Customer Reviews

Quantum Leap: Leap Home [VHS]

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Why they took this TV show off is beyond me, especially when they came out with episodes like this one. How you could watch the ending of this two-parter without choking up is also beyond me. In part one, Sam leaps into himself as a teenager who must win a school basketball game. But Sam is too caught up in trying to save his family to care about the game. Al has to convince him of his real assignment so that he can leap. (The scene where Al says he would give anything to tell his family he loves them again is especially touching) Part two has Sam in Vietnam with his brother Tom, trying to pull off a successful mission (and trying to save his brother in the process). Time stood still during the last couple minutes of this episode.

Television rarely, if ever, gets better than this. Kicking off the third season of the show, Sam gets what he's always wanted--a chance to go home. But instead of to the future we'd only seen hinted about, Sam leaps into himself as a high schooler at Thanksgiving. It's a time of relative innocence before his brother went to Vietman and his father began his battle with cancer and high blood pressure. Sam thinks he can save his dad and his brother and attempts to do so. However, he has relatively little success and is forced to leap to Vietnam to try and save his older brother from dying.

Written by Donald P. Bellisario, this is Quantum Leap at it's best. The script is just amazingly nuanced and showed off the strengths of the show to a tee. Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell raise the bar yet again in their performances and give their characters a human side that is simply amazing.

And the ending...well, I can't say anything here. Because if you haven't seen it, it'll ruin it all. And if you have, well, then you know what I'm talking about. I defy anyone to watch the final ten minutes without a lump in their throat and a tear in their eye.

It's simply that good.

I am ashamed to admit that the two-parts of "The Leap Home" were the first episodes of "Quantum Leap" that I ever watched. Of course, once it was over I never missed another episode of this most unique television series starring Scott Bakula. Part I, "The Leap Home - November 25, 1969" (Episode #32, September 28, 1990), finds Sam has leaped into himself at the age of 16. Ziggy says Sam is home to help his team win the state high school basketball championship but Sam insists he is going to save his father (also played by Bakula) from dying, his sister (Olivia Burnette) from marrying the wrong man, and his brother Tom (David Newsom) from dying in Vietnam. At one point Sam actually tries to convince them he knows the future, until his singing John Lennon's "Imagine" terrifies his sister. At the end he wins the game, but Al informs him Tom still dies in Vietnam. Sam calls his brother's name and leaps into "Magic," a Navy SEAL in his brother's squad in Vietnam.

"The Leap Home, Part II (Vietnam) - April 7, 1970" (#33, October 5, 1990), takes place in the days before Tom Beckett's death in Vietnam. Sam does not know if he is there to prevent Tom's death or simply to ensure that his mission is a success. Trying to do both, Sam uses a female reporter (Andrea Thompson) to help him out. But in the end he learns that saving one life effects others. The surprising consequences that his efforts have provides one of the biggest shocks I have ever seen on television. Absolutely stunning and a scene that continues to bring tears to my eyes. Tia Carrere is in this episode as a Vietnamese woman. Not surprisingly, both parts of "The Leap Home" were written by series creator Donald P. Bellisario. This is epic television of the first rank. It simply does not get any better than this, people.

This quantum leap certainly brought the memories of this great series flooding back. Cracking! In this episode Sam leaps back into himself as a child, and attempts to save his father from cholestorol, his brother from going to and dying in the Vietnam War, and his sister from a future wife beating, alcohol-abusing husband. A classic moment is Sam singing John Lennons 'Imagine', years before it has been written in a vain attempt to prove to his family that he is an older Sam from the future,who has quantum leaped into his own , younger body, and he can save them. This episode is a truly heart rendering episode of the finest Quantum Leap kind. In the second epic installment on the video is when Sam is actually given a chance to save his brother from his untimely death in Vietnam, when he leaps into the body of an African American soldier who is in the same platoon as Sam's brother in Vietnam. The action, and scenery is excellent in yet another fine installment of Quantum Leap, with a cracking twist at the end!

It is without a doubt the companion to the pilot episode of "Quantum Leap". If you only ever decide to own two of the "Quantum Leap" tapes that have been made available from the series, these are the two. I personally thought "The Leap Home" was better than "The Pilot" episode and that's a statement, considering "The Pilot" was fantastic! "The Leap Home" takes Sam back to his senior year of high school, in his home town, with his family. According to Al, he's there to win the basketball game he lost first time around but Sam see's it as a chance to change things for his family for the better. He see's a chance to prolong his father's life, a chance to keep his little sister from eloping with an alcoholic and most important, a chance to keep his older brother from getting killed in Vietnam. The second part of the tape leaps Sam into the body of a Navy Seal dubbed "Magic" who happens to be a member of Sam's brother's squad. Al informs Sam that his mission is suppose to be to save the life of an army officer and once again Sam is put through the agony of an emotional juggling act. The action and suspense is incredible and the ending blew me away. It is an episode that indeed hits very close to "Home". A must for your collection! LET'S SEE THE DVD'S GUYS!!!

A two parter. In part one. Sam has leapt into himself as a sixteen year old boy just before his brother is shipped off to Vietnam Where he will be killed). The scene where he is singing "Imagine" to his sister is heartbreaking. Excellent acting on her part.

Part 2 has Sam leaping into a soldier who is part of his brothers squad, the day before he is killed! The suprise ending, a trade-off, if you will, almost left me in tears. (Al pointing to his head and saying "I was alway free. In here.)

If you choose to buy only one tape from this series, this is the one to get.

While I've certainly not seen every television show ever made, I've seen quite a bit. I'm not a huge QL fan, but I don't know if I've ever seen anything this good. Not perfect, but I still tear up a little thinking about the ending. Try to see parts 1 and 2 consecutively if you can.
You must see the whole thing in order to truly 'get it.' This 2-part show would be very good without the ending, very moving with it.

These videos are excellent and well worth buying. I am, however, extremely disappointed that Quantum Leap is NOT available to English customers. On www.amazon.co.uk, Quantum Leap is only available in the books. Which sadly fail to live up to the series. Why are the videos only for sale to America and Canada.

PS. Save money and watch the series on UK GOLD.

"Quantum Leap" is my favorite show of all time and I never missed an episode. I wish it never went off the air! I have to say that my favorite episodes are "The Leap Home" when Sam leaps into himself as a teenager and then into his brother's sqad in Vietnam. The two parts are extremely moving. The very last scene of part two still gives me chills. The acting is superb by both Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell (as always). I highly recommend "The Leap Home" and any of the other episodes!

If you like to be on the edge of you seat and sci-fi then watch this one.