Lifetime drafts Army Wives for a third tour of duty

The success of Army Wives has been huge for Lifetime. Currently, the second season is doing gangbuster ratings so it's no surprise the CEO Andrea Wong announced yesterday that Army Wives has been renewed for season number three.

Commencing in early 2009, there will be 18 new episodes of the military-oriented, drama set in Fort Marshall around the lives of the families of Army personnel. Currently, the tale of the "tribe" has been a grand slam, Sunday night success for the cable net, the number one cable show among women 25-54 and women 18-49, Lifetime's key demographics.

According to Ms. Wong, "Since premiering last year, Army Wives has become a game-changer for Lifetime. Announcing this early renewal is a testament to the enormous faith and confidence we have in this show and its incredibly talented cast and production team. Army Wives exemplifies what Lifetime is all about-friendship, compassion, humor and heart. We are very proud of both its water cooler resonance and its success."

So, yes, you can see why it has been given such a resounding early renewal. This show really connects with viewers, women in particular. What I find so amazing about the Army Wives story, though, is that producer Mark Gordon brought this show to ABC. On the heels of Grey's Anatomy, his other hit show, he assumed ABC would snatch it up. They didn't.

I would love to hear now why ABC felt this drama didn't fit in with their schedule, wouldn't you? While shows like The Nine, Six Degrees, Day Break, Traveler, and then later, Cashmere Mafia, Women's Murder Club, Big Shots, were all given ABC real estate, Army Wives was turned away. You think the folks at ABC aren't kicking themselves now over that decision?