User Reviews

Yes, in past reviews, I've complained that the new QL relies too heavily on the old show while trying to navigate a new path. So you'd think I'd be unhappy when it goes whole hog on the old show. And they kinda did that with 'Family Style', perhaps because Deborah Pratt was involved. Although as a director, not a writer

But I liked this episode, mostly because it was more like the old show. And... it worked. Yes, I know that seems contrary. But bear with me.

'Family Style' did what I've been saying the new QL should do, and did it well. For one thing, it focused more on the Leap than the modern-day mystery of why Ben Leaped and what's been going on with Janis. More power to it. I suppose we'll never be rid of that, and we weren't. But the spotlight was mostly on Ian, and Mason Alexander Park is the MVP of the modern-day cast. Ian really didn't have much to do, other than hang out with the version of Katie McGrath. And display his IMO poor fashion sense. But it was harmless, and it was well-acted. Park does more with a frustrated glance than most actors do with their entire body.

It also meant focus on Richard Lee, which is all to the good. Lee can act, which makes sense for an actor. And 'Family Style' gives him lots of opportunities to act. I thought we had put aside all the issues with Ben's mother, but this made some logical sense that he still had issues over her death. The focus more on Ben than the support team meant more time on Ben, which is good. It meant Addison shut up most of the time, and played the Al Calavacci support hologram rather than adding her own angst or provoking Ben's.

It also meant focus on the Leap of the week. It wasn't a monumental plot, but a lot of the originals weren't, either. It was mostly just tooling along, with a great central performance by Nandini Minocha as Sonali. I liked how Ben wasn't the one to take down Tanner, but the latter got her just desserts off camera. I also liked how it involved Ben using his past-present knowledge, with popups and Groupon.

It also meant that without the present-day mystery, there was more time to focus on stuff like the Prasads eating at the pizza place and talking about Vikas. That's something you wouldn't see much of in the last twelve episodes. My major regret is that they're doing it 13 episodes in, when they should have been doing it since episode 1.

One thing I do miss is the opening credits, which helped set the mood for the original show. The sappy but inspirational music, and the scenes of Sam Leaping from life to life, are something sadly missing from the new QL. Yes, I even miss the season 5 music. Ask your parents, kids, or catch it on Youtube. There's nothing with the new QL that really helps a viewer (or at least me) ease into the show. Yeah, it's 2022 and networks chase the almighty advertising buck by dropping/minimizing opening credits so they can squeeze more advertising in. But still, sometimes you need opening credits, and for more than winning an Emmy. Opening theme and credits _do_ things, and that's something loss on much modern network TV.

So good things, a more "traditional" QL episode and a bigger chance to tell the story and give Lee and Park some time to act. Bad things: yeah, it wasn't the most "realistic" story, but it's a sf/fantasy. 'Cinderella' wasn't that realistic, either. QL is a fairy tale of sorts, not "realism".

But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?

This show isn't stellar by any means. Inconsistent Leap migjt be a better title. However this episode was like watching a long joke. From the grub hub ad built into the narrative, to the nonsense of cooking Indian food, which takes hours and hours, in a dysfunctional kitchen with, 3 people? At one point I swear the writers just kept taxing on hours to a day. Characters even had time to stop an eat pizza.

But the end! All the sudden they had tents, complex dishes, all set up in a park. Ahhh permits? I mean nonsense, not even fun nonsense.

The overall show needs a flush of more intriguing stories and less heartwarming. It gets trite and boring to watch. Last night's episode was a perfect example.

This show is flailing to say the least. It most definitely has its own agenda, but they are not really discreet about it. It gets to a point that it is ridiculous beyond belief. Everybody has an agenda for sure, but hey... be smart about it. I've been on the fence if I should stop watching the show and this episode was just another nail in that coffin. This is a very broad show because of the nature of the leaps and the writers have to write about very different subjects and contexts. It CAN or COULD be an amazing show because of its premise, but with great power... comes great responsibility - and whoever wrote this episode most probably never entered a restaurant kitchen, let alone a restaurant. The narrative is so far beyond reason that our willing suspension of disbelief is really impossible to maintain. I mean, if this was the 80's maybe, just maybe you could get away with this nonsense plot, but people have the web nowadays and are supposedly not as easy to fool. I mean, who in their right minds think that to organize a 300 people dinner would just tell 2 people: go to your houses and bring what you have in the fridge and lets cook. ARE YOU F$%& OUT OF YOUR MIND? You have 3 hours to cook a dinner and have time for pizza? 300 people for dinner? It's a meal every minute 5 for hours straight! You don't need to be an avid masterchef viewer to know that it wouldbe f$% impossible. It takes time... it's.... who wrote this? Really? Who wrote this? I would think that even the actors would have an hard time processing this plot... it looks like one of those shows that's on the 2nd season and everybody in the staff knows they've been cancelled and they're just going through the motions piecing a season to wrap up the contracts.

Seriously... the previous episode was really bad by any kind of standards and this one is right on the same track. Not sure if I'm coming back to it. I'd be more inclined to go back to the original quantum leap - and this is not being nostalgic because the older one had its "problems" because of the time when it was done. It's not nostalgia. It's really this one is off the rails... could be an amazing comeback. It's not and it's a shame.