The original 1989 TV series Quantum Leap revolved around Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula), a scientist who became trapped in the timestream. Set 30 years after those events, the Quantum Leap reboot now finds Dr. Ben Song (Raymond Lee) similarly stuck traveling through time and space, jumping from body to body as he rights wrongs in a slew of interesting situations. Outside of being unable to return to the present day, Ben suffers from amnesia and can't recall who he is or his predicament.

Along for the adventure is Addison, portrayed by Caitlin Bassett, as Ben's fiancée. She relies on cutting-edge, modern technology to keep in direct contact with him as a holographic advisor. A seasoned Army vet, Addison was initially supposed to lead the Quantum Leap missions but now stays by Ben's side and provides vital information. CBR recently spoke with Bassett about her big break, updating the Quantum Leap premise, handling betrayals, and Addison's new-found purpose.

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Quantum Leap Bassett Wide

CBR: Quantum Leap marks your first major acting role. What was the audition process like for you?

Caitlin Bassett: I went through the gauntlet -- as I should have. I have two managers, and normally I would get my auditions from their assistants during business hours. This one I got directly from one of them at 11:30 at night. I was like, "Hmm... You made a phone call to get me in here." I read the sides. I had meant just to read a few minutes of the pilot, just to give myself a flavor, but both the pilots were so good. I just consumed it. I read the whole thing in 15 minutes.

I remember thinking two distinct, very powerful, and separate thoughts. One was, "I think I'd be great for this role. It's my background. I have so many similarities. I think I can do the humor." The second and stronger thought was, "There is no way they are going to hire me for this, ever. I am brand new. This is a huge piece of IP." But they did. It was a tape, and then they wanted to bring me in for a director's session. They tested me. I waited very stressed by the phone. Then I found out I was going to do a chemistry read. It was going to be me and someone else with Raymond Lee. We did it, and I was like, "We'll see." I got the phone call on the last possible day they could have called me. We had a contract from my test, and it was amazing. I immediately started crying.

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What do you think this continuation does right?

One of the things that everybody loved so much was the Sam/Al relationship and the fun of it, the humor, and the heart. I wouldn't say it's missing in the pilot, but what has only just begun in its nascency is the fun of the show. The fun in the leap is there, but we, as characters and as the family, have fractured. We are all trying to stop the hemorrhage, but at that point, we are just desperately trying to figure out what has happened and to keep Ben safe. That's all we are doing.

As we move forward in the season, as we can bring the temperature down a bit, and as we know the characters are going to be okay... The stakes are still high, and we have to get Ben through these things, but it's not our first rodeo. That's where we are going to have the play and the humor. The best part of the role is I am very invested. I am very concerned about what's happening, but I can only do so much other than get information. The interplay is the fun of it. That's what I am excited for fans [to see], especially for the original fans mourning the loss of Dean Stockwell as much as I am. I hope they can really reconnect with that.

When this version opens, Ben and Addison are happy and in love. How do the Quantum Leap contraption and Ben's secrets throw a wrench into that bliss?

Ben has completely destroyed it. We had this life. We had this family. We had this project. We had this long trajectory. Everyone in life has that. You are on this path, and something happens. Even sometimes, something good happens that can completely derail everything that you thought for yourself. As far as we understand it, this was not a good thing. He's risked this program. He's risked everything that we ever looked for, and he bet our relationship. We might never see each other again, and we don't even know why. To go from being somebody's work partner and life partner so intimately to finding out there has been this secret, this other life I didn't know about, is devastating. I am really glad they worked that into this version of the pilot because that was missing in the first one. We needed to see what the family was before it broke apart.

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Quantum Leap Reboot Cast

It's a big betrayal. Addison was even supposed to be the leaper and Ben the holographic aide. How is she handling that role reversal? Has she been forced to roll with the punches?

Addison kinda has. I think what would have made her such a great leaper is she puts the mission first. On top of that, it's not even that there's a mission at this point. Her mission is to get her fiancé out alive. I don't think there could be a higher-stakes motivation, even though you will see her wrestle with some of that moving forward, especially in the beginning, where Ben doesn't have his memory. It's like yelling at a dog. They don't even know what they did yet, so how can I even handle this with you, especially with the house on fire? She's definitely rolling with the punches.

Holographic advisors often serve as sci-fi tropes. What's enjoyable about these types of roles?

As I was saying earlier, you get the best of both worlds. I get to experience the leaps with Ben. I get to be in all the fun time periods. I get to watch everything that is happening. I get to help, but there's a level of separation where I do get to have my popcorn. There are moments where quite literally, I'm like, "That looks tough. We should figure that out." I'm not actually in the awkward situation. Even the space of it, I get to go in the places in the scene he can't go because that would be inappropriate for the situation, but I get to walk around and look at stuff. It has its challenges, as well, because you aren't in that reality, so you can't touch stuff. There is a level that is separated, which is interesting, but then I get to go back to HQ. Then I am very grounded in the reality, and I get that side of things, so I couldn't be luckier.

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Addison is pulling double duty. She is divided between Ben and the headquarters. How much is she responsible for holding down the fort?

She is holding down the fort a lot, both emotionally and in her own personal life. It's interesting that you ask this because we are working on Episode 7, and some of that personal life stuff that she hasn't had time to even think about because it's been all leaps all the time -- the reality is shit comes up. You have to deal with it, and it has started to [catch up] with her. It's really nice because we have that family back at HQ that is there to help.

Will audiences eventually witness those two worlds collide?

I think collide is the right word. Tune in.

The premiere takes place in the '80s. We see Ben strapped into a space shuttle for the second episode. What can you tease about where Addison fits in? It's pretty snug for Addison to squeeze into this space.

It sure was, and us trying to find places to have a private conversation... The place is exactly the only space you could have a private conversation in a space shuttle. Ray is a phenomenal physical actor. He is so good. They are doing the zero gravity, and I am just happy with my popcorn and having a good time.

The Quantum Leap reboot premieres Sept. 19 at 10 pm ET on NBC.