Episode Adopted by: Rose E.
Additional info provided by: Carly Lappini and Brian Greene

Teaser:

When Sam leaps back into Jimmy from a previous leap, things are not as they should be. The family is being torn apart and history has been re-written for the worst. The answer lies in what Sam discovers next...another time-traveler.

Audio from this episode:

Zoey: Where did this studly morsel come from?

Place
Leap Date
Name of the Person Leaped Into
Broadcast Date
Synopsis & Review
Alternate Ending & Deleted Scenes
Project Trivia
Sam Trivia
Al Trivia
Al's Women
Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode
Miscellaneous Trivia
Alternate Take
Guest Stars
Guest Cast Notes
Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes
Say What?
Quotable Quotes
Best Scenes
Production Credits
Podcasts

TV Guide Synopsis and Commercial:

Sam returns to the life of a mentally handicapped young man and comes in contact with another time traveler. Connie: Laura Harrington. Alia: Renee Coleman. Frank: John DiAquino. Al: Dean Stockwell. Zoey: Carolyn Seymour.

The Evil Leaper Commercials

Place:

Oakland, California

Name of the Person Leaped Into:

Jimmy LaMotta

Broadcast Date:

November 10, 1992 - Tuesday

Synopsis & Review:

Sam finds himself leaping again into Jimmy LaMotta, this time to help mend Connie and Frank's marriage. But Sam's efforts seem in vain, and he quickly discovers he is not the only Leaper around...

Sam is overjoyed to discover that he is back in the life of Jimmy LaMotta, a mentally disabled young man whom he had helped to get a job in a previous leap. He is reunited with Jimmy's brother Frank, Frank's wife Connie, and their son Corey.

All is not well in the LaMotta home, however. That evening, Connie serves the family horrible TV dinners for supper, which causes a fight between her and Frank. Frank says that Connie is not doing her job of keeping house, while Connie's excuse is that she is spending her time on teaching Jimmy to read to keep him from being institutionalized. Al tells Sam he has to save Frank and Connie's marriage because Jimmy will be institutionalized if they break up. But Ziggy is highly disturbed because she can't make sense of this leap, since the LaMotta family were already supposed to have a happy future after Sam helped Jimmy last time, yet now the family is destined to break apart. No matter how much Sam tries to help, Jimmy's future is getting bleaker and bleaker all the time.

Frank is being tempted to stray by an attractive young woman at work. With Frank on the verge of being unfaithful to Connie, Sam pleads with him to go home to Connie, but to no avail. Sam rushes home to plead with Connie, likewise, to do something to save the marriage. As he is appealing to her, he touches her arm, whereupon Connie morphs into another woman. This woman can now see Sam as himself.

It turns out that this woman, whose name is Alia, is a time traveller just like Sam, with a holographic companion called Zoey.

Alia tells Sam that she, too, leaps uncontrollably from one life into another fulfilling missions, and that her assignment in this case is to educate Jimmy so he isn't institutionalized. Sam discovers there is someone else in the world like him, someone who shares his unique loneliness, a beautiful young woman who is a kind of soul mate to him. He is bowled over. Alia begins to seduce him. Sam is overcome by passion and gives in to Alia's temptation. Just when things are getting steamy, Frank comes home unexpectedly. In a panic, Sam rushes to get dressed. But then something shocking happens. Instead of putting her clothes back on, Alia looks Sam in the eye, deliberately rips her petticoat and gouges deep scratches on her face with her own fingernails. She screams hysterically. When Frank rushes in to see what is wrong, she tells him that Jimmy tried to rape her - and that it is not the first time. Alia and Zoey, it turns out, are the evil opposites of Sam and Al. Their mission is to set wrong what once went right.

Frank violently attacks Jimmy. Sam tries to explain about himself and Alia, but this just makes it look like Jimmy has gone insane and Alia persuades him that he has to fetch the doctor immediately. Al arrives and wants to know what happened, since Jimmy is now destined to end up in an asylum. Just then Alia and Zoey's sponsor, a being known only as Lothos, changes Alia's mission again - she is now to kill Sam. Zoey tells Alia where to find a gun and urges her to shoot Sam at once. Al informs Sam that history is changing yet again: Connie will be arraigned the next day on charges of killing Jimmy in self defence. At gunpoint, with Alia's finger on the trigger, Sam has to think fast. He makes Alia hesitate by telling her that if she destroys him she will kill herself, because evil can only exist as the opposite of good. He appeals to the tiny bit of goodness that exists in her, that he saw in her when they recognised each other as fellow time travellers. Alia lowers the gun. Instantly, she and Zoey disappear with a demonic scream.

Sam and Al find themselves in the LaMotta kitchen. It is morning, and Frank is cheerfully telling Jimmy to get ready for work. Al is astonished to discover from his handset that somehow they have lost two days.

Al tells Sam that the family's future is assured and Alia is gone, although before he leaps, Sam tells Al that he feels this isn't his last encounter with the evil leaper. "Alia is not gone." Source

Personal Review by Rose E.:

It is nice to get to see how someone has changed after Sam has leapt into that person. Two years have gone by since Sam leapt into Jimmy and you see how much of a change Sam has made. Alia is an interesting character and someone you want to see Sam battle again.

Alternate Ending & Deleted Scenes:

An extended alternate ending scene exists with Al attempting to convince Sam to kill Alia. Watch below:

Cut Scenes:

The first draft script is dated August 28th 1992.

The cold open ends more traditionally with Sam happily exclaiming "Oh, boy" instead of Frank in the finished version.

Shirley is described as blonde (Kristen Cloke is brunette).

Doctor Smithfield is called Doctor Weitner.

The contrast between Frank's office and home life is more exaggerated as Sam says "Connie's a great cook" before immediately cutting to Connie saying "I hate cooking".

The stage directions confirm Corey is 10 years old, placing his birth in 1956.

When Sam is lugging boxes up the steps, he namechecks Tina, and Al prompts him about Trudy (rather than the other way around).

The facts are slightly incorrect though, as in the script Al suggests Trudy was moved to the mental hospital because of pneumonia (actually it's how she died, per Jimmy).

While Frank is driving Jimmy home, there is an intercut scene with "Connie" and Zoey discussing Shirley "the little homewrecker", referring to Jimmy as "the spazz", who "Connie" has noticed is behaving differently.

When Sam and Alia are comparing their histories, Sam says he's been a priest and a serial killer - Alia says "(strangely cold) I was a serial killer once", implying this might be her personal background rather than a prior leap.

He also references The Leap Home.

When Sam confronts Frank, in the episode he says "Nothing? How can you say that? What about your wife and your son, and what about me?" and Frank returns "This hasn't got anything to do with Corey, or you." In the script Sam says "Nothing? You call your wife and son nothing?" In the episode his back is turned to the camera for most of the line, suggesting this might have been fixed in post-production to make Frank's line make more sense.

The love scene, which has some different dialogue at the start, specifies in the stage directions "the slightest moans allowable by law.'

Sam says "Oh, boy" after Alia/ Connie starts screaming.

Sam theorises that Alia is from a privately funded project or perhaps the further future.

During the climax, Zoey suggests Alia kill Sam and then, when Jimmy leaps back, kills Jimmy, and also names cannibals and mass murderers as Alia's previous leapees (hence her line "I can't kill all those people again" in the finished episode).

After Alia puts the gun down, Sam grabs it and considers killing her but decides not to.

The fifth version of the script, dated 14th September 1992 is closer, with the small language changes mentioned above mostly per broadcast.

Also the description of Shirley removes her hair colour, and Al now specifies she's 25.

Dr. Weitner is now Dr. Smithfield and Alia only plans on shooting Sam, not Jimmy.

The love scene begins with the instruction that "she opens her dress and pulls his face into her breast", and soon after the very graphic description "She smothers in him a kiss and they fall onto the bed. Feet moving, knees rubbing, thighs sliding. All the while slight moans and groans punctuate their fire. Sam succumbs and as he intensifies, she relaxes. She is in complete control as she arches to him."

After Alia puts the gun down Sam grabs it - Al tries to convince Sam to kill Alia, telling him "you don't have any choice"; as Sam actually appears to consider this, Alia is shocked, telling him "it was all a lie! You're good and I'm evil', it was a lie!".
There is then a brief fight in which the weapon is discharged.

Much of the extra material in these drafts was filmed and included in a 51m12s rough cut, which survives on VHS. It includes unfinished sound, placeholder music and temporary effects, including a rudimentary version of the leaps. The temporary effect makes use of the same "leap to black" that would later be seen in the A Tale of Two Sweeties trailer, and the end of Mirror Image, simply superimposed over the footage.

Notably, this edit included the extended fight sequence and Alia's recollection of her previous leaps, plus a longer version of the Alia/Sam love scene.

After they reach the bed, Alia kisses Sam's chest, and then begins to move down his body. After she gets past his waist, with the clear implication that she's about to overstep NBC's boundaries, he stops her, saying "this is wrong!", at which point she moves back up to his neck level where the scene continues as broadcast.

The Evil Leapers Return in this Novel:
"Knights of the Morningstar"

Read the novel in our Novels & Books section!

Project Trivia:

Ziggy is freaked out by Sam leaping into the same person twice.

Dr. Beeks got a shock from Ziggy that sent her half way across the room. 

Ziggy is shocked when she learns about Alia. 

Al says that in over 80 leaps Sam never leapt into the same place more than once.

Ziggy talks to Dr. Beeks to relieve stress.

Evil Project Trivia:

Alia and Zoey are part of a time-travel experiment run by "Lothos" a similar unit to Ziggy, presumably. Lothos seems to be more advanced than Ziggy and can run scans on the room, as in looking for weapons. Lothos assigns Alia to change history seemingly opposite from Sam... to set wrong what once went right.

Were the evil leapers from 2020? Hayden McQueenie and Aaron & Michelle Moss take a look:

Sam Trivia:

Sam says that he hasn’t eaten a TV dinner since he was 11, he remembers this. Sam said he always thought a TV dinner was food from the future. 

Sam remembers Al telling him about Trudy, Al’s sister.

Al Trivia:

Al said his 4^th wife tried to "mother" him all the time; she would cut his steak for him. That’s why he won’t eat meat. 

Al’s sister, Trudy, got pneumonia when they were in the orphanage and they put her in a mental hospital; he never saw her again. 

Al appears in this episode 10 times and uses the chamber door 3 times.

Al's Women:

Al talks about his 4th wife cutting up food for him.

He seems to like Alia's looks saying "Oh, hello" when he sees her for the first time.

Zoey’s Men:

A "hunk" in her building (she offered do his washing)

Sam is a “studly morsel.”

Al’s Outfits Worn in the Episode:

Al has a white/gray suit on with a lavender shirt, and a blue, gray, and white diagonal stripe tie.

The second outfit is a red suit jacket, black pants, and a white shirt with bolo tie.

Miscellaneous Trivia:

Frank says "Oh Boy" at the beginning instead of Sam.

Zoey is the female version of Al, an Observer for Alia.

Junk food was not a word in the 1960's.

Dean Stockwell did not like the Evil Leaper concept. " I thought it was stupid from the beginning.” John D'Aquino felt similarly, wondering if they had compromised the integrity of "Jimmy."

Alternate Take:

Regular Cast:

Scott Bakula
Dean Stockwell

Guest Stars:

Carolyn Seymour as Zoey
John D’Aquino as Frank LaMotta
Renee Coleman as Alia
Laura Harrington as Connie
Kristen Cloke as Shirley Constantine
Ryan McWhorter as Corey LaMotta
Brad Silverman as Jimmy LaMotta (Mirror Image)

Guest Cast Notes:

Renee Coleman as Alia: Born January 8, 1962. Coleman is known for her role in the 1992 box office hit, A League of Their Own (1992), as left-fielder and substitute catcher Alice Gaspers, and in Who's Harry Crumb? (1989), as kidnapping-victim Jennifer Downing. Coleman appeared in several more films through the mid-'90s, including Pentathlon (1994) (one of her last domestic roles), the Mexican film El jardín del Edén (1994), the Polish film Gracze (1995), and the Swiss film Waiting for Michelangelo (1995). In 1995, Coleman left the film business and returned to school, where she earned her Mythological Studies doctorate (with an emphasis on Depth Psychology) at Pacifica Graduate Institute in 2002. She currently lives with her husband and their four children in Santa Clarita, California, where she works in a private practice as a certified DreamTender. In August 2012, Coleman's first book, Icons of a Dreaming Heart - The Art and Practice of Dream-Centered Living, was published.

John D’Aquino as Frank LaMotta: Was the writer for "The Beast Within." Born on April 14, 1958 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Cory in the House (2007), 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996) and Xena: Warrior Princess (1995). Has portrayed a circus performer in both Matlock (1986) and Murder, She Wrote (1984). Of Italian descent, D'Aquino played the first Hispanic POTUS on Cory in the House (2007). One of four siblings (3 brothers and one sister), D'Aquino graduated from Coconut Creek High School in 1976, and went on to attend Florida State University, graduating in 1980 with a degree in theatre. He has trained in a number of places, including Florida, Los Angeles, and New York. 15 November 2000: At the 25th Carbonell Awards in South Florida, D'Aquino was nominated as Best Stage Actor for "Over the River and Through the Woods" (Caldwell Theatre Company).

Carolyn Seymour as Zoey: A highly accomplished actress of stage and screen, with a long and impressive list of credits on both sides of the Atlantic. Born in Buckinghamshire to an Estonian father with Russian descent and an Irish mother, Carolyn trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, before rising to fame with starring roles in Peter Barnes' much acclaimed THE RULING CLASS starring Peter O'Toole and directed by Peter Medak, Terry Nation's cult sci-fi television series SURVIVORS and the BBC's TAKE THREE GIRLS. Multiple film credits include GUMSHOE opposite Albert Finney for director Stephen Frears, STEPTOE & SON, MR. MUM with Michael Keaton, and CONGO for director Frank Marshall. Carolyn's extensive theatre work includes THE GREAT EXHIBITION written by Sir David Hare, for which Carolyn starred opposite David Warner and Penelope Wilton at The Hampstead Theatre. The production was directed by Sir Richard Eyre. Carolyn received critical praise for a role as Ophelia in HAMLET at The Gielgud (formerly The Globe Theatre), directed by Peter Coe and produced by Sam Wanamaker. ON APPROVAL saw Carolyn starring opposite Kenneth More and Moray Watson at The Vaudeville Theatre. In THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER Carolyn co-starred with Wilfred Hyde-White for the production at the Theatre Royal Brighton followed by a national tour, both directed by Roger Redfarn. HAY FEVER marked Carolyn's debut on Broadway playing Myra Arundel for director Brian Murray. SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL directed by Brian Bedford would follow at The Taper in Los Angeles. Carolyn made the effortless transition to American television during the 1980s, with celebrated performances in a multitude of hit, award-winning series including FAMILY TIES, HART TO HART, CAGNEY & LACEY, MAGNUM P.I., MURDER SHE WROTE, QUANTUM LEAP, L.A LAW and ER. Recurring guest appearances on the Emmy award-winning STAR TREK: The Next Generation and STAR TREK Voyager, like that of her work on SURVIVORS, have also drawn a strong and devoted fan-base. Carolyn is also a regular voice artist, recording audio adaptations of stage plays by Sir Alan Ayckbourn (TABLE MANNERS and LIVING TOGETHER), as well as TOP GIRLS by celebrated playwright Caryl Churchill. For Big Finish Productions, and by the demand of her loyal fans, Carolyn returned to her iconic role of Abby Grant in SURVIVORS, as well as guest-starring alongside the surviving DOCTOR WHO's. Over 5 decades in the industry, Carolyn has continued to adapt to the demands of the business including successfully transitioning into the world of video games, with multiple projects for the STAR WARS franchise amongst many others. Having resided in the United States and France for many years, Carolyn returns to her native England in Summer 2021 with plans to return to her roots - British stage and screen. Carolyn divides her personal time between her family, her love of art, and her passion for charitable work including animal activism and supporting the homeless.

Laura Harrington as Connie: Born on April 29, 1958 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Maximum Overdrive (1986), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) and Paulie (1998).

Kristen Cloke as Shirley Constantine: Born September 2 in Van Nuys, California. She attended California State University, Northridge. Her first feature film role was the female lead in Megaville (1990), opposite Billy Zane. She is best known from her role as Shane Vansen in the television series Space: Above and Beyond (1995) and most recently the Academy Award nominated "Lady Bird". In addition to acting, she is a writer best known for "The X-Files" episode "Rm9sbG93ZXJz", as well as several episodes of BBC's "Intruders".

Ryan McWhorter as Corey LaMotta: Known for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Arachnophobia (1990) and Pet Sematary (1989).

Brad Silverman as Jimmy LaMotta (Mirror Image): Born on May 16, 1966 in Glendale, California, USA. He is an actor, known for I Am Sam (2001), Quantum Leap (1989) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000). He and John D'Aquino have remained friends after their Quantum Leap days!

Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap Episodes:

Renee Coleman played Alia in "Return of the Evil Leaper" and "Revenge of the Evil Leaper."

Carolyn Seymour appeared as Zoe in "Return of the Evil Leaper" and "Revenge of the Evil Leaper" and appeared as Priscilla Stoltz in "A Portrait for Troian."

John D’Aquino played Frank LaMotta in "Jimmy" and Tonchi in "Mirror Image."

Laura Harrington played Connie LaMotta in "Jimmy."

Ryan McWhorter played Corey LaMotta in "Jimmy."

Brad Silverman played Jimmy in "Jimmy," Pete in "Mirror Image," and Jimmy in "Shock Theater."

Say What?

The face of the stuntman who is driving the forklift can be seen.

Shirley wipes chocolate off of Frank’s face, but there doesn't seem to really be any.

Al says Sam has never leapt into the same person twice. He has, however, in "Lee Harvey Oswald."

Frank's license plate is different than the one he had in "Jimmy" but it's the same truck.

The blood on Frank's shirt comes and goes between shots, as well as the blood on Alia's face.

Sam seems to Leap back just before the events of his initial Leap-in. But Connie and Frank were already having marital problems before that. How long had Alia been there? He couldn't have fixed everything in their lives.

Quotable Quotes:

"If you weren’t here, who would I steal mashed potatoes from?"

"I leap back to people that I know and everything should be great, right? But everything’s wrong."

"I’m really strong."

"I think Ziggy has finally lost it."

"I’m worried because I can’t figure out what the hell is going on."

"I’m also worried because I’ve never really care about anyone you leapt into like I care about Jimmy."

"It’s my job to be worried."

Alia: "Who are you?" Sam: "Who are you?"

"We’re not sure. Sam and I touched and then suddenly he…"

"It’s almost like your memory was swiss cheesed."

"Do you always think of other people first?"

"Sam, I’m not Connie and you’re not Jimmy."

"If he touches you again, I’ll kill him."

"This could be the one that gets you home."

"You bet your sweet ass I am, sweetheart."

"Because she’s evil."

"Sam she’s your counterpart. You’re good and she’s evil, that’s what she does."

"You can’t kill me, you’d be killing yourself, Alia. I mean think about it, I only exist because you do and you because of me. If I die, it only makes since, that you would too.

"You’re not evil, Alia. Whatever trapped you in time is."

"Somehow we, we’ve lost two days."

Sam: "What are you telling me; none of this ever happened?" Al: "No I’m not, Ziggy is telling the both of us."

"She’s not gone, Al. Alia is not gone."

Best Line:

"Excuse me, excuse me for a second. Are you, are you taking to a hologram? You’re talking to a hologram, aren’t you! You are a time traveler, too."

Best Scene:

The best scene is when Sam touches Alia and they see each other for who they really are for the first time. Then they introduce each other to their hologram friends, Al and Zoey.

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: Tommy Thompson, Richard C. Okie
Supervising Producer: Harker Wade
Producer: Robin Jill Bernheim
Created by: Donald P. Bellisario
Written by: Robin Jill Bernheim and Tommy Thompson & Deborah Pratt
Directed by: Bob Hulme

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: Randy D. Wiles
Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow
First Assistant Director: R. John Slosser
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