Early Expectations for "Desperate Housewives:" James Denton plays Mike, Teri Hatcher's extremely handsome neighbor/love interest, in the hit TV series "Desperate Housewives." Denton says that none of the cast anticipated just how big the show would become, or that it would emerge as one of the real winners of the 2004 season.
Asked whether he initially held out much hope that "Desperate Housewives" would catch on, Denton said, "No, in fact I was certain that it wouldn?t because I had not had so much luck with a couple of ABC shows.

This is my third ABC show over the last four years, so we were afraid that nobody would find it. ABC was really struggling and so we just weren?t very confident that it would find an audience. So no, we never in a million years anticipated [the show's success], even though we knew it was good enough."

James Denton on What Sets "Desperate Housewives" Apart: "I think a number of things. The point of view, I think the fact that the show was about four women who weren?t kids. They were in their late 30s, early 40s ? except for Eva [Longoria], sorry Eva. But you know, their perspective. It was normal women who weren?t doctors and lawyers and cops. They were just women with exs and kids and husbands and problems. And they didn?t have to get into a lot of legal speak or talk ER terms, they were real people. I think that?s why so many actresses were attracted to it. And it was just about problems that you could identify with so much, right off the bat. And of course Marc Cherry heightens it and makes it hilarious.

But there?s so many universal themes in the show, and he made it so funny. We knew he was onto something if he could keep it up and, thankfully, he did.

Denton's Personal Favorite Episode: "Mine was 'Episode 3' with the big dinner party scene with the famous line about Rex crying after sex. But it was also because Mike and Susan took a big step forward. I saw her naked in the bushes and I took her to the dinner. We had a couple of really funny front door scenes at the dinner and at her front porch saying good-night. And I think that was the cutest and probably the sweetest Mike and Susan stuff before all of Mike?s past came charging up behind him."

Repeats, Repeats, Repeats: "We had to get caught up. It?s the nature of all the network shows. If you don?t do what 'Alias' did and 'NYPD' did and run over four months - you get 15 weeks - so the season is 36 or 37 weeks long and everybody is shooting 22 shows. I just don?t think people notice as much with other shows. I really believe that people are so anxious for new 'Desperate Housewives' that because of that, it?s a little exaggerated in our case. Because all the networks and all the shows do it. You?ve only got 22 shows that stretch from September to May. But with ours it?s a little more noticeable."

On Females Falling for His Character: Charming in person and just as handsome as he appears on TV, it's tough to believe Denton when he claims he had no idea whether or not women would like his character. "I hoped they would. I think it helps a lot when they tell people that Teri Hatcher likes you. If you?re Teri Hatcher?s boyfriend, suddenly you?re hunky I guess. I?ve spent 40 years being average and now I?m Teri hatcher?s boyfriend and here we are. I?ve been really fortunate."

ADDITIONAL INTERVIEWS FROM THE ?MISS CONGENIALITY 2? PREMIERE:
Sandra Bullock / Heather Burns / Diedrich Bader / Abraham Benrubi / John Pasquin & Marc Lawrence
Premiere Guests ? Shohreh Aghdashloo / Kim Raver