What It's About: San Francisco Chronicle reporter Dan Vassar suddenly finds himself traveling back in time, tracking individuals who need help. Since he has no control over his periodic disappearances, Dan's new life causes tremendous stress on his relationship with his wife Katie, young son Zack, cop brother Jack, and editor Hugh. Complicating matters further, in the past he sometimes meets up with his dead fiancee, Livia, who is helping Dan learn the roipes of traveling.
Origins: Journeyman is from Kevin Falls, a veteran of West Wing, Shark, and Sports Night. Though its premise owes much to Quantum Leap, Journeyman emphasizes the difficulty Dan has in balancing his uncontrollable new job with the rest of his life.
Popular Characters: Kevin McKidd (Dan) caught a lot of attention in Rome; here he's doing a great job conveying an imperfect man trying to push an unexpectly heavy life uphill. Gretchen Egolf, as Katie, is probably the best TV wife since Sela Ward in Once and Again: smart, lovely without needing to be glamorous (though she can do that too), and torn between support for her husband's burden, the frustration of not having him be there, and an unclosed history with Dan's brother, Jack.
Flavor: The strain that traveling puts on Dan's life can be achingly resonant, while there's a conscious sense that some very long threads are pulling together over many episodes. The people Dan ends up helping provide the only resolution in his life, making him ironically drawn to this job that's making the rest of his life so difficult.
Network: Journeyman is shown on NBC. For showtimes see When It's On.
