Jay denies Scott involvement

alsplacebartender

Al's Place Bartender
Staff member
I'm going to just say... Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire both said they were definitely not in Spiderman. So... we shall see.


noql.png
 
Just learning of Jay’s comment.

But that question of how long can a spoiler be kept secret and how long? Has been on my mind since this revival was first announced. Preserving secret castings for dramatic effect is nothing new. It existed long before social media and geek culture going mainstream. But seems more and more common with big franchises. Actors outright denying returning in roles before its.... dramatically revealed later that they were... what is a polite word for... well... lying.

I think there are pros but also cons to long term keeping this type of surprise casting a secret.

Like it or not - some people have already written of this new show. There is a false perception that Scott was offered a role and rejected it. Taking this other show instead.

There is also this weird situation that both are NBC shows. At this point we do not know if one or both are on NBC or Peacock. But at this point from general public perspective both are the same thing.

Regardless of Scott’s involvement there could be a weird brand confusion when NBC/Peacock advertise the new Scott Bakula show AND the new Quantum Leap at the same time. Those two names are still completely linked in the public.

I personally will be checking both shows out. But I really hope the producers of this new QL strongly think about the implications of maintaining the mystery of Sam Beckett for too long. This show should stand on its own and develop its own characters. But it could really hurt the show if everyone is still asking for a whole season “Where is Sam?” and Scott and his representatives continue to be in full denial mode.

If anyone wants to privately send me the full Pilot script I am not tech savvy enough to repost it and too lazy to even bother spreading what I learn. ;)
 
*Spoiler Alert for Star Trek: Into Darkness*


JJ Abrams really ticked a lot of people off when he flatly denied that the villain in his second Star Trek movie was
Spoiler Alert! (highlight to read)
Khan
. He basically called us liars.

I don't see the value in trying to deny something that fans know. Not confirming? Sure. Not commenting? Sure. But trying to mislead fans? Bad idea. NOT saying that is what Jay is doing here, as we won't know until the pilot leaks/airs.
 
That is a perfect example of what I meant. Going to the extreme to protect spoilers that it means directly misleading fans.

As you said we do not know what is really going on here. So this right now is discussing previous movies and tv shows handling of spoilers. Was it done good or badly.

Honestly I have never been worried about seeing spoilers. Whether accidentally or by choice. I like to have a real sense of what I am going to be watching. That includes who is involved.

If all our hopes are true and Scott is secretly part of this new QL. Even in a small role it puts him in a potentially awkward situation. While promoting and doing interviews for his new series he will certainly be asked about This new QL. What is going to say? Also it’s part of the Universal TV family meaning NBC/Peacock. It’s not going to be easy to pretend the new Leap doesn’t exist until (hopefully) he shows up on it with out notice.

The question is how important are dramatic reveals of a surprise character? As the Fate’s Wide Wheel Podcast hosts revealed they have read the Pilot script. But are being restrained in what they want to reveal. YET I would be surprised if someone else does not post that full script online before it airs.
 
Another thing I want to add. This is not like when Star Trek The Next Generation debuted in 1987. That show deliberately was set almost a century after the original series to distance itself from those characters. With the exception of a brief cameo of Deforest Kelly as a very elderly Dr McCoy in the Pilot , for the first few seasons TNG avoided even mentioning Kirk or his crew. Not until much later that some cast members from the first show had full guest appearances. Once TNG was a success in its own right.

But that is not really what is happening here. The official description mentions the mystery of Sam Beckett. They are teasing his involvement right from the start. How could they not. The original show did not set out to create a “Quantum Leap Universe”. It was about the adventures of one man. A world and history was created in the process. But it was really about that very human character. I do not see how this show will succeed without at least resolving his story.
 
How can Scott NOT be in it? Let's get real LOL

The man is mentioned in the plot summary with the new team of QL eager to understand the mysteries behind the machine and its creator.........trust me scott will be in it at some stage during the season, most probably season finale.

They did it with Ghostbusters, with Spider-man and the 2 spideys, with Cobra Kai with Terry Silver and also Kreese, with Picard and ex TNG crew and Q. ......it's just the writers way of tickling our balls regarding the BIG reveal of the legend that is Scott Bakula.

He will return.
 
We do not know how long a season either of these shows will have. More and more networks are following the streaming model. As short as 10 - 15 episodes a season. With episodes running for a few months and different shows taking the time slot. Until a new season is ready a year later.

These shorter seasons have allowed tv actors to do more outside work than when a season 22 episodes a year.

The QL Pilot began filming a week ago. No word on when Unbroken becomes filming.
 
It's still premature to judge and that statement is quite generic which is often times telling of some form of a cover-up so right now it's better to take this with a grain of salt.

As Avilos pointed out this series is setting a difficult standard for themselves just using the premise of researching Sam's disappearance because the audience is going to want some form of an answer and no doubt no small number will see the premise as a promise and expect him to be found.

Only time will tell if they've properly prepared for this with or without Scott.
 
Scott Declines role in Sequel

https://twitter.com/ScottBakula/status/1570530896964644864?s=20&t=DLIDxfgpHOoyjFUAoyEBJg


Scott Bakula
@ScottBakula
·
22h
Replying to
@ScottBakula
(2/5) I have no connection with the new show, either in front of the camera or behind it.
In January, the pilot was sold and a script was sent to me because the character of Sam Beckett was in it, which makes sense, right? As so many of you have been asking me the last...
--------‐‐-----------------------------------------------------' x

I don't know how well they are trying to hide the obvious involvement of Scott in the project or he really is not interested in it.

It may be interpreted as of now the present he is not involved but as we move through the episodes and season finale then Scott may find time in his schedule to shoot the extended cameo that the whole of QL fandom has been waiting nearly 30 years for.

Otherwise it's a really cruel trick to play 🤣
 
I have posted my own feelings about this the last couple days in different places in short posts and tweets. I am going to cut, paste and edit together it all here -

Scott was specific in that he was turned down one Pilot script. We do not no why. He was supportive of the new show itself though. Maybe he just wants a better use of Sam Beckett written for him? Which will be easier once the new characters are established. My hunch is he turned it down because it was just a Pilot cameo. Sure it could have lead to more but that was all he was pitched. Using him to sell this new series. Hopefully the key to him signing in the future is a fully conceived story for Sam. Whether 1 or many episodes. Current storytelling model of most tv is long term teases. That is not what Scott is use to and not best interest of Sam the character. Hopefully if show and characters success on own terms it can do full Sam Beckett story. Not brief scenes as a bouncing ball to keep us watching.

I have this feeling that was just handed the script as if he was just another actor and that NBC had already committed to a firm start date. Without giving him time to make suggestions or be part of creative process. It was going to happen with or without him. Which suggests the character of Sam was not central to what he read. I am hopeful based on what Deborah said in that Podcast months ago, she had to have full knowledge of his decision and feelings, that this not a closed door forever. Maybe once this show has better footing and its own identity- they can write a new pitch to him that is totally about Sam. Not just a small role to launch a new series. Whether as a guest star or spin off TV movie.

All who have been following developments of this new show know a lot has changed since that Pilot script was sent to Scott. There have been changes behind the camera. A different first episode was written and filmed. The show has been adjusting its identity. Hopefully they can pitch Scott a better idea at some point of what he would do. Instead a vague tease in one Pilot script.

Ok, some redundancy because that is from 4 different posts and my thoughts have grown.

This has been very frustrating. I find it very hard to believe Scott would mislead his fans. He barely uses social media at at all. If he was participating in the show and it was a secret, his posts would not have happened at all. For months his character has been used as a tease to promote this new show. That has to be frustrating for him.

I do not want to pick sides here. I am going to watch the new show and hope to like it. I just wish it had been launched in a different way. We all know that Scott just ended NCIS New Orleans. Most of us, including me!, assumed he would be ready to take on a QL series with no down time to rest. We were probably wrong. Just as wrong to think he would just sign on to do anything. He has had a very successful career. Many of us know he admitted his long schedule on the original show, being in almost every scene, meaning long days meant little time with his first wife which lead to that marriage ending. So that when he signed on to Enterprise he had his contract had firm end times when he would be done each day. I do not think anyone who seriously knows his career believes he is just waiting for more money. He has done very well. I only mention that because I have seen that suggested elsewhere.

I am remembering that Podcast interview Deborah Pratt gave months ago about new show. She most have been aware of his reasons for not signing on to that Pilot script. She talked about this opening up spinoffs and maybe finally bringing Sam home. She also mentioned Scott deserves to be on the big screen. While I agree with her I was surprised to hear it.

Why? In recent years tv and movies have changed so much. Even before COVID the only thing that the studios want to release to theaters are big superhero movies and action movies. Which really does not fit Quantum Leap. While tv is were the better writing and character development is now.

But things in the entertainment business are in so much flux right now. Just yesterday a new Karate Kid theatrical movie was announced. After 5 seasons of Cobra Kai. No one knows what it’s about but it part of that universe. Obviously that show is successful but going from movies to tv and back to movies might be first or at least rare. So maybe QL being successful as new show could lead to movie with Scott...

That is a lot of wishful thinking though. I have heard fans say he should appear in final episode when new show ends. But what if this show does not last? None of us can forget the original was cancelled with no notice and that is why we got “Sam Beckett Never Returned Home” for what was supposed to be just another season finale. Shows still get cancelled with no notice.

A lot of rambling. SORRY. I am still hopeful though.
 
Last edited:
SPOILER


I am no legal expert but it’s my understanding that actors have to give permission for use any images of themselves in works of fiction. Even just a still image. Anyone who saw first episode knows what I mean. It’s a good sign that Scott probably gave premission for that.
 
Last edited:
SPOILER


I am no legal expert but it’s my understanding that actors have to give permission for use any images of themselves in works of fiction. Even just a still image. Anyone who saw first episode j owe what I mean. It’s a good sign that Scott probably gave premission for that.

To answer your question you are probably correct, the image we saw of Sam had to have been authorised by Scott Bakula. I'm guessing producers and Scott must have signed some non-disclosure agreement to protect the series before finding a way to bringing Scott back into the fold later on.

Scott Bakula is Quantum Leap, they can dress it up all they like but even Scott throwing us off the scent in saying he had "no-involvement" in the new reboot is just another ploy.

Well i hope so anyway 🤣