105: Salvation or Bust

[alsplacebartender]

Ben is transported back to 1879 and the rustic, frontier town of Salvation, where he must take on a deadly outlaw. Magic, Addison, Jenn and lan face a new threat when a curious senator shows up at headquarters asking questions about the Quantum Leap program.

Rate and review the episode!

[TheLeaper]

So who is Ben following? Sam? An Evil Leaper?

[DeadZoneLeaper]

When I saw the ending, my first thought was they are using one of Dman's VS characters!!

[NewFederalist]

I thought this episode was very good. The guy at the end saying "why are you following me?" kind of introduces a whole new dynamic. I hope the writers don't turn this show into a soap opera with too many storylines to keep straight. I guess we shall see.

[Midnight Marauder]

Best one yet. Really had the "feel" of an original series episode. Made its "moral of the story" point without being too preachy. Plot twist at the end bodes well for future conflict. The congresswoman character came off well. The show keeps getting better.

[kiwlinn]

Originally Posted by Midnight Marauder

Best one yet. Really had the "feel" of an original series episode. Made its "moral of the story" point without being too preachy. Plot twist at the end bodes well for future conflict. The congresswoman character came off well. The show keeps getting better.

I agree, definitely felt most like an original series episode of the ones we've seen so far. I do hope this is not an evil leaper situation, though. I disliked the evil leaper concept in the original series.

[Midnight Marauder]

Originally Posted by kiwlinn

I agree, definitely felt most like an original series episode of the ones we've seen so far. I do hope this is not an evil leaper situation, though. I disliked the evil leaper concept in the original series.

That's like saying you want Star Trek without the Klingons.

[RossBeckett]

Originally Posted by kiwlinn

I agree, definitely felt most like an original series episode of the ones we've seen so far. I do hope this is not an evil leaper situation, though. I disliked the evil leaper concept in the original series.

The whole evil leaper concept was just another wrong to be made right. It was Alia whom was not at all bad. She was forced to do bad things by an evil force or person. She's like a QL version of Teal'c(Stargate SG-1), former First Prime of Apophis. Sam Beckett was Alia's salvation(no pun intended) and (digressing again) Jack O'Neill was Teal'c's.

~Steve

[servo75]

While the whole mysterious leaper thing and the continuing story arc behind the new code and Janice and everything is interesting, my main complaint about this episode, and the series overall, is that the leaps themselves, THE most important parts of the episodes, are rather flat and uninspiring, not given enough screen time. And I'm sorry Addison is no Al Calavicci. The chemistry between Al & Sam, I'm not seeing it with Ben & Addison. Making the two of them engaged feels like a mistake.


Raymond Lee and Ernie Hudson have been the lone bright spots so far, and the former is being very underutlized in my opinion

[Starbright]

So I'm curious where exactly is the town of Salvation supposed to be - that rock formation looks a little like Stallion's Gate. And is it actually a real place. There is a town by that name in DC comics also. I am very curious about that second leaper - they touched and no real appearance effect though - hmm. Also I liked the ep - yeah it had a BTTF III vibe going but I also like the BTTF movies

[kiwlinn]

Originally Posted by Midnight Marauder

That's like saying you want Star Trek without the Klingons.

Original QL did fine without evil leapers for 4 seasons, it didn't need a persistent antagonist because of its unique format. So, no, I respectfully disagree with your analogy!

I agree with RossBeckett, it was just another wrong to put right and I just didn't care for that whole story arc.

[Midnight Marauder]

Originally Posted by kiwlinn

Original QL did fine without evil leapers for 4 seasons, it didn't need a persistent antagonist because of its unique format. So, no, I respectfully disagree with your analogy!

I agree with RossBeckett, it was just another wrong to put right and I just didn't care for that whole story arc.

Certainly understand not caring for that direction. Must point out though, ST did just fine without Klingons too.

The ELs are a thing that exists in the QL universe. For this new showrunner team to just pretend it doesn't exist you'd have to agree, would be quite bizarre.

[kiwlinn]

Originally Posted by Midnight Marauder

Certainly understand not caring for that direction. Must point out though, ST did just fine without Klingons too.

The ELs are a thing that exists in the QL universe. For this new showrunner team to just pretend it doesn't exist you'd have to agree, would be quite bizarre.

True, no Klingons needed.

And, yeah, to ignore it doesn't make sense, I guess, Just wish the idea had never been introduced.

[Midnight Marauder]

Originally Posted by kiwlinn

True, no Klingons needed.

And, yeah, to ignore it doesn't make sense, I guess, Just wish the idea had never been introduced.

I feel the same way about the Feringi. But you CAN safely ignore them and not ever even refer to them, in ST. Not so with Klingons, Romulans, and unfortunately the ELs in QL.

Maybe they can actually salvage the EL arc. Make it something Al's daughter inadvertently created in this series? History is full of good intentions making bad things accidentally.

[Starbright]

I am giving the new series a real chance here. So far I do not *love* it the same way I love the original Quantum Leap but I do *like* it - and that is enough. I want to support it and watch it.

I have mixed feelings about plenty of things in it. Yes the leaps *are* getting short-changed at times but I also do like seeing project head quarters. Hopefully, in time we will get a balance in this show and/or Quantum Leap will get to actually be a "universe" with plenty of space to branch into multiple shows, mini-series, games, movies, whatever to explore the various pieces of that universe. Most of which are high quality, thought provoking, enjoyable, and worthy of my attention.

Once the show is established as its own thing but very much as the next gen of the ql universe. I'd love some much more Leap-centric episodes or special events/movies/two series running in parallel with plenty of connective tissue. One focused on the leaps and the other on the project HQ (or even HQ for the multiple projects - I think we are up to at least 5 players in a temporal game - maybe more.

I know some of you are not into time travel in general - I am. And I also don't mind police procedural style or adventure style or a fun romp through history. I *am* a deep thinker and I like content with educational value and depth and using time travel as a way to get a new perspective - so yeah I very much want it for the new QL.

It isn't as deep or as special but don't ne unfair to it. Ben and Addison aren't Sam and Al but they do have chemistry and they are interesting. The others at HQ are interesting as well and I very much want to learn more about Janice and really feel like Al's legacy means something.

I also have mixed feelings about the "Evil Leapers"just like I have mixed feelings about Mirror Image.

I think there is potential with these things - the project we are watching could *be* the eventual "evil leaper" project. Janice could accidentally make it or they just need to be leaping because it was going live. Or the person Ben met could have nothing to do with the "Evil Leapers" and not be "Sam" either. There are all sorts of options.

Alia is still out there, Sam is still out there, the Evil Leapers are still out there, others connected to a certain bar are still out there - Janice may have someone out there - here's totally off the wall one for you - Bingo stepped into the accelerator and leaped into himself - what if that version of Bingo NEVER STOPPED LEAPING and is still out there. Where are Donna and Sami Jo? What about Al, he died last year in universe but did he actually die like Dean did or did Al Leap like Stawpah or something. Ben could have just run into pretty much anyone's child or associate that is a leaper. Does touching not reveal true looks anymore? Is this person something other then a leaper?

The episode itself - I'd love to believe in a town like salvation in that era and I have absolutely nothing against diversity but it felt forced, idealized, a town we wish ever existed to be saved that still doesn't exist just like Ben saved a non-exist space shuttle mission.

A theft of the hope diamond that never happened - that one puts us back in our world but the rest establish firmly in a not the real world- that - kinda bothers me unless they eventually resolve it. The original series stayed away from famous stuff mostly so it could stay as a story where we granted 1 level of disbelief- time travel. But this officially is a completely different time line.

I like time travel and alternate realities but this doesn't feel like a "yesterday's enterprise" it feels like them just not caring or researching enough to tell stories that are anchored in the real world. A space shuttle mission is cool as is salvation but I should be able to look both those things up and find out that the core of the story is *factual*. That does bother me.

Maybe we will find that someone is already altering history and be put back in our own world - although um we could use someone to go back and put right a *lot* of the recent past.






I *am* into time travel on general as well as multiple different genres so the bar of at least vaguely getting my interest

[isz]

Some people here considered this episode as the best one yet, so i have to be the one who says it was the worst one yet. Way to many time were spend on the present. The leap in the past could be better, but it wasn't. The chemistry between the characters is none existent IMHO - not the main cast and none of the guest stars(something the OG had plenty of it). The all episode was way to shallow and the ending... Well it did picked my interest who is the other leaper, but it was also too soap opera to me.
Oh, boy. I'm really starting to lose hope on this revival.