See Sam Leap! Leap, Sam, Leap! (Quantum Leap)

Member Name: SWSt

Product:	Quantum Leap
Date:	17/06/09 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliantly entertaining, great double act between leads, huge variety in episodes

Disadvantages: Can become a little samey, some find the ending disappointing, continuity sometimes broken

It's never easy for science fiction shows to make the leap into the mainstream, yet Quantum Leap did just that, finding a magic blend of sci-fi, comedy, drama and action which entertained audiences worldwide for five series. Even today, over a decade after the final episode aired, it's still compulsive stuff.

The basic plot sees a scientist (Dr Sam Beckett) time travelling (or "leaping") within his own lifetime (mid 1950s to early 2000s). Each episode, he "leaps" into the body of someone and has to put right an event that went wrong and affected the rest of their life. He's helped by Al, who appears as a hologram that only Sam can see.

If all that sounds a bit geeky and sci-fi sounding, don't worry: Quantum Leap is one of those rare TV programmes which can satisfy nerds with plenty of cod-time travel theory, whilst providing hugely entertaining for the rest of us.

One of the reasons Quantum Leap worked was the freedom this rather loose plot provided. Within the confines of the 1950s onwards, Quantum Leap could go anywhere and do anything and it did. It blended serious storylines with knock about fun - sometimes within the same episode. There would be some very serious "leaps" which addressed big issues, such as Vietnam but these would be balanced against episodes which were a lot lighter in tone. Things were always carefully balanced so that some of the heavier episodes would be followed by some of the more straightforward "fun" ones, so it never became too heavy. True, towards the end, it did focus more on the serious side of the storyline, but it still had its fun episodes.

The quality of writing in the episodes was generally high, too. There were certainly some weaker episodes and the occasional one which left you feeling a little disappointed, but I certainly can't recall any real stinkers. I can remember reaching the end of each week disappointed that I'd have to wait another 7 days before I could find out what Sam's next adventure was (owning this on DVD now means I don't have to suffer that!)

Of course, some people disagree and do find it a little samey. Essentially, the formula of the show was settled very early and never really changed during the show's lifetime. Each week, Sam leaps into a new body, Sam and Al figure out what he is there to do, Sam saves the day, Sam leaps on. This is the charm of the show, but the lack of any new ideas is also its Achilles heel. Personally, I always felt that the variety between episodes more than compensated for the slightly restrictive formula.

Quantum Leap has plenty of nods to real historical events, which are fun to spot and add an air of realism to the sci-fi setting. Sometimes these formed a fundamental part of the episode; other times they are just little in-jokes (Sam accidentally giving Sylvester Stallone the idea for Rocky, for example). Of course, this means some references will go completely over your head. One episode, for example, is littered with references to Stephen King books and character names (there's a reason for this) but if you're not a King fan, these will be lost on you.

If variety of tone and storylines were the show's strength, so too is the regular cast, essentially limited to two key characters. Scott Bakula is superb as Dr Sam Beckett, a hugely intelligent, moral person. Bakula may have gone on to captain the Enterprise, but this is the defining moment of his career. He brings a tremendous versatility to the role: able to convince as a lover or a fighter, action man or father and (in some episodes, mother!) Bakula brings a real warmth and charm to the role and proves a highly charismatic lead, able to carry off whatever the script demands.

Sam's "goody two shoes" nature is carefully balanced by the wonderful Dean Stockwell as Al, Sam's friend from his own time and a hologram on his leaps. Stockwell is brilliant as Sam's loyal, but easily distracted companion. He brings a real sense of humour to the role, which helps to lighten the slightly more serious side of the show, yet is more than capable of conveying tension and fear when he is required to.

It's the double act between these two which gives the show its heart, and you can see their relationship developing and changing over the course of the five seasons. It's really fun to watch them sparring together and there seems to be a genuine warmth and affection between the two actors which comes across on screen.

True, the rest of the cast is not so great (although Michael Madsen makes an appearance in an early episode), with some second rate actors being given work, particularly in the early series. The good news, though, is that you know these are only ever going to appear in a single episode and the Sam-Al partnership is enough to overcome potential weaknesses.

It's slightly annoying that the continuity is a bit screwy too. Each episode ends with Sam "leaping" into the person who will be the object of the next week's episode, but sometimes this is not the case. Sometimes Sam leaps into one body, only to have an entirely different adventure the following weak, and there are at least three episodes that finish with the same "leap" - even though we've already watched that particular adventure! This is only a minor annoyance, although surely it's something they could easily have sorted out before releasing the series on DVD?

Some people also have an issue with the final few episodes (and, in particular, the last episode). To some extent, this was not the fault of the programmers. They had a story arc to take Sam through a sixth and final season, but the show was cancelled during Season 5. As such, the writers had to hastily re-write the ending to try and provide some sort of resolution. The ending they came up with tends to split people. I find it thought-provoking, poignant, emotional and fitting - I can remember being stunned by its boldness when it was first broadcast. Others find it, deeply unsatisfactory and inconclusive. Watch it and make up your own mind!

Quantum Leap is available to buy as individual parts for around £8 per DVD or you can buy a box set of all 97 episodes (plus a number of featurettes) spread over 25 disks for around £75. This sounds a lot, but it's less than a pound an episode, so is very good value for money. Apparently, there are issues with the final disk of some box sets not working, so you might want to check this disk first!

Cult TV for sure, but one which breaks out of the traditional science fiction ghetto and has plenty to offer to a wider audience.

© Copyright SWSt 2009

Summary: A cult show which still has a massive following today