105 Double Identity

[Lightning McQueenie]

The theory is that when the leapee leaps back, he/she ends up with memory of what Sam did during the leap.

This obviously takes a little while, since Frankie had no memory of the past few days when he leapt back.

[Lightning McQueenie]

I also remember Sam saying that he made the announcement of Frankie and Theresa's engagement and his approval public so that when the Don leaped back, he couldn't back out of it...

[chris-oates]

I've always loved this episode. This was the episode that got me hooked. The first episode I watched was How the Tess was won. I liked the episode and it made me want to watch more episodes, but this was the one that got me hooked. I enjoyed everything about it. One thing puzzles me though, why was it so important that the old woman win the game of bingo?

[Lightning McQueenie]

Originally Posted by chris-oates

I've always loved this episode. This was the episode that got me hooked. The first episode I watched was How the Tess was won. I liked the episode and it made me want to watch more episodes, but this was the one that got me hooked. I enjoyed everything about it. One thing puzzles me though, why was it so important that the old woman win the game of bingo?

God works in mysterious ways...

[Donofrio_QLTD]

This was a great episode. A real classic. Light-hearted also, but in a good way, like for adults and not only for kids (like some of the previous episodes from this season). Very funny and I liked the fact that this is like a parody for the movie "The Godfather" or maybe any other mafia-style flick. This was still a very early stage for Quantum Leap to go into any specific direction, and so Bellisario tried this one. They didn't use the parody element that often in the show, but I think he succeded in using it with this episode.

I also loved the acting from everyone here, even from the bad actors (the guys in the power station, for example), because, even if it was a bit over-the-top at times, I think it was supposed to be that way. The only thing I didn't really dig was the character of Teresa. Her constant cackling, yelling, her overreactions to almost everything and her favorite line ("If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'...") with her somewhat fake accent was not really my cup of tea, haha! Even with all that, she adds to the fun of it all, and it's still one of the eps. I play too often.

My rating: Excellent.

[jg1981]

Originally Posted by Bexter

My husband and I started watching QL together, this is the episode where by the end he'd thrown up his hands and said Nuh!! This is crap I'm not watching it... This is such a shame because there have been so many episodes since then that I think he'd have loved. I wasn't overly fussed on the whole series either even at this point but it grew and grew on me and now I love it. (of course or I wouldn't be here) I did love the "If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'" I have an italian friend and I she talks exactly the same way, I could imagine her say 'If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'" and it just cracked me up every time.

I can understand this ... I found the episode a bit of a struggle to get through. I just don't think the genre is my cup of tea.

Another thing I've noticed about season one - it almost seems like they've thought up the type of story before the actual story itself. Like - let's make Sam a boxer, let's make Sam a gangster, let's put Sam on a farm! Which I guess is understandable, given they were establishing the show and a big variety like that was one way of drawing people's attention. Later seasons from memory are a bit more plot orientated, and character orientated, rather than situation orientated.

[MO]

I've always loved this one. The Italian scene in the salon is my favorite. The Italian phrases interspersed throughout the episode, the accents, the sons' names (First and Second), and the likabilty of all the characters - including Don Geno - really sold this episode for me. I enjoy watching this one so much, it's in my "Favorites" list on my profile. This one earns an "Excellent" rating from me.

P.S. Someday I'll learn Italian, so I can understand everything Al is saying when he runs off on a tangent in the salon!

[chris-oates]

Fun fact. This is the first episode of Quantum Leap I ever saw. It is also one of the very best episodes in the series, in my opinion. It could very well be the best episode Bellisario wrote. I know it's a high bar, but I really think it is that good. First of all, I have to admit that it being the first episode of QL I ever saw does give it an extra special place in my heart. I was only a kid at the time, in the early noughties. It was unlike anything I'd seen before. I immediately fell in love with the series as a whole, and I largely have this episode to thank for that.

There are so many things I love about this episode. First of all, it's an all around fun episode (these kind are usually my favourites). Yes, some of the characters are stereotypes (Don Geno, Teresa, etc), but it's all in good fun. The Volare scene is hilarious, as too is Sam accidentally telling Geno to fly away. Primo and Segundo work as good comic relief, too.

Another one of my favourite aspects of this particular episode is because it's the only one that gives us a glimpse of what happens when the leapee leaps back in. Frankie has literally no memory of anything at all. That's interesting to me. I think later on people start remembering the future (as Sam implies in Roberto). Personally, I think in most cases the leapee thinks they've done all the things that Sam did during the leap. But it's interesting to see Frankie having no memory.

Another good aspect to this leap is that we get to see the project try and retrieve Sam once again. Of course, the effort is a failure and results in Sam leaping into the Don! I wonder if Geno had not interrupted if it would have been a successful attempt? Ziggy did seem certain, and they did succeed in leaping Sam out of Frankie even though his mission had not been completed... And that segue's me into my least favourite part of this episode. The reason for the leap.

A game of bingo? Seriously? Lol. Again, another jokey reason for a leap. I know these are meant to be funny, but ultimately it just seems to cheapen the idea of leaping.

My rating. Excellent. It's hard to choose a best ever episode of Quantum Leap (because I love so many episodes), but this one is definite top 5 material. A fantastic episode.