The Series That Gave Us ‘NCIS’ Is Officially Ready for a Reboot [Exclusive]
JAG stars Catherine Bell and Patrick Labyorteaux have reunited to call for a revival of the 1990s military legal drama, which ultimately spawned NCIS and its many spin-offs. Speaking at Big Lick Comic Con in Roanoke, Virginia, the pair suggested it was surprising a JAG reboot had not already happened given NCIS remains on air more than two decades later, with Labyorteaux joking the franchise should simply "have us on the show." The comments highlight the enduring popularity of the NCIS universe and renewed appetite for legacy TV revivals following Netflix's recent Little House on the Prairie reboot, in which Labyorteaux had appeared as a child actor.
JAG, created by Donald P. Bellisario, followed US Navy lawyers including Harm Rabb, Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie (Bell) and Bud Roberts (Labyorteaux), running for one season on NBC before moving to CBS for a further nine years after its 1996 cancellation. Both actors have previously returned to their roles in guest appearances, with Labyorteaux featuring in three NCIS episodes and Bell in three NCIS: Los Angeles instalments, though Bell noted fans were left wanting more resolution between Harm and Mac. No formal JAG revival has been confirmed, but NCIS itself returns this autumn with Michael Weatherly back after a decade away, alongside new spin-off NCIS: New York and the returning prequel NCIS: Origins featuring Mark Harmon.
- JAG stars Catherine Bell and Patrick Labyorteaux want a reboot
- JAG originally spawned the NCIS franchise decades ago
- NCIS returns this autumn with Michael Weatherly and new spin-offs
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Military legal drama JAG ran from 1995 to 2005, following US Navy lawyers as they investigated and prosecuted cases within the military justice system. Created by Donald P. Bellisario, it centred on characters including Harm Rabb, Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie and Bud Roberts. Although not a huge hit in its own right, the show is significant because it directly led to the creation of NCIS, which first appeared as a spin-off episode of JAG before becoming one of American television's longest-running and most successful franchises.
Catherine Bell and Patrick Labyorteaux played MacKenzie and Roberts respectively in the original series, and both have occasionally reprised their roles in later NCIS-branded shows. They have now spoken publicly together about wanting to see JAG itself revived, feeding into a wider trend of broadcasters and streamers bringing back older television series for new audiences.
The topic carries weight because the NCIS franchise remains commercially important, with the original show, several spin-offs and a prequel series all still airing or in production. Any suggestion of expanding that franchise back to its source material would be of interest to a large existing fanbase, even though no broadcaster has confirmed plans for an actual JAG reboot.