TV drama re-enlists

Hoping for a stronger incentive deal from the state, the hit cable television series "Army Wives" plans to march into a third season of filming in Charleston early next year.

The Lifetime TV drama about military spouses and their daily trials and tribulations wrapped up its second season of production Wednesday.

"We feel the state is going to support the film industry with hopefully a longer term of incentives," said Harry Bring, co-executive producer. "That will help us have more South Carolina residents on our crew."

Palmetto State residents make up about a third of the show's regular crew of 150, Bring said.

The state provides a one-year incentive package for the ABC/Mark Gordon Co. production. Producers must reapply every year to receive incentives, S.C. Film Commissioner Jeff Monks said.

Incentives are based on production, with one year considered one production, Monks said.

Bring believes extending the financial inducements over several years could attract more film business to South Carolina and put the state on equal footing with other states.

"It's a growing industry here, and not just for our guys," Bring said. "Other states have entered into multiple years (for incentives)."

Monks said a state Senate subcommittee is reviewing state film incentives and any possible extensions.

"Army Wives" producers spent about $15 million during their first year of filming in South Carolina, Monks said. The state uses a multiplier of 1.9 for its return, and calculated the economic impact of the series at nearly $30 million, he said.

The producers of "Army Wives" or any production company that films in South Carolina and spends at least $1 million in the state can receive up to a 20 percent cash rebate on wages and 30 percent cash rebate on in-state supplier expenditures, Monks said.

In addition, all productions spending more than $250,000 in the state are exempt from sales and accommodations taxes.

The Lifetime show, starring actresses Catherine Bell and Kim Delaney, pulled in 4.4 million viewers Sept. 21, its strongest night of the season and highest viewer total since the second season kicked off in June. It was the second-highest rated show that night, when it went up against the Emmy Awards and Sunday Night Football, according to the state Film Commission and Chandler Hayes of ABC.

The season finale airs at 10 p.m. Nov. 2 with multiple cliffhangers, Bring said. The setup for the finale airs a week earlier. Filming for the third season will begin in late January or early February, he said.

"Your sophomore season can kill you or it can propel you," Bring said. "This year was great. We hope we have a few more seasons left in us."

Reach Warren Wise at 937-5524 or wwise@postandcourier.com.