Mirror Image Lost Ending - FOOTAGE DISCOVERED

[Lightning McQueenie]

https://www.reddit.com/r/lostmedia/c...r_before_seen/

This is not a drill people! Some anonymous person has uploaded the FOOTAGE OF THE LOST ENDING TO QUANTUM LEAP!!!

Not all heroes wear capes

[feldon30]

The voice is mangled due to tape problems but the script can be read here:
http://quantumleap-alsplace.com/scri...m#ALT%20ENDING

For years, Donald Bellisario denied that this alternate ending had been shot or even that the scripts circulating were real. He dismissed them as a fan creation. Then Allison Pregler of the Quantum Leap Podcast made a startling find: publicity photo negatives of this scene. Then Matt Dale confirmed with Richard Herd that there had been a day of filming dedicated to this scene by reviewing the shooting script. And now here we have the actual video of this scene. Astonishing.

[Avilos]

I am curious who posted it. No doubt Allison posting the pictures sparked someone’s memories and motivated them to find it. It might have been in a old box buried in their attic or garage for decades.

I am not surprised it was shot. The pictures alone were proof of that. Ever since that it raises the question of why Don was so dishonest with us? I suspect the cancellation and everything around the show ending hurt him. Clearly he wanted the show to continue but did not want it to end on an unresolved cliffhanger.

The world has changed a lot since than. There are a lot more venues for shows continuing after cancellation. Plus if the show ended today that ending would probably appear on DVD with no secrecy.

Complete silly attempt at mind reading -he hoped if the show came back, maybe years later, he would not be tied to a cliffhanger for a next season that never happened. The largely negative fan reactions to the finale bothered him more than we know. That he it did not think it was worth explaining what he was trying to do. Once again, that footage was setup for a season 6 that was denied to him. Taking about things you wished had turned out differently can be very painful.

I think someone needs to do a fan funded Documentary for Quantum Leap like has been done for Deep Space Nine. It think it’s the only way we would discover some of our answers. By interviewing a lot of different people who worked on the show. They might have slightly different memories and opinions, but that is how life is. Might turn up a better film copy of that ending too.

[feldon30]

I cleaned up the buzzing audio and added subtitles (make sure to turn them on):

[Wrong Arturo]

I just came here to post in case no one else had mentioned it. Absolutely amazing! Even though it's short and it's hard to hear, it's astonishing to come across brand-new "Quantum Leap" footage 26 years after the finale!

feldon30, you're a HERO for cleaning this up for us! Would it be possible to share a download with us, via Mega or some other source? It would be great if as many fans as possible had a copy so this doesn't get lost to time again.

[feldon30]

Actually, Matt Dale, creator of the "Beyond the Mirror Image" 700 page encyclopedia about Quantum Leap, has edited together what the original ending would have been, including the new footage. I gave him a copy of the denoised audio and he's going to re-edit it. When it's all done, I'll post a download link.

[Bezzo]

What a find! Thanks for sharing. Makes me miss the show even more.

[feldon30]

https://theblast.com/quantum-leap-sc...ernate-ending/

Bakula says he was “not aware” the footage was out, but explains, “I remember that we shot different endings so that Don [Bellisario] would be able to adjust accordingly. We wrapped before we knew if we were being picked up. Sadly, we were cancelled.”

Still, Bakula says, “I’m glad the fans get to see what might have been…or could be,” and adds, “I keep telling people, Sam’s still out there.”

[Lightning McQueenie]

Brian or Morgan, would one of you please add the newly found ending to the Video Library?

[feldon30]

I could upload the footage which has been released as-is. I had to use a special website to download the video from Reddit and then an app to record the audio and put it back together. Then I added SRT subtitles. I can post these files if you want to download them.

What I'm really waiting for is the final version of Matt Dale's complete reconstruction of the ending with music and burned-in subtitles.

What I'd really like to do, with Brian's blessing, is to sent out a mass e-mail to the community about the news we've had over the last couple of years:

• Quantum Leap on Blu-Ray with all the music restored
• Quantum Leap Podcast which has been doing seriously in-depth coverage of each episode
• Mirror Image Alternative Ending
• Upcoming Handlink and Wristlink replica props

That last one I'd be a bit biased since I am involved in their creation.

[Lightning McQueenie]

Maybe create a folder where all those versions of the video could be downloaded (for us hardcore fans of course) hahaha

[feldon30]

I've added it here:
http://quantumleap-alsplace.com/videolibrary/index.html

When we have the reconstruction I'll post that too.

[Lightning McQueenie]

Fantastic! Now we need to keep digging to try to find out if the "Observer leaping to Al's Place / Space Bar" scene was filmed.

Apparently the miners at Al's Place would have been the people in the space bar, so maybe if we get into contact with one of them we can find out if it was filmed? Although Richard Herd doesn't have any memory of it, but maybe he wasn't one of them...

[Lightning McQueenie]

I also just realised that this could very well be the LAST footage we ever see from Dean Stockwell, considering his age, health and the fact he has retired from acting...

[feldon30]

Somehow I doubt the Space Bar was filmed just due to the expense of making a whole new set.

[Avilos]

Originally Posted by Lightning McQueenie

I also just realised that this could very well be the LAST footage we ever see from Dean Stockwell, considering his age, health and the fact he has retired from acting...

It’s unfathomable and sad to want to think of Quantum Leap ever returning without Dean Stockwell. But seeing that footage gave me one option. Having Susan Diol playing Beth Calavicci as Sam’s new observer. Beth was in the Navy we have no idea what her professional life is in the new timeline.

Most of all she would be a real connection to Dean/Al and has history Scott/Sam. That footage could be used to establish that Beth knew Sam was missing and is continuing Al’s work.

[Lightning McQueenie]

Originally Posted by feldon30

Somehow I doubt the Space Bar was filmed just due to the expense of making a whole new set.

I get the feeling that the "space bar" would have just been a redress of Al's Place bar - who knows, it might have been intended to be the exact same bar set in the far future. I don't think it would have cost that much more for a simple re-dress...

Originally Posted by Avilos

It’s unfathomable and sad to want to think of Quantum Leap ever returning without Dean Stockwell. But seeing that footage gave me one option. Having Susan Diol playing Beth Calavicci as Sam’s new observer. Beth was in the Navy we have no idea what her professional life is in the new timeline.

Most of all she would be a real connection to Dean/Al and some with history Scott/Sam. That footage could be used to establish that Beth new Sam was missing and is continuing Al’s work.

I like this idea a lot

[Avilos]

I think it’s possible the space bar was filmed. Scott said he remembers that more than one ending was filmed. Really when you think about it Al and Beth is only ending. Most of the complaints all these years about the finale was because that was cut and we got the screen description instead.

It occurred to me after Allison first found the pictures. The big mistake Don made was telling us that in text. Which had never been used in the whole series. Instead it should have been a vocal narration from Scott as Sam. Sam narrating his thoughts in episodes was a major element of the series. It would have been written more personal. Showing Sam knew Al and Beth were together and happy. “But for now I am still leaping putting right what once went wrong”. I think that is what Don was trying to say. Which would have left the door open for the show to return without the “never returned home” part. Which was from the point of view of when Al and Beth are celebrating their anniversary. Just not yet eturned home not never ever... I wonder if Don would admit with the short notice he made a choice wished he could do over.

Ultimately on the Space Bar - originally we all thought none of this stuff could have been shot. Even Susan Diol when shown the pictures last year thought it was just a rehearsal. Clearly she forgot. There have been so many surprises already, it’s certainly possible more are to be discovered!

[Lightning McQueenie]

The Quantum Leap Podcast has just released a special about the lost footage. You can have a listen here: https://quantumleappodcast.com/qlp-m...otage-special/