Scott Bakula Has Some Potentially Good News For Quantum Leap Fans

If you were a fan of "Quantum Leap," the sci-fi series that ran from 1989 to 1993, you tuned in weekly to watch as Dr. Sam Beckett, played by Scott Bakula ("NCIS: New Orleans," "Star Trek: Enterprise"), leaped through space-time into the bodies of people from the 20th century.

The five-season series followed Sam, a physicist, who — after being on the verge of losing funding for his time travel project — steps into his own project accelerator, whereupon he finds himself, as the intro states, "leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong — and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home." This meant every episode took place in a different year and genre, with Sam helping people and saving lives in the past. Meanwhile, Sam — aided by the holographic image of his friend, Al Calavicci's (Dean Stockwell) – slowly pieces together his own identity, which he's forgotten due to the effects of time travel. 

In the unsatisfying final episode of the fifth season, "Mirror Image," which turned out to be the series finale, Sam makes a "final" leap to change history and fix the most painful event of Al's life ... and immediately after, the screen fades to black, displaying a text note stating that Sam never returned home. Earlier in that same episode, Sam had been told that he'd always had the power to stop leaping, but his subconscious continues to want to put things right. So, the ending message implies that Sam is still out there, making the world a better place. 

It has been almost 20 years since Sam's adventures came to a close, but fans might be happy to hear some good news coming down the line: "Quantum Leap" may get a reboot.

Scott Bakula himself spilled the news during on an episode of "Bob Saget's Here for You" podcast. The actor acknowledged that we are living in the "reboot era," and he revealed, "There is a very significant conversations about it right now going on. I don't know what it would be. I don't know who would have it. The rights were a mess for years. I don't know if they're even sorted out now. That's always been the biggest complication."

That hasn't stopped Bakula from discussing the idea repeatedly with creator Donald P. Bellisario, though, and the actor says that these talks have been ongoing for years — though Bellisario has expressed difficulty seeing anyone but Bakula or Dean Stockwell in the roles of Sam and Al. "[Donald] would always say, 'I can't write it without thinking about you and Dean,'" Bakula explained, adding, "I said, 'Just think about me and Dean and write your show and get it out there. If you have an idea, just write it. I am sure it will be great." 

When Saget asked why Bakula and Stockwell, who is now in his 80s, couldn't do the show, Bakula quipped that his former co-star would be too expensive now. "People ask that question all the time," he said. "I don't know what that idea would be if we did." 

So, fans shouldn't expect a "Quantum Leap" reboot, sequel, or continuation of any kind in the very near future. And if it happens, there's clearly no guarantee that the original actors will return for it, or what form it will take. However, the idea that wheels may be in motion, despite the obstacles, is very exciting news for fans.