Many critics and even people within the show itself (Felicity Huffman, James Denton, Mehcad Brooks) admitted that the first season of ABC’s darling dramedy Desperate Housewives suffered a dip in the creative department during it’s second season–particularly at the beginning. Most say it had a lot to do with the weakness of its central mystery (which is why I’m boggled as to how Woodard landed an Emmy nom, but that’s another story)–others say it wasn’t as funny and that the storylines became too Melrose Place.

ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson was asked by a reporter Tuesday about the “creative collapse” of the hit show–and he begged to differ that “collapse” was the right choice of word. After all, Desperate Housewives was ABC’s most watched series this past season–it must be doing something right to have 22 million viewers coming back every Sunday night. McPherson says the show will get back to its “wicked comedy” that the viewers and critics alike so enjoyed the first season, once the show’s third year begins. He says:

“I think everyone including [creator Marc Cherry] admitted that at the beginning of last year we stumbled a little bit, [We] answered so many questions at the end of the first season that he really spent too much time, I think, setting up the mystery, setting up the new arcs, and this year we’re going to jump right in.”

Due to the departure of Executive Producer Tom Spezialy, the show’s creator Marc Cherry will have more creative control this season, and has more of it mapped out, McPherson assures. He goes on to add:

“Marc has, partly because of the responsibility of 100 percent falling on his shoulders, has really stepped up and gotten out ahead of it, and we have seen more arcing of the entire season from a specific story standpoint and soap standpoint than we’ve ever seen so far.”

Desperate Housewives garnered about 22.2 million viewers a week during its second season, off about 6 percent from the 23.7 million it got in 2004-05. Additionally, it was the No. 3 show on TV among adults 18-49, trailing only the two editions of American Idol–hardly a flop.

In regards to the Emmy snubs, McPherson said:

“Who wins the Emmys is one thing, but to have that kind of oversight just, to me, is remarkable, I think for one year [for Lost] to win it and then the next year to not be nominated, for one year one of the Desperate Housewives to win the best actress and then for none of them to be nominated the next year, there’s a problem.”

Don’t even get me started on the unforgivable snub of Marcia Cross. Well okay, I suppose I could forgive if Elizabeth Perkins walks away with a statue come August.

This week’s Video Clip of the Week is the first episode of one of my favorite show’s ever Weeds, which of course stars the Goddess Mary Louise Parker and the divine Elizabeth Perkins (whoo! Emmy nominee). Check it out. There’s four parts.