Interesting Observations/Facts/Questions about Quantum Leap

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Another thought concerning the aura has occurred to me.
Once again I must hypothetically put Sam in a woman's aura and she has long hair, down to her shoulder blades lets say. If Sam were to get a hair cut with this aura what would happen if the barber tried to cut past where Sam's hair stops?

[Lightning McQueenie]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

Another thought concerning the aura has occurred to me.
Once again I must hypothetically put Sam in a woman's aura and she has long hair, down to her shoulder blades lets say. If Sam were to get a hair cut with this aura what would happen if the barber tried to cut past where Sam's hair stops?

I think like the clothes of the leapee, the hair of the leapee must physically change to Sam's hair, so that whatever Sam does to his hair, an equivalent effect happens on the obviously longer hair of the aura. We see a perfect example of this in "What Price Gloria" when Sam has to put his hair in curlers to curl Samantha's hair... It worked, because the hair of Gloria's aura changed to be curled as well So to answer your question about Sam getting a haircut, the barber would think that he is cutting the much longer hair of the leapee, but he would still only ever be cutting Sam's hair...

[Sam Beckett Fan]

That makes sense, great explanation.
So then the leapee would return with the aura restored to how they left it?

[Lightning McQueenie]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

That makes sense, great explanation.
So then the leapee would return with the aura restored to how they left it?

Now that would be interesting. Imagine watching Samantha's aura as Sam leaps out and Samantha leaps back, her hair would instantly change from curled to straight as it was when Sam leapt in :P

[Sam Beckett Fan]

That would certainly be weird.
Something occurred to me, going back to what you said about how Al didn't lose his connection when Sam leaped from Oswald to the secret service agent. That would make Al wrong in Mirror Image when he told Sam that he didn't know what Sam looked like leaping. Unless that leap truly was Sam's subconscious than that wasn't really Al who said that but Sam himself.

This begs the question, if Sam were to leap out of one host in front of a mirror would he be able to see it at least for a moment?

[Lightning McQueenie]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

That would certainly be weird.
Something occurred to me, going back to what you said about how Al didn't lose his connection when Sam leaped from Oswald to the secret service agent. That would make Al wrong in Mirror Image when he told Sam that he didn't know what Sam looked like leaping. Unless that leap truly was Sam's subconscious than that wasn't really Al who said that but Sam himself.

This begs the question, if Sam were to leap out of one host in front of a mirror would he be able to see it at least for a moment?

The only times we ever see a leap from Sam's point of view is in Genesis, the first times he sees clouds, and then later it appears instantaneous. So I don't think Sam sees anything at all during the leaps and so wouldn't be able to see the leaping effect. If this is the case, then it's also quite possible that the image Al sees projected onto the Imaging Chamber also just disappears, so probably wouldn't see anything either. To him during LHO, maybe he just saw Oswald instantaneously replace Sam, or else it's possible he just wasn't looking and was concentrating more on the president...

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Originally Posted by Lightning McQueenie

The only times we ever see a leap from Sam's point of view is in Genesis, the first times he sees clouds, and then later it appears instantaneous. So I don't think Sam sees anything at all during the leaps and so wouldn't be able to see the leaping effect. If this is the case, then it's also quite possible that the image Al sees projected onto the Imaging Chamber also just disappears, so probably wouldn't see anything either. To him during LHO, maybe he just saw Oswald instantaneously replace Sam, or else it's possible he just wasn't looking and was concentrating more on the president...

True, if Al could watch Sam leap all he'd probably see is his connection/the holographic image around him shut down.
In the case of Oswald (and I might be remembering this wrong since it's been so long) If memory serves Al had given the real one a perplexed look as though he might not have recognized Sam's leap out mixed with panic because the assumed task was to sop Oswald from taking the shot but now Sam was missing from the post.

So you are likely right that from Al's perspective the real Oswald's appearance seemed to come from nowhere.

[Lightning McQueenie]

Here's a small problem with the mechanics of leaping - we are told in Genesis that Quantum Leaping takes time, in fact a full week passed between his leap from Tom Stratten to Fox. Yet in Dr Ruth, we see the leap from the point of view of the Waiting Room, with Dr Ruth leaping out and instantly replaced with the vampire.

I suppose the viewers could just be given a time-dilated version of the leap, where the time in between is sped up/removed, but that got me thinking, what would the aura in the waiting room be like in the time between leaps? Would there be an aura there at all? Would it just look like a blank shell?

[blue enigma]

Originally Posted by Lightning McQueenie

Here's a small problem with the mechanics of leaping - we are told in Genesis that Quantum Leaping takes time, in fact a full week passed between his leap from Tom Stratten to Fox. Yet in Dr Ruth, we see the leap from the point of view of the Waiting Room, with Dr Ruth leaping out and instantly replaced with the vampire.

I suppose the viewers could just be given a time-dilated version of the leap, where the time in between is sped up/removed, but that got me thinking, what would the aura in the waiting room be like in the time between leaps? Would there be an aura there at all? Would it just look like a blank shell?

It's possible that as Sam got more experienced at leaping it didn't take as long for him to go from one leap to the other. Or in cases where it was targeted, like in 'Double Identity' and the LHO episode, he just got there faster because he knew where he was going.

I always thought the waiting room was empty between leaps, since it's Sam's body leaping.

[Lightning McQueenie]

Originally Posted by blue enigma

It's possible that as Sam got more experienced at leaping it didn't take as long for him to go from one leap to the other. Or in cases where it was targeted, like in 'Double Identity' and the LHO episode, he just got there faster because he knew where he was going.

I always thought the waiting room was empty between leaps, since it's Sam's body leaping.

But we know from Revenge of the Evil Leaper that there MUST be some "empty" aura between when the leaper leaps out and the host leaps back, as the bullet passed through that empty space leaving both Alia and Angel completely unharmed...



My question though, is what would the aura LOOK like when it's empty. Would it stay in the position the previous leapee was in when they leapt? Or would it collapse or something else entirely? I'd say based on the Dr Ruth leap that it must stay in the same spot... Also, I suppose the aura would just look like a dead person, no life behind it...

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Though I see where you are coming from Lightning McQueenie, I believe blue enigma is correct that the room would technically be empty or appear to be while Sam is in between leaps due to the aura seeming to be an essence not a physical presence. Without a being to wrap around it can't be seen. Somewhat like a refrigerator light if you will, we know it turns off when the door is shut but we are never able to see inside with it off (unless you are a hologram and can stick your head through the closed door haha).
I believe we are shown the empty waiting room in Mirror Image.

This is how it differs from the cacamemie notion in Ashley McConnel's and a one maybe two other authors' installments in the novel series that his soul rather than his body is leaping and thus in between leaps the waiting room holds a comatose body. Personally on top of the inaccuracy I find this quite distasteful but am able to read her nonetheless because I do enjoy her leaps such as in Random Measures.

The shooting incident in Revenge of the Evil Leapers actually has me puzzled as well and is something I will be needing help looking into for a fanfic I have begun when I reach the climax of the leap. We however do not necessarily know the bullet had not gotten Alia. Al announced her untraceable but "Where ever she is, she's free." Death though a tragic means would in all honesty free her (the same can be said of Sam), something that is wonderfully explored in her character in the novel Knights of the Morningstar.
"To be dead and therefore free...to find some kind of peace...
'Would you do that for me Sam? Would you kill me if I told you it would set me free?'"
One of my favorite lines in the novel.

And what of Zoey who had also taken a bullet which if memory serves actually did hit but when she was leaped out also left in her place an uninjured leapee? Guess that merely proves wrong a theory commonly discussed by PQL in the novel series, that in the event of Sam terminating in a leap the leapee would be stuck in the waiting room forever.

The Leapees' survival makes sense given they were not present to receive the bullets but If Alia had survived that gunshot I too am stumped.

[wakkanne]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

His inability to regain his memory of Donna actually makes no sense however is explained in terms of the writing. Deborah Pratt who was more intrigued by the idea of putting Sam in an in-leap serious relationship (Abigail) regretted reintroducing Donna in The Leap Back. Sad in my opinion as I am a Sam/Donna fan, but his never remembering her is most likely a failed attempt to erase the idea that Sam is married back in his present.

Another way it can be seen from the storyline angle is that the possibility that Sam's success in Star Crossed had somehow been reversed by a timeline changing action of Sam's after The Leap Back could be entertained.

Is that true that Deborah regretted having Sam married to Donna? It would explain a lot. They did an excellent job of covering it up. So much so that I went through the entire series never realizing that Sam had actually changed history as a result of his third Leap. I missed The Leap Back the first time around. Luckily, I had also missed Trilogy until about a year after the series was over (something I wish that once I saw I wish I could unsee--apologies to Abigail/Sammy Jo lovers out there). Given the choice, I would much rather see Sam with Donna.

And I did entertain the idea that Sam changed history again after the Roberto! Leap in my writing, once I realized that Donna was indeed married to Sam.

[wakkanne]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

It's Scott's belief that Donna was aware of what she married into, that she understands that Sam is fulfilling a great purpose and therefore not hurt by his actions. He also seemed to disagree with Sam's being unable to act freely with the memory of her. That he would know that she understood and this that he wasn't hurting her.
Watch the 2012 Wizard World comic con Quantum Leap panel on youtube where Scott explains this to a questioner.
(NOTE: turn up your volume, the sound system at this panel was poor).

Which Wizard World Con QL panel was this? I watched the Philly one, but if that was a question on there, I must have missed it.

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Originally Posted by Wakkanne

Is that true that Deborah regretted having Sam married to Donna? It would explain a lot. They did an excellent job of covering it up. So much so that I went through the entire series never realizing that Sam had actually changed history as a result of his third Leap. I missed The Leap Back the first time around. Luckily, I had also missed Trilogy until about a year after the series was over (something I wish that once I saw I wish I could unsee--apologies to Abigail/Sammy Jo lovers out there). Given the choice, I would much rather see Sam with Donna.

It's true I am afraid. I read it somewhere I know I did and I thought it was in my book 'Another Time, Another Place' which is a behind the scenes biography if you will about the thoughts behind the show. I can't find it there however. Which means I have no idea where I read it but I just know I did.

I did however come across something interesting, the concept intended for a season 6 that Al would step up and become Sam's leaping partner with possibly Sammy Jo as the hologram. Don't know how tasteful I find that though the idea of seeing Al in more leaps is intriguing. My best friend and I were discussing not long ago that the whole The Leap Back should have been the trilogy instead of Abigail consisting of Al being involved in one or two more leaps, so that the reversed angle could be explored a bit more.

I as well prefer Sam with Donna or with Tamlyn the psychic from Temptation Eyes. Now that was a love story, she knew who he was. It would have been far more touching if he'd conceived with her. Come on, a genius/psychic hybrid, how totally kickass would that be!?

Originally Posted by Wakkanne

Which Wizard World Con QL panel was this? I watched the Philly one, but if that was a question on there, I must have missed it.

San Diago, 2012.

[blue enigma]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

It's true I am afraid. I read it somewhere I know I did and I thought it was in my book 'Another Time, Another Place' which is a behind the scenes biography if you will about the thoughts behind the show. I can't find it there however. Which means I have no idea where I read it but I just know I did.

I remember reading it in a thread here on this forum. I think it was Carol Davis who actually talked about this, but I can't find the discussion.

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

I did however come across something interesting, the concept intended for a season 6 that Al would step up and become Sam's leaping partner with possibly Sammy Jo as the hologram. Don't know how tasteful I find that though the idea of seeing Al in more leaps is intriguing. My best friend and I were discussing not long ago that the whole The Leap Back should have been the trilogy instead of Abigail consisting of Al being involved in one or two more leaps, so that the reversed angle could be explored a bit more.

I have to say, I don't know how much I would have stayed interested in the show if that was what they did with season 6, though I would have given it a shot of course.

Agree with you and many others about The Leap Back. One hour was too short for everything that was happening in the episode and it felt rushed. It really could've benefited from being a two-parter or even a trilogy. And I really would've liked to see Al do more leaps, have more of the role reversal and the differing dynamic that would have resulted. Plus, who didn't want to see Al leap into a woman and be on the receiving end of what he usually dishes out?

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Originally Posted by blue enigma

I remember reading it in a thread here on this forum. I think it was Carol Davis who actually talked about this, but I can't find the discussion.

I'll take your word for that. Al's Place was next guess.

Originally Posted by blue enigma

Plus, who didn't want to see Al leap into a woman and be on the receiving end of what he usually dishes out?

Oh good Lord, all hell would break loose!
You know he'd be checking "himself" out in full length mirrors and thus receive groans of sickness from Sam.

[blue enigma]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

You know he'd be checking "himself" out in full length mirrors and thus receive groans of sickness from Sam.

Maybe not. Remember, Sam had that part of Al's mind from the simo-leap, so he's the one who might've actually been checking out Al's reflection and saying yummola, lol.

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Right if it's during the The Leap Back trilogy that's true. Oh that's even more hell breaking loose! Naughty Sam! XD
Sam totally needed in the diner scene to have a line to the effect of:
"Welcome to working with YOU."

[wakkanne]

Al Leaping along with Sam would have been cool, but I'm afraid that I too would have lost interest after a while if they had gone on in some of the ways they were suggesting for a season 6. In that sense, I'm almost happy it ended when it did. While I would have loved to see the show go on for many more years, they were getting away from what made the show so popular towards the end, there. I'm afraid of instead of saying, "Oh, I wish it didn't end when it did. It could have easily gone on for another three years", I may have been saying, "Quantum Leap was great for the first four seasons, but then it started going downhill in season 5. Sure it went on for 8 years, but only the first four are really worth watching."

I know that a lot of season 5 was them being at the mercy of the network, and it's sad. Too bad they couldn't just leave the show alone.

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Originally Posted by Wakkanne

I may have been saying, "Quantum Leap was great for the first four seasons, but then it started going downhill in season 5. Sure it went on for 8 years, but only the first four are really worth watching."

Agreed. Tragically the fifth season lost all of the show's intended direction and feeling; the celebrity leaps and though I enjoy them the evil leapers. Such story lines broke every rule and turned the show into a gimmick. The Evil Leapers in particular were a total Star Wars type of sci-fi stunt.
I do fear that if it had gone on it would have continued down that path, in fact having Al as a second leaper may have even made it worse. Not that he wouldn't make an entertaining leaper but that it's over the top and turns Al into exactly what Sam was to Donna (recall Sam corrected his failure in MIA and restored Al's marriage to Beth). And Sorry can't really say I am a Sammy Jo fan and having her as a hologram will probably just reinforce that rather than change my mind. Granted we only get to know her as a child and people can change greatly by adulthood. As a member of the project she probably became more serious and level headed however I can't help but also keep in mind that young adult Abigail was still a brat.

That and the young adult Sammy Jo portrayed in Loch Ness Leap while not canon is still stuck in my head. Good lord it was child Abigail all over again! I wanted so badly to slap her!

[blue enigma]

Originally Posted by wakkanne

Al Leaping along with Sam would have been cool, but I'm afraid that I too would have lost interest after a while if they had gone on in some of the ways they were suggesting for a season 6. In that sense, I'm almost happy it ended when it did. While I would have loved to see the show go on for many more years, they were getting away from what made the show so popular towards the end, there. I'm afraid of instead of saying, "Oh, I wish it didn't end when it did. It could have easily gone on for another three years", I may have been saying, "Quantum Leap was great for the first four seasons, but then it started going downhill in season 5. Sure it went on for 8 years, but only the first four are really worth watching."

I know that a lot of season 5 was them being at the mercy of the network, and it's sad. Too bad they couldn't just leave the show alone.

Agreed with all of this.

There's a proposed script with a teaser for a season 6 opener that's posted on this site, and if that's anything to go by Al and the project have actually lost contact with Sam a long time ago. I don't know exactly what they had planned beyond that scene but if it was Al leaping with Sammie Jo as his hologram searching for Sam who they have no contact with I would have definitely lost interest quickly. The chemistry and dynamic between Sam and Al is what made the show.

[wakkanne]

Originally Posted by blue enigma

There's a proposed script with a teaser for a season 6 opener that's posted on this site, and if that's anything to go by Al and the project have actually lost contact with Sam a long time ago. I don't know exactly what they had planned beyond that scene but if it was Al leaping with Sammie Jo as his hologram searching for Sam who they have no contact with I would have definitely lost interest quickly. The chemistry and dynamic between Sam and Al is what made the show.

Yeah, I read that and although intriguing, it made me wary. One can only hope that it was just going to be for a couple of episodes, then things might have gone back to normal, but who knows!

One more reason why I was never sure I wanted to see what they might have come up with for a Quantum Leap movie. That would have been fun, too, but Bellisario and Pratt would have had to be very careful and tread lightly on some of the Sammy Jo stuff they might have had, if any.

[wakkanne]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

That and the young adult Sammy Jo portrayed in Loch Ness Leap while not canon is still stuck in my head. Good lord it was child Abigail all over again! I wanted so badly to slap her!

Haha! Love it!

[Sam Beckett Fan]

Honestly I don't understand how Sam could have continued leaping as himself. He can't go around telling others that he's a time traveler from the future who knows something bad is going to happen in their lives. It's not believable. In the case of Beth, he had that he was a friend of Al's. He won't have such excuses elsewhere. It just doesn't make any sense.

Agreed, that Sam and Al's chemistry is what made the show.
Hypothetically if anyone should be enlisted to search for a lost Sam it should be the now freed Alia. In fact years ago I created a thread here on this forum suggesting an opening for such a storyline. It's still here and I dug it up recently.
http://www.quantumleap-alsplace.com/...ead.php?t=3529

Please keep in mind that today the writing would be much better quality. I've improved since then.

[blue enigma]

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

Honestly I don't understand how Sam could have continued leaping as himself. He can't go around telling others that he's a time traveler from the future who knows something bad is going to happen in their lives. It's not believable. In the case of Beth, he had that he was a friend of Al's. He won't have such excuses elsewhere. It just doesn't make any sense.

If he did continue on this way he would have to find other methods for accomplishing his mission on each of the leaps. Maybe that's part of what the bartender meant when he said Sam was about to embark on a difficult new assignment.

Originally Posted by Sam Beckett Fan

Hypothetically if anyone should be enlisted to search for a lost Sam it should be the now freed Alia.

This is one plausible scenario. However, for all we know she's in the same boat as Sam and can't help herself either. I'm not a fan of the evil leaper story line and I really hate the last one in the trilogy so I don't rewatch. But I remember questioning how Ziggy could possibly know that Alia was free. It's possible she died and can help Sam in the same way Stawpah helped Pete and Tonchi and indirectly Sam in 'Mirror Image'.