Desperate Housewives: Time for Raises for the Women on Wisteria Lane?

A raise for Lynette, Bree, Susan and Gabrielle may not top your Christmas list this year but for the stars of ABC’s Desperate Housewives, it certainly would help to ring in the new year. Contracts for Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher and Eva Longoria expire at the end of the season, and EW has learned that renegotiations have already begun.

ABC hasn’t officially said whether the drama will return for an eighth year, but all signs indicate that it’s a sure thing: Creator Marc Cherry is committed to Wisteria Lane through 2013 and the drama remains the most-watched series on Sundays (12.9 million). It’s also the No. 1 non-sports program on the night in adults 18-49 (4.3 rating/10 share) and dominates its time period across all key female demographics. The show also commands a hefty ad rate that’s well north of $200,000 per 30-second spot and ranks among TV’s highest-rated scripted series among adults in homes with an $100,000-plus annual income.

Since the four stars earn the same amount — reports peg their salaries at roughly $400,000 each per episode, which makes them among TV’s highest paid stars — its likely the women will negotiate together. From what EW hears, the women continue to get along well and are dedicated to seeing through Cherry’s vision. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, Cherry’s eager to find new hits for the Alphabet network. He has a script in development dubbed Hallelujah that would center on a small town “which finds itself being torn apart by the forces of good and evil,” according to Variety . Things improve, however, when a stranger comes to town “looking to bring justice, peace, and a little bit of faith” to the residents. The project is set up at ABC Studios through Cherry’s huge overall deal.

Desperate Housewives Stars Pledge Support for Producer in Nicollette Sheridan Dispute

A line has been drawn on Wisteria Lane.

Desperate Housewives stars Eva Longoria Parker, Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross and Felicity Huffman issued a joint statement Tuesday pledging their support for show creator Marc Cherry in a lawsuit filed by Nicollette Sheridan.

"It would be irresponsible of us to let the public believe that being a part of this show from its inception has been anything but a blessing," the statement says. "We have no first-hand knowledge of what Nicollette may or may not have experienced, but we would never characterize our set as a hostile environment.

"It is, in fact, the opposite," the statement continues. "The friendships and support that Marc Cherry, the cast, the crew and the producers have shared for the past six years have made this a wonderful job that we are grateful for every day."

Hatcher, who plays housewife Susan on the show, separately expressed concern that the actress was singled out in the lawsuit alleging Cherry hit Sheridan in the face and that her Edie Britt character was killed off when she complained about him. Sheridan's suit alleged that when Hatcher went over Cherry's head to complain about him to ABC executives, he told Sheridan, "I hope Teri Hatcher gets hit by a car and dies."

The statement said it was "unfortunate and inappropriate" for Sheridan's attorneys to have mentioned Hatcher without her authorization.

Hatcher says: "While my adoration and respect for the classic and dynamic chemistry of the characters of Susan and Edie is indelible, I'm honored to stand with Eva, Felicity and Marcia, as a group and clarify that our set environment is nothing less than an amazingly positive experience. I have never felt discriminated against. In fact, I have felt heard and respected by Marc and other executives in regards to both my professional and personal needs."