That was really, really good. The change in Sami Jo's backstory was a bit jarring but the story so, so, so good. It feels like an extension of the original series. I hate that we missed our chance to ever see it, I would have loved Samantha as a new leaper, with Al and Sam still in the story. Guppy was a nice new character as well. The irony that in this version Beth would have passed away yet we now have a show where I am really enjoying getting to know Al's widow and daughter instead, they feel like alternate universes of each other. I mean I guess the story could be rewritten but Al is a lot of the heart of A Bold Leap Forward, an Al we never saw on screen and now can never see. An yet with a vivid mind's eye and ear I can "see" and "hear" the nuanced performance Dean would have given. Part of that is how well cast Georgina R. is as Al's daughter, there were moments where you could tell she'd studied his performances. I so want to see more of her and Susan as Beth on the show.
Al as a Professor is interesting, I don't normally think of him as having the brains/knowledge to *teach* Quantum Physics and yet he is obviously intelligent, the changes of the revised timeline, his long term friendship with Sam Beckett, what it would have taken to rebuild an accelerator even with Sam's notes/plans that and needing university resources/space as a cover - yeah I find it believable that an older Al could be found in that place doing that thing.
And yeah Caitlin B. felt right as Samantha, she also has the looks to be believable as related to Sam Beckett/Scott. Also just a really awesome thing that so many of the cast were part of this. I had no idea Deborah Pratt was so good at pulling voices, she added a lot to it. They all did - this was just really cool to watch/listen to.
I miss being part of table reads, from my theater days, that looked like a *lot* of fun. Thank you for this gift to everyone involved in making it happen
