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Quantum Leap/The Leap Back

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The Leap Back
Quantum Leap - The Leap Back.png
Season 4, Episode 1
Airdate September 18, 1991
Production Number 67303
Written by Donald P. Bellisario
Directed by Michael Zinberg
← 3x22
Shock Theater 		4x02 →
Play Ball
Quantum Leap — Season Four

The Leap Back is the first episode of the fourth season of Quantum Leap, and the fifty-fourth episode overall.

Starring: Scott Bakula (Sam Beckett)

Starring: Dean Stockwell (The Observer)

Guest Starring: Mimi Kuzyk (Donna Eleese), Amanda Wyss (Suzanne Elsinger), Douglas Roberts (Mike), Robert Prescott (Clifford White), Candy Ann Brown (Dr. Verbeena Beeks), Jeanine Jackson (Kelly)

Co-Starring: Dennis Wolfberg (Gushie), Gigi Rice (Tina)

with Susan Ann Connor (Naval Admiral), Dean Denton (Captain Tom Jarret)

Uncredited: Deborah Pratt (Voice of Ziggy, Narrator)

Contents

Plot Overview

Sam and Al reel from learning that they've reversed roles. As Al tries to adjust to being trapped in the past with very little memory, Sam tries to find a way out of the imagining chamber and reunite with the present.

Notes

Leap Dates

  • June 15, 1945
  • 1956 (mentioned only)

Locations

  • Crown Point, Indiana
  • Catskills, New York (mentioned only)

Music

  • Louis Jordan - "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby"

Arc Advancement

Happenings

  • The present date is given as September 18, 1999 with Sam saying that he's been leaping for four years.

Characters

  • The lightning strike causes Sam and Al to trade places during a simuleap. As a result, their neuron and mesons merged, causing them to trade some parts of their personalities. When Sam figures he needs to leap into Al's place to save him, he rightly deduces that the merge will allow him to leap outside of his lifetime. Before leaving he says he updated the retrieval programme. However, after accomplishing his mission, Quantum Leap attempts to retrieve, only for it to fail again.
  • Once in the present, Sam's memories of his time leaping fade as his original memories return. Among them is that he was married to Donna Eleese (confirming that his efforts in "Star-Crossed" were successful). He is mad at Al for not telling him, but Donna says that he kept it from Sam by her wishes, as she fears he wouldn't be able to act if he knew. She also assures him that she never felt betrayed. After Sam returns to leaping, we're told that he doesn't remember the swap with Al or his return to the present.

Referbacks

  • Donna reminds Sam that the last time they tried to retrieve him, it failed (Genesis).

Trivia

The Show

  • This is the first episode to show the present and Project Quantum Leap since "Genesis". We see much more than before and we will continue to see more in the remainder of the series.
  • Ziggy had been referred to by "he/his" pronouns in previous episodes. As of this episode Ziggy is revealed to be female and subsequent episodes reflect this as reference to Ziggy use "she/her" pronouns.
  • The second of only three episodes in which we don't see Sam leap out.
  • Al's description of Sam's whereabouts in the final scene as lead some to believe he's referring to the events of "Stand Up". However, this is false as the date and location are different, as is the general plot. Only the stand-up comic aspect is the same.

Behind the Scenes

Allusions and References

Memorable Moments

Goofs

  • Gushie says that they had no idea Al was in 1945. This raises questions if they talked to Jarret in the waiting room.
  • Ziggy is clearly female, yet at one points Sam refers to her as "him".

Quotes

  • Kelly: Even with the café, I'm rationed to half a pound of sugar a week. And Mike tries to put all of it into his cup.
Mike: Are you forgetting who slips you an extra pound of butter every now and then?
Kelly: I didn't know I was swappin' sugar for it.
Sam: Well, if a pound of butter is all it takes, I got me a dairy farm that I...
Al: Stop that!
Sam: Oh, my God! I am so sorry. That's a horrible thing to say and I don't know what came over me. Why wou-- Yes, I do. Yes, I do! This is all your fault!
Al: My fault?
Sam: Yes! When I leaped, I must've gotten part of your lecherous side in during the leap. Oh, my-
Mike: Oh, no. It's tough coming back from war.
Sam: Oh, my - You've got a filthy mind.
Al: You're the one saying all the dirty things!
Mike: Sorry, Tom. I guess we all need to wash our minds out with soap after this war.
Al: Yeah, especially him.
Mike: Did I say the f-word again?
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