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In this weeks episode of the Quantum Leap Rewatch, Cory and Tom hit the punchline in a sticky situation as they discuss season 4 episodes 21 & 22, “Stand Up” and “A Leap for Lisa.”
Stand Up:
Sam leaps into Davey Parker, one half of a failing comedy act along with Mack Mackay, who, according to Al, will go missing in the next few days. Attempting to join the duo is Frankie Washarskie, a female comedian who Mack actually loves but can’t bring himself to admit it, or to admit her into the act.
After she saves them from failing on stage, the three get an offer from mobster Carlo Degorio to perform at his Vegas nightclub, an offer that comes with some strings attached being that Carlo has his eyes set on Frankie.
Things get even more difficult when Mack gets jealous of Sam, thinking Frankie likes him instead. Sam clears the misunderstanding up, getting a better clue as to what makes Mack tick and convinces him to give Frankie a chance. All goes well until Degorio makes the moves on Frankie and Mack punches him, sealing his fate as the mobster threatens him.
After the three perform to huge applause, Degario’s men grab Mack in order to make him disappear, but Sam intervenes and explains that Mack hit him because Frankie is actually engaged to Mack, a lie that the two play along with and makes Degario realize he stepped on another man’s toes by trying to steal his girl and makes amends by offering to take care of their wedding himself as Sam leaps.
Ziggy’s Data Retrieval:
Mack is played by Bob Saget, who everyone would know from Full House and America’s Funniest Home Videos.
Frankie is played by Amy Yasbeck. You may recognise her from Wings, Robin Hood Men In Tights and the Mask. She was also married to John Ritter and they appeared in the film Problem Child together.
Joey was played by Tom Lagrua. He was in the Lois and Clark episode Man Of Steel Bars as Murray Mindlin.
Charlie was played by Wil Albert who we’ve also seen in Lois and Clark, the episode was Neverending Battle where he was a businessman and also in Vatman as Delacroix.
This episodes unsung hero is Rafe Battiste. He has also appeared in She Spies and Hercules.
Al’s Five Wives:
Al almost talks about his second wife (name still unknown) but it turns out he and his 4th wife used to fight a lot, developing a “love/hate” relationship. Sharon wore the pink babydolls and stole his dog during their divorce. She also came after him heavily for alimony payments, just as his second wife does.
Stand Up:
Sam leaps into Al himself as a young naval pilot, at a time in his career when he was being accused and tried for the rape and murder of his commanding officer’s wife. Sam, unaware that Al’s girlfriend Lisa was supposed to be his alibi tells her to not to be, thinking he was there to save her. Al shows up late due to his being distracted with his younger self in the Waiting Room in the future, not realizing what Sam had done. In the original history, the trial never happened because of Lisa’s testimony and the charges were dropped.
During the trial, Commander Riker gives his description of the man who raped and murdered his wife which fits not just Al but many of the Cadets on the base, and admits that his wife and he had an unconventional marriage.
As Sam and Al discuss the case, the odds of conviction go up higher by the second, eventually reaching 100% which changes history for Al who is then convicted, ultimately never becoming a part of Quantum Leap, and replaced by a man named Edward St. John while Ziggy become known as Alpha. Alpha’s calculations lead Sam to Al’s car where he finds a cigar, immediately restoring Al as the hologram. Al says that he didn’t smoke cigars at that point in his history which leads them to Al’s best friend Chip aa the only possible suspect.
Chip, having a height and build similar to Al’s, admits to taking Riker’s wife out after she and her husband had a fight, and attempting to coming on to her but it failed and she ended up falling and dying from a head wound.
Sam has the idea to send Al’s younger self into the accelerator chamber in order to be leapt into himself with one singular mission: do not let Chip get out of his sight on that day. The attempt proves successful as Chip shows up at Al’s door with a very much alive Lisa, and the news from Al that Riker’s wife is alive and well, as Sam leaps.
Ziggy’s Data Retrieval:
Riker was played by Charles Rocket. He was previously in the Quantum Leap episode A Little Miracle.
St. John is the ever wonderful Roddy McDowell. He was, of course, in the original Planet of the Apes as Ceaser and later as Cornelius. He did a lot of animation work in his later years, playing Mad Hatter in Batman, Breadmaster in The Tick and also voiced for Pinky and the Brain and Prince Valiant.
Commander Dobbs was played by Larry Brandenburg who was in Major League 4 with Scott Bakula.
Jamie Walters played young Al and may be the most successful Unsung Hero we’ve had. He was in Beverly Hills 90210 as well as the short lived similar show called The Heights. He was in a movie called Shout with John Travolta and had a singing career as well with a song called How Do You Talk To An Angel.
Terry Farrell as Lisa, aside from his obvious Star Trek Deep Space Nine role as Dax, was also on the sitcom Becker and and appeared in Hellraiser 3.
The Flight Surgeon was Jack Stauffer. He was Voss in the Lois and Clark episode Super Mann.
Whats Next?
Next weeks episode discussions are “Lee Harvey Oswald” 2 Parter! “Leaping on a String” and “Leap to Judgement”
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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