Quantum Leap Season 1 Episode 17 Review: The Friendly Skies
Quantum Leap Season 1 Episode 17, “The Friendly Skies,” finds Ben attempting to outwit hijackers on a 1970s passenger jet without Ziggy’s help. It’s the season’s penultimate outing, and it doesn’t let its foot off the gas, delivering a heaping dose of narrative twists and turns for an action-packed hour of escapism.
“The Friendly Skies” deals with the fallout from Magic and Janis’s conversation regarding Ziggy. We know Martinez uses Ziggy in the future for his leaps and can access present-day Ziggy, thereby keeping tabs on when and where Ben goes. Of course, the decision to take Ziggy offline rankles Ian, who poured their soul into bringing the super hybrid computer back online.
ADDISON: I have learned that you don’t win much when betting against Ben Song.
While it’s mostly heavy on the action and propelling the plot, “The Friendly Skies” presents vital character development for Ben. Ben struggles in the aftermath of Martinez’s betrayal, wondering if he can trust anyone again.
Raymond Lee taps into that vulnerability, approaching it from a subtle standpoint. He’s never one to overact, and that applies here. His natural onscreen presence works well for finer character beats.
It’s an essential lesson for Ben, especially as he hurtles toward his final leap. Ben also lost faith in himself after the Martinez incident, and the episode delicately and gracefully handles Ben’s self-doubt, as does Lee.
BEN: At some point, you have to get back off the mat and learn to trust other people again — learn to trust yourself. … If you trust yourself, you can do anything.
Additionally, we get a few fun interactions between Ian and Jenn as the latter helps the former cope with Ziggy’s offline status. Ian also suffers from a lack of self-confidence, wondering if they’re fit to help the team without the aid of a supercomputer.
Mason Alexander Park perfectly plays the nuances of Ian’s despair while doling out the episode’s most notable comedic moments. Park’s comedic timing is understated and effective, eliciting the biggest chuckles from this reviewer.
Of course, we can’t go without mentioning Ben and Ian’s long-awaited reunion. “Episode 2 Ben” would’ve struggled to recall Ian, but “Episode 17 Ben” is aware of his coworker now. It’s fun to watch their dynamic blossom in such a short period. Park and Lee boast excellent chemistry.
IAN: I know you’ve been out there, like, saving the world and everything, but you really screwed our trivia team.
Their scene on the plane cleverly adds more depth to the final beat of “The Friendly Skies” when Ben leaps into the future. Mind you, this is the first time he’s leaped into the future, and he winds up in a Los Angeles that’s succumbed to a nuclear winter. Ben finds an older Ian camping out in the ruins of Team Quantum Leap’s decimated headquarters.
“The Friendly Skies” presents the show’s biggest cliffhanger yet, planting the seeds for what’s sure to be a breathtaking thrill ride of a season finale. It’s not the strongest episode from a narrative and structural standpoint, but it’s entertaining, experiments with character dynamics, and adds a delightful touch of humor.
There’s a sense of freedom and lightheartedness to this episode that’s missing from earlier episodes. This iteration of Quantum Leap seems to know what it is now and confidently moves forward with that knowledge. It’s gratifying to watch.
Stray Observations:
- I love that losing trivia night was the most crucial thing to Ian when they met Ben on the plane. They’ve got their priorities in order.
- Ben pulls off that red dress. He’s got legs for days, as the kids say.
- It would be incredibly difficult to hold your tongue around that captain as a woman. He’s a textbook “good ole boy” misogynist.
- In case you haven’t noticed, our Quantum Leap team likes to place a lot of bets. I’m sure the amount of money they’ve given each other for said bets would have too many zeroes to count.
- I want to ride a plane with a bar on the second level! When I fly, I consider it a luxury if I get extra legroom and an outlet to charge my phone.
What did you think of this episode of Quantum Leap? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Quantum Leap airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC, with next-day streaming on Peacock.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.