What QL means to me...

TheCapn

Project QL Intern
Sep 13, 2005
11
0
0
46
Leeds, England
Firstly i'd like to thank all of the people who run this site. Thanks to you i've seen things i could only dream of seeing (Like the alternative ending). You have made this fan who lost his faith in QL fans a long time ago believe there are still people out there who care enough to be here.

This show was my rock. When i was younger and suffering from depression this show kept me sane. I used to contemplate suicide regularly but the one thing that kept me going was 'What'll happen next week on QL?'

My dad died when i was young so i never had a positive male role model growing up and QL helped there too. It showed me right from wrong, good from bad. I became the most Liberal person in the world who neither judged or hated people of different colors, sexes or orientation.

It has a flip side though. I became a moralistic crusader (a hard thing to be where i live) and sometimes i feel being TOO good has hindered me. But at least i stayed true to the values of the show - helping those who need it, making things better.

Thanks to the makers of the show for being my dad and my friend and never ever letting me down.

Like most people i cried with sadness and confusion at the last episode. How i wanted for a new show that never came. Over the years of jumping each time i heard a new show may go ahead I came to the realisation that Sam is out there doing good. I don't want a new series to continue what i thought was a closed case. I will watch though should it ever emerge.

That is what this show means to me. thanks.
 
That was beautiful man, and so so true. That's the true appeal of the show isn't it ? I had quite an unhappy childhood (not as bad as yours from the sounds of it), but QL was one of the few things that kept me going.

Now, I insist my 11 year old step-son watches it. Hopefully it'll teach him a few things. Take care mate, look forward to chatting with you more.
 
I too found this very beautiful, and I'm glad you were willing to share it with us. I really do think you should write either Scott Bakula or Don Bellisario and tell them. I'm sure after it was cancelled they probably felt sad feelings of "what was it all for?" or something like that (It's been 12 or so years, but still). I'm sure they would feel blessed to be apart of something that meant so dearly to you. Thank you for sharing.

This show really means a lot to me as well, now more than ever. Things in my life have been crumbling all around me. We're moving to a new city, financial issues, friends leaving for college, and everything seems to be slipping out of my control. I've always loved this show, but lately, it's become an "obsession" (i hate that word, but I can't really think of any other to describe) of mine because it has become the only stable, reliable thing in my life. I know that it is always going to be on the same time every night (well, "morning"...I stay up until 2am every day because QL is on at 1am where I am), and it remains the constant variable in my chaotic life. I am thankful for this show because it has helped me keep my sanity. Plus, with everything that's going on in my life and in the world today, it's nice to think that there may be someone putting right what once went wrong in the world.

Samantha Beckett
 
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I stated watching QL when I was 12. I caught all the episodes in reruns. (The only one I saw during the original run was Mirror Image). I used to set up my VCR every morning to tape QL while I was at school. I would wait anxiously until I got home on the bus and then I would watch the epp. Some I would keep, others I would tape over, (Which, down the road, I kicked myself for.) But through the years, I managed to see all the epps.

I have always thought that it played a huge part in forming my morals and now I always try to help people when they need it. In fact now, more often than not, I am refered to as "The Big Brother Type" I think the show had a part in that.

But I'm 26 now. And to this day, QL is my favorite show of all time. There has never been a more original show on TV. And in a world of no new QL info for many years, this board, along with the Al's Place web site, has been my salvation.

I continue to hope that they will come out with a QL Movie and a new series. But I only want it if it does the original justice.
 
TheCapn said:
That is what this show means to me. thanks.

My teenage years were a nightmare to me. From the start on entering high school to entering my 20's my life was up and mostly down all the time. My parents were always falling out, felt depressed a great deal of the time and lost a number of friends because of that. There are other things too, but I don't want to go into them here. When I left school and went to college things improved as my parents split and things moved on. It does not sound as bad as what you went through, but it was still a bad a experience none the less. I later developed depression at 18 because of those sad years and got over it when I let all the pain out through counselling. Definately not the best years of my life, I think they are yet to come though.

What I want to add to this is that from the start of high school in my 1st year, QL began its first run on tv right up until my final and fith year when the last episode aired. I too used to look forward to every Tuesday night because it was one of the only things I had to look forward to in my life each week. Not only did it cheer me up on each viewing, it gave me the escape I needed from the depressing reality I had to suffer for 5 years. There were other shows that kept me going too, but QL kept me going right through that bad time. I really don't know what I would have done without it and other original shows that kept me going all those years - probably would have got mixed up too badly and lost my mind.

I always thought that as Sam was on his journey each week trying to get home, I was on my journey through this bad phase of my life trying to get through it as best as I could. Its funny how "Mirror Image" aired when this bad phase was ending and I was very sorry to see the show end this way with Sam not getting home. Although I don't usually do this, I found myself crying during this episode and "The leap home" too. Its like saying goodbye to a best friend who has helped you get through a hard time in your life. I've missed it for years and I'm so happy to have them on DVD to watch every few years or so - its like having that old friend back again although I'm in happier times now.

That's what it means to me and I'm glad others have felt that the show got them through bad times.
 
Funny how everyone was going through a hard time when this show was on...that happened to me too...I was going through a horrible divorce during most of the last two seasons and they really helped get me through those times....it did break my heart(I cried for an hour) when mirror image came along and even wrote to NBC and asked them to keep the Leap...but to no avail...
Thankfully I was already over my divorce by then, but it did help me..plus some help from above too :)
 
QLeap: "Funny how everyone was going through a hard time when this show was on...that happened to me too"

- I agree, that is really funny. I think people who have lived and continue to live very happy lives don't really understand this but I think TV shows like Quantum Leap give people stabilty and a constant in life when things are tough for a while. When things are going wrong around you for some time I think people need some escape from it and shows like QL give you that escape where you can forget about reality for a while.
 
It has been forever since I was here due to internet issues and life stuff. Thanks to the posters who shared a little bit of what QL means to them.

Bump for others to share maybe?
 
I have read the posts about what QL means to me and I am so touched. To me QL has meant so much to me. When I first started watching it I loved it so much but over the years it has meant more. As many of you know My mom has Dementia and when I first heard that Ql returned to ION I was so excited cause Mom and I watched the episodes that would not scare her. She would laugh smile, and also be touched. I would translate them into Spanish using simple words and it was always our time. To me this show means so much to me and I when I watch it I cry, laugh and smile. To me that show gave me faith that there is good in this world. I am so thankful to Scott, Dean and Don for making such a gem of a show.
I am also so grateful that I got to meet Scott and tell him what I waited to say.


Firstly i'd like to thank all of the people who run this site. Thanks to you i've seen things i could only dream of seeing (Like the alternative ending). You have made this fan who lost his faith in QL fans a long time ago believe there are still people out there who care enough to be here.

This show was my rock. When i was younger and suffering from depression this show kept me sane. I used to contemplate suicide regularly but the one thing that kept me going was 'What'll happen next week on QL?'

My dad died when i was young so i never had a positive male role model growing up and QL helped there too. It showed me right from wrong, good from bad. I became the most Liberal person in the world who neither judged or hated people of different colors, sexes or orientation.

It has a flip side though. I became a moralistic crusader (a hard thing to be where i live) and sometimes i feel being TOO good has hindered me. But at least i stayed true to the values of the show - helping those who need it, making things better.

Thanks to the makers of the show for being my dad and my friend and never ever letting me down.

Like most people i cried with sadness and confusion at the last episode. How i wanted for a new show that never came. Over the years of jumping each time i heard a new show may go ahead I came to the realisation that Sam is out there doing good. I don't want a new series to continue what i thought was a closed case. I will watch though should it ever emerge.

That is what this show means to me. thanks.
 
When I watched QL the first time when it started on TV in 1991 I was 16 years old. I was a shy girl, to shy to have many friends or go out often. I liked it, that Sam and Al treat all people in the same way (except they are really bad). I have to say from the first time I saw him I really fell in love with Sam. :eek: It's funny - in the episode 'Catch a falling star' Sam says about his feelings for Nicole as a 15 year old boy that teenage dreamery is over once, but because he has almost feelings for her as a grown-up man it must have been more. Today I have the feeling as if Sam was my first big love. Sounds crazy, I know. :wacko When I watched QL last year again after many years I felt that Sam played a role in my life, in my past and that's a good feeling. I think QL shaped my kind of contact with other people. It helped me to became a bit more confident. And when I'm sad it always makes me happy again. It really touched my heart, can't really explain why...
 
Quantum Leap is like a tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream (except much more affective): it helps soothe the pain of teenage years.:p

I don't really want to go into much detail about what's happening in my life at the moment.

Since my mum introduced me to Quantum Leap I feel like there is hope. I know that the world will never be perfect but you'd think after all this time we'd be pretty close: Al and Sam made me realise that not everyone out there is a b****** and there are people who understand the pain and suffering of others.
 
That's a very interesting thing to pick up, but it is refreshing to watch the show and see people helping each other, which is in stark contrast to most of primetime television today (at least in the U.S.). Oh, and nice to see you around again, Sam's Crow. :)
 
The show meant a lot to me growing up too. It came out when I was eight, it was the year my Dad got sober.

Due to his alcoholism and his having to work odd jobs to make ends meet he was never around. My Mom was very unhappy and there was always a sense of depression in the house. My parents argued each and every day and I remember being my room clinging to my rag doll and crying every night.

I was a very confused and unhappy child during that time. I remember not wanting to go home after school and begged my teachers to give me work, anything at all so that I could stay late.

When I came home from school I'd find Dad either drinking or passed out in a chair.

One day I came home early to hear the sound of crying in the bedroom. I went to the bedroom where I found Dad with a bottle at his feet. I said, "Dad?" and the tears were shut off like a faucet.

I overheard Mom discussing divorce and leaving Dad and taking me with her. I was scared. I feared losing my father and any figures in my life. I felt that I had been bounced around enough and couldn't take anymore.

I had resolved to take my chances and to run away from home. I had packed up my rag doll, some food, and some paper into my blanket and was preparing to leave when Mom called me over.

There was a new show on tonight that she thought I'd like. If I was good I would be allowed to stay up late and watch it. It was some new show called "Quantum Leap."

Sam and Al became grown up figures for me. Even though they were fictional they became a rock and a solid figure for me.

For once in my life I felt like I wasn't alone. I felt like they understood me. I felt like I mattered to them and I could make them proud of me.

Shortly after the pilot episode aired Dad voluntairly entered himself into rehab for alcoholism. He was gone for six weeks.

For six weeks I "explained" to Sam and Al what had happened. They never yelled at me for my thoughts and feelings.

When Dad got out of rehab it was like I had a family again with Sam and Al included. I remember the adventures or mis-adventures depending on how you look at it. I remember a great deal of what "happened" to us.

But I remember most of all Sam and Al saved my life.
 
Woah Errowyn that is sweet. I'm drying my eyes!

It's good to feel like i'm not alone in QL being there for me. It always felt as if the show was a surrogate father figure. Many people are amazed in this day and age as to why I am polite, morale and respectful of other cultures and beliefs etc.

But QL made me that way.
 
Sometimes it is amazing what something as simple as a TV show can do for us.

Those events I know I shall never forget.

Swamp Thing was another show I'd watch when I was that age but that's another story. I often believe that that show also helped me.
 
Firstly i'd like to thank all of the people who run this site. Thanks to you i've seen things i could only dream of seeing (Like the alternative ending). You have made this fan who lost his faith in QL fans a long time ago believe there are still people out there who care enough to be here.

This show was my rock. When i was younger and suffering from depression this show kept me sane. I used to contemplate suicide regularly but the one thing that kept me going was 'What'll happen next week on QL?'

My dad died when i was young so i never had a positive male role model growing up and QL helped there too. It showed me right from wrong, good from bad. I became the most Liberal person in the world who neither judged or hated people of different colors, sexes or orientation.

It has a flip side though. I became a moralistic crusader (a hard thing to be where i live) and sometimes i feel being TOO good has hindered me. But at least i stayed true to the values of the show - helping those who need it, making things better.

Thanks to the makers of the show for being my dad and my friend and never ever letting me down.

Like most people i cried with sadness and confusion at the last episode. How i wanted for a new show that never came. Over the years of jumping each time i heard a new show may go ahead I came to the realisation that Sam is out there doing good. I don't want a new series to continue what i thought was a closed case. I will watch though should it ever emerge.

That is what this show means to me. thanks.

Wow you hit the nail on the head there :)

To me the fact that sam risked his life for the help of others if what does it for me.