Quantum Leap - The Complete Second Season

Rating:
Summary: We pay for a product, we don't donate to the studios!
Review: As a fan of Quantum Leap who came late to the table (I missed many of the early episodes) I've antipicated the release of the show on DVD. But that desire to view the show (including episodes I missed) doesn't cloud my judgement. I'm not some mindless zombie chanting "I need my Quantum Leap." I want to watch the _original_ as it was broadcast.

Like most people, I work hard for my money. I don't go around spending it friviously. And I certainly don't buy something just so the manufacturer will keep selling that specific product. The TV and movie studios are not a charity. And we consumers are not obligated to buy when they offer us lousy products.

Quantum Leap will always have its fans. It will outlast the life of the DVD format. By the time they get to last season we might not even be using DVDs! The point is, the studios know the show has its fans. They want to make money. Let's not just hand it to them like orphans and say, "Please, may I have another?" Give us what we want or you don't get our money.

I was going to buy this DVD set but, thanks to the reviews here, I will pass. Maybe I'll rent the show at my local independent video store. But I won't reward the ineptness of the studios by giving them more of my money.

Rating:
Summary: It's not a musical: get over it
Review: Hey all, I too am a huge quantum leap fan and am greatful they finally have begun to release the seasons on DVD rather than individual episodes for $15 a pop. Several reviews have complained about the music and I can understand their need for keeping the series as original as possible. However, I bought this for the plot lines and for Sam and Al and quite possibly some of the best special effects and original story lines the 80s and early 90s produced for network television. Who cares if the music isn't original. If you want to hear Georgia on My Mind, look in the Ray Charles section of a music store. Frankly, if I hadn't read the reviews I probably would not have noticed this.
I am also surprised not more are asking as to why Sam leaped into the intro of a Season One episode at the end of the Machika episode on S2 disc one. The next episode is the continuation of the cliffhanger end of season one, but the Color of Truth, which he leaps into at the end of the before-mentioned S2 episode, is not the S1 finale. This kills the idea of a bridge though the effects were upgraded. I might be wrong about this but I noticed it. Anyway, the music thing is not a problem for me. I like the show and am not watching for the soundtrack. As long as all of Mike Post's orchestrations are there (i.e. the Lee Harvey Oswald Suite in future seasons), I'm just fine.

Rating:
Summary: Bonus features??! I see no bonus features!!!
Review: I am a huge QL fan and although I don't like the fact that they did a Lucas on S2 and edited the soundtrack somewhat, I am MORE upset at the fact that the box clearly states there are bonus features on the B side of the last disc... But there aren't any!!
I also don't like the fact that they used the cheesy double-sided discs. These types of DVDs usually don't keep integrity of the things on them as well as the single-sided ones. I sure hope they do a better job on S3 as I really enjoyed S1.
Another note about the music... The only episode that really ticked me off was MIA as the music set the mood of the scene between Beth and Al.

Rating:
Summary: Good DVD, but contains some false leaps
Review: I have pretty much just started watching my DVDs of Season 2, so I have not gotten into the music aspect, or the lack of bonus materials -- however, thank you for informing me of this! I think my big hang up at this point is that after some of the episodes, when Sam leaps, twice now I have seen him leap into a same character from Season 1, and even the second season didn't pick up where the first one left off -- when he jumped into a woman, that episode comes later. Was this poor editing on those who put the DVDs together? At least the story continues ok, it's just that when he leaps into a character in the following story, I expect him to leap into that character at the end of the prior show, like he does all other times. I found it rather confusing, as I am sure my review is right now. I hope the studio is more careful with Season 3 on all aspects mentioned. I enjoy the show very much, and I am glad to have the DVDs, but there are many issues that need to be resolved, especially at the price we consumers are paying for them.

Rating:
Summary: Quality show! Poor product!
Review: I haven't had broadcast TV for five years now. But when I did watch broadcast TV I had only a few must-not-miss shows, Quantum Leap among them. It's been YEARS since I saw Quantum Leap, and I am falling in love with Sam Beckett all over again. It's glorious to watch the show develop and mature from season 1 to season 2. More than the first season, this season really hooked me, and I highly recommend the show to ALL.

That said, I am DEEPLY disappointed with the promise of bonus material that is not included, and am surprised that no one has seriously challenged the manufacturers regarding this clearly illegal instance of false advertising. Silly me -- when I heard that the release of this set was delayed, I assumed it was because the set was going to be even BETTER than originally planned! The decision to release the material on double-sided discs is just cheesy ... I'm afraid there is no other word for it. (Additonally, there seem to be numerous defects in manufacture and packaging ... see other reviews. My own set has several deep scratches, and one episode cannot be accessed at all unless one has skipped to it from the previous episode.)

I won't really comment on the vast changes in music (I don't remember the originals that well, having not seen most of them since they originally aired), but if they DARE to remove Scott Bakula singing "Imagine" from the episode "The Leap Home", I will have no choice but to go postal.

I propose that a group of angry QL lovers bring suit against the manufacturers on the grounds of false advertising. The settlement? A quality reiusse, to be exchanged for the substandard second season package at no charge. I wouldn't propose this on the basis of the music issue alone (although this obviously was a major disappointment to many, and constitutes a serious change to many of the episodes), but flat out MISREPRESENTATION regarding the bonus material must be challenged!

Rating:
Summary: Come on now! This is still a good show regardless!
Review: I hear people on this website bashing Universal for removing music from the show. Big deal! It's music, the show's acting and all around goodness was not changed and that's all that matters. The only thing stopping me from giving this DVD package a perfect 5 stars is the fact that it said "Bonus Material" on the package and there was none.

I also have people complaining about these "false leaps" where by Sam leaps in to somebody from Season 1 or whatever. This was done by the studio whenever next week's episode on NBC was going to be a repeat or if they hadn't scripted the next episode yet. They are certainly not going to go in there and spend thousands of dollars cutting and pasting the leaps and that's even if they can do that without having to somehow rehire and reshoot everything, which wouldn't have happened.

For the rest of us that enjoy the series, the Complete Third Season is scheduled for May 15, 2005. YAY!

Rating:
Summary: Good......but would love "originals" and "extras"
Review: I was going to give QL2 a lower rating for messing with the original shows' soundtracks, but I just couldn't. The shows themselves, the chemistry between Al & Sam, the quality writing and directing of each episode show why Quantum Leap still has such a huge following a decade plus later. I couldn't agree more with reviewers who are disappointed that the soundtracks, specifically the songs that are missing in "M.I.A.", have been altered. And I also felt a little cheated by the lack of extras in Season 2. I really enjoyed Scott Bakula's quick intros to each episode in Season 1. But this show is just so great it is able to overcome these minor complaints. It's nice to have access to these classic shows when today's TV landscape is filled with people eating cow rectum for money or people declaring a glorified karaoke contest as great TV. Quantum Leap is just a great show that makes you feel better after watching it. Quantum Leap is the perfect escape after a hard day at work, and you really do get caught up in the show's adventure, you can't wait for Sam to save the day, and it's always fun to see where he will end up next. As far as the "false leaps" I see other reviewers complaining about....just pop in the appropriate epsiode from season one if it bothers you that much. I think it's kind of neat to see when and where the network placed what would be "repeat" episodes. And really it doesn't take anything away from the show. Hopefully when Season 3 comes out we will get the original shows, untampered with, and a few extras thrown in....but even if we don't I will still pick it up just because I enjoy the shows that much.

Rating:
Summary: Missing music but still good
Review: Okay, I agree, the ommission of the music sucks. However, the story and acting are still the same (fantastic) and I wouldn't avoid the buying it over that. The only music omission that seriously po'ed me was Georgia on My Mind because it was specifically stated by Al as one of Beth's favorites.
As for the two sided DVD's, maybe you people have crappy DVD players but they work perfectly fine on mine. I've had other two sided discs and never had any problems with them. The first set I picked up did have a scratched disc though which I had to exchange. So, in short, if you enjoy the show more for the story and acting than the background music, it's still worth buying. Oh, I admit the ommission of bonus material was a bummer. I thought it might be an easter egg but no such luck.

Rating:
Summary: It Should Have Been So Good!
Review: Season 1 was fantastic, just as we fans remembered it - this wonderful series was finally ours in all its DVD glory. Oh what a disappointment season 2 was! It should have been wonderful, the second and third season of QL are, in my opinion, some of the best television ever made but the fans who have waited so long and so patiently have been deceived. Double sided disk - for shame! No bonus material although it was advertised on the case (the episode intros by Scott Bakula on season 1 were inspired) and worst of all, a lot of the original music has been omitted. The generic musak that has been dubbed is insulting to the fans. Did the PTB think we wouldn't notice? The omission of the original music in the last episode is a travesty. If this were a school report I would have to end by saying "could do better."

Rating:
Summary: thrilled and disappointed
Review: Thrilled to see another of my all-time favourite series make it to dvd!

Disappointed (more like horrified and disgusted) that they didn't bother to keep the original material - the music was an integral part of the series. My favourite scene was Al dancing with his wife to "Georgia on my Mind". If that's been edited, there's no point in buying it.

Disappointed that this is what the studio chose to release - all 3 seasons of Due South I've purchased came with the original tracks (I also own the music cd's - that has to have been expensive for a small Canadian series to track down, but they did it). The price was higher, but I'll pay full price for the real thing.

Unfortunately, I won't be buying this one - I'll be looking for someone to record it for me instead.

(To the marketing wiz who decided this: lots of people may watch the show, but only FANS will BUY a series on dvd - fans expect to get the real goods!)