The Quantum Leap Reboot Synopsis Is Extremely Revealing
Back in the fall of 1989, NBC took a gamble on a high-minded little science fiction series that cleverly combined a "story of the week" format with that of a properly serialized drama. The series was called "Quantum Leap," and it followed genius physicist Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) as he "leaps" into the bodies of figures from the past and, with the help of a holographic guide named Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell), corrects grave historical wrongs.
The "Quantum Leap" gamble never delivered the ratings jackpot network bosses were surely eyeing, but the series found enough fans to keep it on the air for five full seasons. In the years since its series finale aired in 1993, the popularity of "Quantum Leap" has remained. In fact, in 2007, TV Guide, named the series one of the top cult hits ever produced.
Perhaps in a move to re-shape history à la one of Sam's timeline-altering leaps, NBC bosses are bringing "Quantum Leap" back into the primetime fold, doing so in the guise of a reboot donning the exact same name. Per Variety, the series earned a pilot order back in January. As Variety also reported, the pilot was solid enough to earn a series order from the network only a few months later. Even as excitement for the series continues to build, questions have remained regarding exactly what the new "Quantum Leap" will be about. NBC has finally offered an answer via an extremely revealing official synopsis for the series.
Quantum Leap will be a sequel series set decades after the original
The synopsis for the "Quantum Leap" reboot almost feels spoilery, so count yourself forewarned. As covered by Collider, that synopsis confirms the new series will indeed be a followup to the original "Quantum Leap," picking up 30 years after Sam Beckett's disappearance. We already knew, of course, that Sam will not be at the heart of the story moving forward. His quantum accelerator, however, will be. Per the official breakdown released by NBC, the device is still being studied by the United States Military.
The synopsis further offers that military bosses have brought aboard a renowned physicist named Dr. Ben Seong (Raymond Lee), and a crack team of specialists in the hopes of restarting the Quantum Leap Project, and cracking not only the mysteries the quantum leap accelerator, but the time-hopping man who created it. The team operates under the watchful eye of Herbert "Magic" Williams (Ernie Hudson), a by-the-books military heavy Sam Beckett actually jumped into during the original run of the series. Needless to say, things get complicated for all when Dr. Seong makes an unauthorized leap into the past.
Thus begins a new time-traveling adventure that will find Dr. Seong jumping bodies with his own holographic guide (Caitlin Bassett), and putting right what once went wrong as his team tries to figure out precisely why he jumped. For now, it seems the new series won't stray far from the original program's formula, though said formula should offer ample opportunity to bend timelines and narratives in fascinating ways down the road. And oh boy, wouldn't it be something if Dr. Seong eventually bumps into our old pal Dr. Beckett? Here's hoping.
NBC's "Quantum Leap" reboot will premiere on the network on September 19.