Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] You. Hello, fellow travelers, and welcome to fates Wide wheel. I'm your host, Sam Fane, and I am thrilled on this episode to be talking about the outsider. That is the 11th episode of season two of the Quantum Leap revival, directed by Deborah Pratt and written by Raimi park and Margarita Matthews.
[00:00:18] Spoilers. I loved it. I thought it was superb. It's one of my favorite episodes of the season, of the whole series. Frankly, I think that the work done by everyone involved is just fantastic. The script is wonderful. It's a great story. The leap has a very old school feel to it. The HQ scenes are impactful and important and move the ball forward in some really interesting ways. Our main cast is brilliant and the guest cast is equal to them in every way. It's just really a wonderful episode and a very special episode in my estimation. Because of all of those reasons, I think it stands out a great deal. So I'm going to get in deeper to it as we go on. But I just wanted to throw that out there right off the bat. So if you're curious as to what I think about the episode, there you have it. I thought the outsider was just superb.
[00:01:13] Let's see here. What else is going on? Oh, yeah, we've got a season finale airing in a week along with episode 212. Of course, the season finale 213 will also be airing that night.
[00:01:27] There's so much excitement. By this time you'll have seen the preview for episode 212, written by Benjamin Rabbander Hughes, directed by Pamela Romanowski.
[00:01:37] You'll be aware that Hannah is in the episode, that Jeffrey is in the episode, that Ben is a firefighter.
[00:01:47] I don't know anything more than that because I haven't seen said preview and I have not seen the screener for the episode yet. So that's all I know. That's all I can tease. That's all I can say.
[00:01:58] I know that big things are coming. It is going to be an incredible ride.
[00:02:03] Just be ready. It's going to be a popcorn and tissues kind of night, so have both on hand.
[00:02:10] But I'm really looking forward to it. It's bittersweet because it means no new episodes for a while.
[00:02:20] Obviously. The question of renewal certainly hangs out there. I won't pretend to have an answer or know an answer. I am cautiously optimistic. I just have a good feeling, for whatever reason. I don't know why, but I do.
[00:02:34] And I just think that the season that they've delivered for season two has been such an incredible leap forward. I'm so sorry.
[00:02:44] In quality, in storytelling, everything across the board, and I've said that before, that is certainly not me being harsh or critical of season one because I thought that there were some incredible moments in season one. I still talk about episode three of season one, somebody up there like Spence, for instance, a lot, and that was the third episode of the series. So the fact that they were able to kind of hit such a high note so early on and continue to have them throughout the course of the season, I think is wonderful and indicative just of the quality and the strength of the team working on the show. So I'm a fan. I love the show. Everyone knows that. I know that. There are some people out there that seem to enjoy not liking the show. That's fine, too.
[00:03:26] I think that if the show is not for you, totally understand. Not a problem. After last week, it was very difficult to hear some of the comments and some of the things that people were choosing to say about the episode.
[00:03:46] I can't believe I'm about to say this, but as a queer content creator, it is difficult sometimes to not want to engage.
[00:03:55] If any of you are wondering why I haven't, it's because I just don't want to go down that road and I don't see what could be accomplished by doing it. This is not a case of like, oh, let's sit down and meet them halfway, or let's have a conversation and maybe change the minds or something. Unfortunately, that's just not going to happen.
[00:04:13] And if it is, I'm not the one that's going to be able to do it. For a variety of reasons, I like to think that maybe it is possible, but I'm not the one. I'm not the one. And not because I can't have a conversation about it or don't want to have a conversation about it, but because for me, frankly, emotionally and just looking at the place that I am in my life, frankly, it hurts too much and it sucks. It sucks that there are people out there that want to try to deny the existence of others and commit a form of erasure that is not only unfair, but it's cruel. And I definitely spent some time being sad, which sucks, quite frankly, because the episode was so beautiful, and the moment, which stirred up some emotions in others, apparently negative emotions, rather, which stirred up a lot of positive emotions as well, was so beautiful and just wonderful. And I tried my best to focus on all the positives, which there were many positives out there, but it was difficult to ignore some of the arguments and some of the gender critical folk if you will. So I just wanted to get that out there. If anyone was curious as to maybe why I hadn't said more.
[00:05:36] I just don't want to because I loved the episode and I loved that moment. And I thought that Shakina did such an incredible job of portraying this moment with joy and comfort, and that's what that moment should be for everyone. And oftentimes, not oftentimes, sometimes it's not. And so to see that joyous depiction, that educational moment, that reminder that we have always been here, whether you're trans mask or trans femme or non binary or gay or lesbian, whatever the case might be, the history supports that people have lived as they are truly meant to be for thousands of years. And to try to deny that or negate that in any way feels not only ignorant, but cruel, because the information is there and it's easily accessible. And whether you look at the Egyptians or the Greeks or even the protestant community in early America, or indigenous native american tribes and north american indigenous peoples with third genders, et cetera, the history supports that. For thousands of years, there have been people living that, and it's a shame that people can't have space in their hearts and minds for that very real and honest fact.
[00:07:10] So, anyway, all that said, I am thrilled to be able to continue talking about this show and continue talking with the people that make this show.
[00:07:22] I've been fortunate enough to have some really wonderful, off the record conversations recently that, again, aren't necessarily always about the show, but just as a reminder of how kind and generous and truly unique amongst the landscape, I think, of creators out there, this team is.
[00:07:39] I genuinely believe that there's some special people, and what they're creating has been pretty special as well. So this week is no exception. I got to talk to guest star Nadine Ellis, who plays Connie Davis in the episode. She's awesome. It was so wonderful to speak with her and had a great time doing that, and then also got to speak to the one and only Deborah Pratt.
[00:08:04] Deborah has been on the show a number of times before, which, even as I say that, I have to kind of really.
[00:08:12] That's cool.
[00:08:15] And it was wonderful to have her. Have her join the show from a very special location, actually, which you can hear all about in her interview. We talk about it right at the top of the interview, but it was very cool of her to make time for me to discuss the episode, which was a lot of fun. And she had some wonderful things to say, not only about this episode, but about season two in general. Some of the character developments, some of the stuff that she might not have even been completely on board with at first when things were kind of being thrown around in the writers room, which I thought was fascinating to kind of just see from her perspective, kind of the idea that, like, oh, I don't know about this, and then kind of seeing the way that it's unfolded and how now she's gotten to participate in the telling of that story and is enthusiastic about it and enjoying it as well, which was really interesting for her to talk about. So I would definitely encourage you to check out both of those interviews. They are available now. You may have already seen them, you may have watched them first and then come over here.
[00:09:12] But the outsider, again, I felt like it was a really special episode just because it was so good on every level. And we got some incredible payoffs, some wonderful moments of just release for our characters that we've been following all season. And just such a validation of the choice to focus on character development and storytelling through character development and character development through storytelling, and not necessarily putting so much focus on this big plot. Right. This big metaplot that we have to follow along with, which exists. It's there.
[00:09:49] But again, by focusing so much on these characters, now that we're starting to see some of these payoffs, it's incredible because it's like everything is feeding into the larger story. So by focusing on the characters and their interactions and their conflicts, we're now spinning out into this wider narrative, which, again, has been going on this whole time, but it's starting to connect and fire off in ways that might not be completely unexpected, although in some ways I think they are, but certainly in ways that feel incredibly satisfying because of all of the other storytelling that's come before with these characters and where they are in their lives and their existence.
[00:10:26] So the outsider definitely pays some of that off.
[00:10:31] Let's dive in. So the opening scenes pick up pretty much right where we left off from the family treasure, with Gideon sitting behind Magic's desk with Ian and magic in front of him, and James Frane, I mean, again, he brought so much presence into the room at the end of the last episode, and seeing that just kind of carry over right away, seeing his face and the way that he's playing with the toy on the desk. And again, just that presence was so wonderful. And one of the things that I couldn't help but take note of is that we have this new character in this lived in space for our regulars, with two of our regulars sitting in chairs they're not necessarily used to sitting know, maybe Ian less so, but certainly magic not used to being on that side of the table and how it really changes the dynamic completely, and not only for the story, but also in a kind of a behind the scenes way, too. Right. Like the idea that now these actors get to play with someone new, someone who's coming in with clearly all of these bold, big ideas, and he's got that ability to just create, just exist, just behave in such an interesting, bold way. And I think that it really amped up the tension that we felt with our regulars. And the dressing down that magic then gives Ian after Gideon leaves is also fantastic. And Ian, you cannot help but feel for them.
[00:12:22] They're clearly having such a hard time processing all of this because there's so much that's been predicated on fear and the fear of never getting Ben back, the fear of being discovered, the fear of being fired now, the fear of not being able to see all of this through, the fear of not being able to work on the DARPA code, and that fear and the way that it comes out in the relationship with magic in particular, I think that, Mason, they do such an incredible job that you feel. I mean, in that moment, I felt for them so deeply, because coupled with that fear, there's, like, this sadness because of the recognition of the betrayal of this paternal figure, of this person that means a lot to them. And now seeing this anger from magic, justifiable anger, controlled anger in a lot of ways, right, come out at Ian is remarkable. And it's a scene unlike anything that I think we've gotten before on the show between our HQ team. Yes, there have been some times where there might be a little tension here or there, a little suspicion going on or whatever, but for the most part, these are not people who yell at one another. Right? These are not people.
[00:13:48] Magic is not someone who barks, orders at people.
[00:13:52] To see this come out and play out in that way was interesting.
[00:13:56] It was emotional. And I think, again, that the whole scene, whether it's the writing, the direction, the acting, whether it's James Frane or Ernie Hudson or Mason Alexander Park, I mean, everyone just showed up clearly, and it's a very successful scene, and it sets the stakes incredibly high for what's to come at HQ. And I think that following up on the events that we saw in the last episode, it's just wonderfully done. It really is. And I don't know that all of the questions get answered over the course of this episode. Clearly, there's a trajectory and an arc and kind of a payoff, but there's stuff that just feels like it's left lingering.
[00:14:43] And there's definitely this moment I had after that scene was over, this expectation that, okay, what more are we going to get from Gideon? And the truth of the matter is, this is actually his only scene in the episode. And I was left questioning at the end of the episode, is that, like, is Gideon done? And I don't think he. Like, I don't think there's any way that you get somebody like James Frane. You create this delicious part for them, and then that's like, I don't think that that is the case. I do think we'll see him again.
[00:15:16] But the way that there's this sense, almost, of finality based off of Tom's investigation and where magic lands at the end of the episode, that you are almost left wondering, well, how do they work Gideon back in? What else does Gideon want? If he's going to get ahead on a platter, he's going to get his pound of flesh. So it's just such an interesting setup. And the follow through is fascinating, too, over the course of the episode. And you're left asking that question of, like, wait a minute, that can't be all. What's next? And when you're asking that question, by the end of an episode, I mean, I think, again, I think the people have done their job. So it's a wonderful set up. It's a great first scene in the leap. We get some really wonderful stuff right off the bat with Ben kind of trying to figure out where he is, what's going on. The phone in the phone booth ringing. I love the way that plays out.
[00:16:12] I felt very drawn into the story right away with the anonymous phone call and Ben being told to back off, that people are going to get hurt and this sort of thing.
[00:16:24] And then, of course, we're introduced to Connie, as played by Nadine Ellis.
[00:16:30] Look, I just think it's such a magnificent performance. It's a magnificent role. She's written so well.
[00:16:37] The unique thing about Quantum leap, and this is not new information, we've talked about this before, but it's definitely, I think, warrants being said again with this episode, is that it provides a unique opportunity, I think, for actors who are coming in just for that one episode, to basically be the star of the show for one week, or certainly the co star, if you will. And that is absolutely true about the character of Connie. And an actor like Nadine is more than up to the task.
[00:17:07] And it's just really lovely what she's able to do.
[00:17:11] When we see her early on, there's definitely this kind of. She's over it, right? She's over everything at this point. She's not too sure about this new producer, which know Ben is leapt into. She's not too sure about her job or her situation, what's going on at all anymore.
[00:17:34] I think all she's doing is like, maybe I can rebuild my career in a quiet know, live out the rest of my days doing this thing that I love, but not having to risk too much, if you will. We do learn that Ben has leapt into Brian Conway, who works at the television station in Denver, that Connie is a on air reporter.
[00:17:55] Know, Connie's out doing sort of, what do they call those stories?
[00:18:02] The lifestyle pieces, if you know, interviewing farmer about the largest pumpkin grown that season or whatnot. Fun fact. Apparently Illinois is responsible for the majority of pumpkins grown in the country. So I did not know that a children's book taught me so.
[00:18:23] Not my children's book, by the way. I mean my child's book, but I wasn't a child when I learned that. I learned that, like two years ago. So anyway, I think that the relationship between the and Connie is set up in this nice way because Brian's clearly new. And so it allows Ben a little bit more room to be Ben and not have to necessarily worry about being too out of character, if you will. Whereas obviously last week we got this great kind of fish out of water stuff. Whereas as Nadia, he was having to make excuses all the, you know, finishing school.
[00:19:01] That should be a meme. But anyway, I just love that setup. And I thought it was very smart. And it allowed the episode to proceed in some really interesting ways, especially allowing Ben a little bit more agency at know. We get that later on when he and Addison decide to investigate what this story was that Ben was being tipped off on. If they can find the source, know they can figure out exactly what Brian was working on. And it's really fascinating because it's like the investigation's twofold, right? It's like, what was Brian working on? And now who was he talking to and how do we follow up and finish kind of what Brian started in a way. So again, I just think that there's so much about it that was done so smartly in the setup as far as the storytelling goes. And I really appreciated know we don't learn necessarily a whole lot about Connie's past in this moment or know things have kind of turned out the way they have for her. We know that she know, big broadcast journalist in, you know, big things on the horizon and then just kind of disappeared and ended up in Denver. But we don't necessarily know exactly why. And we know, don't know why she's not necessarily hungry for more at this point and why she's just getting through her day.
[00:20:22] We get the great little nod that she fired her last producer for being drunk on the job.
[00:20:27] And then Ben in the parking garage meets someone with a gun. There's a wonderful, tense moment there where they dry fire the gun. And Ben, of course, is scared out of his wits and then gets hit back of the head, knocked out. And after the credits, we come back in the news station, know Connie is kind of being somewhat motherly, while also kind of like, you're fine, which is motherly in a different fashion, I suppose. She pulls out a flask, which is interesting because bet is just like, hey, I thought, no drinking. And she has this great moment. She's like, we're off the clock now.
[00:21:07] But as they start to kind of talk about this a little bit, you can tell that already the wheels are turning for Connie. She's just sort of like, okay.
[00:21:19] And it's wonderful, again, because with Nadine's portrayal, you can just see it, know, in her eyes, on her face, sort of that pull to get back to what she knows, what she does best to not have to go out and do these puff pieces, basically, that she can do this real investigative journalism to basically right wrongs. And what a wonderful parallel there. Right.
[00:21:47] And I think that seeing her then kind of kick in, immediately pick up the phone, call the police officer, try to get the phone number from the booth, the power that she exhibits in that moment and kind of this idea, that part of her arc for this episode is that reclamation of her power.
[00:22:07] It's set up really well. And to start to see that journey while also be coupled with the tension of her fear of not only failure, but her fear of failing like she did before.
[00:22:22] And even though we don't necessarily know explicitly what that is, the seeds of it are certainly there. And we see it working on her in this. And so again, it feels like the character is very lived in, very honest, very genuine. Everything that we learn about the character over the course of the episode, all of it just rings true. And part of that's the writing, sure. But a lot of it, I do genuinely think, is Nadine's beautiful performance.
[00:22:47] And Deborah directs in such a way that we just get some really wonderful moments and wonderful levels from our actors, both literally, physically, they're on different levels, a lot, which is great, but also just kind of the places that they go emotionally and mentally. There's a lot at play and a lot of different levels. And the episode feels so complete in that way, which is really nice.
[00:23:16] Back at the project, we find out that the person that the DoD has sent in to basically burn quantum leap to the ground is none other than Tom.
[00:23:25] Addison, of course, thinks that he's there because of her, but he's not.
[00:23:34] It's interesting because I was a little surprised that Addison asked Tom to go easy on Ian. Not because I don't think that Addison would ask that question. I absolutely do.
[00:23:45] But it was just interesting in the.
[00:23:48] Was like. It was a statement of what's important to Addison. And I think as an Addison episode, if you look at it from the perspective of that character, there's so much that happens over the course of this episode for her. And when you look at family treasure or even off the cuff, there are some big moments right in off the cuff for her. But ultimately, she's just on this journey. And even though she's clearly very active, even in those scenes when she's not saying anything, there's not necessarily stuff that's actively happening to her and she's not necessarily activating the scene, if you will. And over the course of this episode, she gets the chance to activate the scene a lot and to really pay off some wonderful character beats for Addison that we've been building towards since the beginning of the season for her. And Caitlin is wonderful. I mean, she has, in my opinion, some of her finest work thus far in this episode.
[00:24:50] It's just really wonderful to see the way that it's all been building towards some of these moments. And so this interaction with Tom is just really interesting to me because of the know, the two of them, what's happened between know where they may or may not be headed, the emotions, the things that they're know. It's clear that Tom is hurting. Right. But he also has a job to do and he's a professional and he's a former soldier and he's capable of doing this. Right.
[00:25:26] And yet, because they've created this really wonderful character that I feel like, especially at the end of the last episode, when Addison broke off the engagement, we saw a sensitive, vulnerable human being that did not devolve, know anger or pettiness, was clearly hurt, was upset by what had happened. But again, it was just such a beautiful moment. And I feel like that's followed up really well. And Peter does a wonderful job with that as well. And the writing just, again, it works towards these wonderful moments of subtext. And it allows the actors to kind of play with this dialogue in a way that keeps it from being too direct, too on the nose.
[00:26:14] And it's really nice. I like it. Of course, I should mention that part of this conversation is spurred on by the fact that we see Ian and they walk right by Addison. And I thought that was a really telling moment.
[00:26:30] Not because they're upset at Addison at all or don't want to talk to Addison, but because clearly what magic had to say to them early in the episode really landed, really affected them. And they do not want to screw up in any way again.
[00:26:48] And it sucks in a way because I hate to think of Ian as a character that's being ruled by fear in any way. But it's clear that that is definitely the motivating factor for a lot of what we're seeing over this episode and the last episode, the whole season, really. There's been a lot of fear for Ian, which will make the next scene that they have with Tom all the more powerful, in my opinion. At this point, I do want to go back to the fact that, again, I love the agency between Ben and Addison, investigating what's happening on being journalists together, getting the reveal that Addison wanted to be a journalist at one time. The lovely romantic moment that plays out between the two of them when Ben says, you still surprise me. The beautiful, bold, wonderful choice to let that just sit. No dialogue, two cuts. It's just really wonderful. And the story that's told between these two characters in that moment of silence is amazing. This kind of awkwardness, all this love. And one of the things I couldn't help but think I'd love to ask Raymond this question, quite frankly, is that there seemed to be in Ben, this feeling of like, it's okay that I still love Addison. It's okay that I love Hannah. It's okay that we might not be together.
[00:28:13] It's okay. And it was just really beautiful. And, yeah, towards the very end, there was kind of that sort of like, all right, this is a little awkward. And she's my ex now, and she's going to be with this other guy because he still doesn't know about everything. And with Addison, it's clear she's uncomfortable. But she's not uncomfortable in the way she was at the beginning of the season. It's a different kind of discomfort. And I think it's part of it is because she's still reckoning with her feelings for Ben.
[00:28:42] And it's just lovely. It's such a great moment.
[00:28:47] Yeah. They're drinking a lot of coffee. She leaves to go get more coffee. That's when we get the scene with Tom. Let's talk about the scene with Ian and Tom.
[00:28:57] I mean, just great work from Mason. Just such lovely work. We got such a powerful moment last week when they were seeing Ben kind of give the accomplish ship to Dean's coming out. And it was just wonderful, tender moment. And now it's fascinating because in an episode that feels a lot like the reclamation of power, in a way, we see Ian kind of reclaim their power in this really interesting way and not apologize for anything and have this moment where they seem to, all the fear that I've been talking about, they seem to just kick it to the curb because they are now, I did what was right. I know it was right. I'm not sorry for it. And furthermore, when everyone else gave up, I didn't. And I did the right thing and I'm going to continue to do that. And I'm the only one. I'm the only one that can see this through. And they're wonderful. Mean, Mason's fantastic. And the scene just plays. So, you know, Tom does kind of try to take it a little easy on Ian in a way, even kind of warning them. Right. Like warning them to don't. Don't say know. Are you sure this is the route you want to go down?
[00:30:22] But the defiance shown by Ian, again, it just feels like they're kind of reclaiming their power, in a way, and their confidence and their self justification for everything that they've done. And it's a really great moment. And again, to continue to just sing this episode's praises, it's a reminder of how rich this episode is for all of our characters because I feel like everyone gets some really wonderful stuff, then we get what is.
[00:30:57] I might be jumping around a little bit. I apologize if I am, but we get just this beautiful, beautiful scene between Ben and Addison.
[00:31:07] Actually, no, excuse me.
[00:31:09] I don't want to skip that far ahead. Anyway, we also have on the investigative side of stuff, we see Connie just really inspired by all of this. Really kind of like, I'm going to do this, we're going to do this, we're going to do this right. And we're going to do this because I'm good at it. And all of the things, all of these assets that I have to bring to the table everything that I know to do is going to help get us know come along with me, Ben, or to. We're going to get this done. And we get some amazing scenes, this wonderful moment between the farmer and his wife and Connie encouraging the wife to get checked out and the way that she does it, so beautiful.
[00:31:52] They're on now to Herbicore because they know that the root out can cause cancer. And someone on the inside is giving Brian this information and they're attacking it, and it's really wonderful. And we see, again, this agency from all of our characters. No one's sitting back and waiting for the story to come to them. And I love that. I've always loved know listen to any of the classic reviews. And one of the things that I say a lot is I don't like it when the episode happens to Sam. I like it when Sam happens to the episode. And this is one of those episodes where it feels like. And this is. And again, you know what? I didn't even think about this until right now. This is one of the episodes that capitalizes so well on the format of the revival, because everyone happens to this episode. Nobody just sits back. And that is probably one of the highest compliments I can give the episode from my own personal perspective, because getting to see everyone actively engaged, making choices, and having the agency to affect the events of the episode, that's what I'm here for.
[00:32:57] When it feels like we get characters just kind of sitting back and waiting for the episode to come to them, that's just not engaging to me in the same way. So, anyway, seeing the investigation and the follow through on all of this, and then, of course, we get to Robbie, the brother of Chet, who is kind of the CEO and the guy in charge, and the charismatic one, Charlie Bowden, is great. I mean, what a wonderful performance. Again, such a strong guest cast, such great material to work with. Just, I love the character of Robbie. I love, again, fear. Right.
[00:33:32] And yet part of that fear is almost assuaged by his desire to.
[00:33:41] I wonder sometimes how much of it is early on, especially with the way he plays the character. There's that question mark, which I love. Is he doing this because it's the right thing to do, or is he doing this because he wants to get at his brother in some way?
[00:33:57] And it could be both. And I think it is, honestly.
[00:34:02] And I love that first scene between them and the fear of Robbie and the resignation. Right. And what he says about people disappearing and justifying, again, his fears and his position on all of this, and it's just really well done.
[00:34:18] When we find out that there's been a car blown up, and they're going to go cover it, and they realize that it's Robbie's car. And that's when we just see this shift.
[00:34:28] And Nadine does it. So does Raymond. I mean, when Raymond recognizes the car and kind of starts to put down the camera, and just the way that scene plays out is so lovely. And then the way that it's followed up on and we see the videotape being played in the room, it's just really powerful. There's something about it that feels so honest and so raw, and I really loved it. And then, of course, what Nadine does in those next moments, just letting it go and putting it all out know, letting Ben know why that she got overzealous. She pushed too hard, and one of her sources took his own life. And the impact that had on her. And one of the things that I was so struck by is, like, here is this human being talking about some of these things that make her good at what she does, right?
[00:35:25] Being overzealous, knowing how to push, like, going after it. And she's using that to subvert her own power, her own strength, her own ability to tell stories that need to be told.
[00:35:38] And it was so devastatingly sad on that level alone, like, on the surface level of just seeing this character have this breakdown because of the trauma of the moment, and having to relive that trauma because of this new trauma that's now arisen, that enough is sad. But to then think about it in terms of, like, she is literally, she's her own kryptonite in that moment. And it's just like, it's so identifiable, it's so relatable, because I feel like we all have that capacity, and we all have likely done know. I know I have. And so seeing her kind of be her own kryptonite in that moment, to me, it makes that moment even sadder.
[00:36:23] And I love the way that Ben kind of receives that information as well. It's just a wonderful moment. And again, Nadine is so powerful and so honest and so raw, and I just really thought it was well done.
[00:36:36] Speaking of trauma, real quick, the other thing that was kind of relatable, and it's something that I've been thinking a lot about recently. I was talking to a friend of mine about this recently, is that sometimes we often forget that the act of recalling trauma is traumatic in and of itself. And that the way that trauma can just kind of compound itself, grow exponentially out of a moment and the way that it can cause us to spiral, it feels insurmountable. But I think that one of the things I love about this episode is that there's this reminder that it's not. And not only is it not, but that with empathy and sensitivity and grace, having that support system in some way, that it's more of a clarion call, in my opinion, to respond to a positive way, to respond to that trauma and that trauma response than that sort of like, pull yourself by your bootstraps sort know bullshit. So anyway, it was something that was on my mind, and I felt like it was very connectable, very relatable. In this episode, we get one of my favorite scenes of the whole season between Addison and know sitting on the floor of the records room and Ben is drinking.
[00:38:08] And I think that that's the other thing, is it's like throughout the course of this episode, there are these sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle early in the episode, not so subtle talking about Ben being distracted. But throughout the course of the episode, we get some more subtle moments, too.
[00:38:24] These reminders of the place that Ben is in. And I didn't mention this on purpose earlier because I didn't want to steal focus from the story of this episode, but this moment now, I think it's worth talking about. We get the information pretty early on that Ben's letter made it to Hannah and or Josh, and that he did get the surgery and it saved his life, but that he still died in a car accident.
[00:38:53] And you see the way that that works on Ben throughout the course of this episode because he feels a similar failure, I think, to what Connie does. And in this scene, to see him kind of in that low state, and to see Addison come in and to see Ben have space for Addison, really. And to see Addison allow herself to be vulnerable and honest with Ben in a way that she really hasn't been able to this season, at least not in such a sensitive way. We've seen her be honest with Ben and maybe a little vulnerable, but in the early part of the season, it came out in moments of anger and frustration and hurt. So to see a moment where she's past that, genuinely, it's just so lovely.
[00:39:54] I'm touched by the performance that Caitlin gives here.
[00:39:59] I think the writing is so sensitive, and the way that Raymond acts between the lines in this moment is really lovely. And his response to Addison saying, I got engaged. Oh, and then know got disengaged oh, there are so many ways, right, that those two o's could have been played.
[00:40:34] And it's just beautiful. It's just beautiful. It's just such a beautiful moment.
[00:40:39] And I love the close ups of Caitlin's face here, the sensitivity, the directness, the just getting in touch with that place of pure honesty and kind of disentangling it from other emotions.
[00:41:09] She's not angry, she's not sad.
[00:41:13] She's just so honest.
[00:41:15] She's speaking her truth, in a way. There's a theme here. She's reclaiming her power over herself.
[00:41:25] And it's just such a strong moment. It's such a strong moment for the character. It's a strong moment for the actor, and it's a strong moment for the series.
[00:41:34] It stood out. It stood out, and it felt important. And it was, again, storytelling through character development, through character growth. And it's something that the season has just succeeded at so much throughout the course of the past ten episodes. And now here we are in the 11th episode with two more to go, and we're seeing some of these big payoffs now with this character development. It's really lovely, and it's a testament to the writing, and it's a testament to the cast and just that overall story that they've been telling this whole time.
[00:42:04] Of course, they also have the revelation in this moment, Ben does, that Robbie could still be alive, that he faked his death in order to disappear so that he would have no connection to what was going.
[00:42:19] And he. Then we get another just incredibly lovely, beautiful, sensitive, amazing scene, and so well written and so well acted with Connie in the news van and Ben coming to her, and the sensitivity that Ray has and just the compassion, the.
[00:42:38] Of that movement, that inspiring quality, that supportive quality of Ben coming out in this really empathetic moment. I mean, saying the words, I can only imagine how this made you feel.
[00:42:53] It's just really beautiful. And again, we got work to do, partner.
[00:43:00] It's wonderful, and it's so motivating, and it clearly touches. Connie and Nadine talked about this in the interview, about how she didn't have to work that day because Ray did know, and all she had to do was just respond. And it's beautiful. It's a wonderful. And. And again, it's one of those moments where you see these three actors, right? Because Addison's there too. And you see these three actors, and especially, again, with the unique convention of the show, of course, that Addison is not being seen by Connie, but you see the way that this scene is working on all three of them, and it's just really wonderful. And then they get to business, and they've got work to do, and they find Robbie. And again, Charlie is wonderful.
[00:43:41] I just love this so much. First of all, the sense of humor the episode has.
[00:43:47] I feel like I've not spoken enough about it because there are some really funny moments. But one of my favorite moments of humor the whole episode is when connie and bitter stand outside the hotel door. Robbie sees them and is like, oh, darn. It's just this really wonderful moment of humor and levity. And then the conversation that they have afterwards.
[00:44:07] Again, it mirrors kind of what Ben did for Connie. Now Connie is doing that for Robbie in this really kind of sensitive way, reminding him about what's right and doing what's right. And now we get to see, again, a character kind of coming into their power in this lovely way. Because now it's not about sticking it to his brother right now. It's not about the sort of spurned younger sibling or anything like that. It's about, yeah, I need to do what's right here, and I'm going to do it. And so he facilitates them kind of getting the opportunity, if you know, this scene between Addison and Tom, that definitely feels there's a sense of finality to it, and it's lovely. And again, just that sensitivity, the empathy, the compassion that these two characters have for one another.
[00:45:03] And also, Tom kind of saying, like, I had to do my job. I had to do my job. And, yeah, Ian might lose their job because of it.
[00:45:12] I did what I could do. And now they have this moment where, again, it just feels like this is the end of the road in a lot of ways.
[00:45:24] And they have that hug, and then Tom tells her, bring Ben home, and it's really lovely. And Tom has that wonderful line about fate.
[00:45:36] Know how they were fated to be together and they were fated to break up. And there's been some really amazing things at play throughout the course of the season and themes of sacrifice, themes of fate, the idea that certain things should not be changed.
[00:45:59] And. And. And I think, again, that it's all getting ready to culminate in something pretty big and awful and amazing and wonderful and heartbreaking and hopefully uplifting at the same time.
[00:46:11] But I think that there are certain things that characters have said over the course of the season, and this fate thing being one of them that is definitely going to be at play in these last couple of episodes. And also just the themes of mortality and grief and mourning and just death.
[00:46:31] It's hanging heavy over these episodes especially, and not just Josh's demise that we're told about at the end of off the cuff. And then everything that Ben is trying to do to prevent that, only to find out that he still dies.
[00:46:49] And now there are other people dying and other people at.
[00:46:57] There's. There's just a lot. Again, there's just a lot at play was. Again, I'm on the record on the podcast. I was not sold on Tom or Peter, really, until episode six.
[00:47:13] And since then there's just been some really wonderful work that he's done. And this episode and the last episode especially, I feel like we've gotten to see.
[00:47:26] I think maybe we saw more depth and levels in secret history just due to the nature of him being the hologram. But overall, where the character has landed and what we've seen. If this is the last we see of Tom in this episode, this is it for him.
[00:47:43] I'm grateful for it. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have gotten to known this new character. And I know there are people out there that might not like his inclusion for a variety of reasons, but I think it was a great idea. I really do. And I think that the opportunities that it's provided for, the tension with Addison and Ben and everything, I just think it's been a great decision. And I've grown to really appreciate the character and the dynamic that he brought to HQ and just to the series as a know. We kind of move in towards our climax here for the leap where they are at Urbicore and Connie's interviewing Chet now. And we see Matthew Polkamp, who again, yet another wonderful guest star in the course of this episode, doing some great work here as kind of our big bad of the episode, if you will, and yet so frighteningly relatable and real. Not a mustache twirling villain at all. Just somebody who's charismatic, has a way with words and is willing to do whatever's going to make his accountant happy and his bank account look good.
[00:48:54] It's weird because as I'm talking about it, it makes the character even more chilling in some ways, but also, again, not in any way that this is some sort of megalomania maniacal character. So it was just a really good scene. I love the interview scene. Ben retrieves the paper that proves that they have been aware of the fact that this root out could cause cancer and they're willing to just take that chance.
[00:49:21] And then the guard stops Ben.
[00:49:25] We get this lovely scene with Jen and again, because I feel like all bets are off. And I'm wondering where things are.
[00:49:33] Kind of, there's this moment where Addison's like, what would we do without you? And you just get this feeling of just sort of like, oh, like, are Jen's days numbered in some way? Which kind of gets followed up on in this know. Ben gets out of this moment with some craftiness and assists from Addison and Ziggy, which is nice, telling the guy that his poor mother in her backgammon club will see his face all over the news if anything happens to him. And then Ben just knocks the guy out. It's not enough to kind of scare this guy into submission. But then he's just like, he hits him over the head with this trophy. And I almost felt a little bad for the guard. I was like, damn, Ben, that's cold. But it also made sense. And it was a really wonderful, like, it tied back into the beginning of the episode when that guy hit Ben and had no qualms about busting Ben's head.
[00:50:32] Was, it was. It was a great little moment. And then we get.
[00:50:38] I mean, it's moments like this that just have always appealed to me on Quantum Leap. And it's the reason why I think that this episode as a whole, you look at the leap side of things. It feels very old school in so many ways because it reminds me so much of the times that Sam would interact with some of these characters and inspire them in some way and then just kind of they would get the agency right to be able to right their own wrong, in a way. And that's what we see here. And it's know. Connie cuts the interview short, basically, because Ben's got the know. We get this moment where they're starting to pack up. Davison, the editor, is like, starting to pack up John Marshall Jones, I should add, who, by the way, played fluke in China beach, which, as anytime listener of the show will know, is one of my favorite tv shows of all time.
[00:51:27] He's in a few episodes of China beach in the first couple of seasons, actually, as well as many other things. Very funny guy, very talented guy. And has a wonderful presence throughout the course of this episode as well. And I think his talent almost belies his amount of screen time and his lines because he's someone that, again, I think is suitable for any type of role, really. But anyway, they're starting to pack up. And as Addison's doing the wrap up for Ben, which is great, another kind of old school moment, right?
[00:52:00] He asks about Connie and Addison's just like, why don't you see for yourself? Ben comes around the corner and, yeah, it's amazing.
[00:52:10] She does. She reclaims her power and she does it in this way that just, again, it feels so genuine and it feels so honest, and it feels like this is my job. I'm doing my job.
[00:52:21] And she doesn't make a meal out of nothing. Like, it doesn't feel like this is her moment. It's very much just sort of like, I'm doing my job. And it was all the more powerful for that, which, again, I really appreciated. Ben has this awesome line.
[00:52:38] It's always me.
[00:52:42] Yeah, just sort of the meta aspect of that. And the way that he's been this crusader for good now for the past 29 episodes.
[00:52:57] Again, it's a really wonderful moment. Nadine knocks it out of the park.
[00:53:01] Just special. It's just a special performance, and it's a special episode, and I really love seeing incredibly, incredibly well done.
[00:53:12] Ben leaps and then we get a scene between magic and Jen.
[00:53:19] And Nenrissa is great in this scene. And I feel like I could levy a genuine criticism at the season overall for not having enough for Jen to do and by way of that, Nanrissa to do.
[00:53:38] But this moment, again, in an episode that seems to have moments for everyone, now gives Jen her due as well. And magic, too. I mean, magic's had some stuff already in the episode, but this is certainly a great moment for magic, and that's one of the things. And I don't know if it's Deborah's direction. I don't know if it's where they are in the season. I don't know if it's just the nature of the script. I don't know exactly what it is. But there is a vibe to this episode where everyone just seemed to get in touch with their know. Everyone just was completely like, this isn't. Isn't. It was so character driven, and it was really well with Ernie. I mean, Ernie's always great, don't get me wrong. But even in this scene, for Ernie, it's just the truthfulness of magic in this scene. It's so raw and so believable.
[00:54:25] And it's the same thing from mean. There's so much at work in Jen in this moment, right? Like fear, anger, sadness, and the way that it kind of comes out and this idea of. It's almost like saying, like, you can't quit, dad.
[00:54:43] And it's just a really lovely moment because you start to think, like, is magic going to fire Jen? Because he feels like he can't fire Ian because they're the one that's going to get Ben home or no, is it going to be magic? And I'll admit that for me and for many of you watching and listening, you might have felt the same way. For me, I started to kind of feel early on that magic was going to maybe have to sacrifice himself to get out of this, but I wasn't sure, and I definitely wasn't sure when Jen came into the office, especially after having that line about like, what would you do without me? And it's like, oh, shit, are we about to find out? So the scene was just wonderful. And the resignation for magic coupled with, again, this just great sense of agency and this great sense of surety, this great sense of this is my power, this is what I can do.
[00:55:36] And I feel like Jen is kind of left know, what are we going to do without you? How do we even make this work? And the emotion at know for Jen and where Nanrissa goes with it all, I don't really. It was just, again, very raw, very honest, very like, oh, man. And it's like you almost have to ask that question. It's like, at this point, do they know? Had they read the finale? And I don't think they had. Maybe they had. No, I don't think that they had. Maybe they had. Anyway, it's just a really wonderful moment and it ends the episode in this cloud of uncertainty, in this emotionally raw scene.
[00:56:28] So I've gone on enough. Fact of the matter is, I love this episode. I think it's fantastic. I think it's one of the best episodes of the revival. I easily think it's the best non Hannah episode that we've had all season long.
[00:56:40] Even with the addition of Hannah, I think it ranks up there with Nomad and secret history, as far as I'm concerned. Genuinely, I just think it's such a wonderfully strong episode in so many is a. If it is in any way important of things to know, we are in for one hell of a treat and one hell of a ride over the course of.
[00:57:04] I almost said the next two weeks, but it's just one week because it's two episodes in one night. Don't you dare miss it. February 20, beginning at 09:00 p.m. Eight central. We get two episodes in a row to close out season two of Quantum Leap.
[00:57:18] As a fan of the show, as someone who covers the show, talks about the show, gets to talk to the people involved with the show, tries to engage with the community as much as I possibly can. It's just been a thrill. It's just been such a thrill.
[00:57:34] It's been a moving season.
[00:57:37] It's been incredible to see the growth of these characters, these actors, of the writers, just, again, as a fan of the show, I don't know what to expect from these next two episodes at all. And I love that. And I have theories and I have thoughts, and there's lots of big stuff that's going on in my head. It's like, does Hannah die in the next episode? Who is Gideon? I mentioned before that I had thoughts about Gideon's identity and will we see Gideon again? Is Gideon done? I don't.
[00:58:14] I. Here's the things that I think are going to happen. I think that Hannah will see Ben for Ben at some point. I don't know exactly how. I don't know what that's going to mean, but I do think that's something that's going to happen.
[00:58:26] I do think that Ben is going to have to operate that engine of sacrifice for project quantum leap in some way.
[00:58:37] I don't think that means he sacrifices himself again. I do think that all bets are off. I don't know that everyone makes it out alive, but there's a genuine threat to our characters.
[00:58:50] That sort of existential threat colors all of my thoughts about the. About the show and where it could go.
[00:59:00] I think that there's some stuff coming and what very little I do know.
[00:59:06] If it turns out to be true, there's some stuff that is just going to blow people away and engage us on a level that I don't know that the show has done yet.
[00:59:18] Isn't that the point? Right. Anytime you watch a television show, especially when you get to the season finale, you want those last few episodes to just be the peak, right. And just pay off everything that's come before and open the door to new stuff. And they did that last season, right? They did that with Judgment Day. They certainly did that with what took so long at the beginning of this season, just blowing the doors open for new ways of storytelling. And so you just have to wonder. It's like, how are they going to do that again? Because I think that is what's going to happen. So there's lots of questions. I love seeing all theories out there. I try not to say too much, because I know some people think that I know more than I do, and in some cases, I do know more than they might think I do, but in some cases, I don't. And so I try not to say too much because I don't want anyone to think that I'm giving spoilers or subtle hints or anything like that.
[01:00:08] But yeah, I've got my theories and I love seeing all the other theories, so let me know what you think.
[01:00:15] Hit that like and subscribe button. I just appreciate you all so much for being here. It means a lot to me.
[01:00:23] I want the show to continue on fates wide wheel, to continue on, to continue covering quantum leap and other stuff. JJ and I certainly have some things that we want to get to. My schedule has been crazy lately.
[01:00:36] I just got cast in a new show that begins rehearsals tomorrow. The other show hasn't even finished yet.
[01:00:45] There's parenting. I started this part time job at this really lovely game store, which has such an incredible, inclusive community that I just love.
[01:00:54] And being able to be there and be surrounded by all these tabletop and card games that I grew up with and love so much has been a lot of fun. But obviously it takes up time too. And so that's all to say that time is definitely at a premium for me. I'm doing the best I can to do as much as I can for this show, and I've got some really exciting stuff lined up for next week. If I can pull it all off, if I can get it all out there in time, you're going to have your hands full. After the episodes air, there will be a lot of content and I'm not going to release it all at once.
[01:01:29] I think I might just do my solo reviews of each episode and then release maybe one interview for 212 and then one interview for 213 and then just have stuff to release afterwards. Not on a weekly basis. I'll get it out quicker than that, but definitely getting it out so that folks can be engaged on many different levels and having different people to hear from when it comes to this show that we love so much.
[01:02:01] Speaking of love and appreciation and gratitude, I have to thank everyone who supports this show financially through Patreon.
[01:02:09] I'm genuinely humbled by it and I really appreciate it. And it means that I get to do this and not have to pay any money out of pocket in order to produce the show. And that genuinely means the world to me. And it makes doing this possible because without it, there are definitely times over the past six months when it might not have been feasible for me to continue doing it, just from a financial aspect. So the fact that you're able to do that for me means the world, and I genuinely appreciate it. And with everything out there in the world. I want us all as a community to try to right some wrongs and get out there and do some things for this community and not only our community, but the community that you live in and assist with food drives or coat drives or glove drives this time of year. And obviously, the Trevor project means so much to me, and I hope if you are supporting a charity for the world at large, the Trevor project is one that you'll consider doctors that Borders is another. And of course, epilepsy Foundation UK is one that I know is near and dear to our friend Matt Dale's heart. And if you could support that, you can do it in Matt's name. That would be lovely. I'm going to talk about Matt more here in just a moment.
[01:03:22] Of course, if after all that, you do want to support the show, you can head over to patreon.com fateswidewheel. Whether it's a dollar or ten, you'll get access to everything on that site, including all of the behind the scenes videos with JJ Lindell about the creation of his posters for Quantum Leap. You will also get early access to the interviews that I will be releasing over the next couple of weeks in conjunction with the finale. There's going to be a lot of content, hopefully, and you will get access to it at least 24 hours, if not 48 hours, before it releases to YouTube and everyone else. So that's another perk that you'll get, and you could get that right now. So head over to Patreon, join up, check out the perks. There will be more coming, for sure.
[01:04:08] So I'm excited to share that with you all as well.
[01:04:14] Um, I had to save this for the end because I didn't know if I was going to be able to make it back in order to do the rest of the episode.
[01:04:40] I miss Matt a lot, and some of the conversations that I've been having with people who make this know. We've spoken a lot about how enthusiastic Matt would be about this and about how, in many ways, the creation of these last four or five episodes especially were genuinely done with people like Matt in, and in such a way that fans like Matt are going know, love this, hopefully, or at least have a lot to say about it.
[01:05:21] And Deborah and I talked about him a little bit.
[01:05:36] And the fact that this episode carries the dedication to Matt, to our friend Matt Dale, is just lovely.
[01:05:53] Awful, but lovely. And I like to think that he would have appreciated and loved that a great deal.
[01:06:05] That Deborah Pratt directed an episode of Quantum Leap that is dedicated to his memory.
[01:06:16] And in a season that has touched a lot on loss and grief and mourning and the suddenness and inexplicable nature of that's, it has connected me to a sense of understanding and comfort, that we are not alone in those feelings and that anyone who's experienced loss on that level, or any level, really, we are all connected. We're all connected by way of that.
[01:06:59] And if you're watching this show, if you're watching Quantum Leap, if you're reading Matt's books, not only are we connected in our collective mourning of Matt's loss, but we are also serving to keep Matt's memory alive.
[01:07:23] And I hope that there are people out there that don't listen to podcasts, that don't watch these YouTube videos, that haven't read those books, that see that name at the end of those credits or the end of the show, rather, it's the first thing you see after the show is over, that search that out, that want to know who was Matt Dale?
[01:07:48] Because if you want to know, there are people that will tell you, and I am one of them. As much as I knew him, I will tell you there are people that knew him far better than I did, and I'm sure they will tell you.
[01:08:05] And if you're stumbling upon this in any way because you saw that dedication and wanted to know, who's Matt Dale?
[01:08:14] Matt Dale was a lovely human being with an incredible passion for Quantum Leap, the new show and the old. And he has written volumes on the show. And you can see one of them over my shoulder right now.
[01:08:31] The other one is literally right beside me because I wouldn't have it any other way.
[01:08:39] And you can get those books, you can buy these books, and you can find out everything you've ever wanted to know about Quantum Leap because it's that big.
[01:08:55] And you can go back and you can listen to or watch the Quantum Leap podcast, and you'll see Matt, and you'll learn about Matt. And you'll see Matt talk to people that make this thing that he loved so much. And you'll get to see Matt and I talking, talking about his books, talking about interviewing people know. That was such a thrill. And I thought that there would be more times.
[01:09:26] So I'm incredibly moved and incredibly touched and very grateful that it was something that could happen.
[01:09:38] And I say this knowing that there are people like his friend Kevin or his partner Sharon, that are also incredibly moved and touched by it as well.
[01:09:55] So if you've made it this far and you're still listening. Just know that Matt Dale was fucking awesome, and I love and miss him dearly.
[01:10:08] And I will never watch or talk about this show without thinking about him.
[01:10:19] And in a way, that is a great gift, and I will do what I can to keep him alive in my heart and hopefully in all of yours.
[01:10:39] With that said, I've been doing something recently that I hadn't really talked about yet, and I feel like now's a perfect time. But you're going to see a wonderful piece of art at the end of every episode of Fates wide Wheel that JJ Lindell so kindly created. And with Sharon's permission, Matt's partner, Sharon's permission, I will have closed every single episode of Fates wide Wheel from here on out.
[01:11:05] Just send the show over to Matt.
[01:11:10] So that's what you've been seeing these past few weeks. And you're going to see that until fateswide wheel is no more.
[01:11:21] Thank you, Matt.
[01:11:25] Thank you so much.
[01:11:28] And thank you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for watching.
[01:11:33] I'm grateful to be a part of this community, and I appreciate all of you so very much. And I appreciate the folks that took the time to reach out to me this past week, because I did post something about just feeling a little sad about some of what was going on. And I just appreciate all of you for doing that, taking time to reassure and encourage me.
[01:11:56] Thank you for being a friend, going down the road and back again.
[01:12:04] Take care of yourselves. Take care of one another. Stay safe out there. And remember, always leap responsibly.
