Caitlin Pike

Commander Caitlin "Kate" Pike, USN (JAGC) was a character in the military TV series JAG and was portrayed by Andrea Parker. She appeared in episodes A New Life, A New Life Part 2, Brig Break, Ares and Touch and Go. Archive footage was used in episodes Lifeline and Shifting Sands.

Background

It is unclear where Caitlin is from and there is no background information about her family or the years prior to her training at Harvard or the Naval Academy. Although during the Pilot episode, it is revealed that Kate is 27 years old, so her birth year would have been 1967-68, two years older than Andrea Parker. Pike is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and Harvard Law School.

Biography

Caitlin 'Kate' Pike, a Lieutenant, Junior Grade, was originally Harmon Rabb's partner in the pilot episode of JAG; the two were paired together as the Admiral at the time wanted someone to be on the carrier as soon as possible and she and Harm were the two available. During the pilot episode, upon discovering the birth control in the missing RIO's lock box, Harm suggests that the RIO had a lover, for which he seems grateful and says Kate is against the idea of having a lover in the same forces. Caitlin received her first promotion, from Lt, JG to Lt. somewhere between "A New Life: Part 2" and "Brig Break". This was apparently the time period in which she and Harm spent a weekend together, since in "Brig Break" Harm tells her that he and Meg have a strictly professional relationship and Kate reminds him that she and he once did before they crossed that line with that weekend. Kate was good friends with Meg Austin, Harm's second Partner.

It was assumed that Kate was then transferred shortly after "Brig Break" to the naval base in Okinawa. There she worked closely with another Navy lawyer, Dennis Brockman. It was revealed that the two worked so closely that they began a sexual relationship and kept it under wraps for almost six months until he actually asked her to marry him; Kate turned him down and broke off the relationship. During "Ares" the audience finds out, through Harm's persistent questioning of Kate about what happened and she reluctantly gave him the answers for which he was pushing her. Shortly after, Caitlin decided to spend some time at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. However, she was never actually in any episodes of the show NCIS or mentioned by any of the characters.

Andrea Parker starring as Caitlin Pike was pictured on the title menu of the Sixth Disc on the Season 1 DVD, as opposed to Tracey Needham, who was a regular cast member at that time. Kate also appeared in the Season 6 episode "Touch and Go", at this time Kate, (now a Commander), was considering returning to her position at JAG, however when an old sexual harassment incident arose, she decided that she was unwanted at the JAG Office by everyone except Harm and the Admiral and decided to move on. It turned out that Lt. Loren Singer had been the leak on the case, giving the press the information about what happened between Kate and Hollenback, the Commanding Officer at the time with whom Kate worked and who assaulted her. There were two views shown on what happened, obviously from the opposing sides of the case; Hollenback and Kate's points of view and it turned out that Hollenback apologized and the two moved on, though he evidently won the case against her.

Kate then felt bad that his career was ruined. She confronted Mac, Sarah MacKenzie, thinking she had been the leak (going on information she had given her during a conversation over coffee when Kate had seen the article printed about her in the newspaper. Mac gave Kate some critical advice about being discreet. Kate then confronted Lt. Singer about leaking the information on the case, saying Singer did NOT have her forgiveness. During the last scene of "Touch and Go", Kate picks up on Harm and Sarah's affections for one another and tells him that she feels that way and doesn't want to complicate things further for him between him, Renee and Mac.

Awards and decorations

The following are the medals and service awards fictionally worn by Commander Pike in "Touch and Go".

Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal			Navy Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation		National Defense Service Medal		Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon