Revenge of the Evil Leaper - September 16, 1987 - S5-E17
Trivia: Thames, the third leaper, leaps in and out of scenes using the Star Wars blaster sound effect.
A Portrait for Troian - February 7, 1971 - S2-E11
Trivia: "Troian" is the name of series creator Donald P. Bellisario and show producer Deborah Pratt's first daughter.
Permanent Wave - June 2, 1983 - S4-E5
Trivia: The little boy in this episode is Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
The Leap Home (1) - November 25, 1969 - S3-E1
Trivia: Sam's childhood home is Ray and Annie's farmhouse from the movie Field of Dreams, complete with the front porch swing. In another shot showing morning on the farm, the baseball field from the film is visible. Both the television show and film were distributed by Universal Pictures, so it's likely the show had access to unused footage from the film.
Another Mother - September 30, 1981 - S2-E13
Trivia: One of the girls mentions wanting to watch "Magnum", as in Magnum P.I. which she ends up doing. Sam replies that the show will be on for 8 more seasons. The episode takes place in 1981, and Magnum P.I. would end its run in 1988. Quantum Leap and Magnum P.I. share a creator, Donald Bellisario.
A Portrait for Troian - February 7, 1971 - S2-E11
Trivia: Show producer Deborah Pratt guest stars in this episode as the title female character. Pratt also voiced "Ziggy" throughout the show's run.
Catch A Falling Star - May 21, 1979 - S2-E10
Trivia: Unlike other episodes which end with a recap, this episode ends with the entire cast and production crew coming on stage and bowing before the audience.
The Leap Home (2) - April 7, 1970 - S3-E2
Trivia: Patrick Warburton's first major role and his second acting credit. Warburton plays "Blaster."
M.I.A. - April 1, 1969 - S2-E22
Trivia: According to the script, Beth really does feel Al dance with her briefly before he leaps, even though he is a hologram. She says his name after he leaps out as an acknowledgement that she knew he was there. This is one of the few episodes we see Al leap instead of Sam.
Her Charm - September 26, 1973 - S2-E15
Trivia: The beginning sequence with the gunfire was shot on the Universal Studios back lot. This same set was better seen in the television show Desperate Housewives. In that show it's known as Wisteria Lane. It is actually Colonial Street and has been used by Universal for over 60 years.
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