Quantum Leaks. Uses of Scientific Theories in Television Series

Parallel universes, time travels and miscellaneous space-time complications are among the favourite subjects of contemporary television fiction. These narrative artifices are no longer the exclusive domain of a genre (science-fiction) but permeate the whole audiovisual landscape. The purpose of this article is to identify a few of the most interesting uses (or misuses) of scientific theories on American television. I will mention serials ranging from 1989 (Quantum Leap) to 2018 (Castle Rock), but I will analyse in particular the impact produced on the relationship between science and fiction by the broadcast of the mystery drama Lost, the majority of cases coming from shows dating from the same years of its airing on ABC network (2004-2010).