Contra Tempos

I have to admit I may be a little biased as I've always had a soft spot for this programme. I recall watching the pilot when it was originally aired in the UK (1990 I think?) and remember, even then, being transfixed by the subsequent weekly 'leaps' of its main character, Dr. Sam Beckett.

I always thought it was more than just a Sci-fi/ comedic drama as, at times, it was incredibly insightful. The concept was completely innovative and didn't rely to heavily on expensive effects to convey the belief of time travel.

Sam's holographic sidekick Al Calavici (played by Dean Stockwell) provided an above average level of humour, making the viewer laugh out loud at issues which some would consider untouchable (his remark of 'bigot in a moo-moo' regarding one very ample character's racist comments being an example!)

There appeared to be no subject to dangerous to touch and that was what made the programme so engrossing. By examining key issues that could have affected anyone (sexual harassment, racism and teenage pregnancy to name a few), the viewer could not help but be drawn into a theoretical discussion as to the rights and wrongs of each subject.

I could go on but all I can add is that I highly recommend this T.V classic to newcomers as, once you've seen it, you will become as hooked as the millions of other devotees out there!

What can I say? I loved this series! It had humor, it had sorrow, it had drama, it had suspense. It spanned the dimensions of every emotion, even when the plot was painfully thin.

Sure, there were some episodes that would have been better left on the cutting floor, but for the most part each episode was a single contained enjoyable event.

I didn't like the ending, but as it has been said the network decided to end the series and so they didn't care much how it ended.

I'm waiting for the entire series to be out on DVD (the first season is already out). I could watch these over and over ... and I will!

A highly imaginative idea from Donald P. Bellisario.

The selection of Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell to play the roles of Sam (the quantum leaper) and Al (Sam's advice-giving & holographic guide) was spot on.

The story lines were great. The series consisted mainly of fictional plots, interspersed with the odd story based on real life events. In addition, the show's original signature tune was great!

The acting, especially from Scott and Dean, was first class. In fact, you don't need to be a sci-fi buff to enjoy Quantum Leap ........ a Bellisario masterpiece!

________ 9 out of 10! ________

Carl Giwa.

An absolutely perfect show. It wasn't too technical, it wasn't too Sci-fi. It had the drama of life, and offered some comedy at the same time. Instead of seeing the same person with the same people dealing with their own life, we saw many, many, many different lives all being influenced by one great man who in the end could be deemed a saint. I am happy that the show was able to finish, and just disappear like some other great shows. The show had a good conclusion. It was happy, but it wasn't sappy or ultra-moralistic and joyful. It was the perfect ending for such a case. There isn't a thing they could change about this show. The only thing they could do to make it worse would be to make a movie for TV. Those type of things usually ruin a good show. Quantum Leap though is definitely a TV legend.

Quantum Leap was a fantastic science fiction series. Past time travel shows had the main character(s) going back (or forward) in time as themselves. Quantum Leap was so special mainly because Sam is leaping INTO people and experiencing their lives first hand. This made for some very interesting stories like when Sam leaps into a woman or a black man. Of course, having a hologram from his own time (Al) guiding him on his adventures was another key component to the show.

One complaint I've always heard about the show is: if Sam puts right what once went wrong, wouldn't he be altering the future? The answer is no. Sam doesn't leap into anyone famous (often) and so he would not be altering the future dramatically for many. And whenever he does leap into someone famous, everything works out the way history recorded it.

NBC made a huge blunder cancelling this series, especially cancelling it on a cliff hanger. And why won't Universal make a movie? Fans want it and Don Bellisario has expressed an interest in doing one. So come on. Put what right what NBC did wrong and make a movie.