JAG: Season Five

More times than not when a producer tries to combine two or more genres for a television series the results are disastrous. They tend to fail in all the combined genres never able to make up its mind which way to go. Fortunately, in the hands of a very creative mind such as TV series master Donald P. Bellisario you can wind up with a series that provides quality. The list of his successful shows is incredible but the one under consideration here is JAG. Just in case you have been hiding in a desert somewhere for the last decade it stands for ‘Judge Advocate General. This organization is a formal part of the military that deals with legal issues for the Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. Since Bellisario is a former Marine almost every series he creates has some ties to the Navy or Marines. In this case the association is perfectly natural. It also makes for a fantastic combination of genres. You have the action of a military series merged seamlessly with the old TV standby, the lawyer show. For those in the audience jaded by all the lawyer series that have paraded on the tube the format here provided a means for a novel twist. Most die hard viewers of such shows feel they know the law since they watch the legal antics on defense attorneys and prosecutors. For JAG the law is defined by the Uniform Code of Military Conduct. The differences are enough for new twists to even the oldest stories. Aside from crimes such as murder and theft you can now add disobeying an office, treason, espionage and a host of other offences.

There is another major difference from the standard lawyer show at play here. Every other series dealing with the law the characters were either on the defense or prosecution. Since the lawyers in JAG are assigned their cases and clients they can switch side every episodes. This opens the story line potential up more than any other legal series ever could. The lawyers here have to be able to take either viewpoint and still do their best to win. It also allows the writers to put characters who are close friends in an adversarial position. The series was obviously made with the cooperation of the real Department of the Navy. Not only does each episode contain gripping entertainment there were excellent recruitment pieces for the Navy. After all you have a handsome leading man and a beautiful Marine to show that military service is great. Bellisario is a true Marine and true to his first calling of service to his country. Now Paramount has the fifth season of this popular series on DVD.

The main character here is Captain Harmon "Harm" Rabb Jr. (David James Elliott). He started his career as a navy fighter pilot of some distinction. When he was removed from active flight status due to night blindness he entered JAG. At the start of the season Harm held the rank of Lieutenant Commander but was promoted to full Commander about half way through this fifth season. He takes the same determination and drive he had as a pilot into the courtroom. During the last episode of season four Harm was cleared to return to active flight status. This season picks up shortly thereafter with Harm once again flying. The writers waste no time in getting Harm into trouble in the air when in the first episode here a bird hits his engine resulting in an emergency mid-air refueling. His return to flight status doesn’t last long though by the third episode circumstances pull Harm back into JAG. Not only is Harm a talented pilot, gifted legal mind and all round great guy he is also a insightful investigator. A big part of his job at JAG is to investigate either the truth of his client’s defense or to prove the charges against the accused. This generally gets him into danger such as the episode here where Harm is trapped with a murder suspect below deck as the room floods with water. Just before Harm goes back to JAG he ends his flight career with an incredible air borne rescue of his wingman. This action results in him being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, actually the second in his career. Some more of Harm’s personal life is revealed when he makes his annular visit to the Viet Nam memorial and meets a woman who was there when his father was shot down.

Harm’s best friend and partner is US Marine Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie (Catherine Bell). In the first episode of this season Mac is promoted from Major to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Mac is intelligent and forceful both in and out of the courtroom. Mac even gets a chance to go undercover in one episode. She has to determine if a Chief Petty Officer was guilty of sexual misconduct. On a trip to Australia a major personal change starts for Mac. She falls for Lieutenant Commander ‘Mic’ Brumby (Trevor Goddard) of the Royal Australian Navy who is on an exchange program with JAG. Since she has had a flirtatious relationship with Harm the two men don’t get along well at all. For awhile in this season Mac becomes engaged to Mic. Have you noticed how the writers seem to love nick names here? Lieutenant Bud Roberts (Patrick Labyorteaux) is another JAG lawyer, He is affable and conciseness always ready to do any task assigned. He is married to Ensign Harriett Sims (Karri Turner). In the previous season Harriett was out on maternity leave but shows up in the first episode this season with their new son AJ. He was named after the man in charger here, Rear Admiral A. J. Chegwidden (John M. Jackson). In his position as the Judge Advocate General for the Navy it is up to him to assign lawyers and deal with the political fallout of more sensitive cases. During the course of the season there is an appearance by real life former Marine Montel Williams in his recurring role as an officer always in some form of trouble.

The stories in this series have far greater scope than any other legal show ever. Harm and Mac find themselves in the middle of every thing from Wiccan officers to gay bashing. There are cases that have no civilian counterpart like desertion when a sailor felt the recruiter lied to her about the realities of service. By the fifth season a series like this has found its rhythm. The characters are familiar enough to the audience that the writers can continue to extend the back stories more. This helps humanizing the characters and lets the audience identify better with them. Harm has to again adjust to giving up his first passion of flying and get back into the courtroom. Bud and Harriett find that balancing naval careers and a new baby is extremely difficult. There is even a little romantic triangle when Mic appears in Mac’s life. There is a little of everything here from action to drama with a touch of humor thrown in for good measure. This is one of the better seasons in the ten year run of the show.

Paramount continues to bring out the best of their amazing collection of popular television series with this DVD set. Since it is a fairly recent show the audio and video are very well done. All twenty five episodes of season five are included. There is a blooper reel included as a bonus. If you never became a fan of this series this set will certainly make you one.

Posted 01/13/08