The evolving dynamics between characters Ben and Addison during Quantum Leap Season 2 brought about changes in real-life friends Caitlin Bassett and Raymond Lee.
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Bassett, 33, shared insights into the collaborative effort required to authentically portray the on-screen transformation of Ben and Addison’s relationship.
“Ray and I kind of had to be on different paths. It’s funny because [during the] first season we worked together on creating backstory [together]. Other than him having to decide what he remembered [due to Ben’s memory loss], that was the only real separation between the two of us,” she explained. “Whereas in season 2, I had to work on the me side of things.”
The adjustment in their collaboration process aimed at accurately reflecting the character shift required Bassett and Lee, 36, to distance themselves as friends to better encapsulate the changes in Ben and Addison’s dynamic.
Quantum Leap, a revival of the ’90s science-fiction series, follows Ben’s secret leap through time, leaving him lost in the past. Supported by his now-ex-Addison and the Quantum Leap team, Ben attempts to uncover the cause of his history-altering leap.
Season 2 revealed that three years had passed since Ben’s last contact with the team, resulting in a time jump that felt like mere days to him. This shift led to Addison mourning Ben and moving on with her life, including a new relationship with Tom (Peter Gadiot). Throughout the season, Ben and Addison grappled with their new status as exes.
Bassett admitted that portraying this separation was challenging yet exciting. “Ray and I were like, ‘Bye,’ because we knew it was coming. So we had to be like, ‘This was great, and we’ll see how this happened. We’re not going to be as connected,’” she shared.
While acknowledging the sadness in the departure of their close on-screen relationship, Bassett emphasized the thrill of playing something different and completely altering the show’s direction.
As a fan of the show, Bassett praised the changes in Season 2 as being “better for the show,” attributing the perceived differences in performances between Season 1 and Season 2 to the introduction of new stories and a completely different chapter.
Bassett delved into the complexities of her character, Addison, moving on from Ben with Tom. Explaining Addison’s transformation, she highlighted the character’s shift from being a dreamer in love to someone who accepts the world’s imperfections.
The actress also provided insights into Addison’s internal conflict during Season 2, torn between her past connection with Ben and her present relationship with Tom.
The most recent episode of Quantum Leap, which aired on January 30, saw Addison admitting to Tom that she found the ring he had hidden, and the couple got engaged.
Looking ahead, Bassett teased what fans can expect from the final episodes of Season 2 and the setup for Season 3. She expressed excitement about the new adventure awaiting viewers and hoped people would enjoy the upcoming developments.
Quantum Leap airs on NBC Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET and is available for streaming on Peacock the next day.
