WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.160 Welcome back to The Deep Dive. Today we're, well, 00:00:03.399 --> 00:00:04.980 we're basically setting the time circuit for 00:00:04.980 --> 00:00:08.599 September 1998. Oh, a great year. Right. The 00:00:08.599 --> 00:00:10.900 internet is still making that terrible screeching 00:00:10.900 --> 00:00:13.460 dial -up noise. Flip phones are the absolute 00:00:13.460 --> 00:00:18.039 height of cool. And on CBS, a certain show about 00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:20.800 military lawyers is just, it's about to hit its 00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:23.000 absolute stride. We are talking about season 00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:27.160 four of JAG. It's, um... It really is a pivotal 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:29.079 moment in television history and certainly for 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:31.260 this series in particular. If you look at the 00:00:31.260 --> 00:00:34.719 whole trajectory of JAG, season four is... I 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:36.619 mean, it's really where the show grows up. It 00:00:36.619 --> 00:00:40.840 ran from September 1998 to May 1999. And it marks 00:00:40.840 --> 00:00:44.799 this incredibly distinct shift in tone, critical 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:47.359 reception, and even institutional support. Exactly. 00:00:47.460 --> 00:00:48.939 I feel like those first few seasons, they're 00:00:48.939 --> 00:00:50.979 really just finding their legs. You know, balancing 00:00:50.979 --> 00:00:52.840 the action with the courtroom stuff. Right, trying 00:00:52.840 --> 00:00:54.420 to find an identity. Yeah, they were trying to 00:00:54.420 --> 00:00:56.000 figure out if they were a top gun or a few good 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:58.420 men. But season four, this is where the ratings 00:00:58.420 --> 00:01:00.500 just climb. The military officially gives them 00:01:00.500 --> 00:01:03.240 this massive bear hug. And the storytelling gets... 00:01:03.609 --> 00:01:06.609 It just gets deeper. It does. And that's really 00:01:06.609 --> 00:01:08.349 our mission for this deep dive with you today. 00:01:08.530 --> 00:01:11.450 We want to explore exactly how Jaggy evolved 00:01:11.450 --> 00:01:14.590 from a show that was, you know, heavy on the 00:01:14.590 --> 00:01:18.150 action adventure tropes into a genuinely sophisticated 00:01:18.150 --> 00:01:20.829 legal drama. We have so much ground to cover. 00:01:21.010 --> 00:01:23.939 We really do. Everything from the resolution 00:01:23.939 --> 00:01:27.200 of the massive MIA father storyline to Mac's 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:29.819 traumatic past just coming back to haunt her. 00:01:30.019 --> 00:01:31.939 And we can't forget the international incidents 00:01:31.939 --> 00:01:33.700 that the baby packed, which we definitely need 00:01:33.700 --> 00:01:35.920 to unpack because that is just a legendary moment 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:38.480 in TV romance history. Oh, absolutely. And the 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:40.280 fact that the season ends with the main character 00:01:40.280 --> 00:01:43.060 basically quitting his job. It's a bold season. 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:45.420 But let's start with the production context, 00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:47.540 though. You mentioned the ratings climbing earlier. 00:01:47.769 --> 00:01:50.189 That really isn't an exaggeration. No, the numbers 00:01:50.189 --> 00:01:52.269 are actually wild. According to the data we have, 00:01:52.430 --> 00:01:54.870 high school ratings were up 11 % compared to 00:01:54.870 --> 00:01:57.290 season three. Which is huge. It is a massive 00:01:57.290 --> 00:02:00.290 jump for a drama in its fourth year. I mean, 00:02:00.609 --> 00:02:02.769 usually shows start to plateau or dip by then. 00:02:02.810 --> 00:02:06.049 JAG was accelerating. And even more telling are 00:02:06.049 --> 00:02:09.969 the specific demographics. We saw an 8 % bump 00:02:09.969 --> 00:02:14.310 in adults. 18 to 49, and a 10 % increase in the 00:02:14.310 --> 00:02:18.189 25 to 54 bracket. Oh, wow. For a network show 00:02:18.189 --> 00:02:21.270 in the late 90s, growing your audience four years 00:02:21.270 --> 00:02:24.569 in is a huge achievement. It actually finished 00:02:24.569 --> 00:02:27.870 as the 14th most watched show in the United States. 00:02:28.189 --> 00:02:30.990 That puts it right in the big leagues. That's 00:02:30.990 --> 00:02:33.389 beating established hits and cultural icons of 00:02:33.389 --> 00:02:35.870 the era. And the critics were starting to notice, 00:02:36.310 --> 00:02:38.509 too. We have a review here from Michael Killian 00:02:38.509 --> 00:02:40.889 in the Chicago Tribune that really sums up this 00:02:40.889 --> 00:02:43.250 whole vibe shift. Right. Killian was one of the 00:02:43.250 --> 00:02:46.389 very first major critics to spot what was happening. 00:02:47.069 --> 00:02:48.930 He noted that the scripts had become, quote, 00:02:49.330 --> 00:02:52.270 more intelligent and realistic. Realistic. Yes. 00:02:52.490 --> 00:02:54.270 He specifically pointed out that the show moved 00:02:54.270 --> 00:02:56.449 away from the pure action orientation of the 00:02:56.449 --> 00:02:58.909 first season towards something much more sophisticated 00:02:58.909 --> 00:03:01.500 and personal. It's interesting because usually 00:03:01.500 --> 00:03:03.659 critics are pretty hard on military procedurals. 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:05.699 Very hard, yeah. They tend to write them off 00:03:05.699 --> 00:03:09.060 as jingoistic or just simple. So for a prominent 00:03:09.060 --> 00:03:11.060 critic to say, hey, this is getting intelligent. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:14.319 That's a really big deal. He even mentioned that 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:16.919 Jag had carved out a niche that was evidenced 00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:19.860 by numerous fan Internet sites. Now, for those 00:03:19.860 --> 00:03:21.479 of you who didn't live through the Internet in 00:03:21.479 --> 00:03:24.659 the 90s, having a dedicated web ring or a message 00:03:24.659 --> 00:03:28.819 board community in 1998. Oh, man, web ring. Right. 00:03:28.840 --> 00:03:31.719 It was a burgeoning metric of success. It meant 00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:33.879 you had a sticky audience that really wanted 00:03:33.879 --> 00:03:36.620 to discuss the show long after the credits rolled. 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:39.300 It's literally the birth of Internet fandom. 00:03:39.770 --> 00:03:42.509 But beyond the fans and the critics, there was 00:03:42.509 --> 00:03:44.110 another group that decided they really liked 00:03:44.110 --> 00:03:46.110 what they were seeing, which is the United States 00:03:46.110 --> 00:03:48.509 Navy itself. This is a crucial piece of the puzzle 00:03:48.509 --> 00:03:51.229 for season four. By this point, the Navy had 00:03:51.229 --> 00:03:53.629 become wildly enthusiastic about supporting the 00:03:53.629 --> 00:03:55.669 series. Which hadn't always been the case, right? 00:03:55.750 --> 00:03:57.930 I mean, early on. No, it had been a bit cooler 00:03:57.930 --> 00:04:00.150 in the beginning. In the early days, particularly 00:04:00.150 --> 00:04:03.009 when the show was on NBC, the producers wanted 00:04:03.009 --> 00:04:05.930 more maverick behavior. You know, defying orders, 00:04:06.150 --> 00:04:09.150 going rogue. And... The Pentagon isn't exactly 00:04:09.150 --> 00:04:12.830 a fan of that portrayal. Not at all. But by season 00:04:12.830 --> 00:04:16.310 four, the relationship had warmed significantly. 00:04:16.889 --> 00:04:18.930 We actually have a quote here from Captain Ron 00:04:18.930 --> 00:04:21.410 Morse from the Navy Office of Information West, 00:04:21.589 --> 00:04:24.230 which, I have to say, sounds like a sinister 00:04:24.230 --> 00:04:27.129 organization, but it's essentially just the liaison 00:04:27.129 --> 00:04:29.410 office in Los Angeles. Exactly. It's the bridge 00:04:29.410 --> 00:04:32.089 between the fleet and Hollywood. Captain Morse 00:04:32.089 --> 00:04:34.709 went on record saying, and I quote, we treated 00:04:34.709 --> 00:04:37.610 JAG the way we would any other production. We 00:04:37.610 --> 00:04:39.750 look at the scripts, the principal characters, 00:04:40.029 --> 00:04:42.089 and how they respond to the situations they're 00:04:42.089 --> 00:04:44.649 presented. How they respond to situations. That 00:04:44.649 --> 00:04:47.069 is really interesting phrasing. It implies they 00:04:47.069 --> 00:04:49.009 aren't necessarily censoring the plot. Like, 00:04:49.009 --> 00:04:50.970 you can have a murder, you can have a plane crash. 00:04:50.970 --> 00:04:53.649 Right. But they are heavily monitoring the behavior 00:04:53.649 --> 00:04:56.329 of the personnel. Exactly. They want to ensure 00:04:56.329 --> 00:04:58.569 that even if the situation is totally dramatic 00:04:58.569 --> 00:05:01.610 or fictional, the officer's reaction reflects 00:05:01.610 --> 00:05:04.290 the core values of the Navy. And apparently, 00:05:04.569 --> 00:05:06.509 Commander Radd and Major McKenzie passed the 00:05:06.509 --> 00:05:09.449 test. With flying colors, Captain Moore said 00:05:09.449 --> 00:05:12.629 the Navy viewed them as, quote, attractive, smart, 00:05:12.850 --> 00:05:15.329 dedicated individuals who behave the way naval 00:05:15.329 --> 00:05:17.970 officers should. So the verdict was that the 00:05:17.970 --> 00:05:20.310 show reflected well on the Navy. And that kind 00:05:20.310 --> 00:05:22.910 of support translates to massive production value, 00:05:23.230 --> 00:05:25.889 too. Because of this relationship, the production 00:05:25.889 --> 00:05:28.290 filmed partially on location in Washington, D 00:05:28.290 --> 00:05:31.339 .C. for this season. You simply can't fake that 00:05:31.339 --> 00:05:33.620 level of realism on a soundstage. When you see 00:05:33.620 --> 00:05:35.839 Harmon Mack actually walking near the Capitol 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:38.300 or the monuments, it totally grounds the series. 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:41.079 It stops feeling like a backlot in Van Nuys and 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:43.480 starts feeling like a real geopolitical drama. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:46.439 It creates this symbiotic relationship. The show 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:49.240 gets the authentic backdrop and access, and the 00:05:49.240 --> 00:05:51.519 Navy gets a primetime showcase of competence 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:54.350 and duty. It completely differentiates Jaggy 00:05:54.350 --> 00:05:56.769 from your standard police procedural. Law and 00:05:56.769 --> 00:05:59.089 order has the streets of New York, but Jag had 00:05:59.089 --> 00:06:01.410 real aircraft carriers and the actual Pentagon. 00:06:01.949 --> 00:06:04.069 Right. Speaking of differentiation, we really 00:06:04.069 --> 00:06:06.029 need to get into the story now because season 00:06:06.029 --> 00:06:08.589 four kicks off with a massive resolution to a 00:06:08.589 --> 00:06:10.889 cliffhanger from season three. We are talking 00:06:10.889 --> 00:06:13.350 about the episode Gypsy Eyes. This is the premiere. 00:06:13.750 --> 00:06:16.189 And honestly, if this was a movie, it would be 00:06:16.189 --> 00:06:19.529 a summer blockbuster. If you recall, season three 00:06:19.529 --> 00:06:22.819 ended. with Harm and Mack presumed dead in Russia 00:06:22.819 --> 00:06:25.100 after an altercation with a Russian fighter pilot. 00:06:25.300 --> 00:06:26.860 Right, the Russians are claiming they died on 00:06:26.860 --> 00:06:29.600 a demo ride in a MiG -29. It's a total cover 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:31.860 -up. But we the audience, we know better. We 00:06:31.860 --> 00:06:35.019 saw them punch out. Indeed. The premiere reveals 00:06:35.019 --> 00:06:37.060 they ejected right before the jet was hit by 00:06:37.060 --> 00:06:39.560 an air -to -air missile. But now they are stuck 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:42.459 deep in Russia, miles from any help, and they 00:06:42.459 --> 00:06:45.379 need to stay totally under the radar, which leads 00:06:45.379 --> 00:06:47.800 to the gypsy connection. They encounter a brother 00:06:47.800 --> 00:06:51.009 and sister, Vasya and Rusa. They are essentially 00:06:51.009 --> 00:06:53.970 traveling performers, nomads. Harm and Mack have 00:06:53.970 --> 00:06:56.209 to disguise themselves as gypsies just to travel 00:06:56.209 --> 00:06:58.649 by wagon to a train station. It's very cloak 00:06:58.649 --> 00:07:00.970 and dagger. Very Cold War thriller. Yes. But 00:07:00.970 --> 00:07:03.850 there is this psychological, almost supernatural 00:07:03.850 --> 00:07:06.449 layer here, too. Yeah. Rusa, the sister, has 00:07:06.449 --> 00:07:08.490 a terrifying vision. She claims to have the sight. 00:07:08.709 --> 00:07:10.529 She actually sees Russian soldiers attacking 00:07:10.529 --> 00:07:12.470 her and killing Harm before he can save her. 00:07:12.750 --> 00:07:14.970 That sets a really ominous tone for the episode. 00:07:15.430 --> 00:07:17.709 Harm is convinced it's just a vision, that it 00:07:17.709 --> 00:07:20.019 won't come true. He's the pragmatist, of course. 00:07:20.339 --> 00:07:22.779 But as they travel, the tension just keeps ramping 00:07:22.779 --> 00:07:25.439 up. They eventually get detected by Falcon, the 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:27.800 KGB agent we've seen before. Rex Lynn's character. 00:07:27.899 --> 00:07:30.500 Yes. He's a formidable antagonist, usually. Yeah. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:33.500 So there's this moment of hesitation. Do they 00:07:33.500 --> 00:07:36.220 trust him? They decide they have to. And he takes 00:07:36.220 --> 00:07:39.220 them back to Moscow. There, they reunite with 00:07:39.220 --> 00:07:42.029 Admiral Chegwiden and Clayton Webb. And we meet 00:07:42.029 --> 00:07:44.730 Alexei, who is a double agent. I just love his 00:07:44.730 --> 00:07:47.569 motivation here. He's loyal to the CIA simply 00:07:47.569 --> 00:07:49.790 because they pay him the best. Practicality over 00:07:49.790 --> 00:07:52.750 ideology. That feels very 90s post -Soviet Russia. 00:07:52.829 --> 00:07:55.089 It really does. But the real emotional weight 00:07:55.089 --> 00:07:57.709 of this arc isn't the escape itself, it's the 00:07:57.709 --> 00:08:00.750 destination. They finally arrive in Svichevo. 00:08:01.269 --> 00:08:03.009 This is where the core mission of the series 00:08:03.009 --> 00:08:06.009 comes to a head. Harm has been years searching 00:08:06.009 --> 00:08:08.860 for his father, Harman Rab senior. This has been 00:08:08.860 --> 00:08:10.800 the engine of the entire show since the pilot 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:13.660 episode. Harm literally joined Jag to find out 00:08:13.660 --> 00:08:15.639 what happened to his dad in Vietnam, and now 00:08:15.639 --> 00:08:18.220 they are in Russia, meeting a woman who cared 00:08:18.220 --> 00:08:20.360 for Harm Sr. after his escape from the Gulag 00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:23.199 in Vorkuta. And this is where that vision from 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:26.300 Rusa comes back into play in a chilling way. 00:08:26.540 --> 00:08:28.379 It honestly gives me goosebumps just thinking 00:08:28.379 --> 00:08:31.009 about it. The woman tells a story that mirrors 00:08:31.009 --> 00:08:33.809 Rusa's vision exactly, except it happened to 00:08:33.809 --> 00:08:35.809 Harm Senior, not Harm Junior, and it happened 00:08:35.809 --> 00:08:39.149 to her, not Rusa. So the vision was a retro cognition, 00:08:39.330 --> 00:08:41.990 like an echo of the past. The woman confirms 00:08:41.990 --> 00:08:44.590 that Russian soldiers attacked them. Harm Senia 00:08:44.590 --> 00:08:46.789 died defending her. It's a brilliant narrative 00:08:46.789 --> 00:08:49.269 echo. It suggests that the trauma of the past 00:08:49.269 --> 00:08:52.129 is literally echoing into the present. The woman 00:08:52.129 --> 00:08:54.629 in Sfichevo lived the nightmare that Rusa feared. 00:08:55.169 --> 00:08:57.190 It connects Harm's father's suffering directly 00:08:57.190 --> 00:08:59.649 to the danger Harm is currently in. And the outcome 00:08:59.649 --> 00:09:02.529 of all this. The woman takes Harm to the location. 00:09:02.909 --> 00:09:05.090 Harm Sr. was buried in an unmarked grave in the 00:09:05.090 --> 00:09:08.250 Taiga. Harm actually finds the grave. He finds 00:09:08.250 --> 00:09:12.250 the cross. Wow, that's just final. For three 00:09:12.250 --> 00:09:14.710 years, fans thought, maybe Dad is still alive, 00:09:14.830 --> 00:09:17.330 maybe he's a prisoner, maybe he's a spy. And 00:09:17.330 --> 00:09:19.830 Gypsy Eyes shuts that door completely. It is 00:09:19.830 --> 00:09:22.409 a massive narrative pivot for the writers to 00:09:22.409 --> 00:09:25.049 take. From a character psychology standpoint, 00:09:25.549 --> 00:09:28.450 Harm has to find a completely new purpose. He 00:09:28.450 --> 00:09:30.970 can't be the son searching for his father anymore. 00:09:31.450 --> 00:09:34.299 He is just a man now. a man who finally knows 00:09:34.299 --> 00:09:37.080 the truth. It forces a heavy maturity onto the 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:39.879 character. He has to accept loss and figure out 00:09:39.879 --> 00:09:42.500 how to move forward, but he isn't the only one 00:09:42.500 --> 00:09:45.000 facing major demons this season. If the first 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:47.139 part of this deep dive was about Harm's past, 00:09:47.480 --> 00:09:50.100 this next section is undoubtedly about Major 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:52.399 Sarah McKenzie's past. Mack goes through it. 00:09:52.659 --> 00:09:54.360 Season four really puts Mack through the wringer. 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:56.559 It feels like the writers decided to deconstruct 00:09:56.559 --> 00:09:58.899 her stoic marine exterior just to see what was 00:09:58.899 --> 00:10:00.799 underneath. We have to talk about People v. Mac. 00:10:00.940 --> 00:10:03.220 This is such a heavy episode. Mac is actually 00:10:03.220 --> 00:10:05.820 charged with murder. And the victim is her estranged 00:10:05.820 --> 00:10:08.740 husband, Chris Ragle. Played by Joe Lando, he's 00:10:08.740 --> 00:10:11.399 a really shady character. He's an ex -convict 00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:14.059 who shows up in an earlier episode, Mr. Rab goes 00:10:14.059 --> 00:10:16.700 to Washington looking for money. He's basically 00:10:16.700 --> 00:10:19.480 the living ghost of Mac's bad decisions. And 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:22.519 later, in People v. Mac, he's found dead in a 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:25.259 hotel room. And it looks incredibly bad for Mac. 00:10:25.419 --> 00:10:27.639 Her fingerprints are on the weapon. But it gets 00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:30.299 complicated fast because Mick Brumby, the Australian 00:10:30.299 --> 00:10:33.659 Exchange Officer, is defending Mac's former lover 00:10:33.659 --> 00:10:36.259 and commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Farrow. 00:10:36.419 --> 00:10:39.480 It becomes this intense triangular conflict in 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:42.840 the courtroom. Harm is defending Mac. Brumby 00:10:42.840 --> 00:10:45.879 is defending Farrow. Both Mack and Farrow were 00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:48.460 at the scene, and Brumby's strategy is essentially 00:10:48.460 --> 00:10:51.240 to blame Mack to save his own client. Which causes 00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:53.799 a massive amount of friction. Farrow claims he 00:10:53.799 --> 00:10:56.559 killed Chris to protect Mack. Mac claims she 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:58.860 killed Chris. Huh. Harm and Bud Roberts realize 00:10:58.860 --> 00:11:00.460 that neither of them is actually telling the 00:11:00.460 --> 00:11:02.139 whole truth. Right, they're both trying to fall 00:11:02.139 --> 00:11:03.720 on their swords for each other. It turns out 00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:05.279 there's a surprise witness who was hiding in 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:07.220 the bathroom. The absolute truth is revealed 00:11:07.220 --> 00:11:09.600 that Mac killed Chris accidentally in self -defense 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:11.419 when he pulled a gun on her during a struggle. 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:14.440 It clears her name legally, but think about the 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:17.360 psychological trauma of that. Killing your estranged 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:20.700 husband. Even in self -defense, that leaves a 00:11:20.700 --> 00:11:23.429 permanent mark. It forces Mack to confront the 00:11:23.429 --> 00:11:25.950 violence of her past relationships head on. And 00:11:25.950 --> 00:11:27.850 this episode also highlights the introduction 00:11:27.850 --> 00:11:30.289 of Commander Ted Lindsay, right? Yes. He leads 00:11:30.289 --> 00:11:33.090 the prosecution against Mack, and he manages 00:11:33.090 --> 00:11:35.889 to permanently alienate himself from the entire 00:11:35.889 --> 00:11:39.309 JAG staff during this trial. He represents the 00:11:39.309 --> 00:11:42.230 bureaucratic cold side of the law, the side that 00:11:42.230 --> 00:11:44.110 doesn't care about the truth as much as securing 00:11:44.110 --> 00:11:46.850 a conviction. It really highlights the internal 00:11:46.850 --> 00:11:49.389 politics of the JAG office, showing that sometimes 00:11:49.389 --> 00:11:52.129 the enemy is inside the building. But Mac's family 00:11:52.129 --> 00:11:54.330 trauma doesn't stop with her husband. We absolutely 00:11:54.330 --> 00:11:56.549 have to talk about Juggle Bells. A Christmas 00:11:56.549 --> 00:11:59.049 episode with a very dark twist. This introduces 00:11:59.049 --> 00:12:01.549 Chloe Madison, played by a young Mae Whitman. 00:12:01.809 --> 00:12:03.950 She's essentially Mac's little sister from a 00:12:03.950 --> 00:12:06.149 mentorship program. But Chloe is a real handful. 00:12:06.309 --> 00:12:08.710 She's tough. She's cynical. Very precocious. 00:12:09.190 --> 00:12:11.230 She initially claims she's suffering abuse from 00:12:11.230 --> 00:12:13.850 a stepfather, which instantly triggers Mac's 00:12:13.850 --> 00:12:16.389 protective instincts. But it turns out Chloe 00:12:16.389 --> 00:12:18.750 is lying about the abuse just to get attention. 00:12:18.970 --> 00:12:22.190 However, the real tragedy is her actual backstory. 00:12:22.730 --> 00:12:24.730 She is the daughter of a sailor who died in the 00:12:24.730 --> 00:12:27.129 USS Stark incident. For you listening who might 00:12:27.129 --> 00:12:29.909 not know, the Stark was the frigate hit by Iraqi 00:12:29.909 --> 00:12:33.690 missiles back in 1987. So Chloe is a Navy junior 00:12:33.690 --> 00:12:37.149 who lost a parent to a very real historical war 00:12:37.149 --> 00:12:40.009 event. Exactly. Mack has to navigate this incredibly 00:12:40.009 --> 00:12:43.070 fragile relationship, which forces her to confront 00:12:43.070 --> 00:12:45.529 her own maternal instincts and her ability to 00:12:45.529 --> 00:12:47.970 connect with a damaged child. It's Mac looking 00:12:47.970 --> 00:12:50.309 in a mirror in many ways. And it connects the 00:12:50.309 --> 00:12:53.190 fictional narrative of Jag to real naval history 00:12:53.190 --> 00:12:55.529 again. Mac isn't just helping a random kid, she's 00:12:55.529 --> 00:12:57.309 helping a child of the fleet. And then the hits 00:12:57.309 --> 00:12:59.529 just keep coming for Mac. In the episode's second 00:12:59.529 --> 00:13:01.750 site, her father is dying in a Catholic hospice. 00:13:02.090 --> 00:13:04.669 And she struggles with deep, deep resentment. 00:13:05.409 --> 00:13:07.509 Her father was an alcoholic, her childhood was 00:13:07.509 --> 00:13:11.110 abusive, and just incredibly difficult. In this 00:13:11.110 --> 00:13:13.889 episode, her mother appears, played by the wonderful 00:13:13.889 --> 00:13:16.570 Conchata Farrell, and reveals the truth about 00:13:16.570 --> 00:13:18.929 why she left Mac with her father all those years 00:13:18.929 --> 00:13:21.529 ago. It's layer after layer of Mac's past being 00:13:21.529 --> 00:13:23.350 peeled back. She thought her mother abandoned 00:13:23.350 --> 00:13:25.830 her. Turns out her mother was literally forced 00:13:25.830 --> 00:13:29.250 out. Mac has to process all this new information 00:13:29.250 --> 00:13:31.809 and find a way to forgive while her father is 00:13:31.809 --> 00:13:34.129 literally taking his last breaths. And then on 00:13:34.129 --> 00:13:36.230 a professional level, there is Act of Terror, 00:13:36.830 --> 00:13:39.240 where she faces her former law professor. one 00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:41.379 need a wrestler. A very antagonistic figure. 00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:43.399 Wrestler once told Mac she'd make a better lap 00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:46.120 dancer than an attorney. Ouch. That is so specific 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:48.580 and cruel. It shows the sheer disrespect Mac 00:13:48.580 --> 00:13:51.080 has had to overcome. She had to fight to be a 00:13:51.080 --> 00:13:53.360 Marine, fight to be a lawyer, and fight to be 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:55.039 taken seriously by the people meant to guide 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:57.500 her. So when you look at season four specifically 00:13:57.500 --> 00:14:00.919 for Mac, it is a season of profound confrontation. 00:14:01.500 --> 00:14:03.899 She confronts her ex -husband, her father, her 00:14:03.899 --> 00:14:06.940 mother, and her mentor. It perfectly explains 00:14:06.940 --> 00:14:09.000 why the critics called the show more sophisticated. 00:14:09.539 --> 00:14:11.700 You just can't tell these stories with only explosions 00:14:11.700 --> 00:14:14.440 and dogfights. You need real acting. You need 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:16.519 character -driven drama. It's not just about 00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:18.899 who flew the plane upside down anymore. Although, 00:14:19.019 --> 00:14:22.279 to be totally fair to the genre, we do have plenty 00:14:22.279 --> 00:14:24.899 of case files this season that deal with planes 00:14:24.899 --> 00:14:27.600 and military ethics. Let's move into those. There 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:30.759 are some truly fascinating ethical dilemmas presented 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:33.200 this season that really stand out. Take Angels 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:36.409 30, for example. This one sounds wild. An F -14 00:14:36.409 --> 00:14:39.269 pilot refuses to fire on an Iraqi plane. Why? 00:14:39.830 --> 00:14:41.909 Because he says he hears the voice of God. It's 00:14:41.909 --> 00:14:44.970 a classic conflict between faith and duty. Harm, 00:14:45.190 --> 00:14:47.529 being the pragmatist and the lawyer, desperately 00:14:47.529 --> 00:14:50.149 seeks a scientific explanation. He just can't 00:14:50.149 --> 00:14:52.730 accept, God told me not to shoot as a valid legal 00:14:52.730 --> 00:14:55.350 defense or a tactical reality. The Navy runs 00:14:55.350 --> 00:14:58.190 on orders, not divine intervention. So what exactly 00:14:58.190 --> 00:15:00.929 does he do to prove it? He attempts to duplicate 00:15:00.929 --> 00:15:03.720 the exact mission. He actually goes up in the 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:06.220 air to treat and find a physical source for the 00:15:06.220 --> 00:15:09.460 voice. He suspects some kind of atmospheric interference 00:15:09.460 --> 00:15:11.860 or radio cross -chatter from another channel. 00:15:12.179 --> 00:15:14.340 It's a great example of how the show treats these 00:15:14.340 --> 00:15:17.289 mysteries with genuine respect for the pilot's 00:15:17.289 --> 00:15:20.230 spiritual experience, but an absolute need for 00:15:20.230 --> 00:15:22.509 factual evidence. It's interesting that Harm, 00:15:22.789 --> 00:15:25.570 who just had a somewhat supernatural experience 00:15:25.570 --> 00:15:27.830 with the vision in Russia, is the one demanding 00:15:27.830 --> 00:15:30.789 science here. That's the duality of his character, 00:15:31.029 --> 00:15:34.049 perfectly summarized. He wants to believe, but 00:15:34.049 --> 00:15:36.389 his training demands proof. Then we have Mr. 00:15:36.529 --> 00:15:38.590 Raab Goes to Washington, which feels incredibly 00:15:38.590 --> 00:15:41.730 relevant even today. It deals with media ethics 00:15:41.730 --> 00:15:45.590 and essentially fake news. It really does. A 00:15:45.590 --> 00:15:48.129 ZNN reporter named Norman Delaporte claims U 00:15:48.129 --> 00:15:50.950 .S. troops used chemical weapons, specifically 00:15:50.950 --> 00:15:53.429 sarin gas in the Gulf War against defectors. 00:15:53.649 --> 00:15:55.730 That is a massive accusation. I mean, that's 00:15:55.730 --> 00:15:58.590 a severe war crime. It is. Harm is assigned to 00:15:58.590 --> 00:16:00.850 assist Congresswoman Bobbi Latham in the official 00:16:00.850 --> 00:16:03.399 investigation. They dig deep into the claims, 00:16:03.419 --> 00:16:06.120 and this is where the show takes a very hard, 00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:08.559 specific stance. And what do they find? It's 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:11.200 a sensationalist fraud. The reporter was completely 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:14.259 driven by ratings, not truth. He deliberately 00:16:14.259 --> 00:16:17.000 manipulated footage and coerced witnesses. And 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:19.340 we should be clear for you listening, we're just 00:16:19.340 --> 00:16:21.879 analyzing how the writers chose to frame this 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:24.679 issue. The show uses this plot to present its 00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:27.899 own perspective on media. I love the observation 00:16:27.899 --> 00:16:30.580 harm makes here though. He asks a rhetorical 00:16:30.580 --> 00:16:32.740 question. Why should the public believe ratings 00:16:32.740 --> 00:16:35.159 -driven reporters over the ordinary service members 00:16:35.159 --> 00:16:38.100 who bear the real cost of war? Right. It reinforces 00:16:38.100 --> 00:16:39.899 that Navy endorsement we talked about earlier. 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:42.519 The narrative positions the military personnel 00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:45.279 as the truth -tellers against what it portrays 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:47.639 as a sensationalist media complex. It's a very 00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:49.919 specific worldview. We also get some intense 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:52.299 international incidents this season. Embassy 00:16:52.299 --> 00:16:54.820 sounds like a pure action movie plot. Harm and 00:16:54.820 --> 00:16:57.440 Mac are trapped in the Sudanese embassy. It is 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:00.019 a total diehard scenario. Rebel sees the building. 00:17:00.220 --> 00:17:02.720 Mac has taken hostage along with all the VIPs. 00:17:02.779 --> 00:17:04.819 Harm is loose in the building, crawling through 00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:07.299 ducts, taking out bad guys one by one. And this 00:17:07.299 --> 00:17:09.380 is where we get the classic MacGyver style move. 00:17:09.589 --> 00:17:12.690 Harm uses a cigar to signal Morse code via the 00:17:12.690 --> 00:17:15.869 live news feeds. It's brilliant television. The 00:17:15.869 --> 00:17:18.170 rebels are broadcasting their demands on live 00:17:18.170 --> 00:17:21.450 TV. Harm finds a camera, stands in the background 00:17:21.450 --> 00:17:24.309 in the shadows, and uses the glowing tip of a 00:17:24.309 --> 00:17:27.269 cigar to flash a message to the outside world. 00:17:27.450 --> 00:17:29.970 He intentionally fails to light the cigar in 00:17:29.970 --> 00:17:32.089 a rhythmic pattern, so the rebels just think 00:17:32.089 --> 00:17:34.470 he's struggling with a match. It perfectly blends 00:17:34.470 --> 00:17:37.450 the action hero trope with the intelligence officer 00:17:37.450 --> 00:17:40.029 skill set. He's not just shooting, he's communicating. 00:17:40.630 --> 00:17:42.509 And on the completely other end of the spectrum, 00:17:42.829 --> 00:17:45.849 we have innocence. This is a massive culture 00:17:45.849 --> 00:17:48.740 clash episode set in Japan. A U .S. enzyme is 00:17:48.740 --> 00:17:51.039 accused of rape. The team goes to Japan and they 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:53.019 have to navigate the extreme differences between 00:17:53.019 --> 00:17:55.920 the Japanese and American legal systems. Specifically, 00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:57.900 they deal with the Status of Forces Agreement, 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:01.420 or SOFA. The Japanese legal system has a very 00:18:01.420 --> 00:18:04.279 high conviction rate, historically around 99%, 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:06.799 and operates very differently regarding the presumption 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:09.460 of innocence and interrogation techniques. The 00:18:09.460 --> 00:18:11.579 show explores the real -world tension of a U 00:18:11.579 --> 00:18:13.619 .S. service member being subject to foreign law. 00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:16.180 So it's not just a who doonit about proving he 00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:18.220 didn't do it. It's about navigating a foreign 00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:20.920 culture where the rules might feel totally alien 00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:23.880 to an American audience. Exactly. And to make 00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:26.579 matters worse, his commanding officer makes these 00:18:26.579 --> 00:18:29.269 off -the -cuff arrogant comments to the press 00:18:29.269 --> 00:18:33.269 that just inflame the situation. It vastly complicates 00:18:33.269 --> 00:18:35.809 the diplomatic relations. It forces the viewer 00:18:35.809 --> 00:18:38.730 to step outside the American comfort zone. And 00:18:38.730 --> 00:18:41.269 it highlights the role of the JAG officer, not 00:18:41.269 --> 00:18:43.930 just as a lawyer, but as a diplomat in uniform. 00:18:44.349 --> 00:18:46.390 It shows the show's incredible range. I mean, 00:18:46.470 --> 00:18:49.529 from diehard in Sudan to comparative legal theory 00:18:49.529 --> 00:18:51.930 in Tokyo, range is definitely a good word for 00:18:51.930 --> 00:18:53.849 it, because while all this high stakes legal 00:18:53.849 --> 00:18:55.509 stuff is happening, the personal lives of the 00:18:55.509 --> 00:18:58.660 characters are getting. Very complicated. Let's 00:18:58.660 --> 00:19:00.339 talk about relationships. Well, we certainly 00:19:00.339 --> 00:19:02.500 have to talk about the newcomer, Royal Australian 00:19:02.500 --> 00:19:05.420 Navy Commander Mac Brumby. Mac Brumby. He arrives 00:19:05.420 --> 00:19:08.099 as an exchange officer and immediately there 00:19:08.099 --> 00:19:11.440 is just intense friction with harm. It's a rivalry 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:13.599 on multiple levels, professional and personal. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:16.180 They clash in the courtroom repeatedly, most 00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:18.380 notably in People v. Mack, as we discussed, and 00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:21.079 later in Wilderness of Mirrors. Brumby is the 00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:24.480 perfect foil for harm. He's brash, he's Australian, 00:19:24.779 --> 00:19:27.220 he's very open about his feelings, whereas harm 00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:30.180 is reserved and traditionally American. And Brumby 00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:32.619 isn't shy about his romantic interest in Mack. 00:19:32.819 --> 00:19:35.779 Not at all. He pursues her openly. This forces 00:19:35.779 --> 00:19:38.720 harm to confront his own feelings, even if he 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:41.009 flat out won't admit them to himself. But the 00:19:41.009 --> 00:19:42.789 absolute biggest relationship moment, maybe of 00:19:42.789 --> 00:19:45.089 the whole series up to this point, happens in 00:19:45.089 --> 00:19:47.809 the episode. Yeah, baby. Ah, the baby pact. Yes. 00:19:47.890 --> 00:19:49.950 You have to set the scene for us. This is iconic. 00:19:50.789 --> 00:19:52.990 So Bud Roberts is prosecuting a pregnant Marine 00:19:52.990 --> 00:19:55.029 Sergeant who really wants to stay in the Corps 00:19:55.029 --> 00:19:58.269 despite her pregnancy. Meanwhile, his wife, Harriet 00:19:58.269 --> 00:20:01.630 Sims, goes into labor with their child. Emotions 00:20:01.630 --> 00:20:03.890 are running incredibly high regarding parenthood, 00:20:04.089 --> 00:20:06.430 family, and the future. And on the steps of JAG 00:20:06.430 --> 00:20:08.930 headquarters. Harm and Mack have a quiet moment 00:20:08.930 --> 00:20:12.039 alone. They are reflecting on Bud and Harriet's 00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:15.059 happiness. And they make an agreement. If they 00:20:15.059 --> 00:20:18.119 are both single in exactly five years, they will 00:20:18.119 --> 00:20:21.440 have a child together. A child? Not just we'll 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:23.859 try dating, but we will literally have a baby. 00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:26.500 It raises the stakes of the will -they -won't 00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:29.859 -they dynamic to an astronomical level. It acknowledges 00:20:29.859 --> 00:20:31.920 that they see a future together, even if they 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:34.319 aren't emotionally ready for it right now. It 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:37.200 gives the fans, the shippers, a concrete timeline. 00:20:37.549 --> 00:20:40.829 five years. That is a defining moment for TV 00:20:40.829 --> 00:20:42.630 romances. It's basically them admitting, you 00:20:42.630 --> 00:20:45.130 are my backup plan, but really you're my primary 00:20:45.130 --> 00:20:47.089 plan that I'm just too scared to execute right 00:20:47.089 --> 00:20:49.710 now. Perfectly put. But Harm does have a personal 00:20:49.710 --> 00:20:52.309 life outside of Mac this season. He dates Navy 00:20:52.309 --> 00:20:54.990 psychiatrist Jordan Parker. Played by Susan Haskell, 00:20:55.230 --> 00:20:57.150 she appears in Juggle Bells and Wilderness of 00:20:57.150 --> 00:20:59.509 Mirrors. It's a significant relationship because 00:20:59.509 --> 00:21:02.109 it shows Harm actually trying to build a connection 00:21:02.109 --> 00:21:04.690 with someone who can clinically analyze him. 00:21:05.230 --> 00:21:07.779 Jordan challenges him. She calls him out on his 00:21:07.779 --> 00:21:10.759 emotional unavailability. It's perhaps exactly 00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:12.519 what he needs after the death of his father, 00:21:12.940 --> 00:21:15.099 someone to help him process his grief. And speaking 00:21:15.099 --> 00:21:17.980 of Harm's physical and mental state, there is 00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:20.859 a massive medical breakthrough for him in Second 00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:23.200 Sight. He learns he was misdiagnosed with night 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:26.039 blindness. This is a huge plot point. Remember, 00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:29.119 Harm was a pilot first. He lost his flight status 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:31.559 because of night blindness, which is the entire 00:21:31.559 --> 00:21:33.819 reason he became a lawyer. Right. The whole foundational 00:21:33.819 --> 00:21:36.839 premise of the show is pilot becomes lawyer because 00:21:36.839 --> 00:21:39.480 he can't fly at night. But in this episode, a 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:41.359 doctor tells him it wasn't night blindness at 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:43.759 all, but a different minor condition that can 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:46.420 be fully corrected with laser surgery. This is 00:21:46.420 --> 00:21:49.519 huge. Because if that gets fixed... It opens 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:51.740 the door for him to return to the cockpit. It 00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:54.259 plans to see that Jaggy might not be his permanent 00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:57.180 home. Before we get to where that leads, we absolutely 00:21:57.180 --> 00:21:59.660 have to mention Bud and Harriet. They are the 00:21:59.660 --> 00:22:01.940 stable heart of the show. They're growing up 00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:05.109 too. Bud is promoted to lieutenant. Harriet is 00:22:05.109 --> 00:22:07.690 promoted to lieutenant junior grade. But they 00:22:07.690 --> 00:22:10.329 face severe family drama in the adversaries. 00:22:10.509 --> 00:22:13.029 This is the episode with Bud's father, Big Bud. 00:22:13.470 --> 00:22:16.150 Bud has to defend his father against major fraud 00:22:16.150 --> 00:22:19.990 charges. It's an incredibly tricky legal and 00:22:19.990 --> 00:22:23.049 emotional situation. And harm actually prosecutes 00:22:23.049 --> 00:22:25.569 the case. That is so awkward, prosecuting your 00:22:25.569 --> 00:22:28.269 best friend's dad. It is. But the interesting 00:22:28.269 --> 00:22:31.460 beat is at the very end. Harm wins the case effectively, 00:22:31.900 --> 00:22:34.339 but he orders Bud Senior never to tell Bud the 00:22:34.339 --> 00:22:36.920 real truth about the case outcome, specifically 00:22:36.920 --> 00:22:39.339 about a plea deal or the specifics of his guilt, 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:42.079 just to protect Bud's idealized image of his 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:45.150 father. It shows Harm's deeply protective nature 00:22:45.150 --> 00:22:47.309 over his younger colleagues. Okay, we are heading 00:22:47.309 --> 00:22:49.029 toward the end of the season now. We have some 00:22:49.029 --> 00:22:52.230 major recurring bad guys. Clark Palmer returns 00:22:52.230 --> 00:22:55.049 in Wilderness of Mirrors. He's a former DSD agent, 00:22:55.329 --> 00:22:57.950 Department of Special Defense. He plays a remarkably 00:22:57.950 --> 00:23:00.569 cruel game, gaslighting Harm by pretending to 00:23:00.569 --> 00:23:03.190 be his dead father on the phone. That is twisted, 00:23:03.410 --> 00:23:05.390 especially after Harm just found his father's 00:23:05.390 --> 00:23:07.880 grave a few months prior in Russia. Exactly. 00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:10.400 Palmer knows exactly where to hurt harm most. 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:13.980 He also kidnaps Jordan Parker. It's a full -on 00:23:13.980 --> 00:23:16.400 psychological thriller episode. Palmer isn't 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:19.240 physically imposing, but he is mentally terrifying. 00:23:19.779 --> 00:23:22.420 He attacks harm's sanity. And the admiral even 00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:24.940 gets involved in this one. He enlists Bud, Mac, 00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:27.420 and Mike to help while he's also trying to prepare 00:23:27.420 --> 00:23:29.920 for a Supreme Court case. Yes. There's a great 00:23:29.920 --> 00:23:32.779 subplot where Bud has to act as the mock chief 00:23:32.779 --> 00:23:36.319 justice to help Chegwooden prepare. It adds some 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:39.279 much needed levity to a very dark episode. Then 00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:41.779 we have Charlie Lynch. The serial killer. He 00:23:41.779 --> 00:23:43.799 appears in Nobody's Child and returns in the 00:23:43.799 --> 00:23:47.400 finale, Goodbyes. He is a total chameleon. He 00:23:47.400 --> 00:23:50.059 targets a young girl and Harm becomes entirely 00:23:50.059 --> 00:23:52.519 obsessed with the case. Harm sees himself as 00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:54.720 the ultimate protector. Which leads us directly 00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:57.720 to the season finale, Goodbyes. The title really 00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:00.259 says it all. Harm tracks Lynch to a ship to save 00:24:00.259 --> 00:24:02.740 the twin sister of a previous victim. There is 00:24:02.740 --> 00:24:04.740 a brutal confrontation and he manages to save 00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:07.519 the girl. But the real climax happens back at 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:09.980 JAG headquarters. Admiral Chegwitten offers Harm 00:24:09.980 --> 00:24:12.880 a choice. Harm's eyes are fixed now. He is officially 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:15.839 medically cleared to fly again. Chegwitten gives 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:18.740 Harm a chance to stay at JAG to keep doing the 00:24:18.740 --> 00:24:21.200 legal work. He basically says, you can stay here 00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:23.500 and be a great lawyer. And Harm declines. He 00:24:23.500 --> 00:24:25.880 declines. He chooses to fly. There's a beautiful 00:24:25.880 --> 00:24:28.940 scene where he receives F -14 manuals from his 00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:32.299 old RIO, Skates Hawks. He holds them like they're 00:24:32.299 --> 00:24:35.960 pure gold. And the season ends with Harm leaving 00:24:35.960 --> 00:24:39.440 Jag. It completely upends the status quo. The 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:41.599 lead lawyer is no longer a lawyer. He's a pilot 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:43.920 again. It signals that season five is going to 00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:46.400 be completely different. It was a massive gamble 00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:49.119 by the showrunners. Imagine being a fan in May 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:52.160 1999. The show just had its best season. Ratings 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:53.980 are way up and the main character just walked 00:24:53.980 --> 00:24:56.579 out the door. It created immense anticipation 00:24:56.579 --> 00:24:58.200 for the next season. It showed that the show 00:24:58.200 --> 00:25:00.279 wasn't afraid to change its fundamental dynamics. 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:02.759 So let's wrap this up. What a journey. We started 00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:04.980 with Harm and Mack basically dead in Russia and 00:25:04.980 --> 00:25:07.980 we ended with Harm quitting to fly at 14s. It 00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:11.559 is definitively a season of maturing. The production 00:25:11.559 --> 00:25:13.539 values went up, the ratings went up and the characters 00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:16.269 had to grow up. harm let go of his father's ghost, 00:25:17.029 --> 00:25:20.329 Mac confronted her family trauma, they made a 00:25:20.329 --> 00:25:22.710 pact for the future. And the Navy gave it two 00:25:22.710 --> 00:25:25.750 big thumbs up. Which brings us to our final thought 00:25:25.750 --> 00:25:28.589 for you to ponder. The collaboration between 00:25:28.589 --> 00:25:30.890 the Navy and the production team was tighter 00:25:30.890 --> 00:25:33.309 than ever in season four. It definitely added 00:25:33.309 --> 00:25:35.569 realism, but it does make you think. It raises 00:25:35.569 --> 00:25:38.589 a very valid question. Does the Navy's enthusiastic 00:25:38.589 --> 00:25:41.190 support reviewing scripts to see how characters 00:25:41.190 --> 00:25:44.470 respond to situations make the show a more authentic 00:25:44.470 --> 00:25:47.230 portrayal of duty? Or does it subtly turn the 00:25:47.230 --> 00:25:49.589 entertainment into a carefully curated public 00:25:49.589 --> 00:25:53.509 relations tool? Is it art imitating life or life 00:25:53.509 --> 00:25:56.650 curating art to ensure the image remains pristine? 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:58.319 That is definitely something for you to chew 00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:00.940 on, especially when you watch Mr. Rab goes to 00:26:00.940 --> 00:26:03.019 Washington and see the media portrayed as the 00:26:03.019 --> 00:26:05.799 villain while the military is the victim. It's 00:26:05.799 --> 00:26:07.880 a perspective worth analyzing for yourselves. 00:26:08.339 --> 00:26:10.559 Absolutely. Thank you for listening to this deep 00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:12.960 dive into JAG Season 4. It's been a pleasure 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:15.599 unpacking the dossiers with you. Always a pleasure. 00:26:15.779 --> 00:26:17.740 We'll see you on the next one. Dismissed.