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.

On tonight's PBS special When Parents are Deployed, Elmo gets some sad news - his father Louie is leaving for parts unknown. While no specific branch of the military is mentioned, it's clear that Louie is being shipped off to either Iraq or another war-torn country. Elmo, the army brat, is in for some heartbreak. And, from the sound of the New York Times' review of the special, so are we. Elmo's segments are played between interviews with actual soldiers and their often traumatized children.