Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:11 — 41.4MB) | Embed
In this weeks Quantum Leap rewatch, Cory and Tom find out there is always a loop hole to be found and no matter what, the show must always go on as they discuss season 2 episodes 9 and 10, “So Help Me God” and “catch a Falling Star.”
So Help Me God:
Sam leaps into Leonard Dancey, an attorney in the south during the 1950’s, currently defending a black woman named Lila who is accused of killing her white lover who is the son of a very well to do family. Sam enters a plea of not guilty after seeing the truth in Lila’s eyes, although Al later informs him that he was supposed to plead guilty to a lesser sentence, and now needs to find a way to prove Lila’s Innocence despite her protestations against swearing an oath on the Bible in court.
Sam’s only hope is a woman named Myrtle who works on the rich family’s estate, but like Lila will not testify due to her fear of God and the deceased son’s father threatening her that if she does she will go to Hell. Al helps Sam with a Bible verse, reminding Myrtle that if she was persuaded to hinder the truth, it did not come from God, and that the person who did so will be the one facing God someday.
Sam, having learned the truth, calls the deceased Son’s mother to the stand and despite her being mentally unwell, confesses that she gave Lila money to get away from the town and that she herself killed her own son when she saw him beating Lila, a regular occurrence in their relationship ever since her son had raped her when she was a young girl.
Lila is released and proven innocent and after Sam convinces her to learn how to read to better her life and her future, he leaps.
Ziggy’s Data Retrieval:
Well, we’ve seen William Schallert before, he was in an episode of “Lois & Clark” called “the source as a buddy of Jonathan Kent. You can hear us discuss it here. He’s also well known for roles in “Man from Planet X” and “Inner Space.”
John Shepherd plays Bo in this episode. As a lawyer, we’re pretty sure he was supposed to be a Raymond Burr (Perry Mason) lookalike.
Lastly, our unsung hero for this episode is Travis Michael Holder, a Broadway and stage actor. He also seems to be a promoter for musicians like Elton John, Jackson Browne and Bette Midler. He’s also a drama critic and recently stared the movie Surprise Surprise. We also found him in this 50’s PSA parody- warning, this contains adult themes.
Kiss with History:
Sam mentions “Miranda Rights” not existing till the mid 60’s. That’s about it.
Al’s Fashion of the Week:
Pale white suits are huge in the 1950’s Louisiana, but adding a sewn in tie holder to the front of your shirt is the way of the future. And nothing makes you stand out more than a crimson red fedora with matching pants. This is the “Classically Futuristic” collection.
Catch a Falling Star:
Sam leaps onstage into Broadway performer Ray Hutton, an understudy for John O’Malley, currently in the starring role of Don Quixote in the musical Man of La Mancha. While there he reconnects with a woman named Nicole, who is Ray’s former girlfriend from college, and also, a woman that Sam actually had a crush on when he was her piano student as a young teen. Sam immediately starts to rekindle his old feelings for Nicole, while trying to avoid the passes of Michelle, anther actress in the musical wanting to have some private rehearsals with Ray.
Al informs Sam that his mission is to stop John O’Malley from falling and breaking his leg in a performance in a few days and while Sam is committed to that at first, he changes his tune when he mistakenly thinks that Nicole has gone to get her own private rehearsals with John, a feeling that is shared by Nicole who is told that Sam has left for HIS own private rehearsals with Michelle. The misunderstanding is cleared up after Sam reluctantly saves John from his deadly fall, resulting in Sam needing to perform in the role that night alongside Nicole, where he is able to reconcile his feelings for her on stage, and allowing Sam to leap out.
Ziggy’s Data Retrieval:
John Cullum and Janine Turner both worked together in hit series “Northern Exposure”.
Callum actually played Don Quixote in “Man of La Mancha” back in ’65 as well did Scott Bakula in his early career, professing in an interview that he would love to play the role again now he is actually age appropriate. Cullum also mentions Joan Diener who was the original Dulcinea. Callum would have actually known her.
Michele Pawk, who plays Nicole, is also a Broadway actor. It seems they went method with the casting of this episode.
Again, we’ve seen Paul Sand before. He was the comic stage manager or director in this episode, but he played Dr. Malcolm White in Sliders season 5 episode Map of the Mind.
Ernie Sabella was Manny, you may recognise his voice as Pumba in “The Lion King”. He’s had other notable roles in “Seinfeld”, “Mad About You” and “Perfect Strangers”. In 2002, he appeared in the “Man of LaMancha” revival as Sancho, the character he was playing on stage in this episode. Random!
As always, this episode’s unsung hero is Michael Carl, apparently a German actor? Most of his credits are in German, but outside of that he has credits in Quantum Leap, Warbirds and what appears to be a WAY over sold film called Time Wars- a futuristic thriller.
Whats Next?
Next weeks episode discussions are “A Portrait of Troian” and “Animal Frat”
Thanks:
We give thanks to some dedicated fan sights. For more information on Quantum Leap, please take the time to check out The Quantum Leap Wiki and Al’s Place.
Add It To Your Library:
Do you want to buy this series (from Amazon or iTunes)? Do you want to help support The Rewatch Podcast and the other Golden Spiral Media podcasts? You can do that by clicking this link: https://www.goldenspiralmedia.com/support. We would greatly appreciate it!
Feedback:
Send in your feedback by calling 304-837-2278 or by visiting www.goldenspiralmedia.com/feedback
Follow the show on Facebook or Twitter @RewatchPod
[sc:rw]