TV Episode Review: Quantum Leap - The Pilot Episode

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good acting; sets up series well

Cons: Slow at times for those familiar with the show

The Bottom Line:

Like ev'ry pilot

Set up fans only need once

Still enjoyable

Going Back in Time to the Beginning

Growing up, I didn't watch much TV, but there were always shows that intrigued me. Over the years, I've caught episodes of Quantum Leap, but never too many in a row. I loved what I saw and wanted to see more. Fortunately, with the advent of TV on DVD, I can do just that. And what better place to start then with the pilot episode.

Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) is having a slight memory problem. He can't remember who he is or what he does. He just knows that the body he's in isn't his own. Heck, he's supposed to be a test pilot yet he doesn't know the first thing about flying. And the year 1956 feels wrong as well.

To further prove he's going crazy, a man keeps appearing that only Sam can see. Al (Dean Stockwell) clams to be a friend and co-worker and has a crazy theory about time travel. In reality, it might just be crazy enough to be true. If it is, how can Sam get out of this body and back into his own?

There are really two ways to watch this episode. The first is as someone who knows no more about this show then what I've just provided. For that person, this pilot would be fascinating. The show presents us with a puzzle and slowly gives us the clues to figure out what is happening. It basically builds the world the show would inhabit for the next five years.

Unfortunately, I saw this show as someone already familiar with the premise. As such, I found the first half a little boring. I already knew what was happening and the information Sam would learn before the episode was over. The set up that was needed when the show first aired was information I already knew. Once Sam got up to speed, things really improved.

To be perfectly fair, this is a great pilot. It provides all the information the audience needs without boring them. And it tells a great story. When the show was focusing on Sam trying to deal with the problems of his host body, I really got hooked.

It is fun watching a show progress from the beginning to see how the actors progress in their roles. There's no question here that they did a great job with the two leads. Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell are not only great as their individual characters but are even more fun to watch together. In fact, any time Al shows up, this episode improves in my book.

Now if you're thinking science fiction isn't for you, don't worry. Yes, there's some science fiction to the story, but it is kept to an absolute minimum. This episode is actually a drama with some comic moments that uses a science fiction premise. It really should appeal to just about anyone.

This particular release is just the pilot episode. It was released in 1998 before the TV on DVD craze really got started. The pilot was longer then a normal episode, so you get an hour and a half of entertainment here. However, if you are a fan of the show, you don't need to get this DVD. When the first season was released in 2004, the pilot was included in that set. As a result, I recommend you skip this disc and head straight for the full season.

This is a great pilot episode, and if you are new to Quantum Leap, you'll love seeing how everything is set up. If you are already familiar with the show, you'll still find this interesting, but it won't be as entertaining as it was originally.