Quantum Leap (TV Series) The Leap Home: Part 1 - November 25, 1969 (1990) User Reviews

Some beautiful moments

[ada-p · 10/10 · 7 July 2007]

As I am not biased with a militant pro-Vietnam War perspective, I was able to enjoy this episode. Despite the other comment's tirade against imagined anti-war slants, the Vietnam War was just a plot device to comment on the insanity of war; similar to the episode dealing with the Cuba missile crisis/hysteria.

The scene whereas Sam sings "Imagine" to his little sister is one of my favourite QL moments. Bakula is a talent singer and musician; his rendition of Lennon's classic carries the hope for peace and "living for today" that was the intention. It is a song for hope written in a time that people were frightened and needed to believe in hope. A time when we needed to believe in the possibility that humanity can overcome the helplessness and fatalism of modern problems.

This episode lets us see into Sam's idyllic childhood at the point before it collapses. God/Fate/Time/JackDalton gives Sam the ability to create positive changes to his own history, although that was not the main point of this leap. A boring basketball sub-plot gave us a chance to see rather touching brotherly bonding, setting up the next episode in which Sam leaps into his brother's Vietnam squad.

A memorable episode. A touching episode. An episode that respects continuity and makes Sam an even more rounded character. And an inspirational song that sums up so much of the positivity, the humanity and the hope that Quantum Leap gave to fans.

The Best Episode of Quantum Leap In My Opinion.

[french_horn_babe · 10/10 · 11 July 2006]

Quantum Leap is one of my favorite shows. I am looking forward to buying seasons 2 and 3. Season 3 contains the 2 part episode called The Leap Home. The Leap Home, both parts 1 and 2, is my favorite episode of all time from that series. It is a powerful one where Sam is able to see his family and the home he grew up in once more. While he is there, he attempts to change the fates of his young sister,who marries into a violent marriage, his father,who dies from the effects of smoking, and his brother Tom, who goes to Vietnam and gets killed. In part 2, Sam leaps into a buddy from Tom's unit and ends up saving Tom's life. Sam also discovers that Al was a POW about the same time. This discovery was made while Sam looks through the photographs of a lady reporter, who's thirst for a Pulitzer prize, gets her killed. Al tells Sam that she won the prize for her final photograph,which was a picture of a young Al being captured along side other soldiers.

Marquee episode of the Series

[copacetic-peril · 10/10 · 5 May 2019]

Poignant and emotionally evocative episode. There exists a reason why it holds the highest rating of all Quantum Leap's 97 episodes. That reason is self-evident.

Sam: John is going to write my favorite song. Katie: Your favorite song? Sam: Um-hmm. Katie: In the future? Sam: Yeah. Katie: Well, sing it to me.

[bombersflyup · 10/10 · 23 February 2018]

The Leap Home: Part 1 is about Sam leaping into the body of his sixteen year old self. He tries to change the futures of his family.

It's kinda funny looking at basketball being played in those days, unable to dribble properly, goofy looking, but there was unquestionable level of physicality that isn't present today. Sam's home to replay the championship game they had lost, to better the future of some of his teammates involved. Sam isn't interested in that though, until he makes a deal with his brother Tom, that if he wins Tom will take a day off in Vietnam, the day he dies. I don't like that Scott played his father as well, loses a bit of the feeling. Sam's mother and sister terrific, the scene with Katie, where Sam sings "Imagine," an exemplary one. An emotionally fueled episode, much stronger than the continuation episode.

Al: I know it hurts, Sam, but you did the right thing. Sam: I always do - I always do the right thing Al and where does it get me? I mean - Why can I always save strangers, but not the people I love? Al: I don't know. Sam: Well, I'm not gonna do it anymore. I'm not gonna do it. Sam: You hear that? Whoever you are, *whatever* you are, I'm not doing it anymore! I *quit*! Sam: I quit. Al: Sam!

Great episode, except for wrong nutrition info

[biscayne316 · 9/10 · 14 October 2020]

Great concept well done, but Sam should restrict his advice to the insanity of smoking, and to getting exercise. Not eating saturated fat has been proven to be completely wrong. One additional goof: Sam says 1969 was his senior year, but he is only 16. Cool to have him play his Dad, but the makeup made him look like the scarecrow!

Nauseating

[richard.fuller1 · 1/10 · 2 September 2006]

Sam leaps into himself and frets over his father dying of a heart attack and his brother being killed in Viet Nam.

He frowns and frowns and frowns.

Makes the situation worse, of course. Are we supposed to be rooting for this guy? Hey, everybody, let's protest the Viet Nam war ALL OVER AGAIN! Talk about flogging a freakin' dead horse.

The funniest by far is when Sam sings "IMagine" by John Lennon to his little sister and it makes her cry and upsets her.

It amazes me how this show and Sally Jessy Raphael (wow, whatever happened to that totally annoying woman?) treat "Imagine" as some flippin' anthem that would make all our lives so much better, . . . . . if we just followed that beautiful, beautiful (sob), beautiful message, . . . .

BUT English comedian Chris Barrie will quote from the song on the comedy "Brittas Empire" and come across like a total buffoon! Maybe because to listen to songs and sing along with them is fun to do, but to quote them so seriously and act as tho we have to alter our lives by what lyrics say is utterly ridiculous.

"You May Say I'm A Dreamer, . . . " Oh, yes.

"But I'm Not The Only One, . . . " Unfortunately.

"I Hope Some Day You Will Join Us . . . " Thankfuly, no.

"And The World Will Live As One." Not with this message, I'm afraid. It will NEVER happen.

Remember the song is called "IMAGINE". Thats make believe, Mr. Rogers!