312 8-1/2 Months

[alsplacebartender]

8-1/2 Months
November 15, 1955

Claremore, Oklahoma


Being strapped in stirrups is something Sam has done many times. But the kind of stirrups he is in this time are not what he had in mind! As a very pregnant teenage girl, Sam has to find a way for Billy Jean (his host) to keep her baby instead of giving it up for adoption as in the original history. To make matters worse, Sam begins to have hot flashes, cravings, and finally...contractions.


Written by: Deborah Pratt
Directed by: James Whitmore, Jr.


Rate and comment on this episode!

[Vince Beckett]

Wonderful episode. Sam actually goes through the pregnacy and it makes you wonder if it's actually his body leaping.

[Sam Beckett Fan]

one word on this episode:
HALARIOUS! :ROTFL

in fact i had a dream not to long ago that Sam COULD'NT leap until he had the baby, like i think what happened is that there was the real scene where the doctor said his line
"i see a head of curls trying to come out little lady, push!"
and Sam pushed and then leaped, but strangely enough he leaped right back becasue he had to have the baby and i remember the second time he had to push he wiggled around uncomfortably. lol poor Sam.

and then it changed and i was the one having the baby and Sam was there holding my hand and saying "its going to be ok".
and then i saw the baby, it was a girl, and i held her, and Sam said something and she began to cry, not becasue of Sam of course but you get it.

hehe it was a cute dream.

[Samantha Beckett]

Definitely my favorite of the Sam leaping into women eps! The entire Jello and onions scene is hysterical. "Al, read my lips...I'm pregnant!" And he's so happy and giddy about it, its too great!

Samantha Beckett

[LadyKayoss]

This episode cracks me up. His expressions during the whole experience are perfect. I love the look of horror on Sam's face when he first sees the stirrups, and that expression of fear when he tells Al he can't have a baby and they both laugh, and then Al gives him a worried look which makes Sam stop laughing and start panicking. It's just too funny...

[TessCrazy]

i jus saw this epi for the second time round and id totaly forgot how funny it was! al is jus determined its not possible and sams jus like "naaaaaa" hehehe, funny as fffff..... fish

[bluedana]

One line that I use all the time, even though I don't have an Oklahoma accent, is when Effie says: "Ah cain't help you!"

and my other favorite is Keeter's line: "What the hell happened to her head?"

This episode was one of the inspirations for TVS episode, "Throwaway Girl."

[isz]

I really enjoyed this episode from all the reason that were mentioned before me. Brilliant and halarious idea by Deborah pratt - leaping Sam into a pregnant woman(Girl, to be exact). One of my top 10 of the series. And one of the top 3 Deborah wrote for the show.

[Bexter]

I also loved this episode, I remember at one point thinking, how could scott act it so well, how could he do it and not think "oh this is just ridiculous" but if he did think that, you couldn't tell. I would just be saying 'Nuh! Sorry, I will not go that far' Thats why he's an actor and I'm not. Over the top stereotypes do annoy me a little bit for some reason, I must admit when the was eating the jelly and onions I sat there and went "Oh pleeeeeaaase" besides when I was pregnant I would have eaten the jelly with tuna, not onions - who in their right mind would crave ONIONS!!!

[Sherdran]

8 1/2 Months is my Number 1 favorite episode. I absolutely crack up every time I watch it.

Eleiece

[leaper1]

Originally Posted by Bexter

who in their right mind would crave ONIONS!!!

Not sure I can claim to be in my right mind, but "guilty" as charged on the onions! And raw carrots. And banana milkshake.

[Bexter]

Originally Posted by leaper1

Not sure I can claim to be in my right mind, but "guilty" as charged on the onions! And raw carrots. And banana milkshake.

Hey, at least you didn't crave clay!! - I promise you I didn't eat clay, BUT, I was listening to the radio when I was pregnant and they were talking about weird cravings, one lady rang up and said that she craved clay and was known to fossick around the building site her husband was working on and munch on a few of the broken roof tiles. I distinctly remember thinking - So!! and my mouth was just watering thinking about it, I got home and had to stare longingly at a small terracotta pot on my window sill for the rest of my pregnancy. Now that is just INSANE. The terracotta pot is still alive, although living in dread of me falling pregnant again - as am I actually.

I suspect a mineral deficiency is responsible for clay cravings, as deficiencies are responsible for most pregnancy cravings, however the deficiency and the food craved don't necessarily go together. Women who crave ice are usually iron deficient. Wierd!

[Sam's Crow]

This episode was pretty strange. Sam actually gave birth (or started giving birth), as the head of the baby was coming out as he leaped. So really, Sam was the first male human to give birth.

[Errowyn]

It was a rather funny episode.

So Sam--not Trip--was the first man to become pregnant!

Trip became pregnant in the Star Trek Enterprise episode "Unexpected."

[ohboy]

Sam, therefore, is probably the only man who can say he knows what childbearing is like, I'm sure. I thought that this was a very funny episode, but is was frusterating to see everyone go against him like that.

Oh, and I'm not counting that guy in Hawaii (I think) who had the child. He became pregnant as a woman, so in my book, he was still a woman who had the child.

... I hope I never have to say that last sentence again.

[MichelleD]

Scott and Dean are absolute riots in this episode. Sam's reaction to finding out who he's leapt into...The cravings, the baby kicking, the mood swings, fatigue and nausea...Priceless. It takes talent to pull something like this off without having it become totally ridiculous, but they did and it was very funny. Billie and her father reconciling was a nice touch too.

[Lightning McQueenie]

"The illusion of the physical aura", what a statement to make, and how many problems does it cause...

Sam's body is in 1955, Billy-Jean's is in the 1990's. It was believed that the baby had to leap into the future along with Billy-Jean.

Spoiler Alert! (highlight to read)

---

Although we know now this is not the case

---

With the baby in the future, if Billy-Jean went into labour in the Waiting Room, who would be able to deliver the baby? Everyone would be seeing Billy-Jean as Sam, and so without being able to see a vagina, how could they guide the baby? I suppose Al could have, but he was stuck with Sam trying to figure out how he could leap out, or Billy-Jean could have given birth herself without any help, but that could have been extremely dangerous...

Another thing,

Spoiler Alert! (highlight to read)

---

Since we now know that the baby stayed in 1955 in Sam, how is it possible that the baby could survive without being in a womb?

---

Finally, the doctor in 1955 said that he could see the head crowning... How was it possible for Sam to start giving birth without having a vagina?

[Sam Beckett Fan]

I have heard the story of how Black on White on Fire was hated on for it's mixed relationship theme but if any episode makes sense to receive hate for a negative portrayal I'd say it's this one.
Thinking more about the task while watching today, my best friend and I were bothered by the theme of the episode supporting Billy Jean keeping the child. True, regrets are common with adoption and it's sad. It's no crime that Sam feels for the adult Billy Jean who yearns for her daughter and obviously he made it work in an acceptable way but regrets don't mean the right choice wasn't made. It was irresponsible and unfair to both parties to allow a 16 year old the care of a child, to sacrifice her life for that responsibility.

Lightning McQueenie I am sorry but you are incorrect. It's directly referenced that the baby had leaped with Billy Jean when Al at the end announces that it disappeared from her womb. This brings me to my next point, how that statement makes no sense. A fetus is attached to the mother's womb via an umbilical cord, how could that connection have been broken for a disappearing act without the detaching process during birthing? Then where could it have settled during those few moments after it disappeared before Sam leaped out? Obviously he is not equipped to carry it.

Another thing that got us thinking was Sam's comment to Al about asking the future, adult Billy Jean what she would have wanted done. Obviously he was speaking out of frustration but we don't see why this couldn't have actually been possible and with Sam seemingly out of options, worth a try. Our idea was that Ziggy could find her current phone number and then they would have Beeks pretend to be conducting a phone survey concerning mothers who gave their children up for adoption and what different option they would have preferred if they could redo it. The only thing being that by that point there probably wasn't time for it.

Originally Posted by Lightning McQueenie

Finally, the doctor in 1955 said that he could see the head crowning... How was it possible for Sam to start giving birth without having a vagina?

This is the one thing which is possible through the aura that everyone around Sam sees which in this case would include the baby due to it's connection to Billy Jean's body. The Mind-Merging concept wasn't officially introduced until season 4 in the episode Dreams, the first time Sam ever channel's a leapee's mind but here we have the first hint to it with Sam's experiencing the pregnancy symptoms. For example when he felt the baby kick that was him channeling part of the leapee. This seems to be caused by the trauma of a situation, the stress carrying a baby puts on the body in this case, the same as how he ended up with Jack Stone's traumatic childhood memory in Dreams. At this point however the Mind-Melding concept had not occurred to anyone let alone Sam, not until the the simo-leap when he and Al swapped sexual mind sets. It took longer still for Al to buy into it, he was writing it off when Sam pitched it in Dreams.

The theme and aura confusion aside this will always be pretty much the most humorous female leap. I remember one of the first times (if not THE first) I watched the pilot (which was not my first episode, Double Identity was) Peg had made me randomly ponder the prospect of Sam leaping into a pregnant woman. I however had written the thought off thinking that impossible and then I discover this episode! HA!
Sam's experience of the pregnancy was not only historical especially with the Jello and Onions and him showing as he's being wheeled into the delivery room "I'M HAVING THIS BABY" but was also very touching. The smile it puts on his face when he feels the baby kick and his excitement to share that with Al was adorable. Pity, he'd make a wonderful father. I could actually see him going around announcing to everyone he comes in contact with that he felt his baby move if he were ever to conceive with Donna.

Sam Beckett the only man to ever get the technically real entire pregnancy experience which I say makes the pregnancy vest totally invalid! LOL.
On the subject, this experience (which did include the pregnancy vest during prep) actually benefited Scott since his wife happened to be pregnant during this episode. How awesome is that?

[Lightning McQueenie]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

Lightning McQueenie I am sorry but you are incorrect. It's directly referenced that the baby had leaped with Billy Jean when Al at the end announces that it disappeared from her womb. This brings me to my next point, how that statement makes no sense. A fetus is attached to the mother's womb via an umbilical cord, how could that connection have been broken for a disappearing act without the detaching process during birthing? Then where could it have settled during those few moments after it disappeared before Sam leaped out? Obviously he is not equipped to carry it.

No I am not incorrect. While it is referenced that the baby had leapt with Billy-Jean, that's because they BELIEVED it to be impossible for a man to carry a baby and so would have had to stay inside the mother. But throughout the entire episode, Sam believed that the baby had not leapt out with Billy-Jean and instead was inside him. When Al said "the baby has disappeared from Billy-Jean's womb", this meant that now that both Sam and Billy-Jean were in labour, with Billy-Jean giving birth to nothing, that meant that Sam HAD been correct all along and that the baby had been inside him all that time.

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Originally Posted by Lightning McQueenie

No I am not incorrect. While it is referenced that the baby had leapt with Billy-Jean, that's because they BELIEVED it to be impossible for a man to carry a baby and so would have had to stay inside the mother. But throughout the entire episode, Sam believed that the baby had not leapt out with Billy-Jean and instead was inside him. When Al said "the baby has disappeared from Billy-Jean's womb", this meant that now that both Sam and Billy-Jean were in labour, with Billy-Jean giving birth to nothing, that meant that Sam HAD been correct all along and that the baby had been inside him all that time.

Nope, the baby can not disappear from Bill-Jean's womb if it was not there to begin with. As a part of her body at least until birth it staying behind when she leaped out would still make no sense if Sam were a woman. It however makes even less sense because he's not. It IS impossible for a man to carry a baby, there is no way it could have stayed with Sam unless he is a seahorse which he is not. He's a person.

[Lightning McQueenie]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

Nope, the baby can not disappear from Bill-Jean's womb if it was not there to begin with. As a part of her body at least until birth it staying behind when she leaped out would still make no sense if Sam were a woman. It however makes even less sense because he's not. It IS impossible for a man to carry a baby, there is no way it could have stayed with Sam unless he is a seahorse which he is not. He's a person.

You are forgetting that the people at PQL were ASSUMING that the baby had leapt with Billie-Jean. Al's statement "the baby has disappeared from Billie-Jean's womb" means that it APPEARED that the baby had disappeared because they had assumed it was there in the first place. The very next line Sam says is "I KNEW it was here with me!" to confirm his original suspicions.

And there might actually be an in-canon answer as to why the baby didn't leap out with Billie-Jean in the first place. If you think to the Lee Harvey Oswald episode, Sam says that one of the principles of Quantum Leaping is something along the lines of that only one person can inhabit an aura at one time. If the baby HAD leapt with Billie-Jean, then TWO people would be inhabiting Sam's aura in the waiting room, thereby disproving the principle. Even though the baby is a part of Billie-Jean's body, they have different DNA and essentially are different people, it makes sense that they can't both inhabit Sam's aura.

Logically speaking, the baby could not possibly have survived without a womb, but hey, it's TV, it doesn't COMPLETELY have to make sense :P

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Originally Posted by Lightning McQueenie

You are forgetting that the people at PQL were ASSUMING that the baby had leapt with Billie-Jean. Al's statement "the baby has disappeared from Billie-Jean's womb" means that it APPEARED that the baby had disappeared because they had assumed it was there in the first place. The very next line Sam says is "I KNEW it was here with me!" to confirm his original suspicions.

And there might actually be an in-canon answer as to why the baby didn't leap out with Billie-Jean in the first place. If you think to the Lee Harvey Oswald episode, Sam says that one of the principles of Quantum Leaping is something along the lines of that only one person can inhabit an aura at one time. If the baby HAD leapt with Billie-Jean, then TWO people would be inhabiting Sam's aura in the waiting room, thereby disproving the principle. Even though the baby is a part of Billie-Jean's body, they have different DNA and essentially are different people, it makes sense that they can't both inhabit Sam's aura.

Logically speaking, the baby could not possibly have survived without a womb, but hey, it's TV, it doesn't COMPLETELY have to make sense :P

I see the point you are making, that perhaps they were expecting to have Billy Jean give birth at the project but upon looking up there they found her empty. How can that make it certain however that she had been empty the entire time? Not that it makes any more sense for the baby to have leaped back first but as you said that's not so important. I admit a lot of the time I like to make sense out of these things a bit too much but you are right in this case. It doesn't have to. Also keep in mind that Sam's experience in this leap was kind of going to his head. Or so it seemed. He as well could have been assuming.

they have different DNA and essentially are different people, it makes sense that they can't both inhabit Sam's aura.

Actually the baby contains half of Billy-Jean's DNA.

[iMonrey]

Originally Posted by Bexter

I also loved this episode, I remember at one point thinking, how could scott act it so well, how could he do it and not think "oh this is just ridiculous" but if he did think that, you couldn't tell. I would just be saying 'Nuh! Sorry, I will not go that far' Thats why he's an actor and I'm not.

Once again, Bakula's acting is what makes this episode - for me, anyway. The scene between Sam and the adoption lady is really so poignant and moving it makes you forget just how absurd the whole situation is and that Sam isn't actually the mother to be! That's how good he is.

However, I have to agree with Sam Beckett Fan re: the choice to keep the baby. That's why I'd rate this as "good" rather than excellent. Even though Sam says he believes in adoption he feels the "right" choice here is for Billy Jean to keep her baby, and that just doesn't make a lot of practical sense to me. I understand it makes emotional sense, but realistically, both the teenage parents and the baby are probably better off with the adoption.

I was as confused as anyone else how Sam could have a baby, since that what seems to actually be happening in the closing scene. The baby has disappeared from PQL. If I had to rationalize this, my guess would be that the baby is born in PQL (and the umbilical cord is cut there), then disappears to 1955. During the actual birth the 1955 doctor can "see" it being born - to him, it's coming out in 1955, not in 1995, but because of the quantum leap trick he thinks he sees it, and then once it's out of the real Billie Jean, it's actually transferred to 1955. If that makes sense, LOL

[Lightning McQueenie]

I have a feeling that GFTW wouldn't put Sam in the situation where he has to have Billie-Jean keep the baby if the baby wasn't going to be better off as well. Maybe in the original history the baby was abused by the adoptive parents or something?

[Donofrio_QLTD]

Again, I'm on a vast minority here, but this episode wasn't my cup of tea at all. First of all, I thought the acting was very bad from everyone except from Scott and Dean and the guy who played the boy who got Billy-Jean pregnant. Even Billy-Jean in the mirror's acting was very bad. Second thing: The screenplay itself. It was very light-hearted about a subject that was not supposed to be that way and it had a lot of intended funny moments which, for the most part, I found quite gross instead of funny. Third: All the characters were very one-dimensional and cliched and didn't like anyone at all. I couldn't relate to any of them. They're the classic stereotypes of dumb country people (even some of the background music depicts this at some point and that's not fun; that's even unsettling). Kind of liked Billy-Jean's father, up until the very end, when he succumbs to the "deus ex machina"...

Which brings me to another thing: The ending was soooo rushed it hurt. We're supposed to believe that his father finally accepted Billy-Jean and her baby just because of the way he was seeing her suffer at the hospital in the exact moment when she gave birth. The happy-ending vibe. He's a careless, somewhat "macho", "though" father and suddenly he becomes so understanding and full of love and trust. That was the most unbelievable thing ever in a QL episode, and it served only so we could leave the installment without getting the idea that things turned out bad for anyone in that leap (noticed the time as well, they had it on their tails), which is not entirely true, either: We've seen the atmosphere, we've seen the way of life... Who's to say that baby is not going to grow up to be a very dysfunctional human being as well? There's no real proof that he/she is going to become something else other than what those people know and see everyday.

A disturbing, boring and hard-to-watch episode, in my opinion. One of my least favorites, anyway. Liked some situations, like the confrontation with Billy-Jean's father, the scene when Sam talks to the boy who got her pregnant and then Sam begins to have pains and you see the boy running away on the far end (very well filmed), and many of Al's and Sam's cracks/jokes, but overall I thought it was a story where Deborah Pratt tried to handle a very controversial topic and ended up falling way flat on her own depictions about it. A must-skip for me. I only play it because it is QL and, as much as I don't like it, I reckon it is considered a classic because it's the one where he leaps into a pregnant woman. Not my least favorite QL episode ever, but one that comes close.

My rating: Fair.