Yes, I have a bit of a love-hate thing withQuantum Leap.
I remember my initial exposure quite profoundly.
So I gave her the benefit of the doubt.
It didnt start well.
The budget was showing signs of under spend and we werent even past the 10-second mark.
But then Dean Stockwell was revealed as the driver and I relaxed.
Even at 13 I knew I was in safe hands.
It helps that he has a voice so gravelly he could pebbledash a wall at twenty paces.
A panicked phone call later (imparting the premature nature of the eponymous leap) and I was in.
Even the sight of a man in a unitard doing his best Kate Bush/Babushka impression couldnt put me off.
Why was his reflection that of a different man?
Why was he married to the hot blonde from the start ofGhostbusters?
For reasons that would eventually become rather convoluted, everyone saw Sam as the fellow he had leaped into.
He also saves the wife and unborn child to boot after remembering hes a medical genius.
Reader, I could have married him.
The first few seasons representQuantum Leapat its purest and arguably most successful.
A key part of its success was the easy charm of our main protagonist.
Funny, genial and sincere, the show simply wouldnt have worked without him being such great company.
Sams stock response after assessing his new surroundings following an end-of-show leap was the understated Oh Boy.
ThinkForrest Gumpbut with low-rent lookie-likeys rather than special effects.
Oh come on…
Firstly, why go down this road in the first place?
Surely its more interesting to see how Sam copes with blindness, or being an amputee?
Instead, were left with a plot mechanic so thin it couldve been fed by Roger Murtaughs wife.
Why do his hosts clothes always fit?
Was everybody into whom he leapt the same shoe size?
What happened when he took something off a shelf his host wouldnt have been able to reach?
What about his voice?
It didnt make any sense!!
And sometimes the writers threw common sense out the window entirely.
Such inattention to one of the shows fundamental concepts grated somewhat.
Wasnt there a chance it was Kevin in IT?
Why did no one question if it was the artificially intelligent super-computer overseeing the experiment?
After all, it was said computer that came up with the God theory in the first place!
At the very least, this explanation warranted some exploration.
I have no issue with spiritual elements informing part of my sci-fi, but hey everyone!
Youve just accepted the existence of God!
Shouldnt you talk about that for a bit?
As the seasons progressed, even the character work began to suffer.
My God, that theme tune…
It also heralded an irritating propensity towards stunt leaping.
It was occasionally dramatic, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, but never less than charming.
Read our pick of Quantum Leaps top ten episodes,here.
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