History Awesome / QuantumLeap

* In "The Colour of Truth" the whites-only hospital was refusing to take Sam's granddaughter even though she was bleeding out. Ms. Melanie, who'd been previously willing to stay on the fence about racial issues, steps up and demands they take her. The hospital staff don't even blink before accepting her.

* In "The Colour of Truth" the whites-only hospital was refusing to take Sam's granddaughter even though she was bleeding out. Ms Melny, who'd been previously willing to stay on the fence about racial issues, steps up and demands they take her. The hospital staff don't even blink before accepting her.

* "Memphis Melody" on a meta-level has Creator/ScottBakula doing a '''great''' impression of Music/ElvisPresley, singing a classic from Elvis' Sun Records days, "Baby Let's Play House."

* Sam sees what seemed to be just a crusty prospector help save his friends, [[http://www.quantumleap-alsplace.com/img/episodeimages/mirrorimage/39.jpg then vanish in a blue light]]. Sam realizes that the old man was a Leaper, and the bartender (God) tells him that that's what ''guardian angels'' do.

* In "Revenge of the Evil Leaper," after Alia escapes, Zoe intends to kill Sam as a consolation prize. Sam responds with this threat by shooting her with a shotgun.
* Sam getting up and ''walking'' to punch out an abusive orderly in the episode where he's leaped into a double amputee.
* In the episode "Raped", Sam leaps into a rape victim named Katie, who had previously fled town because she couldn't deal with the humiliation and fallout for failing to convince a jury that she had been raped by the town's football hero. Sam is anxious because he's... well, Sam, and he can't go on the stand to testify for the rape of someone else. So he hits on an idea - bring Katie, in the future, into the imaging chamber with Al, and (literally and symbolically) give her a voice, so Sam can repeat her testimony, word for word, to the jury, from two decades in the future. Despite the bizarre situation, Al and Katie show up right on time, and the incredibly disturbing testimony she gives is a [=CMOA=] for a very brave Katie, ''and'' one of the biggest {{Tear Jerker}}s of the series. Al looks completely beside himself throughout, and understandably so.
** But that's not the only reason people remember this episode. Sam and Al think that they're there to see to the prosecution of her rapist, only to have him acquitted because he's the mayor's son and all-American football hero. As Sam is sitting on the porch lamenting the turn of events, the rapist shows up and proceeds [[WouldHitAGirl to punch her/him]] [[KickTheDog and attempt to rape them again.]] Sam -- after [[GroinAttack kicking the rapist in the groin]] to stun him -- tells Al, [[PreAssKickingOneLiner "I think I know the reason I'm here"]], then proceeds to [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beat the punk within an inch of his life.]]
-->'''Sam:''' So things got a little out of control, huh?! So you ''[PUNCH]'' SLAPPED her! But that wasn't enough! So you had to ''[PUNCH]'' HIT her! And then you ''[PUNCH]'' HIT her again! ''[PUNCH] [PUNCH]'' You son of a ''[PUNCH]'' BITCH! ''[PUNCH] [PUNCH]''
** Sam's so utterly furious with this piece of human garbage that he lets out this primal growl while punching the guy. It is ''chilling'' to see do-gooder NiceGuy Sam Beckett [[BewareTheNiceOnes that pissed off with someone.]]
** And we get a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming right afterwards, when the girl's family comes out and sees what happened. The father incredulously asks "You did all this?", to which Sam responds "Well, I ''am'' a [=McBain=]." [[note]]Although the new history is never revealed, it can be presumed that the [[=McBain=]] family has its name restored and that Katie, coming to terms with what happened, is able to live out a reasonably good future, while Kevin, disgraced as his true character is finally exposed, lives his life out in a persistent vegetative state, never again able to attack a woman and his goals dashed because of his criminal behavior.[[/note]]
* In "Future Boy", Sam leaps into an actor who plays the co-star of a 1950s sci-fi TV show, and his mission is to prevent the star from dying or being committed to an asylum because of his belief in time travel. Near the end of the episode, the man straps himself into the machine and fires it up...''and actually starts to leap'', much to Al's shock. The only reason he failed is because he didn't have enough power.

* In "Killin' Time," Sam leaps into Leon Styles, a serial murderer, who escapes from the Waiting Room (and the project as a whole). Eventually, he makes his way back to the project compound-- and runs into Gushie, who's a rather timid, meek guy by nature. Styles demands that Gushie send him back to his own time, to which Gushie replies that it's not possible. Styles response is to point a gun at the base of Gushie's throat and tells him to send him back to his own time or he'll kill him. To which Gushie calmly replies, "Well, you're just gonna have to kill me then."

* In the season two premiere, Al has to defend the importance of Sam's leaping to a government committee, or their funding will be cut off and even if Sam keeps leaping, it'll be without Al's help. He's convinced their only chance is for Sam to create a change in history far bigger than the single lives he's helped, and at the time he's at now, the best chance is to stop the 1960 U2 Incident. Sam ultimately fails, but then [[spoiler:corrects the leapee's love interest on a practice question for getting a law degree, and she realizes that one mistake would have affected so many answers that she would have failed the exam without his help. Suddenly, Al's hearing changes from the announcement that the project is being shut down, to the woman saying it'll be kept running.]]
* At the end of "What Price, Gloria?" Sam wonders why he hasn't leaped. Al tells him that he wants to get revenge on Buddy for the sexual harassment he's been guilty of the entire episode. Sam pretends to seduce him, [[UnsettlingGenderReveal tells him that he's actually a man]] and punches him out.
* In "The Colour of Truth" the whites-only hospital was refusing to take Sam's granddaughter even though she was bleeding out. Ms Melny, who'd been previously willing to stay on the fence about racial issues, steps up and demands they take her. The hospital staff don't even blink before accepting her.

* "Dr. Ruth" from season 5. Sam knocks another rapist the ''fuck'' out, while in the body of '''Dr. Ruth Westheimer.''' Utterly surreal to watch, but still great.

* "Memphis Melody" on a meta-level has Creator/ScottBakula doing an '''great''' impression of Music/ElvisPresley, singing a classic from Elvis' Sun Records days, "Baby Let's Play House."
* The cast as a whole. Creator/ScottBakula for being able to wear dresses with a straight face (the handful of times he leaped into women) and the remainder of the cast for being able to react to this 6-foot tall white guy as though he were a woman, a black man, even a chimpanzee, with nary an indication that they saw him as otherwise, not to mention act completely unaware of Al's presence, even as he snarks at them.

* In the episode "Raped", Sam leaps into a rape victim named Katie, who had previously fled town because she couldn't deal with the humiliation and fallout for failing to convince a jury that she had been raped by the town's football hero. Sam and Al think he's there to see to the prosecution of her rapist, only to have him acquitted because he's the mayor's son and all-American football hero. As Sam is sitting on the porch lamenting the turn of events, the rapist shows up and proceeds [[WouldHitAGirl to punch her/him]] and attempt to rape them again. Sam -- after [[GroinAttack kicking the rapist in the groin]] to stun him -- tells Al, "I think I know the reason I'm here", then proceeds to [[KickTheSonOfABitch beat the punk within an inch of his life.]]

* In the episode "Raped", Sam leaps into a rape victim named Katie, who had previously fled town because she couldn't deal with the humiliation and fallout for failing to convince a jury that she had been raped by the town's football hero. Sam and Al think he's there to see to the prosecution of her rapist, only to have him acquitted because he's the mayor's son and all-American football hero. As Sam is sitting on the porch lamenting the turn of events, the rapist shows up and proceeds [[WouldHitAGirl to attack her/him again]]. Sam -- after kicking the rapist in the groin to stun him -- tells Al, "I think I know the reason I'm here", then proceeds to beat the punk within an inch of his life.

* The cast as a whole. Scott Bakula for being able to wear dresses with a straight face (the handful of times he leaped into women) and the remainder of the cast for being able to react to this 6-foot tall white guy as though he were a woman, a black man, even a chimpanzee, with nary an indication that they saw him as otherwise, not to mention act completely unaware of Al's presence, even as he snarks at them.

* The cast as a whole. Scott Bakula for being able to wear dresses with a straight face (the handful of times he leaped into women) and the remainder of the cast for being able to react to this 6-foot tall white guy as though he were a woman, a black man, even a chimpanzee, with nary an indication that they saw him as otherwise.

* In "The Leap Back" Al, having temporarily inherited a few of Sam's characteristics, manages to bust out Sam's classic spin kick.

* In "The Colour of Truth" the whites-only hospital was refusing to take Sam's granddaughter even though she was bleeding out. Ms Melny, who'd been previously willing to stay on the fence about racial issues, steps up and demands they take her. The hospital staff don't even blink before accepting her.

* In the episode "Raped", Sam leaps into a rape victim who had previously fled town because she couldn't deal with the humiliation. Sam and Al think he's there to see to the prosecution of her rapist, only to have him acquitted because he's the mayor's son. As Sam is sitting on the porch lamenting the turn of events, the rapist shows up and proceeds [[WouldHitAGirl to attack her/him again]]. Sam -- after kicking the rapist in the groin to stun him -- tells Al, "I think I know the reason I'm here", then proceeds to beat the punk within an inch of his life.
** And we get a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming right afterwards, when the girl's family comes out and sees what happened. The father incredulously asks "You did all this?", to which Sam responds "Well, I ''am'' a [=McBain=]." [[note]]Although the new history is never revealed, it can be presumed that the [[=McBain=]] family has its is restored and that Kevin is disgraced as his true character is finally exposed.[[/note]]

* At the end of "What Price, Gloria?" Sam wonders why he hasn't leaped. Al tells him that he wants to get revenge on Buddy for the sexual harassment he's been guilty of the entire episode. Sam pretends to seduce him, [[UnsettlingGenderReveal tells him that he's actually a man]] and punches him out.

** And we get a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming right afterwards, when the girl's family comes out and sees what happened. The father incredulously asks "You did all this?", to which Sam responds "Well, I ''am'' a [=McBain=]." [[note]]Although the new history is never revealed, it can be presumed that the McBain family has its is restored and that Kevin is disgraced as his true character is finally exposed.[[/note]]

* In the episode "Raped", Sam leaps into a rape victim who had previously fled town because she couldn't deal with the humiliation. Sam and Al think he's there to see to the prosecution of her rapist, only to have him acquitted because he's the mayor's son. As Sam is sitting on the porch lamenting the turn of events, the rapist shows up and proceed to attack her/him again. Sam tells Al, "I think I know the reason I'm here", and proceeds to beat the punk within an inch of his life.
** And we get a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming right afterwards, when the girl's family comes out and sees what happened. The father incredulously asks "You did all this?", to which Sam responds "Well, I ''am'' a [=McBain=]."

* The HalloweenEpisode was mostly just NightmareFuel, but the climax is, when you think about it, pure awesome. Turns out that the "Al" we saw throughout the episode was [[DevilInDisguise actually the Devil]], and he's decided that it's time to off TheHero, and sets to strangling Sam. Sam Beckett, however, decides that he's not going to have that, and [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu chokes the devil into oblivion]]. Repeat, ''[[AddedAlliterativeAppeal Sam strangles Satan]]''.

* In the season two premiere, Al has to defend the importance of Sam's leaping to a government committee, or their funding will be cut off and even if Sam keeps leaping, it'll be without Al's help. He's convinced their only chance is for Sam to create a change in history far bigger than the single lives he's helped, and at the time he's at now, the best chance is to stop the 1960 U2 Incident. Sam ultimately fails, but then [[spoiler:corrects the leapee's love interest on a practice question for getting a law degree, and she realizes that one mistake would have affected so many answers that she would have failed the exam without his help. Suddenly, Al's hearing changes from the announcement that the project is being shut down, to the woman saying it'll be kept running.]]

* In "Killin' Time," Sam leaps into Leon Styles, a serial murderer, who escapes from the Imaging Chamber (and the project as a whole). Eventually, he makes his way back to the project compound-- and runs into Gushie, who's a rather timid, meek guy by nature. Styles demands that Gushie send him back to his own time, to which Gushie replies that it's not possible. Styles response is to point a gun at the base of Gushie's throat and tells him to send him back to his own time or he'll kill him. To which Gushie calmly replies, "Well, you're just gonna have to kill me then."

* In the season two premiere, Al has to defend the importance of Sam's leaping to a government committee, or their funding will be cut off and even if Sam keeps leaping, it'll be without Al's help. He's convinced their only chance is for Sam to create a change in history far bigger than the single lives he's helped, and at the time he's at now, the best chance is to stop the 1960 U2 Incident. Sam ultimately fails, but then [[spoiler:corrects the leapee's love interest on a practice question for getting a law degree, she realizes that one mistake would have affected so many answers that she would have failed the exam without his help. Suddenly, Al's hearing changes from the announcement that the project is being shut down, to the woman saying it'll be kept running.]]

* In "Private Dancer", Sam letting his hair down and dancing with Debbie Allen's character. Considering how serious and focused he is most episodes, it was refreshing to see him have fun for a few minutes.

* In "Killin' Time," Sam leaps into Leon Styles, a serial murderer, who escapes from the Imaging Chamber (and the project as a whole). Eventually, he makes his way back to the project compound-- and runs into Gushie, who's a rather timid, meek guy by nature. Styles demands that Gushie send him back to his own time, two which Gushie replies that it's not possible. Styles response is to point a gun at the base of Gushie's throat and tells him to send him back to his own time or he'll kill him. To which Gushie calmly replies, "Well, you're just gonna have to kill me then."

* In "Killin' Time," Sam leaps into Leon Styles, a serial murderer, who escapes from the Imaging Chamber (and the project as a whole). Eventually, he makes his way back to the project compound-- and runs into Gushie, who's a rather timid, meek guy by nature. Styles demands that Gushie send him back to his own time, two which Gushie replies that it's not possible. Styles response is to point a gun at the base of Gushie's throat and tells him to send him back to his own time or he'll kill him. To which Gushie calmly replies, "Well, you're just gonna have to kill me then."

* The HalloweenEpisode was mostly just NightmareFuel, but the climax is, when you think about it, pure awesome. Turns out that the "Al" we saw throughout the episode was [[DevilInDisguise actually the Devil]], and he's decided that it's time to off TheHero, and sets to strangling Sam. Sam Beckett, however, decides that he's not going to have that, and [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu chokes the devil into oblivion]]. Repeat, ''[[AddedAlliterativeAppeal Sam strangles Satan]]''.

* In "Future Boy", Sam leaps into an actor who plays the co-star of a 1950s sci-fi TV show, and his mission is to prevent the star from dying or being committed to an asylum because of his belief in time travel. Near the end of the episode, the man straps himself into the machine and fires it up...''and actually starts to leap'', much to Al's shock. The only reason he failed is because he didn't have enough power.

* In the episode "Raped", Sam leaps into a rape victim who had previously fled town because she couldn't deal with the humiliation. Sam and Al think he's there to see to the prosecution of her rapist, only to have him acquitted. As Sam is sitting on the porch lamenting the turn of events, the rapist shows up and proceed to attack her/him again. Sam tells Al, "I think I know the reason I'm here", and proceeds to beat the punk within an inch of his life.

* In the episode "Raped", Sam leaps into a rape victim who had previously fled town because she couldn't deal with the humiliation. Sam and Al think he's there to see to the prosecution of her rapist, only to have him acquitted. As Sam is sitting on the porch lamenting the turn of events, the rapist shows up and proceed to attack her/him again. Sam tells Al, "I think I know the reason I'm here", and proceeds to beat the punk within an inch of his life.

* Sam seems what seemed to be just a crusty prospector help save his friends, [[http://www.quantumleap-alsplace.com/img/episodeimages/mirrorimage/39.jpg then vanish in a blue light]]. Sam realizes that the old man was a Leaper, and the bartender (God) tells him that that's what ''guardian angels'' do.