Quantum Leap: Season Two Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

Quantum Leap: Season Two Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker February 11, 2025

The second and final season of the reboot/continuation of the original series from the late 1980s/early 1990s, 'Quantum Leap' arrives on Blu- ray courtesy of Universal. Following physicist Ben Song's (Raymond Lee) leaps through time, he solves problems in the past while trying to return home to the present. He's supported and assisted by a diverse team at Quantum Leap HQ led by "Magic" (Ernie Hudson), Jenny (Nanrisa Lee), Ian (Mason Alexander Park), and Addison (Caitlin Bassett) who serves as Ben's hologram. It features frequent guest stars including Janet Montgomery ('New Amsterdam'), Melissa Roxburgh ('Manifest'), and Eliza Taylor ('The 100'). All thirteen episodes are collected here in this three Blu-ray set. Neither a slipcover nor a Digital Code is included.

Those who missed Quantum Leap's first season are advised to give those discs a spin before diving headlong into the thirteen episodes that comprise the series' second season. Those who may simply need a refresher on what came before are encouraged to follow this link for my colleague Martin Liebman's thoughts on the inaugural season. As Quantum Leap's second (and, evidently, final) season opens Ben Song (Raymond Lee) doesn't really have an understanding of how wrong things have gone. For him, virtually no time has passed. But, For the team back at Quantum Leap HQ, three years have elapsed since they last attempted to bring the man travelling through the past back to the present day. In that time, the project was mothballed, the team was scattered, and Ben's former fiancé Addison had a new job and a new beau. When Ian sends word that he's found Ben, the scattered members coalesce to assess the situation and figure out a way to finally bring Ben home.

The late 1980s and early 1990s were not prime television viewing years for me. Cultural touchstones like Moonlighting starring Cybil Shepherd and Bruce Willis, and David Lynch's surreal mind-bender Twin Peaks were required viewing. The latter, for obvious reasons, was absolutely unmissable. The weekly episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation when time (or memory) allowed was also in the mix. But the vast majority of screen time for me was more focused on film. Weekend afternoons often afforded excellent opportunities to catch B-movies from the '50s and '60s, and the local video store shelves were bursting with then-unknown horror and science fiction gems waiting to be unearthed. So it's no real surprise that the original Qauntum Leap (1989 - 1993) starring Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell fell by the wayside. While some, every so often, advise me to correct this oversight, I have yet to see a single episode of that much-loved series. With no history, baggage, or expectations, I approached the new version of Quantum Leap with a pretty open mind. For those who have some history with the show, while the faces have changed, the overall concept remains the same.

The time-traveling premise of the series allows for a frequent change of scene and, along with it, a change in genre. The season two opener, "This Took Too Long!" sees Ben as part of a military team flying a secret mission over Soviet airspace during the Cold War in an adventure packed with war-movie thrills and peril. The science fiction-minded will find an X-Files-flavored story as Ben attempts to get to the bottom of strange events that put a young woman's life in jeopardy in 'Closure Encounters". Near the mid-way point of the season, "Nomads" is a tense tale of spy-craft set decades ago in Egypt. Despite the fact that the overall formula for each episode remains unchanged, Ben needs to uncover who he was sent back to help and must overcome a series of obstacles in the face of great danger to succeed and make the next leap, the change of location, era, and type of mission keeps his adventures from becoming stale.

Quantum Leap's structure also allows for the frequent and organic injection of guest stars into Ben's quests. Hollywood veteran Tim Matheson (Animal House) shines in his role as an aging Hollywood star of the recent past who's anxious to rekindle an old flame and his career. His energetic and sympathetic performance displays his effervescent charm, winning over the audience as the gender-swapped Ben struggles to keep him on task. Likewise, Melissa Roxburgh turns in a dominant performance as a no-nonsense lieutenant and is a welcome change from the more familiar lovelorn, conflicted, and occasionally morally equivocating Michaela Stone from the series Manifest.

More importantly, the second season would see Eliza Taylor and James Frain (The Tudors) joining the action. Taylor's Hannah, a capable physicist, would become a frequent touchstone for Ben on his missions, and, somewhat fantastically and for reasons not immediately known, she would factor into a number of storylines. With Ben's present no longer resembling what it did during the first season, his recurring encounters with Hannah provide a viable alternative for him if he is unable to leave the past. Frain arrives in a very different capacity, that of the overarching antagonist for the season. While he has pulled off more staid and virtuous roles, such as that of Sarek on Star Trek Discovery, Frain's angular features lend themselves well to more "grey" or villainous roles such as Ferdinand Chevalier in the excellent Orphan Black. Here, his Gideon Rydge looms over much of the season, a well-connected tech mogul whose work is not only critical to locating and getting Ben back to the present but may hide a more sinister purpose as well. When he finally appears on screen, those at Quantum Leap HQ finally understand his motivations.

By the time the season finale rolled around, it was clear that the creative team was not ready to wrap things up. The series, I felt, had really found its identity and its stride in the second season. Characterizations had become comfortable, characters were developing, and the on-screen chemistry between the team members in the present was obvious. As the credits rolled on "Against Time" very few issues were resolved. Had they been allowed another season of adventures every hanging thread could have been tied-up. As it stands though, with all of the uncertainty and questions that remain, the ending of the episode, the season, and the entire series, somehow just seems appropriate. And should the series find a home at another network, it would be a jumping-off point ripe with possibilities.

Quantum Leap: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Quantum Leap: Season Two's 1080p presentation isn't going to generate many complaints. My colleague, Martin Liebman spoke of odd instances of macroblocking that plagued the Blu-ray release of season one which you can read about here. Happily, I did not observe a recurrence of that issue here. No, the most unsightly blemish in season two's transfer is some occasional banding that is observable in some scattered scenes. It's by no means as problematic and distracting as macroblocking or a number of other issues, but it's worth a mention as the eagle-eyed viewer is sure to spot at least a few instances. Such moments are, however, brief. Numerous scenes in each episode are quite dark, especially those in the moodily lit Quantum Leap HQ where, I suspect, lighting levels are kept purposefully dim so that the large, colorful monitors that line the room can pop more effectively. In these instances, the darkness can absorb other set and character elements but overall this seems the intended look of these scenes. Otherwise, the image is quite pleasing. Detail levels are on par with what one would expect from a Universal television release, with facial, clothing, and environmental particulars presenting with tactile realism. Skin tones are healthy across the board. Colors are satisfyingly saturated with reds and blues popping nicely from certain sets and costumes.

Quantum Leap: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Quantum Leap: Season Two is outfitted with an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that is consistent with what was experienced with the season one release. Dialogue is always clear and intelligible, being properly prioritized and front and center-focused unless the on-screen action action warrants moving it to one of the surrounds or rears. Surrounds are typically employed to support music or provide ambient environmental noise which is provided at more subtle rather than bombastic levels. The most audibly impressive and memorable moment of the season comes in the aftermath of an explosive and concussive event when the ringing in the heads of the characters fills the sound stage, moving about the viewer as the characters' heads clear and they slowly regain their feet and get after the task at hand. Sound effects are handled well, with bass providing sufficient depth to gunfire, and explosions, and crafting the throaty growl of race car engines. It's not a track anyone is going to use to show the capabilities of their rig, but it is a suitable companion for Ben's adventures.

Quantum Leap: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Quantum Leap: Season Two arrives on Blu-ray without any on-disc supplemental material. Perhaps they were lost to time?

Quantum Leap: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Quantum Leap: Season Two did not seek to break new ground, instead following an established format and operating within expected sensibilities, while providing a series of light science fiction adventures that span space and time - relative to Earth's more recent history, anyway. Star Raymond Lee demonstrates his flexibility and comfort with roles across various genres and is equally convincing when trying to mend a broken heart as he is when he's hot on the trail of what just may be little green men from outer space. Ably assisted by a solid cast of recurring and guest actors, viewers may prefer certain stories to others but each is well done. Gone before its time this release is a must for Quantum Leap fans or those looking for a break from more serious-minded and history-laden science fiction series. Recommended.