In Honor of Leap Day: Our 11 Favorite ‘Quantum Leap’ Episodes

“Goodbye Norma Jean” – Season Five, Episode Seventeen

Season Five went heavy on the historical references, and “Goodbye Norma Jean” is probably the best of the bunch. Sam leaps into Marilyn Monroe‘s chaffeur Dennis. He and Al believe they are there to prevent her death but the truth is that they only have to stave off her death long enough for her to make one final film.

“The Wrong Stuff” – Season Four, Episode Seven

This episode has it all. A chimp! A machine gun!! A CHIMP USING A MACHINE GUN!! Sam leaps into Bobo, an chimp in the space program. Unable to communicate with language, Sam has to find a way to reveal the corruption and abuse happening within the program to save his fellow primates and the scientist who loves them. Here, Bakula showed considerable range. He’s the beta-Andy Serkis.

“The Boogie Man” – Season Three, Episode Five

In this episode, Sam leaps into the body of a horror novelist surrounded by death and mystery. Al and Ziggy are unable to find any information to help Sam. leaving him to solve the mystery himself. In the end, it turns out he was trapped in the novelists dream. However, when he awakes he helps an aspiring writer named Stevie who turns out to be a young Steven King.