'Quantum Leap' on NBC: How the original series starring Scott Bakula ended
Sometimes with new changes, it reminds us how we should take a trip down memory lane once in a while, and today that is exactly what we are doing! Remember the famous scientist, Sam Beckett aka Scott Bakula? Yes! His infamous TV show, 'Quantum Leap' has been rebooted on NBC.
Sam spent five seasons uncontrollably “leaping” inside person after person (to dramatic eras from the segregated South to the Vietnam War, to name a few) while also bantering with his querulous, cigar-chomping best friend, Al (Dean Stockwell, who died last November). As Al gathered details critical to these mysterious missions via supercomputer Ziggy. However, the new season is preparing to air on September 19, 2022, on NBC. It is starring Raymond Lee who plays the role of a dedicated quantum physicist Ben Song. Wondering what happened to Sam Beckett in the previous series? Don't worry we got you covered! Read more to find out how 'Quantum Leap' ended three decades ago.
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In the old series, physicist Dr Sam Beckett (Bakula) theorized that time travel within one's own lifetime is possible, and obtains government support to build his project 'Quantum Leap'. It shows some years later, having already spent $43 billion, the government threatens to halt funding, as no progress has been made, and Sam decides to test the project accelerator by himself to save the project before anyone can stop him. He is thrown back in time, and on regaining consciousness, finds that while he physically exists in the past, he appears to everyone else as a person into whom he had "leaped", and further has partial amnesia related to his own identity.
A hologram of his friend Admiral Al Calavicci (Stockwell) appears, visible and audible only to Sam, and helps explain to Sam that he must correct something that went wrong in the past, aided by the resources of the project's supercomputer Ziggy (voiced by Pratt), as once that is corrected, he should be able to leap back to the present. Despite successfully correcting the past, Sam continues to leap randomly to another place and time within the second half of the 20th century, "putting right what once went wrong and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home".
However, at the end of season five, Bellisario was told to write an episode that could serve as a season finale or series finale, as it was unclear whether 'Quantum Leap' would be renewed. The episode contained some answers to long-standing questions about the show but contained enough ambiguity for a season six. 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 of the series was met by viewers with mixed feelings.
Is there a possibility that the viewers will see Sam Becket in the new series as he is still in the 'Quantum Leap' universe? We don't know that yet as there is no confirmation by the creators or the original series actor. Anyhow, the new series is all prepped for its premiere with Raymond Lee playing Dr Ben Seong, a world-renown physicist who gets stuck in the 1980s with amnesia after using the 'Quantum Leap' technology. Along with him, the audience will also see Ernie Hudson as Herbert “Magic” Williams, Caitlin Bassett as Addison Augustine, Nanrisa Lee as Jenn, and lastly, Mason Alexander Park as Ian in the upcoming NBC series, 'Quantum Leap'.
'Quantum Leap' is all set to premiere on Monday, September 19, 2022, on NBC and it will also stream on Peacock.