From: finifter@remus.rutgers.edu (Tracy E. Finifter)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: QL: Promised Land <spoilers>
Summary: MHO...
Keywords: ql quantum leap promised land
Date: 16 Dec 92 05:22:47 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

Spoilers for the Tuesday at 8 impaired...





















Nothin' spreads holiday cheer quite like a new episode of Quantum Leap.  We
find Sam home again (although, when you think about it, he has a lot of homes.
We're going to hear the same "I'm home," line next week, but I'll get to that
later.

Overall, tonight's episode was pretty good.  For the first time, we really
get to see Sam's guilt over leaving the farm.  I know he always had missed
his father greatly and felt some guilt over that (something about not being
home for Thanksgiving the year he died?) but this gave us something more.
I hadn't realized (at least, I don't remember it ever being mentioned) that
his farm went under when his dad died, but if his banker was this nozzle, then
it very well may have been the case.

The fact that Sam's persona had faced similar problems in his life was an
effective way to tie the two together without "mixing souls" like they've
done with so many episodes.  Sam felt real empathy towards his persona because
he understood his dilemma, not because of some cheesy time/space link excuse
used when all other plot devices failed.  THIS made that aspect of the episode
classic Quantum Leap.

A few minor problems (although, the more I think about it, the fewer there are)
1.  Who was this Carl guy and what was his purpose in the episode other than
to be a nozzle and to create "a really intense dramatic moment"?  We already
had a bad guy (provided courtesy of Gus Vernon).  Did we really need Carl to
shoot John in order for everybody to realize the mistakes they had made?  The
bad guy was nabbed (thanks to a rather cliche'd plot device (the evidence to
catch the bad guy is always in the safe/other secure device in his home, our
hero need only break in to save the day), but hey, with only an hour per
episode, you can't take care of all the plot points with indepth and creative
solutions)  (BTW, that was an awfully clean shot Sam made to take off the lock
without putting a bullet through the box - yes, I'm babbling, I'll move on now)
so what was Carl there to do other than to shoot John?  That really bothered
me.  And if it was to make Neil examine what he had done, then it didn't work
otherwise I don't think he would have gone off to lead a life of crime.  BTW,
that's another thing that bugged me, at the very end, when Al told Sam Neil's
future, I thought for sure there was one more thing that Sam had to do to
correct it.  This was almost confirmed when Sam got that look in his eye, as
he does when he sees one last opportunity to change history for the better, but
I was faked out when...

Sam sees his father again.  Granted, this was a nice touch, and although I
think Scott's makeup looks rather fake (I thought this for the Leap Home, too,
never mind the fact that I don't like it when one actor plays two parts, esp.
if those parts have to interact on a major basis), it's nice that Sam can see
his family when he's in town.  (A major drawback of Quantum Leaping is that you
don't get much by way of vacation time :)  One thing you can say about Scott
playing Sam's dad though is at least you know the actor will be available :)
(Oh, and another BTW, I'm glad we finally get to know that Tom did indeed make
it home from Vietnam.  Sure, Sam saved his life on April 8, 1970, but you never
knew for sure what happened afterwards...)

Anything else to say?  Oh yeah, I still feel cheated that Neil's life will
turn out like history says it will.  Material for another leap?  I hope.  But
leaving Neil like that doesn't sound like TBEU's style.



Next week:  The Leap Back?  Now there's an odd episode to show in mid-season,
especially since the leap-in doesn't make any sense whatsoever without "Shock
Theater" coming before it.  But hey, I won't complain.  Donna notwithstanding,
"The Leap Back" is still one of my absolute favorite eps.  And since school
will be over and done with, I may actually get to enjoy it without thinking
"Yes, I'm watching TV.  But what SHOULD I be doing?"


Keep leaping...



-- 
Tracy Finifter - finifter@gandalf.rutgers.edu
Why did the chicken cross the road?  Ziggy says there's an 89.7% chance it was
because he found himself trapped on the road, leaping from side to side, and
driven by an unknown force to dodge oncoming traffic.
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv