-watched program of the week. The pilot received extremely positive reviews, with critics complimenting the series' tonal diversity. The cast, particularly the four leads and Sheridan, also received praise. The episode won various awards, including three Emmys. Plot Desperate Housewives focuses on the lives of several residents of the fictitious street of Wisteria Lane. The suburban neighborhood is shocked by the suicide of Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong), who seems to have led an ideal domestic life. Mary Alice's close friends, Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), Bree Van de Kamp (Marcia Cross), and Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), struggle to come to terms with the news. Later, Mary Alice's son, Zach (Cody Kasch), awakens in the middle of the night to find his father, Paul (Mark Moses), unearthing a mysterious chest from the drained swimming pool in their backyard. Susan, a divorced mother, takes interest in Mike Delfino (James Denton), a plumber who has recently moved to Wisteria Lane; however, she faces competition with neighbor Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan), a promiscuous serial divorcée. Suspicious that Mike is