I saw the last few minutes of "Cold Case" last night and it got me thinking that that show is sort of like a non-sci-fi Law & Order version of Quantum Leap. Instead of actually going back in time, she digs up old cases and then we see flashbacks (including lots of funny period clothing from the 50s, 60s, and 70s). Instead of setting things right the way Sam did, she (is her name Lily? I think it is) brings to justice the things that went wrong. At least, I assume that's the premise....I've never actually seen more than a few minutes of the show.
I agree with HyperCaz's statement about the morals of the show. I think Sam is one of the most moral and noble characters in all of TV, without being a completely one-dimensional character at the same time. He wasn't a robot. He was on occasion tempted to do things he knew he wasn't there to do (like when he wanted to save his Dad from a heart attack.....I know there were more, but, like I said, I haven't seen QL in years so a lot of the episodes are kind of blurring around in my mind), he got frustrated and scared, and he really cared about people even though he barely knew them.
I don't know why people think that shows have to be super violent and gory and full of sexual situations and the like to be considered good (i.e. non-cheesy) drama. QL hit on tons of social issues in a very compelling way while almost never resorting to those sorts of tactics. A few of the things I can remember off the top of my head as being addressed were: racism (in the episode that was a lot like "Driving Miss Daisy"), scientific testing on animals (when Sam was a chimp in the space program), and issues for the mentally handicapped (when he was Jimmy as well as when he was stuck in the mental institution). I personally think it's a lot easier to throw a bunch of cursing and violence and film everything extra-dark than it is to come up with a compelling story that really leaves you with a good moral while using none of those gimmicks.
Oh, yeah, and about the song copyrights, I totally agree! I've been waiting for years for WKRP in Cincinnatti to come out, but because they were at a radio station and there were always contemporary songs playing it may never happen. (At least that's what I've been told.)
I agree with HyperCaz's statement about the morals of the show. I think Sam is one of the most moral and noble characters in all of TV, without being a completely one-dimensional character at the same time. He wasn't a robot. He was on occasion tempted to do things he knew he wasn't there to do (like when he wanted to save his Dad from a heart attack.....I know there were more, but, like I said, I haven't seen QL in years so a lot of the episodes are kind of blurring around in my mind), he got frustrated and scared, and he really cared about people even though he barely knew them.
I don't know why people think that shows have to be super violent and gory and full of sexual situations and the like to be considered good (i.e. non-cheesy) drama. QL hit on tons of social issues in a very compelling way while almost never resorting to those sorts of tactics. A few of the things I can remember off the top of my head as being addressed were: racism (in the episode that was a lot like "Driving Miss Daisy"), scientific testing on animals (when Sam was a chimp in the space program), and issues for the mentally handicapped (when he was Jimmy as well as when he was stuck in the mental institution). I personally think it's a lot easier to throw a bunch of cursing and violence and film everything extra-dark than it is to come up with a compelling story that really leaves you with a good moral while using none of those gimmicks.
Oh, yeah, and about the song copyrights, I totally agree! I've been waiting for years for WKRP in Cincinnatti to come out, but because they were at a radio station and there were always contemporary songs playing it may never happen. (At least that's what I've been told.)
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