Forty-four minutes is not enough.

When you bring the always delightful Sara Rue on as a guest star – freaked out to fly and the target of a Very Bad Man – you need to give her some room to breathe. ((Or hyperventilate.)) Where was the awkward flirting scene with Eliot? Where was the confused three-person conversation with Parker and Hardison where she can’t see or hear Hardison? I wanted more of Sara Rue. Otherwise, this was yet another solid, entertaining episode.

In the cold open, we learn that Genogrow Industries poisoned the water supply causing the death of the clients’ daughter Ashley. Blocked by Genogrow from getting evidence they knew their fertilizer was dangerous, they’ve come to the team for help. The team breaks into the CEO’s office, without Hardison.

Instead of joining the team, Hardison’s back at HQ, enjoying a hearty Hot Pocket and watering plants. Only when he sits in the conference room and sees the computer kick on with a Genogrow security screen does he realize he missed the call. ((This was a convenient bit of hand waving. There was no reason for Parker to initiate a remote connection from Haldeman’s computer.)) Popping in his earpiece, he’s able to give a remote assist just in time as Haldeman comes storming into his office barking into his cellphone.

Haldeman’s liquidating assets, putting them on a plane to the Caymans, which of course was an insanely clever way of saying he’s killing the two people who can testify against him by crashing a plane with them on it. At this point, one might question why the Caymans, but the answer is obvious: it’s funny.

On his blog, John Rogers had this to say about the episode:

“The Mile High Job” is one of those episodes that seems so simple. It begins with us in the writers’ room cheering “They’re on an airplane, and have to pull off the con before they land! It’s practically a bottle show!” and ends with a 70-foot replica fuselage on the soundstage. Oh, and we had to build an airplane bathroom with wild walls, because you just can’t get a camera in there for the beautiful fight carnage.

Oops. Turned out to be a bit pricier than originally planned.

As I said above, I wish this episode had been longer in order to give Sara Rue more opportunity to interact with the team, but other than that, it was packed. From Hardison blowing on his Hot Pocket on the kitchen floor to the bondage gear in the borrowed luggage to Eliot’s discomfort in coach, there was plenty of comedy. The insane close quarter fight in the bathroom and the FX of the plummeting airliner filled the action quota.

And did I forget to mention Hardison at Genogrow? From his first interaction with Steve in the elevator – as the incredibly morphing maintenance man – he had me. Ingratiating himself in the office faster than Cosmo Kramer at Brandt-Leland, Hardison had everyone including the big bad waiting on his every word. By the time he fired himself during his own birthday party, everyone on the 30th floor (but Steve, who never liked him) was gonna miss “Dave”.

As each member of the team learns how far they can trust the others, they become a better, more cohesive unit. Hardison coming through in the crisis was another important brick in their foundation. Likewise, the old-married fight Sophie and Nate had running through the episode served as mortar to their relationship. At first it fit the cliche of a man not remembering dates and significant moments, making Sophie feel their relationship, twisted though it may be, wasn’t important to Nate. But of course he remembers.

Although he can’t distinguish between Paris and Tuscany.

Some other thoughts:

• My geekbone ((That sounds dirtier than it’s meant to.)) was tickled so hard I had to pause during the passport discussion. Peter Davison, Sebastian McCoy, and Tom Baker + Sarah Jane. Hehehe.
• Hardison met himself a cute little Tink ((I’m not racially stereotyping. Codex doesn’t leave the house.)) at Genogrow only to get bawled out by Nate for staying up all night playing WoW and missing the infiltration.
• I’ve gotta ask: was Sully flying that jet? Interesting he didn’t go for the water landing. Maybe he mistakenly believed the Interstates were build for him.
• Sophie’s not the only one disturbed to hear there’s only one Air Marshall for every hundred flights.
• Nate: “Everyone knows flight attendants are required to carry extra uniforms in case they get called to work unexpectedly.”
  Eliot: “Or if something happens to the one that they’re already wearing.”
  (Alright, these quotes weren’t great. The *followup* was great.)
• Of course the plane to the Caymans was loaded with dirty lucre: “Hatbox full of Euros, pouch of uncut diamonds, and a stolen Stradivarius.”

What did everyone else think?