Do you know that feeling when you discover a tv show that is at least 20 years older than you, special effects equal to zero (when compared to today's effects), but still decide to give it a chance and start watching. You struggle with the first two episodes but later you realize there is great acting, episodes filled with good storytelling and action just forget about the effects and the overall look of the shot and keep watching literally until the last episode. A unique store, its like a pioneer in its field, very interesting.
136 Reviews
Basic Sci-Fi or dramatised sociology?
netty196817 May 2006
I have to admit I may be a little biased as I've always had a soft spot for this programme. I recall watching the pilot when it was originally aired in the UK (1990 I think?) and remember, even then, being transfixed by the subsequent weekly 'leaps' of its main character, Dr. Sam Beckett.
I always thought it was more than just a Sci-fi/ comedic drama as, at times, it was incredibly insightful. The concept was completely innovative and didn't rely to heavily on expensive effects to convey the belief of time travel.
Sam's holographic sidekick Al Calavici (played by Dean Stockwell) provided an above average level of humour, making the viewer laugh out loud at issues which some would consider untouchable (his remark of 'bigot in a moo-moo' regarding one very ample character's racist comments being an example!)
There appeared to be no subject to dangerous to touch and that was what made the programme so engrossing. By examining key issues that could have affected anyone (sexual harassment, racism and teenage pregnancy to name a few), the viewer could not help but be drawn into a theoretical discussion as to the rights and wrongs of each subject.
I could go on but all I can add is that I highly recommend this T.V classic to newcomers as, once you've seen it, you will become as hooked as the millions of other devotees out there!
I always thought it was more than just a Sci-fi/ comedic drama as, at times, it was incredibly insightful. The concept was completely innovative and didn't rely to heavily on expensive effects to convey the belief of time travel.
Sam's holographic sidekick Al Calavici (played by Dean Stockwell) provided an above average level of humour, making the viewer laugh out loud at issues which some would consider untouchable (his remark of 'bigot in a moo-moo' regarding one very ample character's racist comments being an example!)
There appeared to be no subject to dangerous to touch and that was what made the programme so engrossing. By examining key issues that could have affected anyone (sexual harassment, racism and teenage pregnancy to name a few), the viewer could not help but be drawn into a theoretical discussion as to the rights and wrongs of each subject.
I could go on but all I can add is that I highly recommend this T.V classic to newcomers as, once you've seen it, you will become as hooked as the millions of other devotees out there!
Time Tunnel rebooted
safenoe24 November 2021
I remember watching the 60s classic The Time Tunnel and Quantum Leap was a kind of reboot, with time travel being the main game. Anyway, Scott Bakula was born for this role and I'm pleased it ran five seasons, almost 100 episodes, sort of the magic number for syndication at the time.
Put right what once went wrong and give this show a movie!
Op_Prime27 August 2000
Quantum Leap was a fantastic science fiction series. Past time travel shows had the main character(s) going back (or forward) in time as themselves. Quantum Leap was so special mainly because Sam is leaping INTO people and experiencing their lives first hand. This made for some very interesting stories like when Sam leaps into a woman or a black man. Of course, having a hologram from his own time (Al) guiding him on his adventures was another key component to the show.
One complaint I've always heard about the show is: if Sam puts right what once went wrong, wouldn't he be altering the future? The answer is no. Sam doesn't leap into anyone famous (often) and so he would not be altering the future dramatically for many. And whenever he does leap into someone famous, everything works out the way history recorded it.
NBC made a huge blunder cancelling this series, especially cancelling it on a cliff hanger. And why won't Universal make a movie? Fans want it and Don Bellisario has expressed an interest in doing one. So come on. Put what right what NBC did wrong and make a movie.
One complaint I've always heard about the show is: if Sam puts right what once went wrong, wouldn't he be altering the future? The answer is no. Sam doesn't leap into anyone famous (often) and so he would not be altering the future dramatically for many. And whenever he does leap into someone famous, everything works out the way history recorded it.
NBC made a huge blunder cancelling this series, especially cancelling it on a cliff hanger. And why won't Universal make a movie? Fans want it and Don Bellisario has expressed an interest in doing one. So come on. Put what right what NBC did wrong and make a movie.
Show Above It's Time
shelbythuylinh9 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The late Dean Stockwell as Al who passed away today on November 9 2021, as he plays the comic relief and A. I. only Sam Beckett played by NCIS New Orleans Scott Bakula who is the protagonist that leaps into a different body regardless of race, color, creed, gender, etc.
Sam needs to right a wrong and correct history while Al supplies him with the information there. To see who he leaped into and in their history there.
It was a show above it's time. With wit, charm, angst, and understanding. The show deserved a better finale there and NBC pulled it despite viewers protest as well.
Sam was educated very much and also "discovered" time travel as naysayers said it would not work but every single time he hoped that it would lead to home. Al with his calculator like shows the person Sam leaps into and history to correct there.
Sam learned to sing, had martial arts skills, spoke languages, etc. Al was wisecracking by sympathetic. Comic relief to Sam's straight man protagonist there! RIP Mr. Stockwell.
Sam needs to right a wrong and correct history while Al supplies him with the information there. To see who he leaped into and in their history there.
It was a show above it's time. With wit, charm, angst, and understanding. The show deserved a better finale there and NBC pulled it despite viewers protest as well.
Sam was educated very much and also "discovered" time travel as naysayers said it would not work but every single time he hoped that it would lead to home. Al with his calculator like shows the person Sam leaps into and history to correct there.
Sam learned to sing, had martial arts skills, spoke languages, etc. Al was wisecracking by sympathetic. Comic relief to Sam's straight man protagonist there! RIP Mr. Stockwell.
The greatest TV show ever. Could teach a thing or two to many feature films.
Squeele10 June 2007
As a moviegoer, I don't have a great esteem for television. Sure, it has spawned many good shows, and cult characters. But I rarely felt the need to watch EVERY SINGLE EPISODE, afraid of missing even one. And believe me, I'm no short-sighted elitist.
But Quantum Leap is an absolute classic. It's got Heart, great characters, ambitious stories, and it's both accessible and clever. It may not be the strongest Sci-fi concept, but it's the most likely to reconcile the fans of Star Trek AND Magnum P.I. Who could've imagined that?
Donald Bellisario created a true gem of a show, centered around Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) a scientist whose time-travelling theories are backed up by the military, represented by the retired Navy Admiral Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell). The experiment goes wrong, and Sam is sent in the past, with most of his scientific knowledge and memories temporarily erased. His body vanished, his mind now trapped in other's bodies, and Sam soon discovers that a "superior authority" can transfer his mind from time to time, only if he manages to "fix what's broken" and give his "host" a better life. Al can communicate with him through holographic form (only noticeable by children, animals - "and blondes, too") in order to help Sam to complete his mission, whether it's to inspire a song to an artist, defend the case of a young Black in a Southern State court during the segregation days, or help a journalist to obtain a Pulitzer Prize while covering the war in Vietnam.
The variety and humanity of the show is what makes it stand above the others. Some episodes are light and humorous, when others are darker, even tragic. Some conclusions are bittersweet, and help the main characters to evolve slightly, but regularly throughout the show. What helps even more is the fantastic chemistry between the two main characters. Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell have found the role of their lives, delivering touching, funny, overwhelming performances, sometimes in the course of only one episode! They're brilliant, as well as the writing, and art direction who recreates every decade from the 50's to the 80's (and sometimes beyond!) perfectly.
As for the ending... without spoiling it, it's by far the most astounding, bold and emotionally charged episode ever produced in the TV history, as far as I know. So many TV shows end up in disappointment (while so many don't even bother to give us a finale, at all...). "Quantum Leap" ending is rewarding, and intriguing. It's ambitious, happy and sad. It's both on the human scale, and larger than life.
Oh boy, what a show.
But Quantum Leap is an absolute classic. It's got Heart, great characters, ambitious stories, and it's both accessible and clever. It may not be the strongest Sci-fi concept, but it's the most likely to reconcile the fans of Star Trek AND Magnum P.I. Who could've imagined that?
Donald Bellisario created a true gem of a show, centered around Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) a scientist whose time-travelling theories are backed up by the military, represented by the retired Navy Admiral Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell). The experiment goes wrong, and Sam is sent in the past, with most of his scientific knowledge and memories temporarily erased. His body vanished, his mind now trapped in other's bodies, and Sam soon discovers that a "superior authority" can transfer his mind from time to time, only if he manages to "fix what's broken" and give his "host" a better life. Al can communicate with him through holographic form (only noticeable by children, animals - "and blondes, too") in order to help Sam to complete his mission, whether it's to inspire a song to an artist, defend the case of a young Black in a Southern State court during the segregation days, or help a journalist to obtain a Pulitzer Prize while covering the war in Vietnam.
The variety and humanity of the show is what makes it stand above the others. Some episodes are light and humorous, when others are darker, even tragic. Some conclusions are bittersweet, and help the main characters to evolve slightly, but regularly throughout the show. What helps even more is the fantastic chemistry between the two main characters. Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell have found the role of their lives, delivering touching, funny, overwhelming performances, sometimes in the course of only one episode! They're brilliant, as well as the writing, and art direction who recreates every decade from the 50's to the 80's (and sometimes beyond!) perfectly.
As for the ending... without spoiling it, it's by far the most astounding, bold and emotionally charged episode ever produced in the TV history, as far as I know. So many TV shows end up in disappointment (while so many don't even bother to give us a finale, at all...). "Quantum Leap" ending is rewarding, and intriguing. It's ambitious, happy and sad. It's both on the human scale, and larger than life.
Oh boy, what a show.
Beautiful Sc-Fi Story
generationofswine20 October 2016
It came out when I was 9 and possibly because of that it will always hold a place of honor in my heart, the first real Sci-Fi series that I really got into.
Some of the episodes were cheesy, that makes sense. Science Fiction can boldly go cheesy and need not make excuses for it. You had your heart warming episodes, the tear-jerkers, the action packed episodes...
But it is really the format of the show that allows for its greatness. In Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell you have your anchor characters, the heroes that keep the viewers tuning in week after week. Heroes in a show with format allows for an anthology feel.
Each episode--with exception of a few--is it's own unique story involving its own unique characters. Add in the concept of time travel and suddenly you have a show, that is an anthology but isn't, that allows for new and original stories about real people over the space of one man's lifetime.
It is brilliantly done. The format allows for everything good that came from shows like The Hitchhiker, Tales From the Crypt, and the legendary Twilight Zone...yet gives views the anchor characters they need to make each episode feel familiar.
Dive into it head first, well aware that there is no need to sweat the bad episodes, because the next ones are going to be completely different.
Some of the episodes were cheesy, that makes sense. Science Fiction can boldly go cheesy and need not make excuses for it. You had your heart warming episodes, the tear-jerkers, the action packed episodes...
But it is really the format of the show that allows for its greatness. In Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell you have your anchor characters, the heroes that keep the viewers tuning in week after week. Heroes in a show with format allows for an anthology feel.
Each episode--with exception of a few--is it's own unique story involving its own unique characters. Add in the concept of time travel and suddenly you have a show, that is an anthology but isn't, that allows for new and original stories about real people over the space of one man's lifetime.
It is brilliantly done. The format allows for everything good that came from shows like The Hitchhiker, Tales From the Crypt, and the legendary Twilight Zone...yet gives views the anchor characters they need to make each episode feel familiar.
Dive into it head first, well aware that there is no need to sweat the bad episodes, because the next ones are going to be completely different.
Oh Boy
Prismark106 December 2013
Oh boy, where do you start. Quantum Leap was an innovative science fiction/fantasy show but at its heart it was also a drama of hope, second chances and change.
The idea behind the show was simple. Dr Sam Beckett, a quantum physicist from the near future (late 1990s it seems) becomes lost in time following a time travel experiment.
He leaps into other people's bodies, temporarily taking the places of them 'to put right what once went wrong.'
Dean Stockwell played Al who appeared as a hologram that only Sam could see as well a some animals and young children. As well as trying to help Sam because Sam suffered from holes in his memory, he also provided the humour.
The series had an easy going charm. It mixed humour, drama, social commentary and nostalgia which gave it broad appeal. There tended to be little science fiction outside its central conceit.
When the episode finished you will see Sam leaping into his next body. The series was strongest when it went into social commentary such as leaping into the body of a black man in the 1960s southern states.
There were also sly parodies of films. Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell had good chemistry.
There were flaws in the series, although it was set in the near future, all the leaps seem to take place pre 1989 when the series started.
Some of the stories could also become rather similar. The producers kind of challenged that by having an evil leaper or politicians in the present trying to pull funding for the project leaving Sam stranded.
The series finished in what can be regarded at a controversial conclusion. Sam who was lost in time and hoping to find his way back home in the present day.
He ends up with a mysterious barkeeper who informs him that he has a choice either to go home or to keep on leaping and changing people's life.
The idea behind the show was simple. Dr Sam Beckett, a quantum physicist from the near future (late 1990s it seems) becomes lost in time following a time travel experiment.
He leaps into other people's bodies, temporarily taking the places of them 'to put right what once went wrong.'
Dean Stockwell played Al who appeared as a hologram that only Sam could see as well a some animals and young children. As well as trying to help Sam because Sam suffered from holes in his memory, he also provided the humour.
The series had an easy going charm. It mixed humour, drama, social commentary and nostalgia which gave it broad appeal. There tended to be little science fiction outside its central conceit.
When the episode finished you will see Sam leaping into his next body. The series was strongest when it went into social commentary such as leaping into the body of a black man in the 1960s southern states.
There were also sly parodies of films. Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell had good chemistry.
There were flaws in the series, although it was set in the near future, all the leaps seem to take place pre 1989 when the series started.
Some of the stories could also become rather similar. The producers kind of challenged that by having an evil leaper or politicians in the present trying to pull funding for the project leaving Sam stranded.
The series finished in what can be regarded at a controversial conclusion. Sam who was lost in time and hoping to find his way back home in the present day.
He ends up with a mysterious barkeeper who informs him that he has a choice either to go home or to keep on leaping and changing people's life.
One of the best ever.
richcall10 February 2020
An enjoyable show with a good cast.
Java_Joe24 June 2019
Quantum Leap is something you don't see on TV very often and that's something with an original plot. It was a good show for the time even if they got the 21st century wrong but that's only a minor issue.
The plot is rather simple. Dr. Samuel Beckett, played by Scott Bakula, is a really smart guy who proves it's possible to travel in time but within your own lifetime. This means that he can't go further back in time than when he was born and can't go any further into the future than the current day. So he tests it out on himself and finds himself in the past in a body that isn't his. As a safety precaution he would be pulled back to the lab afterwards but something goes wrong. When his host body goes to sleep he leaves it but is immediately pulled back to that body. It looks like somebody, or something, needs him to stay there to fix something that happened.
With him, at his side, is Al played by Dean Stockwell, He's a project coordinator that works with Sam and can appear as a hologram that only Sam can see. He informs Sam that Ziggy, the main computer running things, has figured out that Sam needs to fix an event in this person's life before he can leap out and go home. He succeeds but instead of being brought home he leaps to another person, in another time and utters those famous words that finished every episode, "oh boy!"
This show focused on the characters more than the gimmick of Sam being unstuck in time. Scott Bakula plays a likable sort and Dean Stockwell is always good. And the fact that every episode took place in a new time with Sam having to take on different roles, including things like a legless Vietnam vet, a chimp and even a woman on more than one occasion. While he was in the other person's body, they would find themselves in the leaping chamber in his place. And while Sam always looked like Scott Bakula to us, he looked like whomever was currently in the leaping chamber to everybody else including Al. This led to some interesting developments especially when Sam was in a woman's body considering what a ladies man Al happened to be.
There are several standout episodes including the one where Sam leaps into the body of a young Al or when he leaps into the body of Lee Harvey Oswald in an attempt to prevent JFK from getting shot. But possibly the most heartfelt one is where during his leap he must tell Al's first wife that Al is still alive but currently in a Vietcong prisoner of war camp. It's a real tear jerker at the end.
And while there was a movie that was supposed to take place after the final episode it never materialized.
This is a good series and if you haven't already seen it, should check out streaming sites to see if it's running there.
The plot is rather simple. Dr. Samuel Beckett, played by Scott Bakula, is a really smart guy who proves it's possible to travel in time but within your own lifetime. This means that he can't go further back in time than when he was born and can't go any further into the future than the current day. So he tests it out on himself and finds himself in the past in a body that isn't his. As a safety precaution he would be pulled back to the lab afterwards but something goes wrong. When his host body goes to sleep he leaves it but is immediately pulled back to that body. It looks like somebody, or something, needs him to stay there to fix something that happened.
With him, at his side, is Al played by Dean Stockwell, He's a project coordinator that works with Sam and can appear as a hologram that only Sam can see. He informs Sam that Ziggy, the main computer running things, has figured out that Sam needs to fix an event in this person's life before he can leap out and go home. He succeeds but instead of being brought home he leaps to another person, in another time and utters those famous words that finished every episode, "oh boy!"
This show focused on the characters more than the gimmick of Sam being unstuck in time. Scott Bakula plays a likable sort and Dean Stockwell is always good. And the fact that every episode took place in a new time with Sam having to take on different roles, including things like a legless Vietnam vet, a chimp and even a woman on more than one occasion. While he was in the other person's body, they would find themselves in the leaping chamber in his place. And while Sam always looked like Scott Bakula to us, he looked like whomever was currently in the leaping chamber to everybody else including Al. This led to some interesting developments especially when Sam was in a woman's body considering what a ladies man Al happened to be.
There are several standout episodes including the one where Sam leaps into the body of a young Al or when he leaps into the body of Lee Harvey Oswald in an attempt to prevent JFK from getting shot. But possibly the most heartfelt one is where during his leap he must tell Al's first wife that Al is still alive but currently in a Vietcong prisoner of war camp. It's a real tear jerker at the end.
And while there was a movie that was supposed to take place after the final episode it never materialized.
This is a good series and if you haven't already seen it, should check out streaming sites to see if it's running there.
Absolutely awesome
AppaloniaR17 March 2018
I was only seven when this show started and 29 years later I still watch it again and again. This show is epic. Why they only made five seasons is beyond me. This show is funny and witty with the famous Oh Boy... you should watch this if you haven't yet believe me it's not to be missed. Shame they don't make tv as good as this anymore it's all superhero this or comic book that.
A fun sci-fi ride!
csgollum13 April 2018
Quantum Leap was a funny and creative sci-fi show. It tackled everything from racism and discrimination to superstition and religion. And, while the lead pair did appear as blithering idiots on occasion (especially during the 4th and 5th seasons), on the whole it was an excellent show and it took me through a whole gamut of emotions. And there are some pretty surprising (at least to me) cameos.
The child actors were pretty awesome too. Kudos to the creaters, the writers, the actors and the rest of the crew.
I would give 8 stars for most of the episodes and 6 for the rest, thus an average of 7.
I would give 8 stars for most of the episodes and 6 for the rest, thus an average of 7.
This was such a great show, until....
viccrown31 October 2022
This was such a great show, so intriguing. Do you know how good a show has to be to where each episode has a different cast and they still have chemistry? That tells you a lot about Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell. Unfortunately, you can definitely see a change in the episodes, and how good they are, during season five when they became preachy and political. Even in the early 90s, we as a society watched TV and television shows to escape reality and to escape real world problems. We want a good story, with a good storyteller, and a plot line that's interesting. It seems as though no one has learned a thing, even in 2022. People don't want political talking points shoved down their throat while trying to escape reality. Stick to entertainment and you'll be fine.
A great show, and a TV legend
seod199919 July 2002
An absolutely perfect show. It wasn't too technical, it wasn't too Sci-fi. It had the drama of life, and offered some comedy at the same time. Instead of seeing the same person with the same people dealing with their own life, we saw many, many, many different lives all being influenced by one great man who in the end could be deemed a saint. I am happy that the show was able to finish, and just disappear like some other great shows. The show had a good conclusion. It was happy, but it wasn't sappy or ultra-moralistic and joyful. It was the perfect ending for such a case. There isn't a thing they could change about this show. The only thing they could do to make it worse would be to make a movie for TV. Those type of things usually ruin a good show. Quantum Leap though is definitely a TV legend.
On the contrary.. BEST ending ever.......
carnifx7 December 2006
I'm making this comment in answer to the summary above where the poster states he didn't like the ending.. OK, everyone to their own, but personally I thought QL had the best ending of any show I've ever seen.
There was just so much happening you've got to pay attention, but it's certainly worth it...
When Shtopaw leaps... wow what a twist, I got totally blindsided by that, I just did not see it coming. Great stuff.
Also pay attention to the end credits.. that pic isn't a stock frame, Scott and Dean stood for those 30 sec and smiled to us.. as if to say..'Goodbye, and thanks for watching. It was a really nice touch and I know I appreciated it.
(Best Cartman voice) I love those guys.
There was just so much happening you've got to pay attention, but it's certainly worth it...
When Shtopaw leaps... wow what a twist, I got totally blindsided by that, I just did not see it coming. Great stuff.
Also pay attention to the end credits.. that pic isn't a stock frame, Scott and Dean stood for those 30 sec and smiled to us.. as if to say..'Goodbye, and thanks for watching. It was a really nice touch and I know I appreciated it.
(Best Cartman voice) I love those guys.
Best ending ever
wendylatham22 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Anyone who thinks the ending sucked or it ended on a cliff hanger wasn't paying attention. The ending was the most fantastic true to character ending I have ever seen.
When given the choice to go home or continue traveling to make things better Sam. Our sweet dear man Sam sacrificed himself for the good of others. Cue ugly cry through that entire episode. I mean I would have been mad if he chose to go home because it would have been so out of character.
Best ending to a television series ever.
Best ending to a television series ever.
Another Great Property Destroyed
sopenco12 January 2023
Stop me if you've heard this one before. We resurrect a beloved show from some bygone decade and replace all of the substance which made it great with virtue signaling and ultra-liberal politics.
Naturally, the show bombs. Sci-fi fans actually DON'T care what you learned majoring in gender studies at Berkeley - surprise, surprise! Nobody watches so the show is quickly cancelled and relegated to the heap of film most-forgettable which NOBODY will be watching or talking about five years down the line.
And then, a day later, some brilliant network will pay these same clowns to do it all again with another property. Brilliant formula!!
Like really: watch the original Quantum Leap. It was wonderful. It featured such things as excellent casting, heartfelt stories, endearing characters, moral dilemmas which NORMAL PEOPLE could relate to and it hardly ever made you cringe.
Oh, and it got five seasons and still has fans watching today.
Naturally, the show bombs. Sci-fi fans actually DON'T care what you learned majoring in gender studies at Berkeley - surprise, surprise! Nobody watches so the show is quickly cancelled and relegated to the heap of film most-forgettable which NOBODY will be watching or talking about five years down the line.
And then, a day later, some brilliant network will pay these same clowns to do it all again with another property. Brilliant formula!!
Like really: watch the original Quantum Leap. It was wonderful. It featured such things as excellent casting, heartfelt stories, endearing characters, moral dilemmas which NORMAL PEOPLE could relate to and it hardly ever made you cringe.
Oh, and it got five seasons and still has fans watching today.
Loved this back in the day
paulwattriley22 November 2020
I loved Quantum Leap back in the day when I was a teenager though I never watched every episode I watched it when I could. It was a feel good show.
Some of the comments on here make me laugh 'There is no Science' haha SciFi does not mean its about science so still being so dumb.
Though Time Travel is science, and invisible hologram is science, Quantum Physics is Science, people from the future is science.
Some of the comments on here make me laugh 'There is no Science' haha SciFi does not mean its about science so still being so dumb.
Though Time Travel is science, and invisible hologram is science, Quantum Physics is Science, people from the future is science.
My review of Quantum Leap
SteveTheAlien10 September 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Quantum Leap is without a doubt, the best show, ever. A perfect story line, and a great cast makes this show come together to provide an excellent show after show, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat between episodes wondering what will happen to Dr Sam Beckett.
Dr. Sam Beckett is a man who created a theory of how to travel through time. The project name is Project Quantum Leap. Which is a time travel experiment based on String Theory. When the government threatened to stop funding Project Quantum Leap he drastically stepped into the accelerator and leaped. He is then sent to a different time and he is a different person. To the audience we see him as Sam but to everyone else he is the person he has leapt into. He can be a man, woman or even animal. He leapes into a different person when he puts right what went wrong. He has the famous line at the end of every episode which is "Oh Boy". Sam Beckett is played by the great actor Scott Backula.
From the help of Al Calavicci, full title Rear Admiral Albert Calavicci, a womaniser who has married 5 times but has never got over his first wife Beth, who remarried when Al was declared MIA in Vietnam. To Al his happiness and his heart always belonged to Beth. He met Sam when he was drunk and trying to beat a vending machine. The two became friends very quickly and they worked together on the Starbright Project. After the StarBright project they started to work on Project Quantum Leap together. When Sam leaped Al was able to speak to Sam as a form of a hologram which only Sam can hear and see. Al helps Sam by telling what to do to be able to leap again hoping that the next leap will bring Sam home. Al explains Project Quantum Leap with the following theory "Life is like a piece of string, one end your birth, the other end your death. Tie the ends together and your life is a loop. If you can travel fast enough along the string, you can arrive at your birth. Ball the loop and the days of your life touch each other out of sequence. Therefore moving from one part of the string to another, will move you backward or forward within your own lifetime" Al is played by the BRILLIANT Dean Stockwell.He is the greatest actor that I have ever layed eyes on. He has a very funny personality which can change when he wants it to so this is what makes him a great actor.
Gooshie is the head computer programmer in Project Quantum Leap. He is known for his bad breath. He is rarely seen. He is played by Dennis Wolfberg.
To sum up Quantum Leap it is the best program that has been made. It contains comedy, action, seriousness and sadnesses. It is a family program that children and adults of all ages will enjoy. If you haven't watched Quantum Leap I would highly recommend to watch it.
Dr. Sam Beckett is a man who created a theory of how to travel through time. The project name is Project Quantum Leap. Which is a time travel experiment based on String Theory. When the government threatened to stop funding Project Quantum Leap he drastically stepped into the accelerator and leaped. He is then sent to a different time and he is a different person. To the audience we see him as Sam but to everyone else he is the person he has leapt into. He can be a man, woman or even animal. He leapes into a different person when he puts right what went wrong. He has the famous line at the end of every episode which is "Oh Boy". Sam Beckett is played by the great actor Scott Backula.
From the help of Al Calavicci, full title Rear Admiral Albert Calavicci, a womaniser who has married 5 times but has never got over his first wife Beth, who remarried when Al was declared MIA in Vietnam. To Al his happiness and his heart always belonged to Beth. He met Sam when he was drunk and trying to beat a vending machine. The two became friends very quickly and they worked together on the Starbright Project. After the StarBright project they started to work on Project Quantum Leap together. When Sam leaped Al was able to speak to Sam as a form of a hologram which only Sam can hear and see. Al helps Sam by telling what to do to be able to leap again hoping that the next leap will bring Sam home. Al explains Project Quantum Leap with the following theory "Life is like a piece of string, one end your birth, the other end your death. Tie the ends together and your life is a loop. If you can travel fast enough along the string, you can arrive at your birth. Ball the loop and the days of your life touch each other out of sequence. Therefore moving from one part of the string to another, will move you backward or forward within your own lifetime" Al is played by the BRILLIANT Dean Stockwell.He is the greatest actor that I have ever layed eyes on. He has a very funny personality which can change when he wants it to so this is what makes him a great actor.
Gooshie is the head computer programmer in Project Quantum Leap. He is known for his bad breath. He is rarely seen. He is played by Dennis Wolfberg.
To sum up Quantum Leap it is the best program that has been made. It contains comedy, action, seriousness and sadnesses. It is a family program that children and adults of all ages will enjoy. If you haven't watched Quantum Leap I would highly recommend to watch it.
Working for Mr. Jordan?
mike4812810 June 2018
An anthology series, suggested by the 2 "Heaven Can Wait-Mr. Jordan"" movies and (I believe) an obscure circa 1950's paperback novel titled "Timeliner". In that novel, there is also a scientific accident that traps a man into always going forward into someone else's body. However, in that book, he takes the life of that person and then moves on when finished. An unintentional mental-physical vampire. He also finds that it is a known phenomena and others exist as well. This TV version is far more benign. He rights wrongs and fixes history, much like the hero in the TV series "Early Edition". The "temporarily" misplaced person waits in a holding area, and returns to their own body after Sam Becket leaps back out. In one of my favorite leaps, he saves an elderly man from falling from a 2nd story window. Also, in the same episode., he meets a teen-aged "Stephen King" and unwittingly serves as the inspiration for several of King's later classic novels. All this while confronting The Devil and witchcraft in a hallucination or daydream. The leaps in later seasons include Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, a real vampire, ghosts, witches, clairvoyants, a real UFO "passenger" , and a visit from his guardian angel in "It's a Wonderful Leap". The last episode "Mirror Image" is also explained in the IMDb article. In another noteworthy episode, he "leaps" into Lee Harvey Oswald to prevent Jacqueline's murder. Generally fun-to-watch and intriguing. I enjoy it on cable, as 97 episodes are just too many to own or view!. (In 2017, the creator stated that he had written a sequel which could be produced in the future, of course!)
Re-watching This Gem of a Show
hyf211224 January 2012
I'm currently re-watching this show on Hulu after not having seen an episode since the finale aired. I loved it back then and rarely missed an episode. Not easy to do in the days before DVR's. While some of the effects have not stood up well to the changing technologies, the subjects of the show itself are still as relevant today as they were 20 years ago. Yes, some episodes fell kind of flat, others were a bit preachy about social issues, but on the whole the show was very well written and superbly acted by Scott and Dean. Like most great sci-fi shows (Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Enterprise), the sci-fi or fantasy aspect takes second place to the actual story. I read a lot of complaints about the 5th season. It did have a few stinkers, but overall I think it was my favorite. The Lee Harvey Oswald episodes (some of Scott's best acting on the series), Trilogy, the evil leaper episodes, and the Finale are all episodes I count among my favorites. The chemistry between Al and Sam is really what made the show so great. It was somewhat cliché with Sam being the straight no-nonsense guy and Al the fun-loving, usual comic-relief sidekick, but the 2 actors really pulled it off brilliantly from the pilot episode all the way to the end. I highly recommend discovering or, like me, re-discovering this series for yourself!
It's Now Been Thirty Years...
vestutoinglish15 October 2020
...and even though Scott Bakula is on "NCIS New Orleans" and Dean Stockwell is retired there still must be a huge Fan Base big enough to bring them back for a two-hour movie. C'mon "Powers That Be"...bring some originality to TV. If networks thought bringing back horrible shows like "Will and Grace" would work (which it failed miserably) then give "Quantum Leap" a chance. We're waiting!
Well Produced But Science is Science Fiction
DKosty12313 September 2007
Donald P. Bellisario is an excellent quality TV producer. All of his shows have a unique production value & a quality look. This show is his best. I know JAG fans would not agree with me, but to me this show is true science fiction where JAG is a mixture of military & science fiction. To me the mixture is not as strong as the pure thing.
Interesting that this show starts in the desert with a science experiment of time travel. That is the same place it's ancient Irwin Allen relative, The Time Tunnel started. Donald P. Bellisario improves on the concept presented by Irwin Allen by actually making his time traveler (Quantum Leaper Scott Bakula) assume the roles of real people in the time he was transported too. This makes for better plotting, but the basic idea of being stuck in time & not being able to get back is the same premise used in Irwin Allen's show.
Bellisario enlists Dean Stockwell as a companion who seems to be able leap into all these times but since he can not usually been seen except by our leaper, he usually is just around to bug him & give him clues about where he is & what he is doing. In spite of all the publicity that Quantum Physics got from this show, it is entirely based upon science fiction.
In fact, if you watch the entire series, you learn more about history than science. The leaps are almost always into eras where something historic is going on & our main character is always being put into peril or is fumbling around trying to figure out just where he is. It is a good show though unfortunately it can not even be watched for history as very often the history is revised to fit out characters & the plot into the circumstances.
So you watch it for the Science Fiction & a good cast of regular actors & guest stars. It is very entertaining & to me much better than the higher rated & over hyped JAG Bellisario did later on CBS.
Interesting that this show starts in the desert with a science experiment of time travel. That is the same place it's ancient Irwin Allen relative, The Time Tunnel started. Donald P. Bellisario improves on the concept presented by Irwin Allen by actually making his time traveler (Quantum Leaper Scott Bakula) assume the roles of real people in the time he was transported too. This makes for better plotting, but the basic idea of being stuck in time & not being able to get back is the same premise used in Irwin Allen's show.
Bellisario enlists Dean Stockwell as a companion who seems to be able leap into all these times but since he can not usually been seen except by our leaper, he usually is just around to bug him & give him clues about where he is & what he is doing. In spite of all the publicity that Quantum Physics got from this show, it is entirely based upon science fiction.
In fact, if you watch the entire series, you learn more about history than science. The leaps are almost always into eras where something historic is going on & our main character is always being put into peril or is fumbling around trying to figure out just where he is. It is a good show though unfortunately it can not even be watched for history as very often the history is revised to fit out characters & the plot into the circumstances.
So you watch it for the Science Fiction & a good cast of regular actors & guest stars. It is very entertaining & to me much better than the higher rated & over hyped JAG Bellisario did later on CBS.
Dangerously Overrated
RiffRaffMcKinley22 December 2006
Unfortunately, I have watched nearly every episode of "Quantum Leap." Why is this show so acclaimed? In five years, it never went in any interesting direction for more than one episode. In his long years of "leaping from life to life," Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) assumes the identities of women, rape victims, too many Southern lawyers, and the mentally retarded. However, every episode, viewers find themselves introduced to entirely new characters in a maddeningly short space of time. We have no time to relate in the slightest to any of these characters. The only two we actually have time to relate to are a larger-than-life hero (impossible) and a lecherous hologram (again, impossible). The series also went to similar places too often, dealing primarily only with the following: death, racial prejudice, and Sam's burning desire to get home. There were a few interesting episodes (for example, Season 5's "Leaping of the Shrew"), but overall, it's just another dangerously overrated inexplicable phenomenon, just like "My Name is Earl" and the new version of "Battlestar Galactica."
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