Sam Leaps Into:
Dylan Powell, a reporter investigating a string of homicides in Chinatown.
Objective:
Bring a serial killer to justice and save the life of a psychic who's helping work the case.
Date:
2-1-85
Location:
San Francisco, California
Memorable Quote:
Well, golly Sam, I was gonna ask you how it's going, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that you're very comfortable here. ~Al
Well, golly Sam, I was gonna ask you how it's going, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that you're very comfortable here. ~Al
Highlight:
I liked the Tamlyn character and the actress who played her (also named Tamlyn).
I liked the Tamlyn character and the actress who played her (also named Tamlyn).
Lowlight:
I didn't understand Ross's motivations. Granted he was a serial killer so logic need not apply, but it was strange to hear him talking about the pleasure of returning to the good old days when he and Dylan were a team and "on top again." On top of what? He's a cameraman (and I say that with all due respect to cameramen).
Other thoughts, observations, and questions I didn’t ask when I was in fourth grade:
- Every series needs to have a "psychic" episode. For MacGyver it was GX-1.
- In an earlier post I wondered how Al always was able to walk on the same level as everyone else given that he was a hologram, and it was fun here to see him arrive and not be on the floor level (and then he asked Ziggy to raise him up).
- Sam has kissed a ton of women on this series (seems like at least one every other episode) but it's not often that he consummates the relationship. I wondered if the plot would go in the direction of Live and Let Die where Solitaire loses her psychic powers after Bond beds her but that wasn't the case here.
- The scene where Sam and Tamlyn were bonding and having fun around town while set to music was a bit The Negotiator-esque (except for the part where Tamlyn wasn't secretly trying to kill him).
- Instead of pretending he's not there, why not just tell Tamlyn about Al once she knows that Sam is from the future?
Final Analysis:
Decent episode, not bad but not my favorite (a little too dark for me), but Tamlyn was great. Ranking it 44 out of 64.
I ran hot and cold with this one. It's another one I might enjoy more if I watched it a second time but it was pretty slow in parts and took away from the narrative momentum. But I thought they got the tone and setting right. 1985 has to be the most recent year that Sam leapt back into. Tamlyn was one of the most likable characters the series has seen so far and Sam's attraction to her was understandable. Definitely my favorite scene was when she saw Sam's reflection in the mirror and they became lovers. I had the exact same takeaway as you about their consummation scene as the musical montage reminded me of MacGyver and Deborah on "The Negotiator". It was also the best musical score I can recall from this series.
ReplyDeleteI also really liked the ending when Ross the cameraman turned out to be the real killer. I definitely didn't see that coming. I figured the explanation of his serial killing would be pure hokum and it kind of was, but the idea of creating his own crimes to get ratings for his TV gig is not entirely without precedent. It sure didn't take Sam long to make it onto the top of that factory that seemed to take Ross and Tamlyn forever to ascend. Ross's fall was very nicely done and reminded me of Rogan's fall from Roxie's penthouse on "Two Times Trouble".
You missed a "MacGyver" guest star as the detective at the station was played by Kent Williams, who played Clinton Ferris on "Off the Wall". I checked it out on IMBD and just like Lee Weaver from "Gunz' N' Boyz" and "Justice", their credits from "MacGyver" and "Quantum Leap" are listed on separate IMBD pages. Very odd. We're now up to at least three mutual guest stars from "MacGyver, Season 7" and "Quantum Leap, Season 4", both from the 1991-92 season.
I wish the episode had a little more consistent energy as it would have lifted it several positions more but it still wasn't bad. I'll rank it between "8 1/2 Months" and "One Strobe Over the Line".
Good call on Clinton Ferris -- totally missed that one. The only episode later than this one was Piano Man (November of '85).
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