ABC’s most scandalous comedy-drama series is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, as it soars up the Disney+ streaming charts.Desperate Housewivesran from 2004-2012 on the network, and became a huge success, with the early seasons ranking among the top 10 most-watched shows on network television, with the show winning seven Primetime Emmy Awards.

Desperate Housewivesran 8 seasonson ABC and is regarded as one of the most successful and influential shows ever on network television. At the height of its popularity, the show was a global phenomenon, and theDesperate Housewivespremiere drew 21.6 million viewers. Now, 13 years after it ended, the show is enjoying success on streaming.

Mike and Susan smiling at each other and sitting on a front porch on Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewiveshas surged into the Disney+ charts for Top 10 TV Shows on June 14, 2025.Coming in at the #10 spot, with 17 million minutes viewed, the show ranked just belowCriminal Mindsat #9, with 19 million minutes, andHow I Met Your Motherat #8, clocking up 21 million minutes viewed.

What This Means For Desperate Housewives' Legacy

Despite more than a decade off the air,Desperate Housewivesstill seems to be as popular as ever, and its resurgence on streaming cements its status as one of the defining shows of the 2000s.Desperate Housewives' charactersremain some of the most interesting and diabolical in pop culture, and played a big part in what made the series successful.

At its peak,Desperate Housewiveshad a worldwide viewership of around 120 million.

Susan, Gabrielle, and Lynette looking at a baby monitor in Desperate Housewives season 2

Nostalgia and availability are both factors that will no doubt have contributed to the rise in popularity and successful performance of the show on Disney+. TheDesperate Housewivesfinale episodegarnered critical acclaim, but also would have left many viewers keen to start the show all over again, and streaming provides that opportunity.

Our Take On Desperate Housewives' Disney+ Success

The appeal of a show likeDesperate Housewiveslies in its quirky humor, engaging premise, soap opera-style drama, steamy romances, and layered characters, and this makes it the perfect bingable option for viewers of Disney+. Shows likeDesperate Housewiveswere ahead of their time and influenced many other successful shows that have come since.

One of the other factors that could have brought fresh attention to the series is the confirmation earlier this year that aDesperate Housewivesreboot is in development. This could have inspired fans to revisit the original show, and enjoy the mystery, suspense, humor, excitement, romance, tragedy, and betrayals before the reboot series makes it to screens.

Desperate Housewives TV Poster

Desperate Housewives

Cast

Desperate Housewives was a rom-com drama that aired on ABC for eight seasons between 2004 and 2012. The award-winning series follows Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross), and Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), who discover dark secrets hidden in their quiet town of Fairview.