Generations of TV's perfect housewives

By Michaela Sinclair
Special to MSN TV

The original Stepford wife (a term coined from the 1972 novel) was the perfect suburban wife and mother: an expert at laundry, cooking and cleaning, all the while neatly clad in heels, dresses and pearls. As the last season of ABC's "Desperate Housewives" premiers on Sunday, Sept. 25, we've seen how the gorgeous but dramatic women of Wisteria Lane have cleaned up murder scenes, cooked up revenge schemes and dabbled in money laundering. The television housewife has truly evolved from the docile homemakers of the past! Here's a look at generations of TV's Stepford wives.

Bing: More on 'Desperate Housewives' | Watch full episodes and clips

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The season premiere of "Desperate Housewives" airs on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

(ABC)