Episode
Adopted by: Carol
<aka> C_Dean n C_Al Additional info provided by: Brian Greene
Synopsis:
As
a personal valet to a rich uptown millionaire, Sam must convince the
bitter man not to tear down the building where a Salvation Army mission
is located in order to build a large plaza bearing his name. So, on
Christmas Eve, Sam and Al try to "Scrooge" him, showing the past,
present...and the future in an attempt to change his mind and save his
soul.
TV
Guide Synopsis: On
Christmas Eve, Sam jingles into the valet of a Scroogelike man (Charles
Rocket) who plans to demolish a mission to build a shopping plaza.
Laura: Melinda McGraw. Calloway: Tom McTigue. Max: Robert Lesser. Lt.
Porterman: Michael Dan Wagner. Tiny Boy: Jarrett Lennon.
Music:
Oh
Come All Ye Faithful
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Bringing
in the Sheaves
Deck
The Halls
Have
Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Carol
Of The Bells
Joy
To The World
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
Silent
Night
Project
Trivia:
It is the middle of
July at Project Quantum Leap, presumably 1997.
The
hand link is the ‘Gummy Bear’. Multi-colored little
squares that flash.
Ziggy
is called a he in this episode.
In
"Pool Hall Blues",
Ziggy could barely access enough power to add beams to the billiard
balls. Now, Ziggy can project an entire building with video. Major
improvements at Project Quantum Leap!
Sam
Trivia:
Sam
thinks about his Christmas in ’62 and tells Al,"I was 9
and Dad gave me a sled and Tom and I spent the whole day playing in the
snow. It was great!"
Al
Trivia:
Al
usually wears long sleeve shirts or a suite. But, in this episode and
in ‘Double Identity’ ep1.5, he’s
wearing a short-sleeved shirt. Both
times they are wild and bright colors. Also, in ‘Double Identity,’ he’s wearing
shorts.
Al's
Women:
Al enjoys seeing the housekeeper, Bebe.
An extended verion
of "Joy to the World" sung by the episode cast is played during the
closing credits.
Bloopers:
Regular
Cast:
Scott
Bakula as Dr Samuel Beckett
Dean Stockwell as Admiral Albert "Al" Calavicci
Deborah Pratt as Narrator (voice)
Guest
Cast:
Dylan
Day Brown as Charlie
Christopher
Fleming as Mickey
Dale
Harimoto as Newscaster Jarrett
Lennon as Tiny Boy
Robert
Lesser as Jason Calloway
Melinda
McGraw as Captain Laura Downie
Tom
McTigue as Max Wushinski
Milan
Nicksic as Reginald Pearson (Mirror image)
Charles
Rocket as Michael G. Blake/Blakowski
Michael
Dan Wagner as
Lieutenant
Porterman
Duane
Whitaker as Maintenance Man
(Unknown) as Bebe
Guest
Cast Notes:
Dylan
Day Brown as Charlie: Dylan Day Brown is known for Quantum Leap (1989) and Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal (1996).
Christopher
Fleming as Mickey: Christopher Fleming is known for Quantum Leap (1989), American Playhouse (1980) and Jake Spanner, Private Eye (1989).
Dale
Harimoto as Newscaster: Dale Harimoto is known for Godzilla (1998), Marked for Death (1990) and Quantum Leap (1989).
Jarrett
Lennon as Tiny Boy: Jarrett
started his professional acting career at the age of 4 after his mother
gave in to a constant barrage of people, with Ed Asner as the final
straw, suggesting he had a natural talent for acting. After booking a
national commercial and a television mini-series (his first and second
auditions ever), it became all too clear that acting was exactly what
he needed to do. His career picked up from there and he worked steadily
throughout his childhood, collecting regular praise for his natural
deliveries and keen ability to take direction even as a small child.
For most of his career, Jarrett (Jett to his friends) was advised to
outright avoid acting classes so as not to risk his technique being
changed by outside views. Later, at the age of 13, he took a masters'
class from Kevin Robert McDermott intended for young actors aged 15 and
up. Jarrett eventually took a break from the unsteady employment of
acting to raise a family, switching his hobby of technology to his
career in full-time IT support and moving acting to the side. However
it never fully left him. His passion for the craft carried him onto the
stage where he starred in and directed a variety of plays, held
recurring roles in popular web series, guested on (and produced, wrote,
and edited) a variety of podcasts and more. In 2015, on the equivalent
of a self-dare, Jarrett took an improv class at iO West with Brian
James O'Connell that changed his life. Working his way through various
classes at iO, Pack Theater, Revolution Theater, and more, with such
teachers and coaches as Paul Vaillancourt, Craig Cackowski, Shulie
Cowen, and Chris Alvarado, Jarrett found a deeply-renewed vigor for
performance and a newfound skill in long-form improv. With close
friends he built an indie team called The Feel Good Not Bad Death Laser
that toured Southern California, playing over 100 shows in its first
year alone, and working its way up to main-stage status at iO West,
Revolution Theater, and ACME Comedy. Once the world changed, he and his
teammates from the award-winning improv show ALLEGEDLY... moved online
to form The Super Legit Podcast which he hosts and edits. It's with the
experience, skills, character work, and encouragement he received in
the improv community that Jarrett excitedly began his return to
professional acting after a minor 15-year break. He's eager to show
everything life has taught him during his time away, and prove he was
more than simply "good for a kid."
Robert
Lesser as Jason Calloway: Robert
Lesser was born on October 22, 1942 in New York City, New York, USA. He
is an actor, known for Die Hard (1988), 2010: The Year We Make Contact
(1984) and Oscar (1991).
Melinda
McGraw as Captain Laura Downie: Melinda
McGraw is a classically trained actress known for her range, playing a
wide variety of roles in comedy and drama alike. Ms. McGraw grew up in
the Boston area and was a member of the Boston Children's Theater. She
attended Bennington College briefly until she was accepted at the Royal
Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. Her schoolmates included Clive Owen
and Ralph Fiennes, among several other notable talents. After appearing
in many theatrical productions in London's West End and around the UK
she returned to the States in 1990. Melinda McGraw was critically
acclaimed for her turn as Bobbie Barrett in Season 2 of "Mad Men" which
earned her a Screen Actors' Guild Award as part of the Best Ensemble
Cast, as well as an OFTA Television Award for Best Guest Actress in a
Drama Series (2007). She is also known for her work as Barbara Gordon
in "The Dark Knight," as Scott Bakula's love interest in AMC's "Men of
a Certain Age," as Diane Gibbs-Fornell-Sterling in "NCIS" and as Dana's
sister Melissa Scully in the "X-Files." She received a Best Supporting
Actress Award from the Milan Film Festival for "Meeting Spencer"
opposite Jeffery Tambor and Jesse Plemons. Ms. McGraw is married to
composer/recording artist Steve Pierson and they have a daughter.
Matt
Dale and Albie chat with Melinda McGraw about Quantum Leap, The
X-Files, and why Scott Bakula is the nicest guy in Hollywood. Happy
Christmas!
Tom
McTigue as Max Wushinski: Tom McTigue is known for Boyhood (2014), The Descendants (2011) and Baywatch (1989).
Milan
Nicksic as Reginald Pearson (Mirror image): Milan Nicksic is known for The Criminal Mind (1993), Quantum Leap (1989) and Mean Guns (1997).
Charles
Rocket as Michael G. Blake/Blakowski: Charles
Rocket was born on August 28, 1949 in Bangor, Maine, USA. He was an
actor, known for Dumb and Dumber (1994), Dances with Wolves (1990) and
Titan A.E. (2000). He was married to Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Crellin. He
died on October 7, 2005 in Canterbury, Connecticut, USA.
Michael
Dan Wagner as
Lieutenant
Porterman: Michael
Dan Wagner was an actor, known for Tremors (1990), Quantum Leap (1989)
and Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977). He died on December 15, 1993.
Duane
Whitaker as Maintenance Man: Duane
Whitaker, a native of Lubbock Texas, has spent the last 30 years as one
of Hollywood's most entertaining hyphenates. As an actor, Whitaker is
most recognized as Maynard, the sadistic pawn shop owner, in Pulp
Fiction. Of course, you don't walk onto the set of a ground breaking
film like Pulp Fiction without paying your dues. From the time he
arrived in Hollywood, Duane's face was seen frequently on the stage and
small screen. Some of his very early television credits include, Sledge
Hammer, Murder She Wrote, Highway to Heaven, L.A. Law, Rosanne and
Quantum Leap. More recent appearances include Rush Hour, Instant Mom,
Justified, Medical Investigation, I'm With Her, The Ex List, The Bridge
and a haunting portrayal of a former child abuse victim on an episode
of Cold Case. Duane has appeared in over sixty feature films. Among his
favorites are Edge of Town, Natasha Hall, Broke Sky, Lionhead, Dead
Letters, Sam Borowski's Night Club and of course, Pulp Fiction. It is
in the Horror genre, however, that Whitaker has anchored a large part
of his work. He has been a part of no less than eight Horror
Franchises, including From Dusk Til Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (which he
also co-wrote), Feast, Tales From The Hood, Rob Zombie's Devil's
Rejects and Halloween 2, Children of the Corn: Genesis, Puppetmaster 5
and Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3. Other Horror appearances
include, American Nightmares, Albino Farm, Trailer Park of Terror, The
Haunted Sea and Deadly Dreams. He has written, directed or produced,
Together & Alone, Stripteaser, Camp Utopia, Backroad Motel and
Eddie Presley. The latter stars Duane in a masterful turn as a
despondent Elvis Presley impersonator teetering on the fine line
between a triumphant comeback or a nervous breakdown. It was adapted
from Whitaker's successful stage play of the same title. He has
recently branched out into Faith-Based Films, appearing in Daniel
Roebuck's Getting Grace, Lucky Louie, The Hail Mary and My Brother's
Crossing. Duane received the honor of the American Cinematheque hosting
a screening of his two most personal films, Eddie Presley and Together
and Alone at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Together and Alone was
screened for a second time by the American Cinematheque along with
Garrett Clancy's Dead Letters. Duane Whitaker is also a playwright. His
plays have been produced in Los Angeles and New York and he has been
teaching a popular Film Acting class in Los Angeles for almost 20 years.
(Unknown) as Bebe: No information can be found about the actress who played the maid. If you have any information please contact us!
Guests
Who Appeared In Other Episodes of QL:
Charles
Rocket has been in one other "Quantum Leap" (1989)
playing "Commander Dirk Riker" in episode: "A
Leap for Lisa - June 25,
1957" (episode # 4.22)
Say
What? Krushchev did not visit Disneyland at the time mentioned in the episode. He was supposed to, but it never happened.
Al's cigar pops into his mouth between takes when he mentions it's the middle of July.
There are cars too modern for the time period in one shot before Blake finds the photos.
When
Al is ‘scrooging’ Blake and he’s in the bed. Al is standing at the foot
of the bed and Blake lunges at him, trying to grab him. When he does
this the covers on the bed get pulled down on the floor. Then Blake
turns around and lunges the second time trying to grab Al. The next
scene you see is Blake in bed with the covers all neatly pulled up.
When
Blake walks to the Salvation Army door, he turns to look at Sam, his
hair is messy, kind of parted in the middle. When Captain Laura Downie
answers the door and Blake is shown, his hair is combed straight back.
The
photo of young Michael Blakowski states that it was taken on his 8th
birthday in 1928. However, the gravestone at the end shows his
borthdate as 1922, making him six years old in 1928.
Blake's hair is messed up a bit when he goes to the Salvation Army door. But in the next shot it's neat again.
Leaping
around in time has made me realise
that, in some strange way, I'm a servant of a higher power.
But now I found myself a servant of a much different kind.
-- Sam, "A Little Miracle"
Do you have room for one more lost soul?
-- Michael Blake, "A Little Miracle"
I *AM* the ghost of Christmas Future! ooooooo
-- Al, "A Little Miracle"
We are never going to war with Russia. In fact we're going to be
allies... it... could uh, happen... don't you think?
-- Sam, "A Little Miracle"
It's not Christmas where I am, I mean *when* I am, it's the middle of
July.
-- Al, "A Little Miracle"
Al, you're a genius.
I am ... I am?
-- Sam and Al, "A Little Miracle"
Ziggy says this one may be a little tricky.
Why?
You may have to bathe him.
-- Al and Sam, "A Little Miracle"
What does a man like Blake need saved?
His soul.
-- Sam and Al, "A Little Miracle"
Deck the halls with me and Bebe.
-- Al, following the blonde maid, "A Little Miracle"
You're that jerk from the lobby, I recognize the tacky clothes and the
pale complexion.
-- Blake to Al, "A Little Miracle"
I'm a horrible man.
Yes sir.
-- Blake and Sam, "A Little Miracle"
What's with Ebenezer there?
He's ready to tear down the mission with his bear hands, Al; I think
I'm making things worse.
--Al and Sam, "A Little Miracle"
Best
Scenes: Sam
says, "Sir!
Maybe you can find a way to
accommodate both your needs."
Blake
says, "Pearson!
You’re way out of line!
Sam
says, "Yah
… Yes Sir."
Blake
says, "I
think you should worry about
your job and let me worry about mine." [He starts to walk into the
other room]
Al
says,
"Which is being a grouch!" [Dean
comes from behind Scott and follows Charles]
Blake
says, "What
did you say? Well …" [Charles
steps backwards and faces Dean who is speechless]
Calloway
says, "Who
are you talking to Sir?"
Blake
says, "I’m
talking to this jerk! Right
here! [Charles turns away from Dean and faces Robert, points with his
right thumb behind him and then turns back and Dean has punched the
hand link to disappear] Well … where did he go …"
Sam
says, "Who?"
[Scott is looking around]
Blake
says, "Never
mind! … Pearson …"
Sam
says, "Uh-Huh?"
Blake
says, "I
want these people outta here …
call the police if you have to. Well … if you will excuse me… Captian
Downie."
Sam
says, "He
saw you! How could he have
seen you?" [Now talking to Dean, who has re-appeared]
Al
says, "Did
he call me a JERK?"
Captain
Downie says,
"But he
didn’t listen though. Oh … I hope I didn’t get you in any trouble."
Sam
says, "Ahhh
… Ahhh … No … No, I’m … I’m
just sorry I couldn’t help you."
Captain
Downie says,
"Well …
we’ll survive. It’s all in God’s hands now. But that doesn’t mean I’m
not going to help. Lieutenant, as loudly as you can, and two, three,
four … ‘Bringing in the sheaves, Bringing in the sheaves, we will come
rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. Bringing in the sheaves, Bringing
in the sheaves’ …" [Melinda turns to the band and it starts to play and
she starts singing. They all walk to the elevator, get in and the doors
shut]
Sam
says, "How
could Blake see you?"
Al
says, "Oh
… Ahhh … Ziggy says it was
just a weird fluke."
Sam
says, "What
kind of a fluke?"
Al
says,
"Well apparently his neurons and
masons are on a frequency close to yours. So I’m going to get Ziggy to
shift my image a little bit and then only you’ll be able to receive me.
It’s kinda like tuning a radio … there! Now that should clear things
up." [Dean is furiously punching the keys on the hand link as he
explains to Scott]
Sam
says, "
‘Cept for why I’m here."
Al
says with a heavy sigh, "That
should be obvious!"
Sam
says, "Well
to save the mission, I guess
… but I don’t know …"
Al
says, "NO!
… NO! … NO! It’s to save
Blake."
Sam
says, "Blake!"
Al
says,
"Yah!"
Sam
says, "What
does a man like Blake need
to have saved?"
Al
says, "His
soul." [You hear Charles and
Robert arguing in the background]
Sam
says, "How
am I suppose to save Blake’s
soul? I mean, even if he has one. You saw how he treated those people."
[Scott and Dean are now alone in the bedroom, Sam is cleaning out
Charles’ closet]
Al
says, "Out
… polyester. Keep this one.
We don’t know very much about the guy. Ahhh … every time we try to get
some background information, Ziggy comes up empty."
Sam
says, "Well
you know what they say … if
you want to find something out about somebody … you just … check their
closet."
Al
says, "Yah
… Oh yah … sure … the closet
… you reach in there and gonna pull out a big box of information!" [Sam
hums a spooky tune, while just sticking out his arm holding a box from
inside the walk in closet] "Watcha got Havanas?"
Sam
says, "NO
… not Havanas. Pictures … old
pictures. Look at that … Michael Blakowski’s 8th
Birthday -1928. Al! He changed his name!"
Al
says,
"Well no wonder we couldn’t find
any information on him!"
Sam
says, "Carol
of the Bells … looks like
he started out in a slightly different neighborhood."
Al
says, "Yah
…"
Sam
says, "All
right … have Ziggy, see if he
can figure out where all these pictures were taken. Then get all the
information you can on a Michael Blakowski. I mean can you believe it’s
Christmas time and I don’t think he’s got a second thought about
throwing those people out on the streets."
Al
says,
"Well he’s a real scrooge."
Sam
says, "Yah
well, you can say that again!"
Al
says,
"SCROOGE!"
Sam
says, "Al!
Al you’re a genius!"
Al
says,
"Yah? I am."
Sam
says, "Yes
you are, absolutely, Michael
is… Scrooge! Right? He’s alone … he’s miserable … its like … ahhh …
Charles … ummm …"
Al
says,
"Dickens"
Sam
says, "Dickens!
It’s like he created his
character based on this guy!"
Al
says, "So"
Sam
says, "So
we scrooge him!"
Al
says, "Oh?
… How do we do that?"
Sam
says, "We
take him back to his
beginnings. We try to remind him that there’s more important things in
life."
Al
says,
"Where you goin?"
Sam
says, "Get
some help."
Al
says,
"Help! What do you think I’m doin
here?"
Sam
says, "That’s
not what I’m talking about
… oh … Beebe."
Al
says, "Mmm
… Mmm … NEVER MIND! … ‘Deck
the halls with me and Beebe …" [Dean follows Beebe into the
closet, singing]
Most
Touching Scene:
When
Sam and Blake are standing in the street, Blake looks up and sees a
bright star that shines down on the entrance of the Salvation Army.
Blake
says, "Pearson,
do you see that?"
Sam
says, "Yes
Sir."
Blake
says, "It’s
a sign, isn’t it?"
Sam
says, "I
think so Sir, yes." [Charles
starts to walk toward the door and he turns around to look at Scott]
"Go on Sir."
Captain
Downie says,
"Mr.
Blake, what a nice surprise."
Blake
says, "Do
you have room for one more lost
soul?"
Captain
Downie says,
"Of
course!"
Sam
says,
"What happens to him, Al?" [You
hear Dean enter via the IC and hand link beeping]
Al
says,
"Ahhh … six months he marries
Downie, and they have three kids."
Sam
says,
"That’s great! So I guess he
never builds the Plaza, huh?"
Al
says, "No
he does build it! AND he puts
the mission on the 1st floor!"
Sam
says,
"Hummm … I wonder if he would’ve
knocked on that door if you hadn’t put that star up there?"
Al
says,
"Ahhh … I … I didn’t … I didn’t
put that star up there!"
[This
is where Scott and Dean look at each other and then look back at the
building and the star and it starts snowing]
Sam
says, "Ummm
… You Sir. Was thinking …
how sorry I feel for you."
Blake
says,
"Feel sorry for me? What’s wrong
with you Pearson? Take a look around … I own more modern art than the
Guggenheim. Roscoes, Rouchenburgs, Liechtenstein’s. This place … I pay
more for one months rent than you earn in a year."
Sam
says, "Yes
Sir, you have everything that
money can buy."
Blake
says,
"Damn right! Not bad for an
orphan from the wrong side of town, eh? You now what I am? I’m the
living embodiment of the American dream."
Sam
says, "And
you’re miserable. You still
don’t have what you really want."
Blake
says, "Oh
I have everything I want!"
Sam
says, "Oh
really? I’ll bet you a month’s
rent that you don’t."
Blake
says, "How
you going to prove it?"
Sam
says, "I’ll
get the car." … [At the site
of the new Blake Plaza] "Touch it"
Blake
says,
"What?"
Sam
says, "Put
your hand against the wall.
Go on … what do you feel?"
Blake
says,
"Nothin’! Just brick and steel."
Sam
says, "Exactly!
No heat, no warmth … no
love."
Blake
says,
"That thing doesn’t love me, if
that’s what you mean! You know what happens? They die or they walk out
on me! But this never will! This is immortality."
Sam
says, "I
hope the world remembers you
kindly."
Blake
says,
"Just who do you think you’re
talking to Pearson? You’re my employee, not my conscious! You just talk
care of yourself. ‘Cause I’m doing just fine. So pay up!"
Sam
says, "Do
… do you hear that Sir?"
Blake
says,
"Carol of the Bells, I haven’t
heard that … in a long time."
Sam
says, "Yah!
… Yah, me either. HA! … Carol
of the Bells."
They
walk to the door of the Salvation Army and enter. Captain Downie sees
and speaks to them and they start singing ‘Joy To The World’ … I
especially like this part where Scott sings. I think he does too, you
can hear him above the others.
Al's
Best Scene:
Blake
is asleep and Al appears beside the bed. You hear a clock striking and
chains rattling. His face is painted, wearing a t-shirt, the collar and
tie only, torn jacket, black hat that lights up and is smoking a cigar.
Al
says,
"OOOHHH" … [Softly] … "HAY BLAKE
WAKE UP!" [Yelled] "… OOOHHH …" [Softly]
Blake
says,
"Wait a minute … I know who you
are! You’re the jerk from the lobby! I recognize
the bad clothes and pale complexion."
Al
says, "JERK!
I am
the ghost of Christmas future."
Blake
says, "Yah
right! … The ghost of
Christmas future wore the black robe Jacob Marley wore the chains."
Al
says, "I am
the
ghost of Christmas future! Ooohhh …"
Blake
says,
"Pearson put you up to this,
didn’t he? Good makeup!"
Al
says, "Are
you hard of hearing! I’m
here to show you your future! Ooohhh …"
Blake
says,
"Well maybe I should just show
you your future!" [He lunges at Al] "You’re pretty quick, I didn’t even
see you move!"
Al
says,
"That’s because I didn’t move!
HaHaHa!"
Blake
says, "I
must be dreaming."
Al
says,
"More like a nightmare!
WaHaHaHa!" [Al punches keys on the hand link to make him self rise
above the floor]
Blake
says,
"OMG! Stay away from me! PEARSON!
HELP! PEARSON!"
Sam
says, "Mr.
Blake?" [Sam comes in the
door and turns on the light] "Mr. Blake? What’s wrong Mr. Blake?"
Blake
says,
"This is what’s wrong! Get him
outta here! Go on get out of here now!" [He points to Al, still above
the floor and at the foot of the bed]
Sam
says, "What
Sir?"
Blake
says, "You
don’t see it? He’s standing
right there, smoking a cigar, starring at me! It’s horrible! He’s tan?"
Al
says,
"Enough of the insults, already!
HaHaHa!"
Sam
says, "I’m
sorry, Sir, but the only
thing I see here is you. You know, maybe … maybe I should call your
doctor?"
Al
says, "You
do that! And he’s going to
send you to the loony bin! HaHaHa-OhOhOh!"
Blake
says, "Oh
no! No! No! No doctor,
Pearson! Pearson just get him outta here! I’ll double your salary! I’ll
triple … triple your salary! I’ll forget about the months rent you owe
me!"
Sam
says, "Sir,
I can’t get it out of here,
if I cant see or hear it."
Al
says, "HEY
BLAKE! Put your coat on!
You’re going for a walk on the wild side!"
Blake
says,
"Pear … Pearson get my coat, get
my clothes."
Sam
says, "Yes
Sir." [Sam leaves Blake
cowering at the head of the bed and as Sam walks by Al they give the
"thumbs up" to each other]
Sam
says, "Sir,
are you sure he said that he
wanted you to meet him here?" [They are now at the site of the Blake
Plaza]
Blake
says,
"Yes! Yes, He distinctly said the
side of the Blake Plaza."
Sam
says, "Well
ahhh Sir, do you see him
anywhere?"
Blake
says,
"Maybe I was dreaming … ‘cause I
have been working very hard lately.
Sam
says, "Well
ahhh Sir, … ahhh … its
possible, they say that dreams can …" [You hear Al pop in]
Blake
says,
"AHHH!"
Al
says, "HA!
HA! You leaving so soon?"
Blake
says,
"Pearson! Pearson! He’s back …
Stay with me!"
Sam
says, "Right
here, Sir. Maybe we jus …
should find out why he brought you down here … ask him."
Blake
says,
"That’s a good idea. Why did you
bri …"
Al
says, "I
HEARD HIM! … Jeeze … I’M HERE
TO SHOW YOU YOUR FUTURE!!! Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha …"
Blake
says, "My
future? What about my future
…"
Al
says,
"Watch and you’ll see! [Al
punches the hand link and a completed Blake plaza appears]
Blake
says, "Oh
Pearson, I wish you could see
it. It’s the Blake Plaza right there in front of me! On some sort of
television screen, as though I could reach out and touch it. Show me
more ghost! Show me what else happens to me!"
Al
says,
"OKAY! You asked for it!"
[Dale
Harimoto as Newscaster comes on the screen and delivering the news for
December 24, 1975]
Newscaster
says,
"Michael Blake announced today he
had filed for bankruptcy."
Blake
says, "NO!
That’s impossible!"
Al
says, "It
gets better!"
Newscaster
says,
"Analysts say that, Blake, once
considered a brilliant corporate raider was undone by his unbridled
greed and uncontrollable lust for power."
Blake
says, "What
have they done to me?"
Al
says, "You
did it yourself! You wanted
all! So you borrowed and leveraged, until the end … you had … nothing
… nadda … zero … zilch
… zip!" [Scott is mouthing the words
along with Dean in the background]
Blake
says,
"What about the Blake Plaza? Do I
still have the Blake Plaza?"
Sam
says, "Maybe
we should be going."
Blake
says, "NO!
Stay away from me! I wanna
know all this! What happens? Do I still have the Blake Plaza? Is it
still there?"
Al
says, "Oh
yes! It’s still there."
Blake
says, "Oh
…. [Whines] … They took my
Plaza …"
Al
says, "Oh
no they didn’t … they didn’t
…"
Blake
says,
"You’ve lost it!" [Dean pops out]
Al
says,
"Such a peaceful ending. Come on
over here. There’s nothing going to hurt you here. Ha Ha Ha …" [Dean
pops back in and is sitting on the headstone of Blake behind a chain
link fence]
Blake
says,
"Pearson …"
Sam
says, "Sir,
maybe we should …"
Blake
says, "No,
please …"
Al
says,
"Ahhh … ha-ha-ha-oh-oh-oh …"
Blake
says, "How
did I die?"
Al
says, "You
didn’t just die. You killed
yourself. You took a header of the top of the Blake Plaza. In the rush
hour."
Blake
says,
"Why?"
Al
says,
"Why? Why not! You had nothing to
live for, no friends, no family, no love."
Blake
says, "I
don’t wanna die alone.
[Crying] I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to end like this."
Sam
says, "Mr.
Blake … Mr. Blake … You all
right?"
Blake
says,
"He’s gone. The ghost is gone, I
think its over."
Sam
says, "Yes
Sir, Yes Sir! It’s all over!"
Blake
says, "I’m
a horrible man!"
Sam
says, "Yes
Sir."
Blake
says,
"Hurting people, not caring about
anyone but myself. I don’t want it to end like that. Hated, forgotten
and alone."
Sam
says, "You
still have time to change
things, Sir."
Blake
says, "Do
you really think so?"
Sam
says, "Yes
Sir, I do."
Al's
Best Lines: Al
says,
"Where you goin’?"
Sam
says, "Get
some help."
Al
says,
"Help! What do you think I’m
doin’ here?"
Sam
says,
"That’s not what I’m talking
about … Oh … Beebe."
Al
says, "Mmm
… Mmm … NEVER MIND! … ‘Deck
the halls with me and Beebe …" [Al follows Beebe into the closet as he
sings and looks at Sam, who just shakes his head]
Synopsis & Review:
Christmas
Eve, Sam leaps into Reginald Pearson who is the valet to business
tycoon Michael Blake (played by Charles Rocket). Michael is a
thoroughly unpleasant man (though he is opposed to firing Sam despite
his incompetence as a valet and his meddling in Michael's personal
life) who is planning on tearing down a salvation army building in
order to build Blake Plaza. He also just happens to have very similar
brainwaves to Sam and so is able to see Al until Al changes the
frequency slightly so that Michael can no longer see him. Sam is
sympathetic to the Salvation Army and so promises Captain Laura Downey
(played by Melinda McGraw) that he will find a way to save the
building... with her help, of course. Although Sam believes his task is
to save the Salvation Army building, Al points out he's also there to
save Michael from himself.
When Sam is ordered to sort through Michael's suits to find which ones
to save and which to give away (with heavy input from Al as Sam knows
nothing about clothes), he finds a box of memories in the closet which
reveal that Michael changed his name and used to be a poor orphan
living on the same street as Blake Plaza is to be built on and that
he's trying to show the world just how far he has come by building the
tower there. Due to Michael's resemblance to Scrooge character-wise,
Sam and Al decide to draw inspiration from "A Christmas Carol" to make
him change his ways.
First comes "Christmas Past", and Sam convinces the chauffer to let Sam
drive Michael to his meeting and ends up taking him to the Salvation
Army building. He stops the car and one of the local kids comes over
and lets the air out of one of the tires to give them an excuse to
stop. When Michael gets out (after wondering how Sam thought this was a
good route to get to the meeting he had) he is assaulted by memories of
the past, aided by several children playing and calling someone by
Michael's original name. Captain Downey appears and denies having seen
the boys. Caught up in nostalgia and charmed by Downey, Michael happily
tells her about growing up here.
When they stop to buy chestnuts, Michael recognizes the vender as Max
Wushinski, an old friend that he had lost touch with. The two reminisce
for a bit and then Michael asks what happened to his old best friend
Charlie. Max is forced to tell them that Charlie became an alcoholic
and killed himself 4 years earlier by throwing himself in front of a
bus, this after losing his job when the plant became automated earlier,
leaving behind his wife and five kids in the process. As Michael made
his money off of laying off workers like this, he is deeply upset. He
tries to pay extra for the chestnuts but Max just tells him to go.
Michael storms off and then sits in his apartment getting drunk and so
Sam thinks that he's failed. Al believes that this is actually a good
sign and that Michael is thinking about what he is doing and so they
put phase two of their plan into action... Christmas Present. Sam tells
Michael that he feels sorry for him because, for all of his wealth and
power, he's still missing something from his life. Michael angrily asks
how he would know and Sam bets a month's rent that he can prove it.
Sam takes Michael back down to the site of the future Blake Plaza and
has him put his hand on the side of the building, telling him that that
path is just cold and Michael retorts that he's had people who loved
him but they all either died or left him and this building and his
empire won't. Before they can leave, though, they hear singing coming
from the salvation army building and come in. Michael is once again
caught up in nostalgia as he joins the festivities and really starts to
open up to Downey.
Unfortunately, a little boy comes over to give Michael a Christmas
present and Michael recognizes him as one of the children from earlier
and realizes that this is an elaborate charade to make him change his
mind. Furious, he storms out and tell Sam that he had better hope he
didn't still want to fire him in the morning.
Sam is discouraged but then he remembers that Michael can see Al and
sends him in as 'Christmas Future'. Al chooses to go all out and
dresses up as Jacob Marley, which Michael calls him on. Because Michael
saw him earlier, he doesn't initially believe that Al is a ghost and
keeps insulting him. Eventually, he tries to punch Al and falls right
through him. After that, it doesn't take long to convince Michael that
Al is really a ghost. Michael calls for Sam to get rid of Al but Sam
pretends he cannot see him.
Al takes Michael to the Salvation Army building and shows him the
future. Michael is delighted at the picture of the finished Blake Plaza
but then he sees a news report from 1975 featuring him as older and
bitter, declaring bankruptcy. He sees that his tower has been renamed
"Sumito Plaza", after the name of the creditors who took ownership of
it when he lost in a battle in the courts at the time, and that he
eventually committed suicide by jumping from the top of it on into
oncoming traffic. Michael is horrified and breaks down sobbing.
Sam convinces Michael that it's not too late to change his ways as a
bright star leads Michael back to the Salvation Army's door, as Capt.
Downey lets him in. Al reveals that the two of them fall in love and
marry within six months and eventually have three kids together.
Michael still builds the Blake Plaza tower, but, this time, he gives
the entire first floor to the Salvation Army mission. Sam wonders if
Michael would have knocked on the door if Al hadn't put the star
there... but Al says that he didn't. The two wish each other a Merry
Christmas, as Sam then leaps. Source
Personal
Review by Carol <aka> C_Dean n C_Al:
I
love this episode because it has a lot of DEAN in it! He actually gets
to help in this Leap! He blurts out that he’s a real ‘Scrooge’ and
without even knowing it, he has opened up a can of worms! He gets to
sing a little too. The chemistry between Scott and Dean in this episode
is so sincere. The looks they give each other,
like unspoken words and the end is the best I’ve seen! It made me cry
the first time I saw it. The friendship between them is genuine. I hope
you enjoy it as much as I do, no matter what time of year you watch it.
Writer Commentary - Watch along with Sandy Fries and The Quantum Leap Podcast
Albie and Sandy
Fries, a writer of A Little Miracle sit down and watch the Holiday
episode of Quantum Leap where Michael Blake gets Scrooged!
Production Credits:
Theme by: Mike Post Music by: Velton Ray Bunch Co-Executive Producer: Deborah Pratt Co-Executive Producer: Michael Zinberg Supervising Producers: Harker Wade Co-producers: Paul Brown, Jeff Gourson Produced by: Chris Ruppenthal Created by: Donald P. Bellisario Teleplay by: Sandy Fries and Robert A. Wolterstorff Story by: Sandy Fries Directed by: Michael Watkins Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario Associate Producer:James S. Giritlian Executive Story Editor: Tommy Thompson Director of Photography: Bradley B. Six, A.S.C. Production Designer: Cameron Birnie Edited by:Jerry Temple Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow First Assistant Director:Paul Sirmons Second Assistant Director: Rob Mendel Casting by: Ellen Lubin Sanitsky Set Director: Robert L. Zilliox Costume Designer: Jean-Pierre Dorleac Costume Supervisors: David Rawley & Donna Roberts-Orme Sound Mixer: Mark Hopkins McNabb Stunt Coordinator: Diamond Farnsworth Sound Editor: Paul Clay Music Editor: Donald Woods
Panaflex ® Camera and Lenses by: Panavision ®
This
motion picture is protected under laws of the United States and other
countries. Unauthorized duplication, distribution or exhibition may
result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.
The
characters and events depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any
similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Bellisarius Productions and Universal, an MCA Company
Quantum Leap Podcast
Seven
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