‘Quantum Leap’ Reruns Land in the Top 20

“Quantum Leap’s” Scott Bakula time leaped across the past three decades five times last week, landing twice in the A.C. Nielsen Top 20 and scoring its three highest rankings ever on NBC, according to ratings released Tuesday. In an effort to gain greater exposure for this critically praised series, the network aired reruns of the show at 10 p.m. for five successive nights. The move paid off as the program was seen in a cumulative 50 million households over the course of the week, finishing 12th, 19th, 32nd, 38th and 44th. The bad news is that the show fared poorest on Friday, the night NBC has reserved for it this fall.

* “Mr. Belvedere,” the lowbrow family sitcom that seemingly has had more lives than Shirley MacLaine, was resurrected again last Sunday on ABC, but in its latest incarnation, “Belvedere” found “The Simpsons,” TV’s favorite ill-mannered family, to be an irrepressible foe. Following “America’s Funniest Home Videos” at 8:30 p.m., “Mr. Belvedere” slipped all the way to 59th place while the acerbic “Simpsons” bickered their way to No. 11.

TV RATINGS

Show Points Share 1. “Cheers” (NBC) 16.8 32 2. “A Different World” (NBC) 13.8 28 3. “Roseanne” (ABC) 13.7 26 4. “Designing Women” (CBS) 13.7 25 5. “FM” (Thur.) 13.5 26 * “Mr. Belvedere” (ABC) 7.0 13