Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Quantum Leap Season 2 episode "Ben & Teller." Read at your own risk!
Season 2 of Quantum Leap hasn't been great for Dr. Ben Song. Right on the heels of learning he's been missing for three years in his present timeline, the hero learned that the Quantum Leap program has been shut down for a year. Worse than that, he was assumed dead, and after grieving, Addison is now in a relationship with a new man. It's a devastating blow to those who felt Ben and Addison were the sci-fi couple of 2022. Still, there is an "interesting ride" following this upsetting situation, according to executive producer Chris Grismer.
It's a real bummer that Addison has a new beau. Based on what little we know of Peter Gadiot's Tom Westfall, however, he seems like a good guy. I'll give him credit for understanding Addison's need to see her fiancé she previously thought was dead. Still, it doesn't erase the pain of knowing this might be the end of Addison and Ben. I asked Chris Grismer about the decision, and while he couldn't speak to the decision to split up the two, he did reveal why this will be an entertaining storyline to follow:
I definitely know that conflict makes great drama, and I think that they really nailed it with that kind of conflict. What's it like when people are experiencing time differently? What's gonna happen to their relationship? So I think that it's a really exciting way to explore that.
There's no denying that Ben and Addison's complicated relationship introduced some major drama. Had we learned that Tom was this awful guy or that the relationship wasn't that serious, it would've been much easier to dismiss this new fling. Unfortunately, he's as perfect as his actor Peter Gadiot is in his role as Shanks in One Piece, and the rest of the crew seems to really like him.
If it wasn't clear by the awkward dynamic between Ben and Addison, this pairing may not see a ton of adventures together in Quantum Leap Season 2 as they work their way past the hurt. The good news is that from this heartache will come some new dynamics, as Chris Grismer shared there will be more interaction between Ben and Ian, Magic, and Jenn:
It's exciting this season because we get to watch those characters interact a little bit more with Ben, which they didn't really do as much in the first season. They had their world and he had his. I think that each of them offers something, a unique perspective, and unique talents that can come in handy on the leap. It'll be a really interesting ride for them in this new season.
Revisit Quantum Leap Season 1 with a Peacock subscription, and you'll remember we had a small taste of Ben working with his other friends. I know that I'm a big fan of seeing Ben work with Ian more, but there was also some fun seeing Jenn in the mix as well. Actress Nanrisa Lee probably needed to brush up on keeping hold of that hologram device, but I'm sure she figured it out.
From a behind-the-scenes standpoint, Season 2 of Quantum Leap just opened the door to actor Raymond Lee working directly with many other actors he didn't spend much time with in Season 1. I look forward to seeing Ben, who is one of the reasons I highly recommend people watch this show, in the mix with other people this season. I also want to see him meet Addison's new boyfriend, though I'm sure it's way too soon for that at the moment.
Quantum Leap airs on NBC on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. This latest episode gave everyone a big reason to make this appointment viewing, so clear that schedule and tune in for all the wild places we'll see Ben go.
