I told you this since day one, and now it is official, the Quantum Leap reboot has been canceled after two seasons.
Exactly as I said, even though NBCUniversal tried to make it sound as if the show was a success from launch*, it’s also learned Quantum Leap had the second-worst ratings on NBC.
It’s also learned NBCUniversal refused to move Quantum Leap to its Peacock streaming service, where it actually aired anyway.
*When the Quantum Leap reboot first aired, NBCUniversal announced it was its best new series that aired on Peacock. Well, exactly as I said, that doesn’t mean much because if it’s at the top of the garbage pile.
We also see Scott Bakula made the right call in not coming back.
Quantum Leap is unsuccessful
Word about Quantum Leap getting canceled comes via TV Line in an interview with Jeff Bader, President of Program Planning Strategy at NBCUniversal Entertainment, who explains why the series didn’t move from NBC to airing exclusively on Peacock.
Bader explains that Organized Crime moved from NBC to Peacock because the show is a success, so that means if Quantum Leap didn’t make the move, obviously Quantum Leap is not a success.
“Organized Crime is a VERY successful show; this isn’t a show that was on the bubble,” Bader said. “It’s a show that works across the board, and it’s very, very strong on streaming. [Moving Season 5 to Peacock] is a win-win for us — 80% of its viewing isn’t in the time period where we schedule it, it’s delayed on Peacock, so it just made sense to move that to free up the time period.”
The site points out that the NBC exec noted that it’s a “different discussion with Quantum, which was just a much softer show, performance-wise.”
Second-worst-ratings on NBC
Also as TV Line notes, the viewership decreased over 30% and “out of the 12 original or acquired dramas that NBC aired this TV season, its audience only bested Transplant’s.”
Not moving to Peacock also tells us not a lot of people watched Quantum Leap on streaming, so again, NBCUniversal making it sound as if it was a big success out of the gate is pure spin. Or maybe it wasn’t spin and people simply stopped watching.
Transplant has also been canceled after four seasons.
The Quantum Leap reboot stars Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Seong, Caitlin Bassett as Addison, Ernie Hudson as Herbert “Magic” Williams, Mason Alexander Park as Ian Wright, and Nanrisa Lee as Jenn Chou.
