Katherine Mayfair

"Unhappy women do dangerous things."

Katherine Irma Mayfair (previously Davis) is one of the main and titular characters of Desperate Housewives. A former victim of domestic abuse, perpetrated by her first husband, a corrupt policeman, Katherine moved to Wisteria Lane with her aunt Mrs. Simms, hoping to get away from her rough lifestyle and be happy. However, unfortunate circumstances led her to pack up in 1995, and leave suddenly, only to return 12 years later, in 2007, with a new family in tow and a big secret weighing heavily on her. Katherine rivaled Bree Van de Kamp for the title of perfect home fairy, and soon moved comfortably into the position of scheming vixen when it came to going about making her ends meet.

Early life
According to her driver's license, Katherine was born on September 8, 1963.

Katherine married Wayne Davis, a cop, and with him had a daughter, Dylan. During their marriage, Wayne became increasingly abusive towards Katherine and beat her on several occasions. The two divorced and Katherine relocated to Wisteria Lane, where she stayed with her aunt, Lillian Simms. Katherine befriends Susan Mayer and Mary Alice Young, her new neighbors on the street. One night, while Katherine and her aunt, Lillian Simms were out and Dylan was being babysat by Mary Alice, she discovered that Wayne had visited his daughter and given her a doll as a gift. Furious, Katherine places the doll on top of a wooden bookshelf in her sleeping daughter's bedroom. Wayne returns and Katherine confronts him. As Wayne begins to become aggressive, Katherine violently strikes him across the head with a candlestick and he retreats. Later, Katherine awoke to Lillian's screams from Dylan's room. Upon reaching the room, it is revealed that Dylan, while trying to retrieve the doll, was crushed and killed by the off-balanced bookshelf. In shock, Katherine and Aunt Lillian realize that Wayne could have them arrested for murder, so they bury Dylan's body in the woods behind the house. Katherine leaves Wisteria Lane the next morning, in 1995. She visits a Romanian orphanage and finds a young girl who bears a striking resemblance to her now-deceased daughter. Katherine adopts the girl and changes her name to Dylan in an attempt to cover up the accidental death of her daughter. ("Free")

Katherine and the new-Dylan relocate to Chicago. There, Katherine meets a successful doctor named Adam Mayfair and a relationship blossoms. The two get married. Katherine tells Adam that Wayne killed her biological daughter and he agrees to keep her secret and protect them from her ex-husband. The Mayfairs become wealthy, with Katherine becoming a socialite, hosting and planning many medical benefits and functions. However, the family's reputation becomes tarnished after Adam's alleged sexual harassment with one of his patients. Subsequently, the family flees Chicago, with plans to move back to Fairview, to escape the humiliation and to care for a terminally-ill Lillian.

Season 4
"Katherine Mayfair had been running from the truth for a long time. And it finally caught up with her."

- Mary Alice Young One month after the events in season three and Mike Delfino moving out of Lillian Simms old house, Katherine Mayfair moves to the lane with her second husband Adam Mayfair and daughter from her first marriage, Dylan Mayfair. Katherine is a former resident of Wisteria Lane and was good friends with Susan Mayer and Mary Alice Young. She left the lane before Bree Hodge, Lynette Scavo, Gabrielle Lang, or Edie Britt moved to the street. Susan is glad that Katherine is back but Katherine clashes with Bree. Katherine decides to throw a barbecue for her return. When Katherine first meets Edie Britt who recently attempted to hang herself, Edie thought the party was for her. At the end of the episode, Adam asks Katherine if it was a good idea returning. Katherine tells him they really didn't have a choice. ("Now You Know")

Katherine suggests holding a lunch in for Lynette who has cancer. Katherine offers to bring the desert but Bree tells her that it's her job and Katherine can bring the salad instead. At the lunch in, Bree brings a pie. Everyone thinks it is the best pie she's ever made. When Bree tries the pie, she realizes that it wasn't hers. Katherine confesses which makes Bree upset. Later when Katherine, Adam, and Dylan leave the house, Bree breaks in to steel Katherine's recipe. Bree hides when Katherine, Adam, and Dylan come home sooner. Katherine and Dylan get into a fight when Dylan brings up her father. Bree witnesses Katherine slap Dylan across the face. ("Smiles of a Summer Night")

Katherine gets upset when a young blonde starts to flirt with Adam. Katherine and Adam fight. When Susan throws a cherades party, Bree, Lynette, and Gaby convince Susan to invite Katherine. When Gaby wants to make her ex-husband jealous, she starts flirting with Adam Mayfair. Katherine, Carlos, and Victor all get upset about this. Edie reveals to Katherine about Gaby's previous affair with her gardener John Rowland. Katherine uses this to humiliate Gaby in front of everyone including her husband Victor. After the party, Katherine and Adam are at their house and Katherine shows Adam a huge scratch mark on the floor which leads to more suspecion about Katherine. ("The Game")

Katherine's aunt Lillian Simms who use to own the house comes back to the Mayfair house to die. Lillian tells Katherine that they need to tell Dylan the truth. Katherine is furious about this and tells Lillian that just because she is dying that it doesn't mean she has to ruin everybody elses lives. Lillian attempts to tell Dylan but Katherine stops her just in time. Before Lillian dies, she writes Dylan a note telling her the truth about everything. When she dies she drops the note and it falls under the bed and no one finds it. ("If There's Anything I Can't Stand")

Katherine decides to run for the home owners accosiation when the new gay neighbors Lee McDermott and Bob Hunter put an ugly fountain on their front yard. Lynette gets worried that if Katherine is elected that she might have her kids tree house taken down. Lynette runs for home owners accosiation. Katherine and Lynette start a rivalry. During elections, Edie notices that Susan voted twice. Susan ends up picking Katherine because she is worried she won't be able to sleep with that fountain. Katherine and Lynette reconcile when Katherine promises that she won't have the tree house taken down. Katherine tells Bob and Lee that they can take their fountain down at their earliest convinience. Bob and Lee blackmail Katherine with something that happened back in Chicago leaving Katherine furious. ("Art Isn't Easy")

Katherine and Adam go to Bob and Lee's Halloween party as a queen and Frankenstein. Bree Hodge drags Adam out to help deliver Danielle's baby. Bree and Orson make Adam promise not to tell anyone and even Katherine. ("Now I Know, Don't Be Scared")

Dylan has been assigned to do research on her father. Katherine at first refuses and tells her that she will have her teacher give her another assignment. Katherine later changes her mind and hands Dylan a piece of paper with all of her father's contact information. Katherine makes Dylan promise not to tell him where she is because the night she left him he said that he would kill her. Dylan decides not to go through with it and will have her teacher give her another assignment. When Dylan leaves, Katherin unfolds the paper revealing it had nothing on it. ("You Can't Judge a Book by its Cover")

While Katherine is taping up her windows for when the tornado comes, Katherine see's an old enemy named Sylvia Greene. Katherine confronts Sylvia and Sylvia reveals to Katherine that she and Adam talked the day before. Katherine is furious that Adam didn't tell her this. Katherine spits right in Sylvia's face. Sylvia drives to the end of the lane and Bree Hodge asks Katherine what that was all about. Katherine is cold to Bree and tells her to stay out of her business. Bree and Sylvia talk and Sylvia locks herself in the Hodge's bathroom. Bree gets Katherine and Adam to try to get Sylvia out. Orson gets home. Bree, Orson, Benjamin, Katherine, and Adam all hide in a closet to keep themselves protected. Sylvia eventually leaves and is sucked out the door and is killed in the tornado. While in the closet, Katherine finds out Adam did have an affair with Sylvia. When the tornado is over, Katherine makes Adam move into the guest room. ("Something's Coming")

Katherine decides to make Adam move out after not being able to forgive him. While packing, Adam finds the note from Lillian Simms. Adam confronts Katherine about it saying that she isn't kicking him out, but he is leaving her. Adam tells Katherine that he can't believe she has been lying to him all these years. Katherine throws the note into the fire in the fireplace after Adam leaves. Dylan see's this and retrieves the note. She puts together the pieces that read "Your father was murdered". Dylan is horrifyed. ("Welcome to Kanagawa")

After Adam leaves Katherine, Susan, Lynette, Bree, and Gaby stop by Katherine's house with muffins and jam. Katherine acts cold to everyone and tells them to leave. After everyone leaves, Katherine goes into the woods behind her house and looks a cross made of stones. She then starts crying. Dylan contacts her stepfather to know more about her father. Adam calls Katherine to let her know Dylan came to him. Adam agrees to give Katherine one last alibi and then he is through with her forever. Adam tells Dylan that Katherine did not kill her father. Also, Susan's cousin Tim comes to town and refers to Katherine as Mrs. Davis which was her first married name. We find out that Katherine and Tim had an affair twelve years before. Tim saw Katherine and her ex-husband Wayne Davis get into the night before Katherine left the lane. Katherine whacked Wayne over the head with a candle stick. ("Sunday")

Katherine and Bree both decide to host the Founders Ball this year despite their rivalry which concerns the other housewives. While planning, Katherine takes over which angers Bree. Bree is furious when Katherine takes over presenting the award as well. Bree discovers some spoiled dip but doesn't tell Katherine. Katherine tries and gets food poisoning. Katherine is still determined to present the award. To Bree's surprise, Katherine presents the award to Bree. When Bree and Katherine hug, Katherine tells Bree that she knows Bree tried to kill her. Katherine later told Bree that she really wanted to be her friend. Bree explains that her friendship with all the girls has a certain niche to it. Gabrielle is the glamerous one, Susan is the adorable one, Lynette's smart, Edie is Edie, and Bree is the domestic one, the organizer. Bree tells Katherine that she and Katherine are the same and she doesn't know how to be friends with someone like that. Katherine tell Bree that she thinks they could be best friends. Bree and Katherine become friends. ("In Buddy's Eyes")

Katherine decides to start a catering company and gets Bree to join. One day while Dylan is driving, she is pulled over by a cop who reveals to be her father. ("Hello, Little Girl")

Dylan tells Katherine she has started seeing someone while in reality she has been visiting her father. Dylan and Wayne decide to tell Katherine the truth. Wayne stops by Katherine's house later on to say she has changed in the past thirteen years. After Wayne leaves, Katherine closes a drawer which had a gun in it. ("Opening Doors")

Katherine decides she wants to move now that Wayne knows where she is. Dylan refuses to move saying she wants to stay with her father. Wayne attempts to reconcile with Katherine but she refuses. Katherine tells Wayne that she cheated on Wayne while they were married and that Dylan is not his kid. Wayne is ready to hit Katherine but Katherine says hello to Mrs. McCluskey so Wayne doesn't do anything. Wayne takes gum that Dylan chewed and does a DNA test on it. It reveals that Wayne AND Katherine are not related to Dylan. Wayne asks Katherine who Dylan is. ("Mother Said")

Wayne confronts Katherine about who Dylan is. Bob and Lee interrupt them which makes Katherine happy. Katherine makes Wayne leave so she can discuss the plans for Bob and Lee's commitment ceremony. Later on, Bree and Katherine go shooting at a range because Katherine wants be protected. Katherine comes home to find Adam. He tells Katherine that Katherine and Dylan need to move away. Katherine tells Adam that Dylan refuses to move. Adam tells Katherine that he promised to take Dylan anywhere she wanted after her graduation. Adam tells Katherine that they can leave and not come back. At Dylan's recitle, Wayne tricks Adam into coming to the parking lot where Wayne beats Adam and knocks him out. ("The Gun Song")

Katherine goes to the police to report Adam missing. The police doesn't help out since Wayne is a cop. Katherine returns home to pack. Dylan refuses to go so Katherine tells Dylan the truth. Dylan runs out of the house angerly. Katherine goes to the poker game with Susan, Lynette, Bree, and Gaby. Katherine tells Bree she has to cancel on Bob and Lee's ceremony. Bree makes Susan, Lynette, and Gaby help her. Katherine goes to the Delfino house to ask Susan if she has seen Dylan. They both say they haven't. Katherine returns home to be confronted by Wayne. Katherine runs to get her gun but Wayne beats her to it and holds his ex-wife at gun point. Wayne holds Katherine hostage and wants to know what happened to the real Dylan. Katherine refuses because Wayne doesn't have an alibi. The Solis's tendant runs into the house but Wayne shoots her with Katherine's gun now having his alibi. Wayne is ready to shoot Katherine when Bree knocks on the door. Wayne holds Bree hostage and threatens to kill her if she doesn't tell him the truth. Katherine tells Wayne everything. Wayne is furious and is ready to kill Katherine. Adam rushes into the house and fights Wayne. Adam wins and has Wayne knocked to the ground. Katherine goes downstairs to confront Wayne one last time. Wayne threatens to get revenge, Worried that he will return, Katherine shoots Wayne in the heart and kills him. Katherine is not arrested because it was in self-defence. Katherine is finally excepted as one of the girls. ("Free")

Time Jump
Eventually, Katherine and Adam officially divorce. Dylan also goes off to college. Sometime in college, Dylan meets a man named Bradley. Katherine comes home one night to hear on her answering machine that Bradley proposed to Dylan and she gladley excepted which made Katherine happy for her. ("Free")

Bree began drinking again after Orson's incarceration and Katherine helped her recover, allowing the two women to bond further. ("Mirror, Mirror")

Season 5
Katherine and Bree's catering company takes off. Katherine is jealous that Bree took recipes that only Katherine can make and she put them in her cookbook. Bree shows Katherine that she dedicated the book to Katherine. Katherine doesn't think this is enough since Bree is taking credit for her work. During an interview, Katherine acts like she sprained her wrist so Bree has to put the sugar netting on one of the deserts in Bree's cookbook. Bree is not able to do it right but Katherine fixes it at the end. This crimps Bree and Katherine's friendship. ("You're Gonna Love Tomorrow")

When Karen McCluskey gets suspecious about Edie Williams new husband, Mrs. McCluskey goes to Katherine for help to find out more about Dave because Katherine owns a computer. Katherine agrees to help Mrs. McCluskey. ("We're So Happy You're So Happy")

Katherine can't find any research on Dave because she and Mrs. McCluskey know very little about him. Katherine and Karen invite Edie over for lunch to get dirt on her husband. Edie realizes she knows very little about Dave. At Danielle Katz's welcome home dinner, Katherine asks Dave where he went to college. Dave doesn't answer. Edie starts to question her husband as well. Dave tells them her never went because his father had a drinking problem. Katherine and Karen come no where close to finding out anything about him. ("Kids Ain't Like Everybody Else")

Katherine along with Susan Mayer, Lynette Scavo, Gabrielle Solis, and Edie Williams all receive advanced copies of Bree's new cookbook. Katherine and the other housewives worry Bree will eventually dump them as friends because of her success. Bree promises that that will never happen. When Bree wants to hire Orson as an assistant, Katherine refuses. Bree however does it anyways and Katherine gives back Bree's cookbook and quits. ("Back in Business")

At Mrs. McCluskey's 70th birthday party, Susan's lover Jackson makes out with Katherine to make Susan mad. Later on, Orson wants to announce he is Bree's partner but Bree reveals she hasn't told Katherine yet. Bree decides to fire Orson instead of telling Katherine the truth. Orson retaliates by asking Bree for a divorce. After fighting, Bree tells Orson that while he was in prison, Katherine helped her bear her achoholism again. Orson tells Katherine he will just work for her and Bree until Katherine wants to promote him. Katherine agrees. ("Mirror, Mirror")

Katherine thinks about moving to be with Dylan and Bradley who have recently had a kid. Katherine tells Bree she is no longer needed in Fairview because she's been divorced five years, hasn't had sex in two years, and Orson is a great employee. Bree sets Katherine up on a blind date with a friend of Orson's in college. Bree later finds out he was really Orson's friend from prison. Bree tries to warn Katherine but she has already slept with him. Katherine decides to move but Bree tells her she is like the sister she never had. Katherine is flattered and decides to stay. On her way home, Katherine runs into Susan's ex-husband Mike, they share they both had bad dates recently. They then go inside for lemonade and to talk. ("There's Always a Woman")

After Bree and Orson are blackmailed with a sex tape by one of their former employees. Andrew retrieves it but he watches it to make sure it was right. It didn't show Orson and Bree but it showed Katherine and Mike having sex. Bree confronts Katherine about this saying that Susan is Katherine's oldest friend on the street and she doesn't need to ruin it. Katherine tells Bree that it's not a big deal now that Susan is dating Jackson. Katherine and Mike continue dating secretly. ("What More Do I Need?")

When Mike gets stuck in the nightclub fire, Katherine gets worried. She is happy when Dave brings Mike out alive. ("City on Fire")

After the fire, Katherine brings Mike cookies while he's in the hospital. Katherine runs into Susan who was visiting Jackson. Susan asks who Katherine was visiting but she lies and says everyone. Susan visits Mike and asks him who sent the cookies. Mike says he is seeing someone. Susan is mad that it is someone she knows. Susan talks to Katherine about it who feels awkward through the whole conversation. When Susan tries Katherine's cookies and see's that it is the same kind Mike had. Susan realized Mike is seeing Katherine. Susan storms out of Katherine's house but Katherine tries to apoligize. Susan doesn't forgive her. Susan confronts Bree about knowing about Katherine dating Mike. Bree tells Susan she shouldn't care since she divorced Mike. Susan later gives Katherine and Mike her blessing. ("Me and My Town")

Katherine, Mike, and M.J. all go to the zoo. They come home early because M.J. throw his ice cream at Katherine's head. Katherine blames Susan saying Susan has been telling M.J. lies about her. Susan goes bowling with Mike, Katherine, and M.J. to show him they are all friends. M.J. is nice to Katherine at first when he see's Mike and Susan sitting together, but when Mike leaves Susan to help Katherine, M.J. drops his bowling ball on her foot. Katherine and Mike find out Susan told M.J. when Mike left her that he would come back one day. M.J. starts to like Katherine when he see's his parents won't get back together. ("A Vision's Just a Vision")

Katherine wants to find out where her and Mike's relationship is going. Katherine asks Mike if she should move up with Dylan and her family. Mike doesn't pay much attention to the subject which makes Katherine upset. Mike realizes he is falling inlove with Katherine. He sends Katherine flowers that say "Don't go". Mike and Katherine kiss and make up. ("Connect! Connect!")

Mike bought Katherine pearls which upset Susan because she wants to get M.J. into private school. Susan tries to steal the pearls but Katherine stops her. Susan tells Katherine her reason and Katherine and Susan confront Mike. Mike reveals that pearls are fake because he couldn't afford real ones and Katherine always wanted pearls. Katherine and Mike make up. ("Mama Spent Money When She Had None")

When M.J. gets sick, Susan drops him off at Mike's house. Since Susan and Mike both have to work, Mike drops of M.J at Katherine's house. Susan gets jealous when M.J. starts to spend a lot of time with Katherine. When Susan goes to take a shower, M.J. goes to Katherine's house for a panini. Susan si furious and she and Katherine fight. Katherine reveals that Mike will be moving in with her so M.J. will be spending a lot more time there if he likes it or not. ("In a World Where the Kings Are Employers")

Katherine and Mike move in together and decide to throw a house warming party. Lynette, Gaby, Bree, and Edie notice Katherine and Susan being very civil to each other and wonder why. Susan explains that if Mike has to be with anyone than she is glad it was with Katherine. Susan brings over a punch bowl for the party and Susan notices a painting she made for Mike of their honnymoon. Katherine admired it but not as much when she found out who made it and what it was of. At the party, Susan saw the painting was replaced with a big picture of a happy Mike and Katherine. Susan sneaks down to the basement to find the painting which Katherine claimed broke. Susan shows it to Katherine and Mike and Katherine and Mike fight. ("Crime Doesn't Pay")

Katherine, Mike, and Dave plan on going on a camping trip but Katherine changes her mind because she has to do her taxes. Dave convinces Katherine to come because he made a huge impact on Mike's life and he wants to get to know her better. Katherine agrees to go. At the end of the episode, Katherine, Mike, and Dave leave for their camping trip. ("The Story of Lucy and Jessie") Katherine, Mike, and Dave get to their cabin unaware that Dave plans to shoot Katherine to make Mike suffer. When Katherine and Mike go for a hike, Dave hides in the bushes ready to shoot Katherine. Edie calls Dave which interrupts him and he shoots a tree instead. Katherine was not killed. But that night, Edie Williams would be. ("A Spark. To Pierce the Dark")

Katherine visits Rose Kemper who is in the hospital after Bree's husband Orson broke into her house. Katherine is sad that Rose is put into assisted living. Katherine sends Mike over to check on Dave after Edie got fried by a power line and was killed. Dave tells Mike to leave him alone and go back to his happy life with Katherine. Katherine see's Susan on the ground in the road while being pulled over by a cop. ("Rose's Turn")

While having breakfast, M.J. asks Mike if he's ever gonna marry Katherine. Mike asks Katherine for some help but she thinks it's histaricle and refuses. Mike tells M.J. he doesn't know and he leaves. Katherine then gives M.J. the ice cream she promised him if he asked Mike. Katherine asks Mike later if he ever thought about marriage. Mike tells Katherine how he has already been married twice and he doesn't see himself ever getting married again which Katherine doesn't like. ("Bargaining")

Katherine is thrilled when she finds out Susan and Jackson are getting married in a few days because this means she won't have to worry about Mike going back to Susan. Susan tells Katherine that her marriage to Jackson is really a sham and if Mike can't pay alimony anymore than she can't marry Mike. Katherine tells Susan she'll talk to Mike. Mike sends Susan a text saying he will continue paying her checks but it was really Katherine who sent it. She then deletes the message off Mike's computer. Mike later asks Katherine to marry him which she gladley agrees to. Katherine asks why Mike changed his mind. He tells her it just felt like the perfect time. Mike gets Katherine a wring at the end of the episode which makes her excited. ("Marry Me a Little")

Jackson thinks Mike was the one who had him deported. Katherine tells Susan it couldn't have been Mike because Katherine never told him that the wedding was a sham. Katherine tells Susan she sent the message. Susan is furious and is ready to tell Mike. Katherine begs Susan not to tell because she knows she can make Mike happy but first Mike has to move on from his ex-wife. Susan agrees which makes Katherine more happy. Susan later asks Mike if he loves Katherine and he says yes. Susan says that is all she needed to hear. Katherine and Mike decide to go and elope in Las Vagas. ("Everybody Says Don't")

Katherine and Mike leave for their quick wedding in Vagas. At the airport, Mike watches the tape that Dave gave Mike. Katherine went to get cappachinos for her and Mike. Mike leaves the airport to save his son and ex-wife. Katherine returns but thinks Mike got cold feet. Katherine starts crying because she is alone on her wedding day. Two months later, it shows Mike marrying an unidentified bride. It could be Katherine or Susan. ("If It's Only in Your Head")

Season 6
"You wouldn't know it to look at her but the lady next door is having a nervous breakdown..."

- Mary Alice Young

It is revealed that Mike's mystery bride was Susan and not Katherine. Eight weeks before the wedding, Mike ends his relationship with Katherine. Katherine acts as if she is okay but she is furious with Susan. Katherine starts to put all her attention into her work which is revealed when she shows up at Angie Bolen's house to tell Bree Hodge she just finished planning a barmitzfah that was three months away. Lynette Scavo and Gabrielle Solis get worried about Katherine. Katherine notices Susan who hides behind Lynette. Angie notices the way Susan and Katherine act to one another and is feeling awkward. When Susan's wedding dress arrives and Susan isn't home to sign for it. Katherine signs for it. Susan goes to Katherine's house to retrieve her dress only to find Katherine wearing it. Susan is worried Katherine will ruin her dress. Katherine goes to check on her tomato sauce which is bubbling and scares Susan. Katherine finally gives Susan her dress back. At Susan's wedding while she is in her dressing room, Katherine shows up and demands Susan apoligize to her in her wedding vows. Susan refuses but Katherine threatens to make a scene. Susan locks Katherine in a closet and gets married right before Katherine escapes. Katherine barges in as Mike and Susan walk down the isle to leave. Susan apoligizes to Katherine. As Susan and Katherine hug, Katherine whispers to Susan that it mean't nothing to her and she vows to get revenge. ("Nice is Different Than Good")

When Julie Mayer is strangled, Katherine, Orson, Carlos, and Tom stand together in the crowd. ("Being Alive")

Katherine starts sneaking around Susan Delfino's house and Bree catches her. Bree tells Katherine she needs to move on from Mike because he just married Susan and he loves her. Katherine tells Bree that it's a lie. Later on at a wedding, Katherine tells Bree she's sorry. Bree and Katherine hug but Katherine see's the wedding cake which is the same one Katherine made for her and Mike's wedding. Katherine tries to destroy the cake but Bree stops her. The next morning Katherine shows up for work. Bree is furious with Katherine and tells her she needs to get help. Bree fires Katherine. Katherine retaliates by scratching Bree's car with her keys to Bree's test kitchen. Katherine and Bree end their friendship and Katherine leaves Bree's house. ("The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues")

While choosing people for neighborhood watch, Katherine wants to work with Mike but Susan doesn't choose her. Katherine starts snooping around Susan's house and Julie gets scared. Julie has Angie Bolen's gun that Danny Bolen loaned her so she wouldn't be as scared. Susan takes the gun but when she see's a shadow she shoots the gun. She looks out the window to it was Katherine. Nick Bolen, Lee McDermott, and Bob Hunter all rush out to see what happen. Katherine and Susan both fight to have Bob as their lawyer. Susan says she only shot because she saw someone lurking around her house. Katherine told her she was filling in for Tom Scavo because he had to study. Katherine claimed she was going to tell Susan when she shot her. Nick tells Angie and Danny that Susan shot Katherine. Danny realizes it was their gun. Angie goes to Katherine's house to convince her not to tell the police about Susan. Nick is able to take the gun back while Angie talks to Katherine. ("Everybody Ought to Have a Maid")

Katherine tries to restart her friendship with Susan and Mike but is really just trying to steal Mike from her. Susan at first refuses but Katherine tells her how everyone wants Katherine to sue Susan for shooting her. Susan agrees to brunch. Katherine goes to Angie's house to tell her their plan worked. Angie tells Katherine that this is her plan and she wants nothing to do with it. When Susan and Mike get ready to have sex, Katherine calls to say she has a flood in her master bathroom. Mike and Susan both go to Katherine's house. Katherine lies and says it was clogged in her sink so Susan doesn't go upstairs. Susan sneaks upstairs and see's Katherine planned to seduce Mike. Katherine finds Susan and they start to fight. Susan calls Mike upstairs but Katherine starts to hid everything. Susan and Katherine fight and fall into the bubble bath. Susan leaves Katherine's house and tells Mike they hate her again. Katherine tells Angie she needs the gun back so she can tell the police about Susan. Angie tells Katherine she should stick to her plan. Katherine tells Angie she hates how Susan can get away with shooting her. ("Don't Walk on the Grass")

After the police find out about Susan shooting Katherine, Susan has to pick up litter on the side of the road. Katherine meets Susan and throws her drink out the window and drives away. Susan tells the cop and gives him Katherine's address 4356. Katherine has to pick up trash on the road and starts to cry. Katherine tells Susan she really did love Mike. Katherine then brags about how she and Mike had sex five times in one day before. Susan finds out later that it was only because Katherine and Mike were snowed in somewhere one time. ("The Coffee Cup")

One day, M.J. Delfino see's Katherine sitting on her porch depressed. Katherine tells M.J. that Susan stole Mike from her and that makes her a bad person. Mike goes to Katherine's house furious and tells Katherine never to talk to M.J. again. When Mike comes to pick M.J. up from a birthday party, he finds out Katherine picked up M.J. Mike rushes over to Katherine's house again and tells M.J. to go home. Mike tells Katherine once again to stay away. Katherine tells Mike that M.J. deserves to know the truth. Mike tells Katherine he never loved her and that the entire time he was with her he wished it was Susan. Katherine tells Mike if he meant that than he wants him to kill her. Mike throws the knife to the counter and tells Katherine he doesn't care enough about her to kill her. When Mike leaves, Katherine calls 911 to tell them to send an ambulance because she's losing blood. After she hangs up, she stabs herself in the cut with the knife. ("Would I Think of Suicide?") Katherine accuses Mike of stabbing her because Mike got his finger prints on the knife. Bob tells Susan she has to be Katherine's best friend because she can send Mike away to prison for along time. Katherine is now in denial saying Mike stabbed her because she told him she loved someone else. Susan see's Katherine is going absolutly crazy. Susan asks Bob who could get Katherine into a mental hospital. Bob tells Susan only family members can commit her. Susan calls up Dylan who thinks Mike and Katherine are married and Susan stabbed Katherine because she couldn't have him. Susan shows Dylan, her and Mike's wedding album. Dylan commits her mother to a mental hospital right after Katherine runs out of her room to find Mike. ("Boom Crunch") While in the mental hospital, Mrs. McCluskey comes to visit Katherine and ask her when she's coming home. Katherine tells Mrs. McCluskey she can never come back after almost ruining Bree's business, getting Mike arrested, and trying to ruin Mike and Susan's marriage. Later on Mrs. McCluskey brings, Susan, Lynette, Bree, and Gaby to see Katherine. Lynette, Gaby, and Bree all forgive Katherine right away. Susan and Katherine finally make up and restart their friendship. ("How About a Friendly Shrink?")

Katherine becomes friends with a stripper named Robin Gallagher. Robin moves in with her. Katherine and Robin go drinking and two guys hit on Robin. Robin then makes out with Katherine. Robin reveals to Katherine that she is a lesbian. Katherine is now confused about wheather or not she is into Robin. ("Lovely")

Katherine is getting mixed feeling about Robin after she has a dream about seducing her. Katherine talks with her theropist about it who says she should make Robin leave because she is interfearing with Katherine's recovery. Katherine tells Robin to leave because she's falling for her. Katherine follows Robin upstairs and they have sex. ("The Chase")

Katherine doesn't know if she's a lesbian so she asks Bob and Lee if sleeping with Robin makes her a lesbian. Bob and Lee tell her it doesn't. Katherine tells Robin that she was drunk and her relationship with Robin meant nothing. Robin tells her that there was a connection. Robing kisses Katherine on the lips and Katherine agrees with Robin. ("Chromolume No. 7")

Katherine enjoys having sex with Robin but she is not ready to announce her new relationship. At Mrs. McCluskey's surviving cancer party, Katherine and Robin get into an argument and Katherine says that just because she enjoys having sex with Robin it doesn't mean she's gay. Everyone hears Katherine and Robin's conversation which embarrasses her. Karen tells Katherine later on that she needs to stop listening to what everyone else thinks. Katherine tells Robin she needs to leave but Katherine tells her she wants to go with her. Robin tells Katherine she's always wanted to go to Paris. Katherine and Robin decide to move to Paris so they can figure out what their relationship will turn into. ("My Two Young Men")

Season 8
"It took them a moment to notice another old friend had returned."

- Mary Alice Young

Katherine returns from Paris in the final episode of the series. Over coffee, she explains to Susan, Lynette, Bree and Gaby that after three months of living in France, she and Robin broke up after she eventually realized she wasn't attracted to women. Katherine reveals that she is no longer "in the game", indicating that she is not dating, and is now channeling her sexual frustration into a business - a line of frozen French pastries - which has made her incredibly wealthy. She reveals her reason for visiting...she has a business proposition for Lynette. Katherine is looking for her business to expand worldwide and she wants Lynette to help run the U.S division in New York. She is disgruntled when Lynette turns down the offer because she's back with Tom and attempts to persuade her decsion by letting Lynette know that in the entire time she has known her, Lynette has never been content with a life of "sewing buttons." Katherine reveals that she is in town for 3 days if Lynette decides to change her mind. After some self-examination, Lynette does just that - the Scavos move to New York, where Lynette becomes CEO of the U.S division of Katherine's company. ("Finishing the Hat")

Personality
When Katherine was introduced to the series, many critics noted that she was very similar to the Bree Hodge character, in that both prided themselves on their domestic skills. Marc Cherry noted that Katherine "was clearly different" before her arrival in the fourth season, which the Susan character confirms when she claims Katherine is "not as fun as she used to be." Her cold exterior is noted by many characters, including Gabrielle Solis, who remarks that Katherine is "smug and 'holier than thou'" and is "getting a reputation around [the neighborhood] for having a stick up [her] ass!" Though Katherine immediately has conflicts with the other women on the street, most notably Bree, she eventually develops close friendships with her neighbors. Nevertheless, her rivalry with Bree continues, but as a natural part of their sisterly relationship. In the sixth season, however, Katherine "[morphs] into the person the housewives have to hate" in the absence of the Edie Britt character.

Casting
Delany auditioned for the series' pilot episode in 2004 for the role of Bree Van de Kamp. Creator Marc Cherry thought she delivered "a fantastic audition." Delany was offered the role but rejected it three times. Delany has since insisted that she was not ready to do another television series at the time and that the character of Bree was too similar to her character on Pasadena. The role eventually went to Marcia Cross, Cherry's second choice. Delany reportedly regretted not accepting the part.

Development
When Cherry was developing Katherine, a character with "a lot of Alpha female qualities and some slyness and darkness," he offered Delany the role. She accepted the role and remained on the series until the end of the sixth season. Following her multi-episode guest role on another ABC series, Castle, network executives offered Delany the lead in a new pilot for the 2010-2011 television season. Delany filmed the pilot for Body of Proof in April 2010; her absence in Desperate Housewives was explained by having Katherine and her girlfriend, Robin Gallagher, leave town indefinitely. In May, ABC picked up Body of Proof for thirteen episodes; thus, Delany did not return for the seventh season of Desperate Housewives as a series regular. Delany admits that her exit from the series was quick, but insists that she may return to the series at some point, regardless of whether or not her new series is successful.

Trivia

 * Bree Van de Kamp and Katherine Mayfair, often depicted as rivals, share many similarities beyond just excellent cooking:
 * Both have married doctors.
 * The first husbands are now dead, with the second husbands having left them.
 * Both have red hair (although in Bree's case it's unnatural).
 * Both have had romantic relationships and/or been engaged with one of Susan's (at the time) ex-husbands.
 * Both have been patients at psychiatric hospitals.
 * Both have daughters who eventually had a baby of their own (though, in Bree's case, it's her biological daughter).
 * Both tried to pass off another child as their own.
 * Marc Cherry said that he was originally going to make Katherine and Mike marry, however, fans said that it had better have been Susan that he married.
 * Susan and Mary Alice knew Katherine previously when she lived in Wisteria Lane at least 12 years before season 4. However Bree was also living on the street at the time (as she lived on Wisteria Lane from 1994), but it seems like Katherine and Bree knew each other from season 4.
 * The character received media attention when she was involved in the series' first lesbian relationship.
 * Katherine is the only housewife to return after departing from the series and main cast.

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