Quantum Leap Reboot’s Fate Has Been Decided
NBC has renewed its Quantum Leap reboot for a second season. The news comes after the first eight episodes of the popular series performed well in the ratings. The pilot is currently at a 2.0 rating in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic. According to Deadline, the network’s best-ever drama also attracted 10.8 million viewers across linear, digital, and streaming platforms.
Speaking about the Quantum Leap reboot, Lisa Katz, President of scripted content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, said the show was renewed for a second outing due to the incredible work from its cast, producers, and writers. “As we continue to bring audiences to our must-watch dramas, it’s gratifying to know Quantum Leap will have a prominent place on our NBC schedule and Peacock,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Quantum Leap reboot is a revival of the 1989 series of the same name by Donald P. Bellisario. Developed by Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt, the story takes place 30 years after Doctor Sam Beckett stepped into the quantum leap accelerator and vanished. A new team is assembled to restart the project and uncover the mystery surrounding the machine and the person who created it.
With Martin Gero serving as showrunner, the Quantum Leap reboot stars Raymond Lee as Doctor Ben Song, the physicist who gets stuck in the past, jumping into the bodies of different people. Caitlin Bassett is featured as his fiancée Addison Augustine. Mason Alexander Park stars as artificial intelligence chief architect, Doctor Ian Wright. Nanrisa Lee appears as the team’s head of security Jenn Chou.
Ernie Hudson stars as Herbert “Magic” Williams, the head of the Quantum Leap reboot time travel project. The series is produced by Universal Television in association with I Have an Idea! Entertainment, Belisarius Productions, and Quinn’s House Productions. Along with showrunner Martin Gero, original series creator Don Bellisario, Dean Georgaris, Deborah Pratt, Chris Grismer, Steven Lilien, and Bryan Wynbrandt serve as executive producers.
The series premiered in September, and while viewers loved it, critics were slightly underwhelmed. The Quantum Leap reboot currently holds a 50% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s general consensus describes the series as a serialized version of the original. And while it has enough heart to keep viewers interested, it often forgets to have fun within its episodic structure which made the 1989 show so popular.
The original Quantum Leap series aired on NBC for five seasons, long before the reboot. Scott Bakula led the cast as Doctor Sam Beckett. Dean Stockwell appeared alongside him as Admiral Al Calavicci, a womanizing, cigar-smoking companion who appears to Sam as a hologram. From 1989 to 1993, the series successfully blended science fiction with humor, drama, romance, and social commentary.
In 2007, the series was ranked number 19 on TV Guide’s Top Cult Shows Ever. Before its second season, the Quantum Leap reboot will return to NBC’s primetime lineup on January 2, 2023. The first batch of season 1’s episodes are available to stream on Peacock. The series currently holds the number two spot on the streamer among viewers aged 18 to 49, Deadline reports.
