'Quantum Leap' Canceled at NBC: What to Know
'Quantum Leap' has been canceled after two seasons.
Less than two months after the Season 2 finale, Quantum Leap has been canceled. Deadline reported that NBC has axed the sci-fi series after two seasons. News of the cancellation isn't too surprising, but it is still disappointing. According to TV Series Finale, the second season only averaged 2.2 million viewers with a 0.25 demo rating. It's slightly less than Season 1, which averaged 2.31 million viewers and a 0.33 rating. It seems like it just wasn't enough for NBC.
Created by Donald Bellisario, who is also responsible for NCIS, and starring Raymond Lee, Quantum Leap is a follow-up of the original series, also created by Bellisario. It aired from 1989 to 1993. The reboot premiered on NBC in September 2022 and renewed for Season 2 that December.
The good news is that the Season 2 finale didn't end on a cliffhanger like Season 1 did. Although not written like a series finale, the episode did wrap up some stories that still left things wide open for a potential third season. As with any cancellation, there is always the hope that Quantum Leap could get saved elsewhere, but for now, those adventures are over. Along with Lee, Quantum Leap also starred Caitlin Bassett, Mason Alexander Park, Nanrisa Lee, and Ernie Hudson. Peter Gadiot and Eliza Taylor also starred during the second season.
News of Quantum Leap's cancellation comes on the heels of NBC renewing five out of six Dick Wolf shows on the network. All three shows in the One Chicago franchise, plus Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU, got the greenlight for the 2024-25 season. Meanwhile, freshman dramas Found and The Irrational received early renewals late last year. Law & Order: Organized Crime, meanwhile, will be moving to Peacock for Season 5.
It's upsetting that Quantum Leap is done, especially since only two seasons aired. Maybe in 30 or so years, there could be another follow-up, or maybe a miracle will happen, and another network or streamer will pick it up. In the meantime, both the original and the reboot are streaming on Peacock. You may not be able to turn back time to stop the cancellation, but at least the series will last forever through streaming, whether new episodes are airing or not.