Leap Date:
May 21, 1966

Episode Adopted by: MikeKraken & Dave Korman
Additional info provided by: Dave McEvoy and Brian Greene

Synopsis:

After encountering a UFO, Sam has to convince the parents and grandson of the old man he has leaped into that he is telling the truth before his son commits him to a mental hospital. Meanwhile, he needs to find a way to patch the relationship problems within the family, and a government agency is tracking Sam...and the UFO.

Audio from this episode:

Sam: I saw something. It was incredible.

Bonus audio: Sam discloses security clearance code numbers

Place:

Charlemont, Massachusetts

Leap Date:

May 21, 1966

Synopsis & Review:

Sam leaps in, looking up into the night sky, and sees a glowing colorful object in the sky. "Oh my God..." It is circular and quite obviously a UFO! Sam marvels at the object in the sky and calls to it... "Can you hear me?! Who are you!" He has his arms raised in the air as the light and wind from the UFO pour down onto him.  “Oh boy, oh Boy!”

After the title theme plays, Sam is still calling to the sky. The spacecraft suddenly takes off, as he begs for it to come back.

A teenage kid, Tim Stoddard, shows up at this point calling him Pops.  Sam rambles about the UFO, and it's apparently not the first time for the older man.

Tim tries to get Sam to come with him, but the cops catch them. They police take him home. John Stoddard, who is the leapee's middle-aged son, says they were all worried about him. This apparently is an ongoing thing with Maxwell Stoddard leaving the home and wandering off. John wants to know about his father's walk. Sam's grandson Tim glares at him, indicating not to tell him anything.

Sam is taken up to his room, and Tim congratulates him for not saying anything. Sam asks him if his dad knew what happened out there. Tim says Maxwell (Sam) hasn't stopped talking about spaceships for months now. Tim hasn't seen anything.

Tim tells him to go to sleep and give it a rest because he can't keep fishing him out of the woods. Sam tells Tim that he's a good kid before he leaves. He looks out the window and says he knows they are out there. On the wall is plenty of UFO related material.

Al appears, and looks at a scrap book which has newspaper clippings. ears, Sam tells him about the UFO. Al knows all about it because Max has been telling him in the Waiting Room. Al explains, "Ziggy says your memory is swiss-cheesed with the real Mr. Stoddard who, by the way, right now is in the Waiting Room, and he thinks he's on the way to Venus." Sam says, "He must be terrified." Al shakes his head, "Au contraire, he's in Heaven! He keeps fingering our clothes, he wants to know what we eat... you know what he says to me? He says, he says, 'Take me to your leader,' so I turn him over to Gooshie, told him that he was the King of the Planet Halitosis." Sam is only slightly amused. He wants to prove the existence of aliens and go look for evidence.

Al thinks the only thing he's going to prove is that Max is crazy and he's going to end up in a mental hospital. Ziggy gives the odds of him being there to keep Max out of a mental hospital. Sam asks, "Is Ziggy sure that that's why I'm here?" Al replies, "Seventy-eight-point-one percent." Sam asks, "What are the odds of me being here to prove the existence of extra-terrestrials?" Al checks the handlink, "Seventy-three-point-three percent. I win!" Sam counters, "Yeah, but that's very close." Al smirks, "This isn't horseshoes, Sam."

Al tells Sam he's not being objective. Sam tells him that a great scientist is never objective. Sam thinks how amazing it would be to prove time travel can work and discover life from another planet.

John has been watching his father (Sam) talk to himself, and he tells his wife that Max is getting worse.

The next morning, Sam has breakfast. Tim and his dad (John) fight about whether Tim is going to college. Tim wants to be a musician, but his dad wants something better for his son. Sam tries to interject but is shut down. Tim leaves the table in anger.

Sam and John continue the conversation before he goes to work. Al shows up and says it's good he is sounding sane. Sam replies testily, “I am sane!” John responds, “Dad I never said you were insane”, believing Sam is talking to him.

Sam reveals he knows John is going to put him in the hospital. John is impressed with Max's hearing. Sam points out he gave John plenty of chances when he was growing up. He speaks with John further about giving him/Max the same chance.

John leaves and makes Sam promise not to run for the woods the minute he's gone.

Sam goes into town and wants Ziggy to help prove Max's theory about UFO sightings. He argues with Al in public, which is not helping Max's case. Sam is being witnessed by a pair of government agents from a distance, who are part of a project that is investigating the UFO sightings.

Al thinks the UFO angle doesn't matter. Sam is here to save Max, not to prove the existence of aliens. Sam wants to do both! "I'm so unbelievably lucky to be on the cutting edge of solving one of mankind's oldest riddles, and now, now, I have the chance to solve a second one in the same lifetime. Nobody gets that chance. Nobody."

Meanwhile, the agents in the car argue about whether Sam is a reliable informant. They suggest that perhaps Sam/Max would be safer in a state-run facility.

Sam catches his grandson, Tim, preparing to run away. Sam suggests he can go to college in New York and get a job playing the guitar. He convinces Tim to sell the idea to his dad. Sam plays a Jimmy Hendrix song for Tim on the guitar! John walks in on Sam, and is not impressed by the noise.

At dinner, Tim (with Sam’s help) tries to sell his dad on Sam's college/music idea. But John shuts the idea down, despite Tim's mom's support. Things go down hill fast during their conversation, and Tim runs off.

Al shows up as Tim leaves. Sam has Al run a trace on Tim's future. Ziggy reports that Tim plays music for a bit, but dies of a drug overdose. This prompts Sam to run after Tim.

Sam finds Tim, who is very angry, and tries to talk his grandson out of running away. Al says this is now Sam's second objective: to stop Tim from overdosing.

Sam gives him the anti-drug talk. He talks about the number of musicians who died because of drugs. He brings up a list of musicians, some who haven't emerged yet, to a skeptical Tim.  He wants Tim to remember those names if he decides to run away. He has Tim repeat them back, and Al reports that this is enough to keep him safe from the original fate.

They return home. Soon after, the agents Dr. Hardy and Major Irwin Meadows, who were watching Sam earlier, pay a visit to the house. They are there to talk to Sam/Max about what he witnessed in the woods. Al says, "Ziggy thinks that these guys are big time nozzles", and not to say anything to them. Sam doesn't listen.

Sam asks them about Project Blue Book, which is classified information. The doctor says if Max's info checks out, he can be given a summary. Al continues to tell Sam not to trust them, but Sam continues to not listen. They arrange to meet tomorrow.

The family is excited, and John shows the pair of agents out. Hardy and Meadows reveal to John that they were lying to Max, and suggest they could bring him to a senior home instead. John gets upset that the agents have led Max to believe otherwise.

Al and Sam talk. Ziggy says that the data is inconclusive. But Al has a bad feeling. They go through the UFO sightings data. Sam thinks there's a pattern. Ziggy concurs. Sam excitedly says the aliens are coming back! Tim witnesses Sam talking to thin air, and has concern on his expression.

The next morning, Sam is lead to the hospital. He catches on to where hes really being taken, and is dragged in. John watches, quite upset.

Sam' is taken forcefully into a room, tied down, and the government officials reveal themselves.

Hardy and Meadows prepare to inject him with a truth serum. Sam gives them the story of what he saw, in an attempt to stop the serum. They decide to inject him anyway.

John and Tim converse. Tim says that he had to do what he did, but notices the government vehicle at the hospital. John and Tim go to investigate.

Dr Hardy, after drugging Sam with truth serum, begins his interview. "We're going to ask you a series of questions. You will answer all of them, truthfully. Let's start with something simple... like your name." Al begs, "No, Sam." Sam replies, "Sam." Meadows, says, Louder, please." Sam repeats, "Dr. Samuel Beckett."

Meadows looks at Hardy, "Think you gave him too much?" Hardy asks Sam, "Do you know where you are?" Sam replies, "I'm in New Mexico." Hardy asks, "What is the date?" Sam replies, "May 1st, 1999." Al looks up and yells into the air, "Gooshie! If I should suddenly pop out of existence, I want to leave everything to my first wife, Beth."

Hardy continues, "Tell us about yourself, Dr. Beckett." Sam answers, "Born 8-8-53." Meadows shrugs, "Terrific. He's 13 years old?" Hardy suggests, "Or 113." Sam continues, "Father's name: John Samuel Beckett. Mother's name: Thelma Louise Beckett. Social security number: 563-86-9801. Department of Defense UMBRA clearance number: 004-002-02-016."

Hardy asks Meadows, "Did you hear that?" Meadows replies, "It's a coincidence. He was in the service." Hardy counters, "World War One. UMBRA is an operative code." He asks Sam, "Why do you need a clearance?" Al interjects, "Hang in there Sam. Hang in there!" Sam answers, "My project." Al cries, "No!" Hardy asks, "What is your project?" Sam discloses, "Project Quantum Leap." Meadows asks, "This project studies unidentified flying objects?" Sam clarifies, "Travel in time."

John comes in holding a shot gun, and Tim grabs Sam. They run into the woods nearby, led by Al. Sam is taking them to the spot where the UFO is supposed to arrive. They hide from the agents as Sam asks Al for advice. Al says he doesn't know anything because, “We are way outside the original history…”

The agents search for Max. Al watches them and says, "Dr. Jekyll and Major Hyde, uh, listen, try to find them, you slime buckets." Sam finally gives himself up, but John stands up and points his shotgun at the agents.

Suddenly, the sky lights up. The UFO returns! Everybody sees it this time, including the agents. John says, "Well, I'll be, Dad. You were right all along." Dr. Hardy repeats what Sam described to them earlier, "A self-illuminating elliptical orb! approximately 15 meters on the long axis, and 10 on the short."

“Hop aboard Sam” Al says. "98.6% chance the old coot is gonna take the ride of his lifetime!!" Sam walks towards the UFO and smiles, saying, "Hello!" Tim waves as John, Al, and the agents look on in amazement. Tim shouts, "Goodbye, Pop!" As Sam walks towards the UFO, he leaps…

Synopsis by Dave Korman. Edited with additions by Brian Greene.

Personal Review by MikeKraken:

A flying saucer and a feuding father and son... Is Sam, as Max Stoddard, being given the chance to prove that extra-terrestrials exist, or make sure that Max's grandson Tim reconsiles things with Max's son? Things don't get any easier when two men from the government begin to investigate Max's claims of seeing UFOs.

I think this is a pretty good episode, with a nice mix of drama and comedy. We feel sorry for poor old Max Stoddard, and similarily, Sam, both of whom have indeed seen unidentified-flying objects, and nobody will believe them, not Max's family, and not even Al. At the same time, we can understand everyone being skeptical at the claims of seeing a flying saucer from another world.

This spells double trouble when Sam talks to Al, and all of Max's family see him speaking to thin air, convincing them that Max is losing his sanity. Sam's secondary objective, to prevent Tim from over-dosing on heroin, is simple enough to overlook, but was also rectified easily.

All in all, it's one of those episodes we can briefly forget, but it's certainly an interesting one, especially with Max Stoddard going with the aliens. In addition, we learn a few interesting things about Sam, such as his parents' full names, his social security number, and his UMBRA clearance number. Both of these aspects have been used in some of the many theories behind the evil leaper project.

Music:

"All Day and All of the Night" by The Kinks

"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is covered by Sam on the guitar.

Project Trivia:

UMBRA is an operative code.

Handlink is the Gummy Bear style.

Sam Trivia:

Sam had a paper route at one time.

Sam tells Tim not to miss Jimi Hendrix play at Woodstock, indicating that he is a fan of the musician.

He knows how to play the guitar.

John Samuel Beckett and Thelma Louise Beckett are the full names of his parents.

Social Security Number: 563-86-9801

Department of Defense UMBRA Clearance Number: (Listen to the bonus sound file near the top of this page!) 004-002-02-016

Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode:

First appearance: Teal leather and suede jacket; white shirt with black collar and black design on the chest; lit cigar.

Second through fifth appearances: Pink suit coat; pink dress pants; silky brown shirt with reds-and-white design; glittery pink tie; brownish-red belt; foamy-looking pendant on left breast; cigar.

Sixth appearance: Beige suit coat; white dress pants; dark-patterened dress shirt; black string tie with silver buckle; watch with white face.

Miscellaneous Trivia:

Max came over from Ireland during the potato famine.

Al reminds Sam of the psycho-synergizing with Lee Harvey Oswald.

A shot of the city shown with a bridge over the bay is actually of Astoria, Oregon.

The Charlemont library burned down in 1968.

Scott Bakula is really playing the guitar when he covers "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

The entrance to Bellisarius Productions provides the facade for the asylum!

When the government men interview Sam, it's been three nights since Sam leaped in.

Sam mentions Project Blue Book, a real government project used to investigate UFOs.

The UFO is about 15 metres on the long axis, 10 metres on the short.

This is the only episode that provides proof of extra-terrestrials. However, the comic book "Time and Space" (#13 with story title "One Giant Leap") takes a much closer look.

Download the comic and then take a look through our extensive Comic Book section!

Guest Stars:

Morgan Weisser as Tim Stoddard
H. Richard Greene as Dr. Hardy
Michael L. Maguire as Major Irwin Meadows, U.S. Air Force Intelligence
Anne Lockhart as Eva Stoddard
Guy Boyd as John Stoddard
Joshua Coxx as Officer Milardi
Douglas Stark as Maxwell Stoddard (Mirror Image)

Guest Cast Notes:

Morgan Weisser as Tim Stoddard: Born on May 12, 1971 in Venice, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Space: Above and Beyond (1995), Quantum Leap (1989) and Prayer of the Rollerboys (1990). He has been married to Allison Creelman since September 8, 2002.

H. Richard Greene as Dr. Hardy: In his NY debut, he received critical acclaim as MacDuff in Macbeth with Rip Torn and Geraldine Page. He was a resident member of the Repertory Theatre of Lincoln Center. His other Broadway credits include The Survivor, Romeo and Juliet, and the International Tour of Brighton Beach Memoirs, directed by Gene Saks. On the West Coast, Mr. Greene was seen as The Headmaster in The Ahmanson's production of The History Boys. He is a Guest Professor at UCLA's School of Theatre, Film and Television. He has been in numerous TV shows and movies such as Mad Men and Armageddon, The Wonder Years, and Boston Legal.

Michael L. Maguire as Major Irwin Meadows: Born on February 20, 1955 in Newport News, Virginia, USA. He is an actor, known for Star Trek: Voyager (1995), Great Performances (1971) and Live from Lincoln Center (1976). He was previously married to Marita Geraghty.

Anne Lockhart as Eva Stoddard: Appeared in small roles, often uncredited in films such as "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," "City Slickers," and "Risky Business." She used also her voice talents in the animated film "Chicken Little."

Guy Boyd as John Stoddard: A reliable and renowned supporting actor since his film debut in Between the Lines (1977). His acting career began studying Shakespearian dramas and on-and-off Broadway productions before starting a lengthy career in films, usually playing tough authority figures. In twenty years, Boyd has starred in nearly fifty motion pictures and is probably best known for his funny and sometimes sick performance as Detective McLean in Brian De Palma's Body Double (1984). Boyd won the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion Award for Best Actor for his role in Robert Altman's Streamers (1983). Most recently, he was seen co-starring on the science fiction television series Black Scorpion (1995).

Joshua Coxx as Officer Milardi: American Actor and Director. He was born in New York City and graduated from the prestigious Actor Training Conservatory at S.U.N.Y. Purchase College alongside fellow classmate Edie Falco. His fellow alumni include Stanley Tucci, Wesley Snipes, Ving Rhames, Melissa Leo & Steven Weber. He is known for Strong Medicine (2000) Thor (2011) Babylon 5 (1994) He is also an avid Surfer and a Helicopter Rescue level 1 trained Scuba Diver.

Douglas Stark as Maxwell Stoddard: Born on August 4, 1916 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Quantum Leap (1989), The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair (1939) and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993). He was previously married to Mary Judy Stark. He died on October 2, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.

Say What?

"Oh boy, oh boy!" - Sam says this at the beginning of the episode when the flashing lights are shining around him. However, if you watch his mouth, he was saying something else; perhaps "Oh wow, oh wow!"

"The real Mr. Stoddard" - When Al first appears to Sam, he tells him that Max Stoddard, back in the Waiting Room, thinks that he's on his way to Venus, he doesn't say "Mr. Stoddard", he says something else, probably "Max" instead of "Mister".

Al mis-speaks when he says to Sam, "Ziggy says your memory is Swiss-cheesed with the real Mr. Stoddard, but who, by the way, right now is in the Waiting Room, and he thinks he's on the way to Venus." The term swiss-cheese has always been used to describe memory loss. Al meant "psycho-synergised" referring to their minds merging.

The stock footage used to show the town is sometimes freeze framed. There are cars stopped in the middle of the streets.

Apparently, Mr. Stoddard was a teenager when he left Ireland to escape the potato famine. The Potato Famine ended before 1865. (There's no definite ending but let's just say 1865). If he was 18 in 1865, then in 1966 he's be 101 years old! He is stated as 79 years old in the episode.

Material that Sam sees references Jack and Lydia Katash, who disappeared in Los Angeles 1992, and another clip about the rap persona Vanilla Ice putting a homeless man at gunpoint, in 1991, both events well outside the time frame of this Leap.

According to Sam, Jimi Hendrix will play Woodstock “within the year”. Woodstock didn't happen until 1969.

How does Sam know the Project date is May 1st, 1999?

If Sam’s remembers his social security number correctly, 563 is a California birthplace - but he's supposed to be from Indiana.

For a little extra "Say What?", watch this video:

Production Credits:

Theme by: Mike Post
Musical Score By: Velton Ray Bunch
Co-Executive Producer: Deborah Pratt
Co-Executive Producer: Chas. Floyd Johnson
Supervising Producers: Harker Wade, Tommy Thompson
Supervising Producer: Richard C. Okie
Producer: Robin Jill Bernheim
Created by: Donald P. Bellisario
Written by: Richard C. Okie
Directed by: Christopher Hibler

Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario
Associate Producers: Julie Bellisario, Scott Ejercito
Coordinating Producer: David Bellisario
Director of Photography: Michael Watkins A.S.C.
Production Designer: Cameron Birnie
Edited by: Jon Koslowsky, A.C.E.
Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow
First Assistant Director: Bob Mayberry
Second Assistant Director: Brian Faul
Casting by: Ellen Lubin Sanitsky, C.S.A.
Set Director: Robert L. Zilliox
Costume Designer: Jean-Pierre Dorleac
Costume Supervisors: David Rawley, Katina Kerr
Art Director: Ellen Dambros-Williams
Sound Mixer: Barry D. Thomas
Stunt Coordinator: Diamond Farnsworth
Make-up: Jeremy Swan
Hairstylist: Andrea Mizushima
Fashion Concepts: Jean-Pierre Dorleac
Sound Editor: Greg Schorer
Music Editor: Bruce Frazier
Special Visual Effects: Roger Dorney, Denny Kelly

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.

Copyright © 1992 by Universal City Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Some of the characters portrayed in this motion picture are based upon actual persons. Although some of those events have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes, otherwise 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 Television, an MCA Company