Quantum Leap
Season 4, Episode 5:
Permanent Wave
Written by Beverly Bridges
Directed by Scott Bakula
Airdate: October 16, 1991.
June 2, 1983
Sam lands in the life of a hairdresser whose girlfriend’s son is left on edge after witnessing a murder.
Tropes:
- And This Is for...: Variation: Chloe shot Ward dead due to Ward accidentally grazing her earlier when he attacked the apartment.
- Call-Back:
- Sam tells Kyle a bedtime story about Captain Galaxy and Future Boy.
- Taken aback by how Sam is acting with the twins at the beauty parlor, Al wonders if Sam still has a bit of his brain left over from "The Leap Back".Al: Hey! Is that part of me still in you, or what?
- Chekhov's Gun:
- Kyle admits to Sam that all he could see of the killer was his shoes, and that he had money in them.
- While investigating the site of the murder, Sam notices a bunch of pennies on the ground. Al tells him to hold onto one.
- Corrupt Cop: Detective Ward works on the side as a hitman for the ELOCH drug ring.
- Didn't Think This Through: Sam tries to prevent Ward from killing Kyle by showing Kyle doesn't know he was the killer. Ward's response? Pointing out Sam knows.
- Everyone Has Standards: When Sam discovers his next clients are a pair of gorgeous twins, Al naturally is delighted. But, when Sam begins making the moves on them, he becomes concerned about how Sam is acting.
- Foreshadowing: When attempting to contact Detective Ward after Laura and Kyle leave for the cabin, Sam is told a woman had contacted him 20 minutes prior. Chloe states that Laura hadn't called anyone before they left.
- Five-Second Foreshadowing:
- While in Detective Ward's car as he heads after Laura and Kyle, Al tries to to get him to turn around by repeatedly telling him to take his foot off of the gas. One iteration of this has him mention he's wearing penny-loafers...
- Chloe shoots Ward at the climax, seemingly to save Sam and the others, but is unusually snide about it for a complete ditz.
- Gender Bender: At the end of the episode, Sam leaps into rape victim Katie Mc Bain. This is the lead-in for the next episode, "Raped"
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Frank's assistant Chloe appears to be a clueless ditz, but is actually a ruthless drug baron who puts a hit on a child.
- Oh, No... Not Again!: Sam says this when he sees that he's once again a girl at the end.Policeman: Again? You were raped before?
- Significant Anagram: The drug ring ELOCH is an anagram of the organization's leader, Chloe. Sam and Al are both baffled that they did not notice, nor did their supercomputer.
- Strange Minds Think Alike: It takes Al a second to realize that Sam trying to get Chloe to talk about the drugs is him stalling for time until Laura can get her from behind. And no sooner does Al remark this, Chloe coldly tells Sam to stop stalling.
- Twin Threesome Fantasy: Sam cozies up to a pair of beautiful twins just to tease Al.
- Wham Shot:
- While trying to work out how to get Detective Ward to turn his car around, Al notices that he has a penny in his shoe.
- After killing Ward, Chloe aims her gun right at Sam.
- The episode ends with Sam leaping into the life of a rape victim.
- Your Princess Is in Another Castle!: Sam and Chloe manage to show up in time to stop Ward from killing Kyle and Laura... and then Chloe turns her gun on them.
