"Crossing the Line" is an episode of JAG that first aired on January 31, 1997. Directed by Tony Wharmby. Written by Stephen Zito.
This episode revisits the USS Seahawk, last visited in the series pilot. Also revisited is the plight of female naval aviators.
The episode begins with its crew holding a "Crossing the Line" ceremony, led by Master Chief Sullivan (Steve Eastin) in which two female crewmen appear to be hazed by being dunked in a fuel tank, paddled and heckled until they complete the ceremony. Lt. Marilyn Isaacs (Nancy Everhard) and Lt. Elizabeth "Skates" Hawkes (Sibel Ergener) are the two women seen participating in the ceremony.
Consequently, we learn that Isaacs had been grounded for unsafe flying, but she complained to her to the sexual harassment hotline and her congresswoman that she was sexually harassed and discriminated against.
Admiral Chegwidden sends Lt. Commander Rabb and Major MacKenzie out to the ship to investigate, and Lt. Bud Roberts also tags along.
After interviewing Isaacs and Hawkes, as well as talking to the Carrier Air Group (CAG) commander, Captain Boone (Terry O'Quinn), Rabb and Mac are on opposite sides of the issue.
Rabb is of the opinion that Isaacs is a sub-standard aviator who cannot safely handle a Tomcat, and therefore the grounding is warranted. Mac is of the opinion that the "men's club" atmosphere aboard a carrier needs to change to one that gives women a fair and honest shot to succeed.
However, before they can complete their investigation, Congresswoman DeLong (Dee Wallace) shows up. She butts heads with Rabb, is unconvinced even by tape of Isaacs's poor piloting skills, and forces the ship's leadership to re-instate her constituent's flight status at least for one more training sortie. Boone orders Hawkes, the ship's best RIO, to be Isaacs's RIO for the training sortie.
This sortie is a practice dogfight at night between Isaacs and Boone at night, after which Isaacs will have to execute one of the most dangerous tasks any military person must perform — a nighttime carrier landing. We then see Isacs's F-14 attempting a carrier landing, being warned initially by the landing signal officer, then being waved off, but the pilot attempts to land anyway.
Hawkes attempts to aid Issacs but the latter flies recklessly. Issacs eventually crashes on the deck but Hawkes manages to eject in time. Rabb, having stood on the LSO platform, rushes to catch her parachute and successfully pulls her up.
A side story is how Roberts meets Ensign Harriett Sims (Karri Turner), who will ultimately become his wife and have his kids.
Tropes
- Acronym and Abbreviation Overload: The landing signal officer (LSO) uses a lot of acronyms in his log, which Captain Boone has to explain to Mac (and to the viewers).Rabb: You grounded Lieutenant Isaacs after a substandard landing. The LSO log indicates: OSCB, EGAR, DNKH.Boone: That's correct.Mac: Can you tell me what those initials stand for, sir?Boone: OSCB, Over Shot Came Back. EGAR, Eased Gun At Ramp.Mac: What about, uh... DNKH?Boone: Well, that's the technical one, Major. Damn Near Killed Herself.
- Author Tract: The writer of this episode admitted to having a bias against women in the military, especially combat roles.
- Expy: Lt. Isaacs is an obvious one of Navy Lt. Carey Lohrenz, who was similarly grounded for unsafe flying but sued the Navy claiming sexual discrimination. Even a different offscreen character mentioned in just one conversation, Lt. Margaret Louise Smith, has a first and middle name very close to Mary Louise "Missy" Cummings, another former female naval aviator who left the navy to embark on a career as an engineering professor.
- Guy in Back: The "girl in back" for Isaacs is Lt. Elizabeth "Skates" Hawkes. She eventually becomes Rabb's RIO when he regains full flight status.
- Hypocrite: Congresswoman DeLong thinks Rabb is this, for criticizing Isaacs, when he also lost his flight status over a failed nighttime carrier landing that got his RIO killed. She expects him to be more sympathetic to Isaacs's plight.
- Initiation Ceremony: A crossing the equator ceremony is held aboard the carrier and a female aviator lodges a complaint of sexual harassment after participating in it. Rabb and Chegwidden look back on their crossing the equator ceremonies as unpleasant but a bonding experience nonetheless. Master Chief Sullivan looks upon them rather fondly, while Mac thinks it is a “tradition” that needs to be stopped. Skates sees it as just another aspect of shipboard life to be endured, remarking that “a woman who can’t handle her six pinched a few times shouldn’t go to sea”.
- Never My Fault: Isaacs constantly complains about how her mistakes are always someone else's fault. Lost a mock intercept and dogfight? Claims that air traffic control vectored her wrong. Botched the approach to the carrier? Claims her Guy in Back screwed up by getting her the wrong flight path. Landed unsafe? The landing signal officer was out to get her. note
- Permission to Speak Freely:
- Hawkes asks for this permission to explain that for a woman to be "one of the guys, she has to give up a little something of herself."
- Isaacs also asks for this in the very next scene, to confront Rabb and Mac for asking questions behind her back. Mac explains that they're investigating.
- Closer to the end of the episode, Hawkes asks Boone if she can be very blunt with him, which is in effect a synonym for "permission to speak freely."
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When Congresswoman DeLong arm twists the Navy to let Isaacs get one more sortie to prove herself, the CAG contemplates resigning his commission as he feels his authority is being undermined. A lot of the RIOs suddenly find excuses to get out of flying with her.
- Straw Feminist: Congresswoman DeLong is initially presented as this, by going out of the way to shower praise on Ensign Sims and some female members of the honor guard, for just standing at attention and saluting. She also initially takes Lt. Isaacs's side, that naval aviation must be more accepting and welcoming of women, even altering the rules a bit to allow them to develop better. However, when Isaacs complains about substandard carrier landing grades being posted out in the open alongside everyone else's, she changes her view a bit.
- The Smurfette Principle: Isaacs claims (and isn't completely wrong) when she says that being the only female pilot in the squadron is overwhelming as she has to measure up to very exacting standards with no mentorship or guidance from a female role model.
- With All Due Respect: Sullivan says to Mac: "With all due respect, ma'am, you just don't get it."
- You Are Grounded!: Isaacs being grounded for substandard unsafe flying is what kicks of an investigation.
