Supplemental
materials to our episode guide page for Mirror Image
TV Commercial
In The Bar
Beth Calavicci smiles. . .
Sam's Birthdate
Stawpah Leaps
. . .as Sam tells her that Al is still Alive
Sam Leaps
Al & Sam
Much More
Mirror!
The page you are on now is a supplemental for the
main episode guide page on our site. See the "Mirror
Image"
episode guide entry for MUCH more: images, videos, behind the scenes
info, trivia, scene-by-scene synopsis and full information on the
finale!
All
of the titles
and credits for
Quantum Leap were done by taking a black cell and cutting out the
letters for each title. Then they would put the cell on a white backlit
background. Then they shot it with a video camera, then with a modern
linear switcher they did a simple "key" to cut out the shape (in other
words take anything that's white and keep that shape), then they added
the tint and drop shadow with the switcher as well. Presto....credits.
Thanks
to Matt Dale
for the high-res photos!
The
Last Words
The Missing "t" in Beckett
In some regions of the
country, the infamous spelling of Sam Beckett's last name was NOT
incorrect! Watch this video from the Quantum Leap Podcast as we see the comparison between what most fans
saw and what others saw, depending on the broadcast station. Watch to
the end - the originally broadcast credits are also there.
At Leapcon 93,
Don Bellisario remarked, “I just finished writing it (the final
episode) the day before yesterday. After I wrote it, I said to my
staff, ‘lock all the scripts up, we cannot let it get out’. I’m not
sure about the last scene, if I’m going to change something there.
Because what the network would like me to do is to take Quantum Leap in
a different direction for next season in order to pick us up. Now I
don’t know if that’s something I’m gonna want to do, because if the
direction in any way takes away from Quantum Leap then I’m not gonna do
it. I will tell you that this episode could be the springboard into
something else”. Bellisario, after polling the convention audience,
announced that he would go back to the original theme for the final
episode of the season (and ultimately the series). Also at that
convention, there was a plannedcontest to win a walk-on role for the season finale. It is unclear if anyone actually won the contest.
Mirror
Image vs. Original Episode - Character Comparisons
Mirror
Image
Character
Previous
Episode
Character
Al the Bartender
Weird Ernie in "Genesis"
Ziggy
Mo Stein in "Future Boy"
Miner
Jake in "Southern Comfort"
Mr. Collins
Don Geno in "Double Identity"
Tonchi Palermo
Frank in "Jimmy"
Pete Palermo (arm around Sam)
Jimmy in "Jimmy" & "Deliver Us From Evil"
Police Captain
Bob Crockett in "8 1/2 Months"
Miner at Bar
Dr. Mintz in "A Portrait for Troian"
Two boys outside Al's Place
who Sam recognizes.
Martin, Jr. & Josh Ellroy
in "A Tale of
Two Sweeties"
Mirror
Image
Character
Previous
Episode
Character
Alternate
Endings
Youtube
video by Alison Pregler discovering the alternate ending photo
negatives.
In
the Alternate
Ending
video
to "Mirror Image" which would have continued the show into the next
season, the picture of Al on the left "Leaped" into the picture on the
right of Al, Beth, & their four Daughters. Watch
on YouTube
The first version of the script is dated 12th February 1993.
In it, there is an extra miner called Skaggs (perhaps named for the
M.I.A. character) whose lines are split between Ghee and Mutta by the
time of the second version, dated 22nd February 1993.
In both these earlier scripts, Sam notes that he rarely looks in
mirrors.
He recalls his recent adventure as a vampire (Blood Moon).
The Bartender serves Sam a shot of Seagram's Seven on the house as a
birthday present.
We learn that Al the Bartender's name is Alberto.
Sam's recognition of the two boys isn't present in the first version,
only added for the second.
Back at the Project, Gooshie and Ziggy check to ensure Sam hasn't
leaped into a ghost (this is illogical as most people see Sam in the
Waiting Room anyway, so only Al would see the ghost as 'invisible').
At the bar, minrer Ziggy reminisces about shooting machine guns.
In the first version of the script, Sam and Ziggy then bet on the stock
market.
Sam says he was born in '53 (Ziggy jokes that he must be 100), which is
removed from the second version, although in both versions Sam pushes
Bartender Al on why he's not concerned that Sam had said he was born in
1953 (the whole line of discussion was removed before broadcast).
Sam and Stawpah discuss the danger of the mine shaft in more detail,
leading Stawpah to toss a coin.
A different clip from M.I.A. was used, in which Al pleads with Sam to
change history.
Al the Bartender asks if Sam has always played by the rules, to which
he admits that he pushed the limits as a child (a hint to his ultimate
mission).
Ghee and Mutta describe their rescue of Tonchi and Pete.
Tonchi, Gooshie and Ziggy all have alternate mirror images (just
Gooshie has in the finished episode).
When Sam says that Al the Bartender controls his leaps, Al responds
with an allegory about cops not being able to finish a shift ("the
shift ends, but they take one more call and then one more and
then...").
In the first version, the final chat between Sam and the Bartender is
much shorter. Bartender Al says "Nice night." Sam replies with "Yeah,
it is. I'm leaping me?". Al says "Uh-huh". Sam asks "And I can leap
anywhere I I want?". Al replies "As long as you don't break any rules".
Sam asks "And if I do?" and Al assures him "You might get away with it
once' after which Sam leaps (all of this is replaced with familiar
dialogue for the second version).
When Sam makes his final leap, we see footage from M.I.A. of Hologram
Al and Beth dancing (the one used earlier in the finished episode).
In both versions of the script, there are two alternate endings
presented (see the script).
An early rumour for this episode involved Sam leaping back to the
Project in 1995 as Gooshie, bumping into a younger version of himself.
Mirror Image Alternate Ending Reconstruction by
Matt Dale A
reconstruction of the original ending of Quantum Leap: Mirror Image. As
well as the leaked rough footage of the final scene, this video
features information from the original script (which confirms the
editing), and a much older leaked version which showed the way the end
credits would have played out with a traditional selection of captures
(most of which have been recreated here in HD).
Mirror
Image Alternate
Ending Negatives Found!
Discovered
in an Ebay auction in February, 2018 (25 years after Mirror
Image aired)
Thanks
to Allison Pregler over at Movie
Nights for these images!
(They open in high-res .tif
format) Photographer:
Fred Sabine
Quantum Leap Podcast:
Mirror Image Lost Negatives
Listen
to The Quantum Leap Podcast on this episode here:
We interrupt your regularly
scheduled podcast to bring you breaking news!
Quantum Leap Podcast staffer Allison Pregler has made the uncovery of
the century — finding photographic proof that an alternate ending to
series finale Mirror Image was likely filmed.
Allison joins co-host Christopher DeFilippis and Quantum Leap expert
Matt Dale to discuss the photos, which feature Dean Stockwell as Al and
Susan Diol reprising her role as Beth in a scene contained in original
production scripts for Mirror Image — previously thought unfilmed.
But you don’t have to take our word for it. We also have an amazing
interview with Susan Diol, who shared her memories of that shooting day
and helped shed some new light on this amazing find.
So please join us was we take a new Leap — into Quantum Leap history!
Quantum Leap Podcast:
Mirror Image Found Video Footage Special
Listen
to The Quantum Leap Podcast on this episode here:
A new ending of Mirror Image
has surfaced, and the Quantum Leap Podcast has found the fan behind the
lost footage!
Join hosts Allison Pregler, Christopher DeFilippis and Hayden McQueenie
as they chat with Roger, a Leaper whose long-time fandom led to the
discovery of the new scene, featuring Dean Stockwell as Al and Susan
Diol as Beth. Roger tells us how he got hold of the footage – a story
as old as Quantum Leap fandom itself.
Then stick around for a new Quantum Deep segment from Hayden!
Quantum Leap Podcast:
Mirror Image Listener Feedback Special
Listen
to The Quantum Leap Podcast on this episode here:
Think
you’ve heard everything there is to hear about Mirror Image? Well think
again, because it’s time for the Mirror Image Listener Feedback Special!
And
to celebrate the occasion we welcome two very special guest hosts, QLP
Co-Executive Producer Hayden McQueenie and QLP Creator Albie Burdge.
They
give their own brilliant takes on just what the heck is going on in
Quantum Leap’s infamously nebulous series finale, and help Matt,
Allison and Chris explore other fascinating theories posited by QLP
listeners. Plus, we give away some sweet Scott swag!
Let us know what you think… Leave us a
voicemail by calling (707)847-6682.
Send in your thoughts, theories and
feedback, Send MP3s & Email to quantumleappodcast@gmail.com.
Also join us on
Facebook.com/QuantumLeapPodcast and Twitter.com/QuantumLeapPod
