What surprsied you the first time?

Avilos

Project QL Intern
Nov 22, 2008
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Watching the series the again I am thinking about the impressions of the original viewers. What surprised you the first time? Back then there was not all the information about new tv episodes that there is now online.

In MIA how quickly did people realize that Beth was Al's wife?

Where you surprised that THe Leap Back was a two part episode? They could have ended that first part with Sam winning the basketball game and Leap to another story. Leaving Tom's fate vague. Or for a later episode. It was perfect how they did. But this was not a show you could easily predict.

How about revelations about the characters? I am amazed about how slowly and carefully they gave us info about Sam and Al's lives. Even Dean himself said that learning Al was an Admiral surprised him.
 
When I first started watching the episodes about March of 2008, it took me a while to catch up with the overall plot, and who the characters were in relation to each other (if that makes sense). I mentioned a while back that I thought Al was Sam's father until about episode 3. It was a bit confusing for me, and I didn't really see the big picture up to the point I was at until season 2.

My first view of the Evil Leapers was another Quantum Leap memory. During the episode, I thought that they were evil simply because of the "evil" way the observer's door opened (it was purple, and had a rather harsh sound, rather than Al's blue door with a soft sound.
 
The main reason that confusion worked for QL was Sam Beckett was confused too. Due to his "Swiss Cheesed" memory he learns about everything, including himself, along with the audience. We see things from his point of view.
 
The main reason that confusion worked for QL was Sam Beckett was confused too. Due to his "Swiss Cheesed" memory he learns about everything, including himself, along with the audience. We see things from his point of view.

You know, I've never thought of it quite from that perspective. I just assumed that I was slow to retain all that information.
 
What surprised me if you could call it that was how quickly I fell in love with the show and the relationship with Scott and Dean. They just brought joy to my time as I watched it. I knew that Beth was Al's wife cause of the photo and listening to Al describe her in the scene with Sam I felt it in my heart when he said to him that he wanted to grow old with her.
I knew also cause unlike his other four wives Beth had something like Lisa that touched Al deep inside and that was rare.
I have seen the leap home part one so many times. I can recite certain lines. but each time I love it more and more.
I have to say this I appreciate the show more now than I ever did cause it means more sharing any episode I can with with mom.
 
first time

cynthia is exactly right. i can recite each of my dvds & walk in at any moment of any single episode & tell you where it is & the camera shots. i fell in love with these characters so quickly...similar to how i really like abby on ncis...don's other baby. i also as a toddler used to watch "tales of the golden monkey" another don adventure. i guess i was hooked like my parents liked "airwolf." we're just don lovers. :spidey (the best comic ever!!!)
 
Feel the same way. I am always going around reciting the funny lines Al says.
He makes me laugh so hard that I have to share his remarks with someone.
I was watching Pool hall blues and I loved how Sam points to Al that they got to go talk in the men's room and Al says not the head(military term for the bathroom
that's disgusting Sam. So Sam had asked where he would go to talk and Al replies the ladies room.
Oh Al.
 
I think the major surprise was Al's wardrobe. I wasn't expecting something outrageous every episode. I just figured the first leap caught him on his day off, lol.

MIA - I was clueless the first time around. Obviously, it made an impression since I knew it right away this time.

My kids love Al. Last night they told me, "Al wants to switch places with Sam so he can kiss different girls every show." lol

In hindsight, my biggest surprise is that they had so many situations that were risque' for network television back then. Casual sex, strippers/prostitution, and suicide come up frequently in the shows. (I hit the fast-forward button to keep my little ones from growing up too fast.)
 
In hindsight, my biggest surprise is that they had so many situations that were risque' for network television back then. Casual sex, strippers/prostitution, and suicide come up frequently in the shows. (I hit the fast-forward button to keep my little ones from growing up too fast.)

Great point! I been thinking that lately too. That QL would be very toned down if it was attempted today. It was a 10pm/9pm central show( I think). Which is more aimed at adults.
 
Great point! I been thinking that lately too. That QL would be very toned down if it was attempted today. It was a 10pm/9pm central show( I think). Which is more aimed at adults.

They would only tone it down if they were aiming at a younger audience. If you look at shows for adults now, they go a lot farther than QL did.

Since I came to QL as an adult, I've always appreciated that level of maturity and realism in the writing. I'm glad they were willing to tackle subjects that aren't suitable for kids. Science fiction shows have been mostly made for kids--in fact I'm trying to think of one made for adults before QL and I'm coming up dry so far.

What surprised me? I guess it was that consistent level of quality. The best episodes just made my jaw drop. There are no really bad episodes. A lot of factors came together to make it a unique show.
 
From what I remember as a kid is when Sam leaped into Lee Harvey Oswald, that scared me as a kid.

I was eight when the show came out so a lot of the references went right over my head.
 
From what I remember as a kid is when Sam leaped into Lee Harvey Oswald, that scared me as a kid.

I was eight when the show came out so a lot of the references went right over my head.

That episode actually surprised me when I first watched it. I actually thought that the show was going to take a different direction from the first four seasons. However, I was glad that I was wrong.
 
Some spoilers here. If you haven't seen all the episodes, stop reading now.

In the episode "The B**gieman", for example, I was very surprised with the big ending (The Devil Al and everything) the first time I saw it. Truly, I didn't see that one coming. Obviously it's not surprising anymore, especially if you've seen that episode more than 50 or 60 times by now. I guess that's why it's become one of the most underrated episodes in the series. The shock/"wow" factor has fizzled out, especially when that same twist (or a derivation of it) has now been done to death in movies, books, etc. But in the early 90's, it was still very effective. I still love it, though.

In "M.I.A.", even though DPB gave us a lot of hints throughout the whole episode, I still couldn't figure out that great twist. I knew something was wrong with the way Al acted and everything, but it was really a big surprise.

In "Thou Shalt Not...", the Dr. Heimlich reference.

The whole episode "Temptation Eyes" was kind of surprising as well.

The Evil Leapers (especially "Deliver Us From Evil", which is when Alia first appears).

"The Beast Within", the revelation of Bigfoot, etc.

"The Leap Back". I was very surprised to learn that Sam had a wife, although they gave us hints about her in "Star-Crossed", and, of course, Sam and Al switching places.

And the whole "Mirror Image", although I didn't understand it fully the first time around. To me, this episode keeps being surprising even to this day, because, every time I watch it, I get to discover something new, and I'm able to come up with new theories, etc, etc.

Now, outside the episodes, about QL in general, I'd say I was kind of impressed when Sam killed someone for the first time, or when he uttered the words: "You son of a b----!" Not that I'm offended by violence or language. Not at all. But, in Sam, it seemed kind of odd at that time. I started to watch this show when I was like 8, 9 years old, so I was very impressionable. Of course now I can understand why he did that, so it doesn't seem odd to me anymore, only human.

That brings me to another point: I was (and I'm still) kind of impressed that this show (with all its adult themes, controversial elements, violence - not that it's too violent, but it does have its moments, as well as it has its share of very dark episodes) can attract younger audiences (kids under the age of 10, to be exact). I was no exception, of course, but come to think about it, this show's really not for kids..., but they can still enjoy it, for some reason (and I bet it's not for the special effects, since they're the least important thing in this show).
 
That brings me to another point: I was (and I'm still) kind of impressed that this show (with all its adult themes, controversial elements, violence - not that it's too violent, but it does have its moments, as well as it has its share of very dark episodes) can attract younger audiences (kids under the age of 10, to be exact). I was no exception, of course, but come to think about it, this show's really not for kids..., but they can still enjoy it, for some reason (and I bet it's not for the special effects, since they're the least important thing in this show).

You bring up a very interesting point. You are probably right about the special effects. Perhaps it was because the adult themes were things that children could relate to, or they could see in their own families. Of course, that excludes a lot of episodes when I make that suggestion (like ones focusing on open racism, sexism, abuse, etc.), but it is the type of shows that families can watch, and then the parents could tell the children the moral of the story, and explain a life lesson from the episode. Of course, that may play into the reason that many of the "bad guys" in Sam's leaps (including the Evil Leapers), were very two-dimensional.

Just a thought though, and I'm sure open to criticism/input on that.
 
Good points here.

And you touch on a very good point here ohboy.

All these topics may be controversial.

But they are important life lessons for people to learn so the sort of stories potrayed on QL are very important for everyone to see.

Would I be right in saying that?

:)
 
Would I be right in saying that?
:)

I'm in complete agreement with you, Angvav. The show had controversial issues, but they were easy enough for children to digest, and to some extent, encompassing. They could see what affect racism, sexism, or just treating people meanly in general had on people, mostly via a first-hand account by Sam. The Evil Leaper trilogy was probably a bit out there to really base morals on (but I could be wrong).

Of course, I think that the lessons in Quantum Leap can be learned by everyone who watches it, rather you are old, young, male, female, married, single, etc.
 
You know ohboy......

I kinda think that alot more could maybe have been done with evil leapers.

That surprises me in a way.

People, especially little kids, could have seen what people do when their evil, but not only that, not to be evil in the first place.

And what efect being evil could have towards other people.
 
Big life lesson could be learned - thats my point.

Hmm. I can see where you come from with that argument, and you do make a very good point. Do you mean to say that the show made a completely exaggerated form of "evil" to show us why we shouldn't be evil, and the affects that it has, just like Sam is perhaps an exaggerated form of "good"?
 
Ohboy :)

What I guess I am saying here is not that it is exaggerated.

But if viewers did see the evil leapers perform their evil without being stopped by sam and al, just maybe viewers would see the consequences.

And if then, sam were to put things right, then there would be a lesson to be learnt.

If that makes sense.

:)
 
At first...

I remember watching THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD on my mom's little black and white television while she was in bed one night. This was the first run of the episode. Back then, the only thing I knew about Quantum Leap was the neat "light trick" aka "leaping effect."

I would watch Sam leap in and then I would go about my business. I would come back about 50 minutes later to watch Sam leap out.

I wasn't much into the storyline back then. The show didn't capture my interest until I began watching it on USA Network in 1993 and then wondered if it was still on regular television. I caught up with it on NBC with the episode LIBERATION.

My head was in the clouds in 1989 and my world was Kevin Arnold and all his women problems in The Wonder Years.
 
In the first season episodes it was not clear yet how close of friends Sam and Al were. In the Pilot Al is very formal with Sam. Telling Sam to call him "Albert". Sam on his own calls him "Al". ( whcih can be explained as part of the Project's protocols of preventing Sam from learning too much.)

THey could have gone in a different direction in that. That Sam and Al were coworkers who become close friends through the Leaps. But at some point Sam and Al were clearly shown to be THE BEST OF FRIENDS. Seemingly being so for years before the first leap. The first indication of this was that Al recognized young Donna.
 
**SPOILER ALERT**

Was only just introduced to this show recently and finally got my hands on the last season DVDs and watched.

Must say very surprised and a little disappointed in the ending.

Does Al still work with him as a hologram?
Does Beckett now have the ability to return home for visits when he feels like it and actually spends time with his wife? And if not, does she even know he's never going to return?
Is it Sam's choice to keep jumping?

I suppose it may be one of those endings I have to re-watch to fully understand but I was a little saddened by it.

Have been loving the show though. I think I was mainly surprised by the level of accuracy and care they took in each episode. I wasn't expecting anything spectacular when I began watching but I found not only this made me laugh but it explored all of mankind's biggest issue when dealing with equality and common respect for all living beings.
Very impressed by this. Still can't decide who I like better though...Scott or Dean... :dreaming
 
I had forgotten how much the B******** episode scared me as a kid. They had it on ION yesterday. I'm 26 and that episode still scares me. I am so pathetic. ;)
 
I had forgotten how much the B******** episode scared me as a kid. They had it on ION yesterday. I'm 26 and that episode still scares me. I am so pathetic. ;)

Classic episode! The first Horror thing I ever saw in my life. I remember I used to skip that episode everytime it was on TV because I didn't like anything dark or scary, but I was like 12 when I got to see it in its entirety and I was absolutely astonished. The second it was over, I knew I had been born to like all Horror-related things, like the Fantasy and Thriller genres. I didn't even know who Poe, Lovecraft or King were until I saw that episode. Of course I had heard about them before, but never really cared for them until that amazing viewing experience.

If it wasn't for that episode, I probably wouldn't be a reader (and I'm not only talking about the Horror genre, but in general) or a writer. Crazy and weird, but true. Now it's almost like "The B**gieman" is a part of me or something. Like it's an entrance to all those dark and wonderful (but often edgy, sharp and dangerous) places, at least in my mind.

Anyway, I wanted to share this because I thought it could count as a thing that surprised me from the show, so don't worry, Errowyn, I'm even more pathetic.