Review(s): DVD Quantum Leap - The Complete Fifth Season
The final season of "Quantum Leap" goes out at the top
Almost every TV show overstays its welcome and jumps the shark. "Quantum Leap" didn't and that's a rarity. The final season looks very good in its presentation on DVD and, while I haven't ploughed through every episode yet it appears that the music hasn't been replaced in the ones I've watched. There's also no notification about the music being replaced (as on the third and fourth season the second doesn't count because Universal hoodwinked everyone on that one). We also get an actual extra in this set--the blue prints for two sets in the show. You can actually zoom in on separate sections to view them.
This episode features a number of classic ones including the one where Sam encounters the "Evil Leaper" in a terrific two part episode. Also, Sam becomes "the King" (Elvis) just before he breaks through to the big time and in the most fascinating of the episodes written by Donald Bellasario Sam becomes Lee Harvey Oswald (played by character actor Willie Garson best known for "Sex and the City"). Sam and Al struggle to find out why he's leaping in and out of Oswald throughout the time leading up to the assassination of Kennedy. Here's where a great extra could have been included by Universal as Bellasario actually knew Oswald and served in the military with him (an actor plays Bellasario recreating their first meeting).
Now for a bit of bad news--we get the series once again on dual sided discs. Unlike some previous sets from Universal I haven't had a problem with these so far so maybe they've finally figured out how to make the darn things properly. Luckily these aren't packaged facing each other (like many of the Fox dual sided discs) but in individual slimline cases.
Unlike many fans of the series I disliked the resolution in the final episode of the fifth season and had hoped for something less open ended. It would have allowed a terrific TV movie to tie things up but unfortunately it never happened. I'm not going to say anything else for those who haven't seen the final episode. Some great guest stars during the fifth season--Neil Patrick Harris, Brooke Shields (even though I think she's a horrible actress normally she does a solid job here), Dr. Ruth, Terry Farrell, John Hillard, Michael Boatman, Stephen Root and a young Jennifer Aniston in one episode.
The show goes out in style with some of the best episodes of the series.
A bittersweet finish for the 5th season of QL
This was the fifth and final season of the lengendary show. Many think it ended prematurely, as do I. In a way, I feel 2 or 3 more seasons would've been appropriate as there were alot more Sam Beckett stories to tell. Season 5 had many multi-arc episodes like the Oswald storyline as well as the Trilogy and 'Evil Leaper' epsiodes.
Unfortunately the final episode -'Mirror Image'-was too short and the ending left a bittersweet taste with many QL fans. Despite this I can firmly state that the final season finishes the series on a strong note.
Finally, I am disturbed to see that even the original introduction music at the beginning of each epsiode has been butchered and there are no episode indexes this time. I have a message for universal: when releasing a beloved show please dont dissapoint the fans and give us what we want. Dont give us some watered down-product only so you can re-release it a few years later with more bonuses and try and make more money from us.
Great Season, great episodes!
This is the one I've been looking forward to the most! Although it has many episodes that have been panned for being laden with celebrity leaps (Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, JFK, etc.) and for having the silly Evil Leaper episodes (which I LOVED, by the way) overall, it is a fantastic season. The Trilogy eps are by FAR the highlight of the season. Also a neat thing about this season: we get to see more of the inner workings of Project Quantum Leap in "Killin' Time" and "Lee Harvey Oswald". The stories spend a lot of time at the physical Project Quantum Leap underground building in New Mexico in the "future" with Al and the person Sam has leapt into for reasons I won't go into so I don't spoil anything for anyone who hasn't seen them yet. It's really fun getting to see what the room where the Leap-ees stay in looks like as well as other parts of the Project!
I highly recommend this season above any others, except for maybe the very short first season.
With that said, I of course have not watched any of them on the DVD because as of right now, it has not been released yet, so I can't review the DVD versions of the eps. On DVD releases of previous seasons, Universal has made several glaring changes to many very important episodes in the way of music/soundtrack songs which was VERY disappointing for HUGE long time QL fans like myself. I've heard that there will be no changes to the Elvis music since it is such an integral aspect of that particular episode. I really Really hope that there will be SOMETHING in the way of extras, which have been sorely lacking on previous seasons.
And just FYI: that Scott Bakula rumor about him returning to the small screen for a new QL series is just that -- a RUMOR. It is not fact; SB himself has repeatedly denied any involvement in any new series since the end of ST:Ent. IMDB.com has the series listed as In Development, but it's been in that status for literally YEARS and no stars are attached to appear. It's all rumor... for now.
Related DVD's Quantum Leap - The Complete Fifth Season
I LOVE THE SHOW. YOU ALWAYS WONDER WERE HE WOULD END UP NEXT. BUT WHAT WAS HE TRYING TO DO OR WHAT WAS HIS MOTIVE FROM GOING FROM PLACE TO PLACE. NEVER SEEN ALL EPISODES. NOW THE REASON WHY I GAVE IT 3 STARS. THE ORIGINAL MUSIC HAS BEEN DELETED FOR GENERIC MUSIC IN EVERY EPISODE. MAKING BUYERS BACK OFF. IF NOTHING IS ORIGINAL. THAN I WONT BUY. EVEN THOUGH I LOVE THIS SHOW. IT SPOILS THE MOOD. More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Scott Bakula DVD Release Date: Released the 10 May 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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i liked watching the show on tv. without the original music. it's not the same. i can understand why it is on tv episodes and not dvd. it's yours to own. on television it is not and no way does music companys want to give you free music. even in whole or part. so i got to miss this dvd for that reason. More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Scott Bakula DVD Release Date: Released the 14 December 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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