How many seasons did the original 'Quantum Leap' have?
'Quantum Leap' is back, but it appears the reboot doesn't have the OG cast which had Scott Bakula as Dr Sam Beckett, although Raymond Lee does return as Ben Seong. Alongside Lee, Ernie Hudson has joined the cast as Herbert "Magic" Williams, with Nanrisa Lee, Mason Alexander Park, and newcomer Caitlin Bassett as Jenn, Ian, and Addison.
However, the 80s series starred Scott Bakula as Dr Sam Beckett, a physicist who involuntarily leaps through spacetime during experiments in time travel, by temporarily taking the place of other people to correct what he consistently discovers were historical mistakes. Dean Stockwell co-stars as Admiral Al Calavicci, Sam's womanizing, cigar-smoking companion and best friend, who appears to him as a hologram and researches and shapes his opinions of the past. The series features a mix of humor, drama, romance, social commentary, and science fiction. It was ranked number 19 on TV Guide's "Top Cult Shows Ever" in 2007. Anyhow, the new 'Quantum Leap' restarts the time travel from the original with a new set of characters. When Dr Ben Song (Raymond Lee) makes an unauthorized leap into the past, his team begins searching for answers, scrambling to bring him home before he gets in too deep.
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Wondering how many seasons the 80s series had? Don't worry, we got you!
The original series ran for five seasons from 1989 to 1993, with an ambiguous series finale that left the fate of Bakula’s character up in the air. When the show was not renewed, two title cards were tacked on to the end of the last episode; one read that Al’s first wife Beth never remarried, so they were still married in the present day and had four daughters. The last title card said, "Sam Becket never returned home." The finale was met by viewers with mixed feelings.
On an Instagram post, Scott Bakula recently addressed if he was going to be featured in the new season. The season's plot read, "Set 30 years after Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished, follows a new team that must restart the project hoping to understand the mysteries behind the machine and its creator."
Bakula said, "To Quantum Leap fans around the world, in an effort to quiet the rumors and move on… First of all, thanks for hanging around through the decades! Here’s the simple version of what’s going on with the Quantum Leap reboot and me:
I have no connection with the new show, either in front of the camera or behind it."
He added, "In January, the pilot was sold and a script was sent to me because the character of Sam Beckett was in it, which makes sense, right? As so many of you have been asking me the last several months, “How could you do QL without Sam?"(or Al, for that matter) Well, I guess we’re about to find out. That’s the story. As the show has always been near and dear to my heart, it was a very difficult decision to pass on the project, a decision that has upset and confused so many fans of the original series. However, the idea of anyone ‘leaping’ around in time and walking a mile in someone else’s shoes, remains a very appealing concept and so worthy of exploration, especially given the current state of mankind."
"In that spirit, I am crossing my fingers that this new cast and crew are lucky enough to tap into the magic that propelled the original Quantum Leap into the hearts and minds of generations past and present. I wish them good luck and happy leaping!" he concluded the post.
'Quantum Leap' is all set to premiere on Monday, September 19, 2022, on NBC and it will also stream on Peacock.