Quantum Leap reboot honors Dean Stockwell with title card tribute

Quantum Leap season 1

We’re sure a number of you out there wondered if NBC’s Quantum Leap reboot would honor the late, great Dean Stockwell at the end of the episode. As it turns out, they did just that.

If you stuck around until the closing seconds, you could see that Monday’s pilot episode was dedicated specifically to the iconic actor, who played Admiral Al Calavicci on the original Quantum Leap and passed away back and 2021. Without Sam Beckett and Al’s partnership, the original show would have failed to get much traction at all. It became an international success and it is, of course, the sole reason that the new show exists. The new Quantum Leap knows that, and that’s why it was so essential to offer up the tribute that they did here. We’re sure that it probably made at least a handful of people out there wistful.

Remember that the reboot is technically set in the same universe as the original show, with Sam’s disappearance referenced fairly on. The best thing that it can do moving forward is continue to honor Scott Bakula (who declined to sign on) and Stockwell by delivering a show that really captures what made the original special. This was about adventure, curiosity, and imagination in so many ways. It’s popular throughout the world for a reason.

As many of you out there know, title card tributes are one of the best ways for any network / show to honor those who have contributed in a significant way. While Dean may no longer be with us, this was a reminder to viewers that the show does deeply care about everything that we saw in the original so many years ago, just as much as they understand what Sam and Al meant to people. We hope that it’s also a comfort to Stockwell’s family and loved ones, who we are thinking of at this time.

Are you glad that the new Quantum Leap chose to honor Stockwell in some way?

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