Quantum Leap Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Episode   Credits   Gallery    

Moments to Live was te 19th episode of Quantum Leap, also the 72nd overall episode in the series. Written by Tommy Thompson, the episode, which was directed by Chris Ruppenthal, originally aired on NBC-TV on April 8, 1992.

Plot Summary[]

May 4, 1985: Sam leaps into Kyle Hart (the leapee is played by Patrick Lowe), a soap opera actor who is kidnapped by a woman named Norma Jean Pilcher (played by Kathleen Wilhoite), an obsessed fan who wants him to father her baby... and, in the original history, his host ended up wandering the countryside with a gunshot wound to the head that rendered him totally amnesiac.

Sam is able to get Norma to see reality when her husband Hank Pilcher (Pruitt Taylor Vince), appears to have passed out while holding Sam hostage with a shotgun. When Sam, pretending to be the doctor Kyle plays on TV, says that he has seen the same condition that Hank is suffering from, a ruptured ventricle. Norma says "maybe we should call for an ambulance-" as Sam reminds of her of an episode of the show in which Dr. Conner performed on a woman as she abruptly says "You can't do that!" as he gets her to admit that Kyle is not a doctor.

Sam "revives" Hank, who still wants to hold him hostage though Sam tries to convince him that wife Norma has serious psychological problems. Finally Sam simply punches Hank unconscious, as they get her to put down the shotgun that she picked up while Sam was bringing Hank back to.

In the end, after the police have arrived to arrest Hank and Norma and take them both into custody, Kyle's agent Ben (Brian George) drives up, who suggests that they should lobby the producers of the soap to incorporate the story of his ordeal on the series!

Al reports to Sam, with Ziggy's help, that Hank gets convicted of kidnapping and assault and serves six years with time off for good behavior. And then he ends up opening a little fix-it shop next to the mental hospital where Norma is placed, as she eventually gets better and they get back together once she's released.

Trivia[]

Al reveals he had watched episodes of the show when he had the flu.

Episode excerpts[]

Quotes

  • Al: (referring to soap operas) Everybody is sleeping with everybody!

  • Al: Norma Jean Pilcher? Sounds like one of the Beverly Hillbillies!

  • Sam: He wants to take what happened here and put it on the show... Is that ethical? That can't be ethical.
  • Al: No, it's television. (Sam leaps)

(A "nurse" walks past Sam and Al)

  • Al: (grins) Gee, suddenly, I feel kinda sick.
  • Sam: Come here...Would you get over here? Quit fooling around!
  • Al: I think I need some intensive care.

  • Sam: I have to go and lunch with some woman who won this soap-detergent contest!
  • Al: Well, you can look at it this way: at least you know she'll be clean! Have a nice lunch!

Music[]

  • All I Have To Do Is Dream (performed by The Everly Brothers)
Advertisement