Quantum Leap
Season 5, Episode 14:
Dr. Ruth
Written by Robin Jill Bernheim
Directed by Stuart Margolin
Airdate: January 19, 1993
April 25, 1985
Sam leaps into famous sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer
in the middle of her popular radio show. His mission is to save the teetering romance between her producers, while concurrently saving the life of a woman whose boss has a psychotic obsession with her.
Meanwhile, back in the Waiting Room in 1999, Dr. Ruth must help Al work out his love life.
Tropes
- All Abusers Are Male: Annie's boss Jonathan is harassing her and creepily stalking her.
- As Himself: Dr. Ruth Westheimer plays herself both in the mirror and in the Waiting Room.
- Attempted Rape: Jonathan attempts to rape Annie, but Sam shows up right in the nick of time to stop him.
- Blaming the Victim: Sort of. Annie's boss tries to deflect Sam's suspicion by claiming Annie is the one obsessed with him.
- Formula-Breaking Episode:
- This is the first episode with a real life celebrity leapee, and the only episode where the leapee plays themselves.
- This is also the first (and only) time Sam leaps into a woman immediately after having been a woman in his previous leap.
- This episode does not have the usual ending showing Sam leaping into the time and person of the next episode. Instead, episode ends showing the leap out in the Waiting Room, as we see Dr. Ruth replaced with Lord Nigel Corrington from the next episode leaping in.
- Freudian Excuse: Dr. Ruth works out that the reason Al has problems with commitment is because of abandonment issues stemming from losing his family at a young age, and losing his marriage to Beth while a POW.
- Gender Bender: Sam leaps into Dr. Ruth Westheimer.
- The Ghost: Tina is discussed by Al and Dr. Ruth, but she does not make an appearance.
- Gut Feeling: After taking Annie's phone call on the radio show, then meeting Annie at the book signing, Sam tells Al that he feels like his actual mission is to save Annie from Jonathan.
- Hood Hopping: During the climax, Sam is trying to stop a woman from being murdered and the taxi he's in gets caught in a traffic jam. Having no time to spare, he exits the cab and runs to the woman's apartment by leaping from car to car.
- Hurricane of Euphemisms: Al can't bring himself to say "breasts" when describing Tina.Al: Ah, well, um...oh well, hahaha, she’s got...great...casabas.
Dr. Ruth: What are these "casabas?"
Al: Well, you know, melons, ho-has, honkers, hooters, headlights, ta-tas, teeters, tweeters, tom-toms, tee-tees?
Dr. Ruth: Say it!
Al: I’m trying to say it! Meatballs, mangos, cream pies, cupcakes, ah...bangers, bouncers, bolumbas!
Dr. Ruth: Al!
Al: Bazongas! BREASTS! I said it!
Dr. Ruth: You see, it wasn’t that hard.
Al: Yes it was. - Love Epiphany: Dr. Ruth helps Al realize that even though his relationship with Tina isn't like what he had with his One True Love Beth, it is still love, just different.
- Meanwhile, in the Future…: One of the episode's subplots takes place back in 1999, with Dr. Ruth in the Waiting Room helping Al work through his relationship issues.
- Near-Rape Experience: "Dr. Ruth" shows up in the nick of time to stop Annie from being raped by her boss.
- Third Line, Some Waiting: There are three subplots going on.
- First, there's Sam's projected mission, where he has to play matchmaker to Doug and Debbie.
- Then there's Sam's gut feeling about Annie, who he feels like he has to save from Jonathan.
- Separately, back in the future, there's a subplot about Dr. Ruth in the Waiting Room helping Al with his commitment issues.
- Trailers Always Spoil: Variation for the next episode: the episode ends in the Waiting Room with Lord Nigel leaping in, then Breaking the Fourth Wall and hissing while baring his fangs. The fact that he leaped with his fangs immediately proves that they're real and he's really a vampire (since fake fangs very likely would've stayed with Sam), spoiling the next episode's Twist Ending.
