Quantum Leap s03e07 Episode Script

Black on White on Fire - August 11, 1965

Theorising that one could time-travel within his own lifetime, Dr Sam Beckett stepped into the quantum leap accelerator and vanished! He awoke to find himself trapped in the past.
Facing mirror images that were not his own and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better.
His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time who appears in the form of a hologram that only Sam can see and hear.
And so Dr Beckett finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap .
.
will be the leap home.
No fair thinking about anything but us.
You promised.
I Yeah, I guess I did.
We get so little time together.
I won't have you off thinking about anything but me.
OK.
Medical school.
I won't be jealous of medical school.
What are you doing here? Take him any way you want, Papa D.
No! Ray, no! No! Make it stop! No! Lonnie, make it stop! You make it stop.
They won't listen to me.
I wonder why (!) Lonnie, please! Now it's 'Lonnie, please.
' Well, what about when Lonnie said please stay away from his brother? I can't stay away from him.
I love him.
Until she gets bored.
Or until it ain't hip no more.
Then what happens to Ray? Isn't that my business? Not as long as I'm busting my ass to put you through med school, it ain't! You got your nose so wide open you forgot what colour you are? What does colour have to do with it? Say what? I think you choked him too long, Papa D.
Or not long enough.
Colour shouldn't have anything to do with relationships.
No-one should know that better than us.
You been sucking up to this white trash so long, you starting to sound like her.
He sounds like your future.
Not MY future.
She's talking about mine.
Doing what? Dumping Mr Charlie's bedpans? Yeah, man.
Your MD ain't gonna stand for more than 'moving doo-doo' (!) Ray's good.
He'll be able to practice anywhere in this country.
He's already breaking barriers.
Do you think that's why Mom and I busted our asses all these years? To break honky barriers? Ray's staying here.
Taking care of his own people.
It makes sense.
What about Boston? Boston? You're gonna walk away from an internship at Brigham? Uh You never said nothing about Boston.
Uh, I must've forgot to tell you.
No.
What you forgot is who you are! And we both know why! You're my brother, man, and I love you.
But she goes, Ray.
She goes! And you stay! This is Melvin the Magnificent.
And I know this heat's got all y'all hurting' so bad.
Have mercy on LA.
It's another hot one.
Weatherman says it's over 100 and it's gonna stay that way.
So I think, if we've gotta be sweating all night, let it be in the arms of the one you love.
That's L-U-V.
Right now, it's 8:25 and the last little bit of summer sunshine is about to fall into the sea.
And I, Melvin the Magnificent, wanna have a word with all you fine people out there in partyland.
Now, get yourself up close to the radio, cos I'm about to give you your party instructions for the night.
The first thing you wanna do is turn the lights to red, green and blue.
Then, when the moon is bright and the moon is low, take your rhythm down to a time that's real slow.
(RADIO OFF) Susan Ray.
No-one has the right to tell you what to do with your life.
Not Lonnie, not your mom and not me.
I just wanna be part of your future.
And it's not in Watts.
Lonnie reminds me of that every time I look in his eyes.
I love you.
And I won't spend my life without you.
Susan! You told me this was over.
We were studying and - I asked you to stay away from my daughter.
Now I'm telling you.
I think - I don't give a damn what you think.
You just stay away from Susan.
Stop it, Daddy! Not under my roof.
Then I'll move in with Ray! No, wait a minute.
Don't you think we should talk about this? You don't want me to move in? No, I didn't say that.
He doesn't want you in Watts any more than I do.
I didn't say that either! You stay away from him and you stay outta that damn ghetto! I work there! Susan.
Coloureds are beating whites in Watts right now.
You think they won't turn on you because you volunteered for a couple of months? No! Because it's the 20th century! Because this is Los Angeles, California.
Not Redneck, Mississippi 100 years ago! Negroes and whites are getting married all the time.
It doesn't matter any more.
It does to me.
Now get in the house.
Come on, Susan We'll work this out.
The hell you will.
Go in the house, Susan.
Please.
Daddy.
The only difference between you and Lonnie is the colour of your skin! When you first started coming around here .
.
I tried to deal with you as an individual.
But then I realised I have to deal with you for what you are.
A coloured man who's going to hurt my daughter.
I'd never hurt Susan.
But they will.
They? Your brothers as that fanatic Malcolm X calls them.
They will hurt her.
And there won't be a thing you'll be able to do to stop it.
THE MIRACLES: Tracks Of My Tears How's it going, kid? I'm black again, Al.
I can tell (!) I'm a black man engaged to a white girl.
And nobody wants us together.
Not her father or my brother or any of his so-called friends.
It's 1965, Sam.
California may be as far to the left as you can go without leaving the country, but there's still a lot of ignorance and bigotry.
What am I here to do? We don't know.
Ziggy's running some scenarios on the riot.
But he hasn't figured out a way to plug you in yet.
Riot? Don't you know where you are? Yeah.
Watts.
It's August 11th 1965.
One of the worst riots this country's ever seen is about to go down right here.
I don't remember.
A black man named Marquette Frye gets arrested in Compton.
That lit the fuse.
When it was over, hundreds of people were injured and the main drag became known as Charcoal Alley.
Made me sick when it happened.
Pushed the Civil Rights Amendment and the Voting Rights Bill through and then it all goes up in smoke.
Maybe I'm here to stop the riots.
You can't! Marquette got arrested hours ago.
It's already started.
It's too late.
I can warn people.
I can warn 'em.
Who will listen to a medical student? Maybe my brother.
Lonnie's a militant! And you're his little brother.
He'll never listen.
Nobody will ever listen to you.
Susan would.
Susan? Have Ziggy run a scenario on me and Susan Brewster.
You mean Ray and Susan.
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
She loves him so much, Al.
When she looks at me, I feel like she wants to just crawl inside and never come out.
There was only one woman that ever looked at me like that.
Bingo.
That's it, Sam.
Ziggy says 87% you're here to keep Ray and Susan together.
He lost Susan because of the riot.
And when he lost her, he lost his dream of becoming a doctor.
That can't be right.
She loves him too much to give him up.
How can you be sure of that? No.
No.
She loves me, Al.
Why do you say 'me'? You mean Ray, Don't you? That's twice you've done that.
Are you starting to fall in love with Susan? No! It's just that even though I just got here, I can see how much she loves Ray.
She wouldn't let anything part them.
The Watts riots were not just anything, Sam.
And we can't stop it? No.
We would've had to come here 50 years ago.
You said it started when Frye was arrested.
It started when the first black couldn't find a job or live where he wanted to.
It started when the first baby went hungry.
Or the first cop hassled some guy, just because he was black.
This match has been burning a long time, Sam.
Oh, right.
It's Dr Moving Doo-Doo (!) You know, I figured out exactly what your problem is.
I don't I don't have a problem.
Oh, yes, you do.
You, my man, have forgotten the fine flavour of sweet brown chocolate melting down to the rhythm of a 45.
Uh-huh.
You need to party, my man.
Party? There's a riot starting.
I know.
It's right over at Sheri Hills'.
Go with him, Sam.
I gotta get some data anyway.
Come on.
Forget Suzy Sunshine for one night.
That's the data I'm gonna be getting.
Don't leave me! Ain't nobody leaving you, young blood.
You know, you need a vacation.
However, I, Papa D, the doctor of love, prescribe one major dose of partying.
Come on.
Let's go see what Sheri's put on.
Get down, y'all.
Sheri? Lord, have mercy on my soul.
Dr Strangelove has come to party (!) (CHUCKLES) Come on, sugar.
I've been waiting for you.
Uh You know um I really shouldn't.
Put your arms around me, like you used to in high school.
And dip.
Um I really should uh, go home andand study.
Good.
I could help you.
Like I used to with your anatomy lessons (!) (LAUGHS) I appreciate the offer, but um .
.
I'm engaged.
You mean to tell me you're gonna honestly marry that sugar cookie? Susan is ais a very nice girl.
And so am I, if you'll let me show you.
I um I really think that you'd like her.
Now, how am I supposed to find that out? Is she gonna invite me over for tea (?) Well, maybe.
Maybe you could invite her.
Yeah.
I'll put that on my social calendar (!) Butuntil then um what if you and I Hey, listen up.
Listen up! Hey, man! Don't be busting up the party.
The party's over! It's my party and it's not over until I say it's over! (SIREN) Shut up! Shut up and listen! What is your problem, man? The streets are swarming with cops, man.
They're arresting brothers for walking down the street.
For what? Does it matter? Does it ever matter? They beat a pregnant woman in the street cos she tried to stop two cops from clubbing a black man.
Lonnie, don't start this.
Start what, man? Are we gonna let a bunch of honky cops stomp us into the ground, man, cos we're fighting back for once? We gotta take back our streets.
You can't go out there.
If the police are beating people, you're just asking for it.
It's the cops that are asking for it.
Use your head.
People are gonna get hurt.
He may be right, man.
You think Mr Charlie's right, Papa D? I didn't say that.
It's not about that.
It's about saving lives.
You been running for Mr Charlie for too long! He's been running us all too long! Telling us when to go home, when to go to work.
When to breathe (!) We gotta take 'em down! Going out there is not the answer.
You hide in this room, Ray.
I can't.
Not when the man is beating our women.
Not when the man is imprisoning my brothers.
I can't hide.
I gotta fight! No! Move out the way, Charlie! (HUBBUB) Lonnie, wait! Come on, Lonnie.
Stop! Lonnie! (SIREN) Go home! Get in your house! Get inside! Sam, there's nothing you can do.
It's not your fault, Sam.
You're not here to stop the riot.
You're here to see that Ray and Susan stay together.
People are dying, Al! Well, Susan may be one of 'em.
What? I don't know.
Ziggy's telling me now that there's a 32% chance that she could die in the next 48 hours.
Is it some history I changed? No, I don't think so.
The odds are still heavy that you're here to keep Ray and Susan together.
Now there's this outside chance that maybe she could die.
Oh, Ray! Thank God! What are you doing here? I saw what was happening on the news and I got so afraid.
I had this feeling something terrible would happen to you.
I tried to talk some sense into her.
But she swore if I didn't bring her down here, she'd come on her own.
She's lucky she made it here alive, Sam.
You've gotta go home.
I can't.
I left a note telling Daddy I'm staying with you.
Negroes aren't the only ones going crazy tonight (!) She quit tonight.
She said, after 11 years, she didn't know who Daddy was.
Susan.
Susan, this is crazy.
I gotta get you home! Daddy was right.
You don't love me, do you? This has nothing to do with love! It does! If you love me as much as I love you, you'll want me with you at a time like this.
So I can worry about you being hurt? Sam, carry on this discussion inside.
Get her off the street before she's seen.
You live there.
Apartment 218.
We gotta go inside! (EXPLOSION) "The mayor will request that the National Guard are called in.
" "Fire-bombings of retail stores and businesses continue in the meantime with no ending in sight.
" Matty had me hide under an old quilt in the back seat.
I almost told her to take me home, but I thought about you.
About us.
And none of it mattered.
It does matter! It's too dangerous for you here.
People know me, Ray.
I've worked all summer at the health centre.
Nobody cares about that now.
This is a riot, Susan.
People don't care about what you've done.
They only see the colour of your skin.
Now, I'm gonna figure out a way for you to get home.
And when I do, I want you to stay there.
Not without you! I gotta stay here! No, you don't, Ray.
You don't belong here.
You're better than this.
We can get a place on campus until after our boards.
And then we go to Boston.
She could be right, Sam.
No! I can't explain.
I gotta stay.
Then so will I.
Until I can talk some sense into you.
WOMAN: Lonnie? Somebody! Lean on me.
Sam, that's Ray's mother.
Your mother! We were coming up on a bus on (INDISTINCT) Easy.
All of a sudden, there was all these people in the middle of the street.
They werescreaming and throwing rocks and bottles at us.
I thought they were gonna turn over that bus.
They grabbed the driver and they started breaking windows.
There was police everywhere! I don't know how I got off that bus.
I don't know how I even got home! Susan! Oh, Lord, child! What you doing here? I wanted to be with Ray.
You gotta get her outta here.
They'll kill her, if they see her! (EXPLOSION) Oh, no, no.
What's that? What in God's name is happening to us? Ray? Ray, honey.
Wake up.
Electricity came on around seven.
I think the coffee's still hot.
What time is it? Eleven.
I tried to wake you, but Where's Susan? I shooed her off to your room.
She's still asleep.
I guess I'd better call her father.
It don't work.
Huh? I saw the repair trucks, but Well, folks pulled the driver out and You know.
Back in Mariposa, it was the white man's hatred.
Now it's the Negroes angry about what's supposed to be.
Seems no matter where we go, we can't get away from the hate.
Maybe it's not the place that makes the difference, but the people.
That's why you being a doctor here is so important.
Show these kids in the street they can be somebody better.
In a way, that's what Lonnie wants.
That boy troubles me.
So much hate, and yet he cares.
He cares, Ray.
Or he wouldn't be working so hard to put you through school.
He's afraid I won't stay here.
Oh, you won't go! I raised you better than that.
You won't go.
God gave you a gift to make these streets better.
You won't go.
Unless she takes you away.
I just want what's best for Ray.
I love Ray, Mamma Harper.
And I don't wanna see him lose his chance to be someone great.
He can be great right here.
No, he can't.
He can do good here, but he can't be great.
Um Sometimes Sometimes doing good is more important.
Ray, do you wanna spend your life in Watts, raise our children in it? Raising your children is gonna be hard, no matter where you do it.
Why? Because wherever you go, they won't fit in - they won't be black and they won't be white.
They'll be human.
Of course they'll be human, child.
I'm talking about race.
Yeah, I know.
But maybe, if we teach our kids to say that they're human, instead of black or white or red or yellow, maybe race won't matter.
(SCOFFS) Not in my lifetime! Ray, what the hell is she doing here? What are you boys doing in my house with guns? She shouldn't be here.
She could get hurt.
Our brothers are dying, and you're worried about this racist? Susan ain't no racist.
What's she doing here, Ray? She came to be with me.
Why? To ease your jaw (?) Bebe! Cut it, Bebe! See what her being here does? It's not her that does it.
What happened? We burnt out Weintraub's Market.
Mr Weintraub's been in this store for over 30 years.
Why you have to burn him out? Cos he's just another cracker stealing money from black folks that ain't giving a damn thing back.
It was wrong! Jimmy Parsons has worked there as long as I can recall.
As a stock boy! Why don't you ask him how he feels now he has no work? You'd think the old Jew would've trusted him after 15 years.
Taught him more than sweeping up.
Maybe he just needed someone to suggest the idea.
This is gonna need stitches.
Then, sew it! Or has all that money that Lonnie's been working for to get you through medical school all these years been for nothing? You don't make it real easy to wanna help you, Bebe.
And gratitude ain't enough.
Do it cos you're a black man, and so is he.
Being black has nothing to do with helping him.
I'm doing it because, if I don't, he's gonna bleed to death.
I've got a sewing kit in my room.
There's needles and sutures at the clinic.
My God.
That's where we should be.
If we can't stop what's happening, we can at least help the people it's happening to.
How will we get in? Only Dr Michaels has a key.
The one thing we don't need in Watts right now is a key (!) OK.
Let's take a look at this arm, huh? All right.
Yeah, OK.
Susan, I'm gonna need some splints.
We used the last one.
I'll see if I can improvise something.
OK.
Momma, get me some tape.
Right, Ray.
You OK? (I feel like a doctor.
) It's great! Somebody, please! Help my baby! He's burnt pretty bad, Ray.
All right.
You go take over there.
I got him, I got him.
Easy.
All right.
What happened? We were staying in the shoe store.
And it just blew up.
Glass went flying everywhere.
You're a lucky guy.
We're gonna take care of this.
Susan, I need your help.
Get that honky away from my son! Get away from my child! She's gonna help me.
I don't need help from her! Wait, wait, wait, wait.
OK.
Uh Momma and I, we'll take care of him.
We'll take care of him, child.
It's OK.
It's OK, buddy.
All right.
I got you.
Momma, get me scissors, sutures.
(HELICOPTER OVERHEAD) (DISTANT SIREN) See, Ray? You see what it'd be like? Susan.
You helped a lot of people today who appreciated it.
Did they, Ray? That's not what I saw in their eyes.
I saw anger and hatred.
They tolerated me only because they were hurting and needed help.
No.
How would you know? You're one of them! You're tired, or you wouldn't say that.
Maybe that's when the truth comes out.
I can't go through life fighting people who hate me for the colour of my skin.
I think that's how everybody in Watts must feel tonight.
Your mother was right.
We'll never be just a husband and wife.
We'll be a black husband and a white wife.
And neither race will ever let us forget it.
All that matters is that we do.
I'm not sure any more, Ray.
I'm just not sure.
Ray! Ray! He's bleeding bad, man! Hit on me, if it'll help.
Get the police.
They can take him to a hospital.
They're the ones that shot him! She's right.
Call the police! No! Fine.
If you won't, I will! It's too late.
He's dead.
No more black people die.
I pray to God you're right.
I'm right, Momma.
I'm gonna see no more black people die.
Lonnie? Any more brothers die .
.
then she dies! Ray! You ain't gonna kill my boy.
Stop it, Bebe.
Bebe, I said stop it! Go find him, Ray.
Where'd he take her, Bebe? I don't know.
You fools! You boys, you're all fools! LOUDHAILER: This is the police.
Return to your homes! Return to your homes! Al! My God! Susan.
Where's Susan? You don't know? Lonnie took her hostage.
He's gonna execute her if another black is killed.
So that's what happened.
What? That's why I came.
The odds on Susan dying just jumped to 82%.
Can't Ziggy get a lock on her? He could barely get a lock on you.
That's what took me so long.
(SIREN AND GUNSHOT) Get outta here quick! It's the cops! Run, run, run! Go! Go! "Rumours are rampant.
One of the most disturbing is that the white daughter of a police captain is being held hostage in Watts and will be executed if another Negro is killed by police.
" Bebe got the word out.
Daddy can't stop this.
You'd better pray he can.
Killing me will only make it worse.
For who (?) (RUMBLING) Look out there.
Can it get any worse than that? No.
You know they'll come after you.
I'm ready.
You're gonna kill me no matter what.
If your daddy stops murdering my people, I'll let you go.
He can't stop what's happening out there! No.
I don't suppose he can.
Sam! Over here! Ziggy found her.
They're in your apartment.
I'm lost, Al.
It's two blocks east, one block north.
Go to her.
I'm gone.
Keep looking.
Reports are seeing Susan everywhere.
He could be anywhere.
"Take it easy.
We'll find her.
" Can you stifle the reporters? "Yes.
The media will withhold announcing any more deaths until Susan is safe.
" Good.
I've ordered my men to pull back and fire only if fired upon.
"Paul, you can't do that.
" The hell I can't.
That's my daughter! I need some help over here! Gimme a hand! Where's Susan? Ray! Ray, look at me! Where's Susan? Lonnie's got her.
He just wants the killing to stop.
Tell me where he's got her.
Tell me! Not unless I go with you.
Ray! Where is she? Please.
(GUNSHOT) "There have been no reported deaths in the last two hours.
" "But the violence seems to be escalating.
" "The National Guard will be called in by morning.
" Come on, Sam.
Come on! "This is the police, Lonnie.
" "Put your weapon down and step to the window with your hands on your head.
" Sir.
Oh, thank God.
He's holding her in that 2nd floor apartment.
That roof will do.
That's my daughter up there.
I won't shoot unless it's a sure kill.
Get back there.
Clear those civilians outta here now! Lonnie? It's Ray.
I'm coming in.
He's right behind the door.
POLICE: There is no way out! You can die for Watts.
But can you live for it? You're talking like a fool! You're acting like one.
I need you, Lonnie.
Momma needs you.
We all need you.
We need you to make people listen.
I think you're reaching him, Sam.
Give me the gun, Lonnie.
Please.
Her daddy's killing us out there! Then be better than he is! Be more justand more right .
.
and stay alive to make sure that what happens out there never happens again.
"Just in.
Snipers on the corner of 103rd and Compton were shot after an intense gun battle with police.
" "The snipers were taken to LA General, where their condition is unknown at this time.
" Unknown? "We'll bring you updates on their condition" Those brothers are dead! Come on.
Come on, move your head.
Let me have a shot.
Go on.
I love her, Lonnie.
And I can't believethat my brother would murder what I love.
Madness.
Thank God.
Oh, get out of my face.
Both of you.
Just get out of my face.
(SUSAN SCREAMS) He let me go! He let me go! You didn't have to kill him! Hehe was going to shoot you, Susan.
Lonnie! Why does he have to die? It can't be for nothing, Al.
I can't let his death be for nothing.
I have to stay in Watts.
Ray has to stay in Watts.
Not you.
I have to stay! Sam you did it.
Is it worth that? Was it enough? WOMAN: And now for the sword of doom! Doom? Ladies and gentlemen The Great Spontini! (DRUMROLL AND CHORD) (APPLAUSE) Oh, boy!
Previous EpisodeNext Episode