Interview mit einem Co-Executive Producer

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JAG premiered on September 23, 1995 and recently aired its 200th episode on March 12th.
In celebration of the 200th episode, CHARLES JOHNSON, one of JAG's Co-Executive Producers, is answering questions about JAG -- the show, the characters and the storylines, submitted by you, the fans.

Q: Sometime last year Donald Bellisario is reported to have said that if Harm and Mac get together, that in effect will end the show. If that is true, WHY will it be true?
A: Experience has shown that audiences often lose interest in a series when a storyline, like the Harm/Mac relationship is dominant and then gets resolved. A classic example is "Moonlighting" where ratings dropped precipitously after the characters of Maddie and David got together.

Q: In those 9 years of JAG, what has been the most memorable, 'fond to think of' moment in all those years (scene, episode, behind the scene moment, etc) which lasts in everyone's mind?
A: It is very difficult to find one salient moment or episode because there have been so many for all of us. Besides, different people will have different memories due to the fact that such choices are very subjective. Some of my favorite episodes are the off-beat ones like, "JAGathon," or "The Ghosts of Christmas Past" and our 200th episode, "What If."

Q: It appears that JAG has a great deal of access to bases and ships. How have you been able to arrange that and how much is indeed Department of Navy participation and how much has to be done through other means?
A: We have been very fortunate over the last few years to have a very good relationship with both the Department of the Navy and the Marine Corps. Don Bellisario has always produced a series that both our staff and the military can be proud of, and that enables us to have some access to ships and bases when they are available. However, in these current times, the military cannot always accommodate us for such scenes and in those cases, we have to be inventive and find non-military locations that can double for the real thing.

Q: Why have the JAG plots lately tended to have Harm and Mac on opposite sides or working on separate cases altogether, as opposed to when they worked and investigated cases together ?
A: When a series has been on the air as long as JAG has, it becomes necessary to vary our plots and the nature of our episodes. Many of our fans like certain kinds of stories, and often prefer specific storylines or characters over others. We are always mindful of these differences and do our best to produce a wide mix of storytelling to please our viewers. Of course, our fan mail often indicates that, despite our efforts, we don't always please everyone at any one time, but it isn't from lack of trying.

Q: Of all the issues/stories that JAG has tackled in its 9 year run, has there ever been a story that you would like to tell that you haven't been able to do -- either because it was deemed too controversial, objections from an involved party (Navy, Marines, CBS, etc.) or for some other reason?
A: I know this will sound improbable, but we always find ways to make our stories work. We, however, have had objections from both the Network and the Military about our approach to some issues, but ultimately, we dig down deep and find a way to tell the story in a manner that is acceptable. I'm not saying that the process is easy, but with application, it is always an interesting journey to get a final product that is presented to our viewers.

Q: My questions is if JAG goes into a 10th season, will be the audience be seeing some new faces on JAG?
A: I can't give any specifics, but I would venture to say that there will be one or two new faces in the new season.

Q: Will there be any promotions in the near future for Harm and Mac?
A: Other characters are more likely to be promoted; Harm and Mac were previously fast-tracked in moving up and are now at such a level and rank that makes their being promoted problematic for their current positions.

Q: Given the 9-year history of the series, how does JAG manage the many new and different writers that have come and gone? I imagine it must be a challenge to maintain storyline details and character personalities from script to script and season to season with such a variety of writers contributing their works.
A: How right you are! But we do have a series' Bible that covers all 205 produced epsiodes (and the salient points in every script). Each writer is required to read and study the Bible upon being hired. We also have each new writer watch as many significate episodes as they can. Of course, despite all the research, we still miss things or write some fact that contradicts an earlier established detail. Do our fans catch these discrepancies? You bet, and they are not shy about letting us know how we failed.

Q: Would JAG consider shooting an episode(s) on the East Coast where JAG actually takes place, or do a story based in New York City?
A: We actually shot parts of two episodes in Washington, D.C. a few seasons ago, but we have no plans to shoot on the East Coast in the near future.

Q: What was done on set by the cast and crew to celebrate the 200th episode?
A: We had a nine-tiered cake made, and the cast and crew came together for a cake-cutting ceremony that commemorated our nine seasons, as well as celebrated our accomplishment of completing 200 episodes.

Q: With the Iraq war "settling" down a bit, are you struggling with new plotlines?
A: Well, I'm not sure that the Iraq War is settling down, but the war itself, does not dictate our storytelling. We do produce episodes that involve the current conflict, but we feel that it is just as important to show as many other aspects of our characters military lives, as well, both in and out of the courtroom.

Q: Who had the idea for actors who have appeared on other series from JAG creator Don Bellisario producer to appear on JAG? Also, who makes the decision for an actor to play a character on one JAG episode and a different character on another JAG episode?
A: The use of actors in any capacity comes from a variety of different sources. Often, actors are submitted by their agents, come in and read for a role and are chosen becuase he or she is the best actor for the job. Many times their appearances on two of Mr. Bellisario's shows is happenstance. At other times, our casting directors, Mr. Bellisario or other producers may suggest a particular actor to cast for a specific role.
Finally, actors who may repeat on JAG in two separate roles usually do so with at least two or three years between appearances. The majority of our actors who repeat work on the series are roles that they created in earlier appearances.

Q: What's going to happen with the agreement made five years ago, between Mac and Harm to have a child together?
A: My lips are sealed, but watch the Season Finale in May for an update.

Q: I am curious if Sturgis Turners' new girlfriend, Varese, is an actual singer? What is her real name?
A: Erica Gimpel is both an actress and a singer. You might remember her from the television series "Fame" where she played a student named "Coco." More recently, she had a recurring role in on the NBC series, "The Profiler."

Q: The average age in the Armed Forces today is early 20's, and yet this age group is seldom represented in military based shows. JAG has had plots involving our young men and women in service, including Tiner, Coates and Mike(y) trying to find their way. Will JAG continue to focus on the youth that have dedicated their lives to serve our country?
A: Yes, the storytelling on JAG allows us to cover a wide spectrum of characters in all age ranges, and that diversity makes the series interesting to a variety of viewers. As you can tell, we have great respect for the men and women serving our country, and for the many dedicated Veterans who came before them.

Besonders die erste Frage und die Antwort finde ich interessant und gleichzeitig traurig.