Army Wives

Ever since Lifetime started advertising its new show Army Wives my civilian friends have been asking me what I think of it.

My stock answer was that I wouldn't be watching it so I had no opinion. My policy near deployment time is not to watch any television that will make me emotional. There was that one Extreme Home Makeover that nearly did me in.

But curiosity got the better of this cat and I TiVoed the premier last night. I figured I could watch it this morning while the kids were at soccer camp and if it was awful, I could fast forward through the worst parts.

At about ten minutes in I almost gave up, but like a car crash, I just had to see how it ended.

Now, I’m not sure if I thought it was so far off center because of the differences between Army life and Air Force life, or if it was just the writing, acting, costumes, or settings but it sure didn't look like my life.

Except for getting written up for not mowing the lawn. That looked really familiar.

I've heard from some Army wives that they detest the show. They say that it doesn't bare even a passing resemblance to their lives. The women are all too beautiful, catty, and dramatic. And the men are afforded way too much reverence.

But I've heard from other Army wives that they love it. They say that there is finally a dramatic show out there that they can relate to. According to them, the women should be even more beautiful, catty, and dramatic than their real life counterparts, because that’s what makes for good television.

I suppose that is true. Dramas are dramatic for a reason. I just hope that viewers can remember that too.

Much like those of us who aren't doctors or lawyers tend to base our opinions about those professions from what we see on television, I suspect that some will characterize military wives from what they see on Lifetime, Overly-Dramatic, Poorly-Acted Television for Women.

Did you tune in to Army Wives? What did you think?