Line #24 Recap/QuantumLeapS2E03TheAmericanizationOfMachiko


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5	'''''Series/QuantumLeap'''''\
6	'''Season 2, Episode 3:'''
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8	!The Americanization of Machiko
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11	Written by Creator/DonaldBellisario and Charlie Coffey
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13	Directed by Gilbert M. Shilton
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15	Airdate: October 11, 1989.
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17	------------
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19	August 4, 1953
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21	Sam leaps into Charlie, a Navy sailor who recently married a Japanese woman named Machiko. Charlie’s mother refuses to accept their marriage. Naomi, an old flame, tries to break them up. WWII vet Rusty seethes with racist hate and assaults Machiko.
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23	!Tropes:
24	* BitchInSheepsClothing: Naomi acts nice to Machiko in order to manipulate and humiliate her.
25	* ContinuitySnarl: At the end of the original run of this episode, Sam leaps into Jesse Tyler from "[[Recap/QuantumLeapS1E07TheColorOfTruth The Color Of Truth]]", an episode which had already aired the previous season. This represents a continuity error, and the ending leap should have been into Samantha Stormer from the next episode, "[[Recap/QuantumLeapS2E04WhatPriceGloria What Price Gloria?]]".[[note]]This is the fault of [[ExecutiveMeddling NBC]]; the next episode to ''air'' after this one premiered was a rerun of "The Color of Truth", so the network pushed for that episode's leap in to be placed at the end of this one. This is a frequent occurrence in Season 2 and 3.[[/note]] This was later fixed for syndication.
26	* CultureClash: As to be expected when a sailor brings a Japanese bride home to an Ohio town not long after World War II. Machiko's attempts to do things as she would back in Japan are immediately dismissed by Lenore as strange and inappropriate, though Henry is more understanding. Machiko trying to fit in as a typical American also goes poorly, though this is largely due to Naomi setting her up to fail.
27	* CunningLinguist: Sam is surprised to find himself easily speaking Japanese to Machiko, but Al tells him that he exemplifies this trope--"You speak 7 modern languages and 5 dead ones."
28	* FormulaBreakingEpisode: Downplayed, retroactively: It wouldn't be until later on in the show that Sam's birth date is established as being August 8th, 1953. Sam leaps in ''four days prior''.[[note]][[ZigZaggedTrope However]], likewise, WordOfGod would later establish that Sam's life started when he was ''conceived'', allowing for this wiggle room.[[/note]]
29	* FunnyForeigner: ZigZagged. Machiko has some funny moments as a FishOutOfWater. But the bigotry she faces is a serious matter.
30	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Lenore suddenly gets hit with this after Charlie and Henry blast her for her cruel words to Machiko, realizing that she may have genuinely put her life in danger.
31	* MyGreatestFailure: Lenore's failure to forgive Eileen when she had the chance and how that may've motivated the suicide hang over her.
32	-->'''Henry:''' Some people can never forgive. Not even themselves.
33	* NiceGuy: Henry. Sam sees a lot of his own father in the man and instinctively trusts him. He proves to be a very understanding and tolerant person, especially in contrast to his wife and other locals.
34	* NotWhatItLooksLike: Machiko is shocked to walk in on the scantily clad Charlie and Naomi rolling around, but this is because she was literally throwing herself at him and ignoring his repeatedly telling her "no".
35	* ObnoxiousInLaws: Lenore is openly antagonistic and dismissive towards Machiko. Averted with Henry, who immediately takes a liking to her and supports the relationship.
36	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Henry is less forceful than Lenore for most of the episode, but when her bad attitude causes Machiko to run away into an oncoming storm, he yells at her for what she's done.
37	* OutlivingOnesOffspring: Henry and Lenore had a daughter named Eileen. The girl got knocked up and was repeatedly ridiculed for it in town. She died following a car accident, and it's believed to have been a suicide.
38	* PartingWordsRegret: Lenore had shunned Eileen for getting knocked up and being ridiculed as the town joke. By the time she had finally moved past it, Eileen had died.
39	* PetTheDog: Naomi's a bitch, no doubt, but it appears that she was genuinely Eileen's friend and tried to be there for despite the scandal over her unwed pregnancy.
40	* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Rusty blames all Japanese people for his negative UsefulNotes/WorldWarII experience. He graffitis Charlie’s car and attempts to rape Machiko.
41	* PrejudiceAesop: Charlie’s American family and friends must learn to accept Japanese Machiko.

Context Recap / QuantumLeapS2E03TheAmericanizationOfMachiko