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"Quantum Leap - a look back at a fantastic TV series"

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Wed 22/08/01 at 23:34
Regular
Posts: 787
Quantum Leap used to be the highlight of my week. Yes, I know that sounds sad, that a television programme can be the thing that you look forward to most in a week, but there was something magical about this programme and it had me hooked.

The premise is that Sam Beckett, a researcher on the Quantum Leap project, steps into the project room to fix something when it goes wrong but gets caught in the blast and gets knocked unconscious. When he awakes, Sam is confused to find himself in a strange bed, that of an airforce pilot with a pregnant wife. He soon realises that he is living someone else’s life and must try to muddle through and do whatever he has been sent there to do.

Into this mix is thrown Al. Al is also a member of the project and has used the hologram device back in the future to reach Sam and help him out, even though he has little clue about what is going on himself. Unfortunately, he has been given orders not to remind Sam about anything about his real life, so while Sam tries to put the pieces of his ‘swiss-cheesed’ brain together, Al tries to hint in subtle ways. Only Sam can see and hear Al, so he has to keep a bit quiet when anyone else is around, otherwise Sam appears to be talking to thin air! At the end of the first leap, we realise that Sam has been sent to this person ‘to put right what once went wrong’ and hopefully leap back home in the process.

Of course, he doesn’t get home, but appears as yet another person, and with Al must once again figure out what to do to save this person before he can leap again, hopefully getting closer to home each time he does. This adds a lot of scope to each episode and Sam has been a soldier, rock-star, slave, prisoner and many more things. The best way for me to describe the programme is to say that it’s a cross between Highway To Heaven and The Twilight Zone, but this is rather unfair as it comes up with so many original ideas.

Each episode is well written and there is a lot of emphasis on the characters, which are always interesting. Strangly, it’s also easy to believe that Sam is that person, as Scot Bakula is such a great actor. Dean Stockwell is also fantastic as Al and there is always a strong supporting cast in every show. There is so much emotion and feeling in the show that it is easy to get swept into it and only realise how much it affects you when the series finishes, the ending is so sad, but again, very well written. The special effects are used well too, sparse but effective is probably the best phrase for them, but as the stories are so well driven by character and plot, there doesn’t need to be too many of them anyway.

I can’t really explain any better how this show has affected me so, other than it has a certain magic and charm rarely seen in a television show these days. If you get a chance to watch the episodes in order, it makes so much difference, but unfortunately BBC2 don’t seem to think this and any repeats jump around more than Sam himself. The videos to date have been disappointing, only 2 episodes to a video and in no order whatsoever. I’m praying that the DVDs have some semblance of order to them when (or if) they finally arrive. Until then, I’ll just have to remember the show from when it was first aired and hold out hope that they show it in it’s entirety again.
Thu 23/08/01 at 14:48
Regular
"Back For Good"
Posts: 3,673
I love the series, shame it's not on anymore although i still have the pilot eisode on video :)
Thu 23/08/01 at 14:44
Regular
"not dead"
Posts: 11,145
Mr.Snuggly wrote:
> Scott Bakula - I only remember because it sounds like a fish.

I always thought of it as Dracula's cousin....

Did you find that after the first time he became a woman, it seemed to happen more and more often, almost as if Scott liked dressing as a woman, and demanded it.

Either that or he had a falling out with the scriptwriters!
Thu 23/08/01 at 14:35
Regular
"TheShiznit.co.uk"
Posts: 6,592
Scott Bakula - I only remember because it sounds like a fish.
Thu 23/08/01 at 11:45
"High polygon count"
Posts: 15,624
The actor who played the lead (can't think of his name) in QL is playing the captain in the new Star Trek series, "Enterprise"... if you're interested!
Thu 23/08/01 at 11:03
Regular
"TheShiznit.co.uk"
Posts: 6,592
Quantum Leap was wicked.
Thu 23/08/01 at 10:29
Moderator
"possibly impossible"
Posts: 24,985
RawisAndy wrote:
> Hey Quantum Leap is great!

Remember the show where AI was someone
> else pretending to be him

That would have been the halloween one, where everything went weird, I think.
Thu 23/08/01 at 02:39
Regular
Posts: 15,579
yeah, i used to watch it every week too. It was really good becasue at the end of each show it set the scene for the next show. that kept me watchin.

yeah it does still come on sky, i saw an episode a few weeks back. Cant remember which channel it was though, too many damn channels.
Thu 23/08/01 at 02:36
Regular
"I'm not Orgazmo"
Posts: 9,159
Hey Quantum Leap is great!

Remember the show where AI was someone else pretending to be him? For some reason I remember that episode more than any others. :D

I think Quantum Leap is still being shown on Sky, well it was last time I checked. :D
Wed 22/08/01 at 23:34
Moderator
"possibly impossible"
Posts: 24,985
Quantum Leap used to be the highlight of my week. Yes, I know that sounds sad, that a television programme can be the thing that you look forward to most in a week, but there was something magical about this programme and it had me hooked.

The premise is that Sam Beckett, a researcher on the Quantum Leap project, steps into the project room to fix something when it goes wrong but gets caught in the blast and gets knocked unconscious. When he awakes, Sam is confused to find himself in a strange bed, that of an airforce pilot with a pregnant wife. He soon realises that he is living someone else’s life and must try to muddle through and do whatever he has been sent there to do.

Into this mix is thrown Al. Al is also a member of the project and has used the hologram device back in the future to reach Sam and help him out, even though he has little clue about what is going on himself. Unfortunately, he has been given orders not to remind Sam about anything about his real life, so while Sam tries to put the pieces of his ‘swiss-cheesed’ brain together, Al tries to hint in subtle ways. Only Sam can see and hear Al, so he has to keep a bit quiet when anyone else is around, otherwise Sam appears to be talking to thin air! At the end of the first leap, we realise that Sam has been sent to this person ‘to put right what once went wrong’ and hopefully leap back home in the process.

Of course, he doesn’t get home, but appears as yet another person, and with Al must once again figure out what to do to save this person before he can leap again, hopefully getting closer to home each time he does. This adds a lot of scope to each episode and Sam has been a soldier, rock-star, slave, prisoner and many more things. The best way for me to describe the programme is to say that it’s a cross between Highway To Heaven and The Twilight Zone, but this is rather unfair as it comes up with so many original ideas.

Each episode is well written and there is a lot of emphasis on the characters, which are always interesting. Strangly, it’s also easy to believe that Sam is that person, as Scot Bakula is such a great actor. Dean Stockwell is also fantastic as Al and there is always a strong supporting cast in every show. There is so much emotion and feeling in the show that it is easy to get swept into it and only realise how much it affects you when the series finishes, the ending is so sad, but again, very well written. The special effects are used well too, sparse but effective is probably the best phrase for them, but as the stories are so well driven by character and plot, there doesn’t need to be too many of them anyway.

I can’t really explain any better how this show has affected me so, other than it has a certain magic and charm rarely seen in a television show these days. If you get a chance to watch the episodes in order, it makes so much difference, but unfortunately BBC2 don’t seem to think this and any repeats jump around more than Sam himself. The videos to date have been disappointing, only 2 episodes to a video and in no order whatsoever. I’m praying that the DVDs have some semblance of order to them when (or if) they finally arrive. Until then, I’ll just have to remember the show from when it was first aired and hold out hope that they show it in it’s entirety again.

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