Quantum Leap
Season 3, Episode 6:
Miss Deep South
Written by Tommy Thompson
Directed by Christopher T. Welch
Airdate: November 2, 1990
June 7, 1958
Sam Leaps into beauty pageant contestant Darlene Monte in 1958 Louisiana. His mission is to protect another contestant from a predatory photographer, while making sure Darlene still wins 3rd place so she can use the prize money to become a doctor.
Tropes
- Apologetic Attacker: Parodied: When confronting Clint when he tries to take advantage of Connie again, Sam repeatedly (and clearly) apologizes as he roughs up Clint, even as he dangles him out a window.Sam: Oh, watch your head.
- Armor-Piercing Question: Variation: When Sam asks Peg Myers "What would have happened to you if you'd been kicked out of a pageant?" when confronting her for disqualifying Connie, it's her lack of response that makes Sam realize she went through the exact same situation.
- Beauty Contest: The "Miss Deep South" pageant is central to this particular episode.
- Break the Cutie: Connie Duncan winds up being the other reason Sam leapt in to the Miss Deep South contest: in the original history, after agreeing to do Clint's photoshoot, she left the pageant and completely disappeared. Unfortunately, Sam only found out about the shoot after it happened.note
- Breather Episode: The fact this is a relatively easy leap concerning a beauty pageant winds up being a boon for Sam, considering the next episode sees him experience the Watts Riots first hand.
- Call-Back: Once again, Al has to help Sam sing a song that has foreign lyrics.
- Chekhov's Gun: A textbook example; early in the episode, we see a conspicuously-placed poster advertising a Jerry Lee Lewis concert. Al even points it out to Sam. In the episode's final act, Sam is under pressure to maintain his leapee's original third-place finish in the pageant (since she used the money she won to go to school and become a doctor). Sam sees the poster again and decides to perform Lewis' signature song "Great Balls of Fire" for the talent competition. The performance delights the crowd and the judges (and Al, who dances to the beat), and Sam is named the winner of the pageant.
- The Cover Changes the Gender: While performing "Great Balls of Fire", Sam makes sure to change the line "Too much love drives a man insane" to "Too much love drives a woman insane".
- Dark and Troubled Past: When Sam confronts the pageant's coordinator, Peg Myers, over her decision to disqualify Connie for letting Clint photograph her, it comes to light that Clint once did the same with Peg:Peg: No. No. ...it just happened. First it was, uh... "Let me see some shoulder." And then, "Drop that strap down a little lower, it's in my shot." (increasingly near tears) And then it was, "You're so beautiful. Don't be afraid. Just relax. I won't shoot anything that will embarrass you." (fully breaks down) And then before you realize it, you're naked... and it's all too late...
- Destination Defenestration: In order to force Clint to reveal where he's stashed his film, Sam drags him towards an open window, and holds him out it.
- "Eureka!" Moment: When it comes time for the talent portion of the pageant, and learning he's currently holding to fourth place, Sam and Al struggle to figure out how to get him back to third. Upon Al remarking that Sam needs to "set the place on fire", the two of them take stock of the Jerry Lee Lewis poster behind them...Sam: (on stage; at the piano) You shake my nerves, and you rattle my brain!
- Gender Bender: Sam leaps into beauty pageant contestant Darlene Monte.
- In Spite of a Nail: As Connie is getting ready to leave, she glumly states her relief that at least Clint Beaumont won't be able to ruin anyone else's lives with his Model Scam schtick... only for Al to state "I wouldn't be too sure about that." Thankfully, Sam is able to fix everything then and there.
- Ironic Echo: Played for Drama: "I won't shoot anything that will embarrass you."
- Model Scam: An unscrupulous photographer, Clint Beaumont, talks Connie into doing a "tasteful" photo shoot by promising that he can get her modeling work. Then, he gets her drunk and persuades her to take off more clothing, reassuring, "I won't shoot anything that will embarrass you." The photos show up in a nudie calendar a few months later, ruining the girl's career, unless Sam can stop it from happening. He does.
- Not So Above It All: Upon winning Miss Deep South, Sam can't help but tear up.Al: How does it feel to be Miss Deep South? (notices Sam's crying) Are you okay?Sam: (happily) ...I just wish Katey could be here to see this.
- Sleazy Photoshoot: Clint Beaumont is all about getting nudes, regardless if he winds up ruining lives in the process.Al: In about a month, some photographs of Connie turn up on a calendar. You know, the kind you see in the better muffler shops across the country.
- Shower of Angst: Following the latter's photoshoot with Clint, Sam winds up unknowingly stumbling across Connie having one of these.
- Spotting the Thread: The moment Peg refuses to look Sam in the eyes when he asks what it would be like if she got kicked out of the pageant like she did to Connie for letting Clint photograph her, it clicks for him that Peg actually knows all too well what Connie's going through...Sam: ...oh my God... You posed nude for him when you were a contestant, didn't you?
- Tempting Fate: After Sam and Connie manage to destroy his film, Clint brushes it off by stating "there's always next year". No sooner does he say this, Peg Myers enters the room, and makes it clear she will do everything in her power to prevent Clint from doing this ever again.
- Wham Line: Even after Sam replaced the song he originally was going to perform, "Cuanta La Gusta", with "Great Balls of Fire", it doesn't seem like he secured Darlene Monte's future as a doctor when someone else gets third place at the end of the beauty pageant. And then...Announcer: This is the moment we've all been waiting for! The winner of a $2,000 scholarship and the new Miss Deep South: Darlene Monte!
- Where Are They Now: After Sam fixes things, we learn that Connie starts up a community theater back home after the contest.
