It is completely within the realm of possibilities that I only have myself to blame for the plot on last night’s episode of Army Wives. Bakery lady Marisol (Gina Rodriguez) is apparently a victim of domestic abuse, and Denise was one of the EMTs called to her house after she “fell.” Cue the sisterhood closing ranks.
But in light of the recent news that Pamela may very well be getting her own series soon, might Marisol have been auditioning for her spot in the group? Granted it might be tricky once she and her husband separate, but as long as she’s on-base I assume Marisol can be a new friend. As my wife says, she’s kind of in the Roxy mold, but so what?
I could barely watch as Denise was forced to tell this stranger that her son used to hit her. I recently had a conversation with my sister about my animosity toward Jeremy, and she posed a good question: “After raising a more or less good kid for 18 years, putting in all the effort required to raise them well, would you banish them from your life even if they made the biggest mistake under the sun?”
My sister definitely has a point. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the situation, but what do you do? What if they were a thief, or a murderer, or a rapist, or who knows what? Your kid will always be your kid; does the love disappear just because they took the wrong direction in life?
But to hear Denise say the words, “My son used to hit me” … I don’t know. Can you remember back when it happened? Denise was the sweetest little mouse of a person, and her only son was physically abusing her. I wasn’t a parent at the time, but the sheer insanity of the situation enraged me. I think a large part of my residual feelings about it are a result of my initial reaction, coupled with the show’s ineffectually dealing with the situation. It just makes me sick.
Anyway, what this episode was happened to be a great spotlight on how too many things like spousal abuse get overlooked in an environment where one person has so much less power than the other. Whether or not Marisol returns to fight another day, I hope that someone, somewhere, learned a valuable lesson from her story.
The rest of the episode was a USO concert starring Five For Fighting and Wynonna Judd. If I didn’t know it before, the music selections tell me that I’m clearly not the intended audience for this show. They didn’t use her last name, so I kept thinking they meant Winona Ryder, and I was wondering why anyone would want to hear her sing.
I loved how Pamela traded favors for the opportunity to meet Wynonna, only to need Claudia Joy to introduce her in order for her to be able to introduce everybody (and their neighbors) who lent a hand. And it was really nice how the concert was telecast to the foreword base in Iraq where Joan is stationed. Her character is developing really nicely into this great leader, and despite my still thinking that she made the wrong choice by going back for another tour, I’m glad we’re getting to see more of her, and like this.
And, as always, I’m really enjoying Michael and Frank. They’re just really good guys. A so so episode, but a good overall season continues.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on May 17, 2010 @ 13:45 EST5EDT
This episode of army wives – like many others before it – made me say “I hate this show so why do I watch it?” the first season was alright but its just gone downhill from there, its exactly what people hate about lifetime and it feels like a long commercial for the army. Its winey and boring and predictable. But I would watch a show with just Pamela and or Roxy too, but if they start a spin off I hope they leave all of the army praise behind.
Also I can’t believe any guys watch this.
*POST AUTHOR*
What can I tell you? Good characters are good characters. :)
I am an Army Wife, and while yes this show is as far from our Reality, it is the only way ‘normal’ people can see what we go through.
Yes, the way they dealt with the whole Jeremy situation was horrible at the begining of the series, but the show has slowly gotten better. The moment there is a spousal abuse claim or suspicion most NCO will take the husband, or wife, whichever one is enlisted and remove them from the home. How would it be dealt with if it was a son? IDK.
As onto Joan leaving her family to return to Iraq, it is not easy for someone to understand. Sometimes not even for us spouses, but it is what these men and woman enlisted for, it is what they spend all year training for. They train together, they depend on each other. As a wife, and a mother, of beautiful baby girl who was born after my husband left, (he only got to meet her a month after she was born for 16 days), I know that I would prefer for his ‘battle body’ to be someone we knew, someone we trusted and I know for a fact it is the same way with most other wives around here. So, while yes I cry my eyes out all the time, he is forced to see his daughter develop though pictures and the occasional SKype video chat, I am proud of my husband, of his friends and the job he does. If it means they are all gone for a year, but all (most in our case) come back home safe, then that is the sacrifice we have to make.
*POST AUTHOR*
Thank you for sharing with us from the front lines! Last season we had a number of real life Army wives who joined the conversation — we’re always happy to have you!
I could never assume to imagine that I understand Joan, but my questions about her decision arise from the fact that Michael offered her a meaningful position back at Fort Marshall. I’m sure it’s not the same thing, and I know it’s not what she’s been training for, but career military people eventually get to a point in their career where they’re administrative and not in theater. Maybe she’s trying to hold on as long as she can, but I just didn’t understand why with Sarah Elizabeth at home. Like I said, I don’t assume to understand her world, but as an outsider that’s what I see.
I hope your husband comes home safe! :)