TVSquad

(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.


Family tradition dictates that Claudia Joy teach Em how to drive a stick shift, but just like she can't go to church or be intimate with Michael, she also can't be there for her daughter. Everybody seems to want something from her. When she encounters the messenger -- outside the church -- he tells her that, "I don't want a thing."

It's only when she's able to lash out in anger, telling him how mad she is that she'll never see Amanda get married, or hold her babies, that his message makes sense to her. "Death is a part of life. You can't have one without the other," he explains.

It was a nice touch to see Emmalin finding an outlet for her pain and confusion about Amanda by asking Roland if she could play basketball with him. She's able to tell him about her fears that the soldiers on base now longer make her feel safe. Roland, who's not working at the hospital right now -- remember he resigned to go to Northwestern, then changed his mind -- begins an ad hoc practice on the court. Em returns and brings troubled friends along.

At the hospital, Denise meets a young man, an amputee whose legs were blown off in Iraq, and while he compares her to Mona Lisa, he's not really flirting with her. He sees a sadness in her smile. They talk motorcycles, she sneaks him out for a beer. Mac, in his innocent way, helps Denise to remember a part of her life that was lost years before, when she was a teenager and less regimented by first her father, and later Frank. Mac's gift to her is a set of keys. He leaves her his motorcycle when he's sent to Walter Reed Hospital.

When Claudia Joy literally putting her hands to her daughter's hands to show her how to drive a stick, she is finally able to reconnect. This was excellent dialog and really worked. She tells Em, "Until you can trust, you can't move forward."

Other points of interest

-- Pamela and Chase are again caught in the push-pull of his being back for a short time and trying to be super dad and spouse while he's home.

-- The subplot of Finn dressing up with a tie to ask Claudia out on a date was adorable. His imaginary friend, Harry, eggs him on. Roxy explains to Claudia, and later, out on their date, Finn says Harry is at the bar. When Claudia Joy looks over, her messenger is there. Are they one in the same?

-- Finn looked like a little Harry Potter with his suit and tie and glasses. Interesting that his imaginary friend is named Harry.

-- It was nice that Roland's well enough to be shooting hoops and helping others, but what's going on with Joan? There was no mention of her and the baby.

-- Chase is deploying again, but they actually give him three days notice. That was a change of pace. Delta Force rules usually means he comes and goes without warning. Given some time to get his life in order, the guy stepped up and told his wife and kids how much he loves and needs them.

-- Betty is not easy to live with. Her cancer has progressed and she needs chemo. She also doesn't like kids because she could never have any of her own.