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OK, right out front, I'm an unabashed fan of the CBS Television Network series, JAG. Several times, I've tried to figure out why I'm so enamored by this show and I think, after much thought, I finally know why.

I wasn't a fan of JAG until the fall of 1999 when I stumbled across the series as it's re-run every week day evening on the USA Network. I'm not what could be called a big TV watcher and, in fact regularly watch only two network shows, which are JAG, of course, and The West Wing on NBC. To be perfectly honest, there are many network series in which I've never heard of the series or the people who act in it. I have several premium movie channels on my cable service and usually watch movies when I watch television. Both the History and Discovery channels are winners, but I find little time to watch either.

After watching only a few of the JAG re-runs on USA, I was hooked and also started watching the new shows on CBS. Now I'm committed to watching or taping or both every time JAG is on either network.

I'm fortunate to be a contributing author for a professionally produced audio drama series called Imagination Theater which is heard weekly on more than 150 commercial radio stations across the country. When I first started writing scripts, the Producer of the show, Jim French, was kind enough to take me under his wing and, from time to time, give me some sound advice. Jim believes the first secret to any story (be it television, movies, novel, short story, or radio play) is that the audience must identify with at least one character (and more, if possible) and be drawn into caring about that character (or characters) and what happens to them. That's certainly the way we feel about the characters in JAG.

Even though he sometimes appears more like Superman than a Navy lawyer, Harmon Rabb, Jr. (Harm) is an extremely likable character. We identify with his search for his father, his "I do - I don't " relationship with Sarah (Mac) Mackenzie, and his adversarial relationship with Commander Brumby. At the end of the two hour episode where Harm and Mac went to Russia looking for his father, I don't mind admitting that I wept when he discovered his father was dead and buried somewhere in the remote mountains of Russia. It was a very touching scene and quite well played by David James Elliott.

Mac's own problems with her alcoholic past, her father, and with her feelings about Harm are also something with which we can identify. Who among us hasn't had a love affair that didn't work out or would have worked out except the timing and situation was all wrong. She's tough, but with a soft interior (as wonderfully portrayed by Catherine Bell) and certainly, we care a great deal about her.

How they came up with Chegwidden as the last name of the Admiral, I'll never know. Did a writer pick it out of the air or, during a production staff meeting, did some unheralded JAG series employee timidly raise his or her hand and say, "uhh, how about Chegwidden?" Either way, it works beautifully as the last name of a man who has a tough job, has power, is lonely, is looking for love and is a thoroughly likable individual.

We also have a soft spot for Lt. Bud Roberts and his wife, Harriet. Bud's problems with his father, courting and marrying Harriet, the birth of little A.J. all contribute to making both Bud and Harriet near and dear to our hearts.

The other supporting characters are also quite interesting. We can't help but like Tyner, Gunny, Clayton Webb (well, maybe just occasionally), Bud's brother Mikey, and Congresswoman Bobbi Latham. All interesting and all, at one time or another, very vital to the story line.

Mic Brumby is the one character that divides the fans into two distinct camps. Half of us hate him while the other half loves him. Still, good drama requires conflict and he supplies it in spades.

It's safe to say that I like this show because I like the people and I care what happens to them, but there's also another reason that pulls me into this show. Most Americans, be they conservative, liberal or middle of the road, care deeply about this country. We may have heated arguments about who's better, George W. Bush, Al Gore or neither of the above. We will rant and rave passionately about abortion, capital punishment, gun control and hundreds of other issues. But when an outside force threatens this country and, indeed, threatens our right to rant and rave about that in which we believe, it's as if a curtain goes up and there, on stage, is the American public standing shoulder to shoulder, liberal next to conservative, all saying the same thing, "We're a peace loving nation, but if you try to push us around, we'll push back and we will hurt you". JAG is a show where we get to push back through Harm, Mac, the Admiral and a whole fleet full of F-14 Tomcats. We like the characters, we care what happens to them and JAG makes us feel good about being an American.

To be sure, one must never forget that JAG is only a clever piece of fiction and, unlike real life, usually ties all the loose ends up in a neat one hour (or occasionally two hour) episode. It's a diversion and it's entertainment. But what grand entertainment it is and I'm glad I jumped on the JAG bandwagon last Fall.

Recently we learned that JAG has been renewed by CBS for another season. Twenty four more episodes of Harm and Mac fighting the bad guys, fighting each other and bringing all of us such great fun every week. As the old show biz song says, "That's Entertainment."

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ADDENDUM, April 30, 2005

Last night the final and 227th JAG new episode aired on CBS.  It ended in a way in which all fans knew it must end.  Harm and Mac became engaged, with one of them having to resign their commission and go to the new duty station of the other.  How did they decide which one?  By having Bud flip a commemorative coin left to him by Admiral Chegwidden.  Mac called tails, Bud flipped the coin and, before it could land, the screen froze, showing the face of the coin still in mid air as Harm and Mac looked up at it.  And with that, the series was over.  It was a perfect ending to a great long-running series.  It mattered not which one resigned their commission. What mattered was that they were finally together.

Take heart fans.  227 episodes in the can means we can relive the adventure all over again, as reruns will go on for years.  Like most hardcore JAG fans, I'm terribly sorry to see it go, but one thing I do know....we should all thank the JAG cast and crew for giving us one hell of a fine ride for ten great years.

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©2000 by Ken Kreps. This article may not be re-published in electronic or print media without the express written permission of the author. All Rights reserved.

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