TVSquad

(S02E13) There was a lot of action is this penultimate episode of Army Wives. After the ripples created by all these stones in the water, I expect that next week's season finale will be a humdinger, although I don't think the finale can equal the punch of last year's suicide bomber at the Hump Bar.

It's clear that the writers like to keep us on our toes, surprising us, and I don't mind the unexpected. But the twist in tonight's show really came out of left field. I'll be frank; it was bad. I won't talk about it further until after the jump, but suffice to say I felt very manipulated, and not in a good way.

The Trevor/Roxy drug story has been building and it's definitely coming to a realistic boil. I feel for Roxy. She's doing her best to keep it together and Trevor has been like another person since returning from Iraq, guilt ridden and injured.

His problems are understandable and real and not easily solved. Roland's reaction to Roxy confiding in him was also very Roland. He's a worrier, and while I was disappointed that he didn't keep her confidence, I understood why he told Joan about Trevor's pain med dependence. I didn't get at all why Evan still thinks he can challenge Joan. He's such a jerk.

I'm happy that the Burton baby arrived and it was reassuring to see the tribe gather at the hospital to support Roland. After Roxy and Roland's flare up at Betty's, seeing her embrace him underscored the connection between all the spouses. They can fight and get mad, but the friendship remains.

Friendship is supposedly what the Holdens have with their old European pal, Paolo, but quickly he turned out to be something else. He involved Michael in some very sticky politics, blending personal interests with nationalism. Then, in the kitchen scene with Claudia Joy, Paolo set off boundary alarms which she should have acted upon.

But then when Paolo came forward and apologized -- in front of Michael -- at dinner, she thought that was the end of it. Frankly, I was surprised that Michael didn't smack the guy. Still, when it turned out Paolo wasn't just an operator, he was a rapist, I was stunned. Playing this out further, I can see him not being charged with anything because of diplomatic immunity, and if that's where they're heading with this story, I'm going to be very ticked off.

The Pamela stalker story is also ticking me off. I was relieved that she called in MPs to back her up when she arranged to meet Tim, but for a woman who was once a cop, I expect her to attack this guy preemptively and not wait for him to make more moves. Maybe I'm expecting too much. In the previews, it sure looks like she's heading to DEF-CON 5 with the heavy artillery.

The dinner with Denise and Frank was intense, but at least they finally talked it out. For once I was with Frank when he walked out of the house at the end. If Denise wants a separation, she can't cling to Frank when she feels the need. He may be a macho Army guy, but Frank has deep emotions and passions. You could see that in his goodbye to Jeremy.

I'm really concerned about Trevor after this car crash and the fact that Joan, i.e. the Army, is aware of his drug problems. None of this is going to end well for Trevor, because what he wants is to return to Iraq and complete his mission. That's not going to happen now. I see a rehab facility in his future, and Roxy spending more nights sleeping with the boys than her husband.

Other points of interest

-- Interesting that Roland used the term "situational dependency" to characterize Trevor's condition. It sounded too euphemistic, too clinical. But then Roland is a psychiatrist; he'd see it like that. Roxy only sees Trevor becoming like her mother.

-- Talking with Denise, Claudia Joy revealed her near-break up with Michael. Whoa! That was news.

-- Have you noticed that Frank and Denise and Jeremy never bring up his abuse from last year? Do the writers think we've forgotten that a son hit his mother? I haven't.

-- The funeral of Dalton, Trevor's friend and fellow soldier, was a stark reminder that Army Wives takes place at a time when a real war is going on.