Desperate Housewives & Semiotics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DozfGxSOh4c&NR=1

After this weeks class reading on the concept of semiotics, and the assignment of posting an opening credit sequence for my wiki this week, I decided to continue the trend and do it for my blog. While searching for the perfect opening credit sequence for my wiki, I found many different ones that could work, particularly the original opening sequence of Desperate Housewives. Semiotics is a way to communicate meaning through signs and symbols. It is a way to get an idea out to the audience so they have some understanding of what to find meaning in. The season 1 Desperate Housewives opening sequence does just that.
When the show first aired, I'll admit, I had a hard time understanding just what exactly the opening credits meant, and how it fit the show, but as the seasons continued, and me being a religious watcher, I soon found some sort of meaning in it. The opening sequence features different famous "works of art" that come to life in order to represent each housewife on Wisteria Lane. For instance, opening the sequence we see a couple, but an apple falls on the man's head, leading us to believe that this could represent Susan in the show because her husband ended up in a coma in one of the seasons. Next we see a glimpse of a woman and children. This, to me, would have to represent Lynette, because in the show, this housewife has many children and seems as though she is just drowning, being taken over by them. Next we see a glimpse of Gabby, the materialistic housewife whom had a maid of her own. A representation of Edy comes next. Her personality was out there, always attempting to steal the men of Wisteria Lane away from their wives. Bree follows this, as we see a busy housewife doing what she does best, cooking in the kitchen. Overall, this sequence is a great representation of semiotics. Just by watching it, the audience can get some sort of insight as to what the show is all about.