Julian9ehp

I can imagine this as a good off-Broadway play. You have the themes of lies versus truth, reality versus illusion, and the possibilities of New York City. The Quantum Leap presentation makes it better, both with a larger budget -- extras, more money on scenes -- and with the interplay of Sam and Al. This last blows up the little play and shows its internal workings, including social forces and interior character motivation (as well as the outsider views of the time traveler and the hologram). While the verbal jokes can be crass, the sensitive emotions at the middle are untouched by it. Of course, the jokes also make this episode fit in with the NBC T & A of the period. It is also somewhat stage bound, which is odd in a T.V. show with a mobile camera, and one can even imagine it being broken down into act/scene markings.

The original cartoon, now restored, has a subtle range of black and white illustration. It is unfortunate that the humans are Mexican stereotypes, stick figures in brown face. But listen to the music! Carl Stalling fully orchestrates a number of commercial numbers. Mel Blanc sings a street-vendor adaptation of "La Cucaracha," with a simple guitar accompanying him. Both Stalling and Clampett keep the jokes coming quickly. If the cartoon is not as drop-dead funny as "Porky in Wackyland," I blame Norman McCabe, who co-directed. Look at it together with Tex Avery's "Picador Porky," so you can see the early Termite Terrace style.