Code Quantum on M6: Who is Dean Stockwell, the actor the first episode of the reboot pays homage to?

On March 26, 1989, NBC aired the first episode of Quantum Code, the science fiction series hosted by Scott Bakula that has become a cult hit today.

For 5 seasons, viewers followed the adventures of Sam Beckett, a scientist who travels through time and jumps from body to body in order to right the wrongs of the past. He is accompanied on his adventures by his loyal sidekick, Al Kalavitch, who is present in the form of a hologram.

And almost 30 years after the last episode aired, Code Quantum is preparing to make its return to television this Saturday, October 26 on M6, due to air the first episodes of the reboot.

Who is Dean Stockwell?

Astute viewers may have noticed that the first episode of Quantum Code pays homage to Dean Stockwell, who is none other than the iconic Al.

The actor died on November 7, 2021, at the age of 85. According to his relatives, Dean Stockwell died in his sleep at his home. So the reboot teams wanted to pay tribute to him by dedicating the first episode.

The connection between Code Quantum and its sequel

This isn’t the only tribute the series’ teams have paid to Dean Stockwell. In the first episode of Code Quantum, we learn that Janice Kalawicz, Al’s daughter, is connected to Ben Song’s (Raymond Lee) time jumps.

At the end of this first episode, Herbert “Magic” Williams (Ernie Hudson) reveals that the young woman wants to follow in her father’s footsteps and participate in the new Quantum Leap project. Unfortunately, the Department of Defense rejected her due to her emotional ties to Al, who died a year before the events of the series.

And according to Martin Gero, Code Quantum’s showrunner, the actor was originally slated to star in the sequel. During the development of the series, Dean Stockwell was still alive, and the producers knew that the Kalavic family would play a major role in their story.

Unfortunately, the actor’s death forced them to change their plan. “Dean’s dream has always been to play a small role in a TV seriesMartin Gero explained to our colleagues TVLine. “But when he passed away, it was important to us to preserve the legacy of that character in an authentic and profound way.”

Catch the first three episodes of Code Quantum this Saturday 26th October from 9.10pm on M6.