You may remember Dennis Haysbert as one of the cheating husbands in “Waiting to Exhale” or more recently, as President Palmer on “24,” as well as the spokesman for Allstate and the Military Channel. It seems that the Military Channel experience may have helped him land his current role, as Jonas Blane on the number 1 new show, the CBS military drama, “The Unit”.

Only secondary to relationship and sex–laced dramas, are war and anti-terrorism, the next most popular themes. “The Unit” is yet another network’s take on the latter two themes. FX attempted and failed with “Over There,” which many believed to be too close for comfort, in its portrayal of the war in Iraq. “The Unit,” based on the Eric Haney book “Inside Delta Force,” succeeds by providing a healthy dose of realism and fiction – that makes it enjoyable, balanced, and not entirely uncomfortable.

Haysbert’s character Blane, leads a clandestine special operations team of elite Rangers, that don’t blink an eye at the thought of assassinating prominent figures, waging war against terrorists, then heading home for dinner. The Rangers include newbie Bob Brown (Scott Foley), Colonel Tom Ryan (Robert Patrick), Mack Gerhardt (Max Martini), Charles Grey (Michael Irby), and Hector Williams (Demore Barnes). The bond between the men is obvious as they trade verbal jabs à la “Jarhead,” while seriously coping with the casualties of war.

Despite the powerful positions these men hold, on the home front, their women call the shots. Haysbert is a take–no–prisoners soldier on the frontlines, but as a family man, he is easily outnumbered. When his daughter informs him she plans to follow in his footsteps, Daddy’s little girl appears to be one of the few things to soften his stoic demeanor, as does his wife, Molly (Regina Taylor), who in her own way, commands the wives on the home front. The wives of the Rangers are never certain about their husband’s whereabouts, or the particulars of their missions, but in order to protect their safety, those details are best kept a secret.

Trials are sure to abound when the men are away and the wives are left to play. Hardships include a disabled vet who seeks solace in painkillers in place of his wife, a pregnant and scared wife of a new recruit trying to deal with the uncertainties of war, and of course, what would a drama be without – you guessed it – an affair. These interwoven storylines provide depth to the series, and tone down the ubiquitous combat scenes.

“The Unit” has a universal appeal, with its “Desperate Housewives”–like drama–in–suburbia to appease female viewers, and the intense warfare, providing visual stimulation for men. It also doesn’t hurt that the men are hunks and the women are beautiful. (Total eye candy count: 9). But eye candy and combat scenes can get stale fast, so the excellent writing, authentic POV of Eric Haney, production by renowned playwright David Mamet and Shawn Ryan (The Shield), and first-rate acting all lead “The Unit” to victory.

Watch “The Unit” on CBS, Tuesdays, 9pm ET.

Learn more about the real-life “Unit:”