Fate's Wide Wheel: A Quantum Leap Podcast

On April 22, 1992, the most consequential episode of Quantum Leap, nay, the most consequential episode of TV ever, aired on NBC: “The Curse of Ptah Hotep”. Sam leaps into Dale Conway, an archeologist who, along with his partner, Dr. Ginny Wills, has just discovered the tomb of King Ptah-Hotep. The hieroglyphics on the wall tell them whoever disturbs the tomb will be swallowed by death, and it appe...

Oh, boy, has it been two months since our last episode? The time flies. But we're back, talking about Season 4's "Moments to Live". Sam is Kyle Hart, 1985's hottest U.S. soap opera star. When Sam is kidnapped by a mentally-ill fan determined to have a child with Kyle, he must prevent Kyle's original fate of being shot in the head with a shotgun. (Seriously!) Frequent guest host, Chris Steward retu...

Hop in, Leapers. We’re going to the Big Apple, 1958, in a Yellow Cab driven by none other than Dr. Sam Beckett. Al’s by his side, of course, plus a guardian angel (Whose guardian angel is she anyway?) named Angelita who can dish out the barbs as good as she gets. Sam’s there to help a cabbie win a contest - a coveted NYC taxi medallion is the prize - without getting mugged and shot like in the ori...

We are back with a new episode talking about Season 4’s “Roberto!” Sam is Roberto Guttierrez, a tabloid talk show host in small-time Destiny, New Mexico. To talk about “Roberto!”, we have to talk about Dr. Laura Schlessinger (who appears as herself), Geraldo Rivera (yes, Sam Fain, we really, really have to), and how this episode tips its hat to Rivera’s infamous, live “Al Capone” TV special. We al...

Things are getting spooky and wet, but we're flying high in the Goose! This week we take a look at the 16th episode of season 4, "Ghost Ship". Sam is in the pilot seat again, but this time he's not the only one. Al gets spooked by the Bermuda Triangle, an appendix bursts, a WW2 vet is seeing a long-vanished ship, a feminine hygene product is put to innovative use, and we're experiencing glitches i...

Stop (in the name of Love!) and give a listen to our latest episode. This week, we’re talking about Season 4’s “Song for the Soul - April 7th, 1963”. Sam finds himself in a musical singing trio ala The Supremes, and must keep the group’s lead singer, Lynette, from ruining her life by falling into the grasp of a predatorial music promotor (see also: small-time pimp), and becoming forever estranged...

We are back with a look at season 4's "The Last Gunfighter"! We talk about Sam's struggle to set things right while also doing what's best for the leapee's family, the shades of grey inherent in these old west relics, masculinity, and, of course, a digression into the golden age of the television western. Adjust your spurs, buckle your gun belt, and practice your fast-draw (you can ask Al for help...

Sam & Dennis gotta take a little time with season four's "Temptation Eyes". They're reading between the lines... There's been heartache and pain... But they can't stop now, they've traveled so far in this lonely life... And Dennis wants to know... He wants you to show him... :-) In some seriousness, we discuss what sets this episode apart from the standard episodes that have littered the first...

Is this thing on? We are back with our first new episode in far too long. "Running For Honor" was, at the time, the most controversial episode of Quantum Leap. We not only chat about the content of the episode and it's context, but we also cover some of the backlash and reviews from the time of the episode's airing. Needless to say, it's good to be back, even with a fairly heavy episode to tackle....

We must be bold…we must be innovative…we must be…*obnoxious breathing*…NUUUUUUUUUDE!

Or is this episode called “Unchained Melody”? Sam leaps into Chance Cole, a prisoner on a Southern chain gang in 1956. Cole is shackled to fellow inmate, Jasper Boone, who has been wrongfully imprisoned for series of store robberies. Somehow, Sam and Al must prove Jasper’s innocence from inside the prison. We discuss the episode (Sam thinks it’s solid, Dennis, not so much), talk about the episode’...

On March 26th, 1989, or favorite TV show debuted on NBC is a special two-hour movie event. We discuss what 30 years of Quantum Leap has meant us, as well as some thoughts from our listeners. 

Sam leaps into Billy Beaumont, a traveling huckster who promises to literally make it rain. Sam arrives as Billy and his assistant, Clinton, are pulling into Billy’s drought-ridden hometown of Clover Bend, Texas. In the original history, the drought continued for several more months, and Billy left town with his brother’s wife, Annie. Can Sam and Al change history and actually bring rain to Clover...

Sam leaps into Jack Stone, a Malibu, California police detective. When Sam finds an eviscerated body immediately after leaping in, his psyche is thrown into turmoil, giving him nightmares and possible visions of his own impending death, even as he tries to solve the woman’s murder. Our “guestiest guest” Chris Steward returns to discuss an episode that is kind of Quantum Leap’s take on “West Coast...

Some family issues came up this weekend, preventing us from recording. So we’re revisiting one of our favorites from Season 3, _Black on White on Fire. _ We often talk on this show about _Quantum Leap_ episodes that haven’t aged well, especially with our more socially-conscious 2018 sensibilities. Here’s one that is – all too unfortunately – very timely. It almost feels like it could have been wri...

Sam’s a chimponaut! Sam leaps into Bobo, a chimpanzee in the early days of the space program. Sam was to prevent the disappearance (and later, the unnecessary death) of Bobo, and another chimp named Cory. Sam Fain and Dennis discuss an episode that at first glance seems gimmicky and just an excuse to put Scott Bakula in a diaper, but ultimately has a lot of heart and a great message. 

CW for this episode: Frank discussion about rape, victim-blaming, and victim-shaming Sam leaps into a Katie McBain, a rape victim, as she is in the hospital after her attack. As Katie, Sam pursues charges and a trial against the man who assaulted her, in a community that does not want to believe her. Given the subject matter of this particular episode, we’d like to provide the following resource f...

Sam is Frank Bianca, a super hot and super popular L.A. hairdresser, there to stop his girlfriend and son from being killed after the boy possibly witnessing a murder. 

Sam leaps into Clyde (in a rare case, no last name is given), as he is being inducted into the KKK in 1965 Alabama. As Clyde, Sam must save the life of a civil rights activist. This episode of QL has several utterance of the “N word”. We spend a good portion of the first hour discussing the word’s use in art, and if it’s appropriate (now or anytime in the past) for white people to use it in any co...

Sam leaps into Archie Necaise, a deputy sheriff in Jackson’s Point, Mississippi, as Hurricane Camille is about to hit. As Archie, Sam must prevent the death of his girlfriend, Cissy, who was originally was killed in the storm.

Sam leaps into Lester “Doc” Fuller, a minor league baseball player there to help both Doc’s fallen career, and that of an up-and-coming hotheaded pitcher (played by Neal McDonough). Dennis is kind ‘meh’ on the episode, while Sam thinks it’s one of the best of the fourth season.

Hello Leapers! We’re back with a new episode, talking about Season 4’s premiere, THE LEAP BACK. Sam leaps home! Al leaps into 1945! We finally meet Ziggy and the rest of Project Quantum Leap, and Sam is reunited with his forgotten wife. We are joined by guest, Karyn Saxon, to discuss the episode. 

Happy Tuesday, Leapers! Our next episode talking about the 4th season premiere will drop next week. In the meantime, let’s jump back to the season 3 premiere, THE LEAP HOME, PART 1. Laurence Brown of LOST IN THE POND joins us to discuss the episode.

When Sam leaps into a mental institution and receives electroshock therapy moments after arriving, he is – as Al puts it – pushed over the line, and begins to take on the personalities of some of his previous leapees. If that isn’t disturbing enough, Sam’s mental state is making it difficult for Project Quantum Leap … 

Sam leaps into Eddie Elroy, a college student who finds himself in the family business of selling bomb shelters, on the eve of the Cuban Missile Crisis. As Eddie, Sam must prevent the murder of a neighbor who tries to enter the Elroy’s shelter during a false scare.