armywives

'Saturday Night Live'
(Sat., 11:30PM, NBC) 34th season premiere
He nabbed the gold, but can he bring the funny? Olympian Michael Phelps becomes the latest athlete to host 'SNL,' as the show kicks off a fall that should be especially rife with election season material.

For tonight, the focus will be on the swimming god, which likely means gags about his long limbs, gold medal prowess and sudden media ubiquitousness.

A bonus (besides that $1 million he received from Speedo, we mean) for Phelps: One of his favorite rappers, 'Lil Wayne (he of 'Lollipop' fame), is the musical guest.

Not to be confused with Cashmere Mafia or Legally Blonde or Sweet Charity, Lifetime has a new reality series in the works with the catchy title of Blonde Charity Mafia. It's a docu-reality series, so they say.

Lifetime has ordered six half-hour episodes of Blonde Charity Mafia, following the lives of three young society women in Washington, D.C. who are famous for their work on political and philanthropic fundraisers in the nation's capital. If this sounds something like the Bravo Real Houswives franchise -- Real Housewives of Orange County, Real Housewives of New York and Real Housewives of Atlanta -- it's all intentional.

The Blonde Charity Mafia mavens may not be married ladies, but the very rich, society swirl sounds very much like the well-heeled women on Bravo.

(S01E11) Roger and Susan finally had that moment. After eleven episodes, when he showed up in her kitchen and said what we've been waiting to hear him say -- "I love you, Susan" -- it was cathartic. Done to the tune of Carole King singing, "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" Swingtown grabbed me by the throat, leaving me dying to see what would happen next. Only that was the end of the show.

I guess that's a good thing, being on the edge of my seat, hungry for more. Of course the next episode is two weeks away and probably the last of the show unless CBS deigns to bring it back in 2009. Based on the level of interest I have and I've seen from readers, Swingtown has earned a second season.

But I digress, let's get back to "Get Down Tonight." There was an awful lot of getting down, including the kids. BJ and Ricky had a hot game of strip poker with Sam and her very mature cousin Lisa. Not surprisingly, Ricky was all bluff and ran for the hills when things got too advanced, while BJ showed again that he's a real mensch (Yiddish for a quality person).

I can't decide if this is good news or bad news. Moonlight star Alex O'Loughlin is staying at CBS.

Unless you've been in another galaxy for the past year, you know that the Aussie actor cultivated an enormous fan base with his role as vampire P.I. Mick St. John on CBS' Moonlight. The uproar caused by the cancellation of the show in May can still be heard, well, in another galaxy.

At the Television Critics Association press tour in July, CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler said the popularity of Moonlight was due in large part to O'Loughlin's fan base. So I can appreciate the fact that CBS wants to keep him around. But it's what they'll do with him that has me worried.

(S02E09) Ah, if only we all had someone in our lives who would say that whenever we turn up with a problem. I'd like to say there were some surprises in this episode, but really there was just one I didn't see coming.

Trevor realizes that he's been a handful so when she says, "I wish I could deploy -- to a five-star spa," he takes her words to heart. In typical TV fashion, because in reality this kind of stuff doesn't happen, Trevor decides to create a spa dinner for Roxie.

The tribe chip in to help him, but the surprise is ruined because Roxie can't resist socializing with the girls from her G.E.D. class. Now, that did come as a bit of a surprise. Not Roxie socializing, but that she's a high school dropout. She comes off as a smart cookie, but apparently that's all life experience.

(S02E08) Well, this was one packed episode. I think the only thing missing was the kitchen sink. With the exception of the Denise-Getty will they-won't they love story, every thread was neatly tied up by the end of the show. It made for a satisfying episode, but I'm not sure it was as fulfilling as the storylines that take time to develop and resolve.

It was refreshing to see Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz in a few scenes as Sandy, a new waitress at Roxy's bar -- which they're now calling a diner. Even in just the few moments, she was a shot of vinegar. Too bad she turned out to be a one-dimensional character with a plot that was wrapped up before it started. Roxy wiped the floor with her when she fired her, in Roxy style.

What was troubling was Trevor popping pain pills. In his efforts to rush back to his unit, he's making a big mistake. I hope they're not going in this direction, but I'm afraid they are.

If there's one thing about success in the entertainment business it's this: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That means if something is working on another show, steal/borrow the idea. As I've pointed out before, the soaps are inspired by movies and TV shows all the time, including Ugly Betty and The Devil Wears Prada and 24 and anything else that the daytime dramas can adapt into the soap opera format.

The latest form of flattery will be on All My Children with the introduction of Beth Ehlers as a new character in Pine Valley, Lieutenant Taylor McBride, a U.S. Army vet who has recently been deployed in Iraq.

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(S02E06) One of the really good things about Army Wives is that it presents situations and problems that don't have easy answers. As a viewer, you watch and wonder, "What would I do if I was in his/her shoes?"

That was what I was wondering when Claudia Joy was faced with advising a soldier/mother who's teenage daughter was acting out because she didn't want her mother to leave for another tour of duty. With little recourse that doesn't involve court martial and loss of benefits, Clare Duncan, faces a moral dilemma that most TV shows never address.

I have to admit I didn't even know that issues like dual deployment -- when both a father and mother are serving in combat, leaving kids behind and in need of care -- existed till tonight. It seems unfair for the children of military families, which is the point the program was making.

There were plenty of personal stories going on as well. Trevor's a wreck, uncomfortable with being hailed a hero, and Roxy is unsure how to help him.

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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.

Kim Delaney is not Quinn Cummings, but the actresses share one thing in common: Marsha Mason as a mom, on screen that is. Army Wives has cast Marsha Mason, Oscar-nominated actress for The Goodbye Girl, as Claudia Joy Holden's mom. She will be appearing on at least two episodes this season, visiting Fort Marshall and her daughter, the general's wife.

Marsha, who is actually has been Oscar-nominated as Best Actress four times in all (Cinderella Liberty, Chapter Two, Only When I Laugh), will guest on Army Wives as Charlotte Meade, Claudia's socialite mother. Her relationship with her daughter is strained and her visit comes without warning.

(S02E05) For the first 52 minutes (including commercials) of tonight's Army Wives, I was wondering where it was going, and -- I have to admit -- I was getting a little impatient. It seemed like a lot of little bits weren't adding up for a very cohesive episode.

Then the last act kicked in and I found myself in tears. The memorial service at the end for the MIA soldier whose remains were finally being returned from Vietnam was a knockout. It just took some time to get to that point.

The heart of the show was Trevor's return from Iraq and his difficulties dealing with the aftermath of killing the man who shot and wounded him. He's uncomfortable with being labeled a hero.

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Judging by the Nielsen ratings Lifetime is raking in for Army Wives in its second season, this show has found its audience. It actually started last spring when Army Wives was a national surprise -- to everyone in the business outside of Lifetime, which picked up the show when ABC passed.

It's still amazing to think that ABC had a chance to put this show in their schedule and let it get away. Their loss is Lifetime's gain -- and they're feasting on it.

If you missed the first season of Army Wives, and didn't get into the show until the fifth episode -- like me -- then you'll be glad to know that Army Wives: The Complete First Season is now available on DVD. It's a great set, too, with some very nice bonus features and quality commentaries.
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(S02E04) If there's one thing about Army Wives that bothers me, it's that life is rarely this tidy. With a few exceptions, this episode was about as neat and organized as Frank Sherwood's sock drawer. If you know that character, you know what I mean.

The really good part of the show dealt not with the wives, but with the husbands. Michael Holden, usually the Rock of Gibraltar, finally was shown to be in pain.

It was fitting that Michael wouldn't make it easy for Claudia Joy to find out what was bothering him. A general doesn't show his soft underbelly, not even to his wife.

The twist of having George's sister, Leah, appear was a good development. It was unexpected that the sister of the guy who bombed the Hump Bar would approach the Holdens, but it worked because it gave Claudia Joy a chance to counsel Michael.

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(S02E03) Army Wives is the kind of show that's not afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve, metaphorically speaking. That's what this episode was in essence. The writers weren't afraid to deal with some core themes like faith, courage, fear and bravery.

Time has passed since Amanda's death, but life is not returning to normal for the Holdens. Until Claudia Joy is able to begin to heal, Michael and Emmalin will be suffering, a point driven home in this episode by the messenger. In the guise of guest star Bill Cobbs, he's not real.

At least not real in human form; he's imaginary and only Claudia Joy can see and speak with him. This is very much a dramatic device to help her see that life goes on.
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If you haven't entered our latest giveaways yet, here's a reminder that they're ending today. You've got until 5PM Eastern today to enter to win:

Burn Notice - Season One

Army Wives - Season One

Just head on over to the post links above, read through the rules, and make the applicable comment there (not here!). We'll notify the winners next week.

Good luck!