With so much fanfare over the departure of the ladies of Desperate Housewives, the men certainly deserve a proper farewell, too.

DEAR Susan, Lynette, Gabby and Bree – you know we love you but the men are great, too.

The men of Desperate Housewives are certainly a hardworking lot. They toil all day at work just to put food on the table (which, in Gabby’s case, has to be marble) and when they return home late in the evening, they serve as strong pillars for their wives to lean on, and if need be, shoulders on which they could cry on, especially when an argument between the housewives erupts.

Star2 salutes these men who stand by their better halves in times of adversity or, failing that, at least made sure those well-sculpted lawns on Wisteria Lane remain, well, well-sculpted.

Mike Delfino (played by James Denton)

End with a bang: Everyone’s favourite plumber Mike Delfino (Denton) ended his stint on the series when he got shot by a loan shark.

Property of: Susan Mayer

Occupation: Plumber

What we’ll miss about him: Mike was really a guy’s guy. Usually clad in T-shirts and jeans, the neighbourhood plumber (absolutely no pun intended, ahem) went around fixing broken pipes and when the day is over, you’ll find him lying still on the couch, legs propped up on the table, watching a game of baseball with a beer in one hand. With so much craziness happening on the street, it’s nice to have a guy who doesn’t care much for gossip and drama, a guy who minds his own business.

Why they work: Susan, on the other hand, has trouble minding her own business. Although it wasn’t because she was nosey ... okay, maybe a little ... but this housewife was genuinely compassionate – way too compassionate. Remember the time when Susan paid a visit to Paul Young when he moved back in? As in Wisteria Lane’s own serial killer Paul Young? The unfeeling (and sometimes unthinking) Mike balances her out, preventing her best intentions from making things worse.

Most memorable moment: However, that’s not to say that Mike has no compassion himself. The episode in which he took a bullet after standing up for his friends against a loan shark still lives on vividly in our hearts.

Bet you didn’t know: The character was named after Justin Mike Delfino, a Chicago securities attorney, who was the high school sweetheart of one of the show’s executive producers. Awww ...

Favourite quote:

(Mike is at the table with his neighbour Paul, who is reading a book)

Mike: Hey, looks like an interesting book. What’s it about?

(Grabs the book ... then puts it aside.)

Mike: Never mind, I’ll wait for the movie!

Tom Scavo (Doug Savant)

Doug Savant is Tom Scavo in Desperate Housewives.

Property of: Lynette Scavo

Occupation: Corporate senior vice president, pizzeria owner, advertising executive

What we’ll miss about him: Tom is a boy stuck in a man’s body. He can get so annoyingly childish at times, I’ve had to switch channels when he comes on the show. Let’s see, he bought a Ford Mustang; he wanted to sell his pizzeria and buy a camper van to go on a year-long road trip with his family; he was very close to going back to college to study ... Chinese! But you’ve got to give it to him, though. We all have dreams but only a few like Tom have the guts to go after them.

Why they work: Lynette is a little uptight, and by that I mean, she’s a Miss Know-It-All, a micromanager, a breathe-down-your-neck control freak (even Bree has learned to loosen up over the years). In walks Tom who looks like he’s high on something half the time, and though he drives her nuts, the wannabe hippie does her good by teaching her to let go a little.

Most memorable moment: This husband-and-wife team has braved through many storms including, literally, a tornado, cancer and unemployment. That’s why the scene where Tom decides to leave and go after that what’s-her-name (okay it’s Jane Carlson) remains one of the show’s most heartbreaking moments.

Bet you didn’t know: Tom wasn’t originally part of the main lineup of characters. Creator Marc Cherry intended Lynette to be a stay-at-home mum who gets no help from her husband as he is constantly away on business trips. Hence in season one, the actor Doug Savant only had recurring guest roles until the character became more popular among audiences.

Favourite quote: Tom (to Lynette): Listen, the kids are watching a video, which means we’ve only got about 45 minutes until they actually find Nemo ...

Carlos Solis (Ricardo Antonio Chavira)

Property of: Gabrielle Solis

Occupation: President of mergers and acquisitions, massage therapist, counsellor

What we’ll miss about him: Carlos represented the kind of man we all aspired to be. He was smart, rich and had a gorgeous wife ... until things went terribly wrong.

Workaholic: Carlos Solis (Chavira) may have his work life all figured out but when it comes to his marriage, he’s got his work cut out for him.

Why they work: From her frivolous spending to her adulterous ways, Gabby navigated through life with the firm belief that rules were meant to be broken, especially one that could sentence her husband to death. Carlos pushed Gabby’s then-husband Victor off the boat (but thankfully survived) and killed her stepfather Alejandro when he attempted to rape her. Both times, Carlos – the one with the conscience – was quick to suggest on turning himself in, upholding his inner moral compass. Yet oddly enough, thanks to Gabby’s “looser morals”, she manages to get him off scot-free.

Most memorable moment: It has to be the moment when Carlos went blind. As debilitating as the injury was, it was the best thing that ever happened to him. Carlos lost his sight but gained a new perspective on the kind of life he led. The career-driven husband realised he had taken his wife for granted and neglected her needs. On top of that, he had to take a bite of humble pie when he, a former CEO, was forced to take up a job as a massage therapist.

Bet you didn’t know: Ricardo Antonio Chavira almost got replaced as producers felt his acting was stiff in the pilot.

Favourite quote: Carlos (to Gabrielle): Gabby if I was gonna send you flowers I wouldn’t send pink roses, I’d send you white orchids, because I know they’re your favourite, and if I wanted to cheer you up, sunflowers, and for the flu, blue irises.

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