Introduction

The eighth season of JAG premiered on CBS on 24 September 2002, and concluded on 20 May 2003.

The season, starring David James Elliott and Catherine Bell, was produced by Belisarius Productions in association with Paramount Television.

The two episodes, “Ice Queen” and “Meltdown” also introduced the team who later appeared in the spin-off series NCIS which became a franchise in its own right.

Outline

Tenacious lawyer Lieutenant Colonel Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie (Catherine Bell), a by-the-book Marine, is tasked with prosecuting, defending, and enforcing the laws of the sea as a member of the Navy’s elite Judge Advocate General Corps.

Along with her partner Commander Harmon “Harm” Rabb, Jr. (David James Elliott) – a former Tomcat pilot – Mac investigates a plethora of cases including desertion (“The Promised Land”), oxygen deprivation (“In Thin Air”), sexual harassment (“Offensive Action”), a mishap aboard the USS Seahawk (“When the Bough Breaks”), and a death during surgery (“Complications”).

Also this season, Bud Roberts (Patrick Labyorteaux) is injured in Afghanistan (“Critical Condition”), Petty Officer Jennifer Coates (Zoe McLellan) joins JAG (“All Ye Faithful”), Commander Theodore Lindsey (W.K. Stratton) returns (“Fortunate Son”), Clayton Webb (Steven Culp) goes missing in Paraguay (“A Tangled Webb”), and Rear Admiral A.J. Chegwidden (John M. Jackson) accidentally ejects from a F-14 Tomcat (“Heart and Soul”).

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Loren Singer (Nanci Chambers) is murdered (“Ice Queen”), placing Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and his NCIS team directly in Harm’s way (“Meltdown”).

JAG Series 08

• Episode 01: Critical Condition.
• Episode 02: The Promised Land.
• Episode 03: Family Business.
• Episode 04: Dangerous Game.
• Episode 05: In Thin Air.
• Episode 06: Offensive Action.
• Episode 07: Need to Know.
• Episode 08: Ready or Not.
• Episode 09: When the Bough Breaks.
• Episode 10: The Killer.
• Episode 11: All Ye Faithful.
• Episode 12: Complications.
• Episode 13: Standards of Conduct.
• Episode 14: Each of Us Angels.
• Episode 15: Friendly Fire.
• Episode 16: Heart and Soul.
• Episode 17: Empty Quiver.
• Episode 18: Fortunate Son.
• Episode 19: Second Acts.
• Episode 20: Ice Queen.
• Episode 21: Meltdown.
• Episode 22: Lawyers, Guns, and Money.
• Episode 23: Pas de Deux.
• Episode 24: A Tangled Webb, Part 01.

You can find a full index and overview of JAG here.

Trivia

• In January 2003, CBS president Leslie Moonves announced that JAG executive producer and showrunner Donald P. Bellisario was developing a JAG spin-off, based on the work of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
• Tentatively titled Navy CIS, the series premiered during the JAG episodes “Ice Queen” and “Meltdown”.
• Also this season, Dean Stockwell joins the cast as his First Monday character Senator Edward Sheffield.

Production & Filming Details

• Creator(s): Donald P. Bellasario.
• Producer(s): Donald P. Bellasario, Chas. Floyd Johnson, Howard Kazanijan, David Bellasario, Stephen Zito, R. Scott Gemmill, and Chip Vucelich.
• Music: Bruce Broughton, Steven Bramson, and Velton Ray Bunch.
• Cinematography: Hugo Cortina, David J. Miller, and Larry Lindsey.
• Production: Paramount Network Television, Belasarius Productions, and NBC Productions.
• Distributor(s): Paramount Domestic Television and CBS Television Distribution.
• Release Date: 24 September 2002 to 20 May 2003.
• Running Time: 42-47 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.