J.A.G. - Im Auftrag der Ehre

JAG (Judge Advocate General) is one of my favorite shows. Week after week we see our invincilble-gungho hero and somewhat aloof romatic Harmon Rabb Jr (David James Elliot), pursue terrorists, prosecute, convict, defend and acquit: not-always-innocent scumbags, incompetent sailors and marines, and even his best friend. Its hard to believe Elliot is Candadian born, playing a top American Hero.

I first saw JAG (although I did not really care about it) way back in 1995 when it first aired on NBC, but after 21 episodes (out of 22) and less than spectacular ratings, NBC canned it in the Spring of 1996. NBC refused to air the (still somewhat unresolved to this very day) season 1 cliffhanger finale, although it did air in other parts of the world (More on this shortly). I was a late comer, only captivated by summertime boredom and thus watching reruns on USA network, I realized I loved the show's premise, Law and Order meets Top Gun. Harmon Rabb Jr (Elliot) is Mavrick (Tom Cruise), almost to the letter. He's a tomcat pilot, he's a gorgeous hunk to the ladies, and he's arrogant and reckless. But at the sametime he couldn't be more different from Mavrick: he's a topnotch investigator and litigator, he's determined, he's sophisticated, and he's calm, calculating and sometimes vengefull.

Ironically, JAG's creator, Donald P. Bellisario, himself an former US. Marine, had previous successes on NBC with the Miami Vice predecessor Magnum P.I., and the scifi adventure series Quantum Leap. CBS saw potential in Bellisario's dream, even if NBC did not, and picked it up for a 2nd season, which began airing in 1997, realizing that JAG had a large (and potentially lucrative) following. For years, CBS had been trying to pull itself out of the ratings shawdows cast down on it from NBC and ABC as well as staying ahead of the upstarts FOX, UPN and WB. Today, JAG is among the Top 15 highest rated shows on TV. NBC execs shot themsselves in the foot with JAG's cancellation and are still shaking the heads over.

The show contains stories of American hero's in the Navy, taking real events and writing them into interesting epiodes with war stories and POW tales from Bosnia, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the Cold War with the extinct USSR. It also writes in media feeding frenzies such as Elian Gonzalez, protests involving live fire exercises in Puerto Rico, and last year's Spy plane incident with China. With the tragic events of Sept 11, and subsequent military involvement in Afganistan, JAG's latest season (season 7) now focuses almost exclusively on the continueing military effort to weed out world terrorists writing it into an intricate tale that could be very real in spirit.

The show contains plenty of fascinating film sequences which are often pulled out of cinematic features, to give the stories colorful and exciting action sequences, transitional scenery, and location. The show's producers also insert actual footage recored by the US Military from training exercises, sometimes sending their own photographers to on-duty warships.

Throughout, the show's first season, most episodes were straitforward and hostile. Rabb just did his job, with fire, on the run, never having any remembrance of the previous week's adventure, and a blond female partner, Meg Austin (Tracey something). The season ended with a cliffhanger that never aired in the US, as NBC cancelled JAG. But by the 2nd season, we never knew what really happened in the show's S1 finale (it was later explained, albiet badly in a "flashback" episode in S3). That explanation is: a female officer and lover of Rabb's is murdered, presumably by a stalker. What diehard fans know is that the woman who was murdered happens to be a "twin" of Rabb's new partner, except that they have no familial relations whatsoever to one another...that we know of at any rate. This twin is Rabb's counterpart and princpal character: Sarah "Mac" McKenezie (Cathryn Bell). At first, Rabb had trouble accepting Mac, but gradually a best friend relationship grew between them, for the uncanny resemeblance Rabb sees in Mac to that of his deceased love, but now its created a hell of a sexual tension between the two. Mac herself show's remarkable vulnerability and defiance to Rabb. She's tagged along on his personel "Mulder-like" mission to Russia to learn the truth about Rabb's father who dissappeared during the Vietnam War. In almost every way possible she has kept him inline whenever he screws up, yet when she screws up, she wants nothing to do with Rabb. An interesting tale of melodrama.

Great show, check it out!

This is one of the few shows I make an effort to watch every week. I like the interplay and chemistry between the characters, whether it is the leading two or the rest.The lesser known characters and guests stars play their roles well. Whethger it's Bud, Chedweggen, Singer or Gunny I like the roles and the characters. In fact the less popular characters are as neccessary to the show as the two leads. Who didn't feel sad for the pain of his character and his family when Bud lost his leg in Afghanistan? You get the chance to know and in some cases not just love, but strongly dislike the characters.While I am not big into lawyer shows, the military aspect and background makes it much better and different with political,military and possible combat situation. I was a fan of the show before Catherine Bell arrived and have remained so. The chemistry between Mac and Harm is great. I just hope they don't kill one of them off when the show has run its course. The show is a sterling example of our best and brightest doing their jobs day in and day out where the rules are different and its in a realm many Americans do not understand or know about. This has to rank as one of the best tv series' about the military.JAG is A1 in my book. I hope it goes on for a few more years!

JAG is one of the better military dramas on television. The cast is as good as the weekly story lines and production value. Although many are not a fan of the series, its hard to say that the series hasn't produced a number of quality episodes. Also, Catherine Bell is amazing! Eye candy with a pulse, Catherine Bell is fun to look at and can act. Her Demi Moore character as the pretty but witty lawyer adds to the series. Many leading women who are considered to have amazing physical assets are not always terrific actors. Catherine Bell is an exception. Although she is a supporting character in JAG, she could have been the star of the series and had just as good reviews. JAG is a fun and also serious television show that has a strong audience base of fans.

When I started to watch this show I fell instantly in love. The action, adventure, court-room drama, and the hidden love between Mac and Harm was, and still is, stunning. It introduced me to the Navy and gave a little view into Navy Life. I believe that even though this show may seem unsatisfying to some, there are still thousands, if not more, fans like me.

JAG is very accurate in terms of the military point of view but also is very exciting and leaves you guessing to the very end. I see very few errors in the military sense, i almost never see any problems with uniforms and the such. Cmdr. Rabb and Lt. Col. MacKenzie make a great team and if they aren't on the same team it leaves things even more exciting! Great show, and well worth an hour each week.