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  • Contains the most historical leaps of all

Season 5 (1992-1993)[]

Season 5 episodes
Image # in Series # in Season Title Written by Directed by Leap details
(Name, date & location)
Original air date Prod.code
QL episode 5x1 - Sam as Lee Oswald with wife Marina (2) 76 1 "Lee Harvey Oswald, Part I" Donald P. Bellisario James Whitmore, Jr. Lee Harvey Oswald
March 21, 1963 /
Dallas, Texas
October 5–7, 1957
Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan /
January 6, 1959
Tustin, California
September 22, 1992 68102A
(5x1)
Sam leaps into various points in the life of Lee Harvey Oswald (played by Willie Garson) in an effort to seemingly prevent him from killing President John F. Kennedy or find the truth about the events that day. However, the objective is made more complex by the fact that their minds are merging. Sam starts to believe he is Oswald.
QL episode 5x2 - Sam as Lee Harvey Oswald with Al 77 2 "Lee Harvey Oswald, Part II" Donald P. Bellisario Michael Zinberg Lee Harvey Oswald
October 21, 1959
Lubyanka in Moscow, USSR /
April 10, 1963
Dallas, Texas /
August 9, 1963
New Orleans, Louisiana /
November 21–22, 1963
Dallas, Texas
September 22, 1992 68102B
(5x2)
As the date for Dallas draws nearer, Oswald's personality is getting harder to control. Al is finding it harder to connect with Sam. Is Sam supposed to save the President, or unearth the conspiracy? In the end, Oswald is revealed to be the lone assassin of JFK (Al speculating that people made up the idea of a conspiracy rather than face the idea that we are all still so vulnerable that one man could kill the President that easily). Sam makes a final leap into U.S. Secret Service agent Clint Hill who climbed on the back of the President's limousine during the assassination. In the episode dénouement, Al reveals that an alternate history had previously occurred where Jackie Kennedy (played by Karen Ingram) also died and Sam's actual mission was to save her.
QL episode 5x3 - Sam and Brooke Shields as Vanessa Foster 78 3 "Leaping of The Shrew" Robin Jill Bernheim and Richard C. Okie Alan J. Levi Nikos Stathatos
September 27, 1956
Aegean Sea
September 29, 1992 68104
(5x3)
Sam finds his patience tested when he leaps into Nikos Stathatos (played by Socrates Alafouzos) in a lifeboat with a bratty, self-obsessed heiress Vanessa Foster (played by Brooke Shields) and end up stuck on an island from which they will not be rescued for nine years... The episode refers to Swept Away (1974).

Note: This episode is almost a parody of Brooke Shield's movie The Blue Lagoon.

QL episode 5x4 - Nowhere to Run 79 4 "Nowhere To Run Tommy Thompson Alan J. Levi Ronald Miller
August 10, 1968
San Diego, California
October 19, 1990 66409
(5x4)
Sam leaps into Ronald Miller (played by Michael Carpenter), a legless Vietnam vet in a veterans' hospital who must save the life of a quadriplegic soldier while still keeping his wife from leaving him so that his eldest son can save a tank troop in the Gulf War.

Note: A pre-Friends Jennifer Aniston and pre-Spin City Michael Boatman (who coincidentally played a doctor called Sam Beckett on the ABC-TV series China Beach) guest star. Judith Hoag (known for the role of April O'Neil in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie) also guest stars.

QL episode 5x5 - Killin Time 80 5 "Killin' Time" Tommy Thompson Michael Watkins Leon Stiles
June 18, 1958
Pine County, Oklahoma
October 20, 1992 68115
(5x5)
Sam leaps into escape convict Leon Stiles (played by Cameron Dye), a dangerous criminal who has taken a mother and her young daughter hostage. Meanwhile, Al must find the homicidal Stiles, who has escaped from the project waiting room, leaving Gushie to act as a temporary Observer.

Note: This episode provides a rare glimpse of the present world outside Project Quantum Leap.

QL episode 5x6 - Star Light, Star Bright 81 6 "Star Light, Star Bright" Christopher Hibler Richard C. Okie Maxwell Stoddard
May 21, 1966
Charlemont, Massachusetts
October 27, 1992 68101 (5x6)
Sam is Maxwell Stoddard (played by Douglas Stark), an eccentric grandfather living with his son and his family. He must prevent his teenage grandson from running away and getting caught up in the drug culture while also preventing the grandfather from being sent to a mental institution for his wild stories about UFOs.

Guest stars: Anne Lockhart and Guy Boyd both guest star.

Deliver us from evil 82 7 "Deliver Us From Evil" Deborah Pratt, Robin Jill Bernheim & Tommy Thompson Bob Hulme Jimmy LaMotta
March 19, 1966
Oakland, California
November 10, 1992 68109
(5x7)
Sam leaps back into Jimmy LaMotta (played by Brad Silverman), but is perplexed when he finds that the happy future he supposedly ensured in his previous leap is not taking place, and his brother's marriage is falling apart. Shortly thereafter, Sam finds something he never expected A female quantum leaper named Alia (played by Renee Coleman) is apparently there to "put wrong what once went right".
Deliver us from evil 83 8 "Trilogy Part I: One Little Heart" Deborah Pratt James Whitmore, Jr. Clayton Fuller
August 8, 1955
Pottersville, Louisiana
November 17, 1992 68105
(5x8)
Sam leaps into a small Louisiana town as a sheriff named Clayton Fuller (played by James Whitmore, Jr.) who's also the father of young Abigail Fuller (played by Kimberly Cullum), a girl accused by a local townswoman named Leta Aider (played by Mary Gordon Murray) of killing her husband and daughter. Leta is the only surviving member of her deceased family and believes Abigail to be cursed.

Note: Sheriff Clayton Fuller (Sam's mirror image in this episode) is played by episode director James Whitmore, Jr. For the only time, this episode's leap date is the same as a previous one (season 1's "The Color Of Truth").

Abagail and Sam as Will 84 9 "Trilogy Part II: For Your Love" Deborah Pratt James Whitmore, Jr. Will Kinman
June 14, 1966
Pottersville, Louisiana
November 24, 1992 68112
(5x9)
Sam again leaps into the life of Abigail Fuller (Melora Hardin)... this time as her soon-to-be husband William "Will" Kinman (played by Travis Fine). Sam begins to fall for her himself, but a lynch mob led by Leta Aider (again played by Mary Gordon Murray) may hang her if Sam does not find the runaway child Abigail was babysitting.
5x10 The Last Door-Trilogy Part 3 10 85 10 "Trilogy Part III: The Last Door" Deborah Pratt James Whitmore, Jr. Larry Stanton III
July 28, 1978
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
November 24, 1992 68113
(5x10)
Sam leaps into Lawrence "Larry" Stanton III (played by W.K. Stratton), a lawyer who defends Abigail (played by Melora Hardin) on trial for the murder of Leta Aider (Mary Gordon Murray), the woman who accused her of killing her husband and daughter twenty-three years earlier. Secrets are revealed, the family history comes unraveled, and surprises are in store for Sam as he discovers the heritage behind Abigail's daughter, Sammy Jo Fuller (played by Kimberly Cullum).

Note: Parley Baer guest stars as Judge Shiner.

QL episode 5x11 = Promised Land - Leaper Sam holds a bank 86 11 "Promised Land" Gillian Horvath & Tommy Thompson Scott Bakula Willie Walters
December 22, 1971
Elk Ridge, Indiana
December 12, 1992 68110
(5x11)
Sam leaps back into his hometown in 1971 as William "Willie" Walters (played by Daniel Engstrom), one of three brothers who are robbing the town bank in order to pay off a loan. Sam must uncover the reason the bank lent money to these farmers who could not possibly pay it back, while trying to prevent the brothers from being killed when they try to escape.
QL episode 5x12 - A Tale of Two Sweeties - The wives confront Marty 87 12 "A Tale of Two Sweeties" Robin Jill Bernheim Christopher Hibler Marty Elroy
February 25, 1958
Pompano Beach Airpark, Florida
January 5, 1993 67301
(5x12)
Sam finds himself between the proverbial rock and hard place when he leaps into a bigamist named Martin "Marty" Ellroy, with a 50% chance of picking the right family to stay with.
QL episode 5x13 Liberation 88 13 "Liberation" Chris Abbott & Deborah Pratt Bob Hulme Margaret Sanders
October 16, 1968
Connecticut
October 15, 1968 66417
(3x13)
Sam leaps into a Margaret Sanders, a housewife who must convince her husband that the family can survive and even thrive with feminism. He must also persuade the daughter that advances for women must come about through nonviolent means and persuade a woman working in the husband's firm to be more assertive about her ideas for the company.
Dr. Ruth counsels Al 89 14 "Dr. Ruth" Stuart Margolin Robin Jill Bernheim Ruth Westheimer
April 25, 1985
Manhattan, New York
January 19, 1993 68114
(5x14)
As the famous sex doctor Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Sam must help a woman stand up to the sexual harassment of her boss and get his coworkers together, while the real Dr. Ruth helps Al deal with his fear of abandonment and his inability to tell a woman that he loves her.

Note: This episode marks the only time that Sam has leaps into two women in a row and the only time the Leapee is seen being replaced in the waiting room at the conclusion of the episode.

QL episode 5x15 Blood Moon 90 15 "Blood Moon"' Tommy Thompson Alan J. Levi Lord Nigel Corrington
March 10, 1975
Outside of London, England
February 9, 1993 68117
(5x15)
Sam leaps into an eccentric artist named Lord Nigel Corrington, who lives a strange, Gothic lifestyle. He has only a few hours to save his wife from a grisly death, supposedly at the hands of a vampire, while dealing with Al's own conviction that his host actually is the walking dead.
QL episode 5x16 - Return of the Evil Leaper - Sam as the Midnight Marauder 91 16 "Return of The Evil Leaper" Richard C. Okie Harvey Laidman Arnold Watkins
October 8, 1956
North Falls, New York
February 23, 1993 68124
(5x16)
As a nerdy college kid named Arnold Watkins (played by Tristan Tait) who dresses up as a superhero, Sam must stop a fraternity from holding chicken races as part of their initiation. While back in the waiting room, Al must convince Sam's host to give up his dangerous lifestyle and help him deal with the murder of his parents. However, the sudden return of the Evil Leaper Alia (played by Renée Coleman) makes the task significantly harder.

Note: Neil Patrick Harris guest stars as fraternity president Bill Hammond.

QL episode 5x18 - Revenge of the Evil Leaper 92 17 "Revenge of The Evil Leaper" Deborah Pratt Debbie Allen Elizabeth Tate
September 16, 1987
Mallard, Ohio
February 23, 1993 68125
(5x17)
Leaping into Elizabeth Tate (played by Cynthia Steele) in a women's prison (accompanied by former Evil Leaper Alia (), Sam must keep the reformed ex-Evil Leaper from being caught by Zoey (Carolyn Seymour), her former Observer while also trying to keep his host from being executed for the murder of a fellow inmate.
QL episode 5x18 - Goodbye Norma Jean 93 18 "Goodbye Norma Jean" Richard C. Okie Christopher Hibler Dennis Boardman
April 4, 1960
Hollywood, California
March 2, 1993 68115
(5x18)
Sam is Dennis Boardman (played by Stephen Bowers), the chauffeur of Marilyn Monroe (played by Susan Griffiths) and must help the unhappy star stay alive to make one final movie.

Note: Stephen Root guest stars.

QL episode 5x19 - The Beast Within 94 19 "The Beast Within" John D'Aquino & Tommy Thompson Gus Trikonis Henry Adams
November 6, 1972
Washington state
March 16, 1993 66421
(5x19)
Sam is Henry Adams (played by Mike Jolly), a Vietnam War veteran living in the forest with an epileptic fellow veteran who will die unless he gets his medicine. However, he is opposed in this task by the sheriff living in town, who served in the same unit and doesn't want to face his past.
QL episode 5x20 - The Leap Between the States - Sam with great grandma Olivia Covington 95 20 "The Leap Between The States"' Richard C. Okie David Hemmings John Beckett
September 20, 1862
Mansfield County, Virginia
March 30, 1993 68121
(5x20)
Breaking all the rules of Quantum Leaping, Sam leaps along his genetic line and finds himself in the American Civil War as his great-grandfather, Captain John Beckett (played by Rob Hyland), of the Union Army. While helping the underground railroad smuggle a family to freedom, Sam must also win the heart of his great-grandmother, or he may be erased from existence.

Note: Michael D. Roberts & Kate McNeil both guest star.

QL episode 5x21 - Sam leaps into Elvis 96 21 "Memphis Melody" Robin Jill Bernheim James Whitmore, Jr. Elvis Presley
July 3, 1954
Memphis, Tennessee
April 20, 1993 67325
(5x21)
As Elvis Presley (played by Michael St. Gerard), Sam must help a struggling female musician named Sue Anne Winters (played by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn), but at the same time must ensure that he does not prevent the "King of Rock 'n' Roll" from being discovered.


  • Guest star: Gregory Itzin
QL episode 5x22 - Mirror Image - Sam leaps into himself 97 22 "Mirror Image" Donald Bellisario James Whitmore, Jr. Himself
August 8, 1953
Cokeburg, Pennsylvania /
April 3, 1969
San Diego, California
May 5, 1993 68126
(5x22)
In the series finale, Sam arrives at a mining town as himself on the date and exact hour he was born. Patrons of the town bar look familiar from past leaps, but with different names, other patrons seem to be leapers, and Al the bartender (played by Bruce McGill) implies that he might be God, Fate, or Time. While trying to figure things out, Sam has to help save some trapped miners, regain contact with Al, and learns that he can and has always been able to return home whenever he wants. He agrees to continue leaping, in exchange for the chance to go back to when he met Al's wife on a previous leap and tell her that Al is still alive. In the end, Al and his wife remain together and have four daughters. Sam never returns home.
  • Guest stars: Richard Herd, Stephen McHattie, and W. Morgan Sheppard


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