Episode
Adopted by: Eleiece <aka> Sherdran
Additional info provided by: Brian
Greene
Synopsis:
In
the age of women's lib, Sam finds himself as a bra-burning mother who
must prevent his daughter from getting killed in a violent protest. At
the same time, he has to keep the husband of the family from walking
out on them when Sam and the daughter try to open his mind to the
possibility that women are more than just housewives.
TV
Guide Synopsis: Sam
becomes a homemaker committed to the cause of women's liberation, who
must save the life of a women's leader, but might lose a husband in the
process. George: Max Gail. Diana St. Cloud: Deborah Van Valkenburgh.
Suzi: Megyn Price. Chief Tipton: Stephen Mills. Al: Dean Stockwell.
Sam
leaps into a woman named Margaret Sanders, a housewife who must
convince her husband that the family can survive and even thrive with
feminism. He must also persuade the daughter that advances for women
must come about through nonviolent means and persuade a woman working
in the husband's firm to be more assertive about her ideas for the
company.
In the
age of women's lib, Sam finds that as the now staunch feminist,
bra-burning Margaret, he must prevent her daughter Suzanne (Megyn
Price) from getting killed in a women's lib protest which she, Suzanne
and a friend named Diana St. Cloud (Deborah Van Valkenburgh) attend
together, which Diana helped organize in the first place, which will
turn violent. At the same time, he has to keep Margaret's husband (Max
Gail) from walking out on them when Sam and the daughter try to open
his mind to the possibility that women are more than just housewives.
Al tells Sam that he's there to help out Diana, who is leading the
local women's movement. Margaret's activism is having a sour effect on
her marriage as her husband George struggles to understand what is
going on. As far as Diana goes, Al tells Sam that the next rally, which
claimed the life of Suzanne in the original timeline, will get out of
hand and she will be shot, unless Sam can get Diana to cancel the
event. His solution leads to other complications, however. When the
protesters invade the local businessmen's club, it's daughter Suzie
that is put in danger. Source
Personal
Review by Eleiece <aka> Sherdran:
I can't say that "Liberation" is one of my top ten favorite QL
episodes. But that doesn't take away from the fact that, in my opinion,
it's one of the best dramatic episodes, and I still enjoy it every time
I watch it. This episode is on a short list of episodes, such as:
"Running For Honor", "The Color of Truth", "Raped", and "Black and
White On Fire," that dealt with other controversial subjects. I'm glad
that Donald Bellisario, along with Scott, Dean and the rest of the cast
and crew had the courage to tackle this subject with honesty.
Sam
Trivia:
Remembers that his father never treated his mother in a demeaning
manner like George treats Margaret.
Sam's Outfits Worn in the Episode:
Long-sleeved, brown dress; brown plaid coat w/brown scarf; narrow bold
watch on left wrist; brown
shoes and purse, and a diamond wedding ring.
Another brown dress or possibly the same one with yet another brown
scarf around his neck; brownish-orange-yellow stripe-patterned full
apron with green piping, and brown shoes.
Dark-green, long-sleeved dress with a broach near the throat,
medium-heel brown shoes, gold
earrings, and a brown purse.
Al Trivia:
Al used the "gummi bear" handlink in this
episode.
Al carried a cigar in several scenes.
Al's Women: Al is having
issues with Tina during this episode due to the subject matter of Sam's
Leap.
Dark leather jacket with
dark-goldenrod-yellow sleeves; red trousers
with a black belt; shirt was a gray/slate-blue patterned shirt with a
bit of very light purple; a narrow, silver tie.
"Liberation" is considered to be one of the most radical episodes of
the entire Quantum Leap series.
Samuel Beckett, the Irish-born playwright and novelist Suzie mentioned
during the kitchen scene, was born in Dublin, April 13, 1906 and died
December 22, 1989. His best known work is the drama, "Waiting for
Godot". In 1969, Samuel Beckett received the Nobel Prize for
literature. he was also mentioned in "Honeymoon Express." Beckett recorded this video in France two years before he passed away.
"The Flying Nun" premiered on September 7, 1967 and ran for three
seasons.
The books on the coffee table were:
"Howl" by Allen Ginsberg.
"Black Power" by Stokely Carmichael and Charles V. Hamilton.
"The Female Eunuch" by Germaine Greer. (See 'Say
What?)
Bloopers:
Kiss with History:
There
appears to be little evidence that women actually attended bra
burnings, as shown in the leap-in sequence. However, many did throw
them in a "Freedom trash can" in a symbolic gesture to overcome
oppression by men. The word "burning" may have been attached to
reference men burning their draft cards such as during Vietnam,
therefore later prompting the term "burning bras."
Regular Cast:
Scott Bakula as Sam Beckett
Dean Stockwell as Al Calavicci
Guest
Stars: Max Gail as George Sanders Deborah Van
Valkenburgh as Diana St. Cloud Stephen Mills as
Donald Tipton Bill Calvert as
Peter Tipton Megyn Price as
Suzanne Sanders Bill Cort as
Flanners Mary Elizabeth
Murphy as Dora Tipton Jordan Baker as
Evy Brownfield Eric Bruskotter
as Red Elan Rothschild
as George Sanders, Jr. Matt Kirkwood as
Photographer
Bob Harks as Club Member
Max Gail as George Sanders:
Max Gail was born on April 5, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan, USA as Maxwell
Trowbridge Gail. He is an actor and director, known for 42 (2013),
Barney Miller (1975) and General Hospital (1963). He married Nan Harris
in 1989. They separated in 2000 and have two children. He was
previously married to Willie Beir until her death and they had one
child. He has been in a relationship with Chris Kaul since 2007.
Deborah Van
Valkenburgh as Diana St. Cloud:
Deborah Gaye Van Valkenburgh is a Schenectady, New York-born Los
Angeles-based actress, singer, artist, and writer working in all manner
of media. She graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York,
with a BFA in Painting & Drawing. As a teen in Upstate New York she
performed in coffee houses with the folk band Spur Of The Moment.
During college she sang locally in a duo popularly known as "The Myrtle
Avenue Watermelon". She made her professional debut on Broadway in the
revival of the musical "Hair". This was swiftly followed by a memorable
performance as "Mercy" in Walter Hill's cult classic film The Warriors
(1979), then for five years as "Jackie Rush" on the hit TV sitcom Too
Close for Comfort (1980) as one of the daughters of a couple played by
Ted Knight and Nancy Dussault. She has since appeared in a wide array
of stages across the country performing in such notable venues as
TOSOS, Geva Theatre Center, Manhattan Theatre Club, San Diego REP, The
Old Globe Theatre, South Coast REP, The Blank Theatre Company, The
Matrix, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, LATC, Arizona Theatre Company and
Portland Center Stage. Acclaimed Productions include Amy and David
Sedaris's The Book Of Liz, Steve Martin's Picasso At The Lapin Agile,
Ruby's Bucket O'Blood (world premiere), The Beauty Queen Of Leenane,
Dancing At Lughnasa, Burn This, The Goat, Company, Tamara, The Heidi
Chronicles, Pump Boys & Dinettes, and Livin' Dolls. She continued
her musical escapades in the early 1990s as a featured vocalist for
Peter Tork: A Likely Story and acoustic band DB House at a variety of
legendary clubs like The Roxy, At My Place and Coconut Teaszer. She
completed work on Shirlyn Wong's short film Love's Routine (2013),
which starred Willem Dafoe.
Stephen Mills as
Donald Tipton:
Stephen Keep Mills made his exit from the Yale Drama School (and the
great Stella Adler) in the spring of 1969 to act with the Guthrie
Theatre. He subsequently performed on 20 years' worth of regional
stages across the US and Canada. He appeared on and Off-Broadway and
guest-starred in multiple episodic TV shows, Movies of the Week, and a
few films before deciding to write, direct, and produce his own films.
In 2003, his experimental Hotel Lobby inspired by Edward Hopper's
painting of the same name found life and awards on the festival
circuit. It was followed by two highly awarded shorts, the 15-minute A
Cigar at the Beach in 2005, and then Liminal in 2008, starring
Alejandra Gollas and Tonya Cornelisse, both of whom also star in Mills'
94-min debut feature: Love Is Not Love completed in 2020. The World
Premiere was at Cinequest and the festival award count topped off at
170 across all categories. Random Media is now the distributor. Next up
is ¡Contesta!, Mills' screen adaptation of famed Italian Playwright Ugo
Betti's 1947 stage play: Ispezione, set in Mexico with a bi-lingual
Hispanic cast.
Bill Calvert as
Peter Tipton:
Bill Calvert was born on June 13, 1966 in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. He is
an actor, known for Spider-Man 2 (2004), Spider-Man (2002) and Quantum
Leap (1989). He guest starred in two unrelated television series
featuring a regular character named Sam Beckett: China Beach (1988) and
Quantum Leap (1989).
Megyn Price as
Suzanne Sanders:
Megyn Price is one of the more familiar faces in the world of
television sitcoms. A gifted college student with a mind for figures,
Price initially embarked on a career in finance, before making the jump
to acting. Her television debut on the final season episode, Liberation
- October 16, 1968 (1993), of the sci-fi adventure, Quantum Leap (1989)
(NBC, 1989-1993), soon led to more TV guest spots and a regular cast
role on the exceptionally short-lived legal sitcom, Common Law (1996)
(ABC, 1996). Although Price occasionally picked up smaller parts in
feature films, like the Russell Crowe vehicle, Mystery, Alaska (1999),
it was on the small screen that she truly excelled. While another
co-starring role on the Al Franken sitcom, LateLine (1998) (NBC,
1998-2000), lasted a mere two seasons, Price's turn as thirty-something
mom "Claudia Finnerty" on the family comedy, Grounded for Life (2001)
(The WB, 2001-05), helped establish her as a recognizable screen
presence. Surrounded by a popular ensemble cast, that included Patrick
Warburton and David Spade, she enjoyed her lengthiest series run on the
relationship sitcom, Rules of Engagement (2007) as matrimonial veteran,
"Audrey Bingham".
Bill Cort as
Flanners:
William Cort was born on July 8, 1936 in El Paso, Texas, USA. He was an
actor, known for Heathers (1988), Ghost (1990) and Elvira: Mistress of
the Dark (1988). He died on September 23, 1993 in Los Angeles,
California, USA.
Mary Elizabeth
Murphy as Dora Tipton: Mary Elizabeth Murphy is known for Quantum Leap (1989), Renegade (1992) and My Girl 2 (1994).
Jordan Baker as
Evy Brownfield:
Jordan Baker was born on September 11, 1958 in Riverdale, Bronx, New
York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for
Another Earth (2011), The Post (2017) and The Americans (2013). She has
been married to Kevin Kilner since October 10, 1998.
Eric Bruskotter
as Red:
Big, brawny, blond-haired Eric Bruskotter owns an equally sizable and
extensive acting career that transcends well over 20 years. Bruskotter,
who was born on March 22, 1966 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, originally
appeared most commonly in television. His first acting gig came in the
form of an episode of Amazing Stories (1985). He did a few other
television appearances before landing a more consistent role on the
series Tour of Duty (1987), playing a member of a platoon set in the
backdrop of the Vietnam War. This series lasted from 1987 up until
1989; however, Bruskotter managed to stay busy with each year as time
spiraled into the 1990s. His film roles at that point in time included
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993), playing an arrogant gym bully,
opposite Jason Scott Lee as the lead role of martial artist Bruce Lee.
1997 would see the return of Bruskotter in a familiar soldier-type
role, when he appeared in the science fiction cult movie Starship
Troopers (1997). In this he played an unlucky trooper who lost his life
during a training course accident. Other acting roles in his impressive
resume include episodes on Walker, Texas Ranger (1993), JAG (1995),
Angel (1999), 24 (2001) and Law & Order: LA (2010).
Elan Rothschild
as George Sanders, Jr.: Elan Rothschild is known for Quantum Leap (1989), Someone Like Me (1994) and Scanner Cop (1994).
Matt Kirkwood as
Photographer: Matt Kirkwood is known for King Richard (2021), Quantum Leap (1989) and Addy Daddy.
Bob Harks as Club Member:
Harks came in at the tail end of the television western era, it was
only natural for him to find work on the unpaved streets of several
television westerns like Bonanza and Gunsmoke. With the downturn of
popularity in westerns, Harks made the transition from a cowboy to a
detective. Over the next 15 years, he would frequently be seen on shows
like Kojak where he'd appear around the squad room and also on shows
like Lou Grant where he'd make crosses. In the early 1970s, Harks
gained work as a utility stand-in on the Bill Bixby show The Magician
and it would be his big break. Both he and fellow Magician stand-in
Edna Ryan would later find themselves working on another show Bixby
starred in called "The Incredible Hulk." Bixby was very fond of Bob and
would frequently have him appear in roles that require Hark to be
upgraded to a pay rate than you usual extra role. Harks would usually
drive the car that would either pick up Bixby at the end of the episode
or he would use his car to pass Bixby's character up as he was
hitchhiking to his next destination.
After the closing of The Incredible Hulk, Harks got regular work as
Bixby's stand-in on the short lived show Goodnight Beantown. As Bixby's
career started to wind down, Harks found work as a stand-in on the show
Alien Nation and he worked on it for the rest of his career not only
appearing in the series but also most of the subsequent television
movies. It was during this time that Harks decided to retire and move
Wisconsin to be closer to his sister Sue and the rest of his family
bringing a 30+ year career to a close.
A book in the living room, The
Female Eunuch
written by Germaine Greer, was written in the early 1970's, but
"Liberation" is set in 1968, two years before the book was written.
Only the other two books, "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg, published in 1956,
and "Black Power" by Stokely Carmichael and Charles V. Hamilton
published in 1967, were historically correct for this episode.
In
an extremely clear closeup shot of the Handlink, we can see a regular
alkaline battery inserted into the advanced device.
At breakfast, Sam's bowl seems to jump into his hand after a shot change.
Dates
are all over the place in this episode. The newspaper reads that it's
November, but it's October. (It also has repeated text throughout as a
prop newspaper.) A poster in Diana's office says the protest march is
on October 16th (the date of Sam's leap-in), but the march didn't take
place until a day later in the episode.
Footage
from the movie, "Field of Dreams" was used for some scenes which is
problematic for the time period since there are several 70's and 80's
cars in the shots.
Al
arrives in one scene via the relocation sound instead of the Imaging
Chamber door. Was he lurking around before coming to see Sam?
Sam to Suzi: "I'm not defending him anymore than I'm attacking her.
You're going to meet people all through your life that have their own
hopes and aspirations and fears. And those feelings influence the way
you think. The hard part is to find a way to filter the good from the
bad, no matter who's talking to you, a man or a woman."
Sam (voice over, while driving): "When it came to women's
lib, my mother always said that it was probably a good
thing...for other women. But I had an understanding that no other man
on the face of the Earth could have. I was a woman. Had been a woman on
a number of leaps, and it was an eye-opening experience. Still, with
all of the right I knew they had on their side, I couldn't condone
Diana's promotion of violence."
Best Lines:
Diana St. Cloud: "You're the wimps because you never bothered to
develop the muscle that's rotting between your ears."
Al: "What a scene...chicks in cells! Talk about your major fantasy!
What could be better?
Ah...chicks *in chains* in cells."
Suzi and Sam:
Suzi: "Are you sorry you burned your bra last night?"
Sam: "No! The last thing I ever want to wear is another bra."
George: "Evy, why didn't you bring up these questions at the meeting
this afternoon?"
Evy: "I didn't think anyone would listen."
[Sam comes charging into the living room, incensed, just after he and
George have argued.]
Sam: "Can you believe that? Can you believe that man? I hate the way he
orders me around...Margaret around like that. Little sweetie pie! It's
demeaning."
Al: Well, actually, you know, it's the only way he knows how to say 'I
love you'."
Sam: "Oh please!"
Al: "Yes. George is from a generation that was taught that women 'have
a place'. And men 'have a place', and never the twain shall meet."
Sam: "Well if that's the system, take it from somebody on this side -
in a dress, okay? It's your crash and burn."
Al: "Maybe."
Sam: "Nobody should be treated like that, Al. Nobody!
Patronized...insulted like that."
Al: "George, and all the other Georges of the world have no idea
they're denigrating women.
It's just that they were never taught to behave any other way."
Sam: "My dad never once treated my mother like that. He never talked to
her like that. He never... Why are you defending him?"
Al: "You're here to help Diana St. Cloud. IF in the mean time you can
open George's eyes to show how he's treating Margaret, that's fine.
Sam (sits on sofa): "If I open his eyes, I might destroy their
marriage. That's what you said last night. Right?"
[He notices some books on the coffee table.]
Sam: "Look at this. Ginsberg....Stokely Carmichael and Hamilton. It
looks like everybody's looking for a change."
Al: "Sam, you gotta attack one problem at a time."
Sam: "Okay. Alright. Okay, which problem?"
Al: "Well, Diana St. Cloud is planning a protest march tonight. And
because of your heroic gesture, the police chief - Tipton there, your friend - he gets a
little more aggressive than he normally would. He pulls out his gun...."
Sam: "He shoots Diana?"
Al: "Yes. Well, see, according to the paper, Tipton's trying to stop
this march and they get in a struggle, and this and that. And during the struggle he pulls the
gun, and she gets the gun away from him. Then when he gets it back...it goes off."
[As Al talks, Sam stands up from the sofa.]
Al: "Now, all you have to do, is you talk Diana out of this protest
march thing, and Ziggy says there's an eighty- six percent chance that you'll leap, everything's
fine, forget about George, and you don't have to fix dinner."
Second 'Best' scene:
[At the Addison Men's Club where Diana's just slugged Chief Tipton.]
Al: "Move it, Sam!"
[Tipton and Diana struggle and she's pushed to the floor.]
Tipton: "I've had enough of you."
[As Tipton is speaking, Suzi takes his gun from its holster and points
it at him.
Al: "Don't...don that dear! Sam! You better get in here and do
something!"
[Diana scrambles to her feet and takes the gun from her, still pointing
it at Tipton. Everyone freezes, watching Diana facing off Tipton. Sam
rushes in then stops short when he sees Diana with the gun.]
Sam: "Diana, this is not the way to change things."
Tipton: "Margaret..."
Diana: "We're not the ones who need to change. They are."
Tipton: "Put that gun down."
Sam: "Have you told them what your demands are?"
Diana: "What are you talking about?"
Sam: "Well, unless you tell then what you want, they can't change
anything."
Al: "Sam, keep her talking. Keep her talking."
Sam: "Tell them what this is for. Tell them what you want."
Diana: "We want equal rights."
Sam: You want to be a member of this club?"
Diana: "For starters."
Al: "Logic, Sam. Get her off of her emotions."
Sam: Did you apply for a membership and were rejected?"
Mr. Flanners: "No, she did not."
Diana: "Oh, if I did, would you let me in?"
Mr. Flanners: "It's up to the committee."
Diana: That's a lie!
Sam: "You don't know because you didn't try."
Diana: "It's in the by-laws. A woman can't own a membership in this
club."
[Al's busy with the handlink.]
Al: "It's segregation, Sam, but it's not against the Constitution in a
private club."
Sam: "Then you have to amend the by-laws. You have to amend the
Constitution of the United States."Diana: "That'll take forever as long as men control it."
Sam: "You want to beat the system, you've got to confront it with it's
own rules."
Diana: "So you're telling us to go home file an application?"
Sam: "I'm asking you to use the law. Now come on. Put the gun down and
let's do this right.
Diana: "You're asking us to quit. Just like you quit. I won't be like
you! Just take a good look at yourself. You're just like my mother. You're turning into the
dutiful house frau. A messenger for the oppressor."
Sam: "Housewives and mothers are not your enemy. They're your ally. Now
don't segregate us!"
[For a split second Diana considers what Sam has said...then cocks the
gun.]
Suzi: Diana...no."
Diana: "Women like you are the reason we'll never get equal rights.
You're so conditioned, you believe that as long as men say so, they system is right."
Sam: "What is pointing a gun at the chief of police going to
accomplish, Diana?"
Al (checking the handlink): "You're running out of time, Sam."
Sam: "There's so much work to be done. We need you here, not in a
prison."
Diana: "They'll never let me play fair. We need to take a stand. (Her
voices rises) "Are you with me or this housewife?"
Suzi: "You said this was about choice. There's nothing wrong with being
a housewife. Mom's right. We'll never get anywhere if we keep blaming each other and
fighting among ourselves."
[Diana refuses to listen to Suzi.]
Diana: "No!"
Suzi: "Come on, Diana. Please."
[Suzi reaches toward Diana's arm to push the gun aside. Diana resists;
Suzi pushes harder, diverting the gun. Sam lunges forward to shove
Chief Tipton out of the line of fire just as the gun goes off.]
Third "Best' scene:
[George confronts Sam in the men's club just after Diana's been taken
away.]
Al: "This is it, Sam. Ziggy says George is gonna move out."
George: "What do want me to do, Margaret? You left me no choice. I'm
moving out tonight."
Al: "You see? See? You gotta fix it."
Sam: "If that's what you have to do."
Al (does double take): "What? What are you saying?"
[George, turns and starts to walk away from Sam, pauses then turns back
when Sam begins to speak to him.]
Sam: "Let me ask you one question. Do you think you've had a good
marriage all these years?"
George: "You know the answer to that."
Sam: "No, I don't."
George: "I think we've had a great marriage. That's why I don't
understand why you're throwing it all away like this."
Sam: "Well it seems to me like you're the one who's throwing it all
away."
George: "I don't know what to do. All of a sudden you're not my
Margaret anymore. Who am I supposed to be if you're not you?"
Sam: "Maybe you could stop trying to make me into *your* Margaret, and
try finding out who I really am. And you could start that by respecting me for my thoughts
and my ideas, even if they're different from yours."
George: "I'm too old to change who I am."
Sam: "Only if you think you are. And only if you don't love your wife
and children enough to try."
George: "I do love you very much, Margaret."
Sam: "Then try. That's all anybody can ask."
George: "Okay."
Production Credits:
Theme by: Mike Post Musical Score By: Velton Ray Bunch Co-Executive Producer:Deborah Pratt Co-Executive Producer:Chas. Floyd Johnson Supervising Producers:Harker Wade, Tommy Thompson Supervising Producer:Richard C. Okie Producer: Robin Jill Bernheim Created by: Donald P. Bellisario Written by:Chris
Abbott & Deborah Pratt Directed by:Bob Hulme
Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario Associate Producers:Julie Bellisario,Scott Ejercito Coordinating Producer: David Bellisario Director of Photography:Robert Primes, A.S.C. Production Designer: Cameron Birnie Edited by:Jon Koslowsky, A.C.E. Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow First Assistant Director:Ryan Gordon Second Assistant Director: Brian Faul Casting by: Ellen Lubin Sanitsky, C.S.A. Set Director: Robert L. Zilliox Costume Designer: Jacqueline Saint Anne Costume Supervisors: David Rawley, Katina Kerr Art Director: Ellen Dambros-Williams Sound Mixer: Barry D. Thomas Stunt Coordinator: Diamond Farnsworth Make-up: Jeremy Swan Hairstylist: Andrea Mizushima Sound Editor: Greg Schorer Music Editor: Bruce Frazier Special Visual Effects: Roger Dorney, Denny Kelly
Panaflex ® Camera and Lenses by: Panavision ®
This
motion picture is protected under laws of the United States and other
countries. Unauthorized duplication, distribution or exhibition may
result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.
Some
of the characters portrayed in this motion picture are based upon
actual persons. Although some of those events have been fictionalized
for dramatic purposes, otherwise the characters and events depicted in
this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons living
or dead is purely coincidental.
Bellisarius Productions and Universal Television, an MCA Company
Podcasts:
Quantum Leap Podcast: Liberation
Listen
to The Quantum Leap Podcast on this episode here:
It’s LIBERATION now!
Join hosts Allison Pregler, Matt Dale and Christopher DeFilippis as
they discuss Sam’s Leap into a suburban housewife fighting for equal
rights, while deftly avoiding guy-on-guy smooches.
The bras they are a-burnin’!
Let us know what you think… Leave us a voicemail by calling (707)847-6682.
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