Dr. Samuel (Sam) Beckett - Project Creator & Leaper

[Samantha Beckett]

LOL! I can see that too! *has mental image of a naked Al running across the stage area of the sanctuary while the priest is giving mass*

We've talked about this on another thread some time back...i agree with Helen's theory about Al helping Sam with the questionaire. I know whenever I have to do some of those, i cant help but answer some sarcastically. Especially ones I dont know for sure...i'd give some ludicrous answers.

Samantha Beckett

[LadyKayoss]

*sighs* There goes that beautiful fantasy.

Ahem... Seriously, I love the idea of young Al streaking, to the horror of the nuns. I wouldn't put anything past him!

I had wondered if it was an actual incident in Sam's life, though, because in one of the novels, Sam actually refers briefly to the streak and the expulsion, so I assumed it was mentioned somewhere else in the show.

[Sara_Leaper85]

I loved it in the Leap Home 1, when Sam turns around and there is his little sister and he picks her up with a big bear hug. I loved that!

[laestrella]

well sam does sleep in the nude as established in leaping without a net...(my mind is now wandering...)

[LadyKayoss]

Originally Posted by laestrella

well sam does sleep in the nude as established in leaping without a net...(my mind is now wandering...)

Your mind isn't the only one... That was one of my favorite moments in the episode. Mmmm...

[CarolD]

Originally Posted by MikeKraken

This is the spelling that is used in "Obsessions" and it drives me nuts!! The spelling that appears in "The Leap Home" script is "Elesee", although I have always spelled it "Eleese". It is a much-debated name, which is a strange re-occurence in QL... thank goodness Sam has an easy name to spell.

Oh, wait... they misspelled it in "Mirror Image". >: There goes that theory.

... Mike. ^_^

As the author of "Obsessions," might I reply...
First, I hadn't seen the script of "The Leap Home" when I wrote the book. I found a spelling in the local phone book that sounded correct, so I used it, and the editors didn't say anything about it being incorrect.

I imagine a lot of fans hadn't/haven't seen that script, either. And various QL scripts contradict each other in terms of spelling: some have "Gooshie" and others "Gushie." And yes, for a show that can't bother to have the correct spelling of the main character's name in the final episode, I'm not gonna worry too much about what's spelled how. Just enjoy the story...

Carol

[leaper1]

In Carol's defence, I would say that personally I believe the responsibility for continuity rests with the editors.
I started writing when I had only seen a handful of episodes, and I couldn't say where I picked up the spelling of Gooshie as Gushie, but I went with the latter. Once I knew the matter was under debate, I fully expected to find which spelling was the 'right' one on some official site. The fact that there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer suggests that my interpretation is as valid as someone who chooses the spelling "Gooshie". For my own continuity, I'll keep using "Gushie" until I am told otherwise by an inside source (ie somebody at Bellisarius productions)
So if the 'official' spelling of Donna's name is Elesee, (and a script from the series is about as reliable a source as it gets) then the editors should have ensured that it appeared that way in all the 'official' novels.

A little Don style PCR to satisfy folks on both points -
in the story "A sound of thunder" by Ray Bradbury (the original, I've not seen the film but I understand it isn't totally faithful to the book) one of the changes caused by treading on the butterfly is that spellings of common words have changed. So maybe, just maybe, when Sam changes history, especially when he interacts with the personal histories of those in and around the project, he has an impact on the spellings of the names. A bit far fetched perhaps, but hey - this is science fiction!

[Janna Galaxy]

I was kinda thinking about this while I was watching a QL music video.

"Who did/does (not sure of which tense to put it) love the most?"

When I say "love" I mean it in the widest possible sense.

Personally I think it was and always will be Al.

What does you think?

[Nytrydr]

Jana, if you're asking who sam loves the most, I too would ahve to say Al, if nothing else, Once the pilot ep is past, Sam tends not to froget Al. Without any disrespect intended, if I suddenly got a brain injury and could only ever remember my best friend, I'd probably love him more than the people I could sometimes not remember. Likewise, much as Al seems to care for Tina, I don't think there's anyone but Beth he's ever cared about as much as he cares about Sam.

The chemistry between the two leads was one of the best things about this show (though there were mabny, many good things).

The way Sam was played made me care so much about him that I was devastated when he never returned home. I saw a "Practical Joke" on one of those Dick Clarke Ed Mcmahon shows where Scott demostrated what a nice, nice guy he was during botched filming of a promo.

Thus I was disappointed when I really didn't care for his character on Enterprise. Sam was one of the most Lovable characters on TV. Archer, on the other hand I could care less about.

[bluedana]

I would agree with Nytrydr on this point, Janna. Sam knowingly and intentionally gives up his chance to come home for Al, not once but twice (Leap Home, Mirror Image). I think that fits into the "greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend" category.

[Oddly enough, it's also one of the things that makes me love Enterprise's Archer, as well.]

The point about Sam always remembering Al is a good one. Compare that with the ongoing joke that Al couldn't keep four of his ex-wives straight - but he never stumbled over Beth's name.

[Sam's Crow]

Originally Posted by alsplacebartender

Sam (Dr. Samuel Beckett)


He could read at age 2, do calculus in his head at 5,
He speaks 7 modern languages including English, Japanese, French, Spanish and German, but not Italian or Hebrew and 4 dead ones (he can read Egyptian hieroglyphics).

He has a photographic memory, can cook,Sam also knows several kinds of martial arts.

I can relate to all this. Unfortunately I could only do very basic calculus. I know all the langauges he knows and a couple others. The last bit, exactly like me.

[leaper1]

Originally Posted by alsplacebartender

Sam (Dr. Samuel Beckett)


He has a Nobel Prize, field unspecified, but probably for physics. For this, Time magazine called him "the next Einstein".

Actually, I thought it was unspecified too, but it is Physics. I caught it this week. I even rewound it and listened again to make sure I hadn't misheard.

In "The Wrong Stuff" Sam says near the beginning...
"Nobel Prize in Physics and I'm fighting to keep my diaper on! What's next?"

[angvav]

Originally Posted by Elle Knight

Wow! That describes Sam so well it's almost scary! LOL.

Chinese horoscope does have a knack of describing people's personalities to a T!

Its amazing stuff!

[Errowyn]

I've always liked Sam. The show came out when I was a little kid and I always wanted to hug him. Sometimes I wanted to smack him upside the head but that was it.

Originally Posted by leaper1

My theory on this was that Al helped Sam with those answers and was either having fun messing with his boy scout buddy's Swiss cheese memory, or basing it on his own (ie Al's) personal experience. Probably the former though, on reflection, as Al would have been a bit old to have got caught up in the streaking craze.
A shame, as I'd have loved to use the idea in a story of Al streaking while at the orphanage, and the nuns being scandalised!

The mental image that gave me made me laugh out loud. July 14 is National Streaking Day so somehow I can imagine young al streaking through the orphanage and horrifying the nuns.

[ohboy]

To me, Sam was always the good guy. However, sometimes I felt, and this could just be me, that he was "too good" at times. There were probably only a few episodes in which I could say this, but his niceness appeared unnatural at times. However, almost every episode, I'm still cheering for Sam as he has to face all the challanges that he does, and in the end, I think his personality was probably just right for Project Quantum Leap.

[Errowyn]

Originally Posted by ohboy

To me, Sam was always the good guy. However, sometimes I felt, and this could just be me, that he was "too good" at times. There were probably only a few episodes in which I could say this, but his niceness appeared unnatural at times. However, almost every episode, I'm still cheering for Sam as he has to face all the challanges that he does, and in the end, I think his personality was probably just right for Project Quantum Leap.

I can see how Sam could be considered "too good" at times. The man has a huge heart and wants to make things right. Sometimes it's the "too good for his own good!" factor but like you I'm cheering for Sam when he faces his challenges.

[Snish]

Originally Posted by leaper1

My theory on this was that Al helped Sam with those answers and was either having fun messing with his boy scout buddy's Swiss cheese memory, or basing it on his own (ie Al's) personal experience. Probably the former though, on reflection, as Al would have been a bit old to have got caught up in the streaking craze.
A shame, as I'd have loved to use the idea in a story of Al streaking while at the orphanage, and the nuns being scandalised!

You know how precocious Al was--he could have invented it! He would have been the first to do it by about 20 years.

I will never believe that Sam actually got expelled for streaking, though. He would be far too devoted to his studies--and too shy-- to let 5 minutes of fun disrupt his college career. So either Al was messing with his head (which Al's been known to do), or Sam himself made it up. Maybe he thought it happened to him but was really remembering someone else that he knew being expelled. Sam does misremember things sometimes, as when he first thought that he was the one who left Donna at the altar, not the reverse.

[leaper1]

Originally Posted by Snish

You know how precocious Al was--he could have invented it! He would have been the first to do it by about 20 years.

I will never believe that Sam actually got expelled for streaking, though. He would be far too devoted to his studies--and too shy-- to let 5 minutes of fun disrupt his college career. So either Al was messing with his head (which Al's been known to do), or Sam himself made it up. Maybe he thought it happened to him but was really remembering someone else that he knew being expelled. Sam does misremember things sometimes, as when he first thought that he was the one who left Donna at the altar, not the reverse.

I agree. The idea of Sam streaking goes totally against character, especially when at college. In "Animal Frat" Al says that Sam was a 'mega-nerd' whose idea of fun was to reinvent the wheel every five minutes, or words to that effect. No way does streaking fit with that profile. Plus the deliberate nudity is in direct contrast to his reactions to being a Chippendale stripper in Private Dancer, and having a 'fan sandwich' in "Glitter Rock", and even being de-bagged in "Camikaze Kid".
The word 'demeaning' comes to his lips too ready to believe he'd even consider streaking.

Of course, this is so early in the series that the writers hadn't fully formulated his character at this stage, so it is probably as simple as it being a glitch - like having Al suffer a hangover when later on it is established that Sam helped him overcome an alcohol problem BEFORE he leaped.

It is fun to PCR it thought, isn't it?

By the way, how do people feel about the idea that Sam had a pet rock???

[Errowyn]

Originally Posted by leaper1

By the way, how do people feel about the idea that Sam had a pet rock???

That just gave me a mental image of Sam with a pet rock on a leash taking it out for a walk. I have one silly imagination at times.

In a way I can see Sam having a pet rock somewhere in his lifetime. My parents remember when it was a big thing to have a pet rock and how Dad would "train" his rock. He could get his rock to stay, play dead, and roll over.

Sam: ((to his pet rock)) "Stay!"
Rock: ((doesn't move))
Sam: "Gooood pet rock..."

[Sam's Crow]

Originally Posted by Errowyn

That just gave me a mental image of Sam with a pet rock on a leash taking it out for a walk. I have one silly imagination at times.

In a way I can see Sam having a pet rock somewhere in his lifetime. My parents remember when it was a big thing to have a pet rock and how Dad would "train" his rock. He could get his rock to stay, play dead, and roll over.

Sam: ((to his pet rock)) "Stay!"
Rock: ((doesn't move))
Sam: "Gooood pet rock..."

Oh my. Why can I picture that so well?

[Snish]

Originally Posted by leaper1

so it is probably as simple as it being a glitch - like having Al suffer a hangover when later on it is established that Sam helped him overcome an alcohol problem BEFORE he leaped.

It is fun to PCR it thought, isn't it?

By the way, how do people feel about the idea that Sam had a pet rock???

But is it established that Sam helped him overcome a problem with alcohol back then? Do you mean in "Play Ball" when they talk about how they met? Sam says Al was drunk, but I'm not sure they ever say that Al kicked the problem then.

I don't see Sam having a pet rock--he would be too old for that bit of kiddie culture. I was about the right age for that one, although I never got a pet rock myself.

[Mathias]

Can anyone list Sam's martial arts and their degrees?

[jassian]

I'm not sure if it was ever defined. Hopefully there's people here who know more about the show and can help.

I only know that Tae Kwon Do is mentioned several times.
(And the turned hook kick, used on the show a lot, is quite common for it as you may know ) I don't know how good he was meant to be, simply from observing it doesn't look like a very high grade. I'd personally say maybe green belt, but that's a wild guess.

[leaper1]

Originally Posted by jassian

I'm not sure if it was ever defined. Hopefully there's people here who know more about the show and can help.

I only know that Tae Kwon Do is mentioned several times.
(And the turned hook kick, used on the show a lot, is quite common for it as you may know ) I don't know how good he was meant to be, simply from observing it doesn't look like a very high grade. I'd personally say maybe green belt, but that's a wild guess.

In "Another Mother" when Sam rescues the boy from the kidnappers, he knocks them out with a couple of kicks and says to Al something like "I know this stuff?" and Al replies that he knows several martial arts, and lists some. I can't recall offhand what he says exactly, I think he mentions Tae Kwon Do, Karate and Ju Jitsu, but so far as I recall that's the only time any of them are referred to specifically. Other times he says how he supposedly knows the skills (in this ep he says 'girl scouts' I think, in another - possibly Leap of Faith - he says Bruce Lee movies)

[jassian]

In Leap of Faith he said "Old chinese movies" or so. Could have been just an excuse for knowing it, though