First Contact w/ Quantum Leap

StrayStar

Project QL Intern
Dec 17, 2010
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Romania
quantum-stills.blogspot.com
I was wondering when you guys first saw Quantum Leap and how long it took you to become a fan. When did you say to yourself, well, this is a smashing good show! I love it and I wanna talk to other people who love it as much as I do.

I first saw it about a year ago, although it's been around for much longer than that. I had just finished watching Star Trek: Enterprise and I found Scott to be a pretty interesting actor. I thought it would be worth checking out his other big TV series, QL. Granted, I was also encouraged by the fact that it had better review than Enterprise. Anyway, I started watching it and I was pretty much sold on it from the first few minutes. I loved the character of Sam Beckett and his interaction with Al, and I loved the fact that the stories dealt with human issues and things that mattered.

The point of no return fandom-wise for me was probably the second season episode "What Price Gloria". I'd never seen anything like it. Scott was amazing playing a woman. He was so funny in his rendition of Sam's clumsy attempt to fill a woman's shoes, but very believable at the same time. As little as I know about acting, I don't imagine that's easy to do. And the idea of the episode was not something you see every day. That's when I realized that QL was worth adding to my list of favorites.

How about you?
 
Oh, let's see. My mother used to watch it when I was younger. It was on when I was in high school. She didn't watch it religiously, but she watched it and I recall watching an episode or two with her, but for some reason it didn't catch my attention. Then I went away to college and discovered it. I was really taken with Scott and started recording them. It became a tradition for myself and 2 of my girlfriends to meet in my dorm room after classes and watch the episode that had recorded that day.

Then came M.I.A. I had been online and knew it was coming and when I saw that episode, I shifted completely and became a hard core Al and Dean fan. Still like Scott, but definitely an Al girl. I started writing and have written quite a few fanfics - sometimes I forget just how many. I recently got a little time in my schedule (finished my Masters recently) and have finally started writing again. Not as diligently as I did in college, but am enjoying at least creating new material for myself.

The thing I can say about QL as opposed to the few shows I currently watch on TV is it's special. I think special is the only word to describe it. The concept was so engaging and of course Scott and Dean and their talent and their chemistry just took that already unique idea to the next level. I have several shows I love and watch over and over, but QL has that special somthing. I think I'll always be watching it.
 
I'm sure some people remember back when Quantum Leap came onto ION Television, about three years back. That was really the first exposure I've had to the series at all, and really the first time that I've heard about it. Since, at that time, I watched a lot of prime time the station offered (Who's the Boss? and The Drew Carey Show being among the time QL was on), I sort of fell into watching it. I didn't really get really attached to the show until about the second season, but now I love it and am so glad that I started getting into it. :)

After ION started getting into dramas and away from sitcoms (and they took QL off), I stopped watching the station. But I still love QL and own all the DVD sets, so at least I can thank them for that. I'll admit that I do like the moral tone that the show takes, but it does such a good job of blending so many different genre elements into one show, without becoming inconsistent (unlike some sitcoms, where it looks forced or cliche when they do a tear-filled "special episode").
 
It's great to hear from people who watched QL from its TV beginnings. I still don't know how it managed to fall under my radar. My friends remember seeing it on TV in the mid-90s, but I never saw it. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It made for a nice surprise when I finally did see it.

Then I went away to college and discovered it. I was really taken with Scott and started recording them. It became a tradition for myself and 2 of my girlfriends to meet in my dorm room after classes and watch the episode that had recorded that day.

That sounds like fun! I wish I'd had TV buddies like that.

The thing I can say about QL as opposed to the few shows I currently watch on TV is it's special. I think special is the only word to describe it. The concept was so engaging and of course Scott and Dean and their talent and their chemistry just took that already unique idea to the next level. I have several shows I love and watch over and over, but QL has that special somthing. I think I'll always be watching it.

You're right, it is special. The originality of the idea behind the show is also what drew me in in the first place. Then, the quality of the stories, writing and acting. I think ground-breaking shows like Quantum Leap, Star Trek and The X-Files also serve to make people more discriminative as to their TV tastes. They educate viewers on what a good show is about and as a result raise their expectations of other shows on TV.
 
I do mean this in a good way, but wow good question!

I remember in Australia the first time I came across the show was when it played friday nights at 8.30pm.

I remember my dad flicking channels till Quantum Leap came on. I didn't know about the show initially. And I'll know I'll get my behind whipped, but I didn't like it.

The more time went on, the more I watched it, just to see what the show was about, and when I found out it was a TIME TRAVEL show.....

Well then I was hooked!

And never missed a beat since.

And honestly.... don't tell anyone...

Not a day goes by without me watching it on dvd. I watch it. Study it. Look at every character, every face......
 
I'm sure some people remember back when Quantum Leap came onto ION Television, about three years back. That was really the first exposure I've had to the series at all, and really the first time that I've heard about it. Since, at that time, I watched a lot of prime time the station offered (Who's the Boss? and The Drew Carey Show being among the time QL was on), I sort of fell into watching it. I didn't really get really attached to the show until about the second season, but now I love it and am so glad that I started getting into it. :)

After ION started getting into dramas and away from sitcoms (and they took QL off), I stopped watching the station. But I still love QL and own all the DVD sets, so at least I can thank them for that. I'll admit that I do like the moral tone that the show takes, but it does such a good job of blending so many different genre elements into one show, without becoming inconsistent (unlike some sitcoms, where it looks forced or cliche when they do a tear-filled "special episode").


I remember - we were both on that board and this one. That's when I discovered ION. I love that station, even though they shuffle the lineups too often and unexpectedly. They always offer shows that we can watch as a family without squirming or fast-forwarding.

I can't believe Quantum Leap isn't being shown in the US in syndication today. Glad I have so many recorded. I watch the holiday episodes at appropriate times through the year.
 
I remember my dad flicking channels till Quantum Leap came on. I didn't know about the show initially. And I'll know I'll get my behind whipped, but I didn't like it.
No worries! I think it's safe to say this is a free world and a free board, so everyone's entitled to their own opinion. The important thing is that you did get hooked eventually.:D

Not a day goes by without me watching it on dvd. I watch it. Study it. Look at every character, every face......
I don't watch it every day, but there certainly is a lot of material there to scrutinize. When I make my DVD captures I also study every frame and I find that there are so many details that would go unnoticed otherwise and which actually make up the fabric of the show.

I can't believe Quantum Leap isn't being shown in the US in syndication today. Glad I have so many recorded. I watch the holiday episodes at appropriate times through the year.
Yeah, QL is nowhere to be seen on TV where I live either. I'm really glad I have the complete set of DVDs. They made a wonderful Christmas present.
 
I remember - we were both on that board and this one. That's when I discovered ION. I love that station, even though they shuffle the lineups too often and unexpectedly. They always offer shows that we can watch as a family without squirming or fast-forwarding.
Pretty much why I stopped watching the station. However, one thing that I did appreciate ION doing, and probably what was so foundational to me getting hooked to the show, was that the station is one of the few to keep their episodes in order. Especially in Quantum Leap, where the plot requires that you keep up-to-date on the latest episodes, that was a blessing. Order is of utmost importance when delving into any new show.
 
Pretty much why I stopped watching the station. However, one thing that I did appreciate ION doing, and probably what was so foundational to me getting hooked to the show, was that the station is one of the few to keep their episodes in order. Especially in Quantum Leap, where the plot requires that you keep up-to-date on the latest episodes, that was a blessing. Order is of utmost importance when delving into any new show.
Did they do that consistently? I think they "skipped" the episodes of QL that were a little too racy for their format. :whip
 
I can only think of two occasions when ION skipped an episode: the one where Sam worked at a Chipendale, and an episode where he was involved with the Ku Klux Klan. Though they could have easily skipped more, considering that I wouldn't have known or remembered at this point.
 
Yeah I should not have really bought up the fact I never liked the show initially, but that was only because I never knew anything about it.

Also, I don't believe I can be a true fan unless I study every frame, every word, everything, every day.

And thats the point, I see something new about the show every day. Not only have I become hooked to the show, I can't live my life without it.

I find everything about the show interesting, even the fans!

:hurray:
 
Eh, I don't know, Angvee. I would agree to extent, that a fan should have some enjoyment over the show, and perhaps find new meaning in it. But I don't think that one has to memorize every single aspect about the show to be a true fan, or be dependent on it. Of course, that's probably an exaggeration, but remember, there's a whole world outside the television screen. :p
 
I think that what makes one a "true" fan is quite simple: one's love for the show. What that love means and how it manifests itself is probably different for each person, but I think that what is common to all fans is the fact that they make the show / music / etc. that they love a part of their lives. And there's a certain beauty to that, as long as their lives aren't taken over by their fandom, of course.

My love of QL, and of the other shows I consider myself a fan of, has its roots in finding a kinship of thought with the ideas presented in these shows, which I rarely find in the "real world". Whether it's a character that displays a worldview similar to my own or whether the story conveys an idea that I have as well but never quite find the courage to express, I'm always drawn to the way in which a story offers me possible answers to questions, confirms theories that I have developed myself, or pushes me to ask new questions.

I don't believe you have to know EVERYTHING about a show to call yourself a fan. I probably know very little of the plot of each individual QL episode since I only watched the series once, but I loved it, and to me, that's enough. I do believe, however, that a big part of the pleasure of discovering a show you love is being able to take your time and see new things in it every time you watch an episode. A good TV experience or a good piece of music can be extremely helpful when in need of escaping the "real world" for a while.

And, as angvee says, the other fans are interesting in themselves. Being a fan of something automatically creates common ground with other people and an opportunity for communication. I think that's a great way to meet new people. Of course, none of us here have actually met, but we are communicating and that's fantastic.
 
Eh, I don't know, Angvee. I would agree to extent, that a fan should have some enjoyment over the show, and perhaps find new meaning in it. But I don't think that one has to memorize every single aspect about the show to be a true fan, or be dependent on it. Of course, that's probably an exaggeration, but remember, there's a whole world outside the television screen. :p
ITA - that obsessive level of memorization is the sign of an uber, not a "true fan."
 
The first time I saw QL was when I was 9 and I wanted to watch cartoons. But my mum wouldn't let me and I didn't have anything else to do so I sat and watched whatever my mum was watching on BBC2. She was watching QL and the episode was "Glitter Rock". I was hooked from day one :)

And I've never looked back! :D
 
Well, QL is not such a bad replacement for cartoons, I guess.:D

"Glitter Rock" was a milestone for me as well. I'd had no idea before seeing the episode that Scott could sing so well. He was a regular rock star in that one.
 
I remember watching it weekly when I was still a school kid. Maybe 6pm on Tuesday nights, I'd be home from school and watch with my brother. I think we'd just got a second TV a year or two before so we were able to watch in the Kitchen, or we'd watch in the Sitting Room whilst my mum made dinner.

I think I only really watched the first series...because when I got the entire 5 seasons this year I watched every episode in about 2 months and only remember the early ones.

Great show, great concept, and for that reason, as with anything you enjoy, it can never last forever.

Shame Scott never got to be more famous outside of TV, as he's a fantastic actor, likewise Dean Stockwell.

Still, I'm sure they are both very happy with their lot, they've seen and done many more things than most of us would have a chance.
 
My mom made me watch it at first under protest. I know, that's blasphemous, but hear me out. I wanted to watch Bonanza, which came on at the same time as the re-runs of Quantum Leap. The episode was the one where Sam leaps into a death row convict w/ 48 hours to live. I wasn't interested, at first; as soon as Al said that Sam "couldn't live with 2,000 volts of electricity coursing through your body!", i found the humor that my mom had told me was in the show. It wasn't necessarily the funniest line, but, in thinking about it over a few days, it became funnier by the minute. I was hooked my the end of that first episode, partially because they gave the tease as to what the next episode was going to be about.

Since I was born around the time that the last season aired, none of my friends really knew about it, and most thought I was stupid to live in the past. (some even thought I wasn't telling the COMPLETE truth) I think that this show is a great thing to use to teach kids life lessons, or entertain them (I have let kids watch it before, usually where Sam leaps into a woman, and they thought it was HILARIOUS!!!)
 
My mom made me watch it at first under protest.
That's what I'd call a cool mom.:hurray:
I wanted to watch Bonanza, which came on at the same time as the re-runs of Quantum Leap. The episode was the one where Sam leaps into a death row convict w/ 48 hours to live. I wasn't interested, at first; as soon as Al said that Sam "couldn't live with 2,000 volts of electricity coursing through your body!", i found the humor that my mom had told me was in the show. It wasn't necessarily the funniest line, but, in thinking about it over a few days, it became funnier by the minute.
Yeah, the humor is definitely one of the show's strong points. It's also a necessary ingredient, I'd say, with shows that try to make a moral statement. It helps lighten things up.

Since I was born around the time that the last season aired, none of my friends really knew about it, and most thought I was stupid to live in the past.
Hey, Star Trek is 45 years old and people still watch it. If a show is good, you can watch and enjoy it no matter how many years it's got behind it.

I think that this show is a great thing to use to teach kids life lessons, or entertain them (I have let kids watch it before, usually where Sam leaps into a woman, and they thought it was HILARIOUS!!!)
Absolutely, it's a great show to learn from and it makes you laugh at the same time. I too appreciate movies or TV shows that give you something more than hollow entertainment.
 
the revival of a thread! i'm new here, and i thought this was an appropriate thread to post in.

my best friend introduced me to QL a couple of years ago, but i only half-watched it while writing and didn't see all of the episodes. i recall liking it but not being enthralled in any way, and then stunned and disgusted when the words "dr. sam becket never returned home" came on the screen. the misspelling bugged me, and i thought it was a terrible ending.

i rediscovered the series through my friend again in january of this year. once again, i wasn't enthralled, and i only continued watching the series to have something to do with myself to relieve stress. i remember "jimmy" being the first episode that struck me--when al talked about trudy, of course--and i started paying more attention at that point, especially to al (despite his horrible wardrobe!). i was essentially hooked at that point, but it was M.I.A. that cemented my love for the series. i cried through the whole last half of that episode and i've been obsessed ever since.

it's a combination of everything that makes me love QL. the fact that it's a series whose characters change each week and yet i still want to watch it is a mark of the excellent acting of everyone involved. the excellent writing that still keeps it focused on sam even though the focus of each leap is on a new person is another reason why i'm stuck on it. and of course the humor is fantastic and gets me every time i rewatch an episode. and of course, the little hints and tidbits about the lives of sam and al and who they are outside of the leaps keep me coming back for more.

the only episode i haven't seen is "disco inferno" because it isn't on hulu. anyone know of an online access point?

there are only three episodes i truly dislike--"hurricane" because sam is out of character and the writing for that episode is sub-par, "temptation eyes" because again, sam just doesn't seem himself and the leap itself is weird (since when does sam stick around anywhere for two weeks?), and "blood moon" for how weird and random it is. people don't actually talk like that... although the humor between sam and al redeems that episode to a point. there are other episodes i'm not totally crazy about, but i like them well enough.

my all-time favorites are "shock theater" and "the leap back." they never get old. :)

i still think the end of the series is terrible. too many unanswered questions that can only ever be slightly relieved by obsessed fans like me who dig through the internet...
 
They don't even play Disco Inferno on G4, and they don't have it on Netflix either. I believe it's only available on DVD.

I watched the show back when it was on the air and discovered it again when G4 started running it. I can honestly say I like something about every episode even if I like some more than others. The Leap Home and MIA are a couple of my favorites. I love the Leap Back...The scene in the diner alone makes that one worth watching. Shock Theater is great, but it's hard for me to watch.

I didn't like the way they ended it either, but I've read they didn't know until the last minute whether the show would be renewed or not and were trying to keep it open in case they renewed it. I agree the wording on the sign should have been something like "they're still trying to bring Sam home", that would have been much better. It ended too soon.

Don Bellisario has worked on some good shows...Magnum P.I. and NCIS.
 
They don't even play Disco Inferno on G4, and they don't have it on Netflix either. I believe it's only available on DVD.

There goes my brilliant plan of watching on G4....

I love the Leap Back...The scene in the diner alone makes that one worth watching. Shock Theater is great, but it's hard for me to watch.

I feel like the diner scene (and so many others) display the winning chemistry between Scott and Dean that made the show so addictive. I think that's why it's my favorite too. Shock Theater is also my fave because it was so unexpected and I didn't know what would happen. Plus Scott's acting is brilliant. Why is it hard for you?

I didn't like the way they ended it either, but I've read they didn't know until the last minute whether the show would be renewed or not and were trying to keep it open in case they renewed it. I agree the wording on the sign should have been something like "they're still trying to bring Sam home", that would have been much better. It ended too soon.

I agree entirely. The finality of those words is what is so hard to take. Of course, Scott has said in interview that he doesn't believe Sam would choose to come home in the end, so maybe that was the ultimate destiny the show would have arrived at if given its chance to run longer...
 
Oh, Shock Theater is a great episode, the acting is wonderful. I just don't like seeing Sam suffer. I love how they bring back characters from other leaps though. I have a hard time with Last Dance Before an Execution for the same reason. Al singing the Alphabet Rap in Shock Theater kind of eased the intensity for a bit though. :)

Yeah, not being able to watch Disco Fever on G4, Netflix or Hulu is dumb. I don't think they have that sort of problem with other shows, not that I'm aware of. The business about the licensing is ridiculous. I just bought the DVDs, I wanted them anyway, and I bought them from the UK because they butcher the music in the U.S.
 
i loved when he leapt in to the monkey lol it would be nice to see how sam was acting in the waiting room they fed him with bananas lol
 
i loved when he leapt in to the monkey lol it would be nice to see how sam was acting in the waiting room they fed him with bananas lol

lol, yeah this is one episode where it would have been really interesting to see the waiting room side of things.
 
so how do you play region 2 dvd's in the US? because i'd love the original music too (have never heard it; i watch on hulu and it's all different).

i wonder what it is about disco fever that can't get licensed... i also watch 'the a-team' on hulu, and there's a couple episodes cut from that series too. :p
 
You have to have a region free DVD player, or set your computer to play region 2 DVDs, which is what I did. Be careful about switching your settings to play DVDs from different regions back and forth though. You can only change the region settings five times and then whatever region it happens to be is permanent.
 
I believe Hulu has the original music. I think Netflix does too; they just don't have all the episodes. Hulu has more episodes than Netflix does unless they have changed things.