Quantum Leap – A Single Drop of Rain [4.9]

Sam becomes Billy Beaumont, a self-proclaimed “rainmaker” who has returned to his own drought-stricken hometown for the first time in eight years. He at first resists giving people promises but is soon swept up in the mood of jubilant optimism over the prospect of rain. At the same time, he is contending with the fact that his ex-girlfriend, who is now married to his brother, is still in love with him. Sam forces a situation where Billy’s brother Ralph is forced to fight him for his wife, showing her that Ralph genuinely loves her. Miraculously, after all of this, it starts to rain.

Quantum Leap – The Wrong Stuff [4.7]

Sam leaps into Bobo, a chimpanzee training for the space program in 1961. Sam struggles at both being a chimp and an astronaut-in-training, while he attempts to prevent Bobo’s death at the hands of a scientist doing questionable work about the effectiveness of human crash helmets. In the end, Sam is able to save both Bobo and another chimp, and helping the scientist to have a change in heart.

Quantum Leap – Permanent Wave [4.5]

Sam leaps into Frank Bianca, a popular hairdresser in 1980’s Beverly Hills. When Frank’s girlfriend’s son Kyle witnesses a drug-related murder, Sam finds himself trying to convince the boy’s mother, Laura, that they have to go to the police. Laura refuses, especially since Kyle’s father was actually killed in retaliation for testifying against another murderer. Nonetheless, Laura and Kyle are fated to be killed over the incident. Sam and Al eventually realize that the police officer Sam has been relating to is the actual murderer, before discovering that one of Frank’s co-workers, a woman named Chloe, is the real force behind the criminal activity. The situation is bleak but Sam and Laura are able to stop Chloe. Frank and Laura get engaged as Sam leaps.

Quantum Leap – Justice [4.4]

Sam leaps into Clyde (no last name given) just as he is being inducted into the Ku Klux Klan. Sam is revolted and soon discovers that Clyde himself is conflicted about it, feeling pressured to join because of his family. Sam soon discovers that he is there to prevent the forthcoming lynching of a young black activist named Nathaniel Simpson. His efforts to prevent violence ultimately fail, and in the end Sam is only able to save Nathaniel by insisting he be hung next to him–something the Klansmen, particulalry his father-in-law, are unwilling to do.

Quantum Leap – Hurricane [4.3]

Sam leaps into Archie Necaise, a Mississippi sheriff working with his girlfriend Cissy (a Red Cross nurse) trying to help people evacuate in the face of the onset of the devastating Hurricane Camille. Sam must prevent Cissy’s death in the storm, while also helping others in his role as sheriff. Eventually, Sam and Al realize that Cissy was not killed by the storm but by Archie’s jealous ex-girlfriend, desperate to win Archie back. Sam is able to save Cissy and also help spur her on to doing the work to become a psychotherapist.

Quantum Leap – Play Ball [4.2]

Sam leaps into Lester “Doc” Fuller, a minor league baseball player already well into his career. Al believes that Sam is there to help Doc get into the major leagues by impressing a scout at an important game, but this will mean betraying Chucky Myerwich, an angry young player that Sam has befriended. Over Al’s objections, Sam does what he can to help Chucky improve his future, both by letting him pitch the critical game and helping him restore his relationship with his father. Sam is ultimately able to help both Chucky and Doc to a better future by trusting his instincts.

Quantum Leap – The Leap Back [4.1]

After the events of Shock Theatre, Al and Sam find they have changed places, so that Al has leapt into a recently returned World War II veteran in 1945 who had been believed to be dead, while Sam has gone to the Imaging Chamber in the present. After some effort, Sam is able to leave the chamber where he is reunited with his wife Donna, who he had completely forgotten about in the process of leaping through time. Al as reconnects with his host’s girlfriend, who had gotten engaged while she thought he was dead. Her knew fiancé is enraged and attempts to kill them both, leading Sam to re-leaping in order to save Al’s life. Sam and Al thus return to their more usual positions, and Sam once again forgets that he is married to Donna.

Written by Donald P. Bellisario. Directed by Michael Zinberg

Previous Episode: Shock Theatre • Next Episode: Play Ball

Quantum Leap – Shock Theater [3.22]

Sam leaps into Sam Biederman, an institutionalized patient in 1954, immediately before he receives unnecessarily high electro-shock therapy from an angry orderly. This results in Sam becoming disconnected from his own personality, randomly adopting the personas of the hosts from his previous leaps. Al must find a way to help Sam complete his normal mission, and to help him leap out of the situation before the project loses touch with Sam forever.

Quantum Leap – Nuclear Family [3.21]

Sam leaps into Eddie Ellroy, a 19 year old college student staying with his brother’s family during the Cuban missile crisis. Eddie’s brother Mac sells fallout shelters, but is destined to kill his neighbor the next night during a panic the next night at the height of people’s fears about nuclear war. Sam is shocked at how terrified people are about the future, and must find a way to save his brother from this fate.

Quantum Leap – Heart of a Champion [3.20]

Sam leaps into Terry Sammis, a professional wrestler who is just starting out. He tag teams with his brother Ronny, who is fated to die of a heart attack during an upcoming title match. Normally consigned to “playing” bad guys for arranged matches, this title match represents an opportunity for Ronny to honor a promise made to his dead brother, who was also a wrestler. Because of how personally important it is, Sam has a difficult time convincing Ronny not to wrestle. In the end, Sam takes on the opponent by himself, refusing to “tag out” with his brother, and is eventually able to win against a far stronger and more experienced opponent. Thanks to his victory he is able to convince his brother to get checked out with a doctor, ultimately saving his life.