Army Wives - Devastatingly Real

War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.

For two weeks Army Wives has baited its viewers with hints that one of the husband's was killed in action. Four wives stand, their hands interlocked tightly, fear painted upon their faces as the messenger of death pulls up. The end. *glares*

Last week the hint tauntingly lingered. Again it ended and we remained clueless. Good for you Lifetime, you kept me and I'm sure others waiting in anticipation for this week's airing. I look forward to exactly two shows in a plethora of  mostly junk TV (my opinion only) - Dancing with the Stars and Army Wives.

Tonight's viewers attended the memorial service of... who knows?

If avid fans are anything like me, they cried, not even knowing for whom we shed tears. Yet we knew that it could be any one of a number of military men or women serving our country. Our husbands/wives Our sons/daughters. Someone real was experiencing at this very moment the heartbreak of hearing a loved one was killed in the line of duty.

But which one of the husbands on Army Wives was killed? I was certain it was Pamela's ex husband, with whom she was reconnecting. I thought that two weeks ago.

Then it flashes to Afghanistan where the husband's are stationed. Major General Holden, present; Lt. Colonel Sherwood, present; Sergeant LeBlanc, present. OMG! I love to be right. It's definitely Pamela's husband - I never cared too much for his selfish ass anyway.

Back to the wives, who for two weeks have been awaiting the devastating news, along with the viewers. Again, the messenger of death drives up and two soldiers approach the worried faces of the wives. Claudia Joy, the Major General's wife greets them - she's the strongest of all the wives, but it was her house that the bridal shower for Denise's future daughter-in-law was being held, so yeah.

Wait! What? Denise Sherwood? Huh? But I just saw her hubby in Afghanistan. No! Why didn't I think about her son, who's fiance stood in the background as they formally announced that Jeremy Holden was killed in the line of duty. Okay, I sobbed. Denise and her husband just had a baby girl. Jeremy never saw his little sister. Frank never saw his baby girl. And the fiance... she's going to have to return all the gifts now. :(

The whole show was a series of flashbacks and fast forwards and put together so well, that until the very last the audience had no idea what was happening, I hope. I mean if I'm the only one who didn't have a clue - and trust me, I'm good at guessing these things - then I'm turning in my CBI badge. (That's another story)

It was a heart wrenching episode. One that made me realize how very precarious life is, but even more so for the men and women who put their lives on the line every day so that we might live free.