This is a guest post by Andrew Emmett who has just happened to pick another show that I haven’t really seen!  Big thanks to Andrew for doing this!

Leaping back twenty years with Quantum Leap. Oh, boy ..

Quantum Leap a sci-fi series was first aired over twenty years ago and ran for five seasons, with lead actors Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell. It was created by Donald P. Bellisario who has also been involved with NCIS, JAG, Magnum P.I., Airwolf and Battlestar Galactica among other popular shows.

The general plot being a chap called Sam in 1999 creates a method to travel back in time during his life span. One day he decides to jump as the project is at risk of being shut down. He ends up jumping randomly (supposedly) into different bodies, helping others and with a guide called Al to help along the way. Trying to find a way home and helping people in the process.

Al who works on the project is an ex-military chap, projected as a hologram from the future, is there to support Sam with relevant information, but all too often keeps Sam grounded, guides him and on occasion teaches, such as flying a plane or boxing.

Okay it gets a tad more complicated…. Only Sam can see Al. Nobody knows why Sam leaps into the places he does. Plus Al with the help of a super computer called Ziggy, that Al can access via a tablet *pauses for breath*, informs them of probabilities of why Sam is there and what he is meant to do so he can leap…. Oh and Ziggy provides useful data on the period and people to boot.

Wow sounds a bit complex doesn’t it?! Actually really no more complex than most sci-fi shows. Anyhow the intro to the show explains the background story very neatly and far better than I have.

Quantum Leap Intro

Tim | MySpace Video

From the very first episode I watched all those years ago I was hooked. I didn’t need to watch one or two to know whether I liked the show, whether it had potential and would keep me entertained. Quantum Leap stood apart and the majority of recent shows don’t even get close to this level of entertainment.

This show was in good company at the time with Star Trek’s reboot ‘The Next Generation’ airing during the same era. Both of which aired on BBC2 at 6pm once weekly in the UK. I’m unsure of the air dates and times elsewhere, but they got their target audience spot on in the UK.

Unlike TNG’s credits that I soon tired of, I loved QL’s theme music and every episode kept me glued to the screen until the end credits and the sand being blown off the logo. Each episode had a tough challenge for Sam to overcome, person(s) to be helped and often an enemy to thwart.

Scott Bakula as Sam Beckett and Dean Stockwell as Al Calavicci in Quantum Leap

Visiting different time periods and being thrust into situations such as being a mobster, radio dj, in Vietnam. The show wasn’t afraid to mix things up and Sam would on occasion jump into the body of a female. The storyline’s would deal with difficult situations, often relevant to the struggles of today, such as equality, family situations, financial struggles, abuse etc, but also they knew when to have a laugh.

You were not trying to work out the motivations of the lead characters, sure it worked on many levels, but the simple formula kept the pace fast moving. The secret of the show was the different era’s, you were not kept locked to one set, seeing the same props, same supporting actors each week. One episode wasn’t quite as interesting? So what! Tune in next week and it could be a cracker!

Visiting the different locations and time periods gave them the chance to choose great music, locations, dress the part etc. Seeing Sam and Al relating to people of that era, supporting them and all too often becoming frustrated with a situation.

Each week you knew the show wasn’t going to throw a right hook and dramatically change over the coming weeks. It didn’t need to try and tempt us with the possibilities of excitement, of a cliff hanger later on. It gave excitement each week and the formula just worked. Yes it was often cheesy, obvious and the morals were squeaky clean, but so what.

I even starting buying the Quantum Leap books, but realised the television show was a superior medium in this particular case. The charisma, music, acting, locations and great directing as well as storyline all played a part and contributed. Books alone didn’t do it justice at all.

Two storylines of note for me are the JFK and the one where Sam is at a house believed to be haunted. I was literally on the edge of my seat during these episodes and many others. I can’t remember once turning the television off before the end of the credits, you didn’t want the show to end. You were left sitting there energized and already excited about next weeks episodes.

So why not take a leap of your own and catch up with the show. It’s still as fun to watch today as twenty years ago.

Have any favourite episodes? Love or hate this series? Let me know in the comments.

Oh, boy ..

Article Author: Andrew Emmett is a small business owner and a blogger.  His interests include books, history and a lot more! I’ve known Andrew on Twitter for what seems like forever (in a good way) and he is well worth the follow!

Check out Andrew’s site at www.andrewemmett.co.uk