JAG

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JAG
Genre	Adventure Drama
Running time	1 hour
Creator(s)	Donald P. Bellisario
Starring	David James Elliott Catherine Bell Patrick Labyorteaux John M. Jackson
Country of origin	United States
Original channel	NBC (1995-1996) CBS (1997-2005)
Original run	September 23, 1995–April 29, 2005
No. of episodes	227
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

For other uses, see JAG (disambiguation).

JAG (the American Military acronym for Judge Advocate General) is an American adventure and drama television show, that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television. Originally conceived as Top Gun meets A Few Good Men, JAG was first aired on NBC in 1995, but later canceled in 1996 after finishing 77th in the ratings. With a network change, rival network CBS picked up the series and aired it for nine additional seasons until April 2005.

The series depicts JAG-Officers, though heavily romanticized, applying the stipulations of the UCMJ and International Law as well as providing conventional television melodrama. In its initial phase, the show relied much on Hollywood military-prop suppliers and using existing stock footage from other well-known naval and military films, including Top Gun, The Hunt for Red October, and Clear and Present Danger. The Department of Defense later recognized the series' positive values and therefore granted official support, providing the producers access to military installations and equipment. It is so far the only television show to have been officially endorsed by both the US Navy and the US Marine Corps. From the beginning, the show regularly incorporated real-life military actions into its storylines, e.g. the aftermath of the Bosnian War, the attack on the USS Cole, the events of Terrorist attacks on America and the subsequent War on Terrorism. In the wake of the above attacks the show experienced a boost in ratings and got a fixture on Nielsen's top 10.

Contents 1 Cast 1.1 Judge Advocates General of the Navy in "JAG" 1.2 Recurring supporting cast 1.3 Guest cast 2 Final ending 3 Critical and Media Reception 4 NCIS spin-off 5 Episodes 6 JAG around the world 7 JAG on VHS & DVD 7.1 DVD Releases 8 References 9 See also 10 External links

[edit] Cast

Note: All military ranks given for currently used characters are their ranks as of the end of the series in April 2005. For characters that left the series, ranks given are their last known ranks.

The final ensemble cast centres on United States Navy Captain Harmon "Harm" Rabb, Jr., played by David James Elliott, and United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie, played by Catherine Bell. Elliott's character was promoted to Captain in the second-to-last episode of the series. Their obvious attraction to each other, which must not be allowed to interfere with their professional relationship, is a long-running thematic element.

Elliott played the Rabb character from the start of the series in 1995. Rabb's original partner in the pilot was Navy Lieutenant Caitlin Pike, played by Andrea Parker. She in turn left the series to star in The Pretender (she later returned as a guest star in the season 1 episodes "Brig Break" and "Ares" and the season 6 episode "Touch and Go"), to be replaced by Tracey Needham as Lieutenant Meg Austin. Needham left the series in 1996 and was replaced by Bell from season 2 on.

Other members of the cast included Lieutenant Commander Bud Roberts, played by Patrick Labyorteaux, first a PAO on the aircraft carrier Seahawk, then later a junior Judge Advocate, and his wife, Lieutenant Harriett Sims, played by Karri Turner, the administrative aide who held the office together. Bud's clumsiness, both physical and verbal, and geeky interests (he's a Trekkie, fascinated by the paranormal, and a computer nerd), together with his wife's maternal nature, were a frequent source of comic relief. The actress Nanci Chambers, wife of David James Elliott, played Lieutenant Loren Singer. She portrayed this character as a loathsome villainess to great acclaim. Singer was a sociopathic personality who schemed continually to further her ambitions at the expense of those around her. Especially praised was an episode in which Singer hurt fan-loved Harriet by using the death of her baby Sarah to discredit her testimony in court. In a later episode, however, Harriet got a measure of revenge by punching out Singer. Singer was murdered, with suspicion falling on Rabb, who was eventually cleared (the two part story detailing the investigation into Singer's murder was used as the pilot for the spin off NCIS).

[edit] Judge Advocates General of the Navy in "JAG"

• Rear Admiral Al Brovo, JAGC, USN (Kevin Dunn). Pilot-episode and Season 1.
• Commander Theodore "Teddy" Lindsey, USN (W. K. Stratton). Season 1 (provisional).
• Rear Admiral Albert Jethro 'A.J.' Chegwidden, JAGC, USN (John M. Jackson). Season 1-9.
• Commander Sturgis Turner, USN (Scott Lawrence). Season 10 (provisional).
• Major General Gordon Cresswell, JAGC, USMC (David Andrews). Season 10.

[edit] Recurring supporting cast

• CIA Deputy Director Counter Intelligence Clayton Webb (Steven Culp) (initially claimed being from State Department).
• Commander Sturgis Turner, JAGC, USN (Scott Lawrence).
• Petty Officer First Class Jason Tiner, USN (Chuck Carrington).
• Petty Officer First Class Jennifer Coates, USN (Zoe McLellan).
• Gunnery Sergeant Victor Galindez, USMC (Randy Vasquez).
• Midshipman Mikey Roberts, USN (Michael Bellisario) (Bud's younger brother, formerly an enlisted man).
• Meredith Cavanaugh, (Isabella Hofmann) (Romantic interest of A.J. Chegwidden)
• Lieutenant Commander Mic Brumby, CSC, RAN (Trevor Goddard)
• Rear Admiral Thomas Boone, USN (Terry O'Quinn) (friend and colleague of Harm's father).
• Congresswoman Bobbi Latham (Anne-Marie Johnson).

[edit] Guest cast

(Paul Parducci) as Special Forces Captain Perry

[edit] Final ending

In 2005, David James Elliott announced that he would leave the show to pursue other projects after not being offered a contract renewal from the show's producers. The show introduced new younger characters (including former As the World Turns star Chris Beetem) in an unsuccessful effort to stave off cancellation. Regardless, CBS announced the cancellation of the show after ten seasons on April 4, 2005, the final episode aired April 29. The final episode "Fair Winds and Following Seas" saw Harm and Mac being assigned to different posts: Harm in London, and Mac in San Diego, California. They finally confront their feelings and decide to get married. The episode ends with them tossing a JAG challenge coin to decide who will give up their career to be with the other. However, we never see the outcome, as the screen fades to black the face of the coin is showing, which says: "JAG 1995–2005".

[edit] Critical and Media Reception

Despite being a long running show with high audience ratings, JAG only attracted a modest share of media attention compared to other contemporary shows such as Alias, 24 and Sex and the City. One common explanation, mainly among conservatives, is that the established media has regarded the military in the post-Vietnam period generally in pejorative terms, whereas others would argue the lack of attention is due to the show's standard melodramatic lawyer show themes, simply set in a military environment. Another explanation common among the fans is that JAG never received enough advertising by Paramount and CBS.

Some critics argue that JAG's basic premise portrayed a glorified view of the military, particularly the Navy and failed to attract younger viewers as it continued through each of its 10 seasons.

[edit] NCIS spin-off

In 2003, the series spawned the spin-off NCIS. Whereas the JAG episodes were primarily oriented on courtroom drama, NCIS is more focused on the field criminal investigations. NCIS also follows a different storytelling format than JAG emphasizing character humor more than its parent program.

To date, two characters from JAG have appeared on NCIS: Patrick Labyorteaux reprised his role of Bud Roberts in the episode "Hung Out to Dry", while recurring guest star Alicia Coppola appeared in her JAG role of Lt. Cmdr. Faith Coleman in several episodes.

The two-part JAG episode in which the NCIS cast were introduced was later rebroadcast as a regular episode of NCIS, although it was not included in the subsequent Season 1 DVD box set release.

[edit] Episodes

For a full list of JAG episodes, see list of JAG episodes.

[edit] JAG around the world

Episodes of JAG are today widely shown in syndication on cable and satellite networks throughout the entire world. The following table, compromising 40+ countries, displays on which networks JAG is aired, what local name it goes under and in which language version it is presented.

Country	Local title	English translation	Broadcasters	Language version
Argentina	JAG	-	Universal	Spanish language version, English language version (Only season 10)
Australia	JAG	-	Seven Network & TV1	English language version
Austria	JAG Im Auftrag der Ehre	On Behalf of Honor	SAT.1 Österreich	German language version
Belgium	JAG	-	VT4 & RTL-TVi	Flemish subtitles (VT4) & French language version (RTL-TVi)
Brazil	JAG "Ases Invencíveis"	-	Universal	Portuguese language version or English language version with Portuguese subtitles
Bulgaria	Военна прокуратура	Military Prosecution	Nova Television	Bulgarian language version
Canada	JAG	-	History Television	English language version
Canada	Jag	-	Historia	French language version (Version française)
Chile	JAG Justicia Militar	Military Justice	Universal	?
Croatia	JAG	-	Nova TV	Subtitled in Croatian
Czech Republic	JAG	-	TV Nova	Czech language version
Denmark	Interne Affærer	Internal Affairs	TV3 & TV3+	Subtitled in Danish
Finland	Kunnian Miehet	Men of Honor	YLE TV2	Subtitled in Finnish
France	JAG	-	France 2	French language version
Germany	JAG - Im Auftrag der Ehre	On Behalf of Honor	SAT.1 & Kabel 1	German language version
Hong Kong	JAG	-	Now TV (STAR World)	English language version
Hungary	JAG Becsületbeli Ügyek	On Behalf of Honor	TV2	Hungarian language version
India	JAG	-	Star World	English language version
Ireland	JAG	-	Channel 6	English language version
Israel	ג'אג	JAG	hot 3	Subtitled in Hebrew
Italy	JAG Avvocati in divisa	Lawyers in Uniform	Rai Due & La7	Italian language version
Japan	Hanzai-sosakan Navy File	Criminal Investigator Navy File	SkyPerfectTV SuperChannel	Japanese and English language version
Macedonia	ЈАГ: Воен истражен судија		Sitel	English language version
Malaysia	JAG	-	Star World	English language version
Mexico	JAG Justicia Militar	Military Justice	AXN	Spanish language version
The Netherlands	JAG	-	Veronica (television channel)	Subtitled in Dutch
New Zealand	JAG	-	TV3	English language version
Nicaragua	JAG Justicia Militar	Military Justice	Canal 2	Spanish language version
Norway	JAG	-	TV3 & ZTV	Subtitled in Norwegian
Poland	JAG Wojskowe Biuro Śledcze	Military Bureau of Investigation	TVP1, Polsat & TV4	Polish language version
Portugal	JAG: Em Nome da Justiça	In the Name of Justice	AXN	Subtitled in Portuguese
Romania	Justiţie Militară	Military Justice	TVR 1	Subtitled in Romanian
Slovakia	JAG Vojenská generálna prokuratúra		Markíza	Slovak language version
Slovenia	JAG	-	first POP TV, then Kanal A	Subtitled in Slovene
South Africa	JAG	-	SABC 3	English language version
Spain	JAG: Alerta Roja	Red Alert	Antena 3,cuatro & AXN	Spanish language version
Sri Lanka	JAG	-	ETV	?
Sweden	På heder och samvete	On Behalf of Honor and Conscience	TV3 & ZTV	Subtitled in Swedish
Switzerland	JAG Im Auftrag der Ehre	On Behalf of Honor	SAT.1 Schweiz & TSI1	German language version and Italian language version
Ukraine	Слідчі ВМФ	Navy Investigators	?	Russian language version
United Kingdom	JAG	-	FX (UK)	English language version
United States	JAG	-	Original airing: NBC (season 1) & CBS (season 2-10) Syndication: USA Network & Hallmark Channel	English language version

[edit] JAG on VHS & DVD

The pilot-episode was released on VHS in the US during the 1990s.

[edit] DVD Releases

'JAG - Season One' was released on DVD in the US and Canada (Region 1).'Skeleton Crew', the episode unaired during the series original run, is included in the release.

The DVD was released in Australia on 7 September, 2006 and on 21 September in New Zealand. The Regions 2 and 4 DVD releases do not contain the special features included on the Region 1 release.

On July 20, 2006 tvshowsondvd.com [1] announced that JAG Season 2 would be released on Region 1 DVD on November 7, 2006.

Season 3 has been announced for March 20, 2007.[2]

DVD Name	# Eps	Region 1	Cover Art	Region 2	Region 4
The Complete First Season		22	July 25, 2006	September 28, 2006	September 7 (Aus) & 21 (NZ) 2006
The Complete Second Season		15	November 7, 2006	N/A	N/A
The Complete Third Season		24	March 20, 2007	N/A	N/A

[edit] References

• Robb, David L. (2004). Operation Hollywood: How the Pentagon Shapes and Censors the Movies. 1st ed. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books.
• Poniewozik, James & McDowell, Jeanne, "BATTLEFIELD PROMOTION," Time, 0040781X, 12/10/2001, Vol. 158, Issue 25 pp. 95-96.

• Geier, Thomas & Weiner, Allison Hope, "NAVAL GAZING.", Entertainment Weekly, Issue 624 (2001-09-11), pp. 10-11.

[edit] See also

• Paul Levine

[edit] External links

• JAG at the Internet Movie Database
• JAG at TV.com
• JAG-Fans.com
• John M. Jackson Admiration Society
• Mac on Jag
• For DJE Fans
• JAG @ Memorable TV