"Father's Day" is an episode of JAG that first aired on February 3, 1998. Directed by Tony Wharmby. Written by Dana Coen.
Corporal Wetzel (Jaimz Woolvett) drives a tank at The Basic School during a war game. Distracted over his son's custody case, Wetzel drives the tank right into the unit commander's tent. Wetzel is charged with dereliction of duty during a war game.
The convening authority for the court-martial, General Albanese (Pat Skipper), grants a change of venue to Parris Island. Mac gets Dalton Lowne (Larry Poindexter) to handle the custody case in civilian court.
Lt. Commander Rabb, Major MacKenzie, Lt. Roberts, an MP and Wetzel, en route to Parris Island, stay at the Treetop Inn during a Quantum Leap convention. Wetzel escapes custody and steals Donald P. Bellisario's car.
As Marie Wetzel (Olivia Burnette) is interviewed by the local TV news, Wetzel kidnaps his son and puts him in a tank. Albanese tries to reason with Wetzel. Wetzel uses the tank's gun to destroy a news van. Snipers train their scopes on Wetzel.
Rabb asks Albanese to let him bring over Wetzel's Grandma Bea (Kate Williamson). Wetzel gives up the baby with the understanding that custody is to go to Bea, not Marie. Rabb gives Lowne a news tape showing Marie with a crystal meth dealer. Bea is awarded custody of Wetzel's son. Wetzel gets a deal to go to jail for five years.
Tropes
- Call-Back: Chegwidden cites "a fire-damaged carrier, unauthorized trip to Haiti, a bullet-riddled freighter, and a lawsuit from the Bradenhurst Corporation" as reasons why the team have to drive to Parris Island (and stay in a less glamorous hotel) rather than fly there. Could also be read as the series poking fun at its own excesses and reminding viewers that Rabb's heroics are not typical JAG behaviour...
- Creator Cameo: Quantum Leap creator Donald P. Bellisario arrives to attend the convention; of course, he created JAG too!
- Over Ranked Soldier: If Brigadier General Albanese is the same age as Pat Skipper, the actor who plays him, he would have been born in 1958, making him a little too young to be a brigadier general. Note that Rabb's actor was born in 1960.
- Shout-Out:
- To Batman and Robin: When a reporter asks who Rabb and Mac are, Mac sarcastically responds with "Batman and Robin." Later, Rabb calls himself Batman.
- To Quantum Leap, and series creator Donald P. Bellisario - who Bud refers to as "the guy who created Magnum, P.I.".
