Quantum Leap (TV Series) Let Them Play (2023) User Reviews

Let Them Play

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 12 December 2023]

The original Quantum Leap tackled social issues like racism. If they had social media back in 1989, I guess the comments about the show would had been toxic.

It is no accident that the high school principal in this episode was black. She was happy to sweep transgender discrimination under the carpet.

Ben leaps into the body of high school coach Carlos. When there is an injury in the girl's basketball team. He sends Gia who scores a winning basketball at the last seconds.

Only some spectators make derisory comments to her. Gia is trans and Carlos is her dad.

Carlos actions might put Gia in jeopardy if she runs away from home. Gia could end up dead.

The best part was Ian talking about his own issues as a non binary person, which complemented Gia's story.

I do think some aspects of the writing was cheesy, maybe not always subtle. It did raise how dark lives can get for trans/non binary teens.

Hoosiers or Don't ask, don't tell

[safenoe · 6/10 · 6 April 2023]

When I saw this episode, Let Them Play (which reminded me of the classic chant from The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training), I knew the imdb would become incredibly active. Right I was, with over 1000 user votes for this episode, 13 user reviews and sadly (but maybe predictably in this divisive climate), the lowest rating so far.

Anyway, this episode is controversial for sure, dealing with trans issues (although the words lesbian or gay or LGBTI aren't mentioned in this episode) in a high school female basketball team. Mason Alexander Park gets their moment in the spotlight and even is a guest accomplice in the finale.

Writing is horrible

[chollins · 1/10 · 13 February 2023]

This was the most tedious, poorly written episode of any TV series I've had the misfortune to watch. QL has always had the clear line between telling a story and telling you what you should think. The entire appeal of the show Is to compare modern attitudes with those of the period. The Rosa Parks episode in the original series looked at the appalling treatments handed out to black people in America. It works because we have all evolved beyond that point and wonder how people could have been treated that way.

This episode doesn't have the luxury of time difference to present the contrast which means it needs clever story telling and subtlety. It fails dismally.

Let's look at the logic of the story telling. A high school coach allows his trans daughter onto the girls basketball team but she's not a player. What? How is that inclusion? How does that support her transition? What parent or teacher would think that's better than not allowing her on the team at all?

And then there is the dialog. Speech after speech about how important it is to let trans people "be their true selves" or participate fully in life or aren't a danger to anyone else. To get any more preachy they would have to break the fourth wall and give their talk direct to the camera.

I saw another review here that said you would have to be a bigot to not love this episode. I would say you are so desperate for television to write any positive story on trans issues that you're prepared to forgive the extremely poor writing that delivered it.

Terrible episode

[TaylorJefferson825 · 1/10 · 3 July 2023]

The original show tackled controversial issues with nuance, empathy, and thoughtfulness. Even the bigoted villains were depicted with complexity. Their conversions or lack thereof were brilliantly handled by the writers. This episode features none of this: no nuance, little complexity. The story alone is basic, no interesting plot twists. The characters are one dimensional. I didn't care about any of the characters in the story. The ending was comically bad-the worst attempt at an 80s film. It was all preaching. It was tedious from beginning to end, barely watchable. If the goal was to change minds, I fear this episode will have the opposite effect.

Great Episode if you're not a bigot

[TMLS313 · 9/10 · 8 February 2023]

Oh no, does it tell a story about something you don't like? How can you watch a show that through its two different version has always challenged hate of various kinds?

I get it. Different can be scary. But why not watch a story like this one to try and understand it? Challenge your own views. I'm white. I'm a white straight male in my 40s. I don't live in a big city. I've no experience in what trans people (or other LGBTQ+) have gone through. But you don't need to have.

Episodes of TV like this one show what some people have to go through just to be themselves to be accepted. We should feel for them, not hate them. Not exclude them. Not even think of them as "them". Acceptance doesn't diminish who you are.

Now we are trying way too hard

[njbono-21375 · 3/10 · 7 February 2023]

Ok I love the original Quantum Leap and I have been trying to give the reboot a chance... I've watched every episode and there are times I see hope but the last 3 weeks I am really rethinking this.

So after AGT AND Cody's big win I decided to watch this episose like.

Warning this episode has the production feel of a 1980's/1990's Saved By The Bell Episode.

The lighting is cheesy and the writing is amature and at times the acting is horrible. I mean who pulls up in a car, starts throwing things at this girl (trans character) as a bullying tactic.. waiting for a reaction as the boys laugh and it was just pathetic to be honest and if you really wanted to make a statement about this topic put some serious thought into it and maybe then as the audience we can start to educate ourselves and be kinder and understand more on this topic.

But no, they didn't do this, instead it is so tough to watch, so uncomfortable. The actess isn't so bad to be honest and very pretty and convincing at points to some real experiences, but when they get into the idea of calling out, educating and healing its falls apart again.

Even she seems to loose track of the character she's playing and the whole thing doesn't feel empathetic, it looses that and she even becomes, along with others too preachy, almost bully like. Shouldn't we have a discussion instead of becoming the bully ourselves??

Incredibly important episode, maybe feels a tad forced

[BlueLightAlarm · 8/10 · 8 February 2023]

I've enjoyed this series and was glad to see it return after a break in broadcasts. Also glad to see it's already been renewed for another series.

This episode in particular is incredibly important and in some ways was handled really well but at times felt a tad like the trans acceptance message was being forced or "drummed in" a bit much, which may be a bit too much for some viewers. That said, I'm kind of proud of the show for having the guts to make this episode. It sends a vital message to any trans kids who see it, as well as their families or friends.

Let's all try more to be accomplices, as well as allies.

Better Than Cats

[Gislef · 7/10 · 8 February 2023]

Yes, I said in an earlier review that I wish they'd do more with Ian, and have Ben jump into him. And they sorta did that, so I suppose that makes me prophetic. Yay!

The episode was good. I'm still not radically impressed with Randall Lee, but he's got the "dull look of surprise" down. Granted, so did Scott Bakula in 'Enterprise', so I suppose Lee learned from a master.

I commented on another show that it's pretty much review-proof, and "Let Them Play" strikes me as the same, albeit for different reasons. It's not like in this day and age you can give a pro-trans story a negative review. Not without getting lots of thumbs down and accusation

"Let Them Play" was... okay. It was a lot less subtle than "Running for Honor" on the original QL. And there I go comparing the two shows again. But dagnabbit, if they don't want the new show to be compared to the old one, give it a different name.

The most interesting part were the bits with Ian. Whether it was his memories involved with the Leap, or Addison taking him into the imaging chamber, or the big reveal at the end that he was a Leaper, it was all pretty impressive. And very time-wimey when you think about it.

As I've noted before, I wish they were doing it on another show not titled 'Quantum Leap', because the original QL was initially more about the characters than the timey-wiminess. And that's a big part of what keep me out of the new show. I would rather find out more about the new characters, or see Ben interacting with the ones in his Leaps, than stuff devoted to the conspiracy and the time-wiminess. "Let Them Play" balanced it better than previous episodes.

As for the main (??) plot, as one reviewer outside of IMB noted, it seemed more like a fairy tale princess ending than anything. Gia gets accepted by Amanda, and Margie, , and the guy sitting next to Miriam, and the mean ole principal gets her legs cut out from her under by her assistant principal who conveniently turns against her. Basically Gia gets everything she wants, and much much more. It's not clear how Ben brought all of that to pass, or even if he did.

And does anyone else find it amusing that half the time when Ben is setting right what once went wrong, it's often his own initial mistakes that he's setting right?

The main thing that puzzles me about the episode is... who is the target audience? I figure the people who are tuning in at 10/9 central are pro-trans. If you're anti-trans, write a review and say so. So it's low-hanging fruit to write a pro-trans story for pro-trans viewers. Wouldn't it be more creative to sway people who oppose your view to your side, rather than write something for people who are already on your side?

Yes, the episode says things that need to be said. But it seems to be saying them to an audience who already knows those things. Say those things to the people who need to hear them? Or are the only people who watch QL "enlightened" viewers?

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

Terrible episode

[scottjames-19826 · 1/10 · 4 March 2024]

A completely one sided story lacking any balance. The writing in this episode is very poor and ultimately ends up telling the viewer what and how to think. It does not tackle in the slightest the physiology element of transgender athletes competing in female sport. In does not look at the story from the opponents point of view and how this would have affected the outcome of the game. Whilst I have enjoyed the majority of the series thus far I was terribly disappointed in this. It was a massive opportunity missed to tackle the difficulties in the trans community whilst ensuring fairness in sport.

"Trans Kids Are Magic" - Representation Matters

[itselizalee · 10/10 · 22 March 2023]

An episode of television doesn't need to contain brilliant writing to be important and this is an example of that. Amazing representation from top to bottom. I, a trans woman, was so happy with the way this story handled this topic. Did it feel a little like a PSA? Sure. But for a major network show I was deeply impressed. The inclusive and accurate language is noteworthy as is the casting. The amount of trans actors in this episode with speaking roles is truly astounding. I'm sure there are about 30% of users that will give this a low rating because it talked about something they deem controversial.

Amateur Writing for Sensitive Subject Matter

[originalmalechi · 3/10 · 19 February 2023]

The writing on this episode was absolutely horrid. Taking a sensitive subject like trans suicide and slamming it into a hot button subject of Trans sports was a bad idea to start. Then filling the narrative with Trans good all other opinions are violently evil was beyond amateurish. If the story had been simply a prevent Trans suicide story it would have worked. Had the story been a Trans sports story with actual debate it would have worked. This didn't work at all and came down heavy handed and completely forced. The saddest part of the entire story was Gia was only portrayed as only a Trans person and never once as simply a person, which of course would be real way to prevent lot more Trans suicides.

Terrible handling of a delicate situation

[FlushingCaps · 1/10 · 12 February 2023]

Ben leaps into the role of a girls' high school basketball coach with half a minute to play in a big game. His star player was just injured and he has to try to coach when he doesn't even know anyone's name, letting the girls pretty much tell him how all the substitutes are injured except one-and he calls to her, twice just calling her by her number-23-to go into the game, despite protests from all the other players wanting the girl with the injured ankle to stay in.

Of course, # 23 scores a three-point shot at the buzzer to win the game by one point. Ben, and Addison are then stunned to hear jeers from fans, supposedly of the school's supporters, who quickly leave the gym, clearly unhappy.

For Ben to simply refer to this player, two times, by number, no name, really makes a bad impression on the players, as it should. How would you like it if your coach didn't even know your name and simply called you by number?

Right then we learn that the player in question, Gia, was the daughter of Ben's new character. This would make anyone who heard him summon her only by number to seem brutally cold, and they could have made the whole episode about that if they had chosen.

We also learn that Gia, up until about age 10 was Ben's son. Through the support of both parents, surgeries, and beyond, the child is now a girl.

Moments after the game, Ben is then bawled out by the principal in the school hallway (not sure why they were in the school hallway after the game-you don't normally leave the gym by going through the classroom part of the building-for putting Gia into the game in the first place.

It gets worse. When he gets home, even his wife is furious that he put her in the game.

I couldn't help but being nauseated that somehow these people, supposedly supporting this young person's transfer from boyhood to girlhood, thought it would be a good thing to let Gia on the girl's basketball team, but never let her onto the court. How could they possibly think this is good for anyone-to basically just pretend to be on the team?

According to what was later said, originally the team lost because they finished the game with only four players on the court. How humiliating that must have been for Gia-they'd "rather play short-handed than let me out on the court." And when the coach is Gia's own father, that really sets up an unhappy home.

My review has nothing to do with the serious issue addressed in this show. I'm simply saying that for the coach to have agreed to never put his own daughter into a game, with his wife insisting on the same thing, is incredibly mishandling their situation.

They were saying that she should have stayed on the bench because Gia is now going to face a lot of abuse for gaining a victory for the school's team. Somehow in this not-to-be-believed world of 2012, nobody was harassing Gia at all, even though everyone knew all about Gia's history. As long as she just pretended to be on the team and never got onto the court, nobody cared, but as soon as she stepped onto the court...now they're going to be hostile to Gia. Really?

It develops that Gia actually has many good friends who treat her well. But after Gia foolishly breaks someone else's windshield, by accident, she decides to run away. Let's review-loving and caring parents who supported a radical change in their child's life years ago, when most parents would not; many good friends at school who accept her and are good to her; yet despite this, she's going to run away from all of this into...?

This episode gets a rare score of one. If I didn't make it clear before, I'll say it again-my review has nothing to do with the issue of trans athletes, or trans people at all.

Close to home.

[rjb2112 · 10/10 · 26 August 2023]

As the parent of a trans daughter, I could relate to a lot of the things that happened in this episode.

The protective feelings of the parents were very accurate indeed, from my own personal experience.

Getting the balance right between protectiveness and freedom is a tough one. As parents, we don't always get it right. But the important thing is that we give unconditional love, and this episode represented that well.

The prejudice is also sadly very accurate.

The closeness of the trans and non-binary communities was reflected well.

I am non-binary myself, and I have never known such a supportive community. For me, it is cool to see a non-binary person in the show. I feel represented.

Simply amazing story

[junipersroad · 10/10 · 4 March 2023]

This is an incredible look into the lives of the real people in the community and the challenges they face. It's a powerful reminder to everyone that real people, real kids, real families need our live, support, understanding, and the freedom to just exist in today's world. Thank you to the entire crew for such a beautiful, powerful, and well told story. Sam and Al would be so proud of this, and you've all done an outstanding job of continuing the spirit of Quantum Leap. Keep on setting right there things the world is getting wrong, folks. We see you and we appreciate you and thank you for everything.

Brilliant and brave

[outlandonline · 10/10 · 15 May 2023]

In these crazy culture war times it was such a relief to see a straightforward approach to a trans story, pointing out the ridiculous hysteria around trans women in sport. (Although as many have pointed out, it's not about sport in the same way it was never about drinking fountains).

Great acting from everyone, brilliant to see so many trans actors in a range of roles, and fantastic to see Shakina on screen again, I loved her in Difficult People.

Was the writing a bit on the nose? Yes, but I feel at this moment in time it has to be to cut through all the noise. It made a point and hopefully will be seen by a wide audience. Great work, Quantum Leap.

Lazy, boring, and not the time or place

[zfgcjx · 1/10 · 6 February 2024]

This is the utter worst episode by far in the series so far. The worst part of why it gets a 1 is because it should be amongst the best. That is the difference between how you educate people. The writers and director for this are so cringe, in your face trying to send the message that they forget any basic coherent story. They might as well just spent five minutes yelling the message at you. If this is what the writers and director think quantum leap is then I'll be taking a hard pass. Anymore of these episodes and I'm done. Let's hope we get some better writing and stories. Btw, all of the cast is doing great with some of this poorly written crap. Hoping they get better stuff, got some real talent on that cast.

Subtlety? What's That?

[JayWolfgramm · 2/10 · 28 November 2023]

We must remember, what is being reviewed here is the quality of the episode, not the message of the episode. You can agree or disagree with the themes of an episode, but what we are focusing on is how well does the episode communicate these themes, and how does it hold up for the characters and story. So, with that in mind, this is not a good episode.

Heavy handed does not begin to describe their messaging in this episode. I have seen episodes of "Captain Planet" that are more subtle than this. This episode might as well just be a wagging finger telling the audience, "shame on you." The characters all act as strawmen to be set up just to be proven wrong. They are one-dimensional villains with no redeeming qualities. And the cherry on top of this episode, in the end the day is saved by the head of the teachers' union. That is the hardest thing for me to believe in this whole thing.

Real discrimination is something else

[resonatorwolf · 1/10 · 5 March 2023]

This is being too light about such an important subject. Real racism, real discrimination is something else. The jock screaming from the car to the trans girl/boy is not what it's all about. That's the simple easy route. No, it's the quiet nods that are the real screamers; the silence. Now that is indeed what hurts the most to discriminated people. But no, this feels like it was written by someone really interested in the subject but that has absolutely no f$%& idea what they're writing about. It feels too amateurish, lacks reasonability - in fact, this episode shows a lot about the main problem with this show. We all get it that they're trying to push the LGBT agenda. You can see that from a mile. But if you're going to do that, be smart about it. Remember sigourney weaver in the alien franchise - does anybody in the entire franchise during the movies ever sings praises about the fact that it's a woman? NO. Not once. She just is. And it's breathtakingly done. If the audience wants to clap about it great, but that's up to the audience. Cameron put a woman in that role and let people decide. If the show wants a trans hero, by all means do, but don't have the show clap to itself. Let the audience decide.

Great premise for a show, great idea to tackle, but so badly done it's hideaous.

Indeed, let them play.

[brucelovett-88812 · 10/10 · 12 July 2023]

This episode actually made me cry. While the story was a bit forced, it brought attention to an important issue. As the parent of a trans child, this episode really hit home.

The brief ban on trans military members was after I completed my tour, so I don't have first hand experience with it. I served during the DADT(Don't Ask Don't Tell) days. We knew who our gay shipmates were, most of us didn't care. As long as they did their duty, we were cool. Bearing that in mind, I can appreciate the dilemma that Addison faced regarding the people she lost under her command due to their gender status. She knew what was happening was wrong and didn't know what to do. Looking back, I wish I could have done more for the few sailors I served with that were outed.

As the story established, Gia was undergoing hormone treatments, receiving counseling and even group. Her parents were supportive and she had a group of supportive friends. The poor girl just wants to live her best life, so why the heck does anyone have a problem with it? It's HER life, it has zero impact on you.

Great attempt

[orenw14 · 8/10 · 7 February 2023]

The attempt was greater than the result. Growing up on the sappiness of Michael Landon and Aaron Spelling this is an important message of accepting those who are different. Art including television has an important obligation to give evolution a push, especially those who resist it the most. Love truly does trump hate. Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote "You've got to be Carefully Taught" a long time ago. LOVE: accepting someone as they are and as they are NOT. Stop freaking out and making what is between a Persons's legs more important that what is between their ears. The young woman in this episode is beautiful. It may have been more believable if she were signigficantly more muscular that playing basketball on a girl's team was unfair.

best episode of a mediochre season & I'm on the fence with trans-athletes

[spasticfreakshow · 9/10 · 8 February 2023]

Elephant in the room: how the reviewer feels about trans athletes (bc that's going to affect their perception of this episode). I'm on the fence; as a woman, I think we've been oppressed enough and should be lifted up at this point, and trans girls competing feels questionable to me, particularly if they're more naturally muscular etc than a girl born female. So yeah, perhaps I'm the target audience for this episode, bc I'm open-minded, but not sure what to think in this particular area. And this episode DID influence my perspective, bc it helps put us in the shoes of Gia.

As with other episodes, the progress for a main character, Gia's being blacklisted to the eventual conclusion, felt rushed and unearned. Perhaps two-part episodes if they somehow get renewed. That said, this was the best episode so far, and is WELL worth watching as a stand alone episode. Should be used by PFLAG. Ben felt more natural in this role, in this family, and the interesting developments happening back at HQ were the first that felt exciting. They should have LED with this, bc I almost didn't make it this far. The team discovers something critical, and the person, probably a one-off character, they discover it from, was a sheer pleasure to watch. So all in all, well worth watching - and might possibly keep me tuned in for another episode, as I was about to give up on this geriatric-slow-moving-lack-of-chemistry dud...but now there is perhaps a fresh spark!