405 Permanent Wave

Permanent Wave

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alsplacebartender

alsplacebartender

Al's Place Bartender - Brian Greene
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Jul 10, 2002
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www.quantumleap-alsplace.com
Permanent Wave
June 2, 1983

Beverly Hills, California


In this leap, Sam is the most noteworthy hairdresser in Beverly Hills! But just as he leaps in, his girlfriend's son witnesses a murder at a drugstore next door. The boy's mother won't let him tell the police what he saw, and the killer is getting closer and closer to making sure that he never will.


Written by: Beverly Bridges
Directed by: Scott Bakula


Rate and comment on this episode!
 
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It was fun seeing a very young Joseph Gordon-Levitt in this; I was used to seeing him as a teenager in Third Rock from the Sun.
 
Scott in leather pants -

The "Sam teasing Al" scene with the twins

Sam playing "Captain Galaxy and Future Boy" with the little boy.

Great episode, even though it had its heavy moments
 
Yeah I liked this ep, possibly mine and my BFF's fav scene was the twins...and in those tight leather pants whoooo! Boy I wish I had been one of them *pants* :dreaming

Al: Sam are you doing this just to taunt me!
Sam: Yes! And it's working!

lol.

I liked Kyle too he was a cute little boy and I loved Sam's/Frank's relationship with him and how he handled him in this deep ad scary situation.
 
Sam Beckett Fan said:
Yeah I liked this ep, possibly mine and my BFF's fav scene was the twins...and in those tight leather pants whoooo! Boy I wish I had been one of them *pants* :dreaming
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I originally read the above as "I wish I had been one of them pants." - as in, you wish you were Scott's leather pants. Well, that's one way to get up close and personal! :p
 
A well done thriller. I thought it was quite good, good story and It had his amusing moments like the part with the twins that were already mentioned here, But again - "Bad twist". I guess Beverly Bridges just couldn't held herself back... Wasn't The Dirty Cop enough?! BTW Does anybody knows what is -'till this episode- the bodies count Sam's left behind him,During the show?!

And I want to end my post with a question - have you noticed,what Al asked Sam about his "behavior" with the twins?!
 
This is one of those episodes I enjoyed more the second time because I was able to pick up clues to who the bad guy was, stuff that I had missed the first time.
BTW Does anybody knows what is -'till this episode- the bodies count Sam's left behind him,During the show?!
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Ooh, a trivia question. Goody.

Honeymoon Express - 1
Her Charm - 1
MIA - 2
The Leap Home Vietnam - unknown, probably 4 or 5, if you count Maggie
The Leap Back - 1
Permanent Wave - 1

You might also count Portrait for Troian - 1, but I don't consider that one Sam's fault.
 
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actually its never confirmed if the two guys in MIA actually died they could have just been wounded.

And I agree, I don't count Jimmy from Portrait For Troian as that was not an intended manslaughter, Jimmy was not a bad guy he was just ill in the head and needed help and Sam tends to take pity on those kind of people despite whatever wrong they may have tried to commit. Another example of this is The Wrong Stuff when he jumped in the pond to save the ill responsible doctor who was testing helmets. So I don't think Sam would have intended to kill Jimmy he just happen to be standing there at the edge of the docks in Sam's path and thus accidently took him into the lake with him. Or that's how I saw it anyway. Although you could possibly also look at this as a kind of Her Charm situation where he had to be killed for Troian to be safe. But I opt for my first explination more because Sam even said it aloud that Jimmy was sick. So he probably would have opted to getting him help over killing him because Sam is not a cold blooded killer he does not kill just anyone just because they have or tried to do something wrong.

Maggy almost the same thing, it was not intentional although it was more intentional than Jimmy. With her he was NOT using his brain at all he should have known better than take a woman out on a war mission. Her story was not exactly necessary he's living it, so he can find out what happens to Tom has he goes. Although he loves helping others in need having such a big warm heart so I don't understand why he did not care at all about the POWs even without the knowledge that Al was one of them.
 
I took the question of "bodies Sam left behind him," as meaning people who died because of Sam's leap, not people he intentionally killed (or, for that matter, people who were killed by others, like the murder victims in Temptation Eyes).

As for the guys in MIA, I'm thinking they're dead after being shot point blank with a shotgun. Those things pretty much blow you apart.
 
Oh ok, I am not sure how they meant the question so now they have both verisons of the answer just in case hehe.

And ok about MIA, that makes sense.
 
I ment - people that were killed by Sam. And i do counting Jimmy from "Portrait For Troian". Even if it wasn't intendtiontly - Jimmy died because Sam throw him to the lake and he drowned.
 
I am watching this episode now and I am pondering something. I wonder what happened with this situation originally because Kyle only went into the Pharmacy alone because Sam had no knowledge of Laura's rules and allowed him to. Frank however knows better and would not have allowed him to go unattended, and given Sam's position when he leaped in Frank was too busy at the moment to take him. So it makes sense that Kyle would not have originally witnessed the murder thus the entire situation was a Butterfly Effect of Sam changing history.
 
Sam Beckett Fan said:
I am watching this episode now and I am pondering something. I wonder what happened with this situation originally because Kyle only went into the Pharmacy alone because Sam had no knowledge of Laura's rules and allowed him to. Frank however knows better and would not have allowed him to go unattended, and given Sam's position when he leaped in Frank was too busy at the moment to take him. So it makes sense that Kyle would not have originally witnessed the murder thus the entire situation was a Butterfly Effect of Sam changing history.
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You make a good point, but then, why would Sam have leaped into Frank in the first place?

A more likely scenario is that Kyle, seeing Frank was busy (He probably dismissed the boy with a 'later kid' comment) decided it 'wouldn't hurt' to pop over to the Pharmacy on his own. Even good kids get tempted to do things they know they shouldn't, and tend to think they are invincible. He probably figured he'd be back before he was missed and Frank and his Mum would never need to know.

As far as I can recall, there was only one Leap where the intention in putting Sam in the place of the leapee was to have him screw up, and that was...

Leaping of the Shrew

When he was supposed to go off course and stop them getting rescued so that they had time to fall in love. He even said something to Al about being there 'because he was a lousy sailor'.
 
Wasn't there an episode-"Dreams" I think it was- where Sam was a police officer with nightmares of his mother's autopsy; I believe the psycho in that episode was also killed by Sam (in self-defense, of course :D)

Not that all were in self-defense..
The Vietnamese kinda got ambushed-BOOYAHHHHH! :p
And, of course, Troian's brother, I don't think was killed in self-defense (though I'd have to rewatch the episode)

It's the yin and the yang, just as Sam saved good people, he killed some bad people; the evil leaper likely saved some bad people and killed good people.
 
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Term180 said:
Wasn't there an episode-"Dreams" I think it was- where Sam was a police officer with nightmares of his mother's autopsy; I believe the psycho in that episode was also killed by Sam (in self-defense, of course :D)
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You're right, the body count does rise a bit more, but isz's question was "up until this episode" - or at least that's how I read it and answered it.

After Permanent Wave there's:

Dreams - 1
Unchained - 1
Temptation Eyes - 1
Curse of Ptah Hotep - 1 (not really his fault, but . . .)
Evil Leaper Pt 2 - 1

Not all of them were directly done in by Sam on purpose, but I'm being consistent with my original list.
 
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leaper1 said:
You make a good point, but then, why would Sam have leaped into Frank in the first place?

A more likely scenario is that Kyle, seeing Frank was busy (He probably dismissed the boy with a 'later kid' comment) decided it 'wouldn't hurt' to pop over to the Pharmacy on his own. Even good kids get tempted to do things they know they shouldn't, and tend to think they are invincible. He probably figured he'd be back before he was missed and Frank and his Mum would never need to know.

As far as I can recall, there was only one Leap where the intention in putting Sam in the place of the leapee was to have him screw up, and that was...

Leaping of the Shrew

When he was supposed to go off course and stop them getting rescued so that they had time to fall in love. He even said something to Al about being there 'because he was a lousy sailor'.
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I never said screwing up was his intented task, to tramatize a little boy is not something that would benifit anything. I was saying that Frank would know better than to let him go off alone while Sam honestly did not know. I was thinking of a Honeymoon Express kind of situation. He was orginially supposed to just help her pass her exam but then he put Tom's life in danger and thus had a new task as well. Cuz I am sure someone in the H.E thread said something about the threat to Tom's life being a butterfly effect of Sam changing history.

bluedana said:
Dreams - 1
Unchained - 1
Temptation Eyes - 1
Curse of Ptah Hotep - 1 (not really his fault, but . . .)
Evil Leaper Pt 2 - 1
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All those were not only not Sam's fault but he had nothing to do with them except Dreams.

Ptah-Hotep the guy was killed by the mummy

Temtation Eyes the reporter threw himself over the edge of the building and Sam was attempting to SAVE him.

Unchained, I will give you that one half way because it was the partner that killed the robber but it was because he felt threatened by Sam finding out about the robbery.

Evil Leaper 2 I am afraid I don't where that one is coming from no one died in Evil Leapers 2.
 
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bluedana said:
You're right, the body count does rise a bit more, but isz's question was "up until this episode" - or at least that's how I read it and answered it.
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That what i ment in my question - 'till "Permanent Wave" not during the all show.

bluedana said:
After Permanent Wave there's:

Dreams - 1
Unchained - 1
Temptation Eyes - 1
Curse of Ptah Hotep - 1 (not really his fault, but . . .)
Evil Leaper Pt 2 - 1
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Yeah i'm with SBF - I think after "Permanent Wave" the only one Sam can be Blamed in killing a person is,only, the shrink in "Dreams".
though in "Blood moon" maybe he can be blamed he cause 2 more deathes.
 
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I did say that I was being consistent with my original list, in that I was counting up people who died because of Sam's leap, not people he intentionally killed (or, for that matter, people who were killed by others, like the murder victims in Temptation Eyes).

In Unchained, the warden falls/gets pushed to his death. In Curse, the bad guy gets left in the chamber that Sam opened. And doesn't the warden/Zoe get shot in Return of the Evil Leaper, part 2? (I may be misremembering that one; it's not one of my faves so I haven't watched it a zillion times.)
 
bluedana said:
I did say that I was being consistent with my original list, in that I was counting up people who died because of Sam's leap, not people he intentionally killed (or, for that matter, people who were killed by others, like the murder victims in Temptation Eyes).

In Unchained, the warden falls/gets pushed to his death. In Curse, the bad guy gets left in the chamber that Sam opened. And doesn't the warden/Zoe get shot in Return of the Evil Leaper, part 2? (I may be misremembering that one; it's not one of my faves so I haven't watched it a zillion times.)
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I think the confusion with the Evil Leaper count is that most people consider the prison episode to be Evil Leaper 3, not 2, since it is the third encounter with them.
 
isz said:
though in "Blood moon" maybe he can be blamed he cause 2 more deathes.
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Nope,Hoarce knocked out Claudia and Lightning struck Victor down.

bluedana said:
And doesn't the warden/Zoe get shot in Return of the Evil Leaper, part 2? (I may be misremembering that one; it's not one of my faves so I haven't watched it a zillion times.)
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Thats Evil Leapers three hun. And only Zoey was shot, the warden leaped back in woundless.

And Dana I am aware that your list was just people that died but sometimes I can't help pointing stuff out just to make sure its known. Yes something about Sam leaping in caused the deaths but Sam directly was not responsible.
 
Sam Beckett Fan said:
Nope,Hoarce knocked out Claudia and Lightning struck Victor down.
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My wrong...though i'm not surprised because i think "blood moon" is one of the worst episodes in the entire series,so i'm just trying to forget it.
 
isz said:
My wrong...though i'm not surprised because i think "blood moon" is one of the worst episodes in the entire series,so i'm just trying to forget it.
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Yeah I am not too fond of it either I just kind of like the charactor of Alexandra.
 
I think the confusion with the Evil Leaper count is that most people consider the prison episode to be Evil Leaper 3, not 2, since it is the third encounter with them.
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Thanks, Helen, gotcha. I tend to think of Deliver Us From Evil as totally separate, and the The Return/Revenge ones as Parts 1 and 2. And since I've dragged this thread completely off topic, I will be quiet now.
 
bluedana said:
I've dragged this thread completely off topic, I will be quiet now.
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It my fault too as I am not helping. I see certian comments and can't help but encourage the off topic discussion. So I will keep quiet too unless its back on the Permanent Wave subject. I made a post about the task above that so far only Helen has repsonded to, perhaps we can discuss that to get this thread back on topic.
 
This episode was pretty good. I really liked everything, especially the part where both cars head to the cabin (my favorite parts of QL are the "chases", leading right up to the climax). It was also funny, how Sam was able to get back at Al for once. :lol

This could have been me, but I think that their lives became a little bit to perfect from the experience. Not only do they get married, and one starts a support group that helps a lot of people, and the other goes on to get a gold medal in the Special Olympics? I don't know... That just seemed a little too much...
 
I liked the part when Al popped in and scared Sam. Al goes "Oh sorry, I popped in too close, sorry."
 
Another episode where we don't actually get Sam to really perform his assigned profession. I'd love to see Sam clipping hair, but then again, I'd love to see him as a Chippendales dancer, too.

I agree that sometimes everything ends up TOO perfect, though. I wish that everything wasn't always so neat-and-tidy and absolutely perfect. A small part of me still wishes that Sam would get saved by a woman for a change.
 
Great episode...I loved the scene with the twins where Sam turned the tables on Al for once. :roflmao:And the scenes between Sam and Kyle, and how Sam puts himself between Kyle and the nasty sheriff at the cabin are touching. Sam even told Chloe "don't make me do this" before he shot her in self defense. Forever the good guy.
 
Maybe because we don't see much of violent Sam,it feels weird to see Sam using gun and killing people.
Also a very young Joseph-Gordon Levitt,mind-blown of the episode >D
 
While this was a pretty decent episode, it's one that makes me understand why ratings were beginning to drop by the fourth season. There's a formula to this show and after awhile it starts to get a little stale. This feels like sort of a throw-away episode, another that seems like it could have taken place in almost any given time, so it doesn't really utilize the time-traveling premise of the show in a satisfactory manner, with the exception of the hysterical mirror image of Sam with the wild 80s hair.

Also, if I recall correctly, in the fourth season QL was on against something else that turned out to be more popular, although I'm hard-pressed to remember what it was. I had a co-worker who watched QL and she stopped right around Season 4 because she and her husband started watching whatever it was up against because they decided they liked it better. So I think even long-term fans were beginning to tire of the show a little by this time.

Whenever Sam's mission is to save someone from dying, there's very little suspense to it aside from how they get to that point, because 9 out of 10 times you know Sam is going to save that person. I was never really worried Laura or Kyle would get killed, so it's just an episode where you kind of sit back and watch to see how it all plays out. Not exactly edge-of-your-seat stuff.
 
iMonrey said:
While this was a pretty decent episode, it's one that makes me understand why ratings were beginning to drop by the fourth season. There's a formula to this show and after awhile it starts to get a little stale.
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This is kind of why I think having Al do a few more leaps might have been good for mixing things up a little bit, at least at the beginning of the season. It would've been the same formula but with Al as the leaper and Sam as observer the dynamic would have been very different, which could've made it more interesting.

iMonrey said:
Also, if I recall correctly, in the fourth season QL was on against something else that turned out to be more popular, although I'm hard-pressed to remember what it was. I had a co-worker who watched QL and she stopped right around Season 4 because she and her husband started watching whatever it was up against because they decided they liked it better. So I think even long-term fans were beginning to tire of the show a little by this time.
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I'm pretty sure it was up against 'Full House'. That's where the 'Stand Up' episode came in - they got Bob Saget as a guest star to try to pull that audience back in.
 
blue enigma said:
I'm pretty sure it was up against 'Full House'. That's where the 'Stand Up' episode came in - they got Bob Saget as a guest star to try to pull that audience back in.
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I just looked it up - it was on against "Anything But Love," a sitcom with Richard Lewis and Jamie Lee Curtis. I'm pretty sure that's what my (married couple) friends decided they liked watching better. :wacko
 
iMonrey said:
I just looked it up - it was on against "Anything But Love," a sitcom with Richard Lewis and Jamie Lee Curtis. I'm pretty sure that's what my (married couple) friends decided they liked watching better. :wacko
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Never saw that show though I'd heard about it.
 
Carrying on the strong start to season 4, Permanent Wave is actually one of the most underrated episodes of them all in my opinion. Sure, it may not be particularly hard hitting or be a game changer for the series as a whole, but as a standard episode I think it's very strong.

For the most part, I've always liked a good whodunit type story and this is a good example of how one should be handled. The first time I saw this episode I was very shocked by the reveal at the end regarding Chloe. I just didn't expect her to be the mastermind behind it all. The only drawback regarding this outcome is that it is kinda unrealistic that Ziggy didn't point out that Eloch is an anagram of Chloe. I know it's mentioned by Sam and Al (can't remember the exact words but I know they both seem dumbfounded by the fact everyone missed it). But I would have expected Ziggy to notice this.

I really, really like both Laura and Kyle. Two really good supporting characters. Laura did annoy me at times with her obsession in trying to protect Kyle herself, but ultimately it all came out of pure love for her son. It's cool seeing a young Joseph Gordon Levitt as Kyle. And yes, as far as child actors go, Joseph was a pretty good one. Very realistic acting from him throughout.

Above all else, I love all the Sam and Al scenes here. Yes, I always enjoy them, but here I think the interactions between them were top notch. And yes, the best scene is by far Sam trying to taunt Al by flirting with the twins in front of him. Funny stuff.

My verdict. Excellent. A real hidden gem of an episode. Good directing by Scott Bakula, too.
 
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