Re: Why did Tracey leave JAG?? -- A very long reply. -- TNAS Message Board

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Date Posted: 03:42:53 01/09/02 Wed
Author: Vanessa
Author Host/IP: NoHost / 202.164.191.137
Subject: Re: Why did Tracey leave JAG?? -- A very long reply.
In reply to: Linda 's message, "Why did Tracey leave JAG??" on 10:24:58 12/31/01 Mon

Hi Linda!

Well, I asked Suzanne that question a long time ago and this is what she told me.

When JAG first aired in 1995, Rabb's (David James Elliott or DJE) partner was Lt. Pike (Andrea Parker or AP). When it was submitted to NBC, NBC liked the show but noticed that DJE and AP lacked chemistry. (This observation is also noted by critics at Entertainment Weekly. See the article at http://www.djeonline.com/finesse.htm. Pay attention to paragraph 3.) The network honchos told Bellisario, the show's creator, to get another actress to play Harm's partner. NBC pushed for Tracey Needham (TN) and Bellisario hired her.

Anyway, the show was picked up for a Saturday evening timeslot. I think by the second half of the season, it was moved to another timesleot and performed better there. But NBC still did not deem it worthy of renewal for the 1996-97 fall season. (But a closer inspection of the ratings will reveal that JAG's first season in CBS did worse than the last half season of JAG at NBC. I guess CBS is just a more astute network. I guess NBC feels bad that they let go of JAG.)

While the show was on air, Bellisario never directly expressed any bitterness towards NBC's intervention. But after the show was dropped, he had referred to TN as "that blonde" that NBC had him hire. I think he really liked AP and felt bad about his creative decision being questioned.

Anyway, when JAG was picked up by CBS in 1997, Bellisario decided to drop Meg's character all together, never to be seen in JAG again (unlike Kate Pike who made several appearances during the first season run in NBC and again in CBS).

Tracey has always said it was a mutual amicable decision. But I think she also felt Bellisario's displeasure with her and so just decided to take the firing with a positive attitude.

A few weeks ago, I saw Shadow (Tracey's first JAG ep) for the first time. I realized that that episode reflected a lot about the behind-the-scenes goings on in JAG. Tracey and Meg were working under the shadow of Andrea and Kate whom Bellisario and Harm seemed to like very much. There was this line there where Meg asks Harm why he was being so hard on her and that teh reason might be b/c he liked Kate more than he liked her.

Well, by the end of the episode, Meg proved herself a better partner for Harm while Tracey proved to be the more suitable actress (with loads of chemistry with DJE) for the show. And I guess that made Bellisario feel worse -- to have his choice really proven wrong.

TN's chemistry with DJE was instant and potent, so potent it made JAG's weak plots worth watching. DJE's chemistry with AP, and even now with Catherine Bell (Mac) is something forced, something he has to exude b/c the script dictates it. So for me, Meg is still the best partner for Harm and TN remains to be the best actress to be paired off with DJE.

I also find some Mac-lovers' comments about Meg being lightweight and Tracey being a character without depth or range. I think most people who watch JAG now think that partly because they never got the chance to see the first season. Also, their minds have been conditioned for six years by the writers to readily accept Mac as a woman of substance. You see, with Season 1, Meg was not given much of chance to tell her back story. The way they wrote the stories back then was pitiful but TN and DJE's talents and chemistry made it fun to watch.

TN wasn't given a script that would require Meg to undergo the emotional strains that Mac has been through in the last few years. Back then, harm was laways the hero and Harm owned the hour. So, really the fact that JAG was fun to watch back then despite the weak plots proves that Tracey is an actress the imbued the show with her intelligence.

And though I'd wish shed make an appearance in JAG and shove Mac out of the picture (that romantic storyline between Harm and Mac just doesn't work for me), that will never happen as long as Bellisario keeps remembering how mistaken he was with AP and Kate Pike. I'm just glad Tracey is now in The Division. It will be nice to have her paired with DJE again, although this time nothing involving the military or requiring DJE to be all heroic.

Sorry for the long post.

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Re: Why did Tracey leave JAG?? -- A very long reply. -- Gary (Sad), 22:45:32 06/18/17 Sun