JAG: CBS Eyeing an Official Revival?
NCIS: LA‘s forthcoming JAG-centric arc may be more than just a nostalgia-fueled sweeps stunt. There’s buzz that the May two-parter — which will find David James Elliott and Catherine Bell reprising their roles as Navy Captain “Harm” Rabb Jr.and Lieutenant Colonel Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie, respectively — is serving as an unofficial backdoor pilot for a JAG revival.
CBS declined to comment for this story, but TVLine has learned that the network is indeed testing the waters for a new edition of JAG that would star Elliott and Bell.
In a recent interview with TVLine, NCIS: LA showrunner R. Scott Gemmill — who cut his teeth as a writer/producer on the original JAG — did not rule out the possibility of a full-fledged revival. “I never say never to anything,” noted the exec, before adding that the ball will ultimately be in CBS’ court. “It’s really up to them. That’s not my call to make.”
Gemmill did point out that the NCIS: LA arc introduces “a really cool [new] permutation” of JAG, adding, “It’s more exciting than just going back with a case where they’re JAG officers still and we get pulled into it. Instead we took a whole different direction.”
Should a fresh JAG series come to fruition, it would bring the franchise full circle seeing as how NCIS original flavor was itself spun off of JAG, starting with a two-part, April 2003 “backdoor pilot” that introduced Mark Harmon’s Gibbs, Michael Weatherly’s DiNozzo, Pauley Perrette’s Abby and David McCallum’s Ducky.
The JAG-themed NCIS: LA arc kicks off Sunday, May 12 and concludes with the procedural’s season finale on Sunday, May 19. (With reporting by Matt Mitovich)
I hope we don’t have to wait long for CBS to green light it. Absolutely fantastic news
I expect right after their first episode airs and does well it’ll be greenlit
It seems I am late to the party but I just heard of the possibility of JAG coming back and I am just as excited as you all.
JAG is special. There are millions of us fans would watch every week. So, please bring JAG back so Harm and Mac can get together with a big military wedding. Wow! What a great finish. Jack
How about a mini series movie of them?
I hope they bring JAG back. Greatest news. Loved the show and can’t wait to watch it again …. please bring it back.
A great idea! LOL, imagining a 4-way crossover, NCIS, JAG, NCIS:LA & NCIS:NO. Not likely to happen but to think about!
Oh, we could go bigger than that.
Start with NCIS: LA on Sunday, Magnum on the Monday, 2 hours of NCIS and NCIS: NO on Tuesday, JAG slots in on Wednesday or Thursday then finish up with MacGyver and Hawaii 5-0 on the Friday. Add in a one-off special of Scorpion as well for almost the entire shared universe (I think I only missed off First Monday…)
MacGyver and magnum are part of the shared universe too? Is it official?
MacGyver crossed over with Hawaii Five-0, which crossed over withNCIS and NCIS: LA.
Yes, Hawaii Five-0 has crossed over with both of them as well as NCIS: LA.
Sam Hanna and Steve McGarrett are stated to have served together in the SEAL teams (apparently Steve owes Sam a steak dinner), Kensi Blye appeared on 5-0 before a full crossover 2-parter. Kono and Chin appeared on an episode of MacGyver set in Hawaii, and Magnum has had guest appearances from Kamekona, Noelani and Duke although none of the 5-0 team as yet. Although it’s cancelled now Hetty was in an episode of Scorpion too.
Take out the Magnum part and I’m all in.
What? No blue bloods?
The absolutely worst decision made during the final season of JAG was to try to replace its stars.
Bring’em back alive (some of you might get this reference of the past)!
I didn’t watch NCIS the first couple of seasons because of the way Bellisarus treated DJE at the end. I started watching after he was removed from the show.
Who is DJE? Sorry to be dense, thanks!!
Catherine Bell’s monogram.
Ahh, now I see, David James Elliott. Oh well, I hadn’t finished my coffee the first time around. ;)
You get 250 puerto rican tostones power points for the comment, Matt!
I thought when CODE aired it would be more like JAG and was very disappointed when it wasn’t. Love David James Elliott and Catherine Bell and hope CBS will bring JAG back with the original stars.
David James Elliott
That would be amazing!!!!
This is Fantastic News! One of my favorite shows. Loved David James Elliott. Bring it Back! The new show The Code while similar doesn’t come close. I still record the Jag reruns and I own the set on DVD
I’m not against it but I hope it’s done with elegance and substance and is not a complete flop.
I would certainly watch a new revised JAG show with the two original great stars.
They’d have to bring everyone back. Bud and Harriet as well as the Admiral. I didn’t like his replacement for the final season. I know the Admiral retired from the Navy, but they could bring him back in some way …
Zoe McLellan too, just to have her appear in uniform as Coates but someone addresses her as (former) Special Agent Brody.
There’s precedent. Catherine Bell appeared in an earlier episode of J. A. G. before joining in her role as Mac. A small walk on as a passing sailor that just shared a glance with Harm iirc. They handled it pretty well too. Acknowledging “someone” reminding Harm of her.
The episode with CB was an unaired NBC episode that was repurposed on a CBS episode where she played his murdered girlfriend.. The first Mac episode to start season 2 had a flashback of her as well by Harm and Bud.. We’ll have to see where they have the characters before I can judge whether a new JAG makes any sense. I watched the episode of The Code and it was so so though I do like Dana Delany.. If they restart JAG, maybe they can move her to that show…
I hope they do bring back JAG with David James Elliott and Catherine Bell.
Agree… Chedwidden was great and quirky. Need new faces too.
OMG!!
I find this somewhat ironic considering CBS tried to replace David for a potential season 11. The fans wouldn’t have it, so they cancelled the show instead. Let’s hope they’ve learned from that mistake!
CBS didn’t try to replace DJE. Bellisario is the one who didn’t bring him on for season 10 (there was apparently bad blood between them from prior contract negotiations) despite having been told by CBS that they wouldn’t renew JAG without him.
Argh! Typo! Make that season 11. Damned tiny keyboard on my phone.
Please bring back jag with Elliott and bell! We need them on tv together again ❤️❤️❤️
I heard that blue bloods were renewed how come not news for macgyver lethal weapon the seal the code Hawaii five0 and S.W.AT when iam going to have some news
Good to bring back JAG
Why are there not enough writers to write new shows but they keep trying to revive old shows because they ran out of ideas
No, because viewers refuse to try new shows, which generally fail, as opposed to familiar brands. Do you go to your local pizza parlor and criticizethem for serving familiar favorites or do you say “Pizza, again, don’t you have anything new to serve?”
Ask David Hasselhoff if there’s another Knight Rider show coming back!lol!
Seriously..although i grew up with the likes of the 80’s, 90’s shows…cute, cool and nostalgic even…every time i hear about Transformers, Star Wars this and that..i say “Wtf?! There’s nothing new in that Hollywood pipeli e of creativity?”
There’s plenty of original shows and movies coming out, they just don’t get the press that revivals do, which is another reason why revivals are more common. Audiences are more drawn to a familiar brand than they are a new show. Plus new original dramas or sitcoms are canceled first, ALWAYS. Chump Engagement Syndrome has a point, and I have something to add. If two new coffee shops open up in your town, where do you think people will go – the new ma and pa store you’ve ever heard of, or the new Starbucks right next door? I’ll give you one good guess. I’m so sick of people saying “Hollywood has no original ideas anymore” then when a new show or movie comes out no one talks about it or watches it and then it gets canceled and we all forget it ever existed.
Surely there’s plenty of new shows every year.
It’s not really more about getting any more press than the last familiar hit show. Myself; I’d give it a shot, a few eps..that’s it.
I’d either like it or not.
Even JAG back in the days. I wouldn’t say every episode was great…but overall it had chemistry within the cast and writing was decent during its era. As a viewer i have to somewhat bond/like the characters.
Comedies are the hardest for me to get along with. Superhero type drama…CW is tolerable; but Marvel’s writing is far superior.
Regular drama? Nothing really groundbreaking these days; lots of themes that have been done already..clichés.
I would say there’s may be like total 5 shows I’d even watch in terms of regular broadcast tv shows.
And coffee? I actually go with small unknown roasters locally; non chains. Having grown up in a major metro city..can’t stand Starcrap..like weeds every block.
But people may try a revival because it’s familiar: but they only stay if the new show is worth it.
Some are, some not.
This would make my day. I can’t wait for May to get here.
Sure, why not? They can even use the same scripts again and no one will know.
Doesn’t CBS has a Military Legal drama already? “The Code”?
I loved JAG but Isn’t The Code a JAG type show (though not great). Why would u need two separate shows?
I don’t expect The Code to get renewed. Problem solved.
Agreed. It seemed like The Code was heavily promoted and it lost nearly half of its NCIS lead-in.
I agree. Was not impressed with The Code, either, and will look for something else to watch instead. Although I’m tired of networks trying to raise old shows from the ashes, I usually try to give the remakes a chance. A remake of JAG, perhaps expanding their horizons and giving them more updates cases, would be better than The Code, imho.
I was not impressed either. Perhaps if they gave Dana Delaney a bigger part.
I felt like I was watching a baby Jag. A prequel to if I can say that.
Unfortunately I was not either. I agree maybe if Dana Delaney had a bigger part it might have helped.
So long as it doesn’t affect Good Witch, love the show!
I agree. I love Good Witch and want to see more seasons beyond the upcoming season 5. They would have to work around the shooting of Good Witch since it’s very likely Hallmark will renew it for another season. It takes Hallmark a lot to cancel a show.
Next season of Good Witch will be out this spring… If JAG is revived, it would be impossible for CB to do both since GW is filmed in summer and fall in Canada.. So we’ll see…
I think the Good Witch is pretty popular. I really don’t see Hallmark cancelling it unless Catherine Bell has to make a choice and chooses JAG. Hopefully she could do both.
They are already making season 6 of Good Witch I read today.
I agree! But the Good Witch only has 10 12 per season. So I bet she could do both.
I support the revival they made a great team.. Kudos to the mgmt. Will watch when they return.
Yes, please.
CBS will have room in the schedule when they cancel “The Code,” which is really bland and not worth anybody’s time. CBS should have gone right to a JAG revival instead.
They might not be able to do a revival. Technically Bellisario is the creator and has the same deal/contract he had with NCIS, He sued CBS and NCIS over the spin off of LA. It cost them a lot of money and that was a spin-off. A revival might cost the studio and network more money and headaches to get because of the soured relationship with Bellisario. A revival is basically a remake of the original show with the original characters. There is a lot of work and time put into seeking rights to the show like that. Remember many shows like Macgyver, Hawaii 5-0, and even Magnum P.I. took time to procure all rights to all original characters and ideas. CBS had to work with previous creators or remaining family(or estate lawyers if the creator is dead). It took these shows a year or longer to actually launch after they were announced of possibly being rebooted. I don’t think Bellisario will to giving to CBS. I think he will definitely fight them over JAG due to their sour relationship and having been basically booted off NCIS.
Due to the fact that this show was what started the souring relationship with CBS and the fights they had with Bellisario. It’s tough to say if he will be giving to give them a chance to do a revival of JAG because of it being not a reboot with real change. It’s the original idea/concept with the original characters with no change. I really hope Bellisario will work with CBS in allowing JAG to become a Revival seeing as he has sued them over the reboots of Magnum and agreed to the remake. So here’s hoping but remembering the reality of JAG/NCIS drama and how CBS handled everything really poorly during the lawsuit.
$$ talks.
Everything else is pure speculation on it’s future.
Everybody has a price tag.
Otherwise shows like the new Magnum would’ve never seen fruition.
Last I heard this would be hard to do due to the fact that Bellisario owned the rights to the show. If anybody remembers what happened when NCIS spun L.A. they were sued over rights to any spin-off from NCIS by Bellisario who won a great deal of money over the spin-off of LA. He might have the same deal/contract over JAG which could create more headaches in the long run with Bellisario. Not to mention this would be a revival of the show he created which means he technically might own the rebirth of the show. He wasn’t booted out of JAG as he was in NCIS so that contract might be more iron clad and harder to break due to the fact the show will be a revival of the original unlike being a spin-off.
I would expect this issue has been resolved, there was (to my knowledge) no issue with NCIS: NO which was created long after NCIS: LA which sparked the original lawsuit. Bellisario also created Magnum, P.I. which has been rebooted by CBS already. He may get an Executive Producer credit as well as a “Created By” credit, same as he does on NCIS though.
He may have signed away any spin-off rights away for NCIS due to the settlement. We don’t really know what the deal fully was as it wasn’t disclosed publicly. Next he was the co-creator of Magnum and we don’t fully know if he signed those rights away earlier or agreed with his co-creator rights of the show could be remade down the road or even movies that could come from it. Magnum Reboot has been discussed over decades after Tom Selleck ended the role. In fact there was discussion back in the 1990’s and early 2000’s if I recall. He might have signed it away back then so it could be used again. As for the matter being resolved it got settled out of court but CBS tried to play dirty by trying to bring his medical history into play after their own former VP screwed up by calling NCIS LA a connection to JAG at the upfronts. In the end they realized he had more guns in his case than they did. He might decided that because he got kicked off the show’s spin-off NCIS he might not want to sign over the show. Plus JAG was widely more popular and lasted longer than Magnum. We don’t fully know what any contract states for Bellisario and CBS over rights of shows. Bellisario was according to everything I have read about JAG was the only creator and it was his production company who may own the rights for any remakes or revivals. We don’t really know..his other shows had Like NCIS and Magnum were co created…how they divided up who has controlling rights play a big part whether or not it can be rebooted.
OMG please bring JAG back, it was my favorite show, never missed an episode. Hated when it got cancelled, felt we got gypped that we never got to see Harm & Mac get married. Would definitely watch if they revived it.
I could not have said it better. Thank you, Dawn. I would love to see all the old gang back together again!
JAG, The Code, and SEAL Team on the same night.
Yeah, a bit of an overload. The network needs to ease up on the military themed shows.