For those who are unfamiliar with Quantum Leap, it revolves around one man and his closest friend. Dr. Samuel "Sam" Beckett (Scott Bakula) isn't your average guy. For one, he's pretty much a genius. So it's not surprise that this astrophysicist was able to find a way to make time travel possible. Unfortunately for Sam, exactly where and when is uncontrollable. In earlier seasons, the initial time travel caused slight memory loss and disorientation for Sam. Fortunately, he is not entirely alone. The supervisor of the project and his very good friend, Admiral Albert "Al" Calavicci (Dean Stockwell) is there by his side, so to speak. While Al doesn't travel into the past with Sam, he is able to project himself from the future into the past with Sam as a hologram.

Overall, the time travel portion is an important part of the series, but it isn't even close to what it's about. In each episode Sam lives a different life. Each individual is under some kind of duress and Sam, with the guidance of Al, must attempt to right a wrong. At the surface, the premise of this series can sound a little wishy-washy, but really, it is done very well and the entertainment value is extremely high. Quantum Leap, while an older series, is still just as exciting, if not more as the first time it aired.

The third season opens with a very strong two-part episode called "The Leap Home". The episode really gives further insight into the kind of person Sam is. Sam leaps into a teenage version of himself. He has the opportunity to fix several things that went wrong with his family. The first part of the episode becomes very powerful because Sam must watch the ones he loves make bad decisions. He was put into a younger version of himself to help someone else and not his family, which becomes a true test for him. In the second part, Sam is put in conflict once again, as he must fight beside his older brother in the Vietnam War, without the intention of saving him from imminent death.

Another insightful episode is "The Boogieman". Repeatedly throughout the earlier seasons, there has always been a notion that Sam was doing God's work or at least some higher power. In "The Boogieman" the other side is looked at and Sam is confronted by true evil. It is a nice development to the series, which helps to outline the nature of Sam's work.

The season finale is also a very strong episode. In fact, it is almost as powerful as "The Leap Home". In "Shock Theater", Sam leaps into someone who is undergoing shock therapy. The experience messes up Sam's mind and he is left suffering symptoms of multiple personality disorder. The personalities of several people Sam has leaped into surface and Sam believes he is each of them. They include Samantha Stormer (season 2, "What Price Gloria?"), Jesse Tyler (season 1, "The Color of Truth"), Herbert Williams (season 3, "The Leap Home"), Tom Stratton (season 1, "Genesis"), Kid Cody (season 1, "The Right Hand of God"), and Jimmy LaMotta (season 2, "Jimmy"). The previously mentioned three episodes, in my opinion, are the strongest this season has to offer. What really makes them strong is they outline the development of the two main characters and the series very well.

In addition the third season has some other fantastic tales to tell. One interesting episode is "A Little Miracle". In it, Sam and Al help turn a miser's life around by using Charles Dickens' solution from his story "Scrooge". While the episode unfolds in a very unrealistic manner (events occur far too conveniently, more than usual for the show), it is still a fun feel good story. In the episode "Future Boy", Sam gets tasked with saving a crazy man who believes he has found a way to travel back in time. Although this crazy man is not as crazy as he appears. His theory is very close to Sam's theory and the episode reveals the fundamental concept behind the show's time travel theory.

Another great episode is "Miss Deep South", where Sam leaps into the body of a beauty pageant contestant. While the underlying story is very serious (Sam must prevent one of the girls from being taken advantage of), the way Sam carries the character is quite funny. We have an astrophysicist who must act like a beauty queen and it is hilarious to watch him try to fill that role. I also found the episode "Runaway" to be intriguing. The story has Sam leaping into a thirteen year old boy named Billy. Billy's family is on the brink of disaster and they do not even realize it. Sam must teach Billy's older sister to treat him with respect and also make Billy's father realize the importance of his mother as a person. For the most part, all of the episodes in this season are entertaining. There are a few here and there that get a little dry in content, perhaps too wishy-washy, but for the most part, they deliver solid entertainment.

Overall, I really enjoyed getting the chance to sit through the third season of Quantum Leap. I feel this show is very strong in its unique stories, as each episode brings about a completely different set of characters and events. Although I can see how the show's format could be a problem for some people. The show tends to be slightly repetitive in its motivation and the goody-goody nature of Sam may turn some people off. I personally enjoy that aspect of his personality and his interaction with Al is also another plus. The characters are great together and have a wonderful relationship that is fun to watch develop. The bottom line, fans of the series should be happy to get to see the third season on DVD.

Episode Guide
1. The Leap Home, Part 1
2. The Leap Home, Part 2
3. Leap of Faith
4. One Strobe Over The Line
5. The Boogieman
6. Miss Deep South
7. Black On White On Fire
8. The Great Spontini
9. Rebel Without A Clue
10. A Little Miracle
11. Runaway
12. 8 1/2 Months
13. Future Boy
14. Private Dancer
15. Piano Man
16. Southern Comforts
17. Glitter Rock
18. A Hunting We Will Go
19. Last Dance Before An Execution
20. Heart Of A Champion
21. Nuclear Family
22. Shock Theater

The DVD
If you have ever watched an episode of Quantum Leap, then you know each episode ends with a teaser for the next episode. Unfortunately there are a few episodes were the teasers do not match up to the next episode.

Video:
The video is given in its original television aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame color. The picture quality is probably the most disappointing thing about this release. The picture tends to be very grainy, with slight compression artifacts and general noise occurring fairly frequently. However, considering the age of the series, it isn't terrible. The picture, while rough, is still very viewable and should not ruin the viewing experience.

Audio:
The audio is given in English 2.0 Dolby digital stereo sound. There is very little separation between channels. The audio is dialogue driven, which comes off very flat. Overall, the sound quality is pretty good and it is very audible. The release also comes with equipped with subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.

Extras:
Like the season two release, there are no extras included with this DVD release.

Final Thoughts:
Quantum Leap is one of many television shows that I find really exciting. The show's premise, which offers a variety of characters and settings, is what I really love about it. Getting to see Sam and Al leap around the 1900s fixing history's wrongdoings is entertaining. The stories are solid and the performances of the two main characters are superb. The third season unfolds a lot like the first and second seasons. So if you enjoyed either of the earlier seasons, you will definitely enjoy season three. Overall, I think this is a solid show and this season offers some great developments for the characters and the series.

Note: Like the second season DVD release of Quantum Leap, there have been several music replacements made. I personally did not even notice the change and I do not think the changes affect the overall delivery of the show.