Ep 7. War Cries

During season 1 of JAG, one episode that stands out is War Cries, the seventh episode of the season. This episode is packed with action from start to finish and features an interesting case that unravels in unexpected ways.

At the beginning of the episode, we see Major Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie on the stand, where she testifies against a rape suspect. Her testimonial, however, is called into question by the defendant's defense lawyer, who tries to prove that Mac is biased and therefore, her testimony is unreliable. The defense lawyer's main argument is that Mac, who is an officer and a lawyer in the navy, usually sides with the navy in cases like this one, so her testimony is flawed.

Meanwhile, Commander Harmon "Harm" Rabb is called in by Lieutenant Bud Roberts, a JAG lawyer who just returned from a trip to the Philippines. Bud reports that a Filipino national has been arrested by the Philippine government for smuggling explosives. The man, whose name is Emilio Rivera, has been a trusted informant of the US government for years and has provided critical intelligence on terrorist activities in the region.

The problem is that Rivera claims he was set up by someone in the US Navy, who manipulated him into delivering the explosives. If this is true, it will be a major blow to the US Navy, and Harm and Mac are tasked with finding out the truth before the situation escalates further.

As Harm and Mac make their way to the Philippines to investigate, they quickly realize that things are more complicated than they thought. They are met with resistance from local law enforcement officials, who are reluctant to cooperate with the US Navy, and they also face opposition from within the Navy, as some high-ranking officers try to cover up the incident.

Despite the challenges, Harm and Mac persist, and they eventually uncover a web of deception and corruption that goes all the way to the top. They discover that the person who set up Rivera was a high-ranking US Navy officer who was trying to cover up his involvement in a shady deal. The officer also has ties to a local terrorist organization, which makes things even more dangerous.

As the investigation progresses, Harm and Mac find themselves in increasingly dangerous situations, including a high-speed boat chase, a shootout, and a tense standoff at a local hotel. The situation comes to a head when Harm and Mac confront the Navy officer responsible for the cover-up. There is a lot at stake, and the tension is palpable as Harm and Mac try to get the truth out of the officer.

In the end, justice is served, and the Navy officer is brought to justice. Rivera is also released, and the investigation reveals important information that helps prevent a major terrorist attack in the region. The episode ends with Harm and Mac looking out over the waters, reflecting on the events that just transpired.

Overall, War Cries is a thrilling episode that highlights the excellent writing, acting, and direction of JAG. It effectively combines action, drama, and suspense in a way that keeps the audience on the edge of their seat from start to finish. It also underscores the importance of integrity, trust, and justice in the military, and the difficult choices that officers often have to make in complicated situations.