From just being a background character to being a gnat in Lynette's behind for the boys ruining a gift made by her late son as a child. Slowly she became a good friend and babysitter to the children. She has even entered the inner sanctimony of the 'Desperate Housewives" themselves. Mrs. McCluskey played by Kathryn Joosten who was Delores Landingham in The West Wing. She even won a 2005 Emmy for Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for this nosey neighbor role.
This year she is ruining and or aiding the other neighbors in this show. She is a good character and just as valuable.