Quantum Leap: The Wrong Stuff

"The Wrong Stuff" is the seventh episode of season four of the American science fiction television series Quantum Leap and the sixtieth episode of the series overall. The episode was directed by Joe Napolitano with a script written by Paul Brown. It first aired on NBC on March 4th, 1992. In this episode, Sam Beckett finds himself in the unenviable position of leaping into the body of a chimpanzee named Bobo. Moreover, this is a chimp being used in space program testing. Sam/Bobo has to find a way to help a fellow simian escape certain death.

Notes & Trivia

 * Quantum Leap was created by Donald P. Bellisario.


 * This episode is production code number 67308.


 * This episode is included on disc two of the Quantum Leap: The Complete Fourth Season DVD collection.


 * Associate producer Julie B. Watson is credited as Julie Bellisario in this episode.


 * Director of photography Michael W. Watkins is credited as Michael Watkins in this episode.


 * This is the ninth episode of Quantum Leap directed by Joe Napolitano. He directs twelve episodes of the series in total.


 * This is the eleventh episode of Quantum Leap written by Paul Brown. He writes thirteen episodes of the series in total.


 * There are a total of seven credited cast members in this episode. 2 are main starring roles and 5 are guest starring roles. There are 6 male cast members in this episode, and 1 female cast member.


 * Leap date: January 24th, 1961.


 * This is the first time that Sam Beckett has ever leaped into the body of an animal.


 * In the original timeline, both chimpanzees, Bobo and Cory, died of massive head trauma.


 * The lasting result of the altered timeline is that Doctor Frank Winger develops a new design of crash helmet, which becomes critical in protecting the lives of future astronauts.


 * Actors Caroline Goodall and Kim Robillard both appeared together in the 1991 film Hook, directed by Steven Spielberg.

Allusions

 * The title of this episode is taken from The Right Stuff, which is a book written in 1979 by Tom Wolfe. It chronicles the journey of the Project Mercury astronauts, who had been selected by NASA for the space program. The book was adapted into a film in 1983 by director Philip Kaufman.


 * The scientific implausibility of chimpanzees being unable to swim is also referenced in the 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes by director Tim Burton. In the episode, the reason for this is that chimps have too little body fat.


 * Reference is made to Doctor Dolittle in this episode, which is the eponymous protagonist featured in a series of books by author Hugh Lofting. The character has the unique talent of being able to communicate with animals. The stories were adapted into a feature film in 1967, so obviously the characters in this episode are referencing the 1920 book The Story of Doctor Dolittle.

What else have they done?

 * This is actress Caroline Goodall's first work in the science fiction genre. She will go on to provide the voice for Vanessa Fisk in two episodes of the Spider-Man cartoon series in 1995. She will also play a woman named Rebecca in the "Promised Land" episode of the 1995 relaunch of The Outer Limits.


 * Gary Swanson played Peter in the "Carousel" episode of Logan's Run in 1978. He also played Jim Webster in the two-part "Golden Orbit" episodes of Salvage 1 in 1979. In 1987, he played Braddock in the "War" episode of Max Headroom.


 * Albert Stratton previously played Charles Benson in "The Pluto File" of Wonder Woman in 1976. He played IL-tar in "Atlantium" episode of Fantastic Journey in 1977. He played Kushell in "The Outrageous Okona" episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1988. This is Stratton's final work in the sci-fi genre.


 * Kim Robillard played Lieutenant Rainey in Project X in 1987, starring Matthew Broderick. He will go on to play Arthur Dalton Rogers in the "We Shall Overcome" episode of Dark Skies in 1996. He will play Sheriff Cassidy in the "Home Away from Home" episode of Team Knight Rider in 1998. He will play Homer in "The Beginning" episode of The X-Files in 1998 and a man named "Howard" in the "Superstitious Dick" episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun in 1999. He will also play Detective Edwards in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines in 2003.


 * This is Peter Murnik's first work in the science fiction genre. He will go on to play a NASA tech in Armageddon in 1998, officer #2 in the pilot episode of The Cape in 2011 and a tracking station supervisor in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, also in 2011.

Quotes

 * Sam Beckett: Al, I'm a chimp!
 * Al Calavicci: You're lucky you didn't leap in as a bullfrog.

....
 * Sam Beckett: What am I doing here Al? I mean... how did I get here like this?
 * Al Calavicci: Well, uh, we know that, uh, chimps are our closest relatives, that, uh, genetically, they're 99% identical to us. As a matter of fact, they're so close that your could even share your blood with a chimp.
 * Sam Beckett: I'm in the body of a chimp. That's too close!

....
 * Al Calavicci: You leaped into the space program, Sam.
 * Sam Beckett: I've leaped into a diaper!

....
 * Al Calavicci: What about the Quantum rules? You have to at least pretend that you are who you leap into.
 * Sam Beckett: That's if I'm a human. I'm not a human, I'm a chimp! We don't have rules for chimps, do we?
 * Al Calavicci: You can't get off on a technicality.
 * Sam Beckett: Okay, wise guy, then what am I here to do?
 * Al Calavicci: Join the circus.

....
 * Sam Beckett: Even though my memory was Swiss-cheesed, I couldn't forget the early days of the space race. In our mad dash to beat the Russians, we quickly put together a space program, and shot anything and everything up into the air. I only hoped I wouldn't be one of the anythings.

....
 * Sam Beckett: I gotta get out of here!
 * Al Calavicci: What are you gonna do? Go to work for an organ grinder?