In this weeks episode of the Quantum Leap rewatch, Cory and Tom pray they can figure our which is their best side as they discuss season 3 episodes 3 and 4, “Leap of Faith” and “One Strobe Over the Line.”

Leap of Faith:

Sam leaps into a preacher named Father Frank who’s mission, according to Ziggy and Al, is to save his fellow clergymen, Father Mac, from being killed by a young man named Tony Pronti who is due to go on trial for the murder of a store clerk. There were two witnessed to that murder, Father Mac, and a young boy named Sonny that he had baptized and watched grow up. Unfortunately Sonny was recently found dead, an apparent accident on the train tracks, but more likely another murder by Tony in an attempt to cover up his crime and stop him from testifying against him.

Sam saves Father Mac from a falling cross and then later confronts Tony in a bar, leading to a fight when Mac also shows up and the situation escalates. With Sam’s martial arts skills, and Mac’s boxing prowess, they manage to take Tony down as his younger brother Joey looks on in awe.

Meanwhile, Al explains the reason he has been so distant on them leap: after his father died of cancer, he refused to have anything to do with the church because it felt like his prayers went unanswered.

Sam and Mac have a sparring match in which Sam tries to convince him to get out of town so as to avoid being targeted further by Tony and to dry out from his apparent alcoholism. Mac refuses as they lay punches on each other with Sam finally knocking Mac down and leaving to take his confession duty for him. Unfortunately, Tony has arrived for confession with a gun, shooting through the confessional and grazing Sam in the forehead. Father Mac discovers this and heads off to find Tony.

Al, having prayed to God once again after so many years and seeing Sam awaken from the bullet would, informs Sam that it turns out he is here’s to save Father Mac from KILLING Tony and not vice versa. Sam finds Mac holding Tony at gunpoint on the tracks where Sonny was killed and won’t let him off the tracks until he confesses. Mac reveals that Tony will walk without a confession because he didn’t actually see the murder, he only told Sonny he did to help comfort the young boy. Eventually, just before a train would hit him, Tony confesses and Sam pushes him out of the way and after a heart to heart with both Mac and Al, Sam leaps.

Ziggy’s Data Retrieval:

Sandy McPeak played Father Mac in this episode, he was also The Giggler on “Batman”.

Pat Crawford Brown was in the background of this episode. She was in Lois and Clark episode Resurrection.

This episodes unsung hero is Bud Sabatino. This was one of his first roles along with “Born on The Fourth of July” as Father at Parade. He played FBI Guy in “Mafioso”, he was a patient in “Scrubs”, and a street character in “Mad About You”. He is also an avid knitter. You can hear and interview with him on the Quantum Leap Podcast- Click Here.

Kiss with History:

Sam meets Sylvester Stallone and inspires him to use hanging meat as a punching bag.

One Strobe Over the Line:

Sam leaps into photographer Karl Granson working for Helen LeBaron a well known modeling agent. Sam’s mission this time is to protect one of her models, Edie, from dying of an overdose.

As Sam gets closer to Edie, he learns that she was a small town girls who got caught up in the glitz and glamour of the modeling lifestyle and that Helen herself has been pushing drugs on her to help her keep up with that lifestyle. Sam confronts Edie about this and stays with her to help her get through the weekend as she attempts to break the habit, which she eventually does.

However at the next shoot she has, Edie shows signs that she needs a pick me up and Helen drops some pills into her drink to pep her up. Unfortunately, this relaxes Edie to a level where she starts drinking as well during the shoot and unwisely starts spraying a lion with champagne, and splashing it with water, which enrages the lion as it attacks people on set. Sam manages to intervene and save her from the lion, but Edie passes out and Helen’s debauchery is discovered. Sam keeps Edie awake long enough for the ambulance to arrive and her life is saved, while Helen’s coworkers and fellow professionals shun and leave her, paving the way for Sam to leap.

Ziggy’s Data Retrieval:

Susan Anton plays Helen LaBaron. She is an actress, singer and model. She was in Cannonball Run and Golden Girl. She did several commercials for Muriel Cigars, singing “Let Muriel turn you on / That is my desire / Muriel lights a flame in me / Where there’s Muriel smoke, there’s fire”.

Cheryl Tiegs was 18 in ‘65, she got her big break previous year.

Twiggy did not start acting until ‘66.

This episodes unsung hero is Danny McCoy Jr. He had small parts in “Days of our Lives” and “Young and the Restless”.

The title references the song was “One Toke Over The Line” by Brewer & Shipley from 1970, an obvious drug reference, which relates to this episode’s content.

Whats Next?

Next weeks episode discussions are “The Boogieman” and “Miss Deep South”.

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.

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