222 M.I.A.

[isz]

Without a doubt one of the best episode of the series(one of my top 3).Well written,well acted(especially by dean). One of the most emotional episodes of the series. this episode had it all.
I really enjoyed it.

[bluedana]

This is an excellent episode, definitely one of my top ten. Wasn't DS Emmy-nominated for this performance? If so, it was well deserved.

I can't fault Sam for not telling Beth about Al. Up until now, he hadn't directly influenced his real life. In Starcrossed, he did something indirect (reuniting Donna with her father), but with no guarantee that it would change things for him; she could have married her first fiance, not Sam. And this is before Leap Home I and II, neither of which went the way Sam intended. (As someone upthread mentioned, in Leap I, nothing he did actually worked, and in Leap II, the price tag was pretty high.)

But in MIA, both characters get across how big the stakes are: Al because it would change his whole life, and Sam because if he doesn't figure out why he's there (and his Observer isn't helping him do that), he's screwed. Kind of the flip side to Shock Theatre.

[des]

M.I.A. is my favourite episode, as you can see on my signature
when I saw that the first time, I was moved for whole episode. the scene when Sam saw the Al's photo and said "Oh Al"...unforgettable! Great Scott!
But a thing was changed after I saw that: whenever I listen "Georgia in my mind" I think of Al and Beth and they dance.

It's incredible how a show cans to involve emotionally.

[Mr Questionmark]

Originally Posted by des

whenever I listen "Georgia in my mind" I think of Al and Beth and they dance.

It's incredible how a show cans to involve emotionally.

So true, I was at a beer festival last week, (Mmmm Beeer!)
as the live band were setting up they had some music playing
1st one was Pink Floyd (nice )
2nd one Ray Charles and Georgia on my mind.
Had to explain why there was "something in my eye" to my new gf who has yet to be 'enlightened' about leaping.


*note to self* must get the dvd's

[isz]

I had some free time today,so i rewatched this episode and...I just realized we had the fourth Lisa(the first of the series) we "met" during the entire series.She didn't had a face,only a name in this episode,but still...(Scag's wife name was Lisa). She's also the 3rd Lisa of DPB scripts.
I'm really curious - what is the deal with this name...

In a summary...This is the first Lisa we meets in QL,but she had only a name. In the next episode of the series -"TLH1" we'll meet another Lisa - A cheerleder, 15yo Sam's had a crash on - The first Lisa "with a face" in the series. The next Lisa we'll "meet" on the show will be the Lisa from the episode "Hurricane"(Not a script by DPB) and the last Lisa we'll meet is Al's Lisa from "A leap for Lisa".

[Bexter]

Originally Posted by isz

I'm really curious - what is the deal with this name...

I don't know isz, I read and article once about the percentage of girls called Lisa in the United States, I can't actually remember what it was but it was really high!!

Over here its Sharon, over a certain age there are stacks of women called Sharon (or otherwise known as Shazza) For the blokes its Bruce, I actually thought the other day how many men I actually knew called Bruce as I thought maybe it wasn't such a common name after all, but I know several in my immediate neighbourhod including the nieghbours dog, so perhaps it is rather common

Is there are name like that in Isreal? Actualy perhaps we should move this thread to OTF.

[JuliaM]

According to the 1990 US Census, Lisa was the 11th most common female name (http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/dist.female.first). I'm sure that's probably one of the reasons it comes up so frequently - it's just a very common name.

Just as an aside, Albert was the 54th most common male name and Samuel was the 60th most common (http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/dist.male.first)

[isz]

Originally Posted by jmoniz

According to the 1990 US Census, Lisa was the 11th most common female name (http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/dist.female.first). I'm sure that's probably one of the reasons it comes up so frequently - it's just a very common name.

Just as an aside, Albert was the 54th most common male name and Samuel was the 60th most common (http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/dist.male.first)

And DPB dad's name was Albert(His mother name was Dana) so i think that the main reason why DPB called the project observer - Albert.

Anyway, Bexter is probably right this topic is better be discussed in the Off-Topic Forum.

[Joe_Quarterback]

Ok, here goes my opinion:

Some of us (including me) got mad for Sam's attitude with Al. Sam changed his past, so he could marry Donna... But why the heck didn't allowed to Al to change his past? Sam broke his own rule in the first place and of course, we all went nuts for this.

Of course, Al really loved Beth, and quoting him "That's why my other marriages didn't work". The last scene made me almost cry. I envy Al for having such a lovely girl who waited for him, but of course, Beth was terribly alone and I don't blame her for what she did. She fell in love with the lawyer and got married again...

Great Episode, but Al didn't deserved this...

Best Regards

Joe Quarterback

[JuliaM]

There is a difference between what Sam did in "Star Crossed" and what Al wanted him to do in "MIA". In "Star Crossed" Sam was very upfront about who Donna was. In addition to trying to change his own past, he was also doing his best to do what Al and Ziggy told him had to be done on the leap. He didn't put that aside in order to fulfill his own wishes.

In "MIA", Al isn't telling Sam who Beth is - he's lying to him about it (a lie of omission). He also doesn't even bother to check to see what the odds are that Sam's there to do something else - just makes the assumption that it's to stop Beth from marrying Dirk. That almost ends up costing the life of Skaggs.

Al was deliberately decieving Sam about what he was supposed to do. Yes, there are episodes where it can be said that Sam acts selfishly to change something for his own best interest but when that happens he's very up front about it. He doesn't try to hide it from Al. I find no fault in anything that Sam did in MIA or episodes where it can be said he acted selfishly. I do find fault with Al's behaviour in "MIA" since he's deliberately withholding information from Sam so that his own life can be made better.

[Joe_Quarterback]

Now, that's a new point of view. Ok, Al was selfish and didn't check what was Sam's mission on that leap, and if it had worked out differently, Skaggs would be dead on that bar.

Al made a terrible mistake when he lied to Sam about what was his mission, I don't discuss that. But he saw a new opportunity to recover Beth and make the change for good. But, rules are rules, anyway (but for every rule, there's an exception, right?).

Best Regards

Joe Quarterback

[Indiana Leaper]

Just watched this one again and I have to say that Al played a blinder here..The dance at the end was great and i just watch that the alternative ending could have been realised and Al would indeed return to her for however long. This is similar to Another Mother when Al says he'll be back to the little girl..Theres alot of scope for a future quantum leap series to explore..these stories might one day be concluded.

[Bexter]

IL, I have no doubt someone's written an excellent Fan Fic exploring both of these stories, I have not read much fan fic, not time at moment, no time, but just ask I'm sure someone will direct you to them

[Aurora Illusions]

I think Sam didn't save Al's marrage not because of the rules only, but because of all the conicidences. Maybe Sam truly believed that these two were ment to be together and thats what GFTW wanted. Sam himself, having got his chance at happyness and his soul mate, Donna, probably believes in 'matches made in heaven' and he believed that Al was not ment to be with Beth. Maybe he thought he was doing it in Al's best interests? Giving him the chance to actually find the one that was right for him?

Nonetheless this episode is my favorite and makes me cry everytime...my dad always laughs when he sees his 13yr old litterally crying her eyes out because of this episode. He tells me that it is just a TV show and just a character and i never have anything to retort.

[leaper1]

Originally Posted by Indiana Leaper

Just watched this one again and I have to say that Al played a blinder here..The dance at the end was great

I adore the dance at the end as well, but - shock horror! - I have to say that it actually wasn't totally original.
A very similar scene takes place in the Spielberg movie "Always" (1989 - a year before MIA was made) with Richard Dreyfus and Holly Hunter. His character is a ghost rather than a hologram, and the tune is "Smoke gets in your eyes", but the dance is very reminiscent of the one we all know and love.
I think Don must at least have been inspired by it. Too close to be coincidence in my book.
I know this is heresy, and am putting up the defensive wall against the rotten tomatoes that are no doubt headed my way, but still, I felt it had to be said.
And after all, there have been plenty of subsequent films and tv shows that have 'borrowed' elements of QL in turn.
What is it they say? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[Snish]

Originally Posted by leaper1

A very similar scene takes place in the Spielberg movie "Always" (1989 - a year before MIA was made) with Richard Dreyfus and Holly Hunter. His character is a ghost rather than a hologram, and the tune is "Smoke gets in your eyes", but the dance is very reminiscent of the one we all know and love.
I think Don must at least have been inspired by it. Too close to be coincidence in my book.
I know this is heresy, and am putting up the defensive wall against the rotten tomatoes that are no doubt headed my way, but still, I felt it had to be said.

I call it "putting on my asbestos jammies" when I say something that's likely to draw fire. (Taken from an episode of Wild Wild West... long story.)

And I thought I had seen all of Richard Dreyfuss's movies! It is a tad disappointing to hear that the scene wasn't an original inspiration of DPB's, but still, it's nonetheless a great scene. Some of the best scenes are actually homages to other films, like Al singing little Theresa to sleep in "Another Mother" or Sam's Casablanca bit in "Play It Again, Seymour."

[leaper1]

Originally Posted by Snish

I call it "putting on my asbestos jammies" when I say something that's likely to draw fire. (Taken from an episode of Wild Wild West... long story.)

And I thought I had seen all of Richard Dreyfuss's movies! It is a tad disappointing to hear that the scene wasn't an original inspiration of DPB's, but still, it's nonetheless a great scene. Some of the best scenes are actually homages to other films, like Al singing little Theresa to sleep in "Another Mother" or Sam's Casablanca bit in "Play It Again, Seymour."

Hehehe, I used to watch Wild Wild West years ago! Great line.
Here's the reference on "Always" Check it out, it is a good movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096794/
I have it on video, but hadn't gotten round to watching it until a week or so ago. I must confess my first thought was that they had 'stolen' the dance idea from QL, until I looked it up and realized that the film came before the ep, albeit not by much.
And yes, absolutely it is a great scene.
It is even a great scene with the music spoilt on the dvds. With the music intact, it is a brilliant scene.

By the way Snish, I've been meaning to ask. What does your sig line come from? Is that another Wild Wild West quote? It is a neat line.

[Snish]

Originally Posted by leaper1

By the way Snish, I've been meaning to ask. What does your sig line come from? Is that another Wild Wild West quote? It is a neat line.

Thanks. It's one of Dean Stockwell's better lines from Battlestar Galactica this season. (One of the reasons I love that show--he always gets great lines.) It does sound like it could come from WWW though!

(OT digression) "Asbestos jammies" isn't actually a quote from WWW--it's something the fans made up from one of the episodes in which the bad guys wore these fireproof suits that did look sort of like hooded pajamas. So they became asbestos jammies, just the thing to wear to a flame war. (/OT digression)

[Imagine]

I just saw this ep again. I like it so much. I would like to give Al a hug. He looks so sad. Very emotional.

Can somebody tell me what M.I.A. meens?

[leaper1]

Originally Posted by Imagine

I just saw this ep again. I like it so much. I would like to give Al a hug. He looks so sad. Very emotional.

Can somebody tell me what M.I.A. meens?

M.I.A. stands for "Missing In Action" - in other words, somebody goes out on a mission and doesn't come home. Nobody can say for sure if they are captured, injured, dead or alive.

[Imagine]

Thank you very much, Leaper1!

[leaper1]

No problem. Always glad to help a fellow fan!

[gigibean]

Originally Posted by Imagine

I just saw this ep again. I like it so much. I would like to give Al a hug. He looks so sad. Very emotional.

Can somebody tell me what M.I.A. meens?

Missing in action
Al was a prisoner of war ...this episode alway gets me upset. I love Al. I hate that is heart gets re-broken.I wish there was something Sam could do kinder for Al. I intellectually get it-- but emotionally I felt hurt for Al.

[Lightning McQueenie]

Originally Posted by gigibean

Missing in action
Al was a prisoner of war ...this episode alway gets me upset. I love Al. I hate that is heart gets re-broken.I wish there was something Sam could do kinder for Al. I intellectually get it-- but emotionally I felt hurt for Al.

You haven't seen the series finale, Mirror Image, before have you?

[Trudy]

Who was the one person who gave this just a "Good" rating? I think this might actually be my favorite Quantum Leap episode, though I'll have to finish re-watching the series (again) before I start knocking the episodes into a set order of favorites.

I'll admit, despite having watched Quantum Leap in its entirety several times, this episode still gets me worked up. Even knowing what happens in Mirror Image, seeing Al's desperation to be with Beth again only to be shot down by Sam in the end is absolutely agonizing. Add to the fact that Sam refuses to do so because he's not allowed to change their futures -- and yet insists on doing the same for his own family in the first two episodes of season three -- and the episode is even more heartbreaking.

I think this episode had even more of an impact on me after reading "Pulitzer" simply because everything Al had to deal with after coming back from Vietnam was spelled out on page. Having Beth there, I think, would have helped a lot; Al had no one he could depend upon when he came back from Vietnam and it's clear that he really needed it.