Season 9 Paramount Production Notes
The ninth season begins where the last season left off, with Harm and Mac in a dangerous situation. Harm and Mac have crashed their plane into enemy territory, with Arab terrorists and local drug smugglers searching for them. While they battle for survival, at the back of Harm's mind is the thought that upon his resignation from JAG, he has no where to return to.
The series continues its tradition of true-to-life plots. The cases that the JAG attorneys face involve difficult choices, and stringent outcomes when the wrong choice is made. Among these is an episode involving a Marine helicopter pilot being charged with disobeying orders when he aids local police in taking down a civilian sniper. United States Federal law specifically forbids military intervention unless it conforms to specific guidelines which do not apply to the use of the state's National Guard.
In the courtroom, there is sometimes a blurred boundary between right and wrong. Lt. Bud Roberts (Patrick Labyorteaux) learns this firsthand as he is assigned to prosecute an admiral's daughter, who was listed as MIA in the Gulf War and who was recently found living as a Bedouin in Iraq. Both father and daughter must deal with misguided loyalties in this very difficult case.
JAG's character line-up returns with growth and maturity. The attorneys at JAG have to try cases that sometimes leave a bitter taste in their mouths. In one episode, a "sleeper agent" in an Egyptian Al-Qeuda cell has been tortured by Egyptian authorities into revealing plans for the bombing of a Marine mess hall. The case deals with the idea that harming one person could be excusable if it benefits "the greater good."
After JAG's eight seasons, Bellisario says, "Even with those years behind us, we won't just sit on our laurels. JAG's intriguing mix of action adventure, legal drama and appealing stars encourages us to go for still more authentic military flavor, deep and compelling stories, powerful action, themes with scope and personal urgency, and clever and creative storytelling. That's not just what audiences expect from us, it's what we are determined to deliver." Appropriately, that dedication has the ring of many of JAG's characters.