Quantum Leap (1989–1993)

Scientist Sam Beckett finds himself trapped in time--"leaping" into the body of a different person in a different time period each week.

Creator:

Donald P. Bellisario

Stars:

Scott Bakula, Dean Stockwell, Deborah Pratt

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 15 wins & 37 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Scott Bakula	...	Dr. Sam Beckett (97 episodes, 1989-1993)
Dean Stockwell	...	Admiral Al Calavicci (97 episodes, 1989-1993)

Storyline

Doctor Sam Beckett led a group of top scientists into the desert to research his theory that a man could time travel within his own lifetime. Unfortunately, in order to save his funding, he was forced to enter the accelerator prematurely and vanished. He then found himself in someone else's body with partial amnesia. His only contact from home is Al, a holographic image only he can see and hear. Setting right things which once went wrong, Sam leaps from life to life, hoping each time that this is the final leap home.

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Plot Keywords:

Time Travel | Amnesia | Hologram | Astronaut | Hyperspace | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Family | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 March 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

A través del tiempo

Filming Locations:

Big Sky Ranch - 4927 Bennett Road, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Belisarius Productions, Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (97 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

Deborah Pratt the series narrator and voice of Ziggy, also wrote and executive produced the show. She was married to Donald P. Bellisario when the series aired.

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Goofs

For the famous "mirror reflections" in which Sam sees who he leaps into, the series used the old trick of a dual set with a clear glass in the "mirror". Scott Bakula would stand on one side and the actor playing the person he leaped into on the other. If you look really close at the glass, you can see sometimes Scott Bakula's reflection. (Especially if the mirror is near a source of light like sunshine).

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Quotes

Sam: What is she doing in Syracuse?
Al: I bet a lot people ask themselves that question.

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Connections

Referenced in The Weakest Link: 'Doctor Who' Special (2007)
Referenced by name

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Soundtracks

"Prologue (Saga Sell)"
Written by Mike Post and Velton Ray Bunch
Performed by Velton Ray Bunch with Deborah Pratt (voice over)
Courtesy of Music Corp. of America (BMI)

User Reviews

Catch Up

I was so busy rearing two kids as a single mom while working, volunteering, and taking college courses that I totally missed the original run of the series. I'm playing catch up now, watching the re-runs on Sci-Fi. I happened to run into it just a few months ago -- and only b/c I stayed up too late one night. At first, I thought it was just *too cute,* but now I'm hooked. If I can't stay up till 2AM, I have to record it to find out how the next episode goes. It's fabulous!

I especially like how the show leads me to examine the history of the years between the 1950's through the 1980's -- the good, the bad, and the very, very ugly (e.g., the segregated South). Sure, it's encapsulated into a 60 minute segment, but the writers managed to hit enough of the key points to make it worth the air space. And sure, it's P.C. -- sometimes simplistically so -- but that only goes with the territory of the show's premise, which is the hope that we can make this world a better place for everyone, regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, mental abilities, or socio-economic class. That's not a bad philosophy. In fact, it's the same hope that led me to bear children, and then rear them to have hope for their own futures.