How the Tess Was Won - August 5, 1956 - S1-E5
Continuity mistake: Though he's leaped into someone else, we always see Sam as Sam, dressed in all the host's clothes (including glasses or sunglasses). His host is revealed only in reflections. But here, when he looks at his host-self in the mirror, the hat and clothes are all identical - except that the reflection is wearing glasses, and Sam isn't. (00:43:00)
Genesis (1) - September 13, 1956 - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: When Al is standing next to the juke box, Sam walks over to make a selection, and when Al starts talking his reflection is visible on the glass. Later in this episode, Sam is talking to Al at the sink of the dressing room at the ball park. As Sam looks into the mirror he says he thinks Al is a vampire, to which Al replies, "Neurological holograms don't reflect, Sam." (00:26:00 - 01:15:30)
Genesis (1) - September 13, 1956 - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: The shaving cream smeared on Sam's face looks nothing at all like the cream on his reflection's (Tom's) face in the mirror. (00:08:00)
Star-Crossed - June 15, 1972 - S1-E3
Revealing mistake: Sam stares at himself in the mirror and takes out his wallet to determine who he's leaped into. But the "reflection" in the mirror lowers the wallet and looks back up before Sam does. (00:05:20)
Genesis (1) - September 13, 1956 - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: A confused Sam/Tom stumbles out into the yard bare-chested with shaving cream smeared on his face and neck. In the next shot, though he hasn't touched it, the cream is suddenly all over his chest as well.
The Color of Truth - August 8, 1955 - S1-E7
Continuity mistake: After Miss Melanie's son leaves, Sam/Jessie reaches out to steady her. His left hand is on her shoulder until the camera angle changes, when both his hands are at his sides. Change angles again, and his hand is back on her shoulder.
The Color of Truth - August 8, 1955 - S1-E7
Continuity mistake: When Sam leaves the jail after the Sheriff has released him from custody, we can see Sam's reflection, not Jesse Tyler's, in the window on the door as it swings shut behind Sam.
Double Identity - November 8, 1965 - S1-E6
Revealing mistake: Sam's reflection character turns around too slowly in the mirror at the beginning of the episode.
The Color of Truth - August 8, 1955 - S1-E7
Visible crew/equipment: The shadow of the camera is visible on the car's hood when Al is trying to convince Mrs. Melanie not to go after Sam. It lingers there for a while in the shot.
Double Identity - November 8, 1965 - S1-E6
Factual error: The episode takes place November 9, 1965. After the haircut incident they are seen moving away from a theater with Doctor Zhivago on the marquee, but the movie was released December 22, 1965, a month and a half after the scene is supposed to take place. (00:28:00)
Genesis (1) - September 13, 1956 - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: In the shower, the Burma Shave cream on Sam's face changes from being partially washed off to being thick and foamy, then back to partially washed off.
Genesis (1) - September 13, 1956 - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: Al casts a shadow on the airplane. That's should not occur, since Al is a hologram. (00:50:05)
Genesis (2) - September 13, 1956 - S1-E2
Continuity mistake: When Sam ejects from the X-2 and parachutes to safety, he lands on the desert floor and the chute comes down on top of him, covering him completely. In the very next shot, we see him lying face up and the parachute has entirely disappeared.
Play It Again, Seymour - April 14, 1953 - S1-E9
Revealing mistake: After Sam nearly falls down the elevator shaft, the scene fades and comes back in with Sam speaking to the landlord about the incident. The landlord brushes off Sam's hat with his hand and hands it to him. The brushing motion was played in reverse first to extend the length of the action.
Play It Again, Seymour - April 14, 1953 - S1-E9
Revealing mistake: Sam opens his left hand when talking to Al at the beginning. His reflection does not. His reflection just points his finger.
The Right Hand of God - October 24, 1974 - S1-E4
Continuity mistake: Near the beginning, Sam has a cut on his left eye from the fight which they apply a bandage to later. The cut briefly disappears when Sam is talking to the sister, only to reappear.
Genesis (1) - September 13, 1956 - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: Al is talking to Sam near the hanger about his options regarding the pilot. When we see Sam and the back of Al's head, there is a significant shadow on Al. It isn't there in the opposite angle. On top of that, since Al is a hologram, shadows shouldn't affect him.
Genesis (2) - September 13, 1956 - S1-E2
Deliberate mistake: When Sam ejects and lands on the ground, the closeup is a flipped shot, note the "US Air Force" is backwards on Sam's helmet. (00:19:10)
Play It Again, Seymour - April 14, 1953 - S1-E9
Revealing mistake: Sam is getting shot at in the aircraft hanger. He hides behind a yellow machine and a bullet hits it. The bullet produces a flash but leaves no mark where it hits. A real bullet would have left a gash at the least.
The Right Hand of God - October 24, 1974 - S1-E4
Other mistake: In the locker room, the old man's hair is pulled down over his right eye, away from the mirror as his right side is toward the wall. In the reflection, his hair is facing toward the mirror over his left eye, rather than away over his right.
Chosen answer: Per the Quantum leap page at http://www.scifi.com/quantum/episodes/season5.html. 8 August 1953: An enigmatic leap lands Sam in a Pennsylvania tavern, as his own grown self on the day of his birth. As Al and Gushie work frantically to locate him, Sam befriends a wise bartender (popular character actor McGill, who'd appeared in a different role in the very first "leap") and a group of coal miners. As a host of familiar-looking faces pass through the bar - with different identities than Sam remembers - Sam ponders his life of leaping with Al the bartender, who tells Sam he controls his own destiny. Pressed for more, Al the bartender simply shrugs and says, "Sometimes, 'that's the way it is' is the best explanation." Sam realizes he must right at least one more wrong before he can go home, and leaps back to tell Al Calvavicci's wife Beth (from "M.I.A.") to wait for Al, who will survive Vietnam and come home to her. The closing title cards state that Beth and Al have four daughters and will shortly celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary ... and that Sam Beckett never returned home.
Boobra