Scott Bakula Discusses ‘Very Difficult’ Decision to Pass on Quantum Leap Reboot

That hope escalated to a fever pitch when it grew to become clear that this was not a reboot of the collection that ran from 1989-93, and garnered Bakula 4 Emmy nominations, however a direct sequel to it.

The brand new collection picks up the story 30 years after Bakula’s Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the quantum leap accelerator and vanished. Followers of the unique will recall that Sam by no means got here residence. The brand new collection picks up with a brand new staff restarting the venture and — inevitably — one among them winding up tossed by time.

However going down in the identical universe have been Sam disappeared means the door is huge open for his return, whether or not in a visitor capability or in a bigger position. In spite of everything, if Sam continues to be on the market leaping from life to life, why could not our newest leaper, Dr. Ben Music (Raymond Lee) run into him on one among his personal leaps?

And with Bakula’s “NCIS: New Orleans” wrapping on CBS, it was as if the celebrities aligned. Nevertheless it appears to be like as if it is not meant to be — no less than for now. We are able to by no means say by no means concerning the future.

On Thursday, although, Bakula dashed the hopes of QL followers by explaining the “very tough” choice he made to cross on the present when it was introduced to him.

“In January, the pilot was bought and a script was despatched to me as a result of the character of Sam Beckett was in it, which is smart, proper?” he wrote alongside a nonetheless of him and the late Dean Stockwell from the unique collection.

He went on to notice that followers had been asking him how the present might occur with out Sam or Stockwell’s Al (who aided him as a hologram from the longer term). “Properly, I suppose we’re about to search out out,” he wrote.

With out providing any particular particulars, Bakula wrote, “Because the present has all the time been close to and pricey to my coronary heart, it was a really tough choice to cross on the venture, a call that has upset and confused so many followers of the unique collection.”

Whereas he handed on it himself, Bakula mentioned that the idea of the present — the place a hero steps into lives previous in an try and “put proper what as soon as went unsuitable” — “stays a really interesting idea and so worthy of exploration, particularly given the present state of mankind.”

He went on to say that he is crossing his fingers that the brand new present can “faucet into the magic that propelled the unique ‘Quantum Leap’ into the hearts and minds of generations previous and current.”

As for the longer term, everybody concerned with the brand new present is hopeful that when Bakula sees the ultimate product, he might change his thoughts. Speaking to  TV Line on Thursday, Lee mentioned, “We’d like to have him … I hope he can watch the present and log off on it, and at some point comply with be on it.” He mentioned that “the supply is on the market.”

Whereas there’s a robust connection to Bakula’s Dr. Sam Beckett and the unique collection, showrunner Martin Gero mentioned that that is very a lot designed to be accessible to new followers, per TheWrap. The bigger mythology, like within the authentic collection, will probably be revealed because the season progresses.

He additionally promised there will probably be Easter Eggs for longtime followers, as properly. Within the authentic collection, Dr. Beckett suffered from a “swiss-cheese” reminiscence because of leaping, with Al suggested to not overwhelm him with an excessive amount of info, which means creators might parcel out the mythology particulars as slowly as they needed.

As such, many episodes have been like stand-alone tales tackling completely different types and genres relying on when and inside whom Dr. Beckett landed. Geros guarantees the brand new collection will really feel like that, evaluating it to make a brand new pilot each week.

The primary cease for the all-new “Quantum Leap” takes it again to 1985 when it premieres Monday, September 19 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.