Quantum Leap II, Season One - SPOILERS!

[RJDiogenes]

I wonder if he's even telling the truth about that.

[Gary]

This week, Ben leaped into a female doctor (resident) in early 1990s Seattle. Turns out his leap had to do with helping three people who were involved in a train accident, one of whom was the father of the leapee's co-worker/friend. The twist of the leap is the attending was pushing a new anesthesia which eventually turns out to cause a lot of bad side effects to a majority of patients. Meanwhile, Janice was being questioned at QL HQ and eventually uncuffed by Magic. She brought up to the team Ben had his reasons for keeping the reasons for his leap secret so as to protect Madison. Bottom line, no one is to trust anyone, with her closing line to Madison being that Madison needs to drop pushing the issue with Ben, because "someone" with access to a quantum computer would eventually be able to discover the issue and could interfer. That's where part of the mystery arises with the other leaper who had confronted Ben.

Meanwhile, Ben manged to work things out with the three people he was meant to help. He leaped into a military officer (I think a Colonel), probably around the 1980s, who was on an elevator entering an underground complex. The neat part is Robert Picardo plays a scientist in this episode. The nature of the next episode centers around some kind of nuclear reactor.

[RJDiogenes]

The twist of the leap is the attending was pushing a new anesthesia which eventually turns out to cause a lot of bad side effects to a majority of patients.

You'd think they would have done some testing on that before unleashing it on the general patient population.

Bottom line, no one is to trust anyone, with her closing line to Madison being that Madison needs to drop pushing the issue with Ben, because "someone" with access to a quantum computer would eventually be able to discover the issue and could interfer.

Hmm. That certainly can't be Sam, because he don't need no stinkin' computer no more. But I wonder if it's someone we know somehow.

The neat part is Robert Picardo plays a scientist in this episode.

Cool. I hope his initials are EMH.

[Gary]

The twist of the leap is the attending was pushing a new anesthesia which eventually turns out to cause a lot of bad side effects to a majority of patients.

You'd think they would have done some testing on that before unleashing it on the general patient population.

Oops. I forgot to mention the drug was about to be approved by the FDA. The subtext was how corporate profits were killing a doctor's duty to a patient.

[RJDiogenes]

Ah, okay. He was getting kickbacks.

[Gary]

Quantum Leap finally resumed this week. It turns out Robert Picardo's character had the last name "Woolsey", so the writers must be SG1 fans. The episode centers around a prototype nuclear reactor in the early 1960s (it's the same day Kennedy is giving a speech regarding nuclear power). The reactor's design involved using spent nuclear fuel to generate power. The people in attendance for the secret start-up event are the Colonel Ben leaped into, Woosley (project lead), a scientist, a janitor, and a journalist. The kicker of the leap is the reactor was sabbotaged and exploded when a bomb detonated on a hydrogen pipe deep in the reactor. Ben died, but then the leap reset itself and he was in a different person. The team first thought he was caught in a time loop but later determined he would keep leaping until he'd been in all five bodies. Thus began the race to determine who sabbotaged the reactor and how to prevent its demise.

[RJDiogenes]

Quantum Leap finally resumed this week. It turns out Robert Picardo's character had the last name "Woolsey", so the writers must be SG1 fans.

Nice.

Ben died, but then the leap reset itself and he was in a different person.

They're really playing around the Leaping concept.

Thus began the race to determine who sabbotaged the reactor and how to prevent its demise.

Was this resolved or continued? I'm guessing it's the janitor and the radiation turns him into a green intellectual with a big head.

[Gary]

The situation was resolved, and I'm not going to detail whodunnit You're just going to have to give in and watch the series. Meanwhile, no idea who or when Ben leaped into as the show closed with Janice and Madison talking. Janice is dangling a carrot in front of Madison by offering up a name of someone who knows why Ben leaped.

[RJDiogenes]

The situation was resolved, and I'm not going to detail whodunnit You're just going to have to give in and watch the series.

I would if I had access to it.

Meanwhile, no idea who or when Ben leaped into as the show closed with Janice and Madison talking. Janice is dangling a carrot in front of Madison by offering up a name of someone who knows why Ben leaped.

The episode didn't end with Ben's leap? Is that the first time they've done that? I think every episode of the first series ended with that "Oh, boy," moment.

[Gary]

The situation was resolved, and I'm not going to detail whodunnit You're just going to have to give in and watch the series.

I would if I had access to it.

Meanwhile, no idea who or when Ben leaped into as the show closed with Janice and Madison talking. Janice is dangling a carrot in front of Madison by offering up a name of someone who knows why Ben leaped.

The episode didn't end with Ben's leap? Is that the first time they've done that? I think every episode of the first series ended with that "Oh, boy," moment.

I believe you're correct. Plus, Ben doesn't have a catchphrase when he has assessed his new situation. That's kind of a bummer.

[RJDiogenes]

Yeah, I like catchphrases. Plus, I think they help anchor the character in the minds of the audience.

[Gary]

Ben ended up leaping into the father of a transgender girl in 2012. The father was the coach for a girl's high school basketball team, and he had lept into the father/coach during the last few moments of a game when one of the players was injured. Pressed for time, he subbed the injured player with his daughter (not knowing she was trans) which lead to the team winning the game. The kicker was his actions affected the memories of the people back at QL headquarters as Ziggy had to update info for Addison which contradicted Ian's memories of the event. Ian didn't not personally know the girl or her parents. He instead knew of them as he attended a nearby school.

The episode centered around how Gia was not supposed to be actively playing during games as a condition for her dadd to coach. Apparently, people in 2012 didn't understand transgender teens and therefore were wary of Gia. In the original history, Gia had run away and was not found for a long time. Ian stated when police had originally found Gia's body, she was misidentified by her gender, hence having disappeared and never been found. Meanwhile, Magic and Jenn followed up with the "one person" who Janice said knew why Ben leaped. Turns out this person was a transgender person who worked in one of those poetry bars. Magic and Jenn listened to one of her poem, and much of the imagry triggered some memories in Magic. Seems she didn't know who Ben was even when confronted with a picture of the two of them together. Afterward, Magic spoke with her and let her know he understood the parts of her poem where she talks of someone else being in control. She had a series of pictures she drew of someone she didn't know but could "see" clearly in her mind. The pictures she drew were of Ian.

Back at the leap, Ben stepped up and dared the principal of the school to fire him for putting Gia in the game that would send the team to State if they won. The coach also had the backing of the Union with the Union rep stating he'd be fully supported. The team won the game, and Ben immediately leaped. He ended up in a restaurant kitchen with everyone in a mad dash preparing food.

[RJDiogenes]

Afterward, Magic spoke with her and let her know he understood the parts of her poem where she talks of someone else being in control. She had a series of pictures she drew of someone she didn't know but could "see" clearly in her mind. The pictures she drew were of Ian.

Okay, I'm confused. Does this mean that Ian is destined to leap into this kid at some future point? His future, her past?

[Gary]

Afterward, Magic spoke with her and let her know he understood the parts of her poem where she talks of someone else being in control. She had a series of pictures she drew of someone she didn't know but could "see" clearly in her mind. The pictures she drew were of Ian.

Okay, I'm confused. Does this mean that Ian is destined to leap into this kid at some future point? His future, her past?

I don't know. Ben had met with the person, but when interviewed he said he had no recollection of meeting Ben. I think the writers are too focused on trying to set up totally kewl plot twists rather than mapping out a good story. Then again, it's on Network TV, so we're getting kwality writing.

[RJDiogenes]

Well, that's typical. It would be interesting if they had multiple Leapers, though. If I remember correctly, on the original show, the only other Leaper was Al one time, and Sam was home for the duration of that episode. That's aside from the Evil Leaper, of course.