“A Portrait for Troian – February 7, 1971” is episode eleven of season two of Quantum Leap.
At the end of the previous episode, “Catch a Falling Star – May 21, 1979”, Sam leaped into a man in a graveyard during a thunderstorm. A woman appeared in the doorway of a crypt.
She asks Sam is Sam heard him. He was calling her name over and over. Troian. Sam suggests they head for cover. She heads into the crypt. Not what he meant. There’s an instrument inside and it’s recorded something. Julian’s voiceprints, according to Troian. Proving that they’re real, even though he’s been dead for three years.
Heading back to Troian’s house, she’s drenched and the housekeeper, Miss Stoltz, says they don’t allow fires. The chimneys haven’t been cleaned. Miss Stoltz doesn’t seem impressed with whoever Sam has leaped into. Troian’s brother, Jimmy, also isn’t impressed, calling him a quack. Troian says that he, Dr Mintz, an accredited parapsychologist, and Troian heard her husband’s voice calling her in the family crypt.
Troian heads to her room and Jimmy accuses Sam of just being in it for the money. Miss Stoltz returns with drinks and Jimmy takes one to Troian. She then tells Sam that someone called about some clippings. Miss Stoltz says that she said Mintz would drive into town to get them. And not because of the weather. Strangers aren’t welcome. As she goes, Al comments that he finds Miss Stoltz creepy.
Al explains that Dr Timothy Mintz is a parapsychologist at Stamford University. He’s been trying to make contact with the other side but never succeeded. According to Ziggy, this is a very strange house. All the Claridges have died violent and unnatural deaths. Troian used to illustrate Gothic novels written by her husband, Julian. He drowned in the lake and his body was never found. She never got over his death. Mintz is as legitimate as they come and Al thinks he’s crazy about Troian. Who drowns in the same lake in two days.
Troian is in her bedroom. She hears her name called and gets up. Lighting a candle, because the power went out, she finds wet prints on the floor and follows them. Sam speaks to Jimmy about the power and they hear Troian scream. She’s in Julian’s study, which was locked on the day he died. In the study is the last painting she was working on. Which she threw in the lake.
The next day, Troian explains to Sam that Julian was poising for the painting when he got bored, started clowning around and fell in. The first time she heard Julian’s voice was the night they stopped searching for his body. Troian feels guilty, as she promised Julian he wouldn’t die like the rest of the Claridges. Then goes dizzy and nearly falls.
Al suggests Julian is there; Sam thinks someone is trying to drive Troian crazy. Miss Stoltz was hired after Julian died. Julian is one of three people still in the lake.
Jimmy ends up hearing Al, which creeps Al out. Al thinks there might be ghosts involved. Sam does not. Troian is hearing voices, even if no-one else is.