In "Desperate Housewives," Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong) narrates the show from beyond the grave. Her suicide in the first episode, serves as a stimulus of change for the series. The narration by Mary Alice Young revolves around her friends and neighbors and their secrets. She was a woman whom her friends turned to for advice and help and was highly respected by her neighbors.

A few pieces of Mary Alice's story are told, which makes her the most mystifying out of all the other housewives. She was the loving, devoted wife of Paul (Mark Moses) and mother of Zach (Cody Kasch). Mary Alice and Paul were not able to conceive a child so they illegally adopted Zach from a heroin addict and moved to Wisteria Lane to start over. When the woman came wanting her baby back, the Young family's blissful life was destroyed. In order to keep her baby, Mary Alice stabbed and killed the woman. Zach is woken by the noise and saw the dead body. Paul and Mary Alice decide that they have no other choice, so they chop up the dead body, place the pieces into a toy chest and bury it under their pool.

In death, Mary Alice views things completely different. She notices things that she would not have seen in life: her friends' vulnerabilities, lies and secrets. She does not judge them as much as she pities them for hurting and manipulating the ones they love and care the most about.

Memorable Quotes:

"From the moment we wake up in the morning 'til our head hits the pillow at night, our lives are filled with questions. Most are easily answered and soon forgotten. But some questions are much harder to ask because we are so afraid of the answer."

"Anyone can end up a victim, injured by the actions of others. But whether the damage is inflicted by a cunning ex-wife, or a blow delivered by the object of our affection, the time comes when we must pick ourselves up and continue on our journey. And if we can't, then all we can pray for is a rescue."