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2x22 "M.I.A."













































































































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Leap Date:
April 1, 1969


Episode Adopted By: R. Joy Helvie
Additional info provided by: Brian Greene

Teaser:

As an undercover police officer, Sam is caught in a familiar scenario to Al when he must prevent a M.I.A. Naval officer's wife from marrying another man until he returns from captivity. But the other man keeps showing up and Sam thinks it may just be fate that the two come together. Is Sam there to do something else?



Audio from this episode:

Al: Her husband's an M.I.A.



Episode Menu
TV Guide Synopsis
Place
Leap Date

Name of the Person Leaped Into
Broadcast Date
Synopsis & Review
Music

Project Trivia
Al Trivia

Al's Women
Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode

Miscellaneous Trivia
Bloopers
Guest Stars
Guest Cast Notes
Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes
Quotable Quotes
Best Scene
Say What?

Awards
Script
Spoiler
Production Credits
Podcasts

Production # 65412



TV Guide Synopsis (TVGuide.com):

As a detective in 1969, Sam tries to keep an emotionally vulnerable Navy nurse (Susan Diol) from forsaking her MIA husband---who she thinks has died in Vietnam. Skaggs: Jason Beghe. Dirk Simon: Norman Large. Sam: Scott Bakula. Al: Dean Stockwell.

TV Guide Synopsis (Original):

Sam’s leap lands close to home for Al (Dean Stockwell), who insists Sam’s mission as a detective in 1969 is to keep a vulnerable nurse from forsaking her M.I.A. husband.

Promo:


Place:

San Diego, California


Leap Date:

Tuesday, April 1, 1969

Leapee:

Jake Rawlins

Broadcast Date:

May 9, 1990 - Wednesday

(Season Two Finale)


Synopsis & Review:

Sam leaps into San Diego wearing heavy make-up, a mini skirt, and heels and smoking a cigarette in an alley. He laments being in heels and being a woman again. He examines his reflection in a cracked mirror in the alley and sees what appears to be a fairly homely woman. He hears a voice yelling the name Jake. He opens his purse and finds a walkie-talkie and a gun. Two armed men run into the alley from one of the buildings. Upon seeing Sam, they point their guns at him and call him a narc. A cop car pulls up and a gun battle ensues between the two armed men and the police. An undercover cop, who is identified as Skaggs (played by Jason Beghe) also joins the fray, while Sam hide behind a dumpster.


To his relief, Sam realizes he has not leaped into a woman, but a male undercover cop. Skaggs tells Sam about freezing up in Vietnam after seeing a naked baby on the trail, which ended up being a set up for an ambush. He tells Sam that you get one freeze up and still get to live to talk about it. Skaggs and Sam return to the police precinct locker room. Sam, still in heels and a skirt, gets several whistles from the other police officers. Al is waiting for him and gives Sam the facts about his leap. Sam has leaped into Jake Rawlins, a newly promoted detective in the San Diego Police Department, who is partnered with Sgt. Roger Skaggs. Al suddenly gets very serious and tells Sam he is there to stop a woman named Beth from making a huge mistake. Al informs Sam that her husband is an M.I.A. pilot, who is being held by the VietCong and won't be repatriated until 1973. By that time, Beth has moved on and married again. The man she marries she meets on April Fool's Day, 1969.

A young, pretty woman cries as she tries to fix a flat. A stranger comes up and tries to help her out by changing the tire. The woman is Beth Calavicci (played by Susan Diol) and he is Dirk Simon (played by Norman Large). Meanwhile, Sam and Skaggs drive toward the marina. Skaggs questions how Sam knows that a woman he's never met, Beth, will meet a lawyer as she tries to change a flat tire. They come upon Beth and Dirk, and Sam takes over changing the tire, while Skaggs “questions” Dirk. Sam startles Beth by knowing her name and makes her think Dirk is under investigation. Skaggs gives the same impression to Dirk about Beth.

Skaggs and Sam go undercover as hippies. A disheveled Al appears and berates Sam for not stopping Dirk and Beth from meeting and says Beth gets the Navy to declare her husband dead and marries Dirk. Sam questions whether Beth and Dirk are supposed to be together. Al denies this adamantly and reveals that he was also an M.I.A. and that his wife wasn't around when he came back. Sam, while sympathetic, doesn't think he can keep Beth and Dirk apart. Al says he only needs to be there for her for the next few days. Beth, who is nurse in the burn ward of Balboa Naval Hospital, recently lost a patient she had a lot of hope for, which causes her to lose her hope for her husband of returning. Al believes that if Sam can help her remember how much she loves her husband, claiming Ziggy knows what music to play and where to take her to help Sam on the way. Sam doubts this is what he is here to do. A commotion breaks out as Skaggs attempts to arrest a hippie couple for possible possession.

Beth watches the sunset over the bay and meets Dirk's mother, who invites her to dinner. She sees Sam pull up into the parking lot and graciously declines the offer. She confronts Sam and demands to know why he is following her. He gives her calla lilies, which she says are her favorite and wants to know who told him they were her favorite. Sam says that he'll tell her everything if she'll go to dinner with him. At dinner, he says he was going to try to pick her up but he saw that she was married and gave up.

Meanwhile, Al walks around Beth's house and looks around. Beth returns home with Sam. Sam sees Al just as he uses the Handlink to step through the Imaging Chamber door. Beth tells Sam about losing Andy, the burn patient she thought would live. Sam holds Beth as she cries. Al stands outside, looking downtrodden.

The next day, Sam says that he still has doubts about whether Dirk and Beth should be together as she met Dirk's mother. Al angrily denies this and further describes his horrific experience as an M.I.A., saying that he doesn't want Beth's husband to return to find his wife gone as he did. Elsewhere, Beth and Dirk run into each other again at lunch. Meanwhile, a trap is being set for Skaggs by the men who he arrested at the beginning of the leap. They use a young Hispanic woman to make a call to Skaggs.

Beth and Dirk talk about her husband at her home. She says without any children, she's been having a hard time coping with her husband being away. Sam shows up, after Al tells him that Dirk and Beth are together, wanting to move their date up several hours and Dirk leaves. Beth goes to change and Sam mills about the house. He finds a picture on the mantel and recognizes Al in the photo. He tears up and tells Beth he doesn't think he is supposed to be there and leaves. Al, who is waiting outside, attempts to leave via the Imaging Chamber door but Sam yells for him to stop. He closes the door. Sam confronts Al about trying to change his own life, which he cites as being against the rules. Al tears up and says that Beth was the love of his life and he can't give her up. Sam asks Al if he knows if he is there for another, more important reason.

Skaggs walks into a bar and asks for Rosalie, the woman who called to set up a meeting with him. She is waiting with a baby. Skaggs flashes back to Vietnam and is frozen. Two men pull guns on him, but Sam appears with a shotgun and kills the two men, saving Skaggs, Rosalie (played by Leticia Vasquez), and the baby.

Al and Sam wait outside Beth's house. Al apologizes for not being more open-minded to other scenarios and wonders why Sam hasn't leaped. Sam thinks that maybe it's so Al can see Beth one last time. Al goes in to Beth, who is crying in her living room. For a moment, it seems as if she can hear Al, but she moves to the stereo and puts on “Georgia” by Ray Charles. She dances alone and Al joins her, unable to touch her. He tearfully begs her to wait for him and tells her he loves her. He moves to kiss her and he leaps with Sam. At that instant she says his name and cries. Source



Personal Review by R. Joy Helvie:

M.I.A. is my favorite episode of Quantum Leap; there is no doubt about it. I can't even begin to describe how much I love this episode. It was one of the first episodes I ever saw, and it helped to cement my entry into the Quantum Leap fandom.


Music:

"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" -- Marvin Gaye
"Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay" -- Otis Redding
"This Guy's In Love With You" -- Herb Alpert and His Tijuana Brass Band
"Unchained Melody" -- The Righteous Brothers
"Georgia" -- Ray Charles

"Someday We'll Be Together" -- Diana Ross & The Supremes


Project Trivia:

Ziggy is referred to as male in this episode.

Al Trivia:

Al married Beth in June 1961. By April 1969, with sea duty and TDY assignments, Al was only around Beth for two of the eight years they had been married.

Only four months after Al's first tour in Vietnam ended, he volunteered for a second.

Al didn't want children because he didn't believe in constantly relocating them.

During Al's second tour, he was shot down over the highlands in his A-4 somewhere around March of 1967.

When Al was declared MIA, Beth felt it was only another way of saying that Al was dead.

In April 1969, Al was in a cage near Cham Hoi.

During his time as a POW, Al was forced to live in a tiger cage that was "too small to stand up in" and "too narrow to sit down in". His nourishment consisted of rainwater and weevil-infested rice.

Al was repatriated in 1973 (later changed to 1975 after the events of "The Leap Home: Part II") only to find that Beth had asked the Navy to declare him dead and then married Dirk Simon in June 1969.


Al's Outfits:

Silverish-gray slacks, black shirt with a purple maze-like pattern, slender silver tie. Al spends the entire episode in this single outfit.

Al's Women:

Al believes that Tina would love the clothing in Sam's locker.

Al's first wife (and love of his life), Beth, was a Naval nurse. When it seemed Al would never return from Vietnam, she had Al declared dead and married Dirk Simon in June 1969.


Miscellaneous Trivia:

In an early draft of the script, Beth is described as being a blonde-haired, blue-eyed babe with long legs.

The conversation Beth has with Dirk at the restaurant takes place at a laundromat in the early draft, which is why Beth states in the episode, "We ran into each other at the cleaners."

In the early draft, Skaggs' first name is Robert. In the final episode, his first name is Roger.

It is also confirmed in the script that Al is able to physically kiss Beth on the forehead as a gift from the entity leaping Sam.

Dean did not enjoy acting the painful moments in the episode. He said he would much rather act when Al was lighthearted and fun.

Calavicci was the name of a friend of Donald P. Belliasrio in Cokeburg, PA.

The photo of a young Al was donated to the set by Dean Stockwell's friend and fellow actor, Roddy McDowall.

This episode began filming on Monday March 26th, 1990 and concluded on April 4th.

This is the first of only 4 episodes not to show the leap out into the next episode. The others are The Leap Back, Lee Harvey Oswald,
and Mirror Image.

The credits scroll in this episode.

Bloopers:



Guest Cast:

Jason Beghe as Roger Skaggs
Susan Diol as Beth Calavicci
Norman Large as Dirk Simon
Dan Ziskie as Sergeant Riley
Pat Skipper as Tequila
Sierra Pecheur as Carol
William Shockley as Boner
Leticia Vasquez as Rosalie
Cyd Strittmatter (as Cyndi Strittmatter) as Hippie Girl:
Bob Mendel as Hippie Guy
Gregory Millar as Pusher
Javi Mulero as Taco Man
Doug Bauer as Jake Rawlins (Mirror image)

Guest Cast Notes:

Jason Beghe as Roger Skaggs: Jason Beghe was born on March 12, 1960 in New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Next Three Days (2010), Thelma & Louise (1991) and Monkey Shines (1988). He was previously married to Angie Janu. His gravelly voice is the result of an automobile accident in 1999. The accident was severe enough that he had to be intubated, and he kept pulling the tube out of his throat. He is a friend from childhood of David Duchovny and worked with him for a time as a bartender. He originally prodded David into an acting career. Attended the prestigious Collegiate School in Manhattan with best friend David Duchovny, actor Zach Galligan and the late John Kennedy Jr.. He was David Duchovny's best man at Duchovny's marriage to Téa Leoni. Became a model after being photographed by Bruce Weber. This led to a modeling career in Europe where he spent a couple of years as the Armani man.

Susan Diol as Beth Calavicci
: Susan is of Scandinavian and East Indian Descent. She was born in Marquette, Michigan. Raised in Palatine, Illinois and Worthington Ohio. Her parents, Christine and Peter Balwant Singh Diol owned C & P Coffee, which is where Susan used her acting skills and accents while working in the office. The Diols also hosted many foreign exchange students and visitors, often having someone living in their basement or on their couch. It was a very lively upbringing. She received her BFA from Otterbein College, and she interned, her senior year at Pat McCorkle Casting in New York. That connection led her to moving to NYC, where she worked as a reader for Pat, was a perfume spritzer at Macy's and cleaned apartments. Pat cast her in her first Equity acting job, playing Viola in "Twelfth Night" at The Alaska Repertory Theatre, directed by her dear friend, Roy Brocksmith. She then got her big break in "You Never Can Tell" on Broadway at Circle in the Square, acting with Uta Hagan, Victor Garber, John and JD Cullum. Then she did "Opera Comique" at the Kennedy Center, with Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Charlotte Moore and Brian Bedford. She was a series regular on TV, in ABC's "Hothouse" in New York, with Michael Learned, Michael Jeter, Art Malik, Katherine Borowitz and Josef Sommer. Her most recent film credits with lead roles:"Your Own Road", "Reality", "Loqueesha" and "Basement". TV Movies: "Hacker" with Haylie Duff, "The Wrong Mother" with Vanessa Marcil, and "Bad Twin". Recent TV: "Notorious", "Perception", "Murder in the First" and "Hart of Dixie". Her Favorite TV roles: Beth, Dean Stockwell's wife on "Quantum Leap", Dr. Denara Pel with Bob Picardo on "Star Trek:Voyager", John Larroquettes baby sister on "Night Court" and Audrey on The Nose Job Episode of "Seinfeld". Susan was a Hooker on "Wings" with Tony Shaloub, Steven Weber and Tim Daly. She played Tyne Daly's daughter, Margaret, on Christy", a Nun on "Murphy Brown", and a killer on "Touched by an Angel" and "CSI: Grissom VS the Volcano". She then played a mother of a killer on "CSI" with Ted Danson, and a Doctor on "NCIS". And a Hypnotist/Therapist with Hank Azaria on "Herman's Head". On Soaps, she played the lovelorn Emmy Borden on "Days of Our Lives" and the crafty, phony Preacher/Con Artist, Angela Holliday with Chris Cousins and John Loprieno on "One Life to Live". She is a proud member of the Road Theatre Company in NOHO, where she is an actress, playwright and director. She is also a writer, director, filmmaker and producer at her company ZenGleam Filmz. Passionate for Senior citizens and Brain Health and Wellness, she teaches Zen Move & Groove for Seniors, privately on Zoom.

Norman Large as Dirk Simon: Norman Large was born on September 18, 1951 in Barrington, Rhode Island, USA. He is an actor, known for Mamma Mia! (2008), Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) and Titan A.E. (2000).

Dan Ziskie as Sergeant Riley: Known for playing Vice President Jim Mathews on House of Cards and CJ Liquori on HBO's Treme. Dan is from Detroit and got involved in the improvisational theater scene in Chicago, and worked closely there with Del Close. In New York he has been active in theater, both on and off Broadway, and in film and television. Early films include Adventures in Babysitting and Robert Altman's O.C. and Stiggs. Recent films include Concussion and the thriller Mercy.

Pat Skipper as Tequila: Pat Skipper was born on September 23, 1958 in Lakeland, Florida, USA. He is an actor, known for The X-Files (1993), Bosch (2014) and Yellowstone (2018). He is married to Jennifer Hammond. They have two children.

Sierra Pecheur as Carol: Sierra Pecheur was born on September 20, 1938 in the USA. She is an actress, known for Kalifornia (1993), What Women Want (2000) and 3 Women (1977).

William Shockley as Boner: William Shockley is an American actor, writer, producer (p.g.a.) and director. Shockley is a partner in Tiki Tane Pictures along with Allen Gilmer and Tom Brady, a film production company based in Los Angeles and Austin, TX. Tiki Tane is represented by UTA Independent Film Group. They are in post-production on Long Shadows, an American period piece directed by Shockley, starring Blaine Maye, Sarah Cortez, Jacqueline Bisset, Dominic Monaghan and Dermot Mulroney. As an actor, Shockley will next be seen in Haunting of the Queen Mary, starring Alice Eve, directed by Gary Shore; Natty Knocks with Robert England and Bill Mosley, directed by Dwight Little; Far Haven with Bailey Chase, directed by Gary Wheeler; and Martingale with Kelly Sullivan, directed by Jeremy Berg. Shockley made his directorial debut with the short film, Common Threads, starring Nancy Stafford, a period western set in Tucson, Arizona, 1887. Common Threads won 8 Film Festival Awards, including 'Best Short Film - Family' at the 2017 'IFS Film Festival' in Los Angeles. At the 2017 'Best Shorts Awards Competition' in La Jolla, CA, Common Threads won 6 Awards of Excellence, including Short Film, Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Family Programming and Ensemble Cast. And at the 2017 Lady's First International Film Festival in Cork, Ireland, Common Threads won Best Production Design. In 1986, while doing theatre in Dallas, Texas, Shockley had his first audition, and was cast by Paul Verhoeven in Robocop. His next decision was easy. Sell everything and move to Los Angeles. After just a few months of living in LA, Shockley landed a slew of episodic and movie-of-the-week roles. He was then cast in the feature films Howling: Rebirth with Phil Davis, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane with Andrew Dice Clay, and The Joyriders with Martin Landau and Kris Kristofferson. Paul Verhoeven cast Shockley again in the cult classic, Showgirls. Shockley has also worked in numerous television projects. He won over audiences for six years as 'Hank Lawson', the saloon-keeper in CBS' highly regarded drama, "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman", starring Jane Seymour. Shockley was given a development deal by CBS and starred in his own series, "California", a Dr. Quinn spin-off. Shockley also starred opposite Whoopi Goldberg in the CBS sitcom, "Bagdad Cafe", and opposite Teri Garr in the critically acclaimed ABC series, "Good & Evil ". Shockley has co-written 12 feature scripts that have been produced, and has also produced 10 feature films and 3 TV movies. Aside from acting, Shockley does extensive voice over work in television and radio advertising. He has voiced campaigns for AT&T, Enterprise, Sony, Sprint, Bausch & Lomb, Toyota, Siemens, Cisco Systems, Isuzu, Fruit of the Loom and XM Satellite Radio, to name a few. In the world of on air radio, Shockley hosted 52 weeks of "The Road", a syndicated country music program airing in 200 cities. The program featured live country music concert tracks mixed with interviews with the artists. "The Road" was nominated by Billboard Magazine as Best Syndicated Radio Program.

Leticia Vasquez as Rosalie: Leticia Vasquez is known for Quantum Leap (1989), Transa-Action (2005) and Route 10 (2001).

Cyd Strittmatter (as Cyndi Strittmatter) as Hippie Girl: Cyd Strittmatter is known for The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Gone Girl (2014) and Phoenix Forgotten (2017).

Gregory Millar as Pusher: Gregory Millar was an actor, known for Lethal Weapon 3 (1992), Uncaged (1991) and Why Me? (1990). He died on February 16, 2003 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Javi Mulero as Taco Man: Javi Mulero, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico in El Condado, began his theatrical acting career in Plays and Industrial Films in Chicago, IL, to where he moved right after his University years and where he obtained two of his first acting Union Cards, having secured an agent in LA by the time he moved there 3 ½ years later. His first speaking role on TV was in one of the first episodes of "Doogie Howser, M.D.", in which he got to display his English and Spanish bilingual skills. At the same time, he started working in various Equity workshops in plays at both the Mark Taper Forum (LA) and South Coast Rep (Costa Mesa, CA) thanks to the late, great Stanley Soble and Ms. Martha McFarland, respectively. Other roles followed in TV's "Hunter," "Murder She Wrote," "Super Force," "E.R.", "Resurrection Blvd", "Matlock", and a few TV Pilots and movies-of-the-week. Theater kept calling and he worked in full productions at the Mark Taper Forum, Taper Too (at John Anson Ford), South Coast Rep., Bilingual Foundation of the Arts, Sierra Rep., Dallas Theater Center, Arizona Theatre Co., and Pasadena Playhouse, among others. He created, among others, two roles in two different Humana Festivals at Actors Theatre of Louisville: the role of 'Nelson De la Luna" in "Cloud Tectonics," which he soon after reprised at La Jolla Playhouse, Playwrights Horizon (NYC), and Santa Fe Stages; as well as the enigmatic central role of 'Zhao' in the comedy "Natural Selection." Javi also toured for 7 months in the Pulitzer Prize Winner "Anna in the Tropics," going from Dallas, Tucson, Phoenix, and into the legendary Pasadena Playhouse, in CA. He also did other different productions of "Anna" in Sonora, CA; at the Hippodrome (Gainesville, FL); at the Open Fist (LA), and with Bonnie Franklin's Classic Contemporary American Plays. Javi has never ever missed a performance, yet. Ever. Other great turns in TV Guest spots include "NYPD Blue", "Ironside", "NCIS", "The Ghost Whisperer", "Cane", and "Bosch: Legacy", among many others (like "Reyes y Rey" and "Four Corners"). He appeared in the opening segment of the Sci-Fi movie "Tremors 3" and in the recent Festival darling/Movie Musical "Calle de la Resistencia", which was recently released by Caribbean Cinemas in Puerto Rico, where it played for 12 weeks. He has worked on TV with Jimmy Smits, Dennis Franz, Angela Lansbury, Ann-Margret, Sonia Braga and Mimi Rogers. Javi trained with Joanna Sanchez (Meisner Method); Barbara Gaines, in Chicago (Shakespeare); and for 10 months with the late Lynn Redgrave, every week (Shakespeare Master-Class). Javi is also a writer; has had several of his Plays both workshopped and produced; he is a Member of ALAP (Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights); SAG-AFTRA; and AEA.

Doug Bauer as Jake Rawlins (Mirror image): Doug Bauer was born on September 12, 1966 in Larned, Kansas, USA. He is an actor, known for Chillicothe (1999), Find Me (2009) and Quantum Leap (1989). Worked as a security guard at the Playboy Mansion. Won the ping pong championship at Thoreau Junior High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.Appeared on the game shows "Sweethearts" and "The Dating Game.".


Guest Stars Who Appeared In Other QL Episodes:

Susan Diol reprised the role of Beth Calavicci in the series finale, "Mirror Image". She also returned for the 2022 revival series in multiple episodes.

Gregory Millar portrayed "Lonnie Harper" in the episode "Black On White On Fire".

Pat Skipper portrayed "Lucas 'Luke' Marlet" in the episode "The Beast Within".

Say What?

The chain Sam is wearing at the beginning of the episode disappears while he’s changing clothes in the locker room.

Al previously says that his first wife was a redhead. Beth is a brunette.

Beth moves her hand from the car and rubs it on the right side of her
nose, which leaves a smudge behind. In the next shot it’s on her
left.

Sam is very skeptical of Al's prediction of what he's there to do. Sam is usually there to repair small events in time, so why doesn't he take it at face value?

Beth's M.I.A. bracelet was not created until 1970.

How does Skaggs know that Dirk is a lawyer?

"Someday We’ll Be Together," didn't release until about five months after the episode takes place.

When Al kisses Beth at the end, her hair moves as his lips touch her forehead. However, in the script, this is intentional.

Quotable Quotes:

I'm bleeding to death over here, and you pigs are talking about guns and ammo.
-- Pusher, "M.I.A."

I want you to wait for me Beth...  don't give up on me... 'cause I'm alive out there, and I'm only alive because of our love... and some day- oh Beth, some day I'm gonna come back home to you.
-- Al, "M.I.A."

What am I here to do?
I don't know ... but it looks like my kind of work.
-- Sam and Al, about the contents of Jake's locker, "M.I.A."

Are you trying to tell me you have some kind of moral code for picking up women?
Yes.
-- Beth and Sam, "M.I.A."

Flying was his first love, the Navy was his second and I guess I was his third, but I knew that when I married him.
-- Beth, "M.I.A."

Oh no, no no no no! Not a woman! Not high heels! Not again!
-- Sam, "M.I.A."

Personally...uh...I think you would look kind of foxy in this little purple number with the white fuzz.  Just my opinion.
-- Al (to Sam), "M.I.A."

Pants . . . thank you!
-- Sam, "M.I.A."

Ziggy says the odds are real good.
How good?
Oh, you know. They're way up there.
--Al and Sam, "M.I.A."

Beth, was the only one I ever really loved, the only one I wanted to grow old with. That's why none of my other marriages worked Sam.
-- Al, "M.I.A."


Sam's Best Lines:

"Oooom..."

"Are you trying to tell me you have some kind of moral code for picking up women?"

Al's Best Line:

"I want you to wait for me, Beth. Don't give up, honey. 'Cause I'm alive out there... and I'm only alive because of our love... And someday... Oh, Beth... someday, I'm gonna come back home to you."

Best Scene:

The best scene is undoubtedly the last scene, which Al-coholics have affectionately named the "Shadowdance". 

At first, it seems that Beth cannot hear nor touch Al, and she passes through his holographic image when she moves to change records on her player. 

But at the very end, after Al has pleaded with Beth to wait for him, some extreme miracle is bestowed upon Al by GTFW: Al is allowed to touch Beth. He lays his hands on Beth's shoulders and he lightly kisses Beth's forehead as Sam Leaps. 

According to the script, Beth DOES feel this. 

After Al has vanished, Beth tearfully whispers Al's name in a sort of acknowledgement that she knew he really was there with her.


Awards:

Emmy nomination for Dean Stockwell for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (1990)

Script:



Spoiler:

This episode is resolved and concluded at the end of the series finale, "Mirror Image."


Production Credits:

Theme by: Mike Post
Music by: Velton Ray Bunch
Co-Executive Producer: Deborah Pratt
Co-Executive Producer: Michael Zinberg
Supervising Producer: Harker Wade
Co-producers: Paul Brown, Jeff Gourson
Produced by:
Chris Ruppenthal
Created by: Donald P. Bellisario
Written By:
Donald P. Bellisario
Directed by: Michael Zinberg

Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario
Associate Producers: David Bellisario
Story Editor: Randy Holland
Story Editor: Tommy Thompson
Director of Photography:
Michael Watkins
Production Designer: Cameron Birnie
Edited by: N. Mario Di Gregorio

Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow
First Assistant Director: Ryan Gordon
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

Dean Stockwell Photograph Courtesy of RODDY McDOWALL

Panaflex ® Camera and Lenses by: Panavision ®

Supervising Sound Editor: Paul Clay
Music Editor: Tom Gleason

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.

Copyright © 1990 by Universal City Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Country of first publication: United States of Amercia. Univeral City Studios, Inc. is the author of this motion picture for purposes of the Berne Convention and all national laws giving effect thereto.

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


Podcasts:



In the thirtieth installment of The Quantum Leap Podcast, Albie and Heather discuss season two, episode twenty-two “M.I.A.”. There are first impressions, an episode recap, thoughts and opinions, listener feedback, an amazing interview with Susan Diol, who played Beth Calavicci in M.I.A., the fourth episode of the original audio drama, Quantum Leap: The Impossible Dream, Need You Now: Part 4 with special guest star Jennifer Runyon. Also Suzanne Smiley with her debut segment, The Music Replacement In Quantum Leap. Also, an article from Hayden McQueenie about M.I.A.

00:00:00 – QLP opening
00:04:34 – Hello – First impressions
00:15:08 – Episode recap
00:21:49 – Main discussion/Episode breakdown
01:37:30 – Interview with Susan Diol
02:00:15 – Chit chat about stuff and things
02:02:51 – Quantum Leap: The Impossible Dream, Need You Now: Part 4
02:11:55 – The Music Replacement In Quantum Leap with Suzanne Smiley
02:22:19 – Feedback
02:46:46 – Hayden McQueenie
02:56:37 – News
03:02:41 – Trivia
03:06:55 – On the next episode
03:09:51 – Credits
03:11:05 – Bloopers
03:15:36 – PS

Let us know what you think… Leave us a voicemail by calling (707)847-6682 and send in your thoughts, theories and feedback, send MP3s & email to quantumleappodcast@gmail.com. Also join us on Facebook.com/QuantumLeapPodcast and Twitter.com/QuantumLeapPod and www.patreon.com/QuantumLeapPodcast.








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