Review of LIFE OR DEATH

By Anne Taul

 

    “Life or Death” is, undoubtedly, one of the finest JAG episodes (of season 5, thus far, anyway). It’s a “Mac episode,” and it’s about Mac in conflict. The conflict faced by the character ranges from coming up against her own belief system and the limits of  legal intervention to running headlong into other characters, especially the men in her life. Mac is a strong character, so giving her this chance to react to and deal with various types of conflict creates the arena of emotional depth in which Catherine Bell always shines. “Life or Death” is one more in a series of JAG episodes in which we see Bell doing what she does best: feeling. She is an actress whose eyes and facial expressions cause us t experience all the passion and anxiety her character can confront. I, for one, have a real emotional response  when I see her react to intense situations. Few people can arouse my deep emotional responses like Catherine can. And I felt most of what was happening in this episode.

 

       If we’re going to dissect and analyze this installment, then we must look at the specific conflicts that made up Mac’s experience here. First, we find Mac in conflict with herself. Her belief systems are challenged, and she isn’t as sure as she thought she was about what is right. It’s made very clear at the beginning that she is an advocate of capital punishment. She says that it is the only fitting penalty for some crimes. She even requests that the admiral change her assignment to allow her to argue in favor of it. Later, though, she asks herself what purpose it would serve for Farmer to die. She declares that if the death penalty is carried out it may be unjust because it doesn’t take into account the possibility of atonement. Clearly, when she becomes personally involved with the issue, her beliefs about it could change. Certainly, she’s reevaluating her feelings. I think that surprised her.

 

       There is also conflict with the legal system that doesn’t seem to be tempered with compassion in evaluating the issue or its even allowing for humanity of those it convicts. Mac’s concern about allowing a person the chance for atonement doesn’t fit into the legal edict of the death penalty as just punishment for heinous crimes.

 

      As usual, Mac’s biggest conflict may be with the men in her life. The poor girl doesn’t ever seem to be able to escape this. Most obvious is Harm. She finally begins to get the old, comfortable relationship back with him. For the first time in a long time, the interaction between them is easy. But then, she has to go up against him in court over such an emotionally charged issue. Her feelings about him don’t seem too clear to her. She asks him to dinner, and later shows up at his apartment – the friendship is back. Or at least her commitment to it is. Harm just doesn’t seem to have time for her right now. She, though, does not react to his preoccupation. In one of the most amusing lines from this episode, she teases him, “And how many layers have you peeled away?” But when she asks him if he thinks Farmer should die, she seems to be trying to gauge her own beliefs by his – an obvious conflict. Her comments in the restaurant, and how they apply to Harm, are not only amusing, but also indicative of her uncertain feelings about him.

 

       Mac spends a good amount of time, in this episode, questioning her own judgment in accusing the admiral of having provided inadequate counsel. She even agonizes over it. Mac respects this man; she doesn’t want to attack his work. She has great pressure by having to negate the work done by her superior officer – a tough spot to be in. She knows she’s right, but she doesn’t want to be. Admiral Chegwidden, for his part, has been in conflict for years over whether he could have done something differently, that he failed to do, which might have saved Farmer. He tests his own merit in that case by giving it to Mac. When she comes up with nothing different, he is relieved --–e didn't botch the job after all. He puts his demons to rest – a fine performance by JMJ. If the admiral had let Mac know what he was thinking, it would have saved her from a lot of anguish.

 

       Mic brumby provides perhaps the best conflict for Mac. It’s clear that she’s torn between feeling for him and the basic conviction that men aren’t a good thing in her life. She really can’t give in to her attraction for him in this episode because she knows that he’s leaving right away, but she is, maybe for the first time, really tempted. Mic has finally really gotten to know Mac. I believe he genuinely cares for her now. He hit the nail on the head, though, about what holds her back from all relationships with men. She’s afraid of commitment.

 

       The gunny provides another foil for Mac’s confidence. He tells her that he doesn’t see how she can argue in favor of Farmer. Galindez knew some of the victims, including a friend who was paralyzed in the incident. It’s a powerful scene of emotional intensity when the gunny pushes his buddy’s wheelchair into the courtroom. Mac, like all the rest of us, is touched and tormented by the gesture. It’s hard to defend someone who could inflict that kind of suffering.

 

        The last man who causes conflict in Mac’s life is Farmer. He’s just a little too dependent on her. It’s inappropriate that he calls her and badgers her for information, but she doesn’t like having to cut him off like she does. While the crime is hideous and unthinkable, she comes to think of him as a human being. Before she knew him, he was just a monster who killed innocent marines, but when he has a face and a story, it breaks down her convictions and confuses her perceptions.

 

        Mac promised to be there for Farmer’s execution. You could clearly see the conflict in CB’s face when Mac makes this promise and again at the verdict in the sentencing hearing, especially when he calls to her, “Remember what you promised me!” She, at once, saw Farmer as a compassionate, repenting human being and a cold-blooded killer (major conflict!).

 

       This episode continued the ongoing theme of Mac as a character of contrasts. Those around her tell us that Mac is a strong. self-sufficient marine, but here, we see her trying to validate herself. She’s got her asy friendship back with Harm, but she asks him if Farmer should die, as if her actions should, in some way, be contingent upon his opinion. Later, she asks Mic why he has continually pursued her. She seems to need this validation from the men around her. 

 

          Capital punishment is a difficult and emotionally charged issue. “Life or Death” presented it to us without attempting to trivialize it or make it easy. We aren’t offered an opinion or a solution. The episode, ultimately, gave us no answers, but many questions. It explored the issue through strictly human terms, purposefully avoiding the ethical and religious aspects. By doing so, I think it caused us all to think more about the reality of what capital punishment means. We got the intellectual and humanistic parameters. But by allowing us to see it directly reflected in the incredible emotionality of Catherine Bell, it also let us view the intensity involved. If it only made you think more seriously, then it has value.

 

       The handling of the growing relationship between Mac and Brumby was sweet and touching.  I think it was able to treat it this way only because there was apparent resolution (Mic was leaving). That kind of concentration that relationship probably wouldn’t have worked earlier in the season before his departure was imminent. As it was presented here, it was believable and fun to watch.

 

         The sendoff, at the end, was altogether fitting and proper. When Mic looked back through the window, it was sad. The expressive look on his face gave me the impression that he'’ seldom, if ever, had a family situation like this. I loved the “Waltzing Matilda.”inging together like that cements unity among people.

 

       Mac in conflict played out in several different directions, an gave us a rich, textured episode full of emotion, fun and sentimentality. We confronted heavy issues and human relationships, but we learnd something and had fun. While it’s unusual to have an entire episode played out mostly through Mac, it worked well. All in all, it was a great experience.  

    

 

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