Raymond Lee, Caitlin Bassett and Mason Alexander Park in Season One of the continued ‘Quantum Leap’

When bringing back a previous television show as the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) did with Quantum Leap (1989-1993), a central decision is to continue the original storyline or create a new world for the show. In a move that many thought they didn’t want, Quantum Leap (2022- ) returned with storylines that extended the universe of the original series with really good results.

(Raymond Lee as Ben Song in the television reboot of Quantum Leap).

The original Quantum Leap series ran for five seasons with Dr. Sam Beckett having never returned home after a series of leaps into the lives of people, aiming to turn right what once had been wrong. 30 years after Beckett had vanished after stepping into the Quantum Leap accelerator for the last time. We are introduced to the story of Dr. Ben Song and Addison Augustine, Song’s fiancé. We see Song breach protocol and initiate a leap in Augustine’s place with no planning for such a turn. Raymond Lee and Caitlin Bassett portrayed Song and Augustine, respectively.

(From left, Nanrisa Lee as Jenn Chou, Ernie Hudson as Herbert ‘Magic’ Williams, Mason Alexander Park as Ian Wright and Caitlin Bassett as Addison Augustine in the television reboot of Quantum Leap).

Ernie Hudson, in a reprisal of the role of Herbert ‘Magic’ Williams from the third season of the original series, heads the team left behind. Jenn Chou and Ian Wright, as portrayed by Nanrisa Lee and Mason Alexander Park, support the Quantum Leap project with the wife and daughter of Sam Beckett’s observer, Al Calavicci, playing recurring roles. Susan Diol and Georgina Reilly portrayed Beth Calavicci and Janis Calavicci, respectively. Twists in the larger unfolding story of the 18 episodes of this first season back rested with Walter Perez, who portrayed the mysterious Richard Martinez.

(From left, Walter Perez as Richard Martinez, Susan Diol as Beth Calavicci and Georgina Reilly as Janis Calavicci in the television reboot of Quantum Leap).

Executive producer credit for the new season rests with Donald P. Bellisario as Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt, having developed the new series, also served as executive producers. The core sensibilities of the original series remain with this reboot, though ways in which the universe exists for the audience are appreciated extensions into the current world. The world for next season and beyond is well open for Quantum Leap, which leads to my rating of 4.0-stars on a scale of one-to-five stars for the opening season.

Matt – Saturday, April 8, 2023