S01.E03: Somebody Up There Likes Ben

[secnarf]

Quote

Ben leaps to flashy 1970s Las Vegas and into the body of promising young boxer Danny Hill on the eve of a big title fight. Ben and Addison must help Danny win the fight or lose everything. Magic, Ian and Jenn dig into Ben's past to uncover the truth.

Original air date: Oct 3 2022

[Thalia]

Well if Janice isn't a villain, the show is certainly trying to make us think she is. 

Notes to Beth:   1)  you might also want to avoid drinking that bottle of wine your daughter brought over.  Just saying.  2) If you get a chance to leap back in time yourself, you might want to hand over Al's Secret Stolen Stash of Secrets to Magic, or donate it to the Air and Space Museum before your daughter takes it.  3) consider spending this Thanksgiving volunteering at a soup kitchen, as it doesn't look like a family holiday is in the cards. 

The minute they said that Ben could leap to times outside his own life span I immediately thought of The Time Tunnel and the time Tony and Doug were on the Titanic.  

This episode was the first one where I liked Addison.  She seemed more sympathetic and I felt her bond with Ben in a way I hadn't before this week.  

Edited October 4, 2022 by Thalia

[stonehaven]

I;m trying to se if there was a connection within the leap to the original and my brain is too foggy to do it. I do wonder if the brother served with Sam's brother....

The show is getting better but I still wish they wouldn't try so hard to make ANYONE related to Al the villian. It won't wash with me...not a bit...

Am I the only one who clapped when they showed the original handlink? Also, I was sorta hoping the "Doc" they referred to was Dr. Beeks from the original....and maybe I'm hoping too hard but a random shout out to the late, great Dennis Wolfberg would be cool at some point.....I miss the "center me on....." part...

[nilyank]

26 minutes ago, stonehaven said:

I;m trying to se if there was a connection within the leap to the original and my brain is too foggy to do it. I do wonder if the brother served with Sam's brother....

Magic served with Sam's brother.

Besides Janice, Beth and Al had three other daughters. I wonder if this show will remember that.

I liked this episode best of the three. Ben really connected with the brother and like the original show, by helping him, he ended up helping so many other with the development of the group for veterans.

[AnimeMania]

Jermaine Alverez Martin as Danny Hill 
Jon Chaffin as Daryl
Danielle Larracuente as Angela
Thomas Taylor as Referee

It seems weird that one fighter can walk up to another fighter with several people and provoke them into getting into a fight and then have that fighter arrested. If I were the promoters of the fight, I would have serious reservations about what had happened and not overlook this incident. It seems like serious breach of the boxing contract rules.
 

[CeeBeeGee]

2 hours ago, Thalia said:

This episode was the first one where I liked Addison.  She seemed more sympathetic and I felt her bond with Ben in a way I hadn't before this week.  

I really liked them together and I'm wondering of part of this season's arc isn't Ben falling in love with Addison all over again.

I loved this episode! (I've loved them all but I wasn't sure if I would this one, not interested in boxing the way I am in spacewalks and historical diamonds.)

[NeenerNeener]

Ben is trying to find Sam and bring him home, isn't he? At least that's what I'm hoping for, a Bakula sighting.

[Skooma]

God I hated the female hologram even more.  She gets worse every episode.  Worked herself half to death she did and collapses only to try and rise valiantly from bed to carry on because ... "luuuv."  Gag me.  Even more sappy, soap opera crap.  What an utter dead weight.

Please, Al's daughter, get rid of this poser and take over as the hologram.  You got your dad's funky-cool, hand-held device now that your mother left it lying around the house carelessly.  You figured out an Al-like way to make good old mum go sleepy-by long enough to purloin it.  Now go in there and save the day or at least the show for us.

Best character on the show so far is Al's mysterious and interesting and can-do daughter.  Al had a cool personality that was often totally off the rails at times too.  Ben is passable but Ian had no good lines this episode so they slipped some.  The rest please just go away.

Anyway Al's daughter should have been the main character in this show from the get go who convinces her fellow physicist buddy Ben to help her out and become the leaper to her hologram without throwing the monkey wrench dead weight that is Ben's current lame hologram into the mix. 

Current lame hologram woman way cause  the show to get cancelled before we get to see the dynamic duo of Al's daughter and Ben taking on the entire establishment and all of history to do whatever the hell they plan to do.

PS:  What was up with this Danny having apparently a girlfriend that showed up first with him then at the old champ's side at the weight-in then switched back to Danny again and caused old champ to get pissed somewhere in the middle of all of this to-ing and fro-ing on her part.  Some subplot left on the cutting room floor probably?

Edited October 4, 2022 by Skooma

[stonehaven]

I will say I liked the meta comment on how many leaps it would take to get him home..10 leaps(half season order if it doesn't get renewed)..20 leaps(full season order)...

[libgirl2]

I liked this episode the best so far. We saw a little bit of humor and the story line was interesting and had a vibe of the original show. Gee, when Addison got sick, I had hoped they would send someone else in her place for the rest of the episode! She was a bit better in this episode but not enough. 

And seeing the original handlink was a delight! 

Edited October 4, 2022 by libgirl2

[PurpleTentacle]

This show is growing on me. It was a bit bumpy in the beginning, but I think they are finding their footing and I'm starting to vibe with it.

Ben being in a woman's body at the end is fun. I guess they did that in the original but played a lot more for comedy, right? I have very vague memories. Will be nice to see that taken seriously.

7 hours ago, Thalia said:

Well if Janice isn't a villain, the show is certainly trying to make us think she is. 

I believe her when she said Ben came to her. She seems to be a bit unhinged, but aren't all your brilliant scientists on TV?

I predict that either Magic is going to be the villain and/or there is an entire shadowy organisation yet to be revealed.

[Chaos Theory]

Scott Bakula has said he isn’t part of the show but that doesn’t mean if the show doesn’t last a couple of seasons he won’t make an appearance.  I am guessing the spot in time will turn out to be the bar Sam landed at during the final episode of the series.

I said in the OG vs new QL earlier that Ben leaping into a woman’s body is going to hit different but thinking about it him having a female hologram who is his gf may be a fun way for them to talk a bit.

As for this episodes plot.  I liked it because it seemed like such a small thing.  Ben even wondered how could winning a boxing match matter so much? But to the guy he leaped into it was a life changing moment that went horribly wrong and by putting it right he got his brother to accept the help he needed which became more.   

I also liked the Addison plot because it shows what Ben doing effects the people around him.  She is so obsessed with getting him home that she isn’t taking care of herself.   I can also see a lifetime of Al’s daughter knowing she is only alive because of Sam’s sacrifice and knowing that her father never got over losing his friend and not understanding why her own mother doesn’t have faith that she is smart enough to help.  So I can see how that can lead to obsession in itself.   It will be interesting to see if this leads to an evil leaper plot or something else.

Edited October 4, 2022 by Chaos Theory
I have got to stop typing these reviews on my cell phone

[Good Queen Jane]

Janice is definitely a villain. Drugging your mother is one thing, but letting a mid-seventies women fall to the ground without trying to catch her is just nasty. Beth is lucky she doesn't have a broken hip.

[iMonrey]

This one did feel more like old-school Quantum Leap, but I still feel like the Janice sub-plot is an unnecessary distraction. 

I'm also not sure how I feel about what seems like a change to the basic premise. As I understood it (or remember it), in the original show Sam didn't actually jump into someone else's body.  He basically switched places with them - retaining his own body, even though everyone else still saw the person he replaced, including the mirrors. He therefore would not have had the actual body and strength of a prize fighter, as he would still be in his own body. The person he switched places with got transferred to the Waiting Room back at QL HQ. 

So this is going to be pretty strange going forward, especially if he's leaping "into" the body of a woman. If he's actually possessing that body than why do we, and Addison, still see Ben? If he reaches down there does he feel the body parts of a woman? The whole concept is kind of sketchy.

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

This one did feel more like old-school Quantum Leap, but I still feel like the Janice sub-plot is an unnecessary distraction. 

I'm also not sure how I feel about what seems like a change to the basic premise. As I understood it (or remember it), in the original show Sam didn't actually jump into someone else's body.  He basically switched places with them - retaining his own body, even though everyone else still saw the person he replaced, including the mirrors. He therefore would not have had the actual body and strength of a prize fighter, as he would still be in his own body. The person he switched places with got transferred to the Waiting Room back at QL HQ. 

So this is going to be pretty strange going forward, especially if he's leaping "into" the body of a woman. If he's actually possessing that body than why do we, and Addison, still see Ben? If he reaches down there does he feel the body parts of a woman? The whole concept is kind of sketchy.

I think it is a way to tie this series into the old one as they can't bring back Al himself. 

I remember the first time Sam leapt into a woman. He was so uncomfortable and not terribly feminine. It was perfect. 

[Thalia]

4 hours ago, Good Queen Jane said:

Janice is definitely a villain. Drugging your mother is one thing, but letting a mid-seventies women fall to the ground without trying to catch her is just nasty. Beth is lucky she doesn't have a broken hip.

My interpretation was probably based on the fact that I remember Disco Fever, but when I first read your post my first thought, "was there some special reason that you were supposed to take extra care to catch a woman in 1977?  🤔  LOL.  Although maybe I shouldn't laugh too much.  MY mid-seventies are on the horizon, (I like to think) still distant but closer than they were in 1977!

Regarding Mrs. Asshole Fighter switching openly to being Dan's Boo at the actual fight.  That also made me scratch my head.  Although I still like the 2022 story  this is most certainly an example of a spot where less emphasis on the present and more on 1977 would have enhanced the story.   I imagine (hope) the original script had a scene where AF's pressing charges against Danny and Daryl was a last straw and Mrs. AF told him she was leaving.   To become Danny's Boo.  

Edited October 4, 2022 by Thalia
sentence fragments are a

[Chaos Theory]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

This one did feel more like old-school Quantum Leap, but I still feel like the Janice sub-plot is an unnecessary distraction. 

I'm also not sure how I feel about what seems like a change to the basic premise. As I understood it (or remember it), in the original show Sam didn't actually jump into someone else's body.  He basically switched places with them - retaining his own body, even though everyone else still saw the person he replaced, including the mirrors. He therefore would not have had the actual body and strength of a prize fighter, as he would still be in his own body. The person he switched places with got transferred to the Waiting Room back at QL HQ. 

So this is going to be pretty strange going forward, especially if he's leaping "into" the body of a woman. If he's actually possessing that body than why do we, and Addison, still see Ben? If he reaches down there does he feel the body parts of a woman? The whole concept is kind of sketchy.

I was never completely clear about the mechanics of the old series and I am not sure old series was completely clear themselves.    There were more then a few questions about what Al saw when he looked at Sam.  During early episodes he said he saw the person he leaped into so when he leaped into a hot woman, the womanizing Al had trouble looking Sam in the eyes.  You know….THAT joke.  But it also had episodes where Al talked to people in “in the waiting room” so it was never completely clear and I just think the show never really cared one way or another the actual science of the science fiction show.     The new version has picked a side and decided the show works best with Ben just being the person he has leaped into for awhile.  What happens to the actual person…..maybe the show will deal with that but maybe it won’t.    

[Sarah 103]

14 hours ago, stonehaven said:

Am I the only one who clapped when they showed the original handlink? 

Same here. It looked so much bigger than I remembered. I also loved that the new handlink made some old school Ziggy sounds. I hadn't realized how much I missed it. 

7 hours ago, stonehaven said:

I will say I liked the meta comment on how many leaps it would take to get him home..10 leaps(half season order if it doesn't get renewed)..20 leaps(full season order)...

I was going to post this exact comment. It makes me feel better that someone else had the same thought.

I am now convinced after this episode Ian should be the hologram instead of Addison. The character is funnier, has better lines, and would be bring humor that is sorely missing. I am not enjoying the tragic love story. I want bickering, bantering, and fun retro stuff. It doesn't seem like the new series is doing that.

[KaveDweller]

12 hours ago, PurpleTentacle said:

This show is growing on me. It was a bit bumpy in the beginning, but I think they are finding their footing and I'm starting to vibe with it.

Ben being in a woman's body at the end is fun. I guess they did that in the original but played a lot more for comedy, right? I have very vague memories. Will be nice to see that taken seriously.

I think it was usually played for laughs, but they had some "sexism is bad" stuff. I am hoping the new series will be a bit stronger about that. The original show did lots of serious stuff when Sam leapt into a black person. Since Ben is Asian, I'd think he wouldn't find being another minority as shocking as being a woman? If that makes sense.

9 hours ago, iMonrey said:

This one did feel more like old-school Quantum Leap, but I still feel like the Janice sub-plot is an unnecessary distraction. 

I'm also not sure how I feel about what seems like a change to the basic premise. As I understood it (or remember it), in the original show Sam didn't actually jump into someone else's body.  He basically switched places with them - retaining his own body, even though everyone else still saw the person he replaced, including the mirrors. He therefore would not have had the actual body and strength of a prize fighter, as he would still be in his own body. The person he switched places with got transferred to the Waiting Room back at QL HQ. 

So this is going to be pretty strange going forward, especially if he's leaping "into" the body of a woman. If he's actually possessing that body than why do we, and Addison, still see Ben? If he reaches down there does he feel the body parts of a woman? The whole concept is kind of sketchy.

Yeah, I specifically remember Sam being an amputee and still getting up and walking around. So it is a definite change, and I am not a fan of that either. I don't even like them changing the ability to leap out of his own lifetime, even though they half-assed explained that.

I think we still see Ben because he is the star of the show. They can't have a new actor every week, the audience would get confused.

Edited October 4, 2022 by KaveDweller

[Rose Quartz]

9 hours ago, iMonrey said:

This one did feel more like old-school Quantum Leap, but I still feel like the Janice sub-plot is an unnecessary distraction. 

I'm also not sure how I feel about what seems like a change to the basic premise. As I understood it (or remember it), in the original show Sam didn't actually jump into someone else's body.  He basically switched places with them - retaining his own body, even though everyone else still saw the person he replaced, including the mirrors.

Yeah, I'm not particularly loving the Janice sub-plot so far.

The original show was never terribly consistent about whether it was Sam's body or mind that was leaping.  There were episodes where it was his body (the leapee is an amputee and Sam is able to stand up) and at least one episode (leapee is pregnant) where Sam seems to leap into her body and keeps insisting to Al that he can feel the baby move, etc.

5 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

I am now convinced after this episode Ian should be the hologram instead of Addison. The character is funnier, has better lines, and would be bring humor that is sorely missing. I am not enjoying the tragic love story. I want bickering, bantering, and fun retro stuff. It doesn't seem like the new series is doing that.

I feel the same way.  Ian is a more interesting and entertaining character to me.  I also like how Ian was the one to realize the potential of being a hologram and gave Addison the idea of shadow boxing with Ben.  The ability to think on your feet like that would come in really handy as the observer.

[KaveDweller]

18 minutes ago, Rose Quartz said:

Yeah, I'm not particularly loving the Janice sub-plot so far.

The original show was never terribly consistent about whether it was Sam's body or mind that was leaping.  There were episodes where it was his body (the leapee is an amputee and Sam is able to stand up) and at least one episode (leapee is pregnant) where Sam seems to leap into her body and keeps insisting to Al that he can feel the baby move, etc.

But when he insisted he could feel the baby, Al kept telling him it was impossible because he wasn't pregnant, the girl in the waiting room was. And let's not forget he fathered a child while leaping. So the original show was very consistent IMO. And the new show has just established it is the opposite, so let's see if they stick to that.

There was one episode in the original where the person in the waiting room looked in a mirror and saw himself as Sam. I think it was when he was Lee Harvey Oswald. But there doesn't seem to be a waiting room anymore. And I guess that makes sense, if Ben is leaping into their actual bodies, they don't have a body to go to the future/waiting room. Some would argue they have a soul, but I guess souls don't need waiting rooms. 

That leaves the question.....where is Ben's body? 

[greekmom]

6 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

I am now convinced after this episode Ian should be the hologram instead of Addison. The character is funnier, has better lines, and would be bring humor that is sorely missing. I am not enjoying the tragic love story. I want bickering, bantering, and fun retro stuff. It doesn't seem like the new series is doing that.

Agreed. Ian is alot better as a hologram instead of Addison who is still "mourning" in a way that Ben isn't with her and doesn't remember her.

I don't think Janice is the baddie here. I think the end game is to save Sam which they can do easily without even Scott Bakula by mixing some OG footage, having someone as "Sam" in a leap and showing the old Sam leaping footage with some comments in the end at the lab that history has been changed and Sam made it home and Janice on the team.  I am thinking either Jenn or Magic are the big bad trying to work against Janice's intention of bringing Sam back and rewriting the timeline. 

[greekmom]

1 hour ago, KaveDweller said:

 And let's not forget he fathered a child while leaping. So the original show was very consistent IMO. And the new show has just established it is the opposite, so let's see if they stick to that.

I think even Al said that was NOT suppose to happen and impossible.

[DoctorAtomic]

I'm going to toot my own horn mildly because last week I speculated if the new code allowed Ben to leap outside his own lifetime, and it was a big plot point this episode. I thought the whole slingshot theory was just enough technobabble and clever. 

22 hours ago, stonehaven said:

I do wonder if the brother served with Sam's brother....

Or Magic. They check to Vietnam for someone in 1977 isn't out of the ordinary, but he could have been in the same company.
I do think this outcome was the most "Quantum Leap" so far (which was referenced above too several times). The brother survived and went on to start the support group that helped others in turn. 

14 hours ago, PurpleTentacle said:

I guess they did that in the original but played a lot more for comedy, right? I have very vague memories. Will be nice to see that taken seriously.

Yes and no. One time Sam leaped into a rape victim who wasn't able to testify in court against the rapist, but Sam was. He also played a housewife for laughs, but it was about equality in a marriage. 

12 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

I can also see a lifetime of Al’s daughter knowing she is only alive because of Sam’s sacrifice and knowing that her father never got over losing his friend and not understanding why her own mother doesn’t have faith that she is smart enough to help.

This is a real salient point. Does she know that? Clearly, we all know Sam as Sam told Beth to wait for Al. So it's whether Beth ever told Al when they met Sam 'the first time' on the Quantum Leap project. Even then though, Al or Beth wouldn't have remembered his life before because Beth waiting for Al and getting married would be the only life they knew. Logically, one could speculate that this "Sam" Beth met at that point, who looks exactly like the Sam they know in their 'present' is certainly weird. The OG show implied Al had a happily married life and there's nothing in the new show here that implies his passing wasn't anything but old age. 

11 hours ago, iMonrey said:

As I understood it (or remember it), in the original show Sam didn't actually jump into someone else's body. 

Also good point because Sam leaped into a blind guy and still could see. Plotwank - new code. 

It looks like Janis is trying to leap herself. 

Anyone see the Nobel Prize today?

[possibilities]

I ned a really good explanation for why, if Janis is not a villain and the mission is to fetch Sam, no one trusted anyone on the team with that information.

Also, I think it's funny that there's both a Janis and an Ian on the show. Maybe I'm the only person who remembers Janis Ian, but she was fairly well known to my generation (a singer).

[Skooma]

13 hours ago, Good Queen Jane said:

Janice is definitely a villain. Drugging your mother is one thing, but letting a mid-seventies women fall to the ground without trying to catch her is just nasty. Beth is lucky she doesn't have a broken hip.

I don't think so at all.  The mother just slowly fell over and was in no danger at all.  And no way do they make Al's own daughter a villain.  Ever.

And Ben trusted her enough to sacrifice his entire career (and "luuuv" interest, gag) to go rogue and become the leaper of a private mission only he and Al's daughter understand and are trying to execute.

Who are the bad guys in the show.  Well don't necessarily think "Magic" is the big bad but I think he is being "played" by whoever are the bad guys.  Maybe his storyline will be to find the truth back in the present day but right now I think he is totally being played.

[CeeBeeGee]

2 hours ago, possibilities said:

Also, I think it's funny that there's both a Janis and an Ian on the show. Maybe I'm the only person who remembers Janis Ian, but she was fairly well known to my generation (a singer).

And one of the principals in Mean Girls was named for her :)

[Trini]

I am shocked - shocked - that Ben might be leaping for ... the length of a TV season. LOL

This episode was a bit better. For a guy with amnesia, Ben is sure getting the hang of things pretty quickly. I'm glad he was able to connect with and help the brother, but it kinda felt too easy. (Then again, I know what kind of show I'm watching; he's got to be successful every time.)

Whether she's a villain or not, I'm still not on board with this Janice plot; and the extra angst of Addison being Ben's fianceé seems unnecessary.

The endpoint has got to be Sam, or a point in time where Sam is (was? will be?); it would be disappointing if it wasn't.

Even though this series is supposed to be a continuation, I don't mind that they're establishing their own 'rules' about leaping that may not exactly line up with the original series. The "science" was and is going to be fuzzy. I would also like to see someone else be the hologram once in a while.

Raymond as Ben is still the standout for me.

Also I did like how they shot Ben learning the fight choreo, with the "playback"in the background. And there was more humor.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Trini
oy, grammar

[peachmangosteen]

Addison was much better in this episode but yea I still wish Ian was the hologram. They are so much more engaging and interesting than Addison.

This episode also made me wish Janice was the hologram. I hope she is able to either start leaping or start hologramming because I like her and am interested in her.

[DoctorAtomic]

8 hours ago, Trini said:

The endpoint has got to be Sam, or a point in time where Sam is (was? will be?); it would be disappointing if it wasn't.

I don't mind if he gets to where they predicted Sam was, and he's not there, but had been. Or they just miss him. What I think is important is to establish why Ben took the early leap. Whether Magic wants to disclose it to Ben would be some good drama. 

It would also be interesting if Janis is building her own imaging chamber to be a hologram for Ben. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

There was one episode in the original where the person in the waiting room looked in a mirror and saw himself as Sam. I think it was when he was Lee Harvey Oswald. But there doesn't seem to be a waiting room anymore. And I guess that makes sense, if Ben is leaping into their actual bodies, they don't have a body to go to the future/waiting room. Some would argue they have a soul, but I guess souls don't need waiting rooms. 

This raises the issue of what happens to the person Ben is leaping into if he's actually possessing their body, and what happens to them after he leaves. It's a thorny question that the Waiting Room resolved. It also raises the question of how Addison knows who Ben is if he really is in that body. I suppose Ziggy could tell her and show her a photo but it would still be awkward, especially given Ben's memory issues. Finally, going this route means it doesn't make a lot of sense that WE still see Ben. I mean it's practical from a storytelling standpoint, but doesn't make a lot of sense within the premise.

I'm not confident the writers have really thought this out or grasped a lot of the implications. 

Quote

That leaves the question.....where is Ben's body? 

There's that, too.

[possibilities]

7 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

It also raises the question of how Addison knows who Ben is if he really is in that body.

He stands there saying: "Addison! Where are you, Addison!?" But the first time, I don't know. I guess the tech is supposed to track the leaper.

I realized why I keep calling Ben "Sam"-- the actor is playing a character named "Sam" on "Kevin Can F*** Himself" which I am also watching at the same time. I don't think I've ever watched 2 shows airing contemporaneously with the same actor playing different characters.

My theory is that the show will switch up who leaps and who the hologram is, each season. They seem to want an overarching plot as well as the leap-of-the-week, and they've set it up so that I think they will drag it out as long as possible-- Addison starts leaping as soon as Ben remembers they're married, and either they reverse roles or Ben gets lost and Addison is the one going rogue trying to find him while maybe Ian or Jen starts being the hologram. 

Or maybe if Janis does build her own chamber, there will be dueling holograms/leapers. 

[Clanstarling]

On 10/4/2022 at 6:11 AM, Good Queen Jane said:

Janice is definitely a villain. Drugging your mother is one thing, but letting a mid-seventies women fall to the ground without trying to catch her is just nasty. Beth is lucky she doesn't have a broken hip.

I guess by the timeline she should be mid-70's, but she doesn't look anything like mid-70s . I didn't even think about how old she would be at this point.

19 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

This is a real salient point. Does she know that? Clearly, we all know Sam as Sam told Beth to wait for Al. So it's whether Beth ever told Al when they met Sam 'the first time' on the Quantum Leap project. Even then though, Al or Beth wouldn't have remembered his life before because Beth waiting for Al and getting married would be the only life they knew. Logically, one could speculate that this "Sam" Beth met at that point, who looks exactly like the Sam they know in their 'present' is certainly weird. The OG show implied Al had a happily married life and there's nothing in the new show here that implies his passing wasn't anything but old age. 

Thank you, I could not for the life of me remember why Janice owed Sam her life.

This episode was a big improvement, there was a lot more heart to it and some minor humor. Addison was a little better, but I don't really like her as the AI. I also liked the lab folk getting together for an evening as a help to Addison.

Showing the video of the fight was cool, and I can see them showing more videos as a help for certain episodes.

Anyway, for the first time I think I might keep watching. I'm hopeful now.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Clanstarling

[SoMuchTV]

4 hours ago, possibilities said:

I realized why I keep calling Ben "Sam"-- the actor is playing a character named "Sam" on "Kevin Can F*** Himself" which I am also watching at the same time. I don't think I've ever watched 2 shows airing contemporaneously with the same actor playing different characters.

Yes! That plus the fact that he’s also the “new” version of Sam on this show. I have to stop and think about names every time.  

As far as the second part of your statement - I’m pretty sure I’ve watched Ed Begley jr. in about half a dozen shows at the same time. Maybe I’m slightly exaggerating. Maybe Katey Sagal as well, especially if you count voices.

[possibilities]

I know I'm overthinking, but I feel like they should do the hologram role in shifts, so someone is always available if the leaper needs them. If Addison is taking time to sleep and watch TV and whatever else (which of course she does need to do), what happens to Ben in the meanwhile?

From a storytelling perspective, this would also introduce an added element of unpredictability, which could make it more interesting.

[Clanstarling]

12 hours ago, possibilities said:

I know I'm overthinking, but I feel like they should do the hologram role in shifts, so someone is always available if the leaper needs them. If Addison is taking time to sleep and watch TV and whatever else (which of course she does need to do), what happens to Ben in the meanwhile?

From a storytelling perspective, this would also introduce an added element of unpredictability, which could make it more interesting.

The showrunners may think you're overthinking - but I don't. I was thinking with this last episode that it is idiotic to expect one person to be available all of the time. Especially since the jumps seem fairly rapidly paced. This was probably an issue with the original too, but it didn't seem as frantic as this version.

[Netfoot]

Ok, I've watched three episodes now. And that was 2½ episodes too many. The show is steamy, stinky crap. I gave it three episodes to come good, but it's heading in the opposite direction instead.

Sam Ben just isn't cutting it for me, and his fiancee/hologram is only making matters worse. The AI expert grates, but if he did something about the latter-day mullet it might help. Magic is bearable only to the extent that he doesn't involve himself much with the daily operation of the project.

But worse of all is Janis, Al's daughter and the antagonist. Who it turns out now owns her own, er, "Time-Tunnel" which she built by her self, financing all that state-of-the-art equipment with income from her job as - what? Assistant manager at Burger King?

So now, we have two of them Quatnum Leaping about the space-time continuum. Which means every episode will be less about Sam Ben experiencing the lives of various people, male, female, old, young. Less about finding ways to help the "leapees" and at the same time leaving the world a better place. It will be more confrontational and adversarial. Because whatever might be Janis's motives, you can be sure she isn't out to make things good for the opposite team. But then, I suppose they had to spice things up! After all it isn't like the original was all that popular, right? Right?

Anyway, feel free to disagree with my perspective, but your disagreement is unlikely to change my mind. I'm out of here. And I'm sorry to have to say that. I was looking forward to this series! Pity it turned out to be such shit.

[KaveDweller]

1 hour ago, Netfoot said:

But worse of all is Janis, Al's daughter and the antagonist. Who it turns out now owns her own, er, "Time-Tunnel" which she built by her self, financing all that state-of-the-art equipment with income from her job as - what? Assistant manager at Burger King?

She is an astrophysicist, so she may have had a high paying job in the recent past. At least, I assume an astrophysicist makes decent money? No idea. She also may have inherited money from Al?

For me, there are bigger things to nitpick.

On 10/6/2022 at 11:17 AM, Clanstarling said:

The showrunners may think you're overthinking - but I don't. I was thinking with this last episode that it is idiotic to expect one person to be available all of the time. Especially since the jumps seem fairly rapidly paced. This was probably an issue with the original too, but it didn't seem as frantic as this version.

I agree it is a really great idea. In the original, Al was the only one that could be the hologram for some reason. But they could easily update that. If they are going to make the whole team regulars, then let them all be involved in the leap storyline. It would solve the problem of not being able to get into the leap characters because of all the time in the present.

[DoctorAtomic]

17 minutes ago, KaveDweller said:

She is an astrophysicist, so she may have had a high paying job in the recent past. At least, I assume an astrophysicist makes decent money? No idea. She also may have inherited money from Al?

They didn't say if she had a Ph.D. or not, which would qualify for higher salaries in general. She could have a job at a national lab which would be good money. If she's got the chops to be considered for the Quantum Leap project, I can buy that she's up there in talent. 

[Netfoot]

51 minutes ago, KaveDweller said:

She is an astrophysicist, so she may have had a high paying job in the recent past. At least, I assume an astrophysicist makes decent money? No idea. She also may have inherited money from Al?

But we are lead to believe that the QL project is something that cost billions of dollars. She is supposed to have funded a parallel project out of her earnings? Even setting aside the manpower issues, I just can't see that happening. It would be like if Oppenheimer's rich uncle financed a parallel Manhattan Project and succeeded without any personnel to help with the work.

[Guest]

On 10/4/2022 at 7:11 PM, possibilities said:

I ned a really good explanation for why, if Janis is not a villain and the mission is to fetch Sam, no one trusted anyone on the team with that information.

I feel like the most obvious answer is that those in charge of the project and the rest of the team don’t care about finding Sam. 

[DoctorAtomic]

That depends on if Magic knows what happened to him. 

[KaveDweller]

56 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

But we are lead to believe that the QL project is something that cost billions of dollars. She is supposed to have funded a parallel project out of her earnings? Even setting aside the manpower issues, I just can't see that happening. It would be like if Oppenheimer's rich uncle financed a parallel Manhattan Project and succeeded without any personnel to help with the work.

I don't think she is supposed to have funded a parallel project. That's why she had to hack into Ziggy and steal Al's old hand held controller. She and Ben wrote a bunch of code that he loaded into Ziggy, and she came up with that time map thing that they think Ben was trying to go to, but she doesn't have her own imaging chamber or even her own super computer. 

She did have a bunch of fancy computers and screens in a cool underground bunker though. It could have just been a basement, but what normal house has a trap door to their basement in their living room instead of a normal staircase? You would probably have to put that in special if you are plotting an evil plan.

Edited October 8, 2022 by KaveDweller

[Guest]

Just now, DoctorAtomic said:

That depends on if Magic knows what happened to him. 

I don’t think that would make that big of a difference because it is a military project. I would expect it to matter as far as Magic being willing to help out now that Ben is already in the past but not with him being willing to let Ben leap initially. 

[DoctorAtomic]

That depends also if Magic was the catalyst for restarting the project. He said he's been in "DC a long time". He could have a lot of clout. I'm talking about before Ben first leaped. Magic certainly knew Al's picture by sight. He seems well versed in the history. Rather than just starting the project for learning history or something more altruistic. 

[Guest]

24 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

That depends also if Magic was the catalyst for restarting the project. He said he's been in "DC a long time". He could have a lot of clout. I'm talking about before Ben first leaped. Magic certainly knew Al's picture by sight. He seems well versed in the history. Rather than just starting the project for learning history or something more altruistic. 

I am mostly going off of Magic saying that he is lying to the Pentagon about what is happening. I absolutely believe that Magic would be interested in finding Sam and that could be his personal motivation but I doubt that would be the purpose of the project from a military standpoint, that Magic would make that purpose known or that he has enough clout to focus a billion dollar project on finding one person. The military being involved at all means that I don’t think there needs to be an explanation for why Ben keep them in the dark. Clearly his intention is outside of the purpose of the project which is enough of an explanation for me. 

I would like for them to actually explain what the purpose of the project was but I’m guessing that is going to be a plot point down the road. 

[Skooma]

17 hours ago, Netfoot said:

But worse of all is Janis, Al's daughter and the antagonist.

Who said she was the antagonist?  She and Ben are working together.  He blew up his career to make these rogue leaps because of his collaboration with her.  Like I said above, no way will they make Al's daughter the big bad.

But yeah the fiance/hologram woman is pure crap and needs to be written out of the show.  And the execution of the show so far is pretty crappy too.  I give you that for sure.

[DoctorAtomic]

14 hours ago, Dani said:

I would like for them to actually explain what the purpose of the project was but I’m guessing that is going to be a plot point down the road. 

Oh, I get it now. Yes. I was saying Magic knew something happened to him in Vietnam, and then, decades later got wind of this Quantum Leap project, and used his clout to open it up and learned about Sam and Al. What he told the Pentagon to fund and re-open it, yes, is a different story. Could it partially involve finding Sam? Perhaps. But I agree that wouldn't be enough of a reason for the Pentagon to green light the reopening. 

Magic definitely said on the show the Pentagon doesn't know Ben leaped and he's keeping them in the dark. Which I think is the right call right now. 

[Raja]

With concussion protocols all over the sporting news this week the referee allowing the fight to continue when Ben/Sam gave the wrong name was telling. We really do expect our heroes to get up and keep going as we talk about our shock in the aftermath.

From a 1977 fight to what sounded like a Disco era club. Is there some kind of 70s nostalgia thing going on now? Are Vietnam veterans going to be an even bigger plot point?

[wanderingstar]

I really want to like this show. I'm a QL head from way back. But I'm just not feeling it. Despite the setup of Ben hoping to leap home, I'm still not invested in the stakes of the story.

I find Addison pretty boring and don't see any chemistry between her and Ben.

I do find the supporting cast somewhat interesting.

As for this episode, I liked the guest cast, especially the actor playing Ben-as-Danny's brother. 

Will give this a few more episodes.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Gillian Rosh