Its rare when DVD season sets are released close together. Usually fans have to wait 10–12 months for a new release, but Paramount Home Entertainment has done right by the fans with this quick release of JAG Season Two on DVD, probably because they made us wait so long to begin with. But yes JAG fans, the Harm and Mac Attack is on the way. For those unfamiliar with the show, JAG tells the story of officers of the Navy's Judge Advocate General Corps. Both investigators and lawyers, the JAGs go wherever the case is, whether its on the deck of a 75,000 ton aircraft carrier or with a Marine fire team in the field.
JAG Season Two was a milestone of sorts as well as a transition. Picked up after its cancellation by NBC after Season One, JAG was given 15 episodes to make its case to stay on the air. With the introduction of new characters, it quickly garnered more viewers and became a success for CBS, leading to another 8 seasons on that network. Season 2 saw the arrival of feisty and beautiful Marine lawyer Major Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie (Catherine Bell) to join Tomcat pilot/Jag lawyer Lt.Cmdr. Harmon Rabb (David James Elliot). Mac was a great foil for Rabb, and the two characters had a palpable chemistry from their first episode together, We The People. (this chemistry was first seen in Bell's brief appearance in the 1st season episode Skeleton Crew, where she played Harm's murdered girlfriend.)
With the arrival of Mac however, we said a fond goodbye to Harm's former partners Lt. Meg Austin (Tracy Needham) and Cmdr. Allison Krennick (Andrea Thompson). Needham's departure was sad given the intelligence and chemistry she brought to the role of Lt. Austin, but with a new network, changes had to be made. Executive Producer Donald Bellisario decided to bring in Catherine Bell and focus the stories primarily on the team of Mac and Harm in Season Two, with great results. Lt. Bud Roberts (Patrick Labyorteaux), Ensign Harriet Sims (Kerri Turner), Petty Officer Tiner (Chuck Carrington), and CIA Agent Clayton Webb (Steven Culp) became regular characters, adding some fun to the mix, and the decision to keep Admiral Chegwidden (John M. Jackson) as the head JAG after Season One was a smart one. Jackson had the right amount of humor, gravitas, and fierceness to play the part.
The visual feel of Season Two was improved, with less reliance on stock footage from films as was seen in Season One. The biggest improvement was seeing Harm and company in the courtroom more, whereas Season One rarely had episodes focusing on the lawyer part of JAG. Overall storylines were tighter and better thought out, with the episodes Secrets, The Guardian, Code Blue, and Heroes the standouts in the season. Of course as with any show, there were some clunkers in the bunch, most notably the terrible Washington Holiday, with Harm watching over a Romanian princess. Season Two ends with the courtroom showdown between Harm and Mac in Rendezvous. A good episode, but not one that ended the season on a cliffhanger by any means.
The extras are very limited on this 4-disc set, due to its short length and the quick turnaround time between the release of Seasons One and Two. There are several audio commentaries, one featurette on Season Two, and a featurette on the real-life JAG corps. This season represented the new era of the show, with Mac, Bud, Harriet, Tiner, the Admiral, Webb, and of course Harm, and that alone is worth the money for JAG fans. Highly recommended.