(bright upbeat music)
- [Narrator] "Theorizing that one could time travel
within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett
stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished.
He woke up trapped in the past,
facing mirror images that were not his own
and driven by an unknown force
to change history for the better.
His only guide on this journey is Al,
an observer from his own time,
who appears in the form of a hologram
that only Sam can see and hear.
And so Dr. Beckett finds himself leaping from life to life,
striving to put right what once went wrong
and hoping each time that his next leap
will be the leap home."
- Oh boy.
- [Narrator] "Quantum Leap" is back.
And if you were a huge fan of Scott Bakula, Dean Stockwell,
and "Time Travel" from 1989 to 1993,
then that intro just gave you goosebumps.
Because news recently dropped that NBC
is ordering a pilot for a brand new "Quantum Leap" TV show.
And fans who have been waiting for nearly 30 years,
will finally have the opportunity
to be immersed in that world again.
But what do we know?
Will Scott Bakula
reprise his famous role as Dr. Sam Beckett?
Will Dean Stockwell's recent death
have an impact on the reboot?
Does ordering a pilot mean the series
is 100% going to happen?
- I hope so commander for your sake.
- [Narrator] What we have uncovered might just make things
a little more exciting as the story unfolds.
So you don't wanna miss this episode.
- Oh boy.
- Oh boy what?
- [Narrator] Also make sure you stay tuned
until later in the show, where we'll be showing you
why Squarespace is the perfect all-in-one platform
to build a stunning online presence
that you can run your business from.
And if you haven't already subscribed to our channel,
please do so now and give us a thumbs up
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And make sure you stay tuned to the end
to see how to get this awesome "Quantum Leap" inspired
graphic design from the amazing artist @mixedtees.com.
When discussing a "Quantum Leap" reboot
and whether it will be any good,
you would think that the most important name
that can come up is Scott Bakula,
since he did play the title role
and is incredibly beloved by fans.
But perhaps even more important than Scott
is Donald P Bellisario.
He is the man who created "Quantum Leap",
and will also be guiding the reboot.
This is exciting news for fans.
Bellisario is responsible for some other television titles
you may have heard before,
"Magnum P.I", "Airwolf", "Jag", and "NCIS".
He was also a Writer and Producer
on the original "Battlestar Galactica" series.
He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,
and was a household television name for three decades.
The famous producer retired in 2007
while working on "NCIS"
after a series of disputes with lead actor, Mark Harmon.
But after an 11-year hiatus
and CBS's successful rebooting of "Hawaii Five-O",
Bellisario launched a revival of his hit series "Magnum P.I"
At 83, one would think the aged TV aristocrat
might support the series in name only.
But the master of the nighttime drama has not only produced,
but written and directed on his rebooted show as well.
And this is excellent news for fans of "Quantum Leap".
More great news is that "Magnum P.I" has been a hit.
And after four successful seasons is poised for a fifth.
This means Bellisario still has what it takes
to light a fire under a new series,
even more so for a series he is bringing back to life
that he created.
- [Magnum] My name is Thomas Sullivan Magnum.
- [Narrator] At 86, this could be the last series
he brings back.
So why did he choose "Quantum Leap"?
Hold onto that thought for a second.
- Very entertained.
- [Narrator] What exactly do we know for sure
about a rebooted "Quantum Leap" series?
Deadline reported on January 13th
that NBC has given a pilot order
to reboot the beloved 1990 sci-fi series.
It will be Written and Produced by "La Brea" co-show runners
Steven Lillien and Brian Wynbrandt.
And Executive Produced by "Blindspot" creator Martin Gero,
and Creator Don Bellisario,
as well as the Original Narrator
of "Quantum Leap" Deborah Pratt.
Gero has a lot of science fiction experience,
and served as an Executive Producer on "Stargate Atlantis",
as well as a Consulting Producer on "Stargate Universe"
and "Dark Matter" among others.
The new show will be set in present time.
It's been 30 years since Dr. Sam Beckett
stepped into the accelerator and vanished.
And now a new team has been assembled to restart the project
in hopes of understanding the mysteries behind the machine,
and the man who created it.
Deadline also reported that Bakula
is not attached to reprise his role,
but is aware of the reboot and has had conversations
about potentially getting involved.
- Team thank you kinda.
- [Narrator] Now, there are some very scary things
in this new story for "Quantum Leap" fans
who are afraid the show may never get off the ground.
Specifically the words pilot, "La Brea" showrunners,
and no Scott Bakula.
But we are going to tell you why none of these things
should scare you.
We'll also show you exactly why Scott Bakula
is going to play a big part in this new show,
even if no one is reporting it yet.
But before we do that, let me quickly tell you
why we love this video sponsor, Squarespace.
- Oh boy.
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- You gotta check out the website jibrid--
- [Narrator] Unless something devastating happens,
you can bet your bottom dollar
that the new "Quantum Leap" show will make it to prime time.
Most people don't realize that "Quantum Leap"
is considered a marquee title for the Universal TV library,
and they've been trying to reboot it for years.
But now, thanks to a need
for more and more streaming content
and less concern about time slots,
NBC is going to use every successful property
it has in it's library
to cut a larger space for them
in this new digital landscape.
TV Guide listed "Quantum Leap" Number 19
in their top cult TV shows ever,
finishing higher than "Dr. Who",
"Firefly" and "Stargate SG-1" among others.
NBC may be ordering a pilot,
but they know they need more new content.
And with Bellisario guiding the ship,
season one of the new "Quantum Leap"
will be just around the corner.
But why "Quantum Leap" as opposed to other NBC properties?
It's really about unfinished business.
And this is exactly why we believe Scott Bakula
will join the new "Quantum Leap",
once the pilot is greenlit for a series.
The show didn't have a satisfactory conclusion.
The controversial ending of "Quantum Leap",
frustrated fans who watched it when it aired
because after 97 episodes, Sam never made it home.
The episode was shot
with the show on the brink of cancellation,
and tried to function as both the season finale
that could be open to further adventures,
as well as a series finale if the show was canceled.
The pseudo-finale left an opening
that both Bellisario and Bakula have openly discussed,
wanting to revisit over the years,
and the time has finally come.
And Bakula has no reason to say no.
The 67 year old actor is recently coming off
the cancellation of "NCIS: New Orleans" after seven seasons,
and he has nothing else in the works at the moment.
It has also been reported
that he is looking into the series.
Less than a year ago, Bakula was discussing
how special the show is to him
during an interview with "CinemaBlend".
He was asked about continuing the original show
with one of Sam's children.
Bakula said, "So there is certainly a child
that could've come from any of those trips back?
That's one of the ideas, and it seems like a good idea."
Bakula confirms for us here that this is one of the ideas
that likely came from Bellisario.
Bellisario told EW back in 2017,
that he has written a "Quantum Leap" feature.
In his feature, he said he put Scott Bakula
and Dean Stockwell in his head,
rebooted them and went from there.
Bellisario also has admitted to Bakula
that he can't write it without thinking of him and Dean.
How much of that makes it
into the current "Quantum Leap" project is yet to be seen.
But the synopsis even confirms that the show
is about discovering what happened to Dr. Beckett.
It's obvious that Scott Bakula
is at the heart and soul of this.
Bellisario wants him, and the fans want him.
And deep down, he knows he wants to finish
Sam's story as well.
The loss of Dean Stockwell
who played Al, Sam's guide, and link to home,
passed away in November at the age of 85.
It was a blow to everyone
hoping he would be a part of the reboot of the show.
We wouldn't be surprised to see some key Easter eggs
that serve as an homage to the actor who was as much a key
to the success of the show as Bakula.
And if you're concerned because you just heard
that the same people who were making "La Brea"
will be making "Quantum Leap", we hear you,
but note that Brian Wynbrandt who wrote the first
and so far only good episode of "La Brea",
also worked on "Gotham", and "CSI: New York",
and with Bellisario as a guide,
they cannot "Quantum Leap" out of the park.
But ultimately, "Quantum Leap" will need Scott Bakula.
♪ Ziggy if you hear me ♪
♪ Take me far far from here. ♪
- [Narrator] It's time to start making shows for fans.
Everything is lined up perfectly for this to be
one of the best new streaming shows in the future.
It's time for the fans to learn
what happened to Sam Beckett,
and we are glad this is finally happening.
What do you think?
Are you excited to revisit the "Quantum Leap" universe?
How important is it to you that Scott Bakula joins the show?
Or do you wish they would stop
rebooting your favorite shows?
Let's talk about it in the comments below.
Also check out this incredible
"Quantum Leap" inspired graphic design
from the amazing artist @mixedtees.com.
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- Oh boy.
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