Quantum Leap 2×07 “A Kind of Magic” is one of those episodes. Every fans knows the ones I’m talking about. They’re the episodes that fans break out whenever they want to explain why a new viewer needs to give the show a chance. “A Kind of Magic” has a little bit of everything: drama, humor, great character moments, and, yes, juuuuuuust enough to give despairing shippers hope.
Toil And Trouble
Quantum Leap comes back from its mini-hiatus to find Ben (Raymond Lee) in Salem-adjacent Middle Towne in the 1600s. It’s the furthest back he’s ever traveled. It’s also not an era (or geographical region) known for its ready embrace of scientific curiosity and the inexplicable. Which makes it an extremely dangerous time period for Ben, since he’s both a scientist and notoriously terrible at remembering to keep his knowledge of future events and terminology under wraps.
So it’s really not a surprise that the locals label him a witch within ten minutes of his arrival, changing the course of history. The only real surprise is that it took them that long. Of course, because Ben is also the master of Making A Bad Situation Worse, it takes only five minutes after that for a third (previously innocent) person to be accused of witchcraft.
Honestly, by the time Ben’s attempted Perry Mason stunt blows up in his face, I can only imagine that his poor, beleaguered guardian angel and whatever cosmic force guides his leaps threw in the towel and popped down to the local pub to commiserate over a pint.
Voices In His Head
The events of “A Kind of Magic” give Ben plenty of time to ponder his mouth’s propensity to get himself (and others) into trouble. But, of course, even with all the time in the world, he doesn’t have the chance to explore his feelings about his kiss with Hannah (Eliza Taylor) in the previous episode. There are disadvantages to having one’s best friends exist only in a non-corporeal, invisible state. Though it’s surprisingly less that then the knowledge that ex-fiancee Addison (Caitlin Bassett) is likely able to hear everything he says that helps him hold his tongue. After all, even if the locals caught Ben talking to “himself,” what would they do about it? Accuse him of witchcraft twice?
From a story perspective, it’s totally understandable why Ben’s not opening up to what the rest of the world would perceive as “imaginary friends.” It is awkward to talk about a potential new flame when one’s ex-flame is listening in. That said, I hope the writers find a way to give Ben the space for such exploration. While Addison has Magic (Ernie Hudson) to turn to for advice, Ben’s somewhat isolated state makes it hard sometimes to explore what’s going on in his head. And his heart.
Of course, I also hope we get to explore Addison’s feelings about the kids. Yes, she has Tom (Peter Gadiot), so it wouldn’t exactly be fair for her to be jealous. But she supposedly still loves Ben. So if she’s too okay with it, well…given the season’s set-up, some fans are already questioning the strength of her feelings for Ben and whether she loves him as much as he loves her. If she’s too okay with the idea of Ben moving on – with Hannah or anyone else – I’m going to join them. And, as a shipper, that’s a terrible place to be.
Return of the Status Quo
Though my shipper heart isn’t entirely without hope. In fact, Quantum Leap 2×07 “A Kind of Magic” gave me the first spark of hope that I’ve had possibly all season, at least when it comes to my ship. Ben and Addison may not be back together, but she’s back to being his hologram. Which means they’re back to sharing the screen again. And, yes, that’s hardly a reason to break out the champagne and celebrate that my ship is back where they should be. But I’m a shipper. I will take my crumbs wherever I can get them, thank you very much.
As much as I love having Addison and Ben working together again, I hope that this isn’t going to be the end of seeing the other members of the team step into the imaging chamber on occasion. One of the strengths of the second season to-date has been the way they have utilized Magic, Jenn (Nanrisa Lee), and Ian (Mason Alexander Park) as Ben’s holographic support. They each have a different dynamic with his character, and they bring different things to the Leaper Support role. It’s been fun to see these different dynamics explored, and the show’s willingness to switch up his hologram mid-Leap as necessary has been an asset to the season.
Bringing the Love
Any other week, I’d let that last section wrap up my review for the episode. I would end my review with shipper hope, which is how the episode left me. Except…well, as I said, this is one of those episodes that I’m going to be pulling out whenever someone asks me why they should give Quantum Leap a chance. And, for the fact that this is one of those episodes, I’m not entirely sure I’ve adequately conveyed my love for the episode enough. I’m not even sure I could give this episode enough love.
But I’m going to try.
It’s not always easy to explain what makes an episode of a television show become that kind of episode. It’s a lot of things, really. But, for starters, Quantum Leap 2×07 “A Kind of Magic” shows every single one of my favorite characters at their absolute best. Ben not least of all.
Yes, sure, he lets his mouth get him into trouble. In more ways than one. And, as he so often does, when things are at their most bleak, he doubles down. But the thing about Ben that really makes him special – and such a good Leaper – is his heart. His kindness, as might be suggested by the episode’s title. His mouth talks him into trouble, but his heart gets him out of it. And that was shown clearly in this episode.
The episode also highlights that Jenn and Ian are two sides of the same coin in some ways. They’re both willing to do whatever it takes – both to help Ben, and to help Ben help his Project of the Week. Jenn is more straightforward and no-nonsense about it. If pleading guilty to witchcraft means the lives of the accused will be spared and Ben will leap into his next body, then that’s that. The aftermath of that decision for those who remain can sort itself out. Ian, on the other hand, is open to more…nonconventional solutions. No matter how absurd they may seem. If there’s even a chance that Ben can be helped by the dead or by the planets and stars, they’re going to give it a shot.
Even if there are a lot of planets, Jenn! This isn’t as easy as it looks, okay?
Then there’s Magic with his wisdom. If there’s one thing that the entire team has learned over the past few years, it’s that they don’t have control of what happens next. They can’t control where Ben goes next or what he does there. They can’t even bring him home. So Magic’s advice to Addison – that the only person you can control is yourself and how much grace you give in difficult situations – is hard-won.
And then there’s Addison, who’s able to cut through all of the static to focus on Ben and what he needs. Not only whether that means she steps back as his hologram, or whether that means taking her place in the imaging chamber once more. But also the way out of the predicament in which he’s found himself: the weather forecast.
Quantum Leap 2×07 “A Kind of Magic” is the series at its best. It has heart, humor, and drama. I actually laughed aloud several times this episode. (Lee’s delivery of “No more burning people! Okay? You need to figure something else out!” nearly ended me.) It highlights everything I love about my favorite characters. That it also gives me a happy shipper moment is really just the icing on the cake.