"Blind Side" is an episode of JAG that first aired on October 14, 1997. Directed by Tony Wharmby. Written by Dana Coen.
This episode opens with two F-14 Tomcats flying nap of the earth in formation. The trailing aircraft appears to lose control, stall out and crash, taking out an SUV with a woman and her kids. The flight was out of the Naval Strike and Air /warfare Center in Naval Air Station Fallon, the replacement for the now closed TOPGUN school.
Lt. Commander Rabb, who once graduated from the same school is sent along with Major MacKenzie to investigate. The fact that the school's commander, Captain Hochhausen (Gary Graham) is Rabb's former TOPGUN instructor is also a factor. Hochhausen believes he's owed unconditional loyalty from all of his students and all of his subordinates.
Initial investigations prove inconclusive, as the team finds no rational reason for why the aircraft lost control. The pilot claims wind shear, but Hochhausen was the flight lead and he disputes that explanation.
To finally determine the facts, Rabb takes a Tomcat up to fly the exact same sortie, with Mac in the backseat as a passenger and Hochhausen as flight lead. On the flight back, Rabb notices that his former instructor has some minor difficulty landing his plane. This makes Rabb suspect that something else caused that crash — and that something could very well torpedo the career of his former mentor.
This episode features a cameo by Sarah Silverman as Lt. Schiaparelli, a public affairs officer who feels she owes all of her career success to Hochhausen. She begins to fall in love with Rabb, but that goes out the window as soon as he suggests she might have to testify against Hochhausen.
Tropes
- Big Applesauce: Lt. Schiaparelli is from the Bronx. She even goes on a rant about how there is nothing fruit-like about New York.
- Blind Mistake: Captain Hochhausen's eyesight is deteriorating. As a result, he misjudged the distance to and height of a ridge, requiring a 7-g pull up to clear the ridge top. Hochhausen clears the ridge, but his wingman doesn't.
- The Cameo: Sarah Silverman as Tina Schiaparelli. She even gets the opportunity to get a few comedic rants in.
- Drives Like Crazy: Lt. Schiaparelli, who was a cab driver in civilian life.
- A Father to His Men: Captain Hochhausen behaves this way. Even when a mishap occurred due to his failing eyesight, the captain doesn't try to shift blame. He tries to blame weather.
- Fridge Brilliance: Hochhausen clears the ridge easily, but his wingman clips a telephone pole. Why? Because, the captain was flying the smaller and nimbler A-4 Skyhawk, while his wingman was flying the bulkier and less maneuverable F-14. The bigger aircraft didn't have enough room to avoid the telephone pole.
