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"Future Boy"
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Cut Scenes: Bellisario made Tommy Thompson change the ending from an early draft, which originally closed with Captain Galaxy having a fatal heart attack and seeing the real Sam in his final moments, knowing time travel was real. It's not clear if the final scene takes place the day after the prior scenes or some time later. The idea of the heart attack being replaced with suicide was even toyed with. It was also perhaps Bellisario who suggested that the time machine actually work: in 2015 writer Tommy Thompson said "Don said 'you know, you should make it so that for just a second it look like he might leap - like he's almost there.", although several years later he remembered that it was his own suggestion, and Don's response was "well, let's see what it looks like". The heart attack/suicide was missing from even the earliest 'official' version, dated November 11th 1990, in which several names differed from the final version: Moe Hirsch, Dr. Richard Scanlan, Kenny Berk, the mall was called Krupnick's, and the Judge's surname was given as Ryker. Immediately after the credits, Moe tells Sam "Say your line!", giving away that this is a TV show a little earlier than in the final version. Sam does not fall over as he leaves the time machine (so does not get given ice later, nor invokes reactions from Moe or Al), although he does in the second draft, dated 14th November 1990, which may give us a rough indication of when Bakula's Runaway accident occurred. Moe refers to a "time shift" just before getting the viewer mail, not a "time leap". Kenny is described as red-headed and freckle-faced (the actor later cast had brown hair and clear skin). Sam says "you don't save somebody who's normal and then throw him into a mental institution', implying the insane are abnormal (somewhat politically-incorrect). Irene refers to "five cent postcards" in the first draft but "penny postcards" in the second. Al excuses himself from the Mr Scrub-O commercial in the first version, claiming he has "a date with a witch.' Mr. Scrub-O is called Mr. Scrubby in the first version (Scrub-O in the second). Sam has a short monologue to read about how tough it is for housewives to look after husbands and kids. When Moe reveals his time machine, in the first version Al says "get ready to leap, Sam. When Scanlan sees this, it's 'Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars. It's straight to the funny farm'" and in both early versions Al makes a joke that it makes popcorn (not cappuccino). There is a short scene at the start of the third act where Al and Sam reflect on Moe's timeonometer before Moe reminds Sam that they need to get to the roller palace. In the first version, at the roller palace, Sam doesn't give his "doggy heaven" speech and instead just gives away ice cream. In the second version he does give the heaven speech and gives away roller skates, and then in the transmitted version it becomes popcorn and soda. In the first version, Act Three ends with Irene storming off away from the exploding time machine. Irene's reference to calla lilies is not present, nor is Sam's Neil Diamond slip-up. The psychiatric hospital is called Stafford, not Timothy. In the climax in the basement, Stein explains his motivation before he starts up the timeonometer, not after. |
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Syndication Edit: [Near the end of the first act, in the dressing room.] Sam: Al, what am I here to do? -- begin cut --> Sam: Race a speeding bullet? Leap over a tall building in a single bound? What? <-- end cut --- Al: Well, according to Ziggy, there's a ninety-six point two percent chance you're here to save the life of another act-- [Beats on handlink. Handlink whines.] --tor named Moe Stein.
Syndication Edit: In the network version in the second act, when the assistant interrupts Sam's conversation with Irene to tell him to come back indoors to do the Mr. Scrub-O commercial, there are 5.1 extra seconds of Sam looking with frustration at the departing Irene.
Syndication Edit: In the network version, after Sam announces free popcorn and soda for the kids and everyone cheers, there are 4.9 seconds of the kids skating away and Sam waving.
Syndication Edit: In the network version, in the establishing shot of Moe's house before dinner, there is an extra .5 second.
Syndication Edit: [The day after the demonstration of the Timenometer. Al meets Sam outside of Moe's house with the good news about his court settlement.] Al: Well, let's say we examined each other's briefs and, uh, decided to call it even. -- begin cut --> Al: How'd it go with the doctor? Sam: Great, till he blew up the basement and nearly taking Sandler, Irene, and me with him. Al: You see, maybe it would be safer if he was put away. Sam: No. Now listen to me. I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier. Moe is me. Al: You mean, "Woe is me." Sam: N--. No. Back when I started Project Quantum Leap, the government tried to shut me down because they thought it was too dangerous, that I was crazy, but I wouldn't let them. You wouldn't let them. Why? Because we believed in our work. Al: Yeah, but that time machine of his is loony. It's a two thousand pound toaster. Sam: It doesn't matter. The point is Moe believes in his work. And he's on the right track. He's just forty years ahead of his time. Al: But Ziggy still says he gets killed by the freight train so you gotta put him away, Sam. Sam: I'm not giving up, Al. I got a plan. Moe: Hi, Kenny. <-- end cut --- Moe: [Wears a pyramidal hat] Oh, I'm sorry I'm late. -- begin cut --> Al: This plan I gotta see. <-- end cut --- Sam: What do you think you're doing?
Syndication Edit: [In the judge's chambers.] Irene: He was experimenting with a time machine in his basement. -- begin cut --> Sam: Your Honor, what a person builds in the privacy of their own basement has nothing to do -- Judge: Mr. Sharp: as Future Boy, I'm sure you've already seen in your crystal ball that I am going to give you an opportunity to speak, so you don't mind waiting for it, do you? Sam: No sir. No. [Sits] Moe: [To Sam] "Crystal ball." And they think I'm nuts. Irene: Your Honor, I don't think that my father is in touch with reality anymore, and I'm afraid that he's going to get hurt. <-- end cut --- Judge: Thank you. -- begin cut --> Judge: Now, Mr. Sharp. Sam: Uh, thank you, Your Honor. <-- end cut --- Sam: Uh ... [Moe offers him the pyramidal hat. Sam declines.] ... Mrs. Keiner, the other day you were telling me that when you were growing up, your father was away from home a lot.
Syndication Edit: [Still in the judge's chambers. The assistant has brought in a bag of mail.] Sam: Your Honor, a man is judged to be insane if he behaves outside the norms of society. -- begin cut --> Sam: But who is society? We are, plus the thousands upon thousands who work and live around us. <-- end cut --- Sam: Now these [Spills the mailbag contents on the judge's desk] are just simply some of the fan letters that Captain Galaxy -- Moe Stein -- gets every day.
Syndication Edit: The network closing credits consist of clips from the episode, which run for a few seconds and are then freeze-framed with credits. The syndicated closing credits eliminate all the moving footage and just use the freeze-frames with the credits. The closing theme is shortened to fit. Clips: Captain Galaxy and Future Boy emerging from their ship. Sam dancing as Mr. Scrub-O with the housewife chorus girls. Future Boy and Captain Galaxy watching the mail rocket land. Sam asking Moe what's the deal with the pyramidal hat. Moe attempting to travel in time in his machine. Future Boy waving to the crowd at the skating rink. (Partial outtake.)
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