Author Archives: James Pyles

Review of Original Quantum Leap S5E5 “Killin’ Time”

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Scene from the original Quantum Leap episode “Killin’ Time” featuring Scott Bakula as Sam Beckett.

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Based on what I said in my review of the original Quantum Leap show Blind Faith, I decided to continue to sample other episodes.

I just finished watching S5E5 Killin’ Time. The title is appropriate because Sam (Scott Bakula) leaps into an escaped murderer named Leon Stiles (Cameron Dye) in 1958 Oklahoma. Stiles has taken Carol Pruitt (Connie Ray) and her young daughter Becky (Beverley Mitchell) hostage in their home. The house is surrounded by law enforcement officers.

They are led by Sheriff John Hoyt (Jim Haynie) who is determined to kill Stiles in revenge for Stiles murdering the Sheriff’s daughter.

This is far from a “normal” leap.

In the project’s waiting room Stiles has leapt into, he has attacked a Marine guard, knocked him unconscious and taken his sidearm (this was in a deleted scene which originally made the audience wonder where the gun came from). He threatens to kill Al (Dean Stockwell) unless Al lets him out. Besides letting an armed killer from forty years in the past out of a confined area, the other problem is if Stiles leaves the waiting room, Sam can’t leap.

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Kenneth Darlington, Race Riots, and the Justification for Violence

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Kenneth Darlington . PHOTO: BIENVENIDO VELASCO/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK

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By now, you’ve probably heard the news from Panama of the 77-year-old man who shot and killed two environmental activists apparently in cold blood. For perspective, I’m providing two other news sources, The Independent and People Magazine. I’m sure you can “Google” more.

The short synopsis from People says:

Kenneth Darlington, 77, is accused of approaching the group, who were blocking a highway in Chame, a district west of Panama City, before firing his gun on Tuesday afternoon, according to a report from Newsroom Panama. One protestor died at the scene, while the other died in the hospital, the outlet reported.

The question of whether or not Mr. Darlington’s actions were justified would seem fairly obvious, but it’s complicated.

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Review of Quantum Leap S2E5: “One Night in Koreatown”

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QUANTUM LEAP — “One Night in Koreatown” Episode 205 — Pictured: (l-r) Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song, Ernie Hudson as Magic — (Photo by: Casey Durkin/NBC)

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My review of the modern incarnation of Quantum Leap S2E5 episode One Night in Koreatown.

I don’t think I can keep this one short because there’s too much packed in the episode, plus it connects to me personally. I didn’t think it would except for the fact that I lived in Orange County, CA (right next door to L.A.) in 1992 during the Rodney King riots, and I was working for Child Protective Services. But that’s not the part of my history that came up watching the show.

Ben (Raymond Lee) leaps into 18 year old Daniel Park, one of two sons of Jin Park (C.S. Lee) who are running a “Mom and Pop” shoe store in L.A.’s Koreatown. It’s April 29, 1992 and Ben is helping customer Luisa Rojas (Analisa Velez) try on some shoes.

A black kid named Dwain (Benjamin Flores Jr.) comes in saying Ben’s older brother Sonny (Danny Kang) was going to hook him up with some shoes. Rojas has to get to work at the hospital (she’s a nurse) but will be back before closing to pick up her shoes.

Ben follows Sonny in the back to get Dwain’s shoes except the shoe box is filled with cash. Yeah, it’s a WTF moment. Going out front, Sonny hands Dwain the “shoes” while Jin is ranting on about Dwain being a thief and he’s going to call the cops the next time the kid shows up.

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Review of Original Quantum Leap S2E5: “Blind Faith”

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Scene from original Quantum Leap episode “Blind Faith” featuring Scott Bakula as Sam Beckett.

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I was inspired by part one of this Youtube review of original Quantum Leap’s pilot Genesis hosted by Price of Reason  to revisit the show.

As some of you know, I have been working my way through the “update” or “remake” or “continuation” or whatever you want to call it of Quantum Leap starring Raymond Lee, Caitlin Bassett, and Ernie (Ghostbusters) Hudson. However, I have only rarely reviewed anything from the Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell original from the 1990s.

I’m here to change that.

For your consideration, my review of the original QL S2E5 episode Blind Faith.

Sam Beckett (Bakula) leaps into a blind concert pianist Andrew Ross. It’s February 6, 1964 and Ross has just finished a performance at Carnegie Hall. His “unpaid assistant” and love interest Michelle Stevens (Cynthia Bain) is just off stage watching him with adoration.

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We Won!

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PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart

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“The light! We won! The Violet Party won!”

The ballots had been counted throughout the night while the faithful of both parties waited patiently. Then in the pre-dawn chill, the verdict was pronounced. The Violet Party, fighting for Democracy, safety, knowledge, and love had won.

The filthy “yellows” crawled off tails-between-legs. The righteous “violets” cheered wildly in the streets.

Violet One made her expected victory announcement from the high window. “We are victorious. You may be at ease. Go to your jobs secure that we, your servants, shall make all of the difficult decisions. Your only duty is to obey.”

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“Pocket SciFi: Drabble Contest One” is Now Available!

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Cover art for the anthology “Pocket SciFi: Drabble Contest One”

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“Pocket SciFi: Drabble Contest One” is now available from Amazon both in Kindle and paperback formats. This is a unique publication from Starry Eyed Press in that it came to life as a drabble contest.

A drabble is a complete story that is told in exactly 100 words. You might think that writing such a story would be difficult, but with a bit of practice, it can be done.

For instance, every week, I participate in a fiction writing challenge at Rochelle Wisoff-Fields Addicted to Purple. She sends out emails every Wednesday for her “Friday Fictioneers” challenge, asking anyone who wants to participate to craft a poem or short story no more than 100 words long (also see this blog as mine are available here weekly).

It can be less, but I like to make it into a drabble challenge.

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Review of Quantum Leap S2E4 “The Lonely Hearts Club”

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Raymond Lee (L) and Tim Matheson (R) in the Quantum Leap episode “The Lonely Hearts Club”

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Every day when you wake up, there is an adventure to be had. Some are fun, some are scary, some are flat-out stupid. No matter how you slice it, life is meant to be lived. -Neal Russell (Tim Matheson)

That was one of the better things that came out of Quantum Leap Season 2, episode 4 The Lonely Hearts Club.

Yes, it’s as schmaltzy as it sounds and I almost didn’t watch it. In fact, I really had a tough time working up the motivation to watch the episode. What finally pulled me though was the main guest star being Tim Matheson.

I was ten years old during the original run of Jonny Quest. Tim voiced the title character (I own the series on DVD). Also, who isn’t thrilled watching the 1978 film National Lampoon’s Animal House, in which Tim plays “Otter?”

So yes, just to see Tim, I watched it.

Usually, I go into way too much detail so I’ll try to curb that.

Oh, in case you haven’t watched it yet…spoilers.

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Among the Living

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PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

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Halloween, the Day of the Dead all blurred together for Eddie. It stretched from last Tuesday to early Monday morning. The deal he made was better than he expected. Sure, he died. Cancer was a relentless enemy and the reaper was always at his shoulder. But every year for a week he returned to life, free of haunting the house with the green door.

He didn’t realize how depressing life would become. Eddie died on V-J day, September 2, 1945. Right before he passed, they told him we’d won. They didn’t say how much they’d lose almost eighty years later.

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Review of “John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum” (2019)

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Poster for the 2019 film “John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum”

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As I mentioned in yesterday’s review of John Wick: Chapter 2, today I’m reviewing John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum (2019).

It picks right up where Chapter 2 left off with John and his no name dog on the run. At first, as the one hour grace period granted him by Winston (Ian McShane) is being counted down by the announcer at “the office,” John seems to be running aimlessly. Of course it’s raining again, because rain makes everything seem more tragic and desperate.

All of the assassins in New York (I swear, half the city is made up of assassins) are eyeing him, waiting for the hour to expire. He finally gets an idea and hops into a cab, telling the driver to go to the New York Public Library (I’m assuming the main branch based on the interiors). However traffic is a nightmare (it is Manhattan). He gives the driver his last special gold coin (so the driver is part of the criminal underworld, too?) and tells him to take the dog to the Continental, making sure the dog gets to Charon personally (he does this, so “dog” is handled).

Next, John runs into the library and requests a specific book on Russian fairy tales. Finding it, he unseals a hollowed out opening to find an ornate rosary, several more coins, a marker, and a photo of him and his wife (Bridget Moynahan). There, even though his time isn’t up, he’s attacked by a very large man named Ernest (Boban Marjanovic) who says no one will know he was early.

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Review of “John Wick: Chapter 2” (2017)

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Poster for the 2017 film “John Wick: Chapter 2”

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It’s been about two years since I watched and reviewed the first “John Wick” (2014) film. I hadn’t realized it had been that long until I looked it up.

Yesterday, I was at the public library and saw Blu-rays for John Wick Chapter 2 and John Wick Chapter 3. Naturally, I checked them out and watched Chapter 2 last night.

I decided not to read my review of the first film, letting this one stand on its own. The action begins pretty much where the original left off.

Having secured another dog in the first movie, John (Keanu Reeves) is out to retrieve his beloved 1969 Ford Mustang. The dog and the car are special reminders of his deceased wife Helen (Bridget Moynahan). The Russian mobster Abram Tarasov (Peter Stormare) sits at his desk as he hears John invading his lair. His plan to pack up his operation and get away wasn’t in time.

John does manage to wreak havoc on Tarasov’s operation, but in the process, the Mustang is trashed, barely drivable. Managing to get back home, he retrieves his dog (which doesn’t have a name throughout the film) and the mechanic Aurelio (John Leguizamo) is doubtful of his ability to repair the severely damaged car any time soon.

Wick settles down to life with his dog, still mourning Helen. However he has a visitor.

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