JAG season 2

Season of television series

The second season of JAG premiered on CBS on January 3, 1997, and concluded on April 18, 1997. The season, starring David James Elliott and Catherine Bell, was produced by Belisarius Productions in association with Paramount Television.

The first season of JAG aired on NBC and JAG began its second season on CBS as a mid-season replacement for Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Plot

Following in his father's footsteps as a Naval Aviator, Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. suffered a crash while landing his Tomcat on a storm-tossed carrier at sea. Diagnosed with night-blindness, Harm transferred to the Navy's Judge Advocate General Corps, which investigates, defends, and prosecutes the law of the sea.^{[note 1]} There, with fellow JAG lawyer Major Sarah MacKenzie, he now fights in and out of the courtroom, with the same daring and tenacity that made him a top gun in the air. - 2nd and 3rd season opening narration, read by Don LaFontaine

By-the-book Marine Major Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie (Catherine Bell) and Lieutenant Commander Harmon "Harm" Rabb Jr. (David James Elliott), a former naval aviator, work at the Headquarters of the Judge Advocate General, the internal law firm of the Department of the Navy. Now stationed out of Falls Church, Virginia, they prosecute, defend, and investigate a plethora of cases including the theft of the Declaration of Independence by a right-wing militia ("We the People"), a brig-break ("Secrets"), superstition in a flying squadron as planes crash supposedly due to the bombing of a mosque during the 1991 Gulf War ("Jinx"), and a sexual harassment allegation by a female fighter pilot ("Crossing the Line"). Meanwhile, Harm finds himself in hot-water when he fires a machine gun during a tense courtroom battle ("Heroes"), Mac hones her Russian language skills ("Cowboys & Cossacks"), and Rear Admiral A.J. Chegwidden (John M. Jackson) becomes the target of a serial killer from his past ("Ghosts"). Also this season, Lieutenant junior grade Bud Roberts (Patrick Labyorteaux) joins JAG at the behest of outgoing Lieutenant Meg Austin (Tracey Needham) ("We the People"), Mac confronts her past ("Rendezvous"), and Harm goes undercover as a Gunnery Sergeant ("Force Recon").

Production

For its second season, JAG moved from NBC to CBS. Donald P. Bellisario had previously received offers from CBS and ABC to pick up the series,^[1] which was reworked to be one of both "legal [drama] and action".^[1] Following the departure of series co-star Tracey Needham, Catherine Bell was cast in the lead role of Major Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie. Bellisario and CBS President Leslie Moonves "cast Catherine Bell, and [Bellisario] never heard another word from [Moonves] - who took great delight in the fact that it was part of the building block that started the CBS turnaround".^[1] On her casting, Catherine Bell stated that she "guest starred on the season finale in the first season and there was another girl playing the female lead opposite Harm [...] One of the days when I was working, he announced that the show had been canceled, but CBS picked up the show and they decided to recast the female lead. I went after the role and wrote Don a letter after I had read the breakdown for Mac and they brought me in. Six callbacks later, I got the role."^[2]

Cast and characters

Main

• David James Elliott as Harmon Rabb, Jr., Lieutenant Commander
• Catherine Bell as Sarah MacKenzie, Major in the Marine Corps.
• Patrick Labyorteaux as Bud Roberts, Lieutenant J.G.
• John M. Jackson as A. J. Chegwidden, Rear Admiral

Also starring

• Karri Turner as Harriet Sims, Ensign

Recurring cast (more than once this season)

• Terry O'Quinn as Captain Thomas Boone, USN, USS Seahawk "CAG"
• Steven Culp as Clayton Webb, CIA officer
• Chuck Carrington as Petty Officer Jason Tiner
• Harrison Page as Captain Stiles Morris (judge)
• Leon Russom as Gayle Osbourne, CIA operative
• Claudette Nevins as Porter Webb, retired NSA Agent

Guest appearances

• Carmen Argenziano as Colonel Matthew O'Hara, USMC
• Tom O'Brien as Captain Cahill, USMC
• Victor Love as Corporal Jason Magida, USMC
• Nancy Everhard as Lieutenant Marilyn Isaacs, USN
• Sibel Galindez as Lieutenant Elizabeth "Skates" Hawkes, USN
• Dee Wallace as Congresswoman Adele DeLong
• Phil Morris as Captain Koonan, USMC

Episodes

See also

• 1996–97 United States network television schedule

Notes

1. Actually, the law that JAG does prosecute and defend criminal cases under is named the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and its various articles are frequently referenced to in the episodes. The law of the sea, on the other hand, is actually a United Nations convention, which the United States has decided not to ratify due to sovereignty issues.
2. This episode marks the first appearance of recurring character Clayton Webb.
3. This marks first episode of the series in which a trial takes place in the JAG HQ courtroom.
4. "Crossing the Line" marks the first appearance of recurring characters Harriet Sims and Lieutenant Elizabeth "Skates" Hawkes.
5. In real life, Romania has not restored its monarchy; but it did join NATO seven years after this episode's airdate.
6. Nanci Chambers guest stars as the assassin; Chambers would later on in the series act as recurring character Lieutenant Loren Singer.
7. To simulate the explosion of the Russian ship, real footage from the Falklands War was used. It shows HMS Ardent blowing up during the attempt to defuse an aircraft dropped bomb.

References

1. "Why 'JAG' came to an abrupt end - the Watcher". Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
2. "Catherine Bell Interview - an Interview with Army Wives Star Catherine Bell". Archived from the original on August 26, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
3. "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 30–Jan. 5)". Los Angeles Times. January 8, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 6–12)". The Los Angeles Times. January 15, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 13-19)". The Los Angeles Times. January 22, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 20–26)". Los Angeles Times. January 22, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 27–Feb. 2)". Los Angeles Times. February 3, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 3-9)". The Los Angeles Times. February 12, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 10-16)". The Los Angeles Times. February 20, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 17–23)". The Los Angeles Times. February 26, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 24–March 2)". Los Angeles Times. March 5, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "National Nielsen Viewership (March 3–9)". The Los Angeles Times. March 12, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "National Nielsen Viewership (March 24–31)". The Los Angeles Times. April 2, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "National Nielsen Viewership (March 31-April 6)". The Los Angeles Times. April 9, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "National Nielsen Viewership (April 7–13)". The Los Angeles Times. April 16, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "National Nielsen Viewership (April 14–20)". The Los Angeles Times. April 23, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

• Season 2 on IMDb
• Season 2 on TV.com
• Season 2 on TV Guide