With the holidays over, Desperate Housewives wasted no time picking up right where we left off before the break.

I thought that "What's to Discuss, Old Friend" was fast-paced and will be pleased if the remainder of the season follows suit. There’s much to discuss, so let’s make haste and dive right in...

As news spread of Chuck Vance’s death, I kind of wished I had kept a Wisteria Lane death toll after all of these years. It’s safe to say it’s a little too late, but it’d be interesting to know the exact number of deaths throughout these years. Has anyone kept count?

Although it was expected and predictable, Chuck’s murder was just too convenient for my taste. Furthermore, couldn’t he have at least died in some other fashion? We’ve seen the hit-and-run scenario far too many times in Fairview. Come on writers, get creative.

I’ll admit I was just starting to like Chuck and wasn’t too excited about his sudden death. However, as the plot continues to thicken, I love where the storyline is heading and how the mystery is unraveling. While Bree, Gaby, Susan and Lynette were considering if Chuck’s accident was a coincidence or convenient, I knew better and thought that they should have, too. On another note, Gaby’s lack of concern for others and self-centeredness during this scene was annoying.

Sure, I get that it was a relief that Chuck’s dead, but he was also Bree’s boyfriend not too long ago. It was also no wonder that the other housewives weren’t quick to hold their breath and assumed that it was quite possible someone was trying to protect them.

Meanwhile, I appreciated all of the scenes between Renee and Bree. I figured that Bree wouldn’t go through with taking her life, but I was surprised it was Renee who saved her. The moments between these two newfound friends were touching, and it’s always nice to see how tragic events can make relationships stronger.

I also enjoyed the scenes with Lynette and Tom. I’m hoping that their continued time apart will only bring them back together by the series end. They’re Tom and Lynette – they’ve just got to find a way to work it out.

Then, there was Susan. If she thinks that going to Oklahoma will solve her guilty conscious issues, she should go. I definitely understand why she still feels uneasy about what happened, but it’s tiresome to see the same act repeatedly week in and week out. I predict that she's going to only find out more terrible things about the late Alejandro, and her guilty conscious simply won’t let up.

Did anyone else notice that Ben was MIA again?!? Seriously, what’s up with that? I can’t quite put my finger yet on any guesses as to how he’s involved, but I just have a hunch there’s much more to this mysterious character than we know.

All in all, this installment was a great way to kick off the second half of the final season. The nearly familiar and mysterious note to Bree was just icing on the interesting cake. The message gave a whole new meaning to “You’re Welcome.” 

Who do you think left the unexplained note for Bree? Are you glad that Chuck is out of the picture? What do you think Susan will find in Oklahoma?