You probably know that we here at FTN HQ are big fans of sci-fi show Quantum Leap. We’re also, though less so, fans of 80s detective series Magnum, P.I but did you know the two almost crossed over?
We’ve heard these rumours for years that at one time a Quantum Leap/Magnum episode was at the planning stage and would have seen Quantum Leap’s Sam Beckett, played by Scott Bakula, leap – a process where Sam takes over the body of people throughout time who have done something wrong in their lives that needs fixing – into the body of Thomas Magnum, played by Tom Selleck, a private detective in Hawaii but it was always the stuff of legend.
READ: Quantum Leap return on the card with Scott Bakula possibly returning
Until now.
See, Magnum, P.I was made by CBS and Quantum Leap was made by Universal, so many believed the rumoured crossover was never on the cards. and they were right. And wrong.
See, Quantum Leap creator Donald P Bellisario is on record saying that nothing was ever filmed for what was to be the first episode of season five, set up in season four’s final episode and Selleck and his agent are on record saying they know nothing about it… but there is evidence it almost happened.
Footage has been found – check it out in Junkman’s video below around the 4:00 mark – that shows Bakula in front of a green screen, looking over his shoulder, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and giving the signature smile and eyebrow raise that Selleck did in the Magnum credits each episode (see the video above).
The footage is low-grade and there’s no audio, and certainly doesn’t mean there was ever anything more to it but it certainly seems to show that at one stage it was an idea that Bellisario and co were entertaining.
As a big fan of Quantum leap, this is such a fun little clip that shows what could have been… and perhaps, in an ultimate reality, there’s a full episode of this on someone’s TV as I type.
At least, I like to think so.
Thoughts?
Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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