JAG

JAG is an American legal drama series with a strong military focus, created by Donald P. Bellisario and produced by Belisarius Productions alongside Paramount Network Television. The initial season was a joint effort with NBC Productions.

The show was originally envisioned as a blend of Top Gun and A Few Good Men. Its pilot episode premiered on NBC on September 23, 1995. However, after ranking 79th in viewership, NBC canceled the series on May 22, 1996, leaving one episode unaired. CBS then picked up JAG as a midseason replacement, starting on January 3, 1997. This move by CBS turned out to be successful, as JAG’s ratings improved over several seasons, leading to nine more seasons on air. The show also led to the creation of the popular series NCIS, which itself gave rise to NCIS: Los Angeles.

In total, JAG produced 227 episodes across 10 seasons and, by its fifth season, was broadcast in over 100 countries. Its popularity was such that it entered syndication in early 1999 and continues to be regularly rerun.