Life or Death, January 18, 2000

As Reviewed by Rosepetal

As Reviewed by Michele Blackburn

This episode deals with a case that Mac has to defend.  She is assigned to appeal the case of Kenneth Farmer whom is facing a death sentence for the murder of three marines.  The Gunny believes that the man should die for what he did to those Marines.  Seems he was there the day that the killings took place and that one of his friends was hit and is now crippled because of it.  Harm believes that the man shouldn't get the death penalty because the man's defense attorney was not capable.  Seems the attorney he is talking about is none other than the Admiral.  Mac will argue inefficient defense counsel.  Mac goes to visit her client in prison and to find out if he is worth her trouble, I guess. I didn't really understand why she went to see him.  There really was no point, even her client told her that.  After her visit with her client, she went to talk to Harm about the case and to tell him that the defense attorney had been the Admiral.

The next morning, she shows the Admiral her appellate papers and apologizes for what she is doing.  He tells her to just do her job and not worry about him. Mac and Mic are the attorneys at the appeal.  Mac for the defense, and Mic for the prosecution.  After the appeal, Mac asks Harm out to dinner but he already has plans so she says yes to Mic when he asks her to dinner. 

While at dinner, Renee Peterson comes in who is the director of the naval recruitment commercial from the pervious episode, and seems to be waiting for someone.  That someone turns out to be Harm, but Mac doesn't know that.  When she finds out, she seems mad at Mic for not telling her who the date is and at Harm for being there. 

The next day, Harm and Mac both start asking questions about how long the other has been seeing Mic and Renee.  The Admiral comes in and tells them that Mic is leaving to go back to Australia and that Mac will get most of his cases and what she doesn't want, give out to the other attorneys.  The appeal papers come in and they all find out that Farmer is allowed a new trial due to inefficient defense counsel.  Harm will prosecute and obviously Mac will defend.   The trial proceeds and Mac loses her case.  Farmer is sentenced to death and Mac promises to attend his execution. 

At Mac's apartment, Mic comes over and he wants to know if she wants him to come back and she said yes.  But he meant to her, she tells him that she is not ready for a relationship and they kiss. I guess to say goodbye.  Mic has never been my favorite character so to me him leaving is not a bad thing.

The whole JAG gang meet at McMurphy's Pub to say goodbye to Mic.  The Admiral wishes him well, Bud and Harriet say he wont be forgotten, even Harm says he is not happy to see him leave (which I really didn't get)  and finally Mac and Mic get to say goodbye.  Bud starts singing a song and everyone joins in and Mic leaves but not without looking back in to see his friends one last time.

By Michele Blackburn

"Do you think he should die?" That's the question Mac asks in this emotionally charged episode.

Mac is faced with a the appeal of a fourteen year old murder case involving a man named Corporal Caleb Farmer. When Galindez brings her the old case files, she asks him what he thinks. The gunny doesn't hold back when he tells Mac that he thinks the man should fry. Harm, on the other hand, tells Mac to fry the defense counsel from fourteen years ago. He's not aware that the leading counsel fourteen years ago was none other than Commander A.J. Chegwidden.

Mac visits the man in Leavenworth. Her idea of this man before she saw him was strong and tall, but she tells Bud that night that he was 'smaller than she imagined." Worried about her, Bud tells her to go home. She tells him she will and goodnight. Bud leaves.

The next morning, Mac takes in her appellate brief to the Admiral to look at. He hands it back to her and tells her it's fine.

"But, sir, I'm arguing inefficient defense counsel." He tells her to do what she has to do and dismisses her.

Mac's really upset about all this and asks Harm if he wants to go to dinner. She needs to vent and went to her best friend to do it. Harm turns her down and she leaves only to run into Brumby. Brumby asks her if she wants to go dinner and to his surprise she says yes.

Now to the most hilarious moment of the whole hour episode. Mac and Mic are in the restaurant talking about the case when Renée Peterson, the commercial woman, walks in. Mac asks Mic since he can see her is she's with someone. Mic tells her she's waiting on someone. Mac then proceeds dissing the man's she's with.

"He's probably a whipped momma's boy who loves being dominated or a pot belly sugar daddy who promised to finance her next movie or a mindless trophy boy."

Mac turns around to see who it is and comes eye to eye with Harm. Feeling humiliated, angry at Mic and jealous of Harm and Renée, Mac turns around.

The next day, jealousy kicks in as Harm and Mac are waiting for the Admiral.

"How long have you been seeing her?" Mac asks.

"How long have you been seeing him?" Harm asks.

"What did you do after dinner last night?" Mac asks.

"What did you and Brumby do?" Harm asks.

This is cut short when the Admiral walks in and announces that Brumby is leaving them and that it will affect the Colonel the most. Mac innocently looks up at him and says, "Sir?" The Admiral proceeds to give her all the Commander's cases and tells her to divide them up among everyone if she wants to. While there talking, Tiner brings in the results of the appeal hearing. Mac opens it up and reads out loud that the punishment still stands, but that Farmer has been given a new trial due to inefficient counsel. Harm glances between the Admiral and Mac to see both their expressions.

Later that day, Mac and the Admiral are in his office. Mac apologizes for using inefficient counsel as her defense. The Admiral gets up in her face (as he does so well) and tells her

"Lock it up, marine. You didn't join this office to protect my damn reputation." Then he tells Harm to enter.

Harm is prosecuting the case. When Harm calls the widow of one of the men and a quadripeligic due to Farmer's shooting rampage, Mac can't look at either of them as they're talking. When she ends her questioning both of them ramble on in hatred to Farmer. Mac is allowed to stop them, but she doesn't. Harm sees that. Right before closing arguments, Farmer asks Mac to attend his execution. Mac somberly says "I will."

Meanwhile on a more romantic note, Mac invites Mic to her apartment. They're sitting on the couch when Mic asks

"Do you want me to come back?"

Mac says, "Of course."

Mic smiles and says, "No, Sara, to you." They kiss. Mac tells him she can't think of a relationship right now because of the case she's working on. Mic accuses her of not wanting to commit at all and then the phone rings breaking up their talk.

Harm gives a somber yet very affecting closing argument as does Mac. When the jury comes back with a verdict of death, Caleb is dragged out of the courtroom screaming "Don't forget what you promised me. Don't forget what you promised me." The courtroom clears and Mac and Harm are left alone both looking guilty and sad. Harm because he just convicted a man and sentenced him to death, Mac because she couldn't save him.

To end the already sad episode, everyone meets at McMurphy's Tavern (the site of Dalton't death, Mac's falling off the wagon, and Bud's wet down). All of them are there for Brumby's going away party. The Admiral tells him he'll have a good reference and then they say goodbye. The Admiral leaves and its just Harm and Mic. Mic tells Harm that he thinks he's glad to see him go. Harm says,

"I wouldn't count on that."

Mic says, "Good, 'cause I have a feeling you'll be seeing me again. (IT'S TRUE. JAG IS GOING TO AUSTRALIA IN A FEW WEEKS.) Mic, Harriet, and Bud have a touching moment where Harriet tells him she'll never forget him.

Enter Mac. She tells the Admiral she feels stupid for what she did. The Admiral tells her not to worry about that she gave a great case then he leaves to give time to Mic.

"When are you leaving?" Mac asks.

"Ten minutes ago." He says sorrowfully. He was waiting to say goodbye to her before he left. Isn't that sweet? They say their goodbyes. Meanwhile, the Admiral and Harm are at the bar. The Admiral remarks

"Poor sucker, he never had a chance with her." They finish their drinks.

Mic says his goodbyes, dons his coat and as he leaves Bud belts out a beautiful verse of WALTZING MATILDA. Mic looks back, smiles and then walks out. As all of them are singing, Mic walks back to the door and looks through at these people he has gotten to know as friends and love as part of his family. Then as he walks into the night, you can hear "You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me."

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