If it’s drama that makes your world go around then Army Wives the complete 7th season has just been released on DVD. The well acted and directed television series that has lasted for 117 episodes has a very strong following, appealing mostly to housewives. The weekly drama features episodes that are touching, powerful and intriguing.
This season stars Catherine Bell as Denise Sherwood, Kelli Williams as Jackie Clark, Wendy Davis as Joan Burton, Alyssa Diaz as Gloria, Torrey DeVitto as Maggie Hall, Ashanti as Latasha Durant, Elle McLemore as Holly Truman and Brian McNamara as General Holden. Brooke Shields joins the group this season in episode 7 as Katherine ‘Kat’ Young an Air Force Colonel.
This likable past season is filled with tension, family problems, trauma, tragedy, pain and heartache as the wives of the military face their everyday lives. From the first episode “Ashes to Ashes” where the funeral is held for Claudia Joy the women start right into their personal problems, bar fights, Gloria gets into bed with a very unlikely guy, investment in a gambling idea, trouble with family finances, a secret affair and more.
The series is the brainchild Katherine Fugate and premiered on Lifetime in 2007. The weekly show got its roots from a non-fiction book called “Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives” by Tanya Biank. Three characters have lasted throughout the seven seasons, Catherine Bell as Denise Sherwood, Wendy Davis as Colonel Joan Burton and Brian McNamara as General Michael James Holden. Additions to the corps for this season are Torrey DeVitto, Ashanti, Elle McLemore and Brooke Shields. A good portion of the ongoing series was filmed at Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina.
Although I am not a big fan of soaps, I found myself getting mildly addicted to the series. Maybe it’s the need for some edgy performances or just my brain calling for something other than the hard pounding action of most of the movies of the summer, but there’s something infections about Army Wives.
The bonus features “Bloopers” and “Deleted Scenes” are nothing to write home about, but did give me a few chuckles. If you are a diehard Army Wives junkie you will probably appreciate them more than I did.
The video quality with the widescreen, 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio is perfect for me as it fills my whole 16×9 screen. Getting real HD television quality from the DVD on a show like this makes it all the easier to watch and appreciate.
The sound quality is also very good using the Dolby Digital 5.1 through my television or you can ramp it up if you have an upgraded sound system. I especially like the banter between the ladies and with this system all dialogue comes across loud and clear.
Specifications and additional film information:
Cast: Catherine Bell, Kelli Williams, Wendy Davis, Alyssa Diaz, Torrey DeVitto, Brooke Shields, Ashanti, Elle McLemore
Creator: Katherine Fugate
Rating: TV14
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 559 min
Video Release Date: September 10, 2013
Original TV Series Run Dates: March 10, 2013 to June 9, 2013
Language: English
Format: DVD
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: Widescreen, 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Number of Discs: 3 Discs
Programming: Lifetime
Distributed by: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
