In 1989, Quantum Leap brought sci-fi back to NBC with Scott Bakula and the late Dean Stockwell.
But after a five-season run, the time-traveling adventures of Dr. Sam Beckett (Bakula) came to an end.
If you want to watch the original Quantum Leap, it’s streaming on The Roku Channel. However, the modern series has a new home on Netflix.
The 2022 incarnation of Quantum Leap honored the original, and it’s a good series in its own right. Now, we’re sharing three reasons why you should watch the Quantum Leap reboot on Netflix.
Every Time NBC’s ‘Quantum Leap’ Paid Tribute to the OG Series
Raymond Lee and Caitlin Bassett Are Engaging Leads
Bakula and Stockwell were tough acts to follow, and the new Quantum Leap didn’t recast either actor. Instead, the legacy of Sam and his observer, Al Calavicci (Stockwell), was carried on by Dr. Ben Song (Raymond Lee) and Addison Augustine (Caitlin Bassett). Much like Sam, Ben finds himself traveling through time and dropping into the lives of other people to fix their personal histories.
As the observer, Addison is Ben’s link to the present who appears to him as a hologram that only he can see or hear. The show didn’t wait long to reveal that Ben and Addison were engaged to be married. She was even supposed to be the Leaper. That’s the subtext that Bassett has to play as Addison, since Ben can’t remember all of the details of his life.
Lee proved to be a worthy successor for Bakula, and he carried the show on his shoulders. Bassett also had a large role as the link between the stories set in the past and the present. Their best work was almost always when Ben and Addison were together, with an emotional gulf and years of time physically separating them.
Quantum Leap’s Raymond Lee Praises ‘Immaculate’ Finale, Teases New Questions
It’s an Intriguing Sci-Fi Procedural
One of the brilliant aspects of the original series that carried over to this show is that the main character inhabits someone else’s life in every episode. There are convoluted reasons why no one besides Addison can see that Ben isn’t the person is he’s swapping places with. So you just kind of have to go with it.
Every episode has a different time frame and a new supporting cast, but the story structure is always the same. Ben arrives in the past, before he and Addison figure out what he’s supposed to change. The outcome of that formula is never really in doubt. The fun part is watching Ben and Addison as they try different solutions before finding the one that will let him move on to the next leap. This is the equivalent of a science fiction procedural show, and the premise still works.
The Show’s Engrossing Serialized Story Keeps You Hooked
Ironically, the thing that separates the modern Quantum Leap from its predecessor is the way it links back to the original series. Although Bakula declined to reprise his role, the mystery of Sam’s fate plays into the genesis of this show. Quantum Leap also sets up a new mystery when it reveals that Ben had a hidden reason for going back in time. That leaves the other characters to figure out why he did it, since Ben can’t remember the details himself.
Quantum Leap’s Caitlin Bassett Hinted at Story Shakeup Before Finale Twist
Ernie Hudson has a costarring role as Herbert “Magic” Williams, a character that Sam leaped into in the first series. Now, Magic is the head of Project Quantum Leap, and he gets to share scenes with Al’s widow, Beth Calavicci, as played by the only returning performer from the original series, Susan Diol. Al and Beth’s daughter, Janis Calavicci (Georgina Reilly), has an even more important role in Ben’s journey through time, which is revealed during the show’s modern storyline.
The decision to give this series more serialized elements was probably made because that’s what modern viewers expect. It was also an effective way to expand the mythology of Quantum Leap and allow the audience to care about the characters beyond Ben and Addison. Unfortunately, NBC canceled the new Quantum Leap after only two seasons. But there is some closure for Ben and Addison at the end of its run, and now the series has a second chance to find a larger audience.
Quantum Leap is streaming on Netflix.
