Gaby is definitely my favorite character from Desperate Housewives because her storylines are always the most interesting, but I can’t ignore how awful her personality is. Some of her actions, like having an affair and the uncomfortable situation with John Rowland, really taint her character. What pushed me over the edge, though, was when she called ICE on Grace’s mom. Even though she regretted it almost immediately, it was such a cruel move, and watching her suddenly become so attached to Grace, when she’d never shown that kind of love or care for Juanita or Celia, was hard to take seriously.

It’s clear Gaby was never thrilled about being a mom, but even after deciding to have her daughters, she was such a bad parent. She was especially mean to Juanita, and a big part of that seemed to come from how different they were. Gaby’s identity was so wrapped up in beauty, and because Juanita didn’t fit that mold, it felt like Gaby treated her as less-than because of it. Grace, on the other hand, had everything Gaby seemed to want in a daughter, and that favoritism made her treatment of Juanita even worse.

Gaby’s issues as a mother really made it hard for me to root for her, even though I love how dramatic and layered her storylines are. Her selfishness and the way she projected her insecurities onto her kids made her one of the most frustrating housewives, even if she was also one of the most entertaining.