203 The Americanization of Machiko

The Americanization of Machiko


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This is actually questionable. Sam was in the womb at the time of this leap, something according to my behind the scenes book that actually happens a few more times. It could be several errors in choosing leap dates or QL could be pro life, considering existence in the womb to count as part of one's lifetime.

Actually (and I'm not sure if this was intentional or coincidence) with the exception of The Leap Back and The Leap Between the States - for which we are given other specific reasons why Sam leaped outside of his own lifetime - none of the leaps that took place before Sam's actual date of birth took place earlier than April 1953. Which is when he would have inarguably (and legally) been considered viable - so, yes, part of his lifetime. :)
 
Actually (and I'm not sure if this was intentional or coincidence) with the exception of The Leap Back and The Leap Between the States - for which we are given other specific reasons why Sam leaped outside of his own lifetime - none of the leaps that took place before Sam's actual date of birth took place earlier than April 1953. Which is when he would have inarguably (and legally) been considered viable - so, yes, part of his lifetime. :)

This is an excellent catch.
By April 1953 Thelma Beckett was five months pregnant with Sam. By then the baby has nearly reached fully human form but furthermore since the around the third month has:
1.) Been able to move in the womb
2.) Been able to hear sounds surrounding the mother
3.) Has had a heartbeat!
Even those who don't believe it's a life at the point of conception can't argue anymore at five months!

So Sam was most certainly alive in April 1953 regardless of the plausibility that they didn't know all this then.
 
Tough episode to watch, with the way Lenore, Naomi, and Rusty behaved to Machiko. I loved Henry, though. He accepted her right off, and tried to get the others to do so, as well. I liked how Al was very active in this episode. You can really see his character start to come to life at this point in the series. Funny though how at the wedding, he had to count on his fingers how many times he had been married. I found it odd how quickly Lenore came around though, even wearing the kimono Machiko gave her. Maybe there was a good bit of time between the hospital scene and the wedding.

Well written, well acted. An Excellent episode.
 
Tough episode to watch, with the way Lenore, Naomi, and Rusty behaved to Machiko. I loved Henry, though. He accepted her right off, and tried to get the others to do so, as well. I liked how Al was very active in this episode. You can really see his character start to come to life at this point in the series. Funny though how at the wedding, he had to count on his fingers how many times he had been married. I found it odd how quickly Lenore came around though, even wearing the kimono Machiko gave her. Maybe there was a good bit of time between the hospital scene and the wedding.

Well written, well acted. An Excellent episode.

I also thought a lot of time would have had to have passed after the hospital scene. I mean, Machiko was fully healed in the wedding, so it must have taken some time...
 
I found it odd how quickly Lenore came around though, even wearing the kimono Machiko gave her. Maybe there was a good bit of time between the hospital scene and the wedding.

This has come across to me as an oddity as well.
As far as I'm concerned, the connection between the hospital scene and her entrance to the wedding wasn't clear. What I mean is, what exactly clicked for her?

Good catch that a fair amount of time had to have passed between the hospital and the wedding since Machiko's injury was life-threatening and she's fully recovered at the wedding.
That, however, doesn't add up with the average time Sam spends in a leap which is about 2-3 days.
The longest amount of time he spent consecutively in one leap on screen is the two weeks in Temptation Eyes (LHO is arguable because that's a series of several leaps each of which was no longer than 24 hours) but as Ziggy would no doubt say, when dealing with quanta anything is possible.
 
Another good entry here. This episode is really heartwarming at times. Machiko is such a sweet, cute, lovable character. I feel so sorry for her the way she's treated throughout this episode. Henry (the father of the leapee) is the only other core character (other than Sam and Al) who has sympathy for Machiko. He makes an effort, and that is good to see.

While Dusty is dangerous and downright psychopathic at times, Lenore is more vicious, in my opinion. Dusty and Naomi have twisted reasons for their behaviour, but I don't understand Lenore at all. The backstory we get regarding her daughter and Charlie's sister only seems to emphasise that she's a rotten person in many ways. I'm glad to see a change in her at the very end, but ultimately it kinda comes off as unrealistic. I think that's largely why she doesn't get to say anything before Sam leaps, because the writers couldn't come up with a perfect conclusion, given the abrupt turnaround.

My rating. Good. Overall this is a very enjoyable episode that once again deals with the issues of racism and prejudice.