The original Quantum Leap very much played as an episodic which could be watched in any order. Each week, Dr. Sam Beckett would inhabit the body of a new individual who existed at some point in his lifetime, and he’d fix whatever major issue they faced. Assisting him, a hologram of his friend Al back in the present day had access to computer records that specified how the timestream ought to go. In a new interview with EW, the new reboot Quantum Leap showrunners reveal that the present-day timeline will have an arc and play much more of a role in the story this time.
Showrunner Brian Wynbrandt describes this part of the arc as new time traveler Dr. Ben Seong’s colleagues trying to figure out why he made the leap in the first place. “This is a family that is being thrown into upheaval because someone they love and trust has done something unexpected by leaving without telling them,” he says. “It has a huge ripple effect on all their relationships and lives.”
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Fellow showrunner Steven Lilien also teases that Seong’s hologram companion this time, Caitlin Bassett’s Addison, isn’t just a friend. “Their relationship runs deeper than just being a hologram. They have a close relationship,” he says.
While Scott Bakula seemingly has no involvement, the reboot connects to the original via Ernie Hudson’s Magic Williams. He’s a Vietnam war buddy of Sam Beckett’s brother, whose life was saved and forever altered when Sam leaped into him. His team includes Ian Wright (Mason Alexander Park) and Jen Chou (Nanrisa Lee). Lilien describes the former as having “a philosophical and engaging point of view on both technology and humanity,” while the latter remains more cynical.
As for Seong himself, star Raymond Lee describes him as “compelled over and over again to make the right decision, even if his own life is at stake, so he is a much better person than I am in real life. He’s something to strive for.”
The reboot debuts Sept 19th on NBC. Will you watch it? Let us know in comments.
Recommended Reading: The Complete Quantum Leap Book
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