Army Wives hasn’t walked the most direct, or even logical, path at times, and the show today is not the same one we all got hooked on in season one. But man if the series doesn’t know how to put on a powerful episode.
I actually found myself unhappy about, or disappointed with, most of the goings-on in the beginning. I’ve long awaited Pamela and Chase’s big collision, but this episode made me wonder what it was that Pamela expected from Chase. Yes, she made a big compromise when they came to their agreement last time, but then let him live up to his part of the deal in his own way. It’s not tenable to expect that he behave as she would have him.
And of all people to provide insight to Pamela, the last I would have expected was Joan, first of all because seeing the two of them talking is always weird. Yet it was Joan who explained the bind that Chase finds himself in better than anyone else has ever been able to — this is who he is. Is it fair for Pamela to ask Chase to change who he fundamentally is as a person?
And when presented to her in that manner, the answer was obvious. And yet I didn’t see the tremendousness of Pamela and Chase’s scene together coming. It was brief, and might be the only time we ever see Chase exposed, but both Brigid Brannagh and Jeremy Davidson were fantastic in that scene. Bravo.
Joan’s return home went predictably, with Sarah Elizabeth not quite ready to leap into her arms. Okay, sad, but anyone who’s had a kid that age knows that they have a certain amount of stranger anxiety. Sure it’s her mother, so very sad, but Joan was away; give her time and she’ll be letting you feed and change her before you know it. More impressive was that the baby did a great job imitating a child with stranger anxiety. I wonder what exactly they did on-set to help her.
And yet, despite my heavy eye-rolling at Joan’s hands-in-the-air approach (try a little harder) I still found it moving when Sarah Elizabeth called her “Mommy” and gave her a beautiful smile. Also predictable, but a really nice touch.
I’m tired of the fact that Michael and Claudia Joy have no more going for them than whatever Emmalin finds to whine about week in and week out. I have no interest in watching her rehab from her leg injury, or bemoan her lost opportunity to play college hockey (which I’m sure she’ll overcome). Why must we suffer through more of her high-stung drama?
But then, as blindsided as I was by the plot, how tremendous is it that Denise and Frank are expecting again? Aside from the Pamela/Chase scene I mentioned above, Frank and Denise’s moment in the second bedroom was the best part of the entire episode. As opposed to Michael and Claudia Joy, we’ve had the opportunity to watch Frank and Denise go through numerous tremendous dramatic stories, and I can see that this pregnancy will be more of the intriguing same.
Frank and Michael together was awesome too, and how funny was Frank’s “Oh God” when Denise reminded him that they could have a girl? And Frank worrying about being a good father … the show isn’t the same one we saw a few years back, but how good is it?
And, just because I have to say it, if anyone deserves another chance at raising a kid on this show it’s Denise. Good for her for getting a second opportunity.
And good for Army Wives for bringing it back this season. Color me impressed.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Jun 07, 2010 @ 14:00 EST5EDT
A very good episode, indeed. I found myself extremely annoyed with Pamela through most of the episode– it does happen that people have to answer work calls, and give him props for reading to Katie in bed— and very impressed with Chase, which was interesting since for most of the seasons I liked Pamela and couldn’t stand Chase. Great acting by them at the end, though I would have liked to hear what they said to the kids.
Eye-rolling at Joan? Have you no heart? :) I was bawling at every scene with Joan and her daughter. I don’t think she gave up too easily, and I think it was extremely poignant to watch, especially as a mother. I think she struck the right chord as a mother who understood that it would take time, but her heart was breaking apart at every unsuccessful encounter.
As for Denise and Frank, a wonderful twist. I suspected as soon as Frank mentioned a cold and they were talking about redoing the room, since this is TV, but still. And I LOVED the scenes with Frank talking to Michael and then Denise (and finding out in could be a girl). Well done!
*POST AUTHOR*
Me too! I couldn’t believe how much I could see where Chase was coming from.
I know it was wrong to judge her, but I felt as if Joan was reaching that level of annoyance we’re so prone to with our own kids, when she wasn’t taking full stock of the situation. I don’t want to say “It’s her fault for leaving,” but understand that your daughter doesn’t know you. Now work hard to fix that.
Michael and Frank should do a spin-off buddy show.