tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5788875373841955612.post1675656326094695861..comments2024-03-27T00:26:22.316-05:00Comments on The MacGyver Project: Quantum Leap -- Episode 74: Lee Harvey OswaldNicholas Sweedohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00437092592253460266noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5788875373841955612.post-27490195213804074682016-12-13T16:19:51.871-06:002016-12-13T16:19:51.871-06:00I believe you were born in 1981 which would mean y...I believe you were born in 1981 which would mean you were still in the crib when Gosch was abducted and have limited your exposure in the key years when the saga unfolded. Either way, you'd have heard of him if you lived in Iowa.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04953380288384883179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5788875373841955612.post-70689544912264039872016-12-13T15:46:49.165-06:002016-12-13T15:46:49.165-06:00I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist either. ...I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist either. I've never even heard of Johnny Gosch.Nicholas Sweedohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00437092592253460266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5788875373841955612.post-28365884481359806622016-12-13T12:49:58.926-06:002016-12-13T12:49:58.926-06:00My version of the JFK assassination in terms of cl...My version of the JFK assassination in terms of climbing into conspiracy theory rabbit holes is the 1982 Johnny Gosch kidnapping right here in Des Moines, perhaps the highest-profile child kidnapping story in our lifetimes. Ever since I went with my mom, aunt, and cousin to the amusement park in Des Moines and was warned about "this being the town where those paperboys were kidnapped" (another paperboy was kidnapped two years later), I've been intrigued, and moving to Des Moines has only increased my interest in the story. Even without delving into the wackiest conspiracy theories of the case that involve former President George H.W. Bush and the 2005 suicide of former Rolling Stone columnist Hunter S. Thompson, just a cursory look at the details and aftermath of the kidnapping reveal incredibly wild undertones to the case and the likelihood that 12-year-old Gosch was forced into sex slavery for titans of business and entertainment. Really dark stuff all around.<br /><br />I am intrigued that Bellisario met Oswald in real life. I haven't seen the video interview yet but will check it out later today. Agreed that Bellisario insisting that he's "100% sure" is unconvincing, comparable to all the media "experts" promising us that Hillary's victory in the election last month was "just a fact". Either way, it's unfortunate that encounter with Oswald led Bellisario to insist on foisting this stinker of an episode on us.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04953380288384883179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5788875373841955612.post-24892985058661626832016-12-13T12:28:47.056-06:002016-12-13T12:28:47.056-06:00You're probably better off for not being that ...You're probably better off for not being that into the JFK assassination -- I find that it's like running on a hamster wheel leading nowhere, and the more time I spend learning about it the more questions I have. Bellisario gave an interview where he says he met Oswald in real life and the interaction was recreated in the episode (the scene where the soldier asks to see the roster in the tent).<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r28lOrcFK6U<br />He also says he's "100% sure" that Oswald acted alone -- I don't care who you are (unless you're Lee Harvey himself), but no one can say they are 100% sure of that. You wanna say 99%, that's fine, but don't say 100, Donald.<br /><br />We're on the same page on the rest of the episode including the ending which missed the mark. And the new theme song has grown on me big time, in fact each episode I watch now I listen to the whole thing. Nicholas Sweedohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00437092592253460266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5788875373841955612.post-26919687797197823992016-12-13T00:26:36.334-06:002016-12-13T00:26:36.334-06:00And while Sam was on the tractor with his dad when...And while Sam was on the tractor with his dad when JFK was shot, my dad was 18 years old and home on lunch break watching the parade and saw the live footage of the assassination.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04953380288384883179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5788875373841955612.post-1887401858784206182016-12-13T00:23:33.532-06:002016-12-13T00:23:33.532-06:00Ooof....this was a complete and utter mess. I rem...Ooof....this was a complete and utter mess. I remember seeing the year-end copy of Entertainment Weekly magazine in 1992 where they rated "bests and worsts" and was surprised, given its years of generally favorable critical reviews, to see "Quantum Leap" on the list of "Worst of TV". They singled out the JFK assassination episode as emblematic of the show's bounce towards gimmickry in what would be its final season. Twenty-four years later, I concur with their impression, at least on this episode. <br /><br />First of all, in no way should this have been a two-parter. A single hour was more than enough for this story without a more substantive treatment. I knew I was in for a rough ride early with the added gimmickry of Sam inexplicably leaping around within Oswald's six-year timeline. I'm usually not a fan of how this show unveils these kinds of gimmicks from out of nowhere as a means of adding untapped layers to the overall time travel concept. It worked in the episode where Al and Sam traded places, but it doesn't work whenever they conveniently use the captured leaper from the chamber to assist with the mission and it certainly didn't work with this new gimmick of Sam losing control of his own personality. Bellisario is clearly a fan of the JFK assassination mythology, but if he had to resort to a narrative sleight of hand this dopey to conjure up a JFK storyline within the framework of the "Quantum Leap" formula, he should have saved face and scrapped the idea in the writers' room long before they went through with making the episode. Particularly for a two-hour (again, !!!!!) season premiere, this is about as tangible of a jump-the-shark moment a high-concept show like "Quantum Leap" is ever gonna have. And what was up with that ending, when Sam suddenly leaped into a Secret Service agent guarding JFK at the second the real Oswald pulled the trigger? And by doing so it somehow saved Jackie's life? Did I miss something there or was it really that pitiful?<br /><br />I typically like conspiracy theories and historical mysteries, but I've never been that big into digging into the JFK assassination. I've seen a couple of documentaries on it and just haven't been able to muster up the passion on the issue that both you and Highlander seem to have. Several years ago at work, a couple of coworkers were outright arguing about it. But even if I was really into JFK assassination history, I think I'd still be rattled by how lame this was. The fact that it took up two hours (again, !!!!!) of my life means I'm gonna be especially harsh on the ranking, putting it second to last, ahead of only "A Portrait for Troian".<br /><br />The verdict is still out on the new uptempo theme song. I had never heard that before because I hadn't seen anything from season 5 of "Quantum Leap". It might grow on me but I tend to be a traditionalist. "Wiseguy" had an uptempo variation on its theme for its final season and it grew on me, so perhaps "Quantum Leap's" new version will too by series' end.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04953380288384883179noreply@blogger.com