Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted February 18, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted February 18, 2013 It was one of those shows that's never going to be the best show ever or anything like that but the quality was generally really consistent and you almost never got a shit episode. Â It wasn't like Star Trek: TNG where you sat down with your tea in front of Sky One only to find out it's a fucking Reg Barclay episode. Quantum Leap was really reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Monkee Posted February 18, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted February 18, 2013 About time, Mr Matrix! I've practically had this post ready since you mentioned it about two weeks ago. Â My favourite episode is The Leap Home Pt I (although both parts are great) where Sam jumps into a younger version of himself. It's a great episode and also really sad at the same time. My favourite scene is where Sam sings Imagine to his little sister and she realises he's telling the truth about being from the future. Â I think it's aged quite well too so would definitely recommend a watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members quote the raven Posted February 18, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted February 18, 2013 The two that melted into each other, the younger sam trying to change his brothers death, to Sam being in Nam. Â TV at its best, that said i dont know how well it would stand up to rewatching. Â I will also chuck in the devil one, with that fucking creepy ass goat. Scared the shit outa me as a kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostface1982 Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Been years since I watched it but did he leap into Lee Harvey Oswald at some point or am I getting it mixed up with another show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTXRussomark Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Been years since I watched it but did he leap into Lee Harvey Oswald at some point or am I getting it mixed up with another show? Yep! It turned out Sam was responsible for saving JFK's wife during the assassination (in the QL world they both originally died). Great episode and a fantastic show all round, which handled so many different subject matters and always seemed to nail them. The text at the end of the final episode is/was fucking heartbreaking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Lefty Posted February 18, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted February 18, 2013 Big, big Quantum Leap fan (much to my now ex-flatmates amusement). The Leap Home Parts I&II are pure magic, two of my favourite TV episodes of any show ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallicks Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 I love that on an idle morning, you can stumble across it on ITV4 and it's still thoroughly, thoroughly entertaining. I seem to remember my dad watching one or two episodes, and he hated everything apart from the news (which he also hated a bit). Â It wasn't like Star Trek: TNG where you sat down with your tea in front of Sky One only to find out it's a fucking Reg Barclay episode. Quantum Leap was really reliable. Â Or worse, a Doctor Pulaski episode. Nooooooo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted February 18, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted February 18, 2013 Or worse, a Doctor Pulaski episode. Nooooooo! Â Ugh, I know. Series 2 was total shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members SpursRiot2012 Posted February 18, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted February 18, 2013 I've seen loads of episodes individually, but you do you reckon it's something worth getting all the seasons of and watching through? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members air_raid Posted February 18, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted February 18, 2013 Quantum Leap was fucking brilliant. As soon as they had found their feet they were regularly throwing on loads of pathos either to do with Sam's emotions/memories/past or the life he'd leaped into. The character development and "peeling the onion" of Sam and Al's characters and histories both together and as part of Project Quantum Leap and the odd mention of the Starbright Project are very rewarding and the later series are chock full of brilliant "character" moments and occasionally humour. Series 3 and 4 are my favourite, I much prefer them to Series 5 as you have this underlying feeling of "they're running out of ideas" as they directly featured celebrities (which initially Don Bellisario was dead against) on no less than four separate occasions (Oswald/Kennedys, Elvis, Marilyn, Dr Ruth) and they had three arcs taking up three episodes each - Evil Leaper and Trilogy, even though they did in fairness yield some belting episodes. Â Only TNG rivals Leap in terms of "my favourite show ever" for that blend of action, comedy, occasional sadness and real "good guy" characters to invest in and root for. And every now and again a dynamite twist. Next Gen probably wins as there are more characters to follow the development of and care about, but Gladstone has nailed it in terms of reliability. Watching both series in sequence, you have to wait a lot longer for a weaker Leap episode than you do with TNG. Â Honestly in terms of "the best episode" I'd struggle to give you an answer that would suit people just picking up an episode and thinking "if this is the best, I'll judge it on this" which I think was the spirit of your initial Ted post ; these episodes are (for various reasons) the best for me only if you're familiar with the show dynamic and in particular are already invested and care about Sam and Al : Â MIA (S2 finale) - Sam leaps into a police detective and gets mixed signals from Al about the true nature of his mission. The Leap Home Pt1 (S3 opener) - Sam leaps into himself at 16 to win a basketball game but wants to talk his brother Tom out of going to Vietaam where he dies. The Leap Home Pt2 (S3) - Sam leaps into a member of Tom's platoon in 'Naam, days before Tom is killed, and has to rescue some POWs. The Boogieman (S3) - Halloween special. Sam leaps into a horror writer and people keep dying, and there seems nothing he and Al can do helps. Shock Theatre (S3 finale) - Sam leaps into a mental patient undergoing shock treatment which causes his mind to regress to memories of previous leapees. The Leap Back (S4 opener) - A freak occurance causes Sam and Al to trade places and Sam is finally home. For a bit. Temptation Eyes (S4) - Sam leaps into a TV reporter who has to prevent a psychic being murdered - and she can see Sam for himself. And she falls for him. A Leap For Lisa (S4 finale) - Sam leaps into a young Al which could have profound consequences for Al and the Project. Oh, and "Lisa" is Jadzia Dax from DS9. Deliver Us From Evil (S5) - Sam leaps back into Jimmy (see below) and meets another (female) leaper, who he falls for instantly. Obs. Mirror Image (S5/show finale) - Sam leaps into a bar on his birthday and sees himself in the mirror. I will say no more. Â In terms of the best "plug and play" episodes someone could just pick up and watch, I'd probably go with one of the following - If you don't mind something fairly heavy : Â Jimmy (S2) - Sam leaps into a young man with Downs' Syndrome and has to prevent him being institutionalized. Private Dancer (S3) - Sam leaps into a Chippendale that has to save a deaf dancer from a life of vice and eventual death from AIDS. The Last Dance Before An Execution (S3) - Sam leaps into the electric chair, but gets 48 hours to prove his and his mate's innocence. Â But if you need something lighter hearted : Â Pool Hall Blues (S2) - Sam leaps into a retired pool pro and has to win a game of pool. It's that simple. Southern Comforts (S3) - Sam is in charge of a brothel and has to save one of the whores from being killed, and you spot Julie from Friends and Bulldog from Frasier. Glitter Rock (S3) - Sam leaps into the lead singer of an English Kiss-inspired glam rock band called King Thunder and has to keep from getting stabbed after a gig. Good old fashioned Whodunnit, or at least, Whosgonnadoit. Plus, Liza Whitcraft. Â My honest to God favourite is probably Temptation Eyes because I'm a soft bastard and even as a kid Sam finally getting to be himself and meeting someone that loved him for himself absolutely melted my heart. Glitter Rock pushes it close though and I catch myself humming "Rock The Redhead" most days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members niff Posted February 18, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted February 18, 2013 I used to watch it regularly but missed the finale, will have to find it! I remember a couple of good episodes where Sam was a boxer, and another in hospital on the psyche ward avoiding shock therapy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallicks Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Glitter Rock pushes it close though and I catch myself humming "Rock The Redhead" most days. Â I always thought that was catchy as fuck as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Astro Hollywood Posted February 18, 2013 Moderators Share Posted February 18, 2013 As I always bring up when QL gets mentioned, this is one of those through-nostalgic-eyes ones. In hindsight, once you take off the rose-coloured glasses, you've basically got Highway to Heaven with matte-lined bluescreened bits. "Can Dr. Sam Beckett convince a college football player to stop taking steroids? While briefly teaching a young Michael Jackson to moonwalk?!" By rights, it should have been in the "School tomorrow " Sunday teatime at your nans slot. Â There were some neat ideas in there, and some nice moments (especially when it covered the bigger story of the Quantum Leap institute and that), but compared to actual good TV from now, most of the episodes are just super, super dull, and a chore to get through. Father Dowling Investigates with sci-fi trappings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members bAzTNM#1 Posted February 19, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted February 19, 2013 Jimmy (S2) - Sam leaps into a young man with Downs' Syndrome and has to prevent him being institutionalized. I remember bubbling at that one when I was a kid. Â Is Season 1 any good? Just that I'm noticing a lot of references to "Season 2" and "Season 3" in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GalaxyV.2 Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 With 1 they're trying to find their feet. Its good but doesn't come close to 2-4 in terms of brilliant episodes. Â Was always gutted the Magnum PI crossover never happened! Â They keep talking of bringing it back. Bakula and Stockwell seem to love talking about the show. I'm sure a One off special could work, though personally I really like the finale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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