Collision Course, January 30, 2001

As Reviewed by Michele Blackburn

As Reviewed by Yali

By Michele Blackburn

In my book, this was a normal JAG episode. The nice thing about the show, though, was the fact that Mac and Harm actually got to work together instead of against each other. The main story took place quickly. No quips by the Admiral, Harm, or Mac. The story took off and stayed fast paced throughout the hour. Their story had to do with the collision of three ships: Turkey, Greek and US. Eventually, the Admiral of the US ship was let go from the Navy and Mac, Harm and the XO gave him a nice send off when they saluted him as he walked away from the ship. I thought it was sweet how the Admiral of the ship wouldn't let his XO take the rap for what happened. That shows a man that cares about his people.

I was happy over the way the SecNav treated the Admiral in this episode. After last weeks show (Baby, it's Cold Outside) and the way that the SecNav treated the Admiral I was afraid that it would be the same, but it wasn't. He trusted the Admiral enough to make him prosecuting attorney and gave him the right to pick the best defense team. Which, of course, hands down was Mac and Harm.

The plot of the second story had to do with back home. Valerie Galindez, sister of Gunny Galindez arrived at JAG headquarters to see her brother. Mikey didn't make quite a good impression at first. They stayed out all night and part of the next morning. They went out to eat, went dancing, went to an art gallery and then Mikey fell asleep on her lap at the Jefferson Memorial. If that wasn't bad enough in Victor's mind, Mikey left a strange message on the answering machine at their house. (What is it with the Roberts and answering machines. Remember Bud's messages on Harm's machine on Full Engagement). Mikey's message went something like this: "Hi, Valerie, it's me. Sorry I drooled on your lap last night. I promise next time will be better. I'm off next Friday." If my brothers heard that kind of message on the answering machine, they would flip out too. I thought Randy Vasquez and Michael Bellasario did a great job. Especially at the end when Victor was telling Mikey that Valerie goes out with all the boys he hates even when he tells her he hates them. Then he so quickly put it. "I don't like you Roberts and that's why I'm going to keep telling Val about you." I thought that was sweet.

And we have to mention, Lt. Singer in this episode. I actually felt sorry for her. She had all the bum cases becauses the others were away. At one point she told Tiner, she felt like she had a sign on her back. Then when she came to Mikey's defense, everyone got the sense that she was an okay person. She was keeping Mikey from getting beat up. Then when Victor left and Tiner mentioned how great that was. Singer told him she just did it to keep from having more paperwork to do. Okay! so she's lacking a sensitive, sweet side to her. At least those who watched Dodson's Journey a few weeks ago got to see her as a sweet and caring person and with her hair down.

Guest appearances:
Robert Pine (Chips)
William Katt (Greatest American Hero)
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By Yali

For shippers, this episode was dead boring. For law students, it was an opportunity to see how an International Law case can be- tension, gossip, political pressure and the like. For Gunny fans, it was a chance to see more of his character to develop. For Nanci Chambers, it was an opportunity to round a bit her "Lt. Singer" characterization. It all depends from your point of view.

As for me, here's my deposition, Your Honor.

On the long run, this is an episode of relationships. International ones (Storyline A) and personal ones (Storyline B).

Storyline A- Here we have a situation of a wrecked war game. At first, we have this American captain acting like a XVIII buccaneer, trying to show off in front of his subordinates, positioning the carrier's arms and warfare in order to scare the Turkish one. A sudden turn and the impossibility of backing off caused a terrible crash. Later, we know that another carrier was involved in the accident, with two sailors dead and several injured. Obviously, it’s based on the real-life crash episode last year in Oman, Middle East.

No one wants to take responsibility of the incident. Americans blame Turkish, Turkish blame Greeks and Greek blame Americans and Turkish. “It was you/No, it wasn’t me, it was him/No, not me, but you” and so on. Harm and Mac did independent preliminary investigations, and it proved to be a vicious circle of gossiping and complaints. Definitely, one of the three is to blame and has to pay for it. The SecNav already decided it by the time he met with Adm. Chegwidden, Harm and Mac at JAG Headquarters in Italy. Capt. Merrick is the one to be held responsible. Since he has another crash on his background, he’s the perfect suspect. Harm and the admiral respectfully dissent. That’s not enough to prosecute him, they say. The SecNav argues that, due to the political and cultural tension in the Mediterranean/Middle East area (Turkish and Greeks have a centuries-old rivalry, and you can confirm it in the news with the Cyprus territorial debate and in any History book), they have to set the example. He assures his staff that the other two captains will be investigated by their respective countries. Read-“investigate”, not “prosecute”. The SecNav and his superiors already convicted Capt. Merrick. It was JAG’s mission to confirm it.

Later, they and us get to know that the case was laid by Turkish and Greeks alike, leaving the American as the sole suspect and eventual scapegoat. Americans are not very welcomed in that part of the world. This time, Mac joins her partner and her C.O. in wanting to hang the SecNav for his authoritarianism.

To complicate the situation, he specifies the charges- “manslaughter” among them, with the admiral to prosecute and Harm and Mac to defend him. Neither of them wants to do it: they sympathize a bit with the captain, apart that they don’t have enough time to do a proper research to build a defense or determine the real nature of those charges against him. Captain Merrick wants to declare himself guilty, but Harm refuses to rest the case. He insists on searching further. Even Adm. Chegwidden agrees with his top legal eagle. Something’s rotten in the Aegean Sea, and it’s not the fish.

Harm and Mac proved to do miracles working under pressure. International Law is a complicated tangle of rituals, word uses, bureaucracy and laws written and rewritten in order to satisfy all the parts involved and not to offend each other. There was no time for observing the beautiful Aegean landscape, or for having a relaxing walk around the city. They were locked alone in a big room during the night, but reading files and transcriptions, looking for something that could help them. Simply put, working with the SecNav around kills romance and don’t leave much time for a shipper moment. Maybe later. (Bonus- Mic and Renée weren’t around, and didn’t show at Falls Church pestering people, requesting info on them!)

On the end, it turned out that the Turkish had made some moves that exculpated Capt. Merrick of some of the blame. Adm. Chegwidden, Ham and Mac showed before the SecNav with a deal and a report for NATO on the real nature of the war game incident. Looking over his glasses, the SecNav listened to them and agreed on the deal, assuring them that he would properly redirect the report to the correct persons. It ended on the trash can. Nothing happened, the accident was due to a human mistake.

Parenthesis- Where was Webb? An international conflict involving U.S. interestes in the Middle East, and he wasn’t there?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean…

Storyline B- We never get to know who was in charge of JAG’s office during the admiral’s absence, but one thing is for sure: Lt. Singer won’t ever be the first female JAG. Meanwhile Harm and Mac worked with time against them, she complained of all the cases assigned to her “the losers”, as she called them. She cannot deal with pressure and deadlines. She even begged for her C.O. and her colleagues to return! Even the sweet gesture of her counseling to Gunny when he wanted to smash Seaman Mikey Roberts’ face, telling him to remain calmed, was for real to avoid an incident that could made Bud stay away from the office, and then have his cases reassigned to her. Forget it, Lauren Singer. A lawyer has to work in an overloaded desk with time running upon him/her. I see you as the female version of Teddy Lindsey, chained to your desk per secula, seculorum.

Marine Gunnery Sergeant Victor Galindez. A Marine in all the extension of the word, a by-the-book one like Mac. But it’s rather scarce what we know from him. On this episode, we get to know that he has a younger sister, and that he has a strict sense of morality. When she arrives to the office, after Mikey’s arrival to lunch with brother Bud, they met, and he was virtually struck. He liked the girl, and when Gunny told him sternly: “She’s my sister”, he knew he should behave. If looks could kill…

It turns out that Valerie Galindez is a feisty flirt, contrasted with her serious brother. She takes the initiative with Mikey, eating, dancing and even inviting him “to watch the sunrise”. Highly romantic and risky. But then we discover that Mikey is a goody-two-shoes kind of guy, that he might say certain comments, but he wouldn’t make any indecent proposal to a girl. He took her to her house when Gunny was getting ready to work. Poor Mikey! He thought Gunny would smash him at one. After all, he’s the guardian of the virtue of his sister. He didn’t punch him because he was leaving to the office. But later at the office, after spotting him as he tried to sneak away from him, he wanted to kill him after the message he recovered from his answering machine: “I’m Mikey, the one that drooled over your lap last night.” (Singer intervenes here, saving the day and somebody’s faces) In fact, he didn’t watch the sunrise from Tidal Basin; he fell asleep on Valerie’s lap! Gunny complains with Bud, but he knows that Mikey is not “that” kind of guy. He really likes Valerie, and he showed up at the office with a rose bouquet and concert tickets for the two of them.

But it turned out to be that Valerie has a boyfriend; she was just flirting with Mikey. He’s obviously disappointed, and Gunny has a word with him. Seems that Valerie always flirts with different boys, and her boyfriends are of “uncertain backgrounds”. “You must love me”, Mikey sighs. “No, in fact, I don’t like you. I’ll make sure to tell her that”, and Gunny grins. Mikey smiles. Maybe there’s hope for him to get Valerie.

Back in Italy, Capt. Merrick is separated from his position, but he won’t spend time in jail. Manslaughter charges were dropped. He accepts the deal, and is saluted by a tolling bell and all officers in formation on deck and on port (including Harm, Mac and the admiral) as he leaves the carrier.

We can conclude from this episode that relationships, of any kind, can get complicated at times. Each part involved on it has the responsibility to keep it working, doing his/her best. Nothing can be taken for granted. Most of all, to understand that it’s no easy way to please everybody.

I rest my case.

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