I hate to say this, but I am sick of immigration stories.

I think the plot has been done to death, and I personally don't think the facts are nearly as straightforward as they make them seem on TV. At least this one involved the wife of an enlisted man (who happened to be pregnant), so the angle was slightly different.

Oddly enough, the story was left hanging and went nowhere. It was as if even the Army Wives writers felt they had no place to go with the topic. Spending so much time on this at the beginning of the episode seemed to belittle the stories I had more interest in.

I like how quickly Pamela was talked into an actual wedding. One week to plan it? Seemed like a cinch to me: have it at The Hump Bar! A ready made venue with food and drink.

I guess that isn't as special as Katie would have liked, but circumstances actually made my idea come true. Who would've thought? It turned out to be a beautiful wedding, and Pamela's dress made her look like a teen from the 60s, so young and happy.

The weather and the lack of electricity was also lovely. I know, it might seem strange, but a perfect wedding is perfect. A less than perfect wedding leaves you with memories to remember. The lighting and candles after the electrical outage made the wedding magical.

We've waited so long for Chase and Pamela to be close and in love and it paid off royally. I'm really enjoying this new Chase. He realized he had lost the love of his life and when he chose to recommit, he left nothing behind. He is giving it his all.

Having Denise sidelined with the flu gave Joan and Roland a chance to revisit their desire to have another child. Roland could barely get the baby out of Joan's arms, so I think the writing is on the wall. And can we talk about how beautiful Joan looked dressed for the wedding? Her dress was gorgeous, the fit just lovely. I'd be surprised if a child was not made in that household on the wedding night.

I knew Roxy was hiding feelings about Whit just based on the way she talked to Pamela, but when she got so upset when she saw her waitress exiting Whit's trailer, she really went overboard. It doesn't seem she is being as honest as she thought she was with herself. Again, I'm betting on trouble ahead for the LeBlanc family.

"Strategic Alliances" was about how important family is and that your life is defined by the alliances you make. Every friend has for you something to give and can support you in your life. The alliances of family friendship are what Army Wives is all about.

As usual, we never get away from Army Wives unscathed. Claudia Joy's doctor visit revealed a mass in her abdomen. Getting through this will require all the love and support she can get from her own strategic alliances.

I gave the episode four stars for the wonderful wedding, but it really felt like the lowest point of the season. It seems like it will be difficult to meet the intense drama we felt when Jeremy died, but as Claudia Joy battles an illness, I just may be proven wrong.

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.