Genesis (Part 1 & 2) (Quantum Leap)

"Genesis" is the pilot episode of the TV series Quantum Leap. It first aired as a TV movie on March 26, 1989.

Synopsis

In 1995, Sam Beckett, desperate to prove his time travel theory before the project runs out of funds, ignoring the advice of the supercomputer Ziggy leaps before the kinks are worked out of the machine. He ends up leaping into Tom Stratton, the pilot of the experimental Bell X-2 aircraft, and has to pretend to be the pilot while trying to fill in the holes in his "Swiss cheese" memory. According to Sam's friend and partner Al, who appears to him as a hologram nobody else can see, Al explains that the Project has gone awry and in order to leap out of the pilot's body, Sam successfully flies the X-2 to Mach 3, although according to historical records, ended in a fatal crash. As Tom Stratton, Sam comforts his (Tom's) wife and prevents her from having a premature birth.

This is what he was sent to do, allowing him to leap home (he hopes). But instead of leaping home, he leaps into Tim Fox, a minor league baseball player in Texas at the end of the 1968 season, in the middle of a game, where he must make the winning play in order to leap further. During his experience as Tim Fox, Sam calls his own father (which is deceased in his own time) to apologize for missing the last Thanksgiving that his father was still alive to see. After the long heart-to-heart, Tim Fox makes a home-run, allowing Sam to once again leap. This episode does not have the usual opening monologue and theme song; rather, it begins with Al Calavicci flirting with a girl until he gets word that Sam is leaping.

Brushes with history

• Sam leaps into Tom Stratton exactly 2 weeks before the Bell X-2 crashes on September 27, 1956.

Notes

• Guest stars Bruce McGill and Dennis Wolfberg appear in both the pilot and the finale of the series.
• This episode was originally referred to as 'Pilot'. The title 'Genesis' has become more common in syndicated re-runs, especially in its two-part version.

Music

• "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" - Doris Day
  
• "Hound Dog" - Elvis Presley
  
• "Moonglow" - Columbia Pictures Orchestra
  
• "Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)" - Pat Boone
  
• "Ooby Dooby" - Roy Orbison
  
• "Yellow Rose Of Texas"