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Quantum Leap's 20, and Scott Bakula travels back in time with us
Scott Bakula—who played the time-jumping Sam Beckett for five seasons on TV's Quantum Leap, from '89-'93—talked exclusively with SCI FI Wire about the show's 20th-anniversary celebration last weekend in North Hollywood, Calif., and whether a movie will ever come together. The former Enterprise captain also dished on Star Trek and his guest role on NBC's Chuck.
Bakula shared the stage at the "Leap Back" convention with series creator Don Bellisario, and after 20 years fans are still as passionate as ever about the beloved sci-fi series.
One woman was so overcome about speaking to the star of the show that she was unable to ask her question. When Bakula walked out into the audience to hug her, she told him that she knew his character's Social Security number by heart and immediately rattled it off.
We spoke exclusively with Bakula in a telephone interview on Thursday. Following is an edited version of our conversation.
I was at the event on Sunday, and it was pretty crazy! What is it like to have this kind of fan reaction after 20 years?
Bakula: When the sci-fi fans like you, they stick with you. I've certainly found that to be true with this show. And with Enterprise [in which he played Capt. Jonathan Archer] also. But 20 years is a long time, and a lot of these folks are not only at the sci-fi conventions, but the theater when I'm in Washington, D.C. They support charities that I support. They do Leap Cons different places where the benefits go to charities. They've been just really great, not just fans of the show, but they've been active in terms of supporting some of the causes that I support, some of the causes that [Leap co-star] Dean [Stockwell] supports. They're just a good bunch. ...
I didn't talk about this on Sunday, but they were part of a huge letter-writing campaign when our show was on the cusp of being canceled. They did a commercial on NBC. Warren Littlefield was the president at the time. The commercial was them dumping letters, ... the letters were falling all over him, and he said, "All right, all right, enough. Quantum Leap's coming back. Stop writing!" So they were instrumental. I've always felt very close to them, because their activity and their insistence, ... when they fell for the show, they really fell for it, and they were vocal about it.
What do you think it was about the show that made it so popular?
Bakula: Well, I think Sam represented Everyman, and there was a naivete about him. The very simple nature of the show being about someone literally walking in someone else's shoes and seeing the world through their eyes. We're so involved in our own lives, but when you think about being that woman over there, pushing that stroller with the two little babies, and what is her life like ... and all of a sudden we're in her life. We knew what was going on. ... The nature of his character was, because of his big-hearted kindness and his willingness to be involved in other people's lives, ... humanity is always looking to help each other and look out. Sometimes it takes big tragedies. Look what the people in New Orleans did or the people in New York did. Or the people on the plane that went down in the Hudson. Look how they handled it. They reached out and helped each other. This was just one man in a TV show. It was very simple and kind of magical.
I know Don was talking about some of the kisses with history on Sunday and his theory that there was only one shooter in the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Quantum Leap dealt with that in one episode, and it was controversial. I was dying to know if you agree with him.
Bakula: Oh, I disagree with him [laughs]. But that's the joy of working with Don. He encourages disagreement, and he's very vocal about his beliefs. You know, we turned him on to some things that we wanted to push for. We got some environmental issues in. I would push him on social issues, and he would open up to those kinds of things. He's very clear that one man ... I'm not saying that one man couldn't have made that shot. I don't understand the trajectory of that one bullet. I don't understand now that they've been able to re-create that. I don't know how one bullet does that. But I'm not a gunman, and Don is. Crazy things happen. I think there's a great desire in our culture to believe there was some sort of conspiracy and that one simple man couldn't get away with that. The only thing that's compelling to me about the lone gunman is that it's so odd, is that after all these years, that somebody on their deathbed didn't come forward and say they were a part of that or take credit for it. ... It made a good movie [laughs].
Well, speaking of movies, you and Don talked about the possibility of doing a Quantum Leap film. He said that NBC Universal owns the rights and that it was difficult to work around that. I know you said you'd like to do it. Is there any possibility of it happening? I'd certainly love to see it.
Bakula: I think each day it becomes slimmer and slimmer, certainly for Dean and I to be a part of it. But I think he simplified the situation. There are all kinds of rights issues that are looming and problematic. It's not as simple as Don wants to get some money together and make the movie. ... [But] you never know.
You've been part of some major sci-fi series, Star Trek: Enterprise being one. After having gone through that experience, I have to know what you think about the new Star Trek movie coming out.
Bakula: I'm dying to see it. It looks like they've found a way to modernize it, and hopefully in a way that will [work] ... I was talking to my 18-year-old son, and we were looking at the billboard, and I asked him, "What do you think of that?" He said, "When I first saw it, I was like, 'Oh, another Star Trek movie. Those movies are so ... '" And he didn't have the word. I said, you know, "Dated?" And he said, "Yeah." It feels dated to an 18-year-old.
The trick is, they've got to bring it up to date and make it hip and sexy and fast and all the things they can do with effects now, and keep the die-hard fans in the theater. I'll be curious to see if they'll be successful with that. I hope they are.
We were trying to make that bridge with our series, and we had resistance. There was no question that some of the Star Trek fan base was not ready to go there [laughs]. They just didn't want to do it. A guy stopped me, and he said, "Oh, I loved that show, I loved it, loved it, ... except for the theme song" [laughs]. I was like, "Man, people should just ..." But they're not willing to give it any slack. If they don't like it, they're vocal about it. But if they like it, then you're made. ... The trailer looks fantastic. And, obviously, [director J.J.] Abrams knows how to make a movie. And, hopefully, he will have succeeded, and the studio will say, "We shouldn't have canceled Enterprise" [laughs].
I know you're doing a stint on NBC's Chuck, and you're playing Chuck's dad. I interviewed the cast, and they said that you knew everything about the show, and it seemed like you'd been watching every episode, knowing you'd be on.
Bakula: [Laughs] Well, I had some inside information. I talked with the executive producers, and we had a long, almost an hour conversation with Josh [Schwartz] and Chris [Fedak] and I. And I'd seen a bunch of episodes, but there was a lot of fill-in-the-blank stuff that I needed help with. I can't say that I knew everything about it, but I knew a lot. ... It's a great show, and they're doing really wonderful work. It's a great cast, very talented, and they're extremely dedicated and hopeful about the series, and I am too. I hope they get picked up. ... Bonnie's [Bonita Freidericy, who plays Gen. Beckman] a good friend of mine. Her husband, John Billingsley, was on Enterprise with me, and I'm rooting for her. ... It was fun.
IMDB has you listed as doing three episodes. Any chance you'll do more?
Bakula: As far as I know, there's these three.
By Where's my Remote at 9:22 AM ON 04/03/09
"Oh Boy!!!"
Bakula and Dean were just perfect together in Leap. I made a point of watching every episode and really loved the overall story arc and Sam's character development. Even the ending worked out, but left me sad for Sam, forever trapped like that and never getting back.
I wasn't wild about Enterprise's Theme song at first either. But it caught on and I adopted it as one of my personal motivation songs. As a trekkie I had my issues with Enterprise and would have rather seen Archer be a bit tougher and have a few more romances then he did. I think the network should have given the show 7 seasons, it had just began to open up and the actors seemed to just begin to get comfortable with their characters.
Anyway, love Scott Bakula and wish him luck his future efforts.
Ziggy is working on all the variables and I'll have an answer for you soon Sam.
By Darkboar at 10:40 AM ON 04/03/09
I agree, I think Enterprise should have been given 3 more seasons. I liked the show alot but pretty much what "Where's my Remote" said goes for me too :)
By terrence68 at 10:45 AM ON 04/03/09
I loved Quantum Leap. Enterprise was okay but it wasn't the theme song that made it suck. They always tried to compare Archer to Kirk but I never saw any think similar in the characters. Plus the stories were old and reused stuff. I just think they never gave Enterpirse what it deserved.
By BadXAsh at 10:55 AM ON 04/03/09
Oh boy!
I would LOVE to see a movie with the original cast! It never sat right with me how they ended it with just words on the screen say 'Dr. Sam Beckett Never returned home'.
What a downer! After all those people he helped, and all the good things he did, to be lost in time forever!! Tragic ending to a good character.
The movie could be picking up years after they closed the project down. New government funding, opening up the sealed room, dusting off and rebooting Ziggy. Maybe sending someone after him in time.
Eh it's just a thought, but I Say HELL YA! to a Quantum Leap Movie!! Come on NBC We're holdin our movie money out for you to take it!
By ctmm at 11:12 AM ON 04/03/09
I think Enterprise Is agood series and should bring it back at the very least as a mini series...
By Suprememango at 11:23 AM ON 04/03/09
Quantum Leap was a wonderful series. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Enterprise was canceled just as it was getting really good.
By AngryJonny at 11:30 AM ON 04/03/09
I've always been a huge fan of Bakula's! I appreciate how much of a good guy he seems. While he wasn't the only reason I watched Enterprise, he certainly was the main one.
As dramatic as this'll sound, I can still feel that terrible drop in my gut upon seeing "Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home" appear onscreen. To this day, I can't believe that's how they ended the show. In fact, I've never been able to watch the last episode of Quantum Leap again. (I was in high school; everything seemed super-dramatic back then, but the emotion-memory sticks, you know.)
I'm surprised they never did at least a follow-up QL mini-series, but then I'm still astounded Farscape got one! (Hey, whatever happened to the online minisodes they were supposed to do, like, a year ago?)
By Dillioni at 11:32 AM ON 04/03/09
Enterprise was like most Star Trek products, it took a few seasons to get going. TNG took nearly three years to get better. DS9 was the same way. Voyager missed its three year mark, but instead of doing its "Year of Hell" just did some recycling of craptastic and stereotyped scifi eps.
As for Leap, it was a show much in the vein of Highway to Heaven. I miss the innocence and simplicity.
By danyael at 11:45 AM ON 04/03/09
Manny Coto saved Enterprise in Season 4. J.J. Abrams should have hired him for the new movie.
By JimM at 11:54 AM ON 04/03/09
I never enjoyed Enterprise - despite being a fan of Scott. It's such a pity QL was never brought back - surprising as the whole concept is just perfect TV. Small cast, historical props save money, a wide spectrum of issues and storylines, smart duo dynamics, a widespread of dramatic potential (romance, action, drama all in one). A perfect show for TV audiences. Crazy.
By jhawks1510 at 12:46 PM ON 04/03/09
I want to see a QL / ST Enterprise cross-over, where we find out that Captain Archer & Sam Beckett are the same person, and Al is actually a Q.
By Killian at 1:00 PM ON 04/03/09
Ditto on the sentiments as "Where's my remote" regarding QL & Enterprise.
Journeyman was the closest I've come to finding a similiar time travel tv series like QL and was extremely disappointed when that show was canceled.
If Don can get the QL movie or mini-series going with Scott and Dean, I'm totally there with my money for the cinema and the DVD release.
By K. at 1:30 PM ON 04/03/09
Enterprise had great characters and great actors, but lousy writers, producers, etc. They kept trying to make the show sexy, which didn't work; it was very forced. I remember thinking that the show was in trouble when someone who worked on the show said that to improve it, they were going to make it sexier. They should have developed the characters more, made the chef a character and one that was really gruff but everyone turned to for advice, and not have every landing party get in trouble whenever they landed on a planet.
By Ziggy at 3:41 PM ON 04/03/09
Wasn't there supposed to bea sequel series centered around Sam's daughter Quantum Leaping to find her dad.
By Mandy at 8:43 PM ON 04/03/09
I loathed enterprise. I felt the writing was shoddy and the characters unsympathetic but I LOVED Quantum Leap. I even have the soundtrack album. Scott Bakula has a surprisingly nice singing voice.
I remember back in the nineties my little brother, knowing I liked Quantum leap came home from school one day with one of the Quantum Leap novelizations for me. It was one of the sweetest things he had ever done for me.
By honorbound86 at 11:15 PM ON 04/03/09
Can anyone tell me who the mysterious adversary from the future was? It was hinted that it was someone that trek fans would know, but it was never revealed.
By IMPERIAL_COMMAND at 12:13 AM ON 04/04/09
I loved Quantum Leap, but hated the finale. That series should have run for at least a couple more seasons and we could have gotten a real ending in which Sam indeed returned home. It was still a good quality show despite the various gimmicks they used in season 5. My direct blame is to Warren Littlefield for allowing all the cancellations.
Scott Bakula is a class act and made not one, but two Sci-Fi series work. I liked Enterprise more than Voyager, which from season 2 had gotten seriously dumbed down. It's because of that series, Enterprise didn't last as long as the others. But still, Scott is great and I can't wait to see him on Chuck.
By Gill Avila at 2:59 AM ON 04/04/09
I loved Quantum Leap, but the finale was botched. Never returning home? Why couldn't the producers have left us with a glimmer of hope, like--"Doctor Samuel Beckett has not yet returned to project Quantum Leap?" At least that would've left an opening for a movie or tv miniseries to wrap things up.
By AngryJonny at 5:14 AM ON 04/04/09
Mandy: Remember the episode of QL when Sam leaped into his teenage self and sang "Imagine"? Loved that episode. It's on the soundtrack, isn't it? And I also had the novelizations.
honorbound86: I watched the entire Enterprise series when it first aired, but, honestly, I can't even remember who the "mysterious adversary from the future was." I suggest Googling it...
By Gatchaman at 3:02 AM ON 04/05/09
honorbound86, they never said who the guy from the future was. They just let that story hang there, which was the first indicatoin to me Berman and Braga didn't know what the heck they were doing. They created Enterprise, but they also killed it. Cotto did what he could, but too much damage had already been done.
I always though it could have been Mirror Ben Sisko.
By AngryJonny at 11:13 AM ON 04/05/09
Gatchman: I always thought the figure looked like a Romulan.
Agree about Manny Cotto doing what he could. He certainly brought about some positive improvements that last season.
By retired at 1:03 PM ON 04/05/09
Becket from 3 shows:
Quantum Leap, Sliders, and SG Atlantis.
By ladymary at 4:34 PM ON 04/05/09
I can't believe they just told me who Chuck's dad is! Stupid site. Why didn't they write spoiler alert? Dumb dumb dumb!
By IsoTek at 6:12 PM ON 04/05/09
l like Scott, I just wish some of his more esoteric shows got the greenlight to full series. I really liked the Disney movie "I-Man" and the pilot he did for CBS "Infiltrator" could have been a cyberpunk dream come true in the right hands. Alas, those passed into the annals. Though Quantum Leap did well, I never really liked it when they were all over time. I preferred the few fleeting glimpses of the future where Sam came from. I also liked the evil leaper arc alot too. I guess I am crazy. Right now I am learning to appreciate Enterprise as I have rerun the other treks almost to death.
By Arlo at 8:36 PM ON 07/21/09
One thing I find interesting is that for all these fans who love both Quantum Leap and Enterprise, the values of one are in direct conflict of the other. Quantum Leap focuses on traveling back in time and imposing modern views on events which took place in the past (as when Sam fought for civil rights as a black man, pushed for women's rights as a woman, etc.). That sort of thing would never be tolerated in the Star Trek Universe. They have strict rules about interfering with other cultures, and altering the past as many times as Sam did would likely result in a seriously altered future if it had taken place in the Star Trek Universe.
But that being said, I love both Quantum Leap and Star Trek. I never cared much for Enterprise. It's my opinion that they pushed for it a little too soon. Sometimes you need to let your creative talent have some time to refill the well.
And yeah, the final episode of Quantum Leap was a big disappointment. Why did Don end it like that anyway? That kind of bitter ending definitely wasn't consistent with the rest of Quantum Leap.
By Charlie at 11:58 AM ON 09/07/09
Come ON ! Make the movie already. It would be a HUGE hit.
By Nichole at 1:59 AM ON 09/17/09
I Love Quantum Leap! It was such a great show. It was funny, had good stories, and it had heart. I would love it if they would make a Quantum Leap movie! NBC make the movie! We're all waiting!
By rhalld38 at 8:55 PM ON 10/06/09
With the final episode of Quantum Leap with Dr. Beckett never made it home, I to was feeling like ok so now what? It was a good episode but NBC the fans want a movie to have Sam coming home, don't leave us in the dark.
By IMaging Chamber at 11:30 PM ON 11/13/09
I think that if the series was recreated or even made into a feature film... they should definitely make the evil leaper part of the story. I thought it was fitting for Sam to have a nemesis who lept just like him (except in service of evil)... I feel they could have delved into that earlier in the series.
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IMaging Chamber:
I think that if the series was recreated or even made into a feature film... they should definitely make the evil l...More »