Unsolved Mysteries Of Quantum Leap With Donald P. Bellisario | Unsolved Mysteries | Ars Technica 

RIP Dean Stockwell. What an accomplished actor; read his filmography.

Quantum Leap represented the positivity of the late 80's/early 90's. End of the Cold War, etc. So much enthusiasm and the hope of undoing the mistakes of the past. I'm not so sure we could muster the same optimism today.

I would like to thank Mr. Bellisario for the two part show where Sam try's to stop his brother from going to Vietnam, The date on the leap was October 1969, My Brother was in Vietnam 1969, But for a 9yr. old kid I could not leap to save my brother. My brother Jim was killed January 8, 1969. The date is also My Birthday. Im not mad at the show, watching Sam & Al always gave me Hope. Thank You Again.

Was kind of hoping last week, as NCIS New Orleans ended, we’d get a surprise ending with Bakula’s character disappearing in a flash of blue light and a surprise cameo from Dean Stockwell saying, “Welcome home, Sam.”

I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to know that Donald Bellisario also disliked the Evil Leaper.

Quantum Leap and MacGyver two of the most original shows of youth.

The final card always makes me cry, not because he never returned home, but because it resonated with me that kind of choice.

So many great memories watching Quantum Leap with my father when I was a little boy.

What a wonderful show. Damn it, I feel like my parents. "They just don't make shows like they did when we were younger..." ;)

Just watched this after discovering 1 hour before that Dean Stockwell had passed away last November. R.I.P. Mr. Stockwell. I loved you as Al in Quantum Leap, and even as the evil Cylon in the Battlestar Galactica reboot! Thank you for all the wonderful roles you played!

Could bring back Scott Bakula, and have a story about Sam Beckett's daughter following in her dad's footsteps, trying to bring her missing dad home. I'd watch that.

I personally would have like to see Sam leap home. The whole premise of the show was leaping through time putting right what once went wrong, hope his next leap, will be the LEAP HOME!!!!! I felt fans watch the show for 5 years enjoying all the lives Sam leaped into, but always knowing in the end he will leap home. I was disappointed in the finale at the time, it was only years later that I've made peace with Sam choosing to continue to leap. Still one of my favorite shows in High School.

I just happened to catch the final episode on TV a couple of weeks ago. I still felt that twinge of sadness when the final clip comes up, and explained that Sam never came home.

Bruce McGill is such an underrated actor. He perfectly fits into whatever role he is given (MacGyver, Babylon 5, Star Trek: Voyager, etc.).

I wished there would be a final season, with Scott Bakula, where Sam Backett finds his way home.

It occurred to me recently that with Sam only leaping into his own lifetime it was an easy way to cash in on Baby Boomer nostalgia. But as Bellisario said, it also kept the budget down and made it a very grounded and believable drama instead of going hard into science fiction.

I met Scott bakula a long time ago completely by accident and it was awesome. Great guy and actor.

This was one of my favorite shows - of all time.

If there's one show we need more of in these messed up times it's Quantum Leap.

Best show ever ! My favorite was when Sam was singing " imagine " . Scott Bacula has never been recognized for the beautiful job in his singing of that song.

Netflix: get this man a development deal and a writing staff, right now. You piss away 50 times the amount you'd spend on a great show like this and produce drek. Here's a chance to fix that.

My father died when I was 5 years old. Going back in time is something I dream about to see my dad. Love this show!

Holy CRAP!!! I had no idea Bellisario served in the military, much less with THE Lee Harvey Oswald! This show shaped my worldview and, in some ways, my own leadership style when I was in the Army!

Sam to me was like an angel moving through time . and I loved that

I can't put into words how important and uplifting this show was as I was growing up. It was so positive, fun and at times truly heart wrenching. The chemistry was perfect and as much as I would love it to continue it shouldn't. Just like the old Top Gear, some things just can't be made the same. I'm just happy that I was around to enjoy this wonderful show and will always have fond memories of it and the time I was young. Thank you Donald x

Absolutely loved Quantum Leap, but i always feel a sense of sadness that Sam is still out there somewhere unable to get back and find peace

The end of Quantum leap broke my heart 💔

There was a show in the early 2000s called Journeyman which felt very much like Quantum Leap. It got cancelled after one season as it got hit in the writers strike. I’d highly recommend it. I loved Quantum Leap, still do. Journeyman felt like it could have been something amazing too.

I probably read too much into it, as I often do (lol), but I felt that when Sam visited Beth and told her that Al was coming home, that altered Al's timeline. As the show said, Beth never remarried so Al's life would have been much different. He never met Sam, never went to work on Project Quantum Leap and because of that, Sam was left leaping without a guide. That's why he could never return home. In essence, Sam was trapped in the past now with no way out, which is why he was so emotional talking to the bartender, "I want to go home! But I can't. I have a wrong to put right for Al." He knew making that choice would trap him forever but he did it for the love of a friend. And Al would never know what a friend Sam was to him; he sacrificed himself. Or maybe Sam woke up and said, "Damn Donna! I just had the most intense dream!" ;p

The show broke my heart so many times. But in the best way.

Oh boy.

My childhood right there; helped shape my imagination and the person i would become; thank you Mr Bellisario for creating inspiring memories.

This wins RU-vid today. Absolutely marvellous!! Quantum Leap is a pretty special show. 👍

Brilliant show loved the final episode but slightly confused about Donald's comment regarding Al leaping on with Sam. I remember from the final episode the premise being Sam's final act of selflessness to Al personally was to tell his wife in the past he was coming home. In doing this Al never ends up joining the Quantum Leap project and therefore could not be with Sam going forward if he continued leaping. I also was given the impression that either Sam leaped into nothingness at the end due to his last action helping Al, either that or if he did keep leaping it was actually the bartender or God etc. Would be helping him somehow if he continued leaping. That was always my impressions from the series and the end episode anyway, but great series regardless.

Growing up my two favorite shows were Quantum Leap and The Wonder Years... Curiously, both series ended in the same week in May of 1993. The Leap Home Parts 1 and 2 are possibly my favorite episodes from any series, they are some of the best TV ever created.

Man, Don has influenced culture so much over the years. Amazing to think of all the stuff he's created.

I recently finished watching the entire box set of this. Loved it but spent a lot of time saying "Don't think about it too much! Just enjoy the show!"

It was the first tv show I couldn’t miss and was very special. Years before I really got into Star Trek, Quantum Leap was there inspiring my imagination.

Don, thank you for creating this amazing show. Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell created such amazing chemistry that it's still loved o this very day. Although I wish the reboot all the success in the world, I don't think that it can ever be replaced.

All I can say is Thank You Donated Bellisario for such great writing and all the Actors that played the roles. Also, TY for making this post. I love the show.❤️

The Evil Leaper episodes were some of my favorites. Along with the chimp episode.

I watched the show in the early 90's, but didn't see every episode. I've been watching it recently and only in the last few months have I seen the episodes with the evil leapers, Sam's daughter, Lee Harvey Oswald, him leaping into Al, him leaping into himself as a teenager, the pilot and the finale. As much as a liked the show back then, I think I had missed some of the best episodes and I now appreciate the show even more. When he leaped into "regular" people, it was a charming show that had a format similar to the Incredible Hulk. But these "special" episodes were truly classics and I loved them.

Does anyone else remember when Netflix had every episode of this on stream except for the series finale which was DVD only and remains the only episode I’ve never seen? Classic

My all childhood is in this show. I cried so much at the end, knowing that Sam would never return home, my mom had to remind me it was just a show and that they would eventually make a sequel to it. They never did and I think it was my first heartbroke.

I've always assumed peoples' memories after being in the waiting room just filled in with the changed history of their lives. I got this idea from when Sam and Al traded places for an episode with Al as the leaper and Sam as the hologram. Sam's "swiss-cheese-memory" started slowly filling in the gaps of what he couldn't remember before. However, some of those memories were different than when he started leaping as he was remembering the revised history. The biggest example of this was Donna. Before he first stepped into the accelerator, he wasn't married as Donna had left him at the alter. He changed history so that she didn't, making his memory of life with her a revised memory.

freaking love Quantum leap as a kid, STILL love it as an adult , love most of what Donald has created!

WOW watched this every tuesday night on BBC 2 for 3 years. I cried when it ended.

I practically cried at the end of the last episode when it first aired when i was a kid. I didn't realise at the time that it was the final episode until those few words at the end which say "Sam never leaped home".

Just bought the entire series on DVD.

Loved that last episode, Hope they do not have a sequel. If Al does return to his wife after Vietnam. He would not know Sam Beckett because his time line changed. Tragic but that's how much Sam loved Al.

I would love to see a Quantum Leap reboot. Scott Bakula in Al's role and Sammie Jo doing the leaping.

Sam lept out of his own lifetime twice , when he lept into his own ancestor during the Civil War and when he & Al switched places Which was before Sam was born

I grew up on this show! OMG, I loved the time travel aspects, the history lessons, even if the stories were made up, it shined a light on historical events. I'd like to think Sam made it back home at least once more if only to say goodbye to his loved ones. And even being a fan that wished Sam had made it home, I'm glad it was the choice of the creator to make and not forced by the cancelation. That is the character of Sam, after all, he wanted to help people. And that's what he would have done.

Sam was stuck in New Orleans for a good long time as a federal agent.

Thank you for this. Loved Quantum Leap. We could use a show like that today. Had to edit to add in how amazing Scott Bakula was in this show. He showed an incredible range and it is a shame he never made it movies, but at least he got to captain the Enterprise NX-01 and had his own NCIS spin-off.

I theorize that Sam leaped into the future, specifically the day of his death and escapes by leaping into himself at the day of his birth. It's why he's a prodigy.

So much potential; Sam leaps into David Lynch during the production of Blue Velvet. So meta!

Wow! I had no idea this guy served in the military with Lee Harvey Oswald himself. Kind of gives me chills knowing that now so many years later. Might have to rewatch that’s episode now. 🙂

The leap home is my favorite episode. I’ve seen it several times and get choked up everytime

I would watch a new show where Scott Bakula's Sam becomes the observer for sammy joe. Being as Dean is 85 now I'm not sure he could manage a series as a regular. I think there could be some interesting stories and character interactions in a father daughter relationship where sam is a little more conservative about things and sammy joe is a young what ever it take kind of character.

It was a great ending. I think he chose to leap for the greater good. Al raised his four daughters.

this man has defined more tv than most us have standing in our collective livingrooms.

It is still one of my favourite sci-fi series. Seeing captain Archer leaping in time to help people is always fun

Quantum Leap is one of the greatest television shows of all time. At the time, it was the best show on TV, and I'm proud to say I watched it from beginning to end. I also flat out refused to believe that Sam never made it home.

I felt similar on the Evil Leaper episodes. When I saw the last episode, I thought Sam kept leaping on. This was a great interview.

I have no idea why this show hasn't been brought back. Massive fan base...lead actor who is very down for doing it and a premise that is basically fool proof. I know Scott did say recently that he's heard rumblings and that he is waiting to see what they show him. But they could very easily have Scott do it and have Al's daughter be his new guide. Perfect way to honor Dean

Such a great show. And just wholesome. No sex, played down violence, the hero gets the girl etc.

I always thought that when Sam leaped back he could have had a few moments with Donna and conceived a son who took over for Sam years later. After all, he would be 21 by now. By that time, Sam had multiple doctorates and his kid could do the same. Maybe Donna could be the new Al character and have to come to terms with her son having to do things she might not approve of. Since Sam kept leaping, there was always a chance that his son could interact with him somewhere and possibly bring him home while leaping himself

I loved this show as a kid. Still ranks as one of my favorites. I would bring it back in a heartbeat, and even have my own backstory, outline for the new series, and notes for a pilot episode for the reboot as well, lol.

I have to disagree about the Evil Leapers. I think they should have continued that storyline into a Season 6. There was a lot more that could have been done with it and the series needed a reoccurring villain or threat.

This is going to sound weird, but the sound quality on this video is AMAZING. Well done.

I loved this show 30 years ago and still watch the reruns today. Morel but not preachy. Good stuff man.

See. This is why I can't get anything done. I'm gonna watch this show all over again after seeing this video 😭

Not having Sam return home was possibly the worst decision they ever made. Let’s not forget that although he says Sam made a decision to keep leaping, he really didn’t because he did not know he had a wife. It was not an informed decision. Sam did a lot of good but he deserve to be with his wife and maybe start a family of his own. He didn’t get to make that decision because he did not have the memory of his wife. It was a terrible ending to a great series

I allways loved the show and still do. Got it on DVD. My favorite was the Don Quijote Musical episode. Thanks to Mr. Bellisario for creating something so beautiful!

When Quantum Leap was cancelled, I cried. 💔 For weeks. I absolutely loved the concept, the show, and the actors. I had a crush on Scott Bakula 🥰 and thought the chemistry between Scott and Dean Stockwell was priceless. I was heartbroken when Dean passed away, knowing the loss of such an incredible actor, and that there would never be a reunion for the original cast of Quantum Leap. Mr. Bellisario, thank you for the ways in which you enriched my life, and thank you for this insightful interview. May you be richly blessed with the best of health and happiness 🙏🏼 .

I loved this show! I watched it with my daughters who loved it too. I just wish his last leap WAS the leap home💔

My favorite show of all time. My family didn't miss a single episode.

I miss this show so bad. The best thing that’s ever been on tv. I’d love it if there was just one more season of someone sent in to bring an old tired Sam home.

I remember the chuckles and the tears this show brought, the corny jokes and hints of timeline happenings. what I remember the most however, if the warm feelings I got from happy endings and people starting to see things differently. that moment of growth they would have just before he would leap again. it was a small dose of inspiration each week that made you feel good to be in a point of time where so much bad was being healed and understand what it took to get there.

The best costars ever: Sam and Al. Absolutely wonderful characters played by extremely talented actors. Loved them no matter what they were doing every week (although I'm still partial to the Alphabet Rap...).

Thank you so much for the closure! For thirty years I’ve wondered. One of the best shows ever. Sammy Jo, your up, PLEASE!

One of my favorite shows back in the day. Such a great show.

That's always encouraging when the creator of a show would absolutely love the chance to bring it back in some form and continue it. I'd love for more Quantum Leap episodes. It was quite a unique science fiction show.

Ok I was really upset when this show ended. I loved this show. It was a great show! All Sam wanted was To GO HOME!!! Were we led to believe he was going to leap forever???? I was PISSED!!!! But thank you so much!!!!!

So did Sam finally leap out of Captain Archer after the Federation Charter was signed?

i always took the view that sam never returned home because he never left,fixing al's relationship altered the future as in time travel to fix mistakes was created because of the failing of said relationship...

My favorite television series!

I always wondered why Sam never left a message on how to keep from being locked in the chamber without an escape key

I was more confused than pissed about the finale. Still, Sam _never_ going home did get my goat.

A virtually perfect human interest anthology! It also conveyed how important the "common" lives are, that Sam would leap in to correct and even save them.

It was a wonderful show, but it doesn't need a reboot unless they can do something fresh with it. The original series was of it's time and said it all.

Thank you for this fascinating interview with an extraordinary creative force of nature.

I loved the show, but I never liked the "waiting room" concept very much. I preferred to think that the host's soul was temporarly replaced by Sam's, and that after the leap they could kinda remember his experiences as their own, thus growing\improving thanks to him.

Surprisingly, as I watched this, I'm preparing to watch the 3rd episode of the new reboot later tonight. And I do hope that Sammy Jo Fuller is one of the researchers we may not have seen yet. I also love that they cast Ernie Hudson as the director and have included some callbacks already to Al and Beth and their youngest daughter. Would love to see Donna and maybe Alia brought in to the series at some point.

Thank you for making this show! My family came always together to watch it for all the seasons!

I was in the "What?? He never returned home?? Wtf?!" group of fans. So bummed. I get that he would have made a conscious choice to keep helping others , that's just the kind of guy he was. But at the same time , that wasn't why Project:QL was created. And at the end , he was so tired...and he just wanted to go home. After one final fix...telling Beth that Al was coming home. I like to think he eventually made his way back home to Donna and Sammi Jo. The wife he got by meddling with her timeline and the daughter he got by screwing around in the past , time traveling Lothario that he was. There was a QL series of books that had a much better ending that delved into the shows ending as well.

Quantum Leap aired when I was young. It is my all time favorite television show. Time traveling, leaping in and out of people's lives and setting things right. Awesome concept! I loved the creativity in the later seasons and the "Trilogy" in season 5 [One Little Heart, For Your Love, The Last Door (When Sammy Jo was conceived)]. In the first three seasons Sam practiced abstinence. He never slept with the women and Al always have him crap about the missed opportunity, especially in season 2 the episode 'Honeymoon Express'. Although in season 2 in the episode 'To Catch a Falling Star' you could draw a conclusion that he was intimate with his piano teacher, Nicole. It was not until Sam simul-leaped with Al and switched places for an episode (The Leap Back) that Sam began sleeping with women. As Sam put it, "part of me is Al". Then Sam leaped in to save Al's life and left Donna behind. The whole Sam and Donna relationship doesn't set well with my wife, and rightly so. In season 1, in Star Crossed, Sam leaped into a college professor who taught at the University that Donna was a student at. Sam wound up accomplishing his goal and helping Donna by uniting her with her father before he shipped off to war because Donna suffered from abandonment issues. Fast forward to Season 4, Sam is married to Donna now because he changed her history for the better. At the end of The Leap Back, Donna instructs Al not to remind Sam he is married hoping he can do his job and eventually come home to her. In Season 5, in "The Trilogy" in the episode 'For Your Love', Sam leaps into Will Kinnman and makes love to Abigail Fuller and that's how we get Sammy Jo in 'The Last Door'. Al tells us Sammy Jo joins Project Quantum Leap and has a theory on how to bring Sam back. Whatever that was. At the end of season 5, Mirror Image, Sam decides to continue leaping knowing full well he can go home at anytime. Therefore, he abandons his wife and child to pursue helping everyone else, strangers even. So, while Sam is a hero to everyone he is not a hero to his own family. That is the way Don Bellasario wrote it. Don, who grew up in the 40's, 50's. A time when a lot of men would leave their families behind to pursue being a hero or their own ambitions. A lot of those men also had affairs which produced a generation of brokeness and rebellion. So, I learned something about Quantum Leap I never realized. Sam is a hero to all except his family who he abandoned. Which makes sense coming from the mind of a man who grew up in that era. Thanks for this video it was really insightful.

This is amazing thank you, there were people who ran way from the room, serial killers however they didn't always talk to them

Wow. Bringing back memories of one of my favorite shows. I dont think i could get behind a full reboot. But to continue with Sams daughter Sammy Joe in a attempt to bring her father home switches place with her and Sam taking over Al’s position. With good writing and keeping the awesome Scott Bakula involved I think it could work!