NCIS Exclusive: A JAG Favorite to Return in This Season’s ‘Nail-Biter’ of a Finale
All hands on deck: A beloved JAG officer is poised to show up just when NCIS needs him most.
John M. Jackson will reprise his role of Judge Advocate General A.J. Chegwidden in the JAG spin-off’s 10th season finale, which finds a federal witch hunt threatening the future of Gibbs’ gang.
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“We needed a lawyer, a really good lawyer, to assist Gibbs and the team in the finale,” NCIS executive producer Gary Glasberg tells TVLine exclusively.
Enter Chegwidden, now retired from the Navy, who will step away from his powerful D.C. law firm to help Gibbs & Co. in the episode. Glasberg calls the outing a “nail-biter which will hopefully leave fans stunned all summer long.”
Fans of JAG will remember Chegwidden as Mac and Harm’s boss – and sometime father figure – whose gruff demeanor belied a deep devotion to his team. He was in charge during the Season 8 episodes that introduced Mark Harmon’s Gibbs and served as NCIS‘ planted pilot.
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Since leaving JAG in 2004, Jackson has guest-starred on series including Bones, Private Practice, CSI, Castle and Perception.
The retired Navy big shot is just one of the surprise guest-stars who’ll show up during the eventful season-ender, which airs Tuesday, May 14 (8/7c).
“Our NCIS team may never be the same again,” Glasberg adds.
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considering the show has done its best to distance itself from jag ever since it began im surprised by this.
Me too! Pleased, but surprised. Especially considering that NCIS has had Steven Culp (Clayton Webb) and Scott Lawrence (Sturgis) show up playing completely different characters.
dont forget Mikey Roberts. In ncis world, he was Chip Sterling, the psychotic lab assistant. And in the episode with the bomb strapped to the kid, one of the swat team guys was Harm’s brother.
And Adam Baldwin played the same character in both shows.
And let’s not forget Sean Murray, who played Chegwidden’s girlfriend’s pot-smoking son, who took Chegwidden’s Expedition and crashed it under the influence — and who now plays Tim McGee.
Murray also played the young ensign accused of rape in Japan.
Sean Murray is the step son of Bellisario–show’s producer (his Mom is married to him). So, he is showing up on his shows..i.e; JAG and NCIS.
If you really want your head to spin, look up and see that there are a ton of Bellisarios (sp) involved in producing, writing, directing both shows. Mikey Roberts is a son in real life, Sean McMurray is a step son in real life, Trojan Bellisarios (who played Tim’s sister) is daugter in real life.(Sean McMurray’s half siser for real)
Great news! I’ve waited ages for a JAG character to make an appearance on NCIS. looking forward to the finale!
He’s not the first JAG character to make an appearance on NCIS. Bud Roberts (Patrick Labyorteaux) appeared in the 2003 NCIS episode “Hung Out To Dry.”
Patrick Labyorteaux’s Bud Roberts appeared on NCIS in the episode “Hung Out to Dry”, which was the second episode of the show proper. But until now, he’s it.
Oops – took me too long to write this. But in the vein of “former characters returning” How great was it to see Alan Dale’s Director Morrow back.
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE FIRSTNCIS DIRECTOR——————————–
Director Morrow.
I agree – and I wish more of Jag’s officers will have an appearance, Like Harm and Mac – wouldn’t that be great!!
catherine Bell tweeted that she will be appearing on NCIS before this was revealed
Bud wasn’t the *only* JAG crossover character; for instance, Alicia Coppola appeared as somewhat compulsive JAG lawyer Faith Coleman in the JAG episode (and NCIS backdoor pilot) “Meltdown” where she served as Harm’s attorney. Coleman later showed up in three episodes of NCIS. However, Labyorteaux was the only member of the JAG main cast to appear on NCIS, until now, that is.
Am I really the only one who remembers McGee as the rotten son
He also played the a marine accused of rape in Japan that the Jag team had to save.. Helps that he was the boss’s step-son…
No your not. I’ve commented about it soon after NCIS started years ago. I love remembering that his last scene on Jag was the Admiral taking him to sign up for the navy. Then he turned up here on NCIS. :-)
Actually he is not the second. There have been many JAG characters on the show. Everyone with the exception of Tiner, Gunny, Harriett, Mac and HArm.
No, there haven’t. There have been ACTORS from JAG on NCIS, but with very few exceptions, they weren’t they weren’t playing the same characters.
Excellent news (well aside from the cliffhanger bit, seriousely old gimmick), really liked that chareacter on JAG.
I dont like the show but to see A.J. again ill have to suck up and watch it !
The other Jethro
Please please please….have him slip and tell us what happened with that coin toss! Loved him on Jag, excited to see him here!
Yeah, that would be great. :)
That would actually smooth things over in regards to my total dislike of donald p bellisario’s style of will they wont they until the last episode of the series…which better not happen again with Ziva and Tony and Mcgee and Abby.
well considering bellisario has nothing to do with it now you can hate on shane brennan instead for not pandering.
Considering Shane Brennan has nothing to do with it now, you can talk to Gary Glasberg. -.-
I just hope they can get Cote under contract….
I think that mark harmon and cote de Pablo are the strongest of the ncis cast, yhey are really the main reason why this is the top show on tv, not saying the others aren’t good its just they aren’t sa good as them.
Donald P Bellisario takes a back seat to NCIS since his heavy-handedness caused Harmon to almost leave years ago. DPB’s brother runs the everyday operation.
The coin toss leaves up to your imagination who left service. AJ was gone when that happened I think. Wish they’d play reruns of JAG again.
2 shows are aired every weekday on AXS (formally HDNET)!
AXS quit airing JAG reruns in late Jan – wish another net would pickup.
MY MOTHER AND I WATCH EVERY NIGHT ON DISH CHANNEL 259 INSP
Love Catherine Bell – love her. Her character, Lt Colonel Sarah Macenzie was one of the best female TV characters of all time. Never has a female role embodied so many great qualities. An accomplished military career in a man’s world, lawyer, highly intelligent, physically capable, complex and yes, beautiful. You could piece meal other’s roles individually with someone better. But no one, not one possessed all that Sarah had and Catherine was the complete actress to accomplish that. TV Guide magazine did a bit on actor/actresses and shows over the last decades, since the start of the magazine. They name the actresses of the 1990’s and 2000’s as Jennifer Aniston and Kaley Couco respectively. Seriously? No one looked better or portrayed females more positively than Catherine Bell during her tenure on JAG.
In total agreement, Catherina has been an extrordinary example of women in charge. Lately I have seen her in the “good Witch” and she stills remarkable.
While I love JAG as a show, and Catherine Bell as Mac, I have to argue that Amanda Tapping did an amazing job as Captain/Major/Lt.Colonel/Colonel Samantha Carter on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. Not only was she a decorated military officer on the premier frontline field unit, she was also a theoretical astrophysicist with a brain to match.
one of my favorite jag moments: mac is wearing a bikine and bud asks “permission to speak freely ma’am? she says yes and he replies, “wow, just wow.”
Cool.
This makes me excited and happy. But I also really wish he was back on Bones.
Ahhhh YES!
I’ve never really watched NCIS before, but I have to check this episode out. I missed A.J. during the final season of JAG.
The dark haired, obsessively neat lawyer from JAG was on the episode with WWII vet who said he killed his friend.
Finally, some JAG love from NCIS. Seeing that Gibbs and The Admiral didn’t see eye to eye in the NCIS kickoff this will be fun. Happy dance!!!!!!!
Aw man, was hoping it was either Harm or Mac, or Harm & Mac (my first ship!). They were supposed to get married and would maybe have kids by now. Just a little something for Tony & Ziva to think about…
Reblogged this on Sarah.
Very cool that they are recognizing the show’s roots. Contrast this with “Boston Legal”, which never seemed to want to acknowledge its roots in “The Practice”, going so far as having “Practice” guest stars essentially playing the same characters with different names.
Whoo! Hopefully he gives us a hint about what happened after the coin toss with Harm and Mac! :)
Very glad to see John M. Jackson again as Chegwidden; he was such a fantastic character, with a great balance of seriousness and biting wit. My only question is who brings him into this mess? My money’s on either Gibbs or Vance.
I was hoping for David James Elliott.
He would have been my choice too.
well it does read there will be other guest stars in this episode, you never know!
I thought that I saw Mike Frank’s name listed. OMG what a dream come true
Unfortunately, David has said numerous times he would not reprise the role of Harm again. But maybe they’ll get Catherine Bell one day, because she’s said she wouldn’t be opposed to it.
Even if CBell did agree to reprise her role as Mac, no one would recognize her due to her extensive plastic surgery. :-(
Yes they would. I don’t know where you’re coming from honestly because she really doesn’t look that different now then she did then.
What are you talking about?
CB started on Jag in her 20’s and it ran into her mid-late 30’s… don’t forget that ticking clock on that show!!! Army Wives is now in its 7th season and she’s in her 40’s.. Women do change!! She still looks great… It would be fun for the fans of the JAG world that NCIS first came from to see its characters… JAG fits the pattern of many CBS shows that got an older audience and got shot off to a bad viewing night ( went from NCIS’s Tuesday at 8 slot to Fridays).. But it had a nice 10 year run and lasted years on USA Network before being retired..
And it out-performed expectations in that Friday night timeslot. The only reason it was canceled was because DJE wasn’t resigned for the 11th season because of Bellisario’s hubris. Two years earlier, during his contract negotiations, CBS had Bellisario that if DJE didn’t resign for the 9th season, the show would be cancelled. In not signing DJE for season 11, Bellisario doomed the show — and to make things worse, he tried to blame it on DJE, who took the high road in the entire mess.
This is fantastic news! He was one of my favorite characters on JAG.
Very cool but please, stop the whole – “the team will never be the same again” crap – it’s getting old and we all know no way are you guys going to break something going so well. If it ain’t broke….
It will be great to see him! And yes, I agree with sladewilson.
This is pretty awesome news!
I know NCIS has tried to distance itself from mothership JAG, but it would be even more fun if they could get David James Elliot and/or Catherine Bell to guest star.
Or Nanci Chambers (as a Singer the Ghost) or Sibel Galindez (Skates)
Reblogged this on AMCPress.
I loved Chegwidden and will be glad to see him return. I love JAG so much and I started watching NCIS late in the game because I was mad that they made a spin-off and moved JAG to the time slot of doom (Fri nights) so I had refused to watch it lol. As for who else will show up I would like to see Harm.
Awesome news, I love JMJ. I’ll definitely be watching this now. I hope Alan Dale is back also. Looks to be some serious acting talent in this finale.