Dana in “Desperate Housewives” refers to Dana Schilling, who is actually the birth name of the character Mary Alice Young. Mary Alice committed suicide in the first episode, which is the event that sets the entire series in motion.
Mary Alice Young, born as Angela Forrest, was a central character whose mysterious past unraveled as the series progressed. She was a beloved friend and neighbor on Wisteria Lane. Her suicide in the pilot episode shocked everyone in the community and led to the main premise of the show, where secrets about her life were gradually revealed.
Before she took her own life, Mary Alice received a blackmail note referencing her dark secret. It was later revealed that she and her husband, Paul Young, were originally named Angela and Todd Forrest. They had a troubled past involving the death of a woman named Deirdre Taylor, who was the biological mother of their adopted son, Zach Young, originally named Dana. Deirdre, who struggled with drug addiction, had sold her baby to the Forrests. Years later, she came back to reclaim her son, and during a confrontation, Mary Alice killed her in self-defense. To cover up the crime, Mary Alice and her husband buried Deirdre’s body under their pool and changed their identities, moving to Wisteria Lane and becoming the Young family.
Throughout the series, the mystery of Mary Alice’s life and death is a recurring theme, with her narration from beyond the grave providing insights into the lives of her friends and neighbors. Her story is intertwined with the main characters’ storylines, and her actions before her death have long-lasting repercussions for everyone on Wisteria Lane.
