[Follow-up sequel to last season's finale and the first without Chegwidden who has left the series.] Mac (M) returned to her apartment late and found that it had been trashed. Simon Tanveer (MI6 agent) was there, stabbed, and claiming to be "saving her life." He told her that he thought Webb (W) was still alive. He stayed in Ms apartment, because "everyone who knew W was in danger" from Peter Tyrook, "the Hawk," a contract killer who was looking for W. W had been planning to do a "sting" on Tyrook; but, now the tables were turned and W was the target. M tried to get Turner (T) to tell her what he had found during his investigation of Ws death; but, instead of just telling her he found nothing, he acted like he just "wouldn't tell her." She went to Ws apartment and heard him punching codes, to retrieve his messages from the answering machine, but he wouldn't answer her. She talked to Laurie June, Ws assistant, and asked her to "think about" telling her where W was. Later, while Tanveer was with her, M got a call from Laurie who merely said W was at "Mandalay." They went to Laurie's apartment and found she had been tortured to death. Tanveer and M were walking in the park and were shot at by W, but it missed. M talked to Ws mother to tell her about: Laurie's murder, "Mandalay," and to protect herself from "the Hawk." M finally told Harm (H) about it all; and, with Coates' help (by remembering the words to a poem about "Manderley"), deduced that W was at their families old home named "Manderley." Searching it, M & Tanveer found clothes in the house, and H found W on the beach. Tanveer got the drop on M, then admitted to being "the Hawk," who was a fictitious person. He said that he had stabbed himself, then trashed her apartment, killed Laurie, automated the phone call and was using M for his bait. He then got the drop on W, who was attempting a rescue, and H got the drop on Tanveer. But Tanveer still had M hostage, so he captured them all. While threatening to kill M, in order to find out how much info W had obtained about the Al Qaeda, Mrs. Webb appeared and shot Tanveer three times. M had it out with W for lying to her and walked out on him. W asked his boss, Kershaw, how he could "be who I am and still be with her." Kershaw didn't give him an answer and said that it was time for him to "come in from the cold."
The SECNAV appointed Turner as temporary JAG. Probably, as Coates observed, because he wasn't at all put off by the mindless paperwork and politics. H was very annoyed by all the "make work" T was dumping on them, instead of "real" cases. H tried, the whole episode, to talk to M about her medical condition. She apparently has endometriosis, which was "mostly removed." She put him off and told H that she would come to him when she wanted to talk. Finally he tried again on the beach, after Tanveer had been killed, only to be put off again; so, he walked away, frustrated, saying "let me know when you're ready." Krennick was rumored to be on the "short list" for JAG, and H said that she was the only one "to have ever chased him around the desk." She was later said to have been "flagged" and taken off the list.
Friday, September 24, 2004
Friday, May 21, 2004
Hail and Farewell (Part I) - 205
[Season finale (a real downer!).] An attempt to rescue three men in a Zodiac life raft, during a severe storm, failed. Three of the men attempting the rescue, drowned as well. Chegwidden (C) sent Turner (T) to the Thomas Lyons to investigate, where he was stonewalled by the captain claiming to have a "classified" mission. T found little information, but when he went to fax his report back to Chegwidden, the communications officer said he would have to "check" the names in T's report against those on the "list" which were not to be released. Looking over his shoulder, T saw that Webb (W) was one of the classified three, who had been drowned. W had told M (M) that he was going to Germany, and promised that he would make his absence bearable for her by communicating with her every day. She began receiving German gifts, including a German singing group, and had flashbacks of their last few times together and his promises. T returned and bumbled around M which made her suspicious. She went to Ws office and found Laurie June, his assistant, closing out his office. She saw that Laurie had been sending M the presents, as if they had been sent by W himself, and tricked her into admitting that W was in the Tripler morgue.
Mattie began wearing her mothers old locket and told Harm (H) that her dad had not done any prison time after he had "killed her mother" by being drunk. That didn't make sense to H who investigated the police report and found that her father had not been drunk. H talked to Mattie's father, Tom, at his rehab facility, and heard him blame himself for being in "denial," and for not paying attention, which made him skid on the ice. He had the letters, that his wife had sent to him, and gave them to H for Mattie to read. Mattie refused point blank, but then didn't come home from school and missed her first Al-a-Teen meeting. She walked in, just as Coates and H were calling the police, then stormed into her room refusing to talk. Later she told H that she had read the letters and was reconciling with her father.
C began, according to Coates, "loosing it" by: singing "Ta Dah" after giving Harriet (Ht) a commendation from the SECNAV for her USO Christmas show; calling T by his first name; and giving Bud (B) two eagle bookends to "thin out his stuff." He discussed with B the "solid ceiling" he had on his rank, due to his handicap. Then he reserved the Annapolis officers club for his formal "dining out" party. He started the rumor, with Coates, that he was retiring, and gave her the manual for the Dining Out saying he would appoint an officer as "Mr. Vice." Ht announced that she was pregnant, with twins, and was requesting an inactive reserve billet. C appointed Ht as "Madame Vice" and had bagpipes play as he made his entrance as the "President of the Mess." Mikey (Mk) was charged with having his glass empty, and requested B as his council. B explained the infraction, and Mk was fined $5 to charity. H toasted C that his retirement would "take him to a place of peace, contentment and natural fibers." C gave a great speech about spending time with his daughter, visiting ball parks, and how he would remember everyone. As his last official act as JAG, he swore B in as Lt. Cdr., having written a six page letter to the promotions board. He was shown walking out of the club in slow-motion, looking back at everyone and remembering.
M had worsening back pain and H made a doctors appointment for her. The doctor said it was referred pain, and ordered a laparoscopy. She was shown giving M the results, but they weren't revealed out loud. She eventually talked with H and complained that men just "seem to come and go" in her life, except for him. When he said he would always be there for her, she said there was something that he had to know, and told him. He recalled for her their 5-year agreement which was up this week and told her: "the offer still holds." [So, it's anyone's guess what next season will be like - let's hope they are not going to mess with a good thing!]
Mattie began wearing her mothers old locket and told Harm (H) that her dad had not done any prison time after he had "killed her mother" by being drunk. That didn't make sense to H who investigated the police report and found that her father had not been drunk. H talked to Mattie's father, Tom, at his rehab facility, and heard him blame himself for being in "denial," and for not paying attention, which made him skid on the ice. He had the letters, that his wife had sent to him, and gave them to H for Mattie to read. Mattie refused point blank, but then didn't come home from school and missed her first Al-a-Teen meeting. She walked in, just as Coates and H were calling the police, then stormed into her room refusing to talk. Later she told H that she had read the letters and was reconciling with her father.
C began, according to Coates, "loosing it" by: singing "Ta Dah" after giving Harriet (Ht) a commendation from the SECNAV for her USO Christmas show; calling T by his first name; and giving Bud (B) two eagle bookends to "thin out his stuff." He discussed with B the "solid ceiling" he had on his rank, due to his handicap. Then he reserved the Annapolis officers club for his formal "dining out" party. He started the rumor, with Coates, that he was retiring, and gave her the manual for the Dining Out saying he would appoint an officer as "Mr. Vice." Ht announced that she was pregnant, with twins, and was requesting an inactive reserve billet. C appointed Ht as "Madame Vice" and had bagpipes play as he made his entrance as the "President of the Mess." Mikey (Mk) was charged with having his glass empty, and requested B as his council. B explained the infraction, and Mk was fined $5 to charity. H toasted C that his retirement would "take him to a place of peace, contentment and natural fibers." C gave a great speech about spending time with his daughter, visiting ball parks, and how he would remember everyone. As his last official act as JAG, he swore B in as Lt. Cdr., having written a six page letter to the promotions board. He was shown walking out of the club in slow-motion, looking back at everyone and remembering.
M had worsening back pain and H made a doctors appointment for her. The doctor said it was referred pain, and ordered a laparoscopy. She was shown giving M the results, but they weren't revealed out loud. She eventually talked with H and complained that men just "seem to come and go" in her life, except for him. When he said he would always be there for her, she said there was something that he had to know, and told him. He recalled for her their 5-year agreement which was up this week and told her: "the offer still holds." [So, it's anyone's guess what next season will be like - let's hope they are not going to mess with a good thing!]
Friday, May 14, 2004
Trojan Horse - 204
["Navy SEAL's come under the microscope when a large amount of heroin is intercepted and confiscated, only to have a kilo of it turn up missing. And Bud comes to the aid of a Marine singer who is being harassed by the record company that he is under contract to, when they object to him serving in the war."]
Friday, May 7, 2004
Coming Home - 202
["Harm helps protects a mother of a marine killed in action while serving in Iraq from overzealous reporters. In so doing, he works to prepare her for the upcoming burial of her son. Mac & Bud are called upon to see why armored vests given to soldiers in the field to protect them, instead are failing to do what they were designed to do."]
Friday, April 30, 2004
Fighting Words - 203
[The point that Mr. Witten was trying to make - and make and make and make - was that the, all to visible, Iraqi terrorists were NOT following the Muslim religious precepts that they profess. Unfortunately, so many points were superficial, and obvious counterpoints so often completely ignored, that the plot seemed contrived and forced. The self-serving, sensationalistic reporter was, however, all too familiar - if not an overused character type.]
The SECNAV introduced Major General Earl Watson and his Iraqi counterpart General Mohammed Jabra at a press conference where ZNN reporter Jill Waddington grandstanded and accused Watson of having an offensive attitude toward the Muslims. She claimed that she had "just happened upon" (a lie) Watsons guest sermon at a Baptist church, where he called it a "second rate religion" and that "we were doing battle with the devil." The SECNAV ordered a JAG investigation and (surprise) Harm (H) and Mac (M) disagreed on about everything. Watson told M that the religion "has a warrior streak which is too easily appropriated as justification for holy war." M began her arguments with him by saying that Islam explicitly condemned terrorism. Watson said that Waddington's reports weren't accurate or complete. He had spoken that it was "Christian duty to protect people from terrorism" and told the two to ask the congregation for the complete truth. Unfortunately they interviewed seven people who had all seemed to hear the talk completely differently. Turner (T) offered to help M, who was having back pain, with the prosecution saying that he had never heard his chaplain father say anything against any other religion. Then Waddington brought out never shown, archived footage of another "sermon" Watson gave 4 days after 9/11 over 2 1/2 years previously. Watson had said the US was under attack by people who were following the Koran's advice to "Fight unbelievers wherever you find them" and that we were "a Christian army who will win this holy war." The SECNAV bumped it to an official court of inquiry, closed to the press, who began asking questions like: why didn't you get your speech approved by public affairs? And why did you wear your uniform? M tried to belittle H saying: "why aren't you offended by his speech?" H told her that the general had spent, and nearly given, his life to defend our right for free speech, "now you want to take away his right to freedom of religion and speech - why doesn't that offend you?" T found that Waddington had actually received her tip from a Cpl Hamud who was getting out of the service.
T received notice of an investigation into his "anti-Korean bias" charge from Lt Yi. Chegwidden (C) assigned Bud (B) to investigate saying that if it wasn't true he wanted T's record cleared. B argued that he had been in the exact same place, having Ts career in his hands, a year ago. C quipped "well, fortunately, he survived that experience!" T worried to M that his prosecution of Watson was hypocritical. She told him that "you're far too obsessively rational to be prejudiced against anyone." T took B his notes and information and told him that he "would do a fine job." Coates (Co) nagged C for a press release and he told her that what the country needed was more baseball heroes. When she said she wasn't a fan of baseball, he said "I've fired people for less." He dictated a memo to the SECNAV and included the part about baseball heroes, so she said she would write the first draft for his signature. The whole gang cornered Co in M's office and asked about Meredith. H said "we know that you know something." She told them "yes, I do… and the admiral won't be saying those two words." Hamud told M that he had met Waddington doing a story at boot camp. He called her after hearing of Watson's new appointment because he had been offended by Watson's "trash talking Islam" at an "interfaith" sermon after 9/11.
The board of inquiry recommended court martial and on the stand Watson said that he had been asked to be a guest speaker at a church meeting, in a chapel, days after 9/11 when emotions were high and did wear his uniform but made it clear his opinions were his own. To M's caustic examination he said: "I expressed belief that God is not neutral in the struggle between freedom and terrorism. M sniped back that she "thought God would prefer that people didn't throw his name around quite so much." M called the SECNAV to testify against Watson but H countered all of her arguments. Jabra testified that most Americans "can't tell the difference between real Islam and the terrorist perversion of Islam." He said Watson's remarks didn't really bother them because they were "just words." After saying that the people were glad of the help to rid them of Saddam Hussein, he said that he could "cut Watson some slack" because the speech was made after 9/11. He then told the court that he, personally, found Christian ideas odd; so, "if I find your religion a little bizarre, I can't get angry with you finding mine equally strange." Waddington reported that she "wondered if the prosecution was really trying to win," and M called her a "stupid twit." T brought in reverend Haynes, from Watsons previous speech, to explain the slides he used. One showing Baghdad on fire he said showed "the devil in the smoke." Watson explained to H that while he was there with his men, in battle, in danger, he believed that "God had permitted him to see the face of the devil" which had given him the strength to go on. He gave H one potential witness for his character. Mrs. Sattar's husband, Ayman, was killed in a fedayeen ambush and Watson had come to the house to express condolences. When found that she had breast cancer that the Iraqi hospital couldn't help, he arranged for his church to bring her to America for treatment, let her live in their housing and drive her to the Mosque every Friday for worship. H called Watson to the stand and he did well. M felt it necessary to give a lesson on Islamic belief's saying that "Jihad" only meant "to struggle or strive," only considered "warfare justified for self-defense or liberation," had rules against killing "children, women, elderly and other non-combatants… including suicide." She said that "they are not following Islam any more than Timothy McVeigh was following Christianity." [The authors left out that McVeigh never claimed to be on a Christian crusade or that "official" Islamic leaders aren't seen to actively refute or "excommunicate" terrorists] The court found Watson not guilty on the charges; but, the judge recommended formal counseling and ordered not to assert belief's in public forums. As Watson was walking out with H and M, they saw a news report of 18 killed in a Fallujah suicide bombing by the "fire of Allah" claiming a "glorious victory in this holy war." Watson excused himself. H said "that's why we need men like the general." M sniped "or not."
Yi told B that T had allowed a sailor to antagonize a North Korean skipper and supported him being tied up. He said that T had made statements showing he had little respect for Koreans. B told Yi that he had spoken with his father, who had been shot by a black man, and found him to be bigoted against blacks. He asked Yi to tell him honestly that he hadn't at least once questioned his own motives against T. Yi dropped the charges and B told T that he "wasn't going to let you down this time." C told Co about the most famous Jew in the 1930's. Hank Greenberg, AKA "hammerin' hank" was a hall of fame 1st baseman and left fielder who took the Detroit Tigers to four world series. Greenberg, C said, did more to combat anti-Semitism in the 30's than any other man. "What the world needs now," C said, "is a Muslim who can hit 60 home runs!"
The SECNAV introduced Major General Earl Watson and his Iraqi counterpart General Mohammed Jabra at a press conference where ZNN reporter Jill Waddington grandstanded and accused Watson of having an offensive attitude toward the Muslims. She claimed that she had "just happened upon" (a lie) Watsons guest sermon at a Baptist church, where he called it a "second rate religion" and that "we were doing battle with the devil." The SECNAV ordered a JAG investigation and (surprise) Harm (H) and Mac (M) disagreed on about everything. Watson told M that the religion "has a warrior streak which is too easily appropriated as justification for holy war." M began her arguments with him by saying that Islam explicitly condemned terrorism. Watson said that Waddington's reports weren't accurate or complete. He had spoken that it was "Christian duty to protect people from terrorism" and told the two to ask the congregation for the complete truth. Unfortunately they interviewed seven people who had all seemed to hear the talk completely differently. Turner (T) offered to help M, who was having back pain, with the prosecution saying that he had never heard his chaplain father say anything against any other religion. Then Waddington brought out never shown, archived footage of another "sermon" Watson gave 4 days after 9/11 over 2 1/2 years previously. Watson had said the US was under attack by people who were following the Koran's advice to "Fight unbelievers wherever you find them" and that we were "a Christian army who will win this holy war." The SECNAV bumped it to an official court of inquiry, closed to the press, who began asking questions like: why didn't you get your speech approved by public affairs? And why did you wear your uniform? M tried to belittle H saying: "why aren't you offended by his speech?" H told her that the general had spent, and nearly given, his life to defend our right for free speech, "now you want to take away his right to freedom of religion and speech - why doesn't that offend you?" T found that Waddington had actually received her tip from a Cpl Hamud who was getting out of the service.
T received notice of an investigation into his "anti-Korean bias" charge from Lt Yi. Chegwidden (C) assigned Bud (B) to investigate saying that if it wasn't true he wanted T's record cleared. B argued that he had been in the exact same place, having Ts career in his hands, a year ago. C quipped "well, fortunately, he survived that experience!" T worried to M that his prosecution of Watson was hypocritical. She told him that "you're far too obsessively rational to be prejudiced against anyone." T took B his notes and information and told him that he "would do a fine job." Coates (Co) nagged C for a press release and he told her that what the country needed was more baseball heroes. When she said she wasn't a fan of baseball, he said "I've fired people for less." He dictated a memo to the SECNAV and included the part about baseball heroes, so she said she would write the first draft for his signature. The whole gang cornered Co in M's office and asked about Meredith. H said "we know that you know something." She told them "yes, I do… and the admiral won't be saying those two words." Hamud told M that he had met Waddington doing a story at boot camp. He called her after hearing of Watson's new appointment because he had been offended by Watson's "trash talking Islam" at an "interfaith" sermon after 9/11.
The board of inquiry recommended court martial and on the stand Watson said that he had been asked to be a guest speaker at a church meeting, in a chapel, days after 9/11 when emotions were high and did wear his uniform but made it clear his opinions were his own. To M's caustic examination he said: "I expressed belief that God is not neutral in the struggle between freedom and terrorism. M sniped back that she "thought God would prefer that people didn't throw his name around quite so much." M called the SECNAV to testify against Watson but H countered all of her arguments. Jabra testified that most Americans "can't tell the difference between real Islam and the terrorist perversion of Islam." He said Watson's remarks didn't really bother them because they were "just words." After saying that the people were glad of the help to rid them of Saddam Hussein, he said that he could "cut Watson some slack" because the speech was made after 9/11. He then told the court that he, personally, found Christian ideas odd; so, "if I find your religion a little bizarre, I can't get angry with you finding mine equally strange." Waddington reported that she "wondered if the prosecution was really trying to win," and M called her a "stupid twit." T brought in reverend Haynes, from Watsons previous speech, to explain the slides he used. One showing Baghdad on fire he said showed "the devil in the smoke." Watson explained to H that while he was there with his men, in battle, in danger, he believed that "God had permitted him to see the face of the devil" which had given him the strength to go on. He gave H one potential witness for his character. Mrs. Sattar's husband, Ayman, was killed in a fedayeen ambush and Watson had come to the house to express condolences. When found that she had breast cancer that the Iraqi hospital couldn't help, he arranged for his church to bring her to America for treatment, let her live in their housing and drive her to the Mosque every Friday for worship. H called Watson to the stand and he did well. M felt it necessary to give a lesson on Islamic belief's saying that "Jihad" only meant "to struggle or strive," only considered "warfare justified for self-defense or liberation," had rules against killing "children, women, elderly and other non-combatants… including suicide." She said that "they are not following Islam any more than Timothy McVeigh was following Christianity." [The authors left out that McVeigh never claimed to be on a Christian crusade or that "official" Islamic leaders aren't seen to actively refute or "excommunicate" terrorists] The court found Watson not guilty on the charges; but, the judge recommended formal counseling and ordered not to assert belief's in public forums. As Watson was walking out with H and M, they saw a news report of 18 killed in a Fallujah suicide bombing by the "fire of Allah" claiming a "glorious victory in this holy war." Watson excused himself. H said "that's why we need men like the general." M sniped "or not."
Yi told B that T had allowed a sailor to antagonize a North Korean skipper and supported him being tied up. He said that T had made statements showing he had little respect for Koreans. B told Yi that he had spoken with his father, who had been shot by a black man, and found him to be bigoted against blacks. He asked Yi to tell him honestly that he hadn't at least once questioned his own motives against T. Yi dropped the charges and B told T that he "wasn't going to let you down this time." C told Co about the most famous Jew in the 1930's. Hank Greenberg, AKA "hammerin' hank" was a hall of fame 1st baseman and left fielder who took the Detroit Tigers to four world series. Greenberg, C said, did more to combat anti-Semitism in the 30's than any other man. "What the world needs now," C said, "is a Muslim who can hit 60 home runs!"
Friday, April 2, 2004
Hard Time - 201
[This is such an incredibly absurd episode, and the expectation that the JAG audience is gullible enough to believe it is so condescending, that it reduces it to the level of an adolescent 'soapbox opera' or 'sitcom.' It is hard for me to believe that it even deserves retelling! I wouldn't, except that the premise, that two 'poppy seed' bagles can ever be 'mistakenly' the source of a false positive drug screen, cannot be left unchallenged. Ms. Coen not only wrote an exceedingly poor episode; but, compounded it by perpetuating a drug user myth, and completely fabricating her own medical reality. The premises are childish, the dialog fabricated and the actions are out-of-character. Where is this series going?] Mac (M) prosecuted PFC Michelle Boyer for 'Heroin use' and won a conviction yielding 1 year confinement. The 'brig-chaser' let Boyer get in M's face and ask if she'd ever 'regretted sending someone away?" Then, when M answered 'no,' Boyer cold-cocked M to the ground. T asked for another three years, and the judge gave her four! Then, when M found that the same incompetent 'brig-chaser' was being assigned to move Boyer across country, she asked the convening authority, Col Okerman, to assign someone else. You guessed it, Okerman was the overused, arrogant, condescending, resenting women in military type and refused. Then, when Chegwidden (C) tried to intervene, Okerman demanded that M be assigned to do it (!) And C agreed (!!) They couldn't find military transport (!) went commercial (!) with a layover in Cincinnati - Boyer's 'hometown.' (!) Boyer 'disappeared' in 15 seconds from a restroom stall with M standing in front of it (!), then was recaptured when she went for a smoke (!). No more flights to San Diego until the next day and a weenie security boss forced M off the airport (!) Of course, sharing the same room made them best of buddies, so M took her the next day to see her daughter in her boyfriends custody (!) where she, again unattended, stole pills from a bathroom and tried suicide. Again, missing the apparently 'only' flight from Cincinnati to San Diego (!) and giving M the opportunity to feel sorry for her and take her to a beautician, and shopping and out to eat (!) Of course she would pig out on muffins and begin to retch and be taken to an ER where an eager 'intern' would recognize 'poppy seed' induced 'false positive' drug test and offer that 'some people's system's are more sensitive' and he would run 'allergy tests' to prove it (!!!!) C goes to bat for M against little Lord Fauntleroy Okerman to obtain a new trial and M testifies that even she wouldn't have had better control if she'd been falsely convicted (!) [This is the kind of crappy writing that lost the show ratings and got it cancelled!]
Harm (H) and Bud (H) were assigned the case of Senior Chief Paul De Fina who's CO, Stotler, stupidly revealed De Fina's HIV status to PO McMichael, who had gotten a 'couple of drops' of blood on his sleeve from De Fina's cut hand without either proper rationale or precautions for confidentiality. Of course, McMichael gossiped it all over the unit. Again, the arrogant, know-it-all Stotler not only compounded the harm by relieving De Fina of duty, but basically told H "oh well" when the harm his actions had caused was pointed out. De Fina wanted to proceed with charges for reversal of the decision but his wife, who was also HIV positive, refused to talk to H and B. De Fina had been shot in a rebel uprising in Africa and received 'tainted' blood according to the hospital. B, in his meticulous follow-up, found the treating doctor who said that he remembered the case and didn't give any blood transfusion. H and B manipulated a confession from De Fina's wife who had found she was HIV positive while her husband was away then let him think that he had infected her. De Fina filed for divorce and got a position as HIV case manager at Bethesda. Stotler wanted H to get De Fina back because he was now short of trainers; but, De Fina refused.
Meredith came to visit C. Coates didn't keep her out saying "I'll pay for this, but it's in his best interest." Meredith said she didn't come to patch things up or ask forgiveness, just "couldn't let us part without words." C said: "goodbye." When she said "I deserved that," he told her that "falling on your sword" was embarrassing and he wasn't "playing out a scene from a bad movie with you." She told him that "Allesandro is married, so I am not worthy of being with any man, especially you." And "I've done this four times. Two acts of unfaithfulness and two I just disappeared." She said it was a pathology, self-destructive behavior. He told her to "go to a Therapist and stop working it out on the unsuspecting." She tried to start requesting something; but, he shut her off with "not this time" and "somewhere down the line with someone else." She left.
Harm (H) and Bud (H) were assigned the case of Senior Chief Paul De Fina who's CO, Stotler, stupidly revealed De Fina's HIV status to PO McMichael, who had gotten a 'couple of drops' of blood on his sleeve from De Fina's cut hand without either proper rationale or precautions for confidentiality. Of course, McMichael gossiped it all over the unit. Again, the arrogant, know-it-all Stotler not only compounded the harm by relieving De Fina of duty, but basically told H "oh well" when the harm his actions had caused was pointed out. De Fina wanted to proceed with charges for reversal of the decision but his wife, who was also HIV positive, refused to talk to H and B. De Fina had been shot in a rebel uprising in Africa and received 'tainted' blood according to the hospital. B, in his meticulous follow-up, found the treating doctor who said that he remembered the case and didn't give any blood transfusion. H and B manipulated a confession from De Fina's wife who had found she was HIV positive while her husband was away then let him think that he had infected her. De Fina filed for divorce and got a position as HIV case manager at Bethesda. Stotler wanted H to get De Fina back because he was now short of trainers; but, De Fina refused.
Meredith came to visit C. Coates didn't keep her out saying "I'll pay for this, but it's in his best interest." Meredith said she didn't come to patch things up or ask forgiveness, just "couldn't let us part without words." C said: "goodbye." When she said "I deserved that," he told her that "falling on your sword" was embarrassing and he wasn't "playing out a scene from a bad movie with you." She told him that "Allesandro is married, so I am not worthy of being with any man, especially you." And "I've done this four times. Two acts of unfaithfulness and two I just disappeared." She said it was a pathology, self-destructive behavior. He told her to "go to a Therapist and stop working it out on the unsuspecting." She tried to start requesting something; but, he shut her off with "not this time" and "somewhere down the line with someone else." She left.
Friday, March 12, 2004
What If - 200
[The writers/producers were getting a bit nostalgic with this, the 200th, episode. Through Harm's 'daydreams', they conjectured about what the series might have been like if they had directed the characters differently at various 'choice points.' It is another 'role playing' episode; but, where the major cast play themselves in an alternate universe. Still, however, it's pretty much another 'soapbox opera' and NOT the typical JAG we are looking for.] On the occasion of PO Coates' (Co) promotion to first class, the 'regulars' were at a Chinese restaurant for dinner. Chegwidden (C) overruled the argument about who should open their fortune cookie first by saying "we'll go by height, you first Rabb." Harm's (H) was: "Your unspoken desire is the road not taken, take it"; but, he avoided the obligatory "reading aloud." Instead he lapsed into a reverie in which he was at JAG receiving his wife, Mac (M), who was dressed in silk "civvies," acting childishly flippant, and wanting their divorce papers signed. They had decided to marry, after the night in Sydney harbor, but now she said she was tired of him not paying attention to her and announced she was quitting the service and marrying John Farrow, a river guide in Colorado. M had come to get admiral Krennick (K) to sign her terminal leave papers; but, instead H talked her into assigning M "her last case," as defense for Marine Col. Sutter charged with harming a prisoner. K told H that she did it so "you can get it out of your system and move on to someone tough, ambitious and able to give you the ride of your life." He told her to remember that he had "pulled 9 1/2 G's in a tomcat" and she responded "then maybe you're ready for me." Sutter had taken the recalcitrant detainee outside and fired his gun next to the man's head, in order to get him to reveal secret plans which eventually saved the lives of many men. Sutter told M that a female JAG had tried, unsuccessfully, to get information for 10 hours and then had "tattled" on him when he did what she couldn't. He said "phoney marines… women who have never seen combat can't possibly understand what is at stake." H insisted he take M and Farrow to lunch; then, traded zingers with Farrow, took the seat between them, and offered M a plea bargain, which Sutter had already turned down. When M found what H had done, she got right into his face and said "I'm going to kick your butt!"
Next, C deferred to Bud (B) and Harriett (Ht), who simultaneously read H's same fortune out loud. That sent H back into another reverie where Ht's parents had died and left her "all the money in the world." She came to B's "spa king" store to ask for an install before her housewarming party, for her new mansion. B told her he left the navy "when you lost interest in me" and Mikey (Mk) intimated that he had been pining for her. Ht said she had left him at the altar, because she didn't think he was mature enough, but now realized that it had been her own problem. M and H had their usual "veiled" bickering in the courtroom, where their statements had double meaning to their own lives. She told H that "loving you was like stepping on a rusty nail." H offered to give her their photo album, containing all their memories. She refused, but then took it when he wasn't looking. H told her "what if fate meant us to be together… but we both just got in our own way?" M countered with "what if, just doesn't get it done." Verese was practicing at Ht's house with "mister" Turner (T) watching and having some sort of "agreement terms," for Ht, in his briefcase. Ht showed B and Mk her million dollar paintings. In court, Sutter said, "you can't play by the rules when your enemy doesn't." M said: "I'll say," and H objected. M told judge Seibring "that was under my breath… and besides, I object. The counselor is badgering ME." Seibring said "you're flirting with contempt," and she retorted: "I am NOT flirting!" H's double meaning statement: "we can blame others for our predicament's, but the truth is we make our own bed" (looking directly at M) brought her retort "your honor, he didn't make the bed in two years!"
Next, C tried to defer again, but Co shamed him into opening a cookie with her. They got the same fortune, sending H back into the reverie. C and Meredith (Md) were married and he was a retired attorney who was defending Co, who had just skipped bail. Co had gone AWOL at Christmas and was now part of an art theft ring and known as the "cat woman." C told Md that Co was after a rare Shakespeare folio, then had to summarily turn down MD's offer to "help." Co was shown telling "Stan," her contact (from Magnum PI), that she had already "cased" Ht's new house, posing as a caterer. Md went to Ht's to see the folio, which she said she had bought on her accountant's advice, and had under security devices. B told Ht he would do the bathroom at no charge, but she said that with all her money she "still felt something was missing," then invited him to her party. H caught M looking at their photo album and she retorted "you're not the WORST thing that ever happened to me." In court, H continued his obtuse double meaning questioning, about "not being too proud to admit when they're wrong," to the point that Seibring threw up his hands in submission. He called them to the bench during an argument and told them to resolve their differences. They said that their "marriage counselor had quit."
Next, T refused to take a cookie saying he could only eat soy because of allergies. M took her cookie (the same fortune), but claimed that it said: "wherever you go, there you are." Back in the reverie, Seibring told Sutter that he had heard many things which troubled him, but "none had anything to do with this case" so adjudged for administrative action only. He told M and H that he wasn't going to discipline them because he found their squabbling entertaining. M and Farrow were leaving on a train; but, H shamed them into going to Ht's party, so as "not to leave any unfinished business." Verese was the entertainment, and T was engaged to her. H asked K for "more indulgence…" and promised her "rebound potential." Mk chatted up Co, a server. Md spotted Co, but C didn't believe her. C told Md that he "believed in fate" and they were meant to be together. B told Ht that he had "more money than she did" with his 17 outlets in 5 states, Spa King, and patent on the "miracle tickler." H gave M her signed divorce papers to "file with your terminal leave papers, retirement orders and every other burned bridge from your past unhappy life." She said that he "never committed until she had one foot out the door" and stormed out. T told H that if he let M go he "would wonder 'what if' the rest of your life." H said "destiny has spoken," and T replied that his dad always said that "destiny speaks through the choices we make." H found that M had left her coat with her train ticket in the pocket. Co and "Stan" broke into Ht's Shakespeare folio; but, were foiled by Md's bluffing with a fake dart gun. Co revealed that she wasn't a thief, but was really doing a "sting" just to catch Stan. Md advised C not to discount her imagination and he replied that he "lived in fear of her imagination." At the train station, Farrow announced that it was sold out and they couldn't buy a replacement for M. Just then, H showed up with the coat and ticket and announced that he had "stopped trying to stop you." As M was boarding, the ticket flew out of her hand in the wind, and Farrow left alone on the train. M turned to H and said: "I'm ready, are you?"
Back from the reverie, everyone had left already and C was asking H if he was going to follow them. H told M that he had "just been pondering the road not taken… yet!"
Next, C deferred to Bud (B) and Harriett (Ht), who simultaneously read H's same fortune out loud. That sent H back into another reverie where Ht's parents had died and left her "all the money in the world." She came to B's "spa king" store to ask for an install before her housewarming party, for her new mansion. B told her he left the navy "when you lost interest in me" and Mikey (Mk) intimated that he had been pining for her. Ht said she had left him at the altar, because she didn't think he was mature enough, but now realized that it had been her own problem. M and H had their usual "veiled" bickering in the courtroom, where their statements had double meaning to their own lives. She told H that "loving you was like stepping on a rusty nail." H offered to give her their photo album, containing all their memories. She refused, but then took it when he wasn't looking. H told her "what if fate meant us to be together… but we both just got in our own way?" M countered with "what if, just doesn't get it done." Verese was practicing at Ht's house with "mister" Turner (T) watching and having some sort of "agreement terms," for Ht, in his briefcase. Ht showed B and Mk her million dollar paintings. In court, Sutter said, "you can't play by the rules when your enemy doesn't." M said: "I'll say," and H objected. M told judge Seibring "that was under my breath… and besides, I object. The counselor is badgering ME." Seibring said "you're flirting with contempt," and she retorted: "I am NOT flirting!" H's double meaning statement: "we can blame others for our predicament's, but the truth is we make our own bed" (looking directly at M) brought her retort "your honor, he didn't make the bed in two years!"
Next, C tried to defer again, but Co shamed him into opening a cookie with her. They got the same fortune, sending H back into the reverie. C and Meredith (Md) were married and he was a retired attorney who was defending Co, who had just skipped bail. Co had gone AWOL at Christmas and was now part of an art theft ring and known as the "cat woman." C told Md that Co was after a rare Shakespeare folio, then had to summarily turn down MD's offer to "help." Co was shown telling "Stan," her contact (from Magnum PI), that she had already "cased" Ht's new house, posing as a caterer. Md went to Ht's to see the folio, which she said she had bought on her accountant's advice, and had under security devices. B told Ht he would do the bathroom at no charge, but she said that with all her money she "still felt something was missing," then invited him to her party. H caught M looking at their photo album and she retorted "you're not the WORST thing that ever happened to me." In court, H continued his obtuse double meaning questioning, about "not being too proud to admit when they're wrong," to the point that Seibring threw up his hands in submission. He called them to the bench during an argument and told them to resolve their differences. They said that their "marriage counselor had quit."
Next, T refused to take a cookie saying he could only eat soy because of allergies. M took her cookie (the same fortune), but claimed that it said: "wherever you go, there you are." Back in the reverie, Seibring told Sutter that he had heard many things which troubled him, but "none had anything to do with this case" so adjudged for administrative action only. He told M and H that he wasn't going to discipline them because he found their squabbling entertaining. M and Farrow were leaving on a train; but, H shamed them into going to Ht's party, so as "not to leave any unfinished business." Verese was the entertainment, and T was engaged to her. H asked K for "more indulgence…" and promised her "rebound potential." Mk chatted up Co, a server. Md spotted Co, but C didn't believe her. C told Md that he "believed in fate" and they were meant to be together. B told Ht that he had "more money than she did" with his 17 outlets in 5 states, Spa King, and patent on the "miracle tickler." H gave M her signed divorce papers to "file with your terminal leave papers, retirement orders and every other burned bridge from your past unhappy life." She said that he "never committed until she had one foot out the door" and stormed out. T told H that if he let M go he "would wonder 'what if' the rest of your life." H said "destiny has spoken," and T replied that his dad always said that "destiny speaks through the choices we make." H found that M had left her coat with her train ticket in the pocket. Co and "Stan" broke into Ht's Shakespeare folio; but, were foiled by Md's bluffing with a fake dart gun. Co revealed that she wasn't a thief, but was really doing a "sting" just to catch Stan. Md advised C not to discount her imagination and he replied that he "lived in fear of her imagination." At the train station, Farrow announced that it was sold out and they couldn't buy a replacement for M. Just then, H showed up with the coat and ticket and announced that he had "stopped trying to stop you." As M was boarding, the ticket flew out of her hand in the wind, and Farrow left alone on the train. M turned to H and said: "I'm ready, are you?"
Back from the reverie, everyone had left already and C was asking H if he was going to follow them. H told M that he had "just been pondering the road not taken… yet!"
Friday, February 27, 2004
Take It Like a Man - 199
[A couple of moderately interesting plots; but, not the JAG that got us all hooked on the series. Ms. Meyers should have had a psychologist review her script, or at least talked to one before submitting it. Dialogue is unrealistic and contrived.] Marine Corporal Hal Strange was bilking schools and organizations out of speaking fees, claiming he received a silver star that he didn't. The SECNAV decided to throw the book at him and Mac (M) was assigned to defend while Harm (H) prosecuted. M acted glib, rushed and childish to Chegwidden (C) and others and continually picked fights with people. M advised Strange to change his plea to guilty; but he said that "he deserved the medal" and refused. He condescendingly told M that he "doubted she had any idea of what combat was like and had ever killed anyone." Her look told him otherwise and then there was stupid dialog about how "didn't she think she deserved one?" Webb (W) was back and in her apartment. After intimacy, she then told him that "one of these days he wouldn't receive such a welcome." He asked if she was mad that he was leaving or that he wasn't there when Sadik came. After more insipid conversation about how killing "made you more alive and made you more passionate" she told him that he was "sick." He said he wasn't having the conversation and left. She told C that Strange said he had earned the medal but his men wouldn't vouch for him so he wanted his day in court to stick it to the Marines. She argued with him saying "you don't know me as well as you thought!" When he suggested she had come back to work to soon, she glibly claimed that she was "honored to help Sadik obtain the martyrdom he desired and anticipated a fruit basket from the white house for riding the world of a terrorist." She blasted into her defense by attacking the teacher who had hired Strange to speak; and continued after H's objections were sustained to the point that the judge held her in contempt. C read her the riot act and ordered her to see a psychologist at Bethesda. She shot back criticizing his behavior "denying your own broken heart." (oh good grief) He told her to "lock it up" and get her "butt to the shrink before she exhausted what was left of his charitable nature."
Tom Johnson called H because Mattie (Mt) wasn't taking his calls. He wanted to "see my little girl" and H had to corner her into having dinner with him. He told her that he knew she could handle it and she pouted that "I know I can… but can you?" (?!) Mt acted like an arrogant ass at the dinner, attacking her dad for "killing her mother." H effusively apologized for her and forced him to accept a ride home. He told Mt that someday she would regret pushing him out of your life and she sulked that "I think I was happier before I met you!" Taking her to school, H gave her brochures for Alateen which she agreed to "consider" if he "would forgive me for being such a brat." Bud (B), on the other hand, went back to his role as the series' buffoon. He showed Turner (T), back from the "big easy" with Verese, a rare Habu pit viper snake that he was keeping in his office because "the evidence room was too cold." Trying to arrange a plea bargain for a Ensign Thompson, who had smuggled it in from Okinawa in his shirt, B had to visit him in the hospital where he was receiving anti-venom for his bites. B found the lid to the snakes cage open and then spent the entire episode sneaking around the office looking for it without telling anyone. He even barged into C's office just as C was finding the heart shaped locket that Meredith had given him. Thompson wanted the snake to go to the Zoo instead of "becoming a wallet" and B frustrated the convening authority into granting it, along with no brig time. T found the snake in his office and duct taped into his garbage can.
M went to W's apartment and was all over him at first, so he stopped her saying: "this isn't you." More odd dialog started with his: "standard psychological debriefing" after Paraguay, her having finished his assignment for him last week, and lashing that people had "inconvenient emotions" and he "didn't have what it takes to make me happy." With the psychologist, Lt. Cdr McCool, she was just as glib and flippant. After she related the story (because her file was classified) McCool offered that the "killing had left a hole in your subconscious." (?!) She continued her abrasive defense of Strange and discussed "medal inflation" where people got them but didn't deserve them. He said that he had saved two men but they wouldn't back up his story. She then lit into H about his "brother preferring to live in Russia than around you." She claimed H "pulled people into your circle just so you can push them away again." He told her that "this isn't about me loosing interest in Mt. You think I'm loosing interest in you." On the stand, Strange admitted he was a loner and the men didn't like him. H looked at M when he responded: "that's the problem with being a loner. You make it impossible to be your friend, then you wonder why you're always alone." M told Strange he was loosing and asked if he had ever asked the men "nicely." She gave him the address of one of the men, who was shown later testifying that Strange had really saved them. He had gone to thank Strange and was attacked about being incompetent. The men decided that they would never admit the incident. "All I ever wanted was an apology," he claimed. Then, after recalling Strange to the stand, M looked at H while she offered "you just wanted someone to realize what you'd been through and in your anger you went about it the wrong way."
Back with McCool, M said her childhood was unpredictable and she was afraid of abuse from her father. She "went back to thinking that I had to look out for myself and every disagreement became a chance to attack." When McCool tried to engage her into more conversation, M blurted "I'm fine now, continued talking wasn't the agreement" and started to leave. She said killing her former husband was a tragedy because she had cared for him; but "last week was just taking out the garbage." McCool told her she could always come back. Back at Webb's, she apologized; then, told him that if he "shut me off when I need you one more time… were done!" "Sadik wanted me," she said, so she had tested him to see if his thoughts were as "pure as he claimed." He resisted, she said, "like I wish I had my entire life." She admitted that "he was down when I shot him," the report was agency charity, "I killed him because he had hurt someone that I love." W responded, "I love you too, Sara."
Tom Johnson called H because Mattie (Mt) wasn't taking his calls. He wanted to "see my little girl" and H had to corner her into having dinner with him. He told her that he knew she could handle it and she pouted that "I know I can… but can you?" (?!) Mt acted like an arrogant ass at the dinner, attacking her dad for "killing her mother." H effusively apologized for her and forced him to accept a ride home. He told Mt that someday she would regret pushing him out of your life and she sulked that "I think I was happier before I met you!" Taking her to school, H gave her brochures for Alateen which she agreed to "consider" if he "would forgive me for being such a brat." Bud (B), on the other hand, went back to his role as the series' buffoon. He showed Turner (T), back from the "big easy" with Verese, a rare Habu pit viper snake that he was keeping in his office because "the evidence room was too cold." Trying to arrange a plea bargain for a Ensign Thompson, who had smuggled it in from Okinawa in his shirt, B had to visit him in the hospital where he was receiving anti-venom for his bites. B found the lid to the snakes cage open and then spent the entire episode sneaking around the office looking for it without telling anyone. He even barged into C's office just as C was finding the heart shaped locket that Meredith had given him. Thompson wanted the snake to go to the Zoo instead of "becoming a wallet" and B frustrated the convening authority into granting it, along with no brig time. T found the snake in his office and duct taped into his garbage can.
M went to W's apartment and was all over him at first, so he stopped her saying: "this isn't you." More odd dialog started with his: "standard psychological debriefing" after Paraguay, her having finished his assignment for him last week, and lashing that people had "inconvenient emotions" and he "didn't have what it takes to make me happy." With the psychologist, Lt. Cdr McCool, she was just as glib and flippant. After she related the story (because her file was classified) McCool offered that the "killing had left a hole in your subconscious." (?!) She continued her abrasive defense of Strange and discussed "medal inflation" where people got them but didn't deserve them. He said that he had saved two men but they wouldn't back up his story. She then lit into H about his "brother preferring to live in Russia than around you." She claimed H "pulled people into your circle just so you can push them away again." He told her that "this isn't about me loosing interest in Mt. You think I'm loosing interest in you." On the stand, Strange admitted he was a loner and the men didn't like him. H looked at M when he responded: "that's the problem with being a loner. You make it impossible to be your friend, then you wonder why you're always alone." M told Strange he was loosing and asked if he had ever asked the men "nicely." She gave him the address of one of the men, who was shown later testifying that Strange had really saved them. He had gone to thank Strange and was attacked about being incompetent. The men decided that they would never admit the incident. "All I ever wanted was an apology," he claimed. Then, after recalling Strange to the stand, M looked at H while she offered "you just wanted someone to realize what you'd been through and in your anger you went about it the wrong way."
Back with McCool, M said her childhood was unpredictable and she was afraid of abuse from her father. She "went back to thinking that I had to look out for myself and every disagreement became a chance to attack." When McCool tried to engage her into more conversation, M blurted "I'm fine now, continued talking wasn't the agreement" and started to leave. She said killing her former husband was a tragedy because she had cared for him; but "last week was just taking out the garbage." McCool told her she could always come back. Back at Webb's, she apologized; then, told him that if he "shut me off when I need you one more time… were done!" "Sadik wanted me," she said, so she had tested him to see if his thoughts were as "pure as he claimed." He resisted, she said, "like I wish I had my entire life." She admitted that "he was down when I shot him," the report was agency charity, "I killed him because he had hurt someone that I love." W responded, "I love you too, Sara."
Friday, February 20, 2004
Persian Gulf - 198
[One back story comes to an end (sort of) in this episode; but, there's still plenty left to worry about. At least Mac isn't left with an albatross like Harm was with Palmer. One premise, albeit necessary for the plot, was completely unbelievable to anyone but a naïve writer.] The Maravelis case (a naval research tech who stole the synthetic diamonds that he was making) was still on the docket because Harm (H) and Mac (M) were still trying to close his bank accounts and get into his safe deposit box. Getting into his car, H's car wouldn't start then his battery blew up in his face (making him deaf?) Bud (B) took over the case and found, with Mac, that there was only $100,000.00 and the diamonds were missing. Maravelis admitted that he had been selling them to agent Van Duyne, who had told him that if he didn't cop to the lesser plea he would be tried for treason. CIA director Kershaw stonewalled Mac (surprise) but eventually told her that Van Duyne had been tortured to death and Mac's warning about him "hadn't trickled up to him." Mac brainstormed that the 24 missing diamonds were in Van Duyne's cigar store locker and took B with her. There were only five there, and we saw Sadik Fahd, in disguise, watching them leave the store. When she got back to her apartment, she found Iranian music playing on her stereo and a single diamond on her bed. Sadik called her cell phone and began playing a "cat and mouse" game with her. He told her that Van Duyne had brought his death on himself and that the diamond was a "token of my esteem" for he had "great admiration for you Sarah." He called her "incredibly brave" and said he "wanted to make it up to her." Sadik was staying with, Fardad, a gay Iranian and eventually killed him; but, not before telling him that his name, Fahd, meant "lynx" in Iranian. Chegwidden (C) assigned Turner (T) to take over from Mac because she had new evidence and was now going to be a witness as they amended their charges to aiding the enemy in a time of war.
H stayed in the hospital over night, deaf, and Mattie (Mt) came to visit. Coates (Co) had told H, on his writing easel, that "lies = bad parenting." Mt thought H was sleeping so prayed and wanted God to "do a better job taking care of him." When H got home, he wouldn't let Mt miss school. M came to tell him about Fahd javing booby trapped his car. Webb was still unaccounted for, and H told her that she "picked a hellava boyfriend." She told him to "not look so happy about it." H played scrabble with Co and Mt, and had to tell them that "duh" wasn't a word. M came again and he told her that Sadik was "seducing you." "Sadik wants something from you," he told her, "and he's found your weakness. You want to know what he's up to, and he's using your intelligence against you." She told H he couldn't help, because he was "still a liability." Mac found the night club where Sadik had called her with the woman singing Iranian in the background. She sat down and Sadik called again, talking to her as he changed his disguise and walked across the street to where she was. He kidnapped her, at gun point, and took her back to the apartment, where he began his battle of rhetoric with her. He told her that she was out of her place and had no man to protect her. She mocked his fear that he still held "a woman at gun point." He holstered his gun. Mac continued to mock him in her exchange of words. He explained that this month was the 25th anniversary of the Iranian revolution. He was nine when he saw Buhollah Khomeini in person and had an "enlightenment" about "world justice and peace under Islam." His father was killed by the Shah's secret police and within a year he was in the army, which set Tehran in flames, as "the war began." He told M that America's downfall was that "everything is for sale… even, permissive action links (triggers for nuclear weapons)." He said: "bought from your arsenal, paid for with your diamonds." She asked him if there was anything that he would "give up his Jihad for?" He asked "are you making an offer?" and she replied "do I have something you want?" He asked for "tea." Still trading insults, he told M that she "was pretending to be a woman, no man, no kids, a barren life in a prison of fear." She said that what attracted him to her "was the same thing that angers you… my independence."
They were overlooking the nightclub where he said he was going to "blow it up, so you can see that you aren't safe anywhere... except with me, to protect you." She told him that "slaughtering a bunch of kids while you watch from a distance is scraping the bottom of the barrel… even for you Sadik." When he told her it was less than 10 minutes, she began sexually enticing him with "what will it take for you to change your mind?" They heard sirens outside, and the bomb squad evacuating the night club. M unbuttoned her blouse and showed him the "wire" that she was wearing. While he was looking, she kicked his gun out of his hand, slammed him into the couch and slugged him to the punctuation of: "I'm not weak… I'm not barren… I'm not a whore." She got to the fallen gun first, but he drew another from his coat. She shot him in the arm and, while he was down, said: "that one was for Harm… this one's for Clayton Webb" and shot him through the forehead. The CIA team broke through the door and told her to "stand down." She told Kershaw that she was sorry she'd killed him, because he "might have told us where he was getting the PAL," but Kershaw just said "he might have killed you." As she walked, alone, out of the apartment, she looked at herself in the mirror and said "I'm not sorry."
H stayed in the hospital over night, deaf, and Mattie (Mt) came to visit. Coates (Co) had told H, on his writing easel, that "lies = bad parenting." Mt thought H was sleeping so prayed and wanted God to "do a better job taking care of him." When H got home, he wouldn't let Mt miss school. M came to tell him about Fahd javing booby trapped his car. Webb was still unaccounted for, and H told her that she "picked a hellava boyfriend." She told him to "not look so happy about it." H played scrabble with Co and Mt, and had to tell them that "duh" wasn't a word. M came again and he told her that Sadik was "seducing you." "Sadik wants something from you," he told her, "and he's found your weakness. You want to know what he's up to, and he's using your intelligence against you." She told H he couldn't help, because he was "still a liability." Mac found the night club where Sadik had called her with the woman singing Iranian in the background. She sat down and Sadik called again, talking to her as he changed his disguise and walked across the street to where she was. He kidnapped her, at gun point, and took her back to the apartment, where he began his battle of rhetoric with her. He told her that she was out of her place and had no man to protect her. She mocked his fear that he still held "a woman at gun point." He holstered his gun. Mac continued to mock him in her exchange of words. He explained that this month was the 25th anniversary of the Iranian revolution. He was nine when he saw Buhollah Khomeini in person and had an "enlightenment" about "world justice and peace under Islam." His father was killed by the Shah's secret police and within a year he was in the army, which set Tehran in flames, as "the war began." He told M that America's downfall was that "everything is for sale… even, permissive action links (triggers for nuclear weapons)." He said: "bought from your arsenal, paid for with your diamonds." She asked him if there was anything that he would "give up his Jihad for?" He asked "are you making an offer?" and she replied "do I have something you want?" He asked for "tea." Still trading insults, he told M that she "was pretending to be a woman, no man, no kids, a barren life in a prison of fear." She said that what attracted him to her "was the same thing that angers you… my independence."
They were overlooking the nightclub where he said he was going to "blow it up, so you can see that you aren't safe anywhere... except with me, to protect you." She told him that "slaughtering a bunch of kids while you watch from a distance is scraping the bottom of the barrel… even for you Sadik." When he told her it was less than 10 minutes, she began sexually enticing him with "what will it take for you to change your mind?" They heard sirens outside, and the bomb squad evacuating the night club. M unbuttoned her blouse and showed him the "wire" that she was wearing. While he was looking, she kicked his gun out of his hand, slammed him into the couch and slugged him to the punctuation of: "I'm not weak… I'm not barren… I'm not a whore." She got to the fallen gun first, but he drew another from his coat. She shot him in the arm and, while he was down, said: "that one was for Harm… this one's for Clayton Webb" and shot him through the forehead. The CIA team broke through the door and told her to "stand down." She told Kershaw that she was sorry she'd killed him, because he "might have told us where he was getting the PAL," but Kershaw just said "he might have killed you." As she walked, alone, out of the apartment, she looked at herself in the mirror and said "I'm not sorry."
Friday, February 13, 2004
Crash - 197
[Although completely at odds (surprise, surprise) Mac and Harm investigate the same case in this episode. In a momentary lapse, Chegwidden reveals a rudimentary sense of humor; and, Bud seems to be "growing up"... a bit.] Lt. James Ross crashed his F18 Hornet onto the ramp of the USS Bennington and was killed. Both Harm (H) and Mac (M) were assigned to investigate, and Captain Goldman complimented H on his "Seahawk investigation." They found that Ross had been landing on "automatic" but needed to switch to manual because he was too low. Then, they found that most of the plane had been burned, along with the maintenance data tapes. They were told that Ross had been following the glide path programmed into the computer; but, its data was also lost, so they couldn't check it. PO 1st class Dakey denied any computer error and said that most often problems are due to a misaligned angle of attack vane. The senior chief got defensive and said the vane was NOT out of order, because they had specifically double checked it. H asked why he was so defensive and he said he didn't like to speak ill of the dead. Ross had come back from two weeks leave, very depressed, and said that, because his wife was having an affair, he didn’t care what happened to him anymore. The Sr. Chief said he didn't believe the crash was an accident. M found an unsent email, to Ross' wife Arlene, which said "give me one good reason I shouldn't just fly into the back of the ship some night. I told Stanich I didn't care if I live or die and he said he didn't give a damn either, and to just suck it up and keep flying." They confronted the CAG, Cdr Stanich, with the email and he didn't deny the encounter; but, said that he didn't take the comment seriously because most of the flyers had come back from leave with mood swings. They both thought that Ross' death looked like it was suicide, but M also tore into Stanich with a passion. H and M argued in front of the captain, and he asked: "you two work together? That must be a picnic." But, he agreed with M and ordered an article 32 investigation on Stanich. M strong-armed Ross' wife into testifying against Stanich, threatening to subpoena her. She said that she would loose $500,000.00 insurance money if it was adjudged suicide. M and H continued their argument in front of Chegwidden (C), who said he agreed with H. They were so adamant that C told H he would prosecute and M defend. When they just stood there stunned and sputtering - C said "just kidding."
H wanted to delay going on the investigation for a day, so he could keep an appointment with one of Mattie's (Mt) teachers. He didn't say anything to C though, and asked Coates (Co) to substitute for him. She said she would talk with the "Dragon Lady," and watch Mt, if H would "leave his credit card." Drabowski, the teacher, was threatening to flunk Mt if she didn't hand in all of the semesters work, even though she wasn't there for half of it. Drabowski really was an unreasonable, judgmental, witch, who started ragging on H for being "an uncaring, uninvolved parent." Mt tried to get her back on track, but Drabowski turned on Mt as well; so, Mt walked out on her. Co called H and said Mt "needed a little parenting." Mt told him that Drabowski said he was "an irresponsible father who didn't care about her education," and H said: "so you were sticking up for me." Mt told him that he would have the chance to stick up for himself next Friday and H promised that "nothing would keep him away." When H got back, he found that Mt had stayed home from school, ostensibly ill, and told her that if she "ever was feeling overwhelmed, to promise him that she would come to him." She said, "sure, I'll do that, if you're around." He told her that he never felt he was a teenager and had always regretted it. He said that she had "plenty of time to grow up so to enjoy the freedom." She said that she had been free to do pretty much what she wanted before she met him, and he merely said "so could I." Of course, he left the next week and told Mt "I'll try and be back." She told him "go ahead, knock yourself out!"
Bud (B) was shown calling Mike (Mk) and getting the answering machine. He left a message about "how long is this act going to go on - Mikey?" but was interrupted by H. B was second chair in the defense and had found "suicide prevention training" on the internet. He had H respond to a distressed "virtually depressed" sailor, and the computer gave H "zero" on his "don't be a fool" response. B told H that when he was depressed over his leg, he was "just glad I didn't have a gun around." Arlene testified that Ross had come home a cocky career pilot, who ordered everyone around like they were enlisted personnel, and argued. He got the idea that she was having an affair and wouldn't listen to reason. When Ross had called her from Naples, she made him promise to "see someone" if he felt bad, and he promised that he would see his CO. M pontificated and the judge (not to mention H) had to tell her to stop editorializing several times. Stanich said he regretted giving the pilots leave, because they all came back unfocused, bickering and saying off the wall things. One said he was going to slug the captain so he could be sent home, another that he was going to jump ship and swim back to Naples. He thought Ross was fooling around like the rest of us. H found that Ross had ordered a motorcycle two days before his death, and asked for a continuance, so he could go back to the ship. When there, he asked for an F18 so he could recreate the flight. He told the captain that he had gotten his quals "in another agency." B told Dakey that they had been able to resurrect the "last 84 minutes" of Ross' flight and were going to follow the settings exactly. During the flight, Dakey nervously tried to say the numbers were wrong and stop the flight. He finally got so nervous that he blurted out "the radar's wrong, that's why Ross crashed." H told him he had been flying on manual the whole time. He admitted that there had been a "couple of 4 wires that night. Planes had been landing long so he tweaked the settings." Both B and the Capt ragged on Dakey about his allowing a woman to think her husband had committed suicide and loose benefits as well as letting Stanich go to jail. The Capt told him that he would be in the brig "for years" and Dakey broke and ran. He climbed outside the ships rail and threatened to jump. B told everyone to "let him handle it" (probably because of his internet training making him an expert) and tried to commiserate with Dakey. When that wasn't working he blurted: "don't be a fool" which got him to stop; and brought him back inside the railing.
The judge acknowledged the new information, but ragged on Stanich about how insensitive he'd been, anyway. Then he said Stanich had "probably learned his lesson" and recommended against a court-martial. H made it to Mt's school just in time; but, didn't avoid the Dragon Lady's launch into her tirade. Finally H pulled out a business plan for a crop dusting company, letters to the IRS, banks and suppliers, and a 20-page letter to the juvenile court judge that Mt had written over her custody hearings. Drabowski said "I suppose that will do."
H wanted to delay going on the investigation for a day, so he could keep an appointment with one of Mattie's (Mt) teachers. He didn't say anything to C though, and asked Coates (Co) to substitute for him. She said she would talk with the "Dragon Lady," and watch Mt, if H would "leave his credit card." Drabowski, the teacher, was threatening to flunk Mt if she didn't hand in all of the semesters work, even though she wasn't there for half of it. Drabowski really was an unreasonable, judgmental, witch, who started ragging on H for being "an uncaring, uninvolved parent." Mt tried to get her back on track, but Drabowski turned on Mt as well; so, Mt walked out on her. Co called H and said Mt "needed a little parenting." Mt told him that Drabowski said he was "an irresponsible father who didn't care about her education," and H said: "so you were sticking up for me." Mt told him that he would have the chance to stick up for himself next Friday and H promised that "nothing would keep him away." When H got back, he found that Mt had stayed home from school, ostensibly ill, and told her that if she "ever was feeling overwhelmed, to promise him that she would come to him." She said, "sure, I'll do that, if you're around." He told her that he never felt he was a teenager and had always regretted it. He said that she had "plenty of time to grow up so to enjoy the freedom." She said that she had been free to do pretty much what she wanted before she met him, and he merely said "so could I." Of course, he left the next week and told Mt "I'll try and be back." She told him "go ahead, knock yourself out!"
Bud (B) was shown calling Mike (Mk) and getting the answering machine. He left a message about "how long is this act going to go on - Mikey?" but was interrupted by H. B was second chair in the defense and had found "suicide prevention training" on the internet. He had H respond to a distressed "virtually depressed" sailor, and the computer gave H "zero" on his "don't be a fool" response. B told H that when he was depressed over his leg, he was "just glad I didn't have a gun around." Arlene testified that Ross had come home a cocky career pilot, who ordered everyone around like they were enlisted personnel, and argued. He got the idea that she was having an affair and wouldn't listen to reason. When Ross had called her from Naples, she made him promise to "see someone" if he felt bad, and he promised that he would see his CO. M pontificated and the judge (not to mention H) had to tell her to stop editorializing several times. Stanich said he regretted giving the pilots leave, because they all came back unfocused, bickering and saying off the wall things. One said he was going to slug the captain so he could be sent home, another that he was going to jump ship and swim back to Naples. He thought Ross was fooling around like the rest of us. H found that Ross had ordered a motorcycle two days before his death, and asked for a continuance, so he could go back to the ship. When there, he asked for an F18 so he could recreate the flight. He told the captain that he had gotten his quals "in another agency." B told Dakey that they had been able to resurrect the "last 84 minutes" of Ross' flight and were going to follow the settings exactly. During the flight, Dakey nervously tried to say the numbers were wrong and stop the flight. He finally got so nervous that he blurted out "the radar's wrong, that's why Ross crashed." H told him he had been flying on manual the whole time. He admitted that there had been a "couple of 4 wires that night. Planes had been landing long so he tweaked the settings." Both B and the Capt ragged on Dakey about his allowing a woman to think her husband had committed suicide and loose benefits as well as letting Stanich go to jail. The Capt told him that he would be in the brig "for years" and Dakey broke and ran. He climbed outside the ships rail and threatened to jump. B told everyone to "let him handle it" (probably because of his internet training making him an expert) and tried to commiserate with Dakey. When that wasn't working he blurted: "don't be a fool" which got him to stop; and brought him back inside the railing.
The judge acknowledged the new information, but ragged on Stanich about how insensitive he'd been, anyway. Then he said Stanich had "probably learned his lesson" and recommended against a court-martial. H made it to Mt's school just in time; but, didn't avoid the Dragon Lady's launch into her tirade. Finally H pulled out a business plan for a crop dusting company, letters to the IRS, banks and suppliers, and a 20-page letter to the juvenile court judge that Mt had written over her custody hearings. Drabowski said "I suppose that will do."
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