I loved "Quantum Leap" in its heyday, and this episode was one I loved the most. It had one of my favorite musicals, "Man of La Mancha, and it explored Sam's "impossible dream" of staying with his first love, his music teacher who lived in the time period he had leapt into, and how that conflicted with his usual pattern of living others' lives at the expense of living his own dreams. Scott Bakula was amazing playing the lead, and the closing scenes showed all the people who had been involved with the show, and they looked like they were a close-knit crew who had enjoyed themselves making the show, this adding to the viewers' enjoyment. Kathy Leonard
4 Reviews
One of my favorite hours of TV
TGWShark27 October 2022
I don't know that I can add much, other than to say I love this episode. Quantum Leap remains a great concept show, and Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell were a great team. Also, this is one of the few series I recall where science and faith coexist, and I love the idea that Sam's journey is directed by God.
This episode allows Bakula to soar, and I love the music. And, yes, it's fun seeing a couple of actors who later became favorites on Northern Exposure, as well as Ernie Sabella, a great character actor who brought Pumbaa to life in The Lion King.
The only problem I have with this episode is getting the music out of my head afterward.
I have some issues with the ending of the series, but overall the arc is great.
This episode allows Bakula to soar, and I love the music. And, yes, it's fun seeing a couple of actors who later became favorites on Northern Exposure, as well as Ernie Sabella, a great character actor who brought Pumbaa to life in The Lion King.
The only problem I have with this episode is getting the music out of my head afterward.
I have some issues with the ending of the series, but overall the arc is great.
One of the finest episodes in Quantum Leap
dimplet11 June 2011
Quantum Leap was one of the finest series on television. In my mind it is up there at the top alongside The Prisoner.
While there wasn't a bad episode in Quantum Leap, and the first and last episodes are certainly the most wonderful, this episode is a masterpiece.
There is often some special element, some fantasy we might all have about time travel. Here it is the crush he had on his piano teacher as a teenager, who he meets again as an actor who had been her lover. So he is in a situation to at least partially realize his dream of telling her he loves her. Who hasn't wished he could travel in time and do that?
What makes this episode special are the many layers of the story, Sam as time traveler, as Sam the kid music student in love with his former piano teacher, Sam as the actor Ray Hutton still in love with her, Sam transformed into an actor who plays a love scene with her, and Sam as Don Quixote.
When you hear Sam singing "The Impossible Dream" from Man From La Mancha the lyrics fit both Sam's endless quest as time traveler, as well as his predicament in his current situation, in love with Nicole, yet from a certain distance:
To dream ... the impossible dream ... To fight ... the unbeatable foe ... To bear ... with unbearable sorrow ... To run ... where the brave dare not go ... To right ... the unrightable wrong ... To love ... pure and chaste from afar ... To try ... when your arms are too weary ... To reach ... the unreachable star ...
And then there is the plot of the episode, itself, which is complex and sophisticated -- for a television show, and good enough for a Broadway production. The acting was as good as it gets, on TV or anywhere.
I see Paul Brown is the writer of this episode, and about half the episodes in the series. That's quite a prolific schedule, with no sacrifice of quality whatsoever. I'm very impressed. I only wish there had been twice as many episodes in the series.
While there wasn't a bad episode in Quantum Leap, and the first and last episodes are certainly the most wonderful, this episode is a masterpiece.
There is often some special element, some fantasy we might all have about time travel. Here it is the crush he had on his piano teacher as a teenager, who he meets again as an actor who had been her lover. So he is in a situation to at least partially realize his dream of telling her he loves her. Who hasn't wished he could travel in time and do that?
What makes this episode special are the many layers of the story, Sam as time traveler, as Sam the kid music student in love with his former piano teacher, Sam as the actor Ray Hutton still in love with her, Sam transformed into an actor who plays a love scene with her, and Sam as Don Quixote.
When you hear Sam singing "The Impossible Dream" from Man From La Mancha the lyrics fit both Sam's endless quest as time traveler, as well as his predicament in his current situation, in love with Nicole, yet from a certain distance:
To dream ... the impossible dream ... To fight ... the unbeatable foe ... To bear ... with unbearable sorrow ... To run ... where the brave dare not go ... To right ... the unrightable wrong ... To love ... pure and chaste from afar ... To try ... when your arms are too weary ... To reach ... the unreachable star ...
And then there is the plot of the episode, itself, which is complex and sophisticated -- for a television show, and good enough for a Broadway production. The acting was as good as it gets, on TV or anywhere.
I see Paul Brown is the writer of this episode, and about half the episodes in the series. That's quite a prolific schedule, with no sacrifice of quality whatsoever. I'm very impressed. I only wish there had been twice as many episodes in the series.
Northern Exposure
ringosshed23 May 2018
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