How many episodes are in the Quantum Leap revival on NBC?

The Quantum Leap revival has just landed an extended season order from NBC. Just how many episodes will be in the first season? What does this extension mean?

The live ratings for Quantum Leap haven’t been all that strong. It’s the second-lowest rated series on the network, with New Amsterdam being the only one below it. This did have us somewhat concerned.

It turns out the ratings on Peacock are strong, though. Deadline reports that the series is the No. 1 drama on the streamer, which has led to NBC deciding to give the series extra episodes. This is a good sign.

Extending the first season means NBC is happy with the show’s performance right now. This does extend the chances of the series being renewed for a second season. Before that, we need to look at the new episode count for the freshman drama.

Quantum Leap revival episode count

The series has been given six extra episodes. It had originally been given 12 episodes, so now the full season order is 18.

Anything about 13 is pretty much a full season by today’s standards. More and more networks are reducing episode counts from the 22 to 24 that we used to see. Some of this is due to filming protocols that are still in place from the pandemic, slowing down the filming process, but there is also a cost element to it.

TV shows are more expensive than ever. Cutting off just four episodes will help to reduce the costs considerably, allowing for a better costume and CGI budget. This is essential for a series that involves time travel. Just look at Timeless being canceled mostly because it was an expensive show, and NBC didn’t have Peacock, its own streaming service, at the time.

We’re certainly excited for the 18 episodes. With some hope, the series will continue the focus on finding what happened to Sam Beckett, even if Scott Bakula isn’t involved—yet!

Quantum Leap airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Catch up the following day on Peacock.