document_title: Bree Van de Kamp

question_text: what happens to danielle's baby on desperate housewives

question_tokens: what happens to danielle 's baby on desperate housewives

root

text: Bree Van de Kamp

text: Character profile[edit]

text: Bree Van de Kamp is one of the four main protagonists in Desperate Housewives. Bree grew up in Rhode Island when her father married a woman named Eleanor, after her mother's death, with whom she did not get along. In order to escape her stepmother's demands, Bree left for Lake Forest College near Chicago. Bree also mentioned on one of Eleanor's visits that she had to work for every kind word she ever was given from her step-mother. Bree met Rex Van de Kamp at a meeting of the Young Republicans. After they graduated, they married and had two children, Andrew and Danielle, and moved to Fairview.

tag: p

text: Bree is very much written as an exaggerated version of the characteristics often attributed to White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Americans; she has been called a "hyper-uptight WASP."[3] Bree is recognized for her perfectionist attitude and work ethic, which at times border on neurosis and obsessive–compulsive disorder. While the writers have shied away from an official diagnosis, the character is recognised as suffering from obsessive–compulsive personality disorder. The character herself refers to her "quirks" in terms of anal retentiveness but Rex once mentioned it by the name. Bree's perfectionism may stem from when her mother was killed in a hit and run: a 10-year-old Bree cleaned her blood off the road outside the house. She said that once everything was spotless, she felt much better.

text: Bree is known for her homemaking talents on the level of Martha Stewart, particularly her gourmet meals, breakfast treats and pineapple bran muffins. She is also well-versed in firearm training; she owns four guns and is a card-carrying member of the National Rifle Association. Bree supports the Republican Party, as stated in the season 3 opener, and is also known for being a member of the local Presbyterian church, as shown in the episode Sunday. Her neighbours Angie Bolen, Gabrielle Solis and Renee Perry have nicknamed her 'Nancy Reagan' on occasions. She has lived at 4354 Wisteria Lane in Fairview since 1994 and is also said to have a timeshare residence in Aspen that she never uses. Bree is based on creator Marc Cherry's own mother, and the Van de Kamp family is based on the family in which he grew up. Bree's family was based on Marc Cherry's teen years, while Lynette Scavo's family is based on Marc Cherry's childhood years.[4] Bree and her first husband, Rex, were both named after the overtly vain characters on two of Marc Cherry's previous failed sitcoms, The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (Bree) and The Crew (Rex).

text: Both of Bree's marriages have broken down and ended in divorce (Rex, however, died before their divorce was finalized). Following the request for divorce, both of Bree's former husbands attempted reconciliation with her. Rex succeeded, whereas her second husband Orson Hodge did not. During the breakdown of her second marriage, Bree had an affair with Karl Mayer, her divorce lawyer and ex-husband of her friend, Susan Delfino. Bree, however, did remarry in the series finale to her lawyer, Trip Weston, making him her third husband.

text: Bree is the only one of the main four housewives not to appear in every episode. Appearing only as a stand-in in "My Husband, The Pig", Bree is totally absent in its six following episodes ("Dress Big", "Liaisons", "God, That's Good", "Gossip", "Into the Woods" and "What Would We Do Without You?") due to Cross' pregnancy.

text: Overview[edit]

text: Season 1[edit]

text: Bree Van de Kamp is introduced in season one as the "perfect" wife and mother. However, it becomes apparent that her emotional coldness and obsession with appearance makes her family resent her and as her husband Rex put it "I just can't live in this detergent commercial anymore."

text: She insists she and Rex have marriage guidance counselling when he wants a divorce and demands that Andrew and Danielle refuse presents from their father if they want to continue living with her. Unfortunately, in Andrew's case, this leads to him drink-driving and accidentally knocking down Juanita Solis, leaving her seriously injured. Rex and Bree conceal this to protect him but Bree is soon disappointed with his lack of remorse. Determined to make him realize that there are consequences to his actions, she reveals, in an anonymous tip-off to the coach of the swimming team, that Andrew keeps marijuana in his locker. This discovery results in him being removed from the team. Bree is determined to keep her family together until Rex has a heart attack, leading her to discover that he regularly visited a prostitute. Worse still, the prostitute turns out to be an acquaintance of hers, Maisy Gibbons, who is later arrested for living off immoral earnings. Maisy is persuaded to do a deal with the District Attorney, naming her clients and despite a request from Bree, does not remove Rex's name. Furious, Bree tells Rex she will divorce him but is "persuaded" by Andrew and Danielle to look after him, while he recuperates from a heart attack. Initially wanting to hurt him, Bree starts dating local pharmacist, George Williams, but ends things when Rex asks her to give their marriage another chance. She and George agree to be just friends. Wanting to stop Rex visiting prostitutes, she reluctantly takes part in S&M scenarios with him.

text: Concerned about Andrew's worsening behaviour, she is cheered when Rex backs her up on one occasion. Unfortunately this doesn't make any difference so Rex and Bree feel that they have no choice but to send Andrew away to a boot camp. While there, Andrew reveals to his parents that he is bisexual. Bree initially tells him that she will always love him regardless but quietly insists to Rex that they take Andrew home immediately, worried about what he might be doing with the other boys at night, and asks their vicar to give Andrew some counselling on lifestyle, believing that his soul is in danger. This has disastrous results, as Andrew thinks she doesn't love him and deliberately hurts her. Bree continues to confide in George about her family problems but, after Rex makes it clear that Bree will stay with him, George begins tampering with Rex's medication. This is uncovered when Rex has a second heart attack. Believing Bree was responsible, Rex writes a note forgiving her and dies. Bree's final scenes in the season involve her receiving the bad news and breaking down in tears.

text: Season 2[edit]

text: In Season 2, Bree's mother-in-law, Phyllis (Shirley Knight), visits for her son's funeral. She so annoys Bree with her constant sniping and excessive displays of grief that Bree tells her that she cannot attend Rex's funeral, but Andrew persuades her to. The final straw, however, is when she discovers Phyllis reported her friendship with George to the company handling Rex's life insurance. Bree sends Phyllis home and is questioned by the police about meddling with Rex's medication. She is cleared and is furious when she discovers the note Rex had left her which claimed he thought she murdered him and she starts dating George. However, George constantly tries to rush things, making her uneasy. When George places an announcement of their engagement in the local paper, an ex-fiancée of his visits Bree to warn her about him. Bree is horrified and sends the woman away but she is proved right when George loses his temper with an old school friend of Bree's, so she ends their relationship. He tries blackmailing her into a reconciliation by taking some pills and admits killing Rex. Devastated, Bree says that she has called an ambulance and it will be there soon, but in reality, she hasn't. She watches him die and tells Andrew, who tries blackmailing her for his trust fund.

text: Events with Rex, George and Andrew take their toll and she starts drinking heavily. She realizes she has a problem when she loses Lynette's children after passing out while babysitting. Andrew later begins making accusations about Bree physically abusing him and tries to seek emancipation rights, which Bree refuses. In denial, but not wanting Andrew to get his trust fund or give up on him, Bree joins AA but only takes it seriously after passing out in a shop changing room and not waking up until late at night. Her AA sponsor, Peter, and a security guard let her out. Bree also faces more turmoil when she discovers her new neighbours, the Applewhites are hiding from the police and is blackmailed into silence. To distract herself from her alcoholism, she has a brief relationship with Peter, who is addicted to sex. However, Andrew discovers this and seduces Peter to get revenge on Bree for denying him his trust fund. She dumps Peter and throws Andrew out after discovering that they slept together and in her bed.

text: Bree's mental health deteriorates rapidly following this and nobody can help her as her behaviour becomes erratic and spirals out of control including creating a scene at Danielle's birthday party. Danielle, meanwhile, starts dating Matthew Applewhite and moves out to be with him. However, Matthew's mother, Betty Applewhite, realizes Matthew murdered an ex-girlfriend, Melanie Foster. She tells Bree, who has checked herself into a psychiatric unit and later escapes after they refuse to let her leave. Bree and Betty rush to Bree's house to find Matthew and Danielle have taken money from Bree's safe. Bree confronts Matthew about Melanie and refuses to let them leave, so he threatens to shoot her, but the police, called by Betty, shoot him first. Bree then has to console Danielle. Bree's final scenes involve her beginning a new friendship with the mysterious Orson Hodge.

text: Season 3[edit]

text: Season three sees Bree marrying Orson after a six-month relationship, but their marriage is troubled by the belief that Orson physically abused his first wife, Alma (Valerie Mahaffey), and murdered her. Shortly after the wedding, Orson persuades Andrew to come home and they reconcile.

text: However, the arrival of Orson's mother, Gloria (Dixie Carter), and Alma's return, cause more trouble. They drug and rape Orson but Bree intervenes, learning that Gloria murdered Orson's mistress, Monique Polier, so he would stay with Alma. Gloria tries to kill Bree but Orson intervenes. Gloria has a severe stroke after Orson holds her head under water to get her to let go of the knife about to be used to kill Bree. Orson carries Gloria's body outside and places it next to Alma's body after she died when falling from the roof of her house.

text: Danielle, meanwhile, finds herself pregnant by Edie's nephew Austin (Josh Henderson). She is sent away so the neighbourhood won't learn of her pregnancy and Bree and Orson decide to fake a pregnancy so they can raise Danielle's child as their own.

text: Bree is not in episodes 3.16 to 3.22 as she is on honeymoon with Orson and Danielle. Bree returns for Gabrielle and Victor's wedding, heavily pregnant or so it seems...

text: Season 4[edit]

text: In season four, Bree and Orson struggle to make people think she is pregnant but is dismayed by people wanting to feel the baby move. Phyllis, Rex’s mother, discovers Bree’s pregnancy hoax and tries convincing Danielle to raise the child herself. Bree and Orson, however, persuade Danielle to give them the baby by offering to send her to college and buy her a convertible. Danielle has a baby boy and gives him to Bree — who names him Benjamin Tyson Hodge (surname later changed to Katz) — and agrees that Bree and Orson will raise him.

text: Bree develops a rivalry with new neighbor, Katherine Mayfair. Bree and Katherine are very similar, leading to a series of feuds before eventually becoming friends and go into business together, catering dinner parties.

text: After a tornado damages Bree’s house, she, Orson and Benjamin stay with Susan, and Orson admits being responsible for putting Mike in a coma. Horrified, Bree kicks him out. During their separation, Edie Britt comes onto Orson, leading to a feud between her and Bree. Edie discovers Benjamin is Bree's grandson and attempts to blackmail her. Bree, however, tells the other housewives the truth, so they all snub Edie.

text: In the season finale, Katherine saves Bree’s life by telling her ex-husband, Wayne, her secrets. When Katherine kills Wayne, Bree and the other housewives tell the police that Katherine was terrified of a stalker so she doesn't go to prison.

text: When the events of the series shift ahead by five years in the fourth-season finale, it is revealed that Bree is now a famous cookbook author and her son, Andrew, works with her as her assistant. Bree and Orson have evidently worked out their problems and are still together.

text: Season 5[edit]

text: The fifth season opens with Bree just having published her own cookbook, and successfully running the catering business. She and Orson reconcile after he went to prison for running over Mike. A flashback sequence reveals that while Bree awaited Orson's release, Danielle returned and took Benjamin, leaving her completely alone. Devastated, Bree relapsed into alcoholism but overcame it, thanks to Katherine.

text: Bree puts her career first, alienating her friends at times and causing a rift between her and Orson. In revenge, Orson begins stealing - initially to punish people who he feels have been rude, and to hurt Bree. Orson agrees to stop stealing, but when Bree learns that he was injured while attempting to rob an old woman (which led to Edie Britt's death) and that he has been trying to convince people that the old woman is senile, she decides she has had enough. She hires Karl Mayer as her divorce lawyer, who convinces her to stage a fake burglary so she can hide her precious/expensive things in a storage unit and not risk losing them in the divorce proceedings. However, Orson discovers her plan, threatening to send her to prison for insurance fraud unless she stays with him. Bree agrees reluctantly but shares a passionate kiss with Karl.

text: Season 6[edit]

text: In the first episode, Bree is unwilling to sleep with Karl, despite her marriage being strained. Orson, however, is determined to salvage their relationship, commenting that guilt is sometimes necessary for happiness, and defending his use of blackmail so that she'll stay with him. Bree takes this motto as her own and consummates her affair with Karl.

text: When Julie is hospitalized after being attacked, Bree worries that she will lose Susan's friendship on hearing that Susan would hypothetically no longer talk to a friend who dated Karl. However, Karl's fragility convinces Bree he needs her and she begins falling for him, acknowledging her feelings when they attend the same event and Karl brings another woman. This distracts her from her business and only realises the extent of Katherine's instability when an event is ruined. Bree dismisses her and, after getting to know new neighbour, Angie Bolen, hires her instead. Meanwhile, Karl's romantic gestures make their affair harder to hide. Suspicious, Orson gets Angie to spy on Bree. She discovers the tryst but confronts Bree, who explains that she connects intellectually with Orson but sexually with Karl, and is worried that their relationship will only ever be physical, despite his promises to change.

text: Bree's fears are realized when Susan also finds out about her and Karl. They fight, but despite her initial unhappiness, Susan eventually gives them her blessing. In order to get away from Orson, Karl suggests Bree threaten him, which she does, indicating she has evidence of him breaking his parole, and demands a divorce. Stunned, Orson tells Bree that he wouldn't send her to prison for fraud and goes to pack, but discovers her affair with Karl. They fight and Bree tries intervening but when an airplane crashes into Wisteria Lane, Karl is killed and Orson is paralyzed. Feeling guilty, Bree insists Orson come home so she can look after him but he is disgusted by her infidelity and takes advantage. Angry about his lack of manners and personal hygiene, Bree hoses him down but stops when he explains how angry he is with the way his life is now. Wanting to help, Bree gets two disabled men to visit, but Orson asks her to let him kill himself, telling her that he wants to die because no one loves him. When asked, Bree can't say the words, but seeing Orson trying to drown himself at a party of an old married couple with such passion causes Bree to realize that she still wants things to work with Orson. She stops him by telling him how much she cares and wants to recapture what they once had, and they reconcile.

text: A young man named Sam Allen (Sam Page) visits Bree, offering himself as a new assistant. Impressed by Sam's skills, Bree promotes him to vice-president, much to Andrew's anger. While visiting Sam's home, Bree is stunned to see a photo of Rex and Sam. Sam admits Rex was his father and that he spent years watching Bree's family, wondering why Rex chose them over him, and after his mother's death, came to see Bree. Shocked by this, Bree welcomes Sam into her life but finds herself at odds with Andrew, who suspects Sam has an ulterior motive. Sam plots to make Bree fire Andrew, which she does, but after she reveals that she and Andrew have a love-and-hate relationship, it's likely that Andrew will return. After she tells Orson about a sabotaged dinner, suspecting Andrew, Orson says Andrew couldn't be responsible because it was well planned, making Bree suspect Sam's true intentions. She discovers that Sam's mother is still alive and reveals that Sam found a letter from Rex, offering to take full custody of him. Bree confronts Sam about his lies and he angrily smashes a vase before leaving. She apologizes to Andrew but tells him and Orson she's not firing Sam for fear of how he might react.

text: In the season finale, Bree does try firing Sam but he retaliates by revealing he knows how Andrew ran over Carlos' mother years before (a drunken Danielle told him). He threatens to tell the police unless Bree turns over control of the company to him. Bree agrees to do so and then says she feels sorry for Sam for losing his chance to be part of a family and suspects no one will ever truly care for the man. Orson, who had not known what Andrew did, calls out Bree on the hypocrisy of demanding he go to jail for his hit-and-run of Mike but hiding Andrew's crime. He is both appalled and furious at Bree for this and announces he's moving out. Bree tells Andrew she now knows Orson was right and is seen about to confess to Gabrielle.

text: Season 7[edit]

text: Bree confesses to covering up the demise of Carlos' mom Mama Solis (Lupe Ontiveros). Gabrielle chooses not to tell her husband. After discovering her ex-husband has a new girlfriend only a week after they separated, Bree decides to redecorate the ground floor of her house, hiring Keith Watson (Brian Austin Green), to help but finds herself attracted to him. While looking at him from her car, she does not see Juanita Solis (Madison De La Garza) behind her before reversing, leading to Juanita being admitted to hospital. Upon finding out that Keith has a girlfriend, she agreed to go out clubbing with Renee Perry. She finds out that Keith broke up with his girlfriend, but he is instead going home with Renee. Bree sabotages their night and eventually asks Keith on a date. This begins Bree and Renee's fight over Keith.

text: Later Bree only mentioned to Richard Watson, father of Keith, that she's finally a divorcee. Learning this, Richard, who has been having feelings for Bree, tries to make a move to destroy Bree's and Keith's relationship so that he could have Bree instead. Keith attempts to propose to Bree and after the second failed attempt, Keith begins to question his relationship with Bree. Richard manipulates Keith's mind by warning him that Bree might be using him as a diversion from her actual feelings after her divorce from Orson. As a result, Keith begins to avoid Bree. Richard then kisses Bree all of a sudden and after he leaves, Bree tells Keith everything about his father's attempts to tear them apart. Later, Keith confronts Richard about this and has a fistfight with him but when rioters, who are opposing Paul Young's plan to open a halfway house for ex-convicts on Wisteria Lane, see the two fight, they mistaken him as an ex-convict due to his tattoos and ex-convict-like clothing and begin to beat Keith up. Bree breaks up the fight by firing a gun into the sky and this triggers fear and panic among the rioters and supporters for the halfway house alike, thinking this is an assassination attempt, proceed to flee, resulting in a riot that goes out of control.

text: Bree is thrown when Orson returns, claiming he was dumped by his girlfriend. Keith is annoyed at how Bree is willing to let Orson stay with them. Over dinner, Orson makes it clear he doesn't think Keith is a good choice for Bree as they have nothing in common and Orson understands her more, the two throwing food at one another. Bree goes to see Orson's ex, who reveals that Orson was the one who broke up with her as he's still in love with Bree. She confronts him and Orson confesses how he feels and thinks Bree is too good for Keith. Keith is angered at Bree continuing to want Orson to stay with them, saying that she's still in love with Orson. Bree responds by shoving him down in her manure-covered lawn, getting herself dirty to prove how much she's changed. When one of Keith's old girlfriends comes by, Bree is suspicious and discovers the woman has been raising Keith's son. She mentions children to Keith, who seems unsure whether he is father material. Bree goes to the girlfriend, lying about how Keith doesn't want to know the child. Keith finds her cutting up her roses as she says "you have to be ruthless to protect what you want." Bree meets the woman later to lend her money and when she leaves her son in Bree's care, Keith drops by the pizza parlor. Seeing Keith and the boy instantly bonding, Bree is overcome with guilt and confesses to Keith that the boy is actually his son. Keith desperately wants to be with his son, but he doesn't want to leave Bree, he pitches the idea of moving to Florida with Bree but she refuses to leave her home and friends. The next day Bree makes the ultimate decision and tells Keith that he must go to Florida for his son. She sacrifices their relationship and Keith leaves.

text: Bree discovers that Andrew has started drinking again, so much so that his husband leaves him. She encourages Andrew to go into rehab but is jarred when he decides to make amends by telling Carlos about running over his mother. When Carlos invites Andrew on a camping trip, Bree and Gabrielle fear the worst and follow them. Seeing Carlos with a bloody towel and a dirty shovel, Bree blurts out what Andrew did, just before her son enters the cabin. Carlos is outraged over this but eventually forgives Andrew. However, when Bree comes to thank him for not pressing charges, Carlos coldly tells her he won't forgive her for hiding the truth all these years and that they're no longer friends and that she and Gabby can no longer be friends. Bree ends up taking Gabby and her daughters into her house when Gabby leaves Carlos after telling him that she will not end her friendship with Bree. While the Solis' are staying with Bree she has a run in with Detective Chuck Vance (Jonathan Cake) who was on Wisteria Lane to check on parolee Felicia Tillman. Juanita Solis calls the police and tells them that Bree is trying to kill her and Celia (after Carlos tells her Bree's involvement in her grandmother's death). Chuck responds to the call at Bree's home and Carlos sorts everything out, explaining that the girls misunderstood what he had told them. Chuck leaves and gives Bree his number and the Solis' move out of Bree's and back with Carlos.

text: Chuck later returns to give Bree his number again after assuming she'd lost it since he hasn't received a call from her. Bree then agrees to go out on a date with him that night and when Bree tells this to Renee, Renee runs a background check on Chuck and reveals to Bree that he's still married (though he had filed for divorce a year ago). At dinner, Bree confronts Chuck with this information but Chuck retaliates by telling her that he had also run a background check on her, therefore becoming more aware of Bree's past. Offended, Bree abruptly ends their date and as Chuck drives her home, Chuck catches a hooker in the street and brings her back to the women's center. There, Chuck tells the hooker (who believes that she'll be a hooker forever) that she can turn her life around, pretending to reveal that Bree once was a prostitute and she had turned over a new leaf by going to school and starting a massive catering company. Moved by Chuck's whole-heartedly words, Bree gives Chuck a second chance and the two agree to go out on another date afterwards.

text: During the "progressive dinner party" celebrating Susan's return to Wisteria Lane, Bree (along with Lynette and Susan) walks into Gaby's house to discover that Carlos has murdered Alejandro Perez, Gaby's stepfather. She spearheads the decision to cover up the murder to protect Carlos, thus earning his forgiveness for keeping the secret about his mother's hit-and-run for all those years.

text: Season 8[edit]

text: Following their agreement to cover up the murder of Alejandro, Bree's relationship with Chuck begins to suffer. She finds herself constantly paranoid that he will discover her involvement, and uses sex as a way to distract him. She then receives a note exactly like the one Mary Alice received when she shot herself. She then seeks out the counsel of Paul Young, asking if he was the one who sent it. Upset over the fact that Bree may still judge him for his past he sends her away. However, he later calls her back urging her to tell the other housewives to spare her Mary Alice's fate, and reveals to her the only other person who he told about the note to was the cop who was looking into Martha Huber's death, Chuck. At first suspicious, Bree decides to break up with Chuck when he tries to propose. He does not take it well, telling her she is making a big mistake. Danielle returns, having been dumped by her husband and Bree is at first supportive until she finds her daughter is now selling adult swings to make money.

text: Having avoided church over her guilt in hiding Alejandro, Bree is convinced to help Ben Faulkner in a soup kitchen. When a passing college student raves over her cooking, the kitchen is soon home to regular people, not the homeless and Bree realizes that's wrong. She tells everyone to leave, giving a speech on how this is meant to help the less fortunate. Ben is impressed and has Bree give a speech to the city council to convince them to let Ben build a homeless shelter in Fairview. At first happy about helping, Bree is horrified to realize the spot Ben is about to break ground on is where the girls buried Alejandro. She, Gabrielle and Lynette go to dig the body back up only to find it gone. It turns out Ben found it earlier, thinking he was just a drifter and Bree convinces him to help keep it quiet. However, Bree soon finds Chuck is suspicious and putting together clues to prove what the girls did. The pressure soon drives Bree to break her sobriety and pour herself a drink.

text: Chuck starts to dig deeper into Gabrielle's stepfather's disappearance. Gabrielle tells Bree that Chuck brought them in for questioning and Bree snaps, causing her to head to a motel. When she arrives she sits at a table in her room, pulls out a bottle of wine and a gun, and begins talking to the spirit of Mary Alice. Bree asks her asking if she is happy after having killed herself who replies, "I'm not unhappy". Bree is ready to kill herself when Renee kicks in the door, mistakenly believing Bree is with Ben. After yelling, threatening to hit her and telling her she's "nothing more than a skank in a Nancy Reagan nightie", Renee noticies the gun and the note. After reading it she takes Bree home and stays there to make sure she's okay. When Renee says she won't let a friend die, Bree points out they're not quite friends, hurting Renee. She confesses to Bree how her own mother committed suicide and makes Bree see it's not the way out. Bree is happy at first, more so when she hears Chuck was killed in a hit-and-run. However, when she opens her mailbox, she finds a note saying "You're welcome."

text: Renee takes Bree to a bar, encouraging her to live a little and Bree ends up going with a man, skinny-dipping in a pool before the owner of the house comes home. Bree soon is going to bed with a succession of men which gets the Reverend concerned about her behavior. Determined to show he's wrong, Bree comes to the bake sale where she meets one of her lovers, only to discover he's married. When Karen McCluskey says that they do not know what Bree is really like, Bree decides to live up her reputation as the new town slut. Bree is soon bed-hopping to the point where she hits upon a man in a bar without remembering she had gone home with him just two nights previously. When they hear about Renee taking Bree to a bar, her friends try and stage an intervention at which point Bree reaches boiling point and blasts them for their less than friend like behavior recently. At the bar, she's approached by a man and realizes how far she's fallen, ready to go home. The man follows her to the parking lot, threatening to assault Bree only to be interrupted by a wheelchair-bound Orson. He uses a taser to knock the man out, telling Bree her friends called him to help and if there's one thing they did well together, it was "cleaning up each other's messes." Orson soon convinces Bree that the girls are still angry at her and to go away with him for a weekend. What Bree doesn't know is that Orson has been stalking her for months, seeing the girls bury Alejandro's body and he was the one leaving Bree the notes as part of his warped scheme to win her back. Bree soon discovers the truth while visiting Orson's apartment and despite his claims he did it all for her, she says she wants nothing to do with him. Orson calls her later, claiming that their love requires sacrifice and Bree believes he's going to kill himself. Instead, Orson mails a folder of evidence to the Fairview Police.

text: Bree is surprised when Andrew comes home, engaged to a woman named Mary Beth. Learning she's an heiress, Bree suspects Andrew is just marrying her for her money. Mary Beth tells Bree she knows Andrew is gay but is still willing to marry him as she's been unlucky in love. Bree convinces Mary Beth to find a man who truly loves her and she breaks up with Andrew. Andrew is upset at losing a chance at the money but Bree tells him he can stay with her and accept her help getting back on his feet.

text: Meanwhile, the police become suspicious of Bree and the murder of Gaby's stepfather and the help of his cover-up, so they tread carefully in trying to get proof that she is one of the suspects. They interview her, and she says that she has nothing to do with it. But as she was drinking her cup of tea, her fingerprints were on the mug. The fingerprint that the police found on the body, and the fingerprint on Bree's cup match. The police go and talk to Ben, still about the murder of Alejandro. Ben keeps Bree's secret, and the police leave, with no more evidence than the fingerprint. - But they do not stop there: a detective tracks down a call of Bree to Ben that night regarding Alejandro's murder, and they record it.

text: In order to defend herself, Bree asks Bob Hunter for legal advice, but he tells her she needs a crime lawyer. He recommends lawyer Trip Weston, whom he calls a "shark". Bree goes to trial but does not tell Trip all the truth, and is about to go to prison until Mrs. McCluskey confesses the murder of Alejandro herself, after Bree and the girls agree to take care of her during her last days of life. Bree is acquitted of all charges. In the end, Bree ends up getting married to Trip and moving to Louisville, Kentucky where she joins a club for conservative women. Later she is encouraged by Trip to run for the city council, then the following November she is elected to the Kentucky Legislature.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical[edit]

text: Bree has received wide acclaim, both for the character's storylines, and for Cross' portrayal.[5] In a review of the pilot, Tim Goodman from the San Francisco Chronicle called Cross "almost too perfect as uptight Bree", and applauds her for "managing to give the character more shadings than merely insanely perfect."[6] At the commencement of the second season, Bree was widely considered the series' most prominent role,[7] following the first year's emphasis on Susan Mayer.[8] Though a drop in quality was noted in the second season,[9] Bree's battles with alcohol, her teenage son, and her murderous pharmacist lover, while continuing to deal with the death of her husband, were well received, and considered the focal point of the series in light of the lagging Applewhite mystery. Cross retained her centre-stage position for the show's third season, which widely focused upon the mystery surrounding her new husband Orson.[10] Critics noted an improvement in quality from the second season to the third,[11] and many deemed Bree's storyline to be the most satisfying of the season, as well as noting a "loss of steam" during Cross' maternity leave at the latter part of the season.[12] Season 4's "fake pregnancy" storyline continued to satisfy critics, with one calling it the series' most "hysterical [storyline] yet", and singling Cross out for praise.[13][14] Her friction with Katherine Mayfair was also noted as a highlight. Following the five year leap, a new direction was taken with Bree's character as she made the transition from housewife to author/businesswoman, a development which received positive reception.[15] This change in character development was continued into season 6, with another side to Bree's personality being shown, which includes an affair with Karl Mayer. Critics lauded the comic relief provided by these developments,[15] as well as the more poignant and emotional turn mid-season as Bree deals with Orson's paralysis.[16] In Season 7, Bree finds herself newly divorced and embarks on a relationship with Keith Watson, a move which was praised for allowing "the for-so-long uptight Bree letting her hair down and having some fun for a change."[17] By the climax of season 7, Bree is central in covering up the murder of Gabrielle's stepfather, a move which was praised as a sound set up for the final season.[18]

text: Awards[edit]

text: Marcia Cross has received widespread acclaim for her portrayal of Bree. For her work on the second season of the show, she garnered the Satellite Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy (her second nomination), and has also received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series twice as part of the cast (being nominated a further three times).

text: In 2005, Cross was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series[19] for her performance in the season one episode, "Running to Stand Still". She also made the Top 10 Pre-Nomination Finalist listing for the same award three subsequent times, for her work on the second-season episode "Next", third-season episode "Listen to the Rain on the Roof", and fourth-season episode "Now You Know". She has received three nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, for Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy,[20] for her work on the first three seasons of the show, and has also received three nominations at the Prism Awards (for Performance in a Comedy Series, in relation to Bree's alcoholism), and a nomination from the Television Critics Association for Individual Achievement in Comedy in 2005.

text: Cultural influences and impact[edit]

text: Bree is spoofed in MADtv's Desperate Housewives parody,[21] in which they mock the character's plastic exterior and demeanor. In a 2006 interview with Charmed Magazine, Michelle Stafford admitted that her character Mandi in Charmed episode "Desperate Housewitches" was almost entirely modeled on Marcia Cross as Bree. Looking at pictures and episodes of Bree to gain a sense of her posture and body language, she laughed, "I'm just mimicking her. I'm just ripping her off."

text: In 2007, Madame Alexander released a line of 16-inch fashion dolls of the series' main characters, including Bree.[22]

text: Notes[edit]

text:
Bree is the only housewife who doesn't appear in every episode
Bree has been accused of murder three times:

First with her husband Rex,
then with her ex-boyfriend Chuck Vance
and again with Gaby's stepfather Alejandro.

Bree is the only housewife who remains financially stable through the entire series.
Bree was the first housewife to become a grandmother.
Bree has spearheaded the cover-up of a murder three times:

in Guilty,
Free, and
Come on Over for Dinner

tag: ul


document_title: Akeelah and the Bee

question_text: who played akeelah in akeelah and the bee

text: Akeelah and the Bee

text: Plot[edit]

text: Akeelah Anderson, an 11-year-old spelling enthusiast, attends Crenshaw Middle School, a predominantly black school in South Los Angeles. She lives with her widowed mother Tanya, her older sister Kiana, her older brothers Devon and Terrence, and her infant niece. Her principal Mr. Welch suggests that she sign up for the Crenshaw Schoolwide Spelling Bee. She follows his advice and wins. Soon after, Dr. Joshua Larabee, a visiting English professor and Mr. Welch's friend from college, tests Akeelah and decides that she is good enough to compete in the National Spelling Bee. Nevertheless, Dr. Larabee declines to coach her because she is rude to him. As a result, Akeelah studies on her own to prepare for the district spelling bee. Although Akeelah misspells her word during the final round of the bee, she qualifies for the regional bee when Kiana catches the other finalist cheating. Akeelah also meets and befriends Javier Mendez, a 12-year-old Mexican American boy and fellow speller. Javier invites her to join the spelling club at his Woodland Hills middle school.

text: At Woodland Hills, Akeelah meets Dylan Chiu, a Chinese American boy who had won second place at the past two national spelling bees. Contemptuous, he asks her to spell "xanthosis". When she starts with a "z", he tells her she needs a coach. At the conclusion of the spelling club meeting, Javier invites Akeelah to his birthday party. At the party, Akeelah nearly beats Dylan in Scrabble. The boy is reprimanded by his father for nearly losing to "a little black girl". After the party, Tanya is depressed over her husband's death and concerned about her daughter's grades and frequent truancy. As she finds out about Akeelah going alone to Woodland Hills, she subsequently forbids Akeelah from participating in the upcoming state bee. To circumvent this prohibition, Akeelah forges her deceased father's signature on the consent form and secretly studies with Dr. Larabee. During the state bee, Tanya comes inside and interrupts her daughter before she can spell her word. Tanya relents after a side discussion with Dr. Larabee and Mr. Welch. Javier protects Akeelah from disqualification by stalling until she can return. Dylan, Javier and Akeelah advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

text: As Christmas approaches, Akeelah goes out to buy Dr. Larabee a present, but when she meets him, he reveals that he is quitting being her coach because she reminds him of his deceased daughter Denise. Instead, he gives Akeelah 5,000 flashcards to study. Without her coach, rejected by her best friend Georgia, and feeling the pressure from her neighborhood residents to make them proud, Akeelah loses her motivation. However, Tanya tells her that if she looked around her, she would realize that she has "50,000 coaches". Akeelah recruits her family members, classmates, teachers, friends, and neighbor Derrick T to prepare in earnest. After reuniting with Dr. Larabee, Akeelah goes to Washington, D.C. with him, along with Tanya, Georgia, Mr. Welch, and Devon, unaware that her coach has paid for four of their tickets. Georgia rekindles her friendship with Akeelah after she invites her. During the competition, Akeelah becomes a crowd favorite. After all the other competitors are eliminated, only Dylan and Akeelah remain. The two finalists are allowed a break, during which Akeelah overhears Dylan's father harshly pressuring him to win. Akeelah attempts to intentionally lose by deliberately misspelling "xanthosis". Dylan, knowing that Akeelah knows this word, intentionally misspells it as well. Dylan tells Akeelah that he wants a fair competition, rejecting his father's obsession to win. The two then proceed to spell every word listed by the judges in the hopes of winning the championship together, with Dylan earning a share of it by correctly spelling "logorrhea", much to his father's delight. Akeelah spells the last word on the list, "pulchritude", and the two are declared co-champions amidst a cheering crowd.

text: Cast[edit]

text: Keke Palmer as Akeelah Anderson:

text: Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Joshua Larabee:

text: Angela Bassett as Tanya Anderson:

text: Curtis Armstrong as Bob Welch:

text: J.R. Villarreal as Javier Mendez:

text: Sean Michael Afable as Dylan Chiu:

text: Sahara Garey as Georgia Carver

text: Erica Hubbard, Lee Thompson Young, and Julito McCullum portray Akeelah's sister and brothers Kiana, Devon, and Terrence, respectively.[27] Dalia Phillips appears as Akeelah's teacher, Ms. Cross,[27][1] and Eddie Steeples as Derrick T.[27] Tzi Ma takes the role of Mr. Chiu, Dylan's father,[27][1] while Wolfgang Bodison plays the deceased Akeelah's unnamed father.[27]

text: Production[edit]

text: Writing[edit]

text: Doug Atchison first had the idea of making a film about spelling bees after watching the Scripps National Spelling Bee of 1994 and noticing that most of the contestants had "privileged backgrounds".[28] Atchison also considered spelling bees to contain "all the drama and tension and entertainment value of a sporting event", and felt that this could be made into a film.[29][30] From this, he got the idea to write a script following the story of a child who had talent for spelling bee but was from a low-income neighborhood so did not "have access to the resources or coaching to pursue it as these other kids had."[11][28] He had the desire of making a "Rocky-like story" and although made it a "dramatic" plot, he declared it is "essentially a sports movie".[11]

text: Atchison started his screenplay in 1999, when he wrote a five-page treatment in about a month.[28][29] In addition to the fact he was working on other projects, Atchison said he waited years before starting to write because he "thought someone else would do it first." This did not happen, so he began to write by himself.[30] Few changes were made in the process of transitioning from the original draft to the final product. One change was that at first, Akeelah's mother had a smaller role and Akeelah's father was alive. Also, Larabee had been an older man (72 years old), and a few characters were cut. However, Atchison has summarized that "the steps she goes through, the friends she's got, those were always the same."[29]

text: Development[edit]

text: In 2000, Atchison submitted his script to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences along with about 4,500 others, in hopes of winning the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. Atchison's script ended up being one of five scripts selected, and he won the grant.[28][31] Editor Glenn Farr, then a member of the committee, offered to edit Atchison's film as soon as it was finished.[16] Producer Sid Ganis was also attracted to the story during the award presentation ceremony.[28] Nancy Hult Ganis, Sid's wife who was interested in public education, encouraged him to follow through with the film.[7]

text: The film was produced by Lionsgate Films, 2929 Entertainment, Starbucks Entertainment, Out of the Blue Entertainment, Reactor Films and Cinema Gypsy Productions,[a] with a budget around $6–8 million.[3][4] However, the Ganis couple found it difficult to secure funding for the film.[7] In August 2001, Danny Llewelyn's Panoptic Pictures acquired the rights of Atchison's script.[32] In 2002, documentary Spellbound was released and attracted attention to spelling bees, which, according to Hult Ganis, "helped us in some way".[7] In November 2004, Lionsgate Films announced they would fund and distribute the film;[33] and in collaboration with 2929 Entertainment they would co-finance the production.[34] In January 2006, Starbucks announced a partnership with Lionsgate to market it.[35]

text: Another factor in not having a studio attached before was Atchison's desire to direct it as he wanted to ensure his story would remain the one he envisioned. Several studios wanted to turn Larabee's character into a white character but Atchison felt "it was important that Akeelah's mentor be someone that comes from her neighborhood, that looks like her."[11] Lionsgate's President of Production Michael Paseornek agreed that Atchison should direct the script, claiming that he was the only person who could do it because the story "was in his heart and in his mind".[7]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Filming began in February 2005;[36] the crew filmed for ten hours a day for thirty-one days.[20][29] The eleven-year-old Palmer had to follow the United States' child labor laws, which necessitated spending at least three hours a day at school, one on recreation, and one at lunch.[20][29] Nevertheless, Palmer appeared in almost every scene, about which Ganis commented, "I honestly don't know how we figured it out, but we did".[20] To get the filming done on time, Atchison storyboarded the scenes ahead of time and chatted with cinematographer David Mullen, the production designer Warren Young, and Glenn Farr to compile a list of scenes.[29] This way, the filming team began each day knowing what shots they would take, their order, and the performances scheduled for each day.[20][29] Most of the filming took place in South Los Angeles,[20] which Atchison picked as the filming location due to their low budget.[9] Scenes were also filmed at the University of Southern California, Hollywood Palladium—which stood in for the Grand Ballroom of the Washington, D.C. Hyatt Hotel—and Venice High School.[37]

text: Authenticity[edit]

text: To bring authenticity to the film's portrayal of spelling bees, George Hornedo, who competed in spelling bees in real life, was hired to play contestant Roman and be "an unofficial technical consultant." Hornedo helped the actors to recreate "certain habits and idiosyncrasies they do on stage to help them spell."[37] Thus, Akeelah skipping rope to memorize the words was added as "something that was normal for the spelling bee" but Atchison tried to create it in a "subtle" way as he thought the audience could consider this unrealistic.[38] Hornedo and other children who had never acted before were cast because of their authentic portrayals of nervous contestants; other kids, in Atchison's eyes, were "too old in how they acted".[30] Also, Jacques Bailly, who won the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 1980 and is currently the contest's official pronouncer, since 2003, played himself in the film.[39]

text: To further help the staff, Atchison asked Paige Kimball, director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, to be a consultant. Kimball "was amazed at not only at how precise it was in its recreation, but also how authentic the individuals and the casting for the event was."[37] However, she and the organization did have some disagreements. Atchison has admitted that he originally created a more dramatic story than she wanted. However, he believed most of the disagreements were about technical procedures, "things you wouldn't even notice". For example, the children were originally sponsored by newspapers to compete, but Atchison felt this detail did not improve the story, so he removed it. There were some concerns about the screenplay, and Atchison changed some of them "because [he] thought it didn't matter one way or another so [he] just made them happy."[29]

text: Music[edit]

text: The film features a musical score by Aaron Zigman, who wrote 45 minutes of compositions in two and a half weeks. He had planned to score Akeelah and the Bee over the holidays, but Lionsgate pushed its release date up, so Zigman was pressed for time to write the score.[40] He drew inspiration from Fishburne's performance to write it.[41] A soundtrack album consisting of 16 tracks was released by Lionsgate Records in a deal with BMG's RED Distribution on April 4, 2006.[42][43] It peaked at number 193 on the Billboard 200, and reached the 19th and sixth spot on the Billboard Top Independent Albums and Top Soundtracks respectively.[44] The original score, consisting of 37 tracks, was also released on April 4 as an iTunes exclusive.[45][46]

text: Themes and analysis[edit]

text:
“
If you see African-American kids striving to do something in the movies, it's sports or singing or dancing. Here, we're engaging kids on their intellect. That, you don't see. These lies about black inferiority have been seeping into cinema, and that seeps into our kids. As a filmmaker, you can dig into these issues
”

— Doug Atchison[3]

tag: table

text: Commentators on Akeelah and the Bee opined it dealt with multiple themes, including race[47] and racism,[48] poverty,[49] educational system,[50][51] competition and sportsmanship,[51][52] self-esteem,[53] self-image,[54] stigma,[50] community,[50][55] friendship,[56] gender[47] and sexism,[49] age,[47] class[57] and classism,[48] and empowerment.[50] Atchison affirmed that its focus is not the spelling but "a kid who learns what she's good at, becomes proud of that and doesn't want to hide it anymore. It's overcoming the fear of being great, before you can be great."[58] Sid Ganis described it as a film "about hope and doing great things against all the odds,"[7] while a New York Press reviewer declared it "addresses the human condition".[57]

text: After attending USC School of Cinematic Arts and working at a youth center in South Los Angeles,[29] Atchison incorporated his experiences from the neighborhood into the film; among them, he heard that children who do well in school are said to be "acting white". As a result, Atchison tried to use the film to show what causes these children to doubt their own abilities.[30] This doubts are shown through the preconceptions Akeelah and other community members have that "Spelling Bee is for someone else".[34] She "must first overcome her feelings of inadequacy,"[34] and when she discovers Larabee comes from her neighborhood and is a successful man, it "empowers her to ... accomplish this task."[7] Fishburne stated the film's treatment of race extends beyond the dichotomy of struggle and success, and goes into the prejudice that many people hold against black people competing in mainstream society. Atchison elaborated, "it's about this girl's insecurity about doing a thing that she hasn't seen people who look like her doing".[3] The director affirmed that African American children in film usually aspire to nothing other than being successful in sports, music or dance. He argued that the film industry has disseminated "lies about black inferiority", so he was interested in focusing in their intellect rather than let them succumb to the stereotypes. Atchison noted he had created the project for all publics "but particularly for kids of color to see a little black girl who does something powerful."[3]

text: The director also attributed Akeelah's low-esteem and doubt on her own capacities to the public school system, where she is bullied and "her intellectual curiosity is kind of crushed".[11] As such, Akeelah is portrayed as "undermotivated student",[1] who "[u]nwilling to be stigmatized as a freak or a brainiac," avoids showing her abilities.[50] According to Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe, the film shows "the contradiction gifted students feel in an inhospitable environment."[59] Ann Hornaday from The Washington Post opined that Akeelah's sentence "Why would I want to represent a school that doesn't even have doors on the toilets?" is "one of the film's many subtle critiques of the country's education policies."[55] Writing in the English Journal, Amanda L. Hodges said it suggests a new approach on teaching with the "50,000 coaches" part; she declared it deconstructs the image of teachers "as those who keep order and disseminate knowledge" and shows that "[t]eaching is not an isolated activity that begins and ends at the classroom door."[60]

text: Villarreal commented that the film "teaches you not to let your friends down",[56] while Fishburne believed that the theme of community was important.[5] Marrit Ingman of The Austin Chronicle said the film indicates "a community-based, cooperative model of group success,"[51] while Justin Chang of Variety said it "focuses ... on the bee's community-uniting impact."[1] Hodges said Akeelah goes to the spelling bee because she recognizes it "proves that someone from their neighborhood can achieve success, and her achievementis, in a real sense, their own".[60] In contrast, Bernard Beck wrote for Multicultural Perspectives that it depicts "the success of individual perseverance",[61] while Red Feather Journall's Kathryn Linder expressed a similar opinion about individual success.[62] Nevertheless, Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times commented "it raises important points about the ... obstacles to success that kids from poor neighborhoods face."[50] The New York Press's reviewer went further and said social class was its "real subject" as it "depicts the basics of class mobility that are routinely taken for granted".[57] However, Chang asserted it shows the spelling bee contest as "a democratizing force",[1] while Rob Asghar, for The Seattle Times, wrote it treats English as "the quintessential American tool for success."[63]

text: Both Fishburne and Bassett also remarked that an important message of Akeelah and the Bee is to "speak properly" rather than strictly in vernacular, although Bassett emphasized the importance of the film's themes beyond spelling and spelling bees.[14][18] Atchison added that beyond learning how to spell words, Akeelah must learn the importance of the words. He said that Larabee "looks at Akeelah as a potential leader. He wants her to understand her history. She needs to know the importance of language – and competition."[30] In spite of knowing its importance, it "deconstruct[s] the 'competition' paradigm of learning", according to Ingman.[51] Fishburne noted not only children but parents can learn from the film; in his opinion, the most important is that they should pay attention to their children's abilities.[14] Villarreal also felt that, through Dylan's father, parents would be able to ponder if they are "push[ing] their kids to follow their own dreams and not the children's dreams."[23]

text: Release and reception[edit]

text: Marketing and release[edit]

text: The film was promoted by coffee shop chain Starbucks as a result of a partnership between Lions Gate Entertainment and Starbucks Entertainment.[64] In January 2006, approximately 8,300 Starbucks locations in the United States and Canada began a promotional campaign for the film involving spelling-related trivia games and promotions on cardboard cup sleeves.[35][65] Variety stated that Lionsgate spent around $20 million with its market only,[66] while Los Angeles Times reported a $25 million cost to both produce and market the film.[67] Ford Motor Company also sponsored the film by providing a Lincoln Zephyr to chauffeur the cast and creators to and from a screening.[68]

text: Akeelah and the Bee was first shown at the 2006 ShoWest on March 14,[69] and later premiered as the opening film at the 30th Cleveland International Film Festival on March 16.[70] On April 20, the film was screened at The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills,[68] and it had a sneak preview in 900 theaters on April 22.[64][71] With predictions of strong box office returns by film critics,[64][72] it was released nationwide in theaters on April 28, grossing $6,011,585 in its opening weekend from around 2,195 American theaters and ranking eighth at the box office.[4] The film closed its run on July 14 and 20 domestically and internationally respectively, with $18,848,430 domestically and $110,994 internationally.[4] While the film received positive reviews, critics noted that it was not doing as well financially as they had predicted,[73][74] and Lionsgate's Michael Burns characterized the film's gross with the word "only".[75]

text: Outside the United States, the film debuted at the Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children on April 23, 2006,[76] where it was elected the best film by the kids in the ages of 10 and 11.[77] In the United Kingdom, Akeelah and the Bee was first shown at the Cambridge Film Festival on July 7,[78] and it premiered in the British theaters on August 18.[79][80] The film was also screened in October 2006 at the Rome Film Festival, in which it competed at the Alicy in the City section.[81]

text: Home media[edit]

text: The film was released on DVD by Lionsgate Home Entertainment on August 29, becoming the first DVD offered for sale at Starbucks.[82] Its bonus features on the single-disc DVD include seven deleted scenes and a 25-minute making-of video featuring Atchinson and the cast.[83] DVD sales in the United States reached $5,391,947 as 317,942 copies were sold after one week on sale. By December 2006, American consumers had spent a total of $25,855,396 to purchase 1,512,498 copies,[84] making it one of the three most profitable home video releases of Lionsgate in 2006.[85]

text: Critical reaction[edit]

text: The film received generally positive reviews from film critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an 84% "fresh" with an average rating of 7.1/10 based on 138 reviews. Its critical consensus states, "Although predictable in every way, a winning performance from its young star Keke Palmer and the rest of the cast makes it difficult not to cheer for the little heroine of Akeelah and the Bee. Sort of like Rocky for the middle school nerd set, Akeelah [and the Bee] is a warm, family-friendly underdog story, featuring terrific supporting performances from Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett."[91] On Metacritic, the film achieved an average score of 72 out 100, based on 30 reviews, signifying "generally favorable reviews".[92] CinemaScore reported that audiences gave the film a rare[93] average grade of A+.[94]

text: Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote it is "an uncommonly good movie, entertaining and actually inspirational".[52] Writing for Film Journal International, Doris Toumarkine praised its pace and how "Atchison takes spelling competitions and conveys the excitement of the 'sport,' the appeal of the 'game,' the thrill of the win, [and] the crushing blow of the loss."[95] Hornaday from The Washington Post called the film "a triumph on many levels" and proclaimed, "It's that nod to the collective ... that makes Akeelah and the Bee so special." She especially appreciated that South Los Angeles was presented without stereotypes.[55] Jane Clifford of U-T San Diego felt the film would appeal to both children and adults, and stated that every time she tried to predict its plot "it took a sharp turn. A turn that leaves you facing your stereotypes and feeling a little sheepish."[56] Dana Stevens, writing for The New York Times, asserted, "The innate suspense and charm of the spelling bee," and "a trio of crack performances" can turn "a formulaic sports picture" into a "tale that manages to inspire without being sappy."[96] Shantayaé Grant of The Jamaica Observer wrote that "acting is spectacular, the emotions are real and this story of black triumph is simply phenomenal."[97] New York Press critic affirmed that Akeelah and the Bee "resurrects a nearly lost idea of what an art-movie really is" because it has "dramatic attention to character and place, psychology and existence."[57]

text: Chang of Variety commented that it "plays like The Karate Kid with a pro-literacy agenda, pushing all the right emotional buttons yet hitting quite a few wrong ones in the process."[1] The Evening Chronicle's review said it "conceals few narrative surprises" but contended that "when [Atchison] does finally defy our expectations, it's to ensure his spellers learn a valuable lesson about integrity."[98] Turan of the Los Angeles Times criticized that the film "telegraphs its plot"; however, he praised it as "genuinely sweet and determinedly inspirational."[50] PopMatters's Cynthia Fuchs stated it is formulaic as it has some "conventions that make so many other genre films feel stale," but that it "torques them slightly", emphasizing the "intellectual activities" Akeelah gets involved with.[99] Furthermore, the film was described as "derivatively entertaining in a feel-good sort of way" by Rick Groen in an article for The Globe and Mail.[100] Ingman of The Austin Chronicle described it as a typical sports film and felt it was heavy-handed at times. However, she praised it for its thems and called the film a "[t]houghtful, engaging," one and said it has "cross-gender appeal".[51] Morris of The Boston Globe argued, "If Akeelah and the Bee is a generic, well-oiled commercial contraption, it is the first to credibly dramatize the plight of a truly gifted, poor black child." Morris added, "Obviously, it's emotional propaganda. But it's just the kind of propaganda our children need."[59]

text: Despite being a "critically acclaimed" film, according to Rotten Tomatoes,[91] not all of its reviews were this positive. Anna Smith of Empire called it "formulaic and all-American", commenting that many scenes "appear functional rather than inspirational", and that the film focused on the racial issue "a little too heavily". Smith stated, "clunky plotting and characterisation mean it has 'telemovie' written all over it."[101] Marc Mohan from The Oregonian stressed it can be compared to after-school specials due to its "lack of originality in plot and character."[102] Time Out's Jessica Winter also drew a comparation to after-school specials, saying "on the big screen ... its clichés seem bigger and its characterisations broader than they would on the more forgiving telly."[103] Nick Schager's of Slant Magazine lamented that the "clichés are too numerous to mention",[104] while Neil Smith from BBC asserted it has "as much ... fantasy as Lord of the Rings."[79] Jan Stuart of Newsday deemed it "virtually suspense-free,[105] while Robert Hanks of The Independent stated it has an important message but that is a "shame it couldn't be encased in a less faked-up story".[54] Commenting on The Times, Chris Ayres stressed that although it has good "visual flair" it "is ruined by its Oprah-style emotional manipulation."[106] New York Post's Kyle Smith deemed it as "uplifting but unimaginative", suggesting that "Akeelah and the Bee is so warm and well-meaning that you may find yourself wanting to like it more than you really do."[107]

text: In spite of criticism, cast members' performances were usually well received – in particular, Palmer's portrayal of Akeelah. Ebert said, "The movie depends on her, and she deserves its trust."[52] Hornaday opined that "Palmer's Akeelah is that cinematic rara avis, the kid who is cute without being too cute, sympathetic without being cloying, and believable without being tiresome."[55] Evening Chronicle stated Palmer does it "with effortless grace" and that she "carries the film and doesn't strike a single wrong emotional note."[98] Fuchs felt that most of the film's strengths "have to do with Palmer's winning performance."[99] Ingman declared Atchison's "ensemble is wonderful, and his star, Palmer, is a fantastically assured young actress who conveys Akeelah's maelstrom of 11-year-old feelings with no apparent effort."[51] Turan complimented how Fishburne and Bassett's "presence and ability give this film a welcome integrity."[50] Mohan stated, "Although Fishburne and Bassett can do these roles in their sleep, the kids are actually quite engaging."[102] Tourmakine felt there were "fine performances all around" and that Fishburne and Bassett "lend fine support in utterly believable roles".[95]

text: Racial issues[edit]

text: Chang called Dylan's father "a stiff Asian stereotype",[1] while Mohan of The Oregonian found it contradictory for an anti-racist film to contain such depiction.[102] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian even claimed that the line "If you can barely beat a little black girl" (spoken by Dylan's father) signifies that Atchison "thinks it's all right to bring in racism by making the Asians the racists."[108] Metro Silicon Valley's Richard von Busack commented that "[s]tepping around black stereotypes, the film squishes its two left feet right in the mire of Asian stereotyping."[109] Beth Accomando of KPBS also criticized Dylan and his father's portrayal as "painful cliches",[11] while Schager of Slant Magazine found it not authentic, even likening Dylan's father to Mao Zedong.[104]

text: Scholars Charise Pimentel and Cathleen Sawyer from the Texas State University published an article titled "Akeelah and the Bee: Inspirational Story of African-American Intellect and Triumph or Racist Rhetoric Served Up On Another Platter?" on the May 2011 issue of journal Multicultural Perspectives.[110] On a critical discourse analysis, the authors argue that despite appearing to be an "inoccent enough" film, it has major approaches that make it racist.[110] First, it implies that African-Americans needs to be rescued by others;[110] second, depicts African-Americans community as "marked by homelessness, poverty, criminality, unemployment, and remnants of gang activity";[111] third, indicates that black people usually only achieve success through sports by "linking the very essence of Akeelah's phenomenal ability to spell to her rhythmic abilities";[112] and shows that African-Americans only can succeed outside their communities, "far from the oppressive clutches of their own."[113]

text: Linder, on her September 2011 paper "Spelling Out Racial Difference: Moving Beyond the Inspirational Discourses in Akeelah and the Bee", also criticizes it saying it "acts as a platform for a racial melodrama through which ideals of whiteness are reinforced and strengthened."[114] Using Linda Williams' categories of what constitutes a racial melodrama, Linder argues that it is described as an "inspirational" film because of "[its] portrayal of Akeelah's victimization by the black community that surrounds her" and of redemption only achieved "through the idealized discourse of young people's educational success as defined by dominant (white) culture."[115] Linder said characters "are mostly represented as having 'no interest in escape' from societal oppressions and limitations" and that "there is no sign throughout the film of any kind of lasting change for Akeelah's school or her young peers."[116]

text: Linder affirms that it creates a dichotomy between "success (whiteness) versus failure (blackness)."[116] Pimentel and Sawyer, as well as Linder, identify Larabee as the one who makes this separation clear when he manifests his disregard of African American Vernacular English.[117][111] The co-authors wrote that Larabee implies that "legitimate forms of intelligence can only be achieved through a Eurocentric perspective, thus advancing the message that Akeelah must be rescued from her African-American ways of knowing, in order to be considered intellectual."[111] Another contraposition commented by scholars was "between the supportive Dr. Larabee and Akeelah's skeptical mother."[118] Pimental and Sawyer said she is portrayed as "an African-American obstructionist",[119] while scholar Gloria Ladson‐Billings asserted she represents the stereotype of "ignorant Black woman".[120] Although Fuchs said the film was able to avoid the "white authority figure saves the underclass child" plotline by introducing Larabee,[99] Ladson‐Billings, Linder, and Pimentel and Sawyer opined that it did not.[119][120] After all, Larabee, as Linder described, is "a non-threatening black man who has assimilated to white culture and who can be depended on to help assimilate others".[116]

text: Accolades[edit]

text: The film was nominated for six Black Reel Awards, winning only Best Actress for Palmer.[88][121] Out of five NAACP Image Awards nominations, Akeelah and the Bee won Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Writing in a Feature Film/Television Movie - Comedy or Drama.[89][122] At the Black Movie Awards, it won the five awards it was nominated for.[87] The same happened during the Young Artist Awards where it was nominated for two categories and won two awards,[90] and at the CAMIE Awards where it was nominated for and won an award.[123] The film was also nominated for but did not win any award from the BET Awards,[124][125] Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards,[126] Chicago Film Critics,[127][128] and Satellite Awards.[129][130] National Board of Review elected it among the best ten independent films produced in 2006.[131] Additionally, two film critics, Chris Kaltenbach of The Baltimore Sun and Carrie Rickey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, added the film on their list of the ten best films of the year.[132][133] St. Petersburg Times's Steve Persall elected it the best family film of 2006.[134]

text:
List of awards and nominations[show]

Award
Category
Recipients[c]
Result

BET Awards[124][125]
Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Nominated

Black Movie Awards[87]
Outstanding Motion Picture

Won

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Keke Palmer

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Laurence Fishburne

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Angela Bassett

Black Reel Awards[88][121]
Best Film

Nominated

Best Actress
Keke Palmer
Won

Best Supporting Actress
Angela Bassett
Nominated

Best Supporting Actor
Laurence Fishburne

Best Original Score
Aaron Zigman

Best Breakthrough Performance
Keke Palmer

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards[126]
Best Family Film (Live Action)

Best Younger Actress
Keke Palmer

CAMIE Awards[123][135]
CAMIE Award
Sean Michael Afable
Won

Chicago Film Critics[127][128]
Most Promising Newcomer
Keke Palmer
Nominated

NAACP Image Award[89][122]
Outstanding Motion Picture

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Keke Palmer
Won

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Angela Bassett
Nominated

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Laurence Fishburne

Outstanding Writing in a Feature Film/Television Movie - Comedy or Drama
Doug Atchison
Won

Satellite Awards[129][130]
Outstanding Youth DVD

Nominated

Young Artist Awards[90]
Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress
Keke Palmer
Won

Best Family Feature Film (Drama)

text: Notes[edit]

text:
^ Jump up to: a b The credits for the film reads "A Lionsgate, 2929 Productions and Starbucks Entertainment presentation of an Out of the Blue and Reactor Films production in association with Cinema Gypsy Productions."[1][2]
Jump up ^ By "this kind of movie", Fishburne was saying that Akeelah and the Bee breaks up with common stereotypes of African Americans reinforced by media. He declared, "There are no gangsters in it; there are no rappers in it. Studios are looking for an easy way to make money; [with black films], it's comedy, or it's action, or it's 'ghetto fabulous.'"[12] According to him, Hollywood "doesn't care about a young, disadvantaged black girl."[13]
Jump up ^ When this space is blank it indicates that the film itself was the recipient.

tag: ol


document_title: Ten Days in the Valley

question_text: how many episodes does ten days in the valley have

text: Ten Days in the Valley

text: Premise[edit]

text: A television producer's life gets complicated after her young daughter disappears in the middle of the night and the two worlds she tries to navigate violently collide.

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text:
Kyra Sedgwick as Jane Sadler[4]
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Detective John Bird[5]
Kick Gurry as Pete Greene[6]
Erika Christensen as Ali Petrovich[6]
Josh Randall as Tom Petrovich[5]
Felix Solis as Commander Elliot Gomez[6]
Francois Battiste as Gus Tremblay[5]
Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Matt Walker[7]
Abigail Pniowsky as Lake Sadler-Greene[5]

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Emily Kinney as Casey[8]
Ali Liebert as Detective Nickole Bilson
Ella Thomas as Detective Isabel Knight
Marisol Ramirez as Beatriz
Currie Graham as Henry Vega[5]

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
U.S. viewers
(millions)

1
"Day 1: Fade In"
Carl Franklin
Tassie Cameron
October 1, 2017 (2017-10-01)
3.44[9]

Although exhausted from working on her crime drama, Jane Sadler must leave her sleeping daughter, Lake, to brainstorm rewrites in her converted office behind her house. Six hours later, she returns to the house, only to discover it locked and Lake missing. Both Jane and her sister, Ali, suspect that Jane's ex-husband, Pete, has taken Lake. Jane immerses herself in her series, expecting Lake to be found soon. However, Pete has an alibi, Jane's assistant, Casey, despite Casey leaving him early within the timeframe of Lake's disappearance. Lake is then seen being read a bedtime story by an unknown man.

2
"Day 2: Cutting Room Floor"
Colin Bucksey
Sherry White
October 8, 2017 (2017-10-08)
2.59[10]

3
"Day 3: Day Out of Days"
Sarah Pia Anderson
Aubrey Nealon
October 15, 2017 (2017-10-15)
2.62[11]

4
"Day 4: Below the Line"
Jessica Yu
Chris Roberts
October 22, 2017 (2017-10-22)
2.20[12]

5
"Day 5: Back to Ones"
Christopher Misiano
Marsha Greene
December 16, 2017 (2017-12-16)
1.54[13]

6
"Day 6: Down Day"
Steve Robin
Tassie Cameron & Sherry White
December 16, 2017 (2017-12-16)
1.36[13]

7
"Day 7: Breaking the Story"
Constantine Makris
Aubrey Nealon & Bryan Garcia
December 23, 2017 (2017-12-23)
1.56[14]

8
"Day 8: Against Type"
Bethany Rooney
Marsha Greene & Chris Roberts
December 30, 2017 (2017-12-30)
1.44[15]

9
"Day 9: Re-Cast"
Hanelle Culpepper
Sherry White & Aubrey Nealon
January 6, 2018 (2018-01-06)
2.55[16]

10
"Day 10: Fade Out"
Steve Robin
Tassie Cameron
January 6, 2018 (2018-01-06)
2.24[16]

text: Production[edit]

text: The series began development in early 2016 with Demi Moore set to star.[17][18] She left the project for unknown reasons, and was replaced by Kyra Sedgwick.[4]

text: Critical reception[edit]

text: The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 61% approval rating with an average rating of 7.45/10 based on 18 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Ten Days in the Valley's instantly tense delivery of familiar material leads to an intriguing character study and engrossing mystery despite naggingly untapped potential."[19] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 63 out of 100 based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[20]