<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0448dfc3.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News/Gossip"><U><B>Back to News/Gossip</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0458dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336666" FACE="Arial" ><B>Mac on JAG</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mac on JAG"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id349.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News from 2002"><U>News from 2002</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News from 2001"><U>News from 2001</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id365.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="S6 Production Notes"><U>S6 Production Notes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id145.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="S7 Production Notes"><U>S7 Production Notes</U></A>   |   <B>S8 Production Notes</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0458dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>S8 Production Notes</I></div> <div> Combining all the visceral excitement of military conflict and all the suspense of a criminal investigation in one action-packed hour of dramatic television, the eighth season of JAG premiered on Tuesday, September 24 from 8:00-9:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on CBS-TV. A three-time Emmy Award winner, JAG is created and executive produced by Donald P. Bellisario and is a Belisarius Production in association with Paramount Network Television. This season, the series continues to stay true to its military roots and explore controversial issues such as sexual preference and military desertion, while continuing to experiment with new filmmaking techniques in both the blistering action of the battlefield and compelling sequences in the courtroom. Set amidst the larger-than-life world of fighter planes, nuclear submarines and mammoth aircraft carriers, JAG chronicles the career of Commander Harmon "Harm" Rabb, Jr. (David James Elliott), resourceful Navy lawyer and officer in the Navy's Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, who plays the diverse roles of investigator, prosecutor and defense attorney. Harm's partner and fellow JAG officer Lt. Colonel Sarah "Mac" Mackenzie (Catherine Bell) is a confident, tough, but emotionally vulnerable Marine Corps attorney. An equal match for Harm, Mac embodies her Marine credo of "rifleman first, attorney second." Together they use their intelligence and determination to uncover the mysteries behind military cases involving murder, treason, and espionage, among other crimes. </div> <bR> <div> The eighth season premiere resumed with Lieutenant Bud Roberts's (Patrick Labyorteaux) life hanging in the balance after he stepped on a landmine at the conclusion of last season. Concurrently, Admiral Chegwidden (John Jackson) appears before a congressional committee to determine JAG's role in an al Qaeda investigation, which failed to include the services of the CIA or Naval Intelligence who are normally in charge of such an operation.</div> <bR> <div> Roberts's rehabilitation and how his wife Harriet (Karri Turner) deals with the loss her husband has suffered will play a major role in the series this year. The series will not swerve from its tradition of searing, "ripped from the headlines" plots. Among those in the eighth season is an episode about sexual preference, as well as an episode on military desertion. In this specific episode, Harm and Mac are assigned to defend a former Corporal, who while fighting in Palestine has abandoned his military assignment and joined the Israeli army.</div> <bR> <div> JAG's character line-up, which has always commanded a high appeal with audiences, returns with new challenges in front of them. Lieutenant Bud Roberts, the former JAG law clerk-turned-attorney, is faced with the most taxing obstacle he has ever encountered. Roberts will need encouragement from his family and friends at JAG to keep his spirits up while recuperating from his accident. As for the other series regulars, Admiral A. J. Chegwidden (John M. Jackson), a former Navy Seal, returns as the tough guy with the soft side, who oversees all of JAG's cases. During one episode, Chegwidden has a new love interest who is a risk taker who likes to try new things : baking, karaoke, etc. Unfortunately she's not very good at any of the tasks she undertakes, and Chegwidden's sensitive side begins to reveal itself when he finds himself reluctant to criticize her.</div> <bR> <div> After JAG's seven 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.</div> <bR> <div> JAG is a Belisarius Production in association with Paramount Network Television. Paramount Television Production is part of the Viacom Entertainment Group, which includes the Paramount Motion Picture Group, Paramount Television Production, Paramount Worldwide Television Distribution, Simon & Schuster and Paramount Enterprises (which is comprised of Paramount Parks, Famous Players Inc., Paramount's interest in United Cinemas International, Famous Music Publishing, Consumer Products and Paramount Digital Entertainment). Viacom Entertainment Group is part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc., one of the world's largest entertainment and media companies, and a leader in production, promotion, and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and music.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> {THE END}</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>