In Thin Air, October 22, 2002

By Michele Blackburn

A dead aviator, a flight simulation game and Bud's recovery process make up for this intriguing episode of JAG called In Thin Air.

Much to Harm's chagrin, he is told to defend Petty Officer Moritz played by Thad Luckinbill (J.T., Y&R) for the negligent homicide of an aviator. Harm doesn't want to defend the P.O considering he is an aviator and thinks that the man did taint the Oxygen for the RIO and his pilot. During the trial, Harm has several advantages to prove Moritz's innocence but doesn't take them. Mac as well as the Admiral is shocked at Harm's unwillingness to defend his client and the Admiral 'severs' his ties to the case. Sturgis takes over.

I think besides the fact that Harm is an aviator another reason Harm didn't want to defend Moritz was because he saw the look on Zuzello's son's face as they all watched his family say goodbye to him. Harm knows what it's like to lose a father and he saw the same look on that little boy's face that was on his when he heard that his father was dead.

Meanwhile, Harriet isn't as gun-ho as Bud is about getting back to work. Bud wants Tiner to e-mail him cases so he could do research on them for the others. Harriet finds out about it and puts a stop to it by telling Tiner not to send any more e-mails and to tell Bud that the Admiral is out. Bud catches on though when he realizes that there is no way the Admiral would be out of the office three days straight. He calls Harriet on it and they argue.

What I think helped Harriet understand that Bud needs to get back to normal is seeing him in his uniform for the first time since the accident and also seeing him fall and trying to get himself back up. I think she realized that as hard as its going to be Bud is a good officer and a smart one as well.

After Harm is let go from the case, he starts to see things in a different way. Convenient, huh? He works the case from another angle using his computer and skills as an aviator. Together, he and Mac work on the case. Harm wants to go up with Albrecht to see just what kind of pilot he is while a comment Harm made to Mac sends her back to Mrs. Zuzello.

While up in the air with Albrecht flying, Harm sees his skills as an aviator. On the ground, Mac finds wedding pictures of the couple with Albrecht in attendance. She finds out that Albrecht dated the wife before she and Zuzello met. Could Mac be thinking jealousy? She is. Tiner helps her collect Albrecht's personnel file and they both find out that Albrecht worked on the LOX oxygen system before he became a flyer. She has motive and means. While at the carrier, Harm finds the opportunity. When Albrecht tells him that he can't prove it, the CAG brings Harm Mac's fax and Albrecht is arrested.

This is just another instance of how good Harm and Mac are at being partners. Also, the Admiral mentions to Harm that he's going to make Harm and Mac judges in the future opening it up for Catherine Bell to hide her pregnancy.

The end was another uplifting scene as Bud and Harriet joined the others at JAG with pizzas and the Admiral told Bud the next time he sees him he wants Bud to be off the crutches. That was an encouragement and incentive for Bud to keep up the good work.

BEST QUOTES OF THE SHOW:

"Is my snappy repertoire boring you?"~Albrecht
"No, just your flying."~Zuzello

"First we have to crispen it." Baby AJ (about the model of the SeaHawk)

"He wanted the Commander to defend him. Does he have a death wish?"~Mac (before Harm gives her a dirty look)

"I'm fired, sir."~Harm
"Commander, think of it as 'severed'."~Admiral

"I've been married three times. Third time was not a charm."~Senior Officer (to Sturgis)

"I am so far off this case a Hawkeye radar plane couldn't find me."~Harm (to Sturgis)

"I can't believe you're going to go up with a guy that you think is unstable."~Mac
"Well, I'm not going to tell him that."~Harm

"Do I give you nightmares?"~Harm (to Mac)

previous episode review//next episode review