PREVIEW: Tonight's DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES

"The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened" - The ladies are given pause by the loss of one man's life on the 100th episode of ABC's DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, Sunday, January 18 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET). When neighborhood handyman, Eli Scruggs (Beau Bridges), passes away, the residents of Wisteria Lane come to realize just how much he affected their lives. Gaby recalls how Eli helped her make new friends when she moved in; Lynette remembers how he came to her aide when she was overwhelmed and neglected Penny; Susan reflects on how he was always there for her as a shoulder to cry on each time a man walked out of her life; Edie looks back on their special friendship; and Bree thinks fondly of how a small gesture he once made helped get her to where she is today.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES stars Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree Hodge, Eva Longoria Parker as Gabrielle Solis, Nicollette Sheridan as Edie Britt, Ricardo Antonio Chavira as Carlos Solis, Doug Savant as Tom Scavo, Kyle MacLachlan as Orson Hodge, Dana Delany as Katherine Mayfair, Neal McDonough as Dave, Shawn Pyfrom as Andrew Van De Kamp, Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young, James Denton as Mike Delfino, Charlie Carver as Porter Scavo, Max Carver as Preston Scavo, Joshua Moore as Parker Scavo and Kendall Applegate as Penny Scavo.

Guest stars include Beau Bridges as Eli Scruggs, Steven Culp and Rex Van de Kamp, Christine Estabrook as Martha Huber and Lucille Song as Yao Lin.

"The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened" was directed by Larry Shaw and written by Marc Cherry and Bob Daily.