The new Quantum Leap

[j9ac9k]

We'll find out soon enough, but two things stuck out to me:
-- The woman says that he's jumping into people's bodies. That's not what Sam did. Looking forward to an explanation.
-- She also says that he has to fix something that went wrong in someone's life. Seems a bit more specific than fixing "what once went wrong." Makes me wonder if they'll focus on personal stories and less so with social issues.

[Somecrazyaussie]

We'll find out soon enough, but two things stuck out to me:
-- The woman says that he's jumping into people's bodies. That's not what Sam did. Looking forward to an explanation.
-- She also says that he has to fix something that went wrong in someone's life. Seems a bit more specific than fixing "what once went wrong." Makes me wonder if they'll focus on personal stories and less so with social issues.

- Sam did jump into bodies though and the explanation is in the title - Quantum. One energy level temporarily jumps into another.
- The other point can still be both. But likely will be more personal.

[j9ac9k]

- Sam did jump into bodies though and the explanation is in the title - Quantum. One energy level temporarily jumps into another.

Am I crazy? I thought he literally switched places with the person,(who'd be stuck in that chamber in the future (usually unconscious)) but there was some splicing, mixing of memories, hence the "swiss cheese" brain, and people still saw Sam as that person, because of some quantum aura gobbledygook. Or am I totally misremembering it?

[MichaelC]

Am I crazy? I thought he literally switched places with the person,(who'd be stuck in that chamber in the future (usually unconscious)) but there was some splicing, mixing of memories, hence the "swiss cheese" brain, and people still saw Sam as that person, because of some quantum aura gobbledygook. Or am I totally misremembering it?

You're right. There was even an episode where he switched with a guy who had no legs, and he walks, with the mirror image of him floating in the air as the legless person.

[Somecrazyaussie]

Am I crazy? I thought he literally switched places with the person,(who'd be stuck in that chamber in the future (usually unconscious)) but there was some splicing, mixing of memories, hence the "swiss cheese" brain, and people still saw Sam as that person, because of some quantum aura gobbledygook. Or am I totally misremembering it?

Maybe I am the one is misremembering lol.

But the whole point of the mirror at the beginning was to show who Sam had jumped into. He never swapped places with them. He just took control of them for a time. Bit like how Wolverine's consciousness was sent back in time into his younger self in DOFP.

That's how I always assumed it worked and, judging by the new series trailer, so do the creators of this.

[Somecrazyaussie]

You're right. There was even an episode where he switched with a guy who had no legs, and he walks, with the mirror image of him floating in the air as the legless person.

Shown from Sam's point of view. But for those who were interacting with the person in the wheelchair, that person would still be in the wheelchair.

[Tendrin]

Shown from Sam's point of view. But for those who were interacting with the person in the wheelchair, that person would still be in the wheelchair.

No, the show was pretty clear. Sam wasn’t swapping consciousnesses. There was no body hop. The person in question wound up bodily in the waiting room. Sam was never physically the person in question, which is why we always see Sam and not whoever. People just saw him as whoever he swapped with. The show is consistent on this but secondary media was not.

[Jokerz79]

The best example is 8 1/2 months Sam leaped into a teen about to give birth and the fear was the girl would birth in the waiting room, but they learned the baby didn't leap with her. So, Sam was pregnant and in labor and needed to leap given he didn't have a way for the baby to be physically born even though it wanted out.

[Somecrazyaussie]

No, the show was pretty clear. Sam wasn’t swapping consciousnesses. There was no body hop. The person in question wound up bodily in the waiting room. Sam was never physically the person in question, which is why we always see Sam and not whoever. People just saw him as whoever he swapped with. The show is consistent on this but secondary media was not.

Just refamiliarised myself with the science of it and you are correct. Memory must be hazy but I haven't watched it in over 15 years or so.

Apologies to all on that front and thanks for the correction.

Either way we will find out soon enough. Unless they are taking cues from secondary media or maybe like me they just assumed he jumped into other people's bodies. Or maybe they are streamlining it so it's not so confusing?

[Kirby101]

But what did you all think of the show. Glad they referenced Sam and maybe they can reverse the awful awful ending to the first show. The jump plot was a little weak, but maybe that was so they could get the audience caught up with all the details of Ben and his team.

[Riv86672]

But what did you all think of the show. Glad they referenced Sam and maybe they can reverse the awful awful ending to the first show. The jump plot was a little weak, but maybe that was so they could get the audience caught up with all the details of Ben and his team.

^^^I enjoyed it.
The Ben Song and Addison Augustin characters were easy to watch together. Ernie Hudson is of course, awesome. I didn’t realize his character had been in the OG show in S3 till I read it this morning.
The Ian Wright and Jenn Chou characters seem okay.
Then we have spoilers:

that other character, Al’s daughter of all ppl; played by Georgina Reilly who I liked a LOT on Murdoch Mysteries.

end of spoilers
The mystery that will drive the plot at least initially seems straightforward enough. And like you said, undoing the OG series ending would be great.

[Jokerz79]

^^^I enjoyed it.
The Ben Song and Addison Augustin characters were easy to watch together. Ernie Hudson is of course, awesome. I didn’t realize his character had been in the OG show in S3 till I read it this morning.
The Ian Wright and Jenn Chou characters seem okay.
Then we have spoilers:

that other character, Al’s daughter of all ppl; played by Georgina Reilly who I liked a LOT on Murdoch Mysteries.

end of spoilers
The mystery that will drive the plot at least initially seems straightforward enough. And like you said, undoing the OG series ending would be great.

spoilers:

Doesn't Al's daughter support the original ending given part of the ending was Sam changed history and Al and his 1st wife Beth never divorce and they had 4 daughters. We also know Scott Bakula isn't returning. So, it seems the original ending stands Al and Beth had daughters and Sam is missing.

end of spoilers

[j9ac9k]

I liked the first episode. They didn't throw too much at us, but the storylines were laid out clearly enough with a couple of clear mysteries in play. I liked all the characters and there's probably a lot of emotion to be mined by having the two leads be these doomed lovers. I think this is also their way of not having the hero sleep around like Sam did. Not that he did it that often, but it might be seen as problematic now in a "WW84" kinda way (is this another case of a male asian character being neutered? We'll see) The main Leaping story was typical of the old show, though I don't quite buy how nicely things turned out for the guy and his wife. It still would've been a victory even if the mother died but the daughter only loses one parent and her life turns out a million times better. Not a big complaint though.

Silly Theories:
-- We'll find out that Sam Beckett helped write that new code. Assuming Bakula is telling the truth that he's not appearing, it doesn't mean Sam Beckett can't appear and look like the person he's Leaped into. (or send a message somehow)
-- They haven't explained it in detail yet, but there doesn't appear to be a "waiting room" for a physical body-swap. Perhaps Ben literally fuses with the person he leaps into this time. It's a simpler and cleaner explanation and I expect we'll get an explanation this time, as opposed to the old show where even the writers weren't clear on how it all worked.
-- Ben hijacked the mission because he was visited by Sam (or somehow acquired future knowledge) that Addison would die if she Leaped. (would it be too cliched if she were also pregnant? Probably)

[80sbaby]

I think he definitely did it for Addison.

However, your comment made me think, what if she dies and Al's granddaughter has to take over? That would add some drama and both connect/differentiate it from the original.

[adamishere1]

My feeling is the show has potential, will take a few more episodes to get used to it. After this episode I am feeling its leading to finding Sam Beckett. I know Scott Bakula has said he's not appearing, but I wonder if this is all smoke and mirrors to keep everyone interested.