Part of what I love about Quantum Leap is that nothing ever feels the same. Every single episode feels like you’re watching a mini movie. Everything feels like it’s pulling something out of you.
And this episode was no different. I am not ashamed to admit that I actually cried in this episode, because what it was to me, was a lesson in pain and love. And yes, I put pain first, because the love between Ben and Addison felt painful. It felt painful because sometimes it has felt as though they won’t find their way to each other.
Because of a decision that Ben made. One that feels selfish and one that feels like he didn’t love Addison.
But he does. Sure, we’ll get to that in this review, but the reason that I am bringing it up so early – is that this episode solidified this ship for me. Ben and Addison must be protected at all costs.
I know, I know, you’re not here to hear about a ship just yet. We gotta discuss the episode. So let’s get to the 1980’s and Ben’s latest leap.
Whisky a Go Go has always been fun for me, you know, if you don’t mind men who think they are something, who are more annoying than anything, and make you want to jump off a cliff. It’s the place the sleaziest of the sleaze have always been and in this episode of Quantum Leap, I find it necessary to point out that it feel the absolute same.
Good to see that the place hasn’t matured since the 80’s.
But that all aside, we’re establishing a character. Ben has leaped into Eva, a bounty hunter, who really takes no shit. She’s got the neon outfit down – which, would be so in style right now. We establish that her bounty hunting partner’s name is Jake.
Now normally, I’d be like not to anyone with that name. Jake’s are trouble. Jakes are pains in the ass. Jake’s are the love them and leave them type.
Yes, I have been scorned by a Jake or two. But if Jake came in the form of Justin Hartley, I would put aside my Jake differences and allow myself to be captivated by him.
Even if he did some unromantic shit, like buy me a taser. Yet, I am not here to judge Eva and Jakes kink. But I am here to judge staging a break in at Eva’s fathers place of business to propose. And the proposal being, “let’s make this official,” or whatever it was? Hell to the mutha effing no.
The ring was not big enough Jake.
The best part of this scene, this proposal, is not Ben as Eva, saying she needs more time to make a decision, but Jake’s reaction. He is disappointed and we can understand that. Granted he gives too much information. Like do we really need to know that he paid for the ring on lay-a-way. That’s a hard no. But back to the best part – it’s Addison’s reactions to it all.
She can’t help but see the humor in it all and as much as I am hoping that we have some sort of reaction from her that sees how much she’s hurting – cause she has to be – I love seeing her laugh even more.
You can’t help but understand why Ben as Eva says no. It’s not his place to accept the proposal. But he’s there to help Tammy Jean – a woman who has skipped on bail after getting arrested for parking tickets. So, in typical Ben Song fashion (yes, four episodes in, we can call it that) he finds a way to direct toward his jump, but also wanting to solve the personal life of the person he’s jumped into.
Ben asks Jake to do a job together and it will help them talk things through. Now, I am sorry that I won’t talk much about the leap – cause I have priorities – and they are about the show overall.
Now, I would be the first person to praise anything Justin Hartley does, but I would also be the first one to be like he sucks. Depends on the mood. Yet, as I watched this episode, what I loved about his role, was not only the way that it was written, but the life that Justin brought into Jake.
I actually felt like Jake was heartbroken. So many actors try and play the heartbroken person, but they fail at making it believable. Yet in this episode, it was all I felt from Jake – a heartbroken man, so in love, and so dedicated to Eva. It was a mixture of the writing and the acting that made you really root for Jake, believe in Jake, and feel bad for Jake.
Ben navigating the relationship isn’t an easy thing. But it’s when the two go to get Tammy Jean that we find out why he wants these two to win and come together.
Ben remembering that he has someone that he left behind – we’re here for it. But we’re also here for the way that this was written. We swooned over Justin Hartley’s portrayal of a man heartbroken, but make no mistake, Raymond Lee did it better. There aren’t enough words to describe exactly how much we loved all the scenes where Ben started to remember the woman he loves.
Where he asked about the woman he loves.
Where he wore his love in his eyes.
And hey, that’s the thing. So many times scenes are written where the words are delivered, but you can see in the actors eyes, that they are acting. But as you watch Raymond Lee and Caitlin Bassett, you see it in their eyes. You see the way that she yearns for him to remember. You see the way that he yearns to remember.
And this whole situation did it for us. It solidified our ship. It made us remember something important when it comes to shows. You can tell a story, but if you can’t make us feel for each and every character, there is a disconnect and we won’t stay with a show. It’s not necessarily about a ship, but it’s about rooting for the characters. It’s about feeling like you’re watching your friends or your life play out on the screen.
It’s about reminding you of something in your life, giving you hope, and saying the things that you can’t. And tied up in every moment of this episode was that.
The leap here wasn’t the important part for me. It was the fact that – besides Jenn – there is now not a character in this show that I don’t feel something for now. It was the fact that even Jake and Eva, the subjects of the leap I felt for. It was the fact that for the first time (and yes, I know we’re only four episodes in) I said to myself, Quantum Leap has solidified that it doesn’t matter where Ben leaps – you’re gonna want him to come home.
I grew up watching the original show with my Mom. So yes, the show has sentimental value. But what that did was made me more critical of this one. Because when you love an original series, when it means something, you become afraid of what others will do with it. But, as hesitant as I have been, I now look at this series the way my Mom looked at the original.
I can’t put into words the way that she loved the show, but I can say that being able to say that I look at this show that way… it means something to me.
Now I know that in this episode, finding Tammy Jean was important. Finding out that she’s not actually Tammy Jean, but the leader of a drug cartel, well… go figure. Them finding her and getting her turned in was absolutely important.
But again, I felt like this episode was what I call a “feels” episode.
Am I saying the same thing over and over? Absolutely. That’s what happens when one swoons.
But hear me out – every television series needs a feels episode. The first few episodes have set up the world that we’re experiencing. BUT, even after you set up a world, you need to make people want to be a part of that world. I know that a lot of fanboys in the world will come for me and tell me that feeling for the show doesn’t matter.
Yet, they don’t realize that they are feeling for something too, so I am not one who cares to entertain that.
I didn’t expect that the show would have Ben remembering Addison so soon, but I AM HERE FOR IT. Why? Because it changes the dynamics of the jumps, but also changes the show. It makes me believe that as he remembers more, he will divulge why he did it and actually say something.
He trusts Addison.
He loves Addison.
Love and trust are a big motivator. Ben may not have told her what he was doing and as she uncovers all of his lies in real life, she’ll figure out the whys. She’ll figure out Ben. She’ll know that he lied to her in order to protect her (not excusing his lies, cause she has every reason to be mad or confused over that).
Ben remembering Addison gives the team something they didn’t have before – unconditional trust from Ben.
At least for now.
We’ll take that.
Oh and if you’re wondering about Jake and Eva… it seems that they work their sh*t out. Good job Ben!
BACK IN PRESENT DAY
Janis won’t stop trying to find things in the Quantum Leap infrastructure. There is no one who know what she’s looking for, but Ian is doing everything that they can to figure it out.
That means that they are going to need a clearance that they don’t have. So, that means talking to Magic.
Now, do I trust Magic or Jenn? I haven’t. I haven’t at all. But, there is something that makes me second guess my distrust for Magic when he tells Ian that somethings can’t be read… he needs to tell them.
I think that conversations are important. So many times we’re left to just figure things out from texts or emails and in all that everything can be misconstrued. It can change everything and make us see things that aren’t there. Words matter, but hearing them, seeing them spoken, realizing what effect they are supposed to have is so often overlooked.
Magic telling Ian about Sam Beckett jumping into him was something I didn’t expect. But the way that Magic said it, I actually let down my walls and distrust, and saw that this was a man that was dedicated to Quantum Leap because he knows that this program saved his life.
And ultimately, he needs to bring Sam Beckett home.
He needs to bring Ben home.
Hearing why Quantum Leap was brought back to life, well… that is just one of the most important things that this episode brought me. I knew that they’d be searching for a reason to explain why it’s back, but kudos to the writers for tying it back to the original for the viewer.
It brings a different feel to the show and that is a beautiful thing.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- If you’re gonna come for me because I swoon a lot in this review, go away.
- Jenn telling Addison about what is going on and Ben lying to her – I was so mad that there was no tact. But I also loved that Addison also didn’t give up on Ben and knows that the answers may be painful, but they are hers to know.
- Justin Hartley’s facial expressions are everything.
- Magic, I like you. I don’t exactly trust, but I do like.
- I really want to know more about Ian and how they came to the project.
- Can’t wait for the next leap – absolutely LOVE that they are having Ben jump into so many people we may not expect.
- I really would love to see an episode sometime where Ben jumps back into a body he’s been in before, cause all of the episodes so far, I want more on what’s happened to these people.
Quantum Leap airs Monday’s on NBC.
