"Quantum Leap" Camikazi Kid - June 6, 1961 (TV Episode 1989) Poster

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9/10
Cute and Effective
ratssaidskinner26 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
A sweet story unfolds here with Bakula playing the part of Cam who must find a way to convince his sister not to marry a guy who is an abusive alcoholic. There's another story line about a girl who has a crush on Cam but is bashful as she is beautiful. She hasn't even been kissed by a boy yet! It comes down to a drag race for pink slips so Cam can show what a loser her fiancé is both literally and figuratively. Thanks to a bit of cheating using nitrous oxide to increase Cam's car's acceleration, Cam wins the race and saves his sister after she sees how violent he became after losing the race.

Combine those with some drag-racing and you have yourself a pleasant, effective episode that will put a smile on your face.
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7/10
Camikazi Kid - June 6, 1961
Prismark1017 September 2020
There is a touch of Grease Lightning as Sam leaps into the body of nerdy teen Cam Wilson.

He is a geek who gets bullied by jocks, the chief one is Bob who his engaged to marry Cam's sister Cheryl.

Cheryl is an idealist who wants to work for the Peace Corp abroad.

Al tells Sam that Bob is a violent alcoholic who will have an abusive marriage with Cheryl. Sam needs to stop Cheryl getting married somehow.

There is a touch of the flipside of Happy Days in this episode. There is rock n roll music, a diner and racing cars. The frothiness hides a dark heart. The issue of unhappy marriages as women are denied their dreams.

Bob wants to control Cheryl. You can sense that even Bob's mother is unhappily married.

There is a moment of fun as Sam meets what looks like a very young Michael Jackson. Although the double doing the moonwalk is a kid with very large feet for his age.
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8/10
Grease Lighting
hellraiser718 January 2017
This is another solid episode, it's not my favorite one but I can watch it. I really like how the episode captured the late 50's era with it's subculture of fast cars as well as the drive ins. I'll admit just looking at the drive in really made me miss those places now that they've gone extinct like the movie drive ins.

There are some humorous moments like seeing Sam meeting a kid Michael Jackson and both have a bit of a dance off, you could say gave reason to Michael's famous moonwalk. And even seeing both Jill and him installing the Nitrous Oxide and laughing infectiously.

However this is mainly serious drama about preventing a good woman making a huge mistake. I really like that there is a bit of a personal touch to this mission when we hear Sam's younger sister married out of desperation to get out of the farm. But he turned out to be an abusive scum sucker that physically abused her may'be even killed her, even though Sam doesn't directly say it from the content of the story it's possible. Hearing that and what's happening now is all the more reason you want Sam to win.

I really like the back and forth between both Sam and Cheryl. Cheryl we see is a really bright woman whom has big ambitions which are to help and make a difference in the world. I feel that's a genuine ambition because it's a selfless cause, which is something we need more of. Sam like any good person is supporting her ambition and of course trying to talk some sense into her following though and walking away from a great mistake she's about to make.

We see the guy she about to marry whom is of course a scumbag. This guy is not just abusive but lets just say celebrates a little too much despite the fact the party's already over. From his mannerism you know that Cheryl can do better. I even like a little moment when we see Cheryl in some really ugly looking wedding dress and Cheryl looks uncomfortable in it, in a way I can't help but feel that's a bad sign telling her she's with the wrong guy.

There is even a little depth on the scumbag when in the reception scene we see his father whom is just as scummy and shows the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree. You can tell this guy has had more than he can handle. From when he is making a speech he looks like he can barely maintain his balance and his words are slurring a bit. We even hear a little backstory on him and how he took his wife away from her dream. I'll admit that really boiled the blood because that's not right, preventing anyone from achieving their dreams and trying to control anyone isn't love. Hearing that also let you know what Cheryl's being in store for if Sam doesn't succeed and worst of all if Cheryl doesn't do the right thing for herself. It then comes down to a drag race which I thought was decent. And lets just say in the end it shows why Sam is the man.

If the episode has a messages it's this. If you have a dream then go for it, don't let anyone or anything take it away from you. But also don't settle for less, yeah true love is hard to find but committing to just anyone and not sharing the same strong feelings, or that person has disrespected you in anyway isn't love.

This episode like a working car is up to speed.

Rating: 3 stars
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9/10
Blooper
dragon-518691 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
On problem with the episode if it was suppose to be 1961 Michael Jackson would have only been 3 years old and Rockin' Robin didn't come out until 1971. They were playing it when Michael was dancing in the bathroom in a scene with Sam.
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7/10
Intensely likeable, with a serious heart
Leofwine_draca21 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This one's another amusing and likeable episode in which a warm-hearted Sam jumps into the body of a geeky young drag racer. It's a GREASE-inspired back drop with a serious heart; our hero has to persuade his sister to dump the wife-beating boyfriend. A fun aside sees Sam teaching a youthful Michael Jackson to moonwalk.
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