#570844
"Stand Up"
Original Air Date: May 13, 1992
Written by: Deborah Pratt
Directed by: Michael Zinberg
Leap Date: April 30, 1959
This time: Sam leaps into one half of a stand-up act. Not knowing the routine, he is the ultimate straight man. As Davey Parker, he can do little to help Mack MacKay. Thankfully, a waitress, Frankie Washarskie comes on the stage and saves the act. There is a heckler in the crowd and MacKay comes close to fisticuffs over it.
Backstage, MacKay is pissed and Washarskie explains that she saved their act. The two are perfect for and have a history with each other. The manager is furious that it almost came to blows and btu ends up firing the lot of them. MacKay socks the manager, but they are soon hired to play in two weeks in Vegas by Carlo DeGorio, with Washarskie being part of the act. Per Al, MacKay disappears shortly after their debut.
On the ride, Al reveals that Sam has to talk MacKay into making the act a trio. Sam tries to get a bit going but MacKay and Washarskie can do little more than argue.
In Vegas, DeCarlo is all over Washarskie but Sam tries to settle things. Per Al, Mackay frequently changes his act when he gets close to success. Sam has a heart to heart with MacKay who agrees to give it a shot. The three work their act through a montage and MacKay tries to be flirty to middling success. More importantly, he apologizes for being a jerk. The two kiss, but Sam does not leap. Soon, DeCarlo comes with a lovely dress for her to wear. MacKay socks DeGorio and leaves the act thinking Washarskie and DeCarlo are an item. Per Al, DeGorio makes MacKay go away.
Washarskie and Sam have a heart to heart with MacKay and the three become an act. The three are a hit but after the show, a couple of goons grab MacKay. Mayhem ensues in the kitchen culminating in Sam getting a pie in his face. The chief goon fires a gun in the air and gives Sam an ultimatum. Sam tells DeGorio that MacKay is engaged to Washarskie. DeGorio respects their relationship. Sam leaps …
… onto a beach. A woman’s clothing is nearby along with a woman in her birthday suit.
Fact check: Washarskie thinks she needs to change her name to Lane, and then Turner and finally Fields. A lot of pop culture figures from the fifties did similar things, a practice that is still around but becoming less frequent. Also, Sam uses the word ‘nerd’, but MacKay does not understand it. That term was in the vernacular in the fifties.
Stop talking to yourself: After we are adequately introduced to the situation with comedic beats, Sam delivers a dramatic soliloquy about the situation.
Only Sam can see and hear: The opening moments of getting fired and hired are fast paced even for Al.
Mirror images that were not his own: After more or less bombing on stage and hearing MacKay yell about it, Sam sees Davey Parker in an offstage mirror, located in the stairwell for some reason.
Brush with history: Famed director/producer Darryl Zanuck is in the audience to discover Davey Parker.
It’s a science project: A portion of the art of telling a joke is in the timing. Not only does Sam not have the material, his timing is … off.
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow: To get new material, Ziggy has been loaded with classic comedic acts; Abbott and Costello, the three stooges, etc..
Let’s up the rating: You cannot have Bob Saget in an episode without some risqué material.
One more time: “What was your excuse for being a smuck?”
Mackay not knowing that Sam drew a blank on stage due to leaping.
The Rainbow Treknection: Not an actress who appeared on Star Trek, but Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez’s Desilou got Star Trek on the small screen. One could argue they got the ball rolling.
Trivial Matters: In the episode ending preview last week, after Sam said his catchphrase, we got a rimshot. It was sadly missed in the full episode. We are also treated to the Sad Trombone.
Several classic comediennes get name checked and MacKay mentioned their male partners, though he misses the mark with Desi Arnez being more famous than Lucille Ball.
In a show that regularly has to go out of the way to give Sam and Al time to talk alone, Mackay and Washarskie sleep in the car ride to Vegas.
Put right what once went wrong: “Davey’s got a new routine and he forgot to tell me about it.” Years ago, Studio Sixty on the Sunset Strip was workplace drama set in a Saturday Night Live style show. A common criticism was that the comedy was not funny, and a lot of the actors were not known for their comedic performance.
Quantum Leap got that right decades earlier. Bob Saget of Full House fame and Amy Yasbek of Wings fame are perfect for the comedic bits. The two hit the funny parts perfectly especially Saget being an odd cousin. The montages go by quickly but are perfect for the two.
Dramatic beats can be different for actors known for their comedy. Thankfully, Saget and Yasbek are up for the challenge. One of MacKay’s hardest challenges is admitting his feelings. Saget has some genuinely moments where he is emotionally vulnerable. And Saget plays it well. Not to be outdone Yasbek tones it down when she expresses interest in MacKay. The two have great chemistry with the comedy and the drama and are great to watch.
Things fall flat when Saget goes all ragey. It is not believable and he is too quick to get into the thick of things. There is a scene at a diner where he engages with a trucker and things quickly turn sideways but MacKay cannot read the room.
All the trappings of a comedy are here. Double entendres, a pie in the face, a rimshot. Credit to Bill Richmond and Deborah Pratt for giving us an episode that has everything you would expect from a classic comedy while remembering the human element. Pratt made a name for herself in the social justice episodes, but comedy might be in her wheelhouse as well.
Director Michael Zinberg lets the actors perform and there are quite a few bits where presumably he let the actors ad lib. The sound effects got in on the gag too. For a show not known for its comedy, this hits the mark.
Original Air Date: May 13, 1992
Written by: Deborah Pratt
Directed by: Michael Zinberg
Leap Date: April 30, 1959
This time: Sam leaps into one half of a stand-up act. Not knowing the routine, he is the ultimate straight man. As Davey Parker, he can do little to help Mack MacKay. Thankfully, a waitress, Frankie Washarskie comes on the stage and saves the act. There is a heckler in the crowd and MacKay comes close to fisticuffs over it.
Backstage, MacKay is pissed and Washarskie explains that she saved their act. The two are perfect for and have a history with each other. The manager is furious that it almost came to blows and btu ends up firing the lot of them. MacKay socks the manager, but they are soon hired to play in two weeks in Vegas by Carlo DeGorio, with Washarskie being part of the act. Per Al, MacKay disappears shortly after their debut.
On the ride, Al reveals that Sam has to talk MacKay into making the act a trio. Sam tries to get a bit going but MacKay and Washarskie can do little more than argue.
In Vegas, DeCarlo is all over Washarskie but Sam tries to settle things. Per Al, Mackay frequently changes his act when he gets close to success. Sam has a heart to heart with MacKay who agrees to give it a shot. The three work their act through a montage and MacKay tries to be flirty to middling success. More importantly, he apologizes for being a jerk. The two kiss, but Sam does not leap. Soon, DeCarlo comes with a lovely dress for her to wear. MacKay socks DeGorio and leaves the act thinking Washarskie and DeCarlo are an item. Per Al, DeGorio makes MacKay go away.
Washarskie and Sam have a heart to heart with MacKay and the three become an act. The three are a hit but after the show, a couple of goons grab MacKay. Mayhem ensues in the kitchen culminating in Sam getting a pie in his face. The chief goon fires a gun in the air and gives Sam an ultimatum. Sam tells DeGorio that MacKay is engaged to Washarskie. DeGorio respects their relationship. Sam leaps …
… onto a beach. A woman’s clothing is nearby along with a woman in her birthday suit.
Fact check: Washarskie thinks she needs to change her name to Lane, and then Turner and finally Fields. A lot of pop culture figures from the fifties did similar things, a practice that is still around but becoming less frequent. Also, Sam uses the word ‘nerd’, but MacKay does not understand it. That term was in the vernacular in the fifties.
Stop talking to yourself: After we are adequately introduced to the situation with comedic beats, Sam delivers a dramatic soliloquy about the situation.
Only Sam can see and hear: The opening moments of getting fired and hired are fast paced even for Al.
Mirror images that were not his own: After more or less bombing on stage and hearing MacKay yell about it, Sam sees Davey Parker in an offstage mirror, located in the stairwell for some reason.
Brush with history: Famed director/producer Darryl Zanuck is in the audience to discover Davey Parker.
It’s a science project: A portion of the art of telling a joke is in the timing. Not only does Sam not have the material, his timing is … off.
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow: To get new material, Ziggy has been loaded with classic comedic acts; Abbott and Costello, the three stooges, etc..
Let’s up the rating: You cannot have Bob Saget in an episode without some risqué material.
One more time: “What was your excuse for being a smuck?”
Mackay not knowing that Sam drew a blank on stage due to leaping.
The Rainbow Treknection: Not an actress who appeared on Star Trek, but Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez’s Desilou got Star Trek on the small screen. One could argue they got the ball rolling.
Trivial Matters: In the episode ending preview last week, after Sam said his catchphrase, we got a rimshot. It was sadly missed in the full episode. We are also treated to the Sad Trombone.
Several classic comediennes get name checked and MacKay mentioned their male partners, though he misses the mark with Desi Arnez being more famous than Lucille Ball.
In a show that regularly has to go out of the way to give Sam and Al time to talk alone, Mackay and Washarskie sleep in the car ride to Vegas.
Put right what once went wrong: “Davey’s got a new routine and he forgot to tell me about it.” Years ago, Studio Sixty on the Sunset Strip was workplace drama set in a Saturday Night Live style show. A common criticism was that the comedy was not funny, and a lot of the actors were not known for their comedic performance.
Quantum Leap got that right decades earlier. Bob Saget of Full House fame and Amy Yasbek of Wings fame are perfect for the comedic bits. The two hit the funny parts perfectly especially Saget being an odd cousin. The montages go by quickly but are perfect for the two.
Dramatic beats can be different for actors known for their comedy. Thankfully, Saget and Yasbek are up for the challenge. One of MacKay’s hardest challenges is admitting his feelings. Saget has some genuinely moments where he is emotionally vulnerable. And Saget plays it well. Not to be outdone Yasbek tones it down when she expresses interest in MacKay. The two have great chemistry with the comedy and the drama and are great to watch.
Things fall flat when Saget goes all ragey. It is not believable and he is too quick to get into the thick of things. There is a scene at a diner where he engages with a trucker and things quickly turn sideways but MacKay cannot read the room.
All the trappings of a comedy are here. Double entendres, a pie in the face, a rimshot. Credit to Bill Richmond and Deborah Pratt for giving us an episode that has everything you would expect from a classic comedy while remembering the human element. Pratt made a name for herself in the social justice episodes, but comedy might be in her wheelhouse as well.
Director Michael Zinberg lets the actors perform and there are quite a few bits where presumably he let the actors ad lib. The sound effects got in on the gag too. For a show not known for its comedy, this hits the mark.
New places for old(er) keywords: Continuing Mission
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Cardassians and Federation posturing it out: Showdown: Four Lights