‘Oh Boy!’ ‘Quantum Leap’ is back, baby!
NBC has picked up the sci-fi series sequel, giving us a first look at a new character
It’s been over 30 years since Dr. Sam Beckett [Scott Bakula] first stepped into the quantum accelerator, leaving him leaping through time indefinitely – fighting to put right what once went wrong. The sci-fi cult classic ran for five seasons on NBC (from 1989 to 1993) and is still a fan favorite today.
In his jump through time, Sam Beckett (a physicist) was accompanied by his good friend Admiral Al Calavicci [Dean Stockwell], who appeared only to him in the form of a hologram. Supercomputer Ziggy [voiced by narrator/co-executive producer Deborah Pratt] and “Gooshie” [Dennis Wolfberg] were also often in the mix, aiding the good doctor to right some wrongs of the 20th century so that hopefully, one day, he would be rewarded with a return trip home.
Twenty-nine years to the day the show went off the air (May 5, 1993), the news was announced that Korean American actor Raymond Lee would be heading up the sequel series as Dr. Ben Seong.
The pilot was greenlit by NBC in January 2022, a month later announcing filmmaker/actress Helen Shaver (“Vikings,” “Station Eleven”) as director. While there is no news on whether or not Scott Bakula will be returning, “Quantum Leap” creator Don Bellisario and Deborah Pratt will return as executive producers, working alongside Shaver, and Martin Gero. Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt (NBC’s “La Brea”) wrote the pilot and are also signed on as executive producers.
So, was Dr. Sam Beckett leaping through time at the hand of some higher power? Will he finally get to go home? Ninety-seven episodes were hardly enough time to get those answers, but perhaps the long-awaited reboot will shed some light. While little is known about the series, the new iteration steps in as a sequel. Now, a new team has assembled to restart the project. They’re trying to understand the mysteries behind the man who created it and what happened.
The announcement of Raymond Lee (“Here and Now,” “Prodigal Son,” “Top Gun: Maverick”) has everyone excited about what’s next. As for returning cast members, we’ll just have to wait and see. Stockwell, unfortunately, passed away in 2021. Although, one can hope we get to see more of Al in some capacity. The new cast includes Caitlin Bassett, Ernie Hudson, Mason Alexander Park, and Nanrisa Lee.
“Quantum Leap” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
