LOS ANGELES – The drama series "JAG," (search) which mixed real war and conflict with fiction, is ending after a 10-year run. The final episode will air 9 p.m. April 29, CBS (search) announced Monday.
Canceled after a single season on NBC, the show was picked up by CBS and became a reliable ratings performer and part of the network's turnaround, said CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves (search).
But the series' popularity had begun to ebb. It was averaging 9.8 million weekly viewers for the season to date, compared to 14.8 million viewers in the 2001-02 season.
"We've had an amazing run, particularly for a series that was once canceled," show creator Donald P. Bellisario said. "Over the last 10 years we have had an opportunity to shine a spotlight on our armed forces and call attention to issues of significant importance to our country as well as the men and women who serve it."
In one episode, a member of the JAG team was severely wounded by an Afghan mine while on assignment abroad.
Last February, series star David James Elliott, who plays Cmdr. Harmon "Harm" Rabb Jr., announced plans to leave when the 10th season ended. He has a series development deal with ABC and Touchstone Television.
The series co-stars Catherine Bell, Patrick Labyorteaux, Scott Lawrence and Zoe McLellan.
Bellisario, a former Marine, gained permission to film at locations including the Camp Pendleton and North Island Naval Air Station military bases in California and on aircraft carriers at sea.
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