I had very mixed feelings about this
episode. There were parts that I really enjoyed, and a very large chunk of
the storyline I had problems digesting.
The story itself is good. An F-14 crashes in a training flight, its fiery
debris killing two civilians on the ground, a mother and her child. JAG
sends Harm and Bud to investigate. The story now gets complicated.
The
squadron's instructor is Captain Hochausen, Harm's old mentor, who is not
what he seems. I liked the interaction between Harm and the Hawk. On the
part of the Hawk, it was very much that of the old teacher who is
determined to assert his old authority over his former pupil. But the
pupil, Harm, does not quite feel the same, however hard he tries to regain
the old footing. This was further coloured by the fact that increasingly,
all the evidence points to the Hawk being at fault.
Thus far, everyone is in character. However, as we get into the last third
of the episode, things go awry. Harm, who up until this point had been
passionately biased towards the Hawk, now has to bring him to justice.
Perhaps it was a case of not having sufficient time to fully develop the
story. Whatever it was, I found the last part totally unsatisfactory.
Exposing the Hawk in court was spectacular, but I found the scenario
belittling to both Harm and the Hawk. I am convinced that Harm, with his
intense loyalties - and his conversation with the Lieutenant was most
illuminating - would not have dropped the Hawk like a hot potato, even
under those circumstances. We could see that Harm hated to do it. But it
would have been better if they had allowed him to behave truer to
character. At the same time, it was quite clear that the Hawk had not
changed his behaviour pattern, so it is puzzling that he could have duped
Harm and so many others all these years. That last scene outside the court
was pathetic. Quite unsatisfactory.
I
enjoyed Tina Schiparelli. She provided comic relief, romantic overtones
and even the touch of pathos at the end. No mean feat. It was nice to see
Harm being a regular guy, carefree and young, just having a good time. And
talking about having a good time, it was a treat to see him fly that
Tomcat. I always enjoy the flying sequences, probably because Harm enjoys
them so much.
Poor
Mac! She certainly did not enjoy the flying, and she did not get any
sympathy from Harm either. "Put your head down between your knees!" he
said, and walked off to investigate his new theory. Poor Mac!
What I found most interesting about this episode was that they were
showing us different facets of Harm's character. We see him as the typical
carefree young man out for a night on the town, looking for a bit of fun.
Then later, we watch him baring his soul to the Lieutenant, revealing his
fond dream of some day having a wife, and a child. I found both aspects
equally touching.
And I really enjoyed the comedy with Harm, Bud and Tina.
The
squadron's instructor is Captain Hochausen, Harm's old mentor, who is not
what he seems. I liked the interaction between Harm and the Hawk. On the
part of the Hawk, it was very much that of the old teacher who is
determined to assert his old authority over his former pupil. But the
pupil, Harm, does not quite feel the same, however hard he tries to regain
the old footing. This was further coloured by the fact that increasingly,
all the evidence points to the Hawk being at fault. 
I
enjoyed Tina Schiparelli. She provided comic relief, romantic overtones
and even the touch of pathos at the end. No mean feat. It was nice to see
Harm being a regular guy, carefree and young, just having a good time. And
talking about having a good time, it was a treat to see him fly that
Tomcat. I always enjoy the flying sequences, probably because Harm enjoys
them so much. 
Poor
Mac! She certainly did not enjoy the flying, and she did not get any
sympathy from Harm either. "Put your head down between your knees!" he
said, and walked off to investigate his new theory. Poor Mac! 
