Quantum Leap turned 25 today

[TMC]

Here are 8 of the best real-life stories the show leapt into:
http://t.co/NiOZMhI14k

[king of comedy]

Happy Anniversary to a great show.

[MacLeaper]

Yay! I LOVE Quantum Leap- one of my all time favorite shows! Happy anniversary! (Of course, all these anniversaries I keep seeing just keep reminding of my own birth anniversary and how the years go by- lol.)
I'd still love to see Dean Stockwell and Scott Bakula reunite to do a Quantum Leap movie someday- maybe it will happen.

[MacLeaper]

Pretty cool list there. The majority of the ones listed are what the show calls "kisses with history"- and Quantum Leap did this a lot- which is way cool! Usually, it was just a quick reference there for a joke. In the episode of "How The Tess Was Won", helping Buddy Holly complete the lyrics for "Peggy Sue" was revealed to be the main reason for Sam's Leap. Of course, this is one of those things that can cause a paradox because it doesn't make sense that Buddy Holly needed the help- because obviously the song was completed and Sam had heard it and knew the lyrics in the future- so, how can it be that he needs to go back to provide Holly with the lyrics in the past so the song can be written? Of course, one explanation for this is that Sam somehow did something either in the course of that Leap or in previous Leaps that changed history and now Buddy Holly wound up being stumped on the lyrics for "Peggy Sue"- and perhaps never wound up making it big in music and his life completely changed for the worst.
Thereby Sam would be needed to Leap in and correct this and provide Holly with the lyrics so that the hit song could be written and history be righted.
One of the long standing rules for the show was that Sam would not Leap into real life historical people and/or celebrities- but the show broke that rule in the 5th. Season- which is fine with me because I particularly enjoy those episodes as much as all the others.
"Lee Harvey Oswald" (Parts 1 and 2) was one of the best ones, definitely. (Sam Leapt back and forth through different events in Lee Harvey Oswald's life and ultimately into Secret Service Agent Clint Hill to save Jacqueline Kennedy from being shot, who apparently was also killed in Sam's timeline.) There is also the "Dr. Ruth" episode (where Sam Leapt into Dr. Ruth Westheimer, famed sex therapist) and "Goodbye, Norma Jean" (where he Leapt into Marilyn Monroe's bodyguard) and "Memphis Melody" (where he Leapt into Elvis Presley).
I was kinda surprised they didn't mention "The Leap Between The States"- this is one episode where the show broke another of its long standing rules- Sam can only Leap within the span of his own lifetime- which covers from at least August 8, 1953 onward. (Though he actually has Leapt within 9 months previous to that date since life starts at conception.)
But in this episode, he Leapt back to 1863 during the Civil War. The explanation given for this is that somehow it was possible because he Leapt along his own family bloodline back to his great great grandfather.
That was a really cool episode to see Sam dealing with much earlier historical events and a pivotal moment in America's history.
(One of the books in the series based on the show also did a similar deal when the John Peel book, "Quantum Leap: Independence" had Sam Leaping back into another one of his male ancestors back in the 1700s during The Revolutionary War. That one is also way cool for a fan of history like myself.)
I like that the show dealt with so many important moments in recent history and that one didn't even have to be a scifi or history fan to get into the show- one could also enjoy the show for the strong moral messages and positive social statements as well- not to mention the drama, suspense, horror [sometimes], action, adventure, romance and comedy too.
I love the relationship between Sam and Al- that is one of the great TV friendships- just like MacGyver and Pete on "MacGyver", Gary and Chuck on "Early Edition" and Shawn and Gus on "Psych".
Now I'm wanting to go and watch some classic Quantum Leap episodes again. I've seen the series all the way through, but there are some favorite episodes that I love to pull out again and again- it's so good and fun. Oh boy!

[Nighthawk76]

I'm still holding out for a movie but I think with Don Bellisario's illness, its probably not going to happen. And I don't think they should make it with out him.

[king of comedy]

I didn't know he was sick. I hope he recovers. It was the finale I hated. Did anybody think they should have brought Sam home? That would have a great finale to a great show.

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally Posted by king of comedy

I didn't know he was sick. I hope he recovers. It was the finale I hated. Did anybody think they should have brought Sam home? That would have a great finale to a great show.

The explanation made sense they gave, a matter of "simply wanting to" except for the good he was doing, but it was still very disappointing. You still keep wondering, what did happen to him after that?

[MacLeaper]

The "Mirror Image" episode is still a hotly contested and discussed episode among Quantum Leap fans today. I can see the arguments on either side, but I personally liked the ending as it is. Yes, there is a sense of entitlement really that says that Sam should get home because of all the good he's done already- but, I think this ending speaks to the fact that Sam purposely gave his life to a higher cause that perhaps had a different path in mind. (As the show alludes to many times in the series- and outright spells out in the series finale, Sam and Al commonly refer to whatever that's Leaping Sam around in time as being God, Time or Fate. And Sam has an encounter with someone he believes to be God in the episode, though Al the bartender denies this.)
From a Christian perspective, I liken this to Sam giving his life over to God and trusting Him for whatever path He has in mind and purpose for his life. This is of course, exactly what a Christian does when giving his or her life to Jesus and following Him as Lord and Savior. And He always has the best purpose and path in mind, even if we don't understand it. (Proverbs 3:5-6)


(But as I said earlier, I would certainly still welcome a Quantum Leap movie to bring closure to this, provided it still stars Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell as Sam and Al.)

(One other note on this too: The series finale was written as a compromise in some ways. The series' cast and crew were expecting a sixth season, from what I understand, but didn't know for sure- and had to write an episode that could go either way- either introduce something new for Sam and Al to deal with in a sixth season or alternatively serve as a finale for the series. I think it worked out pretty well and it definitely is the path less travelled by for TV series.)

[king of comedy]

Wow!! MacLeaper that is deep. It really got to me. I'm sure Sam is in a better place.

[MacLeaper]

Thanks, king of comedy. I appreciate you saying that- glad it resonated with you.