“Honeymoon Express – April 27, 1960” is episode one of season two of Quantum Leap.
Al is testifying in front of a Senate committee, and telling them that the only explanation they’ve come up with for what’s happening to Sam is God. The chairman of the committee isn’t that impressed with the minor things Sam has done; Al says they are important to those they happened to. Also, Al being the only one who can communicate with Sam doesn’t help. He can’t justify spending $2.4 billion a year on the word of one person. They’ll announce their decision on Friday. Al says ending the project will end one of the greatest adventures man has ever undertaken and leave a brave man alone. The senator says Sam isn’t alone; he has God.
Sam is currently a fireman in a tree after a cat. Al asks him how he’d like to stop a revolution. Fidel Castro. All Ziggy knows is that Sam is there to make a heroic rescue. Of the cat, as it happens.
Al leaps into a man kissing a woman; the porter says this is the Honeymoon Express, what they call the Niagara Falls train. He knows they are newlyweds. He’s asked to get champagne and Sam asks for a paper. And for both bunks to be made up as well. Sam heads into the bathroom, takes his jacket off and finds out he’s wearing a gun. It turns out he’s a cop. He’s also brought his handcuffs.
Sam’s wife, or rather Tom McBride’s, thinks her husband packing a book on law is romantic. It’s hers, and it’s to help her realise her dream of passing the bar. She’s in the process of removing clothes when Al appears. Sam heads out of the cabin; Al thinks this experience is wasted on Sam.
Al claims Sam is there to stop the U2 spy plane being shot down in two days. Diane’s father is a US senator and golfing buddies with President Eisenhower; she needs to call him. Sam asks if that’s why Ziggy says he’s there. Not exactly. Sam queries the U2 thing, as they’ve only ever affected individuals in the past. What isn’t Al telling him? Al says Ziggy thinks Sam is there to help Diane pass the bar exam. Sam asks how. Al’s answer shows he doesn’t have a clue.
Sam heads back to the cabin to see a man dragging Diane away. Sam confronts him and he draws a knife. Sam has a gun. The other puts the knife away and casually lights a cigarette, saying he’s Diane’s husband. Ex-husband, according to her. The man, Roget, finally gets off the train, but he’s still being threatening.
Diane thinks Tom hates her for not telling him about Roget, but if Tom didn’t know, it didn’t happen, and that maybe it didn’t happen to her either. Sam tells her that divorce isn’t unheard of but being kidnapped by your ex-husband is. Diane explains that Roget was always jealous and wouldn’t let her go anywhere without his bodyguards. He smuggles arms into Africa. She knew he’d smuggled weapons for the Resistance during World War II, but never dreamed it became his profession.
Al asks the Senate committee for a 48-hour delay before rendering judgement, to allow Sam to stop the U2 incident. The chair asks if that doesn’t work if he will agree the project, is a failure. He agrees.
Sam, of course, isn’t there to stop the U2 incident. Which means Al is going to have problems with the committee. Plus, Roget is dangerous and in the original timeline Tom McBride was murdered on that very train.