Quantum Leap (season 5)

Quantum Leap
Season 5
DVD cover
No. of episodes	22
Release
Original network	NBC
Original release	September 22, 1992 (1992-09-22) – May 5, 1993 (1993-05-05)
Season chronology
← Previous Season 4
List of episodes

Season five of Quantum Leap ran on NBC from September 22, 1992 to May 5, 1993. The series follows the exploits of Dr. Sam Beckett and his Project Quantum Leap, through which he involuntarily leaps through spacetime, temporarily taking over a host in order to correct historical mistakes. Season five consists of 22 episodes (when counting "Lee Harvey Oswald" as two separate episodes).

This season, the series gained a new theme song but returned to season 4's title sequence and theme in the series finale, "Mirror Image". This updated theme is not used in televised syndication versions of the episodes but it is used in the Peacock broadcasts.

The episode "Lee Harvey Oswald (Part 1)" won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Series. ^{[1] [2]}

Episodes

Main article: List of Quantum Leap episodes

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Leap details (Name, date & location)	Original air date	Prod. code	Viewers (millions)
76	1	"Lee Harvey Oswald (Part 1) – Leaping on a String"	James Whitmore Jr.	Donald P. Bellisario	Lee Harvey Oswald March 21, 1963 / Dallas, Texas October 5–7, 1957 Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan / January 6, 1959 Tustin, California	September 22, 1992 (1992-09-22)	68102A	16.6 [3]
Sam leaps into various points, over a six year period, in the life of Lee Harvey Oswald (Willie Garson) in an effort to seemingly prevent him from killing President John F. Kennedy or find the truth about the events that day. However, the objective is made more complex by the fact that their minds are merging. Sam starts to believe he is Oswald. During his leaps whenever Oswald's mind is ascendant, he lashes out at wife Marina Oswald (Natasha Pavlovich), girlfriend Mariska (Donna Magnani) and his training leader, Sgt. Lopez (Reni Santoni). He then attempts to defect to Russia and divulge classified US military information. Note: Originally shown as a two-hour episode. Series creator Donald P. Bellisario, who actually met the real Oswald in 1959 when they both served in the Marine Corps, wrote this episode as a rebuttal to the 1991 film JFK , and believed that there was no assassination conspiracy and that Oswald was perfectly capable of acting alone in killing Kennedy. [4]
77	2	"Lee Harvey Oswald (Part 2) – Leap to Judgement"	James Whitmore Jr.	Donald P. Bellisario	Lee Harvey Oswald October 21, 1959 Lubyanka in Moscow, USSR / April 10, 1963 Dallas, Texas / August 9, 1963 New Orleans, Louisiana / November 21–22, 1963 Dallas, Texas	September 22, 1992 (1992-09-22)	68102B	16.6 [3]
After Sam is forced to attempt suicide to maintain history, Ziggy tries a procedure that unintentionally makes Oswald's personality harder for Sam to control. Fleeing home after the General Walker assassination attempt, and handing out "Hands off Cuba" Pamphlets, and the date of Dallas is getting nearer. Is Sam supposed to save the President, as Sam believes, or unearth the multiplicity of conspiracies that Al espouses? Oswald is revealed to be the lone assassin of JFK, with Al speculating that people found all the conspiracies easier than believing that one man could kill the President that easily. Sam makes a final leap into U.S. Secret Service agent Clint Hill, who climbed on the back of the President's limousine during the assassination. Al reveals that Sam has succeeded in his actual mission: saving the life of Jackie Kennedy (Karen Ingram), who was killed along with JFK in the original timeline of the show's universe.
78	3	"Leaping of the Shrew"	Alan J. Levi	Robin Jill Bernheim & Richard C. Okie	Nikos Stathatos September 27, 1956 Aegean Sea	September 29, 1992 (1992-09-29)	68104	15.9 [5]
Sam finds his patience tested when he leaps into Nikos Stathatos (Socrates Alafouzos) in a lifeboat with a bratty, self-obsessed heiress Vanessa Foster (Brooke Shields) and end up stuck on an island from which they will not be rescued for nine years. Note: The episode refers to Swept Away (1974). Brooke Shields also starred in the somewhat similar The Blue Lagoon (1980).
79	4	"Nowhere to Run"	Alan J. Levi	Tommy Thompson	Ronald Miller August 10, 1968 San Diego, California	October 6, 1992 (1992-10-06)	68103	14.3 [6]
Sam leaps into Ronald Miller (Michael Carpenter), a legless Vietnam vet in a veterans' hospital who must save the life of Billy Johnson (Michael Boatman), his quadriplegic roommate, while still keeping his host's wife, Julie (Judith Hoag), from leaving him so that his eldest son can save a tank troop in the Gulf War. All the while, Sam is touched by the kindness and sadness of Kiki (Jennifer Aniston), a hospital volunteer whose brother is missing in action. Note: Guest star Michael Boatman coincidentally played a doctor called Sam Beckett for four seasons (1988–1991) in China Beach .
80	5	"Killin' Time"	Michael Watkins	Tommy Thompson	Leon Stiles June 18, 1958 Pine County, Oklahoma	October 20, 1992 (1992-10-20)	68106	14.6 [7]
Sam leaps into Leon Stiles (Cameron Dye), a dangerous criminal who has taken Carol Pruitt (Connie Ray) and her young daughter, Becky (Beverley Mitchell), hostage. Meanwhile, Al must find the homicidal Stiles, who has escaped from the project waiting room, leaving Gooshie to act as a temporary Observer. Note: This episode provides a rare glimpse of the present world outside Project Quantum Leap.
81	6	"Star Light, Star Bright"	Christopher Hibler	Richard C. Okie	Maxwell Stoddard May 21, 1966 Charlemont, Massachusetts	October 27, 1992 (1992-10-27)	68101	11.5 [8]
Sam is Maxwell Stoddard (Douglas Stark), an eccentric grandfather living with his son, John (Guy Boyd), and his family. He must prevent his teenage grandson, Tim (Morgan Weisser), from running away and getting caught up in the drug culture while also preventing the grandfather from being sent to a mental institution for his wild stories about UFOs. His host is being tracked by Dr. Hardy (H. Richard Greene) and Major Meadows (Michael Maguire), from Project Blue Book, culminating with their own UFO experience.
82	7	"Deliver Us From Evil"	Bob Hulme	Deborah Pratt, Robin Jill Bernheim & Tommy Thompson	Jimmy LaMotta March 19, 1966 Oakland, California	November 10, 1992 (1992-11-10)	68109	13.9 [9]
Sam leaps back into Jimmy LaMotta (Brad Silverman), but is perplexed when he finds that the happy future he supposedly ensured in his previous leap is not taking place, and the marriage of his brother and sister-in-law, Frank (John D'Aquino) and Connie (Laura Harrington), is falling apart. Shortly thereafter, Sam finds something he never expected. A female quantum leaper named Alia (Renée Coleman), aided by observer Zoey (Carolyn Seymour), is apparently there to "put wrong what once went right". Note: Frank, rather than Sam, utters Sam's usual arrival exclamation of "Oh, boy!".
83	8	"Trilogy: Part I (One Little Heart)"	James Whitmore Jr.	Deborah Pratt	Clayton Fuller August 8, 1955 Pottersville, Louisiana	November 17, 1992 (1992-11-17)	68105	12.8 [10]
Sam leaps into a small Louisiana town as a sheriff named Clayton Fuller (James Whitmore Jr.) who's also the father of 10 year old Abigail Fuller (Kimberly Cullum), a girl accused by local townswoman Leta Aider (Mary Gordon Murray) of killing her husband and daughter, even though the daughter was never found and the town doctor (Max Wright) confirms the husband had a heart attack. Leta believes Abigail to be cursed, as mother Laura Fuller (Meg Foster) is in an asylum, with Abigail cared for by Fuller family housekeeper Marie (Fran Bennett). Deputy sheriff Bo (Stephen Lee) and the doctor's son, Will (Travis Fine), both help protect Abigail from Leta's attacks, though Sam must save his host and Abagail from dying in a house fire. Note: Whitmore Jr., who does double duty as Sam's host and the episode's director, also appeared in and directed season three episode "8½ Months". For the only time, this episode's leap date is the same as a previous episode, season one's "The Color Of Truth".
84	9	"Trilogy: Part II (For Your Love)"	James Whitmore Jr.	Deborah Pratt	Will Kinman June 14, 1966 Pottersville, Louisiana	November 24, 1992 (1992-11-24)	68112	13.6 [11]
Sam again leaps into the life of now adult Abigail Fuller (Melora Hardin), this time as her soon-to-be husband, Will (Travis Fine). Will is now the town's deputy sheriff, under Bo (Stephen Lee), who became sheriff after Leta Aider (Mary Gordon Murray) started the fire that killed Sam's previous host, Clayton Fuller. Sam begins to fall for Abigail himself, and spends a night with her before the wedding. to the chagrin of former housekeeper Marie (Fran Bennett), who raised Abigail after Clayton died. Sam must save Abigail from being killed by a lynch mob led by Leta, who convinces the Takins (Wendy Robie and Christopher Curry) that their runaway child was killed by Abigail. When Sam visits Abigail's mother Laura (Meg Foster) at the asylum, she recognizes him from his visit, then as Clayton, 11 years earlier.
85	10	"Trilogy: Part III (The Last Door)"	James Whitmore Jr.	Deborah Pratt	Larry Stanton III July 28, 1978 Baton Rouge, Louisiana	November 24, 1992 (1992-11-24)	68113	13.6 [11]
Sam leaps into Larry Stanton III (W.K. Stratton), a lawyer hired by Marie (Fran Bennett) to defend Abigail (Melora Hardin), on trial for the murder of Leta Aider, the woman who got away with killing Abigail's father (Sam's then host) after she accused Abigail of killing her husband and daughter twenty-three years earlier. Abigail's marriage to Will never took place, though she has a daughter, Samantha Jo Fuller (Kimberly Cullum, who played young Abigail in Part I), from the night with Sam, as Will, 11 years earlier. When Sam visits Abigail's mother Laura (Meg Foster) at the asylum, she again recognizes him from his two previous visits, as two other hosts. Secrets are revealed, the family history comes unraveled, and surprises are in store for Sam as he discovers the heritage behind Samantha Jo. Note: Parley Baer, who played a doctor in the season three episode "8½ Months", guest stars as the judge.
86	11	"Promised Land"	Scott Bakula	Gillian Horvath & Tommy Thompson	Willie Walters December 22, 1971 Elk Ridge, Indiana	December 15, 1992 (1992-12-15)	68110	11.5 [12]
Sam leaps into his hometown as Willie Walters (Daniel Engstrom), one of three brothers who are robbing the town bank in order to pay off a loan. Sam must uncover the reason the bank lent money to these farmers who could not possibly pay it back, while trying to prevent the brothers from being killed when they try to escape. Note: Scott Bakula plays a dual role in this episode, also appearing as Sam's father, John Beckett. This was the third and final episode of QL directed by Scott Bakula himself.
87	12	"A Tale of Two Sweeties"	Christopher Hibler	Robin Jill Bernheim	Marty Elroy February 25, 1958 Pompano Beach Airpark, Florida	January 5, 1993 (1993-01-05)	68118	9.8 [13]
Sam leaps into travelling salesman Marty Elroy, a bigamist who is unexpectedly greeted at the Miami airport by both of his unsuspecting wives, Rachel and Ellen, and their respective children--two each. Ziggy believes Sam is supposed to choose one wife for Marty to spend his life with, but only provides a 50% chance of picking the right family. Al advises Sam to decide after spending time with both women. Marty is also a degenerate gambler, owing $2000 to an emotionally complex bookie, Vic. Sam juggles Marty's wives and evades Vic for several days, eventually voiding his debt with a successful longshot bet, while Al prevents Marty and Rachel's daughter Jessica, who is young enough to see him, from running away. Sam confesses Marty's bigamy to Rachel and Ellen, who leave him and bond with each other over Marty's faults. History changes; both women have happier lives without Marty, and Marty himself lives a more respectable life thereafter. Just before Sam leaps out, Marty is greeted by yet a third wife and their son and daughter.
88	13	"Liberation"	Bob Hulme	Chris Abbott & Deborah Pratt	Margaret Sanders October 16, 1968 Connecticut	January 12, 1993 (1993-01-12)	68108	10.3 [14]
Sam leaps into Margaret Sanders, a housewife who must convince husband George (Max Gail) that their family can survive and even thrive with feminism. He must also persuade daughter Suzanne (Megyn Price) to choose a nonviolent, different from movement leader Diana St. Cloud (Deborah Van Valkenburgh), to achieve advances for women. Sam also persuades a woman working in George's firm to be more assertive about her ideas for the company, earning a promotion and full compensation.
89	14	"Dr. Ruth"	Stuart Margolin	Robin Jill Bernheim	Ruth Westheimer April 25, 1985 Manhattan, New York	January 19, 1993 (1993-01-19)	68114	10.7 [15]
Sam leaps into the famous sex doctor Ruth Westheimer (played by herself), in the middle of her radio call-in show. Sam must help Annie (Robyn Lively), one of her callers, stand up to the sexual harassment of her boss, Jonathan (James McDonnell). The situation escalates, with Sam having to stop Jonathan from raping Annie. Sam also carries out his original mission, getting Dr. Ruth's radio coworkers, Doug (Peter Spears) and Debbie (Anita Barone), into a lasting relationship. Back in the PQL's waiting room, Dr. Ruth helps Al deal with his fear of abandonment (raised in an orphanage, divorced by Beth) and his inability to tell Tina that he loves her. Note: This episode marks the only time that Sam leaps into two women in a row and the only time the Leapee is seen being replaced in the waiting room at the conclusion of the episode.
90	15	"Blood Moon"	Alan J. Levi	Tommy Thompson	Lord Nigel Corrington March 10, 1975 Outside of London, England	February 9, 1993 (1993-02-09)	68117	10.8 [16]
Sam leaps into an eccentric artist named Lord Nigel Corrington who lives a strange, Gothic lifestyle. He must deal with Al's conviction that Sam's host is a hundreds-year-old vampire, while trying to keep Corrington's potentially walking dead acolytes, Victor (Ian Buchanan) and Claudia (Deborah Moore), from killing his host's new wife, Alexandra (Shae D'lyn), as a blood sacrifice. Note: In keeping with the possibility that his host is a vampire, who does not have a reflection (the usual way that the host is shown during an episode), actor Robert MacKenzie does not appear onscreen as Sam's host, Corrington. MacKenzie did appear, in the PQL waiting room, at the end of the previous episode.
91	16	"Return of the Evil Leaper"	Harvey Laidman	Richard C. Okie	Arnold Watkins October 8, 1956 North Falls, New York	February 23, 1993 (1993-02-23)	68124	11.5 [17]
As nerdy college kid Arnold Watkins (Tristan Tait), who dresses up as a superhero, Sam must stop Mike Hammond (Neil Patrick Harris) from operating dangerous chicken races as part of his fraternity's initiation ritual. In the PQL waiting room, Al must convince Sam's host to give up his dangerous lifestyle and help him deal with witnessing the murder of his parents. However, the sudden return of Evil Leaper Alia (Renée Coleman), and her observer Zoey (Carolyn Seymour), makes the task significantly harder. Note: Because of his character's ongoing interaction with Al in the PQL waiting room, as compared to the brief appearance of hosts in most episodes, actor Tristan Tait is credited as a guest star in the opening credits.
92	17	"Revenge of the Evil Leaper"	Debbie Allen	Deborah Pratt	Elizabeth Tate September 16, 1987 Mallard, Ohio	February 23, 1993 (1993-02-23)	68125	11.5 [17]
Leaping into Elizabeth Tate (Cynthia Steele) in a women's prison, accompanied by former Evil Leaper Alia (Renée Coleman), who has leapt into fellow inmate Angel Jensen. With Alia having been extracted from the evil project, former observer Zoey (Carolyn Seymour), who is the new Evil Leaper, accompanied by new observer Thames (Hinton Battle), leaps into the prison's warden (Sam Scarber), as Alia had been traced there before contact was lost. Sam must help Alia escape all contact with the evil project, while keeping his host from being falsely executed for the murder of a fellow inmate. With help from honest guard Vivian (Barbara Montgomery), to whom Sam reveals the truth of his and Alia's situation, Alia is able to escape for good. Note: Set in 1987, this is the most advanced date of any leap shown during the series. This episode was directed by actress Debbie Allen, who earlier directed and guest-starred as Joanna Chapman in the 3rd-season episode "Private Dancer".
93	18	"Goodbye Norma Jean"	Christopher Hibler	Richard C. Okie	Dennis Boardman April 4, 1960 Hollywood, California	March 2, 1993 (1993-03-02)	68115	13.1 [18]
Sam is Dennis Boardman (Stephen Bowers), the chauffeur of Marilyn Monroe (Susan Griffiths) and must help the unhappy star stay alive to make one final movie. Things are complicated when new live-in assistant, Barbara Whitmore (Liz Vassey), uses Marilyn to further her own acting career, by trying to steal her final role.
94	19	"The Beast Within"	Gus Trikonis	John D'Aquino	Henry Adams November 6, 1972 Washington state	March 16, 1993 (1993-03-16)	68122	10.0 [19]
Sam is Henry Adams (Mike Jolly), a Vietnam War veteran living in the forest with Roy (Sean Sullivan), an epileptic fellow veteran who will die unless he gets his medicine. However, he is opposed in this task by Luke (Pat Skipper), the local sheriff, who served in the same unit and doesn't want to face his past. Luke is married to Karen (Eileen Seeley), war widow of the fourth member of the onetime high school friends. Sam's efforts are complicated when Karen's adolescent son, Daniel (David Tom), heads into the woods in an effort to prove that Bigfoot really exists.
95	20	"The Leap Between The States"	David Hemmings	Richard C. Okie	John Beckett September 20, 1862 Mansfield County, Virginia	March 30, 1993 (1993-03-30)	68121	11.8 [20]
Breaking all the rules of Quantum Leaping, Sam leaps along his genetic line and finds himself in the American Civil War as his great-grandfather, Union Army Captain John Beckett (Rob Hyland). Sam must win the heart of his great-grandmother, southerner Olivia Barrett Covington (Kate McNeil), or he may be erased from existence. Sam must also help Olivia and her slave, Isaac (Michael D. Roberts), as they hide the stop they are operating on the Underground Railroad from Confederate Lieutenant Montgomery (Geoffrey Lower). Sam's success, on all fronts, leads Olivia and Isaac to abandon her plantation, with Isaac proudly declaring that he is adopting the surname King, which Ziggy reveals makes him Martin Luther King Jr.'s great-grandfather. [21]
96	21	"Memphis Melody"	James Whitmore Jr.	Robin Jill Bernheim	Elvis Presley July 3, 1954 Memphis, Tennessee	April 20, 1993 (1993-04-20)	68123	10.1 [22]
As Elvis Presley (played by Michael St. Gerard), Sam must help a struggling female musician named Sue Anne Winters (played by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn), but at the same time must ensure that he does not prevent the king of rock 'n' roll from being discovered. Guest star: Gregory Itzin This episode contains Quantum Leap's final "Kiss With History", the series's famous running gag. Just before Sam takes the talent show stage, the act before him is a seven-year-old kid with sunglasses and a saxophone, who's introduced as "Little Billy C, all the way from Hope, Arkansas!", implying that the kid is then-new president Bill Clinton.
97	22	"Mirror Image"	James Whitmore Jr.	Donald P. Bellisario	Himself August 8, 1953 Cokeburg, Pennsylvania / April 3, 1969 San Diego, California	May 5, 1993 (1993-05-05)	68126	20.6 [23]
In the series finale, Sam arrives at a mining town as himself on the date and exact hour he was born. Patrons of the town bar look familiar from past leaps, but with different names, while one (W. Morgan Sheppard) even has the same name and bad breath as Gooshie –but has a reflection revealing to Sam that he is also a leaper. Al the bartender (Bruce McGill) takes everything in his stride, even when Stawpah (Stephen McHattie), who helps Sam save two miners, leaps out without leaving a host behind, and is only remembered by him and Sam. Sam theorizes that the bartender might be God. Al the bartender denies being God, then tells Sam that he controls his own leaps and could return home whenever he wants. Al Calavicci eventually locates Sam, but is unable to shed any light on the situation. He does, however, confirm that Stawpah is a figure from his own past. As much as he wants to go home, Sam decides to revisit Al's wife, Beth (Susan Diol), and tell her that Al is still alive. Al and his wife remain together and have four daughters, while Sam never returns home. Guest stars: In addition to McGill, who appeared in the pilot episode, other returning actors include J.D. Daniels and Michael Bellisario ("A Tale of Two Sweeties"), John D'Aquino and Brad Silverman ("Jimmy"), Richard Herd ("Future Boy"), Dan Butler ("Southern Comforts"), and Mike Genovese ("Double Identity").

References

1. "Primetime Emmy Awards | 1993 Awards". Internet Movie Database . Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (and) Outstanding Individual Achievement in Editing for a Series - Single Camera Production. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
2. "QUANTUM LEAP | Awards & Nominations". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved March 14, 2022.
3. Gable, Donna (September 30, 1992). "'Murphy' wave carries CBS". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
4. Weinstein, Steve (September 22, 1992). "'Quantum' Leaps Into the J.F.K. Assassination : Television: On the season premiere tonight, Sam jumps into a script supporting the lone gunman theory" . Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on February 10, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
5. Gable, Donna (October 7, 1992). "Monday lineup bolsters No. 1 CBS". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
6. Donlon, Brian (October 14, 1992). "Rankings omit Perot' paid ad". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
7. Gable, Donna (October 28, 1992). "Baseball cleans up for CBS". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
8. Gable, Donna (November 4, 1992). "Politics, Halloween scare up an ABC win". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
9. Gable, Donna (November 18, 1992). "'Jacksons,' solid gold for ABC". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
10. Gable, Donna (November 25, 1992). "Jacksons help as-easy-as-ABC win". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
11. Gable, Donna (December 2, 1992). "'Weapon 2' serves CBS well". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
12. Donlon, Brian (December 23, 1992). "Early Christmas gift for CBS". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
13. "Women help push CBS to victory". Life. USA Today . January 13, 1993. p. 3D.
14. Donlon, Brian (January 20, 1993). "ABC gets a Thursday night boost". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
15. Gable, Donna (January 27, 1993). "Inaugural gala helps carry CBS to top". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
16. Gable, Donna (February 17, 1993). "King of Pop and 'Queen' rule the ratings". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
17. Gable, Donna (March 3, 1993). "Grammy show a winner for CBS". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
18. Gable, Donna (March 10, 1993). "CBS holds steady at No. 1". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
19. Gable, Donna (March 24, 1993). "Waco standoff lifts CBS' '48 Hours'". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
20. Gable, Donna (April 7, 1993). "An Oscar to ABC for week's best ratings". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
21. Martin Luther King Jr.’s real patrilineal great-grandfather was a white Irish-American named Nathan King.
22. Donlon, Brian (April 28, 1993). "'Walker' kicks in for CBS". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
23. Donlon, Brian (May 12, 1993). "Sturdy 'Home' helps lift ABC". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.