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The Best Episodes Written By Stephen Zito

Every TV Episode Written by Stephen Zito Ranked from Best to Worst by Thousands of Voters

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    undefined Season 3 Episode 22 - Clipped Wings
    7.5/10(2 votes)

    S3:E22

    Political pressures come into play after an F-14 pilot clips a ski helicopter during a NATO exercise over Italian airspace, killing six civilians. Harm and Mac are assigned to opposite sides in the case, but the Italian government wants to prosecute on its own.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  2. undefined Season 4 Episode 17 - Nobody's Child
    7.5/10(2 votes)

    S4:E17

    When Harm views the body of the severely neglected, abused and abandoned young girl, he unexpectedly becomes emotionally involved and decides to call in the help of Teresa Coulter to help him identify the child and find her killer. After Teresa performs her own autopsy, she uncovers some clues to the girl's history that lead her, along with Harm and Mac, to the last place the child lived -- as well as to a recently released convicted child molester.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  3. undefined Season 3 Episode 12 - Someone to Watch over Annie
    7.0/10(2 votes)

    S3:E12

    Annie Pendry, a widow, comes to Harm for help after her young son, Josh, witnessed a murder while on a class trip to Andrews Air Force Base. After Harm and Josh are the targets of a drive-by shooting, Harm moves Josh and Annie into his apartment -- and into his life. Harm discovers that the original crime and the drive-by shooting are tied to a ruthless international arms dealer, but not before Josh is kidnapped by the dealer in order to silence him as a witness.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  4. undefined Season 3 Episode 16 - Chains of Command
    7.0/10(2 votes)

    S3:E16

    Harm, Mac, and Bud investigate claims of sexual harassment aboard an aircraft carrier. Mac's boyfriend, Dalton Lowne, is the defendant's attorney, and Mac is shocked when she discovers that he has been copying information from her files. In order to solve the case, and combat Lowne's dirty tricks, Harm enlists the aid of Congresswoman Bobbi Latham. Justice is served, though many people's lives are changes as the result of Lowne's tactics.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  5. undefined Season 4 Episode 8 - Mr. Rabb Goes to Washington
    7.0/10(2 votes)

    S4:E8

    Harm is sent to Washington, D.C., to join a committee formed to judge the validity of a shocking television report -- that U.S. forces used sarin gas on fellow Americans during the Gulf War. What he uncovers, though, is so unexpected that he can't present it without testimony from a key witness, Sgt. Morrison, who was actually on the mission in question in the Gulf, but has been missing ever since. Meanwhile, Mac is caught off guard when an old flame, Christopher Ragle suddenly reappears in her life.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  6. undefined Season 3 Episode 23 - Wedding Bell Blues
    7.0/10(3 votes)

    S3:E23

    Bud has his hands full when his obnoxious and abusive father, Big Bud, and his younger brother, Mikey, arrive in town for his wedding. Big Bud throws a stag party at a boisterous strip club where Harm's dress whites end up on the body of a stripper. A fight breaks out and Harm, Bud and Chegwidden find themselves in the slammer on the day of the wedding. While Mac goes downtown to bail them out, Harriet begins to have second thoughts about the imminent nuptials.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  7. undefined Season 2 Episode 5 - Crossing the Line
    6.5/10(2 votes)

    S2:E5

    Harm and Mac investigate a female fighter pilot's charge of sexual harassment against her commanding officer. The pilot, Lt. Marilyn Isaaks, claims to have been grounded for pressing charges of sexual harassment against her commanding officer, Capt. Boone (guest star Terry O'Quinn). Capt. Boone claims he grounded her because she's a bad pilot. While Harm and Mac are called in to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations, congressional intervention forces Boone to schedule Isaaks for a training flight -- an action that Harm feels will have deadly consequences.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  8. undefined Season 2 Episode 9 - Washington Holiday
    6.5/10(2 votes)

    S2:E9

    Harm is assigned to escort a rambunctious and ravishing Romanian princess, whose life has been threatened if her father petitions to join NATO. Meanwhile, Bud wrestles with starting a romance with Ens. Harriet Sims.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  9. undefined Season 4 Episode 4 - Going After Francesca
    6.5/10(2 votes)

    S4:E4

    After Admiral Chegwiddens daughter, Francesca, is kidnapped in Italy, Chegwidden meets with his ex-wife, Marcella, and her husband, a wealthy Italian businessman, to get more background on Francesca's friends -- and enemies. Chegwidden learns that Francesca was seriously involved with the heir to a Mafia family -- a man Harm and Mac believe is responsible for the theft of Navy missiles for sale to Afghanistan. All intelligence points to the fact that Francesca is caught in the middle of this business deal gone awry, and it's up to Chegwidden and Harm to rescue her from the mob.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  10. undefined Season 2 Episode 11 - Force Recon
    6.5/10(2 votes)

    S2:E11

    Harm goes undercover as a Marine gunnery sergeant to help Mac in her investigation of questionable Marine training methods and becomes a victim of unsafe maneuvers himself. While undercover, Harm learns that the tough-as-nails officer in charge of Force Recon training, Capt. Koonan, introduces unexpected problems into the training missions as a means of teaching the men to react quickly to surprises during combat. In addition to testing the Marines' mettle, the method also doubles their chances of returning safely from combat. However, in the mission in which Harm is involved, the method backfires dramatically, leaving five men trapped in a training maneuver destined for a disaster that even Capt. Koonan can't reverse, and it's up to Harm to get the trainees -- and himself -- out safely.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  11. undefined Season 3 Episode 2 - The Court-Martial of Sandra Gilbert
    6.0/10(3 votes)

    S3:E2

    A top female helicopter pilot is accused of disobeying an order---to cease her affair with a married enlisted man, and a Congresswoman is determined to ensure the pilot's fair treatment as a potential court-martial looms.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  12. undefined Season 4 Episode 24 - Goodbyes
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S4:E24

    As Harm considers his future at JAG, he learns that Charlie Lynch -- the ex-Navyman responsible for the murder of Annie, the abused child whose death still haunts Harm -- has resurfaced, placing the little girl's twin sister, Dar-lin, in danger. Putting his career decision on hold until he closes the chapter on Lynch, Harm tracks him to a shipyard where the vicious killer is holding Dar-lin hostage. Overflowing with anger against all Lynch's grisly acts of murder, Harm finds himself in an intense stand-off with him that will leave only one man standing.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  13. undefined Season 6 Episode 7 - A Separate Peace (1)
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S6:E7

    Adm. Boone (CAG aboard the USS Seahawk, ""A New Life"" & ""Chains of Command"")is nominated to become the Sixth Fleet Commander. An anonymous informant accuses Adm. Boone of massacrering civilians during the Vietnam War, and Harm and Mac are given only four days to investigate the claim, in part one of a two-part episode.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  14. undefined Season 6 Episode 8 - A Separate Peace (2)
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S6:E8

    Harm & Mac defend Adm. Boone in court against the charges that he was responsible for massacrering civilians. Although he is eventually acquitted, he decides that it is probably best to retire from the service, despite Harm's objection that the Navy need men like him.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  15. undefined Season 6 Episode 11 - Baby, It's Cold Outside
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S6:E11

    Mac becomes ""Acting JAG"" as Admiral Chegwidden is selected to head the Promotions Board for Captain. Harm takes up the defense of a former Marine Drill Instructor who is facing life imprisonment under the 3 strikes law. Cmdr. Ted Lindsey (last seen in ""People vs. Mac"") tries to impress the Admiral & Mac in an attempt to earn promotion to Captain.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  16. undefined Season 6 Episode 16 - Retreat, Hell
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S6:E16

    When Gunny goes to New Mexico to bring back a Korean War hero accused of desertion, he is ambushed by people trying to kill the man.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  17. undefined Season 6 Episode 24 - Adrift (1)
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S6:E24

    Mac becomes upset when Harm tells her at the last minute that he will not be attending her rehearsal duty in order to complete his 6-month required carrier landing qualifications. He assures her that he will be back in time for the wedding. At the church, Chloe is still wary of being friends of Mic. On board the USS Patrick Henry, Harm learns that the LSO who will be grading him thinks of him only as a "land-based Washington weenie." His fears that he won't be graded fairly are realized when he is ordered to land after his first attempt is waved off. After convincing the LSO that they were flying they way that the LSO taught them, he allows Harm to try again. After passing, he then completes his required night traps and requests to head back to Andrews AFB. With an approaching storm, all air operations are suspended, but is assured that he & Skates can be on the first Tomcat, once its forecasted to be safe. With a break in the storm, he & Skates are allowed to go.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  18. undefined Season 7 Episode 1 - Adrift (2)
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S7:E1

    Harm's chance of being rescued from the Atlantic Ocean hinges on Mac's psychic ability (first seen in Season Five's "Psychic Warrior"). However, Mac is trying to cope with her conflicting emotions for both Harm & Mic. On the edge of going unconscious from severe hypothermia, Harm's fires several warning shots which attracts the rescue helicopter. Back onboard the USS Patrick Henry, Harm's vital signs start to fade out, but Skates words help him pull through. Transferred to Bethesda Hospital, Renee learns that Harm has partial amnesia and doesn't remember them being a couple over the past year. Mac's indecision about the wedding drives Brumby back to Australia. When Harm tells Mac on the phone to come to his place so that she doesn't have to be alone, she arrives only to learn that Renee has beaten her to Harm's place with the news that her father has died. Mac ends up in the rain with no one around.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  19. undefined Season 7 Episode 2 - New Gun in Town
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S7:E2

    Unwilling to face her pain over Mic & Harm, Mac is granted temporary assignment on the carrier USS Guadalcanal (along with Gunny) when the staff JAG there disappears. Harm returns to active duty after returning from Renee's father funeral.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  20. undefined Season 8 Episode 22 - Lawyers, Guns and Money (1)
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S8:E22

    A year ago, Sturgis was assigned to prosecute Bud against charges that Bud was derelict in his duties while representing his client in court. Now, Sturgis competency in handling a case is questioned and Sturgis must now rely on Bud to successfully defend him. When the CIA learns that a drug lord is attempting to sell missiles to terrorists, Clayton Webb (re-assigned to South America in "Need to Know") is assigned to prevent the deal from going through. To help with his cover, Mac is sent from Washington to masquerade as Webb's pregnant wife.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  21. undefined Season 8 Episode 23 - Pas de Deux (2)
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S8:E23

    In Paraguay, Mac & Webb continue their mission to thwart the drug lords & terrorists. Harm continues to deal with his emotions where Mac is concerned. Worried about her, Harm turns to CIA Attorney Catherine Gale for help in determining Mac's location. However, Harm ends up helping Ms. Gale with a personal issue.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  22. undefined Season 8 Episode 24 - A Tangled Webb: Part I (3)
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S8:E24

    In the final episode of the series 8th year turns out to leave fans of the show with facing yet another long summer of anticipation & speculation. When word reaches Washington, DC that Webb & Mac are missing, Harm insists on leaving for S. America to search for them, even if it means resigning his commission.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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  23. undefined Season 9 Episode 6 - Back in the Saddle
    6.0/10(2 votes)

    S9:E6

    Harm is shocked to find that his life is making another unplanned turn, when he is notified that he is fired from the CIA for being inadvertantly shown on the cable news network ZNN carrying a young girl after landing on the USS Seahawk. Unemployed once again, Harm takes up crop-dusting to pay the bills. At JAG, Commander Carolyn Imes who once worked at HQ-JAG (when she was a Lt. Cmdr), is brought back to HQ from overseas duty to fill the vacancy created by the departure of Cmdr. Rabb. But its Bud & Mac who are shocked when they learn that their old colleague falsified documents and has been practicing law without passing the Bar Exam. And Catherine Gale "shocks" Harm with the news that she is pregnant.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Stephen Zito

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Stephen Zito Ratings Summary

"Clipped Wings" is the best rated episode written by Stephen Zito. It scored 7.5/10 based on 2 votes. It was directed by N/A. It aired on 5/5/1998 and is rated 0.0 points higher than their second-best episode, "Nobody's Child".