Dallas‘ second season has only just begun, but thanks to her long-lost daughter and her blackmailing ex-husband, Ann has already suffered enough emotional damage to last a lifetime. So her troubles are over, right? Nice try; Brenda Strong tells HollywoodLife.com that Ann’s heartache has only just begun!

“Ann’s past starts to really unravel her,” Brenda tells us. “And that starts to threaten her relationship with Bobby. Cynthia Cidre, our writer, actually told me, ‘Hold onto your hat, because Ann’s going for a ride in season two.’ I’ve jokingly said I’ve never cried more on camera, and laughed off camera. It’s been quite a journey.”

A large part of Ann’s journey involves the return of Judith Light as Harris Ryland’s mother — and a major player in the original “kidnapping” of Ann’s daughter, Emma (Emma Bell.)

“She definitely had an impact on Ann as a very young woman,” Brenda says of Judith’s monster-in-law character, though she’s quick to note that the actress couldn’t be more different from her on-screen persona. “I’ve been a fan of [Judith's] for so many years, not only as an actor, but as a human being. I’ve had such respect for her, so to be able to work with her and watch her chew the scenery was really fun.”

But if you think Harris, Judith and Emma are the only skeletons in Ann’s closet, you’re really not giving Dallas enough credit!

“There was a period of time where [Ann] didn’t have herself as together as she is now,” Brenda reveals. “She has a lot of shame about the choices she made at that time. … She was in circumstances she felt were beyond her control, and she did things she’s not proud of.”

Despite all the drama in Ann’s past — and present — there’s one thing about Brenda’s character she never wants us to forget:

“Ann is the woman we think she is; She’s the loyal wife, the guardian, the protector. She’s fiercely loyal to her husband, and very much a Ewing.”

So at least we always know which side Ann is on, which more than I can say for most of the characters on this show.

HollywoodLifers, how do you feel about Ann’s shady past? Do you think there’s still more she’s hiding from her family? Drop a comment with your theories!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

It’s official: the Desperate Housewives are back — and I’m not just talking about the show itself. Susan (Teri Hatcher), Gaby (Eva Longoria), Lynette (Felicity Huffman) and Bree (Marcia Cross) finally came together on the Sept. 25 season premiere in a way they haven’t since the show’s first season. It’s just too bad their reunion has to involve covering up a murder. I can already tell this season of Pretty Little Liars – I mean, Desperate Housewives — is going to be a good one.

Unfortunately, that same feeling of togetherness doesn’t exactly extend throughout Wisteria Lane. Despite the fact that they occasionally sleep together when Lynette gets nightmares, she and Tom (Doug Savant) are still very much separated. They even made it official by breaking the news to their two remaining kids. I really miss the twin-gers (that’s twin gingers, for those of you playing at home.)

Meanwhile, as Bree continued to tip-toe around her cop boyfriend, Gaby tried to help Carlos (Ricardo Chavira) find peace. But since nothing is ever simple on Wisteria Lane, his quest for peace involved Gaby kidnapping a priest. Seriously, after she attacked that nun back in season two, how is Gaby even allowed back in that church?

Lastly, René (Vanessa Williams) reminded us all of her true place on the show — she’s clearly the new Edie, and anyone who says otherwise is lying to themselves — as she shamelessly threw herself at the new neighbor, Ben (Charles Mesure.) We didn’t learn much about Ben this week — other than his clear disinterest with René — but with that accent and devil-may-care facial hair, I’m sure he’s got a past. We just need to be patient.

Speaking of being patient, I can’t wait to see how this final season will bring the whole show full circle, as we’ve been promised. The episode ended with Bree receiving a very familiar letter (“I know what you did. It makes me sick. I’m going to tell.”) and now we’re left with two questions: Who could have sent it?

And more importantly: Which of the women is most likely to follow Mary-Alice’s (Brenda Strong) lead and kill herself out of guilt? Susan seems to be the weakest link, as she literally broke down in tears when she had to bury her class’ hamster. (Miz Delfino, I’m keeping an eye on you.)

Sorry, but someone has to ask the tough questions around here…

— Andy Swift

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