HTF DVD REVIEW: JAG: The Sixth Season (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

JAG: The Sixth Season
Directed by Terrence O’Hara et al

Studio: Paramount
Year: 2000-2001
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 anamorphic
Running Time: 1056 minutes
Rating: NR
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo surround English
Subtitles: CC
MSRP: $ 64.99

Release Date: May 20, 2008
Review Date: May 14, 2008

The Series

3.5/5

The sixth season of JAG continued its popularity on CBS with even more cases assigned to the Judge Advocate General’s office with court martials covering everything from war crimes committed during the Vietnam war to censuring the official Marine bulldog mascot. As in earlier seasons, not all episodes revolved about courtroom activities. An episode like “Iron Coffin” or “Retreat, Hell” had nothing whatever to do with a trial. Romances which had seemed so promising during season five for several of the principals hit rocky roads during the sixth season as one after another, relationships faltered or hopes were cruelly dashed. Only the work seemed to provide feelings of satisfaction for the members of the judge advocate general’s office.

David James Elliott returned for another season as Commander Harm Rabb (and occasionally played his father in some flashback scenes set during the Vietnamese War). Catherine Bell returned for another go-round as Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie, and for much of the comedy relief Patrick Labyorteaux again played Lieutenant Bud Roberts though his personal drama this season was one of the most heart wrenching story arcs of the season. John M. Jackson was once again Admiral A. J. Chegwidden, and back again assisting in the office were Petty Officer Tiner (Chuck Carrington) and Roberts’ wife Harriet (Karri Turner) who was given a little more to do this season as she returned to her office duties.

Recurring characters like Australian Mic Brumby (Trevor Goddard) and Gunnery Sergeant Victor Galindez (Randy Vasquez) kept the episodes a neat mixture of legal procedural and character based interactions. What’s more, with romance and/or impending weddings involving Rabb and MacKenzie’s characters, the inherent sexual tension between them (though they were involved with others) was continually played up (in fact, it was the focal point of “Lifeline,” a clip show devoted to their rocky personal and professional relationship). And a series of recurring thorns-in-their-sides like ornery Secretary of the Navy Nelson (Paul Collins) and the sarcastic Representative Bobbi Latham (Anne-Marie Johnson) constantly kept the corps on their toes.

Never a show for focusing on big guest star names, a few did manage to show up during the season including Gerald McRaney (two outstanding episodes), Corbin Bernsen, Trisha Yearwood, Terry O’Quinn, Andrea Parker, and William Katt. Amusingly, Sean Murray, who played the spoiled, calculating son of Admiral Chegwidden’s love interest, appeared in a number of episodes and was later tapped to be a regular on producer Donald Bellisario’s next series NCIS.

Here’s a list of the episodes contained on the six discs in this set:

1 - Legacy (Part 1)
2 - Legacy (Part 2)
3 - Florida Straits
4 - Flight Risk
5 - JAG TV
6 - The Princess and the Petty Officer
7 - A Separate Peace (Part 1)
8 - A Separate Peace (Part 2)
9 - Family Secrets
10 - Touch and Go
11 - Baby, It’s Cold Outside
12 - Collision Course
13 - Miracles
14 - Killer Instinct
15 - Iron Coffin
16 - Retreat, Hell
17 - Valor
18 - Liberty
19 - Salvation
20 - To Walk on Wings
21 - Past Tense
22 - Lifeline
23 - Mutiny (the season’s most unusual episode as the cast played roles of real life people involved in an 1842 near-mutiny)
24 - Adrift (Part 1)

Video Quality

3.5/5

The series’ 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio is presented in more than acceptable anamorphic transfers. Sharpness is average to above average though as in earlier sets, stock footage and second unit work look very poor in comparison to the rest of the footage. In scenes supposedly taking place in Russia, diffusion filters soften the image for atmospheric enhancement. Color saturation is strong, but the image is simply never razor sharp. Each episode is divided into 7 chapters.

Audio Quality

3.5/5

The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo surround track has some good bass worked into the mix, but otherwise, music tends to be the primary inhabitant of the rear channels apart from an occasional ambient effect.

Special Features

0/5

Apart from previews of upcoming Paramount TV releases, there are no special features of any kind on the disc. The previews of available Paramount TV box sets include Twin Peaks, all three CSI shows, Criminal Minds, Ghost Whisperer, and Jericho.

In Conclusion

3.5/5 (not an average)

Though the sixth season ranked high for JAG in the Nielsens, the quality of episodes didn’t quite seem to match those of season five. The DVD set has no bonus features at all for fans of the show, but the episodes are all here (with the usual box disclaimer about possible editing) in acceptable quality.



Matt Hough
Charlotte, NC

 

[BobSchneider]

Hmmm a bit of a bummer no blooper wheel or any extras, but honestly I prefer clean video and audio capture over extras any day. Any how I'm a huge fan of Jag and would pickup S6 even if you gave it a zero (sorry matt h. hope no illusions of editorial power were crush LOL ) Whats weird is I never start watch JAG regular till late in S6 nor did I see it in re runs and s1 thru s5 have been such fun Ive got to buy S6.

 

[BobSchneider]

Wow kind of shock by the lack of post, well just got done with s6, alot of fun episodes and very few so so one. One thing is nice is the video and audio captures are cleaner than s5 ( atleast in my book) hopefully s7 will be out soon.

 

[Pete Battista]

I am a little behind on this series... still need to get seasons 5 and 6 in my collection... but hoping to catch up soon.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

I had purchased Jag Season 6 and while there were some good episodes, this set is mediocre, at best. I wasn't impressed with the quality of episodes. I'm also not looking forward to Season 7. I've always hated the Sturgis character that shows up during Season 7 and his mistreatment of Bud ...

 

[BobSchneider]

Yes I have to agree s6 is not the best season of jag, but compaired to dancing with the stars, american karaoke , survivor or laundry list of realilty show dreck, even a so so season s6 Jag is better than any of those shows. Yes I agree I never cared for the self inflicted tortured character of Sturgis, even with his bothersome character I still like JAG alot. During Jags first run I didnt start watching regularly till s7 and even with annoying Sturgis, I still fell in love with the show. So even with sturgis I'm still collection all ten seasons of jag.