Quantum Leap Season 2 Episode 8 Review: Nomad
Quantum Leap Season 2 Episode 8, “Nomad,” finds Ben in Egypt, where he’s caught in a dangerous game of international espionage while running into a familiar face. It’s an improvement from last week’s fare, with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger that feels like a long time in the making.
Nomad
“Nomad,” at least the title, feels like the perfect descriptor for Ben. He never stays in one spot for long. An intriguing aspect of this episode is that he doesn’t leap immediately after saving Layla. Ben gets enough time to say a proper goodbye to Hannah and, even though he doesn’t explicitly state it, show his love for her. There may be something to Addison’s theory.
The consistently charismatic and compelling Eliza Taylor returns as Hannah, and with her appearance comes the electrifying chemistry she shares with Raymond Lee. This reviewer has seen the light that is Ben/Hannah and isn’t sure she can return to the inevitable Ben/Addison we’ll see down the line.
However, it appears Quantum Leap is at least pushing Addison and Tom together for now. Admittedly, Caitlin Bassett and Peter Gadiot boast better chemistry on the romantic front. While we haven’t seen much of their relationship and its inner workings, their bond feels more natural and believable. Whether we’ll see an official proposal in the next episode remains to be seen.
Trapped in Time
“Nomad” maintains a steady clip with a fun spy-themed leap. The writers switch things up by making Ben believe he didn’t save the target, which poses interesting questions for our lead leaper. This isn’t the first time we’ve teetered on the edge of Ben potentially remaining trapped in a specific timeline because he almost failed to fulfill a leap (well, more like he saved the day right before the buzzer).
However, this is the first time Ben and the Project Quantum Leap team sincerely believed he would be stuck, unable to move forward or backward in time. Though Ben protects Layla in the end, the moments in between allow him to examine his relationship with Hannah and dissect his feelings for her.
“Nomad” brings Hannah and Addison together (albeit with Ben as a conduit). While the situation is initially strange for Addison, she quickly converts to Team Hannah. Quantum Leap somewhat subverts the “jealous ex” trope for both Ben and Addison. Ben admits he likes Tom, while Addison seems to find Hannah pleasant. It’s a nice breath of fresh air. In a way, it feels like Addison is moving forward healthily.
Bringing Ben Home
The outing skillfully navigates these complex dynamics and balances the leaper action and main character arcs well. One doesn’t overpower the other.
Overall, “Nomad” is propelled by Raymond Lee and Eliza Taylor’s easygoing onscreen rapport. It deepens Ben and Hannah’s relationship while presenting a potentially viable (if overly sentimental) theory for why they continue to attract one another. Plus, the possibility of Ben coming home completely changes the game. It certainly ramps up excitement regarding what’s on the horizon.
Stray Observations:
- Addison’s extensive spice rack reminds me of those carousels for K-cups. I have to give props to her collection.
- Lou Diamond Phillips is always fun to watch onscreen.
- This series woefully underutilizes Ernie Hudson. While the Magic-centric outing from a few episodes back gave us tremendous insight into Magic’s life, since then, he’s been relegated to only popping up onscreen to deliver advice. Hudson has so much more to offer as an actor. “One Night in Koreatown” is evidence of that.
- Hannah’s baby beehive bump is the epitome of adorable.
- Could Addison’s belief that Ben and Hannah keep running into each other because they’re in love be a callback to the pilot? If you recall, Ben explains quantum entanglement to Jenn after stating that “science is romance.”
- We’ve got official confirmation that Hannah isn’t another leaper. She’s just bound to Ben by love. The part of me that poo-poos romance wants to brush this off as too saccharine; however, the side of me that adores romance is swooning.
- How will Hannah react when she learns Addison is Ben’s ex-fiancée?
What did you think of this episode of Quantum Leap? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Quantum Leap Season 1 and the first half of Season 2 are now 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.
One thought on “Quantum Leap Season 2 Episode 8 Review: Nomad”
Did anyone notice the Lou Diamond Phillips/ Richie Valens Easter egg?
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