In This Section
TV Guide Spotlight
Also on TVGuide.com
|
« TV Show Previews
Ten-Hut! Army Wives Is Back on Duty!
Catherine Bell by Fred Norris/Lifetime
Not many TV shows earn promotional shout-outs from both John McCain and Barack Obama. But endorsing Army Wives? A political no-brainer. The hit Lifetime drama (Sundays at 10 pm/ET), after all, depicts with sensitivity — and soap-operatic flourish — the lives of American military families. The candidates' high-profile tributes were the latest signs of success for the network's most popular show, which scored record ratings for its second-season opener as well as an official thumbs-up from the U.S. Department of Defense.
The upshot of that seal of approval: permission to film inside an actual C-17 transport plane at Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina, near the set used as the show's fictional Army post. The DoD also provided a medical evacuation crew to reenact their duties nursing wounded soldiers. "We want to help the show portray the military not only in a good light but in a realistic light," says Air Force public affairs officer Capt. Wayne Capps.
The series also gets a high-five for authenticity from the airmen and air-women checking out the action on the set. "Our wives all watch," says one master sergeant. "The people who play the officers are spot-on." It's this positive feedback, says Brian McNamara, who plays post commander Michael Holden, "that makes me stand a little taller in this uniform."
Not that blunders aren't duly noted. The NCO chuckles when Lt. Col. Joan Burton (Wendy Davis) gets hugs from her staff after revealing her pregnancy. Such a PDA would never happen. It's not the first time the show's only female officer has been chastised by service members. Davis' new slicked-back bun resulted from complaints about her previously unruly 'do. But her tough-as-nails character has bigger challenges ahead, like trying to maintain her troops' respect as she suffers morning sickness and mood swings and ensuring that the old-school male officer who'll step in for her won't usurp her deputy commander position permanently.
More problems fill the duty roster this season. In his first deployment, Trevor (Drew Fuller) takes a bullet, which opens up an ethical can of worms for the idealistic grunt. "His dilemma is that he feels he was just doing his job, but the Army needs a hero," says Fuller. Back home, his wife, Roxy (Sally Pressman), takes a job sorting shrimp because her car needs a new motor. "There's a military-family joke that says as soon as your husband deploys, everything he's responsible for breaks down," Pressman says.
And that includes their marriage. "Roxy's going to expect that Trevor's the same when he returns, but he won't be."
Trevor's survival is good news in a show that promises loss and delivered it with the tragic murder of Amanda (Kim Allen), the daughter of Michael and Claudia Joy (Kim Delaney). "We've been working through the stages of grief," Delaney says. That sad story line weighed on the actors as well as their characters, admits Brigid Brannagh, who plays Delta Force wife and out-spoken radio host Pamela. "We're finally going into a lighter stage," she says. "We need a little levity around here!"
They seem to be achieving it, judging by the playful banter on the set. "We bond a lot," confirms creator Katherine Fugate. "It's almost like being on our own Army post. We spend weekends together, live together." In fact, McNamara and Sterling K. Brown, who plays Joan's beleaguered civilian spouse, Roland, share a place. "He cooks like a beast and I eat like one," jokes Brown. "A match made in heaven."
A new on-screen match will rev up this season when desperate housewife Denise (Catherine Bell) finds a new passion — riding motorcycles — and a possible new love (Seamus Dever). "That relationship will force her to look at what she really wants in a partner," Fugate says.
During hiatus, the actors spent some time with their real-life counterparts in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. As a result, says Fugate, "The stories this season will be more meaningful and accurate." But don't expect the show to take a political stance about the Iraq War. "There's always a war," she says. "What's consistent is the soldier's sacrifice and the family's struggle. That's what we aim for." No candidate could dispute that. — Ileane Rudolph
Use our Online Video Guide to watch Army Wives
Related:
• Exclusive: Army Wives Enlists Ugly Betty's Sister
• Army Wives Recruits Lifetime's Biggest Audience
• Video Q&A: Catherine Bell Reporting for Duty
|
TVGuide Links:
|
|
|
|
Jun 19, 2008 4:00 PM
|
Okay. So does this mean someone at tvguide has volunteered to write the recaps so we can all talk about it? 
Although it looks like Denise might get a new love (ugh), Catherine Bell said in an interview, that she doesn't want Denise to go down that road, and is fighting to NOT let that happen. I also hope, that Denise doesn't cheat. Yes, she may have to look at her life and what she really wants as Fugate says, but she's been committed and married to Frank for almost 20 years.
I'm hoping she won't go down that road.
~Sangeeta
who still wishes they'd gotten David James Elliot instead to tempt Denise.
|
|
Jun 19, 2008 5:19 PM
|
|
I think Denise should hop over to Swingtown, jump in the pool and let it all hang out.
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 9:23 AM
|
Count me in as one of those hoping for an official blog; this is one of the best shows on TV right now!
A couple of other blunders: Roxy convincing the Army hospital to keep Betty there for another week; the General entertaining Chase, Pamela, and Roxy at a dinner party in his home. Army hospitals are for Army and their families; Generals don't entertain non-officers and their families.
Other than the above, this show is spot-on!
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 9:34 AM
|
|
I absolutely love this show. I love all the actors and I am addicted. My daughter and son-in-law are in the military and this is a big watch show. At Bunco games, this is what is discussed (along with the serious things). Great Show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 1:03 PM
|
|
He could entertain them at his house. It is not frowned on as much as it was at one time. I have been close friends with an officer's wife and my husband (he's enlisted) knew hers so there was no problem. They just worked in different places.
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 1:06 PM
|
I love Army Wives and look forward to Sunday nights. My husband made the same comment regarding the "dinner party" and how that just wouldn't happen in real life.
Is it me or has Claudia Joy had some botched cosmetic surgery on her mouth, mainly her upper lip??? I thought that it might be a cosmetic prothesis due to the explosion at the Bar, but I watched her on The View the other day and her lip is jacked up in real life as well. Anyone know anything about it???
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 1:08 PM
|
|
A spoiler warning should have been attached to this....don't you think???
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 2:06 PM
|
smoreland: "Is it me or has Claudia Joy had some botched cosmetic surgery on her mouth, mainly her upper lip???"
OMG! I thought it was just me who thought that! Looks like a collagen job gone wrong! Kim Delaney had perfectly good lips--why the need to plump them out? It just looks like she got stung by a massive beehive.
I saw the interview on The View as well, and it irritated me a little, how she kept cutting off Catherine Bell. I wanted to hear more about what Catherine was saying, but then, before you knew it, Sherri Shepard cut her off and thanked them for coming to the show.
~Sangeeta
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 2:09 PM
|
|
Tina-Marie...I agree about the spoiler warning (Denise, Joan, Roxy, Trevor). Although I don't mind spoilers, lots of people are annoyed by them. This comes up time and time again in the Blogs, so you would think the writers at TV Guide would have a clue.
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 2:30 PM
|
Well, I have to disagree with both Tina-Marie and catchafairy--
The "spoilers" being discussed here were disclosed BEFORE Army Wives Premiered, discussed in the Catherine Bell interview on this site as well.
In a site like this, if you're going to go into a particular blog, it's best if you're caught up on the episodes and have read what's to come in the season.
I think it's safe to assume that those posting in this particular blog, are all caught up with the episodes that have aired, not to mention the TITLE of this article: "HUGE SECOND-SEASON BUZZ--TV SHOW PREVIEWS" is a dead give-away.
Just sayin'.
~Sangeeta
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 2:47 PM
|
Sangeeta-
Her lip looks more like it was paralyzed with Botox injections. Whatever they used I'd be asking for my $$$$$ back.
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 3:30 PM
|
The dinner party would NEVER happen. Yes officers and enlisted mix, but the Commanding General of the post does not have a private dinner party at his or her home with enlisted members and their spouses. Maybe a dinner party for a particular unit, that includes all members, enlisted and officer. But not a group of people from all different units.
And you forgot to mention that a military hospital absolutely DOES NOT perform abortions just because a woman wants one. They obviously perform D&C's after a spontaneous abortion or miscarriage. But not personal choice abortion.
|
|
Jun 20, 2008 6:58 PM
|
|
If Army Wives really want to be realistic they will have them moving every 2 to 3 years. So depending how long the show stays on the air we should expect new cast members coming and old cast members leaving just like real Army life.
|
|
Jun 21, 2008 4:10 PM
|
|
|
