Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

QuinnSlidr wrote:
ireactions wrote:

I'd like to change the title of this thread to "Reboots: The Return of Sliders and Other Properties" if that's alright. That way, we can talk about any and all reboots even when there isn't any SLIDERS news.

Alternatively, I can shift all the QUANTUM LEAP posts to a new thread. What would we prefer? A new thread containing all the previous QL posts? Or keeping them all here with a thread title change?

Sure!!! The title change is just fine with me.

I don't think there will be any Sliders reboot news for some time... sad

Well. I'll give everyone 48 hours to raise any potential objections. I'm just a servant here.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

I don't have a problem with it. It has evolved since I started it.

JWSlider3

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Hurrah!

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Expectations for this hastily re-jigged pilot to Quantum Leap were low ... but I really enjoyed it. I absolutely love that it was a continuation, and not a reboot, building on the foundations and lore of the previous show and continuing it by both paying homage and injecting some new life. The end result is an almost mystery-drama with action that fits really well as the scenes shift (though quite hastily, understandably however because of the re-jigged pilot) from the past and the present day Quantum Leap project.

That opening intro monologue (voiced by the original I believe) gave me chills!

You were never going to replicate Sam and Al (and shouldn't since this is a continuation) so the new dynamic is interesting enough for me. Minor spoilers incoming as it's hard to talk about the pilot otherwise  ***** I love the dual connection - not just their relationship, but that Addison was actually meant to be the leaper and Ben the guide. ****** That's such a cool situation that I can't wait to see developed more. You see it with Addison having more practical ideas about the escape, and in Ben's awkward approach to presenting himself as a tough guy. I really hope this is played up numerous times as we slowly see Ben grow more comfortable with talking and opening up to people.

The mystery of Ben leaping and the investigation at Project Quantum Leap already has me invested. This is the hook that will keep you watching as we learn more about the project, Sam's disappearance, and what is currently going on. The homage to the original, but allowing itself to be it's own thing, is fantastic. This is what the Charmed reboot/mid-boot/other-universe (doesn't freaking know what it wanted to be) ... should have been. Not insulting the fans by butchering the original story, but by embracing the history and spinning a new tale from it.

The Project Quantum Leap cast are all great, sans the security lady (whose name escapes me at the moment), but it's early days.

And the homages / story connected to Al and Sam were all great.

There were some negatives of course. Again, you could tell the hastily re-written parts, and there were some mightily cheap scenes (that car drive background was so awful and distracting). Also, this show absolutely needs an intro - a title card will simply not do (again, hoping that's because it was just the new pilot). The 'mirror image' effects needed a tiny bit more work as well as not having the trademark audio cue. It's so tied to the original that not having it felt quite jarring and you immediately felt like something was missing. If you are playing up the nostalgia then these small things make a big impact. I'm hoping the monologue will remain, though updated. If we get that but not an intro, I feel like I could be satisfied.

Also, (again, pilot re-write problems) some of the Project Quantum Leap scenes didn't have the best dialogue. But you could tell it was re-written hastily.


All in all though, I found this to be a great start. Did it make me think that this was prestige TV? No. But it did hit my nostalgia bone and I really enjoyed the ride. The characters and the mystery will keep me watching and I can't wait to see the training wheels come off.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

So my understanding was Quantum Leaps premiere live ratings were decent to so-so.   If it doesn't do well than I think you can stick s fork in any near term Sliders reemergence.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

I'm sorry to hear this. I haven't gotten to QUANTUM LEAP just yet. Currently catching up on SUPERMAN & LOIS and then, hopefully, STAR TREK DISCOVERY. Is it possible the sportsball game threw off the ratings?

427 (edited by QuinnSlidr 2022-09-25 13:20:52)

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

ireactions wrote:

I'm sorry to hear this. I haven't gotten to QUANTUM LEAP just yet. Currently catching up on SUPERMAN & LOIS and then, hopefully, STAR TREK DISCOVERY. Is it possible the sportsball game threw off the ratings?

There were other things including the Queen's funeral that could have impacted ratings in this fashion.

I remember thinking at the time that I wish they didn't choose today of all days to launch Quantum Leap because of everything else going on.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Had a chance to watch it; and it’s competent, but it’s missing an element.

In the original Quantum Leap, our only connection to the future was Al; and the future looked crazy.  Al always showed up in these flamboyant outfits; or he would appear in fishing gear when he’s supposed to be in a sophisticated imaging chamber of a military facility IN THE NEW MEXICO DESERT.   It was off-kilter and kept us off balance as an audience.  Was this real?

What we’ve been given so far in the new series are characters with a straight up mission with parameters to solve.  The feel of a mystery is missing; and part of that mystery was wondering if the main character was really just losing his mind.

And why isn’t Ziggy talking?  And what about someone who looks like Ben in the waiting room?  When it was Sam, his seeming presence in the future led even the government to question whether this was time travel or someone having a mental breakdown into multiple personalities.

It just seems like they’ve forgotten the show’s personality, and that’s a shame.

——————————————

For those who remember Warehouse 13, what we needed for the holographic guide was someone like Claudia:

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTgxMzQ5NDM4N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjg1NjU3Mg@@._V1_.jpg

To be blunt, we’re instead getting some sad lady who has the presence of cardboard.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Oooooh, Claudia. This was my retrospective on Claudia from WAREHOUSE 13: https://sliders.tv/bboard/viewtopic.php?pid=9750#p9750

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

I haven't seen the new QL yet, but according to behind the scenes chatter, NBC was just as happy with the first three episodes as Temporal Flux which is to say they weren't that happy. Original showrunners Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt were gently fired (they retain executive producer credits). Beginning with Episode 4, Martin Gero took over as showrunner.

Gero had been on the show before this as a producer, but it sounds like he wasn't  central or he was overseeing practical production rather than scripts. One of Gero's changes was apparently to re-edit episode 3 into the series premiere, revise the other two episodes already shot -- and it's likely that more scripts were written and in the queue before Gero took over, so we may not have the showrunner's *real* vision of QUANTUM LEAP until at least episode 4 and possible anywhere from episode 5 - 6.

Oddly, something similar happened with WAREHOUSE 13 too! The original pilot had been scripted for a major network budget only for the Sci-Fi Channel to buy it at which point the script had to be sliced to be filmable on half the imagined budget, and there had been such a delay from scripting to filming that  by the time the pilot was bought and a series was ordered, none of the original creators (Rockne S. Bannon of FARSCAPE, Jane Espenson of BUFFY) were available to run the show nor was anyone happy with how the expensive NBC/ABC-budgeted script had turned out on a Sci-Fi Channel budget.

Eventually, showrunner Jack Kenny was hired, but despite taking over with the second episode, it wasn't until Episode 4 that Kenny finally had the show where he wanted it by introducing the Claudia character.

Have faith, Leapers. Shows sometimes take a little time to find themselves.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

ireactions wrote:

I haven't seen the new QL yet, but according to behind the scenes chatter, NBC was just as happy with the first three episodes as Temporal Flux which is to say they weren't that happy. Original showrunners Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt were gently fired (they retain executive producer credits). Beginning with Episode 4, Martin Gero took over as showrunner.

Gero had been on the show before this as a producer, but it sounds like he wasn't  central or he was overseeing practical production rather than scripts. One of Gero's changes was apparently to re-edit episode 3 into the series premiere, revise the other two episodes already shot -- and it's likely that more scripts were written and in the queue before Gero took over, so we may not have the showrunner's *real* vision of QUANTUM LEAP until at least episode 4 and possible anywhere from episode 5 - 6.


Have faith, Leapers. Shows sometimes take a little time to find themselves.


interesting..

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Watched the second episode, and it continues the tone of the first episode.  No real mystery - just problem solving.

At its most successful, Quantum Leap was somewhat like the first season of Person of Interest.  A mission is presented; but as you delve into it, the whole thing turns on its head, and it turns out the mission wasn’t what you thought it was at all.

An example for Quantum Leap is the episode when Sam leaped into a bounty hunter.  The mission is simple - transport his tricky, sneaky bounty to a certain city without her being killed.  But as we delve into it, we find out why she was killed in the original history.

She was a Robin Hood who stole from a crooked banker so that she could return the money to the everyday people he stole from.  Sam successfully exposes the crooked banker and the crooked law enforcement helping him, and gets her to turn herself in safely.  Ultimately she faces no harsh penalty due to the circumstances.

But Sam’s accomplishment doesn’t trigger the leap because he realizes that wasn’t his full purpose for being there.  He gives her his cowboy hat and proposes the idea that she become a bounty hunter herself.  She likes the idea and goes on to help a lot of people in the new history.

Given that the new series seems intent on making this something of a procedural and spending half of the episode in present day, I would suggest this.  Instead of having the computer just spout random probabilities of what Ben is supposed to do, have the present day team investigating the present day circumstances that came from the events Ben is living in the past.

But what gives it a twist?  What makes it something different?  As Ben lives out the past, his changes are rippling through to the present. The present is changing as they investigate and it creates unexpected twists and turns.  The team in the present narrows down what Ben is supposed to do based on what his changes are revealing in the present.  It’s like sifting flour or panning for gold.

And the big overarching plot the second episode just hinted at with Ben having created an algorithm to find a certain point in time?  Forget that.  The mission is likely to get Sam home.  For five seasons in the original series, they tried to bring Muhammad to the mountain; but Ben has the idea to instead bring the mountain to him.

Ben’s algorithm was not created for a chase through time.  Instead, Ben’s idea was to try to reshape present day reality into where Sam will be.  He’s not bringing Sam home.  He’s bringing home to Sam.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Apparently, the original pilot episode pre-Martin Gero will now air as episode 6. https://collider.com/quantum-leap-reboo … -comments/

... so, I guess we won't know Gero's true vision for the show until episode 7.

(I saw "we" but haven't seen this yet.)

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

A notorious rumor site, but they’re not wrong

https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/ent/q … aster.html

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

I'll like it either way.  But maybe just bringing back the old characters and formula makes the most sense?

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

I'm afraid getting Scott Bakula back to play the lead character again (if that's what you're saying, I may have misunderstood) is a non-starter. Bakula does not accept roles where he has to stay on the set past 6 PM. He lost his marriage during the original QUANTUM LEAP because he was never around, and he made a promise to his second wife that he would never let that happen in their marriage.

I don't believe Bakula is as uninvolved in the new QL as he claims, especially when he offered no reasons for "passing" on the revival despite him being the one to constantly bring it up from 1994 to 2022; if he passed on anything, it was a larger role that would keep him away from home later than he wished.

I'm afraid getting Dean Stockwell back to play a regular character (if that's what you were suggesting, I may have misunderstood) is also not possible unless you have some way of reviving the dead.

Some shows take time to build their audience. Some shows take time to find their way. I'm guardedly hopefully that NBC, having retooled QL three episodes into filming and debuted it during the sportsball, will give QL some room to improve.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Watched the second episode, and it continues the tone of the first episode.  No real mystery - just problem solving.

My recollection of the beginning of the original QL was that it was much the same.  The X-2 flight and the baseball thing were the first two leaps.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

https://www.fxguide.com/quicktakes/digi … ntum-leap/

439 (edited by QuinnSlidr 2022-10-02 03:35:47)

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

pilight wrote:

Watched the second episode, and it continues the tone of the first episode.  No real mystery - just problem solving.

My recollection of the beginning of the original QL was that it was much the same.  The X-2 flight and the baseball thing were the first two leaps.

Really? You weren't blown away by the time map in the second episode? I was.

And who or what is the dot, and who might that be? And that's not mysterious or a real mystery?

This sets up an entire mysterious story arc for the show, in my opinion. The immediate questions are: who created this time map? Why does Janis Calavicci have it?

My immediate thought was: Somehow, somewhere, somebody devised a way to track people through time. But who is the dot? Could that be Sam Beckett? Or Ben himself?

I may be in the minority here, but I'm loving the new Quantum Leap thus far.

And: the same actress replaying Beth Calavicci, Al's funeral being mentioned...sigh!! The heart strings...

I think it's a big programming mistake to have the new Quantum Leap happening on Monday night football, though. This should be changed to a non-football night. Perhaps it would get more ratings!

440 (edited by QuinnSlidr 2022-10-05 06:25:08)

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Episode 3 of the new Quantum Leap was good. It raises a few questions:

What is Janice Calavicci's goal here? Is she re-building her own version of the hologram chamber to go after Ben? Or Sam?

She is very different now compared to the supposed Janice that she was originally described as by her mom Beth: super smart, super talented, able to re-build the entire project seemingly on her own, and able to interface the original handlink with the new project, almost seamlessly combining old data with new data. I highly doubt Janice Calavicci could have done to her mom what she just did unless she was an evil leaper.

Is she really Janice Calavicci? Could she be the evil leaper Alia (or Alia's hologram Zoe) in league with Lothos? For those who didn't see the original series Lothos is the evil supercomputer opposite Ziggy who was working with the evil leaper Alia.

It could explain how Janice could jerry-rig her own version of the project and the complex code that appeared seemingly out of nowhere providing a time map nobody had ever heard of.

Very interesting developments that I can't wait to see play out throughout the rest of this season.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Got a free 3 months of Apple TV with my new phone.  The first thing I wanted to see was the reboot of the old Spielberg / NBC anthology Amazing Stories.

It’s only 5 episodes, but wow did they nail it.

There’s a magic ingredient in these shows that’s often missed when they try to recapture the feel of the Twilight Zone.  You can sprinkle in social issues or science fiction twists, but the key is to tell stories with heart.  They did it

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

QuinnSlidr wrote:

Episode 3 of the new Quantum Leap was good.

I agree, and it goes along with my comments on Amazing Stories. Episode 3 of the new Quantum Leap had heart.  Vast improvement over the first two episodes

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

TemporalFlux wrote:
QuinnSlidr wrote:

Episode 3 of the new Quantum Leap was good.

I agree, and it goes along with my comments on Amazing Stories. Episode 3 of the new Quantum Leap had heart.  Vast improvement over the first two episodes

Totally. Definitely looking forward to the next few episodes over here.

Is your old Sliders website still out there somewhere, TF? That really was the go-to back in the day... smile

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

ireactions wrote:

I'm afraid getting Scott Bakula back to play the lead character again (if that's what you're saying, I may have misunderstood) is a non-starter. Bakula does not accept roles where he has to stay on the set past 6 PM. He lost his marriage during the original QUANTUM LEAP because he was never around, and he made a promise to his second wife that he would never let that happen in their marriage.

I don't believe Bakula is as uninvolved in the new QL as he claims, especially when he offered no reasons for "passing" on the revival despite him being the one to constantly bring it up from 1994 to 2022; if he passed on anything, it was a larger role that would keep him away from home later than he wished.

I'm afraid getting Dean Stockwell back to play a regular character (if that's what you were suggesting, I may have misunderstood) is also not possible unless you have some way of reviving the dead.

Some shows take time to build their audience. Some shows take time to find their way. I'm guardedly hopefully that NBC, having retooled QL three episodes into filming and debuted it during the sportsball, will give QL some room to improve.

I didn't realize that about Bakula but kudos to him for priotizing his family over profession that would intefere.

Yes, Stockwell is gone. 

I think my general point is, sometimes utilizing old properties to make things "new" can fail because they fail to have something that hooks the audience, such as the special thing that the original may have had.  For SLIDERS it was team work and the bond between the characters.  Now if you did a new SLIDERS, would execs feel they've exploited the concept, only to miss the central reason the show originally worked?

So my point is, maybe sometimes they get too ballsy with reinvention rather than just using the old formula and continuing it.  Including as much of the old cast or archetypes as they can.  Maybe that's just stale for some.  For me, I don't mind it.

Ultimately though I am fine with this quantum leap as well.  Serviceable, glad to have it.  First two episodes were fine, I enjoyed, kinda gave me the feel of Timeless. 

The third episode was even more interesting, and others here seemed to have liked it.  So that's good.  And I am fine with a new set of characters for this or old.  I just think sometimes Hollywood's desire to do a new version of everything rather than just going back to the old characters and formula can be a bit dismissing and cocky, where people often feels the end result doesn't live up to the old one.  And they could have just done the easy thing... and done the old one.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

This has been simmering for awhile:

https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/arti … -p-m-news/

Quantum Leap’s time slot will be eliminated.  They could, of course, just put it in another slot; but this move by the network will be eliminating 7 hours of programming each week.  There’s a significant cut coming.  Will only the Dick Wolf umbrella survive on the scripted side?

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

TemporalFlux wrote:

This has been simmering for awhile:

https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/arti … -p-m-news/

Quantum Leap’s time slot will be eliminated.  They could, of course, just put it in another slot; but this move by the network will be eliminating 7 hours of programming each week.  There’s a significant cut coming.  Will only the Dick Wolf umbrella survive on the scripted side?

Ugh. sad

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Wait is that mean they are moving it's time slot or it will be streaming only?

Actually don't think it would do bad as binge streaming show on peacock/NBC app

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

I don't think we can know if QL will be rescheduled, moved to streaming, or cancelled until they announce it.

I hope it isn't cancelled. I haven't seen it. And I know not everyone is happy about it. But we all lose whenever an okay/not offensive TV show is cancelled.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

QUANTUM LEAP will make it to at least the end of the 2022 season with NBC having ordered another six episodes for a total of 18.

https://www.cbr.com/quantum-leap-reviva … dered-nbc/

Again, I haven't seen it, but when an at-least 'okay' TV show lives for another six weeks, we all win.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

NBC ordered six more episodes of its “Quantum Leap” reboot, for a season total of 18. In addition to being the season’s number one new show in the A18-49 demo, “Quantum Leap” is the top current NBC series on Peacock

This is very good news for it and for sliders

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

RussianCabbie_Lotteryfan wrote:

NBC ordered six more episodes of its “Quantum Leap” reboot, for a season total of 18. In addition to being the season’s number one new show in the A18-49 demo, “Quantum Leap” is the top current NBC series on Peacock

This is very good news for it and for sliders

Very much so!!

452 (edited by RussianCabbie_Lotteryfan 2022-10-12 21:51:31)

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Regarding the latest episode airing:

Quantum Leap got started a week earlier than the two shows above, but it has not performed as well so far. Its premiere week saw it land in the Number 34 slot, but after the most recent week it has dropped to Number 42. It is also currently the second lowest-rated drama on NBC. But it did just get an additional six episodes added to its first season, so it looks like the network is giving it some time to build an audience. These numbers are based on early season performance, so we will see how these shows track over the coming weeks.

https://www.cancelledscifi.com/2022/10/ … ther-down/

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Watched episode four, and it continues the vast improvement started in the previous episode.  If you go back and re-read my comments, episode four checked several of the boxes I was talking about - mystery; a Person of Interest style twist; personality; heart.  Episode four was a true Quantum Leap episode.  It had the formula.

The show is finding its footing.  A shame those first two episodes turned people away; but hopefully they’ll give it another shot.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

So quantum leap has done meh in the live ratings and well in streaming (on-demand).

i know they ordered six more episodes (prior to the slip in live ratings this past week), but i still am not sure whether this show is gonna be considered viable or not for their needs?   it will probably get a renewal, but as we all know, getting to a third season is very hard.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

RussianCabbie_Lotteryfan wrote:

So quantum leap has done meh in the live ratings and well in streaming (on-demand)

That seems to be a pattern for 10:00 shows.  Big Sky on ABC isn't doing great live but when +3 streaming is added it's doing very well.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

pilight wrote:
RussianCabbie_Lotteryfan wrote:

So quantum leap has done meh in the live ratings and well in streaming (on-demand)

That seems to be a pattern for 10:00 shows.  Big Sky on ABC isn't doing great live but when +3 streaming is added it's doing very well.

Well yeah. Most people I know are in bed at 10:00 p.m. for work the next day. Unless they're partiers. Then they're out partying. And outliers who have strange hours for some reason or another.

It's not going to do as well unless it's done earlier, but they're not going to preempt Monday night football for Quantum Leap.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

anyone see the latest episode?

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

RussianCabbie_Lotteryfan wrote:

anyone see the latest episode?

Yep!


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Everyone is assuming Evil Leaper, but what if it was Sam?  Judging by original series continuity, Ben and Addison wouldn’t be able to see Sam unless Ziggy is tuned properly.

In any case, next week is the original pilot episode that they re-worked for episode 6.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

I was so distracted by Addison sitting in a chair in the past that I had to rewatch to concentrate on the end.

I don't think it's Sam.  Why would he be telling them not to chase him?  Plus Sam is still limited to his own lifetime.  He couldn't be in the 1870's.  So are the Evil Leapers, IIRC.  It has to be Janis.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

pilight wrote:

I don't think it's Sam.  Why would he be telling them not to chase him?  Plus Sam is still limited to his own lifetime.  He couldn't be in the 1870's.  So are the Evil Leapers, IIRC.  It has to be Janis.

Sam did leap into the 1860’s in the original series, but the explanation given was that a “glitch” sent Sam into someone along his genetic line of ancestors.  Also, the rules seemed to no longer be relevant for Sam in the original series finale.  Sam was even choosing where he wanted to go at the end.

If it’s not Sam, another explanation could be a kind of pre-destination.  QL never really dealt with this before, but what if the mystery person is someone who Ben hasn’t met yet but will meet?  Ben may be chasing this person somewhere in Ben’s future.  Kind of like how River Song and The Doctor were almost never in sync.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

After watching episode six (the re-worked original pilot), I am really wondering what was so bad about it.  I would wager that most of the Ben scenes were from the original, and most of the present scenes were reshot; but the Ben portion was strong stuff.  That was what I expected from a Quantum Leap series; and if it had aired first, I think viewers would have stayed around.

I am now extremely curious what it was like in its original state.

And as for the present day team, they’ve continued their development of personality, and it’s getting better.  With each new episode, the production is showing how this can really work. But why did they go with that new, weaker pilot?  Looking at the episode structure (and how the timing could have been set), did they feel maybe that the original pilot didn’t explain the premise well enough?  Is this another example of a network thinking their audience is too stupid to follow along?  This is very curious.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

An interesting look at what Universal’s strategy is:

https://deadline.com/2022/10/nbcunivers … 56322/amp/

463 (edited by QuinnSlidr 2022-10-28 20:02:15)

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

TemporalFlux wrote:
pilight wrote:

I don't think it's Sam.  Why would he be telling them not to chase him?  Plus Sam is still limited to his own lifetime.  He couldn't be in the 1870's.  So are the Evil Leapers, IIRC.  It has to be Janis.

Sam did leap into the 1860’s in the original series, but the explanation given was that a “glitch” sent Sam into someone along his genetic line of ancestors.  Also, the rules seemed to no longer be relevant for Sam in the original series finale.  Sam was even choosing where he wanted to go at the end.

If it’s not Sam, another explanation could be a kind of pre-destination.  QL never really dealt with this before, but what if the mystery person is someone who Ben hasn’t met yet but will meet?  Ben may be chasing this person somewhere in Ben’s future.  Kind of like how River Song and The Doctor were almost never in sync.

Yeah it's not Sam. It's not in Sam's character to threaten someone else's life. And I highly doubt he would threaten Dr. Song. He would probably be surprised/scared/or delighted that someone from home is finally catching up to him.

Anyway I am finally catching up on everything after having a couple busy weeks. Quantum Leap really is getting much better.

The major clue that is still hanging is the time pre-destination calculator hologram that was revealed earlier in the season. Why is Ben going after this leaper? Could it be one of the evil leapers from the Lothos project?

I loved the exchange:

Ian: "We are calling them Leaper X."
Magic: "No, we are not."
Ian: "It was worth a try."

Anyone know if they are going to restore Deborah Pratt's voice as Ziggy this time around yet?

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

TemporalFlux wrote:

After watching episode six (the re-worked original pilot), I am really wondering what was so bad about it.  I would wager that most of the Ben scenes were from the original, and most of the present scenes were reshot; but the Ben portion was strong stuff.  That was what I expected from a Quantum Leap series; and if it had aired first, I think viewers would have stayed around.

I am now extremely curious what it was like in its original state.

And as for the present day team, they’ve continued their development of personality, and it’s getting better.  With each new episode, the production is showing how this can really work. But why did they go with that new, weaker pilot?  Looking at the episode structure (and how the timing could have been set), did they feel maybe that the original pilot didn’t explain the premise well enough?  Is this another example of a network thinking their audience is too stupid to follow along?  This is very curious.

After watching episode 6 myself, I am wondering the same thing. What was so terrible about it that it had to be re-worked? It looks to me like it would have been an excellent intro to the series and a good episode for both fans and non-fans alike.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

QuinnSlidr wrote:

After watching episode 6 myself, I am wondering the same thing. What was so terrible about it that it had to be re-worked? It looks to me like it would have been an excellent intro to the series and a good episode for both fans and non-fans alike.

Just a guess, but I’m betting the original version of this episode had less present day scenes and more Ben / Addison interaction in the past that was cut.  Those scenes with Addison would have been her explaining what had happened to Ben (he’s time traveled, etc).

Under that thought, the episode would have been similar to the original Sam Beckett pilot (even down to calling his dead parent).  In that case, it would have worked as well as the Sam pilot did. 

I’m thinking NBC believed their audience was too dumb to follow it, so the new pilot more plainly explained it with more focus on present day scenes.  Networks are often so clueless

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

It's possible that TF's theory is correct, but NBC didn't just have the episode reshot and moved back; they proceeded to fire the original showrunners and had Martin Gero take over and rework the original series premiere, so it's very possible that any stylistic flourishes you've enjoyed in later episodes and in this reworked version come from the new showrunner and not his predecessors. Note that you haven't enjoyed the earliest episodes that he had little influence over but your enjoyment has risen with newer episodes and with Gero taking charge.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

ireactions wrote:

It's possible that TF's theory is correct, but NBC didn't just have the episode reshot and moved back; they proceeded to fire the original showrunners and had Martin Gero take over and rework the original series premiere, so it's very possible that any stylistic flourishes you've enjoyed in later episodes and in this reworked version come from the new showrunner and not his predecessors. Note that you haven't enjoyed the earliest episodes that he had little influence over but your enjoyment has risen with newer episodes and with Gero taking charge.

Some very astute observations, ireactions. I've enjoyed these later episodes very very much.

smile

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Had an idea for continuing the sliders franchise on a lower production cost angle.   "The Dominion Hotel Chronicles".    It would basically have episodes (audio, book or tv) in which the gang of four are sitting around at the Dominion Hotel bar, discussing their adventure, predictament, etc on that earth.  The type of thing that would really happen on that world but never made it into the actual series.   Essentially, they are all bottle episodes. 

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/52/52/e3/5252e39f3204e4ed9f60305975be880b--slider-bar-sliders.jpg

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

I've said it before and I'll say it again: SLIDERS is fundamentally a sitcom and the best reboot is Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo running a hamburger joint specializing in mini hamburgers. Quinn handles the grill and deep fryer. Wade is the cashier. Rembrandt is the cleaner and inventory organizer. Arturo is the manager. They are the staff of Sliders. This is also the plot of SLIDERS REBORN: Part 6: "Regenesis". (No, really, that is the plot.)

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

ireactions wrote:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: SLIDERS is fundamentally a sitcom and the best reboot is Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo running a hamburger joint specializing in mini hamburgers. Quinn handles the grill and deep fryer. Wade is the cashier. Rembrandt is the cleaner and inventory organizer. Arturo is the manager. They are the staff of Sliders. This is also the plot of SLIDERS REBORN: Part 6: "Regenesis". (No, really, that is the plot.)

You joke (kinda) but I wonder if this premise works in some manner.  I don't think it would work as a literal reboot of Sliders, but I think you could add a parallel Earth angle and this totally works as a show.

Imagine Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt, and Arturo are all unstuck.  Not only that, but the hamburger joint itself is unstuck.  At random times (that Quinn and Arturo can time on a timer), the restaurant itself and the sliders are transported to a different parallel Earth.  Because of whatever science-y nonsense, the restaurant and the Sliders exist on every Earth they travel to, and there are always a Quinn/Wade/Rembrandt/Arturo on every Earth.

So you have a sitcom situation where every episode, the Sliders are working on a hamburger joint on a different Earth.  People know the sliders and there would be doubles of "regulars" that come into the restaurant who would all be wearing alternate versions of their wardrobes.  Jokes would be tailored to whatever Earth they're on.

Most episodes would take place entirely inside the restaurant, but there would be opportunity to have scenes set outside - the sliders would always know when they would need to be back inside the restaurant for the slide.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

ireactions wrote:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: SLIDERS is fundamentally a sitcom and the best reboot is Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo running a hamburger joint specializing in mini hamburgers. Quinn handles the grill and deep fryer. Wade is the cashier. Rembrandt is the cleaner and inventory organizer. Arturo is the manager. They are the staff of Sliders. This is also the plot of SLIDERS REBORN: Part 6: "Regenesis". (No, really, that is the plot.)

I once imagined after the sliders got seperated, Remmy owning a burger joint SLIDERS with the tag line "The Best Place to Meat" as a signal to his lost brethren

472 (edited by RussianCabbie_Lotteryfan 2022-11-02 15:42:46)

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Well...maybe these scripts will come in handy...

https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status … 9137948672

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

RussianCabbie_Lotteryfan wrote:
ireactions wrote:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: SLIDERS is fundamentally a sitcom and the best reboot is Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo running a hamburger joint specializing in mini hamburgers. Quinn handles the grill and deep fryer. Wade is the cashier. Rembrandt is the cleaner and inventory organizer. Arturo is the manager. They are the staff of Sliders. This is also the plot of SLIDERS REBORN: Part 6: "Regenesis". (No, really, that is the plot.)

I once imagined after the sliders got seperated, Remmy owning a burger joint SLIDERS with the tag line "The Best Place to Meat" as a signal to his lost brethren

"Lord, Lord. You can take a man's body and beat it, you can take his soul and fry it, but to do this to a hamburger, it's just downright unkind!"
-Rembrandt Brown (S1,E2:Fever)

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Quantum Leap episode 7 was really good. Again. This series really is hitting its stride with its new showrunner. I don't think I've ever been disappointed with a Quantum Leap Halloween episode.

It certainly does appear that Martin Gero is really doing a tremendous job.

The twist with Janice was interesting, and it was very nice seeing the old hand link back in action. Now I don't think that Janice is an evil leaper at all, as foreshadowed in the first few episodes.

Does she know what's going on with that other leaper who warned Ben to stop following them? It sounds like it.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Slider_Quinn21 wrote:
ireactions wrote:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: SLIDERS is fundamentally a sitcom and the best reboot is Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo running a hamburger joint specializing in mini hamburgers. Quinn handles the grill and deep fryer. Wade is the cashier. Rembrandt is the cleaner and inventory organizer. Arturo is the manager. They are the staff of Sliders. This is also the plot of SLIDERS REBORN: Part 6: "Regenesis". (No, really, that is the plot.)

You joke (kinda) but I wonder if this premise works in some manner.  I don't think it would work as a literal reboot of Sliders, but I think you could add a parallel Earth angle and this totally works as a show.

Imagine Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt, and Arturo are all unstuck.  Not only that, but the hamburger joint itself is unstuck.  At random times (that Quinn and Arturo can time on a timer), the restaurant itself and the sliders are transported to a different parallel Earth.  Because of whatever science-y nonsense, the restaurant and the Sliders exist on every Earth they travel to, and there are always a Quinn/Wade/Rembrandt/Arturo on every Earth.

I maintain that the plot of SLIDERS REBORN: Part 6 - "Regenesis" revolves around Sliders Incorporated, the company that Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo have started that specializes in mini hamburger vending machines which have become a 3D printed snack sensation. Slider_Quinn21 came in as the script editor for the sixth and final part and did an excellent job, particularly with the hamburger-driven storyline.

I think it'd be neat if in a reboot (recast characters, they discover sliding for the first time), Quinn refers to sliding as "quantum gravimetric transvibrational repositioning" and "QGTR" for short. Rembrandt tells him no one will remember that. Later, everyone is regrouping at the Lamplighter bar and they are seated at a table.

QUINN: " ... and the chronometer for the quantum gravimetric transvibrational respositioning process can recharge using exotic matter."

REMBRANDT: "That process?"

QUINN: "That's what makes interdimensional travel possible. I call it the QGTR manifold equation process for short."

REMBRANDT: "That's the short version!? Q-Ball, you need one word! Something can be a verb and an adjective."

QUINN: "I like the QGTR manifold equation process, it's a perfect name."

The waiter approaches.

WAITER: "Hi! Just give me two minutes for our menu to update and I'll be right with you. Half price sliders today!"

REMBRANDT: "Sliders! Sliding! Q-Ball, that's the name for your coronary grad school whatsit! Call it sliding!"

QUINN: "We're not calling it sliding! Professor! Tell him! It makes interdimensional travel sound like a park for little kids!"

ARTURO: (good-naturedly) "Now, Mr. Mallory, I find that 'sliding' has the benefit of being a mere two syllables."

WADE: "And since we're sliding, we could call ourselves the sliDERS."

QUINN: "We are not naming quantum gravimentric transvibrational repositioning after a mini-hamburger!"

WADE: (very condescendingly) "Boy, sliding is making you cranky; let's get you some sliders and make you a happy slider."

ARTURO: (almost sadistically) "Sliding has spurred a craving; I find myself partial to the onion rings."

REMBRANDT: (happily) "And the go-to slider for a hungry slider is a slider with pickles and a touch of that ol' bacon."

WADE: "I'll go for the vegetarian slider which is the perfect slider for a vegetarian slider."

QUINN: (bleakly) "I can see that this is going to stick."

I think it would be a really funny running joke if, for the bulk of the first season, Quinn loathes the term "sliding" and "sliders" and Rembrandt constantly uses it for no reason other than to annoy Quinn.

I think it would be neat if, in the Season 1 finale, Quinn does something clever and heroic and declares, "We're the sliders," finally embracing the term.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Lego_Sliders wrote:

"Lord, Lord. You can take a man's body and beat it, you can take his soul and fry it, but to do this to a hamburger, it's just downright unkind!"
-Rembrandt Brown (S1,E2:Fever)


lol

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Yes, SLIDERS was cheese, but it was also *incredible*.


And c'mon... Quinn Mallory and Professor Arturo are iconic characters for the genre.  Wade brought the heart and a counter-imposing force to them and Rembrant brought the humor.   It was a great combination of characters.

Torme was brilliant.  Weiss was a good producer.  FOX did at least support it initially.  They had to deal with economics that maybe were not helpful to fully supporting the creative vision we would like, but the market was different than, when everything was 100% ad supported and needed a mass audience.

Sliders concept had mass appeal, but as executed, the show's magic was not broad, broad.  It was... semi-broad at best.  Which led to some level of creative conflict.   Had premium streaming existed then, it would have worked well.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

Quantum Leap is doing well in +7 ratings

https://tvline.com/lists/new-tv-show-ra … y-percent/

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

RussianCabbie_Lotteryfan wrote:

Quantum Leap is doing well in +7 ratings

https://tvline.com/lists/new-tv-show-ra … y-percent/

That is great news!! Could bode well for a new Sliders reboot too.

Re: Reboots: The Return of Sliders (?), Quantum Leap, and Other Properties

I asked the open AI chat bot for a revival of SLIDERS (1995).  Here is what it spit out in about 10 seconds:


INT. BEDROOM - DAY

We see a young man, QUINN, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. He looks anxious and uncomfortable. Suddenly, his alarm goes off, jolting him out of his reverie. He groans and reaches over to turn it off.

QUINN:
(to himself)
Another day, another dimension.

He gets out of bed and heads to the bathroom. As he washes his face, he looks at himself in the mirror.

QUINN:
(to himself)
How long has it been this time? A week? A month? A year?

He shakes his head, trying to clear it of the fog of too many jumps through parallel dimensions. He finishes getting ready and heads downstairs.

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

Quinn enters the living room and sees his friends, REMBRANDT and ARTURO, sitting on the couch. They look tired and worn down, just like Quinn.

REMBRANDT:
(to Quinn)
Hey, man. You ready for another jump?

QUINN:
(to Rembrandt)
Do I have a choice?

ARTURO:
(to Quinn)
We must continue to search for our home dimension, my boy. We cannot give up hope.

Quinn nods, but the look on his face is one of resignation. He knows that they may never find their way back home.

INT. SLIDING LABORATORY - DAY

The three friends enter the sliding laboratory and approach the large, metallic sliding machine in the center of the room.

QUINN:
(to Arturo and Rembrandt)
Let's just hope this jump takes us somewhere safe.

He activates the machine, and the three of them are engulfed in a swirling vortex of colors. They hold on tight, unsure of what awaits them on the other side.

INT. NEW DIMENSION - DAY

The vortex dissipates, and the three friends find themselves in a new dimension. They look around, taking in their surroundings. They see a bustling cityscape, with flying cars and towering skyscrapers.

REMBRANDT:
(to Quinn and Arturo)
Wow. This place is amazing.

ARTURO:
(to Rembrandt)
Indeed, but we must be cautious. We do not know what dangers this dimension may hold.

The three of them begin to explore the new dimension, cautiously making their way through the city. They are on the lookout for any signs of danger, but they are also excited to see what this new world has to offer.

As they walk, they pass by a large, impressive building.

QUINN:
(to Arturo and Rembrandt)
Hey, check it out. That building looks like it's made of pure gold.

REMBRANDT:
(to Quinn)
I've never seen anything like it. Let's go check it out.

The three of them approach the building and are in awe of its beauty. Suddenly, they hear a commotion coming from inside. They cautiously enter the building and see a group of armed guards surrounding a man in a lab coat.

ARTURO:
(to the guards)
What is the meaning of this?

GUARD:
(to Arturo)
This man is a scientist who has been working on a top-secret project for the government. He is a traitor and must be punished.