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"My Brother's Keeper"
Unproduced Episode

Leap Date:
April 17, 1968

Teaser:

Sam becomes a medic in the Vietnam War, Sal Vecchio, who is destined to be tried for attempted murder. Sam must avert that, but is distracted when he finds his brother Tom is also serving there, the day before he dies.

Place:

Vietnam

Leap Date:

Wednesday, April 17, 1968

Name of the Person Leaped Into:

Sal Vecchio

Synopsis:

PLOT SYNOPSIS BY KELLEY MILES
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
APRIL 17, 1968

Sam finds himself in the middle of a warzone, surrounded by soldiers and gunfire. He quickly learns that he is named Sal Vecchio, an Italian conscientious objector, and medic in the Vietnam war. His first task is to try and save a young troop called Joey, but with minimal resources available to him, he fails, and Joey dies in his arms.

In a clearing, Sam interacts with other soldiers, tending to the wounded, the dying and the dead. He finds a frantic medic, Terry O’Neal, failing to perform some emergency surgery, but Sam steps in and saves the patient’s life. Their commander, Durand, admonishes Sam for not getting rid of the dead bodies quickly enough. Sam is about to get into an argument with him, but fellow soldiers Tiger and Tap hold him back while Durand continues to mock his (and Sal’s) pacifist ways. They board a helicopter bound for their base, where Al finally appears.

Al reminisces with a bittersweet tone about his time in Vietnam, before Sam brings him back to reality and pushes him for the reason for the leap. Al checks with Ziggy and finds out that there may be multiple objectives - Ziggy wants to “sleep on it” as he’s “a little under the weather” following a computer virus. The most he can give him is Sal’s background, most of which Sam already knew, although he is then able to determine that Sal is courtmartialled and dishonourably discharged. He and Tiger are due to try and kill Durand - and although they fail, they spend the rest of their lives paying for the attempt. Al warns Sam that it already looks as though Sam is changing history, and Sal might not live through the war.

Later, Sam sits at the base and chats with Tiger and Tap, along with other soldiers including Scopes and Gonzales. They discuss Durand’s attitude, and another soldier nicknamed Wolfman who may have stolen Tiger’s prized tinned peaches. Wolfman is apparently a vegetarian, so his options are limited, but this doesn’t appease Gonzales, who strides off to find him. The rest of the soldiers joke around, and learn from a letter that Tap has recently become a father. Tap is also excited as he’s heard rumours that the platoon is due to leave Vietnam in the next day or two. The soldiers hear a scream from elsewhere and deduce that Gonzales has lost a fight with Wolfman.

Later that night, Sam is woken by Al, who is able to give him more detail: Tiger and Sal blame Durand for the death of Tap the following day.

The following morning, the squad is on manoeuvres. Sam watches Tap carefully but he seems to be safe, and wonders if Al has the facts wrong. Meanwhile Al notes that he recognises Durand from somewhere. Durand himself is having problems with his new commanding officer, who is demanding that he carries out extra sweeps of the area that he feels are unnecessary. Durand in turn sends Tap and Scopes out to make the checks... and Tap steps straight onto a mine. He is instantly killed. Tiger reacts with anger, blaming Durand and threatening to retaliate.

A little later, the troops are being driven through a village on a truck. A small girl approaches Sam and tries to sell him a Cola. Sam, sympathetically, gives her the money - although a soldier advises him that it’s probably poisoned, so he turns down the drink itself. Tiger continues to grumble about Durand, and Sam tries to calm him down. Tiger can’t understand why his friend doesn’t seem to care about Tap’s death. Al reappears and advises Sam that he now recalls where he knew Durand from: When he was a P.O.W., he was almost killed by the camp’s leader Diem Le Dung, but was saved by Durand. It’s of personal importance to Al, therefore, that Sam doesn’t change anything that might lead to the Colonel’s death.

Later, back at the camp, Tiger confides in Sam that he intends to kill Durand and pushes for support. Sam tries to reason with him but gets nowhere. Tiger finally decides to do it alone, but warns Sam to stay out his way. Later, Sam sits in the mess and his flirted with by a young Nurse. Al appears, and laughs at Sam’s attempts to flirt back. She leaves, hoping to see Sam at the movie later. Sam updates Al, who reminds him of his own links to the mission.

That night, Sam stalks Durand in an effort to keep him safe. He meets Wolfman and finds a kindred spirit: Wolfman too is something of a genius, putting on a wild man act to survive. The two go off to find Durand and Tiger together. They go to the NCO Club, where Gonzales tells them that Durand has been sent offbase, so they decide to relax and drink. As they take their first gulps, Sam looks around and sees a very familiar face in the bar... his brother, Tom.

Tom is telling a basketball story, which Sam joins in on. When Tom wonders how Sam knows so much, he pretends to be a friend of his brother’s: “Me and, uh, little Sammy...we go way back.” This doesn’t seem right either, given Sam’s age at this point in history, so he changes his story again to be the brother of a friend of his, the fictional “Marvin Vecchio”. Sam uses Marvin’s “knowledge” to talk to Tom about his relationship with Sam and the two have a heart-to-heart. It transpires that Tom is aware of Sam’s feelings for his piano teacher, Nicole (see Catch a Falling Star). The two part ways and Sam meets Al. He wonders if he’s there to save Tom, who is due to die sometime this year. Al believes it may well be a coincidence but Sam angrily disagrees and demands more information on his death. Al agrees, and leaves.

Sam continues to try and find Tiger or Durand, when Al reappears, warning him of an impending attack... which starts that moment. All hell breaks loose on the camp, and Sam is caught in the middle, dodging between bullets and soldiers while trying to save the life of the Colonel. He tracks down Tiger and tackles him as he is about to shoot Durand. They fight, and are both accidentally shot - Sam points out that the mine was just as much an accident. Wolfman finds them and helps them both.

Al directs Sam towards Tom, but he is too late: he watches, horrified, as Tom is shot in the chest multiple times. All Sam is able to do is hold his brother while he dies. He realises that maybe that was enough: “I wasn’t here to save him, Al... I was only here... to say goodbye.

Project Trivia:

The current year is 1995, according to Al.

Gooshie makes a rare appearance in the Imaging Chamber, albeit invisibly handing an apple and a raspberry pie to Al.

Sam Trivia:

The events of Catch a Falling Star are referenced, as Sam says that Nicole has broken his heart “repeatedly”.

Al Trivia:

The script refers to the handlink as Al’s “handheld computer”.

Miscellaneous Trivia:

This is an unproduced episode considered for production during season two.

Those who wish to place this somewhere chronologically may want to be read this as early as possible due to the natural similarities with The Leap Home Part II - Vietnam. It references Catch a Falling Star so must be set after that.

The Leap Home would later establish Tom’s death as happening in 1970 instead; if we choose to assume that both scripts are equally valid (even though the later one clearly takes priority) it’s possible that something Sam does in the time between this and The Leap Home averts Tom’s death in this episode, or that Tom doesn’t actually die at the end and Sal is able to save him when he leaps back in moments later.

Guest Cast Notes:

David Newsom as Lt. Tom Beckett: Father was an investor. Mother was an employment agency manager. He attended a year at Ohio University but then dropped out. A year later he began attending Ithaca College where he earned a degree in film production. He has worked as a band singer, alternative newspaper editor, write, waiter, delivery man, blasting worker, beer bottler, fence installer, and has worked in film production and set construction. While working set construction for the Catskill Actors Theater, he was given a role as a waiter with two lines in Death Of a Salesman. He was given a ticket to L.A. by a friend, and got a small part in TV's China Beach (1988) (which was later cut). He continued working odd jobs until he was cast as Scott Bakula's brother, "Tom", in the TV series Quantum Leap (1989) (which was a very memorable role and performance).

Guests Who Appeared in Other QL Episodes:

David Newsom also appeared in The Leap Home, Part I and The Leap Home Part II - Vietnam

Say What?

The leap starts on April 17th 1968 (confirmed in what the title caption, and also by Al when he gives Sal’s background to Sam), but the death of Durand is due to occur on April 16th 1966 which Sam states is “tomorrow” but is in fact nearly two years previously.

A reference is made to the film The Singing Nuns. It’s actually called The Singing Nun.

Sam says that Tom was killed in 1966, which is “soon”, despite the episode taking place in 1968. It’s definitely not 1966 as The Singing Nun would only have been out in the US for a fortnight at this point and unlikely to be showing for the military in Vietnam.

The script suggests Al’s current year is 1995. Other evidence throughout the show (and particularly the novels) suggests Sam starts leaping in 1995. As there is a Christmas party in How the Tess Was Won, this story most likely takes place in 1996 from Al’s perspective.

Al refers to getting a “neuro-lock” on Tiger. Usually this is just referred to as a “lock”.

Quotable Quotes:

“In this history, Sal lived through the war.”
“Yeah…”
“Your being here unsets that outcome. Be careful.”
“Oh yeah. Right. Neither one of us may make it home.”

Production Credits:

Written by: Kelley Miles