"The Americanization of Machiko"

Leap Date:

August 4, 1953

Episode Adopted By: MikeKraken

Synopsis:

Oh my God...I'm Popeye! Well, close. Sam's a returning son from the Navy who has been stationed in Japan for 2 years. His parents and old girlfriend know he has brought a surprise with him.

Then the surprise shows up: he is now married to a Japanese woman named Machiko.

In the original history, his parents never accepted Machiko and it doomed their lives. Can he change the prejudices of his family and that of another angry member of the community who threatens Machiko's life?

Audio from this episode

Place
Leap Date
Project Date
Name of the Person Leaped Into
Songs
Music Artists
Project Trivia
Sam Trivia
Al Trivia
Al's Women
Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode
Miscellaneous Trivia
Kiss with History
Writers
Director
Producers
Crew
Broadcast Date
Guest Stars
Guest Cast Notes
Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes
Cast members who have passed away
Personal Review
Best Lines
Best Scenes
Say what? (things in the episode that make no sense)
Quotable Quotes
Awards

"The Americanization of Machiko" - August 4, 1953
Maxell GX-Silver (Green 3A) - 4:05:xx [Theme 2A]

Sam leaps into Charlie Mackenzie, a navy officer who has just returned home from his service in Japan. However, the biggest surprise is that he brought home a wife as well: Machiko. The only problem is Charlie's family and friends won't accept Machiko into the family.

::Place::
Oak Creek, Ohio, USA

::Name of the Person Leaped Into::
Charles Lee Mackenzie, aviation machinist, made second class, U.S. Navy

::Songs/Music::
Just regular background music in this episode (by Mike Post).

::Project Trivia::
Handlink: second version (thin with small indent)

::Sam Trivia::
We find out that Sam knows Japanese, one of his seven modern languages, when he speaks it with Machiko (which Mrs. Mackenzie calls "jibberish"). Al tells Sam that he speaks "seven modern languages, and four dead ones". Also, Sam has leaped in four days before he was born.

::Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode::
»First appearance: Black suite with cuffs rolled up on the coat; purple and yellow tie; ring on right ring finger; silver medallion pinned over left breast; watch with black leather band and white face. (no Imaging Chamber Door to appear or leave)
»Second appearance: Red dress shirt and pants; suspenders covered with buttons; ring; lit cigar. (no ICD again)
»Third appearance: Black vest; black string-tie; white dress shirt; black pants; black belt with small, silver buckle; ring; same watch; lit cigar (puffs it once). (no ICD again)
»Fourth appearance: Same clothes as before, but this time no cigar.
»Fifth appearance: Black tuxedo, no cigar

::Writers::
Charlie Coffey

::Director::
Gilbert Shilton

::Producers::
Harker Wade, Deborah Pratt, Paul M. Belous, and Robert Wolterstorff

::Broadcast Date::
October 11, 1989.

::Regular Cast::
Scott Bakula as Sam Beckett
Dean Stockwell as Al Calavicci

::Guest Stars::
K Callan - Lenore Mackenzie
Wayne Tippit - Mr. Mackenzie
Leila Hee Olsen - Machiko Mackenzie
Elena Stiteler - Naomi
Patrick Massett - Rusty
:with:
Chuck Walling - Reverend Felcher
Marjorie Stapp - Betty Felcher
Clive Rosengren - George O'Bannon
Pat Ast - Delores
Cary Pitts - Deputy Herman
Keith R. Mills - Lionel/Mayor
James Oden Hatch - Eugene
Bill Arnold - Charlie

::Guest Cast Notes (interesting things you've discovered about those who appeared in the episode)::
K Callan later stars in "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1993-1997) as Martha Kent (Superman's mother).

Leila Hee Olsen guest starred in an episode of "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" in episode 2.11 (January 8, 1995).

Keith R. Mills played the recurring character of Judge Walter Green in "L.A. Law" (1986-1994) from 1987 to 1993.

Wayne Tippit and Bill Arnold are not in the IMDb.

::Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes::
Patrick Massett (Rusty) plays Ralph Beaumont in "A Single Drop of Rain".

::Cast members who have passed away (as of the date the synopsis was written)::
Pat Ast died on October 3, 2001 (18 days before her 60th birthday)

::Personal Review::
One of many of "Quantum Leap" episodes that deals with racism, though this one is more on the light-hearted side at times such as Machiko's understandable mistakes. However, the scenes with Rusty are usually quite dark, as he hates all Japanese because of his injuries (lost arm) during the war that prevented him from playing in major-league baseball. The fight in Rutsy's garage is very tense! All in all, it is an excellent episode, and exposes many of the prejudices held by many people of the time.

::Best Line::
Sam's thoughts: "Americanizing Machiko seemed like the best way to help Lenore accept her, but she had an inner beauty, uniquely Japanese, that I hoped she would never have to lose in order to blend in with all the other daisies." (overvoice)

::Best Scene::
During Al's second appearance when Sam and Naomi are "rolling in the hay", and Machiko discovers them while she's topless after running in front of the minister's car.

::Worst thing about the episode::
Al never uses the Imaging Chamber Door!

::Quotable Quotes::
»Machiko: "I think all men in Japan must be retired."

»Sam: "I could use a couple new shirts... um, you wanna drive into town?"
Machiko: "You teach me to drive a car? Charlie-san! Yes, please!"

»Machiko: "Good brakes, nay?"
Sam: "Must be made in Japan."

»Sam: "Is - is that an old Japanese custom?"
Machiko: "No, I shake bugs off."

»Al: "Tell her to put an egg in her shoe and beat it."

»Al: "The only thing that'd shock her would be a cattle-prod."

»Machiko: "Congratulations on your prosperity. You and your wife are very, very fat."

»Al: "You know, I just love weddings... maybe it's because I've done it..." *counts on fingers* "five times."
Sam: "Al, I'm sweating here."
Al: "You didn't the first time."
Sam: "I'm married?"
Al: "Just kidding."



Music by - Mike Post
Supervising Producers - Deborah Pratt, Paul M. Belous, and Robert Wolterstorff
Co-Producers - Paul Brown, Jeff Gourson, Chris Ruppenthal
Produced by - Harker Wade
Written by - Charlie Coffey
Directed by - Gilbert Shilton

(flashing credits)
Associate Producer - David Bellisario
Director of Photography - Michael Watkins
Production Designer - Cameron Birnie
Edited by - Kenneth Dennis

Unit Production Manager - Ron Grow
First Assistant Director - Paul Sirmons
Second Assistant Director - Rob Mendel

Casting by - Ellen Lubin Sanitsky
Set Decorator - Robert L. Zilliox

Costume Designer - Jean-Pierre Dorleac
Costume Supervisors - David Rawley, Donna Roberts-Orme

Sound Mixer - Mark Hopkins McNabb
Stunt Co-ordinator - Diamond Farnsworth
Panaflex® Camera and Lenses by PANAVISION®

Supervising Sound Editor - Paul Clay
Music Editor - Tom Gleason

This motion picture is protected under laws of the United States and other countries. Unauthorized duplication, distribution, or exhibition may result in in civil liability and criminal prosocution

Copyright © 1989 by Universal City Studios, Inc. All rights reserved.

Country of first publication: United States of Amercia. Univeral City Studios, Inc. is the author of this motion picture for purposes of the Berne Convention and all national laws giving effect thereto.

The charcters and events depicted in this photoplay are fictitious, and any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.