‘Quantum Leap’ Reboot Set At NBC With Pilot Order

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**leerm02**

Shhh! Don't say that too loud or we are going to get the inevitable "gritty reboot" of Quantum Leap...

**BobtheInquisitor**

Nothing can put right what once went wrong. ?

**privateer4hire**

Evil leapers return

**beast_gts**

'Quantum Leap' Reboot Gets Official Synopsis and Release Date - Collider

'Quantum Leap' Reboot Gets Official Synopsis and Release Date
The new series takes place 30 years after the original.

NBC released the official synopsis for the Quantum Leap reboot series, confirming that the new show is a reimagined sequel to the original. Set 30 years after Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) stepped into a quantum leap accelerator and vanished from the face of Earth, the reboot series will follow a new team of scientists as they try to uncover the mysteries of the incredible machine.

The original Quantum Leap series follows Dr. Beckett as he leaps through time and space and takes possession of other people across history. At each leap, Dr. Sam helps a new host correct what he sees as historical mistakes, usually making drastic changes in the flow of time. By messing around with History, Dr. Sam believes he’ll be closer to coming back home, which usually backfires and pushes him to a different moment in time.

The new series will introduce a new time traveler named Dr. Ben Song (Raymond Lee), a physicist who uses the quantum leap machine against protocol and start to travel to different periods, always occupying the body of a new person. As the synopsis reveals, the new series will follow not only the physicist's adventures, but also his former teammates as they try to map Ben’s travels to unlock the secrets of Dr. Sam’s miraculous machine. Ben’s adventures, however, will anger the people in charge of keeping the device safe, led by the no-nonsense military man Herbert “Magic” Williams (Ernie Hudson). Finally, just like in the original series, Ben will also count on a holographic companion through his historical voyage, an Army veteran named Addison (Caitlin Bassett).

The Quantum Leap reboot also stars Mason Alexander Park and Nanrisa Lee. The pilot episode of the new series was directed by Helen Shaver (Station Eleven) from a script penned by La Brea showrunners Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrdant. In addition, the creator of the original Quantum Leap, Don Bellisario, signed on to executive produce with Lilien, Wynbrdant, Deborah Pratt, and Martin Gero. Pratt voiced the AI “Ziggy” in the original series.

Quantum Leap will premiere on NBC Monday, September 19. Check out the official synopsis for the Quantum Leap reboot below.

It’s been nearly 30 years since Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Now, a new team, led by physicist Ben Song (Raymond Lee), has been assembled to restart the project in hope of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it. Everything changes, however, when Ben makes an unauthorized leap into the past, leaving the team behind to solve the mystery of why he did it. At Ben’s side throughout his leaps is Addison (Caitlin Bassett), who appears in the form of a hologram only Ben can see and hear. She’s a decorated Army veteran who brings level-headed precision to her job.

At the helm of the highly confidential operation is Herbert “Magic” Williams (Ernie Hudson), a no-nonsense career military man who has to answer to his bosses who won’t be happy once they learn about the breach of protocol. The rest of the team at headquarters includes Ian Wright (Mason Alexander Park), who runs the Artificial Intelligence unit “Ziggy,” and Jenn Chou (Nanrisa Lee), who heads up digital security for the project. As Ben leaps from life to life, putting right what once went wrong, it becomes clear that he and the team are on a thrilling journey. However, Addison, Magic, Ian and Jenn know that if they are going to solve the mystery of Ben’s leap and bring him home, they must act fast or lose him forever.

**Aash**

So this has just appeared in the UK (i think it was released in the US last year) and is on Paramount plus.

I’ve watched the first 2 episodes and I’ve enjoyed it so far. It’s lightweight and fun, not the “gritty” modern take I feared it might be, and I’m enjoying the back and forth between the two time periods so far.

Apparently it’s already renewed for a second season.

**Ghaz**

Aash wrote:
I’ve watched the first 2 episodes and I’ve enjoyed it so far. It’s lightweight and fun, not the “gritty” modern take I feared it might be, and I’m enjoying the back and forth between the two time periods so far. .

It gets a little bit 'grittier' later in the season and really delves into the lore from the original series. And yes, it was renewed for a second season back in December 2022.

**AduroT**

Yeah, they had two season endings ready to go, one for if they were renewed and one for if they weren’t, which was a nice play.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Just on the second episode now, and it’s perfectly enjoyable.

I like that it’s a requel, a term I feel dirty for typing. But, it is an appropriate term as this is a continuation, but not The New Adventures Of.

Central premise hasn’t been mucked around with at all. Leader Leaps, we learn of their situation, Ziggy Does A Figure Out, Day Am Saved, Leaper leaps. But, we also get a decent dollop of Ground Control, the team behind the tech trying to figure out what’s going on, so it is feeling fresh.

Cast are all solid as well, and you always always always get points for Ernie Hudson.

Suffice to say I’ll be watching the rest of this season. It’s started Competently, and I’m hoping it goes from strength to strength.

**Ghaz**

I wouldn't consider this a requel. While you don't have Scott Bakula or the late Dean Stockwell in the series (except via flashbacks from archival footage), you do have Ernie Hudson playing the role of Herbert "Magic" Williams, a character that first appeared in the original series' Season 3 1990 episode "The Leap Home (Part 2) – Vietnam" portrayed by Christopher Kirby.

**Aash**

I’ve very much enjoyed this so far, but disappointed to discover last night that Paramount plus only has half of season one (up to episode 9) and no information on when the rest will be available.

I especially liked Magic’s backstory.

**cuda1179**

I just watched the latest episode. Is it just me, or is this show getting especially preachy, almost to virtue signaling levels?

**Kanluwen**

cuda1179 wrote:
I just watched the latest episode. Is it just me, or is this show getting especially preachy, almost to virtue signaling levels?

....did you never see a single episode of the original?

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

cuda1179 wrote:
I just watched the latest episode. Is it just me, or is this show getting especially preachy, almost to virtue signaling levels?

In what way? Because your definition of what is and isn’t “virtue signalling” is kind of central to your comment.

And I’ve been on the internets long enough to know there are very wide definitions of that. Sadly up to and including “kicking the heck out of Actual Nazis” being somehow “virtue signalling”.

From such a strong example, I illustrate the reader’s dilemma. What exactly is it you’re asking us to agree or disagree with here? And why?

**Kanluwen**

The latest episode dealt with the LA Riots in the aftermath of the Rodney King incident...you can probably guess the dilemma from that?

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

I’d rather have cuda1179’s answer, ta. Because such issues are sensitive, and I don’t want to risk putting words in the mouth of another.

**Ghaz**

Kanluwen wrote:
The latest episode dealt with the LA Riots in the aftermath of the Rodney King incident...you can probably guess the dilemma from that?

Don't forget about the alcoholism subplot when Al lost Sam and when Magic lost Ben.

**cuda1179**

Kanluwen wrote:
cuda1179 wrote:
I just watched the latest episode. Is it just me, or is this show getting especially preachy, almost to virtue signaling levels?

....did you never see a single episode of the original?

I actually preferred the "feel" of the original. Most episodes of the reboot are filled with downer vibes. The original had those moments too, but about every third episode was an amusing comedy relief. Plus, I miss the intentional hokiness.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
cuda1179 wrote:
I just watched the latest episode. Is it just me, or is this show getting especially preachy, almost to virtue signaling levels?

In what way? Because your definition of what is and isn’t “virtue signalling” is kind of central to your comment.

And I’ve been on the internets long enough to know there are very wide definitions of that. Sadly up to and including “kicking the heck out of Actual Nazis” being somehow “virtue signalling”.

From such a strong example, I illustrate the reader’s dilemma. What exactly is it you’re asking us to agree or disagree with here? And why?

Let me start by saying that a lot of what happened in real life with the riots was horrible. It was mismanaged at multiple levels and I agree reform was greatly needed.

However, there was a line in there from Magic. He literally said that a Black man being caught by police in the riots was "a virtual death sentence". Add into that the overtones that the cops seemed to be simply hunting any Black guy they saw on the streets. In reality, over the course of 5 days with many thousand rioters, cops killed 10 people, 7 were Black, and a bulk of those Black people killed were fairly justifiable. Portraying it the way they did was....intellectually dishonest. I actually would have preferred them to lean into Magic's PTSD of his previous riot experience, and show that his own biases to events like these can also be detrimental to the situation.

**Aash**

I was looking forward to season 2 which was due to drop on Paramount plus in the UK at the end of this month, but apparently that’s no longer happening:

https://www.geektown.co.uk/2024/02/05/why-are-shows-vanishing-from-paramount-uk/

**Overread**

And this is why the current fad of online subscriber services has huge issues. Heck I've still not seen the latest Below Decks because it left Amazon for Paramount.

**Slipspace**

And there I was thinking the whole point of these increasingly siloed streaming services was so the producers of content were directly in control of their own distribution. I had no idea services like Paramount+ had non-Paramount content on them. Even weirder is content from a subsidiary that still ends up disappearing.

Back when it was just Netflix, streaming felt like it was in a good place. Then Amazon Prime added some competition, which was also pretty good in general. Disney at least have enough of their own content to make their services appealing, but I have no idea how companies like Paramount and Lionsgate expect to make money. There are some potentially interesting shows on Paramount+ but I'm sure as hell not paying a subscription fee just for them, especially when my current streaming platforms aren't exactly running out of content themselves.

**Ghaz**

Not what I wanted to see first thing this morning

‘Quantum Leap’ Canceled at NBC After Two Seasons - Variety

“Quantum Leap” has been canceled at NBC after two seasons, Variety has confirmed.

The show served as a followup to the 1989 show of the same name starring Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell. The revamped version starred Raymond Lee as physicist Dr. Ben Song, whose attempt to restart the Quantum Leap project pioneered by Dr. Sam Beckett leads to him being trapped in different people’s lives in the past just like Beckett. As he seeks to put right what once went wrong in those lives, he “leaps” to different lives while hoping that each leap will be the leap home.

**Kanluwen**

I can't say I'm shocked. They kept having chunks of time in between episodes and randomly dropping two episodes instead of 1.

**cuda1179**

Damn, I hate it when they cancel a show on a cliffhanger

**Dysartes**

You'd've hoped they'd've learned from the original, and at least let them have enough notice not to let this happen again.