I think you nailed it! This might be the reason Scott Bakula was disenchanted with the new series. He could see that it was not going to honor the spirit, or premise of the original show. Which is what a good reboot does while putting the original premise in a fresh context. This is what the Cobra Kai series has done superbly. The new Quantum Leap could have followed suit. Instead, the producers chose to rehash the premise to suit woke politics and the serialized format of many contemporary shows. Cobra Kai was also serialized but it still translated an original concept very well. The new Quantum Leap, unlike Cobrai Kai, doesn't honor its back story but just uses it as a "leaping off" point. I doubt that it is going to be a good series
@@SFC5660 funny how we lovers of the classic can be misoistaphobes for not liking this woke shit when the classic was so for civil rights and put Scott in women'sbodies multiple times. it's almost like there's something more to it than that.
One thing that I see or feel, is that Ben doesn't care about the person he leaps into or what the problem they face is. It seems to me that he just does a job to leap, not to "put right what once went wrong." With Sam, I really got the feeling that he cared about the person and the problem, like you said.
I think you make a really good point. In a way, the season-long arc almost makes Ben's episodic problems seem trivial. Ben only cares about fixing these people's lives so that he can get to his ultimate destination.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos I’m hoping the ultimate destination is Al’s Place in the old finale and Ben sets right what once went wrong in the finale. Hoping beyond hope the network is playing the long game and brings Scott back into the franchise by making old fans happy that he does return.
What are you talking about? Have you been even watching the show? He definitely cares about the people he leaps into just like Sam. He cared about the boxer's brother and the woman who gets proposed and the space shuttle crew.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos He definitely cares about the people he leapt into but he also wants to go home just like Sam wanted to go home. But his focus is to find Sam first and bring them back home. I wonder why there's all these negative comments about Ben? Doesn't make any sense.
@@lamarravery4094 You're right, this video was made as a reaction to the first two episodes. I thought that the boxing episode especially was a big improvement. Looking back, what I initially worried was the reboot trying to move away from the original show's formula might have been the new show trying to start off with big, audience-grabbing stunts before settling into a more subdued rhythm.
Another show with a similar premise was Sliders - Quinn (a nerdy kid) invents a device that creates a momentary wormhole to 'slide' into a parallel universe, accompanied by Wade (his girlfriend), Prof Arturo (his college physics instructor), and Rembrandt (innocent bystander and audience identification character). The return trip is set by a timer and everything works fine until a violent storm on an alternate Earth trapped in nuclear winter forces them to create a new wormhole (rather than wait for the preprogrammed one). Now the wormholes are completely random and each slide presents new challenges they must overcome in order to attempt the next slide. But the main pitfall which Sliders, Quantum Leap, Greatest American Hero, Knight Rider, and many MANY others fell into was the "Evil Us" trope - evil sliders, evil leapers, evil guy with a super suit, Garth (plus K.A.R.R. and Goliath), et al. So atrocious! But, yeah, it's not just TV shows. Hollywood today seems incapable of understanding what made particular IPs so successful and wreck them - usually by 'going woke', but excessive complications aren't anything new either. In the *actual* Star Wars trilogy (now dubbed IV, V, and VI), The Force was... well, The Force. It simply was and never needed all that 'midichlorian' garbage. They even try to reboot popular video game franchises like Sim City (a single-player sandbox game) as an always-online pseudo-MMO which delivered on none of its advertised promises, offered far inferior gameplay compared to its decade-old predecessor, and its scant legit online features were thinly-veiled draconic DRM schemes. Truth be told, I knew nothing of the Quantum Leap reboot until finding this video; now I'm almost sorry I found it. As you said, the show was empowering in a way that today's audiences can barely comprehend. It taught us that great change *CAN* happen if we find the courage to take the first step - like the episode with the black chauffer in the 60's south; him sitting at the all-white lunch counter wasn't so important as how his courage convinced the old white lady he drove for to sit beside him, causing him to leap. No beating the audience over the head with 'woke' propaganda necessary; he made a difference which made people's lives change for the better and he leaped. Which is probably the greatest hallmark of Quantum Leap. Not only did the show drop Sam right into the inciting incident (we learned the context and backstory along with him) but it also eliminated the dénouement - in a 40-minute episode, we actually got well over a full hour's worth of story. Even better, the 'solution' Al and Ziggy present early on seems completely reasonable but is always a red herring; the actual solution always turns out to be something less obvious yet far more satisfying! I suspect that Hollywood writers have simply forgotten how to write stories which are actually, y'know, good.
I'd been trying to put my finger on what was lacking from the new Quantum Leap and you hit the nail on the head. This version's story is not about the leaps, it's about the drama in the present.
The only thing I think they didn't seem to understand after watching the first episode is that you don't simply leap into people's bodies, you actually swap places with them. In the original show the people from the past would be in Sam's place in the waiting room in the future. The reboot never even mentions that the waiting room is a thing so the whole time they were looking for info on the guy he leaped into and couldn't find any records of him I was thinking, why isn't anyone just talking to him in the waiting room? He's right there, that's what they did in the original show when ever they encountered this exact problem but for this new show they apperently forgot they could do that.
Yeah, I noticed that too. Though I seem to remember the original Quantum Leap not introducing the concept of the Waiting Room until pretty late in the series. (Though I might be totally wrong.) Maybe they'll bring it up in a few episodes and explain that they keep the time travelers sedated for security reasons. It wouldn't be the worst idea, considering the time in season 5 when a serial killer escaped the Waiting Room and caused chaos in the future.
That is odd to me as well, I wasn't sure others noticed that until now. I just decided to write it off as changes to the programming that he loaded. As I write this I now wonder where his body has gone. Now I have to be bothered by this again.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos I know you put this video out before episode 3 and 4. If you're concerned about spoilers, don't read this comment without having watched them. They have now been explicit that Ben's consciousness is taking over the person's body, not swapping places (in episode 3 they state that he has the muscles and conditioning of the boxer, just lacks the experience; in episode 4 in the body of a woman Addison asks him if he's thought about what he "doesn't have" in reference to anatomy). Personally, continuity changes kinda bug me, if you're going to follow the original show's continuity I feel like you should follow the rules as far as they established them. I do my best to just enjoy the new show for it's own merits rather than judge it based on continuity with the original, but when they are actually making the story of the remake center on investigating the mystery of the original it seems more important to that they are faithful and know that it will bug fans.
@@John_Fisher That was always the case. They swapped consciousness, but Sam was in the person's body. So could possess the physical strengths or weaknesses of the person. Though this last episode (5)... whoah... and I think you know what I mean. No spoiler from me.
The new Quantum Leap seems to be following the formula of the rebooted Macgyver and Magnum PI, where we have mystery boxes, tech nerds that can hack anything and a team that can solve anything. Its really sad. I was excited when I heard that they were going to reboot the show. The original had such heart and optimism about the future.
maybe that is the real problem, after 3 years of lock down and the Russian /Ukraine war optimism is gone. Hackers are every where, Star Trek , QL etc were built to make the world feel better. Does any one care enough any more to make that happen?
I am willing to give it a chance, but I need some Scott Bakula goodness... one way I think they can do that, is just give Bakula a blank check and say "You fill in the amount you need to do four episodes. and you have creative freedom in those. Then I'd love to see as been begins to leap out into someone else, in the background somewhere, some ordinary joe, you see the leap effect on them too, indicating not only is Ben leaping into the past, he's leaped into the same time frame as Sam. Then over the course of this happening like every other or every two episodes, at the end of the season, Sam and Ben leap at the same time and they notice each other as they leap in.. and so begins the team up. In the downtime, we can have ben talk to sam about why he hasn't leaped home, talk about his wife, the project whatever... and crucially at the end of our time with Sam, Ben course corrects his approach and the series. We use this time with sam to pull the focus away from the present and refocus on the leaps and keep the focus there.
NBC only wanted Bakula to play a minor role and clearly didn't want to spend the money we'd both want them to spend. Alas, Dean Stockwell recently passed away which would make Sam's return bittersweet.
For something ultimately so high-concept, Quantum Leap had rather humble beginnings. Donald Bellisario was a big fan of anthology programming, but "Tales from the Darkside" and "Amazing Stories" were on their way out by the time Quantum Leap was conceived. It was simply Bellisario's way to be able to say, "No. It's not really an anthology." Surely enough, it took on a life of its own.
I love the original Quantum Leap it was my favorite show as a kid in the 80's and 90's. I feel this new show is not the same and it let me down, when I saw the first trailer I knew that it would not have the same magic it's a different world today. The stories from the original would suck me in and I would feel it in my heart. I remember the first time I saw Sam tell Al's wife to wait for Al because he knew he would come back and the song Georgia was playing... I cried my eyes out. So many episodes would make you feel emotional evolved in the story that it was Magic 🎩 ✨️ I can Guarantee the new show will not do that Even when I hear the intro shown for quantum leap it makes me Get excited knowing the writers on the show put so much heart into it and the actors put even more heart into the rolls. I could talk about this show forever but the new show has a lot to prove to me and many Viewers
I remember that episode, I cried like a baby when Al started dancing with her, there were a lot of moments that made us cry. I don't the new show can do that because in the ads you can tell that Ben doesn't care. He literally looks like he didn't even want to leap in the first place
I think the most significant difference between now and then was that once upon a time the premise was there to facilitate the telling of stories. It was the cloth the stories were painted upon. The best concepts were those that had the best storytelling possibilities. Now the stories seem to exist in order to serve the concept. It's now "Okay, how do we build a story around what we want to do with the concept" instead of "okay, how do we use the concept as a basis for a new story". Even when that results in a good series, since it is the concept that is dominant, once they are done with the concept, the stories no longer hold on their own. I cannot go into a repeat of any random episode of Breaking Bad and enjoy the story on its own. At worst, they stretch a concept out as long as they can while not having any actual stories to tell -- the concept is its own conceit, and when the concept is revealed to have had no depth to it, you are left with neither the concept nor the stories.
That's exactly what She- Hulk was like. Just concept no real depth. A bunch of fan service, but no over arching them. I hope I'm not spoiling everything here but She- Hulk just rewrites the ending to her own show. Really!!!
@@briansmith48 Speaking of which, I had Charles Soule accidentally confess to me that neither he nor the writers cared one bit about She-Hulk remotely resembling actual law or legal practice after I asked him if they totally ignored his advice as "legal consultant" on the show. He then blocked me when I asked why they spent money on a legal consultant then.
Original premise aside, what really sold the show was Scott Bakula. His performances in so many different roles, as it were, went well above and beyond what other actors were doing at the time. And as we have seen in his other roles post QL he still brings on the A game. It's a shame that he wont be in the crappy reboot.
Despite loving the original and purchasing the series on Blu, DVD and comps on VHS,I jumped ship after the reboot's pilot. IT clearly had no idea what made QL so special, especially with its annoying need to follow the project's support team in modern day filler scenes
The one word that comes to mind for the original QL is “compassion”. True feeling for the leapee. This new series is cold and too scientific. It reminds me of Bones where the premise was to figure what killed the dead person. The actors had chemistry that made the show work. QL is missing the heart of the show. The tongue and cheek comedy. It is truly sad to watch.
I really like your perspective. It's exactly how I feel about the original Quantum Leap. The new one is trying to do classic Quantum Leap and also cater to the current television landscape. It isn't perfect and isn't sticking the landing every time, but I think there's already been a couple of good episodes, and I hope they find their footing before it's too late.
Two core problems with the new Quantum Leap are that is focuses on diversity casting and sentimentality/romance denied between the leaper and the hologram. The original examined the big questions diversity/racism/sexism and the challenges faced by the neuro-divergent as its core message. Essentially it makes me feel like the reboot so far TELLS where it should SHOW as if they are checking off boxes and relying on nostalgia to go the distance in future seasons. Perhaps the message of the reboot is to talk about representational diversity, relegating the stories to heroic adventures being shown to take a multicultural multi-ethnic team to face such modern challenges. Which worries me as it may imply that the old show needed to be 'politically fixed' to work in today's media culture
I agree. Instead of showing the audience the atrocities of what happened in a manner that is more true they tell us that white people are bad. Just shitty story telling and does nothing except divide people.
"Two core problems with the new Quantum Leap are that is focuses on diversity casting " Sorry, man, you're out of touch. MOST PEOPLE are done seeing shows focused on white males. Diversity is here to stay and that's a good thing. Us white males are going to be a minority in the next decade anyway.
@@tomservo75 "Putting wokeness and political correctness above the story. " Captain Marvel was wildly successful. It doesn't go by what MAGA or incels think.
Let's be honest if the show lasts three seasons it'll be an accomplishment considering it's on "broadcast TV," and that's regardless of it's premise or quality. But that's precisely why the show had to change for its return. There were a lot of unknowns in the original show, people don't thrive on nebulous conceits like they used to. In the old days you could have a character do the same thing for six seasons until people got bored and moved on to new experiences, now adays you have to have a beginning middle and end that you're working toward (even if you might never see it) because there's just too much content to occupy our time. The set pieces have to be bigger, the stakes can't just be saving a guy with a failing restaurant unless the story is Oscar-tier moving and TV writing just isn't that bold or smart enough to battle against slew of HBO's epic shows and the endless streaming binge bait without changing up the formula. If you're going to bring back these old concepts there are two things you have to deal with, 1. how to approach new prejudices that have been created in the time since the last show that can be just as or more polarizing to the viewers because they're more fresh thanks to the internet age, and 2. answering the deep lore questions that people now have because as we got older, we got more discerning about our fandoms. If all the Ts aren't crossed we start wondering why, if all of our myriad of sociopolitical opinions aren't taken into account then we claim a lack of representation. So they likely chose to abandon spending too much time on potentially controversial stuff the original show handled with class and subtlety (but make sure to vary the present day cast enough that almost everyone can say they're represented,) to tackle the underlying in-universe things that they _can_ control like, why did the program exist in the first place, what happened to the world while Sam Beckett was gone, and presumably leading to a day when they can maybe convince Scott Bakula to make a guest appearance and stoke the nostalgia once more as they finally bring him home. I've only seen the first episode and it's made me curious enough to want to catch a few more just to see where it's going. Will they fill in the holes and inconsistencies or explain the questions we didn't know we had about the show? Who knows. Is it replacing any of my streaming viewing habits? No. I will say the one episode I saw shown me enough respect for the existing canon that I'll tune in for "important lore episodes," which is more than I can say for a lot of the reboots we've been given in the last 5 years.
The The Original Show they said Sam’s body leaped back into someone’s “aura” so they heard and saw him as the other person. Same happened to the person in the past was in Sam’s aura too. Sam still had a leg while in an amputee life. Sam fathered a daughter because it was his seed. Sam kept the doctor from examining him when he was in a pregnant woman. Sam could see while in a blind man. The new show has Ben literally in the body of the person and no mention of the person leaping forward to 2022 in the waiting room. Idk maybe its different now because Ben improved upon the original machine. After the finale Sam was leaping forever as himself without anyone set back to 1995. Ziggy is mentioned but never speaks. Where is Sam’s wife and daughter Sammy Jo Fuller who worked on the old project? Neither have been mentioned yet in 4 episodes. I am hopeful that Scott is going to return and the studio is playing a long game keeping it secret. Maybe the whole idea of Ben trying to reach some point in the past through various leaps is to fix the finale of the old show. To put right what once went wrong! I personally liked the evil leaper episodes showing there was a malevolent Force trying to destroy lives while Sam fixes it. I would agree he did leap into a lot of famous people later on. Leaping into the civil war time was due to an ancestor so his life is linked to previous lives before him. I loved seeing Al and Sam reversed and he became the hologram and Al the traveler. The one episode he becomes Al in his early Navy career and seeing Sam deal with a funny British hologram. Episode 4 is interesting tie-in with new Admiral was the guy Sam leaped into his older Brother’s unit in Vietnam 🇻🇳.
Here my theory of what the plot is...there was a pin point he made in the map of leaps and that one pin point is where he rescues Sam Beckett and brings him back. It's pretty obvious if you pay close attention to details going on so far. Think about the first episode when they mentioned Sam Beckett. His secret agenda with Al's daughter is to find Sam and bring him home.
You nailed the main problem that I have with the reboot, too much time in the present. I don’t need no mystery box or larger cast of characters. The original had no “B” plot to compete with the “A” plot. We were able to have small moments in the past since all the time was devoted to being in the past. It was great to see Sam struggled when he had to come up with things without Al. It was nice not to have a mystery why Sam leapt.
by the time i saw this post we have gotten to a point remembers he was married . . now lets be real if Sam was told he was married i have a feeling he would have figured a way to return to get back to his wife . Al would talk to Sams wife and she expressly said don't talk about me. The Issue i have is this instead of a Al that can see etc . they are fing it up with lets bring in the romantic interested teh wife . being in mind that it was brain waves that helped . in the original series no one was able to talk to Sam aside from Al. they could hear what he said and they would communicate but their voice could not be heard as Al would speak for them . What this says is that Ben is a terrible person and married Addison cause of the compatibility of his and her brain waves . it was not cause he loved her really but cause of teh brainwaves so when he would go on his mission only she could be the one not some rando. Kinda like i married .. cause she has teh same rare blood type as me and i had teh docs make sure .. is organ compatable with me so when ia m dumb i coudl harvest my SO and save my life even if it meant my SO has to die
One thing I particularly don't care for is when they ignore the canon as established by the original series. In an original series episode, Sam leapt into a patient at a VA hospital who is a double amputee. It's been established that when Sam leaps, he physically leaps into the person and projects their image / aura to everone else. This being the case, when Sam leapt into the life of the double amputee, he still retained full use of his legs. This was used as a plot point when Sam stood up and appeared to be suspended in mid air, thus freaking out the antagonist. In the new series, Ben leaps into a boxer and it's mentioned that he has the physicality (looks, health and strength,) of the boxer; this was a pretty blatant example of ignoring established canon. I hope the writers go back and carefully study each episode of the original series to avoid future mistakes.
What I don't like about both shows is that you know that he will not go back home in the next episode + infinity. Yet, I watch to see if they provided more than the storied leap. So this reboot is giving me more depth and perspective. I actually feel the opposite of what you conveyed about how you don't like when they pull away from Ben and focus on their present day matters. I can tolerate the infinite leaps more because there are smaller story arcs that can be told and potentially resolved within the first year. My problem with this reboot is the writing, in general. For example, the episode aired 10/17/22 with the old west was almost a plagiarized version of Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles classic movie. Nevertheless, they did introduce an element at the end of the episode that made it intriguing to watch for in the next leap. If only I could just use that machine to leap all the way to the last leap. I feel that I am being strung along for their profit. Wait, I am. I could just stop watching and wait for this series to end and then go to the series finale.
Thank you so much for this perspective on Quantum Leap. It really helped put the show in context for the time it was on. I wish it was on now so I could watch it again. Can't find it anywhere.
Thanks for your comment, I really appreciate it! I see that someone else has already beaten me to telling you that it's on Peacock. It's also on Archive.org, but I'll profess my ignorance about the legality of those uploads and that site in general...
I hate listening to critics because once you agree you tend to totally agree and then you can't unagree . I honestly didn't even know a new show was out but as soon as I realized it was a new show out I completely and totally thought. Scott bakula . And then I thought man why was it that I love that show, I remember being a young kid watching that show and thinking that there was adult stuff going on but thinking how interesting it was to be that guy who was time traveling. And then listening to you I kind of did remember all the reasons why I like that show. Not understanding that I could watch Knight Rider and love that show for what it was for and also watch quantum leap in love with that show is for. I love science fiction so much growing up flash Gordon Star Trek Star wars that I didn't even have any kind of selective thoughts when it came to science fiction. I just watched it all and just loved everything. Science fiction. I didn't even really know what a plot hole was until my mid-30s late '30s when my kids started finding holes and everything that I watched . At first I told them that I didn't care that it didn't matter to me that if the movie was somewhat entertaining, I could watch it and as long as I didn't fall asleep, it must be a pretty good movie . But then they question me and they said what if you compare a movie to a book or a book to a movie. And I said yeah if they don't use the right characters. If they don't you know keep the story almost the same then. Yeah it makes no sense to me. And then I finally started to dawn on me that maybe some of the sequels to some of the stuff that I was watching wasn't really making sense and maybe that was just lazy writing . And then I made the mistake of listening to critics God that just about ruined everything . I haven't even made it to the second episode of rings of power. Not that I'm that big of a token fan. I'm just a Lord of the rings fan the movies . But it's the critics to have pointed out that those folks over there had no business and writing that rings of power shell and it shows in every line and every word they say in every shot they take . Anyways, quantum leap was a show that was sending you a story that had a message that was an actual story . Not shoving woman power black power or white power down our throats . Quantum leap could be every man, every woman, every race and every sex because it was a story about those things. It was a story about their story . I honestly probably won't give this quantum leap a chance I'm too afraid it'll be missing its heart and soul . And that's not who I was growing up. I would give it all a chance. Thanks critics. What's up with the damn puppet?
My wife and I love to watch new upcoming TV shows and reboots, and we both were looking forward to the new Quantum Leap 2022. Sadly, we both already have given up on this new show after the first two episodes because of exactly the reasons you have brought up! We both thought there was something very special missing, yet we just could not put our finger on it. But after I have listened to your excellent breakdown of the new reboot vs the classic Quantum Lead did it all start to make sense. I do not think you are wrong at all and yes like you I am still hoping this show will get better... I have subscribed to your channel because I felt it's a whole lot of fun and informative, thank you!
Thanks for your comment and your subscription! I'm sorry you gave up on the show. The more comments I've read, the more I'm starting to think that the first two episodes might be outliers, designed to hook new viewers and provide interesting visuals for the promos. (It's telling that 95% of the advertising focused on the astronaut mission and the jewel heist.) If you and your wife end up giving it another shot in a few weeks, I'd be interested to hear if your minds change about the show.
Yes, it’s an awesome show but you know some people just can’t be pleased for nothing. They want the show to go their way or like the original or it’s the worst thing in the world like all the Star Trek fans they want it to be the original they think the original actors are the best, and forget the newer stuff.
I encourage you to give it more time. New shows can take a while to get into their groove. I for one am really enjoying it and want to see where it goes with the mysteries they set up.
as time goes on i'm beginning to think that the big issue we're facing culturally is one of *satiation*: nothing is ever good enough as is, every detail must be elaborated upon or endlessly analysed, every possibility has to be accounted for, etc. It has become not only entirely possible - but *expected* - for storytellers to show what's behind closed doors, to dive into minutae, and reconfigure aspects until the narrative is more immediately satisfying.... even at the cost of what made the core idea great. this has all too often resulted in stories lacking focus, or averse to reliance upon imagination, or utterly incapable of accepting rough edges and grey areas. perhaps, in another couple decades, we'll embrace a different approach. maybe.
I cant disagree with anything you said, except my show was Highlander. I knew they would miss the premise of the entire original show intentions. A literal representation of dont judge until you have walked in their shoes.
The main thing in this new Quantum leap is that as you said so eloquently) it focuses too much on what's going on behind the scenes in the present. only a very few episodes concentrated of present day in the original QL. Not too mention that 30 years later Ziggy is STILL having problems defining what the mission is of each leap. Also the original QL focused on the relationship between Al and Sam. AL was about 20 years older than Sam, so AL had wisdom and a working knowledge of how certain historical events affected and changed America. And while Al was a flashy dresser and had a lecherous mind, he also had a heart of gold and could set Sam straight, like in the episode in which he did when Sam leaped into his teenage self and he was trying to change the future of everyone in his family, but only ended yup making everyone miserable. Also, Sam and Al would debate what was the best course of action to change history or direct a person on a better life path. However in this new QL, the main characters are too busy trying to not show or reveal how much they really care and love each other, since they are both fiance's. it's almost like a version of Ghost. After awhile , it gets boring and redundant. And Addison , in my opinion, is just too boring to play the part of Ben's guide. There's no real back-and-forth in how things should go.Also, i think adding in a nonbinary character, just shows that this show is more interested in being woke than telling a compelling storyline.
So four episodes in and I am really not sure what I think, I'm watching it because I loved the original and I am wondering how/when they are going to meet Sam. But as it stands the new series has no soul, it feels cookie cutter and written by a writers room as a concept rather than a lead that has a vision. There are also production slips that annoy me more than they should, like a camera switching to another angle whilst he is speaking but his mouth not moving at all, it's minor but it's bloody annoying. I think they are going to have to wrap up the break-in illegal jumps in the next few episodes and bring her on-board within the group or the show will be about the now rather than the past. I really hope they don't try to stretch out the secret project thing into the future because it isn't what the show is about. I really hope it gets better, but I am concerned it won't.
Quantum Leap, when it original started years ago, was misnamed. It should have been called "The Moccasin Hour." Every episode took us through another person's point of view as if we had walked a mile in their moccasins. This reboot misses that original and wonderful journey's gem of an idea. My enormous pleasure in watching each show was more than a journey through time. It was a chance to understand better how to have love and empathy for my fellow human beings on my life's journey. Beyond that, every show seemed also to have that quintessential redemption ark too as the joyful reason for every leap at the end. This reboot isn't interested in any of that. They, the producers, in the words of a song made famous in another reboot this year that was hugely successfully, 'have lost that loving feeling' that made this show tick and talk in it's time on the air years ago. Maybe the writers today would benefit from a leap into a fan from the past to renew in the present that awesome gift The Moccasin Hour could be once again if it truly made a quantum leap in human understanding.
It's a lot of problems with the Quantum Leap reboot; the show doesn't focus on the star. It focuses on his team not knowing why he went back in time. And that is the major problem
Exactly. There's way too much emphasis on the team versus the guy actually leaping. That's NOT what Quantum Leap is about. Reminds me of the godawful Knight Rider reboot from 2008. Same issues.
Hit the nail on the head. We only have about an hour per episode (and the pilot wasn't even a two parter like it should've been!) and if you split the time evenly or disappropiately to the modern day/project staff the actual leaping scenario suffers for it.
One thing I noticed about QL is that it has a lot of similarities to Highway to Heaven, especially the friendship between the two main characters, and Sam's wholesome personality. All the other shows mentioned had these traits, but in later episodes they always stray away from the original premise and then they start going downhill and go off the air. I think the new QL has a lot of potential, but I agree that they need to stay focused on the average Joe and the main characters to help make it work better.
I am loving the new Quantum Leap after 4 episodes now. It has grown on me. Fans are still hoping Scott Bakula may come in for an episode or two. The studio just confirmed another 6 episodes, so season 1 will be 18 episodes. Probably because ratings are good. While the show might be a bit different than before, it is not too far off in helping people every episode and it is a Donald Belasario production. Ben Song isn't Sam Beckett but his character is growing on me as quite good as is his hologram girlfriend.
You hit everything on the head, but there are a few things I’d add. I see someone else mentioned Sam already fixed Al’s timeline so he wasn’t a PO, so they never met, he was never part of QL. The other thing they’re absolutely missing from the original premise is that the people Sam jumped into were leapt into his body in current time so they could be questioned (and that’s how they knew who he leapt into, Ziggy took it from there to figure out what Sam needed to set right -and he was usually wrong… it was always some little thing after he finished Ziggy’s quest. Not just after the info dump about what had been fixed offscreen.)
I lost most of my expectations for the show after I read an article, where during an interview they said they felt the concept of the waiting room was too hard a concept. Despite that, I watched the first episode...which spent WAY too much time in the present, forcibly bombarded the viewer with the romance angle way more than I wanted considering I was there for the time travel, and an over all wondering of "how did twenty years of off-screen leaping lead to present day technology no longer having the aesthetic of frosted color boxes that were present in everything?"
Finding out that Magic is the SAME Magic that Sam leaped into (and having him be played by the inimitable Ernie Hudson, but that's another matter) triggered my sense of wonder again.Yeah, there is a lot of back story but I find myself just as fascinated because I THINK, based on 4 episodes instead of just two, Ben's goal is to rescue Sam and (potentially) have him join the show as another leaper or support personnel in the second season.
While I like seeing the "behind the scenes" (figuring out how to get Ben and Sam back) and I like the idea of Ben trying to find Sam, Ben is not old enough. If he can only leap in his lifetime, finding Sam is more impossible than they are letting on. Sam was born in 1953, clearly at least 30 years before Ben. This means there are 30 years that Ben can never get to. The Chemistry between Ben and "what's her name" is not there. When she passed out from over-extending herself, Ben was clearly unbothered by her lack of presence and her health. It's not hitting my receptors like I expected it to. I hope it gets better but so far it's got a C- in my book.
They resolved that roadblock with a simple line “Somehow Ben has figured out how to leap to anywhere in time!” We could get some Victorian era stuff, or year 2700 with Mars terraformed but having a crisis. What we won’t get is a Gen X/Gen Y nostalgia trip to a fond childhood era.
Yeah, it's interesting that one of the key ideas of the original show, only leaping within a person's lifetime, is being totally disregarded. I always felt like it was important in a thematic sense, as it emphasized how much capacity the world has to change within one person's life. And I think you're right about the lack of chemistry, though I think the show did the two actors a real disservice by having both Ben and (checks notes) Addison keep secrets from one another. It means that both characters are stuck keeping one another at arm's length, and they just can't have that close chemistry that Sam and Al had.
Yep, that last season got into more "famous lives" leaps. Note that the original showrunner stated initially that the show would NEVER have Sam leap into November 22, 1963, anywhere near Dallas, and yet in its last season, there we were, with Sam looking through Lee Oswald's eyes, with the dramatic trick being that, while he couldn't stop Oswald from killing JFK, he could keep him from killing Jackie, as well. So, it became less about helping common people and more about finding *big* things to put right, just not as right as we thought about. My first fandom, by the way, goes all the way back to "Men Into Space" starring William Lundigan. 🙂
Yeah, the last season definitely moved away from the show's original design. If I'm being generous, I suppose I could argue that God/Fate/Time was preparing Sam for more difficult leaps... but of course, it was actually just the show's creators trying to grab viewers any way they could. (Remember that the JFK leap aired 9 months after the Oliver Stone movie about JFK reignited people's interest. I suppose that was why the showrunner changed his mind.) I'd never heard of "Men in Space" before, but after checking it out on UA-cam, it looks like a really interesting slice of American sci-fi television before Star Trek changed everything. Thanks for mentioning it, I'm glad I learned about it!
Sam leaping into Oswald happened because Don Bellissro disagreed with the movie JFK, which suggested all manner of conspiracies. Bellissro was convinced Oswald was the only one behind Kennedy's assassination, and wanted to present an opposing viewpoint.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos The JFK episode happened because the show's creator actually knew Lee Harvey Oswald (They were in the Marines together and did not get along) and was certain that he acted alone...not really a ratings grab, but definitely a response to the movie.
I've been enjoying the new show very much. I see comments about how it doesn't measure up...and I have a challenge, one that is VERY difficult. Watch the first three episodes of Quantum Leap WITHOUT considering the rest of the series we grew to love, watch it as if it WAS a new show. Too many of the comments talk about how it's not Sam and Al and that the commenter miss that chemistry, the problem is it's a NEW show. As to the concerns, I think they've done an amazing job in adapting to the new series, and I feel that was something that the original missed out on.
Yeah, it's better than I thought it would be. I was worried it was gonna be another woke agenda show after hearing what the cast was, but it's not very blatant. And having a mystery behind the show is interesting, imo. I'm glad they spend some time in the present with the other characters, but I do see how that could get old if they overdo it.
@@mikemcreynolds4842 Yeah, but they are doing what woke shows don't do... remember that characters are people and PE are complex. It was just THIS past episode that I realized that the IT person was trans and that is a GOOD thing. There is way more to the character than that aspect of their personality. Magic being on the team was a brilliant move and they aren't doing stupid drama for drama's sake. Whatever Ben's reason for leaping was I am confident that when everyone finds out they will agree that Ben made the right call. Also I think Janice will be brought in officially at some point.
Loved the original series. I think the main conceit there was that Sam wanted to make things better. Ben has some hidden agenda for why he got into the accelerator, and when he leaps, the goal he and his wife have is to do what they have just so that Ben can come home. So for me, the biggest problem is that it’s missing Sam’s altruism And while I’m glad they spend some time with the team, it feels like it takes away from the heart of the story - caring about the lives of the people around the person being kept into. And the “present” is our present vs Sam’s present, which was set in a more utopian future and kinda gave it a more positive spin I’m not giving up yet tho - really hoping they’ll course correct
I think it's a good thing this show is not exactly the same as the old one. 30 years later I expect it to be deeper, more sophisticated and more interesting. The current time story line is not a bad idea if implemented right. The time path leading to a specific target is a nice touch. The acting needs to improve, especially Ian that constantly walks with his hands in his pockets. BUT the most important thing to me is that the show will not detach from Sam's original story. Sam must appear sometime along the way, otherwise the show will not be complete. And what an epic episode it would be... One more story line that must be explored is the Evil Leaper project.
I loved Quantum Leap growing up, and I love rewatching it today. And while I never felt like anything was missing with them not showing much in the Quantum Leap project itself in the original. I do feel like that is a strength of the new show. I especially love that one running the project is Magic from The Leap Home pt 2. Because one of the biggest tragedies of the original series was the final line. "Sam Beckett never made it home." Because made Al's sacrifice of five years of his life, AGAIN, and the love of his life, AGAIN, so Sam could save Tom, through Magic... Kind of pointless... Because Sam couldn't return home to make new memories with his brother. Now, Magic has mentioned an, as of yet unnamed, admiral that is above him... I am almost certain this admiral is going to be Tom Beckett. And the big conspiracy is going to be upfront, Al's daughter and Ben altered the code so they can go further back than Ben's lifetime so that Ben can go back and finish Al's work. And bring Sam home. I agree that it will be more true to the spirit of the show, if they have Ben jump into more low profile folks. And I think they started to do that in episode 3. They just felt the need to start the first two episodes with a bang, and I respect that.
agree almost completely, I thought the first 2 episodes were to just establish the new characters and the support home staff from 2022 who were not really a thing in the original and no we didn't miss not having them back then. episodes 3 on it seems they are now trying to help the "once gone wrong" concept while including the "support staff" as actors.
First of all, the new Quantum Leap is not a reboot but a continuation of the original series. I like how it is exploring the reason why he leapt before it was scheduled and that Al's daughter is involved. My personal opinion is that the final destination is to bring Sam home.
Have they explored Sam's premature and ill-thought of leap yet? Picking where/who you leap into, once impossible, was happening by the end of the original show.
You've hit just about all of my "concerns" on the head. The original seemed to add a more "Metaphysical" possibility to things instead of a straight scientific explanation. That may have been more of a remnant of that time period, though. Overall I am enjoying this show so far. I am quite glad they are moving the mystery along. In a typical "mystery box" show from recent years they probably would have spent the entire first season just leading up to the reveal of the mystery woman (don't want to spoil it if anyone hasn't seen it yet)... but they revealed her in the first episode. I am also happy they are trying to at least respect the original. The cameo of a returning actress in episode 2 was entirely unnecessary (unless she plays more into future episodes) yet they brought her back anyway. I have all sorts of thoughts on the overall plan of the show, how they are doing this all to rescue Sam and that he is truly the one behind everything by manipulating time to put all of these characters into place etc. etc. At the end of the day, I think the main issue is going to rest on the new characters. I haven't grown to love any of them yet (even though I do really like Ben). It feels like they are trying to cram too much into too little. Like you said the over the top importance of the missions is too much and then they only have half the time to focus on it as the original series since they are splitting the run time between past and future. I'm looking forward to where we go from here and hope it turns into something great, but I won't get my hopes up just in case.
Yeah, I agree. I'm checking out the reviews you did on your channel now, and I agree with most of what you're saying. In terms of the overall plan of the show, I'm reserving judgement... mostly. Maybe this season-long arc will pay off brilliantly and the show will gaining a ton on a re-watch. In spite of my reservations, I'm rooting for it to work.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos I went in to this show with more prejudice than I should have. I was assuming it was just another cheap cash grab. Even if it falls apart miserably, I feel they have already proved me wrong on that point at least.
A copy of my comment/question/concern that I was wondering about. I thought at the end of the original series, Sam leaped to fix Al's life and in doing so, he made it so Al was never part of Quantum Leap at all... and in part, that paradox was why Sam could never come back. He could never come back to Quantum Leap ever, because it doesn't exist anymore (or never existed in the first place). It's been years since I've watched it, but that's how I thought it ended. Then, in the new series they have Al's daughter/family being part of the story and in a way they're part of the program... but I thought they would not have had any idea about it (because it's classified), but also, because the timeline was changed so that Al was never a part of the Quantum Leap Program. (Am I wrong about all this?)
@@deucedeuce1572 I believe that you are correct for the most part. I am very much hoping that the show goes into further detail on this. I am assuming (And theorizing) that Sam is behind a lot of stuff and has continued to leap throughout time changing a bunch of things over the years. It's possible that the series finale was only the "beginning" of Sam's changes for Al and that now that he has taken more active control over the leaps he continued on to not only allow Al to have the life he deserved, but to also join and remain active in the QL project. All just wild speculation at this point, though
I look forward to you doing a follow up video on this after a few more episodes are out ... or at the end of the season, as we'll all have a much fuller picture of what's going on by then.
Absolutely! Already I feel like my opinion's changed a lot. I'm really waiting to see how this season-long arc ends. If it ends up being well-written and satisfying, maybe all the time spent at Quantum Leap Headquarters will have been worth it. But until then, I can't help but be worried that it'll all fizzle out, like so many season-long arcs have over the years...
I loved the original show, much like everybody here, but I have no hope of the reboot being half as good. here is the thing, up until now, every single reboot I have seen has been a complete failure compared to the original. sure, the Impossible mission movies are "good" for those that didn't saw the original show but they don't keep the soul of that show. I always feel that this, so called, reboots are just an excuse to make a bland, meaningless, show trying to syphon from a successful show that was made decades ago. I find it offensive that they soil those wonderful memories just to get easy money. even if for nothing else, this makes me hate the reboots that are being "made". I'm, probably, biased but this is what they have earned from all the poorly made reboots.
Humm I agree with almost everything you said. I think that they were forced to try new things, not only because of today’s television landscape, also because there was no way for them to replicate the absolut chemistry between Scott and Dean. As a child I use to record the show on VHS tapes, and Sam also influenced the way I approach my duty as a psychiatrist, so I’m hoping it improves…and maybe then Scott will receive a more tempting offer to close Sam’s arc.
Yeah, I suppose I'm happy that they didn't just try to replicate the original show wholesale, so I can't be too upset that they changed a few things. And I'm also glad they didn't try to duplicate the Sam/Al dynamic. I used to record the show on VHS too! I always looked forward to Leap Day, because it meant I'd get a full six hours of the show on a tape... if I programmed my VCR correctly to record while I was at school.
At the very least that would be an awesome thing they could do to appease the fans of the original show. I'm sure Scott bakula will take the fans wishes into account but remember he is just one man in an industry that is dying. I'm talking about Hollywood 😔🙏🇺🇸
Doctor Who was my first fandom,. Since I am 56, I am talking old school Doctor Who. My local PBS station showed it at 11 pm on Sunday nights, and since most stories were four episodes stitched together, that meant the show usually didn’t end until after 12:30 am. Mom wouldn’t let me stay up that late in a school night until I graduated from middle school in 1980, then she said, “If you want to be tired in school on Monday, that’s your choice!” My big brother and sister were already watching it, so I was finally able to join them. My brother drifted away (he was always a just casual viewer), but Sis and I stayed with it until it went off the air in the late ‘80s and the reruns became too repetitive. We went to our first con in 1982, a Doctor Who one in suburban Chicagoland where we met (and I even kissed the cheek of) Tom Baker! I went to another one in the Loop two years later that wasn’t as much fun-it was a more general SF con, the DW guest was Mary Tamm (the first Romana) and the Star Trek guest was George Takei. Since I wasn’t a big fan of that Romana and really wasn’t into Trek yet (I became a TNG fangirl), I skipped the meet and greet queues. I got a bigger kick out of the vendors, anyway, with mimeographed fanzines and imported packages of Jelly Babies for sale.
That's awesome! I remember the struggles of trying to get into a show that aired late into the night. (For me it was 3 a.m. showings of Deep Space Nine.) It's great that your mother let you guys watch it, it sounds like you made some really good memories. That's an awesome story about meeting Tom Baker! I can imagine how much fun it would have been to go to a convention back in those days.
Spot on! It's become Time Tunnel. Sadly there's a trend of pure cash in with no care nor love in all major franchises over past 10 years, in movies & TV. Hence why all franchise are in a poor state
Funny you should say that. I picked up the 2 DVD set of "Time Tunnel" years ago. It included a 20-year-old pilot for a reboot of that series featuring a FEMALE Dr. Toni Newman. Apparently 20th Century Fox, like Universal, can't leave a good thing alone...
@@DavidTSmith-jn5bs I got no problem with female or anyone in the role, my point was Time Tunnel like new QP divides attention between two different periods
@@cuddywifter8386 My point wasn't that TT 2002 stunk because they "gender flipped" one of the leads, although I had problems with HOW they did it (for example, " Don't look at my ass or the other techies thru your monitoring device will too!"), My problem was that they introduced a new twist that didn't really improve the formula for the series: have a team of time-travelers fix a few rips in the time stream and risk dying or making things worse while doing it. If you need more info, I suggest you hunt down the DVD sets instead of waiting for me to drop spoilers....
I have a problem with the new show. Where's the waiting room and the person Ben has leaped into? That's where they got alot of info from and not just from Ziggy!
I agree with everything you said but I think the problem is a little more fundamental. Quantum Leap 2022 is a fundamentally different show with an entirely different concept. The original was an anthology series. Sam and Al were constants, but the main characters were the people around Sam. Al only appeared in service of Sam (children, pets and mentally ill folks not withstanding). So the entire 44 minute episode was dedicated to establishing the world Sam had leapt into. This allowed the characters to resonate. The reason I can remember Jimmy LaMota nearly 35 years after the episode aired is because I met his family, his boss, his co-workers, his rival, etc… I lived in his world for 44 minutes and, as you pointed out, experienced his struggles. QL 2022 is an entirely different concept. It is NCIS with leaps replacing the murder mystery. Ben and Addison are the detectives in the field while the rest are the support back at the office. And as such most of the action takes place among the on-going cast. This is where I differ from you. I see your point about featuring more ordinary people and agree with it. But episodes with extra-ordinary people could still serve the same purpose if you felt connected to the world of those people. But you don’t because the leaps are incidental in the new show. The real focus of the action is back home. Sadly I don’t think this is fixable. The decision to make the main characters engaged gives Addison a secondary emotional arc that Al didn’t have. Which means the audience needs to see her without Ben which necessitates the current day scenes. Even without the mystery aspect the show will forever be locked into giving both sides roughly equal time. Which prevents the immersive storylines the original provided.
I think the NCIS comparison is a good one. We're meant to care about the mysteries on NCIS for the length of the episode, but we're not really meant to remember them years (or even hours) later. I disagree about this not being fixable. If the first two episodes were outliers, meant to hook new viewers and provide interesting visuals for promos, then maybe the series will settle down a bit. And if the mystery at the center of the show is a good one, maybe that can make the time in the present worthwhile... maybe? Then again, I might just be trying to convince myself at this point.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos I think I might have confused two separate issues. I didn't mean to imply the show was unfixable in how good it could be, but that I don't think it would ever be Quantum Leap. I think the show has a decent chance of being good. I actually like the characters. I just don't think it can be made into what would be a legitimate remake of the original show. To use another show for comparison, I very much enjoyed the most recent MacGyver remake. But, as with this case, I believe it was a completely different show. It was an ensemble show about a team of government operatives whereas the original was about a single, freelance dogooder.
@@qui-gonrick7002 It might not be. It seems like the ratings aren't too bad for NBC. They might give it a second season if it manages to hang on to its audience.
The Problem - People making these reboot shows don’t understand the shows they are rebooting. They only know it was popular. So they are trying to make something they can’t connect with and don’t have the creativity to make it work.
When Al told Sam that their supercomputer AI ZIGGY postulated the theory that something was waiting for Sam's leap to happen, it was an idea that was carried thorough each and every episode, even used in the show's opening. Wasn't much but it was key in setting itself apart from the other shows. This new version wants to solve the mystery as to why Sam never returned home but alone is a weak premise to start with. Tie that kind of question into the series later on as a revelation would create a stronger ground for both a premise and later stories. No doubt if they manage a second season will they introduce time paradoxes and even revisit some of Sam's encounters that got either undone or changed and if that's the case, its Star Trek Enterprise and the Temporal Cold War all over again. The potential is there for the stories but it feels the writers want to take the shortest route in each episode or for the series overall.
The nice thing with modern shows is it's possible that they solve the original problem and then move on to something else. He could solve what happened with Sam by season 2 or 3, and then the show could evolve. Back in the day Gilligan would never get off the island, the A-Team would never get their names cleared, etc. Plots move forward a lot more than they used to.
@@mikemcreynolds4842 problem with that is how the plot moves forward. Pulling off the trick of doing it right is possible but they've already ignored a major canon fact. They've established the fact when someone leaps, the body disappears while the mind inhabits someone in the past and they've said it happens to all who leap. More than a few episodes showed Al talking to the person that Sam had leapt into in The Waiting Room. From a younger version of Al himself to even Lee Harvey Oswald. So unless they change that or work it in how it's a different kind of time travel altogether, the writers have already begun killing the series without realizing they shot it point blank
@@jeremyblackmouth3323 Yeah that bugged me on the current episode, unless I missed something. (Spoilers) In the old series, did the people Sam leapt into remember the waiting room? In the latest episode Magic said that he dreamed about Sam and had no idea what happened to himself in Vietnam until he discovered the Quantum Leap program. Wouldn't he remember his time in the future? Or do leapees get selective amnesia when they return to their life?
@@mikemcreynolds4842 looks like selective amnesia. Example: episodes JIMMY and DELIVER US FROM EVIL. The first episode was a typical leap but the second one had Sam leap back into Jimmy where he encounters what was dubbed The Evil Leapers. Listen to what is said and how it proves selective amnesia happens as a result of the two leapers
I disagree,@@forgottenmma3694. Even in the old days,there was always a team aspect behind the original Quantum Leap,even if we only saw Al. The Time Tunnel travelers had a team behind them. All the Star Trek shows had a team. Even the Doctor had their companions every now and then. As the old saying goes,no man is an island.
EXCELLENT POINT 13:38 about spending too much time at PQL. Though I wanted to see more of the future when watching the original series, I realized that we were seeing these leaps from Sam's point of view, so if he barely remembers the project, why should we? The increased film time of the future and waiting room came after Sam's leap back, so he has more of his memory now. Even when I was writing fan fiction, I was a big advocate for as few PQL scenes as we can. On TV it's worse, you have x number of minutes. Every moment spent with Magic, security girl and an androgynous programmer, the less time for the leaps themselves, which have been (as this moment) bland and uninspiring.
I said this exact same thing to a friend at work. I want to watch a show about a guy leaping around time, not some mystery that is trying to be solved in the year 2022. Another issue I had was "AL" is his wife/girlfriend which makes it hard for Ben to interact or have a relationship with a female character during a leap cause she might get jealous.
Yeah, even if Ben's hologram wasn't his girlfriend, I feel like having each of them keep a secret from the other really hurts their potential dynamic. And since Ben knows all kinds of secrets that we as an audience aren't privy to, I find myself more identifying with Addison and her frustrations than with Ben, which isn't great.
I'm hoping that all of this could lead to "rediscovering" the main concept of the show: that the small changes in the timeline do more to change the future then big, grand things. Stopping the theft of the Hope Diamond is important, but leaping into a teacher in Oklahoma in the 90's, and fighting for the rights of a Trans kid sets up ripples in time that lead to a better future for everyone. That leaping into a rising K-Pop star is good for ratings...I mean the story, but in the QL universe, leaping into a grandma keeping a homeless shelter open despite her neighborhood's gentrification will lead to a way better universe. I also fear the inevitable 9/11 episode. The old writers would have taken chances, like Sam leaping into one of the Hijackers, or something crazier like mini-leaps between people in various places on 9/11, or maybe on 9/10, and Sam tries so desperately to stop it from happening. But today's writers don't get some of the things old school TV writers got, like pacing and development, so we will have to see.
Yeah, in classic Quantum Leap the core of each episode was the character Sam was helping, and the gimmick of each episode was kind of the garnish. Seeing Sam ride a horse or sing a song was neat, but it was often completely unrelated to the problem Sam was trying to solve that week. I'm cautiously optimistic about modern Quantum Leap tackling the post-September 11th world. It seems like Ben is going to leap into a soldier fighting in the Middle East, so it looks like they might take an approach similar to how they handled the Vietnam War.
What do you think if they plot twist of a later ep. by a guest star of "Scott" where the evil leapers leap into "Sam" make him sabotage things at the base before he leaps and the sabotage is what we see in show openings the being of the reboot?!
You're certainly not wrong about the main character leaping into ordinary people. The third episode of the revised series at least got that part of the original series more or less right. We'll see how future episodes go, although I'm not sure how many episodes I'll give it. I also don't like that Ben's leaping appears to be goal driven. Extensive use of the crew in the present may not be fatal, but, again, we'll have to see.
There's a non-zero chance that those first two leaps were designed to grab new viewers and create exciting promos. The fact that the future episodes haven't really been featured in the commercials makes me think that they might settle down a bit.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos That is precisely my main problem with the revised show. I found the second expisode exciting, and it certainly created interesting ads. But the first episode: I watched it thinking it was okay, a good run-of-the-mill episode, but if this is the best they can do with a premiere, what will ordinary opisodes look like? Of course, they had a lot of explaining to do to make new viewers aware of the premise.
Sam has leaped into quite a few famous people and has also helped even more real life famous people. So far Ben has not leaped into real life people or helped real life famous people.
@@MartianManHunter_ I might argue that, by inventing fictional famous people, the show is trying to have its cake and eat it too. But you're right that Ben isn't doing anything that Sam hasn't done. I'm just hopeful that the show will balance out its space walks and jewel heists with some smaller-stakes drama.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos if you remember the first 2 episodes (which aired as 1 episode originally) of the original series had Sam first leaping into a X2 test pilot who reached Mach3. The person he leaped into is based on two real life pilots “CAPT Milburn G. "Mel" Apt, who died during the actual testing of the X-2 crash in 1954 at Mach 3, and CAPT Iven C. Kincheloe, who was another X-2 test pilot, who later died testing the F-104A, leaving behind a young son, pregnant wife and unborn daughter.” From quantum leap wiki. This isn’t dissimilar from the new series second episode. It feels to me that people are nit picking at things the original series has already set a precedent for. I do agree the show is very different from the original. It has 2 plot’s running and i guess that’s so they can have more of a regular cast. Plus one of the show runners love mystery boxes. I’m not in love with this formula but i’m willing to give it time. Episode 3 takes some of the worry away and has payoffs for following the b plot.
Up until watching this, I had no idea they did a remake of Quantum Leap. I won't say that I was the biggest fan, though I am the right age for it. My favorite show was "classic" Doctor Who, I named my daughter after my favorite companion. I have no opinions since I only remember a few episodes, the train with the woman who wanted to be a lawyer, is the most memorable to me.
Hmm, K-9 is a weird name for a girl... (I just assume everyone's favorite companion is the robot dog. 😄) Doctor Who seems like an excellent favorite show, I really wish I'd discovered it as a child and not as a cynical adult. It's interesting that a lot of folks don't even know that this series exists. Even some fans of the original series seem not to know about it. I kind of wonder where the show's advertising budget went.
Quantum Leap was one of my favourite shows as a kid. I had mixed feelings when I heard about the reboot. Hoping that they could recreate the magic from the original series and worry that they would completely ruin it ! Unfortunately they have not recreated the magic from the original show. It feels like the supposed main character is just doing what he has to to leap but not connecting with anyone. He doesn't seem to react much to the person he becomes and just shrugs and gets on with it. Not sure if this is because of the writing or that Scott Bakula was such a superior actor. With Sam you knew how he felt whether it was excitment, dread or accepted with humor. The voice over of his thoughts went a long way to helping you connect to him and therefore the series. you don't have that with this new show. in fact the main plot seems to not include the leaps at all but what is happening in the present. Making his finace the hologram "Al" limits them in their stories and means we don't get to see him fall in love. Would be weird with his fiance standing there. The link between the two is not as stong either that what Sam and Al shared. You just don't feel the connection as you did with Sam and Al. They have missed the whole point of Quantum Leap and this show just makes me miss the original even more. At this stage I would prefer the original series to be brought back !!
I've grown to love the original ending. Sam is the Man of La Mancha, he's gonna go off and commit his existence to the selfless service of others, chasing the Impossible Dream. That ending has a nice mix of tragedy and hope that I enjoy. If they do bring him back, I wonder if they'll be able to provide an explanation that makes sense, given the fact that God himself basically said that Sam was always controlling his own leaps. If Sam wanted to return, I don't think he'd need Ziggy, an algorithm, or Ben.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos But Sam did not know about his wife. That would have changed everything if he had been told. But do not get me wrong, I appreciate your love for the original ending. My comment was written as a reaction to Scott Bakula's complaint that he did not get to complete 7 years of Enterprise and did not bring home Sam and his Father character died and did not return in Chuck. Scott always gets short changed in his recurring TV roles...
As a Doctor Who fan, i can appreciate the original Quantum Leap bc it didn't deal with the big moments in history. Those big moments left big ripples while the little moments left a series of small, corresponding ripples. Change a big ripple and u might destroy history; change a small ripple, others can follow and heal history. One of the best examples in the original series is when Sam ends up in the body of a bombshell lawyer's fiancée. He isn't able to make the big change he wanted to; but, in correcting a mistake she made when going over which amendment is which, she ends up in the "present" as the judge who proceeding over the funding for the Quantum Leap program. This allows everyone to continue their work on getting Sam home
I agree with you and I have the same concerns, QL 89 had an audience that was patient and were not accustomed to instant gratification. Today's viewers will change the channel... I mean stop the stream and move on to another episode of Keeping Up With The Real Ice Road Lumberjacks. I think the directions the show is going is out of fear of being another Firefly that gets cancelled before you get a chance to fall in love with the show and its characters. I will continue to watch and hope for the best. Quantum Leap 22 is a toddler wearing his dad's boots with the hope that someday those boots will fit. I hope it exceeds my expectations and the son is wearing a boot 3 sizes bigger than his dad. I would love to see more videos from you on this subject as more episodes have aired.
Great video, love the presentation! I haven't watched the new QL as I just knew it couldn't live up to the memory of the original show, so thanks for letting me know it was the right decision so far
One counter point to consider is that this series offers an interesting opportunity to fill in the huge gaps in the back story. Arguably the original series focused too closely in individual leaps. Especially after the series finale, there were a lot of open questions left-- Sam was controlling his leaping all along?!? If the new series is able to stitch even half of them into a satisfying answer, it will be worth it.
Thank you for this. I love Quantum Leap 89 for all these reasons. I see a similarity with StarTrek Next Gen with regards to social commentary. For example, the ST:NG episode with David Ogden Stiers turning 60 or the Darmok episode about communication. This new version shortchanges the leap and we don't feel as invested in the character because the show is not spending enough time there. I've seen 3 episodes (missed this week's). The boxer who was saved - First known case of PTSD. So it continued the idea that this isn't just one life of many - this is an "important" life and changes history for mankind, not just his own personal history. I'll continue to watch and hope for the best.
It was this episode that made me see a glimmer of the original show. I wish they'd invest more time on the actual leap and less on the present day. The story of the two brothers was interesting and heart wrenching.
I kind of agree with EVERYTHING you said. I had my own issues with this reboot, like the fact that there's no waiting room. Sams body was kept there while the people he leapt into leapt into him. And the character of Magic would have to be in his seventies He is based on a classic leap from season three. The leap home part two. So even if he was still 18 in 1968 when the episode was set, he would be 72 in 2022. Way beyond service age. But you've made great points too, especially about the high profile leaps. Jeez
I think they are trying too hard to make it "updated " they have lost site of the original premise. I have enjoyed the episodes maybe it deserves a different name since its a different show. But I felt the same way for the first season of Star Trek the next generation. I hope it last long enough to find out if it has what it takes to stand on its own.
Good point about Star Trek the next generation. I am pretty sure that most fans felt the same way during the beginning of that Star Trek continuation with new characters. Give this one a chance...
The only insight I can offer is the new premise or subplot will give us a deeper understanding than Sam & Al got of the process. Ben IS leaping into more important, well known people, like Sam did in the season 5... and the "secret plan" software is guiding that. At the end of season 5 Sam found "God" or whatever controls the process. That is the goal. Ben is really skipping to the end of the process, possibly to help Sam... possibly to reach and stop him from leaping in the first place? What they plan to do is still a secret but the idea will unfold and hopefully it will trigger a good feeling in you. The mystery no one is asking about is why the person Ben leaps into never appears in the waiting room?
The showrunners couldn't get their head around the waiting room so there isn't one in the new series. Ben shares the same space with the leapee at the same time.
@@sdlively27 So much for science. That violates the law of conservation of energy. You can't take matter/energy from one place and add it to the other. That was why they had to switch in the first place.
I don't know if this new series is going to be better or worse or just plain different. But some things I can tell you it's doing, my husband hates, downright hates, original series but he's watching this one with me and that's a plus in my book! Second is that I told my kids (17 + 21) that they had to watch the original before the new and now we're doing that for the first time together and they love it, so it's creating new fans for the original as well. And finally, my older brother(that feels weird to say, I'm 8 years older than he got to be) is the one that started my love of both sci-fi and fantasy, including Quantum Leap and im watching both the new and old series it helps connect me to him again. There are so many things that do, but I cherish them all! And I'll watch all the sci-fi and fantasy reboots, prequels, and sequels of all the series he taught me to love for as long as they keep making them!
If they want to spend half of each episode in the future, they should make that half revolve around THE GUY IN THE WAITING ROOM. It would be a way to expand upon the story of Ben's leap by introducing us to the person he's replacing, instead of killing time with "and this flash drive leads to... ANOTHER FLASH DRIVE"
Well, my opinion was (and still is) that the first episode seemed too rushed, and the second episode was just meh. I thought episode three was a much better layered episode and a good example of the positive effect of his leap-namely helping his brother being able to seek help for his PTSD. For me the show tends to bog down when too much time is spent back at the QL facility with the characters. And I really wish they would just show Ben leaping into his next predicament, and then showing whatever CW Network drama the showrunners want to show, rather than Ben leap, other character drama, then show Ben in his next host - it just kills the flow for me.
I for one do not want a continuation of the original series -- without Sam Beckett. I like that this one is dealing with it differently as it explores what might have happened in the future.
One of the best moments in tv history for me: Season 3 “You could have been free!” “I was free. Up here.” It’s not so much the words themselves as Sam’s shocking realization that Al has done for Sam what Sam in his moralizing refused to do for Al. The last episode of the series rights this wrong for their relationship.
The original Quantum Leap was also one of my first fandoms, and I was definitely worried about this reboot having seen such disappointing failures as the new MacGyver and Magnum P.I. However, I have been pleasantly surprised at how much I'm enjoying the show so far. I've been keeping in mind that the showrunners need to try to make the show appealing and understandable to a new audience who never saw the original show, as well as not let down the original show's fans. I think it's a tough line to walk. The first two episodes were, as you mentioned, about more historically-significant situations, but the third was a bit more personal and, I felt, kind of a nod to the original show. I like the diverse cast, as I feel it really represents something that has become increasingly important in our society--representation--but I also appreciate that they don't make it a central talking point within the show itself. The characters just are who they are. Ben seems very caring about the people in the lives of the person whose skin he is wearing, and I enjoy the banter between him and Addison. I'm not a huge fan of how long they're holding onto the swiss cheese brain when it comes to their relationship - it seems a bit far-fetched that he wouldn't remember his fiance after interacting with her in all these situations. But I can suspend disbelief on that part easily enough, knowing they want to make a big plotline out of it. It seems like it might cause issues the original didn't have, where Ben might be inhabiting the life of someone who has a significant other that Ben will have to pretend to love, and all that comes with that, when his hologram helper will have to watch him be intimate with someone else. It was easier for Sam in that regard, and some of my favorite episodes were when he genuinely fell in love with someone while inhabiting someone else's body. It seems like we won't be able to have episodes like that with Addison along for the ride with Ben, but I'm curious to see how it will play out. So far, I think they're doing a much better job with this reboot than with the other ones I mentioned, so I'm holding out hope. I love the idea of Quantum Leap and I'm hoping we get many seasons of explorations into people living many different walks of life.
I can't disagree with anything you've said, Muppet, but I would add one thing. If you can't do it justice, don't do it. This was a wonderful and original idea, and I'm getting tired of reboots, re-imaginings, prequels, and nostalgia bait cash-grabs. iI didn't bother with The Lion King "live action" remake because the classic still exists and is already nearly perfect. I think they should just admit they're out of new ideas and just go back to showing reruns of M.A.S.H.
I totally agree with you on the topic of "live-action" remakes of Disney's cartoon movies. But as a reminder, this is not a re-imagining or remake of the original Quantum Leap. I like that they are continuing the storyline to show what happened during the subsequent 30 years -- hopefully to include what happened to Sam Beckett.
@@markb1697 I'm on board, if they do that, because I'd love to see the "leap home," but I doubt it will happen, because a) Scott Bakula has other projects lined up, and b) Dean Stockwell is dead, and c) "The Final Leap" tells us Sam never made it home. Add to those things- Bakula and Stockwell were very interested in reprising their roles, but the network decided to go in "another direction." I actually hope it gets people interested in the original series, but I have little hope it will try to attract the audience that is still alive to remember it.
Excellent video. I agree with everything you said. I will say episode 3 ironed out quite a few of these wrinkles, but it remains to be seen how the rest of the season will pan out.
Oh boy... You make a lot of good points. I was a huge fan of the original, and I don't imagine the new show will work with the style of television we have grown accustomed to today. It sounds like they're going for something along the likes of the 12 Monkeys TV show, or perhaps something closer to Timeless. Both of which I enjoyed, the first for 1 season, and the second for all the seasons we were lucky enough to be given. But I think the thing I remember most fondly from the show, on a macro level, was the endearing and enduring friendship between Al and Sam. And I think that was lightning in a bottle, it wasn't just the characters but also the chemistry and cheeky comedy provided by the actors who played those roles.
I'm still hopeful that the show will find itself... even if it takes a season to do it. But then again, I'm an optimist. Yeah, the dynamic between Sam and Al was something special, and maybe the best thing about the modern show is that they didn't even try to replicate it.
A key Difference I've noticed between the series is the amount of exposition and backstory you get for Sam and Ben comparatively. In the original the audience is left in the dark about a lot of aspects of the future. Sam doesn't remember anything about his past, so the audience doesn't. Sam doesn't remember the future that he's from, or the people that he knew, so the audience doesn't. Sam doesn't remember how the quantum leap project was established, or how it involves outside forces, like the government, so the audience doesn't either. As the show goes on Sam remembers more, and as he learns the audience learns. I find that this is a great way of connecting the viewers to Sam, they start the show in the same position as Sam; unknowing about quantum leaping and Sam Beckett himself. From what I've seen of the new series, (Admittedly only the first two episodes) it's taking a different direction. You start the first episode at a party, learning about these characters and the relationships they hold with another and the quantum leap project. When Ben leaps, and forgets everything, the audience still remembers, and intentionally or not, a wall is put up between Ben and the audience. As an audience member, you possess knowledge that Ben doesn't, his connection with others and the project. Maybe this was intentional, a way to emphasize the secrecy surrounding Ben's Leap and the unknown woman, but it still creates a disconnect between the audience and Ben. It becomes difficult to relate to his choices when you know things about him that he does not.
@@kendallrivers1119 just remember, people from youtube not watching is not the same as people not watching. Especially if you guys don't want to watch it because of "woke". Woke makes RICH. Just look at Captain Marvel. All those snowflake incels decided to boycott it. Did that any effect? Nope. It was wildly successful. So the question is, will non-incels and non-maga like the show. We'll see.
there is a speculation the extra 6 episodes is so they can "end" the series without having to sign on a second season. I do hope that is not the reason for the additional shows
Of all the shows you brought up Quantum Leap is the only one that still holds up to this day. And those are some of my favorite shows especially MacGyver. But I've tried to watch MacGyver again and I can't get past the silliness of the '80s. But somehow Quantum Leap transcended the area came out of and when you watch it it doesn't seem so obviously from the '90s as other shows may seem
That's interesting how some of those shows aged better than others. I think Quantum Leap being set in historical time periods has helped it age a bit better. It almost doesn't seem like a product of the late 80s/early 90s.
As much as I loved the original and Sam Bakula. I think the new series is pretty good. Ben is coming into his own, though there are a few plot holes left to be filled. I also like that we see more of the "team" and their drama. Before we just saw Al. I do hope that Scott Bakula decides to make a cameo appearance and that they somehow incorporate old footage of Dean Stockwell.
I thought at the end of the original series, Sam leaped to fix Al's life and in doing so, he made it so Al is never part of Quantum Leap at all... and in part, that paradox was why Sam could never come back. He could never come back to Quantum Leap ever, because it doesn't exist anymore (or never existed in the first place). It's been years since I've watched it, but that's how I thought it ended. Then, in the new series they have Al's daughter/family being part of the story and in a way they're part of the program... but I thought they would not have had any idea about it (because it's classified), but also, because the timeline was changed so that Al was never a part of the Quantum Leap Program. (Am I wrong about all this?)
I’m hesitantly hopeful that the “concerning” elements you listed will sort of dissipate as the new series continues to integrate with the old one. Considering the end of the original series, (SPOILERS) the potential of Sam still leaping through time, and possibly outside his own life span, lends itself to themes of not just fixing the past, but fixing the present, as it is happening, with the other characters in 2022. In a post 9/11, and post pandemic world, it is us in the present who wake up everyday, and decide if we are going to set right what seems to be going wrong. Would love to see a video on the ending of the original series. It seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing, but, I think, may be heavily influencing the direction of the current show. However you felt about it, the finale changed everything we knew about leaping.
"That's just where he wound up." You missed a call back. "That's just the way it is." When Al the Bartender spoke to Sam on his birthday in the bar, in the final episode.
What a awesome review! Why QL worked in the past had escaped me in being able to explain it. But you seem to have gotten that bang on. I too was and maybe still a little worried that the "ordinary" person being helped will fall from the headlines, giving more for the "staff" to handle. Also the fact that the staff will require more back story, more day to day interactions etc. In the first 2 episodes, I found myself not caring who he was there to help or if he managed to help them at all. But since then we have spent more time with the person he is trying to help. One of the other things that worried me is the connection between Ben and Addison? I worry that the love interest will take away what Sam and Al had in the original series. Obviously it will be different since they were to marry, but am concerned with this connection. Being such a huge fan of the original series I hope they will go back to the working formula with all the new issues society faces today. As for evil leapers, I was not a big fan then and still don't think it should become a bigger story now than "occasionally ' bringing it up, since they have opened up the story line. I also do hope they will have along running success as I miss the original series a lot. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with the rest of us. Stay well
Thanks for your comment! I agree about the connection between Ben and Allison being somewhat concerning. Though I'm starting to get more and more faith in the show pulling it off and having a satisfying storyline for the two. So much of this show's success or failure will depend on how well it sticks the landing on its ongoing storylines. Thanks again for your comment, I hope you stay well too!
A big problem I've noticed is the new show focuses too much time on the "modern day" b-story with the mystery box. It makes the period pieces/scenarios less time to breathe and develop then in the original which for me weakens those scenario's characterizations and feel a lot.
Two things Shawn mentions is why so many of us don't watch much TV. 1) Complex, intertwined plotlines with complex characters...blah blah -- you lose interest; 2) Main character leaping into famous/infamous characters -- you lose interest.
In terms of number one, I feel like I lose interest when "complex" becomes "nonsensical." Writers seem to be very good at crafting insanely complicated storylines, but pretty terrible at resolving them. And yeah, leaping into famous characters is something that probably sounds more interesting than it is. I think that's why it makes for better promos than episodes.
Really loved watching the original show every week, including the emotional episodes where Sam saw his brother, father, and Al. Whenever I heard the theme music my spirits were lifted. Oh Boy! I was worried when I saw the new show coming, without Scott Bakula, and still not having a full conclusion to that storyline. But what did excite me was more of the present day storyline. They did not just repeat the old show, but created a different show, based on the original. Now we get to see more then 5 minutes of the future. Now we have more explanation for why things happened. The original show had one episode where Sam leapt home (and Al leapt out), and then Sam leaps again to rescue Al. Rather then a 90s story of the week, we have that in the background and a second story on top. Rather then the same show, we are now getting a Quantum Leap Universe. We don't just follow Sam. We don't just reboot the original story with a different cast. We get a second show.
Yeah, I agree with a lot of what you're saying. I suppose I'm just a little worried that the season-long mystery isn't going to pay off in a satisfying way. If it ends up turning out well, then all of the modern-day stuff set in QL headquarters will have been worth it. But I'm just concerned that we'll end up spending half the season on a storyline that isn't worth the investment.
Fingers crossed. We definitely have a long history of SciFi shows being canceled before they have a chance to finish the storyline. I should wait to see what happens with a new show and then binge-watch the seasons instead of getting invested too early -- to then being disappointed. But I don't have the patience so I am watching weekly and hoping for the best.
my main concern with the reboot is that with the "mystery" aspect of the "present" narrative, the writers are going to paint themselves into a corner. something like either stretching the mystery longer than it should be to keep it interesting, or "we've solved the mystery, but how do we keep Ben in the past to extend the shows time." The problem with over-arcing storylines is what do u do after they're resolved. Another concern i had with the reboot was it falling into typical 2022 Hollywood narratives and being more interested in sending political messages than telling good stories. This was something that was done very very well in the 80s, 90s and even 00s. They told good stories that also had powerful messages. 3 episodes in and i'm still more worried about my 1st concern, and less about the 2nd. Episode four, i think, will be the true answer with where Ben leaped. I think showing the present worked for the pilot, we know "the team" and a plausible reason for the leap. But, in my opinion, they need to wrap up the present antics, and, like you said, focus more on the guy in the past, where, we the audience get snippets of the present the same way the leaper did; via the hologram partner. I too also miss the mysticism that the original brought to the table. So far i am still excited to see each episode each week, and i remain cautiously optimistic that they will find their own magic to make this show as great, or better than the original.
Yeah, it's so hard to have faith in modern showrunners when it comes to long-running mysteries. Too many times have I been burned by writers who were making things up as they went along, promising that everything would pay off but failing to deliver. You mention the "mysticism" of the original show, and it will be interesting to see if the series-long arc contradicts some of those elements from the original series. (Remember that God himself basically said that Sam controlled his own leaps and could return whenever he wanted, and that it wasn't the product of Ziggy or some algorithm. And it's gonna be hard to retcon God!) In terms of political messages, I think the original was pretty blunt in how it delivered messages about discrimination when it came to racism, sexism, homophobia, and disability (both mental and physical). But I think it largely succeeded because it rooted those messages in very specific stories with very specific characters. I'm glad your cautiously optimistic. I feel like I'm in the same boat!
That premise line is iconic, “striving to put right what went wrong, hoping the next leap will be the lesp home.”
The new version is so clunky - just use the old lines
Agreed. It still fits.
"Oh boy..."
I think you nailed it!
This might be the reason Scott Bakula was disenchanted with the new series.
He could see that it was not going to honor the spirit, or premise of the original show.
Which is what a good reboot does while putting the original premise in a fresh context.
This is what the Cobra Kai series has done superbly.
The new Quantum Leap could have followed suit.
Instead, the producers chose to rehash the premise to suit woke politics and the serialized format of many contemporary shows.
Cobra Kai was also serialized but it still translated an original concept very well.
The new Quantum Leap, unlike Cobrai Kai, doesn't honor its back story but just uses it as a "leaping off" point.
I doubt that it is going to be a good series
@@SFC5660 funny how we lovers of the classic can be misoistaphobes for not liking this woke shit when the classic was so for civil rights and put Scott in women'sbodies multiple times. it's almost like there's something more to it than that.
One thing that I see or feel, is that Ben doesn't care about the person he leaps into or what the problem they face is. It seems to me that he just does a job to leap, not to "put right what once went wrong." With Sam, I really got the feeling that he cared about the person and the problem, like you said.
I think you make a really good point. In a way, the season-long arc almost makes Ben's episodic problems seem trivial. Ben only cares about fixing these people's lives so that he can get to his ultimate destination.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos I’m hoping the ultimate destination is Al’s Place in the old finale and Ben sets right what once went wrong in the finale. Hoping beyond hope the network is playing the long game and brings Scott back into the franchise by making old fans happy that he does return.
What are you talking about? Have you been even watching the show? He definitely cares about the people he leaps into just like Sam. He cared about the boxer's brother and the woman who gets proposed and the space shuttle crew.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos He definitely cares about the people he leapt into but he also wants to go home just like Sam wanted to go home. But his focus is to find Sam first and bring them back home. I wonder why there's all these negative comments about Ben? Doesn't make any sense.
@@lamarravery4094 You're right, this video was made as a reaction to the first two episodes. I thought that the boxing episode especially was a big improvement.
Looking back, what I initially worried was the reboot trying to move away from the original show's formula might have been the new show trying to start off with big, audience-grabbing stunts before settling into a more subdued rhythm.
Another show with a similar premise was Sliders - Quinn (a nerdy kid) invents a device that creates a momentary wormhole to 'slide' into a parallel universe, accompanied by Wade (his girlfriend), Prof Arturo (his college physics instructor), and Rembrandt (innocent bystander and audience identification character). The return trip is set by a timer and everything works fine until a violent storm on an alternate Earth trapped in nuclear winter forces them to create a new wormhole (rather than wait for the preprogrammed one). Now the wormholes are completely random and each slide presents new challenges they must overcome in order to attempt the next slide.
But the main pitfall which Sliders, Quantum Leap, Greatest American Hero, Knight Rider, and many MANY others fell into was the "Evil Us" trope - evil sliders, evil leapers, evil guy with a super suit, Garth (plus K.A.R.R. and Goliath), et al. So atrocious!
But, yeah, it's not just TV shows. Hollywood today seems incapable of understanding what made particular IPs so successful and wreck them - usually by 'going woke', but excessive complications aren't anything new either. In the *actual* Star Wars trilogy (now dubbed IV, V, and VI), The Force was... well, The Force. It simply was and never needed all that 'midichlorian' garbage. They even try to reboot popular video game franchises like Sim City (a single-player sandbox game) as an always-online pseudo-MMO which delivered on none of its advertised promises, offered far inferior gameplay compared to its decade-old predecessor, and its scant legit online features were thinly-veiled draconic DRM schemes.
Truth be told, I knew nothing of the Quantum Leap reboot until finding this video; now I'm almost sorry I found it. As you said, the show was empowering in a way that today's audiences can barely comprehend. It taught us that great change *CAN* happen if we find the courage to take the first step - like the episode with the black chauffer in the 60's south; him sitting at the all-white lunch counter wasn't so important as how his courage convinced the old white lady he drove for to sit beside him, causing him to leap. No beating the audience over the head with 'woke' propaganda necessary; he made a difference which made people's lives change for the better and he leaped.
Which is probably the greatest hallmark of Quantum Leap. Not only did the show drop Sam right into the inciting incident (we learned the context and backstory along with him) but it also eliminated the dénouement - in a 40-minute episode, we actually got well over a full hour's worth of story. Even better, the 'solution' Al and Ziggy present early on seems completely reasonable but is always a red herring; the actual solution always turns out to be something less obvious yet far more satisfying!
I suspect that Hollywood writers have simply forgotten how to write stories which are actually, y'know, good.
I'd been trying to put my finger on what was lacking from the new Quantum Leap and you hit the nail on the head. This version's story is not about the leaps, it's about the drama in the present.
The only thing I think they didn't seem to understand after watching the first episode is that you don't simply leap into people's bodies, you actually swap places with them. In the original show the people from the past would be in Sam's place in the waiting room in the future. The reboot never even mentions that the waiting room is a thing so the whole time they were looking for info on the guy he leaped into and couldn't find any records of him I was thinking, why isn't anyone just talking to him in the waiting room? He's right there, that's what they did in the original show when ever they encountered this exact problem but for this new show they apperently forgot they could do that.
Yeah, I noticed that too. Though I seem to remember the original Quantum Leap not introducing the concept of the Waiting Room until pretty late in the series. (Though I might be totally wrong.) Maybe they'll bring it up in a few episodes and explain that they keep the time travelers sedated for security reasons. It wouldn't be the worst idea, considering the time in season 5 when a serial killer escaped the Waiting Room and caused chaos in the future.
It was rare I think maybe season 2 or 3 it started
That is odd to me as well, I wasn't sure others noticed that until now. I just decided to write it off as changes to the programming that he loaded. As I write this I now wonder where his body has gone. Now I have to be bothered by this again.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos I know you put this video out before episode 3 and 4. If you're concerned about spoilers, don't read this comment without having watched them. They have now been explicit that Ben's consciousness is taking over the person's body, not swapping places (in episode 3 they state that he has the muscles and conditioning of the boxer, just lacks the experience; in episode 4 in the body of a woman Addison asks him if he's thought about what he "doesn't have" in reference to anatomy).
Personally, continuity changes kinda bug me, if you're going to follow the original show's continuity I feel like you should follow the rules as far as they established them. I do my best to just enjoy the new show for it's own merits rather than judge it based on continuity with the original, but when they are actually making the story of the remake center on investigating the mystery of the original it seems more important to that they are faithful and know that it will bug fans.
@@John_Fisher That was always the case. They swapped consciousness, but Sam was in the person's body. So could possess the physical strengths or weaknesses of the person. Though this last episode (5)... whoah... and I think you know what I mean. No spoiler from me.
The new Quantum Leap seems to be following the formula of the rebooted Macgyver and Magnum PI, where we have mystery boxes, tech nerds that can hack anything and a team that can solve anything. Its really sad. I was excited when I heard that they were going to reboot the show. The original had such heart and optimism about the future.
maybe that is the real problem, after 3 years of lock down and the Russian /Ukraine war optimism is gone. Hackers are every where, Star Trek , QL etc were built to make the world feel better. Does any one care enough any more to make that happen?
I am willing to give it a chance, but I need some Scott Bakula goodness... one way I think they can do that, is just give Bakula a blank check and say "You fill in the amount you need to do four episodes. and you have creative freedom in those. Then I'd love to see as been begins to leap out into someone else, in the background somewhere, some ordinary joe, you see the leap effect on them too, indicating not only is Ben leaping into the past, he's leaped into the same time frame as Sam. Then over the course of this happening like every other or every two episodes, at the end of the season, Sam and Ben leap at the same time and they notice each other as they leap in.. and so begins the team up. In the downtime, we can have ben talk to sam about why he hasn't leaped home, talk about his wife, the project whatever... and crucially at the end of our time with Sam, Ben course corrects his approach and the series. We use this time with sam to pull the focus away from the present and refocus on the leaps and keep the focus there.
Just as long as Sam and Ben's team up doesn't end up looking like the team up in 'RRR'. 😂
NBC only wanted Bakula to play a minor role and clearly didn't want to spend the money we'd both want them to spend. Alas, Dean Stockwell recently passed away which would make Sam's return bittersweet.
For something ultimately so high-concept, Quantum Leap had rather humble beginnings. Donald Bellisario was a big fan of anthology programming, but "Tales from the Darkside" and "Amazing Stories" were on their way out by the time Quantum Leap was conceived. It was simply Bellisario's way to be able to say, "No. It's not really an anthology." Surely enough, it took on a life of its own.
I love the original Quantum Leap it was my favorite show as a kid in the 80's and 90's. I feel this new show is not the same and it let me down, when I saw the first trailer I knew that it would not have the same magic it's a different world today. The stories from the original would suck me in and I would feel it in my heart. I remember the first time I saw Sam tell Al's wife to wait for Al because he knew he would come back and the song Georgia was playing... I cried my eyes out. So many episodes would make you feel emotional evolved in the story that it was Magic 🎩 ✨️ I can Guarantee the new show will not do that Even when I hear the intro shown for quantum leap it makes me Get excited knowing the writers on the show put so much heart into it and the actors put even more heart into the rolls. I could talk about this show forever but the new show has a lot to prove to me and many Viewers
I remember that episode, I cried like a baby when Al started dancing with her, there were a lot of moments that made us cry. I don't the new show can do that because in the ads you can tell that Ben doesn't care. He literally looks like he didn't even want to leap in the first place
That episode, man. Respect...
High five
@@vanapirarayne738 same and I'm a guy lol.
I feel the same 100&🤐
I think the most significant difference between now and then was that once upon a time the premise was there to facilitate the telling of stories. It was the cloth the stories were painted upon. The best concepts were those that had the best storytelling possibilities. Now the stories seem to exist in order to serve the concept. It's now "Okay, how do we build a story around what we want to do with the concept" instead of "okay, how do we use the concept as a basis for a new story". Even when that results in a good series, since it is the concept that is dominant, once they are done with the concept, the stories no longer hold on their own. I cannot go into a repeat of any random episode of Breaking Bad and enjoy the story on its own. At worst, they stretch a concept out as long as they can while not having any actual stories to tell -- the concept is its own conceit, and when the concept is revealed to have had no depth to it, you are left with neither the concept nor the stories.
Well said! I completely agree.
That's exactly what She- Hulk was like. Just concept no real depth.
A bunch of fan service, but no over arching them.
I hope I'm not spoiling everything here but She- Hulk just rewrites the ending to her own show. Really!!!
@@briansmith48 Speaking of which, I had Charles Soule accidentally confess to me that neither he nor the writers cared one bit about She-Hulk remotely resembling actual law or legal practice after I asked him if they totally ignored his advice as "legal consultant" on the show. He then blocked me when I asked why they spent money on a legal consultant then.
@@briansmith48 To be fair, she has done that in the comics as well. She Hulk has also used issues of her comic book as evidence in court cases.
Original premise aside, what really sold the show was Scott Bakula. His performances in so many different roles, as it were, went well above and beyond what other actors were doing at the time. And as we have seen in his other roles post QL he still brings on the A game. It's a shame that he wont be in the crappy reboot.
Despite loving the original and purchasing the series on Blu, DVD and comps on VHS,I jumped ship after the reboot's pilot. IT clearly had no idea what made QL so special, especially with its annoying need to follow the project's support team in modern day filler scenes
The one word that comes to mind for the original QL is “compassion”. True feeling for the leapee. This new series is cold and too scientific. It reminds me of Bones where the premise was to figure what killed the dead person. The actors had chemistry that made the show work.
QL is missing the heart of the show. The tongue and cheek comedy. It is truly sad to watch.
I really like your perspective. It's exactly how I feel about the original Quantum Leap. The new one is trying to do classic Quantum Leap and also cater to the current television landscape. It isn't perfect and isn't sticking the landing every time, but I think there's already been a couple of good episodes, and I hope they find their footing before it's too late.
Two core problems with the new Quantum Leap are that is focuses on diversity casting and sentimentality/romance denied between the leaper and the hologram. The original examined the big questions diversity/racism/sexism and the challenges faced by the neuro-divergent as its core message. Essentially it makes me feel like the reboot so far TELLS where it should SHOW as if they are checking off boxes and relying on nostalgia to go the distance in future seasons. Perhaps the message of the reboot is to talk about representational diversity, relegating the stories to heroic adventures being shown to take a multicultural multi-ethnic team to face such modern challenges. Which worries me as it may imply that the old show needed to be 'politically fixed' to work in today's media culture
I agree. Instead of showing the audience the atrocities of what happened in a manner that is more true they tell us that white people are bad. Just shitty story telling and does nothing except divide people.
Putting wokeness and political correctness above the story. And what the hell is up with that androgynous programmer Ian?
"Two core problems with the new Quantum Leap are that is focuses on diversity casting "
Sorry, man, you're out of touch. MOST PEOPLE are done seeing shows focused on white males. Diversity is here to stay and that's a good thing.
Us white males are going to be a minority in the next decade anyway.
@@tomservo75
"Putting wokeness and political correctness above the story. "
Captain Marvel was wildly successful. It doesn't go by what MAGA or incels think.
Let's be honest if the show lasts three seasons it'll be an accomplishment considering it's on "broadcast TV," and that's regardless of it's premise or quality. But that's precisely why the show had to change for its return. There were a lot of unknowns in the original show, people don't thrive on nebulous conceits like they used to. In the old days you could have a character do the same thing for six seasons until people got bored and moved on to new experiences, now adays you have to have a beginning middle and end that you're working toward (even if you might never see it) because there's just too much content to occupy our time. The set pieces have to be bigger, the stakes can't just be saving a guy with a failing restaurant unless the story is Oscar-tier moving and TV writing just isn't that bold or smart enough to battle against slew of HBO's epic shows and the endless streaming binge bait without changing up the formula.
If you're going to bring back these old concepts there are two things you have to deal with, 1. how to approach new prejudices that have been created in the time since the last show that can be just as or more polarizing to the viewers because they're more fresh thanks to the internet age, and 2. answering the deep lore questions that people now have because as we got older, we got more discerning about our fandoms. If all the Ts aren't crossed we start wondering why, if all of our myriad of sociopolitical opinions aren't taken into account then we claim a lack of representation. So they likely chose to abandon spending too much time on potentially controversial stuff the original show handled with class and subtlety (but make sure to vary the present day cast enough that almost everyone can say they're represented,) to tackle the underlying in-universe things that they _can_ control like, why did the program exist in the first place, what happened to the world while Sam Beckett was gone, and presumably leading to a day when they can maybe convince Scott Bakula to make a guest appearance and stoke the nostalgia once more as they finally bring him home.
I've only seen the first episode and it's made me curious enough to want to catch a few more just to see where it's going. Will they fill in the holes and inconsistencies or explain the questions we didn't know we had about the show? Who knows. Is it replacing any of my streaming viewing habits? No. I will say the one episode I saw shown me enough respect for the existing canon that I'll tune in for "important lore episodes," which is more than I can say for a lot of the reboots we've been given in the last 5 years.
The The Original Show they said Sam’s body leaped back into someone’s “aura” so they heard and saw him as the other person. Same happened to the person in the past was in Sam’s aura too. Sam still had a leg while in an amputee life. Sam fathered a daughter because it was his seed. Sam kept the doctor from examining him when he was in a pregnant woman. Sam could see while in a blind man. The new show has Ben literally in the body of the person and no mention of the person leaping forward to 2022 in the waiting room. Idk maybe its different now because Ben improved upon the original machine. After the finale Sam was leaping forever as himself without anyone set back to 1995.
Ziggy is mentioned but never speaks.
Where is Sam’s wife and daughter Sammy Jo Fuller who worked on the old project? Neither have been mentioned yet in 4 episodes.
I am hopeful that Scott is going to return and the studio is playing a long game keeping it secret. Maybe the whole idea of Ben trying to reach some point in the past through various leaps is to fix the finale of the old show. To put right what once went wrong!
I personally liked the evil leaper episodes showing there was a malevolent Force trying to destroy lives while Sam fixes it. I would agree he did leap into a lot of famous people later on. Leaping into the civil war time was due to an ancestor so his life is linked to previous lives before him. I loved seeing Al and Sam reversed and he became the hologram and Al the traveler. The one episode he becomes Al in his early Navy career and seeing Sam deal with a funny British hologram.
Episode 4 is interesting tie-in with new Admiral was the guy Sam leaped into his older Brother’s unit in Vietnam 🇻🇳.
Here my theory of what the plot is...there was a pin point he made in the map of leaps and that one pin point is where he rescues Sam Beckett and brings him back. It's pretty obvious if you pay close attention to details going on so far. Think about the first episode when they mentioned Sam Beckett. His secret agenda with Al's daughter is to find Sam and bring him home.
You nailed the main problem that I have with the reboot, too much time in the present. I don’t need no mystery box or larger cast of characters. The original had no “B” plot to compete with the “A” plot. We were able to have small moments in the past since all the time was devoted to being in the past. It was great to see Sam struggled when he had to come up with things without Al. It was nice not to have a mystery why Sam leapt.
by the time i saw this post we have gotten to a point remembers he was married . . now lets be real if Sam was told he was married i have a feeling he would have figured a way to return to get back to his wife . Al would talk to Sams wife and she expressly said don't talk about me.
The Issue i have is this instead of a Al that can see etc . they are fing it up with lets bring in the romantic interested teh wife . being in mind that it was brain waves that helped . in the original series no one was able to talk to Sam aside from Al. they could hear what he said and they would communicate but their voice could not be heard as Al would speak for them . What this says is that Ben is a terrible person and married Addison cause of the compatibility of his and her brain waves . it was not cause he loved her really but cause of teh brainwaves so when he would go on his mission only she could be the one not some rando. Kinda like i married .. cause she has teh same rare blood type as me and i had teh docs make sure .. is organ compatable with me so when ia m dumb i coudl harvest my SO and save my life even if it meant my SO has to die
One thing I particularly don't care for is when they ignore the canon as established by the original series. In an original series episode, Sam leapt into a patient at a VA hospital who is a double amputee. It's been established that when Sam leaps, he physically leaps into the person and projects their image / aura to everone else. This being the case, when Sam leapt into the life of the double amputee, he still retained full use of his legs. This was used as a plot point when Sam stood up and appeared to be suspended in mid air, thus freaking out the antagonist. In the new series, Ben leaps into a boxer and it's mentioned that he has the physicality (looks, health and strength,) of the boxer; this was a pretty blatant example of ignoring established canon. I hope the writers go back and carefully study each episode of the original series to avoid future mistakes.
I watched the boxer episode last night with my wife and told her the exact same thing, citing the amputee as an example.
What I don't like about both shows is that you know that he will not go back home in the next episode + infinity. Yet, I watch to see if they provided more than the storied leap. So this reboot is giving me more depth and perspective. I actually feel the opposite of what you conveyed about how you don't like when they pull away from Ben and focus on their present day matters. I can tolerate the infinite leaps more because there are smaller story arcs that can be told and potentially resolved within the first year.
My problem with this reboot is the writing, in general. For example, the episode aired 10/17/22 with the old west was almost a plagiarized version of Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles classic movie. Nevertheless, they did introduce an element at the end of the episode that made it intriguing to watch for in the next leap.
If only I could just use that machine to leap all the way to the last leap. I feel that I am being strung along for their profit. Wait, I am. I could just stop watching and wait for this series to end and then go to the series finale.
Thank you so much for this perspective on Quantum Leap. It really helped put the show in context for the time it was on. I wish it was on now so I could watch it again. Can't find it anywhere.
Peacock streaming or your local library on DVD. I have revisited the show often
Thanks for your comment, I really appreciate it! I see that someone else has already beaten me to telling you that it's on Peacock.
It's also on Archive.org, but I'll profess my ignorance about the legality of those uploads and that site in general...
I hate listening to critics because once you agree you tend to totally agree and then you can't unagree . I honestly didn't even know a new show was out but as soon as I realized it was a new show out I completely and totally thought. Scott bakula . And then I thought man why was it that I love that show, I remember being a young kid watching that show and thinking that there was adult stuff going on but thinking how interesting it was to be that guy who was time traveling. And then listening to you I kind of did remember all the reasons why I like that show. Not understanding that I could watch Knight Rider and love that show for what it was for and also watch quantum leap in love with that show is for. I love science fiction so much growing up flash Gordon Star Trek Star wars that I didn't even have any kind of selective thoughts when it came to science fiction. I just watched it all and just loved everything. Science fiction. I didn't even really know what a plot hole was until my mid-30s late '30s when my kids started finding holes and everything that I watched . At first I told them that I didn't care that it didn't matter to me that if the movie was somewhat entertaining, I could watch it and as long as I didn't fall asleep, it must be a pretty good movie . But then they question me and they said what if you compare a movie to a book or a book to a movie. And I said yeah if they don't use the right characters. If they don't you know keep the story almost the same then. Yeah it makes no sense to me. And then I finally started to dawn on me that maybe some of the sequels to some of the stuff that I was watching wasn't really making sense and maybe that was just lazy writing . And then I made the mistake of listening to critics God that just about ruined everything . I haven't even made it to the second episode of rings of power. Not that I'm that big of a token fan. I'm just a Lord of the rings fan the movies . But it's the critics to have pointed out that those folks over there had no business and writing that rings of power shell and it shows in every line and every word they say in every shot they take . Anyways, quantum leap was a show that was sending you a story that had a message that was an actual story . Not shoving woman power black power or white power down our throats . Quantum leap could be every man, every woman, every race and every sex because it was a story about those things. It was a story about their story . I honestly probably won't give this quantum leap a chance I'm too afraid it'll be missing its heart and soul . And that's not who I was growing up. I would give it all a chance. Thanks critics. What's up with the damn puppet?
My wife and I love to watch new upcoming TV shows and reboots, and we both were looking forward to the new Quantum Leap 2022. Sadly, we both already have given up on this new show after the first two episodes because of exactly the reasons you have brought up! We both thought there was something very special missing, yet we just could not put our finger on it. But after I have listened to your excellent breakdown of the new reboot vs the classic Quantum Lead did it all start to make sense. I do not think you are wrong at all and yes like you I am still hoping this show will get better... I have subscribed to your channel because I felt it's a whole lot of fun and informative, thank you!
Thanks for your comment and your subscription! I'm sorry you gave up on the show. The more comments I've read, the more I'm starting to think that the first two episodes might be outliers, designed to hook new viewers and provide interesting visuals for the promos. (It's telling that 95% of the advertising focused on the astronaut mission and the jewel heist.)
If you and your wife end up giving it another shot in a few weeks, I'd be interested to hear if your minds change about the show.
Yes, it’s an awesome show but you know some people just can’t be pleased for nothing. They want the show to go their way or like the original or it’s the worst thing in the world like all the Star Trek fans they want it to be the original they think the original actors are the best, and forget the newer stuff.
I encourage you to give it more time. New shows can take a while to get into their groove. I for one am really enjoying it and want to see where it goes with the mysteries they set up.
as time goes on i'm beginning to think that the big issue we're facing culturally is one of *satiation*: nothing is ever good enough as is, every detail must be elaborated upon or endlessly analysed, every possibility has to be accounted for, etc. It has become not only entirely possible - but *expected* - for storytellers to show what's behind closed doors, to dive into minutae, and reconfigure aspects until the narrative is more immediately satisfying.... even at the cost of what made the core idea great. this has all too often resulted in stories lacking focus, or averse to reliance upon imagination, or utterly incapable of accepting rough edges and grey areas. perhaps, in another couple decades, we'll embrace a different approach. maybe.
I cant disagree with anything you said, except my show was Highlander. I knew they would miss the premise of the entire original show intentions. A literal representation of dont judge until you have walked in their shoes.
Knight Rider's theme was one man could make a difference.
The main thing in this new Quantum leap is that as you said so eloquently) it focuses too much on what's going on behind the scenes in the present. only a very few episodes concentrated of present day in the original QL. Not too mention that 30 years later Ziggy is STILL having problems defining what the mission is of each leap.
Also the original QL focused on the relationship between Al and Sam. AL was about 20 years older than Sam, so AL had wisdom and a working knowledge of how certain historical events affected and changed America. And while Al was a flashy dresser and had a lecherous mind, he also had a heart of gold and could set Sam straight, like in the episode in which he did when Sam leaped into his teenage self and he was trying to change the future of everyone in his family, but only ended yup making everyone miserable. Also, Sam and Al would debate what was the best course of action to change history or direct a person on a better life path.
However in this new QL, the main characters are too busy trying to not show or reveal how much they really care and love each other, since they are both fiance's. it's almost like a version of Ghost. After awhile , it gets boring and redundant. And Addison , in my opinion, is just too boring to play the part of Ben's guide. There's no real back-and-forth in how things should go.Also, i think adding in a nonbinary character, just shows that this show is more interested in being woke than telling a compelling storyline.
1989.....sigh....I'm getting tired of being reminded how old some of my favorite franchises really are 😅
Ha! I'm so sorry... Just remember that those kids playing Fortnite today will eventually feel just the way you do!
I always loved the clever mirror tricks in the Scott Bakula one, but I was too young to appreciate the show at the time. I should give it another go
So four episodes in and I am really not sure what I think, I'm watching it because I loved the original and I am wondering how/when they are going to meet Sam. But as it stands the new series has no soul, it feels cookie cutter and written by a writers room as a concept rather than a lead that has a vision. There are also production slips that annoy me more than they should, like a camera switching to another angle whilst he is speaking but his mouth not moving at all, it's minor but it's bloody annoying.
I think they are going to have to wrap up the break-in illegal jumps in the next few episodes and bring her on-board within the group or the show will be about the now rather than the past. I really hope they don't try to stretch out the secret project thing into the future because it isn't what the show is about.
I really hope it gets better, but I am concerned it won't.
Quantum Leap, when it original started years ago, was misnamed. It should have been called "The Moccasin Hour." Every episode took us through another person's point of view as if we had walked a mile in their moccasins. This reboot misses that original and wonderful journey's gem of an idea. My enormous pleasure in watching each show was more than a journey through time. It was a chance to understand better how to have love and empathy for my fellow human beings on my life's journey. Beyond that, every show seemed also to have that quintessential redemption ark too as the joyful reason for every leap at the end. This reboot isn't interested in any of that. They, the producers, in the words of a song made famous in another reboot this year that was hugely successfully, 'have lost that loving feeling' that made this show tick and talk in it's time on the air years ago. Maybe the writers today would benefit from a leap into a fan from the past to renew in the present that awesome gift The Moccasin Hour could be once again if it truly made a quantum leap in human understanding.
It's a lot of problems with the Quantum Leap reboot; the show doesn't focus on the star. It focuses on his team not knowing why he went back in time. And that is the major problem
Exactly. There's way too much emphasis on the team versus the guy actually leaping. That's NOT what Quantum Leap is about. Reminds me of the godawful Knight Rider reboot from 2008. Same issues.
@@alucard624, You hit the nail on the head. The team aspect reeks of KR '08 influence.
Hit the nail on the head. We only have about an hour per episode (and the pilot wasn't even a two parter like it should've been!) and if you split the time evenly or disappropiately to the modern day/project staff the actual leaping scenario suffers for it.
One thing I noticed about QL is that it has a lot of similarities to Highway to Heaven, especially the friendship between the two main characters, and Sam's wholesome personality. All the other shows mentioned had these traits, but in later episodes they always stray away from the original premise and then they start going downhill and go off the air. I think the new QL has a lot of potential, but I agree that they need to stay focused on the average Joe and the main characters to help make it work better.
Also similar to Touched by an Angel.
I am loving the new Quantum Leap after 4 episodes now. It has grown on me. Fans are still hoping Scott Bakula may come in for an episode or two. The studio just confirmed another 6 episodes, so season 1 will be 18 episodes. Probably because ratings are good. While the show might be a bit different than before, it is not too far off in helping people every episode and it is a Donald Belasario production. Ben Song isn't Sam Beckett but his character is growing on me as quite good as is his hologram girlfriend.
He won't. When Dean Stockwell died he said the leap home was made and that story is closed.
You hit everything on the head, but there are a few things I’d add. I see someone else mentioned Sam already fixed Al’s timeline so he wasn’t a PO, so they never met, he was never part of QL.
The other thing they’re absolutely missing from the original premise is that the people Sam jumped into were leapt into his body in current time so they could be questioned (and that’s how they knew who he leapt into, Ziggy took it from there to figure out what Sam needed to set right -and he was usually wrong… it was always some little thing after he finished Ziggy’s quest. Not just after the info dump about what had been fixed offscreen.)
I lost most of my expectations for the show after I read an article, where during an interview they said they felt the concept of the waiting room was too hard a concept. Despite that, I watched the first episode...which spent WAY too much time in the present, forcibly bombarded the viewer with the romance angle way more than I wanted considering I was there for the time travel, and an over all wondering of "how did twenty years of off-screen leaping lead to present day technology no longer having the aesthetic of frosted color boxes that were present in everything?"
Finding out that Magic is the SAME Magic that Sam leaped into (and having him be played by the inimitable Ernie Hudson, but that's another matter) triggered my sense of wonder again.Yeah, there is a lot of back story but I find myself just as fascinated because I THINK, based on 4 episodes instead of just two, Ben's goal is to rescue Sam and (potentially) have him join the show as another leaper or support personnel in the second season.
While I like seeing the "behind the scenes" (figuring out how to get Ben and Sam back) and I like the idea of Ben trying to find Sam, Ben is not old enough. If he can only leap in his lifetime, finding Sam is more impossible than they are letting on. Sam was born in 1953, clearly at least 30 years before Ben. This means there are 30 years that Ben can never get to. The Chemistry between Ben and "what's her name" is not there. When she passed out from over-extending herself, Ben was clearly unbothered by her lack of presence and her health. It's not hitting my receptors like I expected it to. I hope it gets better but so far it's got a C- in my book.
They resolved that roadblock with a simple line “Somehow Ben has figured out how to leap to anywhere in time!” We could get some Victorian era stuff, or year 2700 with Mars terraformed but having a crisis. What we won’t get is a Gen X/Gen Y nostalgia trip to a fond childhood era.
Yeah, it's interesting that one of the key ideas of the original show, only leaping within a person's lifetime, is being totally disregarded. I always felt like it was important in a thematic sense, as it emphasized how much capacity the world has to change within one person's life.
And I think you're right about the lack of chemistry, though I think the show did the two actors a real disservice by having both Ben and (checks notes) Addison keep secrets from one another. It means that both characters are stuck keeping one another at arm's length, and they just can't have that close chemistry that Sam and Al had.
Yep, that last season got into more "famous lives" leaps. Note that the original showrunner stated initially that the show would NEVER have Sam leap into November 22, 1963, anywhere near Dallas, and yet in its last season, there we were, with Sam looking through Lee Oswald's eyes, with the dramatic trick being that, while he couldn't stop Oswald from killing JFK, he could keep him from killing Jackie, as well. So, it became less about helping common people and more about finding *big* things to put right, just not as right as we thought about.
My first fandom, by the way, goes all the way back to "Men Into Space" starring William Lundigan. 🙂
Yeah, the last season definitely moved away from the show's original design. If I'm being generous, I suppose I could argue that God/Fate/Time was preparing Sam for more difficult leaps... but of course, it was actually just the show's creators trying to grab viewers any way they could. (Remember that the JFK leap aired 9 months after the Oliver Stone movie about JFK reignited people's interest. I suppose that was why the showrunner changed his mind.)
I'd never heard of "Men in Space" before, but after checking it out on UA-cam, it looks like a really interesting slice of American sci-fi television before Star Trek changed everything. Thanks for mentioning it, I'm glad I learned about it!
@@ShawnBRyanVideos Also both J.F.K. and Marilyn Monroe were shown in the Quantum Leap intro which foreshadowed those season 5 episodes. 🤗🙄🤨👍
Sam leaping into Oswald happened because Don Bellissro disagreed with the movie JFK, which suggested all manner of conspiracies. Bellissro was convinced Oswald was the only one behind Kennedy's assassination, and wanted to present an opposing viewpoint.
@@fredaf3700 Yes, I am aware of this I saw Don Bellisario's interview about the Oswald episode here on youtube. 😀😉👍🙏
@@ShawnBRyanVideos The JFK episode happened because the show's creator actually knew Lee Harvey Oswald (They were in the Marines together and did not get along) and was certain that he acted alone...not really a ratings grab, but definitely a response to the movie.
I've been enjoying the new show very much. I see comments about how it doesn't measure up...and I have a challenge, one that is VERY difficult. Watch the first three episodes of Quantum Leap WITHOUT considering the rest of the series we grew to love, watch it as if it WAS a new show. Too many of the comments talk about how it's not Sam and Al and that the commenter miss that chemistry, the problem is it's a NEW show.
As to the concerns, I think they've done an amazing job in adapting to the new series, and I feel that was something that the original missed out on.
Yeah, it's better than I thought it would be. I was worried it was gonna be another woke agenda show after hearing what the cast was, but it's not very blatant. And having a mystery behind the show is interesting, imo. I'm glad they spend some time in the present with the other characters, but I do see how that could get old if they overdo it.
@@mikemcreynolds4842 Yeah, but they are doing what woke shows don't do... remember that characters are people and PE are complex. It was just THIS past episode that I realized that the IT person was trans and that is a GOOD thing. There is way more to the character than that aspect of their personality. Magic being on the team was a brilliant move and they aren't doing stupid drama for drama's sake. Whatever Ben's reason for leaping was I am confident that when everyone finds out they will agree that Ben made the right call. Also I think Janice will be brought in officially at some point.
Loved the original series. I think the main conceit there was that Sam wanted to make things better. Ben has some hidden agenda for why he got into the accelerator, and when he leaps, the goal he and his wife have is to do what they have just so that Ben can come home. So for me, the biggest problem is that it’s missing Sam’s altruism
And while I’m glad they spend some time with the team, it feels like it takes away from the heart of the story - caring about the lives of the people around the person being kept into. And the “present” is our present vs Sam’s present, which was set in a more utopian future and kinda gave it a more positive spin
I’m not giving up yet tho - really hoping they’ll course correct
You are not wrong, I am hoping that this is not so simple as Ben trying to leap to Sam..maybe it will get better
Simple can be nice sometimes.
I think it's a good thing this show is not exactly the same as the old one. 30 years later I expect it to be deeper, more sophisticated and more interesting. The current time story line is not a bad idea if implemented right. The time path leading to a specific target is a nice touch. The acting needs to improve, especially Ian that constantly walks with his hands in his pockets. BUT the most important thing to me is that the show will not detach from Sam's original story. Sam must appear sometime along the way, otherwise the show will not be complete. And what an epic episode it would be... One more story line that must be explored is the Evil Leaper project.
I'm hoping, after hearing Magics story, that at the very least we get Sam finally leaping home in the series finale. Whenever that may be...
I loved Quantum Leap growing up, and I love rewatching it today. And while I never felt like anything was missing with them not showing much in the Quantum Leap project itself in the original. I do feel like that is a strength of the new show.
I especially love that one running the project is Magic from The Leap Home pt 2. Because one of the biggest tragedies of the original series was the final line. "Sam Beckett never made it home." Because made Al's sacrifice of five years of his life, AGAIN, and the love of his life, AGAIN, so Sam could save Tom, through Magic... Kind of pointless... Because Sam couldn't return home to make new memories with his brother.
Now, Magic has mentioned an, as of yet unnamed, admiral that is above him... I am almost certain this admiral is going to be Tom Beckett.
And the big conspiracy is going to be upfront, Al's daughter and Ben altered the code so they can go further back than Ben's lifetime so that Ben can go back and finish Al's work. And bring Sam home.
I agree that it will be more true to the spirit of the show, if they have Ben jump into more low profile folks. And I think they started to do that in episode 3. They just felt the need to start the first two episodes with a bang, and I respect that.
agree almost completely, I thought the first 2 episodes were to just establish the new characters and the support home staff from 2022 who were not really a thing in the original and no we didn't miss not having them back then. episodes 3 on it seems they are now trying to help the "once gone wrong" concept while including the "support staff" as actors.
First of all, the new Quantum Leap is not a reboot but a continuation of the original series. I like how it is exploring the reason why he leapt before it was scheduled and that Al's daughter is involved. My personal opinion is that the final destination is to bring Sam home.
Yeahbut … what about Sam’s daughter ? Nobody seems to remember her.
They should also bring in Sam’s daughter since Al told Sam she was working at the project.
Have they explored Sam's premature and ill-thought of leap yet? Picking where/who you leap into, once impossible, was happening by the end of the original show.
You've hit just about all of my "concerns" on the head. The original seemed to add a more "Metaphysical" possibility to things instead of a straight scientific explanation. That may have been more of a remnant of that time period, though. Overall I am enjoying this show so far. I am quite glad they are moving the mystery along. In a typical "mystery box" show from recent years they probably would have spent the entire first season just leading up to the reveal of the mystery woman (don't want to spoil it if anyone hasn't seen it yet)... but they revealed her in the first episode. I am also happy they are trying to at least respect the original. The cameo of a returning actress in episode 2 was entirely unnecessary (unless she plays more into future episodes) yet they brought her back anyway. I have all sorts of thoughts on the overall plan of the show, how they are doing this all to rescue Sam and that he is truly the one behind everything by manipulating time to put all of these characters into place etc. etc. At the end of the day, I think the main issue is going to rest on the new characters. I haven't grown to love any of them yet (even though I do really like Ben). It feels like they are trying to cram too much into too little. Like you said the over the top importance of the missions is too much and then they only have half the time to focus on it as the original series since they are splitting the run time between past and future. I'm looking forward to where we go from here and hope it turns into something great, but I won't get my hopes up just in case.
Yeah, I agree. I'm checking out the reviews you did on your channel now, and I agree with most of what you're saying.
In terms of the overall plan of the show, I'm reserving judgement... mostly. Maybe this season-long arc will pay off brilliantly and the show will gaining a ton on a re-watch. In spite of my reservations, I'm rooting for it to work.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos I went in to this show with more prejudice than I should have. I was assuming it was just another cheap cash grab. Even if it falls apart miserably, I feel they have already proved me wrong on that point at least.
@@windgraceproject Yeah, if the series did nothing else, it would still be in the top tier of TV show reboots.
A copy of my comment/question/concern that I was wondering about.
I thought at the end of the original series, Sam leaped to fix Al's life and in doing so, he made it so Al was never part of Quantum Leap at all... and in part, that paradox was why Sam could never come back. He could never come back to Quantum Leap ever, because it doesn't exist anymore (or never existed in the first place). It's been years since I've watched it, but that's how I thought it ended. Then, in the new series they have Al's daughter/family being part of the story and in a way they're part of the program... but I thought they would not have had any idea about it (because it's classified), but also, because the timeline was changed so that Al was never a part of the Quantum Leap Program. (Am I wrong about all this?)
@@deucedeuce1572 I believe that you are correct for the most part. I am very much hoping that the show goes into further detail on this. I am assuming (And theorizing) that Sam is behind a lot of stuff and has continued to leap throughout time changing a bunch of things over the years. It's possible that the series finale was only the "beginning" of Sam's changes for Al and that now that he has taken more active control over the leaps he continued on to not only allow Al to have the life he deserved, but to also join and remain active in the QL project. All just wild speculation at this point, though
I look forward to you doing a follow up video on this after a few more episodes are out ... or at the end of the season, as we'll all have a much fuller picture of what's going on by then.
Fuller picture... Hmm.... Sammy Jo!?
Absolutely! Already I feel like my opinion's changed a lot.
I'm really waiting to see how this season-long arc ends. If it ends up being well-written and satisfying, maybe all the time spent at Quantum Leap Headquarters will have been worth it. But until then, I can't help but be worried that it'll all fizzle out, like so many season-long arcs have over the years...
@@soullessmin Ha! It'll be VERY interesting to see if they ever address her... or Donna.
I loved the original show, much like everybody here, but I have no hope of the reboot being half as good.
here is the thing, up until now, every single reboot I have seen has been a complete failure compared to the original. sure, the Impossible mission movies are "good" for those that didn't saw the original show but they don't keep the soul of that show.
I always feel that this, so called, reboots are just an excuse to make a bland, meaningless, show trying to syphon from a successful show that was made decades ago.
I find it offensive that they soil those wonderful memories just to get easy money.
even if for nothing else, this makes me hate the reboots that are being "made".
I'm, probably, biased but this is what they have earned from all the poorly made reboots.
Humm I agree with almost everything you said. I think that they were forced to try new things, not only because of today’s television landscape, also because there was no way for them to replicate the absolut chemistry between Scott and Dean. As a child I use to record the show on VHS tapes, and Sam also influenced the way I approach my duty as a psychiatrist, so I’m hoping it improves…and maybe then Scott will receive a more tempting offer to close Sam’s arc.
Yeah, I suppose I'm happy that they didn't just try to replicate the original show wholesale, so I can't be too upset that they changed a few things. And I'm also glad they didn't try to duplicate the Sam/Al dynamic.
I used to record the show on VHS too! I always looked forward to Leap Day, because it meant I'd get a full six hours of the show on a tape... if I programmed my VCR correctly to record while I was at school.
At the very least that would be an awesome thing they could do to appease the fans of the original show. I'm sure Scott bakula will take the fans wishes into account but remember he is just one man in an industry that is dying. I'm talking about Hollywood 😔🙏🇺🇸
Unrelated, but...this show became available the first season after Dean Stockwell's death. Not sure what to make of that.
Doctor Who was my first fandom,. Since I am 56, I am talking old school Doctor Who. My local PBS station showed it at 11 pm on Sunday nights, and since most stories were four episodes stitched together, that meant the show usually didn’t end until after 12:30 am. Mom wouldn’t let me stay up that late in a school night until I graduated from middle school in 1980, then she said, “If you want to be tired in school on Monday, that’s your choice!” My big brother and sister were already watching it, so I was finally able to join them. My brother drifted away (he was always a just casual viewer), but Sis and I stayed with it until it went off the air in the late ‘80s and the reruns became too repetitive.
We went to our first con in 1982, a Doctor Who one in suburban Chicagoland where we met (and I even kissed the cheek of) Tom Baker! I went to another one in the Loop two years later that wasn’t as much fun-it was a more general SF con, the DW guest was Mary Tamm (the first Romana) and the Star Trek guest was George Takei. Since I wasn’t a big fan of that Romana and really wasn’t into Trek yet (I became a TNG fangirl), I skipped the meet and greet queues. I got a bigger kick out of the vendors, anyway, with mimeographed fanzines and imported packages of Jelly Babies for sale.
That's awesome! I remember the struggles of trying to get into a show that aired late into the night. (For me it was 3 a.m. showings of Deep Space Nine.) It's great that your mother let you guys watch it, it sounds like you made some really good memories.
That's an awesome story about meeting Tom Baker! I can imagine how much fun it would have been to go to a convention back in those days.
You kissed Tom Baker's cheek????!!!! Your lips should be BRONZED!!!!
Spot on! It's become Time Tunnel.
Sadly there's a trend of pure cash in with no care nor love in all major franchises over past 10 years, in movies & TV. Hence why all franchise are in a poor state
Funny you should say that. I picked up the 2 DVD set of "Time Tunnel" years ago. It included a 20-year-old pilot for a reboot of that series featuring a FEMALE Dr. Toni Newman. Apparently 20th Century Fox, like Universal, can't leave a good thing alone...
@@DavidTSmith-jn5bs I got no problem with female or anyone in the role, my point was Time Tunnel like new QP divides attention between two different periods
@@cuddywifter8386 My point wasn't that TT 2002 stunk because they "gender flipped" one of the leads, although I had problems with HOW they did it (for example, " Don't look at my ass or the other techies thru your monitoring device will too!"), My problem was that they introduced a new twist that didn't really improve the formula for the series: have a team of time-travelers fix a few rips in the time stream and risk dying or making things worse while doing it. If you need more info, I suggest you hunt down the DVD sets instead of waiting for me to drop spoilers....
I have a problem with the new show. Where's the waiting room and the person Ben has leaped into? That's where they got alot of info from and not just from Ziggy!
This is a great essay. It perfectly describes what I love about and what I learned from the original QUANTUM LEAP.
I agree with everything you said but I think the problem is a little more fundamental. Quantum Leap 2022 is a fundamentally different show with an entirely different concept.
The original was an anthology series. Sam and Al were constants, but the main characters were the people around Sam. Al only appeared in service of Sam (children, pets and mentally ill folks not withstanding). So the entire 44 minute episode was dedicated to establishing the world Sam had leapt into. This allowed the characters to resonate. The reason I can remember Jimmy LaMota nearly 35 years after the episode aired is because I met his family, his boss, his co-workers, his rival, etc… I lived in his world for 44 minutes and, as you pointed out, experienced his struggles.
QL 2022 is an entirely different concept. It is NCIS with leaps replacing the murder mystery. Ben and Addison are the detectives in the field while the rest are the support back at the office. And as such most of the action takes place among the on-going cast.
This is where I differ from you. I see your point about featuring more ordinary people and agree with it. But episodes with extra-ordinary people could still serve the same purpose if you felt connected to the world of those people. But you don’t because the leaps are incidental in the new show. The real focus of the action is back home.
Sadly I don’t think this is fixable. The decision to make the main characters engaged gives Addison a secondary emotional arc that Al didn’t have. Which means the audience needs to see her without Ben which necessitates the current day scenes. Even without the mystery aspect the show will forever be locked into giving both sides roughly equal time. Which prevents the immersive storylines the original provided.
I think the NCIS comparison is a good one. We're meant to care about the mysteries on NCIS for the length of the episode, but we're not really meant to remember them years (or even hours) later.
I disagree about this not being fixable. If the first two episodes were outliers, meant to hook new viewers and provide interesting visuals for promos, then maybe the series will settle down a bit. And if the mystery at the center of the show is a good one, maybe that can make the time in the present worthwhile... maybe?
Then again, I might just be trying to convince myself at this point.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos I think I might have confused two separate issues. I didn't mean to imply the show was unfixable in how good it could be, but that I don't think it would ever be Quantum Leap. I think the show has a decent chance of being good. I actually like the characters. I just don't think it can be made into what would be a legitimate remake of the original show.
To use another show for comparison, I very much enjoyed the most recent MacGyver remake. But, as with this case, I believe it was a completely different show. It was an ensemble show about a team of government operatives whereas the original was about a single, freelance dogooder.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos I don't think it's fixable because it will likely be cancelled very soon.
@@qui-gonrick7002 It might not be. It seems like the ratings aren't too bad for NBC. They might give it a second season if it manages to hang on to its audience.
The Problem - People making these reboot shows don’t understand the shows they are rebooting. They only know it was popular. So they are trying to make something they can’t connect with and don’t have the creativity to make it work.
people who watched QL are in their 50s and 60s the networks want young viewers not old people hence the "diverse ' cast this is not your dad's QL
When Al told Sam that their supercomputer AI ZIGGY postulated the theory that something was waiting for Sam's leap to happen, it was an idea that was carried thorough each and every episode, even used in the show's opening. Wasn't much but it was key in setting itself apart from the other shows. This new version wants to solve the mystery as to why Sam never returned home but alone is a weak premise to start with. Tie that kind of question into the series later on as a revelation would create a stronger ground for both a premise and later stories. No doubt if they manage a second season will they introduce time paradoxes and even revisit some of Sam's encounters that got either undone or changed and if that's the case, its Star Trek Enterprise and the Temporal Cold War all over again. The potential is there for the stories but it feels the writers want to take the shortest route in each episode or for the series overall.
The nice thing with modern shows is it's possible that they solve the original problem and then move on to something else. He could solve what happened with Sam by season 2 or 3, and then the show could evolve. Back in the day Gilligan would never get off the island, the A-Team would never get their names cleared, etc. Plots move forward a lot more than they used to.
@@mikemcreynolds4842 problem with that is how the plot moves forward. Pulling off the trick of doing it right is possible but they've already ignored a major canon fact. They've established the fact when someone leaps, the body disappears while the mind inhabits someone in the past and they've said it happens to all who leap. More than a few episodes showed Al talking to the person that Sam had leapt into in The Waiting Room. From a younger version of Al himself to even Lee Harvey Oswald. So unless they change that or work it in how it's a different kind of time travel altogether, the writers have already begun killing the series without realizing they shot it point blank
@@jeremyblackmouth3323 Yeah that bugged me on the current episode, unless I missed something. (Spoilers)
In the old series, did the people Sam leapt into remember the waiting room? In the latest episode Magic said that he dreamed about Sam and had no idea what happened to himself in Vietnam until he discovered the Quantum Leap program. Wouldn't he remember his time in the future? Or do leapees get selective amnesia when they return to their life?
@@mikemcreynolds4842 looks like selective amnesia. Example: episodes JIMMY and DELIVER US FROM EVIL. The first episode was a typical leap but the second one had Sam leap back into Jimmy where he encounters what was dubbed The Evil Leapers. Listen to what is said and how it proves selective amnesia happens as a result of the two leapers
The heart of the show has become his wife and his crew, not the people he leapt into. Their lives and struggles from a different perspective.
And thats were they messed up
I disagree,@@forgottenmma3694. Even in the old days,there was always a team aspect behind the original Quantum Leap,even if we only saw Al. The Time Tunnel travelers had a team behind them. All the Star Trek shows had a team. Even the Doctor had their companions every now and then.
As the old saying goes,no man is an island.
Depends on your perspective. Most older fans may want what worked. I hope the risk pays off. I really do.
EXCELLENT POINT 13:38 about spending too much time at PQL. Though I wanted to see more of the future when watching the original series, I realized that we were seeing these leaps from Sam's point of view, so if he barely remembers the project, why should we? The increased film time of the future and waiting room came after Sam's leap back, so he has more of his memory now. Even when I was writing fan fiction, I was a big advocate for as few PQL scenes as we can. On TV it's worse, you have x number of minutes. Every moment spent with Magic, security girl and an androgynous programmer, the less time for the leaps themselves, which have been (as this moment) bland and uninspiring.
I said this exact same thing to a friend at work. I want to watch a show about a guy leaping around time, not some mystery that is trying to be solved in the year 2022. Another issue I had was "AL" is his wife/girlfriend which makes it hard for Ben to interact or have a relationship with a female character during a leap cause she might get jealous.
Yeah, even if Ben's hologram wasn't his girlfriend, I feel like having each of them keep a secret from the other really hurts their potential dynamic. And since Ben knows all kinds of secrets that we as an audience aren't privy to, I find myself more identifying with Addison and her frustrations than with Ben, which isn't great.
I'm hoping that all of this could lead to "rediscovering" the main concept of the show: that the small changes in the timeline do more to change the future then big, grand things. Stopping the theft of the Hope Diamond is important, but leaping into a teacher in Oklahoma in the 90's, and fighting for the rights of a Trans kid sets up ripples in time that lead to a better future for everyone. That leaping into a rising K-Pop star is good for ratings...I mean the story, but in the QL universe, leaping into a grandma keeping a homeless shelter open despite her neighborhood's gentrification will lead to a way better universe.
I also fear the inevitable 9/11 episode. The old writers would have taken chances, like Sam leaping into one of the Hijackers, or something crazier like mini-leaps between people in various places on 9/11, or maybe on 9/10, and Sam tries so desperately to stop it from happening. But today's writers don't get some of the things old school TV writers got, like pacing and development, so we will have to see.
Yeah, in classic Quantum Leap the core of each episode was the character Sam was helping, and the gimmick of each episode was kind of the garnish. Seeing Sam ride a horse or sing a song was neat, but it was often completely unrelated to the problem Sam was trying to solve that week.
I'm cautiously optimistic about modern Quantum Leap tackling the post-September 11th world. It seems like Ben is going to leap into a soldier fighting in the Middle East, so it looks like they might take an approach similar to how they handled the Vietnam War.
What do you think if they plot twist of a later ep. by a guest star of "Scott" where the evil leapers leap into "Sam" make him sabotage things at the base before he leaps and the sabotage is what we see in show openings the being of the reboot?!
Ha! Well, that could be interesting, and it would certainly be a twist that I didn't see coming!
The shuttle pilot in episode 2 of 2022 Ql is the daughter of the test pilot from episode 1 of Ql 1989.
You're certainly not wrong about the main character leaping into ordinary people. The third episode of the revised series at least got that part of the original series more or less right. We'll see how future episodes go, although I'm not sure how many episodes I'll give it. I also don't like that Ben's leaping appears to be goal driven. Extensive use of the crew in the present may not be fatal, but, again, we'll have to see.
There's a non-zero chance that those first two leaps were designed to grab new viewers and create exciting promos. The fact that the future episodes haven't really been featured in the commercials makes me think that they might settle down a bit.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos That is precisely my main problem with the revised show. I found the second expisode exciting, and it certainly created interesting ads. But the first episode: I watched it thinking it was okay, a good run-of-the-mill episode, but if this is the best they can do with a premiere, what will ordinary opisodes look like? Of course, they had a lot of explaining to do to make new viewers aware of the premise.
Sam has leaped into quite a few famous people and has also helped even more real life famous people. So far Ben has not leaped into real life people or helped real life famous people.
@@MartianManHunter_ I might argue that, by inventing fictional famous people, the show is trying to have its cake and eat it too. But you're right that Ben isn't doing anything that Sam hasn't done. I'm just hopeful that the show will balance out its space walks and jewel heists with some smaller-stakes drama.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos if you remember the first 2 episodes (which aired as 1 episode originally) of the original series had Sam first leaping into a X2 test pilot who reached Mach3. The person he leaped into is based on two real life pilots “CAPT Milburn G. "Mel" Apt, who died during the actual testing of the X-2 crash in 1954 at Mach 3, and CAPT Iven C. Kincheloe, who was another X-2 test pilot, who later died testing the F-104A, leaving behind a young son, pregnant wife and unborn daughter.” From quantum leap wiki.
This isn’t dissimilar from the new series second episode. It feels to me that people are nit picking at things the original series has already set a precedent for.
I do agree the show is very different from the original. It has 2 plot’s running and i guess that’s so they can have more of a regular cast. Plus one of the show runners love mystery boxes. I’m not in love with this formula but i’m willing to give it time. Episode 3 takes some of the worry away and has payoffs for following the b plot.
Up until watching this, I had no idea they did a remake of Quantum Leap. I won't say that I was the biggest fan, though I am the right age for it. My favorite show was "classic" Doctor Who, I named my daughter after my favorite companion. I have no opinions since I only remember a few episodes, the train with the woman who wanted to be a lawyer, is the most memorable to me.
Hmm, K-9 is a weird name for a girl... (I just assume everyone's favorite companion is the robot dog. 😄) Doctor Who seems like an excellent favorite show, I really wish I'd discovered it as a child and not as a cynical adult.
It's interesting that a lot of folks don't even know that this series exists. Even some fans of the original series seem not to know about it. I kind of wonder where the show's advertising budget went.
Quantum Leap was one of my favourite shows as a kid. I had mixed feelings when I heard about the reboot. Hoping that they could recreate the magic from the original series and worry that they would completely ruin it ! Unfortunately they have not recreated the magic from the original show. It feels like the supposed main character is just doing what he has to to leap but not connecting with anyone. He doesn't seem to react much to the person he becomes and just shrugs and gets on with it. Not sure if this is because of the writing or that Scott Bakula was such a superior actor. With Sam you knew how he felt whether it was excitment, dread or accepted with humor. The voice over of his thoughts went a long way to helping you connect to him and therefore the series. you don't have that with this new show. in fact the main plot seems to not include the leaps at all but what is happening in the present. Making his finace the hologram "Al" limits them in their stories and means we don't get to see him fall in love. Would be weird with his fiance standing there. The link between the two is not as stong either that what Sam and Al shared. You just don't feel the connection as you did with Sam and Al. They have missed the whole point of Quantum Leap and this show just makes me miss the original even more. At this stage I would prefer the original series to be brought back !!
What I would love is that this show finally brings home Dr Sam Beckett. It is one of the regrets of Scott Bakula in his lifetime.
I've grown to love the original ending. Sam is the Man of La Mancha, he's gonna go off and commit his existence to the selfless service of others, chasing the Impossible Dream. That ending has a nice mix of tragedy and hope that I enjoy.
If they do bring him back, I wonder if they'll be able to provide an explanation that makes sense, given the fact that God himself basically said that Sam was always controlling his own leaps. If Sam wanted to return, I don't think he'd need Ziggy, an algorithm, or Ben.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos But Sam did not know about his wife. That would have changed everything if he had been told. But do not get me wrong, I appreciate your love for the original ending. My comment was written as a reaction to Scott Bakula's complaint that he did not get to complete 7 years of Enterprise and did not bring home Sam and his Father character died and did not return in Chuck. Scott always gets short changed in his recurring TV roles...
As a Doctor Who fan, i can appreciate the original Quantum Leap bc it didn't deal with the big moments in history. Those big moments left big ripples while the little moments left a series of small, corresponding ripples. Change a big ripple and u might destroy history; change a small ripple, others can follow and heal history. One of the best examples in the original series is when Sam ends up in the body of a bombshell lawyer's fiancée. He isn't able to make the big change he wanted to; but, in correcting a mistake she made when going over which amendment is which, she ends up in the "present" as the judge who proceeding over the funding for the Quantum Leap program. This allows everyone to continue their work on getting Sam home
I agree with you and I have the same concerns, QL 89 had an audience that was patient and were not accustomed to instant gratification. Today's viewers will change the channel... I mean stop the stream and move on to another episode of Keeping Up With The Real Ice Road Lumberjacks. I think the directions the show is going is out of fear of being another Firefly that gets cancelled before you get a chance to fall in love with the show and its characters. I will continue to watch and hope for the best. Quantum Leap 22 is a toddler wearing his dad's boots with the hope that someday those boots will fit. I hope it exceeds my expectations and the son is wearing a boot 3 sizes bigger than his dad. I would love to see more videos from you on this subject as more episodes have aired.
Great video, love the presentation! I haven't watched the new QL as I just knew it couldn't live up to the memory of the original show, so thanks for letting me know it was the right decision so far
One counter point to consider is that this series offers an interesting opportunity to fill in the huge gaps in the back story. Arguably the original series focused too closely in individual leaps. Especially after the series finale, there were a lot of open questions left-- Sam was controlling his leaping all along?!? If the new series is able to stitch even half of them into a satisfying answer, it will be worth it.
The reboot "doesn't understand" more like "doesn't care"-imo
Thank you for this. I love Quantum Leap 89 for all these reasons. I see a similarity with StarTrek Next Gen with regards to social commentary. For example, the ST:NG episode with David Ogden Stiers turning 60 or the Darmok episode about communication. This new version shortchanges the leap and we don't feel as invested in the character because the show is not spending enough time there. I've seen 3 episodes (missed this week's). The boxer who was saved - First known case of PTSD. So it continued the idea that this isn't just one life of many - this is an "important" life and changes history for mankind, not just his own personal history. I'll continue to watch and hope for the best.
It was this episode that made me see a glimmer of the original show. I wish they'd invest more time on the actual leap and less on the present day. The story of the two brothers was interesting and heart wrenching.
I kind of agree with EVERYTHING you said. I had my own issues with this reboot, like the fact that there's no waiting room. Sams body was kept there while the people he leapt into leapt into him. And the character of Magic would have to be in his seventies He is based on a classic leap from season three. The leap home part two. So even if he was still 18 in 1968 when the episode was set, he would be 72 in 2022. Way beyond service age. But you've made great points too, especially about the high profile leaps. Jeez
I think they are trying too hard to make it "updated " they have lost site of the original premise. I have enjoyed the episodes maybe it deserves a different name since its a different show. But I felt the same way for the first season of Star Trek the next generation. I hope it last long enough to find out if it has what it takes to stand on its own.
Good point about Star Trek the next generation. I am pretty sure that most fans felt the same way during the beginning of that Star Trek continuation with new characters.
Give this one a chance...
The only insight I can offer is the new premise or subplot will give us a deeper understanding than Sam & Al got of the process. Ben IS leaping into more important, well known people, like Sam did in the season 5... and the "secret plan" software is guiding that. At the end of season 5 Sam found "God" or whatever controls the process. That is the goal. Ben is really skipping to the end of the process, possibly to help Sam... possibly to reach and stop him from leaping in the first place? What they plan to do is still a secret but the idea will unfold and hopefully it will trigger a good feeling in you. The mystery no one is asking about is why the person Ben leaps into never appears in the waiting room?
The showrunners couldn't get their head around the waiting room so there isn't one in the new series. Ben shares the same space with the leapee at the same time.
@@sdlively27 So much for science. That violates the law of conservation of energy. You can't take matter/energy from one place and add it to the other. That was why they had to switch in the first place.
I don't know if this new series is going to be better or worse or just plain different. But some things I can tell you it's doing, my husband hates, downright hates, original series but he's watching this one with me and that's a plus in my book! Second is that I told my kids (17 + 21) that they had to watch the original before the new and now we're doing that for the first time together and they love it, so it's creating new fans for the original as well. And finally, my older brother(that feels weird to say, I'm 8 years older than he got to be) is the one that started my love of both sci-fi and fantasy, including Quantum Leap and im watching both the new and old series it helps connect me to him again. There are so many things that do, but I cherish them all! And I'll watch all the sci-fi and fantasy reboots, prequels, and sequels of all the series he taught me to love for as long as they keep making them!
If they want to spend half of each episode in the future, they should make that half revolve around THE GUY IN THE WAITING ROOM. It would be a way to expand upon the story of Ben's leap by introducing us to the person he's replacing, instead of killing time with "and this flash drive leads to... ANOTHER FLASH DRIVE"
Well, my opinion was (and still is) that the first episode seemed too rushed, and the second episode was just meh. I thought episode three was a much better layered episode and a good example of the positive effect of his leap-namely helping his brother being able to seek help for his PTSD. For me the show tends to bog down when too much time is spent back at the QL facility with the characters. And I really wish they would just show Ben leaping into his next predicament, and then showing whatever CW Network drama the showrunners want to show, rather than Ben leap, other character drama, then show Ben in his next host - it just kills the flow for me.
I for one do not want a continuation of the original series -- without Sam Beckett. I like that this one is dealing with it differently as it explores what might have happened in the future.
The new show hasn't gotten to the point where they reveal why Ben is leaping .They are trying to do something new with the show and I like it.
Yeah me too I like he’ll be in the west next leap
One of the best moments in tv history for me: Season 3 “You could have been free!” “I was free. Up here.” It’s not so much the words themselves as Sam’s shocking realization that Al has done for Sam what Sam in his moralizing refused to do for Al. The last episode of the series rights this wrong for their relationship.
I have to agree on what you said. The support team wasn't the reason we tuned in it was to see Sam the everyman be the everyman that he had to be.
The original Quantum Leap was also one of my first fandoms, and I was definitely worried about this reboot having seen such disappointing failures as the new MacGyver and Magnum P.I. However, I have been pleasantly surprised at how much I'm enjoying the show so far. I've been keeping in mind that the showrunners need to try to make the show appealing and understandable to a new audience who never saw the original show, as well as not let down the original show's fans. I think it's a tough line to walk. The first two episodes were, as you mentioned, about more historically-significant situations, but the third was a bit more personal and, I felt, kind of a nod to the original show. I like the diverse cast, as I feel it really represents something that has become increasingly important in our society--representation--but I also appreciate that they don't make it a central talking point within the show itself. The characters just are who they are. Ben seems very caring about the people in the lives of the person whose skin he is wearing, and I enjoy the banter between him and Addison. I'm not a huge fan of how long they're holding onto the swiss cheese brain when it comes to their relationship - it seems a bit far-fetched that he wouldn't remember his fiance after interacting with her in all these situations. But I can suspend disbelief on that part easily enough, knowing they want to make a big plotline out of it. It seems like it might cause issues the original didn't have, where Ben might be inhabiting the life of someone who has a significant other that Ben will have to pretend to love, and all that comes with that, when his hologram helper will have to watch him be intimate with someone else. It was easier for Sam in that regard, and some of my favorite episodes were when he genuinely fell in love with someone while inhabiting someone else's body. It seems like we won't be able to have episodes like that with Addison along for the ride with Ben, but I'm curious to see how it will play out. So far, I think they're doing a much better job with this reboot than with the other ones I mentioned, so I'm holding out hope. I love the idea of Quantum Leap and I'm hoping we get many seasons of explorations into people living many different walks of life.
I can't disagree with anything you've said, Muppet, but I would add one thing. If you can't do it justice, don't do it. This was a wonderful and original idea, and I'm getting tired of reboots, re-imaginings, prequels, and nostalgia bait cash-grabs. iI didn't bother with The Lion King "live action" remake because the classic still exists and is already nearly perfect. I think they should just admit they're out of new ideas and just go back to showing reruns of M.A.S.H.
I totally agree with you on the topic of "live-action" remakes of Disney's cartoon movies. But as a reminder, this is not a re-imagining or remake of the original Quantum Leap. I like that they are continuing the storyline to show what happened during the subsequent 30 years -- hopefully to include what happened to Sam Beckett.
@@markb1697 I'm on board, if they do that, because I'd love to see the "leap home," but I doubt it will happen, because a) Scott Bakula has other projects lined up, and b) Dean Stockwell is dead, and c) "The Final Leap" tells us Sam never made it home. Add to those things- Bakula and Stockwell were very interested in reprising their roles, but the network decided to go in "another direction." I actually hope it gets people interested in the original series, but I have little hope it will try to attract the audience that is still alive to remember it.
Telling Buddy to try Peggy instead of Piggy Sue is probably Sam’s best leap trigger.
Ha! I'd forgotten about that one! Yeah, that was pretty great!
A wonderful piece of work my friend. Nice to to see a well thought out and structured argument on UA-cam 😎👍
Excellent video. I agree with everything you said. I will say episode 3 ironed out quite a few of these wrinkles, but it remains to be seen how the rest of the season will pan out.
@Allison Pregler my fingers are crossed Allison. Oh Boy!😉🤞🙏🤠
Oh boy...
You make a lot of good points. I was a huge fan of the original, and I don't imagine the new show will work with the style of television we have grown accustomed to today. It sounds like they're going for something along the likes of the 12 Monkeys TV show, or perhaps something closer to Timeless. Both of which I enjoyed, the first for 1 season, and the second for all the seasons we were lucky enough to be given.
But I think the thing I remember most fondly from the show, on a macro level, was the endearing and enduring friendship between Al and Sam. And I think that was lightning in a bottle, it wasn't just the characters but also the chemistry and cheeky comedy provided by the actors who played those roles.
I'm still hopeful that the show will find itself... even if it takes a season to do it. But then again, I'm an optimist.
Yeah, the dynamic between Sam and Al was something special, and maybe the best thing about the modern show is that they didn't even try to replicate it.
A key Difference I've noticed between the series is the amount of exposition and backstory you get for Sam and Ben comparatively.
In the original the audience is left in the dark about a lot of aspects of the future. Sam doesn't remember anything about his past, so the audience doesn't. Sam doesn't remember the future that he's from, or the people that he knew, so the audience doesn't. Sam doesn't remember how the quantum leap project was established, or how it involves outside forces, like the government, so the audience doesn't either. As the show goes on Sam remembers more, and as he learns the audience learns. I find that this is a great way of connecting the viewers to Sam, they start the show in the same position as Sam; unknowing about quantum leaping and Sam Beckett himself.
From what I've seen of the new series, (Admittedly only the first two episodes) it's taking a different direction. You start the first episode at a party, learning about these characters and the relationships they hold with another and the quantum leap project. When Ben leaps, and forgets everything, the audience still remembers, and intentionally or not, a wall is put up between Ben and the audience. As an audience member, you possess knowledge that Ben doesn't, his connection with others and the project. Maybe this was intentional, a way to emphasize the secrecy surrounding Ben's Leap and the unknown woman, but it still creates a disconnect between the audience and Ben. It becomes difficult to relate to his choices when you know things about him that he does not.
It took a few episodes but it's starting to come into its own. Also, a good sign that it got picked up for more episodes. 😀
Yeah but will people watch them?
@@kendallrivers1119
just remember, people from youtube not watching is not the same as people not watching.
Especially if you guys don't want to watch it because of "woke". Woke makes RICH.
Just look at Captain Marvel. All those snowflake incels decided to boycott it. Did that any effect? Nope. It was wildly successful.
So the question is, will non-incels and non-maga like the show. We'll see.
there is a speculation the extra 6 episodes is so they can "end" the series without having to sign on a second season. I do hope that is not the reason for the additional shows
Of all the shows you brought up Quantum Leap is the only one that still holds up to this day. And those are some of my favorite shows especially MacGyver. But I've tried to watch MacGyver again and I can't get past the silliness of the '80s. But somehow Quantum Leap transcended the area came out of and when you watch it it doesn't seem so obviously from the '90s as other shows may seem
That's interesting how some of those shows aged better than others. I think Quantum Leap being set in historical time periods has helped it age a bit better. It almost doesn't seem like a product of the late 80s/early 90s.
As much as I loved the original and Sam Bakula. I think the new series is pretty good. Ben is coming into his own, though there are a few plot holes left to be filled. I also like that we see more of the "team" and their drama. Before we just saw Al. I do hope that Scott Bakula decides to make a cameo appearance and that they somehow incorporate old footage of Dean Stockwell.
I thought at the end of the original series, Sam leaped to fix Al's life and in doing so, he made it so Al is never part of Quantum Leap at all... and in part, that paradox was why Sam could never come back. He could never come back to Quantum Leap ever, because it doesn't exist anymore (or never existed in the first place). It's been years since I've watched it, but that's how I thought it ended. Then, in the new series they have Al's daughter/family being part of the story and in a way they're part of the program... but I thought they would not have had any idea about it (because it's classified), but also, because the timeline was changed so that Al was never a part of the Quantum Leap Program. (Am I wrong about all this?)
they're going with the unaired alternative ending (of the original series).
I’m hesitantly hopeful that the “concerning” elements you listed will sort of dissipate as the new series continues to integrate with the old one. Considering the end of the original series, (SPOILERS) the potential of Sam still leaping through time, and possibly outside his own life span, lends itself to themes of not just fixing the past, but fixing the present, as it is happening, with the other characters in 2022. In a post 9/11, and post pandemic world, it is us in the present who wake up everyday, and decide if we are going to set right what seems to be going wrong.
Would love to see a video on the ending of the original series. It seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing, but, I think, may be heavily influencing the direction of the current show. However you felt about it, the finale changed everything we knew about leaping.
"That's just where he wound up."
You missed a call back.
"That's just the way it is." When Al the Bartender spoke to Sam on his birthday in the bar, in the final episode.
What a awesome review! Why QL worked in the past had escaped me in being able to explain it. But you seem to have gotten that bang on. I too was and maybe still a little worried that the "ordinary" person being helped will fall from the headlines, giving more for the "staff" to handle. Also the fact that the staff will require more back story, more day to day interactions etc. In the first 2 episodes, I found myself not caring who he was there to help or if he managed to help them at all. But since then we have spent more time with the person he is trying to help. One of the other things that worried me is the connection between Ben and Addison? I worry that the love interest will take away what Sam and Al had in the original series. Obviously it will be different since they were to marry, but am concerned with this connection. Being such a huge fan of the original series I hope they will go back to the working formula with all the new issues society faces today. As for evil leapers, I was not a big fan then and still don't think it should become a bigger story now than "occasionally ' bringing it up, since they have opened up the story line. I also do hope they will have along running success as I miss the original series a lot. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with the rest of us. Stay well
Thanks for your comment! I agree about the connection between Ben and Allison being somewhat concerning. Though I'm starting to get more and more faith in the show pulling it off and having a satisfying storyline for the two. So much of this show's success or failure will depend on how well it sticks the landing on its ongoing storylines.
Thanks again for your comment, I hope you stay well too!
A big problem I've noticed is the new show focuses too much time on the "modern day" b-story with the mystery box. It makes the period pieces/scenarios less time to breathe and develop then in the original which for me weakens those scenario's characterizations and feel a lot.
Two things Shawn mentions is why so many of us don't watch much TV. 1) Complex, intertwined plotlines with complex characters...blah blah -- you lose interest; 2) Main character leaping into famous/infamous characters -- you lose interest.
In terms of number one, I feel like I lose interest when "complex" becomes "nonsensical." Writers seem to be very good at crafting insanely complicated storylines, but pretty terrible at resolving them.
And yeah, leaping into famous characters is something that probably sounds more interesting than it is. I think that's why it makes for better promos than episodes.
Really loved watching the original show every week, including the emotional episodes where Sam saw his brother, father, and Al. Whenever I heard the theme music my spirits were lifted. Oh Boy!
I was worried when I saw the new show coming, without Scott Bakula, and still not having a full conclusion to that storyline.
But what did excite me was more of the present day storyline. They did not just repeat the old show, but created a different show, based on the original. Now we get to see more then 5 minutes of the future. Now we have more explanation for why things happened. The original show had one episode where Sam leapt home (and Al leapt out), and then Sam leaps again to rescue Al. Rather then a 90s story of the week, we have that in the background and a second story on top.
Rather then the same show, we are now getting a Quantum Leap Universe. We don't just follow Sam. We don't just reboot the original story with a different cast. We get a second show.
Yeah, I agree with a lot of what you're saying. I suppose I'm just a little worried that the season-long mystery isn't going to pay off in a satisfying way.
If it ends up turning out well, then all of the modern-day stuff set in QL headquarters will have been worth it. But I'm just concerned that we'll end up spending half the season on a storyline that isn't worth the investment.
Fingers crossed. We definitely have a long history of SciFi shows being canceled before they have a chance to finish the storyline. I should wait to see what happens with a new show and then binge-watch the seasons instead of getting invested too early -- to then being disappointed. But I don't have the patience so I am watching weekly and hoping for the best.
my main concern with the reboot is that with the "mystery" aspect of the "present" narrative, the writers are going to paint themselves into a corner. something like either stretching the mystery longer than it should be to keep it interesting, or "we've solved the mystery, but how do we keep Ben in the past to extend the shows time." The problem with over-arcing storylines is what do u do after they're resolved. Another concern i had with the reboot was it falling into typical 2022 Hollywood narratives and being more interested in sending political messages than telling good stories. This was something that was done very very well in the 80s, 90s and even 00s. They told good stories that also had powerful messages.
3 episodes in and i'm still more worried about my 1st concern, and less about the 2nd. Episode four, i think, will be the true answer with where Ben leaped.
I think showing the present worked for the pilot, we know "the team" and a plausible reason for the leap. But, in my opinion, they need to wrap up the present antics, and, like you said, focus more on the guy in the past, where, we the audience get snippets of the present the same way the leaper did; via the hologram partner.
I too also miss the mysticism that the original brought to the table. So far i am still excited to see each episode each week, and i remain cautiously optimistic that they will find their own magic to make this show as great, or better than the original.
Yeah, it's so hard to have faith in modern showrunners when it comes to long-running mysteries. Too many times have I been burned by writers who were making things up as they went along, promising that everything would pay off but failing to deliver.
You mention the "mysticism" of the original show, and it will be interesting to see if the series-long arc contradicts some of those elements from the original series. (Remember that God himself basically said that Sam controlled his own leaps and could return whenever he wanted, and that it wasn't the product of Ziggy or some algorithm. And it's gonna be hard to retcon God!)
In terms of political messages, I think the original was pretty blunt in how it delivered messages about discrimination when it came to racism, sexism, homophobia, and disability (both mental and physical). But I think it largely succeeded because it rooted those messages in very specific stories with very specific characters.
I'm glad your cautiously optimistic. I feel like I'm in the same boat!