Welcome back leapers! This week, Sam is a lounge singer and a pimp. Let’s leap on in!
1. Sam is shockingly ok with this
The episode “Piano Man” begins with Sam leaping into a lounge singer/pianist just as he’s finishing up a number. Luckily for all of us, Sam can both play the piano and read music, so he’s not totally lost in this scenario. It turns out that this singer, Joey, ran out on his girlfriend three years ago, and she’s back to sort out any feelings she may have for him after all these years before she can marry her fiancé.
Anyway, Sam agrees to let the bartender and his date take his car, and when they start it up, KABALM, the car blows up, along with both parties inside. This is the opposite of what usually happens on a leap; Sam is there to save lives, not lose them, and yet, here we are. Initially, Sam is pretty shaken up over this, but he quickly moves on and allows the leap to continue as usual. I’m not saying that Sam should think that Lorraine’s life is insignificant and give up, but we’ve seen that Sam has a huge heart and takes a lot of things personally, or at least is quick to blame himself. This was, by no means, his fault, but I find it sort of shocking that Sam would just continue on with things after two people died by his decision.
I suppose the argument could be made that by continuing on, Sam is saving a life, Lorraine’s, and not focus on the two that were lost, and I’d argue that’s exactly what happened. However, Sam’s demeanor picking back up a little while later feels like a lazy move for a show that is usually more thoughtful with those sorts of actions.
2. Killed them all, of course
Lorraine declares herself a jinx, and brings up multiple instances where she has cramped Joey’s style. Multiple vacations ruined, situations botched, chances squandered, etc. This is obviously something that people will occasionally think about themselves or someone else – myself and a few MC staffers used to refer to someone as the ‘bad penny’ of a certain convention, where whenever they were around, bad stuff would happen – but Quantum Leap is a show that sets out to prove that luck can be changed, that there are few situations that can be chalked up to simple bad luck, and that most people, deep down, are good. The show never really gives a ‘reason’ for her bad luck, but it also doesn’t take any time to dismiss her beliefs. The show believes that she’s bad luck, and that’s odd.
3. A persistent leap
Usually in this show, there is a task, or sometimes two, that Sam has to do in order to ensure the success of the leap. However, “Piano Man” has about half a dozen times when it appears that the crisis has been averted, only to see it come back in full force a few seconds later. There are vey few leaps that feel as constant and uncompromising as this one does, but the writing manages to work in that piece nicely, and when it does get resolved, it is one of the more releaved moments in the show thus far.
4. The proto-Sweet Jimmy
In “Southern Comfort,” Sam leaps into the body of a bordello owner with the goal of saving the life of one of the girls in his employ. Now, I’m not here to judge sex work as a profession, but I think it’s probably fair to say that most pimps and/or bordello owners are not exactly sweethearts. I’m sure there are some, like the above linked “Sweet Jimmy” that may surprise you, but the profession is built on the exploitation of others. Sam is the opposite of that; Sam’s entire life is built around helping others. And so it’s not shocking that Sam’s LaBonte is a more compassionate, understanding version of the man. What is more shocking is how no one around him seems to say, “Hey wait a minute, why are you so nice?”
You know the case is off the rails when even one of the silver screen’s best lawmen, David Graf, aka Tackleberry from the Police Academy films, can’t solve the LaBonte mystery. R.I.P. to a real one, Tack.
Continued below5. A grim reality
The episode is built around one of the women working at the bordello actually being a young girl on the run from her abusive husband. The episode paints the grim reality of a woman stuck in domestic violence in a state/time that values the marriage certificate over the safety of a spouse. The show really leans into this, and is all the better for it. It’s hard to watch this and not be grossly uncomfortable and what is going on, and that’s the point. For an episode with some muddled characterizations, this piece is not only handled well, but handled impressively.
Also, let it be said, there are some actors that do almost too good of a job being a piece of shit. Dan Butler, who plays the wife-beater in this episode, just oozes dickhead the entire time. It’s a really good, but really gross, portrayal.
The ‘Oh, Boy’ Teaser
Sam leaps into KISS. Well, not the KISS, but a glam rock band with heavy makeup. I can’t wait.
