''I didn't know how to react'': David James Elliott's reaction to JAG moving networks
How often have networks prematurely canceled a show before it reaches its full potential? A lot. Nowadays, a television production needs instant success for network executives to consider continuing investment. Sometimes one network fumbles and another picks up the ball and scores. That was CBS when NBC decided not to renew JAG after the series finished 79th in the ratings.
David James Elliott was at a loss for words when he found out he'd get to continue playing the star character, Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr., USN. "When I got the call that the show was going to be renewed, I didn't know how to react at first. I had a real sense that it was over. But then I was told that we were going back — but to CBS — not NBC," he told the King Features Syndicate in 1997.
While Elliott was ecstatic about returning to the JAG set, he joked that the news forced him to cancel his fishing plans. He was also shocked that NBC didn't renew the series. Even though it wasn't high in the ratings, the response was great and showed signs of improvement.
"I was surprised when we weren't renewed the first time. I felt — and others shared this with me — that the show had really caught on. Wherever I'd go, I'd get a very positive, very enthusiastic reaction. People would tell me how much they liked the show. People wrote to us, saying much the same thing."
Fans were also confused about NBC's decision, especially since the network had a history of waiting to see how shows improve. The article names Cheers, Hill Street Blues, and Homicide as three series that the network took a chance on after their first seasons were not the best. Those shows eventually became hits. JAG would go on to climb the ratings and spawn various spinoffs, such as NCIS and other series in the franchise's universe.